The IAC has defined as a strategic objective for the coming years to have the infrastructure, equipment and human group that allows the manufacture of mirrors up to 2 meters of diameter for astronomical use. These capabilities are only available to very few organizations in the world and will significantly increase the role of the IAC in frontier projects of telescopic installations and instrumentation for them.

There are numerous scientific projects that will benefit from this new infrastructure such as the New 4-meter Robotic Telescope (NRT), the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), and the European Solar Telescope (EST). In addition, a management method is proposed that will allow access to this infrastructure to the entire Spanish astronomical community and to other international institutions that are partners of the IAC in different scientific and technological projects. In the medium term, having the capability to manufacture astronomical mirrors will place the IAC in an unbeatable position to become a full member in international collaborations facing the construction of segmented telescopes of class 30-50 meters.

This action is focused on the acquisition of the metrology equipment (laser tracker, profilometer and interferometer) that are key to guarantee compliance with manufacturing requirements.