Kiwis star performers in telescope project

The Subaru telescope lens.

KiwiStar Optics, a business unit of Industrial Research, was contracted by ElectroOptic Space Systems (EOS) in Canberra to produce three precision lenses for the Hawaii based, 8.2m Subaru telescope.

The two-year project involved not only the production of the three lenses, but also the production of the housing, which protects and supports the lenses.

The lenses are made from glass of very high purity and considerable precision is involved in preparing the lenses, then testing and mounting them to the exacting requirements of the Japanese run and funded telescope (which has nothing to do with the car company of the same name, but is the name of the constellation of stars).

Because of the size and nature of the lenses they had to be specially coated in the United States. Unfortunately problems occurred in the coating process and the lenses had to be returned to the US to be recoated.

More careful scientific analysis and careful precision preparation went into the shipping of the lenses off to Hawaii.

A detailed analysis was performed in Auckland by Industrial Research staff who came up with a design consisting of both an inner and outer frame which has rubber blocks in each corner to protect the lens from shocks and buffeting in transit from New Zealand.

EOS scientist Andrew Rakich says testing has all been completed on the new lens in the telescopebased on the summit of Mauna Kea and at the time of writing the first viewing was due in July.

“The folks at the Subaru telescope are over the moon, they are extremely happy with the work…the results are absolutely top notch.

“We use optics labs from all over the world, but particularly those in France and the US, and KiwiStar are right up there with the best.”

KiwiStar Optics General Manager Peter Connor says Industrial Research has a cluster of talent and resource in precision optics, measurement and engineering.

This depth of capacity helped Industrial Research secure the major work on the NZ$650,000 Subaru lens and should help secure future major contracts in this area.

“The metrology capacity that exists within IRL adds greatly to our international credibility,” he says.

This is the second major telescope project that KiwiStar has been involved in - following in the footsteps of the work on the MOA telescope at Saint John in the South Island. This follows  over 50 years of work by scientists in this area, which stems from work at the former DSIR.

“I think that our specialization is clearly in making big lenses.

“There is a very long cycle involved in getting these projects to fruition, often with several years of background work before the contracts are signed," he says.

Peter Connor says other significant projects are in the pipeline.

“The timing for our next project is absolutely perfect… I am confident that our experience on a similar telescope should stand us in good stead.”