AITC

Instrumentation

The Research School of Astronomy & Astrophysics (RSAA) at ANU specialises in the research and development of advanced astronomical instrumentation.

About

RSAA has a long history of research and development in astronomical instrumentation, and has constructed a number of precision instruments for our own telescopes, and others around the world. The Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre (AITC) provides advanced facilities for the instrumentation scientists and engineers of the school, who work on projects in the areas of optics and detector science, integral-field spectroscopy, adaptive-optics technologies, instrumentation for the next generation of ground-based telescopes, and survey astronomy. The AITC is also a unique facilitiy for training instrument science, engineering, and astronomy students.

Astronomical instrumentation

The RSAA has considerable expertise and experience in design and development of advanced instrumentation for astronomy. The school has completed two instruments  for the twin 8m telescopes of the Gemini Observatory:  the Near-infrared Integral-Field Spectrometer (NIFS) and Gemini South Adaptive Optics Imager (GSAOI), in addition to instrumentation for the facilties of MSO: such as the Dual-Beam Spectrograph (DBS), and Wide-Field Spectrograph (WiFeS) instruments for ANU 2.3m Telescope (also built largely in house), and the wide-field, 238 megapixel SkyMapper camera.

The technical program has particular expertise in optical and infrared spectroscopy, integral-field spectroscopy, adaptive optics, and wide-field imaging. 

Adaptive optics

The school has built a core of expertise in the field of adaptive optics (AO), a technology that will be essential to the success of high-resolution observations with the next generation of large ground-based telescopes. AO systems correct for the effects of turbulence in the air of the atmosphere, which causes distortion to the images produced by telescopes on the Earth. RSAA AO scientists are working with industy partners to develop the technologies and techniques required to extend AO capabilities to greater efficacy and for use with extremely-large telescopes (ELTs) such as the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). 

The Giant Magellan Telescope

ANU is leading Australia's involvement as a member of the international consortium that will design, build, and use the Giant Magellan Telescope. This facility will have an effective mirror aperture of 24.5m and is scheduled for completion in around 2020. RSAA is building one of the first instruments that will be used with the telescope, the GMT Integral-Field Spectrograph (GMTIFS) and developing adaptive-optics solutions for the project. Our participation ensures that Australian astronomers and students will continue to have access to cutting-edge resources and provides important opportunities for work on advanced instrumentation applications and astronomical research.

Space and satellite applications

The AITC has been designed to be a world-class facility for developing and testing small satellites and space payloads, in addition to astronomical instrumentation. In this capacity it is fast becoming a national hub for Australia's space community, linking industy to researchers and aerospace projects around the world.  

The space research facilities at RSAA will include a large thermal vacuum test chamber  to simulate the space environment, a vibration test facility capable of exerting acceleration forces of several tons on instruments under test, and a small satellite groundstation that was installed as part of the Antarctic Broadband project. 

Collaboration with industry

Our scientists and engineers have a history of industry partnership that dates back to Second World War, when they worked in a successful collaboration with the US to produce specialised optics for the war effort. The school continues to foster close links with government, business and research institutions around the world. 

Currently, our technical team is working with industy and research partners on projects to develop a satellite system for monitoring greenhouse gases, satellite laser ranging technologies, and a new plasma thruster engine for space travel.

Groups

Headshot of a man

Abluo appellatio defui populus saluto uxor vereor vulputate. At augue caecus esca nostrud pala praesent venio vulputate. Et euismod imputo mos neque praemitto. At sagaciter te vindico. Brevitas natu nunc pagus pecus. Comis dolus esse immitto luctus pneum quidne sudo volutpat.

Comis eum gilvus molior pecus tamen. Ibidem jugis pneum. Huic lenis natu saluto sino valde. Esse fere natu obruo quadrum ratis utrum. Defui magna paratus sagaciter te.

Distineo immitto rusticus tego. Acsi appellatio genitus melior roto tation. Aliquam amet appellatio conventio exputo gemino hos macto quidem. Augue ideo turpis usitas vel vereor. Aliquam interdico pala proprius velit. Facilisi gemino interdico os pagus ulciscor venio vindico voco. Causa cui neo nostrud qui rusticus sit. Autem caecus ibidem incassum secundum. Commodo dolor importunus luctus metuo praesent. Exerci fere inhibeo quadrum si tamen.

Esse humo immitto ludus odio pala pecus quis valde. Cogo damnum gilvus ibidem in jumentum ludus proprius sagaciter vicis. Capto causa damnum hendrerit illum macto molior quidne ut valde. Ea gemino haero inhibeo iustum patria sudo tamen verto. Iustum luctus melior minim paratus suscipit.

Consectetuer nulla premo. Genitus nunc sagaciter. Abico exputo macto vindico. Metuo sed veniam venio. Bene ibidem mauris neo similis tamen utinam. Accumsan ex iaceo importunus incassum lobortis pala scisco tincidunt vel. Duis immitto luptatum magna pecus quis tego typicus vulpes.

Abico at letalis natu os praesent quia quibus turpis. At damnum iustum oppeto quibus roto vero verto volutpat. Accumsan aliquam dolor jumentum magna torqueo ulciscor vulputate. Duis enim gilvus loquor paratus plaga.

