June 21, 2018 – Last week’s SPIE meeting on Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation in Austin, TX, gave LSST team members a chance to share exciting construction progress and learn from colleagues working on other projects and related technologies.  Over the six-day meeting, there were 20 LSST-authored posters, 16 oral presentations plus 2 invited talks, one on LSST Construction Status (V. Krabbendam) and another on the LSST Science Platform (F. Economou).  Deputy Director Beth Willman’s plenary talk on LSST Construction Progress and Scientific Opportunities is available here.  

Several LSST vendors had booths on the exhibit floor.  Ball Aerospace was showing a scale model of the LSST L1-L2 camera lens assembly and Teledyne e2v, maker of half the LSST sensors, brought one to show.  Other vendors included Asturfeito, builders of the Telescope 

Mount Assembly seen in this video, our Dome vendor EIE, as well as MagicDraw, creator of the system modeling tool used throughout the project.

At the time of SPIE 2020 in Japan, LSST will be experiencing engineering first light – providing lots of progress to share at this always exciting meeting!  

Left: Seen at the Teledyne e2v booth at SPIE2018: An LSST 4k by 4K sensor. 189 sensors will be tightly packed into the 63cm diameter LSST focal plane. Teledyne e2v/LSST/DOE/NSF

PROJECT & SCIENCE NEWS - Noticias del Proyecto & Científicas

The deadline for registration for LSST 2018 is July 9. Watch for a draft agenda for the meeting, which will be available soon.

The TVSSC (Transient and Variable Stars Science Collaboration) Survey Strategy Proposal Preparation Workshop took place in Bethlehem, PA on June 4-8. The purpose of the meeting was to organize the response of the TVSSC in advance of the upcoming LSST Observing Strategy call for white papers, which is scheduled for late June.

The annual SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation conference took place in Austin, TX from June 10-15. LSST was well-represented with more than 35 posters, presentations, and invited talks highlighting LSST construction progress.

LSST@Europe3 wrapped up in Lyon on June 15. The meeting gathered approximately 150 participants for 5 days of talks, tours, and informal opportunities for networking between members of the LSST Project and the European science community. Recordings of many of the talks are available at https://webcast.in2p3.fr/live/lsst-europe3

The first lift of the Surrogate Primary/Tertiary (M1M3) Mirror was successfully achieved at vendor CAID Industries in Tucson on June 7; the event was a major milestone for the M1M3 Team and the Project. The active support system for M1M3, which will be engaged whenever the telescope is observing, will lift the glass mirror off the static supports (which are mounted on the cell deckplate) using 156 pneumatic figure control actuators. This photo, taken during the Surrogate Mirror lift, shows the small but significant gap between the static supports and the backing plates (which are mounted on the Surrogate Mirror).

New construction photos from the Summit Facility building on Cerro Pachón are now available in the LSST Gallery.

Did you know you can order clothing items featuring the LSST logo at Land’s End? Use this link to browse and place your order.

UPCOMING MEETINGS with LSST INVOLVEMENT

(those with asterisk* are LSSTC funded):

NOTICIAS DEL PROYECTO Y CIENTIFICAS

La fecha límite para inscribirse en el LSST 2018 es el 9 de Julio. Esté atento a la agenda preliminar de la reunión, que pronto estará disponible.

El Taller de Preparación del Estudio de Propuestas de Estrategias de la Colaboración Científica Estelar Transitoria y Variable (TVSSC) tuvo lugar en Bethlehem, Pensilvania, del 4 al 8 de Junio. El objetivo de esta reunión fue organizar una respuesta anticipada del TVSSC para la próxima convocatoria de documentos técnicos de LSST, la cual está programada para fines de Junio.

La conferencia anual de Telescopios e Instrumentos Astronómicos SPIE se llevó a cabo en Austin, Texas, del 10 al 15 de Junio. LSST estuvo bien representado con más de 35 carteles, presentaciones y charlas invitadas que destacaron el progreso de la construcción de LSST.

