Date: Sep 19, 2014 Source: Company Data (
click here to go to the source)
Arizona Optical Systems LLC selected to manufacture and test 850mm diameter aspheric corrector lenses for the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) project. http://desi.lbl.gov/
The Mayall 4-meter telescope at Kitt Peak Observatory near Tucson is slated for a new study to measure the expansion of the universe. This will be accomplished through a 4 year survey, beginning in 2018, to produce the most detailed 3D model of 25 million galaxies and 2 million quasars. With this information, the relative distances between galaxies changing over time will show the expansion history of the universe. This will be the first time scientists get an accurate map of the how far away distant galaxies are from earth, not just one another. New insights into the nature and effects of dark energy should follow.
The AOS team's expertise and unique capabilities in large optical system manufacturing and testing will be critical to supplying the highly aspheric elements in the DESI corrector assembly. AOS has earned a reputation for producing some of the most challenging large optical components in the world, while also earning trust within the astronomy and aerospace communities for unparalleled optical testing accuracy. This combination of manufacturing and testing capabilities is propelling our growth. AOS is currently expanding our facility, staff and equipment to support the demands of our new programs. With the DESI corrector slated for installation at Kitt Peak, the AOS staff can look forward to seeing the completed apparatus put to use almost in our own back yard.
DESI is funded by the Department of Energy with major additional funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore and the Heising-Simons Foundations. The project is managed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory collaborating with the University of California Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory.
