Update on the TMT laser guide star facility design

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) will implement a Laser Guide Star Facility (LGSF), which will generate up to nine Na laser beams in at least four distinct asterisms. The TMT LGSF conceptual design is based upon three 50W solid state, continuous wave, sum frequency 589 nm lasers and conventional beam transport optics. In this paper, we provide an update to the TMT LGSF conceptual design. The LGSF top end and the beam transfer optics have been significantly redesigned to compensate for the TMT telescope top end flexure, to adapt for the new TMT Ritchey-Chretien optical design, to reduce the number of optical surfaces and to reduce the mass and volume. Finally, the laser service enclosure has been relocated within the telescope azimuth structure. This will permit the lasers to operate with a fixed gravity vector, but also requires further changes in the beam transport optical path

TMT telescope structure system: design and development progress report

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project has revised the reference optical configuration from an Aplanatic Gregorian to a Ritchey-Chrétien design. This paper describes the revised telescope structural design and outlines the design methodology for achieving the dynamic performance requirements derived from the image jitter error budget. The usage of transfer function tools which incorporate the telescope structure system dynamic characteristics and the control system properties is described along with the optimization process for the integrated system. Progress on the structural design for seismic considerations is presented. Moreover, mechanical design progress on the mount control system hardware such as the hydrostatic bearings and drive motors, cable wraps and safety system hardware such as brakes and absorbers are also presented

TMT telescope structure system: design and development progress report

The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project has revised the reference optical configuration from an Aplanatic Gregorian to a Ritchey-Chrétien design. This paper describes the revised telescope structural design and outlines the design methodology for achieving the dynamic performance requirements derived from the image jitter error budget. The usage of transfer function tools which incorporate the telescope structure system dynamic characteristics and the control system properties is described along with the optimization process for the integrated system. Progress on the structural design for seismic considerations is presented. Moreover, mechanical design progress on the mount control system hardware such as the hydrostatic bearings and drive motors, cable wraps and safety system hardware such as brakes and absorbers are also presented

The Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer Book 2018

(Abridged) This is the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer 2018 book. It is intended as a concise reference guide to all aspects of the scientific and technical design of MSE, for the international astronomy and engineering communities, and related agencies. The current version is a status report of MSE's science goals and their practical implementation, following the System Conceptual Design Review, held in January 2018. MSE is a planned 10-m class, wide-field, optical and near-infrared facility, designed to enable transformative science, while filling a critical missing gap in the emerging international network of large-scale astronomical facilities. MSE is completely dedicated to multi-object spectroscopy of samples of between thousands and millions of astrophysical objects. It will lead the world in this arena, due to its unique design capabilities: it will boast a large (11.25 m) aperture and wide (1.52 sq. degree) field of view; it will have the capabilities to observe at a wide range of spectral resolutions, from R2500 to R40,000, with massive multiplexing (4332 spectra per exposure, with all spectral resolutions available at all times), and an on-target observing efficiency of more than 80%. MSE will unveil the composition and dynamics of the faint Universe and is designed to excel at precision studies of faint astrophysical phenomena. It will also provide critical follow-up for multi-wavelength imaging surveys, such as those of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, Gaia, Euclid, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope, the Square Kilometre Array, and the Next Generation Very Large Array.Comment: 5 chapters, 160 pages, 107 figure

TMT telescope structure system: design and development

NRC publication: Ye

The ExoLife Finder (ELF) Telescope: new adaptive optics and hybrid dynamic live-optical surfaces strategies

International audienceThe exponential growth in exoplanets studies and related science such as detecting life and even civilizations on Earth-like planets requires high angular resolution and high-contrast observations. Such appealing sciences cases are a powerful reason for developing a dedicated high contrast telescope concept - The ExoLife Finder (ELF) Telescope. Here we describe the ELF overall optical concept, its preliminary Adaptive Optics concept and a novel and revolutionary technology to produce mirrors making use of force-sensor-actuator elements that are 3D-printed onto very thin slumped glass-sandwich elements of fire-polished glass - a very precise aspherical optical surface dedicated to high contrast measurements

Maunakea spectroscopic explorer design development from feasibility concept to baseline design

International audienceThe Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer is designed to be the largest non-ELT optical/NIR astronomical telescope, and will be a fully dedicated facility for multi-object spectroscopy over a broad range of spectral resolutions. The MSE design has progressed from feasibility concept into its current baseline design where the system configuration of main systems such as telescope, enclosure, summit facilities and instrument are fully defined. This paper will describe the engineering development of the main systems, and discuss the trade studies to determine the optimal telescope and multiplexing designs and how their findings are incorporated in the current baseline design

The Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer Book 2018

(Abridged) This is the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer 2018 book. It is intended as a concise reference guide to all aspects of the scientific and technical design of MSE, for the international astronomy and engineering communities, and related agencies. The current version is a status report of MSE's science goals and their practical implementation, following the System Conceptual Design Review, held in January 2018. MSE is a planned 10-m class, wide-field, optical and near-infrared facility, designed to enable transformative science, while filling a critical missing gap in the emerging international network of large-scale astronomical facilities. MSE is completely dedicated to multi-object spectroscopy of samples of between thousands and millions of astrophysical objects. It will lead the world in this arena, due to its unique design capabilities: it will boast a large (11.25 m) aperture and wide (1.52 sq. degree) field of view; it will have the capabilities to observe at a wide range of spectral resolutions, from R2500 to R40,000, with massive multiplexing (4332 spectra per exposure, with all spectral resolutions available at all times), and an on-target observing efficiency of more than 80%. MSE will unveil the composition and dynamics of the faint Universe and is designed to excel at precision studies of faint astrophysical phenomena. It will also provide critical follow-up for multi-wavelength imaging surveys, such as those of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, Gaia, Euclid, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope, the Square Kilometre Array, and the Next Generation Very Large Array