Observatory Sciences Ltd.

Observatory Sciences Ltd. (OSL) is a United Kingdom company that develops and supplies control software for large scientific facilities, describing itself as an expert in 'big science'. According to its official website, the company has been delivering high-quality control systems for large scientific facilities for over 28 years, specialising in software for accelerators (including synchrotrons) and large optical and radio telescopes. It is headquartered in Saint Ives, United Kingdom. The company's core business is the development of bespoke control software for scientific instruments and facilities. It works in close collaboration with customers, following their specifications, and states that all of the software it produces is unique. Its services span control software development, EPICS training, operational support, and project reviews. OSL is particularly associated with the EPICS toolkit, for which it provides specialist training to prospective and current users, and it has delivered EPICS training for numerous scientific projects around the world. OSL's client base includes major research infrastructures. It has worked with Diamond Light Source in the UK for more than 15 years, providing software services including new software for advanced detectors, documentation and training, and on-site personnel for beamline software support. In January 2024 it was again selected as a preferred supplier of software engineering services to Diamond Light Source, to assist in the development of software for the Diamond II flagship beamlines. It also provides long-term software support for several major scientific facilities, including the European Southern Observatory and Diamond Light Source. Other projects include the WIYN Hydra multi-fibre spectrograph in Arizona, for which OSL was contracted to develop an upgraded software control system after a hardware upgrade; the CHIMERA fusion testing facility, for which OSL was selected by Jacobs to produce SCADA software; and EPICS data acquisition software for profile measurements of a LINAC being built under the responsibility of the CEA at the Soreq Nuclear Research Center in Israel, with control systems responsibility held by the French research organisation IRFU. In 2022 OSL signed a framework agreement with the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) to provide software development effort for TANGO. Observatory Sciences positions itself as a specialist engineering partner for complex, high-value scientific projects, with a reputation for completing complex projects on time and to budget. It is a private company and operates internationally, serving astronomy and physics projects across Europe, the United States, Israel and beyond.

Observatory Sciences Ltd. (OSL) is a United Kingdom company based in Saint Ives that has built its business around software for large scientific facilities. Its official website states that it has been delivering high-quality control systems for large scientific facilities for over 28 years, specialising in software for accelerators (including synchrotrons) and large optical and radio telescopes. The company describes itself as a leading developer and supplier of software for the control of 'big science' systems and instruments, with a reputation for completing complex projects on time and to budget. OSL's work is closely tied to the EPICS toolkit, an open-source set of software tools used to build distributed control systems for large scientific instruments. The company develops control software for accelerators and telescopes, provides comprehensive EPICS training courses to prospective and current users, offers long-term operational software support for major scientific facilities, and delivers expert consultancy and project reviews to scientific and industrial clients. It states that all of the software it produces is unique and that it works in close collaboration with customers, following their specifications. A significant part of OSL's history is its long-running relationship with Diamond Light Source, the UK's national synchrotron science facility. The company has been working with Diamond for more than 15 years, providing a wide range of software services including new software for advanced detectors, documentation and training, and on-site personnel providing beamline software support. In January 2024, Observatory Sciences was again selected as a preferred supplier of software engineering services to Diamond Light Source, to assist in the development of software required for the Diamond II flagship beamlines. OSL has also worked on instruments and facilities beyond synchrotrons. In 2023, the Hydra multi-fibre spectrograph instrument on the WIYN telescope in Arizona underwent a hardware upgrade, and Observatory Sciences was contracted to develop an upgraded software control system for the instrument. Also in 2023, the CHIMERA fusion testing facility was to use EPICS control software developed by Observatory Sciences; construction of the testing facility was being undertaken by global technical services company Jacobs, which selected Observatory Sciences to produce the SCADA software for the CHIMERA control system. In 2022, Proactive R&D contracted Observatory Sciences to create EPICS data acquisition software for the profile measurements of a LINAC being built under the responsibility of the CEA (Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission) at the SNRC (Soreq Nuclear Research Center) in Israel, with the French research organisation IRFU (Institute of Research into the Fundamental Laws of the Universe) responsible for the control systems for the new LINAC. Also in 2022, Observatory Sciences signed a framework agreement with the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) to provide software development effort for TANGO. Through these and other projects, OSL has established itself as a specialist engineering partner for astronomy and physics projects, serving clients and collaborators in the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, Israel and elsewhere. It provides long-term software support for several major scientific facilities, including the European Southern Observatory and Diamond Light Source.

• 2024

  Selected again as a preferred supplier of software engineering services to Diamond Light Source, to assist in the development of software required for the Diamond II flagship beamlines.

• 2023

  Contracted to develop an upgraded software control system for the Hydra multi-fibre spectrograph instrument on the WIYN telescope in Arizona following a hardware upgrade.

• 2023

  Selected by Jacobs to produce the SCADA software for the CHIMERA fusion testing facility control system, using EPICS control software developed by Observatory Sciences.

• 2022

  Contracted by Proactive R&D to create EPICS data acquisition software for profile measurements of a LINAC being built under the responsibility of the CEA at the Soreq Nuclear Research Center in Israel.

• 2022

  Signed a framework agreement with the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) to provide software development effort for TANGO.

A specialist developer and supplier of control software for 'big science' systems and instruments, with a reputation for completing complex projects on time and to budget.

• Control Software

  Development of high-quality control systems for large scientific facilities, specialising in software for accelerators (including synchrotrons) and large telescopes.

• EPICS Training

  Comprehensive training courses for prospective and current EPICS users, delivered for numerous scientific projects around the world.

• Operational Support

  Long-term software support for several major scientific facilities, including the European Southern Observatory and Diamond Light Source (UK).

• Project Reviews

  Expert consultancy services to scientific and industrial clients, with a long and successful track record.

1. 1Observatory Sciences – Experts in 'Big Science'observatorysciences.co.uk
2. 2Company History – Observatory Sciencesobservatorysciences.co.uk
3. 3About Us – Observatory Sciencesobservatorysciences.co.uk
4. 4Services – Observatory Sciencesobservatorysciences.co.uk
5. 5Observatory Sciences Ltd. (United Kingdom) – Wikidatawikidata.org