Design and construction of the moving optical systems of IRAIT

Extract

The IRAIT (International Robotic Antarctic Infrared Telescope) project (Tosti et al. 2006) is based on a 80 cm aperture telescope to observe in the infrared range. It is due to start operations in spring 2008, several months after installation in Dome C (Antarctica). We describe the contributions made to such project by the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) and the University of Granada, whose participation has been mainly focused in developing the moving optical system for the secondary (M2) and tertiary (M3) mirrors of the telescope. Moving parts of the optical system provide focusing and chopping capabilities, implemented in M2, and a rotation mechanism, implemented in M3, allow observation in either Nasmyth foci. The work package includes the design and construction of both mirrors, the mechanical supports, the electronics and the control software, all prepared to work at the low temperatures at Antarctica. A Spanish company, NTE, was contracted to carry out the design and manufacture. Tests at low temperature and integration in the telescope were finished during summer 2006, before sending the telescope to Antarctica, scheduled by the end of the same year.