Effect of Terrestrial Laser Scanner Tilt on Radio Telescope Surface Measurement Accuracy

We investigate the impact of tilting a terrestrial laser scanner (LS) on the measurement accuracy of antenna surface and optics. Using a network of spherical targets placed at various distances and heights, we estimated the difference in distances between the centre of these spheres, referred to as baselines. Our analysis revealed minimal variation in baselines with changing tilt angles. Additionally, we assessed LS random errors using the bootstrap method. Our findings enhance the understanding of antenna measurement using LS, particularly in configurations such as an 80-degree tilt for maximum data retention. This study contributes to the development of efficient measurement methodologies for evaluating the surface and optics quality of radio telescopes.