An intermodule alignment budget for the Generation-X Telescope

摘要

This paper presents a first look at a telescope level error budget for the Generation-X telescope. This alignment budget is presented in terms of the allowable intermodule alignment as a function of the intrinsic optical performance degradation of perfectly aligned modules. This intrinsic optical performance is quantified by the image half-power diameter of a point source. Sets of misalignment parameters are used in a Monte Carlo calculation to determine the distribution of outcomes. The distribution is, then, integrated to give the cumulative probability that the defined set of tolerances will yield a certain optical performance. This cumulative probability is, then, used to generate a confidence level for achieving a specific level of telescope performance, expressed as a multiplier to the intrinsic optical performance.