The Gemini South telescope has been well known for its innovative adaptive optics system GeMS, which, since 2011, has been the first Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO) system using multiple laser guide stars. However, over the years it turned out that the reliability of the original 50-Watt solid-state sodium laser built by Lockheed Martin Coherent Technologies was not compatible with science operations and the coupling efficiency of the picosecond pulsed laser to the atmospheric sodium atoms was not ideal. So after struggling with this laser for many years, Gemini decided to get rid of the old 40 m³ laser clean room and replace it by our < 2 m³ laser. Simulations show that our 22 Watts with optimized spectral format should outperform the old laser even if it ran at its full 50-Watt target.
Installation and user training took place in a laboratory clean room located inside the telescope building on Cerro Pachón. The first few night we stayed in the Cerro Pachón residencia, but then commuted from La Serena with the day crew for another few days in order not to miss out on the Chilean way of live entirely. Thanks a lot to the great team at Gemini South for this productive week and their hospitality.
Credit: Jeff Donahue, Gemini Observatory
