Abstract

The idea of coating mirrors in space was considered seriously as long ago as 1965–66. The inspiration for this arose from the realization that pure aluminum is the only mirror coating material that has a high reflectance in the 300-2000-Å spectral region, but this high reflectance is immediately lost due to oxidation in a terrestrial environment. Dielectric overcoats that are used to prevent oxidation inevitably reduce the high reflectance of pristine aluminum, especially at wavelengths below 1100 Å. In recent years, our knowledge of the space environment has increased greatly, and, in this era of the Space Shuttle and a future space station, our ability to operate and do manufacturing in space is vastly improved. In addition, the large scale optical surfaces that are now proposed for use in space should be considered candidates for in situ refurbishment.

© 1988 Optical Society of America