The CoRoT satellite in flight: description and performance
M. AuvergneObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FrancePierre BodinCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceL. BoisnardCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceJean-Tristan BueyObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceSylviane ChaintreuilObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceG. EpsteinObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceM. JouretCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceT. Lam-TrongCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceP. LevacherLaboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, FranceA. MagnanLaboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, FranceR. PérezCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FrancePhilippe PlassonObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceJ. Y. PlesseriaG. PeterM. StellerSpace Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Science, Schmiedlstrasse 6, 8042 Graz, AustriaD. TiphèneObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceA. BaglinObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceP. AgoguéCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceT. AppourchauxInstitut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay, FranceDenis BarbetInstitut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay, FranceT. BeaufortEuropean Space Agency, ESTEC, SCI-A, PO Box 299, 2200AG, Noordwijk, The NetherlandsR. BellengerJanssen (France)R. BerlinP. BernardiObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceD. BlouinLaboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, FranceP. BoumierInstitut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay, FranceF. BonneauCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceR. BrietCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceB. BütlerEuropean Space Agency, ESTEC, SCI-A, PO Box 299, 2200AG, Noordwijk, The NetherlandsR. CautainLaboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, FranceF. ChiavassaCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceVincent CostesCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceJ. CuvilhoObservatoire Midi-Pyrénées, 14 Av. E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceV. Cunha-ParroObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceFábio FialhoObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceM. DecaudinInstitut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay, FranceJ.-M. DefiseS. DjalalCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceA. DoccloObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceR. DrummondInstituut voor Sterrenkunde, Departement Natuurkunde en Sterrenkunde, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200 D, Office 03.31, 3001 Leuven, BelgiumOlivier DupuisObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceG.-E. ExilJanssen (France)C. FauréCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceAlain GaboriaudCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FrancePhilippe GametCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceP. GavaldaCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceEmmanuel GrolleauObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceL. GuéguenObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceVictor GuivarchObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceP. GutermanLaboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, FranceJ. HasibaSpace Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Science, Schmiedlstrasse 6, 8042 Graz, AustriaG. HuntzingerObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceH. HustaixCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceChristian ImbertCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceG. JeanvilleObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceB. JohlanderEuropean Space Agency, ESTEC, SCI-A, PO Box 299, 2200AG, Noordwijk, The NetherlandsL. JordáLaboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, FranceP. JournoudObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceF. KariotyObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceL. KerjeanCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceL. LafondCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceV. LapeyrèreObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceP. LandiechCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceT. LarquéCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FrancePhilippe LaudetCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceJ. Le MerrerLaboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, FranceLiliane LeporatiLaboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, FranceB. LeruyetObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceB. LevieugeObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceA. LlébariaLaboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, FranceLaura MartinLaboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, FranceE. MazyJean-Michel MesnagerCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceJ. MichelObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceJean‐Pierre MoalicInstitut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay, FranceW. MonjoinObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceD. NaudetObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceS. NeukirchnerSpace Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Science, Schmiedlstrasse 6, 8042 Graz, AustriaK. Nguyen-KimInstitut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay, FranceM. OllivierInstitut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay, FranceJ.-L. OrcesiInstitut d'Astrophysique Spatiale, Université Paris XI, 91405 Orsay, FranceH. ÖttacherSpace Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Science, Schmiedlstrasse 6, 8042 Graz, AustriaA. OulaliObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceJérôme ParisotObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceS. PerruchotLaboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, FranceA. G. PiacentinoObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceL. Pinheiro da SilvaObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceJacqueline PlatzerObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceBernard PontetCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceAlice PradinesCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceCéline Gwenaëlle QuentinLaboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille, Traverse du Siphon, 13376 Marseille Cedex 12, FranceU. RohbeckG. RollandCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, FranceF. RollenhagenRenaud RomagnanObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceN. RussR. SamadiObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceR. W. SchmidtObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceNoah SchwartzObservatoire de Paris, UMR 8109, 5 place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon, FranceI. SebbagCentre National d'Études Spatiales, 18 avenue E. Belin, Toulouse, France
2009en
ABI
Abstract
Context. CoRoT is a space telescope dedicated to stellar seismology and the search for extrasolar planets. The mission is led by the CNES in association with French laboratories and has a large international participation. The European Space Agency (ESA), Austria, Belgium, and Germany contribute to the payload, and Spain and Brazil contribute to the ground segment. Development of the spacecraft, which is based on a PROTEUS low earth orbit (LEO) recurrent platform, commenced in October 2000, and the satellite was launched on December 27, 2006. Aims. The instrument and platform characteristics prior to launch have been described in ESA publication (SP-1306). In the present paper we explain the behaviour in flight, based on raw and corrected data. Methods. Five runs have been completed since January 2007. The data used here are essentially those acquired during the commissioning phase and from a long run that lasted 146 days. These enable us to give a complete overview of the instrument and platform behaviour for all environmental conditions. The ground based data processing is not described in detail because the most important method has been published elsewhere. Results. We show that the performance specifications are easily satisfied when the environmental conditions are favourable. Most of the perturbations, hence data corrections, are related to LEO perturbations: high energy particles inside the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), eclipses and temperature variations, and line of sight fluctuations due to the attitude control system. Straylight due to the reflected light from the earth, which is controlled by the telescope and baffle design, appears to be negligible.
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