Three-sided Pyramid Wavefront Sensor for High Sensitivity Wavefront Control

A 3-sided pyramid wavefront sensor (PWFS3) suitable for use with a range of telescope sizes will be built. Laboratory testing will be carried out at the University of Arizona to verify functionality and performance relative to a Shack-Hartmann WFS (SHWFS). HartSCI's numerical models will be used to create realistic synthetic data from the PWFS3, PWFS4, and SHWFS that can be directly compared with the lab data and processed using the same software. The lab experiments will validate PWFS3 and SHWFS models and provide confidence in the model to simulate and analyze the three different WFS when used with real telescopes. The primary outcomes will be a physically-demonstrated instance of a PWFS3, an experimentally validated numerical model that can be used for comparative performance predictions, and a model-based analysis that shows the performance advantage of using the PWFS3 to the PWFS4 or SHWFS with current optical systems used for space situational awareness. The assessment will cover resolved imaging of LEO/MEO objects where the unique sensitivity of the PWFS3 may be exploited through unresolved glints on the spacecraft, and the improvement in contrast enabled through control of scattered light when imaging GEO objects where the detection of closely-spaced objects is critical.