The New ALMA Prototype 12 M Telescope of the Arizona Radio Observatory: Transport, Commissioning and First Light Lucy M. Ziurys, N.J. Emerson, T.W. Folkers, R.W. Freund, D. Forbes, G.P. Reiland, M. McColl, S.C. Keel, S. H. Warner, J. Kingsley, and DeWayne T. Halfen Arizona Radio Observatory, Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA What has Lucy and ARO been up to ??? Our story begins in May of 2010 with a letter from NRAO. ALMA project built two 12 m prototype antennas at VLA site Vertex (U.S. Antenna), Alacatel/EIE (European Antenna) Vertex: Owned by NSF Alcatel/EIE: Owned by ESO VLA: Socorro, New Mexico Arizona Radio Observatory (ARO) part of Steward Observatory at Arizona Runs two radio telescopes: Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) on Mt. Graham and 12 m on Kitt Peak Observe at mm/sub-mm frequencies: 65 720 GHz Spectroscopy facilities (as opposed to imaging instruments like ALMA) State-of-the-art receivers (detectors) across all ALMA bands 12 m: aging facility with parts > 30 yrs. old (took over from NRAO in 2000) The Arizona Radio Observatory ARO 12 m SMT Replace old 12 m with state-of-the-art ALMA antenna July 2011: negotiations with ESO begin First draft agreement: Jan Exchange of antenna for observing time Lawyers, intellectual property agreements And finally there it was March 23, 2013 agreement signed off by ESO/UA Thank you, ESO!!! April 1, 2013: ARO 12 m at Kitt Peak decommissioned Proper retirement ceremony and send-off for old 12 m April 2, 2013 Start dismantling of old 12 m Work of ARO staff Metal sold for scrap Transport Concept Move in 2 sections: 1) BASE/CABIN (weight: ~ 75 tons) 2) Full Reflector (weight ~ 12 tons) 40 ft Diameter Highway transport: 198 ft. truck Meanwhile, at the VLA site Antenna dissembled for transport by ARO Occurred summer/fall 2013 By November, antenna ready for move November 2013: VLA Bits and pieces of the antenna: VLA First Step in transport Remove reflector Place on transport Fixture Second Step Put Base on truck Into dome at Kitt Peak November 2013 Next comes the reflector December 2013 Up the mountain: Kitt Peak Into the dome Putting all the pieces back together.. First Light ! ARO APA Sept.10, 2014 CO: J = 10 Sgr B2(OH) Position-switching OFF Pos: 1 W Az First real astronomical observations: January 2015 Thanks to all those who made it possible Tom Folkers ARO Nick Emerson ARO SO Bob Freund ARO Bob Moulton ARO Steve Warner SO Sean Keel ARO Martin McColl ARO Lucy Ziurys Project PI PHH Jeff Kingsley, Peter Strittmatter, Buell Januzzi Marco Crane Dave Forbes ARO Mike Begam ARO Kevin Bays ARO Mark Metcalf ARO George Reiland