  The Coronagraphic Debris Exoplanet Exploring Payload (CDEEP) is a Small-Sat
mission concept for high contrast imaging of circumstellar disks. CDEEP is
designed to observe disks in scattered light at visible wavelengths at a raw
contrast level of 10^-7 per resolution element (10^-8 with post processing).
This exceptional sensitivity will allow the imaging of transport dominated
debris disks, quantifying the albedo, composition, and morphology of these
low-surface brightness disks. CDEEP combines an off-axis telescope,
microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) deformable mirror, and a vector vortex
coronagraph (VVC). This system will require rigorous testing and
characterization in a space environment. We report on the CDEEP mission
concept, and the status of the vacuum-compatible CDEEP prototype testbed
currently under development at the University of Arizona, including design
development and the results of simulations to estimate performance.
