RC700-ƒ/12

Observatory-class
Observation System

www.PlaneWave.com
PlaneWave Instruments
1375 N Main Street
Adrian, MI 49221
(310) 639-1662
RC700-ƒ/12 Observatory-class Observation System 01

Contents

Why PlaneWave? 02

Company History 03

RC700 Features 04

RC700 Specifications 05
 RC700-ƒ/12 Observatory-class Observation System 02

Why PlaneWave?
Company Overview Our telescope mountings are agile direct-drive tracking systems. They
PlaneWave Instruments is a leading manufacturer of commercial are highly reliable and allow slew speeds in excess of 50°/second. Our
off-the-shelf (COTS) tracking systems and ground based telescopes mounts are designed to meet requirements of >1,000,000 slews/year
from 300mm to 1,000mm. When combined with emerging sensor to affordably track orbital or deep-space objects.
technologies, our systems can provide sensitivities that meet or
exceed mission requirements for most astronomy, SSA and optical PlaneWave telescopes and mounts have been designed to simplify

communication applications. both remote-control and autonomous operation. This facilitates

creation of affordable and affordably operable world-wide SSA and
optical-communication networks. The high tracking and slewing speeds
Many of our telescopes are based on the revolutionary Corrected and precision pointing of our mounts make them ideal for quickly
Dall-Kirkham (CDK) optical design developed by PlaneWave Chief transitioning between multiple types of targets (LEO, GEO, GPS,
Technical Officer David Rowe. The CDK design is coma free, has no astronomy, etc.)
off-axis astigmatism, and provides a wide flat imaging field. The
CDK outperforms the older RC design in many ways; it is a lower PlaneWave Instruments is a small privately-owned business and is
cost telescope to manufacture and has a proven, field-tested track proud to design and manufacture our products in the United States.
record.

Core Capabilities Key Technologies

• The PlaneWave management team has decades of experience • PlaneWave has developed extensive motion control algorithms,
in the astronomy and manufacturing industries and has a proven
astrometric analysis software, pointing analysis and correction
track record of delivering products on time and on budget. software, and control system architectures that significantly enhance
performance of our gimbal systems.
• PlaneWave is a leader in developing products that are
innovative, high quality and designed to be scalable for volume • PlaneWave’s vertical integration includes inhouse design and
manufacturing. manufacture of our gimbals, motors, optics and OTAs. This allows for
minimized cost and maximized performance through design
• Our facilities use SolidWorks, custom software tools, state-of-
optimization of each system component.
the-art CNC and 3D printing to design and realize our products.

• PlaneWave has developed state-of-the-art optical manufacturing and

• PlaneWave employs a pool of talented and innovative
testing facilities. From individual mirrors to complete optical systems, we
mechanical, electrical and software engineers. From new product
are able to ensure that each of our products are of the highest quality.
development to custom design, our team is well suited to meet
the rapidly evolving requirements of our customers.
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PlaneWave Instruments is a privately held company headquartered

in Adrian, MI and was founded in 2006 by Richard Hedrick and
Joseph Haberman. It operates design and manufacturing facilities in
California and Michigan. Through the leadership of its founders and
CTO David Rowe, the company developed and championed the CDK
(Corrected Dall-Kirkham) telescope, a revolutionary new optical
system.

In addition to consumer products, PlaneWave makes a full line of

observatory class telescope mounts, and the CDK and Ritchey-
Chrétien (RC) telescope line from 12.5” to 1 meter apertures. The
company produces high-quality off-the-shelf products at

Company
unprecedented value. The products are used by universities,
research centers and aerospace companies, with 60 CDK700s (0.7
meter aperture) and 16 PW1000 (1 meter aperture) telescopes

History
produced as of 2020.

Most recently, PlaneWave has begun offering standalone, direct-

drive tracking-systems, compatible with both our CDK optical-
systems and many third-party manufactured telescopes and
instrument packages. Building upon the technology,
manufacturing knowledge, and software that were developed
for the CDK700 and CDK1000 observatory telescopes, our
L-Series mounts offer the same exceptional performance, robust
reliability, and comfortable ease of use. With 8Mhz encoders and
direct-drive actuation, resulting in slewing speeds in excess of
100 degrees/second, motion speeds of the system will typically
be limited by the telescope or instrument mechanics. We expect
these capabilities, at our mounts respective price-points, will be
game-changing for a wide variety of researchers and commercial
users.

PlaneWave Instruments is also prepared to offer our engineering

services and manufacturing expertise to the most demanding
clienteles needs for innovative and custom solutions.
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RC700 Features
Optimized Central Obscuration
The PlaneWave RC700-ƒ/12 was designed to offer a central
obscuration of less than 30% to improve both image contrast and
the efficiency of optical fiber coupling.

Optional GPS/PTP Encoder Synchronization

For applications requiring the most accurate knowledge
of position and time, PlaneWave offers optional electronics that
allow UTC timestamping of encoder feedback.

Dual Nasmyth Foci

The RC700 offers two Nasmyth focus ports to simplify use of
multiple instrument packages. The systems tertiary mirror (M3) is
robotic and remotely controllable through PlaneWave Interface
Software and the PWI API, allowing even remote users to change
between ports with the click of a button.

