Design of a large lightweight space telescope optical system for the Next-Generation Space Telescope

摘要

The Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) program is currently conducting a pre-phase A study to prove feasibility of design, show that the design can be implemented within cost guidelines, and meet the requirements of the science community. In an effort to achieve the science community's goals as outlined in the 'HST and Beyond' report, the NGST team has developed a Government 'yardstick' design of an 8-meter aperture segmented-mirror telescope which would be launched in an Atlas IIAS launch vehicle into the L2 orbit. This paper will discuss the design of the optical telescope assembly and the various issues and complications of designing lightweight optics to be placed in the environment that the NGST will encounter both during launch and during its mission at L2.