KECK INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES

     

Technology Requirements to Operate at and Utilize the Solar Gravity Lens for Exoplanet Imaging

May 15 - 18, 2018
California Institute of Technology - Pasadena, CA 91125

Workshop Overview:

This Technology Development Workshop is co-sponsored by the Aerospace Corporation, the Breakthrough Prize Foundation and the W. M. Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS). It is a follow-on to the 2014-15 KISS Study, Science and Enabling Technologies to Explore the Interstellar Medium - http://kiss.caltech.edu/programs.html#ism. Several mission possibilities were identified there, in terms of increasing distance into the interstellar medium:  Kuiper Belt Objects, Far Interstellar Medium (>200 AU), and the Solar Gravity Lens Focus (SGLF) Mission (>600 AU). The interest in the SGLF mission is that it may provide the best, affordable way to achieve kilometer scale images and spatially resolved spectra of resolved features associated with a putative biomass.

This study will provide an opportunity for in-depth discussion in science, instrumentation and mission – which we hope will lead to specific design and technology development proposals to enable this mission to be launched in the mid-2020s.

A 3.5 day workshop will explore the Technology Requirements for a potential mission to the Solar Gravity Lens Focus [agenda].

The principle of the Solar Gravity Lens and creation of an exoplanet image is explained here: [Physics Paper].

How a possible mission to the Solar Gravity Lens Focus >550 AU from the Sun might be designed, and the technology tradeoffs to be considered is described here: [Mission Paper].

(The graphics at the top of this webpage shows a 1-meter telescope with a coronagraph (with 10-6 suppression) placed in the focal area of the solar gravitational lens (SGL) can image an exoplanet at the distance up to 100 light years with a kilometer-scale resolution on its surface. In addition, spectroscopic broadband signal-to-noise ratio is ~106 in 2 weeks of integration time, providing this instrument with incredible remote-sensing capabilities. See concept description at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hjaj-Ig9jBs).

Reference List

Below are some references we have gathered relevant to our study. Many more references about particular technologies, scientific investigations, and orbits will be cited during the study. We welcome additions and suggestions for this compilation of references.


Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Think Tank, Room 155 - Keck Center, Caltech

Technology Requirements to Operate at and Utilize the Solar Gravity Lens for Exoplanet Imaging

Time
Event
Speaker

8:30 - 9:00

Coffee and Carbs – Sign in

9:00 - 9:15

Introduction to KISS

Michele Judd

9:15 - 9:30

Background and Motivation for Workshop
(2 MB .pdf)

Louis Friedman

9:30 - 9:45

Workshop Objectives
(36 KB .pdf)

Dimitri Mawet

9:45 - 10:15

Participant Introductions (1 minute each)

All

10:15 - 10:45

Break

10:45 - 11:45

Physics of the SGL
(14 MB .pdf)

Slava Turyshev

11:45 - 12:30

Imaging with the SGL

Mike Shao

12:30 - 2:00

LUNCH ON YOUR OWN

2:00 - 3:30

Mission Architectures

• Chemical/Solar Thermal (7.2 MB .pdf)
• Solar Sail/ Smallsat (3 MB .pdf)
• String of Pearls (2.75 MB .pdf)

Louis Friedman

Leon Alakalai
Darren Garber
Thomas Heinsheimer

3:30 - 4:00

Break

4:00 - 5:00

Methods for Observing Exoplanets
(7.2 MB .pdf)

Karl Stapelfeldt

5:00 - 5:30 Dmitiri Mawet

5:30 - 6:00

Discussion

Slava Turyshev
Louis Friedman

6:00

Hosted Dinner at the Athenaeum


Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Time
Event
Speaker
8:30 – 9:00 Organization of Sub-Groups All
9:00 - 10:00 Mission Group Louis Friedman

JPL ISM STP Study Summary
(4.89 MB .pdf)

Nitin Arora, Jonathan Murphy, Leon Alkalai, Jonathan Sauder and JPL Team-X Study Team

Operations at the SGLF

 

Solar & Electric Sailing
(2.85 MB .pdf)

