By Erik Rosolowsky (University of Alberta), Joan Wrobel (NRAO)
Prototype Antenna Dish Lift
The construction of the ngVLA prototype antenna was streamed live from New Mexico, USA on February 6. Viewers worldwide watched as the 18m dish was successfully lifted onto its pedestal. Missed the live stream? Watch a replay! The image below shows the installed antenna. The prototype will be used for design characterization.
Prototype ngVLA dish successfully installed at the VLA site in New Mexico. Image credit: U.S. NSF / AUI / NSF NRAO
VLA+VLBA to ngVLA Transition Option Concepts
An external and international committee, the Transition Advisory Group (TAG), was asked to make recommendations regarding option concepts for a VLA/VLBA to ngVLA transition. On January 14 the TAG posted its draft report. The report recommends full VLBA operations and maintaining VLA operations as long as possible, including a maximal receiver suite and changing array configurations. If it is impossible to maintain the VLA up to the late stages of ngVLA construction, the TAG proposes a reduced receiver suite (L-C-S-X-K) as a first fallback and a fixed array configuration as a second fallback.
The TAG co-chairs announced the posting during Session 183 at the AAS 245 Winter meeting. Comments were sought from the 70+ session participants. The TAG is now collecting comments from the broader community until mid-April. Comments may be emailed to ngvla-transition-feedback@listmgr.nrao.edu. The TAG will consider all comments as it develops its final advisory report to NRAO, due later in the year.