A method for figuring an optical surface of an optical element to achieve a target profile for the optical surface, the method comprising: mounting the optical element in a fixture to establish an initial rotational orientation of the optical surface about a third direction prior to an initial application of a removal process to the optical surface, wherein i) the third direction is perpendicular to a first direction and to a second direction and ii) the removal process comprises an etching process wherein at least part of the optical surface is immersed into an etching bath; applying the removal process to an extended region of the optical surface extending along the first direction to remove material from the extended region of the optical surface; and adjusting a position of the optical surface relative to the removal process along the second direction perpendicular to the first direction to remove material from additional extended regions of the optical surface extending along the first direction at each of different positions of the optical surface along the second direction, wherein adjusting the position of the optical surface relative to the removal process along the second direction comprises immersing the optical surface into the etching bath along the second direction, wherein, during the applying of the removal process and the adjusting of the optical surface relative to the removal process, the optical surface has a first rotational orientation about the third direction, and wherein the method further comprises, for each of one or more additional rotational orientations of the optical surface, i) reorienting the optical element in the fixture to establish the additional rotational orientation of the optical surface and ii) repeating the applying of the removal process and the adjusting of the optical surface relative to the removal process for the additional rotational orientations of the optical surface about the third direction to achieve the target profile of the optical surface. mounting the optical element in a fixture to establish an initial rotational orientation of the optical surface about a third direction prior to an initial application of a removal process to the optical surface, wherein i) the third direction is perpendicular to a first direction and to a second direction and ii) the removal process comprises an etching process wherein at least part of the optical surface is immersed into an etching bath; applying the removal process to an extended region of the optical surface extending along the first direction to remove material from the extended region of the optical surface; and adjusting a position of the optical surface relative to the removal process along the second direction perpendicular to the first direction to remove material from additional extended regions of the optical surface extending along the first direction at each of different positions of the optical surface along the second direction, wherein adjusting the position of the optical surface relative to the removal process along the second direction comprises immersing the optical surface into the etching bath along the second direction, wherein, during the applying of the removal process and the adjusting of the optical surface relative to the removal process, the optical surface has a first rotational orientation about the third direction, and wherein the method further comprises, for each of one or more additional rotational orientations of the optical surface, i) reorienting the optical element in the fixture to establish the additional rotational orientation of the optical surface and ii) repeating the applying of the removal process and the adjusting of the optical surface relative to the removal process for the additional rotational orientations of the optical surface about the third direction to achieve the target profile of the optical surface. i) reorienting the optical element in the fixture to establish the additional rotational orientation of the optical surface and ii) repeating the applying of the removal process and the adjusting of the optical surface relative to the removal process for the additional rotational orientations of the optical surface about the third direction to achieve the target profile of the optical surface.