In order to make more powerful space telescopes, scientists have to increase the diameter of their lenses. But there is bad news: huge lenses are not only difficult to make (remember Hubble's spherical aberrations?), But also very expensive to produce and send into space.
That is why Lockheed Martin is developing a technology that will allow you to create a lighter, more subtle and relatively cheap alternative to modern two-lens telescopes. The technology called Segmented Planar Detector for Electro-Optical Intelligence (SPIDER) replaces classic lenses with thousands of tiny lenses.
Each of these miniature lenses directs light to the PIC matrix, each of which is smaller than the nail. A spokesman for Lockheed Martin explains the technology:
“They can take a picture and process it - and you get the finished image. Simply put, we are talking about working with interferometric arrays, as in compact cameras. ”
The company promises that the SPIDER technology will help reduce the size and weight of telescopes by 10-100 times. Lockheed Martin compares its technology with the development of televisions, when huge heavy boxes with cathode ray tubes were gradually replaced by thin and light panels hanging on the walls.
The DARPA-funded project is still in its early stages, and it may take another ten years to get practical results. However, when the development is completed, it will greatly simplify the study of space and exoplanets, since the transfer of lighter telescopes into orbit will cost much smaller amounts. In addition, the technology can lead to the appearance of telescopes of various shapes and sizes, since they will no longer need to be cylindrical to accommodate large lenses.
Based on materials from Engadget.com
The article is based on materials .
Comments
Post a Comment