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The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) project is an international initiative to build a next generation ground-based observatory for very high energy gamma-rays. Three classes of telescopes with different mirror size will be located in the northern and southern hemispheres. The ASTRI mini-array of CTA preproduction is one of the small sized telescopes mini-arrays proposed to be installed at the CTA southern site. The ASTRI mini-array will consist of nine units based on the end-to-end ASTRI SST-2M prototype already installed on Mt. Etna (Italy). The mini-array software system (MASS) supports the end to end ASTRI SST-2M prototype and miniarray operations. The ASTRI software integration team defined the procedures to perform effectively the integration test and release activities. The developer has to properly use the repository tree and branches according to the development status. We require that the software includes also specific sections for automated tests and that the software is well tested (in simulated and real system) before any release. Here we present the method adopted to release the first MASS version to support the ASTRI SST-2M prototype test and operation activities., Proceedings of the 16th Int. Conf. on Accelerator and Large Experimental Control Systems, ICALEPCS2017, Barcelona, Spain

The ASTRI SST-2M telescope is a prototype proposed for the Small Size class of Telescopes of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). The ASTRI prototype adopts innovative solutions for the optical system, which poses stringent requirements in the design and development of the Telescope Control System (TCS), whose task is the coordination of the telescope devices. All the subsystems are managed independently by the related controllers, which are developed through a PC-Based technology and making use of the TwinCAT3 environment for the software PLC. The TCS is built upon the ALMA Common Software framework and uses the OPC-UA protocol for the interface with the telescope components, providing a simplified full access to the capabilities offered by the telescope subsystems for normal operation, testing, maintenance and calibration activities. In this contribution we highlight how the ASTRI approach for the design, development and implementation of the TCS has made the prototype a stand-alone intelligent and active machine, providing also an easy way for the integration in an array configuration such as the future ASTRI mini-array proposed to be installed at the southern site of the CTA., Proceedings of the 16th Int. Conf. on Accelerator and Large Experimental Control Systems, ICALEPCS2017, Barcelona, Spain

A deflectometrical facility was developed at Italian National Institute for Astrophysics-OAB in the context of the ASTRI project to characterize free-form segments for Cherenkov optics. The test works as an inverse Ronchi test in combination with a ray-tracing code: the under-test surface is illuminated by a known light pattern and the pattern warped by local surface errors is observed. Knowing the geometry of the system it is possible to retrieve the surface normal vectors. This contribution presents the analysis of the upgrades and of the configuration modifications required to allow the use of deflectometry in the realization of optical components suitable for European Extremely Large Telescope and as a specific case to support the manufacturing of the Multi-conjugate Adaptive Optics Relay (MAORY) module.

ASTRI ("Astrofisica con Specchi a Tecnologia Replicante Italiana") is a Flagship Project financed by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research, and led by INAF, the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics. Main goals of the ASTRI project are the realization of an end-to-end prototype of a Small Size Telescope (SST) for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) in a dual-mirror configuration (SST-2M) and, subsequently, of a mini-array composed of a few SST-2M telescopes to be placed at the final CTA Southern Site. Here we present the main features of the Mini-Array Software System (MASS) that has a central role in the success of the ASTRI Project and will also serve as a prototype for the CTA software system. The MASS will provide a set of tools to prepare an observing proposal, to perform the observations specified therein (monitoring and controlling all the hardware components of each telescope), to analyze the acquired data online and to store/retrieve all the data products to/from the archive.}, In Proceedings of the 33rd International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2013), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). All ASTRI contributions at arXiv:1307.4639