Output details
12 - Aeronautical, Mechanical, Chemical and Manufacturing Engineering
Cranfield University
Grinding metre scale mirror segments for the E-ELT ground based telescope
An output from long-term research to create a rapid, free-form optics grinding technology: designed, developed and operated at Cranfield. The programme was funded by the RCUK (GR/S85337/01, £2.1m) and EPSRC (EP/F031416/1 £0.67m). The first mirror segments of the ESO Extremely Large Telescope were produced at Cranfield, and ESO’s ELT submission proposal to the EU, to create the world’s largest telescope, identifies the Cranfield BoX® (large optics grinding machine) as capable of delivering the 700+ mirrors for the ELT. Contact: Marc Cayrel Head of Optomechanics ESO, mcayrel@eso.org. BoX® patents and trademark are exploited by Loxham Precision Limited, contact Chris.Price@loxhamprecision.com.