@Aleksandr.Makarov 

Q1: Was this system in space? 

A1: The CubeSat system discussed in this webinar is a completely simulated system that was built to illustrate the OpticStudio → OpticsBuilder → FEA → STAR Module workflow. While this system was not manufactured and put into space, this workflow demonstrates how such a system could be simulated with Ansys Zemax software.

Q2: How was the temperature estimated at orbit?

A2: For this CubeSat example, we assumed that the system would operate in Low Earth Orbit at 700km. Originally, the operating temperature of the optics in the Hubble Telescope was used as a comparison point. For the Hubble, the operating temperature for the optics was at 21C, or room temperature. However, if 21C was used for the operating temperature of the CubeSat optics, the results using STAR would not have been very interesting. This is because the Sequential model as “built on Earth” was also assumed to be soaked at 21C. To showcase the advantages of the STAR module, an assumption was made to lower the operating temperature of the optics by a few degrees. By choosing an operating temperature of 15C +/- 3C, interesting results with STAR could be obtained. This is because the temperature condition in-orbit is now different to the temperature condition on Earth. While the external frame of the CubeSat will experience larger fluctuations in temperature, space-based optical systems will generally use a thermal control system to prevent the optics from experiencing those fluctuations.

Q: In the Opticsbuilder/creo, is it possible to import CAD files for structural parts and integrate with the lens design?

A: The usual workflow for a Optomechanical system working with both Zemax OpticStudio (OS) and Zemax OpticsBuilder (OB) would be the following: A optical system is designed, analysed and optimized within OS, after that it is passed on to the CAD Environment into OB with via a .ZBD file. Once the optical components are imported into the CAD Environment the mechanical components are added to the assembly making it a optomechanical assembly. This can be all sorts of CAD files (E.g. STEP files), these mechanical components can then be assembled to the optical parts with the native CAD tools such as assembly constraints.

@Sergey.Nikitin 

Q: Why for step #3 (Mechanical design) do you use CREO not Speos (Ansys)?

A: In order to show-case the workflow with mainly Zemax products, Zemax OpticsBuilder was used and as OpticsBuilder is an Add-in for Creo Parametric 4,5,6 and 7, the CAD Environment had to be Creo. However, the mechanical design could have also been done within Speos. In this case you would want to export a STEP file of the optical system out of Zemax OpticStudio and import it into Speos to assemble the optomechanical system. But please keep in mind that other than the .ZBD file, the STEP does not hold any optical data, but only the geometry of the optical components. 

@Christophe.Gaschet

Q: How to relate the number of Nodes to the quality of the mirror (in RMS)?

A: I’m assuming you were referring to the fit quality of the mirror within STAR. There are many different ways to influence the fit quality. Among other things, there are two adjustment screws in the STAR Fit Assesment tool, the Max Level and the Grid parameters. Internal research has shown that the default values for these work best with a mesh of roughly 10 thousand nodes. The exact behavior varies and differs from case to case, that is why the Fit Assessment tool is very helpful to assess the error.