TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY COMPOSITE METER-CLASS MONOLITHIC SPACE TELESCOPE

Opportunity:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its Composite Meter-Class Monolithic Space Telescope.

Background:

LLNL developed a solid monolith telescope construction approach (U.S. Patent No. 9720223, IL-12599) that has driven a new paradigm for high-performance, multi-aperture space telescopes at previously unheard-of costs, mainly due to their intrinsic robustness.  Unfortunately, solid monoliths mass becomes excessive beyond half-meter aperture, approaching 1000 kg at meter-scale.  What is needed is a new construction approach to scale the advantages of solid monolithic telescopes to meter-scale and beyond.

Description:

The approach is to use foundational materials science, structural design, thermal analysis, optic fabrication, and space systems engineering, and to use optimize them through large-scale simulation to realize meter-scale telescopes at 10X cost reduction.  LLNL’s folded Gregorian design integrates all alignment sensitive components into one static monolithic system.  Like solid-monoliths, these composite monoliths eliminate all dynamic degrees of freedom.  The entire assembly consists of (1) primary/secondary mirrors, (2) focal plane array, and an integrated Fold-Mirror strut.

Advantages/Benefits: 

1. Reduce costs by eliminating risk associated with high sensitivity optomechanical components.
2. Greater robustness and reliability by eliminating high-precision mechanical structures.
3. Reduce SWaP (size, weight and power) factors

Potential Applications: 

• National security
• Free-space optical communications
• Astrophysics
• High-resolution space imagery

Development Status: 

Current stage of technology development:  TRL 2

LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.

Related patents:

U.S. Patent No. 9720223 Integrated Telescope Assembly published 8/1/2017
U.S. Patent Application No. 2024/0383798 Systems and Methods for Additively Manufacturing High Strength and Stiffness Fiber-Reinforced Inorganic Glass Composite Structures published 11/21/24

LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. 

Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Note:  THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT.  Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Composite Meter-Class Monolithic Space Telescopes should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:

1. Company Name and address.
2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.
3. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.

Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Composite Meter-Class Monolithic Space Telescopes.

The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.

Written responses should be directed to:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Innovation and Partnerships Office

P.O. Box 808, L-779

Livermore, CA  94551-0808

Attention:   IL-13823