Opto-mechanics of the Constellation-X SXT mirrors: challenges in mounting and assembling the mirror segments

Kai-Wing Chan; William W. Zhang; Timo Saha; John P. Lehan; James Mazzarella; Lawrence Lozipone; Melinda Hong; Glenn Byron

doi:10.1117/12.789019

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15 July 2008 Opto-mechanics of the Constellation-X SXT mirrors: challenges in mounting and assembling the mirror segments

Kai-Wing Chan, William W. Zhang, Timo Saha, John P. Lehan, James Mazzarella, Lawrence Lozipone, Melinda Hong, Glenn Byron

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Proceedings Volume 7011, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2008: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray; 701114 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.789019
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2008, Marseille, France

Abstract

The Constellation-X Spectroscopy X-Ray Telescopes consists of segmented glass mirrors with an axial length of 200 mm, a width of up to 400 mm, and a thickness of 0.4 mm. To meet the requirement of < 15 arc-second half-power diameter with the small thickness and relatively large size is a tremendous challenge in opto-mechanics. How shall we limit distortion of the mirrors due to gravity in ground tests, that arises from thermal stress, and that occurs in the process of mounting, affixing and assembling of these mirrors? In this paper, we will describe our current opto-mechanical approach to these problems. We will discuss, in particular, the approach and experiment where the mirrors are mounted vertically by first suspending it at two points.

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Kai-Wing Chan, William W. Zhang, Timo Saha, John P. Lehan, James Mazzarella, Lawrence Lozipone, Melinda Hong, and Glenn Byron "Opto-mechanics of the Constellation-X SXT mirrors: challenges in mounting and assembling the mirror segments", Proc. SPIE 7011, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2008: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 701114 (15 July 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.789019

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