The AXAF VETA test - An overview

Abstract

Results of a battery of X-ray tests on the AXAF Verification Engineering Test Article (VETA) X-ray optics which were performed shortly after their fabrication are presented. The optics, a paraboloid, and a hyperboloid in the classic Wolter-1 configuration are the outer mirrors of what is now the AXAF-I mission. The optical elements are each about 1.2 m in diameter and 0.8 m long. The principal proof that the optics met their specification was to demonstrate that the angular resolution was at least 0.5 arcsec. The final result was an angular resolution smaller than 0.25 arcsec.