New Approach Tested to Prevent Freezing of Euclid Space Telescope
ESA’s Euclid mission, which aims to map the dark universe, is facing a unique challenge – the buildup of ice on its spacecraft mirrors. This issue is not uncommon for missions venturing into the icy depths of space, but surprisingly, little research has been done to address it. However, researchers are now working on a strategy to understand the distribution of ice within the optical system, which could provide valuable insights for future missions.
The problem with the Euclid space telescope stems from the water absorbed from the atmosphere during its assembly on Earth. After the telescope launched, scientists noticed a decrease in detectable light from observed stars within the visible spectrum. It was later discovered that this decline was caused by minute quantities of water released into the vacuum of space, where it froze on the delicate optical components.
Efforts were made to minimize the effect of ice on Euclid’s instruments through an “outgassing campaign” post-launch. However, some water molecules remained within the spacecraft’s insulation, leading to the accumulation of ice on the mirrors over time. The instruments of the Euclid space telescope are incredibly sensitive and can detect ice layers as thin as a few nanometers.
To combat this obstacle, Euclid teams are currently working on a solution. The most suitable option is to heat the spacecraft to several degrees Celsius. However, this poses a risk to the quality of the telescope’s images as heating can cause materials to expand and potentially not return to their original shape when cooled. This would jeopardize the mission’s main objective of 3D mapping the Universe.
Therefore, a new approach has been developed to clean the Euclid space telescope’s mirrors. Instead of heating the entire optics system, the team will focus on warming up specific parts that are less likely to be damaged. They plan to start by heating two mirrors separately to assess how it affects the telescope’s ability to gather light. If light interference continues to be an issue, they will gradually heat up more groups of mirrors.
The hope is to identify the areas most affected by ice and create a heating plan to regularly de-ice them. This approach is a complex process but offers the potential to save time and resources. The researchers are excited to see how their plan works and are optimistic about its success.
In conclusion, the issue of ice buildup on the Euclid space telescope’s mirrors has posed a significant challenge for scientists. However, with a new approach focused on targeted heating, there is hope that this obstacle can be overcome. The success of this strategy could provide valuable insights for future missions and ensure that Euclid can fulfill its mission of mapping the dark universe.
