New directions for TPF (May 10, 2004) NASA has decided to pursue both architectures currently under study by JPL, launching an optical coronagraph followed by a mid-infrared nulling interferometer. + Full story + Memo to the TPF Science Working group from Charles Beichman, TPF Project Scientist, April 12, 2004 + New directions for TPF -- presentation by Charles Beichman
The Second TPF/Darwin International Conference (March 5, 2004) Registration is now open for the second annual joint TPF/Darwin conference, "Dust Disks and the Formation, Evolution and Detection of Habitable Planets," (July 26-29, 2004, San Diego, California). Abstracts of contributed papers are due April 30, 2004.
TPF Expo presentations posted online (February 5, 2004) Presentations from the TPF Science, Technology, and Design Expo held in October 2003 are now posted. Presentations available on the site can be accessed by clicking on the hot-linked titles in the Final Agenda.
TPF Development of Technologies Solicitation Results (August 1, 2003) Click here for a list of proposals that have been selected for negotiation of contracts as part of the TPF Development of Technologies solicitation.
Lockheed Martin, Ball selected for Study Phase Contract negotiations (July 29, 2003) The JPL Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) Project announces that Lockheed Martin Corporation and Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation have both been selected for negotiation of Study Phase Contracts for the TPF Structurally Connected Interferometer Structure Testbed (TPF-SCIT).
Technology Demonstration Mirror (July 24, 2003) Numerous studies of coronagraph based architectures for TPF have identified a large, lightweight, low scatter primary mirror as one of the major technology challenges. Acting on recommendations from the Industry led Architecture Study Teams, the TPF Science Working Group and the TPF external Technology Review Board, JPL has contracted with Eastman Kodak for the second phase development of the TPF Technology Demonstration Mirror (TDM). Kodak will make and test a 1.8m off-axis parabolic mirror with 1/4 the mass per unit area of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) primary mirror, and significantly lower surface error in the mid-spatial frequencies. The TDM goal will be to achieve a surface quality such that the scattered light performance is an order of magnitude improvement over the HST primary. When successfully completed and validated, the TDM will provide an important demonstration of mirror technology needed to build a TPF coronagraph. After delivery and test of the mirror in 2006, the TPF project plans to make the TDM available to the community for use by other projects that advance the TPF science goals. For further information contact TPF Project Manager, Dan Coulter at Daniel.R.Coulter@jpl.nasa.gov
Advanced Cryocooler Technology Development Program (July 24, 2003) The Advanced Cryocooler Technology Development Program (ACTDP) at JPL has just kicked off the last of three contracts for the development of engineering model cryocoolers capable of cooling to 6 K. The ACTDP is a collaboration between the Goddard Space Flight Center and JPL managed by the TPF Project to demonstrate cryocoolers that are suitable for TPF, James Webb Space Telescope, and Constellation-X. Ball Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman have been selected for the development phase of ACTDP. The cryocoolers will be capable of 30 mW of cooling at 6 K and 150 mW at 18 K, with input power of less than 250 W, and will be suitable for a variety of missions in addition to those already identified. As part of the contracted effort, each company will provide cost and schedule information for the development of flight model cryocoolers. Interested potential end-users may contact Ronald.G.Ross@jpl.nasa.gov for further information.
NASA research opportunity on Terrestrial Planet Finder Foundation Science (January 31, 2003) [the 2003 opportunity is now closed].
NASA Headquarters selects TPF Science Working Group (September 9, 2002)
TPF Interim Science Working Group Call for Applications (June 21, 2002)
The July 2001 letter to NASA Origins Director Anne Kinney (July 11-13, 2001) The July 2001 letter to NASA Origins Director Anne Kinney from Alan Dressler, Chair of the Origins Subcommittee, contains an updated assessment of progress with SIM, TPF, and the Keck Interferometer.