Several trade-off studies and comparative analyses were performed in order to determine a large infrared telescope baseline and, in particular, the aperture diameter for flight onboard Spacelab. A comparative cost analysis was carried out with primary mirror diameter and f-numbers as parameters, taking into account the multi-mission aspect of the program. Not only the telescope development and production costs but also the launch cost and associated expenses were considered to obtain figures for the cost of an overall program extending over several years and several flights. The overall cost analysis is supported by a subsystem level analysis where the contribution of the mirror blank, optical element figuring, structure, and other less important elements have been parameterized. System definition, system analysis, optical system, and thermal design are discussed.
A Large Infrared Telescope for Spacelab, Phase a, Volume 1
1976
282 pages
Report
No indication
English