Recent Developments in Hybrid Mirror Technology for the Next Generation Space Telescope

摘要

This paper presents a status of the development of the 1.6meter hybrid mirror demonstrator for the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) Program. The COI design approach for the NGST program combines the optical performance of glass, witht he high specific stiffness capabilities of composite materials. This structural hybridization significantly reduces the areal density of mirror substrate, compared to state-of-the-art al-glass mirrors, while maintaining operational robustness. The foundation technologies being exploited in the development of the hybrid mirror (Figure 1) focus upon precision composite materials for cryogenic operation, and non-contact optical processign (ion figuring) of the lightweight mirror surface. The NGST Mirror System Demonstrator (NMSD) has been designed and built by Composite Optics, Inc. (COI) and is being optically processed by REOSC. The mirror is currently being (optically) tested at cryogenic temperatures at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) X-Ray Calibration Facility (XRCF). This paper summarizes system requirements, design description, sub-component and component deonstration results, and the technology status for the NGST Mirror System Demonstrator (NMSD) program. The sponsors of these efforts are the NASA Marshall and Goddard Space Flight Genters.