Alt-Az telescope control system standardization attempt: case study of the TT1 (Toppo Telescope #1) control system

Dario Mancini; Massimo Brescia; Gianfranco Spirito

doi:10.1117/12.308834

26 May 1998 Alt-Az telescope control system standardization attempt: case study of the TT1 (Toppo Telescope #1) control system

Dario Mancini, Massimo Brescia, Gianfranco Spirito

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 3351, Telescope Control Systems III; (1998) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.308834
Event: Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation, 1998, Kona, HI, United States

Abstract

The TT1 is a 1.54 m Alt-Az telescope designed and built by the Technology Working Group of the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte, Naples, Italy. The standardization process is of course one of the fundamental requirements for telescope control system design and development, well considered in the TT1 design. In this paper we present the approach used to identify a control system applicable to medium-size Alt-Az telescope. The TT1 control system architecture is based on a distributed working flow and it is PC-based, i.e. organized in several interconnected standard PCs and standard fast communication protocol. Every PC is based on the 'dedicated processing unit' concept and it makes real time own tasks independently by other units. Also, the extremely reduced communication flow between PCs, and the internal organization based on the preference given to software rather than hardware solutions, makes its control system extremely reliable, easily reconfigurable and upgradable, obsolescence deprived and independent from any hardware choice.

Citation Download Citation

Dario Mancini, Massimo Brescia, and Gianfranco Spirito "Alt-Az telescope control system standardization attempt: case study of the TT1 (Toppo Telescope #1) control system", Proc. SPIE 3351, Telescope Control Systems III, (26 May 1998); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.308834

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