High-contrast Imager for Complex Aperture Telescopes (HiCAT): 6. Software Control Infrastructure and Calibration

Abstract

High contrast imaging using coronagraphy is one of the main avenues to enable the search for life on extrasolar Earth analogs. The HiCAT testbed aims to demonstrate coronagraphy and wavefront control for segmented on-axis space telescopes as envisioned for a future large UV optical IR mission (LUVOIR). Our software infrastructure enables 24/7 automated operation of high-contrast imaging experiments while monitoring for safe operating parameters, along with graceful shutdown processes for unsafe conditions or unexpected errors. The infrastructure also includes a calibration suite that can run nightly to catch regressions and track optical performance changes over time, and a testbed simulator to support software development and testing, as well as optical modeling necessary for high-contrast algorithms. This paper presents a design and implementation of testbed control software to leverage continuous integration whether the testbed is available or not.

Dark zone maintenance results for segmented aperture wavefront error drift in a high contrast space coronagraph

“…2018. 6 HiCAT can achieve contrast levels of 2.5 × 10 −8 (6.5 × 10 −8 90% of the time) using the monochromatic laser source and 6.3 × 10 −7 over a 20 nm band using the broadband laser source. 7 Here, we demonstrate maintenance of the dark zone contrast in the presence of a wavefront error drift at monochromatic levels of 2.5 × 10 −8 (IrisAO drift) and 5.9 × 10 −8 (all DMs drift), as well as 7.0 × 10 −7 at multiple wavelengths (BMC drift).…”