Improving SALT operations resource planning and collaboration in COVID-19 times

Paul Rabe; Petri Vaisanen; Encarni Romero Colmenero; Lisa A. Crause

doi:10.1117/12.2632027

25 August 2022 Improving SALT operations resource planning and collaboration in COVID-19 times

Paul Rabe, Petri Vaisanen, Encarni Romero Colmenero, Lisa A. Crause

Proceedings Volume 12186, Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems IX; 1218614 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2632027
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2022, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Abstract

SALT (Southern African Large Telescope) is a 10-m class optical telescope located in Sutherland, South Africa, 340km from its head office in Cape Town. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, SALT had to adapt to a virtual environment to ensure telescope operations and projects continued, while various levels of Government restrictions were in place. The early strict lockdown stages had staff working from home, while those who did onsite telescope maintenance were unable to work. However, after many planning sessions of looking at the various challenges around a mostly virtual environment, SALT was able to operate the telescope earlier than most ground-based telescopes, even during strict COVID-19 restrictions. This was accomplished by ensuring a safe operation of the telescope in remote mode for both employees and equipment. It was important that the telescope maintenance was kept up to date where possible to prevent system failures, which was accomplished by only allowing maintenance teams at the telescope when required. To ensure operations and projects remained active, we implemented the necessary virtual tools, training, and protocols to enable effective virtual meetings for operations and projects. Over time, as Government regulations changed and as we familiarized ourselves with a virtual environment, we found that we are capable of working in a hybrid environment, although there is still room for improvement. People management and teamwork play an important role for smooth operations. Enabling this environment takes some understanding of the various challenges and how to overcome them.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Paul Rabe, Petri Vaisanen, Encarni Romero Colmenero, and Lisa A. Crause "Improving SALT operations resource planning and collaboration in COVID-19 times", Proc. SPIE 12186, Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems IX, 1218614 (25 August 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2632027

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available