Patent ID: 11874432
Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SAS
Field: Optics (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 10:
11. A space optical instrument comprising a primary mirror having an optical axis and comprising a front face oriented towards an observed area, and a rear face opposite to the front face,
the optical instrument further comprising:
a thermally conductive wall extending around the optical axis on a side of the primary mirror towards which the front face is oriented,
a set of heaters for heating the thermally conduct wall,
a heat flux sensor configured for measuring an incident heat flux on the front face of the mirror,
wherein the primary mirror comprises a through-hole on which a diaphragm is mounted, and the heat flux sensor is mounted on the diaphragm, and
a controller, configured for receiving a measurement of an incident heat flux on the mirror acquired by the heat flux sensor, and to control the heaters to vary a temperature of the thermally conductive wall according to the measured incident heat flux, in order to keep the front face of the mirror at a constant temperature.