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The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science will support Rubin Observatory in its operations phase to carry out the Legacy Survey of Space and Time. They will also provide support for scientific research with the data. During operations, NSF funding is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) under a cooperative agreement with NSF, and DOE funding is managed by SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), under contract by DOE. Rubin Observatory is operated by NSF NOIRLab and SLAC.

NSF is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 to promote the progress of science. NSF supports basic research and people to create knowledge that transforms the future.

The DOE Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

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Main Gallery

  • #TMA
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48 results for
  • #TMA
  • A 60-second video showing the Rubin Observatory telescope moving during balance testing to ensure the telescope is properly balanced for other future tests. The first 25 seconds shows the large teal mount structure from above, moving from a tilt of 45 degrees to vertical, then down to horizontal and back to vertical. From 25 to 35 seconds, we see the large teal mount structure from floor level, tilting from vertical down to horizontal. From 35 seconds to the end, we see the large teal mount structure from above again. It's pointed vertical and spins like a top counterclockwise, then pauses, then spins clockwise, then pauses, and finally spins counterclockwise again.
    TMA Balance and Dynamic Testing
  • Rubin's commissioning camera sitting on a yellow flatbed transport cart in a large open room on the maintenance floor of the observatory. The camera itself is a long cylindrical structure laying horizontally on the cart. The left third is teal and generally larger in diameter than the right two-thirds, which is black and mostly hollow.
    ComCam on Cart
  • The white donut-shaped structure of Rubin's secondary mirror stand-in "surrogate" mass hangs suspended from a hook against the myriad of teal steel beams supporting the observatory dome. The main telescope structure is tilted on its side, such that the teal steel ring that's normally horizontal at the top cuts vertically through the left of the image. A person in a hard hat and orange safety vest supervises the activities from a raised crane basket on the right.
    Secondary Mirror Surrogate Removal
  • A view looking up from below the white donut-shaped structure of Rubin's secondary mirror stand-in "surrogate" mass, which is suspended from a crane hook near the dome ceiling. A large black circular steel structure beneath the white donut structure extends out of view to both sides. The many teal steel beams supporting the observatory dome criss-cross in the background.
    Secondary Mirror Surrogate Removal
  • Timelapse video of several Rubin Observatory summit team members in orange safety vest and hard hats removing the commissioning camera from the telescope. The meters-long camera is mounted at the top of the huge telescope structure, so to remove it, the whole system is tilted 90 degrees to the side. A large crane attaches to and supports the long, black, cylindrical camera as it's removed from the steel supports and placed on the floor.
    ComCam Removal
  • The Rubin Observatory telescope mount viewed from below and to the side. The telescope mount is a cylindrical, teal steel support structure. The base of the cylinder has a much thicker steel support, to be able to support heavy equipment that will be bolted onto it from below. Below the telescope mount, the huge teal steel cell that will support the 8.4-meter primary mirror is in the process of being installed.
    M1M3 cell and surrogate installation
  • The Rubin Observatory telescope mount inside the closed observatory dome. The telescope mount is an open framed, cylindrical, teal steel support structure. The base of the cylinder has a much thicker steel support ring, to be able to support heavy equipment that will be bolted onto it from below. Below the telescope mount, the huge teal steel cell that will support the 8.4-meter primary mirror is in the process of being installed. Yellow safety railings separate the zone around the telescope mount from the surrounding dome floor area.
    M1M3 cell and surrogate installation
  • The Rubin Observatory primary mirror cell is suspended beneath the telescope mount, in the process of being installed. A person in an orange construction vest and white hard hat stands slightly to the right, facing the mirror cell. The cell itself is as tall as the person, and four times as wide as the person is tall. On top of the cell is a thick black disk that replicates the dimensions and mass of the 8.4-meter primary mirror. The black disk is just below a similarly sized opening in the telescope mount base, which is a large, thick teal steel structure that the heavy mirror will be bolted to.
    M1M3 cell and surrogate installation
  • The Rubin mirror cell surrogate mass on the platform lift. The surrogate mass is a criss-crossing structure of yellow steel. The mass is about as tall as a person, but several times larger in the other two dimensions. The observatory platform lift is a huge, open elevator used to transport large equipment, so the Chilean desert is visible on the other side. The lift is at its highest level, meaning that the portion of the building roof above it has been raised as well
    Mass Surrogate Removal
  • The Rubin mirror cell surrogate mass on the platform lift, viewed from the side. The surrogate mass is a criss-crossing structure of yellow steel. The mass is about as tall as a person, but several times larger in the other two dimensions. The observatory platform lift is a huge, open elevator used to transport large equipment, so the Chilean desert landscape is visible on the other side.
    Mass Surrogate Removal
  • The Rubin mirror cell surrogate mass on the platform lift. The surrogate mass is a criss-crossing structure of yellow steel. The mass is about as tall as a person, but several times larger in the other two dimensions. The observatory platform lift is a huge, open elevator used to transport large equipment, so the Chilean desert is visible on the other side. The lift is at its highest level, meaning that the portion of the building roof above it has been raised as well
    Mass Surrogate Removal
  • The Rubin mirror cell surrogate mass on the platform lift. The surrogate mass is a criss-crossing structure of yellow steel. The mass is about as tall as a person, but several times larger in the other two dimensions. The observatory platform lift is a huge, open elevator used to transport large equipment. The lift is at its highest level, meaning that the portion of the building roof above it has been raised as well
    Mass Surrogate Removal
  • A side view of the teal telescope mount assembly, which is the steel support structure for the Rubin Observatory telescope, camera, and mirrors. The shape of the mount assembly resembles a vase a bit taller than it is wide, rounded on the bottom and tipped on its side. We can see through the mount assembly's open steel framing to the other side of the dome. All around is the teal steel framing that makes up the observatory dome. The dome is partially opened above.
    Half Open Wide Angle
  • A side view of the teal telescope mount assembly, which is the steel support structure for the Rubin Observatory telescope, camera, and mirrors. The shape of the mount assembly resembles a vase a bit taller than it is wide, rounded on the bottom and tipped on its side. We can see through the mount assembly's open steel framing to the other side of the dome. All around is the teal steel framing that makes up the observatory dome.
    Rubin Observatory’s telescope mount in March 2023.
  • This video shows the telescope mount assembly rotating on the x and y axis simultaneously.
    TMA Moves December 2022
  • The telescope mount is positioned horizontally and pointing away from the open slit of the dome.
    Telescope Mount
  • The mount is in a vertical stow position and surrounded by construction and safety equipment and storage containers.
    Telescope Mount in Dome
  • A person stands inside the yellow claw-shaped lifting fixture. The fixture is about 2.5 meters high by 5 meters long.
    Camera Lifting Fixture
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