Newton STFC-NARIT: A telescope control system for the next generation of facilities

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We propose a collaborative project of software and hardware development towards a new telescope control system for current and new UK and Thai telescopes. In 2017 we were awarded a year of funding for the first phase of this project, which is focused around a requirements analysis and prototype of critical parts of the proposed system for benchmarking against the existing Liverpool Telescope systems. We apply here for funding to continue this project into the second phase, in which we will develop the telescope control system with the aim of deployment on the Thai National Telescope in early 2020.Thailand has a burgeoning astronomical community and an impressive array of existing infrastructure, along with an established engineering team for the support of operations. However, since much of their equipment has been purchased from external suppliers some of the systems are poorly understood. The TNT control systems for example are based around a proprietary, closed source software, and their network of 0.7 metre telescopes have also been supplied with an entirely different, dedicated interface. This is a risk for the long term stability of these facilities, compromises productivity and limits the ability of the NARIT team to provide upgrades to the current system.The ARI owns and operates the LT, with operational support from STFC. This facility has a bespoke and established telescope control system (TCS), which is well documented, well understood and with source code available. However, by modern standards it is out-dated, having been developed from the VMS-based system in use on the Isaac Newton Group telescope for some decades. The ARI intends to build within the next decade the Large Robotic Telescope (LRT): a new, 4-metre class robotic telescope, and so will need to develop new control software for this facility. It will obviously be desirable to build a versatile, modular system which could also be deployed on the existing LT, bringing enhanced reliability and control via modern technologies. Many astrometric libraries in modern languages such as Python have now been developed and a new Linux based TCS using such libraries would be open and maintainable, and applicable to a range of infrastructure.A collaborative project to deliver a control framework which can be deployed on a variety of different facilities is therefore a mutually beneficial goal. The end product will be a system which will be used on facilities owned by both partners. The project can be fairly easily divided into two components based on the capabilities and expertise of the two partners. There are two levels of telescope control: the low-level 'fast loop' software control which drives the servos for the individual axes and the higher-level 'slow loop' control software which deals with the astrometry, converting RAs and DECs into axis positions and velocities with timestamps. The 'fast loop' work for the Thai telescopes will be led by the NARIT engineering team, with support from local expertise such as experienced mechatronics engineers at the Thai-German Institute. The higher level 'slow loop' work will be led at the ARI, where there is existing expertise and established systems for the benchmarking and testing of new technologies.