Related papers: APOLLO: the Apache Point Observatory Lunar Laser-r…
Deep-space laser ranging will be ideal for testing relativistic gravity, and mapping the solar-system to an unprecedented accuracy. ASTROD (Astrodynamical Space Test of Relativity using Optical Devices) and ASTROD I are such missions.…
LOFT, the Large Observatory for X-ray Timing, is a new space mission concept devoted to observations of Galactic and extra-Galactic sources in the X-ray domain with the main goals of probing gravity theory in the very strong field…
We describe a new polarimetric facility available at the Istituto Nazionale di AstroFisica / Telescopio Nazionale Galileo at La Palma, Canary islands. This facility, PAOLO (Polarimetric Add-On for the LRS Optics), is located at a Nasmyth…
We reported the photometric calibration of Lunar-based Ultraviolet telescope (LUT), the first robotic astronomical telescope working on the lunar surface, for its first six months of operation on the lunar surface. Two spectral datasets…
The Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey (Ariel) is the first space mission dedicated to measuring the chemical composition and thermal structures of thousands of transiting exoplanets. Ariel was adopted in 2020 as the…
The active broadband (1 kHz-100 MHz) tripole antenna now envisaged to be placed on the European Lunar Lander located at the Lunar South Pole allows for sensitive measurements of the exosphere and ionosphere, and their interaction with the…
An Andor 1K $\times$ 1K EMCCD detector has been used to develop an optical imaging polarimeter for use at the Cassegrain focus of 1.2 m telescope of PRL. The optics is derived from an older single-element detector instrument and consists of…
The Atacama Large Millimeter-submillimeter Array (ALMA), sited on the high desert plains of Chajnantor in Chile, has opened a new window onto solar physics in 2016 by providing continuum observations at millimeter and sub-millimeter…
LOFT (Large Observatory for X-ray Timing) is one of the five candidates that were considered by ESA as an M3 mission (with launch in 2022-2024) and has been studied during an extensive assessment phase. It is specifically designed to…
A primary objective of the Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) experiment is to provide precise observations of the lunar orbit that contribute to a wide range of science investigations. Time series of the highly accurate measurements of the distance…
It is suggested that modern techniques of radio ranging when applied to study the motion of the Moon, can improve the accuracy of tests of relativistic gravitation obtained with currently operating laser ranging techniques. Other auxillary…
The Atacama Large Millimeter-Submillimeter Array (ALMA) has opened a new window for studying the Sun via high-resolution high-sensitivity imaging at millimeter wavelengths. In this contribution I review the capabilities of the instrument…
This paper reviews improved calibration methods for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Lunar Exploration Neutron Detector. We cross calibrated the set of LEND observations and models of its detectors physical geometry and composition against…
The Calar Alto Observatory, located at 2168m height above the sea level in continental Europe, holds a significant number of astronomical telescopes and experiments, covering a large range of the electromagnetic domain, from gamma-ray to…
We describe the design, construction, and performance of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Telescope located at Apache Point Observatory. The telescope is a modified two-corrector Ritchey-Chretien design which has a 2.5-m, f/2.25 primary, a…
High-time-resolution X-ray observations of compact objects provide direct access to strong field gravity, black hole masses and spins, and the equation of state of ultra-dense matter. LOFT, the large observatory for X-ray timing, is…
The Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE), one of the programs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS-III), has now completed its systematic, homogeneous spectroscopic survey sampling all major populations of…
We present the results of measuring the geocentric lunar distance using what we propose is the simplest method to achieve a precise result. Although lunar distance has been systematically measured to a precision of few millimeters using…
Lunar retro-reflector arrays (LRAs) consisting of corner-cube reflectors (CCRs) placed on the nearside of the Moon during the Apollo era have demonstrated their longevity, cost-effectiveness, ease of deployment, and most importantly their…
The Antarctic Submillimeter Telescope and Remote Observatory (AST/RO) is a 1.7-meter diameter offset Gregorian instrument located at the NSF Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. This site is exceptionally dry and cold, providing opportunities…