Stretched membrane with electrostatic curvature (SMEC) mirrors for extremely large space telescopes

Brian Stamper; Roger Angel; James Burge; Tom Connors; Brian Duffy; Neville Woolf

doi:10.1117/12.453607

Stretched membrane with electrostatic curvature (SMEC) mirrors for extremely large space telescopes

Brian Stamper, Roger Angel, James Burge, Tom Connors, Brian Duffy, Neville Woolf

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Very lightweight mirrors can be constructed by stretching a membrane to form a flat surface. Adding tension to the membrane, making it flat, can be done by discrete attachment points, or by using a continuous boundary. Such lightweight mirrors are very attractive for space telescopes where a 100m aperture can be made up of smaller mirror segments. Adding a slight curvature to each segments simplifies the optical train. This article looks at the making of a curved membrane mirror, and demonstrates its use. Measurements of the flat membrane, and the curved figure will be shown.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	105-113
Number of pages	9
Journal	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	4451
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.453607
State	Published - 2001
Event	Optical Manufacturing and Testing IV - San Diego, CA, United States Duration: Jul 31 2001 → Aug 2 2001

Keywords

Gossamer
Membrane mirrors
SMEC
Space telescopes
Ultra-lightweight primary mirrors

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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10.1117/12.453607

Cite this

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title = "Stretched membrane with electrostatic curvature (SMEC) mirrors for extremely large space telescopes",

abstract = "Very lightweight mirrors can be constructed by stretching a membrane to form a flat surface. Adding tension to the membrane, making it flat, can be done by discrete attachment points, or by using a continuous boundary. Such lightweight mirrors are very attractive for space telescopes where a 100m aperture can be made up of smaller mirror segments. Adding a slight curvature to each segments simplifies the optical train. This article looks at the making of a curved membrane mirror, and demonstrates its use. Measurements of the flat membrane, and the curved figure will be shown.",

keywords = "Gossamer, Membrane mirrors, SMEC, Space telescopes, Ultra-lightweight primary mirrors",

author = "Brian Stamper and Roger Angel and James Burge and Tom Connors and Brian Duffy and Neville Woolf",

year = "2001",

doi = "10.1117/12.453607",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "4451",

pages = "105--113",

journal = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",

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note = "Optical Manufacturing and Testing IV ; Conference date: 31-07-2001 Through 02-08-2001",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Stretched membrane with electrostatic curvature (SMEC) mirrors for extremely large space telescopes

AU - Stamper, Brian

AU - Angel, Roger

AU - Burge, James

AU - Connors, Tom

AU - Duffy, Brian

AU - Woolf, Neville

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - Very lightweight mirrors can be constructed by stretching a membrane to form a flat surface. Adding tension to the membrane, making it flat, can be done by discrete attachment points, or by using a continuous boundary. Such lightweight mirrors are very attractive for space telescopes where a 100m aperture can be made up of smaller mirror segments. Adding a slight curvature to each segments simplifies the optical train. This article looks at the making of a curved membrane mirror, and demonstrates its use. Measurements of the flat membrane, and the curved figure will be shown.

AB - Very lightweight mirrors can be constructed by stretching a membrane to form a flat surface. Adding tension to the membrane, making it flat, can be done by discrete attachment points, or by using a continuous boundary. Such lightweight mirrors are very attractive for space telescopes where a 100m aperture can be made up of smaller mirror segments. Adding a slight curvature to each segments simplifies the optical train. This article looks at the making of a curved membrane mirror, and demonstrates its use. Measurements of the flat membrane, and the curved figure will be shown.

KW - Gossamer

KW - Membrane mirrors

KW - SMEC

KW - Space telescopes

KW - Ultra-lightweight primary mirrors

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DO - 10.1117/12.453607

M3 - Conference article

AN - SCOPUS:0035760767

SN - 0277-786X

VL - 4451

SP - 105

EP - 113

JO - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

JF - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

T2 - Optical Manufacturing and Testing IV

Y2 - 31 July 2001 through 2 August 2001

ER -

Stretched membrane with electrostatic curvature (SMEC) mirrors for extremely large space telescopes

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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