The Dutch organisation TNO developed an adaptive secondary mirror for NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) in Hawaii. Following a manufacturing error that was discovered during the integration phase in the Netherlands, TNO required an immediate fastener solution so they could proceed with the integration.
Text by BUMAX
TNO turned to specialist fastener manufacturer BUMAX, which delivered critical fasteners to overcome the galling (wear) issues discovered in the assembly. Within 24 hours, BUMAX supplied TNO with a special variant of its high-performance DX 129 model, known for its excellent strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance, which solved the problem.
No delays critical
“It was critical that we had no delays,” said Matias Kidron, Project Manager of Space Systems Engineering at TNO. “The next-day delivery of the screws was quite a feat and was greatly appreciated by our entire project team and enabled us to stick to our schedule.”
The BUMAX DX 129 EPK fasteners used for this application were a special variant of the standard high-performance DX 129 product grade. DX 129 EPK benefits from even higher surface hardness, making them almost impervious to galling. DX129 EPK also has the advantage of lower surface roughness and a cleaner finish to the fasteners, which eliminates the need for any potential additional lubrication in applications where contamination or outgassing may be of concern.
Secondary mirror for a clearer view
The NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) is a 3.0-meter infrared telescope located at an altitude of around 4,200m at the summit of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii. It is operated by the University of Hawaii under a cooperative agreement with NASA. Designed for maximum performance in the infrared portion of the spectrum, it takes advantage of the excellent visibility, minimal water vapour and low thermal background that characterise the atmosphere above Mauna Kea. The secondary mirror upgrade project was realised together with the University of Hawaii and the University of California Santa Cruz. The secondary mirror allows the mirror to correct for the distortion of the atmosphere to ensure the IRTF’s view of celestial bodies is as sharp and detailed as it can possibly be.
BUMAX fasteners have been chosen for many scientific high-profile projects and products, including CERN, ISS, Opus Aerospace and the Einstein Telescope project. They have also been used on the European Southern Observatory Extremely Large Telescope (ESO ELT ) in Chile, which required a high-strength corrosion-resistant solution.
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