Telescope Geometry Honesty

Telescope Geometry Honesty

Workflow

• Confirm that the geometry task is non-restricted and safe for broad AAO or approved-collaborator circulation.
• Treat attractive renders as untrusted until geometry checks pass. A good-looking model can still have floating parts, impossible penetrations, or missing interfaces.
• For CAD-like generation, prefer a source-controlled, STEP-first workflow: keep the geometry generator beside the exported STEP file, treat STL/GLB/DXF/images as secondary derived review outputs, and make the source-to-export command explicit. text-to-cad and its build123d CAD skill are useful reference patterns, not required dependencies.
• Before adding visual polish, check that the model includes the essential physical subsystems:
  • primary mirror and support cell
  • secondary mirror and explicit support structure
  • metering structure or optical tube
  • focal-plane package and detector support
  • radiator or thermal-control hardware when relevant
  • bus or payload interface
  • launch, deployment, or mounting interfaces when relevant
• If geometry is exported to more than one format, compare the released exports rather than trusting the source generator alone.
• When a missing subsystem, impossible load path, exporter mismatch, or stale artifact is found, record it as an explicit open gap instead of hiding it behind a nicer render.

Sanity Checks

• Connectivity: no floating struts, brackets, spiders, supports, or hardware islands.
• Whole assembly: the non-exploded model resolves to one connected assembly unless a separation is intentional and documented.
• Interference: no solid-solid penetration except intentional joints, cutouts, clearances, or modeled interfaces.
• Required parts: optical, structural, thermal, detector, and interface subsystems are represented at the claimed maturity level.
• Source/export trace: every primary STEP or CAD-like artifact can be regenerated from a named source file and command.
• Exporter parity: STL, OpenSCAD, STEP, DXF, SVG, or other released views show the same interfaces and part families.
• State inventory: deployed and stowed configurations preserve persistent hardware unless changes are explicitly launch-only, disposable, or tooling.
• Symmetry invariants: repeated supports have consistent spacing, length, twist, and attachment logic.
• Shield keep-clear: membranes, shields, and panels include real cutouts or offsets where structure passes nearby.
• Optical closure: the focal plane, stop, baffles, supports, and clear apertures match the optical model.
• Load-path honesty: structural members in analysis also exist in released geometry or are called out as missing.

Output Expectations

• Report geometry findings as concrete pass/fail/gap items tied to files or artifacts.
• Use labeled exploded, cutaway, or subsystem views when hidden structure matters.
• Do not call a package buildable if joints, fasteners, tolerances, deployment features, or inspection details are still placeholders.