Composite Mirror Applications Inc.

Composite Mirror Applications Launches Large Optics on Space Shuttle Endeavour

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 10:30:26 +0000

(Tucson, AZ · May, 16th 2011) — Today, NASA launched the Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-134) with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) and the Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE 8), both to be installed on the International Space Station (ISS).

Composite Mirror Applications produced a 1.3 meter diameter carbon composite mirror for the RICH Detector system of the $2 billion AMS, which is to be the largest replicated composite mirror ever placed on orbit. STS 134 will also send CMA-produced optical quality carbon composite mirrors onboard the MISSE 8 experiment, which will be exposed for 1-2 years to low earth orbit conditions and mounted to the ISS in the RAM direction.

CMA is proud to be a part of both missions, commanded by Mark Kelly, the husband of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who represents District 8 where CMA does business in Tucson Arizona. CMA is pleased to see the congresswoman attend the launch as she recovers from a senseless shooting in January and wish the Crew of STS-134 much success on this the final flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

Composite Mirror Applications is located in Tucson, Arizona. President and founder Bob Romeo started the company in 1990 as a producer of high-quality composite mirrors and structures. CMA continues to be the world leader in research, design, and manufacturing of composite mirrors and composite optical systems. For more information please visit our website at www.compositemirrors.com

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CMA recieves LCH Industry Award at CERN, Geneva

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 08:00:25 +0000

Composite Mirror Applications (CMA) of Tucson AZ was awarded by CERN in Geneva Switzerland for producing hardware for LHCb . CMA was awarded for outstanding Performance in its contribution to the Ring Imaging Cherenkov Detector (RICH 1) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHCb) facility at CERN. CMA produced large carbon fiber composite mirrors and structure for the RICH 1 detector. CMA is 1 of 10 companies and the only US company to win the award. The awards ceremony was held in Geneva, Switzerland, October 20th and 21st 2009 as a part of the dedication ceremony for the LHCb facility.

For more information on the LHCb Industry Awards ceremony please visit https://lhc2008.web.cern.ch/LHC2008/industry/index.html

CFRP Optics Exhibit Long-term Stability in Chile

admin — Mon, 16 May 2011 07:29:02 +0000

APEX

5 years ago, CMA produced the first 0.75m subreflector for the 12-m Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope, located at 16,000 ft elevation on the Atacama Plateau in Chile. Produced entirely from replicated carbon composites, the subreflector was in operation for over 3 years on the telescope and was recently shipped back to CMA for an improved coating.

Testing of the surface quality shows no measurable degradation in optical performance in that time. With the replication mandrel accuracy of 6.1µm rms, the initial carbon composite subreflector measurement was 7.5µm rms in 2004 before shipment. The latest data in October 2008 shows a surface rms of 7.0, indicating a high degree of stability for the APEX subreflector.

CBI

As a side note, the Cosmic Background Imager (CBI) telescope, located at the same site as APEX, uses 13 carbon composite replicated hyperbolic secondary mirrors. CMA produced the mirrors 14 years ago for Caltech and CBI. The subreflectors initially measured out to 1µm rms and have performed nominally for the past 14 years.

CMA to produce 1m optical mirror for NPS

admin — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 04:09:13 +0000

September 2010

CMA wins a sole-source contract with the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), Monterey CA. to produce a lightweight 1m parabolic mirror from carbon fiber composites. The mirror was designed by CMA and NPS and will weigh less than 1/10th the weight of a typical equivalent glass mirror.

1m CFRP parabolic Mirror

1 Meter CFRP Telescope

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 23:45:42 +0000

CMA has the 1m carbon fiber telescope in Tucson. The mandrel for fabricating the parabolic mirror is being finished to l/4 p-v accuracy, which should be finished by fall 2010. Plans are in place to produce a deployable (trailer mounted) system from the former ULTRA Telescope. The telescope employs a piezo driven hexapod secondary mirror actuation. The weight of the f/7.6 classical Cassegrain telescope with optics is 175lbs (88kg).

1m CFRP Complete Optical Telescope (above) bottom left shows final hyperbolic secondary mirror, bottom right shows the coated 1m parabolic primary mirror.

Alternative Solar Concentrator Mirrors

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 23:29:22 +0000

Alternative solar concentrator mirrors have been developed at CMA. Extremely low-cost CFRP mirror shells are being considered for solar parabolic dishes and trough technology for desalination and CPV systems. Low-cost and low-mass CFRP structures are also being developed to support a state-of-the-art solar concentrator mirror system.

CFRP Flat Mirrors stressed to the parabolic trough shape required for a trough concentrator.

Active and Adaptive Mirrors

admin — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 23:22:06 +0000

CMA is engaged in activities with The University of Arizona’s Steward observatory Mirror Lab (SOML) supporting adaptive optics. CMA is producing adaptive optical mirror face sheets from CFRP materials with SOML performing mounting, actuation and testing. This activity supports general astronomy as well as potential DoD applications.

Surface data on 75mm adaptive CFRP face sheet, subtracting first 8 Zernike terms l/10 pv, 14nm rms surface accuracy at l=635nm.