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The LOFT group

Who we are

Where we came from

Where we are going

Large Optics Fabrication and Testing

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In the Beginning

1997: Assistant Professor of Optical Sciences

The students were hungry for new challenges:

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U of A Telescopes

Bok 90-in TelescopeKitt Peak, AZ

MMT 6.5m Mt. Hopkins AZ

Magellan twin 6.5m TelescopesLas Campanas, Chile

Large Binocular 2 x 8.4m TelescopeMt. Graham AZ

For a while, we were LOST

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Some big Fab and Test projects

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2-m convex reference

1.4-m convex off-axis aspheric

1.6-m flat

4.3-m primary mirror for Discovery Channel Telescope

LOFT Evolution

2005

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LOFT Evolution

2006

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LOFT Evolution

2007

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LOFT Evolution

2008

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LOFT Evolution

2009

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LOFT Evolution

2010

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LOFT Evolution 2011

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LOFT Evolution

2012

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Current Projects

• Large Optics Fabrication and Testing for New Telescopes

• Advanced measurement technologies• Superpolishing techniques• Optomechanical Engineering• Computer modeling

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J. H. Burge University of Arizona

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The Giant Magellan Telescope

Site in Chile

2021 first light

GMT Design36 meters high, 25.3 meters across

25-m Primary mirror (f/0.7)

3.2-m segmented secondary mirrorcorrects for PM position errorsdeformable mirror for adaptive optics

Alt-Az structure~1000 tons moving mass21.3 m azimuth disk21 m elevation C-ring

Steel + CFRP secondary support

Instruments mount below primary at the Gregorian focus

Large Synoptic Survey Telescope

8.4-m aperture

Uses three-mirror design to attain 3.5° field of view

15-sec exposures to survey the sky

30TB of data per night!

Site in Chile

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Site is Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii

Advanced Technology Solar Telescope

10-m Hobby Eberly Telescope

4-mirror Wide Field Corrector

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Looking Forward

• Continue to develop and apply new technologies– Maintain preeminent position in the field of Large Optics– Provide mirrors and instruments for large telescopes

• Diversify! Use our strength to take leadership roles in other areas– Freeform aspherics– Adaptive Optics– Flexible software– Optomechanical engineering– ??? What can you add ???

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Our keys to success!

• Maintain lots of activity and interaction• Create new ideas• Use funded projects to test new ideas• Work with professional staff to turn ideas into

capabilities• Use new capabilities to win new projects

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Your challenges

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• Maintain lots of activity and interaction• Create new ideas• Use funded projects to test new ideas• Work with professional staff to turn ideas into

capabilities

Your reward

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• Solid engineering skills– Technical: Analysis, modeling, practical skills– Communications: writing, presenting, working with a team– Work habits: productivity

• Well-developed creativity– Generate new ideas– Sift them efficiently

• Love your work! (and get paid well for it too.)