Proceedings Article | 28 August 1998
Proc. SPIE. 3356, Space Telescopes and Instruments V
KEYWORDS: Reflectors, Mirrors, Polishing, Glasses, Composites, Coating, Manufacturing, Epoxies, Zerodur, Surface finishing
The objective of this paper is to report the recent developments in lightweight mirror technology that have occurred at Composite Optics, Inc. The developments occurred as a result of the activities being conducted in support the Next Generation Space Telescope, microwave limb sounder, and small business innovative research programs. Our sponsors on these programs are the Marshall and Goddard Space Flight Centers and the JPL. The requirements, design approach, actual performance, and the technology status for each program are summarized in the following sections. The emergence of composite designs provides exciting potential for nontraditional, accurate, lightweight, stable, stiff, and high strength composite mirrors. This evolving technology promises significant improvement in reducing weight, cost and cycle time for future IR, visible, and ex- ray systems. Customers currently embracing composite mirror technology for radiometric use are already reaping substantial system performance benefits. Other customers interested in LIDAR, IR, visible, and grazing incidence x- ray applications are eagerly awaiting successful completion of current technology development and demonstration efforts.
