Rubin Observatory reports first-year performance of LSST camera's CCD array

The LSST camera’s focal plane, comprising 189 science CCDs arranged in 21 raft tower modules plus additional wavefront and guider sensors, has completed its first year of on-sky operations at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. The instrument arrived at the facility in May 2024 and underwent a series of tests to verify functionality, including repairs to a small number of CCDs affected by an electrical short and a faulty analog-digital converter. Engineers also refined readout timing to align with updates to the survey strategy and introduced an active clearing mechanism to improve focal-plane safety.

"The camera has demonstrated the capability to conduct a wide, fast and deep optical imaging survey of the entire southern sky," the observatory team said.

During the initial year of observations, the system met performance targets for image quality and data throughput, supporting the upcoming Legacy Survey of Space and Time scheduled to begin in 2026. The successful commissioning underscores the readiness of the camera’s sensor array for the large-scale survey that will map billions of celestial objects.

The observatory plans to continue monitoring sensor health and optimizing operational parameters as the survey progresses.