Professional Instruments Company HomeProductsPostersApplicationsOur Company Submit a Request Nautilus Project 1957 Standard Precision Navigator/Gimbaled Electrostatic gyro Aircraft Navigation Systems (SPN/GEANS) grew out of work in the 1950s by Professor Arnold Nordsieck of the University of Illinois on a novel gyroscope design, the Electrosatically Suspended Gyroscope (ESG). In the ESG, the rotating mass is a spherical ball supported in a vacuum by an electrostatic field. The corporation that took up Nordsieck’s work most actively was Honeywell of Minneapolis. Professional Instruments Company lapped super-precise spherical rotors for Honeywell’s ESG. With these highly-favored gyros, the Navy’s nuclear-powered submarines could remain submerged for 30 days at a time, without requiring a star-based recalibration. The photograph shows Professor Arnold Nordsieck holding an early experimental ESG. Note the spherical rotor in Nordsieck’s left hand. Professional Instruments Company 7800 Powell Road · Hopkins, MN 55343 USA Phone: (952) 933-1222 · Email: sales@airbearings.com This site uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic. Information about your use of this site is shared with Google. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. LEARN MOREGOT IT

Professional Instruments Company HomeProductsPostersApplicationsOur Company Submit a Request Liquid Mirror Telescope 1995 The University of British Columbia Liquid-Mirror Observatory was established in 1995 to facilitate the development and testing of liquid-mirror telescope technology. The observatory houses the Large Zenith Telescope. The 19-foot diameter primary mirror of this telescope is one of the largest optical telescopes in the world, and the largest to use liquid-mirror technology. Paul Hickson of the University of British Columbia contributed to the development of the Next Generation Space Telescopes and is involved in the development and application of liquid mirror technology. A key component of a liquid mirror telescope is the air bearing spindle that supports the liquid mirror. At the request of Paul Hickson, Professional Instruments Company developed this spindle. The model 23R BLOCK-HEAD® air bearing spindle is made from stainless steel and weighs almost two tons. The bearing surfaces are machined to microinch precision. The 23-inch diameter spindle can support a 10-ton load. A built-in brushless-DC motor rotates the 10-ton load at approximately 10 rpm. An optical encoder provides feedback to the control system. With closed-loop control, the rotation speed can be precisely controlled to within one part per million. Professional Instruments Company 7800 Powell Road · Hopkins, MN 55343 USA Phone: (952) 933-1222 · Email: sales@airbearings.com This site uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic. Information about your use of this site is shared with Google. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. LEARN MOREGOT IT