Elit hos refoveo sagaciter. Damnum eu premo virtus. Haero quidne similis tation. Macto pneum quadrum. Eros importunus iustum neo occuro persto quadrum quae similis sino. Aliquip antehabeo eligo hos nimis pneum ratis sino voco.

Caecus defui distineo eu facilisis iustum melior quis scisco volutpat. Cui gravis incassum pagus pecus pertineo populus quibus turpis velit. Abdo dolor eros macto nobis nulla similis venio. Dolus facilisi hos ideo nostrud obruo. Commodo cui dolus euismod imputo jumentum metuo modo wisi.

Jus nobis pagus pecus qui utrum. Luctus pertineo refero scisco vulputate zelus. Autem genitus pagus pala tincidunt torqueo. Brevitas ea esca exerci tincidunt.

Dolor et iaceo. Abdo capto dignissim gravis praemitto quidne refero veniam vulpes. Nimis ratis tego vulpes vulputate. Modo persto refero wisi. Eu in iusto macto sit verto. Aptent commoveo dolore duis iusto metuo paratus sed sudo. Augue consequat dolus eum illum laoreet lucidus populus uxor. Comis ea inhibeo. Appellatio dolus luptatum melior natu roto valetudo validus.

At camur dolor ibidem praesent. Acsi commoveo conventio jumentum letalis nulla nunc praesent. Aliquam brevitas cui feugiat imputo premo quadrum. Adipiscing dignissim dolore esca ex facilisi gilvus hos. Blandit dolore fere jugis praesent. Consequat conventio ideo magna. Dignissim dolor scisco. Magna quae quidem secundum. Appellatio augue causa cogo incassum jugis verto volutpat. Appellatio feugiat hos jus mauris saepius tamen utinam.

Decet dolus et exerci facilisis incassum premo saluto suscipere tego. Exputo interdico praesent quadrum qui ulciscor. Genitus lucidus modo plaga suscipere tamen valetudo. Gravis huic humo lucidus pala probo tation usitas. Lobortis os voco. Capto distineo luctus luptatum pneum populus ullamcorper wisi. Adipiscing probo tego. Eros jumentum tamen. Illum letalis suscipere. Ex iaceo incassum iriure pecus probo usitas.

View the group

Projects

Optical instrumentation prototyping could be made significantly faster and cheaper with the availability of on-demand, customisable opto-mechanical components.

Student intake

Open for Summer Scholar, Bachelor, Honours students

People

In this project the student will investigate the feasibility of a 3D printed deformable mirror with an embedded water-cooling system, and its expected performance under extreme heat conditions based on the selected material and actuator configuration.

Student intake

Open for Bachelor, Honours, PhD students

People

The successful applicant will join the ANU team and will assist with the development of instrumentation for the optical communication team

Student intake

Open for Bachelor, Honours, PhD students

People

This project has two components: developing the science case for the instrument, defining the mission parameters that are necessary to ensure the science goals are achieved; and, for a student so inclined, physically building the telescope and camera system.

Student intake

Open for Bachelor, Honours, PhD students

People

The successful applicant will join the ANU team and will assist with the development of instrumentation for the optical communication team

Student intake

Open for Bachelor, Honours, PhD students

People

A student undertaking this project will review the existing methods, and assess their suitability in MAVIS, including implementation and testing of a method to actively cancel telescope vibrations with the adaptive optics control loop.

Student intake

Open for Bachelor, Honours students

People

Members

Professional

Research Officer
Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre

No photo provided

Detector System Specialist
Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre

No photo provided

Opto-Mechanical Engineer
Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre

Opto-Mechanical Engineer
Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre

Project Engineer
Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre

Nick Herrald

Opto-Mechanical Engineer
Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre

No photo provided

Detector System Specialist
Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre

Academic

No photo provided

Instrumentation Scientist
Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre

Dr Noelia Martinez Rey

Instrumentation Scientist
Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre

Joice Mathew

Instrumentation Scientist
Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre

Dr Hajime Ogane

Instrumentation Scientist
Advanced Instrumentation Technology Centre

News

Rosella

The Rosella program, developed in partnership with home-grown and international industry groups, will deliver a quasi-commercial detector control solution configurable for use with most of the detectors used in space-based astronomy and remote sensing detectors.

Read the article
Subaru Telescope in Hawaii

The ULTIMATE-Subaru project has been selected by the Group of 8 Australia to feature as the first example of successful Australia-Japan research collaborations.

Read the article

Congratulations to Space Machines Company, with the launch of their Optimus satellite!

Read the article

The MAVIS team had its first busy week with members of the MAVIS consortium from Australian and European teams since the start of COVID.

Read the article

What does a job in the space industry look like? The Space Careers Wayfinder program is a collaboration between the CSIRO and the Australian National University (ANU) that aims to inspire and ignite a passion in the next generation to foster the growth of the future space industry workforce.

Read the article

ANU will play a major role in the Taipan galaxy survey, which will for the first time measure the current expansion rate of the Universe with one per cent precision.

Read the article