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    • Volume 42 All articles Published: 11 June 2021 Article ID 0041 MISSION

      Contamination control of UVIT

      S. KATHIRAVAN S. N. TANDON B. RAGHAVENDRA PRASAD S. SRIRAM A. PRADEEP T. VISHNU P. K. MAHESH P. U. KAMATH S. NAGABHUSHANA AMIT KUMAR

      More Details Abstract Fulltext PDF

      Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) is one of the 5 instruments on AstroSat satellite, which was launched on September 28, 2015. UVIT was designed to make images with a resolution of <1:8$''$, simultaneously in two ultraviolet channels: Far Ultraviolet (130–180 nm) and Near Ultraviolet (200–300 nm). Images are also made in visible region (320–550 nm) for tracking drifts in pointing. The shortest wavelengths to be observed with UVIT can be heavily absorbed by mono-molecular deposits/contamination on the optical surfaces.Keeping contamination under control in UVIT was a major challenge and it required a variety of actions: (i) strict control of the payload materials and process, (ii) mechanical configuration, (iii) baking of all the parts to release all the adsorbed molecules etc., (iv) assembly in ultra cleanrooms, (v) pre-inspection and auditing of all the areas, in which UVIT was placed, for any potential for contamination, (vi) continuous purging, with ultrapure nitrogen gas, till a few days before the launch, etc. In order to minimise any possible cross contaminationsfrom the other payloads/satellite, the doors of UVIT were opened 2 months after the launch. The high performance in the orbit and high stability of the sensitivity over 4 years in the orbit shows that the contamination was negligible. This paper presents the processes and protocols followed during the integration and testingphase to minimise the contamination in order to prevent any performance degradation.

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