Procedure for Putting Primary Mirror into Telescope

The mirror is transported in a wooden box constructed by Torus Optics, with its cover in place and the lifting fixture in place in its hole. Use the stiff plastic sheets to chock the mirror in place and to orient the lifting fixture in the center of the hole. To put the mirror into the telescope, follow the following procedure; reverse it to get the mirror out of the cell and into the box.

  1. Orient the mirror cell of the telescope horizontally, and secure it with a stay bar. Be sure the high-side lateral supports are out of the telescope and, at least, that the push rods for the low-side lateral supports are retracted. Retract the push rods in the axial supports so that the support columns are resting on the base of the axial-support bodies. Be sure the three axial hard points are out of the telescope.
  2. Attach the lifting jig to the mirror-lifting fixture with the four 5/8-inch threaded rods, raise the mirror out of its cell enough to pull slings under it, put two 9-foot slings around the mirror (through the hole and through the lifting jig) to catch the mirror if the lifting fixture breaks. DO NOT LET ANY PART OF YOUR BODY GET UNDER THE MIRROR.
  3. Lift the mirror with the crane until it is high enough to clear the edge of the mirror cell. Move the mirror over the cell. Place the four wooden mirror guides in place on the side of the cell while centering the mirror with the crane. Lower the mirror into the cell until it contacts some of the supports. Raise it up slightly with the crane to facilitate hooking up the lateral hard points. Attach the extensions for the three axial hard points to the hard-point pucks, and add the three axial hard points and their hold-down springs.
  4. Adjust the lateral hard points per proc_lathrdpts and lower mirror onto axial hard points. Adjust the push rods for the axial support levers to press on the back of the mirror. Lower the lifting fixture onto the deck of the mirror cell, remove the lifting jig, and secure the lifting fixture into the telescope with the two 1/2-inch screws through the back of the cell.
  5. Store the box for mirror and the lifting jig for future use.