Actively Controlled Membrane Primary Mirrors for Very Large Space Telescopes

In 30 seconds

This approach uses thin-film polymer membranes produced by chemical vapor deposition to create ultra-lightweight, scalable telescope primaries. These mirrors can be compactly rolled for launch and deployed in space, achieving areal densities below 1 kg/m². Active surface control via radiative adaptive optics compensates for the membrane's elasticity, enabling high-resolution performance for future large-aperture space missions.