Paper 14145-251
Paper 14145-251
Impact of micrometeoroids on HWO contrast stability
8 July 2026 • 17:30 - 19:00 CEST | Room B4-M3
Abstract
This paper presents ongoing investigations into the impact of micrometeoroid impacts on contrast stability for the coronagraph observations of the Habitable Worlds Observatory. We propagate properties of micrometeoroid impacts through precise coronagraph models that capture the spatial, diffractive properties of micrometeoroid-induced wavefront changes, as well as the temporal behavior of the spacecraft after impact. These calculations cover the case of micrometeoroid strikes on the telescope optics—primary or secondary. In the first case, the wavefront perturbation associated with the hypothetical impact will be localized on a primary segment or induce a secondary tilt, yielding a beam shear. In the second case, the observatory pointing will be perturbed.
Presenter
Marcio Melendez
Space Telescope Science Institute (United States)
Dr. Marcio Melendez is a Principal Astronomical Optics Scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute, where he has worked on the optical performance, alignment, and commissioning of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Over the past several years, Dr. Melendez has worked extensively on JWST’s wavefront sensing and control system, developing and analyzing the models, simulations, and procedures. Dr. Melendez earned his Ph.D. in Physics from The Catholic University of America. At STScI, Dr. Melendez’s expertise lies at the intersection of optical engineering, physics, and scientific data analysis. He has developed simulations to predict JWST’s optical behavior over time, supported the maintenance of JWST mirror alignment, and contributed to data-driven investigations of telescope performance during commissioning and ongoing science operations. His work spans optical modeling, image quality assessment and stability analysis