Optical design studies for national large optical-IR telescope

Abstract

A 10–12 m class national large optical-IR telescope (NLOT) is envisaged to meet the growing scientific requirements in astronomy and astrophysics. Telescopes of such dimensions can only be made by segmenting the primary mirror, as it eases a more prominent primary mirror’s fabrication, transportation, operation, and maintenance process. This paper presents the various optical designs analyzed for NLOT that can be fabricated using the India TMT Optics Fabrication Facility (ITOFF) at the Centre for Research and Education in Science and Technology (CREST) campus. We present the primary mirror segmentation details, its ideal optical performance, and study each design’s advantages and technical complexities. Based on the above analysis, we have narrowed it down to an optimal design, and its performance analysis is also discussed.