INNOVATION

1
Light Weight Composite Mirrors for Science
Instruments
Small Business Innovation Research
Composite Optics Inc.
San Diego, CA

INNOVATION Light weight, large aperture
reflectors of graphite reinforced composites
that mee instrument requirements for surface
accuracy

• ?A reflector was built that can be used for
  limited
• detection of wavelengths as short as 100
  microns
• ? The 1.6x.86 meter, offset parabolic reflector
• exhibited a surface accuracy of 4.6 micron,
  near zero
• coefficient of thermal expansion, and
  arealdensity of
• 7.8 kg/m2
• COMMERCIALIZATION
• ? Mirrors for balloon born telescopes and
  instruments on airplanes
• ? Reflectors/mirrors for tactical military
  systems

ACCOMPLISHMENT
NASA Supplied Mirror for European Space Agency
FIRST Mission
GOVERNMENT/ SCIENCE APPLICATIONS ? Under contract
to produce reflector for Microwave Limb Sounder
(MLS) for NASA AURA (EOS CHEM-1) Mission ?
Received 7 million contract to begin development
of mirror for European Space Agency FIRST Mission
in which NASA participates
1993 Phase II NAS7-1366 NASA/JPL Contact - Eri
Cohen Company Contact - Eldon Kasl
Jet Propulsion Laboratory Success Story 7-004