Recent developments in the production of spin-cast epoxy mirrors

K. Lisa Brodhacker; Joe Ritter; Andrew La Croix; Bruce Holenstein; Russell M. Genet

doi:10.1117/12.2044612

6 March 2014 Recent developments in the production of spin-cast epoxy mirrors

K. Lisa Brodhacker, Joe Ritter, Andrew La Croix, Bruce Holenstein, Russell M. Genet

Proceedings Volume 8971, Free-Space Laser Communication and Atmospheric Propagation XXVI; 89710O (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2044612
Event: SPIE LASE, 2014, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

NASA is currently developing optical communications to use with its spacecraft—both in earth-orbit and in deep space. This may allow spacecraft to use small, pencil-beam telescopes instead of large, wide-beam microwave antennas, potentially saving weight, reducing transmission power, and increasing communications bandwidth. The Earth side of such communications links will require a network of low cost, ground-based telescopes. The ground support mission mentioned above would benefit from the development of lightweight, low cost, 1 to 2 meter aperture telescopes. The key is the development of low cost, diffraction limited mirrors that cost orders of magnitude less than NASA’s current telescope mirrors, have a drastically reduced manufacturing time, with significant weight reduction (low areal density). Spin-cast epoxy mirrors do not require any grinding, polishing, or figuring and therefore have the potential for low cost, short production time, and light weight. The specially-formulated thin epoxy described here naturally forms a parabolic surface when spun at constant velocity and once it hardens, the mirror surface is ready for use except for a reflective coating. A recently produced 50cm diameter f/2 spin-cast epoxy mirror has been measured to have a 6-8 micron RMS surface figure deviation and approximately 1 nm microroughness. Other advances include the synthesis and co-polymerization of spiro orthocarbonate compounds (SOCs) to reduce chemical shrinkage and the engineering of a stiff mold to hold the curing epoxy as it spins.

Citation Download Citation

K. Lisa Brodhacker, Joe Ritter, Andrew La Croix, Bruce Holenstein, and Russell M. Genet "Recent developments in the production of spin-cast epoxy mirrors", Proc. SPIE 8971, Free-Space Laser Communication and Atmospheric Propagation XXVI, 89710O (6 March 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2044612

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KEYWORDS

Mirrors

Epoxies

System on a chip

Telescopes

Aluminum

Foam

Space telescopes

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