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Gigantic Telescope Adopts Intelligent Maintenance Robots


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A staff member adjusts a maintenance robot designed for China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) in southwest China's Guizhou Province.

A robotic system project for operation and maintenance of China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) passed on-site appraisal last week.

Credit: Ou_Dongqu/Xinhua

Five "intelligent" robot systems and platforms have been cleared by authorities to maintain China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST).

FAST's Jiang Peng said the robots will help safeguard the instrument's operation, extending its observation duration by about 30 days annually while boosting efficiency.

The robots will test the cables and pulleys of the telescope's feed, maintain its actuators and laser targets on the reflector, disassemble and install feed receivers, monitor radio interference, and perform all-weather measurements of the feed cabin.

"The intelligent robots are expected to add about 30 days to the telescope's observation period annually," said Jiang.

From Xinhuanet (China)
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Abstracts Copyright © 2023 SmithBucklin, Washington, D.C., USA


 

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