The feasibility of very large, extremely low specific mass space structures deployed by magnetic forces has been validated by detailed Magnetic Inflated Cable (MIC) engineering studies. Methods for achieving optically precise surfaces of such structures have also been justified by experiments and engineering studies of the Phased Array Mirror Extendable Large Aperture (PAMELA). In this paper, we propose an early application of combined MIC/PAMELA technologies to achieve revolutionary telescope performance at relatively low cost. Ultra low‐weight membranes or meshes hundreds of meters in diameter are combined with self‐actuated thin silicon segments to achieve near‐diffraction‐limited optical performance. The resulting system will enable decisive cosmological observations, imaging of relativistic astrophysics environments, and spectrographic analysis of Earth‐like planets of other stars. Similar telescopes can achieve full time earth surveillance from high orbits.
Breakthrough Technologies for Ultra Large Telescopes
SPACE TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL FORUM‐STAIF 2008: 12th Conference on Thermophysics Applications in Microgravity; 1st Symposium on Space Resource Utilization; 25th Symposium on Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion; 6th Conference on Human/Robotic Technology and the Vision for Space Exploration; 6th Symposium on Space Colonization; 5th Symposium on New Frontiers and Future Concept ; 2008 ; Albuquerque (New Mexico)
AIP Conference Proceedings ; 969 , 1 ; 511-517
2008-01-21
7 pages
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
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