Technological Aspects of Creating Large-size Optical Telescopes

Abstract

A concept of the telescope creation, first of all, depends both on a choice of the optical scheme to form optical radiation and images with minimum losses of energy and information and on a choice of design to meet requirements for strength, stiffness, and stabilization characteristics in real telescope operation conditions. Thus, the concept of creating large-size telescopes, certainly, involves the use of adaptive optics methods and means.The level of technological capabilities to realize scientific and engineering ideas define a successful development of large-size optical telescopes in many respects. All developers pursue the same aim that is to raise an amount of information by increasing a main mirror diameter of the telescope.The article analyses the adaptive telescope designs developed in our country. Using a domestic ACT-25 telescope as an example, it considers creation of large-size optical telescopes in terms of technological aspects. It also describes the telescope creation concept features, which allow reaching marginally possible characteristics to ensure maximum amount of information.The article compares a wide range of large-size telescopes projects. It shows that a domestic project to create the adaptive ACT-25 super-telescope surpasses its foreign counterparts, and there is no sense to implement Euro50 (50m) and OWL (100m) projects.The considered material gives clear understanding on a role of technological aspects in development of such complicated optic-electronic complexes as a large-size optical telescope. The technological criteria of an assessment offered in the article, namely specific informational content of the telescope, its specific mass, and specific cost allow us to reveal weaknesses in the project development and define a reserve regarding further improvement of the telescope.The analysis of results and their judgment have shown that improvement of optical largesize telescopes in terms of their maximum informational content should be provided by improving technologies based on the optimal engineering solutions. Experience of former developments shows that they could be found by the following ways:- eliminating amount of distorting factors;- minimizing influence of distorting factors, by using the adaptive optics methods and means as well;- aligning effects, caused by various factors, owing to redistribution of tolerances.The scientific and technical information stated in this article, conclusions, and advices can be useful when developing perspective projects of optical telescopes.

Keywords

• large optical telescopes
• informativeness criterion
• adaptive optical systems
• the distorting factors