Patent ID: 7347572

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a telescope mirror ( 21 , 22 ) comprising the steps of: (a) providing a mandrel ( 10 ) defining the geometry of the telescope mirror, (b) depositing a reflective layer ( 26 ) on the mandrel surface, (c) electroforming a mirror body ( 25 ) onto the reflective layer ( 26 ) by an electrochemical process, (d) releasing the mirror body ( 25 ) with the reflective layer ( 26 ) from the mandrel ( 10 ), (e) attaching to the mirror body ( 25 ) a supporting structure ( 23 ) comprising at least one of a ring geometry ( 23 a ) and at least one actuator ( 23 b ) for adapting and correcting the geometry of the telescope mirror, and wherein the electroforming process and the release process are controlled such that the building up of internal mechanism tension within the mirror body is suppressed.