Planetary Integrated Camera Spectrometer (PICS): a new approach to developing a self-sequencing integrated multiwavelength instrument

摘要

Abstract: The planetary integrated camera-spectrometer, PICS, isa highly integrated sensor system which performs thefunctions of three optical instruments: a near infrared(IR) spectrometer, a visible imaging camera, and anultraviolet (UV) spectrometer. Integration serves tominimize the mass and power required to operate acomplex suite of instruments, and automatically yieldsa comprehensive data set, optimized for correlativeanalysis. This approach is useful for deep spacemissions such as Pluto Express and will also enableGalileo/Cassini class remote observations of any objectwithin the solar system. In our baseline concept, asingle set of lightweight multiwavelength foreoptics isshared by a UV imaging spectrometer (80 spectralchannels 70 - 150 nm), a two-CCD visible imaging system(shuttered in two colors 300 - 500 nm and 500 - 1000nm), and a near-IR imaging spectrometer (256 spectralchannels 1300-2600 nm). The entire structure, includingits optics, is built from silicon carbide (SiC) forthermal and dimensional stability. In addition, thereare no moving parts and each spectrometer covers asingle octave in wavelength. A separate port isprovided for measurement of a UV solar occultation andfor spectral radiance calibration of the IR and visiblesubsystems. The integrated science that the PICS willyield meets or exceeds all of the Priority-1A scienceobjectives, and many Priority 1-B science objectives aswell, for the Pluto Express Mission. This paperprovides details of the PICs instrument design,fabrication and testing, both at the sub-assembly andthe instrument level. In all tests, including optical,thermal vacuum, and structural/dynamics, the PICShardware prototype met or exceeded functionalrequirements. !0