Luzius Kronig
Papers
9
Total Citations
270
H-Index
6
About
Luzius Kronig is a robotics and instrumentation engineer whose work sits at the fascinating intersection of precision mechanics and observational astronomy. He is best known for his pioneering contributions to robotic fiber positioner systems — miniature SCARA robots that autonomously reposition optical fibers in the focal planes of large telescopes, enabling simultaneous spectroscopic observation of thousands of celestial objects. His most celebrated achievement is his role in developing the robotic focal plane system for the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), which deploys 5020 fiber-positioning robots on the Mayall Telescope at Kitt Peak, reconfiguring targets every 10–20 minutes with micron-level precision — a paper that has garnered 175 citations since 2022. Kronig has also made substantial contributions to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey V (SDSS-V), designing and refining positioner hardware, control algorithms, and optical calibration procedures for its all-sky survey of over six million objects. Earlier in his career, he explored spacecraft robotics, proposing microsatellite solutions for active space debris removal. Across all his work, Kronig has proven essential to transforming ambitious astronomical survey science into precise, deployable engineering reality.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 2High density fiber postitioner system for massive spectroscopic surveys25 citations · 2018
- 3A robotic Focal Plane System (FPS) for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey V23 citations · 2020
- 4Uncooperative Rendezvous and Docking for MicroSats16 citations · 2013
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