THE PROBLEM: Satellites require telescopes that can survive high-acceleration launch loads, extreme temperature changes, and intense radiation. Conventional reflective telescopes, which consist of two or more separate mirrors and lenses, are often vulnerable to misalignment under such conditions.

THE SOLUTION: The Monolithic Telescope, developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), contains an entire optical system of mirrors in a single robust piece of fused silica. This increases protection for optical elements, improves mechanical stability, and reduces potential failure points. Furthermore, the optics can be tailored to mission requirements.

THE TECH TRANSFER MECHANISM: Following its first use, LLNL issued a government-use license to Starris: Optimax Space Systems in December 2024 to design and manufacture optics and full telescopes. LLNL executed a CRADA with Starris the following year to manufacture Monolithic Telescopes for proliferated satellite constellations. LLNL recently completed a four-year, $2 million CRADA with Tyvak International, and is fostering discussions and agreements with other commercial partners.

THE TECH TRANSFER EXCELLENCE: The transfer of Monolithic Telescope technology by LLNL’s Innovation and Partnerships Office has made the technology available to institutions that can scale production to meet critical national security and science objectives. LLNL’s discretion in selecting partners with prior space launch successes has resulted in outcomes beyond what the lab could have achieved on its own.

THE IMPACT: At least three missions have included Monolithic Telescopes in their payloads, one of which has been in orbit for over three years and has taken over 60,000 images of Earth and 94,000 images of deep space. Further scale-up of Monolithic Telescopes is likely as the partner companies continue to grow around missions using the technology.