Low-weight, low-cost, low-cycle time, replicated glass mirrors

Robert Egerman; Steven De Smitt; David Strafford

doi:10.1117/12.858299

19 July 2010 Low-weight, low-cost, low-cycle time, replicated glass mirrors

Robert Egerman, Steven De Smitt, David Strafford

Proceedings Volume 7739, Modern Technologies in Space- and Ground-based Telescopes and Instrumentation; 77390G (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.858299
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

ITT has patented and continues to develop processes to fabricate low-cost borosilicate mirrors that can be used for both ground and space-based optical telescopes. Borosilicate glass is a commodity and is the material of choice for today's flat-panel televisions and monitors. Supply and demand has kept its cost low compared to mirror substrate materials typically found in telescopes. The current technology development is on the path to having the ability to deliver imaging quality optics of up to 1m (scalable to 2m) in diameter in three weeks. For those applications that can accommodate the material properties of borosilicate glasses, this technology has the potential to revolutionize ground and space-based astronomy. ITT Corporation has demonstrated finishing a planar, 0.6m borosilicate, optic to <100 nm-rms. This paper will provide an historical overview of the development in this area with an emphasis on recent technology developments to fabricate a 0.6m parabolic mirror under NASA Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) grant #NNX09AD61G.

Citation Download Citation

Robert Egerman, Steven De Smitt, and David Strafford "Low-weight, low-cost, low-cycle time, replicated glass mirrors", Proc. SPIE 7739, Modern Technologies in Space- and Ground-based Telescopes and Instrumentation, 77390G (19 July 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.858299

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