Teledyne Space Imaging has been awarded a contract by Schmidt Sciences to deliver near-infrared H4RG-10 flight focal plane arrays and custom electronics for the Integral Field Spectrograph on the Lazuli Space Observatory.
Lazuli, part of the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System, is intended to support “open-access astronomy” by expanding scientific access while reducing development time. The observatory’s science objectives include observing nearby supernovae and other transient events to trace the universe’s expansion history, as well as research across time-domain astronomy, the study of stars and planets, and cosmology.
According to the announcement, Lazuli is a 3-metre-class observatory designed for rapid-response observations across optical and near-infrared wavelengths. The payload is planned to include three instruments: a wide-field optical imager, a high-contrast coronagraph, and an integral field spectrograph.
Teledyne said its H4RG-10 detectors and electronics will be used to support sensitivity and spectral resolution requirements for the spectrograph, described as targeting resolving power of approximately R ≈ 100–500 for work including stable spectrophotometry and transient-event science.
The company described the H4RG-10 as a 4,096 × 4,096 pixel focal plane array with a 10-micron pitch, available from near-infrared to long-wave infrared wavelengths, and said it has delivered more than 25 flight-quality H4RG-10 sensor chip assemblies. Teledyne also said the detectors are used in NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope wide-field instrument.
“Teledyne is honored to support Schmidt Sciences and the Lazuli Space Observatory with our high sensitivity detector solutions,” said Megan Tremer, President, Teledyne Space Imaging. “Our NIR H4RG-10 FPAs are engineered to meet the demands of cutting-edge astrophysical research and are ideally suited to probe the faintest signals from distant supernovae. Through this partnership, we are advancing the capabilities of open, collaborative science and pioneering new avenues of astronomical discovery.”
Schmidt Sciences said the observatory’s detector requirements are driven by the need for consistent performance across a broad bandpass and dynamic range. “Lazuli’s integral field spectrograph requires detectors with well-understood performance across a broad bandpass and dynamic range,” said Arpita Roy, Director of Astrophysics at Schmidt Sciences. “This is necessary to support measurements spanning bright targets to very faint signals, including exoplanet atmospheres and fleeting transient events.”
The announcement said Lazuli is expected to operate from a lunar-resonant orbit, with a target of acquiring observation targets within four hours of a trigger, with a stated goal of 90 minutes, and to provide “science-ready, quality-assured” data products to the global research community within days.
