Systems and Methods for Mirror Mounting with Minimized Distortion

The use of larger, lighter, and more precise space optics requires not only a means of manufacture, but also a means of spacecraft integration and performance verification. Engineers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) have demonstrated a process capable of producing a high-precision, mounted, lightweight mirror, and have validated its on-orbit figure. This effort included the design of a mount capable of surviving the launch environment of a sounding rocket, as well as a mounting process that did not introduce performance-degrading figure distortion. Additionally, analysis techniques were developed and adapted to address the challenges in measuring an optic that exceeds its figure specification under the strain of its own weight.