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The VLT Survey Telescope (VST) is a cooperative program between the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and the INAF Capodimonte Astronomical Observatory (OAC), Naples, for the study, design, and realization of a 2.6-m wide-field optical imaging telescope to be operated at the Paranal Observatory, Chile. The VST has been specifically designed to carry out stand-alone observations in the UV to I spectral range and to supply target databases for the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT). The telescope design, manufacturing and integration are responsibility of TWG and have been carried out on the base of a model of optimized design not only for mechanics but for all telescope subsystems. The paper is an overview on the telescope mechanical design and optimization.

The VIRMOS consortium of French and Italian institutes is building the Visible Multi-Object Spectrograph (VIMOS) and the NIRMOS for the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope. Inside the VIRMOS consortium the Technology Working Group of the Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte is in charge of the design, realization and integration of mechanics, opto-mechanical interfaces, control electronics and low level control software. This paper is an overview on the VIMOS technical project managed by the TWG.

The VST (Very Large Telescope Survey Telescope) is an 2.6 m class Alt-Az telescope which will be installed in the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Paranal site, Chile. It has been designed by the Technology Working Group of the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte, Italy. The VST is an 1 degree(s) X 1 degree(s) wide-field imaging facility planned to supply databases for the ESO VLT science and carry out stand-alone observations in the UV to I spectral range starting in the year 2001. All the solutions adopted in the VST design comply to the ESO VLT standards. This paper reports a technical overview of the telescope design.

The Galileo National Telescope is a 3.6 meter Alt-Az telescope installed at the Astronomical Observatory of the Roque de Los Muchachos in La Palma, Canary Islands. The Galileo drive and control systems were designed and developed by the Technology Working Group of the Capodimonte Astronomical Observatory, Naples. Apart from a short review of the drive system, the paper describes a novelty in the adaptive preload sub-system.