Isogrid Supported Nanolaminate Reflector (SNR)

The MDA requires lightweight, stiff and stable mirrors for use in high quality, air-based and space-based optical observation and energy projection systems. The current state-of-the-art uses various types of honeycomb core material with glass and compositeface sheets. The honeycomb material, while excellent in compression, does not transfer the bending shear loads efficiently enough for truly lightweight optical systems. Glass and composite face sheets are too thick and heavy to meet the mission needs. Theresults are structurally inefficient mirror systems that weigh too much and increase the mass of the surrounding systems as well.The proposed program will develop a novel mirror system that uses highly efficient truss structures to provide bending stiffness for a Nanolaminate mirror face sheet. The Isogrid Supported Nanolaminate Reflector (ISNR) uses purely axially oriented,high-modulus fibers to provide an efficient, dimensionally stable support structure. The nanolaminate face sheet further reduces the system mass by reducing the thickness of the reflective surface.Foster-Miller will develop the ISNR system through a careful plan of technology transfer, design, modeling, and prototype manufacture and testing. Complete development of this technology will provide a mirror system that will enable better, lighter, andless expensive optical instruments. (P-030096) In addition to the myriad of Missile Defense Agency and Air Force missions such as ABL, SBL and observation platforms that would take advantage of extremely stiff and lightweight mirrors, many NASA and private observatories would be ready customers ofthe ISNR mirror technology.Many industries, such as microchip and printed circuit board manufacturing, use large mirrors in their photolithography machines. While these mirrors are not subjected to the same mass restrictions as aerospace instruments, they still need to be extremelystiff so as not to vibrate in the factory environment. Reduction in manufacturing cost would enable the Foster-Miller team access to this highly lucrative market.