The observation of a prompt optical flash from GRB 990123 demonstrated convincingly the value of autonomous robotic telescope systems. Pursuing a program of rapid follow up observation of gamma-ray bursts, the ROTSE (Robotic Optical Transient Search Experiment) has developed a next instrument generation, ROTSE III that will continue the search for fast optical transient. The entire of system was designed as an economical robotic facility to be installed at remote sites throughout the world. There are seven major system components: optical tube assembly, optics, CCD camera, telescope mount, environmental sensing and protection, enclosure, and data acquisition.
It was realized that progress in understanding GRBs (Gamma-Ray Bursts) would depend on accurate localizations only attainable at longer wavelengths. Following the failure of premature of the on board tape recorders on the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory in 1992, to shift the real data transmission opened the window for ground base and fast response systems that could slew to designated targets within 10sec.
The first optical system to exploit this capability was the GROCSE-I wide field camera. The hardware was conceived originally under the aegis of the Strategic Defense Initiative as a bed of test for developing the technologies to locate rapidly hostile incoming missiles and launch appropriate countermeasures.
By the time the GROCSE collaboration obtained the use of this instrument in 1993, it had been neglected and abandoned for several years. The collaboration invested considerable effort in adapting this device to respond robotically to the GRB trigger messages relayed from the Goddard Space Flight Center alert system called the BACODINE (BATSE Coordinates Distribution Network), then it renamed with GCN (GRB Coordinates Network).
The device sensitivity was limited to m ~ 9 by the restricted angular acceptance of the fiber optic light guides that coupled the spherical focal surface to the image array intensifiers and the modest quantum efficiency of the intensifiers photocathode’s.
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