US ELT Program: TMT Design and Development

在21世纪30年代，随着孔径在25至40米范围内的超大望远镜（ELT）的投入使用，天文学的新时代将开始。这些设施将是回答最近国家科学院天文学和天体物理学十年调查“Astro 2020”中提出的许多基本问题的关键，该调查将美国参与未来的ELT确定为地基天文学的首要任务。其中一个设施将是三十米望远镜，由TMT国际天文台（TIO）建造，首选地点在夏威夷。TMT将拥有空间分辨率（比哈勃太空望远镜清晰12倍，JWST 4.6倍）和灵敏度（使用自适应光学，比8米望远镜灵敏200倍）探测和描述最遥远和最早的星系，研究宇宙时间内恒星系统的形成，并描述系外行星的特征--最值得注意的是它们的大气层可能揭示出生命的可能特征。TMT将解决人类对宇宙本身和我们在宇宙中的位置的一些最大的问题。开发和降低风险的活动将集中在四个关键领域：1）TIO将完成M2初步设计，包括优化的被动机械支撑，M2定位器级设计与电子和控制系统，有限元分析性能模型和初步设计审查文件; 2）TIO将完成对准和定相系统的初步设计，包括性能分析、原型设计、系统工程和软件开发; 3）TIO将完成主镜控制系统组件的初步设计和原型设计，即段控制器和布线电子设备、软件和致动器; TIO将完成第三反射镜系统的初步设计，这是决定所传送图像质量的关键光学元件之一。作为该提案的一部分开发的一些关键技术将通过推进当前和未来几代天文设施所需的关键组件的技术水平，直接使美国天文学界受益。具体而言，主镜控制系统技术的进步将直接有利于任何未来的努力，使用分段镜，而与次镜系统相关的工作将进一步发展大型凸次镜的控制系统。同样，第三反射镜系统的工作将开发有利于未来任何大型望远镜项目的技术，并确保美国在该领域的领导地位。该项目将记录和公布他们的工作成果，促进其员工和合作伙伴的多样性，并使早期职业同事接触新技术，这是开发下一代望远镜和仪器制造商的关键努力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

In the 2030s a new era in astronomy will begin with the commissioning of Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs) with apertures in the 25 to 40-meter range. These facilities will be key to answering many of the fundamental questions raised in the recent National Academies decadal survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics, “Astro2020”, which identified U.S. involvement in future ELTs as its top priority for ground-based astronomy. One of these facilities will be the Thirty Meter Telescope, to be built by TMT International Observatory (TIO) and with a preferred site in Hawai’i. TMT will have the spatial resolution (12 times sharper than the Hubble Space Telescope and 4.6 times the JWST) and sensitivity (with adaptive optics, ~200 times more sensitive than 8-m telescopes) to probe and characterize the most distant and earliest galaxies, to study the formation of stellar systems across cosmic time, and to characterize exoplanets — most notably their atmospheres that may reveal possible signatures of life. TMT will address some of humanity’s biggest questions about the universe itself and our place within it. Development and risk reduction activities will be concentrated in four key areas: 1) TIO will complete M2 preliminary design, including optimized passive mechanical support, M2 positioner stage design with electronics and control system, finite-element analysis performance models and Preliminary Design review documentation; 2) TIO will complete preliminary design for the alignment and phasing system, including performance analysis, prototyping, systems engineering, and software development; 3) TIO will complete preliminary design and prototyping of components for the primary mirror control system, namely the segment controller and cabling electronics, software, and actuators; and 4) TIO will complete the preliminary design of the tertiary mirror system, one of the key optical elements that defines the quality of the delivered images. Some of the key technologies developed as part of this proposal will directly benefit the U.S. astronomical community by advancing the state of the art of critical components that will be required by the current and future generations of astronomical facilities. Specifically, advances in the primary mirror control system technology will directly benefit any future effort to use segmented mirrors, while the work related to the secondary mirror system will further the development of control systems for large convex secondary mirrors. Similarly, the tertiary mirror system work will develop technologies that will benefit any future large telescope project and ensure U.S. leadership in the field. The project will document and publish the results of their work, promote diversity in their workforce and partners, and expose early career colleagues to new technology, a key effort in developing the next generation of telescope and instrument builders.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.