Optical Surfaces Provides Paraboloid and Flat Mirror to Simera Technology

Optical component and system provider Optical Surfaces Ltd. has delivered a 300-mm diameter off-axis paraboloid and a mounted flat mirror to Simera Technology Group Ltd., an engineering design and development company specializing in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and small satellite optical payload systems.

Optical Surfaces manufactured the off-axis parabolic mirror with a surface accuracy of >λ /15 P-V, surface quality of 20/10 scratch/dig and surface slope error of λ /10/cm P-V. This, together with an ultrasmooth coated reference flat, has been produced from Zerodur as the main reflective and reference components for a large flight test alignment collimator under construction in Simera Technology Group’s optical clean room. This will be the largest and most capable privately-owned facility for testing of airborne and spaceborne optics in South Africa.

"The contract for the off-axis parabolic and flat mirrors was awarded to Optical Surfaces Ltd. based upon its proven expertise and experience in producing demanding optical systems for the space and satellite systems community,” said Louwrens Marais, Systems Engineer at Simera Technology. "We have been very pleased with the technical expertise shown and the support provided by Optical Surfaces Ltd., both in direct dealings, and through Talex UK Ltd., our U.K. collaborator. We therefore placed an additional order on Optical Surfaces Ltd. for the manufacture of Flight Model mirrors for a space telescope project we’re currently involved in. These consist of an annular Zerodur Primary Mirror and second-surface Secondary Mirror. Both are chemically etched spherical mirrors, requiring surface accuracies >λ /10 P-V."

Optical Surfaces is a provider of large optics, beam expanders, collimators and prototypes, plus custom systems and optics. Simera Technology is a mechanical and mechatronic engineering design and development company servicing government, research, design and production industry sectors throughout all phases of the product development life cycle.