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Completed TRL 2 (started at 2, targeting 4)
Project Goals and Objectives: We propose a three-year program to raise from TRL 2 to TRL 4/5 a new form of fiber optic capable of guiding light at wavelengths significantly shorter than the previous state-of-the-art. This technology was developed to TRL 2 via an internally funded collaboration between the University of Colorado - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (CU-LASP) and the University of Bath, has the potential to enable significant enhancements to future NASA Planetary Science missions. Early results showing transmission at wavelengths less than 130 nm have been presented at the 2019 Frontiers in Optics conference. UV-sensitive instrumentation is a mainstay of Planetary Science, from flight programs (Mariner and Voyager-UVS through MAVEN-IUVS and JUNO-UVS) to Mars Rovers (Curiosity-REMS and Mars2020-SHERLOC), to future missions (Europa Clipper-UVS). These instruments are by necessity compact, with the throughput, bandpass, and overall flexibility of the system design limited by the restrictive technology available. The far-UV transmissive fiber optics to be qualified under this program will provide far greater scope for future instruments. In addition to enabling traditional fiber optic benefits currently inaccessible to the far-UV, such as providing both source and detection fibers in the same bundle, splitting of beams between multiple detectors, and low-loss bending of the optical path, the resonant modes in these fibers can be tuned to accept or reject specific bandpasses. This capability, unique to this type of fiber optic, provides a potentially powerful additional utility as a form of tunable filter for both UV/Visible sources and detectors. Methodology: The primary objective of this program will be achieved by developing a proof-of-concept breadboard instrument. This test instrument will be reconfigurable, beginning as a simple fiber-fed UV spectrometer with a 100 – 200 nm bandpass and overall performance comparable to recent flight instruments, such as the LASP-built MAVEN-IUVS, and evolving (using the same optical components in a different configuration) into a fiber-fed reflectometer for monochromatic far-UV to visible reflectivity measurements. This latter mode would demonstrate a shorter wavelength source capability than the Mars 2020 SHERLOC instrument for a future generation of Raman spectrographs. The fiber pathlength, bend-loss, bandpass, and transmission stability requirements are different for these two instrument configurations, therefore both concepts will be demonstrated and tested following standard NASA practices for flight qualification. These tests are frequently employed by CU-LASP when building instrumentation, and the team has both the facilities and experience to carry out this qualification program appropriately. This robust test plan in two different configurations will establish the limits of these fibers across a range of Planetary Science applications. The data obtained via this PICASSO program will motivate future development of the technology (not funded by this program), and a potential MATISSE proposal to showcase the full capability of far-UV transmissive fiber optics in a flight-like package, advancing the TRL to 6. Relevance to NASA Goals: This work is relevant to the PICASSO program as it seeks to advance the capability of future and planned UV instrumentation designed to address NASA science objectives. The development of fiber optics capable of guiding light at far-UV wavelengths would represent a significant increase in the capability and flexibility of the next-generation of NASA Planetary missions. The timescale of this program is well suited to provide detailed preliminary results ahead of the 2023 Decadal Survey.
Developing Instrument technology to improve measurements for future planetary science missions
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