Instrument Overview
Diviner's azimuth actuator allows Diviner to point its telescopes side to side with 270 degrees of motion. This actuator isn't used as frequently as the elevation actuator and is fixed at an angle of 240 degrees most of the time. The azimuth actuator is used once per orbit to rotate the instrument and illuminate the solar calibration target.
The Diviner Remote Electronics Box is an important enhancement from the heritage Mars Climate Sounder design. The DREB contains additional computing power required for Diviner's high spatial resolution observations and provides the Mil Spec 1553 interface required by the LRO spacecraft.
Diviner has three calibration targets. The solar calibration targets sticks out form the instrument like a white tongue beneath telescope A. Diviner rotates the azimuth actuator to illuminate this target and calibrate the solar channels once per orbit. Diviner also has two calibration targets buried deep within the instrument. Diviner rotates the elevation actuator 10 times per orbit to view these targets and calibrate the mid- and far-infrared channels.
Diviner has two identical three-mirror 4 cm aperture telescopes that direct visible and thermal radiation onto Diviner's focal plane. Telescope A (left side) hosts 6 of Diviner's channels: the two solar channels, three narrowband channels near 8 microns, and one broad mid-infrared channel between 13 and 23 microns. Telescope B (right side) hosts 3 of Diviner's broad far infrared channels between 25 and 500 microns.
Diviner's elevation actuator allows Diviner to point its telescopes up and down with 270 degrees of motion. This actuator is used frequently to point the telescopes at the calibration targets and space for calibrations. The elevation actuator also allows Diviner to map off to the side of the LRO orbit track. This is very useful for the targeted observations we collected for LCROSS and lunar eclipses.
Diviner's thermal blankets were specifically designed to work in conjunction with Diviner's heaters to keep the instrument temperature relatively consistent. The blanket's silver Teflon outer surface reflects sunlight when Diviner is on the dayside and multiple internal layers keep Diviner warm on the nightside.