NASA Eyes First Carbon Nanotube Mirrors for CubeSat Telescope

Carbon nanotechnology may soon be making its way to space aboard a CubeSat in the form of a mirror made of a carbon nanotube resin. Developed by researchers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, the mirror is designed to be used in a lightweight telescope that that will include spectrometers in the UV, visible, and near-IR wavelengths. So far, the 3 inch diameter mirrors are just prototypes, but their light weight, stability, and not needing to be polished could make them a relatively cheap alternatives to traditional mirrors.

Reference:http://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/nasa-eyes-first-ever-carbon-nanotube-mirrors-for-cubesat-telescope

Article:http://spectrum.ieee.org/nanoclast/aerospace/satellites/nasa-eyes-first-carbon-nanotube-mirrors-for-cubesat-telescope

Photo:
This laboratory breadboard is being used to test a conceptual telescope for use on CubeSat missions.
Credits: NASA/W. Hrybyk