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In conjunction with the NASA LaRC SAGE IV Pathfinder team, Quartus has developed a small format neardiffraction limited telescope designed to package into a 6U CubeSat. The SAGE IV Pathfinder telescope utilizes analytical models and designs that can be leveraged to meet a broad range of scientific optical mission needs by creating a family of semi-custom small format space-borne optical systems. During the initial phases of a science mission, a systems engineering assessment can be performed to identify existing designs and analysis tools that can be leveraged to meet many key requirements. This would allow limited resources to then be focused on developing required new components, as opposed to designing the entire optical system from the bottom up. This accelerates technical readiness level (TRL) progression on semi-custom small format precision optical systems, reducing instrument costs, and achieving economy of scale typically not available on one-off science payloads.The current SAGE SBIR Phase II is a research program utilizing a SAGE-like design for development of STOP analysis correlation methodologies. Wavefront error (WFE) is captured over a variety of temperature ranges for comparison to finite element model (FEM) predictions. The accuracy and repeatability of the WFE measurement process over temperature is reviewed. Best practices for accurate STOP analysis and WFE predictions are summarized including modeling parameters, material properties, and strength and distortion assessments.

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