HRI Primary Mirror

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A test model of the low thermal expansion zerodur glass High Resolution Imager telescope primary mirror with its titanium mounting flexures on a vibration test fixture. Note the light-weighting pockets machined into the back of this 30 cm diameter mirror that will collect light from the comet and focus it on an electronic detector. The images will be sent back to Earth where scientists will process and analyze them watching for the first time the excavation of a crater in space. From this they will derive information about the strength and structure of the comet's interior.

CREDIT: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.