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MOONS fibre positioning module: instrument build overview

Steve Watson, Raziye B. Artan, David Atkinson, Steven Beard, Martin Black, Ciaran Breen, Ian Bryson, Jose Carrera, Stefane Caseiro, Lee Chapman, Stephen Chittick, William Cochrane, Miriam Colling, O. A. González, Markus Hug, Ciaran Lawrence, Alexander K. Lay, David Montgomery, Y. Moser, Johannes Nix

Year
2022
Citations
7

Abstract

MOONS (Multi-Object Optical and Near-infrared Spectrograph) is a third-generation visible and near-infrared spectrograph for the ESO Very Large Telescope, currently nearing the end of the assembly phase. The three channel spectrograph is fed via a fibre positioning module (FPM) which configures the location of 1001 fibres. The robotic fibre positioning units (FPUs) have been jointly developed by the UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UKATC) and MPS Microsystems (MPS) and provide a high-performance multiplexed focal plane with excellent transmission characteristics. An overview of the as-built mechanisms and supporting infrastructure is presented, with details on the extensive calibration process carried out. The integration process to date will be described, including a discussion of key lessons learned.

Keywords

SpectrographTelescopeComputer scienceGalileo (satellite navigation)Process (computing)MultiplexingCardinal pointKey (lock)Transmission (telecommunications)Optical fiber

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