The final design of GMagAO-X: the wavefront sensing and control (WFS&C) architecture of GMagAO-X

Abstract

The Giant Magellan Adaptive Optics eXtreme (GMagAO-X) instrument has now been selected as an official part of the Giant Magellan Telescope's (GMT) instrument suite. The instrument will be ready at first-light of the GMT in the mid 2030s. The instrument is now progressing towards its final design with a final design review planned for March, 2027. The high-density actuator deformable mirror with 21.000 actuators will allow GMagAO-X to create diffraction-limited images from visible to near-infrared. GMagAO-X will be coupled with high-performance coronagraphs to search for exoplanets at the diffraction-limit. The coronagraphs require wavefront control at sub-nm precision. We will provide an update on the wavefront sensing and control architecture and how the loops interact with each other through end-to-end simulations.

Submitted to SPIE Astronomical Telescopes and Instruments 2026. Proc. SPIE 14150, Adaptive Optics Systems X, 141502Y (19 Aug 2026)