Giant coating plant for the VLT: a porthole view

View through a porthole in the VLT coating plant. The coating unit is a large vacuum chamber with a diameter of 9.4 meters and a volume of about 122,000 liters. The required ultra-high vacuum is generated by 8 cryo-pumps which are located on top of the vacuum chamber. The lower half of the vacuum chamber is mounted onto an air-cushion vehicle via 4 large spindles for closing and opening of the vacuum chamber. For loading and unloading of the mirrors the lower half of the chamber is moved on 8 air-cushions from the coating unit location to the mirror handling tool and vice-versa.

Credit:

ESO

Over de afbeelding

Id:eso9711e
Type:Fotografisch
Publicatiedatum:16 mei 1997
Gerelateerde berichten:eso9711
Grootte:559 x 560 px

Over het object

Naam:Very Large Telescope
Type:Unspecified : Technology : Observatory : Telescope
Categorie:Paranal

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