A laser-truss based optical alignment system on LBT

Abstract

Since 2017 LBTO, in partnership with GMTO, has been developing a laser-trussed based metrology system for the active alignment of telescope main optical components to each other and to instruments. The effort has addressed needs of both organizations; LBTO with the opportunity to assess the performance of a new technological approach to telescope alignment, and the GMTO with the opportunity to prototype and field-test a system that has been identified as a crucial "missing link"in the active-optics chain between open-loop modelling and wavefront-sensing for ELT-scale telescopes. Following two years of effort the positive results so far obtained have convinced LBTO, in 2019, to commence to develop an integrated operational active-optics system based on this technological approach. A team drawn from LBTO, Steward Observatory, GMTO, the Wyant College of Optical Sciences and Mersenne Optical Consulting are currently completing the first phase of this Telescope Metrology System (TMS). This paper shall describe the system in detail and report on progress, current status, and future goals. © COPYRIGHT SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.