The mechanical and thermal design and analysis of the VISTA infrared camera

摘要

The infrared camera for the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) sets many technical challenges for mechanical and thermal design. The flexion between optical subsystems must be minimised to maintain alignment in various camera orientations and meet performance requirements. Thermally induced stresses, atmospheric pressure and earthquake loads place high demands on structural components, some of which must also thermally isolate the cold (～70 K) detectors and optics. The success of the design hinges on the optimisation of heat flow to minimise thermal loads on the detectors whilst holding external temperatures very close to ambient to reduce misting and convective disturbances in the field of view. This paper describes the mechanical and thermal components of the design and discusses the analyses in detail.