Implementation and initial test results of the new Keck real time controller

Abstract

W. M. Keck Observatory (WMKO) has granted in 2018 to Microgate, supported by Swinburne University and Australian National University, the contract for the design, implementation and test of the new Adaptive Optics Real Time Controller. The new system is going to replace the existing Keck Next Generation Wavefront Controller (NGWFC), delivered by the same company 14 years ago and still operational. The new RTC supports, on a smaller scale, most of the operating modii that are planned for the next generation of ELT RTCs, including laser tomography. In addition, the system needs to be interfaced to several wavefront cameras and mirrors, with heterogeneous interfaces. On that base, the system needs to conjugate several aspects, including flexible interfacing, computational throughput with low latency and minimum jitter, large telemetry storage capacity with fast querying capacity, easiness of maintainability, expandability, extreme reliability and environmental challenges to operate at 4,200 meters above the sea level. The proposed architecture comprehends an interface module, physically located close to the various sensors and mirrors, a computational unit based on GPUs and a storage server. The software implementation is based on a modular concept that starts from the COMPASS framework, developed at Observatoire de Paris, and supports easy expandability. The project implementation is almost completed and deployment to the telescope is planned for Q1/2021. Show more