Actuators, like elevators on rails, rise the mirrors to approximate position to form a parabola. Then, precise, computer-controlled magnetic field rotates the mirror bits sitting in vacuum bubbles (like light bulbs) precisely to form a parabola. with a focal point. A strong drone with stabilizer flies to the focal point, carrying an ocular, and a CCD camera.
A hope: 0.5 kilometer-diameter telescope.-- Inyuki, May 13 2015 fastcodesign.com http://cdn4.twistag...bff5a2d_6549774.mp4MIT Invents A Shapeshifting Display You Can Reach Through And Touch [Inyuki, May 13 2015] APERATURE http://www.nasa.gov...nfigurable-elementsSome-one's been on the NASA website again... [neutrinos_shadow, May 13 2015] If the mirrors are inside evacuated glass modules, then the light will probably be distorted passing through the glass. It can be compensated-for, of course, at the cost of making each mirror more complex.-- Vernon, May 13 2015 [Vernon], I was just afraid of the winds, if they were suspended in magnetic field, and that's why evacuated glass modules.-- Inyuki, May 13 2015 This might makes even more sense as a space telescope. You don't have to worry about wind in orbit. This could make the telescope expandable by dividing the mirrors into several launches. Also, if it gets hit by a piece of space debris, it might only take out a couple mirrors.
Of course it might be a lot harder to move the whole thing to avoid space debris.-- scad mientist, May 13 2015 random, halfbakery