The Vera C. Rubin's M2 support system integration and verification at the TMA

Gabriele Rodeghiero; Luca Rosignoli; Rodolfo Canestrari; Enrico Giro; Pablo Zorzi; Te-Wei Tsai; Holger Drass; Yijung Kang; Roberto Tighe; Doug Neil; Franco Colleoni; Felipe Daruich; Mostafa Lutfi; Guillem Megias Homar; Bruno C. Quint; Tiago Ribeiro; Austin Roberts; Jacques Sebag; Brian Stalder; Kevin Siruno; Malhar Sonaniskar; Kevin Fanning; Peter Ferguson; Petr Kubánek; Sandrine J. Thomas; Chuck Claver; Andy W. Clemens; Kevin Reil; Freddy Muñoz Arancibia; John Andrew; Ian E. Ordenez Jimenez; Robinson Godoy; Mario Rivera; HyeYun Park; David Sanmartim; Paulina Venegas; Karla Aubel; Alysha Shugart; Massimo Brescia; David Cabrera; David Jimenez; Carlos Morales; Angelo Fausti; Chuck J. Gessner; Russel Owen

doi:10.1117/12.3019210

11 September 2024 The Vera C. Rubin's M2 support system integration and verification at the TMA

Gabriele Rodeghiero, Luca Rosignoli, Rodolfo Canestrari, Enrico Giro, Pablo Zorzi, Te-Wei Tsai, Holger Drass, Yijung Kang, Roberto Tighe, Doug Neil, Franco Colleoni, Felipe Daruich, Mostafa Lutfi, Guillem Megias Homar, Bruno C. Quint, Tiago Ribeiro, Austin Roberts, Jacques Sebag, Brian Stalder, Kevin Siruno, Malhar Sonaniskar, Kevin Fanning, Peter Ferguson, Petr Kubánek, Sandrine J. Thomas, Chuck Claver, Andy W. Clemens, Kevin Reil, Freddy Muñoz Arancibia, John Andrew, Ian E. Ordenez Jimenez, Robinson Godoy, Mario Rivera, HyeYun Park, David Sanmartim, Paulina Venegas, Karla Aubel, Alysha Shugart, Massimo Brescia, David Cabrera, David Jimenez, Carlos Morales, Angelo Fausti, Chuck J. Gessner, Russel Owen

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 13094, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes X; 130942D (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3019210
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2024, Yokohama, Japan

Abstract

The M2 secondary mirror of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, scheduled to be commissioned on-sky in 2024, will be the first active secondary mirror of 3.5m diameter in operation. Its substantial dimensions and advanced functionalities place it in league with the secondary mirrors of the upcoming 30m class telescopes. Characterizing its performance serves as a critical step towards comprehending and controlling the optics of the next generation of Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs). This study focuses on testing and validating the M2 cell in the Observatory’s integration hall and at the Telescope Mount Assembly (TMA). We also report on the integration steps of the M2 cell onto the TMA itself, including installing the light baffle. During the testing campaign, the M2 cell is equipped with an aluminum mirror surrogate for safety reasons regarding the glass mirror. To ensure integrity when the thin glass mirror (10cm) is installed onto the telescope, the M2 support system must be actively controlled during any M2 cell movement. This prompted the development of a dedicated control system to enable closed loop mode for transporting the M2 cell with the glass mirror from the integration hall to the telescope. The tests in the integration hall were conducted with the M2 cell mounted on a rotating cart, allowing different orientations with respect to gravity as it will experience on the telescope. Upon reaching the telescope, static and dynamic tests are conducted at progressively higher telescope performance, increasing slewing speed, acceleration, and jerk. A significant novelty introduced by Rubin to astronomical instrumentation is the Verification & Validation architecture as part of the model-based Systems Engineering approach where requirements, test procedures and executions are merged into an interlaced and dynamic flow. This report presents the experimental results from the distinct test campaigns covering a wide range of M2 cell functionalities. These include characterization of actuator behavior in terms of maximum stroke and force limits, evaluation of closed-loop (active) and open-loop (passive) support system operation for the M2, system settling time and Force Balance response to different slewing speeds of the telescope.

Conference Presentation

(2024) Published by SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Citation Download Citation

Gabriele Rodeghiero, Luca Rosignoli, Rodolfo Canestrari, Enrico Giro, Pablo Zorzi, Te-Wei Tsai, Holger Drass, Yijung Kang, Roberto Tighe, Doug Neil, Franco Colleoni, Felipe Daruich, Mostafa Lutfi, Guillem Megias Homar, Bruno C. Quint, Tiago Ribeiro, Austin Roberts, Jacques Sebag, Brian Stalder, Kevin Siruno, Malhar Sonaniskar, Kevin Fanning, Peter Ferguson, Petr Kubánek, Sandrine J. Thomas, Chuck Claver, Andy W. Clemens, Kevin Reil, Freddy Muñoz Arancibia, John Andrew, Ian E. Ordenez Jimenez, Robinson Godoy, Mario Rivera, HyeYun Park, David Sanmartim, Paulina Venegas, Karla Aubel, Alysha Shugart, Massimo Brescia, David Cabrera, David Jimenez, Carlos Morales, Angelo Fausti, Chuck J. Gessner, and Russel Owen "The Vera C. Rubin's M2 support system integration and verification at the TMA", Proc. SPIE 13094, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes X, 130942D (11 September 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3019210

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