Additively Produced Telescope Mirrors Phase II

In this effort GTL proposes to continue the development of an additive production system for telescope mirrors leveraging previous research efforts for DARPA, MDA, and NASA. The proposed production method allows for a wider range of substrate materials while allowing for precision optical surfaces. This will allow for mirrors with higher stiffness, reduced mass, and reduced thermal mass. In the phase I effort the feasibility of the method was demonstrated. With the lessons learned in the phase I, the fabrication apparatus will be iterated upon and scaled up allow for the production of 8-10 inch diameter mirrors in Phase II. In follow-on efforts, mirror diameters that are many meters in diameter could be precision printed.