Technology Development Toward Imaging and Spectroscopy of Exo-planets via Visible Nulling Coronagraphic Techniques

The field of Exoplanet research is poised to make major advances in the upcoming decade. One of the more promising approaches for exo-planet detection and spectroscopy over wide wavebands is nulling interferometry, which is capable of producing high contrast images equivalent to 2/D coronagraphs. When combined with a modest single aperture telescope or a coherent array using 4 telescopes, the nulling interferometer based visible nulling coronagraph produces a cost effect instrument for imaging and spectroscopy of over 100 nearby stars. A technology development program is needed to demonstrate the high contrast technique to the required levels of 10-10 contrast. We have already demonstrated nulling levels needed to detect Jovian planets but need further development to demonstrate those of exo-earths Such development is a continuation of current efforts and is envisioned to be accomplished within 4 year program of testbed demonstration and component development in segmented deformable mirrors and single mode optical fiber array assemblies. Astro2010 Technology White Paper Technology Development Toward Imaging and Spectroscopy of Exo-planets via Visible Nulling Coronagraphic Techniques Michael Shao, 818-354-7834 (mshao@jpl.nasa.gov) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology Mark C. Clampin, 301-286-4532 (Mark.Clampin@nasa.gov) NASA/Goddard Spaceflight Center, Greenbelt, MD Peter Lawson,B. Martin Levine, Jagmit Sandhu, Gautam Vasisht, Richard G. Lyon , Benjamin F. Lane, Rocco Samuele, Gopal Vasudevan, Robert A. Woodruff, Fabien Malbet 1 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology 2 NASA/Goddard Spaceflight Center, Greenbelt, MD 3 C.S. Draper Laboratory, Cambridge, MA 02139 4 Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Redondo Beach, CA 90278 5 Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Advanced Tech. Center, Palo Alto, CA 94304 6 Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Louisville, CO 80027 7 University of Grenoble, France Technologies for Visible Nulling Coronagraphy page 2 Astro2010 Technology Development White Paper