Zachary Stein, The Boeing Company; Anthony Ochoa, The Boeing Company; Chris Shurilla, The Boeing Company; Gregory Balinbin, The Boeing Company; David Sproles, The Boeing Company; Scott Hunt, Air Force Research Laboratory
Keywords: AEOS, Advanced Electro-Optical System, Maui Space Surveillance Center, Haleakal?, Large Optics, Primary Mirror, Recoating, United States Space Force, United States Air Force, Air Force Research Laboratory
Abstract:
Over the course of 2021, the Air Force Research Laboratory, along with the sites contractor Boeing, performed a mirror recoating on the Department of Defenses largest optical telescope. The Advanced Electro-Optical System (AEOS) has a 3.67m primary mirror as part of its Cassegrain design. In order to maintain excellence in Space Domain Awareness (SDA) data collection, the primary mirror is periodically stripped of its reflective coating and recoated with a new bare aluminum coating. The purpose of this presentation is to provide the conference attendees insight into the details and challenges of the large mirror recoat process required to maintain sensitive SDA telescope instrumentation in top working condition. The presentation will cover the end-to-end process to include assembly of mechanical lifting equipment, critical lifts of the large optical assemblies, dis-assembly of the mirror cell, stripping/cleaning the optic, application of the new coating, and reassembly of the telescope. Also included are the challenges of maintaining clean room conditions throughout the process, ensuring little or no residue remains on the mirror post stripping/cleaning, achieving positioning of the mirror within the cell to within a few thousandths of an inch during reassembly, aligning 84 axial and 48 lateral actuators supporting the mirror, and ultimately returning the telescope and all sensor packages to operations. The result of the recoat is improved reflectivity and reduced scatter to allow top-notch performance of the telescope to support priority research and operations for the United States Space Force into the future.
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Public Affairs release approval #AFRL-2022-1094
Date of Conference: September 27-20, 2022
Track: Optical Systems & Instrumentation