Corning Reaches Successful Milestone in Development of Discovery Channel Telescope
22 Giugno 2005 - 2:30PM
Business Wire
Four-Meter Class Reflecting Telescope Will Serve the Research Goals
of Lowell Observatory and Educational and Programming Goals of
Discovery Communications Corning Incorporated (NYSE:GLW) announced
today that it has completed the sagging process of the 4.2-meter
ULE(R) mirror blank that will serve as the primary mirror for
Lowell Observatory's Discovery Channel Telescope. Corning's
proprietary ULE(R) is a glass material which exhibits virtually no
dimensional changes over extreme temperature variations. This
material is generally considered to be one of best in the world for
astronomical optics. The sagging process consisted of creating a
form made of refractories that meet the concave-convex shape
requirements of mirror designers. The ULE mirror blank was
positioned over the form and heated to approximately 2700 degrees
Fahrenheit to attain the material's softening point. At this point,
the blank began to sag around the refractories and conformed to the
specifications of the mirror designers. Danny Henderson, division
vice president and business director, Corning Specialty Materials
said, "Corning is very proud to have been selected the material
supplier for the DCT mirror. The successful completion of the
sagging milestone can be attributed to Corning's wealth of
experience in supplying astronomy ULE mirrors and the excellent
performance of the team in Canton, N.Y. We are now proceeding to
the next phase of the program, the net grinding of the mirror
blank. Corning looks forward to working closely with Discovery
Communications and Lowell Observatory through completion of the DCT
mirror." The Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT) will be located at a
new site being developed by Lowell Observatory on the Coconino
National Forest in northern Arizona. The telescope will support
research of Lowell Observatory astronomers and provide programming
opportunities for Discovery Communications, the parent company of
cable television's Discovery Channel. When completed, it will be
the fifth largest telescope in the continental United States. The
telescope will have a wide variety of uses including: the search
for potentially threatening earth-approaching asteroids,
exploration of the outer solar system, including the newly
discovered Kuiper Belt, and investigations of distant stars and
galaxies. The DCT has a unique optical configuration that allows it
the ability to focus on a wide field or to be switched to a longer
focal length. This attribute greatly exceeds the capabilities of
today's existing telescopes of the same class. The DCT, in a single
wide field exposure mode, will allow astronomers to survey an area
of the sky equal to the size of 16 full moons. In the longer focal
length mode, the DCT will allow astronomers to zoom in on selected
objects for detailed observation and subsequent analysis. During a
recent visit to Canton, N.Y. to view the progress of the mirror
blank production, Robert L. Millis, director of Lowell Observatory
said, "Corning has demonstrated unfailing professionalism,
outstanding customer service, and impressive mastery of its
state-of-the-art manufacturing processes during the fabrication of
the ULE primary mirror blank for the Discovery Channel Telescope.
We look forward to having this Corning product at the heart of our
new telescope." Corning Semiconductor Optics
(www.corning.com/semiconductoroptics) is a leading supplier of
glass materials, surfaces, and light management applications.
Telescope mirror applications, whether earth-bound or in space,
require materials that can perform to the stringent standards of
astronomical research. Corning has developed sophisticated weight
reduction technologies that make it possible for telescopes to be
extremely lightweight yet extremely precise. Corning has drawn upon
its glass and process expertise to produce materials with
unprecedented precision, homogeneity, and the ability to withstand
extreme thermal fluctuations. About Corning Incorporated Corning
Incorporated (www.corning.com) is a diversified technology company
that concentrates its efforts on high-impact growth opportunities.
Corning combines its expertise in specialty glass, ceramic
materials, polymers and the manipulation of the properties of
light, with strong process and manufacturing capabilities to
develop, engineer and commercialize significant innovative products
for the telecommunications, flat panel display, environmental,
semiconductor, and life sciences industries. About Discovery
Communications Discovery Communications is the leading global
real-world media and entertainment company. Discovery has grown
from its core property, the Discovery Channel, first launched in
the United States in 1985, to current global operations in more
than 160 countries and territories with 1.2 billion cumulative
subscribers. DCI's over 90 networks of distinctive programming
represent 21 entertainment brands including TLC, Animal Planet,
Travel Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Discovery Kids, Discovery
Times Channel, The Science Channel, Military Channel, Discovery
Home Channel, Discovery en Espanol, Discovery HD Theater and FitTV.
DCI's other properties consist of Discovery Education and Discovery
Commerce, which operates 120 Discovery Channel retail stores. DCI
also distributes BBC America in the United States. DCI's ownership
consists of four shareholders: Liberty Media Corporation (NYSE: L),
Cox Communications, Inc., Advance/Newhouse Communications and John
S. Hendricks, the Company's Founder and Chairman. About Lowell
Observatory Lowell Observatory, founded in 1894 in Flagstaff, was
the first astronomical observatory in Arizona. The first evidence
of the expansion of the universe was discovered at Lowell in
1912-1917. The planet Pluto was discovered there in 1930. Today
Lowell's 18 astronomers pursue a broad range of astronomical
research using both ground-based and space-based telescopes.
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