Automated Spectroscopic Telescope
 
 
Tennessee State University in Nashville asked for help from the National Prototype Center (NPC) at Y-12 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in building a two-meter automated spectroscopic telescope.

NPC is fabricating major parts of the telescope mount. The completed telescope will stand 20 ft tall, weigh 6.5 tons, be run by two separate computers, and have a camera for photographing the spectra of stars.

NPC is constructing the main structural parts, including the base, fork, azimuth drive wheel,
and altitude drive wheel, and mirror cell modification, top-end fixture, and accessory parts that include drive tractors, drive wheel attachments, and oil pad assembly, as well as a number of smaller parts.

NPC was selected for the project because of the large size of the components and the precision manufacturing that is required. Some of the measurement tolerances are within 0.001 of an inch, and some of the smaller parts need to be within 0.0002 of an inch.

NPC's vertical boring mill (VBM) can perform precise cuts on very large objects. A 26-ft-diameter table on the VBM can hold major mount parts of the 20-ft telescope while the machine is boring and turning. The VBM is one of the largest in the country and can perform very precise cuts.

The telescope is expected to be installed at Arizona's Fairborn Observatory by the summer of 1998.
 
 
In recognition of Y-12's diverse, integrated capabilities and its commitment  
to succeeding with high-risk projects, the U.S. Congress in 1997 designated Y-12   
as the National Prototype Center.  

For information, phone 1-800-356-4USA or visit our web site: http://orcmt.oakridge.org/npc.html