Flight model characterization of the wide-field off-axis telescope for the MATS satellite.

We present optical characterization, calibration, and performance tests of the Mesospheric Airglow/Aerosol Tomography Spectroscopy (MATS) satellite, which for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, for a satellite, applies a linear-astigmatism-free confocal off-axis reflective optical design. Mechanical tolerances of the telescope were investigated using Monte Carlo methods and single-element perturbations. The sensitivity analysis results indicate that tilt errors of the tertiary mirror and a surface RMS error of the secondary mirror mainly degrade optical performance.

Wide-field off-axis telescope for the Mesospheric Airglow/Aerosol Tomography Spectroscopy satellite.

We present the development of a compact f/7.3 (D=35  mm) three-mirror reflective telescope for the atmospheric-research microsatellite Mesospheric Airglow/Aerosol Tomography Spectroscopy (MATS). The telescope design was driven by the end users' need for a reflective wide-field (5.