Goal Oriented Architecture for Telescope Control Software

L. Andolfato, R. Karban, "Goal oriented architecture for telescope control software," Proc. SPIE 11452, Software and Cyberinfrastructure for Astronomy VI, 114521C (6 December 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2575434

Abstract
Modern telescope control systems control a multitude of sensors and actuators physically distributed across subsystems. Traditionally, control systems are specified to compute system outputs based on reference set-points despite environmental or internal disturbances. In a goal oriented approach, the control system architecture emphasizes the operational aspect, specifying the behavior at a higher level in terms of operational goals, considering several aspects such as environmental conditions and required wavefront quality. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of a goal oriented approach by analyzing four fundamental functions: pointing, tracking, offsetting, and dome vignetting. The resulting SysML analysis and design models are used to develop a software prototype for distributed telescope control. Typical operational scenarios are discussed and compared to the ESO Very Large Telescope control software architecture.