Control system developments for the Isaac Newton Group of telescopes

Martin Fisher; John D. Wilkes; Clive S. Amos

doi:10.1117/12.211440

8 June 1995 Control system developments for the Isaac Newton Group of telescopes

Martin Fisher, John D. Wilkes, Clive S. Amos

Proceedings Volume 2479, Telescope Control Systems; (1995) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.211440
Event: SPIE's 1995 Symposium on OE/Aerospace Sensing and Dual Use Photonics, 1995, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

A number of improvements have been made to the servo control systems of the 4.2 m William Herschel Telescope (WHT) at the Isaac Newton Group of telescopes on La Palma in the Canary Islands. The successful upgrading of both the Cassegrain and prime focus rotators to meet more stringent science and engineering requirements is described. Simulation (using Matlab^R and Simulink^R) of a model reference adaptive controller to improve azimuth tracking in the presence of torque disturbances is presented together with some preliminary results and a discussion of the way forward. Further enhancements to the WHT's subsystems are also discussed. The smaller 2.5 m Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) and the 1 m Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope (JKT) are also being considered for major improvements to their drives and encoders. Studies are being carried out to determine the requirements and appropriate goals of such improvements and whether modern control approaches can offer cost-effective solutions with minimal re-engineering work. The current performance, generally pointing and tracking, of these telescopes is presented and the subsystems which limit performance are examined; these may be drives, encoders, mirror supports, and structural components. A range of solutions is considered and the technical proposals developed so far are discussed.

Citation Download Citation

Martin Fisher, John D. Wilkes, and Clive S. Amos "Control system developments for the Isaac Newton Group of telescopes", Proc. SPIE 2479, Telescope Control Systems, (8 June 1995); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.211440

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