Construction of the optical surfaces for the Advanced X-ray Astrophysical Facility (AXAF). Final report

Technical Report · Sat Jan 15 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6796728

Sanger, G M

This is to be considered as the final report on Contract NAS8-33699 between the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The objective of this program has been to provide NASA with general engineering support and advanced development efforts toward the construction of the optical surfaces for the Advanced X-ray Astrophysical Facility (AXAF). AXAF is a long-life high-performance, imaging x-ray observatory planned for shuttle-launched orbital flight late in the 1980's. Specific tasks planned and carried out during the period of performance (from 24 June 1980 to 31 December 1982) were: analysis and review of the applicability of precision machining technology to the manufacture of the AXAF objective mirrors; review of the proposed and alternative methods for manufacturing and testing: (1) the AXAF technology mirrors and (2) the AXAF high resolution mirror assembly; analysis, review and engineering support to NASA in the areas of surface shape and smoothness metrology for grazing incidence x-ray surfaces; determination, through analytical and experimental efforts, of the feasibility of applying heterodyne surface profilometry to non-flat surfaces; and three sets of scattering flats with known surface profiles and microtopographic character produced by precision machining and polished precision machine surfaces.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6796728
• Report Number(s): UCID-19661; ON: DE83006133
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420200 -- Engineering-- Facilities
Equipment
& Techniques
440300* -- Miscellaneous Instruments-- (-1989)
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
ASTROPHYSICS
COSMIC PHOTONS
COSMIC RADIATION
DETECTION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FABRICATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MACHINING
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MEASURING METHODS
MIRRORS
PHOTONS
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIATIONS
ROUGHNESS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
TELESCOPES
X-RAY DETECTION