Jose T Quezada

US Patent:

20180224642, Aug 9, 2018

Filed:

Feb 7, 2017

Appl. No.:

15/426790

Inventors:

- Waltham MA, US
Jose B. Quezada - Torrance CA, US
Neil R. Nelson - Anaheim CA, US

International Classification:

G02B 17/02
G02B 7/18
G02B 27/14
G02B 27/10
G02B 17/00
G02B 23/02
H04N 5/225
H04N 5/33

Abstract:

An all-reflective coronagraph optical system for continuously imaging a wide field of view. The optical system can comprise a fore-optics assembly comprising a plurality of mirrors that reflect light rays, about a wide field of view centered around the Sun, to an aft-optics assembly that reflects the light rays to an image sensor. A fold mirror, having an aperture, is optically supported between the fore-optics assembly and the aft-optics assembly. The aperture defines an angular subtense (e.g., 1.0 degree) sized larger than the angular subtense of the Sun. The aperture facilitates passage of a direct solar image and a solar thermal load. A thermal control subsystem comprises a shroud radiatively coupled to each fore-optics mirror and the fold mirror. A cold radiator is thermally coupled to each shroud. Heaters adjacent fore optics mirrors and the fold mirror control temperature to provide a steady state optical system to minimize wavefront error.