---
title: "telescope safety"
url: "https://maker.wiznet.io/Aimee0/projects/telescope-safety/"
markdown_url: "https://maker.wiznet.io/Aimee0/projects/telescope-safety/md"
type: "UCC: User Created Content"
author: "Aimee"
author_url: "https://maker.wiznet.io/Aimee0/"
original_author: "aimee"
original_url: "https://github.com/TIS2024-FMFI/telescope-safety"
published: "2025-07-21"
language: "en"
hardware: ["WIZnet W55RP20-EVB-Pico"]
likes: 0
views: 987
comments: 0
source: "WIZnet Makers (https://maker.wiznet.io/)"
---

# telescope safety

> A system that monitors the current position of a large astronomical telescope and triggers a safety monitoring system when it enters a predefined forbidden zone

Original author: aimee (source: https://github.com/TIS2024-FMFI/telescope-safety)

## Components

- **WIZnet W55RP20-EVB-Pico** x 1 ([docs](https://wiznet.io/products/powered-by-raspberry-pi/w55rp20-evb-pico))

## Article

## 🛰️ Telescope Collision Protection System with LoRa & Ethernet

This project implements a **redundant safety system for large astronomical telescopes** to monitor real-time orientation and **prevent mechanical damage** caused by accidental entry into pre-defined **forbidden zones**. The system features **dual-MCU architecture** and uses both **LoRa** (long-range wireless) and **wired Ethernet** for fault-tolerant operation.

---

### 🧭 System Architecture Overview

**Inertial Unit** (on telescope):

RP2040 Pico

9/10 DoF IMU (e.g., ISM330DHCX)

LoRa transmitter (868 MHz)

Dual Power Bank redundancy

**Control Unit** (stationary):

**W55RP20-EVB-PICO**: RP2040 + W5500 (on-chip 10/100M Ethernet PHY)

**Arduino Nano**: Direct control of LCD, touch buttons, relays, siren

LoRa receiver

SD card logger, motor cutoff via relay & MOSFET

**Web-based UI** (via LAN at `teleskop.local`):

Configure forbidden zones and operational parameters

View logs and real-time telescope orientation

---

### 🧩 Hardware Stack

| Module | Role | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| W55RP20-EVB-PICO | Web server, SD logger, motor cutoff | Integrated W5500 → No Ethernet Shield needed |
| Arduino Nano | LCD, relay, and button controller | GPIO extension for peripherals |
| RP2040 Pico | IMU data acquisition + LoRa TX | Dual battery for field reliability |
| LoRa SX1276 (868 MHz) | Long-range wireless link | Up to 2 km outdoors |
| IMU (9/10 DoF) | Orientation sensing (yaw, pitch, roll) | ISM330DHCX recommended |
| Siren, Relay, MOSFET | Physical alarm, power cutoff | Protects telescope gear system |

---

### 🖥️ Software & Communication Stack

| Layer | Technology / Protocol | Highlights |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wireless | LoRa (Custom Protocol) | Reliable long-range low-power communication |
| Network | lwIP + EthernetCompat (W55RP20) | Arduino Ethernet API-compatible web service stack |
| Application | Collision detection, SD logging | Forbidden zone validation, auto-recovery logic |
| Web UI | HTML/JS, no framework | Real-time telemetry, upload/download of config/logs |

---

### ⚙️ Key Features & Engineering Highlights

| Feature | Implementation | Benefit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Forbidden Zone Watchdog | IMU → spherical coordinates → FZ validation | Predictive collision avoidance |
| Kill-Switch | Relay + MOSFET-driven motor cutoff | Prevents mechanical damage |
| Web Config Interface | SD JSON ↔ Web UI via Ethernet | Fast local parameter tuning |
| LoRa Fail-safe | Packet timeout triggers system halt | Robust against wireless interference |

---

### ✅ Strengths & Potential Enhancements

**Strengths**:

**Redundant communication** (LoRa + Ethernet)

**Web-based UI** for intuitive operation

**No external Ethernet Shield** needed thanks to W55RP20

**Improvement Ideas**:

Migrate Arduino Nano functions to W55RP20 for reduced board count and power draw

Add **user authentication** (HTTP Basic or token-based) to web UI

Implement **IMU Kalman filtering** for improved accuracy

Enable **remote log upload** (via SFTP or MQTT) for backup and monitoring

---

### 💬 Summary

This robust and scalable system ensures the protection of expensive telescope hardware by combining **real-time IMU-based collision detection**, **dual-mode communication**, and **fail-safe motor control**. Ideal for observatories or research institutions operating in remote environments where **network stability and mechanical reliability** are critical.

---

Source: https://maker.wiznet.io/Aimee0/projects/telescope-safety/