| Popis: |
The objective of this paper is to report the recent developments in lightweight mirror technology at Composite Optics, Incorporated (COI). The developments are a result of the activities being conducted in support of the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) Program. The sponsors of these efforts are the NASA Marshall and Goddard Space Flight Centers. The requirements, design approach, technical challenges, hardware status, and tentative conclusions for the program are summarized. The emergence of composite materials provides exciting potential for nontraditional, accurate, lightweight, stable, stiff, and high strength mirrors. This evolving technology promises significant improvement in reducing weight, cost and cycle time for future infrared, visible, and x-ray systems. Customers currently embracing composite mirror technology for radiometric use are already reaping substantial system performance benefits. Other customers interested in LIDAR, IR, visible, and grazing incidence x-ray applications are eagerly awaiting successful completion of current technology development and demonstration efforts. 1 |
