Mirror cell design, fabrication, assembly, and test for the AXAF VETA-I optics

The design of the mount for the outer pair of Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) optics for the Verification Engineering Test Article-I (VETA-I) hardware for initial performance test was a challenging task. Extensive analysis of mirror strains induced by the mounting hardware during assembly was required to ensure that the imaging tests at Marshall Space Flight Center would be successful. This paper describes the techniques used to design the mirror cell to insure that the X-ray tests would accurately represent the quality of the mirror surfaces and minimize errors due to the effects of mounting and gravity. The measures taken to compensate for the large gravity effects during testing are discussed in detail.