Beryllium Mirrors for Space Telescopes - Beryllium Optics Enable Space Technologies

Launching objects into earth's orbit is enormously expensive, so every pound removed saves significant cost. When considering materials for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a lengthy competition took place to determine the best choices and beryllium was ultimately specified for the mirrors. This article co-authored by ASM International members: Don Hashiguchi FASM (Materion), James Marder FASM (Thermacore Inc.) and Roger Paquin (Advanced Materials Consultant) documents the developmental history leading up to that decision. It took decades of improvements to make beryllium, in particular O-30 grade atomized powder/Hot Isostatically Pressed (HIP'd) components--homogeneous, isotropic, polishable, thermally and dimensionally stable, and above all, predictable.

This document is not for reproduction. Copies of this document can be purchased from ASM International at this link: http://mio.asminternational.org/amp/201509/#II