Gemini 8-M Telescopes Project, Aura, 950 N. Cherry Ave, PO Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85719

36 -- PROCUREMENT OF TWO INSTRUMENT FLEXURE RIGS SOL N981213 DUE 112098 POC Andrew Flach, Gemini Contracts Manager, 520-318-8537 WEB: Click here for general information about the Gemini, http://www.gemini.edu. E-MAIL: Click here to submit a letter of interest by email, aflach@gemini.edu. The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) is seeking qualified vendors to provide two instrument flexure rigs for its observatory facilities in Hawaii and Chile. These rigs are used to help determine how a scientific instrument will perform in the various orientations it will experience while mounted on the telescope. A large and heavy instrument (up to 4.3x2.3x1.8 meters; up to 3000 kg) will be mounted to a mechanical interface on the flexure rig, and then the rig will move the instrument to any orientation that could be experienced on the telescope. Although a very stiff interface which is identical to the telescope interface will have to be designed and fabricated, designs which are otherwise straightforward extensions of existing systems, e.g. welding manipulators, are desired in order to minimize cost and expedite delivery. Only the mechanical parts of these rigs will be needed; AURA will provide the necessary optical components to simulate the telescope beam passing into instruments. The Gemini 8m Telescopes Project is an international collaboration to build two 8 meter telescopes, one to be located on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the other to be located on Cerro Pachon in Chile. The Gemini project partners include the USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Argentina, Australia, Brazil and Chile. The Gemini Project is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA) under contract to the National Science Foundation. Firms that are interested in receiving the Request for Proposal for this procurement should fax or mail a letter of interest by 20 November, 1998, to the following address: Gemini 8m Telescopes Project, 950 North Cherry Avenue, PO Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726-6732 (PO Box) 85719 (Street address), Attn: Contracts Manager, Request for Proposal No. N981213. Facsimile 520-318-8590. Posted 11/12/98 (W-SN270807). (0316)

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