Reflective Optical Systems for Aerospace Applications

The utilization of aerospace technology is growing to meet various requirements of climate change sensing, communications, and the military. Large aperture and precise reflective optical systems such as mirrors are needed to acquire high-quality data, and the requirements of lightness, low cost, and low deformation should also be met to operate in the space environment. In this review, we highlight the recent progress of reflective optical systems for aerospace applications. In particular, optical systems for artificial satellites and homing optics are mainly introduced, and optical and mechanical simulations are discussed according to operating environments. We also discuss various reflective optic designs, materials, and operating principles for aerospace applications, such as a homing head and optical payload. We hope that this review provides approaches for developing surveillance systems, exploring space, and addressing the climate crisis.