Developing the control system for the 40m OAN radiotelescope with ACS

Observatorio Astronómico Nacional

P. de Vicente, Rubén Bolaño, Laura Barbas

January 2007

The OAN has four sites in Spain

Developing the control system for the 40m OAN radiotelescope with ACS

40m RT. Project status

Time delays due to problems with contractors:

StructureServosSurfaceMirrors

40m RT. Current status

Main milestones already achieved

Backend equipment has been moved to the new antenna building.

Antenna moves with handheld pannel

Surface has been adjusted with a teodolite and measured

RMS:~ 200 µm

Measuring the surface

2007 expectations

New servosystem for the subreflector

Servosystem tests by the contractor (MT Aerospace)

Nasmyth mirrors installation

Cabling between receiver cabin and backends room.

Holography receiver in the primary

Receivers in the secondary

Commissioning by OAN

The Antenna Control Unit

2 CPU's: 2 Windows XP PCs.Windows XP + TwinCAT (real time extension)Remotely commanded using TCP sockets.Interface Control Document is almost finished.

ACS in the OAN

Before:

Debian Sarge

ACS 5.0.2

Compiled ACS ourselves

Now:

Debian Sarge

ACS 6.0

ACS binary distribution

ACS 6.0 on Debian

ACS 6.0 does not compile on Etch

ACS 6.0 binary does not work on Etch. Python components do not work.

ACS 6.0 compiles on Sarge but requires Python 2.4. Too much effort to twikle the OS.

New Pcs require a new kernel => Debian Etch.

Sarge: current stable Etch: next stable

Modus operandi (devices)

Library(Not ACS)

ACS Component

ACSClient

Serial

GPIB

Ethernet

Java Client examples

Python Qt example

Micro IOC

Used to monitor and control analog signals from receivers Microprocessor running Debian Sarge Delivered with ACS 4.1 but we installed ACS 5.0 Created drivers ourselves Component runs inside the Micro IOC

Modus operandi (abstract components)

Library(Not ACS)

ACS Component

ACSClient

Antenna control schematics

AstronomerClient

ACUComponent

Antenna Component

Engineer Client

SocketsCORBA

CORBA

CORBA

Antenna control simulator

RT components overview

Based on APEX design

Very difficult to adapt it to our needs.

Some components:

Implemented in a totally different way: (ScanObs)

Reused part of the code (FitsWriter, Interactive client), and complete libraries (MBFITS)

Components relationship

InstrumentsScan

AntennaObserving

engine

Ephemeris

Commands

Creates

Uses

Commands

UsesUses

FITS data writerC

onfigures

Activates

Sends data

Uses

Client

Archiving channel

/Starts/Stops

/Starts

Stops

Code contribution

Code contribution would be a benefit for everybody but ...

Reuse is not easy and can be a nightmare

Code reusage works if:

generalization

documentation

time

centralized server