ESPRESSO front end guiding algorithms: from design phase to implementation and validation toward the commissioning

Abstract

In this paper we will review the ESPRESSO guiding algorithm for the Front End subsystem. ESPRESSO, the Echelle Spectrograph for Rocky Exoplanets and Stable Spectroscopic Observations, will be installed on ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT). The Front End Unit (FEU) is the ESPRESSO subsystem which collects the light coming from the Coude Trains of all the Four Telescope Units (UTs), provides Field and Pupil stabilization better than 0.05’’ via piezoelectric tip tilt devices and inject the beams into the Spectrograph fibers. The field and pupil stabilization is obtained through a re-imaging system that collects the halo of the light out of the Injection Fiber and the image of the telescope pupil. In particular, we will focus on the software design of the system starting from class diagram to actual implementation. A review of the theoretical mathematical background required to understand the final design is also reported. We will show the performance of the algorithm on the actual Front End by adoption of telescope simulator exploring various scientific requirements.