On January 15, the
Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) posted a request for
information on low-cost mirrors for interferometers. Responses are due by 5:00
p.m. Eastern on February 14.
IARPA’s Amon-Hen program is
seeking information on research efforts in the area of low-cost optics and
rapid, low-cost mirror fabrication techniques. This request for information
(RFI) is issued solely for information gathering and planning purposes; this
RFI does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals. The following
sections of this announcement contain details of the scope of technical efforts
of interest, along with instructions for the submission of responses.
Background & Scope
The IARPA Amon-Hen program
is developing novel, low-cost approaches to passive optical imaging of
satellites in Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) from the ground. Currently funded efforts for Amon-Hen utilize
interferometric collection techniques.
Due to the program’s emphasis on lowering overall system costs, Amon-Hen
is interested in lowering the cost of each of the collection apertures used in
the interferometer. Because the
individual apertures in an interferometer collect light from only a single mode
(light within the resolvable spot size of an aperture) the full field of view of
the aperture can be very small with no loss of utility to the mission. Spherical apertures are an obvious choice in
this case and the manufacture of spherical mirrors provides several
opportunities to significantly lower fabrication cost, fabrication time, and
mirror mass. As with the Amon-Hen
program itself, however, this RFI does not seek to constrain the approaches
that might be taken to address this need.
Responders to this RFI are encouraged to share all existing capabilities
and theoretical approaches to solving this challenging task.
This RFI seeks ideas on
low-cost, efficient manufacture of low-mass, large diameter mirrors. Existing applications or areas of interest to
IARPA include optical interferometry.
IARPA
also has interests in:
- Optical Communications
- General light collection
- Mirror coating techniques/materials that improve mirror efficiency
- Alternatives to glass mirror substrates
Full information is available here.
Source: SAM
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