Design, Implementation, and Performance of the Cryogenic System for the EXoplanetClimate Infrared TElescope (EXCITE) Balloon Payload
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The EXoplanet Climate Infrared TElescope (EXCITE) instrument is a 0.5m near-infrared spectrograph that flies from a stratospheric balloon platform. EXCITE is designed to perform phase resolved spectroscopy of hot Jupiter-type exoplanets in the spectral range from 0.8 to 4 microns. This measurement requires excellent photometric stability, imposing significant constraints on allowable mechanical disturbances and component temperatures. The EXCITE science instrument features a cryogenic spectrograph cooled to ~100K, and an infrared focal plane cooled to ~50K. These components are housed within the same dewar and are cooled by a pair of linear pulse tube cryocoolers. In this work, we present the design, implementation, and in-flight performance of the EXCITE cryogenic system. Through both ground and in-flight testing, EXCITE has demonstrated that payloads flying mechanical cryocoolers and their ancillary hardware can achieve the temperature and mechanical stability required for high precision infrared science, in a compact, reliable, and technologically mature format.
DOI: 10.13016/m2ldwv-eao8
Authors: Tucker, Greg, Nagler, Peter, Bernard, Lee, Butler, Nat, Gamaunt, John, Jensen, Logan, Klangboonkrong, Kanchita, Rehm, Tim, Kleyheeg, Annalies, Carey, Oliver, Altermatt, Caitlyn, Mugnai, Lorenzo, Gregoire, James, Kaszeta, Richard, Kelly, Daniel P., Helson, Kyle, Leong, Ed, Maher, Stephen F., McClelland, Ryan, Miko, Laddawan R., Scowen, Paul A., Waczynski, Augustyn, Hartley, John, Li, Steven, Romualdez, Javier, Bocchieri, Andrea, D'Alessandro, Azzurra, Pascale, Enzo, Netterfield, C. Barth, Baxter, Jason, Hon, Robert, Hudson, Noah, Kirkconnell, Carl, Smith, Tucker
Language: English
Subfield: Instrumentation
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W7128804267
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