1st STAGE (January - March, 2014)

ESF (activity 1.1.1.2.) project "Forming of scientific group for unified satellite laser ranging device design"

Staff of scientific group has been recruited and project activities have started.

Project stages are mainly administrative breakdown, spaced in regular 3 month intervals.

The first month of stage 1 was devoted to conceptual design of the device. Mechanical configuration of device and structure of control software was defined. Complementing off-the-shelf devices and mechanical parts, involved materials and technologies were chosen.

After that, detailed design phase was started. It is supposed to claim about 3 months, during stage 1  a large part of it was accomplished. Detailed design includes defining construction of mechanical elements, preparing technical drawings, performing deformation analysis, choosing most appropriate technical solutions, materials, technologies, off-the-shelf parts. SolidEdge engineering software package was used for mechanical design.

As a result, we now have practically completed design of the secondary axis assembly, including main optical system attachment adaptors and axes junction assembly. Primary axis assembly and stanchion designs are close to completion. Design of optical link between laser and output collimator and a number of auxiliary and adjustment elements are left to stage 2.

During mechanical design, it became clear, that steel should be used as the main construction material. As it turned out, aluminium implies too big deformations; also making of casts would involve unpredictable administrative complications.

Design of control software, including specifications of functional blocks, sketches of user interface, definition of involved algoritms, data structures and file formats, was also started. At the end of stage 1 design of 4 main control processes are close to completion. Details of interaction between processes, exchange formats and support of some hardware interfaces are still incomplete, possibly late modifications of some issues will be necessary due to not knowing final hardware pack yet.

Market analysis of still missing off-the-shelf components was performed. Most of them, hopefully, will be purchased in tenders, starting soon. Unfortunately, outcame of them traditionally is quite unpredictable.

A presentation about project has been delivered in the 72nd Scientific Conference of the University of Latvia