The U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) has begun a major upgrade to the NSF Very Long Baseline Array (NSF VLBA) with the development and installation of state-of-the-art ultra wideband receivers capable of operating across the frequency range of 8 to 40 gigahertz (GHz). This new technology, first prototyped by NRAO in collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and tested on the NSF VLBA’s Owens Valley station, promises to significantly expand the scientific capabilities of the NSF VLBA.
NSF Green Bank Telescope Gets a New Coat of Protection
The U.S. National Science Foundation Green Bank Observatory (NSF GBO) is embarking on a crucial maintenance project to protect…
Space Company Taps Coast-to-Coast Radio Telescopes for Moon Mission
Intuitive Machines has been working with the NSF NRAO over the past year to utilize the NSF Very Long Baseline Array (NSF VLBA) to support precise tracking and data downlink of Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lunar lander, named Athena, during its mission to the Moon.
A New Era of Data Compatibility in Astronomy
Software engineers have been hard at work to establish a common language for a global conversation. The topic—revealing the…
Spotted: ‘Death Star’ Black Holes in Action
Huge black holes are firing powerful beams of particles into space — and then changing their aim to fire at new targets.
NRAO and SpaceX Coordinate to Protect Radio Astronomy
NRAO and SpaceX have engaged in coordinated experiments involving NRAO telescopes and the Starlink satellite constellation for over two years. Early experiments began in late 2021 with the deployment of working Starlink user terminals near the Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico and have continued to the present day. These experiments highlight the ways in which satellite constellations and radio telescopes might be able to coexist, provided there is mutual awareness of what the other is doing.