El LSST@Europe3 concluyó en Lyon el 15 de Junio. La reunión congregó aproximadamente a 150 participantes durante 5 días, de charlas, visitas y oportunidades informales para establecer contactos entre los miembros del Proyecto LSST y la comunidad científica Europea. Grabaciones de muchas de las charlas están disponibles en https://webcast.in2p3.fr/live/lsst-europe3

El primer izaje del  espejo Sustituto Primario/Terciario (M1M3) se logró con éxito con el proveedor CAID Industries en Tucson el 7 de Junio; el evento fue un hito importante para el Equipo M1M3 y el Proyecto. El sistema de soporte activo para el M1M3, que se activará siempre que el telescopio esté observando, izara el espejo de vidrio de los soportes estáticos (que están montados en la placa de la cubierta de la celda) utilizando 156 actuadores neumáticos de control de figuras. Esta foto, tomada durante el izaje del espejo sustituto, muestra el pequeño pero significativo espacio entre los soportes estáticos y las placas de respaldo (que están montadas en el espejo sustituto).

Las nuevas fotos de la construcción del edificio Summit Facility en Cerro Pachón están ahora disponibles en la Galería LSST.

¿Sabías que puedes pedir prendas con el logotipo de LSST en Land's End? Use este enlace para navegar y hacer su pedido.

PRÓXIMAS REUNIONES con LA PARTICIPACIÓN DE LSST

(aquellas con asterisco * son financiados por LSSTC):

PROJECT & SCIENCE NEWS - Noticias del Proyecto & Científicas

Cast your votes now for sessions at LSST 2018; voting closes tomorrow, June 6.

LSST will be hosting Booth #614 at the SPIE conference in Austin June 11-15. If you’re attending the conference, please stop by.

The 4th version of the LSST overview paper, “LSST: From Science Drivers to Reference Design and Anticipated Data Products,” was submitted to arXiv on May 25. Since its first submission 10 years ago, the paper has grown from 29 to 57 pages, and the author list has increased from 93 to 313.

LSST is featured in a recent article in Universe Today titled, “What are the Chances that the Next Generation LSST Could Find New Planets in our Solar System?”

A time-lapse video of the Telescope Mount Assembly (TMA) effort at the Asturfeito factory in Spain is now available in the LSST Gallery.*

A Commissioning Science Validation Bootcamp took place in Tucson May 29-June 1. The purpose of the exercise was to familiarize participants with the LSST Data Management (DM) software stack and associated tools that will support science validation activities during Commissioning. The meeting, which had approximately 20 participants from across the project, generated useful feedback from both a Commissioning and a Data Management perspective. View a group photo in the LSST Gallery.*

The LSST Data Management Leadership Team (DMLT) held a productive face-to-face meeting at University of Washington on May 22-24. A group photo taken at the meeting is available in the LSST Gallery.*

*Webdam, the company that hosts the LSST Gallery, has updated its system to comply with the recently enacted European Union General Data Protection Regulation. As a result, the next time you visit the LSST Gallery you may be redirected to a Webdam Privacy Policy and Cookie Consent page (a one-time occurance) to make privacy selections before you can access the Gallery. More details can be found at this link.

PERSONNEL NEWS

The LSST Corporation is pleased to announce that Jennifer (Jeno) Sokoloski began employment on May 29 as their Director for Science. Jeno comes to LSST Corp from Columbia University, where she performs multi-wavelength observations of interacting binary stars and stellar transients as a Research Scientist at Columbia’s Astrophysics Laboratory. Jeno brings her scientific background in astronomy and physics, as well as her experience as President of the non-profit American Association of Variable Star Observers, to this position. She will be an integral member of the LSST Corporation’s development effort in support of its mission and vision.

UPCOMING MEETINGS with LSST INVOLVEMENT

(those with asterisk* are LSSTC funded):

NOTICIAS DEL PROYECTO & CIENTÍFICAS

Vota ahora Cast your votes  para sesiones de LSST 2018; la votación se cierra mañana, 6 de junio. 

LSST acogerá el Stand #614 en la conferencia SPIE en Austin, TX, el 11-15 de junio. Si va a asistir a la conferencia, por favor visítenos. 

