Status of the SALTO demonstrator: project overview and first on-sky operations

G. Orban de Xivry; J. Paul; O. Absil; C. Adam; P. Albart; C. Bastin; A. Boulanger; J. de Ville; E. Gabriel; L. Méant; V. Moreau; S. Orban; P. Remacle; F. Languy; M. Georges; J.-F. Vandenrijt; G. Millou; C. Nigot; V. Caramia

doi:10.1117/12.2627936

29 August 2022 Status of the SALTO demonstrator: project overview and first on-sky operations

G. Orban de Xivry, J. Paul, O. Absil, C. Adam, P. Albart, C. Bastin, A. Boulanger, J. de Ville, E. Gabriel, L. Méant, V. Moreau, S. Orban, P. Remacle, F. Languy, M. Georges, J.-F. Vandenrijt, G. Millou, C. Nigot, V. Caramia

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 12185, Adaptive Optics Systems VIII; 1218534 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2627936
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2022, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Abstract

The Salto demonstrator is a complete 1-m class telescope with a single-conjugated Rayleigh laser guide star adaptive optics (AO) system. The project aims to benchmark robust AO operations for astronomy giving an opportunity to upgrade medium size telescopes (1-4 m diameter) around the world and boost their scientific yield. But it is also a benchmark for optical communications and space debris tracking under mediocre seeing conditions, far worse than astronomical standards. Indeed, the foreseen location of the telescope is at the premises of Redu Space Services in the Belgian countryside. In our contribution, we review the overall design of the AO instrument from the optical definition to the real-time computer implementation. We discuss the integration, the calibration, and operational aspects of the instrument. Finally, we present the successful first on-sky operations, reaching the diffraction limit at 1.55μm under 2-3” seeing.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

G. Orban de Xivry, J. Paul, O. Absil, C. Adam, P. Albart, C. Bastin, A. Boulanger, J. de Ville, E. Gabriel, L. Méant, V. Moreau, S. Orban, P. Remacle, F. Languy, M. Georges, J.-F. Vandenrijt, G. Millou, C. Nigot, and V. Caramia "Status of the SALTO demonstrator: project overview and first on-sky operations", Proc. SPIE 12185, Adaptive Optics Systems VIII, 1218534 (29 August 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2627936

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