During an international celebration on June 23, 2025, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory team unveiled the observatory’s first images – a major milestone in the lifecycle of the mission. L3Harris polished and finished the Rubin Observatory’s 3.5-meter secondary mirror, one of the largest convex mirrors ever made, at the company's Rochester, New York, facilities. The secondary mirror, known as M2, works in tandem with the primary mirror to focus light on the telescope's camera, enabling detailed astronomical imaging.
The successful integration of the M2 marked the first permanent component of the Simonyi Survey Telescope’s optical system, which supports the 8.4-meter primary/tertiary mirror and the LSST camera – the largest digital camera in the world.
“Our involvement in the Rubin Observatory underscores the importance of collaboration between industry and scientific institutions in advancing our understanding of the universe,” said Charles Clarkson, Vice President and General Manager, Space Superiority and Imaging, Space and Airborne Systems, L3Harris. “We are proud to contribute to the observatory’s mission to capture invaluable data for astronomers and researchers worldwide.”
The Rubin Observatory, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, features an advanced telescope that will capture detailed images of the Southern Hemisphere and is set to revolutionize our understanding of the cosmos and deep space. Located in Cerro Pachón, Chile, the Rubin Observatory will survey the entire visible southern sky every few days on a decade-long mission.
The company also designed and built the secondary mirror cell assembly, which consists of the mirror support system, mirror cell electronics and sensors, thermal control system and the mirror control system.
For more than 55 years, L3Harris has specialized in designing and manufacturing high-resolution large optical assemblies and providing integration and testing services for the world’s most sophisticated Earth and space observation systems.
Read more about the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s mission.
