A production process of specular reflector parts for the Millimetron telescope, a new national space observatory, is developed at the Lebedev Institute of Physics (FIAN). It is designed for studies of deep space objects including planets, black holes and different stars in millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. The Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos) as a telescope customer intends to launch it in 2017-2018. This innovation reduces the cost but, above all, increases accuracy of manufacturing the key component of the telescope design and can be used in development of telescopes of following generations. Viktor Pyshnov, Cand. стр. 46 Sc. (Tech.), senior researcher of the FIAN Department of Space Structures presented some details of engineering solutions to the Scientific Information Agency of FIAN-Inform. According to him, satellite systems depend largely on the accuracy of manufacturing of reflecting surfaces of specular reflectors and their deformations. For a mirror with a diameter of several meters, deviation from ideal should make up units of micron for a millimeter waveband. These rigid conditions determine choice of material, design and technology of making of the given element. Materials with a low thermal-expansion coefficient are used in the creation of such components. They include astrocitall (silica glass) and carbon composite, the most common substances used in our country for production of telescopic mirror systems. However, both of them have their pros and cons. For example, astrocitall is brittle. Besides, it makes the production process of lightweight mirrors extremely labor-intensive and costly. For example, creation of 1 m2 of structure costs US$ 1 mln and will take about one year. Pyshnov has noted that carbon composite surpasses astrocitall in force of impact, rigidity and mass. But it buckles due to internal stresses caused by errors in reinforcement path and different thermal expansion factors of carbon fiber and pol ... Читать далее