FLITECAM: delivery and performance on SOFIA

Sarah E. Logsdon; Ian S. McLean; E. E. Becklin; Ryan T. Hamilton; William D. Vacca; Patrick Waddell

doi:10.1117/12.2231757

3 August 2016 FLITECAM: delivery and performance on SOFIA

Sarah E. Logsdon, Ian S. McLean, E. E. Becklin, Ryan T. Hamilton, William D. Vacca, Patrick Waddell

Proceedings Volume 9908, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VI; 99080B (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2231757
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2016, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Abstract

We present a performance report for FLITECAM, a 1-5 μm imager and spectrograph, upon its acceptance and delivery to SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy). FLITECAM has two observing configurations: solo configuration and “FLIPO” configuration, which is the co-mounting of FLITECAM with the optical instrument HIPO (PI E. Dunham, Lowell Observatory). FLITECAM was commissioned in the FLIPO configuration in 2014 and flew in the solo configuration for the first time in Fall 2015, shortly after its official delivery to SOFIA. Here we quantify FLITECAM’s imaging and spectral performance in both configurations and discuss the science capabilities of each configuration, with examples from in-flight commissioning and early science data. The solo configuration (which comprises fewer warm optics) has better sensitivity at longer wavelengths. We also discuss the causes of excess background detected in the in-flight FLITECAM images at low elevations and describe the current plan to mitigate the largest contributor to this excess background.

Citation Download Citation

Sarah E. Logsdon, Ian S. McLean, E. E. Becklin, Ryan T. Hamilton, William D. Vacca, and Patrick Waddell "FLITECAM: delivery and performance on SOFIA", Proc. SPIE 9908, Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VI, 99080B (3 August 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2231757

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