In contrast, NASA scientists used a combination of readily accessible materials: carbon nanotubes, epoxies, and a crushed rock that has the same composition and grain size as lunar dust. The mixture created a very strong material with the consistency of concrete. The scientists then added another layer of epoxy and spun the material to generate a 12-inch-wide mirror with the parabolic shape of a telescope mirror. Although spinning epoxy is unlikely to freeze the mirror into a perfect optical surface, it is easy to adapt standard industrial processes to make telescope mirrors of high quality and smoothness, says Chen. He and his group have also developed a noncontact method called reactive ion etching, which they have shown can modify the epoxy surface at will, remotely. "Demonstrating this [method] on a 12-inch mirror is just a first small step towards what it would take to build a production facility capable of making a 50-meter telescope," says Lee Feinberg, a NASA scientist who manages the James Webb telescope. A major concern regarding equipment constructed on the moon would be keeping high-precision mechanical surfaces (joints, bearings, and so on) from being clogged by dust. There are also large temperature swings between daytime and nighttime that would place high demands on the integrity of the moving mechanical parts. But first, NASA has to get to the moon, a feat that it hopes to accomplish by 2020. |
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NASA's Next Telescope
07/01/2007
Comments
ffrankblu on 06/11/2008 at 1:11 AM
1
find Earth-like planets in our solar system...hmmmm I thought we was it,lol,it would be nice if we find a spare.
quseio on 06/11/2008 at 1:30 AM
4
vlasevdr on 06/11/2008 at 3:27 AM
1
Sure the lunar gravity pull is weak, and the impression does not take this into account. Sure the structure might not be that massive. But it'll still take a lot Earth-made components to build that mirror positioning system.
One more thing - the bigger the mirror the bigger the chance of being hit by any of the tiny particles smashing into the moon with tremendous speed all the time.
Handshake on 06/11/2008 at 3:59 AM
7
Why they must use "glue" and lunar rocks? to shape some thing on the moon or in space? Why they want to use the most Expensive and time consuming method ?
Gaetano Marano on 06/11/2008 at 6:24 AM
55
a Lunar Telescope will remain just a DREAM for (at least) the next 100 years !!!
while discussing on a forum about "Space and Lunar Farming" I've realized HOW INCREDIBLY POOR THE LUNAR CARGO WILL BE !!!
the equivalent TOTAL mass of just ONE Space Shuttle by the end of 2080 !!!
http://www.ghostnasa.com/posts/031poorcargo.html
so, NO DREAMS ALLOWED... :(
.