Ultra-stable Affordable Mirrors: USAM

NASA will require ultra-stable mirrors that are both lightweight and affordable to support HWO, as well as other near-term and long-term NASA missions with visible imaging systems requiring ultra-stable mirrors. Additional applications for such mirrors include the growing commercial space market, defense and intelligence community imaging systems, well as directed energy applications. EvolvOptic proposes to leverage the combination of three key initiatives to meet the needs of future NASA space-based imaging systems. These initiatives are: • Mass efficient closed back mirror designs • Low CTE, affordable material • Supply Chain Optimization EvolvOptic will demonstrate the feasibility of ultra-stable affordable closed-back mirrors produced with CLEARCERAM®-Z and advanced bonding. Over the course of 6 months, EvolvOptic will • Identify 2-3 bonds and bonding processes to investigate. • Design, and produce bonded glass-ceramic samples. • Test strength, thermal sensitivity, moisture sensitivity. • Design and build a 0.4 meter, flat, closed-back demonstration mirror from Ohara CLEARCERAM®-Z. As deliverables for this Phase 1 SBIR EvolvOptic will deliver: • A report that describes the results of the design concepts evaluation, the bonding approach evaluation, the production and supply chain evaluation, the findings from the construction of the 0.4-meter mirror, and a definition of the initial scope for Phase 2. • The manufactured 0.4-meter, flat mirror produced with the process identified in this project.

NASA will require ultra-stable mirrors that are both lightweight and affordable to support HWO, as well as other near-term and long-term NASA missions with visible imaging systems requiring ultra-stable mirrors. Commercialization opportunities for the technology include: • Other space-based imaging systems, utilized by other government agencies including the defense and intelligence communities, as well as the growing commercial space industry • Directed energy applications also require large aperture, low-mass components for ground-based and airborne defense systems.

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.