2010/09/14 by Peter Barthol, P. Barthol, Achim Gandorfer +99 · 293 citations
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Adaptive optics and wavefront sensing #Aerospace engineering #Astronomy #Calibration and Measurement Techniques #Computer science #Engineering #Geology #Infrared Target Detection Methodologies #Instrumentation (computer programming) #Optics #Payload (computing) #Physics #Remote sensing #Scientific instrument #Sunrise #Telescope #astro-ph.IM #astro-ph.SR
paper · pdf · doi:10.1007/s11207-010-9662-9
published in Solar Physics 268(1), 1-34 (Springer Science+Business Media) · 35 pages, 17 figures
arxiv created 2010/09/14 · openalex publication_date 2010/11/23 · arxiv updated 2015/05/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
The first science flight of the balloon-borne Sunrise telescope took place in June 2009 from ESRANGE (near Kiruna/Sweden) to Somerset Island in northern Canada. We describe the scientific aims and mission concept of the project and give an overview and a description of the various hardware components: the 1-m main telescope with its postfocus science instruments (the UV filter imager SuFI and the imaging vector magnetograph IMaX) and support instruments (image stabilizing and light distribution system ISLiD and correlating wavefront sensor CWS), the optomechanical support structure and the instrument mounting concept, the gondola structure and the power, pointing, and telemetry systems, and the general electronics architecture. We also explain the optimization of the structural and thermal design of the complete payload. The preparations for the science flight are described, including AIV and ground calibration of the instruments. The course of events during the science flight is outlined, up to the recovery activities. Finally, the in-flight performance of the instrumentation is discussed.