Progress in the Design of the Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (2308.10952v1)

Abstract: The Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST) aims to be the premier next generation large diameter (50 meter) single dish observatory capable of observations across the millimeter/submillimeter spectrum, from 30~GHz to 1~THz. AtLAST will be sited in Chile at approximately 5100 meters above sea level, high in the Atacama Desert near Llano de Chajnantor. The novel rocking-chair telescope design allows for a unprecedentedly wide field of view (FoV) of 1-2$^\circ$ diameter, a large receiver cabin housing six major instruments, and high structural stability during fast scanning operations (up to $\sim 3^\circ$ per second in azimuth). Here we describe the current status of, and expected outcomes for, the antenna design study, which will be completed in 2024.