The 35th annual conference on Astronomical Data Analysis Software & Systems 2025 in Görlitz, Germany

The ASTRI Mini-Array is an international project led by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) to construct and operate an array of nine dual-mirror Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes. The primary goal is to study very high-energy (TeV) gamma-ray sources and perform stellar intensity interferometry. This paper describes the design and implementation of the Startup System, a critical software subsystem for the ASTRI Mini-Array.
The Startup System is responsible for managing the startup and shutdown sequence and critical monitoring of all on-site ASTRI Mini-Array systems, including Power, Environmental, Timing and ICT, Safety and Security, Service Cabinets, Telescopes and the SCADA system, a software system that supervises, controls, acquires data and manages observations.
The system is a microservices-based architecture integrating multiple data collection, real-time processing, and visualisation capabilities. Data collectors support multiple industrial protocols (Modbus TCP, OPC-UA, SNMP) and enable integration with hardware systems. ​​ Data are sent to the time-series database InfluxDB server. A Webhook Server queries data and processes alerts from InfluxDB and forwards them to the frontend. It also provides REST API endpoints for system control operations. A React-based Frontend provides a user interface for real-time visualisation of ASTRI Mini-Array status, and allows SCADA startup and shutdown sequences. A System Configuration Database (SCDB) implemented in MongoDB stores all the ASTRI Mini-Array configurations and metadata and is used by the startup system to retrieve the current configuration.
The system is built to support ground observatories' use cases, where it is important to avoid downtime during observations to impact scientific observations. In addition, its design allows for easy addition of new hardware and protocols, and containers help maintain a consistent setup across different situations. The system has been successfully deployed and tested at the ASTRI Mini-Array site, demonstrating its capability to handle real-time monitoring requirements for complex astronomical infrastructure.