Corning has successfully completed and delivered the LSST 3.5-meter diameter M2 ULE™ substrate. The 100-mm thick meniscus blank met all dimensional requirements with a convex contour generated within 40 microns of final mirror figure. The acid etched rear and edge surfaces are ready for axial and lateral pad bonding. The blank was completed two months ahead of schedule and has been successfully transported to storage where it awaits additional funding for optical polishing. On a crisp, sunny November morning, the 31,000 pound LSST M2 container rolled out of the Corning Canton, NY, facility and began its journey to MA via air ride trailer. The 13-foot wide load successfully negotiated the narrow rural roads and occasional Amish horse buggy on its way through VT and into Cambridge, MA. Harvard University, an LSST partner institution, is providing storage in a facility equipped with a 40-ton gantry crane, sufficient for off-loading the precious cargo, and a generous 14-foot wide receiving ramp (just right for the 13-foot wide container). After substantial time aligning with the ramp, our ace driver retreated down the ramp until it was positioned under the crane. The crane then successfully hoisted the container off the flatbed and positioned our piece in the lab. Now it will sit while additional funding is sought to enable polishing and completion of the final LSST secondary mirror.
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