Field Camera Unit of the Spektr-UF Mission: New Design and Scientific Tasks

Abstract

Spektr-UF is a multipurpose space observatory equipped with a telescope with a primary mirror 170 cm in diameter. The main task of the observatory is obtaining high-resolution spectra of cosmic objects and images of diffraction quality in the UV region (115–310 nm). For the solution of the second task, the Field Camera Unit (FCU) is intended. The design of the FCU changed in the course of work on the project. In this paper, we describe the current version of the FCU and the main scientific tasks to be accomplished with the instrument. Its characteristics are compared to those of the cameras of the Hubble Space Telescope.