Single Crystal Silicon Mirrors for Spaceflight

Completed TRL 1 (started at 1, targeting 3)

Description

Single crystal silicon (SCSi) is both soft and brittle. This makes it difficult to machine. The primary obstacle for SCSi being accepted as a standard mirror material is well-developed optical manufacturing techniques. The objective is to improve the opto-mechanical design and fabrication of SCSi mirrors for spaceflight.

Develop a well understood process for manufacturing visible quality SCSi mirrors. Areas of research include stress relief, figure, finish, and light weighting techniques.

Benefits

N/A

Details

Technology area	Sensors and Instruments > Observatories > Mirror Systems
Program	Center Independent Research & Development: GSFC IRAD (GSFC IRAD)
Lead organization	Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Start date	2011-10-01
End date	2013-09-01

Project contacts

Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.

Terence A Doiron — terence.a.doiron@nasa.gov
Peter C Hill — peter.c.hill@nasa.gov

How to get involved

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 1) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.