Coronagraph Design for Exoplanets Exploration

Space Telescope Coronagraph Design for Exoplanets Imaging and Exploration

Research Synopsis

Humans have long gazed at the night sky, pondering the existence of planets akin to Earth and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Echoing this intellectual curiosity, NASA’s Astro2020 Decadal Survey identifies the search for biosignatures from exoplanets as a top scientific pursuit. A flagship mission, recommended by the survey, aims to utilize infrared/optical/ultraviolet technologies to explore the universe for signs of life. This endeavor necessitates the development of space-borne coronagraphs capable of suppressing stellar light by a factor of 10 billion to reveal faint Earth-like companions, presenting a computational challenge in optimizing several thousand design parameters. These parameters specify finely tailored shapes of optical surfaces/planes, which manipulate optical wavefronts to suppress stellar light. This is a bottleneck in producing design solutions for technology maturation. Large telescope mirror structures pose further design challenges due to additional light scattering and mechanical deformations causing optical instabilities.

Collaborating with partners at NASA JPL, our primary objective is to significantly enhance the computational efficiency of telescope-coronagraph system analysis. Our approach aims to expedite the design and optimization processes critical for the success of upcoming NASA exoplanet missions. By designing coronagraph pupil apodization and focal-plane mask for a higher starlight suppression and a better exoplanet light throughput, we aim to advance the capabilities of future NASA exoplanet missions and contribute to humanity’s quest for knowledge beyond our celestial boundaries.