KAPA stands for the Keck All-sky Precision Adaptive-optics project launched in 2018 and aiming for first-light in 2024. KAPA will upgrade the existing Keck I adaptive optics (AO) system to add multiple laser guide stars (LGS) and laser-tomographic reconstruction to correct for the cone-effect. KAPA also adds a faster real-time controller computer, support for IR tip-tilt sensing with TRICK, and PSF reconstruction. The gains will include increased sky coverage, improved image quality, and better extraction of scientific information from the resulting images and spectra.

KAPA feeds the OSIRIS imager and spectrograph. KAPA has four key science objectives:

  • Galactic Center
  • Dark Matter with Strongly Lensed Galaxies
  • Proto-Planets
  • Galaxy Formation and Evolution with Lensed Galaxies

Click through for more details on the team or schedule.