APERTURE: A precise extremely large reflective telescope using re-configurable elements

M. P. Ulmer*, V. L. Coverstone, J. Cao, Y. W. Chung, M. C. Corbineau, A. Case, B. Murchison, C. Lorenz, G. Luo, J. Pekosh, J. Sepulveda, A. Schneider, X. Yan, S. Ye

*Corresponding author for this work

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

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

One of the pressing needs for the UV-Vis is a design to allow even larger mirrors than the JWST primary at an affordable cost. We report here the results of a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts phase 1 study. Our project is called A Precise Extremely large Reflective Telescope Using Reconfigurable Elements (APERTURE). The idea is to deploy a continuous membrane-like mirror. The mirror figure will be corrected after deployment to bring it into better or equal lambda/20 deviations from the prescribed mirror shape. The basic concept is not new. What is new is to use a different approach from the classical piezoelectric-patch technology. Instead, our concept is based on a contiguous coating of a so called magnetic smart material (MSM). After deployment a magnetic write head will move on the non-reflecting side of the mirror and will generate a magnetic field that will produce a stress in the MSM that will correct the mirror deviations from the prescribed shape.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016
Subtitle of host publicationOptical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave
EditorsHoward A. MacEwen, Makenzie Lystrup, Giovanni G. Fazio
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510601871
DOIs
StatePublished - 2016
EventSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave - Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Duration: Jun 26 2016Jul 1 2016

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume9904
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Other

OtherSpace Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityEdinburgh
Period6/26/167/1/16

Keywords

  • Deployment
  • Large telescope concept
  • Magnetostriction
  • Reflective membrane

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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