To observe the early optical emissions from gamma ray bursts (GRBs), we built the Slew Mirror Telescope. It utilizes a 150 mm motorized mirror to redirect incoming photons from astrophysical objects within seconds and to track them as compensating satellite movements. The SMT is a major component of the UFFO-pathfinder payload, which was launched on April 28, 2016, onboard the Lomonosov satellite. For the first time, the slewing mirror system has been proven for the precision tracking of astrophysical objects during space operation. We confirmed that the SMT has 1.4 seconds of response time to the X-gamma-ray trigger, and is able to compensate for satellite drift and to track astrophysical objects with magnitudes from 7 to 18. © 2017

National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF-2015R1A2A1A01006870 and NRF-2015R1A2A1A15055344); Korea Basic Science Research Program (NRF-2015R1D1A4A01020961); SRC No. 2017R1A5A1070354; Ph.D. Fellowship Program in Korea (NRF-2015-GPF); ROSCOSMOS grants and RFFI grants (13-02-12175 and 15-35-21038); Development Program of Lomonosov Moscow State University; Spanish MINECO Projects (AYA2012-39727-C03-01 and AYA 2015-71718-R (including EU/FEDER funds)); Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology Vanguard Program (105-2119-M-002-043); Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology (104-2811-M-002-160); National Space Organization (NSPO) of Taiwan.

Peer reviewed