Replicating epoxy optical surfaces on ceramic shells to produce high-angular resolution, lightweight full-shell X-ray optics

The need for high-angular resolution and high-throughput X-ray optics is strongly endorsed by the "Astro2020, Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s" report. Astro2020 highlights that this capability enables or enhances all three priority science areas: Pathways to Habitable Worlds, New Windows on the Dynamic Universe, and Unveiling the Drivers of Galaxy Growth. In addition to enabling the science of a future flagship X-ray observatory, the astronomy community at large will benefit from high-angular resolution, high-throughput X-ray optics on a wide range of mission classes, from suborbital to Pioneers, to Explorers, to Probes. In pursuit of this goal, our proposal aims to merge two existing technologies: the production of lightweight, ceramic full-shell X-ray optics and the replication of high-fidelity optical surfaces with epoxy. Ceramics have among the highest stiffness per mass of known engineering materials, enabling the production of shells that are lighter and more resistant to shape deformation than metal or glass counterpart technologies. A telescope made with ceramic shells will have increased throughput because thin, lightweight optics enable telescope designs with a larger number of nested full shells, and therefore greater effective area from a given volume optic. Recently, a new process based on low shrinkage epoxy has been developed for replicating normal incidence optics. This process has demonstrated very high-quality replications (figure and roughness) of optical surfaces. Our innovative approach is to combine these two technologies to produce lightweight, high angular resolution X-ray optics. This proposal will produce ceramic shells, adapt the epoxy replication process for full-shell geometry, and produce epoxy replicated ceramic optics suitable for future missions. The angular resolution and effective area of the optics will be measured at MSFC's 100-m X-ray test facility.

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.

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