B -- STUDY REGARDING OFF-AXIS PARABOLOID MIRROR

Notice Date

June 27, 2001

Contracting Office

Gemini 8-M Telescopes Project, Aura, 950 N. Cherry Ave, PO Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85719

ZIP Code

85719

Solicitation Number

N210846

Response Due

July 5, 2001

Point of Contact

Andrew Flach, Gemini Contracts Manager, 520-318-8537

E-Mail Address

Click here to email Gemini Contracts Manager. (aflach@gemini.edu)

Description

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA), acting as the operator of the Gemini Observatory, is seeking a vendor to perform a small quantitative study (not to exceed one man-week, preferably less) of the feasibility of fabricating a 250mm diameter mirror segment from the edge of a mathematical 4350mm diameter f/0.48 parent paraboloidal mirror. At a reference wavelength of 633nm, the segment must produce an overall plane wavefront 0.5 wave peak-to-valley, with an RMS error less than 0.17 waves, while slope errors over any 5mm diameter aperture must be extremely low, as expressed by a peak-to-valley wavefront error of less than 0.065 waves. The distance of the center of the mirror off the mathematical parent optical axis must be within +/-3mm, while the focal length of the mirror must be within +/- 0.25 percent of the mathematical parent value. The surface must be polished to good quality, corresponding to 60-40 per MIL 13830. The selected vendor shall address each item quantitatively and where any is not achievable, shall derive and justify achievable tolerances. Preference will be given to vendors with prior experience in the fabrication of modestly-sized 'off-axis' paraboloids. Parties interested in being considered for this work should fax a description of their qualifications/experience related to mirrors of this sort, their hourly rates, and a brief proposal for performing the above-described study, including an estimated cost, to 520-318-8590 by no later than 5 July, 2001. Faxes should reference Announcement No. N210846, and be addressed to the Gemini Contracts Manager. The Gemini Observatory is an international astronomical observatory which operates two 8 meter telescopes, one located on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the other on Cerro Pachon in Chile. The Gemini partners include the USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Australia. The Gemini Observatory is operated by AURA under contract to the National Science Foundation.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010629/BSOL004.HTM (W-178 SN50Q2S6)