TY - GEN
T1 - Composite end-fittings for lightweight telescope applications
AU - Penado, F. Ernesto
AU - Broome, Scott T.
AU - Romeo, Robert C.
AU - Martin, Robert N.
AU - Clark, James H.
AU - Walton, Joshua A.P.
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - Recent developments in lightweight, dimensionally stable, portable telescopes have required the application of advanced materials. For example, composite telescopes with 0.4- and 1.4- meter primary mirrors are currently being developed for use at the Naval Prototype Optical Interferometer (NPOI). By fully utilizing composite construction for telescope elements such as optics, structure, mount, and end-fittings, the overall weight has been reduced nearly an order of magnitude over conventional designs. Furthermore, composite end-fittings reduce weight and increase stiffness at the secondary end of a telescope. Compared to their metallic counterparts, composite end-fittings contribute to reduced inertia, enhanced response, and improved performance. In this paper, details for the design and manufacturing procedure of a lightweight composite end-fitting for a telescope application are presented. The structural integrity of the end-fitting was verified by means of finite element analysis. It is shown that the use of composite materials provides significant weight savings over comparable end-fittings made of metal, in addition to a near zero coefficient of thermal expansion.
AB - Recent developments in lightweight, dimensionally stable, portable telescopes have required the application of advanced materials. For example, composite telescopes with 0.4- and 1.4- meter primary mirrors are currently being developed for use at the Naval Prototype Optical Interferometer (NPOI). By fully utilizing composite construction for telescope elements such as optics, structure, mount, and end-fittings, the overall weight has been reduced nearly an order of magnitude over conventional designs. Furthermore, composite end-fittings reduce weight and increase stiffness at the secondary end of a telescope. Compared to their metallic counterparts, composite end-fittings contribute to reduced inertia, enhanced response, and improved performance. In this paper, details for the design and manufacturing procedure of a lightweight composite end-fitting for a telescope application are presented. The structural integrity of the end-fitting was verified by means of finite element analysis. It is shown that the use of composite materials provides significant weight savings over comparable end-fittings made of metal, in addition to a near zero coefficient of thermal expansion.
KW - Advanced composite structures
KW - Dimensional stability
KW - Joint design and analysis
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M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84858477134
SN - 0938994727
SN - 9780938994725
T3 - International SAMPE Technical Conference
BT - 38th SAMPE Fall Technical Conference
T2 - 38th SAMPE Fall Technical Conference: Global Advances in Materials and Process Engineering
Y2 - 6 November 2006 through 9 November 2006
ER -