Jared Dervan

Mission architecture/CONOPS
(1.35 MB .pdf)

John Brophy
Science Group Slava Turyshev/Dmitiri Mawet

Coronagraph concept(s)
(3.7 MB .pdf)

Hanying Zhou

Imaging

 

Image reconstruction technique(s)/de-convolution

 

Spectroscopic science

 

Spectrometer design(s)

 

10:00 - 10:30

Break

10:30 - 12:00

Groups Discussion Continue

12:00 - 1:30

LUNCH ON YOUR OWN

1:30 - 3:30

Mission & Science Requirements

• Group reports & Discussion

Plenary

3:30 - 4:15

Specification of subtopics

 

4:15 - 4:30

Walk to Lees-Kubota Hall, Guggenheim Building

4:30 - 5:00

Refreshments

5:00 - 6:00

KISS Public Lecture at Lees-Kubota Hall, Guggenheim Building

 

6:00

Hosted Dinner at Athenaeum


Thursday, May 17, 2018

Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Time
Event
Speaker
8:30 – 9:00 Review All

9:00 - 12:00

Science & Instruments Group(s):

• Camera retirements
• Coronagraph requirements
• Observation requirements
• Data collection and Data processing requirements
• Spectrometer requirements
• Other science

Mission Group(s):

• Chemical propulsion options
• Solar sail requirements
• Multiple spacecraft options for
- Einstein Ring operations and
- for communications
• Navigation
• Options for maneuvering: trajectory corrections,
focal line flight and Einstein Ring operations
• Communications options: radio, optical, use of relays
• Power options

Break 30 minutes when appropriate

Sub-Groups 

12:00 - 1:30

LUNCH ON OUR OWN

1:30 - 3:30

Reports from the groups

Plenary                   

3:30 - 4:00

Break

4:00 - 6:00 Synthesis Discussion Plenary                   

6:00

DINNER ON YOUR OWN


Friday, May 18, 2018

Keck Center - Think Tank, Room 155

Time
Event
Speaker
8:30 - 8:45 Review

8:45 - 10:00

Sub Groups meet for Synthesis/Conclusions

Sub-Groups

10:00 - 10:30

Break

10:30 - 11:30

Plenary Discussion                          

• Definition of open areas for tradeoff
• Specification of Technology Requirements
• Report Plan and Writing

Plenary

11:30 - 12:30

Next Step – Study Plans, Proposals, Presentations

Plenary

12:30

Adjourn

 

 

NOTES

  1. Coffee and Continental Breakfast will be provide ONLY on 1st Day (Tuesday)
  2. Coffee and snacks provided at breaks every day
  3. Lunches are on your own – on campus or nearby restaurants (maps provided)
  4. Hosted dinners thanks to:
    1. The Aerospace Corporation
    2. The Breakthrough Prizes Foundation
  5. Internet Access will be announced

Workshop Participants:

  • Reggie Alexander - NASA-MSFC
  • Leon Alkalai - JPL
  • Nitin Arora – JPL
  • Nathan Barnes - L’Garde
  • David Bearden - JPL
  • John Brophy - JPL
  • Artur Davoyan - Caltech
  • Jared Dervan - NASA-MSFC
  • Louis Friedman - The Planetary Society (Emeritus)
  • Darren Garber - NXTRAC
  • Tom  Heinsheimer - Aerospace Corp
  • Henry Helvajian - Aerospace Corp
  • Renyu Hu - JPL
  • Pete Klupar - Breakthrough Prize Foundation
  • Jeff Kuhn - U. Hawaii
  • Geoffrey Landis - NASA-GRC
  • Dimitri Mawet - Caltech
  • Kevin Parkin - Parkin Research
  • Michael Shao – JPL
  • Nathan Strange - JPL
  • Karl Stapelfeldt - JPL
  • Tomas Svitek - Stellar Exploration
  • Slava Turyshev - JPL
  • David Van Buren - JPL
  • Ji Wang - Caltech, post-Doc
  • Karl Yee - JPL
  • Hanying Zhou - JPL