SPEED — Get Ready for the (PCS) Rush Hour

The Segmented Pupil Experiment for Exoplanet Detection (SPEED) optical test bed is now ready for operation. SPEED is dedicated to high-contrast imaging at short angular separations with segmented telescopes. Its optical design allows a wide range of applications and the immediate goal is to demonstrate a high-contrast dark hole close to the stellar vicinity. This will be achieved by a combination of optimal wavefront shaping architecture, small inner working angle coronagraphy, and efficient complex field sensor for fine cophasing and dark hole generation.
Published in The Messenger vol. 190, pp. 55-57, March 2023.