58 -- LASER SYSTEM FOR USE WITH GEMINI NORTH ADAPTIVE OPTICS SYSTEM

Notice Date

September 21, 2001

Contracting Office

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

ZIP Code

85719

Solicitation Number

N211019

Point of Contact

Andrew Flach, Gemini Contracts Manager, 520-318-8537

E-Mail Address

Click here to submit letter of interest by email (aflach@gemini.edu)

Description

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. ("AURA") is seeking a qualified vendor to develop and provide a Laser System to be used as part of Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics System for the Gemini North Observatory, an 8 meter optical/infrared telescope located on the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Adaptive optics systems remove distortions caused by atmospheric turbulence by making corrections to the incoming wavefront using a bright point of light in the area being observed as a reference. This reference point can be a bright star, or an artificial light source created by shooting a laser at the sky to excite mesospheric sodium atoms located 90 kilometers above the ground. This procurement is for the Laser System portion of the Gemini North adaptive optics system. The Laser System will need to be precisely tuned to the sodium D2 transition line (near 589 nm) and will need to be unusually powerful for a laser at this wavelength. The output power requirement will depend on the laser temporal and spectral format, which determines the laser's efficiency at exciting mesospheric sodium atoms. The laser output power requirement range is 15W and above depending on the laser characteristics. The laser system will be either pulsed or continuous wave. If the laser system is pulsed, the repetition rate will be between 600 Hz and 800 Hz (goal is 800 Hz) or above 5 kHz. The laser beam must have excellent beam quality and operation of the laser must be fully automated. The laser system must be able to work while mounted on the telescope at the summit of Mauna Kea and stand harsh environmental conditions such as high altitude (14,000 feet), cold (around 0 Celsius degree), telescope vibrations, wind, dust, changing gravity orientation, etc. Finally, the laser system must have a robust design capable of operating reliably for 10 hours a night for years of operation with minimal maintenance, troubleshooting, or operator time. Parties interested in receiving the Request for Proposal for this procurement should send a one page letter of interest by 28 September, 2001 to Andrew Flach, AURA-Gemini Observatory by either fax (520-318-8590) or email (aflach@gemini.edu). The letter of interest should reference Announcement of Opportunity No. N211019, and include physical mailing address, telephone number, fax number, and email address for a contact person. The Gemini Observatory is an international collaboration to build and operate two 8 meter telescopes, one located on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the other located on Cerro Pachon in Chile. The Gemini partners include the USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Australia. The Gemini Observatory is operated by AURA under contract to the National Science Foundation.

Web Link

General information about the Gemini Observatory, no (http://www.gemini.edu)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010925/58SOL004.HTM (W-264 SN50Y420)