Central Development Lab – National Radio Astronomy Observatory

NRAO’s Central Development Laboratory to Launch New Women in Engineering Program With Support from the Heising-Simons Foundation

Posted on August 29, 2022September 13, 2022

Following a generous grant from the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Central Development Laboratory (CDL) at NSF’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) will soon launch an ambitious Women in Engineering program that will increase opportunities for women to enter the field of radio astronomy through engineering pathways. The program will include a postdoctoral fellowship and a co-op program for undergraduate and graduate students.

ngVLA Engineering Paper Selected for Prestigious IEEE Award

Posted on July 14, 2022September 13, 2022

A team of engineers testing the design efficiency of reflectors for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s upcoming next generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) has received the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Harold A. Wheeler Applications Prize Paper Award.

Outflow rings of gas and dust and mass ejection of matter from the V Hya carbon star

Hey DUDE: Mysterious Death of Carbon Star Plays Out Like Six-Ring Circus

Posted on March 28, 2022

Scientists studying V Hydrae (V Hya) have witnessed the star’s mysterious death throes in unprecedented detail. Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and data from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the team discovered six slowly-expanding rings and two hourglass-shaped structures caused by the high-speed ejection of matter out into space.

NRAO and Optisys Partner Up to Produce 3D Devices for Radio Astronomy

Posted on February 16, 2022February 16, 2022

Recent advancements in 3D printing (also known as additive manufacturing) for metallic structures make it possible to print all-metal electromagnetic devices—like antennas and waveguides—on demand. A new partnership between the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, headquartered in Charlottesville, Virginia, and Optisys, LLC, headquartered in West Valley City, Utah, will explore the potential for leveraging this technology for radio astronomy applications.

NRAO Researcher Receives Prestigious Engineering Award

Posted on February 2, 2022September 13, 2022

An NRAO researcher is receiving an engineering award for an innovative development that is improving radio telescope performance and also is benefitting numerous other fields.

Patricio Escarate works on an ALMA front end housing for receivers

ALMA’s Most Scientifically Productive Receiver Will Soon See Further than Ever Before

Posted on December 17, 2021September 13, 2022

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the board of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have approved a multi-million dollar upgrade project for the Observatory’s 1.3mm (Band 6) receivers through the North American ALMA Development Program. The receivers—originally built, and to be upgraded, by the Central Development Laboratory (CDL) at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)—are the most scientifically productive in ALMA’s lineup.

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