April 2016
instrument . The team will run them through a series of tests before they are ready for installation of the CCD detectors , the most costly components in the instrument .
The AAO continues to make progress on the optical cable assembly ( see Figure 18 ). The work to test the performance of the optical fibers after the ends were fixed and polished is complete , yielding excellent results . The next step is to attach the microlens arrays to the fiber ends . The team will do this after these arrays receive their optical coating .
The ANU keeps steadily working on both the instrument control system software and the data reduction pipeline .
Figure 17 . Prototype cryostat for GHOST at the NRC-H .
Figure 18 . The assembled GHOST optical fiber array now assembled in the input pattern . Seen here are the illuminated fiber arrays for the low-resolution object and sky Integral Field Units ( IFUs ) on top , and the high-resolution object IFU on bottom .
GHOST on the Move
The Gemini High-resolution Optical Spec- Trograph ( GHOST ) team has started the project ’ s build phase . This means that the two organizations building the hardware — the Australian Astronomical Observatory ( AAO ) and Canada ’ s National Research Council- Herzberg — are busy procuring and fabricating components ; meanwhile , the Australian National University ( ANU ) software team continues to move forward on their work . As components arrive , assemblies will be built and tested . Several of these assemblies are highlighted here .
The NRC-H has built a prototype cryostat for the charge-coupled device ( CCD ) detector system , shown in Figure 17 . The tall cylinder contains the cryocooler , with the vacuum valve and vacuum sensor in front of the cooler . NRC-H has used this prototype for various tests to check the system design and is now fabricating the final cryostats for the
January 2017 | 2016 Year in Review
April 2016
GHOST Update
We continue to make good progress on the Gemini High-resolution Optical SpecTrograph ( GHOST ) project . In early March 2016 , we held the second half of a two-part project milestone : the Critical Design Review at Canada ’ s National Research Council-Herzberg in Victoria , British Columbia . The review committee was generally quite pleased with the progress made , impressed with the quality of the GHOST team ’ s design , and satisfied with the improvements made in team coordination and integration , expressing confidence in the team ’ s ability to successfully complete the instrument .
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