Hexapod-Telescope

Engineers of the company Vertex developed in collaboration with astronomers from the Astronomical Institute ( AIRUB ) at the Ruhr - University Bochum, a concept for a completely new telescope design, the Hexapod Telescope ( HPT).

Instead of the classical two -axis mirror assembly of the six variable in length legs ( hexapod ) is supported here. This arrangement with hexapod mount allowing movement of the telescope in all six degrees of freedom of the space. Due to the parallel structure, all six legs engage the support platform of the mirror, to achieve a high degree of structural rigidity hexapod. This results in addition to a high ratio of lifting dead weight to a very high precision in the positioning accuracy and repeatability. These two advantages of this approach was chosen, although for use as a telescopic orientation of the mirror is only required in two axes and the controller of the hexapod of a multiple complex.

Under the direction of Prof. Dr. Rolf Chini HPT has undergone extensive testing in Bochum. In 2006, it was moved to its new location, the Cerro Armazones in the Atacama Desert in Chile. The AIRUB builds up there with the Astronomical Institute of the University of Antofagasta ( Instituto de Astronomía de la Universidad Católica del Norte) on its own observatory. For the HPT own control building was built.

For the HPT the AIRUB developed together with the Heidelberg State Observatory king chair a spectrograph called BESO. He is a copy of the FEROS spectrograph, which is operated very successfully from the European Southern Observatory ( ESO).