Design Considerations For Multiple Telescope Imaging Arrays

The basic principles for designing and implementing multiple telescope imaging arrays are presented. A generalized treatment is formulated that permits determination of the amount of residual errors that can be tolerated in lateral and longitudinal pupil geometry matching, magnification matching, azimuthal asymmetry, and telescope boresighting. A specific design goal is a modular system of independent telescopes configured to have the equivalent performance of a monolithic aperture of the same diameter as the array. This telescope array, known as the Multipurpose Multiple Telescope Testbed (MMTT), is designed to provide high resolution imagery over a wide field of view. The requirement for wide field of view performance imposes rigid tolerances that must be satisfied at every stage of development. The work described here derives the subsystem tolerances that must be met. Special means by which some of the more rigid requirements can be satisfied are also briefly described.