Description of the StarLight mission and spacecraft concept

StarLight, conceived as the third NASA New Millennium Program space technology mission (ST3) and now part of the Planet Finder Program within the NASA Origins Theme, is focused on validation of key technologies for future separated spacecraft interferometers, such as Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) and the Micro-Arcsecond X-ray Imaging Mission (MAXIM). The main technologies to be demonstrated by StarLight are precision formation flying and separated spacecraft interferometry. This mission uses two spacecraft, launched together into an Earth-trailing heliocentric orbit on a Delta 2925, to validate these technologies. Launch is planned for September 2005. After on-orbit checkout, the spacecraft separate and are maintained within a range of 40 m to 1000 m. The formation flying sensors and control capabilities are validated over a 3 month period followed by Combiner-mode and separated spacecraft interferometry operations. This paper describes the mission concept, the instrument complement, and the two spacecraft in more detail.