It was decided after CoDR that 1) UH will not duplicate NIRI components, 2) assistance from UH mechanical and software staff will be useful, and 3) Klaus Hodapp sees UH involvement in the HAWAII-2 detector development as justification for UH involvement in other aspects of the project. A draft contract has now been sent to Klaus describing how this will work. The main points are that UH will duplicate the NIRI OIWFS detector system, UH staff will be available to ANU for consultation, ANU and UH will work together developing the HAWAII-2 detector system, Rockwell will deliver the science-grade detector to UH in November 2001, UH will ship it to ANU in February 2002, and it will be installed in NIFS in April 2002. This is a tight schedule. Anything that can be done to speed the Rockwell contract negotiations will help.

1.2 Relative Performance:

It was noted at CoDR that comparisons of NIFS performance predictions with the actual performance of real IR spectrographs would build confidence! This has been done and is described in SDN0004.12. Briefly, I compared NIFS to NIRSPEC, ISAAC, CIRPASS, and CGS4. There are obvious uncertainties in comparing like with like. However, the result is that the NIFS prediction performs equal to, or better than, the reality of these other spectrographs if they had 0.1” slits and R = 5000 on a 8 m telescope. This is as expected. The far superior result for NIRSPEC quoted at CoDR appears to be an early (optimistic) prediction.

1.3 Target Acquisition:

I have reconsidered target acquisition with NIFS after accepting that it will not be possible to repeat the positioning of the grating wheel to sub-pixel levels (see below). This means that it will not be possible to rotate the grating wheel to a mirror position for target acquisition and then return to the original grating position with valid calibrations. This is fully explained in SDN0004.11. Briefly, there are two options; collapsing the data cube in the spectral direction to form an image of the sky, or inserting a flip mirror without moving the grating. The spectrally collapsed image suffers from read noise from all 2048 spectral pixels, so will not detector limiting objects. The flip mirror image is background limited but gives much better performance. I propose adding the flip mirror mechanism. This is certainly preferable to engineering a grating mechanism that repeats to the necessary accuracy.

The alternative is to set to a nearby reference star, acquire PWFS1, collapse the data cube in the spectral direction to form an image of the reference star, and then offset PFWS1 (and the telescope) to the science object position. This may be necessary on very faint targets. It requires only accurate relative coordinates between the science object and the reference star, not between the science object and the PFWS1 star. However, you still will not be absolutely sure that the target is centered properly until the first exposure is displayed (maybe 1 hr later).

Does IGPO support the addition of a flip mirror to improve target acquisition?

1.4 Grating Mechanism

The mechanism for holding the grating wheel was described in abstract terms at CoDR. We now favor mounting from an axle off the cold work surface plate (like GNIRS), rather than on a large wheel (like the NIRI beam splitter wheel) suspended high off the cold work surface plate. This means that moving the grating mechanism changes the grating angle. The grating mechanism would have to repeat to high accuracy to permit gratings to be exchanged and then repositioned well enough for calibrations to still be valid (< 0.1 pixels to adequately cancel expected fringing [see SDN0008.10, Fringing Effects in the NIFS Science Detector] ). Our expectation is currently that the grating will repeat to a few tenths of a pixel at the detector. This leads to the addition of a flip mirror for acquisition as described above. It also means that it will not be possible to record calibration frames for all gratings during the day, and freely interchange gratings during night time observations; at least arc lamp and flatfield frames will have to be recorded at each grating setting during the night. This has detector remnance implications.

1.5 Guide Star Availability

The severe limitations of requiring guide stars for ALTAIR and the OIWFS were emphasized at CoDR. I am attempting to define specific observing programs for NIFS. The availability of guide stars is a major limitation. The current approach of selecting science targets first and then looking for guide stars may be inappropriate. It may be necessary to cross-correlate object lists with guide star lists. This is likely to severely limit the NIFS (and ALTAIR) user community. No specific action from IGPO is warranted at this stage. However, we should continue to quantify the impact on science scope.

1.6 5 Micron Detector

Don Hall has included the demonstration of a 5 micron cutoff detector in NIFS in a NASA proposal for furthering this NGST development. This will probably require a redesign of the detector circuitry due to expected different packaging. It also demands that the cryostat thermal background be controlled. Use of a cold silica field flattener will block 4-5 micron light adequately. The details are described in SDN0004.10.

2 Project Manager’s Report

Although the NIFS contract has not been fully executed at this point in time, RSAA submits this first monthly report on NIFS activities, covering the period from the Conceptual Design Review till 29 July 2000. Labour and fixed costs for the project have been charged to a holding account from 1 May. A new NIFS account will be established, and the charges from the holding account will be transferred when the NIFS contract is fully executed.

