Abstract: The Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) instrument on the Cassini Mission launched in October of 1997. The CIRS instrument contains a mid-infrared (MIR) and a far-infrared interferometer and operates at 170 Kelvin. The MIR is a Michelson Fourier transform spectrometer utilizing a 76 mm (3 inch) diameter potassium bromide beamsplitter and compensator pair. The potassium bromide elements were tested to verify effects of cooldown and vibration prior to integration into the instrument. The instrument was then aligned to ambient temperatures, tested cryogenically and re-verified after vibration. The stringent design optical figure requirements for the beamsplitter and compensator included fabrication errors, mounting stress and vibration load effects. This paper describes the challenges encountered in mounting the elements to minimize distortion and to survive vibration.!8
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