Tristan Ta was born and raised in Honolulu and is a graduate of Kalani High School. He is currently a sophomore at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, majoring in Electrical Engineering. Tristan is especially interested in hardware systems and renewable energy, and is passionate about applying engineering skills to real-world challenges. He is also interested in pursuing a master’s degree in the future, if possible. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, traveling, playing tennis, and eating good food.
Home Island: O‘ahu
High School: Kalani High School
Institution when accepted: UH Manoa
Project Site: Subaru Telescope, Hilo, Hawai‘i Island
Mentors: Lucio Ramos & Michael Lemmen
Project title: Prototyping a Remote Power Control System for Subaru’s Prime Focus Instruments
Project Abstract:
The prime focus, located at the top end of the Subaru Telescope, hosts sensitive instruments such as the Hyper-Suprime Camera (HSC) and the Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS), which are critical for wide-field imaging and spectroscopic observations. Currently, the instruments located at the prime focus are manually powered on and off by the telescope staff, which is time-consuming due to the elevated location and limits operational flexibility. The primary goal of this project is to design, assemble, and test a system that enables remote control of the AC power lines that are connected to the prime focus. In order to achieve this goal, a device called the WebRelay X-412, a network-enabled controller, will be integrated into the system in order to control solid-state relays (SSRs). This would switch AC power from connector J6 (input) to J34 (output). Each AC power line is controlled independently, allowing for targeted power cycling. The system will also include a manual override in the event of a network failure. This project provides hands-on experience in electrical design, relay logic, wiring, and testing skills that are directly applicable to many engineering fields. Through this work, the system aims to enable operators to remotely power the prime focus instruments, improving safety and efficiency.