JWST Lightweight Mirror TRL-6 Results

Author

Stahl, H.P.

Author_Institution

NASAMSFCXD-30, Huntsville

fYear

2007

fDate

3-10 March 2007

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

12

Abstract

Mirror technology for a Primary Mirror Segment Assembly (PMSA) is a system of components: reflective coating; polished optical surface; mirror substrate; actuators, mechanisms and flexures; and reaction structure. The functional purpose of a PMSA is to survive launch, deploy and align itself to form a 25 square meter collecting area 6.5 meter diameter primary mirror with a 131 nm rms wavefront error at temperatures < 50K and provide stable optical performance for the anticipated thermal environment. At the inception of JWST in 1996, such a capability was at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 3. A highly successful technology development program was initiated including the Sub-scale Beryllium Mirror Demonstrator (SBMD) and Advanced Mirror System Demonstrator (AMSD) projects. These projects along with flight program activities have matured mirror technology for JWST to TRL-6. A directly traceable prototype (and in some cases the flight hardware itself) has been built, tested and operated in a relevant environment.

Keywords

aerospace instrumentation; astronomical telescopes; infrared astronomy; mirrors; Advanced Mirror System Demonstrator; JWST lightweight mirror TRL-6; PMSA; Sub-scale Beryllium Mirror Demonstrator; Technology Readiness Level; actuators; anticipated thermal environment; flight program activities; mirror substrate; mirror technology; polished optical surface; primary mirror segment assembly; reaction structure; reflective coating; Actuators; Assembly systems; Coatings; Hardware; Mirrors; Optical devices; Optical surface waves; Prototypes; Temperature; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Aerospace Conference, 2007 IEEE

Conference_Location

Big Sky, MT

ISSN

1095-323X

Print_ISBN

1-4244-0524-6

Electronic_ISBN

1095-323X

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/AERO.2007.353006

Filename

4161425