36.312 UG MCCANDLISS/JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
Far-uv Off Rowland-circle Telescope for Imaging and Spectroscopy (FORTIS)

  • Mission
  • Vehicle
  • Launch
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The Far-uv Off Rowland-circle Telescope for Imaging and Spectroscopy (FORTIS) will be flown for the second time on a mission to investigate Lyman alpha (Ly ) escape from nearby star- forming galaxies and to quantify its relationship to the local gas-to-dust ratio.

FORTIS uses a microshutter array (MSA), developed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center for the Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) instrument onboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). FORTIS expands the use of this technology from the near Infrared (NIR) to the far Ultraviolet (far-UV) range of the spectrum. The MSA is placed at the prime focus of an innovative yet minimalist Gregorian telescope, which uses a diffraction grating as the secondary optic. The  icroshutter array allows acquisition of images over a 1/2 degree field-of-view and to autonomously target (on-the-fly) 43 different regions within the field for spectroscopic follow up in the 900 -- 1700 Angstrom bandpass.

This mission will study NGC 1365 also known as the Great Barred Spiral Glaxy in the constellation Fornax.

Drawing of a Terrier-Black Brant sounding rocket

The Black Brant 9 is a two stage sounding rocket with a Terrier first stage and Black Brant second stage. The Black Brant 9 can reach altitudes of about 600 km. Payloads weighing from 400 to 1200 pounds can be flown.

Additional sounding rocket vehicles

Google Earth Map showing White Sands Missile Range.

The FORTIS mission was launched from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico on December 18, 2015.

Photos not currently available.