UV gratings for the Habitable Worlds Observatory: technology maturation plan

The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) will provide ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy to accomplish a number of science goals ranging from composition of planet-forming disks to the evolution of ionizing radiation over cosmic time. Obtaining the required spectrograph performance in spectral resolving power and diffraction efficiency will involve maturation of several key technologies specific to UV gratings. In preparation for HWO formulation later this decade, a Technology Maturation Plan for UV gratings has been developed and submitted to NASA. This plan concentrates on maturing high-efficiency echelle gratings, aberration-correcting gratings, and low-blaze-angle gratings. It also outlines necessary improvements for establishing appropriate metrology and characterization instrumentation and facilities. Furthermore, the utilization of high-performance UV coatings on gratings must also be studied. Here, we present an overview of the maturation plan, with details on the milestones, schedule, and budget required.