Utah State University

Blake Crowther

Kendall B Johnson

Gregory R Hopkins

Trent Newswander

Vaughn A Griffiths

James Champagne

James Peterson

Adam Norris

An opto-mechanical deployable telescope includes a hub, at least one deployable multiple petal primary mirror mounted to the hub, a deployment assembly, a secondary optic assembly, and a deployment engine assembly. The deployment assembly is operable to move the at least one primary mirror between a stowed position and a deployed position. The deployment engine assembly is operable to power the deployment assembly using stored mechanical energy. The deployment assembly includes a kinematic or semi-kinematic interface between the hub and the at least one primary mirror to hold petals of the at least one primary mirror in alignment relative to each other in the deployed position. The secondary optic assembly comprising a secondary optical member and is operable to axially position the secondary optical member relative to the primary mirror.

Multiple petal deployable telescope

An opto-mechanical deployable telescope includes a hub, at least one deployable multiple petal primary mirror mounted to the hub, a deployment assembly, and a deployment engine assembly. The deployment assembly is operable to move the at least one primary mirror between a stowed position and a deployed position. The deployment engine assembly is operable to power the deployment assembly using stored mechanical energy. The deployment assembly includes a kinematic or semi-kinematic interface between the hub and the at least one primary mirror to hold petals of the at least one primary mirror in alignment relative to each other in the deployed position.

A two-axis, optical mount provides two flexural elements monolithically and homogeneously formed of a single material with, and interconnecting, three rigid segments. Between each pair of rigid segments, beginning with the first and second, a set of extensions is formed to have a cross section that permits simple, easy, independent adjustment therebetween. Likewise, a flexural element exists between the second and third rigid elements. Meanwhile, the rigid elements have section moduli sufficiently great as to be orders of magnitude larger than the flexural stiffness or section modulus of the flexural elements, thus providing flexures that operate in the elastic mode and introduce no joint type accuracy errors in adjustment.

Kinematic optic mount

For transferring optical energy, a first multimode wave guide transmits radiant energy with a homogenized beam to a first plurality of optical sensors of an array of optical sensors. The array measures the homogenized radiant energy. Each optical sensor of the first plurality of optical sensors measures a pixelized portion of the homogenized radiant energy. A method and system also perform the functions of the apparatus.

Transferring optical energy

A two-axis, optical mount provides two sets of flexural elements monolithically and homogeneously formed of a single material with, and interconnecting, three rigid segments. Between each pair of rigid segments, beginning with the first and second, a set of extensions is formed to have a cross section that permits simple, easy, independent adjustment therebetween. Likewise, a flexural set exists between the second and third rigid elements. Meanwhile, the rigid elements have section moduli sufficiently great as to be orders of magnitude larger than the flexural stiffness or section modulus of the flexures, thus providing flexures that operate in the elastic mode and introduce no joint type accuracy errors in adjustment.

The present invention features a fiber optic imaging system for generating a customized spectral response comprising (a) an optional optical source for generating optical energy, (b) an optical system for focusing multi spectral optical energy to form a focal surface; (b) a fiber optic element for conveying the optical energy, wherein the fiber optic element has an input end optically coupled to the focal surface to receive the optical energy and an output end to transmit the conveyed optical energy; and (c) a spectral filter optically coupled to at least one of the input and output ends of the fiber optic element, wherein the spectral filter has a filter passband configured to provide the fiber optic element with a pre-determined wavelength transmittance capacity, such that only pre-determined wavelengths of the optical energy are transmitted through the output end, thus achieving a customized spectral response. The fiber optic imaging system may further comprise an imaging array optically coupled to the output end of the fiber optic element and configured to gather the transmitted optical energy and to convert it into a data signal corresponding to an image based on the customized spectral response. An example of this type of configuration is a spectrometer.

Growing community of inventors

Preston, ID, United States of America

Blake Crowther