Rapid fabrication strategies for primary and secondary mirrors at Steward Observatory Mirror Laboratory

The pursuit of economical fabrication of large (8 m) fast (< f/2), astronomical optics has led to the development of efficient fabrication and testing methods at the Mirror Lab. These methods rely on a mix of advanced technology blended with some traditional practices. Two fabrication strategies have been developed, one for primary mirrors and one for secondary mirrors. Both of these plans rely heavily on the use of the stressed lap both as a grinder as well as for polishing. For secondary fabrication novel methods of testing the convex, severely aspheric mirrors are used.