StarLight spacecraft concept descriptions

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 II 7925, to validate these technologies. Launch is planned for June 2006. This paper summarizes the mission concept and describes the two spacecraft in detail with emphasis on the configuration, formation and attitude control subsystem, telecommunications subsystem, electrical power and distribution subsystem and the cold gas propulsion subsystem.