La cuarta versión del documento general de LSST, "LSST: From Science Drivers to Reference Design and Anticipated Data Products," se presentó a arXiv el 25 de mayo. Desde su primera presentación hace 10 años, el papel ha crecido de 29 a 57 páginas y la lista de autores ha aumentado de 93 a 313. 

LSST aparece en un artículo reciente en Universe Today titulado "What are the Chances that the Next Generation LSST Could Find New Planets in our Solar System?" 

Un Campamento de Validación Científica de Puesta en Marcha tomó lugar en Tucson, del 29 de mayo al 1 de junio. El propósito del ejercicio era familiarizar a los participantes con la pila de software de Gestión de Datos de LSST (DM) y herramientas asociadas que servirán de apoyo a la ciencia durante la puesta en marcha de las actividades de validación. La reunión, que tuvo aproximadamente 20 participantes de todo el proyecto, generó una retroalimentación útil tanto desde una perspectiva de la puesta en marcha y de la Gestión de Datos. Ver una foto de grupo en LSST Gallery.*

El Equipo de Liderazgo de Gestión de Datos de LSST (DMLT) celebró una productiva reunión cara-a-cara en la Universidad de Washington en mayo 22-24. Una foto de grupo tomada en la reunión está disponible en LSST Gallery.*

Un video time-lapse video del esfuerzo del Montaje del Telescopio (TMA) en la fábrica Asturfeito en España ya está disponible en la Galería LSST.* 

* Webdam, la empresa que aloja la LSST Gallery, ha actualizado su sistema para cumplir con la recientemente promulgada European Union General Data Protection Regulation. Como resultado, la próxima vez que visite la Galería LSST puede ser redirigido a una página de consentimiento de la Política de Privacidad y Cookies de Webdam (una ocurrencia) para realizar selecciones de privacidad antes de acceder a la galería. Se pueden encontrar más detalles en este enlace at this link.

NOTICIAS DE PERSONAL

La Corporación LSST se complace en anunciar que Jennifer (Jeno) Sokoloski comenzó el 29 de mayo su empleo como Director de Ciencia. Jeno viene a LSST Corp, de la Universidad de Columbia, donde realiza observaciones de varias longitudes de onda de estrellas binarias interactuantes y  estelares fugaces como Investigadora Científico del Laboratorio de Astrofísica en la Universidad de Columbia. Jeno aporta sus conocimientos científicos en astronomía y física, así como su experiencia como Presidente de la organización sin fines de lucro de la Asociación Americana de Observadores de Estrellas Variables, a este puesto. Ella será un miembro integral de los  esfuerzos de desarrollo de la Corporación LSST en apoyo de su misión y su visión.

Próximas reuniones con participación de LSST 

(aquellos con un asterisco* son financiados por LSSTC):

universetoday.com

PROJECT & SCIENCE NEWS - Noticias del Proyecto & Científicas

Don’t forget to register for LSST 2018 using this link. The deadline for registration is July 9.

LSST was mentioned in a recent article by Ellen Meyer (UMBC) about the future of astronomy and data, originally published in The Conversation and re-printed in the San Francisco Chronicle and at Smithsonian.com.

In Spain, a reception was held at the factory of LSST vendor Asturfeito on May 14 to acknowledge the significance of the work completed on the Telescope Mount Assembly (TMA). Approximately 200 people attended, including local government officials and industry dignitaries. A news article describing the event can be found here.

Installation of the first summit network equipment took place on Cerro Pachón at the beginning of May. After readying the summit computer room, which included ensuring the space was appropriately clean and temperature-controlled, the IT team began installing servers in this space, which will serve as the central hub of communications on Cerro Pachón. Read more about the installation in this recent news post.

in Tucson, preparations are underway for the assembly and testing of the calibration equipment that will be mounted on the Auxiliary Telescope (AT) in order to measure atmospheric transmission during LSST operations. In early May, the cryostat and associated peripherals arrived at the Project Office workshop in Tucson. The cryostat contains the sensor that will be used to image spectra from the AT’s spectrograph, cooling it to a temperature of -100 degrees Celsius (-150 F) Read more details in this news post.

New photos showing construction progress on the Summit Facility on Cerro Pachón are now available in the LSST Gallery.

Did you know you can order clothing items featuring the LSST logo at Land’s End? Use this link to browse and place your order.

