Technology

Engineering applied to the design, development and verification of scientific instrumentation

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

  • 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.

  • Part of equipment used for the characterization of astronomical detectors. Metallic cylinder on a table coupled to a small chiller and to a vacuum pump
    Detector characterization

    The detectors, despite their widespread and simple use in many everyday applications, require a very precise knowledge for use in advanced scientific instrumentation.

  • 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.