Interferometry from Space: A Great Dream

TL;DR

This paper reviews the historical pursuit of space-based optical interferometry from 1980 to 2010, highlighting its potential, studies, and eventual decline in the context of the Gaia mission.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive historical overview of the development and challenges of space-based optical interferometry over three decades.

Findings

Interferometry was considered promising for high resolution and astrometry.

Studies included nulling interferometry for high contrast.

Interferometry was ultimately deemed unsuitable for Gaia's objectives.

Abstract

During some thirty years, 1980-2010, technical studies of optical interferometry from instruments in space were pursued as promising for higher spatial resolution and for higher astrometric accuracy. Nulling interferometry was studied for both high spatial resolution and high contrast. These studies were great dreams deserving further historical attention. ESA's interest in interferometry began in the early 1980s. The studies of optical interferometry for the global astrometry mission GAIA began in 1993 and ended in 1998 when interferometry was dropped as unsuited for the purpose, and the Gaia mission to be launched in 2013 is not based on interferometry. \c{opyright} Anita Publications. All rights reserved.