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Completed TRL 3 (started at 3, targeting 4)
The Balloon Experimental Twin Telescope for Infrared Interferometry (BETTII) is an 8-meter far-infrared (30-90 micron) Michelson interferometer, designed to fly on a high altitude balloon. Scientifically, the spatially-resolved spectroscopy for BETTII will provide unique new scientific data for the study of star formation regions; technically, it paves the way for future interferometric space missions needed to answer key questions about our universe. The BETTII project was funded by NASA HQ from 2011-2017, and had an engineering flight in June 2017. At the end of the flight, an anomaly led to the loss of the payload. We are now working to rebuild BETTII, focusing this effort on lessons-learned from the flight an upon incorporating new designs to make BETTII2 even more capable.
The key aspect for the internally-funded effort is a redesign of the optical system. Through the addition of a dispersive backend to the interferometric instrument, sensitivity can be significantly improved, which will enable more science with the payload, while demonstrating another key technology for future missions.
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