Deskilling SALT primary mirror recoating process

Jonathan Love, Johannes C. Coetzee, Hitesh Gajjar, Martin Wilkinson

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

The SALT’s 91 primary mirror (PM) segments require annual recoating with aluminum because it is exposed to harsh environmental conditions during telescope operation. Recoating is used as a broad term entailing mirror segment removal, aluminizing and segment installation. Ideally, most large telescope, such as SALT, attempt to use individuals who are professionally educated and trained to handle optics for recoating of their primary mirrors. Unfortunately, South Africa doesn’t have tertiary institutions providing courses in optics or optical engineering. This paper describes how the SALT operations team overcame that challenge and trained and certified personnel, with no tertiary education whatsoever, recruited from the rural community of Sutherland, where SALT is located, by deskilling the individual PM segments handling and recoating tasks.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationObservatory Operations
Subtitle of host publicationStrategies, Processes, and Systems VII
EditorsRobert L. Seaman, Alison B. Peck, Chris R. Benn
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510619616
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018
Externally publishedYes
EventObservatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems VII 2018 - Austin, United States
Duration: 11 Jun 201815 Jun 2018

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume10704
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceObservatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems VII 2018
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityAustin
Period11/06/1815/06/18

Keywords

  • Aluminizing
  • Deskill
  • Mirror
  • Optics handling
  • Recoating
  • SALT
  • Training

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Deskilling SALT primary mirror recoating process'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this