Hydrostatic bearing arrangement for high stiffness support of theLarge Synoptic Survey Telescope

摘要

Meeting the stringent slew and settling requirements of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) will require an exceptionally stiff mount. The unique three mirror design and large, 64 cm diameter, focal plane preclude the use of a fast steering mirror or active focal plane. Consequently, a smooth (low vibrations) drive and bearing system is also required. This combination of smooth motion and high stiffness is best achieved with hydrostatic bearings. Hydrostatic bearings have historically proven use for the support of azimuth and elevation axes of telescopes due to these performance advantages. In addition to the known benefit of mount stiffness and tracking accuracy from exceedingly low friction, the hydrostatic bearing provides a wide range of geometric possibilities for large telescopes, reference 1. This paper analyzes various bearing arrangements for the azimuth and elevation axes of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope to conceptualize the greatest stiffness for the mount and provide data to determine system performance.