Corot telescope development

COROTEL is the telescope of the future COROT satellite which aims at measuring stellar flux variations very accurately. To perform this mission, COROTEL has to be very well protected against straylight (from Sun and Earth) and must be very stable with time. Thanks to its high experience in this field, Alcatel Space has proposed an original optical concept associated with a high performance baffle. From 2001, the LAM (Laboratoire d’Astrophysique de Marseille, CNRS) has placed the telescope development contract to Alcatel Space and is presently almost finished. Based on relevant material and efficient thermal control design, COROTEL should meet its ambitious performance and bring to scientific community for the first time precious data coming from stars and their possible companions.