the loft group
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The LOFT group. Where we are going. Who we are. ?. Where we came from. Large Optics Fabrication and Testing. In the Beginning. 1997: Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences The students were hungry for new challenges:. U of A Telescopes. Large Binocular 2 x 8.4m Telescope Mt. Graham AZ. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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The LOFT group
Who we are
Where we came from
Where we are going
Large Optics Fabrication and Testing
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In the Beginning1997: Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences
The students were hungry for new challenges:
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U of A Telescopes
Bok 90-in TelescopeKitt Peak, AZ
MMT 6.5m Mt. Hopkins AZ
Magellan twin 6.5m TelescopesLas Campanas, Chile
Large Binocular 2 x 8.4m TelescopeMt. Graham AZ
For a while, we were LOST
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Some big Fab and Test projects
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2-m convex reference
1.4-m convex off-axis aspheric
1.6-m flat
4.3-m primary mirror for Discovery Channel Telescope
LOFT Evolution
2005
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LOFT Evolution
2006
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LOFT Evolution
2007
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LOFT Evolution2008
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LOFT Evolution
2009
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LOFT Evolution
2010
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LOFT Evolution 2011
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LOFT Evolution
2012
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Current Projects
• Large Optics Fabrication and Testing for New Telescopes
• Advanced measurement technologies• Superpolishing techniques• Optomechanical Engineering• Computer modeling
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J. H. Burge University of Arizona
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The Giant Magellan Telescope
Site in Chile2021 first light
GMT Design36 meters high, 25.3 meters across
25-m Primary mirror (f/0.7)
3.2-m segmented secondary mirrorcorrects for PM position errorsdeformable mirror for adaptive optics
Alt-Az structure~1000 tons moving mass21.3 m azimuth disk21 m elevation C-ring
Steel + CFRP secondary support
Instruments mount below primary at the Gregorian focus
Large Synoptic Survey Telescope
8.4-m aperture
Uses three-mirror design to attain 3.5° field of view
15-sec exposures to survey the sky
30TB of data per night!
Site in Chile
18Site is Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii
Advanced Technology Solar Telescope
10-m Hobby Eberly Telescope
4-mirror Wide Field Corrector
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Looking Forward
• Continue to develop and apply new technologies– Maintain preeminent position in the field of Large Optics– Provide mirrors and instruments for large telescopes
• Diversify! Use our strength to take leadership roles in other areas– Freeform aspherics– Adaptive Optics– Flexible software– Optomechanical engineering– ??? What can you add ???
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Our keys to success!
• Maintain lots of activity and interaction• Create new ideas• Use funded projects to test new ideas• Work with professional staff to turn ideas into
capabilities• Use new capabilities to win new projects
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Your challenges
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• Maintain lots of activity and interaction• Create new ideas• Use funded projects to test new ideas• Work with professional staff to turn ideas into
capabilities
Your reward
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• Solid engineering skills– Technical: Analysis, modeling, practical skills– Communications: writing, presenting, working with a team– Work habits: productivity
• Well-developed creativity– Generate new ideas– Sift them efficiently
• Love your work! (and get paid well for it too.)