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Raytheon is developing a large-aperture space telescope for the Lazuli Space Observatory, part of The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System at Schmidt Sciences, drawing on its work in adaptive telescope designs, ultra-lightweight materials and digital engineering. The company aims to field the largest unobscured aperture yet launched on a commercial platform.
At the heart of the instrument is a 3.1-meter off-axis primary mirror designed to deliver sharper images, greater sensitivity and broader operational flexibility. Built as a visible-light telescope with advanced materials that remain dimensionally stable, the system is intended to avoid lengthy thermal settling, enabling rapid start of high-quality data collection for both time-critical observations and extended monitoring runs.
“Raytheon is applying proven technology that brings the production speed, reliability and adaptability needed for the Lazuli Space Observatory,” said Jeff McCall, vice president of Mission Solutions & Payloads at Raytheon. “Our large-aperture systems deliver exceptional capabilities, enabling a wide range of missions in demanding space environments.”
The telescope incorporates auto-alignment features validated through digital-twin simulations and advanced optical engineering to sustain consistent performance throughout its orbit. By continuously tuning the optics without manual intervention, the platform is designed to produce stable, sharp imagery to support research on distant planets, rapidly changing astrophysical phenomena, the faintest and most remote cosmic signals, and the universe’s evolution.
Raytheon has completed an accelerated preliminary design review, with production underway and delivery planned for 2028.
Schmidt Sciences, a nonprofit founded in 2024 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, focuses on accelerating scientific progress with advanced tools. Its priorities span AI and advanced computing, astrophysics, biosciences, climate and space, alongside broader support for researchers through a science systems program.
