Vera C. Rubin Observatory Floor Hatch from Below

The floor hatch on the 7th level of the summit facility building has now received major improvements designed by Rubin Mechanical Engineer, Mario Rivera. This hatch will provide access when lifting large pieces of equipment from ground level to the floor level of the dome, using the recently completed dome bridge crane. The hatch also provides an alternate means of lifting the Camera or Secondary Mirror (M2) down to ground level or up to the telescope in the unlikely event that the platform lift (which requires that lifted pieces be on rolling carts) is not available or not functioning.