Issue |
A&A
Volume 687, July 2024
|
|
---|---|---|
Article Number | A302 | |
Number of page(s) | 43 | |
Section | Astronomical instrumentation | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202348576 | |
Published online | 24 July 2024 |
CHEOPS in-flight performance
A comprehensive look at the first 3.5 yr of operations
1
Weltraumforschung und Planetologie, Physikalisches Institut, University of Bern,
Gesellschaftsstrasse 6,
3012
Bern,
Switzerland
e-mail: andrea.fortier@unibe.ch
2
Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern,
Gesellschaftsstrasse 6,
3012
Bern,
Switzerland
3
Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, AlbaNova University Center,
10691
Stockholm,
Sweden
4
Observatoire astronomique de l'Université de Genève,
Chemin Pegasi 51,
1290
Versoix,
Switzerland
5
Department of Physics, University of Warwick,
Gibbet Hill Road,
Coventry
CV4 7AL,
UK
6
Astrophysics Group, Lennard Jones Building, Keele University,
Staffordshire,
ST5 5BG,
UK
7
Centre for Exoplanet Science, SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews,
North Haugh,
St Andrews
KY16 9SS,
UK
8
Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences,
Schmiedl-strasse 6,
8042
Graz,
Austria
9
INAF, Osservatorio Astrofisico di Catania,
Via S. Sofia 78,
95123
Catania,
Italy
10
Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR),
Rutherfordstrasse 2,
12489
Berlin,
Germany
11
Astrobiology Research Unit, Université de Liège,
Allée du 6 Août 19C,
4000
Liège,
Belgium
12
Space Sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR) Institute, Université de Liège,
Allée du 6 Août 19C,
4000
Liège,
Belgium
13
European Space Agency (ESA), European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC),
Keplerlaan 1,
2201 AZ
Noordwijk,
The Netherlands
14
Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, CNES, LAM,
38 rue Frédéric Joliot-Curie,
13388
Marseille,
France
15
Instituto de Astrofisica e Ciencias do Espaco, Universidade do Porto, CAUP,
Rua das Estrelas,
4150-762
Porto,
Portugal
16
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias,
Vía Láctea s/n, 38200 La Laguna,
Tenerife,
Spain
17
Departamento de Astrofísica, Universidad de La Laguna,
Astrofísico Francisco Sanchez s/n, 38206 La Laguna,
Tenerife,
Spain
18
Baja Astronomical Observatory of University of Szeged,
Szegedi út Kt. 766,
6500
Baja,
Hungary
19
Admatis,
5. Kandó Kálmán Street,
3534
Miskolc,
Hungary
20
Depto. de Astrofísica, Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA),
ESAC campus, 28692 Villanueva de la Cañada ( Madrid),
Spain
21
Departamento de Fisica e Astronomia, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto,
Rua do Campo Alegre,
4169-007
Porto,
Portugal
22
School of Physics & Astronomy, University of Birmingham,
Edgbaston,
Birmingham
B15 2TT,
UK
23
ELKH-SZTE Stellar Astrophysics Research Group,
Szegedi út Kt. 766,
6500
Baja,
Hungary
24
Konkoly Observatory, Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences,
1121
Budapest,
Konkoly Thege Miklós út 15–17,
Hungary
25
MTA CSFK Lendület Near-Field Cosmology Research Group,
1121,
Budapest,
Konkoly Thege Miklós út 15–17,
Hungary
26
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IPAG,
38000
Grenoble,
France
27
INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Padova,
Vicolo dell’Osservatorio 5,
35122
Padova,
Italy
28
Université de Paris Cité, Institut de physique du globe de Paris, CNRS,
1 Rue Jussieu,
75005
Paris,
France
29
MTA CSFK Lendület “Momentum” Milky Way Research Group,
Hungary
30
INAF, Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino,
Via Osservatorio, 20,
10025
Pino Torinese To,
Italy
31
Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Lund University,
Box 118,
221 00
Lund,
Sweden
32
AIM, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Université de Paris,
91191
Gif-sur-Yvette,
France
33
Centre Vie dans l’Univers, Faculté des sciences, Université de Genève,
Quai Ernest-Ansermet 30,
1211
Genève 4,
Switzerland
34
Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes,
38700
La Palma,
Spain
35
Leiden Observatory, University of Leiden,
PO Box 9513,
2300 RA
Leiden,
The Netherlands
36
Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology,
Onsala Space Observatory,
439 92
Onsala,
Sweden
37
Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Torino,
via Pietro Giuria 1,
10125
Torino,
Italy
38
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Astronomía,
AP 70-264,
Ciudad de México
04510,
Mexico
39
Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México,
Apdo. Postal 877,
22860
Ensenada,
B.C.,
Mexico
40
Centro di Ateneo di Studi e Attività Spaziali “Giuseppe Colombo”, Università di Padova,
Via Venezia 15,
35131
Padova,
Italy
41
Department of Astrophysics, University of Vienna,
Türkenschanzstrasse 17,
1180
Vienna,
Austria
42
Division Technique INSU,
CS20330,
83507
La Seyne sur Mer cedex,
France
43
Institute for Theoretical Physics and Computational Physics, Graz University of Technology,
Petersgasse 16,
8010
Graz,
Austria
44
ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Institute of Physics and Astronomy,
Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A,
Budapest
1117
Hungary
45
University of the Western Cape, Department of Physics,
Private Bag X17, Bellville,
7535
CapeTown,
South Africa
46
ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Institute of Physics,
Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A,
1117
Budapest,
Hungary
47
IMCCE, UMR8028 CNRS,
Observatoire de Paris, PSL Univ., Sorbonne Univ., 77 av. Denfert-Rochereau,
75014
Paris,
France
48
Institut d’astrophysique de Paris, UMR7095 CNRS, Université Pierre & Marie Curie,
