Achieving Milli-Arcsecond Residual Astrometric Error for the JMAPS Mission

The Joint Milliarcsecond Pathfinder Survey (JMAPS) is a small, space-based, all-sky, visible wavelength astrometric and photometric survey mission for 0(th) through 14(th) I-band magnitude stars with a planned 2013 launch. The primary objective of the JMAPS mission is the generation of an astrometric star catalog with 1 milliarcsecond (mas) positional accuracy or better, and photometry to the 1% accuracy level or better at 1(st) to 12(th) mag. Achieving this level of accuracy in the final catalog requires a demanding attention to reducing systematic effects. We present our findings on distortion, signal to noise, and the astrometric bandpass necessary to obtain the desired accuracy for JMAPS.