Surface Optics coats and delivers AXAF baffle plates

Surface Optics coats and delivers AXAF baffle plates

Another part of NASA`s Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) project was completed in mid-June when Surface Optics Inc. (San Diego, CA) finished coating a series of baffle plates and delivered them to Eastman Kodak Co. (Rochester, NY). The 16 plates constitute the post- and premirror thermal collimators for the High Resolution Mirror Assembly (HRMA) that is the heart of the AXAF telescope. The two-month, $180,000 contract called for Surface Optics to apply a protective aluminum coating with an emittance of less than 5% to each of the 16 graphite cyanide ester elements. TRW (Redondo Beach, CA) is the primary contractor for the AXAF program, and Kodak is subcontracted to assemble the HRMA. The telescope is slated for launch in 1998.