QUIJOTE CMB EXPERIMENT: TELESCOPE & ENCLOSURE
Spain
The Q-U-I JOint TEnerife CMB Experiment is a collaborative effort of several European Institutions led by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) to measure the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background in the frequency range between 11 GHz and 30GHz at angular scales of 1°.
As a member of the consortium, IDOM designed and constructed the first telescope -which has a gregorian dragone optical system in an alt-azimuth mount-, carried out the integration and testing of the first instrument -formed by 5 separate polarimeters each with a novel cryogenic on-axis rotating polar modulator- and designed the enclosure of the project -aimed to protect two telescopes and featuring a fully removable roof.
IDOM was also involved in the turnkey supply of the second telescope unit with enhanced opto-mechanical performance and maintainability. Both telescopes are in operation since 2012 and 2014 respectively, and the facility was officially opened on June 2015 by His Majesty King Felipe VI.
CLIENT:
Astrophysics Institute of the Canary Islands
SCOPE:
Design and Manufacturing