Another hare-brained scheme: Yeah, I got your rigid mirror RIGHT HERE.....
Say if someone were to develop an easily malleable high reflectivity material which had low surface texture, low oxidation (perhaps by mixing with antioxidant), etc. Perhaps something like a gallium alloy 'plus'. Rigidifies to a good degree cold (but doesn't crystallize at normal temperatures astronomers encounter on the ground).
Spin to figure, like liquid mercury mirrors, or glass at Arizona. Bada bing.
Over time figure might degrade by sagging, but if easy enough to do, just spin up before use?
Anyone out there played with anything like this?
Jess Tauber
Say if someone were to develop an easily malleable high reflectivity material which had low surface texture, low oxidation (perhaps by mixing with antioxidant), etc. Perhaps something like a gallium alloy 'plus'. Rigidifies to a good degree cold (but doesn't crystallize at normal temperatures astronomers encounter on the ground).
Spin to figure, like liquid mercury mirrors, or glass at Arizona. Bada bing.
Over time figure might degrade by sagging, but if easy enough to do, just spin up before use?
Anyone out there played with anything like this?
Jess Tauber
