Lightweight ZERODUR mirror blanks: recent advances supporting faster, cheaper, and better spaceborne optical telescope assemblies

Tony Hull; Thomas Westerhoff

doi:10.1117/12.2067448

21 October 2014 Lightweight ZERODUR mirror blanks: recent advances supporting faster, cheaper, and better spaceborne optical telescope assemblies

Tony Hull, Thomas Westerhoff

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9241, Sensors, Systems, and Next-Generation Satellites XVIII; 92411I (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2067448
Event: SPIE Remote Sensing, 2014, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

While there is no single material solution ideal for all missions, recent advances by SCHOTT in fabricating lightweight mirror blanks makes ZERODUR® a highly viable solution for many spaceborne telescopes. ZERODUR® is a well-characterized very low-expansion material. Monolithic mirrors are made without bonding or fusing out of highly homogeneous and isotropic blanks currently available in sizes up to 4m plus. We will summarize results recently given in a series of papers on the characteristics of these lightweight mirror blanks in sizes from 0.3m up, and describe the method of blank fabrication, with its compatibility to contemporary optical fabrication techniques that control of all optical spatial frequencies. ZERODUR® has a 35 year heritage in space on numerous missions, including the secondary mirror of Hubble, and all the Chandra mirrors. With the lightweighting we will discuss, ZERODUR® is now a high performing, affordable and rapidly produced mirror substrate suitable for lightweight imaging telescopes.

Citation Download Citation

Tony Hull and Thomas Westerhoff "Lightweight ZERODUR mirror blanks: recent advances supporting faster, cheaper, and better spaceborne optical telescope assemblies", Proc. SPIE 9241, Sensors, Systems, and Next-Generation Satellites XVIII, 92411I (21 October 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2067448

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