Revolutions in telescope technology have consistently driven the next generation of astronomical discoveries. Over the last century the development of the 1.5 and 2.5m telescopes at Mount Wilson Observatory, the 5m at Palomar Observatory, and so on through to the 10m Keck telescopes, have led to new discoveries based on the increase in telescope aperture. The Hubble Space Telescope, while not having the largest aperture, continues to be at the forefront of discovery because of its use of space technologies. Still, these telescopes all have something in common: they are made from steel and glass. The next revolution in telescope technology is being driven by changes in thematerials that make up the telescope and optics. Telescopes now being constructed for use at the Navy Optical Prototype Interferometer1 (NPOI) are being made entirely from carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP). These CFRP telescopes are remarkably rigid and have excellent optical figure. As well, adaptive optics can enhance the performance of these telescopes.2 Composite telescopes with adaptive optic correction will play a key role in increasing the performance of the NPOI instrument and fulfilling its mission. Traditional mirror fabrication techniques require long periods of controlled grinding and polishing, and a typical meter-class mirror can take several months to complete. A significant advantage to building telescopes and their optics from composite materials is the reduction in construction time. The composite optics are constructed using glass mandrels that, once fabricated, can be used to reproduce a large number of telescope mirrors. One major advantage is that the high-quality mandrel eliminates the need for optical polishing of the surface, so once the mirror is formed from CFRP it is ready for coating. The optical tube assembly for the NPOI telescope is also manufactured from CFRP, providing both low weight and excellent structural rigidity. The result is a 1.4m aperture telescope that weighs a fraction of what a similar telescope of steel and glass would weigh. As a result, the telescope can be accurately moved Figure 1. This exploded view of the CFRP telescope shows the position of the composite optics.