Magdalena Ridge Observatory (MRO), located in the mountains of New Mexico, sits at an altitude of 3,200 m. The facility now benefits from a new telescope, which had to be moved atop the mountain range with the utmost precision.
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“The steep, unpaved tracks and remote location made this project extremely dangerous,” said MRO, which contracted ML Crane Group’s Alternative Movement Division (AMD) to transport and position the 36-ton (32.7-tonne) telescope.
During the planning phase, it quickly became apparent that the final 500 m of the route would be particularly treacherous.
To conquer this last stretch, AMD utilised Faymonville self-propelled PowerMAX APMC with 4 axle lines and a power pack unit (PPU). “Thanks to the combination of the hydraulic axle compensation and 60-degree steering angle, the APMC was able to keep the telescope within an inclination of 5 degrees. This was consistent with the express instructions of the manufacturer,” said Jeremy Aslaksen, sales and marketing coordinator at AMD.
The semi-circular telescope was loaded onto the trailer combination by means of a 100-ton (90.7-tonne) capacity Terex off-road crane. The APMC, which had been fitted with a special mounting device that boosted stability, then set off at walking pace over unpaved terrain.
The telescope was set atop a pre-prepared foundation.
