Methods for the development of an alignment platform for an astronomical instrument with application to the METIS instrument at the ELT

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2021

Authors

Bone, A (Author) Other; Amorim, A (Author) Other; Mercedes E Filho (Author) FEUP; P. J. V. Garcia (Author) FEUP

Journal

The Journal is awaiting validation by the Administrative Services.

Title: JOURNAL OF ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPES INSTRUMENTS AND SYSTEMS

Vol. 7

ISSN: 2329-4124

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 2 Citations

Scopus - 2 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00V-7PQ

DOI: 10.1117/1.jatis.7.2.028001

Abstract (EN): Hexapods are very common in astronomy as a mechanism to provide a stiff mount or a precision alignment tool. Here, we present a lumped model for a general symmetric hexapod that allows us to compute the load distribution under external forces, the hexapod's resolution, and the identification of singularity loci within the workspace. We also developed a script to analyze this parametric model, which is publicly available. We use this model to develop and design a hexapod for mid-infrared ELT imager and spectrograph, one of the extremely large telescope's first light instruments. The designed hexapod solution can survive strict earthquake conditions that can go up to 5g, and position and align the 11 ton instrument with submillimetric and arcsecond precisions. Although the model presented is not as precise or as realistic as a finite element WO analysis, it provides, in a fraction of a second, a very good first approximation. Therefore, unlike Eh methods, the model is able to study many geometries in a short time. (C) 2021 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 14