The Ohio State University College of Mathematical & Physical Sciences Department of Astronomy

Attendees: Pat Osmer, Darren DePoy, Tom O'Brien, Bruce Atwood, Mark Derwent, Dan Papallardo, Paul Byard, Jerry Mason, Jen Marshall, Carrie Lewis, & Rick Pogge

MODS Progress Review

The LBT Project office held a progress review of MODS in Columbus on Thursday and Friday April 22 & 23. In attendance from LBTPO were Mark Wagner (LBT Instrument Scientist), Joar Brynnel (LBT System Engineer), and Joe Kraus (Software Engineer with LBT and LBTI). Tim Axelrod attended briefly in the afternoon via videocon link. Overall the review went very well, and the committee was happy with what we are doing. A full report on the review, including PDF files of the progress presentations can be found on the MODS Progress Review page.

We can expect a full report from the committee in the next few weeks. Another review will be scheduled for sometime in the next 6-8 months, likely in the December/January timeframe. These reviews will continue regularly in the lead up to acceptance testing and commissioning of MODS1 in early 2006.

Structure

Mark Derwent visited Indian Creek Fabricators yesterday (April 27) and reports that they are almost done with the first MODS cart. A few more assembly steps are required, but they should be done in the next week or so except for final painting. They are also going to be doing fabrication and welding work on some of the collimator diamond and structural work for the rest of MODS, integrating it with the cart.

Optics

Paul has finished the design of the pre-slit AGW optics, and Tom is now working on the mechanical layout of the optical bench. The next major tasks are detailing the focus and filter wheel mechanisms for the AGW Stage.

Image Motion Compenstation System

Jen Marshall has made a first 2-axis test of the IMCS testbed system. This test involved a beam "wiggler" that moved the laser spot by about 60-microns and 40-microns in the Y- and X-axis directions on the quadcell slowly over a 20-minute period. Running without compensation the modulation of the spot position is clear. Once the loop is closed, the 2-axis system can maintain the spot centering on the quadcell to <1-micron in both axes. More tests are planned for when Jen returns from various travels, but the results are very promising for just turning the system on after wiring up the 2-axis motor controls.