On-Gimbal All-Reflective Telescope for Compact Rapid Pointing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing on-gimbal telescope pointing assemblies face challenges in achieving high agility with limited space and weight constraints, particularly in applications like aircraft, where they need to quickly point in desired directions while maintaining a wide field of regard and detecting multiple wavelength bands.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an all-reflective telescope with off-axis mirrors, including a fold mirror and freeform surfaces, allowing for rapid pointing acceleration and reduced weight, while using a dual band capability to detect long and short-wave infrared light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a conventional telescope pointing assembly is used, then the field of regard is limited, but the agility and pointing speed are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs off-axis mirror geometry to redirect the optical path in a compact configuration. By arranging mirrors at specific off-axis angles, the system achieves a wide field of regard (360° azimuth × 90° elevation) within a reduced volume, enabling fast pointing acceleration without requiring a large physical telescope structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The telescope is divided into multiple mirror segments (first mirror, second mirror, third mirror, fourth mirror) arranged in sequence along the optical path. This segmentation allows the light path to be folded back on itself, creating a compact overall structure while maintaining the capability for rapid pointing in multiple directions.
2Speed
If a conventional telescope design is used, then the weight is high, but the agility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional lens-based optical systems with an all-reflective telescope design using multiple mirrors. This substitution eliminates the need for heavy glass lenses, significantly reducing the overall weight of the telescope assembly while maintaining the capability for high-speed pointing acceleration.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirrors are constructed using composite materials such as beryllium copper or other lightweight alloys that combine structural strength with low density. These composite materials enable the mirrors to withstand optical stresses while minimizing the weight of the entire telescope assembly, thereby improving pointing acceleration capability.
3Measurement precision
If the field of view is narrowed to improve resolution, then the detection capability is improved, but the field of regard is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamically adjustable optical system where the field of view can be electronically controlled by adjusting the aperture of the mirrors. The system can switch between a narrow field of view for high-resolution detection of specific targets and a wide field of regard for surveying large areas, providing dynamic adaptability to different detection requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The all-reflective telescope design with off-axis mirrors provides multi-functionality by enabling the same optical system to perform both high-resolution detection and wide-area surveying. The system can detect multiple wavelength bands (visible, infrared, ultraviolet) and accommodate different observation modes through software control, making it universally applicable to various detection tasks.
4Weight of moving object
If the telescope size is reduced to fit space constraints, then the weight is reduced, but the image quality may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs precisely engineered curved mirror surfaces with specific radii of curvature to correct optical aberrations. The off-axis mirrors are designed with carefully calculated curvatures that maintain image quality even in a compact configuration. This precise curvature control ensures that the reduced telescope size does not compromise the quality of detected images.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses adjustable optical parameters including mirror aperture sizes, tilt angles, and curvature radii that can be optimized for different observation requirements. By dynamically changing these parameters, the system maintains high image quality across various fields of view and wavelength bands while keeping the overall telescope weight minimized.
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 solution enables faster pointing accelerations, reduced power consumption, and compact size, while maintaining image quality and enabling detection of multiple wavelength bands, thus enhancing the agility and efficiency of the telescope system.
Implementation Method 1
an all-reflective telescope with off-axis mirrors, including a fold mirror and freeform surfaces
Implementation Method 2
dual band capability to detect long and short-wave infrared light
Data Source
AI summary
An on-gimbal telescope pointing assembly can include a head mirror operable to rotate to adjust an elevation angle of the pointing assembly and an all-reflective telescope operable to rotate to adjust an azimuth angle of the pointing assembly. The all-reflective telescope can include a fold mirror defining an output coude path of the all-reflective telescope. The pointing assembly can be operable to rotate about the coude path such that receiving optics can remain fixed while the pointing assembly rotates.