https://scitechdaily.com/a-game-changer-for-space-telescopes-membrane-mirrors-revolutionize-astronomy/

Scientists have developed a new method to produce and shape
large, high-quality mirrors, significantly thinner than the
primary mirrors traditionally employed in space telescopes.
These resultant mirrors possess enough flexibility to be
rolled up and packed efficiently within a spacecraft during
launch.

“Launching and deploying space telescopes is a complicated
and costly procedure,” said Sebastian Rabien from Max Planck
Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany. “This new
approach — which is very different from typical mirror
production and polishing procedures — could help solve weight
and packaging issues for telescope mirrors, enabling much
larger, and thus more sensitive, telescopes to be placed in
orbit.”

.. . .

Very clever !

Even if these are ultimately a bit crude for the optical
range they may still be perfectly good for IR -> microwave
frequencies, delivering inexpensive high-rez imaging. In
the microwave range they could be an effective means of
contacting distant space probes ... a low-mass 'dish'
measuring perhaps hundreds of meters.

NOT entirely sure how to stabilize a huge low-mass 'mirror'
against the solar wind and such however ......

26B.X958 <26BX958@zpq26q.net> wrote:
> https://scitechdaily.com/a-game-changer-for-space-telescopes-membrane-mirrors-revolutionize-astronomy/
>
> Scientists have developed a new method to produce and shape
> large, high-quality mirrors, significantly thinner than the
> primary mirrors traditionally employed in space telescopes.
> These resultant mirrors possess enough flexibility to be
> rolled up and packed efficiently within a spacecraft during
> launch.
>
> “Launching and deploying space telescopes is a complicated
> and costly procedure,” said Sebastian Rabien from Max Planck
> Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany. “This new
> approach — which is very different from typical mirror
> production and polishing procedures — could help solve weight
> and packaging issues for telescope mirrors, enabling much
> larger, and thus more sensitive, telescopes to be placed in
> orbit.”

Not surprising at all. When the first folding screen phones became
available a couple years ago, I thought about the big, heavy, hard to
handle/install mirrors in bathrooms/bedrooms. Why not fold/roll up these
for shipping? Would also be much easier to hang on the wall. Glass is
very heavy.

On 5/14/23 10:42 AM, Bob Campbell wrote:
> 26B.X958 <26BX958@zpq26q.net> wrote:
>> https://scitechdaily.com/a-game-changer-for-space-telescopes-membrane-mirrors-revolutionize-astronomy/
>>
>> Scientists have developed a new method to produce and shape
>> large, high-quality mirrors, significantly thinner than the
>> primary mirrors traditionally employed in space telescopes.
>> These resultant mirrors possess enough flexibility to be
>> rolled up and packed efficiently within a spacecraft during
>> launch.
>>
>> “Launching and deploying space telescopes is a complicated
>> and costly procedure,” said Sebastian Rabien from Max Planck
>> Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany. “This new
>> approach — which is very different from typical mirror
>> production and polishing procedures — could help solve weight
>> and packaging issues for telescope mirrors, enabling much
>> larger, and thus more sensitive, telescopes to be placed in
>> orbit.”
>
> Not surprising at all. When the first folding screen phones became
> available a couple years ago, I thought about the big, heavy, hard to
> handle/install mirrors in bathrooms/bedrooms. Why not fold/roll up these
> for shipping? Would also be much easier to hang on the wall. Glass is
> very heavy.

Hmm ... they DO sell plastic bathroom mirrors - but most
are rather small. Something very thin and "stick-on" rather
like that plastic window-tint film might sell big. Might
need to use vapor-dep chromium rather than aluminum though
to resist corrosion.

I've wondered about plastic astronomical mirrors for smaller
telescopes - maybe 16" and down. That very hard polycarbonate
used for eyeglass lenses ought to be ideal. Again, chromium
or some mix. Should cut down expense considerably.

Now these "film" mirrors - those are clearly for space.
Again I'll note they may not really be perfect enough
for optical-range telescopes, but ought to be very good
for large IR-and-below instruments.

But still, how to stabilize a large low-mass structure ?
Even light pressure and solar winds would blow it around.
It'd be close to a "solar sail".

Of course you could deploy such a thing FAR out - beyond
Neptune maybe. That'd reduce solar effects considerably.
There, the low mass would be a bonus in terms of cheap
delivery to the target orbit. Most of the 'telescope'
would be ultra-lightweight, with optics positioned on
something like shape-memory metal struts. Deliver, heat
the alloy with an electric current, it assumes the desired
shape. It'd need a thermoelectric power source though.

Webb, at the edge of its range, has revealed large well-
organized galaxies where "they shouldn't exist". What's
to be seen with a larger arp at 50-200 microns ?