CaNaPy is an experimental Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics facility designed to demonstrate pre-compensation of a sodium LGS uplink beam, and to investigate wavefront sensing on the pre-compensated LGS using a Pyramid wavefront sensor. CaNaPy was installed at the 1m ESA OGS telescope at the Observatorio del Teide, Tenerife, in autumn 2023. Here we report on the commissioning phase activities followed by the first on-sky results on LGS uplink pre-compensation. CaNaPy is developed at ESO in collaboration with ESA, Durham University, IAC, INAF, and Microgate, with scientific collaborators from ANU and the RICAM institute.
The CaNaPy project pioneers a novel configuration in Visible Wavelength Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics (LGS-AO). Collaboratively established by ESA and ESO, it hosts a 70 W CW 589nm laser, employing upward propagation pre-compensation on sodium LGS via a pyramid wavefront sensor (Py-WFS). Operating at Teide Observatory, its aim is to demonstrate the benefits of pre-compensating the LGS upward propagation path, reducing LGS spot size in the mesosphere. This enhances Sodium optical pumping effects and significantly boosts Py-WFS sensitivity. Early on-sky experiments, using Natural Guide Stars, are underway, comparing results with simulation predictions using PASSATA. These trials mark a critical milestone in advancing visible wavelength LGS-AO, promising better resolution and sensitivity with reduced laser power requirements.
The role played by the LPC (Laser Pointing Camera, produced by ASTREL Instruments in collaboration with INAF-OAR) within the CANAPY-ALASCA project (an experimental LGS-AO system, achieved thanks to a synergy between INAF, ESO, ESA, Microgate, Durham University, IAC) is described, emphasizing his cruciality during commissioning, and describing their usefulness not only in the purely astronomical context (VLT/E- ELT) but also in the context of the use of adaptive optics for satellite communications tests.
We report on the novel ALASCA (Advanced LGS AO for Satellite Communication Assessment) facility being built for ESA by a consortium of industry and national research institutes under the ScyLight program. The aim of ALASCA is to create a facility for Optical Feeder Links (OFL) field tests, as well as to demonstrate at the ESA Optical Ground Station in Tenerife, starting in 2023, 24/7 reliable operation of optimal Optical Feeder Links based on Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics (LGS-AO) to solve the point-ahead problem on ground-space laser communications. Space optical communication represents a technological challenge due to its specific requirements and merit parameters; the consortium’s extensive experience in LGS-AO in the astronomical field allows an expert technology transfer to earth-space communication. This will enhance the review of the ALASCA’s main requirements, their implementation by a proper tailoring of the modular solutions that will be adopted by the design, facing the new challenges at system level posed by the OFL applications compared to astronomical solutions. The ALASCA project will, last but not least, provide a technology assessment and a development roadmap towards the industrial exploitation of a 24/7 operational Optical Ground Station (OGS). We will provide an overview of the ALASCA project, its goals, phases and planned timeline up to the field experiments; the presentation will then focus on the project status, including also the simulations results of LGS-AO assisted OFL.
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