AIT support equipment design for METIS

Abstract

The Mid-Infrared ELT Imager and Spectrometer (METIS) is a first light instrument for the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) in Chile, covering the 3-19 micrometer wavelength range in the mid-infrared. As the project entered system Assembly, Integration, and Testing (AIT) phase at Leiden University in early 2026, dedicated Support Equipment (SEQ) is essential for safe handling, accurate alignment, and efficient verification of the instrument and its subsystems. This paper presents the design and realization of the SEQ units developed by the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (ASIAA). These units include the AIT Support Frame (ASF), the ASF/METIS transport container, the cleanroom booth, the cryostat AIT Lifting Platform (ALP) and subsystem ALP. The SEQ design requirements, engineering simulations, structural analyses, and final implementation are presented. The completed units delivered to the METIS AIT facility demonstrate the readiness of METIS for the integration and verification phase.

Authors 12

1. Yu Chieh Huang

   Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica · Academia Sinica

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica (Taiwan)

2. Remko Stuik

   Leiden Observatory · Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy

   Affiliation as printed

   ASTRON (Netherlands)

   Leiden Observatory (Netherlands)

3. Dirk Lesman

   Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy

   Affiliation as printed

   ASTRON (Netherlands)

4. Shiang‐Yu Wang

   Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica · Academia Sinica

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica (Taiwan)

5. Ping-Jie Huang
6. Jia-Ruei Nian
7. Hsin-Yo Chen
8. Tashun Wei
9. Shu-Fu Hsu
10. Chad Salo Aachen Leiden Observatory

    Leiden University · AstroTec Holding (Netherlands) · Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy

    Affiliation as printed

    Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands (Netherlands)

    NOVA optical infrared instrumentation group at ASTRON, Oude Hoogeveensedijk 4, 7991PD, Dwingeloo, The Netherlands (Netherlands)

11. Felix Bettonvil

    Leiden Observatory · Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy

    Affiliation as printed

    ASTRON (Netherlands)

    Leiden Observatory (Netherlands)

12. Bernhard R. Brandl

    Leiden Observatory · Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy

    Affiliation as printed

    ASTRON (Netherlands)

    Leiden Observatory (Netherlands)