
Proceedings Paper
Structural design considerations for an 8-m space telescopeFormat | Member Price | Non-Member Price |
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Paper Abstract
NASA's upcoming ARES V launch vehicle, with its' immense payload capacities (both volume and mass) has opened
the possibilities for a whole new paradigm of space observatories. It becomes practical to consider a monolith mirror of
sufficient size to permit significant scientific advantages, both in collection area and smoothness or figure at a reasonable
price. The technologies and engineering to manufacture and test 8 meter class monoliths is mature, with nearly a dozen
of such mirrors already in operation around the world. This paper will discuss the design requirements to adapt an 8m
meniscus mirror into a Space Telescope System, both launch and operational considerations are included. With objects
this massive and structurally sensitive, the mirror design must include all stages of the process. Based upon the
experiences of the Hubble Space Telescope, testing and verification at both component and integrated system levels are
considered vital to mission success. To this end, two different component level test methods for gravity sag (the so call
zero- gravity simulation or test mount) are proposed, with one of these methods suitable for the full up system level
testing as well.
Paper Details
Date Published: 21 August 2009
PDF: 13 pages
Proc. SPIE 7425, Optical Materials and Structures Technologies IV, 74250R (21 August 2009); doi: 10.1117/12.838308
Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7425:
Optical Materials and Structures Technologies IV
Joseph L. Robichaud; William A. Goodman, Editor(s)
PDF: 13 pages
Proc. SPIE 7425, Optical Materials and Structures Technologies IV, 74250R (21 August 2009); doi: 10.1117/12.838308
Show Author Affiliations
William r. Arnold Sr., Jacobs ESTS Group (United States)
H. Philip Stahl, NASA Marshall Space Flight Ctr. (United States)
Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7425:
Optical Materials and Structures Technologies IV
Joseph L. Robichaud; William A. Goodman, Editor(s)
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