By Roberto Pizzo
In 2021, ASTRON will deliver TMSS (Telescope Manager Specification System), which is a brand-new platform for the specification, administration, and scheduling of LOFAR observations.
Published by the editorial team, 17 June 2020
TMSS is revolutionary in many aspects. It delivers a dynamic scheduling system and other specification and data flow improvements which enhance the efficiency and automation of LOFAR operations. By also improving the adaptability and maintainability of the software for future extensions, it prepares LOFAR in the best possible way for its next challenges. These involve evolving towards LOFAR 2.0 and performing the next low-frequency surveys, which will open up an important discovery space for the user community.
TMSS has seen its first light in April 2020, when it successfully performed a survey observation. This was an important milestone for the project and a first of several more expected in the next months.