Topic
MSSTA
About: MSSTA is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 25 publications have been published within this topic receiving 184 citations.
Papers
TL;DR: In this paper, an upper bound to the focusing errors that incorporate the sum of all uncorrelated system focus errors that affect resolution performance was derived for the MSSTA II.
Abstract: The Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array (MSSTA) is a sounding rocket-borne observatory composed of a set of normal-incidence multilayer-coated telescopes that obtained selected bandpass spectroheliograms (44 to 1550 Aa) of the solar atmosphere. These spectroheliograms were recorded on specially fabricated XUV and FUV 70-mm Kodak film. Rocket launches of this instrument payload took place in 1991 (MSSTA I) and 1994 (MSSTA II) at the White Sands Missile Test Range in New Mexico, sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sounding rocket experiment program. Immediately prior to the 1994 launch, visible light focusing tests of each telescope were performed in situ using a 1951 standard Air Force high-resolution test target, to measure optical resolution performance. We determined that the MSSTA II telescopes performed at diffraction-limited resolutions down to 0.70 arcsec at visible wavelengths. Based on these measurements, we calculate an upper bound to the focusing errors that incorporate the sum of all uncorrelated system focus errors that affect resolution performance. Coupling these upper bound estimates with the in-band diffraction limits, surface scattering errors and payload pointing jitter, we demonstrate that 11 of 19 MSSTA II telescopes--having negligible figures of focus errors in comparison to the corresponding visible diffraction limits--performed atmore » sub arcsecond resolution at their operational FUV/EUV/XUV wavelengths during flight. We estimate the in-band performance down to 0.14{+-}0.08 arcsec. (c) 2000 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.« less
25 citations
1 Feb 1991
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss the interferometric alignment, testing, focusing, visible light testing, and optical performance characteristics of the Ritchey-Chretien and Cassegrain telescopes of MSSTA.
Abstract: The Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array (MSSTA), which is a sounding-rocket-borne observatory for investigating the sun in the soft X-ray/EUV and FUV regimes of the electromagnetic spectrum, utilizes single reflection multilayer coated Herschelian telescopes for wavelengths below 100 A, and five doubly reflecting multilayer coated Ritchey-Chretien and two Cassegrain telescopes for selected wavelengths in the EUV region between 100 and 1000 A. The paper discusses the interferometric alignment, testing, focusing, visible light testing, and optical performance characteristics of the Ritchey-Chretien and Cassegrain telescopes of MSSTA. A schematic diagram of the MSSTA Ritchey-Chretien telescope is presented together with diagrams of the system autocollimation testing.
16 citations
TL;DR: The Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array (MSSTA) is a sounding rocket-borne solar observatory which was succesfully launched on May 13, 1991, from the White Sands Missile Range, NM as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array (MSSTA) is a sounding rocket-borne solar observatory which was succesfully launched on May 13, 1991, from the White Sands Missile Range, NM. Ultrahigh resolution, full-disk solar X-ray, EUV, and FUV images were obtained with the MSSTA Herschelian, Cassegrain, and Ritchey-Chretien telescopes. We describe the payload and provide some preliminary scientific results from the flight.
15 citations
21 Jan 1993
TL;DR: In this article, photographic films were used to obtain high resolution full-disk images of the sun at selected soft X-ray/EUV/FUV wavelengths during the Stanford/MSFC/LLNL Rocket X-Ray Spectroheliograph and MultiSpectral Solar Telescope Array (MSSTA) programs.
Abstract: The quest for ultrahigh resolution full-disk images of the sun at soft X-ray/EUV/FUV wavelengths has increased the demand for photographic films with broad spectral sensitivity, high spatial resolution, and wide dynamic range. These requirements were made more stringent by the recent development of multilayer telescopes and coronagraphs capable of operating at normal incidence at soft X-ray/EUV wavelengths. Photographic films are the only detectors now available with the information storage capacity and dynamic range such as is required for recording images of the solar disk and corona simultaneously with sub arc second spatial resolution. During the Stanford/MSFC/LLNL Rocket X-Ray Spectroheliograph and Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array (MSSTA) programs, we utilized photographic films to obtain high resolution full-disk images of the sun at selected soft X-ray/EUV/FUV wavelengths. In order to calibrate our instrumentation for quantitative analysis of our solar data and to select the best emulsions and processing conditions for the MSSTA reflight, we recently tested several photographic films. These studies were carried out at the NIST SURF II synchrotron and the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. In this paper, we provide the results of those investigations.
12 citations
20 Jun 1995
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors describe the design and performance of thin foil filters developed for the MSSTA II, which are used in conjunction with multilayer optics to eliminate contaminant lines and specular reflectivity.
Abstract: The redesigned payload of the Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array (MSSTA), the MSSTA II, was successfully flown on November 3, 1994. The multilayer mirrors used in the normal incidence optical systems of the MSSTA II are efficient reflectors for soft x-ray/extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation at wavelengths that satisfy the Bragg condition, thus allowing a narrow band of the soft x-ray/EUV spectrum to be isolated. When applied to solar observations the temperature response of an optical system is quite sensitive to telescope bandpass because of the high density of lines in the coronal spectrum. We have designed a set of thin foil filters in conjunction with our multilayer optics to eliminate contaminant lines and specular reflectivity, thus enhancing the temperature diagnostic capabilities of our instruments. Extensive measurements have recently been carried out on the thin foil filters at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. We describe here the design and performance of thin foil filters developed for the MSSTA II.
9 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 1995 | 3 |
| 1994 | 2 |
| 1993 | 4 |
| 1992 | 3 |