PERSONNEL NEWS

Dr. Leanne Guy joined LSST on May 14 as the Data Management (DM) Subsystem Scientist. In this role, Leanne will ensure DM initiatives provide solutions that meet the overall LSST science goals by leading the definition and understanding of these goals and communicating them to the DM engineering team. Leanne will also be a member of the Change Control Board and the Project Science Team.

New employment opportunities with LSST are now open for applications: Senior Optics Lead (Tucson/Chile), Electronics Engineer (Chile), and EPO Senior Software Engineer (Tucson). These and other open positions with LSST can be found at this link.

UPCOMING MEETINGS with LSST INVOLVEMENT

(those with asterisk* are LSSTC funded):

Noticias del Proyecto & Científicas

No olvide registrarse para LSST 2018 utilizando este enlace this link. La fecha límite de inscripción es el 9 de julio.

LSST fue mencionado en un artículo reciente por Ellen Meyer (UMBC) sobre el futuro de la astronomía y datos, publicado originalmente en The Conversation y re-impreso en el San Francisco Chronicle y en Smithsonian.com.

En España, hubo una recepción en la fábrica del proveedor de LSST Asturfeito el 14 de mayo para reconocer la importancia de la labor realizada en el Montaje del Telescopio (TMA). Asistieron aproximadamente 200 personas, incluyendo funcionarios del gobierno local y personalidades de la industria. Un artículo de noticias describiendo el evento puede ser encontrado aquí.

La instalación de los primeros equipos de red en la montaña tomó lugar en Cerro Pachón a principios de mayo. Después de la preparación de la sala de computadores, la que incluyo la aseguración de que el espacio estuviese apropiadamente limpio y a temperatura controlada, el equipo de Informática empezó a instalar los servidores en este espacio, que servirá como el centro de comunicaciones en Cerro Pachón. Lea más acerca de la instalación en this recent news post.

En Tucson, se están realizando preparativos para el ensamblaje y el ensayo del equipo de calibración que será montado en el Telescopio Auxiliar (TA) para medir la transmisión atmosférica durante las operaciones de LSST. A principios de mayo, el criostato y periféricos asociados llegaron al taller de la Oficina del Proyecto en Tucson. El criostato contiene el sensor que se utilizarán para hacer una imagen del espectro en el espectrógrafo el TA, enfriándolo a una temperatura de -100 grados Celsius (-150 F) Leer más detalles en in this news post.

Nuevas fotos mostrando el progreso de la construcción en las Instalaciones de la Cumbre en Cerro Pachón están disponibles ahora en LSST Gallery.

¿Sabía usted que puede ordenar artículos de ropa con el logotipo LSST en Land's End? Utilice este enlace this link para navegar y realizar su pedido.

Noticias de Personal

La Dra. Leanne Guy se unió a LSST el 14 de mayo como científico del subsistema de Gestión de Datos (DM). En este rol, Leanne garantizará que las iniciativas de DM proporcionaran soluciones que satisfagan los objetivos generales de la ciencia con LSST dirigiendo la definición y comprensión de estos objetivos y comunicarlos al equipo de ingeniería de DM. Leanne también será un miembro de la Junta de Control de Cambios y del Equipo Científico del Proyecto.

Nuevas oportunidades de empleo con LSST están ahora disponibles para postular: Senior Optics Lead (Tucson/Chile), Ingeniero Electrónico (Chile), y Ingeniero Software Senior para EPO (Tucson). Estos y otros puestos disponibles con LSST pueden encontrarse en este enlace this link.

Próximas reuniones con participación de LSST 

(aquellos con un asterisco* son financiados por LSSTC):

May 21, 2018 - The Auxiliary Telescope for LSST has arrived safely on the summit of Cerro Pachon, and its heaviest parts have been lifted into its enclosure building by crane. Meanwhile, in Tucson, preparations are being made for the assembly and testing of the calibration equipment that will be mounted on the Auxiliary Telescope (AT) in order to measure atmospheric transmission during LSST operations (as described in this recent news item). In early May, twenty-three shipping boxes containing the cryostat and associated peripherals arrived at the Project Office workshop in Tucson. The cryostat contains the sensor that will be used to image spectra from the AT’s spectrograph. The spectrograph is also being built in Tucson and is scheduled to arrive at the Project Office workshop soon.

