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11-14-2014, Duryea, PA
Glass from SCHOTT delivers brilliant extraterrestrial images of Comet Tschuri
Radiation-resistant optical glass from SCHOTT contributes to the success of the Rosetta mission

First picture of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. 28 lenses made of radiation-resistant glass from SCHOTT are installed in the panorama camera system which took this picture. Photo: © ESA/Rosetta/Philae/CIVA.
“Thanks to our radiation-resistant optical glass, which we produced in Duryea, ten years of exposure to cosmic radiation have not impaired the performance of our lenses. Our special lenses ensure that the image quality is still excellent even following the long flight into space. It is an honor for us that our high-performance glass is being used in this mission,” said Dave Alunni, Production Manager at Advanced Optics of SCHOTT North America Inc. The lenses used in the panorama camera were designed and built by FISBA OPTIK from St. Gallen, Switzerland.
This isn’t the first time that SCHOTT glass has landed on another celestial body. Optical glass from Mainz was already on board the first manned lunar landing back in 1969. The television camera used on the moon contained a fourfold lens system that was manufactured using optical glass from SCHOTT.
Download link to high resolution image file: http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2014/11/Welcome_to_a_comet
About SCHOTT
SCHOTT is an international technology group with 130 years of experience in the areas of specialty glasses and materials and advanced technologies. SCHOTT ranks number one in the world with many of its products. Its core markets are the household appliance, pharmaceutical, electronics, optics, and transportation industries. The company is strongly committed to contributing to its customers’ success and making SCHOTT an important part of people’s lives with high-quality products and intelligent solutions. SCHOTT is committed to managing its business in a sustainable manner and supporting its employees, society and the environment. The SCHOTT Group maintains close proximity to its customers with manufacturing and sales units in 35 countries. Its workforce of 15,400 employees generated worldwide sales of approximately $2.5 billion for the 2012/2013 fiscal year. www.us.schott.com
