Manufacture of the second 8.4 m primary mirror for the Large Binocular Telescope

H. M. Martin, R. G. Allen, B. Cuerden, J. M. Hill, D. A. Ketelsen, S. M. Miller, J. M. Sasian, M. T. Tuell, S. Warner

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

The second 8.4 m primary mirror and its active support system were delivered to the Large Binocular Telescope in September 2005. The mirror was figured to an accuracy of 15 nm rms surface after subtraction of low-order aberrations that will be controlled by the active support. The mirror was installed into its operational support cell in the lab, and support forces were optimized to produce a figure accurate to 20 nm rms surface with no synthetic correction. The mirror was polished on a new 8.4 m polishing machine that gives the Mirror Lab the capacity to process up to four 8.4 m mirrors simultaneously, with each mirror going through a sequence of stations: casting furnace, generating machine, polishing machine, and integration with its support cell. The new polishing machine has two carriages for polishing tools, allowing use of two 1.2 m stressed laps during loose-abrasive grinding and early polishing, followed by final figuring with a stressed lap and a small tool for local figuring.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationOptomechanical Technologies for Astronomy
DOIs
StatePublished - 2006
EventOptomechanical Technologies for Astronomy - Orlando, FL, United States
Duration: May 24 2006May 31 2006

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume6273 I
ISSN (Print)0277-786X

Other

OtherOptomechanical Technologies for Astronomy
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityOrlando, FL
Period5/24/065/31/06

Keywords

  • Active optics
  • Optical fabrication
  • Optical testing
  • Telescopes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Computer Science Applications
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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