Fabrication of Affordable Aspheric Mirrors by Electroforming (FAAME)

"Until recently, the cost of high performance electro-optical systems such as missile seekers has been dominated by the cost of the focal plane array. Recent developments are improving the affordability of arrays, with the result that the optical andopto-mechanical subsystems emerging as the cost drivers. We address this problem through the development of opto-mechanical systems built by precision electroforming. Precision electroforming allows a complicated, expensive, optical master mandrel toproduce low-cost replicas.The Advanced Optical Systems, Inc. Fabrication of Affordable Aspheric Mirrors by Electroforming (FAAME) program addresses affordability of electroformed precision aspheric mirrors through the use of multi-generation mandrels and process development. Weexpect to reduce the cost of aspheric mirrors by at least a factor of 10 by using precision replication and to reduce the cost of components delivered to systems by at least a factor of 2, compared to conventional manufacturing. In Phase I, an originalmandrel was diamond turned using standard methods and a daughter, granddaughter, and a final mirror were replicated. During Phase II, AOS will perfect the replication and granddaughter processes, and replicate the panoramic seeker primary as a part of ademonstration in support of future MDA programs, including the Trans Atmospheric Interceptor."