Deep space exploration has captured the imagination for generations, driven by humanity’s desire to understand the origins of the Universe. It’s a journey of constant discovery and inspiration for Italy’s Microgate and its customers. Established in 1989 by brothers Vinicio and Roberto Biasi, Microgate built its early reputation providing highly accurate timing devices for professional sports and racing events. That passion for extreme precision soon expanded to space and the invention of motor-control systems for massive earth-based telescopes.
Exploring deep space with the largest telescopes on Earth
In a partnership with the European Southern Observatory (ESO), an intergovernmental research organization for ground-based astronomy, Microgate and ESO build the adaptive mirrors for the newest and largest generation of Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs), which are ground zero for exploring new galaxies, stars and planets. The primary challenge of these telescopes is to capture light from the distant past to learn more about the origins of our Universe.
The new ESO-ELT houses a primary mirror with an impressive 39-meter diameter that collects the scarce photons available from distant stars and galaxies. Unlike the Hubble or James Webb space telescopes; this Earth-based method of exploring the origins of the universe has two main advantages.
- Size: The new ELT is 23 times larger than the Hubble telescope.
- Flexibility: Ground telescopes can be located anywhere and are easily upgradeable, while their counterparts in space are difficult to maintain.
ESO telescopes have made several ground-breaking discoveries. For example, astronomers used ESO’s facilities to track the movement of stars in the extreme gravitational field at the center of our galaxy, providing compelling evidence that a supermassive black hole exists there. This discovery was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Battling atmospheric wave-fronts with adaptive optics
As light passes through the atmosphere, it is subject to a disturbance known as a wave-front aberration, which degrades visibility. Microgate’s adaptive optics technology corrects for this. Captured light is reflected from the primary mirror to a secondary, adaptive mirror, which is physically deformed to re-establish what is known as a “plane” wave-front. In the case of the ESO-ELT project, Microgate delivers all of the real-time control hardware and software to mechanically deform the mirror and physically manipulate the incoming wave-front using sophisticated contactless linear motors.
Deep space exploration has captured the imagination for generations, driven by humanity’s desire to understand the origins of the Universe. It’s a journey of constant discovery and inspiration for Italy’s Microgate and its customers. Established in 1989 by brothers Vinicio and Roberto Biasi, Microgate built its early reputation providing highly accurate timing devices for professional sports and racing events. That passion for extreme precision soon expanded to space and the invention of motor-control systems for massive earth-based telescopes.
Exploring deep space with the largest telescopes on Earth
In a partnership with the European Southern Observatory (ESO), an intergovernmental research organization for ground-based astronomy, Microgate and ESO build the adaptive mirrors for the newest and largest generation of Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs), which are ground zero for exploring new galaxies, stars and planets. The primary challenge of these telescopes is to capture light from the distant past to learn more about the origins of our Universe.
The new ESO-ELT houses a primary mirror with an impressive 39-meter diameter that collects the scarce photons available from distant stars and galaxies. Unlike the Hubble or James Webb space telescopes; this Earth-based method of exploring the origins of the universe has two main advantages.
- Size: The new ELT is 23 times larger than the Hubble telescope.
- Flexibility: Ground telescopes can be located anywhere and are easily upgradeable, while their counterparts in space are difficult to maintain.
ESO telescopes have made several ground-breaking discoveries. For example, astronomers used ESO’s facilities to track the movement of stars in the extreme gravitational field at the center of our galaxy, providing compelling evidence that a supermassive black hole exists there. This discovery was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Battling atmospheric wave-fronts with adaptive optics
As light passes through the atmosphere, it is subject to a disturbance known as a wave-front aberration, which degrades visibility. Microgate’s adaptive optics technology corrects for this. Captured light is reflected from the primary mirror to a secondary, adaptive mirror, which is physically deformed to re-establish what is known as a “plane” wave-front. In the case of the ESO-ELT project, Microgate delivers all of the real-time control hardware and software to mechanically deform the mirror and physically manipulate the incoming wave-front using sophisticated contactless linear motors.
The ESO-ELT M4 mirror is 2.4 meters in diameter and is made of highly specialized glass with a thickness of about 1.9 millimeters. The mirror uses voice coil-motors that are driven by a precise current driver and a series of co-located permanent magnets to provide the necessary force to deform the mirror. This process is performed across the entire surface of the mirror using 5,316 motors, each with an inter-axis distance, or pitch, of about 30 millimeters.
The adaptive mirror physically floats on the magnetic field generated by the motor coils. This allows a dedicated control current to locally deform the mirror and correct the shape using an equivalent number of highly-sensitive capacitive, or position sensors with an accuracy in the nanometer (millionth of a millimeter) range. Using electronic systems which operate at a frequency of about 100 kHz, Microgate engineers can completely redefine the shape of the mirror in one millisecond. The result is an extremely sharp and clean rendered image without having to launch a telescope into space.
Vicor high density modules power adaptive optics
Precise manipulation and thermal management of the adaptive optics system is critical and requires all exposed surfaces to be kept close to ambient temperature to avoid local turbulence. The power system challenge is made even more difficult by the limited space.
Microgate chose the Vicor DCM3623 series of DC-DC converter power modules to power this process. The power system board is mounted on the underside of the gas-cooled cold plate, and each module powers up to 36 motor channels, eliminating complex wiring.
“Vicor’s high-efficiency and high-power density modules are very compact and reliable, and take up very little space on the circuit board,” said Gerald Angerer, Hardware Engineer, Microgate. “These miniaturized power converters are the best option for us. We have been using them for more than 10 years and there is currently no comparable substitute.” Collaborating to unlock secrets of our Universe
Microgate is committed to unlocking the secrets of the Universe through deep space exploration, and Vicor high density power modules are driving the adaptive optics of these next-generation ELTs. In collaboration, Microgate is working with Vicor and other world-class partners to help unlock clues to the origins of our Universe for organizations like the European Southern Observatory. Together world-changing discoveries are being made.
