Long baseline optical interferometer

Could Hubble, along with the NexGen space telescope operate as a long
baseline optical interferometer in some way? Perhaps a reference
laser beam could be sent from one telescope to the other.

Any potential advantages in using adaptive optic methods whereby a
star in the far far background of both fields of view that should be
a point source is used as a reference?

In article ,
Parallax wrote:
Could Hubble, along with the NexGen space telescope operate as a long
baseline optical interferometer in some way?

Very unlikely to be practical. Doing optical (imaging) interferometry
over baselines of tens of meters is still a serious technical challenge.
Doing it over 1.5Mkm is just out of the question for the foreseeable
future.

Also note that if you want to do imaging, you need a variety of baselines,
not just one. For Earth-based systems, the variety tends to be supplied
for free by Earth's rotation.

Any potential advantages in using adaptive optic methods whereby a
star in the far far background of both fields of view that should be
a point source is used as a reference?

None whatsoever. Adaptive optics are very important for working through
Earth's constantly-shifting atmosphere, but offer no significant advantage
outside it.
--
MOST launched 30 June; science observations running | Henry Spencer
since Oct; first surprises seen; papers pending. |

(Parallax) wrote in message . com...
Could Hubble, along with the NexGen space telescope operate as a long
baseline optical interferometer in some way? Perhaps a reference
laser beam could be sent from one telescope to the other.

Any potential advantages in using adaptive optic methods whereby a
star in the far far background of both fields of view that should be
a point source is used as a reference?

No. Absolutely not. First, optical interferometry is still
rather experimental on Earth and has not yet been tested in
space. Second, Hubble is not set up for optical
interferometry and doing so would require custom
instrumentation. Instrumentation which is extraordinarily
unlikely to be developed, because of cost and complexity,
and because at this point it looks like there won't be any
furter HST servicing missions. Third, JWST/NGST is not
designed for optical interferometry nor is it designed for
formation flying in low Earth orbit along with Hubble.
Redesigning it would be very expensive and would essentially
redefine the nature of the telescope. Finally, the cost and
complexity of such a venture makes it a very unwise idea, a
better plan would be to develop interferometry platforms
from scratch and advance the technology that way. Which is,
actually, precisely what will be done.