Remote Operation Of Telescopes: Long-Distance Observing

Communication technology makes it possible to extend the link between the telescope and control room from tens of feet to thousands of miles. Reasons for doing so include: 1) avoiding the health risks and observing inefficiencies caused by hypoxia at high-altitude sites; 2) facilitation of new telescope scheduling schemes; 3) saving travel time and money; and 4) providing troubleshooting backup by the headquarters' engineers and astronomers. The required data rate is estimated by assuming that: 1) the data from a mosaic of nine 1000 x 1000 CCDs will be transmitted every ten (10) minutes; 2) troubleshooting will be supported by transmitting television pictures at a few frames per second. With these assumptions a 500-Kbs data rate is needed to accommodate peak data rates and to have adequate catch-up capability. A two-step implementation of remote observing at Mauna Kea is considered in detail. The first step is installation of a microwave link or glass fiber land line between Mauna Kea's summit and Waimea. The second step is to connect the island headquarters at Waimea to a mainland headquarters, or each U.C. campus, with a satellite link. Cost estimates are given for each step.