Astronomy
AstronomyIn order to achieve the very high resolution needed to observe distant astronomical objects, mirrors of large astronomy telescopes must maintain their shape in all circumstances, despite continuously changing orientations and temperatures. To achieve that goal, mirrors are usually very thick making them expensive, heavy and leading to very strong/stiff mechanical structures to support them. Nowadays, telescope manufacturers favor thinner/lightweight mirrors that are equipped with a network of mirror shaping actuators to compensate for their insufficient stiffness, to constantly maintain the reflecting surface of the mirror in as perfect a condition as possible.
What we do
- Design and manufacturing of mirror shaping actuators based on very stringent customer specifications (force range & accuracy, power dissipation, parasitic stiffness etc.)
- Calibration of mirror shaping actuators
advantages
- Integrated know-how (Mechanics, Embedded Electronics, Real-time software)
- Development of dedicated sensors and actuators with conditioning and driving electronics
- Mechanism qualification (i.e. performance, temperature, vibration testing)
USE CASES
DKIST solar telescope
The Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) is the world’slargest solar telescope.
The design and manufacturing of its 4.2m diameter primary mirror and its surrounding cell has been awarded to the company AMOS.
As a subcontractor to AMOS, Micromega has designed and manufactured the 142 hydraulic and pneumatic actuators that continuously correct the shape of the thin primary mirror to an accuracy better than 45 nm RMS.
The cell was integrated and tested in the telescope in 2017. In January 2020, the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope unveiled the most detailed images ever taken of the surface of our sun.
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