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Magellan Telescopes Observatory Report: Personnel Updates and Major Accomplishments

This report highlights the recent personnel changes at the Magellan Telescopes Observatory, including the hiring of new Instrument Specialists and Telescope Operators. Notable accomplishments include servicing M1 cell Hard-Points, actuator repairs, and advancements in software control. Ongoing work focuses on enhancing actuator systems and enclosure upgrades. Observing statistics reveal trends and equipment usage across the Baade and Clay telescopes. Addressing common problems, such as primary mirror support issues, is underway to improve operational efficiency.

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Magellan Telescopes Observatory Report: Personnel Updates and Major Accomplishments

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  1. Magellan Telescopes Observatory Report • Personnel • Accomplishments • Observing Statistics • Common Problems • Work in Progress

  2. Personnel • Jorge Bravo has been hired as a new Instrument Specialist • Victor Meriño Has been promoted to Instrument Specialist. He will begin working in the new position as soon as the new telescope Operator is trained • Mauricio Martinez has been hired as a new Telescope Operator and will begin working on September 27 • Jorge Araya has been hired as a new Telescope operator and is now in training • Felipe Sanchez has been promoted to Programmer and will begin in his new position after training the new telescope operator

  3. Accomplishments • Three M1 cell Hard-Points in Clay were removed and serviced • Work continues on the actuator air cylinder repairs • Complete service of Enclosure Trucks and Drives Both Enclosures • Designed, built and installed the LDSS-3 cable wrap and designed and install the Guider cable wrap • Installed IRMA, U of A 225 GHz and Ohio State PWV sensors

  4. The new LDSS-3 and guider wraps

  5. Accomplishments (cont.) • Iodine cell for MIKE installed on retractable arm (Dec) • Software control was implemented in July • S-H tests carried out at NASE and NASW ports to characterize collimation of M1, M2, and M3 (Dec, Jan, Mar) • Adjustments of M3 tilt made in March and later have significantly decreased focal plane tilt • Testing continues as weather and time permit

  6. Accomplishments (cont.) • Plan developed for long-term systems administration • Internet access will be through CTIO (instead of the Chilean telephone company) • The transition to CTIO system administration is underway • El Pino and LCO network and fiber backbone upgrades are underway • All new computer installations are being done by CTIO

  7. Observing Statistics BaadeTelescope Instrumentation Usage:

  8. Observing Statistics Clay Telescope Instrumentation Usage:

  9. Observing Statistics Baade + Clay Telescopes Instrumentation Usage:

  10. Long-Term Trends: Instrument Usage May 2001 through Apr 2005

  11. Observing Statistics 12 Apr-14 Sep 2005:

  12. Observing Statistics Instrument Downtime:

  13. Long-Term Trends

  14. Most Common Problems: Telescopes • Primary mirror support (mirror panics, faulty actuators, hard point actuators) • Campaign underway to seal air cylinders in actuators; redesign of actuator electronics cards in progress;~50% of all time lost on both telescopes is due to these problems (but improvement is being seen) • Leaking hard point breakaway seals cause primary mirror crashes • Faulty connector on Hard Point #2 LVDT sensor

  15. Hard Point #6 in Clay cell

  16. Hard-point Breakaway Assembly Hard Point Breakaway Cylinder

  17. Problems and Failures Enclosures • Shutter structure on Clay is scheduled for the October and November Engineering runs • Enclosure Truck Bearing failures • Louver seals • Wind Screen & Moon Roof drives • Rotating interface seal

  18. Bearing failure on Baade enclosure truck

  19. Work in Progress • Telescopes • Actuator leak repair • Hard-point breakaway leak repairs • New actuator control cards • New PWM amps on rotators (on hold) • M1 thermal control mixing valves

  20. Work in Progress • Enclosures • Louver seals • Enclosure Truck bearing failures • Rotating interface seals • Windscreen & Moon roof drives • Rotating seal (Baade)

  21. Work In Progress • Software • M3 Tip-Tilt automation • Code normalization, ini files • Translate Fortran to C++ (enclosure) • Windscreen & Moon roof automation • EDS query tools • PWM Amps, Rotator guiding, servos • M1 thermo control servo

  22. Gemini Silver and Aluminum Coatings

  23. LLNL Protected Silver

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