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Wednesday, June 11, 2008

A Moon-Based Telescope

Continued from page 1

By Brittany Sauser

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An astronomical telescope: This artist’s rendering shows a proposed 50-meter telescope that could be built on the moon using NASA’s new approach. To show just how large this is, note the 18-wheeler and two people standing in front of the telescope.
Credit: Peter Linde

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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Comments

  • A Moon-Based Telescope
    ffrankblu on 06/11/2008 at 1:11 AM
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    1
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    5/5
    Chen says that, using the new method, scientists could build mirrors on the moon that are 50 meters in diameter--the ideal size to peer deep into the universe, find Earth-like planets in our solar system, and search for the presence of life.

    find Earth-like planets in our solar system...hmmmm I thought we was it,lol,it would be nice if we find a spare.
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • [no subject]
    quseio on 06/11/2008 at 1:30 AM
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    4
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    2/5
    why stop at 50 meter? find someway to not use framework like that picture, make em miles wide with all but the epoxy  made from lunar materials
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • Not impressed
    vlasevdr on 06/11/2008 at 3:27 AM
    Posts:
    1
    Looking at the impression it seems they've found a way to build the smalest part of this bulky structure.
    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.
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • The most expensive.
    Handshake on 06/11/2008 at 3:59 AM
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    7
    Avg Rating:
    2/5
    There are methods to build a mirror using only 10000$ on materials... and still build a mirror extremely big ( football field big ). I do not understand !
    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 ?
    Rate this comment: 12345
  • >>> Why Lunar Telescopes, Outposts, Colonies, Farming, Mining, etc. will remain a DREAM  for (at least) the next 100 years! >>>
    Gaetano Marano on 06/11/2008 at 6:24 AM
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    Avg Rating:
    2/5
    .

    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... :(

    .
    Rate this comment: 12345
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