A team led by Telescope and Site Calibration Hardware Scientist Patrick Ingraham is currently testing the cryostat system, and successfully imaged a 1951 US Air Force resolution test chart to demonstrate the cryostat and sensor survived shipping. The cryostat is a Telescope and Site deliverable that was constructed in Boston, capitalizing on the expertise of individuals from several institutions. Dr. Chris Stubbs, Harvard physics professor and current member of the LSST Project Science Team, is the Principal Investigator for the cryostat system. Project manager Kirk Gilmore and software scientist Tony Johnson from SLAC are currently in Tucson preparing the system for integration with the spectrograph instrument.

Inside the cryostat is a sophisticated 4K x 4K detector that has a cutting-edge, highly-segmented design which allows it to read out data from a light source in less than 2 seconds. Additionally, the detector is thicker than previous versions, making it very sensitive to red photons and allowing it to detect light in the near-infrared spectrum.

The cryostat, which works like a big, double-walled thermos, insulates the detector and the cooling system inside the cryostat keeps the area around the detector at about -100 degrees Celsius (-150 F). The extreme cooling reduces heat-caused noise that could limit the sensitivity of the detector. The low pressure in the cryostat also prevents condensation from forming on the detector.

When the spectrograph arrives it will be attached to the detector, allowing for full calibration of the system using a spot plate and telescope simulator, which imitates what one would see when observing light from a star. The detector will record the light, and display the image data on a computer screen for the team to analyze.

The cryostat and spectrograph will be shipped from Tucson to Chile at the end of 2018. When the full system arrives on Cerro Pachon, it will be assembled on the bottom floor of the AT enclosure for testing, and then mounted on the Auxiliary Telescope in time for the AT’s engineering first light, which is currently scheduled for early 2019.
 

May 14, 2018 - A major milestone has been reported from Cerro Pachón: installation of the first summit network equipment took place at the beginning of May. After readying the summit computer room, which included ensuring the space was appropriately clean and temperature-controlled, the IT team began installing servers in this space, which will serve as the central hub of communications on Cerro Pachón.

Eventually the racks in the summit computer room will be filled with switches that enable communication between the various telescope systems on the summit. The racks will also contain the equipment to light up the network connecting the summit with the base facility in La Serena and beyond, as described in this recent news post.

The team also installed a temporary network connection for internet, email, and phones on the summit. Congratulations to everyone who helped with this achievement, especially Sammy Flores, IT Electronic Technician at CISS; Guido Maulen, IT Network Technician for LSST (featured in the photo above); Luis Corral, Network Engineer for LSST; and Andres Villalobos, IT Systems Engineer for LSST.

Photos from this installation are available in the LSST Gallery.

PROJECT & SCIENCE NEWS -  Noticias del Proyecto

Registration is open for LSST 2018; register now at this link. Proposals for meeting sessions are also currently being accepted here. The deadline for submitting session topics is May 14.

Several LSST subsystem staff presented status updates and recent accomplishments on May 1 at the LSST Open House for the AURA Member Representatives Meeting in Tucson, AZ.

An LSST team spent 5 days in Spain last month conducting a thorough safety review of the Telescope Mount Assembly (TMA) at the facility of vendor Asturfeito. The group inspected the numerous safety features included in the TMA, and reviewed the procedures by which the group of vendors responsible for building the TMA (referred to as UTE) will verify that the hazard mitigations meet LSST requirements. Read more about the review in this news post.

The Education and Public Outreach (EPO) subsystem held a Citizen science workshop in April to discuss logistics surrounding the use of LSST data for Citizen Science projects. EPO team members were joined by key representatives from LSST Data Management, as well as leadership personnel from Zooniverse, EPO’s citizen science platform partner. The face-to-face meeting proved very productive in making preliminary decisions and establishing next steps.

