materials + products
ULE® glass material
HPFS® glass material
Polarcor™ Glass Polarizers

capabilities
Value-added machining (CNC)
Large size blanks
Low temperature bonding
Light weighting
Diamond turning technology

applications
Ground-based astronomy
      - solid mirrors, light weight mirrors, large HPFS
        lenses and correctors
Space-based astronomy
      - light weight mirrors, large HPFS lenses and
        correctors
Directed energy
      - Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF), Copper
        Oxygen Iodine Laser ( COIL)
Metrology/precision optics
      - Interferometer TF, interferometer RF,
        precision stages, precision alignment mirrors
      - deep space optical probe

contact
specialtymaterials@corning.com

Corning has played an extraordinary role in the history of space exploration and aerospace innovations. Challenged to create high-performance products in support of mission critical applications, Corning has been -- and continues to be -- a valuable contributor in the search for understanding the cosmos.

Corning windows
Since the early 1960s, Corning has provided the window glass for all of NASA's manned spacecraft. Its HPFS® manufacturing process was developed and improved to achieve NASA’s large size, transmission and low inclusion specifications. Corning also supplies high-performance windows for the International Space Station.

Star gazing and much more
Corning has been crafting large telescope mirrors since it made the 200-inch mirror for the Hale Telescope at Mount Palomar in 1934. The technology has continued to evolve, and Corning is still one of the few sources in the world for ground-based and space-borne telescope mirrors, ranging in size from less than one meter to more than eight meters in diameter. Corning mirrors are at the heart of Hubble, Gemini and Subaru telescopes. These mirrors are made of Corning's ultra low expansion ULE® glass, a material that exhibits virtually no dimensional changes over extreme temperature variations and is generally considered the best in the world for astronomical optics.

The "lightweighting" techniques used in the Hubble mirror have been extended to other space program and ground-based astronomy applications. Reducing the weight of these large mirrors - sometimes down to one eighth the weight of an equal sized solid mirror - allows changes to the superstructure for ground-based telescopes, helping to reduce costs and extending functionality. Corning has continued to develop and expand the use of this technology. Current and future space-based telescopes may contain Corning mirrors that are less than 10 percent of the weight of an equal-sized solid mirror. The technology has been adapted for use in the GOES Weather Satellites, which are key U.S. resources for weather, hydrologic and climate forecasts. Polarization is an important phenomenon of data collection and transmission in astronomy, interferometer, spectrometer, deep space optical probes and other optical sensors have relied on Polarcor™ glass polarizers to deliver the high performance , durability and reliability required in space

And beyond
The race for space continues with the world's next generation of explorers. Astronauts on new and far-reaching discovery missions will depend on high-performance specialty materials from proven and dependable suppliers - and Corning will be there to meet their needs.