After the busy period leading up to and including the CoDR, the design team took the opportunity to try to complete some other RSAA projects. The delays in negotiations for the NIFS contract gave little incentive to return with full strength to the NIFS design tasks. During June the NIFS activities were ramped up. Preparations were made for the NIRI duplication tasks of the project, but because these tasks require the commitment of quite large sums for materials and equipment, and hiring of extra workshop staff, this work was not started in earnest till late July after ANU signed the contract. RSAA acknowledges that there is a financial risk involved in starting this work at this stage, but accepts that risk, so that project progress will not be unduly delayed.

2.1 Staffing

Earlier in the year RSAA started a restructuring of its design teams. This resulted in the loss of several staff members and attempts to fill the vacant positions with new personnel with more appropriate skills. Martin Mulligan, the electronics engineer working on the NIFS control system, left in early June. He is the only NIFS team member who left. In late July, his position was filled by Murray Dawson, a much more experienced engineer, who will also take on some other duties to free up more of Jan van Harmelen’s time for NIFS project management. Also appointed in late July was Daniel Bishop, a new electronics engineer to assist Mark Downing, our detector engineer.

The NIFS plan calls for one more mechanical design engineer to be involved in the spectrograph design and another to lead the NIRI duplication. Glen Jones, who was working on other projects, had his contract extended and has taken charge of the NIRI duplication effort. Two staff members left and their positions have been advertised. The NIFS project cannot afford to await the outcome of the selection process and RSAA has made arrangements for a designer from Auspace to work at Mount Stromlo from 14 August till end of October in an attempt to fill this gap.

The NIFS plan also calls for the temporary (18 months) appointment of three machinists in the workshop to fabricate parts for the NIRI duplication and later for the spectrograph. Mid June one casual appointment was made to start the work while the positions were advertised. Two new appointees are expected to start in the second half of August. The third position will be readvertised.

The RSAA Computing Section had continuing staffing problems. The University pay scales make it difficult to attract and retain competent staff.

2.2 Progress

The optical design of the spectrograph up to the camera has been reviewed and optimized both for optical performance and for easier manufacture of the IFU elements. The modified design was then successfully folded into the confines of the “cold work surface” and its cover. The current design of the camera was found to be unsatisfactory as far as ghosting is concerned and it lost its achromatic characteristics when the design was translated to the working temperature. Prime Optics, the originator of the design, has been engaged to attempt to solve these problems.

Because of uncertainties associated with the optical design, the problems encountered with the design of the grating mechanism, and the lack of staff, the mechanical design has not progressed as well as expected. Now we have settled on a grating mechanism design and have arranged for design assistance we expect to soon be back on track.

Mark Downing visited IGPO and IfA in June to look at NIRI and to discuss issues pertaining to the spectrograph detector system. We hope that this visit signaled the start of a fruitful collaboration with IfA as described in the Project Scientist’s report.

Peter Young and Mark Jarnyk attended an EPICS course in April. A development system was set up and a preliminary version of the NIRI CC software was installed. Good progress is being made on understanding this software and defining the changes that have to be undertaken to convert it for NIFS use. The detector controller software design has not progressed much. Early completion of the CC work may allow us to transfer more effort to the DC software. This, together with rescheduling some work to after the CDR when Bill Roberts is due to return from a year absence, should ensure timely completion.

The NIRI control system drawings obtained from IfA were used to compile a parts list for the NIFS re-costing. Martin Mulligan’s replacement Murray Dawson has started familiarization with the system and will soon be able to start procurement.

The mechanical workshop has started to fabricate components for the NIRI duplication and orders have been placed for fabrication of some of the large structures. This work was started later than originally planned due to the delay in NIFS negotiations. The lead times for the delivery of the large forgings are up to 16 weeks, pushing the assembly and integration of the vacuum jacket and OIWFS out too far. Careful consideration of the details of these tasks will allow us to regain some of this time.

Despite the various delays and staffing setbacks, RSAA proposes to maintain the date of the Critical Design Review, and is exploring how the delay in the start of the NIRI duplication work can be mitigated.

