Ground Transport and Mission Support System for a Mobile 2-meter Cassegrain Telescope

There is significant demand for Cassegrain reflecting telescopes in the 2-meter range to provide astronomical viewing for education and research. These telescopes are larger and more expensive than the range traditionally utilized by amateurs, but smaller and more economical than larger telescopes that are very complex and require immense, permanent facilities and support equipment to house and operate the device. Optimal viewing conditions for ground based telescopes are usually found at high altitudes with dry, low-humidity conditions and in locations that have predominantly clear weather. Consequently these locations are frequently the top of mountains that have fragile ecosystems and many times hold cultural importance by indigenous groups. Environmental impact studies and overcoming political barriers are significant challenges.
A design for a mobile telescope would overcome many of these issues and allows the telescope to be rapidly relocated and deployed to take advantage of optimal viewing conditions.