B -- ARCHITECTURE STUDY FOR REAL TIME CONTROLLER

Notice Date

October 20, 2000

Contracting Office

Gemini 8-M Telescopes Project, Aura, 950 N. Cherry Ave, PO Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85719

ZIP Code

85719

Solicitation Number

N201439

Point of Contact

Andrew Flach, Gemini Contracts Manager, 520-318-8537

E-Mail Address

Email Gemini Contracts Manager (aflach@gemini.edu)

Description

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA), acting as the operator of the Gemini Observatory, is seeking one or more contractors to provide VME architecture studies for the Real Time Controller (RTC) of the Gemini-South Adaptive Optics (GSAO) system which has been proposed for the Gemini-South Telescope. The GSAO RTC will drive up to 3 deformable mirrors (a total of 738 actuators) and one tip-tilt mirror based upon wavefront sensor measurements of both laser guide stars (5 Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors each of 16x16 sub-apertures) and natural guide stars (3 Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors each of 2x2 sub-apertures) at a rate of 800Hz. The selected contractor will prepare a report which fully describes one or more recommended VME architectures for the GSAO RTC. The report will describe the following characteristics each architecture: (i) a description of the architecture in terms of type and number of boards, bus, interfaces, (ii) the real time performance in terms of time computation expected for the different processes, (iii) ease of development and associated software tools, (iv) volume and size information, (v) price, and (vi) risks associated with the architecture as well as a comparison with competitive architectures. It is understood that this study will describe the real time performance based on computation times estimated from hardware data sheets and from the contractor expertise. The study will cover architectures such as PPC, DSP or SHARC based VME architectures. AURA views this study work as part of the overall preliminary design effort for the GSAO system. The level of effort for this study is expected to be a maximum of 3 months. This work will not include the purchase of any hardware. The full requirements for this procurement, and instructions for submitting a proposal, will be given in a Request for Proposal to be released in the near future. Firms that are interested in receiving this Request for Proposal should fax (520-318-8590) or email (aflach@gemini.edu) a letter of interest addressed to Andrew Flach, Gemini Contracts Manager by no later than 10 November, 2000. This letter of interest should reference RFP No. N201439 and give the name, address, phone number, and fax number of a contact person at your firm.

Web Link

General information about Gemini Observatory (no specific (http://www.gemini.edu)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20001024/BSOL002.HTM (W-294 SN5048B0)