3 Technical Progress

3.1 Completed Tasks

The following tasks were completed during the reporting period:

Task WBS	hrs	Finish Date	Title	Deliverables
2.4.1	191	27 July 00	Finalise Optical Design Excl Camera	SDN0005.19
2.5.1	53⁽¹⁾	10 July 00	Develop Mechanical Design	nil
2.5.2.1	53	21 July 00	Determine Optical Fold Layout	Drawing and Zemax files
2.7.1	-- ⁽²⁾	28 April 00	Setup Development System	Working System
2.7.2	168	26 May 00	Development System Familiarisation	nil
2.7.3	58⁽³⁾	30 June 00	Install and Understand NIRI Software	NIRI CC Simulator runs

Notes:

Work on WBS 2.5.1 has been terminated, further mechanical design is done under WBS 2.5.2 Mechanical Assembly Design, and its subtasks.
WBS 2.7.1 was completed before 1 May, the effort counted under the Conceptual Design Study.
The division between work on WBS 2.7.3 and 2.7.4 is vague. End of June was a convenient time to break.

3.2 Tasks in Progress

2.1.1 NIFS Critical Design - Project Management

A continuing task. JvH: 72 hrs, MDD: 21 hrs this period.

2.1.6 PS Miscellaneous

A continuing task to record various activities. PJM: 27 hrs this period.

2.2.1 Revise OCDD

Acquisition simulations: PJM: 33:30 hrs.

2.2.3 Science Case

Continuing work to refine the Science case for NIFS. PJM: 61 hrs.

2.3.1 Requirements Analysis

Determine relative image motion between OIWFS and spectrograph detector for displacements and tilts of each of the optical elements. PJM: 23 hrs.

2.4.14 Refine Ghost Analysis

PJM: 17 hrs, GB: 23 hrs, PC: 28 hrs, this period.

2.5.2.3 Disperser Turret Design

PC: 65 hrs this period.

2.5.2.12 Detector Mount Design

Preliminary design of detector mounting arrangement: MDD 21 hrs.

Preliminary thermal analysis of detector mounting arrangement: PJM 5:30 hrs.

2.6.6 Detector Purchase

MDD: 16 hrs, PJM: 13.5 hrs.

2.7.4 Component Controller Software

MJ: 52 hrs.

4.1.1 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Project Management

A continuing task. JvH: 9:30 hrs.

4.2.1 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Design and Supervision

A continuing task. GJ: 122 hrs, CV: 42 hrs supervision and procurement.

4.2.2 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Parts Fabrication

Workshop effort 127 hrs this period. Status: (note: “GXn-nnn” are UH drawing numbers)

Work to confirmed drawings:

GA1 Window mount RSAA Work in Progress

GA2 Shutter RSAA Work in Progress

GB2-001 Cooler Mount Adapter RSAA Work in Progress

GC2 WFS RS Assy RSAA Work in Progress

Work to existing drawings:

GA3 Vacuum Jacket Lenape Forging ordered

GA6-001 Mounting Bracket RSAA Work in Progress

GA6-002 to 205 ISS plate assy Craigie Ordered

GA7 Vacuum Jacket End Plate RSAA Material ordered

GC3 Floating Shield Precision Quoting

GC5 WFS Photon Shield RSAA Work in Progress

GD1 Work Surface RSAA Material ordered

GD2 Truss Physics Quoting

GD4 Optable WFS Superior Quote obtained

GD4-002 Gimbal Bracket RSAA Work in Progress

GL2 WFS Field Lens Mount Assy RSAA Work in Progress

GL3 Fold Mirror RSAA Work in Progress

GL5 Gimbal UH

GL6 WFS Combo Lens UH

GM1 WFS Filter Wheel UH

GM2 Detector Mount RSAA Work in Progress

GM4 WFS Focus Stage RSAA Needs redesign

GP0 Structural Assy Craigie Ordered

Assemblies on hold:

GB3 Cooling System

GC1 Cam RS Assy

GC4 Cam PS Frame

GC6 PV Photon Shield

GR0 Alignment gear

Optical elements:

Janos quoting all WFS elements excepting main window, prism, filter, and

mirrors to existing drawings. No details to hand for window, prism, filter

and mirrors.

4.3.1 Control system – Design and Supervision

Inspection of NIRI control system and discussions with NIRI design personnel. MDD: 21 hrs.

Review work by Martin Mulligan on his departure. JvH: 7 hrs.

5.8.7.1 Test Cryostat Temperature Control – Design Control system

MDD: 7 hrs.

3.3 Documents Issued

The following documents were issued during the reporting period:

Document ID	Rev	Date	Title
SDN0004.10	2	17-JUL-00	NIFS Cryostat Thermal Emission
SDN0004.11	1	14-JUL-00	Strategies for Target Acquisition with NIFS
SDN0004.12	1	14-JUL-00	Relative Performance of NIFS
SDN0005.09	1	22-JUN-00	NIFS Ghost Image Analysis
SDN0005.19	1	26-JUL-00	NIFS Concentric IFU Configuration Options
SDN0007.02	1	13-JUN-00	NIFS Collaborative Arrangement with the University of Hawaii
SDN0008.10	1	06-MAY-00	Fringing Effects in the NIFS Science Detector

4 Schedule Progress

4.1 Updated Schedule

The current schedule is the schedule included in the “NIFS Revised Costing”. Work is under way to revise this schedule to take into account the delays and problems mentioned in the Project Manager’s report above. The revised schedule will be presented in the next monthly report.

