Large-Scale Aluminum Metal Matrix Composite Mirrors for Cryogenic Applications

Aluminum metal matrix composites (ALMMC) are excellent materials for large scale (> 1.0m) mirrors. ALMMCs provide higher specific stiffness than conventional materials at significant cost benefits compared to beryllium and SiC competitors. ALMMCs are tougher, less brittle, and thermally advantageous to many glasses. Further, nickel and ALMMCs have CTE uniformity reducing thermal-induced surface errors. These factors make ALMMC materials excellent options for large area mirrors, especially in the IR spectrums. The capability gaps between ultra-premium beryllium and lower performance glass and aluminums can be filled with ALMMCs. Outpost, Materion and MSFC are invested in ALMMC manufacturing technology maturation specialized in the optics field and have a current SBIR Phase I effort to mature this technology. The SBIR effort transitions into the APRA opportunity. The proposed effort will develop a 1.5 up to 1.8-meter diameter light weighted mirror and characterize optical performance at cryogenic temperatures. This effort is essential to developing manufacturing processes necessary to produce ALMMC mirrors 2.0 meters in diameter and larger. Materion’s MMC materials are excellent candidates for large scale optics. Materion’s material experts suggest that the SupremEX 640XA and AyontEX 13 ALMMCs be traded for technical performance, cost, and scalability prior to developing a large MMC mirror. Both materials have excellent properties but differ in manufacturability and specific stiffness. SupremEX 640XA uses proprietary powder metallurgy technology to mechanically alloy SiC and AL particles. Where other ALMMCs use a blended particle composition, Materion’s process yields superior mechanical performance necessary for optical applications. The material matrix structure is homogenous and smaller than a blended composition, which yields better fatigue strength, machinability, strength, and stiffness characteristics for optical applications. SupremEX MMC also has space and aerospace flight heritage. Ayontex 13 Al-Si alloy was developed specifically for optical applications. The Si content yields better thermal properties and is more easily machinable than SupremEX, but also has a lower specific stiffness. AyontEX 13’s CTE also matches nickel, which is favorable for thermal distortion. AyontEX is a new material not yet commercially available, but Materion has extensive experimental and test data sheets. Outpost and MSFC will partner to design and analyze a large-scale ALMMC mirror. The design and analysis practices will follow NASA development processes and milestones. The design and materials teams will trade the material options to determine the best candidate per scalability, performance, and cost metrics. Outpost and MSFC have resident design and manufacturing expertise necessary to develop this technology. Outpost’s design lead was previously employed at MSFC as a civil servant in a design group and the Outpost Optics Manufacturing Expert has machined and/or diamond turned over 300 mirror surfaces for numerous NASA and DOD missions.

The Astrophysics Research and Analysis program (APRA) supports suborbital and suborbital-class investigations, development of detectors and supporting technology, laboratory astrophysics, and limited ground-based observing. Basic research proposals in these areas are solicited for investigations that are relevant to NASA's programs in astronomy and astrophysics, including the entire range of photons, gravitational waves, and particle astrophysics. The emphasis of this solicitation is on technologies and investigations that advance NASA astrophysics missions and goals.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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.