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College of Mathematical & Physical Sciences
Department of Astronomy

MODS Team Progress Report
2003 October 29

Attendees: Jerry Mason, Tom O'Brien, Darren DePoy, Paul Byard, Chris Morgan, Dan Pappalardo, Mark Derwent, Pat Osmer, & Rick Pogge.

Note: Impact of Aluminization
The LBT Aluminizing project has been in a critical phase for the last couple of months, so most of our group's efforts have been focussed on that task. So far, the only people not dealing with Aluminizing issues full-time are Darren, Rick, Mark Derwent and the students. After the target shipping date for the aluminizing system elements in mid-December, we expect to swing back to MODS full time.

Optics

We have taken delivery of a number of key optical elements of MODS:

  1. First 2 collimator mirrors (of 4) from REOSC
  2. First Blue Channel Camera Primary Mirror from SOML
  3. First 2 field flatteners (serve as dewar windows) from SOML
All we need now for a complete blue channel is a camera corrector lens, currently being rough figured at SOML.

Mechanical Fabrication & Design

Indian Creek Fabricators in Dayton has begun fabrication of the first of two upper steel structures for MODS. Work is progressing well, and we should receive our first structure around the first of the year. The second will also be fabricated, and stored for us at Indian Creek.

Elyria Metal Spinning in Elyria Ohio has begun fabrication of the steel tapers used to mate the carbon-fiber collimator strut tubes to the upper and lower steel structures. We should receive the first of those in December.

The final design of the handling cart is complete, and a complete set of work drawings are being made up by Mark for delivery to Indian Creek. Parts of the welding fixtures being used to fabricated the upper structure will become parts of the handling carts. Both carts will be built, and are used both during assembly and integration of MODS, and will be used at LBT to carry MODS off the telescope for servicing and storage.

Guide Cameras

We have not yet received the guide camera system from Steward Observatory. It was originally promised to arrive in late August, current estimates are early/late December, so we've made no progress on evaluating this unit. We need the unit in hand to complete the design of the pre-slit AGW stage system.

Mark Wagner and Joar Brynnel, the new Project Engineer for LBT, will be visiting OSU on November 14th to review Aluminizing progress and to discuss MODS issues if there is time.

The next MODS meeting will be in November.

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