6-axis nanopositioning system provides high force and ultra high precision to align the hexagonal mirror segments of the largest and most powerful scientific space telescope ever built. Learn how custom PI hexapods play a part in solar system exploration.

2018年8月1日 · This paper presents a novel hexapod as the adjustment mechanism for a telescope to actively align its secondary mirror. The special hexapod provides six degrees of freedom (6-DOFs) with decoupled translation and rotation.

A six degree of freedom hexapod is used to align the strongback with the temporarily bonded mirror. The hexapod has a repeatability of ±0.5 !lm in the linear X, Y, and Z directions (see Figure 5). The controller outputs the absolute position of the hexapod in X, Y, Z coordinates to 0.1 !lm.

The CoCOB hexapod, delivered in 2011, was originally designed by Moog CSA Engineering to support ground testing of the James Webb Space Telescope’s primary mirror. The hexapod’s precision positioning capability was used extensively in vacuum chamber testing at NASA Johnson Space Center as well as verification tests at NASA Marshall’s XRCF.

2022年3月15日 · The Stewart Platform, a custom hexapod, precisely controls the Primary Mirror Alignment and Integration Fixture as it joins together the 18 segments of the main James Webb Space Telescope mirror. Photo courtesy NASA

In terms of performance of the adjustment generally required by the secondary mirror in a telescope, we developed a prototype that uses a novel hexapod design with linear micro-displacement actuators. Especially, in order to achieve high precision, flexures were used to build joints for the hexapod to minimize frictions and eliminate backlashes.

2022年1月18日 · During the assembly of the 18 segments that must work as one single mirror once unfolded in space, NASA engineers make use of a robotic arm (Primary Mirror Alignment and Integration Fixture) precisely controlled in 6 degrees of freedom by a custom hexapod (Stewart Platform) from PI. Gold-coated beryllium was chosen for the segments, for its ...

Excellent image quality of the most distant objects in the observable universe hinges upon precise alignment of main mirrors. The purpose of this project is to investigate some of the technical solutions behind the 6-axis motion control of JWST primary mirrors.

2022年1月18日 · 6-axis nanopositioning system provides high force and ultra high precision to align the hexagonal mirror segments of the largest and most powerful scientific space telescope ever built, new from PI. Learn how custom PI hexapods play a part in solar system exploration.

In the testing process of the space optics, a Newport HXP series Hexapod 6-axis parallel kinematic motion positioner plays an important role for metrology and quality control. Due to a high cost of launching payloads into space, researchers have discovered ways to reduce size and minimize weight of optical systems used in the satellite.