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In collaboration with GMTO and OHB Digital Connect, Ingersoll Machine Tools has initiated construction of the largest telescope mount ever built in the U.S. This 39 m‑tall, 2,100‑ton precision structure will support GMT’s seven segmented primary mirrors, advanced adaptive optics, and a suite of first-generation science instruments capable of delivering diffraction‑limited spectroscopy and imaging across the visible and near‑infrared. Built in a newly expanded 40,000 sq ft facility in Rockford, Illinois – equipped with the nation’s largest gantry mill – the mount will glide on a 50-micron film of oil via hydrostatic bearings, ensuring friction-free movement and sub-arcsecond pointing stability essential for high-contrast, high-stability observations. Over the course of this presentation, Ingersoll’s Chief Engineer Giovanni Bonomi, joined by VP of Sales Jason Melcher, will introduce the company’s strengths in advanced precision engineering, outline its journey in building the GMT mount, and reflect on the broader impact of this milestone in astronomical infrastructure and scientific advancement. |
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