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

我们提出了一个软件和硬件开发的合作项目，旨在为现有的和新的英国和泰国望远镜开发一个新的望远镜控制系统。这是一个大型项目，在STFC-Narit合作的第一阶段成功申请之后，我们预计将在第二阶段继续申请两年的资金。第一年的优先事项将是对拟议系统的关键部分进行需求分析和原型，以与现有的利物浦望远镜系统进行基准比较。这自然将导致一个为期两年的软件开发计划，将于2020年交付。泰国拥有一个蓬勃发展的天文社区和一系列令人印象深刻的现有基础设施，以及一支为运营提供支持的成熟的工程团队。然而，由于他们的许多设备都是从外部供应商那里购买的，其中一些系统鲜为人知。例如，TNT控制系统基于一种专有的闭源软件，他们的0.7米望远镜网络也配备了完全不同的专用接口。这对这些设施的长期稳定性是一个风险，损害了生产率，并限制了Narit团队对当前系统进行升级的能力。ARI拥有并运营LT，由STFC提供运营支持。这个设施有一个定制和成熟的望远镜控制系统(TCS)，它有很好的文件记录，很好地理解，并有可用的源代码。然而，按照现代标准，它已经过时了，它是从几十年来艾萨克·牛顿集团望远镜上使用的基于VMS的系统发展而来的。ARI计划在未来十年内建造大型机器人望远镜(LRT)：一个新的4米级机器人望远镜，因此需要为这个设施开发新的控制软件。显然，人们希望建立一个通用的、模块化的系统，该系统也可以部署在现有的LT上，通过现代技术带来更高的可靠性和控制。现在已经开发了许多现代语言的天体测量库，使用这些库的新的基于Linux的天文测量系统将是开放的和可维护的，并适用于一系列基础设施。因此，一个合作项目将提供一个可以部署在各种不同设施上的控制框架。最终产品将是一个将在双方拥有的设施上使用的系统。根据两个合作伙伴的能力和专业知识，该项目可以相当容易地分为两个部分。望远镜控制有两个级别：低级别的“快速回路”软件控制，它驱动各个轴的伺服系统；高级的“慢回路”控制软件，它处理天体测量，将RAS和DECS转换为带有时间戳的轴位置和速度。泰国望远镜的“快速回路”工作将由Narit工程团队领导，并得到泰国-德国研究所经验丰富的机电工程师等当地专业人士的支持。更高级别的“慢环”工作将在ARI领导，那里有现有的专业知识和建立的新技术基准和测试系统。

We propose a collaborative project of software and hardware development towards a new telescope control system for current and new UK and Thai telescopes. This is a large project, and following a successful application in Phase I of the STFC-NARIT collaboration we anticipate applying for continued funding for a further two years in Phase II. The priority of the first year will be a requirements analysis and prototype of critical parts of the proposed system for benchmarking against the existing Liverpool Telescope systems. This will naturally lead into a two-year programme of software development, with delivery in 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.There is therefore scope for a collaborative project which will deliver a control framework which can be deployed on a variety of different facilities. 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.