Microgate, together with ADS, was committed in 2004 by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) to the development of a feasibility study for an adaptive secondary mirror for the VLT main telescopes (UTs).
This initial study has evolved in to a final design and then into a construction Phase, started in 2008. 

According to the baseline design, 1170 actuators distributed over the 1211mm wide mirror will provide adaptive optics correction also at visible wavelengths.

Microgate is acting as prime contractor and with ADS International beeing nominated sub-contractor.

VLT1170 FACTS:

• Mirror diameter: 1120mm
• Thin mirror thickness: 1.95mm
• Number of actuators: 1170
• Capacitive sensors reading noise: 2 nm rms
• Control loop frequency: 80 kHz
• Typical response time (any mode, goal):  0.5 ms
• Number of control electronics crates: 6 (3 pairs)
• Number of DSP control boards: 78
• Number of DSPs: 156
• Computational power: 160 billions MACs/s (multiply and accumulate per second, 32 bit floating point)
• Real time communication speed: 4 Gbit/s
• Ultra-lightweighted Zerodur Reference Body manufactured by SESO, France
• Aspheric Zerodur thin shell manufactured by SAFRAN/SAGEM, France