Can space telescopes be enhanced for astronomy research in the future? This is what a researcher from the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics hopes to find out as he developed a method of producing both large and affordable malleable mirrors that can be used for space telescopes. This study holds the potential to decrease the cost of constructing space telescopes mirrors which traditionally are heavy and expensive.Artist illustration of space telescopes using the membrane-based mirror technology developed in this study. (Credit: Sebastian Rabien, Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics).“Launching and deploying space telescopes is a complicated and costly procedure,” said Dr. Sebastian Rabien from the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics, and sole author of the study.