Cryogenic Optical Performance of a Lightweighted Mirror Assembly for Future Space Astronomical Telescopes: Correlating Optical Test Results and Thermal Optical Model

A 43cm diameter stacked core mirror demonstrator was interferometrically tested at room temperature down to 250 degrees Kelvin for thermal deformation. The 2.5m radius of curvature spherical mirror assembly was constructed by low temperature fusing three abrasive waterjet core sections between two C...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI). Conference Proceedings
Main Authors Eng, Ron, Arnold, William R, Kegley, Jeffrey R, Kirk, Charlie, Maffett, Steven P, Matthews, Gary W, Siler, Richard D, Smith, W Scott, Stahl, H Philip, Tucker, John M, Wright, Ernest R, Baker, Marcus A, Bevan, Ryan M, Burdick, Gregory, Effinger, Michael R, Gaddy, Darrell E, Goode, Brian K, Hanson, Craig, Hogue, William D
Format Conference Proceeding
LanguageEnglish
Published Hampton NASA/Langley Research Center 25.08.2013
Subjects
Assembly
Deformation
Infrared imaging
Numerical controls
Radius of curvature
Space telescopes
State of the art
Telescopes
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Summary:A 43cm diameter stacked core mirror demonstrator was interferometrically tested at room temperature down to 250 degrees Kelvin for thermal deformation. The 2.5m radius of curvature spherical mirror assembly was constructed by low temperature fusing three abrasive waterjet core sections between two CNC pocket milled face sheets. The 93% lightweighted Corning ULE® mirror assembly represents the current state of the art for future UV, optical, near IR space telescopes. During the multiple thermal test cycles, test results of interferometric test, thermal IR images of the front face were recorded in order to validate thermal optical model.