Replicated Thin Active Mirrors (GSFC)

We plan to partner with JPL and Caltech to produce initially 100 mm diameter mirror prototypes and move to 200 mm to demonstrate scalability. This will build off of active mirror work already done at JPL/Caltech over the last few years on 100 mm diameter prototype mirrors. The GSFC mirrors, extremely thin (0.2mm) and lightweight (0.5 kg/m2), will be improved through the use of quality slumped glass substrates that Goddard has the capability of producing. They should be fully diffraction-limited at 500nm wavelength. For this CIF, two diffraction-limited mirror substrates will be fabricated, tested, and shipped to JPL by September of 2016.

Potential use to the 2020 decadal survey as a means of implementing future extremely large space telescopes Near term users would be the Caltech team that is working on a technology demonstration satellite, named AAReST, which implements these mirrors in a small telescope system.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — 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.