Rotation Optimized Filter for Longevity (ROFL): Increasing the Lifetime of Swift/UVOT Simply

Abstract

I demonstrate that a very simple and safe change to the planning software filter assignment algorithm for the Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) onboard the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory can reduce the number of filter wheel rotations by >10%, and its adoption is thus likely to significantly extend the usable lifetime of the UVOT instrument.