Development of camera prototype of ALEGRO atmospheric Cherenkov telescope

A small-size prototype of the ALEGRO Cherenkov telescope camera has been developed. The paper discusses its design and construction. A mock-up of the registration channel of the ALEGRO Cherenkov telescope camera prototype was created and tested, on which the algorithm of operation was worked out and characteristics of the silicon photomultipliers and parameters of the amplifying path were determined. Based on the results of this work, a conclusion was made about the possibility and prospects of creating a unique high-altitude observatory ALEGRO for the study of GeV gamma-ray emission from energetic space objects.