Development, integration, and testing of the Spectroscopic Ultraviolet Multi-object Observatory (SUMO) prototype for deployment on the INFUSE sounding rocket

We present an update on the development of the Spectroscopic Ultraviolet Multi-object Observatory (SUMO) concept and Prototype. Specific development includes telescope design and manufacturing, mechanical design, procurement of optics, controller development, and preliminary laboratory testing. The SUMO Prototype is part of the technology maturation program of SUMO, a mission concept designed for a small/medium-sized satellite platform, and will be the first time a DMD-based instrument is deployed in space. Because the SUMO Prototype will be deployed as a secondary payload, the spectrograph is designed for completely autonomous operation in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) regime. This research encapsulates a wide range of programs, including efforts to understand the processes of star formation and galaxy evolution. Since the last major UV NASA missions, FUSE and GALEX, NASA has invested significantly into technology development for the UV regime. As a result, high reflectance mirror coatings and state-of-the-art detectors are now available. These technologies, along with the developed optical design, allow SUMO to achieve effective areas that are comparable to those achieved by FUSE and GALEX, at a fraction of the size and cost. The SUMO Prototype consists of an 8 cm Cassegrain telescope and a digital micromirror device (DMD)-based multi-object spectrometer (MOS), with parallel imaging and spectroscopic channels. As part of this work, we also will develop a custom DMD controller, which is suitable for operation in the space environment. This controller works with a custom-developed object selection code, which performs multi-object spectroscopy in real-time. The SUMO Prototype is tentatively scheduled for flight in Spring 2025 aboard the INFUSE sounding rocket.