Technology

Capabilities

The IAC develops a large part of the avant-garde instruments required by its astrophysics research activities. In this way, it has acquired over time a prominent level in the most relevant technologies and knowledge areas in the development of scientific instrumentation. These technical capacities, in an interdisciplinary environment, are coordinated and optimized thanks to project management practices

  • Collage of three images of user interfaces and design of computer applications for the control of instrumentation
    Design and development of computer control systems and applications

    The advances and the complexity of the instrumentation control systems and their integration with the telescopes or infrastructures where they are going to be installed, requires the development of customized computer applications that offer the required functionality to the users and communicate with the rest of the systems.

  • Design and development of instruments and medical applications
    Design and development of instruments and medical applications

    Image acquisition and treatment technologies applied in astrophysics are equally useful in medical applications, for which IACTec designs and constructs commercial use prototypes and supports sustainable growth in developing countries.

  • Night image of the Milky Way and the emission of a green laser from the OGS during tests of communications with La Palma. Author Daniel López.
    Design and development of optical laser communication systems

    Since its initial participation in the Optical Ground Station project for the European Space Agency, the IAC is a reference in the study and characterization of optical communications with artificial satellites from Earth.

  • Design and development of satellite payloads
    Design and development of satellite payloads

    Taking advantage of the accumulated experience of optomechanical and optoelectronic instrumentation design in extreme environments and in space, the IAC through IACTec designs and constructs payloads for observing the earth from satellites in low orbits.

  • Rear view of the EMIR instrument in GTC with engineers working on the cryogenic system. Large cylindrical structure with metallic tubes and electronic controls
    Design, development and manufacture of cryogenic and vacuum systems

    The astronomical observation in the infrared range of the spectrum requires the use of cryogenic systems where high vacuum and very low temperature technologies are combined.

  • Image of an engineer working on the electronics of the adaptive optics system for GTC in the laboratory. Engineer sitting working on a computer with an open electronics cabinet at his side
    Design, development and manufacture of electronic systems

    Within its capacity of building scientific instrumentation, the IAC has extensive experience in the design and development of electronic systems in general and, especially, for astronomical instruments and devices