The NASA OACT Telescope Technology Program has a goal of developing and demonstrating design, materials, processing, fabrication and test technology to enable lightweight, low cost instrument and telescope systems for future NASA missions and commercial applications. This is a new program in FY'94, the initial emphasis is on integrated ultralight optical instrument systems and low mass, low temperature IR telescope systems.
Initiated new Telescope Technology Program at JPL.
EOS-MLS baselines precision composite reflector replacing aluminum design utilized in UARS-MLS.
Telescope Technology Task Manager accompanies FIRST/SMIM Study Manager to ESTEC for discussions with ESA on NASA supplying a 3m lightweight telescope for the FIRST mission.
Announcement of an IN-STEP Phase A award for the Precision Composite Mirror Experiment.
Designed and fabricated an all silicon carbide integrated multi-channel (ir-vis-uv) camera/spectrometer testbed at SSG, Inc. for validation of silicon carbide modeling/design techniques and evaluation of optical performance.
Fabricated silicon carbide test components for statistical sampling of key material properties to provide reliable database for support of silicon carbide design rules and methodology.
Wrote and distributed an RFP for development of the Infrared Telescope Technology Testbed (ITTT) to 19 companies and universities. The ITTT is intended to demonstrate technology for future ultralight IR space telescopes and consists of an 85cm primary mirror and its mounting assembly, a metering structure and a secondary mirror with its mounting assembly. The ITTT mass goal is 30 kg and the optical goal is diffraction limited performance at 5 microns and 5.5K. Many of the emerging SIRTF baseline concepts were used to define the testbed goals.
Designed a low cost cryogenic test facility which will be utilized to evaluate the performance of the ITTT and contracted with Janis, Inc to supply the helium test dewar. Costs were minimized by utilizing existing hardware (vibration isolation legs, crane, pumps, etc.) from previous programs.
Fabricated and finished a 50cm beryllium mirror blank at Tinsley Laboratories, Inc. for cryogenic optical testing at Ames Research Center. This mirror was fabricated utilizing the hot isostatic pressing process and advanced beryllium powder cleaning and processing techniques. During machining and polishing, advanced stress relieving techniques were utilized to eliminate thermal hysteresis.
Fabricated two 50cm lightweight mirror blanks from reaction bonded silicon carbide at United Technologies Optical Systems.
Silicon carbide for optical systems with SSG, Inc.
Advanced beryllium optics with Brush-Wellman and Tinsley Laboratories.
Advanced optical modeling software with BRO Research.
Graphite Fiber Reinforced Composite Submillimeter Reflectors, SBIR Phase 1, Composite Optics Inc.
Integrated Ultralight Optical Instrument Systems:
Patricia Beauchamp 818-354-0529Low Mass, Low Temperature IR Telescope Systems:
Dan Coulter 818-354-3638