Overview:

SAO Central Engineering Mechanical Engineers provide the technical skill necessary to create cutting edge scientific instrumentation for the astronomical/astrophysical community. Collectively, the group has decades of experience creating innovative equipment to meet the requirements; scientific, budgetary, and schedule; of CfA scientists. Their capabilities cover all phases of mechanical development; from overall mechanical systems engineering and instrument concept design to detailed mechanical system, subsystem, and component design. They have extensive experience retrofitting existing observatories, keeping them productive years beyond their original design lives. When support is required, it can be provided for the entire course of a project; from conceptual design and proposal preparation through detail design, fabrication, test, delivery, field integration, and mission operations; or for any portion of it.

The group has unique design expertise has been acquired over many years of successful project developments. Selected areas of focus include:

• Ground and spaced-based telescopes and instrumentation
• Gondolas for balloon borne instruments
• Laboratory, test, and calibration systems
• Ultra-high vacuum systems design and fabrication(Click Here)
• Robotics and multi-axis motion systems(Click Here)
• Dynamics and control systems design and analysis
• Precision mechanisms
• Opto-mechanical design for optical systems and components
• X-ray detector design and development
• Precision thermal control
• High precision measurement and optical system alignment(Click Here)
• Electronics enclosure physical packaging and thermal management
• Ground Support Equipment (GSE) and handling fixtures and shipping system design(Click Here)

In addition, the group has a number of design support tools and ancillary services related to mechanical engineering best practices.(Click Here)

The CE Mechanical Engineering Staff designs state-of-the-art assembly and test laboratories from the ground up. The laboratory resources available to mechanical engineers are described in detail. Click here to view the labs.

Chief Mechanical Engineer: Vacant

Contact Central Engineering (617) 496-7990/7814