27 lines
2.1 KiB
Markdown
27 lines
2.1 KiB
Markdown
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# Building a fantasy space telescope
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TODO: link rti1w
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Space-based telescopes are particularly cool bits of kit.
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They function in extreme conditions, for years or decades at a time, without any maintenance (barring [one incredible exception](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/servicing/index.html)) or support beyond instructions from the ground.
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The mechanical engineering and astrodynamic understanding that goes into [balancing Kepler against solar pressure](https://www.nasa.gov/kepler/keplers-second-light-how-k2-will-work), [cooling JWST to near-absolute zero](https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/about/innovations/cryocooler.html) or precisely [manoeuvring LISA's constituent spacecraft](https://sci.esa.int/web/lisa/-/lisa-technology-interferometry-explained) in a formation millions of kilometres across is humbling.
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I don't have access to my own space-based telescope - though plenty of the raw data such instruments produce is [made available to the public](https://archive.stsci.edu/index.html).
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I also live in a particularly light-polluted part of the world, I can't do much stargazing, either.
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What I can do, however, is write software, which is a critical part of any robotic spacecraft, telescope or otherwise.
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So, I thought it would be interesting to try my hand at making my own fantasy space telescope!
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This is an open-ended endeavour, as there are lots of interesting things about telescopes to simulate, but it makes sense to start with something graphical, as telescopes are for making pretty pictures!
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I've already some experience with simulating optics using ray tracing.
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I'll initially base this project on my implementation of [Ray Tracing in One Weekend](https://raytracing.github.io/), an excellent, approachable introduction to generating ray-traced images.
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Though I've written [real-time ray tracers](https://github/ktyldev/oglc.git) as well, I think this is a better place to start because it's an offline renderer - you can't see what you'll render before you render it.
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That's a nice analogue to space-based telescopes, which have long exposure times and no viewfinders.
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Another nice aspect
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## Networks
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