Abstract
To improve the image quality performance of the Hobby-Eberly Telescope's (HET) segmented primary mirror and to assist in the requirements definition for an optical alignment sensing and control system, multiple engineering tests have been designed and executed. The most significant of these tests have been the alignment maintenance baseline and solid mount tests. Together, these engineering tests defined the complex thermal and non-thermal response modes of the steel HET primary mirror truss and quantified the performance of the segment support system. We discuss the configuration and performance of the HET primary mirror, and discuss our engineering test motivation, goals, design, implementation and results. We also discuss the implications of our primary mirror performance test results for conceptually similar next generation telescope designs, such as the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT).
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 471-481 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering |
| Volume | 4004 |
| State | Published - 2000 |
| Event | Telescope Structures, Enclosures, Controls, Assembly/Integration/Validation, and Commissioning - Munich, Ger Duration: Mar 27 2000 → Mar 31 2000 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Computer Science Applications
- Applied Mathematics
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering