All-Reflective Solar Coronagraph Sensor Thermal Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional telescope optical systems and coronagraphs face significant image quality degradation due to extreme solar thermal loads, limiting their ability to sense objects close to the Sun with a wide field of view and for extended periods.
Innovation Solution
An all-reflective coronagraph optical system with a dynamically controllable solar rejection component, such as a micromirror array, that adjusts to varying Sun positions, combined with a thermal control subsystem to manage heat, allowing continuous imaging of objects near the Sun.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional telescope optical systems are used to sense objects close to the Sun, then the system can provide a wide field of view, but the extreme solar thermal load causes significant image quality degradation due to optics misalignments and distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is divided into multiple reflective segments (multiple mirrors in the optical path) that can independently manage different portions of the light field. This segmentation allows the system to separate the wide field of view function from the solar rejection function, maintaining image quality while preserving wide viewing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary reflective component is introduced into the optical path to redirect and manage solar thermal load separately from the imaging path. This intermediary element allows the main optical system to maintain its wide field of view capability while the intermediary component handles the solar rejection function, preventing thermal damage and image degradation.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If existing coronagraphs implement a significant shield or baffle to block out direct solar image, then they can reduce solar thermal load, but they suffer the restriction of not being able to view certain objects very near the Sun
Solution Approach 1:
The reflective component is made dynamically adjustable, allowing it to change its configuration or position in response to the varying position of the Sun. This dynamic adaptability enables the system to maintain solar rejection while preserving the ability to view objects at different angular distances from the Sun, overcoming the static limitation of traditional baffles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes optical parameters (such as the angle or position of reflective surfaces) based on the Sun's position to optimize both solar rejection and viewing capability. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the system can adapt to different observing conditions and maintain versatility in viewing objects near the Sun while managing thermal load.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If existing coronagraphs operate with significant solar shielding, then they can reduce thermal load, but they can only sense objects for a transient period of time
Solution Approach 1:
The reflective component enables continuous operation by dynamically tracking and rejecting solar thermal load throughout the imaging period. Instead of providing only transient protection, the system maintains continuous solar rejection capability, allowing extended imaging durations without thermal damage to the optical system.
4Strength
If conventional optical systems operate under extreme solar thermal load, then they can maintain structural integrity, but they suffer very significant image quality degradation due to optics misalignments and distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The solar thermal load is extracted and redirected away from the main optical path using the reflective component. By separating the thermal management function from the imaging function, the system preserves structural integrity while preventing the thermal distortion and misalignment that would otherwise degrade image quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables continuous imaging of objects close to the Sun with a wide field of view and minimal degradation of system components, overcoming the limitations of conventional systems by effectively rejecting the direct solar image and maintaining image quality.
Implementation Method 1
an all-reflective foreoptics assembly having an entrance aperture positionable towards the Sun and configured to receive light rays over the wide field of view, the all-reflective foreoptics assembly including a plurality of foreoptics mirrors that receive the light rays via the entrance aperture and sequentially reflect the light rays
Implementation Method 2
a solar rejection optical component positioned between the all-reflective foreoptics assembly and the all-reflective relay optics assembly and dynamically configurable such that the direct solar image of the Sun, reflected by the all-reflective foreoptics assembly to the solar rejection optical component, is reflected away from the all-reflective relay optics assembly
Implementation Method 3
a thermal control subsystem coupled to the all-reflective foreoptics assembly, the thermal control subsystem transferring away heat such that the entrance aperture can be continuously positioned towards the Sun
Data Source
AI summary
An coronagraph optical system and method for continuously imaging a wide field of view that includes the Sun. Examples of the coronagraph optical system include an all-reflective foreoptics assembly that receives light rays from a viewed scene and a direct solar image of the Sun, a sensor assembly configured to produce an image of the viewed scene, an all-reflective relay optics assembly configured to receive the light rays from the foreoptics assembly and to reflect the light rays to the sensor assembly, and a solar rejection optical component positioned between the foreoptics assembly and the relay optics assembly and dynamically configurable such that the direct solar image of the Sun is reflected away from the relay optics assembly and the light rays are reflected to the relay optics assembly while an entrance aperture of the foreoptics assembly is continuously positioned towards the Sun.