KMOS Updates & Photos
Bode Platform Strengthened
Hydraulic support struts have been added to the Bode platform to maintain the required height of KMOS when mounted on the Bode rig to simulate the VLT. The weight of the complete KMOS system was too much for the original platform which slowly sagged over time. This picture shows one of the four new struts deployed in front of the wire protective curtain that encloses the original platform lifting system.
Cryostat and CACOR
The cable rotator (CACOR) and the KMOS cryostat integrated together on the Bode. The next stage is to fit the electronic control system so that both can be automatically rotated without twisting the umbilical cables in-between.
Electronic Control Systems
This picture shows the electronic control systems that will rotate with the rest of KMOS.
KMOS Pick-Off Arms
A total of 24 pick-off arms will be located in the cryostat. This image shows the first 8 being fitted.
More Pick-Off Arms
Two sections each with 8 arms have been fitted in this picture. A series of extensive tests will be made to confirm the positional accuracy and obstruction avoidance.
Instrument Control Electronics (ICE)
The final two Instrument Control Electronics (ICE) cabinets have been delivered to the UK ATC from USM (the Universitaetssternwarte Muenchen at http://www.usm.uni-muenchen.de/people/wegner/kmos/de/index.php) one of our German partners in the KMOS project consortium.
24 Pick-Off Arms
The full compliment of 24 pick-off arms made by the UK ATC and 24 IFU channels (made by Durham University) have been fitted to KMOS. Light from the arms is fed via the IFUs (Integral Field Units) to three Spectrographs (made by Oxford University) located at the rear of the instrument. The patrol field of the arms is the small dark circle at the centre of the image, on to which falls the 'on-sky' view of the telescope. Collision control is paramount!
CACOR It Moves!
Engineers from the KMOS project look on as the massive cable rotator, CACOR, is rotated for the first time and are delighted when the rotator works flawlessly.
Details about the KMOS Instrument and Science Goals can be found on the KMOS project page:
Note: For people on the ROE intranet more KMOS pictures are available on the Lightbox Image Gallery system. Unfortunately if you accessing this page from off site you will not have access:
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