SCISYS selected as partner for ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope programme
ESO, the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere, has awarded SCISYS Deutschland GmbH with the realisation of the Data Display Tool (DDT) in the frame of ESO’s ELT Observatory programme.
With a 39-metre main mirror ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) will be the largest optical/near-infrared telescope on earth: “the world’s biggest eye on the sky”. SCISYS is very proud taking a relevant part in this extraordinary ground-based telescope programme. The company will provide the Data Display Tool, allowing the visualisation of data received by detector systems and other applications during astronomical observations or engineering activities in pseudo real-time. With the DDT SCISYS delivers a subsystem for the ELT’s ICT (Instrument Control System) Framework to help revealing previously unknown areas of the universe.
The Data Display Tool supports scientists in achieving their fascinating science goals, like tracking down Earth-like planets around other stars or “stellar archaeology” in nearby galaxies. At SCISYS the experienced space experts are clearly delighted that the Data Display Tool will play a vital role in leading to these and other exciting scientific discoveries. For that purpose, the DDT splits into three components: Data Transfer (transfer of the generated data to the intended location), Image Handling (processing of the data with the aim to visualise it) and Data Visualisation (provision of libraries and tools to display the data).
Long-term cooperation
It is planned to deploy the Data Display Tool in the scientific work over a period of 30 years. That of course also means long-term maintainability plays an important role during design and technology selection – not an uncommon requirement for the SCISYS experts, who are used to deliver software for long-running satellite missions. Many customers already rely on the company’s products and services for decades. Robustness and long durability are key pillars of SCISYS’ solutions.
Over the past 30 years SCISYS has acquired profoundly technical expertise with acquisition, processing and visualisation of satellite-based optical and infrared sensor data. The company is one of the leading experts for the visualisation and processing of meteorological data and thus highly qualified in the field of data handling. The amount of image data has significantly increased over the past decades. For this reason, SCISYS provides state-of-the-art solutions and display tools in high performance to ensure the utilisation of data from space. The delivery of the Data Display tool is expected for mid-2020.
The ground work for the telescope started in 2014 at the 3.000m high Chilean mountain Cerro Armazones, and first light from the mirror is expected for end of 2025. With this outstanding project and many other activities, ESO enables astronomers and astrophysicists to conduct front-line science in the best conditions.
Find more information about ESO online at www.eso.org
About SCISYS
SCISYS Deutschland GmbH is part of the international SCISYS Group with around 670 employees and serves a broad spectrum of market segments, including media & broadcast, space and defence in the public and commercial sectors. In the space sector, SCISYS is established as a software specialist and ground segment system house. Its long-standing customers in the space domain include space agencies, satellite operators, system integrators, research institutes and international aerospace organisations and companies, including OHB System AG, Thales Alenia Space and Airbus. SCISYS supports the planning, construction and long-term operation of spacecraft missions and participates in research projects and the realisation of future-oriented space applications.
SCISYS SPACE division is one of the leading providers of integrated ICT solutions for the ground segment, specialising in control centres, monitoring & control systems, data processing, intelligent systems, data services and integrated applications. The company also develops onboard software for satellites.
