Advanced Technologies for Laser Adaptive optics Systems (ATLAS) aims to support the Preliminary Design Phase for ULTIMATE-Subaru. ULTIMATE-Subaru is the Subaru Telescope’s next generation instrumentation program to follow Hyper Superime-Cam (HSC) and Prime Focus Spectrpgraph (PFS). ULTIMATE-Subaru stands for Ultra-wide Laser Tomographic Imager and Multi-object spectrograph with AO for Transcendent Exploration by Subaru. The aim of the project is to develop a ground-layer adaptive optics (GLAO) system and wide-field near-infrared (NIR) instruments. ATLAS will develop, demonstrate, and if possible commercialise innovative guide-star laser, real-time computing and tomography instrumentation pioneered by world-leading Australian adaptive optics researchers. With support from Japanese and American collaborators, they will achieve laser tomography adaptive optics astronomical observations for the first time in the Northern
Hemisphere. The project outcomes will also inform the design of a powerful and unique ground layer adaptive optics capability at the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii, and will be transferable to benefit the nation’s space surveillance and secure laser communication research, defence and commercial sectors.