The
Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA) Project has determined that the
highly demanding task of receiver front-end integration should be
undertaken within three Front-End Integration Centres (FEICs) located
within Europe, North America and East Asia. RAL has been selected by the
European Southern Observatory (ESO) to host the European Centre and the
facility has been established within RAL Space.
The receiver
integration process involves the unification of a variety of critical
subassembly units, some of which are state-of-the-art in terms of design
and performance, into a receiver front-end assembly that provides a
crucial element of the ALMA instrument, namely the detection of the
faint radio signals emanating from space. In addition to assembly, an
integrated receiver system must be thoroughly tested and demonstrated to
be of adequate operational integrity and performance prior to shipment
to the ALMA Observatory site located in Chile.
Testing in the FEIC RAL Space (Credit: STFC)
The
integration and test process is a demanding and difficult task, never
before undertaken on such an extensive scale, and one that requires the
development of bespoke integration and test facilities, plus the use of
skilled and experienced staff with particular expertise in the
discipline of millimetre wave technology. The FEIC is operated under the
auspices of the Millimetre Wave Technology Group (MMT) and has now
completed the delivery of 26 receiver assemblies to the ALMA site. The
last Front End (SN 70) left the EU FEIC on February 8th 2013.
For further information:
For more information please contact: RAL Space Enquiries
