Lightweight Telescopes In CubeSats Using Carbon Nanotube Mirrors

universetoday.com ^ | 07/14/2016 | Matt Williams

[BenLurkin]

Using carbon nanotubes, the Goddard team – which is led by Dr. Theodor Kostiuk of NASA’s Planetary Systems Laboratory and Solar System Exploration Division – have created a revolutionary new type of telescope mirror. These mirrors will be deployed as part of a CubeSat, one which may represent a new breed of low-cost, highly effective space-based telescopes.

This latest innovation also takes advantage of another field that has seen a lot of development of late. CubeSats, like other small satellites, have been playing an increasingly important role in recent years. Unlike the larger, bulkier satellites of yesteryear, miniature satellites are a low-cost platform for conducting space missions and scientific research.

...

Unlike other mirrors, the one created by Dr. Kostiuk’s team was fabricated out of carbon nanotubes embedded in an epoxy resin. Naturally, carbon nanotubes offer a wide range of advantages, not the least of which are structural strength, unique electrical properties, and efficient conduction of heat. But the Goddard team also chose this material for their lenses because it offers a lightweight, highly stable and easily reproducible option for creating telescope mirrors.

What’s more, mirrors made of carbon-nanotubes do not require polishing, which is a time-consuming and expensive process when it comes to space-based telescopes. The team hopes that this new method will prove useful in creating a new class of low-cost, CubeSat space telescopes, as well as helping to reduce costs when it comes to larger ground-based and space-based telescopes.

Such mirrors would be especially useful in telescopes that use multiple mirror segments (like the Keck Observatory at Mauna Kea and the James Webb Space Telescope). Such mirrors would be a real cost-cutter since they can be easily produced and would eliminate the need for expensive polishing and grinding.

[MarineBrat]

I remember a long time ago when Ceraform mirrors were going to be the next big thing in lightweight optics. I wonder whatever became of them. That was back when people got on the internet via Genie and Compuserve.

I still lug around my 14.5” full thickness Pyrex Newt, and have no complaints. :)

[minnesota_bound]

More here about carbon nanotube optical mirrors:
http://astronomicaltelescopes.spiedigitallibrary.org/article.aspx?articleid=1930779

[Nifster]

Lots of claims off of something that really doesn’t exist yet. They have nothing flyable. They don’t know it’s characteristics. They don’t know if it’s scalable

Godard knows how to waste money that’s for sure

[Nifster]

These tests were done on a quarter inch mirror. For reference each section of the James Webb is six feet. Moreover the Webb has surfaced and prescription that are measured in angstroms.....

This is like comparing fir polishe optics to diamond polished

[minnesota_bound]

This could be the beginning of the Argus Array, a gigantic subspace telescope......

[Nifster]

yeah well let’s get some performance data on these little devices before we get tooooo excited