The European Southern Observatory (ESO) awarded Safran Reosc with the contracts for the manufacturing of the main optics for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) : in 2015 for the twelve ELT M4 Zerodur shells, in 2016 for the ELT M2 4.25-m diameter Zerodur convex mirror, in 2017 for the ELT M3 4-m diameter Zerodur concave mirror, and in 2019 for the ELT M5 2.7-m diameter Silicon Carbide flat mirror. We present for each of these optics their key requirements and challenges. The ELT M4 shells are thin glass sheets in Zerodur of 1.95 mm thickness with strong requirements on thickness uniformity lower than 15 μm and on surface deformation lower than 14 nm RMS. The ELT M2 and ELT M3 mirrors are large Zerodur mirrors of class 4-meter diameter with strong requirements on bonding and surface deformation, requiring dedicated WFE test benches. We present the main parameters to achieve and make an overview of their test benches developed in Safran Reosc facility. The ELT M5 mirror is a large piece of Silicon Carbide of dimension 2.7m x 2.2m that presents high challenges for its substrate manufacturing and surface deformation. We detail its main requirements and the test bench specially developed for this mirror. Finally, we summarize for each of these optics the main steps and results achieved, and the current progress status.
The highly aspheric secondary mirror M2 of ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) is the largest convex mirror ever polished. We report on manufacturing and error analysis of the high accuracy computer-generated hologram (CGH) used as part of the test concept for the M2 mirror. In order to comply with the required measurement accuracies in the single nanometer range (RMS), existing error sources along the entire process chain need to be considered. Available characterization methods for measurement of fabrication errors are described, as well as modelling of wavefront errors resulting from the CGH manufacturing process itself. Additionally, a general approach to improve the transmission of CGHs applying an effective multi-level patterning realized by binary sub-wavelength structures is introduced.
Safran Reosc has been awarded by ESO the manufacturing of the Secondary Mirror of the Extremely Large Telescope in 2016 [4]. The secondary mirror is a 4-meter convex mirror, the world’s largest convex precision mirror ever made. We present the main ELT M2 manufacturing steps, namely adhesive qualification, pads bonding on the back and lateral sides, convex surface grinding and polishing. The necessary metrology instruments using interferometry and coordinate measurements are presented. The requirements driving the project with extraordinary means are presented, namely the schedule, the mirror volume, the convex surface figuring errors, the mirror lifetime of 30 years and the pad positioning accuracy (down to 0,125mm). We eventually present how these challenges are overcome: how the bonding lifetime was qualified, how Safran Reosc facility was re-configured to accommodate the polishing and control of 4-meter diameter mirrors. The polishing method (to accelerate the process and meet the requirements) are presented and discussed, including the presentation of the innovative double-head robot polishing station. We present the metrology devices adapted for the 4m mirrors and implemented in our factory. A focus on the 20-meter long interferometric bench designed and built by Safran Reosc is presented, to allow measuring the M2 convex surface and overcoming critical issues like birefringence and vibrations. This bench includes a convex-concave test plate together with a unique custom interferometer system, which are both presented.
Green light for the construction of the 39-m aperture giant Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) was given by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) council on Dec 4th, 2014. Procurement of the key elements, especially the optics, was immediately initiated by ESO team. Up today, Safran Reosc was awarded all the key optical polishing and testing contracts with:
2015-07: contract for the Adaptive Optics M4 mirror thin glass petals,
2016-07: contract for the 4-m M2 convex mirror,
2017-02: contract for the 4-m M3 mirror.
2017-05: contract for polishing and intergation of the 931 1.45-m hexagonal segments for the giant 39-m M1 mirror assembly
This paper is dedicated to highlighting the various challenges linked to these various optical fabrication projects and reporting about the progress of our work so far.
Green light for the construction of the 39-m aperture Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) was given by the Council of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) on Dec 4th, 2014. Procurement of the key elements, especially the optics, the dome and structure and the glass substrates, was soon after initiated by ESO team. Safran Reosc is proud to have been awarded all the key optical polishing and testing contracts with:
2015-07: the contract for thin glass petals of the Adaptive Optics M4 mirror unit,
2016-07: the contract for polishing the 4-m secondary convex mirror M2,
2017-02: the contract for polishing of the 4-m tertiary mirror M3,
2017-05: the contract for polishing and integration of the 931 1.45-m hexagonal segments constituting the giant 39-m primary mirror assembly M1.
This paper reports Safran Reosc’s work progresses along these four contracts with their various challenges and more specifically those related to the mass production of the M1 segments.
Sagem presents its recent developments in light-weighting, polishing, bonding and testing of Zerodur space mirrors equipped with pads and fixation devices. The presentation is based on Sagem's recent successful project for the SEOSAT/Ingenio satellite.
Reosc has been working on thin glass shells for many years and was recently selected by ESO for the production of the E-ELT M4 mirror thin glass shells. Previously Reosc also produced the aspheric thin shell for the VLT-M2 AO Facility. Based on this experience we will discuss how off axis thin glass shells can be made for the next generation AO systems like the GMT one.
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