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Starshade Prototype
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Caption:
This image shows the bare bones of the first prototype starshade by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. The prototype was shown in technology partner Astro Aerospace/Northrup Grumman's facility in Santa Barbara, California in 2013. In order for the petals of the starshade to diffract starlight away from the camera of a space telescope, they must be deployed with accuracy once the starshade reaches space.
The four petals pictured in the image are being measured for this positional accuracy with a laser. As shown by this 66-foot (20-meter) model, starshades can come in many shapes and sizes. This design shows petals that are more extreme in shape which properly diffracts starlight for smaller telescopes.
Starlight-blocking technologies such as the starshade are being developed to help image exoplanets, with a focus on Earth-sized, habitable worlds. To learn more about these technologies, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=6454 .
Cataloging Keywords:
| Name | Value | Additional Values |
|---|---|---|
| Target | ||
| System | ||
| Target Type | Exoplanet | |
| Mission | ||
| Instrument Host | ||
| Host Type | ||
| Instrument | ||
| Detector | ||
| Extra Keywords | Color | |
| Acquisition Date | ||
| Release Date | 2016-08-09 | |
| Date in Caption | ||
| Image Credit | NASA/JPL-Caltech/NGAS/Princeton | |
| Source | photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20903 | |
| Identifier | PIA20903 | |
