{"id":1439,"date":"2025-07-28T20:56:26","date_gmt":"2025-07-28T20:56:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.isi.edu\/centers-serc\/?page_id=1439"},"modified":"2025-10-17T19:48:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T19:48:10","slug":"optical-reef","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.isi.edu\/centers-serc\/optical-reef\/","title":{"rendered":"Optical-Reef"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2>\n\t\t\tThe Mission\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.isi.edu\/centers-serc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/05\/SPACE-ENGINEERING-RESEARCH-CENTRE.png\" alt=\"Logo of Optical Reef\" height=\"1563\" width=\"1563\" title=\"SPACE ENGINEERING RESEARCH CENTRE\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.isi.edu\/centers-serc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/05\/reef_build_graphic.drawio-scaled.png\" alt=\"Demonstration of segmented telescope design benefits\" height=\"907\" width=\"2560\" title=\"reef_build_graphic.drawio\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.isi.edu\/centers-serc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/10\/OpticalReefWhiteWithPlanetV2.png\" alt=\"OpticalReefWhiteWithPlanetV2\" height=\"2280\" width=\"2060\" title=\"OpticalReefWhiteWithPlanetV2\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.isi.edu\/centers-serc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/07\/reef_graphic.drawio.png\" alt=\"Prime Focus Type Configuration\" height=\"1174\" width=\"1135\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.isi.edu\/centers-serc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/07\/casegrain_reef_graphic.drawio.png\" alt=\"Ritchey Chretien Telescope Configuration\" height=\"1186\" width=\"1133\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t<p>Optical Reef benefits from the vast in orbit assembly expertise leveraged by SERC. We leverage existing methods in development of structures in space but apply it in the incredibly high fidelity needed when constructing a optical telescope. Our system remains modular and flexible. It can operate in any number of assembled configurations of the assembled tiles as well as operate at increasingly growing sizes. When (eventually) struck by debris or affected by any number of environmental factors, the affected segment is simply replaced. When the requirements from the science community change, so does our mission design. More interested in spectroscopy&#8230; we swap in a new instrument suite. Interested in a more narrow field of view&#8230; we adapt the geometry of the system in real time. Optical Reef intends to revolutionise the philosophy behind telescope design, paving a way for more versatile structures, huge economic efficiency and a large range of scientific applications.<\/p>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tPhDs and Contacts\t<\/h2>\n\t<strong>Principle Investigator<\/strong><br \/>\nDavid Barnhart: <a href=\"mailto:barnhart@isi.edu\">barnhart@isi.edu<\/a>\n<p><strong>PhD students<\/strong><\/p>\n\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.isi.edu\/centers-serc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/09\/HHall-Proffessional-ish-picture-copy.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/p>\n<strong>Howard Hall (systems lead)<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:hahall@usc.edu\">hahall@usc.edu<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/howard-hall-7221231bb\">LinkedIn<\/a>\n<hr \/>\nMPhys Physics &#8211; St. Hugh&#8217;s College, Oxford<br \/>\nMS Astronautical Engineering &#8211; USC<br \/>\n\n<hr \/>\n<p>PhD Interest: performance optimisation for absurdly large segmented space telescope systems, including operation of non attached station keeping secondary optical system.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.isi.edu\/centers-serc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/09\/bacher-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/p>\n<strong>David Bacher<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:dbacher@usc.edu\">dbacher@usc.edu<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/david-bacher\/\">LinkedIn<\/a>\n<hr \/>\nBS Mechanical Engineering &#8211; George Fox University<br \/>\nMS Astronautical Engineering &#8211; USC\n<hr \/>\n<p>PhD Interest: distributed control for autonomous on-orbit assembly of space structures<\/p>\n\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.isi.edu\/centers-serc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/09\/JH-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/p>\n<strong>Jaxson Hill<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:jthill@usc.edu\">jthill@usc.edu<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/jaxson-hill\/\">LinkedIn<\/a>\n<hr \/>\nBS Mechanical Engineering &#8211; Harvard<br \/>\nMS Astronautical Engineering &#8211; USC<br \/>\n\n<hr \/>\n<p>PhD Interest: RPOD assembly of large flexible space structures; vibrational control of segmented space telescopes; dynamic shape control of segmented space telescope backing structure.<\/p>\n\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.isi.edu\/centers-serc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/09\/MS-300x298.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/p>\n<strong>Madeline Stratton<\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:mjstratton@usc.edu\">mjstratt@usc.edu<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/maddy-stratton-1b9059208\/\">LinkedIn<\/a>\n<hr \/>\nBS Astrophysics &#8211; North Carolina at Chapel Hill<br \/>\nMS Astronautical Engineering &#8211; USC<br \/>\n\n<hr \/>\n<p>PhD Interest: flux pinning between modular spacecraft components to enable construction and actuation of segmented telescope mirrors and spacecraft systems.<\/p>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tPerformance Engineering\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>Our overarching mission development is driven by research into performance capabilities of such a separated segmented system. Normal factors in space telescope design such as pointing drift, jitter, stray light mitigation and structural fluctuations are compounded by the absence of a rigid structure to maintain the optical axis.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.isi.edu\/centers-serc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/05\/animation.gif\" alt=\"A simulated operation of Optical Reef at an 11 ring configuration, responding to foreign object damage. \" height=\"432\" width=\"1440\" title=\"proposed_operation\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"\" target=\"_self\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPerformance Engineering\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tDistributed Control\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>With a large distribution of actuated components, many different control systems must interface between each other to provide the optimal scientific throughout. Each individual segment must account control its own position in space and its own mirror actuation whilst simultaneously accounting for the larger wavefront adaptations linked down from a detector.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"\" target=\"_self\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDistributed Control\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tIn Orbit Assembly\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>Assembling such a telescope requires detail considerations of novel rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking systems. Optical Reef autonomous segmented asssembly process will be capable of continuous expansion in size and observation capabilities. During assembly and operations, novel docking mechanisms will accomodate an neccessary ability to deform the segmented reef shape into a parabolic focal collimator and well as aid in vibrational mode mitigations culmilating from each consituent segmented craft.<\/p>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"\" target=\"_self\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn Orbit Assembly\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tPublications and Graphics\t<\/h2>\n<h2>\n\t\t\tSupport\t<\/h2>\n\t<p>We take a moment to thank <a href=\"https:\/\/chiwi.ch\/\">The Chiwi Foundation<\/a> in the continued support of our PhD students!<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Mission Optical Reef benefits from the vast in orbit assembly expertise leveraged by SERC. We leverage existing methods in development of structures in space but apply it in the incredibly high fidelity needed when constructing a optical telescope. Our system remains modular and flexible. It can operate in any number of assembled configurations of&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":942,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"news_source":"","news_author":"","external_news_link":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1439","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Optical-Reef - Space Engineering Research Center %<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Optical Reef is an absurdly large segmented space telescope design initiative proposed by the Space Engineering Research Centre.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.isi.edu\/centers-serc\/optical-reef\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Optical-Reef - 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