1700AS0001 TCS Spec.pdf

1 Scope
1.1 Identification
Doc No. SALT1700AS0001 Issue A
TCS Specification
This document specifies the requirements (the Technical Baseline) for the Southern African Large
Telescope (SALT) Telescope Control System (TCS). It is an internal document that will be used to
guide the TCS development and to test the TCS against.
SALT is a reflecting optical astronomical telescope of the tilted Arecibo type, based on the design of
the HET. The TCS forms the integrating node of the telescope and provides the Man-Machine Interface
(MMI) to the SALT Operator (SO), the SALT Astronomer (SA) and the Principal Investigator (PI).
In general, the word “shall” is used to indicate mandatory requirements while descriptive statements
are used to provide non-mandatory information.
1.2 System overview
The TCS performs the integrating function of SALT by controlling the interaction between the
subsystems, presenting the SO and SA with relevant information and responding to their commands.
Computers linked to the subsystems via a computer network implement the functions of the TCS.
The TCS also includes the observation planning and scheduling tools, fault reporting and logging,
hereafter referred to as the Observatory Control System (OCS). SALT planning and budgets (cost
baseline) exclude the OCS but where possible, these have been specified in this document. In order
to optimise the use of available funding and time, TCS requirements that could be postponed until after
First Light have been indicated in italics.
The TCS excludes all control functions related to any Science Instrumentation. A measure of
information integration with the Science Instrumentation is anticipated and the SA workstation will be
designed to allow client/server operation with the Instrument Computers.
Issue A of this document addresses primarily the TCS control functions (i.e. those not forming part of
the OCS) and the associated Man Machine Interfaces.
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