98bis blvd. Arago,
75014
Paris,
France
49
Airbus Defence and Space, Spain,
Avda de Aragon 404,
E-28022
Madrid,
Spain
50
Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center, Polish Academy of Sciences,
Bartycka 18,
00-716
Warszawa,
Poland
51
INTA (National Institute of Aerospace Technology),
01 – Campus “Torrejón de Ardoz”,
Torrejón de Ardoz,
Spain
52
Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder,
Boulder,
CO
80309,
USA
53
High Tech Center 1,
Taegerwilen, Thurgau
CH-8274,
Switzerland
54
Cavendish Laboratory,
JJ Thomson Avenue,
Cambridge
CB3 0HE,
UK
55
ETH Zurich, Department of Physics,
Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 2,
8093
Zurich,
Switzerland
56
Institute of Optical Sensor Systems, German Aerospace Center (DLR),
Rutherfordstrasse 2,
12489
Berlin,
Germany
57
Universidad Nacional de Córdoba,
Observatorio Astronómico de Córdoba, Laprida 854,
X5000BGR
Córdoba,
Argentina
58
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CON-ICET),
Godoy Cruz
2290,
CABA, CPC 1425FQB,
Argentina
59
Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia “Galileo Galilei”, Università degli Studi di Padova,
Vicolo dell'Osservatorio 3,
35122
Padova,
Italy
60
Zentrum für Astronomie und Astrophysik, Technische Universität Berlin,
Hardenbergstr. 36,
10623
Berlin,
Germany
61
Institut fuer Geologische Wissenschaften, Freie Universitaet Berlin,
Maltheserstrasse 74-100,
12249
Berlin,
Germany
62
Institut de Ciencies de l’Espai (ICE, CSIC),
Campus UAB, Can Magrans s/n,
08193
Bellaterra,
Spain
63
Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC),
Gran Capità 2–4,
08034
Barcelona,
Spain
64
Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland,
College Park,
MD
20742,
USA
65
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center,
8800 Greenbelt Rd,
Greenbelt,
MD
20771,
USA
66
ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Institute of Physics and Astronomy,
Pázmány Péter sétány 1/A,
Budapest,
1117,
Hungary
67
European Space Operations Centre,
Robert Bosch Str 5,
64293
Darmstadt,
Germany
68
School of Physical Sciences, The Open University,
Milton Keynes,
MK7 6AA,
UK
69
ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Gothard Astrophysical Observatory,
9700
Szombathely,
Szent Imre h. u. 112,
Hungary
70
HUN-REN-ELTE Exoplanet Research Group,
Szent Imre h. u. 112.
Szombathely,
9700,
Hungary
71
Department of Experimental Physics, University of Szeged,
Dóm tér 9,
Szeged,
6720,
Hungary
72
Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge,
Madingley Road,
Cambridge
CB3 0HA,
UK
73
Astronomical Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences,
05960
Tatranská Lomnica,
Slovakia
74
HUN-REN-SZTE Stellar Astrophysics Research Group,
H-6720
Szeged,
Rerrich tér 1,
Hungary
Received:
12
November
2023
Accepted:
15
May
2024
Context. Since the discovery of the first exoplanet almost three decades ago, the number of known exoplanets has increased dramatically. By beginning of the 2000s it was clear that dedicated facilities to advance our studies in this field were needed. The CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS) is a space telescope specifically designed to monitor transiting exoplanets orbiting bright stars. In September 2023, CHEOPS completed its nominal mission duration of 3.5 yr and remains in excellent operational conditions. As a testament to this, the mission has been extended until the end of 2026.
Aims. Scientific and instrumental data have been collected throughout in-orbit commissioning and nominal operations, enabling a comprehensive analysis of the mission’s performance. In this article, we present the results of this analysis with a twofold goal. First, we aim to inform the scientific community about the present status of the mission and what can be expected as the instrument ages. Secondly, we intend for this publication to serve as a legacy document for future missions, providing insights and lessons learned from the successful operation of CHEOPS.
Methods. To evaluate the instrument performance in flight, we developed a comprehensive monitoring and characterisation (M&C) programme. It consists of dedicated observations that allow us to characterise the instrument’s response and continuously monitor its behaviour. In addition to the standard collection of nominal science and housekeeping data, these observations provide valuable input for detecting, modelling, and correcting instrument systematics, discovering and addressing anomalies, and comparing the instrument’s actual performance with expectations.
Results. The precision of the CHEOPS measurements has enabled the mission objectives to be met and exceeded. The satellite’s performance remains stable and reliable, ensuring accurate data collection throughout its operational life. Careful modelling of the instrumental systematics allows the data quality to be significantly improved during the light curve analysis phase, resulting in more precise scientific measurements.
Conclusions. CHEOPS is compliant with the driving scientific requirements of the mission. Although visible, the ageing of the instrument has not affected the mission’s performance. The satellite’s capabilities remain robust, and we are confident that we will continue to acquire high-quality data during the mission extension.
Key words: space vehicles: instruments / techniques: photometric / telescopes / planets and satellites: detection / planets and satellites: terrestrial planets
© The Authors 2024
Open Access article, published by EDP Sciences, under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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