Within a 9 foot by 10 foot by 12 foot vacuum chamber, the microscope, Germany's VisiTec Microtechnik GmbH MIRA X , has a 5-foot by 5-foot by 5-foot operating volume. It is capable of examining 60-inch and larger objects.

"The new MIRA X provides exciting opportunities for the center," said Russell Howard, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center Engineering director. "Not only will it result in significant cost savings and invaluable support to critical aging aircraft issues, but we also look for its advanced and unique capabilities to attract additional workload to Tinker from other government agencies and private industries."
 "All the angular manipulations used to view an object are accomplished by moving or rotating the column, so the piece stays still," said Scot Roswurm, senior materials engineer and acting chief of the 76th Maintenance Support Squadron's Metallurgical Analysis Section.

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