Optical Alignment and Wavefront Error Demonstration of a Prototype LISA Telescope

In this work, we document the first complete alignment of a subscale prototype telescope for the LISA mission. An optical wavefront error map, which meets current mission requirements, was attained using alignment techniques consistent with production of multiple identical copies of a telescope for flight. We find that the telescope wavefront error is dominated by the as-built surface figure error of the mirrors and not the residual design wavefront error of the telescope prescription. Furthermore, this work shows the ability to implement a wavefront error allocation specific to the LISA telescope, lending confidence to such allocations for future flight telescopes, and provides a verified reference point for ongoing research into many aspects of the LISA optical system.