An observation execution system for next-generation large telescopes

Kim Gillies; Shane Walker

doi:10.1117/12.855839

19 July 2010 An observation execution system for next-generation large telescopes

Kim Gillies; Shane Walker

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7740, Software and Cyberinfrastructure for Astronomy; 77400Q (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.855839
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The telescope development projects of the 1990's produced a set of capable 8-10m telescopes that are now in operations across the northern and southern hemispheres. This was the first generation of telescopes to benefit from carefully engineered software systems, yet several years of 8m operations have revealed weaknesses in a common architecture employed by many of them. Today engineers are working on the next generation of telescopes, the extremely large telescopes (ELTs), along with their software systems. It is our view that many of the fundamental assumptions about how software systems for 8-m class large telescopes should be constructed are not optimal for the next generation of extremely large telescopes. In fact, these ideas may constrain the solution space and result in overly complex software and increased development costs. This paper points out issues with current architecture solutions and how they impact the software needed for extremely large telescopes. It then provides the outline of a new approach for the design of the software running at the telescope that is targeted towards the development issues of ELTs and large telescope operations.

Citation Download Citation

Kim Gillies, Kim Gillies, Shane Walker, Shane Walker, } "An observation execution system for next-generation large telescopes", Proc. SPIE 7740, Software and Cyberinfrastructure for Astronomy, 77400Q (19 July 2010); doi: 10.1117/12.855839; https://doi.org/10.1117/12.855839

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