An optical mining apparatus comprising: a light weight solar reflector; optics for controlling the delivery of concentrated sun light onto the surface of a target; and a temperature controlled gas enclosure that contains the target; wherein said solar reflector is oriented to reflect sun light onto said optics.

A collapsible reflector includes a plurality of reflective blades which are rotatably arranged around a common axis. Each blade has a leading edge and a trailing edge. The blades are substantially flat and stacked above one another between a top blade and a bottom blade when the reflector is in a retracted position. The blades rotate and elastically bend to form an approximately dish-shaped arrangement when in an extended position. The leading edge of each blade is arranged below the trailing edge of the adjacent blade when the reflector is in the extended position. This includes the leading edge of the top blade, which is below the trailing edge of the bottom blade when the reflector is in the extended position. One blade may be fixedly connected to a central hub, enabling quick setup and disassembly of the reflector.

The invention includes a parabolic solar concentrator typified by a highly integrated structure whereby, mirror, aerodynamic elements, a shell structure, cooling elements and other elements have been integrated to form a unibody structure, which is both stiffer and lighter than traditional trough structures. The invention includes; aerodynamic features that greatly limit lift forces induced by high speed winds, a receiver with liquid cooling for better control of PV cell temperatures and which allows for the collection of the heat for beneficial use, accommodations for a solar tracker, and improvements in the focusing and distribution of light using secondary mirrors. The receiver incorporates specific details to improve heat transfer and reduce parasitic pumping loads and incorporates secondary mirrors to increase light acceptance angles. Automated mirror washing is addressed. In applications where the heat is un-utilized the integrated radiator is employed to dissipate the heat using both convection and radiation heat transfer.

A system for providing a contour map of the surface of a heliostat from reflected sunlight using a fly's eye camera. The system includes an entrance screen configured to receive sunlight reflected by said heliostat; an array of imaging apertures extending across the entrance screen, each aperture forming an image of said heliostat from a different viewpoint to provide a plurality of heliostat images; one or more digital cameras configured to view all of said plurality of heliostat images; an image processor configured to map out from the plurality of heliostat images a location of sunlight delivered to the entrance screen to obtain a plurality of maps, and to provide, based on centroids of said maps a tip and tilt of each said subsection The reflecting surface profile of the heliostat is obtained by integration of the subsection tilts across all the subsections.

Exemplary embodiments described herein may include lightweight, low stow volume solar concentrator.