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Welcome to the Integration and Cryo-Vacuum Department

Latest News


October 2008
 Last run of MAD In August 2008, MAD had its last observing run in Paranal. It was used in total for more than 60 nights and installed/dismounted 3 times (it had to let the visitor platform free for other instruments). MAD was shipped back in Garching were it will be re-integrated for further testing and improvements. During its last run we could observe Jupiter using two satellites as guiding objects. The IR image is one of the sharpest ever obtained from ground. More here about MAD

August 2008
 Active segmented mirror completion The 61 segments of the active segmented mirror (ASM) developped for APE project have been fully integrated by Christophe Dupuy. It has been designed at ESO to simulate primary segmentation in APE by imaging on it the VLT pupil over a diameter of 130 mm. The size of the segments and the distance between two mirror edges are approximately 100 times smaller than of an ELT. Each segment of this key subsystem is controlled with a resolution of the order of a few nanometers, in Piston, Tip and Tilt by means of piezo actuators having a stroke of 30 µm. More on the ASM here.

Jan 2008
 Integration department retrospective Our department has been involved for many years in the first generation VLT instruments. We present here the various projects in which we have been deeply involved and the developments we made for the instruments. This is a very interesting retrospective.

August 2007
 HAWK-I integration The HAWK-I (High Acuity Wild field K band Imager) main mechanical structure has been installed at the Nasmyth of UT4 in Paranal. The integration has been succesfuly completed by August. The instrument will enter now in the commissioning phase for final approval. For more information about HAWK-I, have a look to the instrument web page here

April 2007
 MAD first MCAO ever On the evening of 25 March 2007, the Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics Demonstrator (MAD) achieved First Light at the Visitor Focus of Melipal. MAD allowed the scientists to obtain images corrected for the blurring effect of atmospheric turbulence over the full 2x2 arcminute field of view. This world premiere shows the promises of a crucial technology for Extremely Large Telescopes. This visitor instrument was fully integrated uder the responsibility of the integration and cryo-vacuum department. More here for pictures and explanations.

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