Space-Frame Design & Optional Coudé Path

Like our PW1000 system, the PlaneWave RC700 incorporates the
Space-Frame Fork design. This design approach not only reduces
weight while increasing rigidity, but also simplifies Coudé path
routing. Contact your PlaneWave representative to discuss
requirements for your desired Coudé solution.

Optional Carbon-Fiber Hard-Shroud

For installations where stray, ambient light is a concern, the RC700 Direct-Drive Motors
has an optional hard-shroud available. This 2-panel, carbon-fiber
Like each of PlaneWave Instruments existing tracking mounts, the
shroud mounts between the optical tube front-ring and mid-ring
RC700 system features high-performance, in-house designed and
and is easily removable for maintenance.
manufactured direct-drive motors. We use an axial-flux motor design
that prevents motor cogging and ensures consistent torque. Our
Additional Payload Capacity vertical integration also allows us to use a high magnetic-volume
The RC700 has been designed with large payloads in mind. Each density, achieving higher torque with modest power requirements.
Nasmyth port is capable of supporting 300+ pounds of Specifications and benefits include:
instrumentation. Additionally, the optical tube structure has been • On-Axis 26-Bit Absolute Encoders
designed to accommodate optical windows, with mass of up to
• Stable Satellite Tracking for LEO and Beyond
100 pounds (including mount) and piggyback instrumentation of
• Slew Speeds > up to 50 degrees/second
up to 300 pounds.
• 115VAC 20A input: No need for 3-phase power or generators
 RC700-ƒ/12 Observatory-class Observation System 05

RC700 Specifications
EXPECTED SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SLEWING SPEED APPLICATION
(Tracking notes based on mount axis encoder feedback)

Astronomy Satellite Tracking

Axis Rate: Sidereal 1-deg/sec 5-deg/sec

Pointing accuracy (All-Sky, RMS) 10 arc-seconds 20 arc-seconds 30 arc-seconds

Pointing accuracy with local offset/re-sync (within 5 degrees of target) 1-2 arc-seconds 10 arc-seconds 20 arc-seconds

Closed Loop Tracking Accuracy (assumes > 0.25 Hz correction rate) < 0.1 arc-seconds < 1 arc-second < 2 arc-seconds

Open Loop Tracking accuracy RMS (over 10 seconds) < 0.2 arc-seconds < 2 arc-seconds < 5 arc-seconds

Open Loop Tracking accuracy RMS (over 10 minutes) < 1 arc-seconds N/A N/A

Jitter (1-200hz) 0.1 arc-seconds < 0.5 arc-seconds < 2 arc-seconds

Internal Servo-Loop (Drive-Motor) 16 KHz

Software Command Round-Trip 20 ms

Azimuth Travel 660 degrees

Elevation Travel 15 - 90 degrees

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
Weight 2500 lbs

Dimensions and Power Requirement 92.25" (H) x 52" (W) x 36" (D) and 120 VAC 30A (220V upon request)

Swing Radius 50"

Base-Flange to Alt-Axis 46"

Operating Temperature Range -20C to +50C

Storage Temperature Range -30C to +70C

MECHANICAL STRUCTURE
Fork Assembly Space-frame steel truss

Fork Base Welded stainless-steel torsion box

Azimuth Bearing 22.7 inch diameter slew-ring bearing

Four 6.5 inch 4-way loaded ball bearings (two pre-loaded on motor
Altitude Bearing
side and two on non-motor side)

Optical Tube Dual carbon-fiber truss structure with dual Nasmyth foci

300 lbs, mounted to each Nasmyth interface (Focuser & De-rotator

Instrument Payload
specs TBD)
Mounting pattern on OTA front-ring will support customer/integrator
Optical Window Mounting
provided optical window

System Natural Frequency 10 Hz or greater

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RC700 Specifications
OPTICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Optical Design Ritchey-Chrétien

Aperture 700 mm (27.56 inch)

Focal Length 8410 mm

Focal ratio ƒ/12

Central Obstruction < 30% of the primary mirror diameter

Image Scale 40.8 microns per arcsecond

Back Focus 317 mm (12.5 inch) from instrument mounting surface

Field Diameter 16.35 arcminutes

Fully Baffled Field 40 mm

RMS spot-sizes of < 1 micron on-axis, 8.2 microns at 11 mm off-

Optical Performance
axis, 27.5 microns at 20.5 mm off-axis

Mirror Material Fused Silica (Quartz)

Mirror Coating Enhanced aluminum, protected gold and custom options available

Focus Position Nasmyth focus

CONTROL SYSTEM
Motor Controller (includes ICD) Industrial grade Elmo brushless motor control system and built in electronics

Azimuth Motor Direct-drive 3 phase axial-flux torque motor

Altitude Motor Direct-drive 3 phase axial-flux torque motor

255 mm stainless steel encoder ring with read-head yields 67.1 million counts per
Encoder(s)
revolution of the telescope. This translates to about 0.019 arc-second resolution.

Motor Torque Approximately 170 ft-lbs continuous (azimuth motor)

Drive Electronics Elmo Motion Control Systems drives

Telescope Control Software PWI4 (provided by PlaneWave)

Recommended Time Source GPS time card or PTP server