Research progress on fabrication technology of space mirror using carbon fiber composite

Excellent specific stiffness, good thermal stability and diversiform designability are obvious characteristics of carbon fiber composite(CFRP), which make it a new ideal material for the lightweight reflectors, especially for large diameter and high resolution space reflectors. The present situation of the research of optical mirrors in our country and on abroad was briefly introduced. Then according to the characteristics of mirrors, selection requirements of carbon fiber composite for mirror and foreign prepreg system commonly used were introduced. Manufacturing method of carbon fiber composite optical mirror is different from that of the traditional optical materials. Usually, the high efficiency, fast and low cost replication process is used for carbon fiber composite mirror. The optical replication of carbon fiber composite mirrors, and factors affecting the accuracy of replicated mirror were emphatically introduced, and the factors including the mould, prepreg layup, deformation of mirror, fiber print-through, dimensional stability and size of mirror, etc. And the corresponding control measures to reduce the influence degree were put forward for the former five factors. Causes and solutions of mirror fiber print-through, and the key to control dimensional stability of mirror were focused.