Selection considerations between ZERODUR® and silicon carbide for dimensionally-stable spaceborne optical telescopes in two-earth-orbits

Tony Hull; Thomas Westerhoff; Gunter Weidmann

doi:10.1117/12.2188770

2 September 2015 Selection considerations between ZERODUR^® and silicon carbide for dimensionally-stable spaceborne optical telescopes in two-earth-orbits

Tony Hull, Thomas Westerhoff, Gunter Weidmann

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9573, Optomechanical Engineering 2015; 95730F (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2188770
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2015, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

A key consideration in defining a space telescope mission is definition of the optical materials. This selection defines both the performance of the system and system complexity and cost. Optimal material selection for system stability must consider the thermal environment and its variation. Via numerical simulations, we compare the thermal and structural-mechanical behavior of ZERODUR^® and SiC as mirror substrates for telescope assemblies in space. SiC has significantly larger CTE values then ZERODUR^®, but also its thermal diffusivity k/(ρc_p) is larger, and that helps to homogenize thermal gradients in the mirror. Therefore it is not obvious at first glance which material performs with better dimensional stability under realistic unsteady, inhomogeneous thermal loads. We specifically examine the telescope response to transient, gradient driving, thermal environments representative of low- and high-earth- orbits.

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Tony Hull, Thomas Westerhoff, and Gunter Weidmann "Selection considerations between ZERODUR^® and silicon carbide for dimensionally-stable spaceborne optical telescopes in two-earth-orbits", Proc. SPIE 9573, Optomechanical Engineering 2015, 95730F (2 September 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2188770

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