DRAGON-NG: a configurable and capable AO test-bench

Nazim A. Bharmal; Urban Bitenc; David G. Bramall; Nigel A. Dipper; Cornelis M. Dubbeldam; Andrew P. Reeves; Colin Dunlop; Stephen Rolt; Eddy J. Younger; Richard M. Myers

doi:10.1117/12.2231694

27 July 2016 DRAGON-NG: a configurable and capable AO test-bench

Nazim A. Bharmal, Urban Bitenc, David G. Bramall, Nigel A. Dipper, Cornelis M. Dubbeldam, Andrew P. Reeves, Colin Dunlop, Stephen Rolt, Eddy J. Younger, Richard M. Myers

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9909, Adaptive Optics Systems V; 99094B (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2231694
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2016, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Abstract

An astronomical adaptive optics test-bench, designed to replicate the conditions of a 4 m-class telescope, is presented. Named DRAGON-Next Generation, it is constructed primarily from commercial off-the-shelf components with minimal customization (approximately a 90:10 ratio). This permits an optical design which is modular and this leads to a reconfigurability. DRAGON-NG has been designed for operation for the following modes: (high-order) SCAO, (twin-DM) MOAO, and (twin-DM) MCAO. It is capable of open-loop or closed-loop operation, with (3) natural and (3) laser guide-star emulation at loop rates of up to 200Hz. Field angles of up-to 2.4 arcmin (4m pupil emulation) can pass through the system. The design is dioptric and permits long cable runs to a compact real-time control system which is on-sky compatible. Therefore experimental validation can be carried out on DRAGON-NG before transferring to an on-sky system, which is a significant risk mitigation.

Citation Download Citation

Nazim A. Bharmal, Urban Bitenc, David G. Bramall, Nigel A. Dipper, Cornelis M. Dubbeldam, Andrew P. Reeves, Colin Dunlop, Stephen Rolt, Eddy J. Younger, and Richard M. Myers "DRAGON-NG: a configurable and capable AO test-bench", Proc. SPIE 9909, Adaptive Optics Systems V, 99094B (27 July 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2231694

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