Matra Marconi Space (MMS) has designed, built, aligned and tested a phi 200-mm bi-telescope demonstrator, which both structure and mirrors have been manufactured with silicon carbide. Thanks to the unique properties of sintered silicon carbide (C&C SiC 100) developed by C&C, the measured performances of our demonstrator show the great interest of such approach for space optics applications. This paper describes the main innovative points and performances which have been drawn up during demonstrator development: a very few number of pieces, thanks to an innovative architecture (mast) and a very simple minor attachment concept, made our concept cost effective. a high optical quality of primary mirror telescope (lambda/100 rms over phi 200mm). a huge optical stability over large environmental constraints, either after mechanical stress (35g QSL) or thermal stress (defocus < 0.6 mu m over -100 degrees C / +60 degrees C). design compatible with a serial production (telescope assembly in a few hours).
