Off-Axis Optical Telescope with Steering and Output Mirrors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical telescopes face constraints in size, weight, aperture, and field of regard, limiting their application in laser surveying and communication, particularly in requiring a large aperture and multi-spectral sensing capabilities.
Innovation Solution
An off-axis optical telescope design featuring a steering mirror rotating about two perpendicular axes, a beam tube, fold mirror, primary mirror, and output mirror, with a controller for stabilization and control, allowing for a large field of regard and integration of multi-spectral sensors and lasers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a conventional optical telescope design is used, then the aperture and field of regard are limited, but achieving a large aperture and hemispheric field of regard increases size and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The optical path is segmented into multiple sections using separate reflective elements (steering mirror, fold mirror, beam tube, primary mirror, output mirror) that can be independently positioned and optimized. This allows the light path to be folded and redirected through a compact arrangement, achieving large effective aperture without proportional increase in physical size and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an off-axis three-mirror anamorphic system that folds the optical path in multiple dimensions. By using non-intersecting axes for the mirrors and creating an asymmetric optical path, the design achieves a hemispheric field of regard within a compact form factor, effectively utilizing spatial dimensions to maximize aperture while minimizing overall telescope size and weight.
2Adaptability or versatility
If refractive optical elements are integrated for multi-spectral sensing, then sensing capabilities are enhanced, but the size and weight of the telescope increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes refractive optical elements (lenses) from the optical path and replaces them entirely with reflective elements (mirrors). This extraction of refractive components eliminates their weight while maintaining optical functionality through reflection, enabling multi-spectral sensing capabilities without the penalty of increased weight from heavy glass lenses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes refractive optics (based on light refraction through glass) with reflective optics (based on light reflection from mirrors). This mechanical substitution using reflective surfaces instead of refractive lenses achieves the same optical function with significantly reduced weight, as mirrors can be made from thin reflective coatings on lightweight substrates compared to heavy optical glass.
3Area of stationary object
If the field of regard is increased to cover a hemispheric area, then the area covered by the detector is improved, but the complexity of the optical system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an asymmetric off-axis three-mirror anamorphic system where the mirrors are positioned at non-intersecting axes with different orientations. This asymmetric configuration naturally provides a hemispheric field of regard without requiring complex additional components, as the geometric arrangement itself enables wide-angle coverage while maintaining a relatively simple five-element optical path.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design provides a lightweight, agile optical telescope with a large aperture and hemispheric field of regard, enabling effective laser surveying and communication while minimizing refractive optics, thus accommodating size and weight constraints.
Implementation Method 1
a steering mirror configured to receive and to redirect optical signals, wherein the steering mirror is a fast steering mirror and is configured to rotate about first and second axes
Implementation Method 2
a fold mirror configured to receive the optical signals from the turning mirror and to redirect the optical signals
Implementation Method 3
a primary mirror downstream of the turning mirror and configured to collimate the optical signals
Data Source
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AI summary
An optical telescope 10 is provided that includes a steering mirror 20 configured to receive and redirect optical signals. The steering mirror 20 is configured to be controllably oriented so as to control a direction in which the optical signals are redirected and to correspondingly control a line of sight. The optical telescope 10 also includes a beam tube 50 that includes a turning mirror 52 configured to receive the optical signals from the steering mirror 20. The optical telescope 10 also includes a primary mirror 64 downstream of the turning mirror 52 and configured to collimate the optical signals. Further, the optical telescope 10 includes an output mirror 66 configured to receive the optical signals from the primary mirror 64 and to redirect the optical signals from the optical telescope 10. The output mirror 66 is configured to be controllably oriented so as to control a direction in which the optical signals are redirected and to correspondingly control the line of sight.