Largest convex mirror constructed by Corning and L3Harris in Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) – Corning and L3Harris have constructed the largest Convex Mirror – taking scientists one step closer to identifying 10 to 100 more objects in the solar system.

The 11-foot, 1,500-pound jointly produced mirror is 11-foot wide was installed at the Rubin Observatory in Chile.

Corning produced the mirror in Canton, New York, using a titania-silicate glass material invented by Corning in the 1960s. The glass holds near-zero expansion characteristics which is critical to ensuring the telescope keeps its focus.

L3Harris polished and finished the mirror in Rochester. The company also designed and built the secondary mirror assembly consisting of a stiff-steel mounting plate, 72 axial and six tangent actuators, mirror cell electronics and sensors, a thermal control system, and the mirror control system.

“For nearly six decades we have designed and constructed high-end optical systems for space and ground applications. This work continues with the world’s largest active secondary mirror system, built for Rubin Observatory,” Vice President and General Manager at L3Harris Charles Clarkson said.

This glass put’s New York’s technology on a global scale and will help scientists observe several objects in the universe including harmful asteroids, aiming to answer some of the worlds most pressing questions about the universe.

Funding for the project came from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy. The observatory is expected to be fully operational in 2025.

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