Download LOFT_group_developme.. - LOFT, Large Optics Fabrication and

The LOFT group
Where we
are going
Who we are
?
Where we
came from
Large Optics Fabrication
and Testing
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In the Beginning
1997: Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences
The students were hungry for new challenges:
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U of A
Telescopes
Large Binocular 2 x 8.4m Telescope
Mt. Graham AZ
MMT 6.5m
Mt. Hopkins AZ
Bok 90-in Telescope
Kitt Peak, AZ
Magellan twin 6.5m Telescopes
Las Campanas, Chile
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For a while, we were LOST
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Some big Fab and Test projects
2-m convex reference
1.4-m convex off-axis aspheric
1.6-m flat
4.3-m primary mirror for Discovery Channel Telescope
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LOFT Evolution
2005
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LOFT Evolution
2006
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LOFT Evolution
2007
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LOFT Evolution
2008
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LOFT Evolution
2009
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LOFT Evolution
2010
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LOFT Evolution 2011
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LOFT Evolution
2012
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Current Projects
• Large Optics Fabrication and Testing for New
Telescopes
• Advanced measurement technologies
• Superpolishing techniques
• Optomechanical Engineering
• Computer modeling
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The Giant Magellan Telescope
Site in Chile
2021 first light
J. H. Burge University of
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GMT Design
36 meters high, 25.3 meters across
25-m Primary mirror (f/0.7)
3.2-m segmented secondary mirror
corrects for PM position errors
deformable mirror for adaptive optics
Alt-Az structure
~1000 tons moving mass
21.3 m azimuth disk
21 m elevation C-ring
Steel + CFRP secondary support
Instruments mount below primary at
the Gregorian focus
Large Synoptic Survey Telescope
8.4-m aperture
Uses three-mirror design to attain
3.5° field of view
15-sec exposures to survey the sky
30TB of data per night!
Site in Chile
Advanced Technology
Solar Telescope
Site is Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii
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10-m Hobby Eberly Telescope
4-mirror Wide Field Corrector
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Looking Forward
• Continue to develop and apply new technologies
– Maintain preeminent position in the field of Large Optics
– Provide mirrors and instruments for large telescopes
• Diversify! Use our strength to take leadership roles in
other areas
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Freeform aspherics
Adaptive Optics
Flexible software
Optomechanical engineering
??? What can you add ???
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Our keys to success!
•
•
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Maintain lots of activity and interaction
Create new ideas
Use funded projects to test new ideas
Work with professional staff to turn ideas
into capabilities
• Use new capabilities to win new projects
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Your challenges
•
•
•
•
Maintain lots of activity and interaction
Create new ideas
Use funded projects to test new ideas
Work with professional staff to turn ideas into
capabilities
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Your reward
• Solid engineering skills
– Technical: Analysis, modeling, practical skills
– Communications: writing, presenting, working with a team
– Work habits: productivity
• Well-developed creativity
– Generate new ideas
– Sift them efficiently
• Love your work! (and get paid well for it too.)
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