LSST’s Auxiliary Telescope (AT) arrived on the Summit of Cerro Pachón at the end of April, and its heaviest components have now been lifted by crane into the Ash Dome on calibration hill. The AT left Tucson in early March, traveling by truck to Houston, by ship to San Antonio, Chile, and again by truck to Cerro Pachón. A photo of the AT in its enclosure is available in the LSST Gallery.

A team from the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) worked in Chile last week, installing security and servers which will soon bring LSST’s initial services online. This infrastructure, the first of NCSA's equipment ever to be placed outside of the United States, is being built in preparation for the LSST Base Facility Data Center. Photos are available in the LSST Gallery.

Did you know you can order clothing items featuring the LSST logo at Land’s End? Use this link to browse and place your order.

PERSONNEL NEWS

Mario Rivera joined the Telescope & Site subsystem on May 2 as Mechanical Integration Engineer in Chile. Mario will assist with and coordinate activities at the LSST summit site for the telescope assembly, integration and verification (AIV) as subsystems are delivered and integrated, including the Auxiliary Telescope and the Coating Chamber.

Ian Ordenes joined the Telescope & Site subsystem on May 2 as Senior Electronic Technician in Chile. In this role, Ian will perform various tasks related to electronics implementation, support, and tests on the summit, including the electronic lab, control of the platform lift, the Auxiliary Telescope electronic system, and the Primary/Tertiary Mirror (M1M3) electronic support system.

UPCOMING MEETINGS with LSST INVOLVEMENT

(those with asterisk* are LSSTC funded):

NOTICIAS DEL PROYECTO & CIENTÍFICAS

La inscripción está abierta para LSST 2018; Regístrese ahora en este enlace this link. Propuestas para sesiones de reunión también están siendo actualmente aceptadas aquí here. El plazo para la presentación de temas de sesiones es el 14 de mayo.

Varios funcionarios de los subsistemas de LSST presentaron las actualizaciones de estado y logros recientes el 1 de mayo en la Open House de LSST en la Reunión de Miembros Representantes de AURA en Tucson, AZ.

Un equipo LSST pasó 5 días en España el mes pasado realizando una minuciosa revision de seguridad del Montaje del Telescopio (TMA) en el establecimiento del vendedor Asturfeito. El grupo inspeccionó las numerosas características de seguridad incluidas en el TMA y revisaron los procedimientos por los que el grupo de proveedores responsables de la construcción del TMA (también referido como UTE) verificará que las mitigaciones de riesgo cumplan con los requisitos de LSST. Lea más acerca de la revisión en esta publicación this news post. 

El subsistema de Educación y Difusión Pública (EPO) sostuvo un taller de Ciencia Ciudadana en abril, para discutir la logística en torno a la utilización de datos LSST para proyectos de Ciencia Ciudadana. A miembros del equipo de EPO se sumaron representantes clave de Gestión de Datos de LSST, así como el personal de liderazgo de Zooniverse, de la plataforma de socios de la ciencia ciudadana de EPO. La reunión cara-a-cara resultó muy productiva en la toma de decisiones preliminares y establecer los próximos pasos. 

El Telescopio Auxiliar (TA) de LSST Auxiliary Telescope (AT) llego a la cima del Cerro Pachón a finales de abril, y sus componentes más pesados han sido levantados con grúa al Ash Dome sobre la colina de calibración. El TA salió de Tucson a principios de marzo, viajando en camión a Houston, por barco a San Antonio, Chile, y nuevamente por camión a Cerro Pachón. Una foto del TA está disponible en LSST Gallery. 

Un equipo del Centro Nacional para Aplicaciones de Supercomputación (NCSA) trabajó en Chile la semana pasada, instalando seguridad y servidores que pronto traerán los servicios online iniciales de LSST. Esta infraestructura, el primer equipo de NCSA en colocarse fuera de los Estados Unidos, se está construyendo en preparación para la instalación del Base Facility Data Center de LSST . Las fotos están disponibles en LSST Gallery. 

¿Sabía usted que puede ordenar artículos de ropa con el logotipo de LSST en Land's End? Utilice este enlace this link para navegar y realizar su pedido.

