New and improved technology for manufacture of GMT primary mirror segments

Dae Wook Kim; James H. Burge; Jonathan M. Davis; Hubert M. Martin; Michael T. Tuell; Logan R. Graves; Steve C. West

doi:10.1117/12.2231911

22 July 2016 New and improved technology for manufacture of GMT primary mirror segments

Dae Wook Kim, James H. Burge, Jonathan M. Davis, Hubert M. Martin, Michael T. Tuell, Logan R. Graves, Steve C. West

Proceedings Volume 9912, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation II; 99120P (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2231911
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2016, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Abstract

The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) primary mirror consists of seven 8.4 m light-weight honeycomb mirrors that are being manufactured at the Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab (RFCML), University of Arizona. In order to manufacture the largest and most aspheric astronomical mirrors various high precision fabrication technologies have been developed, researched and implemented at the RFCML. The unique 8.4 m (in mirror diameter) capacity fabrication facilities are fully equipped with large optical generator (LOG), large polishing machine (LPM), stressed lap, rigid conformal lap (RC lap) and their process simulation/optimization intelligence called MATRIX. While the core capability and key manufacturing technologies have been well demonstrated by completing the first GMT off-axis segment, there have been significant hardware and software level improvements in order to improve and enhance the GMT primary mirror manufacturing efficiency. The new and improved manufacturing technology plays a key role to realize GMT, the next generation extremely large telescope enabling new science and discoveries, with high fabrication efficiency and confidence.

Citation Download Citation

Dae Wook Kim, James H. Burge, Jonathan M. Davis, Hubert M. Martin, Michael T. Tuell, Logan R. Graves, and Steve C. West "New and improved technology for manufacture of GMT primary mirror segments", Proc. SPIE 9912, Advances in Optical and Mechanical Technologies for Telescopes and Instrumentation II, 99120P (22 July 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2231911

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