PLATO : a robotic observatory for the Antarctic Plateau

• Published in: EAS Publications Series
• Main Authors: Ashley, Michael C. B., Allen, Graham R., Bonner, Colin S., Bradley, Stuart G., Cui, Xiangqun, Everett, Jon R., Feng, Longlong, Gong, Xuefei, Hengst, Shane, Hu, Jinwen, Jiang, Zhaoji, Kulesa, Craig A., Lawrence, Jon S., Li, Yuanshen, Luong-Van, Daniel M., McCaughrean, Mark J., Moore, Anna M., Pennypacker, Carl R., Qin, Weijian, Riddle, Reed, Shang, Zhaohui, Storey, John W., Sun, Bo, Suntzeff, Nicholas B., Tothill, Nicholas F. H. (R17058), Travouillon, Tony, Walker, Christopher K., Wang, Lifan, Yan, Jun, Yang, Huigen, Yang, Ji, York, Don G., Yuan, Xiangyan, Zhang, Xuguo, Zhang, Zhanhai, Zhou, Xu, Zhu, Zhenxi
• Other Authors: Spinoglio, Luigi (Editor), Epchtein, N. (Editor), ARENA Conference (Event place)
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: France, EDP Sciences 2010
• Subjects: 020102 - Astronomical and Space Instrumentation; 970102 - Expanding Knowledge in the Physical Sciences; Antarctic; Plato; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/548467; https://doi.org/10.1051/eas/1040009

PLATO is a fully-robotic observatory designed for operation in Antarctica. It generates its own electricity (about 1 kW), heat (sufficient to keep two 10-foot shipping containers comfortably above 0°C when the outside temperature is at -70°C), and connects to the internet using the Iridium satellite system (providing ~30 MB/day of data transfer). Following a successful first year of operation at Dome A during 2008, PLATO was upgraded with new instruments for 2009.