Adaptive Optics Testbed Developed for ELT's Exoplanet Instrument

A new preprint details the creation of a modular adaptive optics testbed at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy. This system is designed to validate key components and control strategies for the Extremely Large Telescope's Planetary Camera and Spectrograph (PCS), an instrument intended for direct exoplanet imaging and characterization. The development, which includes machine learning techniques, is crucial for advancing future exoplanet research capabilities.