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Se adjudica contrato para la planta de recubrimiento de los segmentos del espejo primario del ELT
18 de Junio de 2018
El contrato para el diseño, construcción e instalación de la planta de recubrimiento para los segmentos del espejo primario del Extremely Large Telescope de ESO ha sido adjudicado a la empresa AGC Glass Europe, radicada en Bélgica. La empresa se hará cargo de la construcción de las instalaciones, en el Observatorio Paranal de ESO, en el norte de Chile, que se utilizarán para el recubrimiento de los segmentos individuales del espejo primario con una capa protectora de plata altamente reflectante.
El contrato fue firmado por Patrick Van Bortel, Vicepresidente de Nuevos Negocios y Vidrio Industrial, AGC Glass Europe, y por Xavier Barcons, Director General de ESO, durante una ceremonia que se llevó a cabo el 18 de junio de 2018 en la Sede Central de ESO en Garching, Alemania. El tercer signatario, Philippe Bastien, Presidente Regional de Construcciones y Vidrio Industrial, AGC Glass Europe, no pudo asistir al acto, por lo cual firmó el contrato de antemano.
Se contó con la presencia de Christian Klima, Cónsul Honorario del Reino de Bélgica en Baviera y de Quentil Derzelle, Agregado Comercial del Consulado Honorario del Reino de Bélgica en Baviera, como también del Delegado de Bélgica en el Comité de Finanzas de ESO, Alain Heynen de Belspo.
El Extremely Large Telescope de ESO, que se construye actualmente en Cerro Armazones, en lo alto del Desierto de Atacama, tendrá un espejo primario de 39 metros de diámetro y consistirá en 798 segmentos individuales.
La planta de recubrimiento proyectada utilizará un proceso denominado pulverización con magnetrón para cubrir cada espejo individual con una delgada capa de plata y un revestimiento protector. Actualmente se usa un proceso similar para el recubrimiento con aluminio de los espejos de 8,2 metros del Very Large Telescope. No obstante, el uso de este recubrimiento de plata más reflectante permitirá al ELT recolectar más luz, con lo cual los astrónomos de ESO podrán observar el cielo nocturno con extraordinaria precisión.
Los contratos para fabricar y pulir los segmentos del espejo ya se firmaron. Los 798 segmentos hexagonales serán producidos con el material cerámico de baja expansión Zerodur® por SCHOTT, antes de ser facilitados a Safran Reosc, para el diseño del sistema de montaje, pulido de los segmentos, integración de éstos en sus sistemas de apoyo, y ejecución de pruebas ópticas antes de su entrega. [1]
El nuevo contrato asegura las instalaciones necesarias para revestir los segmentos del espejo, tanto antes como durante las operaciones del ELT. Como el espejo gigante observará los cielos cada noche, los segmentos del espejo acumularán polvo y se volverán menos reflectantes con el tiempo, por lo cual deberán ser recubiertos regularmente, a una tasa de varios segmentos por día.
AGC Glass Europe cuenta con una larga trayectoria en innovación tecnológica del vidrio, y aprovechará su experiencia para enfrentar el desafío de mantener el espejo del ELT en su máximo desempeño óptico, permitiendo a ESO abordar algunos de los mayores retos científicos de nuestra época.
Notas
[1] Cada segmento del espejo tendrá irregularidades de superficie no mayores a 10 nanómetros. Ello es extraordinariamente preciso: aproximadamente 10.000 menor que el ancho de un cabello humano. Si los espejos se ampliaran al tamaño de Francia, ¡las mayores irregularidades equivaldrían al tamaño de una “chinita”!
Enlaces
Contactos
Pierre Sansgasset
Coating System Engineer
ESO Paranal Observatory
II Región, Chile
Tel: +56 55 2435 5264
Email: psansgas@eso.org
Richard Hook
ESO Public Information Officer
Garching bei München, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6655
Cell: +49 151 1537 3591
Email: pio@eso.org
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