• To demonstrate the MCAO technique for 100-m telescope OWL
• To demonstrate the MCAO technique for the 2-nd generation of VLT instruments

• Demonstrate the feasibility of MCAO

  Large FoV correction, >= 1 arcminute in K band
  Uniformity of Strehl ratio over FoV
  Tomography (compare with theory)

• Scalability to Extremely Large Telescopes

  Only accessible technologies (e.g. DMs) will be used (no technology scalability)
  The demonstrator will be scalable to ELT at the level of concepts (tomography, reconstruction, control, etc.). Some concepts (e.g. use of LGS) can not be tested, however. They will be addressed by theoretical studies.

• Obtain attractive scientific results (keeping the demonstrator design simple)

  Deep field (high gal. lat.)
  Open clusters (low gal. lat.)
  Impressive continuous object (Orion nebula?)

• Get experience and train people

  RTN on Adaptive Optics for ELTs
  Develop European expertise

• Timing requirements

  MCAO demonstration on the sky by the 2-nd quarter of 2004

• 1Q 2001: Pre--Conceptual Design
• 2.5Q 2001: Conceptual Design
• 2Q 2002: "light" MCAO demonstrator final design review
• 2Q 2003: MCAO lab testing and optimisation
• 2Q 2004: first light of MCAO + 2Kx2K IR camera (1st technical period)
• 4Q 2004: 2nd technical period and final report

First ideas about the Demonstrator: SPIE paper

Viard E., Hubin N., Le Louarn M., Delabre B., Monnet G., Tokovinin A. Concept and performance of multiple laser guide stars for 8 m class telescopes. In: Adaptive Optical Systems Technology. Ed. P.L. Wizinovich. Proc. SPIE, 2000, V. 4007, 94-105.