4.2 Project Statistics

12 people have contributed to the NIFS project during the period from 1 May to 29 July 2000. They worked a total of 1273 hours, which represents approximately 4.2% of the total number of hours in the current project plan.

4.3 Milestones

Listed below are the milestones defined in the NIFS contract. No milestones were due during the reporting period.

Event	Date	Status
(1)Contract fully signed	August 2000	pending
(2) Placement of order for vacuum jacket forging	August 2000	completed
(3) AURA approval of Final FPRD and OCDD	5 December 2000
(4) AURA approval of Detailed Design Documentation after CDR	January 2001
(5) Start of first Cryostat and OIWFS cooldown	14 May 2001
(6) Completion of Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication (As task is described in Conceptual Design Documentation)	4 October 2001
(7) Completion of Spectrograph Construction (As task is described in Conceptual Design Documentation)	22 March 2002
(8) Authorization to ship instrument given by AURA	19 July 2002
(9) Completion of all Work and Final Acceptance given by AURA	1 October 2002

5 Financial Progress

The exchange rate used is the rate applicable to a particular transaction, or the rate on the last day of the reporting period. On 29 July 2000 the rate was 0.588.

5.1 Income

No income was gained during the reporting period.

5.2 Outgoings

5.2.1 Labour

The RSAA NIFS holding account was charged for 1084 hrs of work from 1 May to 29 July 2000. This is the total number of hours (1273) minus the hours for the Project Scientist (189). The total charge is US$37,940 (A$64,524)

5.2.2 Other Costs

5.2.2.1 Expenditure

No expenditure was recorded during the reporting period.

5.2.2.2 Commitments

The ANU accounting system also includes ‘commitments’, where a purchase order has been raised, but goods or services have not yet been delivered, invoiced and paid. New commitments are listed here, but not included in the financial status report.

2.4.2 Revise Camera Design

Prime Optics US$ 776 A$ 1,320

2.5.2 Mechanical Assembly Design – Labour to assist with design

Auspace up to US$15,876 A$27,000

4.2.2 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Fabrication – Aluminium for all parts

O’Brien Aluminium US$ 8,517 A$14,484

4.2.2.1 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Fabrication - Vacuum Jacket Prefab

Lenape Forge US$14,841 A$25,240

4.2.2.4 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Fabrication - Window Cover Construction

ITW Finishing Technologies US$ 594 A$ 1,011

4.2.2.19 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Fabrication - ISS Interface Plate (and related items)

Craigie Industrial Engineers US$ 9,199 A$15,644

4.2.2.19 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Fabrication – Auxiliaries Frame

Craigie Industrial Engineers US$ 5,390 A$ 9,166

5.3 Financial Status

Date	Description	Income (US$)	Income (A$)	Outgoings (US$)	Outgoings (A$)
29 Jul 00	Labour			37,940	64,524
29 Jul 00	Balance			37,940	64,524

6 Problem Areas

6.1 Technical Problems

The optical design of the spectrograph camera was shown to have inferior ghosting performance and to lose its achromatic characteristics at its operating temperature. These problems have been referred to Prime Optics for rectification.

Various design possibilities for the grating mechanism were investigated with a view of producing a design capable of reliably re-positioning the gratings to 0.01 or 0.02 pixels on the detector to maintain calibration to a level where fringing effects would not significantly change after moving to another position and returning. This translates to a setting accuracy of 20 nm along the periphery of the grating wheel. It was finally realised that in the space available, accepting the design limitations imposed by the NIRI control system (use of stepper motors and hall effect sensors), and the requirements on mechanism configuration time, this was not achievable. The latest design does not provide this high repeatability, but does provide stability. To overcome the problems of field acquisition, a flip mirror mechanism has been added and the observing sequencing has been amended as described in the Project Scientist’s report above.

6.2 Scheduling Problems

Work is under way to revise the schedule to take into account the delays and problems mentioned in the Project Manager’s report above. The revised schedule will be presented in the next monthly report.

6.3 Financial Problems

There are no financial problems

7 Action Items

There are no Action Items outstanding.

No.	Action	Who	Status	Due Date