Noticias de Personal

Mario Rivera se unió al subsistema de Telescopio & Sitio el 2 de mayo como Ingeniero Mecánico de Integración en Chile. Mario y ayudará a coordinar las actividades en el sitio de LSST para el montaje del telescopio, integración y verificación (AIV) a medida de que los subsistemas sean entregados e integrados, incluyendo el Telescopio Auxiliar y la Cámara de Recubrimiento.

Ian Ordenes se unió al subsistema de Telescopio & Sitio el 2 de mayo como Técnico Superior en Electrónica en Chile. En este rol, Ian realizara diversas tareas relacionadas con la implementación, asistencia electrónica y ensayos en la Cumbre, incluido el laboratorio de electrónica, el control de la plataforma de elevación, el sistema electrónico del telescopio auxiliar y el sistema de apoyo electrónico del Espejo Primario/Terciario (M1M3).

Próximas reuniones con participación de LSST 

(aquellos con un asterisco* son financiados por LSSTC):

May 4, 2018 - An LSST team spent 5 days in Spain last month conducting a thorough safety review of the Telescope Mount Assembly (TMA) at the facility of vendor Asturfeito. LSST Safety Manager Chuck Gessner, Telescope and Site Technical Manager Shawn Callahan, Senior Systems Engineer Austin Roberts, and Lead Electrical Engineer Oliver Wiecha inspected the numerous safety features included in the TMA, and reviewed the procedures by which the group of vendors responsible for building the TMA (referred to as UTE) will verify that the hazard mitigations meet LSST requirements. The team determined that although there are still actions that must be completed by the vendors before the TMA ships to Chile (currently scheduled for November 2018), everything is on track to be finished in time. At the conclusion of the review, Asturfeito and designer Empresarios Agrupados (EA) were given approval to begin Factory Acceptance Testing for the TMA.

“Back in the early design days,” says Chuck Gessner, “we used Military Standard 882 and our own personal experience working on large telescopes to help us identify and document potential hazards.” The process became an official LSST policy (LSST Hazard Analysis, or LPM-49) and was included in the design documents presented to the vendors for the TMA. The corrective measures or mitigations that were also identified to eliminate or minimize the hazards were written into the LSST/vendor contracts. Each mitigation or safety feature built into the TMA will be evaluated separately by documented test procedures during the Factory Acceptance Tests to ensure not just that it has been built, but also that it functions as intended to prevent accidents or injuries before shipment to Chile. The recent review was significant because it marked the first time many of these longstanding design elements could be inspected as physical parts of the telescope.

The TMA presents numerous safety challenges for individuals working on and around it, many of them related to the massive size of the structure. The elevation drive, for example, which will eventually move on a pre-programmed cadence, weighs approximately 151 tons. It’s critical from a safety perspective that this structure can be locked in place when people are working around the telescope. Therefore, it has giant dedicated stay-pins that can be set in place to prevent unexpected movement of the drive.

In Chile, workers will regularly need to access parts of the telescope that are far off the ground, so the TMA also includes features that allow them to do this safely. A versatile articulating boom lift (shown in the photo above) can be maneuvered into position to allow an individual to access the center section of the telescope while safely harnessed to the secure lift basket. Additionally, although not yet installed, a set of deployable platforms will be situated on top of the fixed platforms on the side of the TMA structure. These platforms can be moved towards the camera, providing stable structures for workers (who will also be wearing fall protection gear) to stand on while accessing the camera to change filters or perform maintenance on it.

The silent azimuth and elevation linear drives will operate using magnet assemblies (shown in the photo on the left below) that have been installed on the drive arcs, and the DC power to run the motors will be supplied by large capacitor banks. Mitigations related to the hazards of these capacitor banks were also inspected during the safety review; for example, the capacitor cabinets (the orange boxes in the photo below) are designed with an interlock that prevents the doors from being opened when the voltage inside the cabinets is unsafe.

These are just a few of the 149 mitigations or precautions LSST and designer EA have taken to make sure people are safe working on and around the TMA. During the Factory Acceptance Testing in the coming months all of the mitigations will be tested and verified. And in Chile, where the TMA will arrive late this year, the team of LSST safety personnel and engineers is growing as integration activities increase. Read more about LSST’s commitment to safety here, and view more photos from the recent TMA visit in the LSST Gallery.