Sensors Enable Precision Mounting of X-Ray Optics

NASA is developing the next generation of X-ray optics that could be used in an orbiting X-Ray Observatory. The “lens” consists of thousands of mirrors positioned to reflect X-rays at a shallow angle at focal length of 3-10 meters. Locating and fixing the mirrors in position is the primary challenge of the project. Creating focus at the long focal lengths requires a mirror angular position tolerance of only 1 μRadian, and the precisely shaped mirrors, when mounted, must distort less than 0.1 μm from their free, unmounted state. Any such assembly must be able to hold these positions through launch and deployment.