MORFEO is a post-focal adaptive optics module that forms part of the first light instrument suite for the Extreme Large Telescope (ELT). The project is now in the Final Design Phase. In this paper, we report the status of the project.
The sheer size of the ELT, makes almost every aspect of the design of its instrumentation particularly challenging. Instrument size typically increases with telescope size, together with the need to have a larger number of wavefront sensors in advanced MCAO systems. To calibrate novel AO modules with multiple WFSs, complex opto-mechanical subsystems are needed to project on the telescope focal plane a large number of high-quality artificial light sources at different wavelengths, both LGS and NGS. These calibration units play a crucial role not only during operations, but also during the Assembly, Integration, Test and Verification phase. Moreover, the increasing size, technical complexity and costs require to develop new design solutions that make use of custom devices and photonic technologies. This work will focus on the design of the MORFEO-CU, a prime example of calibration unit for MCAO systems in the ELT era.
MORFEO (Multi-conjugate adaptive Optics Relay For ELT Observations), formerly known as MAORY, is the Multi-Conjugated Adaptive Optics (MCAO) module for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). MORFEO is designed to feed the near-infrared camera MICADO (with the capability to feed a second port dedicated to a future instrument) with both MCAO and Single-Conjugated AO (SCAO) operation modes. The optical configuration provides a one-to-one imaging of the telescope focal surface on the two ports and it is equipped with two post-focal deformable mirrors together with the 6 Laser Guide Star (LGS) and 3 Natural Guide Star (NGS) channels for wavefront sensing and tomographic reconstruction. We present here the Final Design of the MORFEO optical configuration and the expected performances.
KEYWORDS: Prototyping, Mirrors, Design, Equipment, Control systems design, Optical components, Control systems, Sensors, Information technology, 3D modeling
MORFEO is an adaptive optics module able to compensate the wavefront disturbances affective the scientific observation. It will be installed on the straight-through port of the telescope Nasmyth platform to serve the first-light instrument MICADO and with the provision for a future second instrument. The module successfully passed the Preliminary Design Review in 2021 and is currently in the Final Design phase.
In this paper we present the status of the Thermal Control System (ThCS) with a focus on the thermal and cooling circuits design. The prototyping plan foreseen for the future to validate this circuit is also presented.
Morfeo (Multi-conjugate adaptive Optics Relay For ELT Observations) is an adaptive optics module able to compensate the wavefront disturbances affective the scientific observation. It will be installed on the straight-through port of the telescope Nasmyth platform to serve the first-light instrument MICADO and with the provision for a future second instrument. The module underwent the Preliminary Design Review in 2021 and is expected to be commissioned in 2029. In this paper we present a synthesis of the System Engineering approach adopted to manage the development of the instrument assessing the criticalities of phase B (preliminary design) and preliminary phase C (final design). We will discuss the evolution of the system engineering approach, identifying within the MBSE framework the evolution of the various modelling artefacts. towards the requirements. We will detail the criticalities of the system engineering with a particular focus onto the management of the interfaces between subsystems and external systems (Telescope, other instruments…).
The Multiconjugate adaptive Optics Relay for ELT Observations (MORFEO), and adaptive optics module being developed for the ESO Extremely Large Telescope, has officially entered the Final Design phase. The control electronics functions, power and network distribution, system management and monitoring are all part of the MORFEO Instrument Control Hardware. It is based on industrial COTS components, and most of its functions are managed through the use of a PLC-based architecture. The EtherCAT protocol also allows great flexibility in the choice of the PLC modules topology. This proves especially useful for MORFEO, as its control electronics cabinets are distributed in different locations, due to the limited space available on the Nasmyth Platform. The industrial elements also present many additional advantages: among them, a quick update of the components during the life of the telescope, useful support from the providers in their implementation, easy procurement of spare parts, and a more accurate reliability analysis of the whole system. This paper describes the current, up-to-date design of the Instrument Control Hardware and the general ruels developed for the design of each MORFEO subsystems control electronics, in order to optimize the architecture while in compliance with ESO requirements. Finally, an overview of the expected steps that will be taken to bring all aspects of the overall design to a Final Design maturity level is given.
MORFEO (Multi-conjugate adaptive Optics Relay For ELT Observations, known as MAORY), is the Multi-conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO) relay for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) that will provide diffraction-limited optical quality to two instruments at the ELT Nasmyth Platform. One first light instrument fed by MORFEO is the Multi-AO Imaging Camera for Deep Observations (MICADO) that will provide imaging, astrometric, spectroscopic and coronographic observing modes; a second-generation instrument, still to be defined, will occupy the second instrument port powered by MORFEO. The two instruments will be assisted alternately by MORFEO thanks to a flat steering mirror that can redirect the beam towards one or the other instrument. The particular shape of the MORFEO module is closely related to the position of the optical elements and the relative optical path that is mainly developed in a vertical plane. For this reason, the Main Support Structure is “almost empty” in the central plane, in order to accommodate both the opto-mechanical elements and sub-systems and allow the light to pass into. MORFEO has officially passed the Preliminary Design Review in February 2023. The general overview of the mechanical design for the MAIN STRUCTURE described in this paper is an updated version of the configuration presented for the Preliminary Design Review in the first half of 2021.
MORFEO (Multi-conjugate adaptive Optics Relay For ELT Observations), formerly known as MAORY, will play a crucial role in deploy a corrected Field of View to ELT instruments. To allow the wavefront sensing, a Laser Guide Stars (LGS) channel is foreseen composed by two subsystems: an objective to materialize a monochromatic (sodium layer wavelength) focal plane (the LGS Objective, LGSO) and the proper LGS wavefront sensor system (LGSWFS). Here we report about the LGSO optical design, reviewing the requirements, summarizing the geometrical and optical properties of LGSO elements and discussing the expected performances, both for the nominal system and tacking into account tolerances.
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