High-performance Astronomy in the Atacama Desert: VLT, ALMA, and La Silla
In the remote Atacama Desert in northern Chile, the Very Large Telescope (VLT) of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) is located on Paranal. As one of the most advanced ground-based astronomical facilities in the world, the site hosts:
• Four 8.2-meter Unit Telescopes (VLTs)
• Four 1.8-meter Auxiliary Telescopes (ATs)
• The VLT Survey Telescope (VST)
• The 4.1-meter Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA), which is built on a neighboring peak.
The modular VMEbus system (Versa Module Europa) serves as the core computer platform for all these telescopes – VLT, VLTI, VISTA, and VST at Paranal, as well as for the instruments at the La Silla Observatory and the ALMA Observatory.
At the ALMA Observatory (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) at over 5,000 meters altitude, VME-based real-time computers are in use. These systems manage precise calculations and transmission of position data to control values for the antenna motors.
The extreme environmental conditions – significant temperature fluctuations, highly variable humidity levels, and low air pressure with limited cooling capacity – pose demanding requirements for the hardware in use. VME computer systems have proven to be particularly robust and reliable in these conditions and are ideal for real-time critical computing operations in demanding environments.
At the La Silla Observatory, situated about 2,400 meters above sea level, VME boards were also chosen for their reliability under extreme environmental conditions. A key factor was their ability to retain data in the system memory during power outages.
Upgrade to the next VMEbus generation
The control electronics of the VLT on Paranal are currently being upgraded to a new generation of VME boards to further enhance system performance and efficiency.
The initial upgrades include various VLT subsystems, including the Autoguider system. The original PowerPC VME boards that we previously delivered are now being replaced with Intel-based VME boards.
We are proud to have been chosen once again as a reliable technology partner – thanks to our long-standing support, technical expertise, and proven system reliability under extreme conditions.
Related Products
VP E2x/msd
CPU board is a 3U 4HP universal slot single-board computer with a Quad Core 1.91 GHz Intel Atom E...
learn moreAlternative Products
MVME6100
The MVME61006E gets its performance from a MPC7457 1.3 GHz G4 PowerPC processor. The MPC7457 CPU ...
learn more