Research on 1-arcsecond pointing control device for nano space telescopes using a MEMS mirror

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K14342
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 24010:Aerospace engineering-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Fujita Shinya 東北大学, 工学研究科, 特任講師 (90847279)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 宇宙望遠鏡 / 超小型衛星 / MEMSミラー / 系外惑星 / 姿勢制御

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is difficult to achieve pointing control with pointing accuracy on the order of 1 arcsecond only by attitude control of a 10 kg class nano-satellite. Therefore, we have developed a prototype of a device that precisely controls the telescope optical axis by using an electromagnetic MEMS mirror.
We improved the algorithm for calculating the star positions for the star tracker and verified that the star center of mass can be measured with an accuracy of 0.05 arcseconds using the experimental optical system. The dynamic characteristics of the system including the developed mirror driving circuit were measured, the control law was evaluated by simulation, and the target pointing control accuracy of the prototype optical system, within ±2 arcsec, was achieved through indoor and outdoor night sky experiments.

Free Research Field

超小型衛星姿勢制御

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

大気の影響を受けず、数週間－数ヶ月に渡る長期間、望遠鏡を占有して特定の天体を観測し続けることができれば、これまで見逃してきた天文現象の発見が期待できる。本研究はトランジット法による太陽系外惑星の探査が可能な観測能力を持つ10 kg級超小型衛星を地球低軌道上に複数機配備し、宇宙望遠鏡を長期占有可能な環境を構築することを将来目標とし、MEMSミラーによる高精度望遠鏡指向制御装置の研究に取り組んだ。