Space Missions

I have been privileged to be associated with several space-borne observatories that are in operation or in the development stages. These include:

NASA's Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite

SWAS in orbit. Copyright: NASA

SWAS was in operation from Dec 1998 through Dec 2003 and surveyed interstellar space for the presence of water and molecular oxygen. I worked on several aspects of the SWAS mission, but focused primarily on the interpretation of the results.

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope

Spitzer Infrared Space Telescope: Copyright Nasa

Spitzer is the most sensitive observatory operating at mid-infrared wavelengths. I am associated with the IRAC (infrared array camera) GTO team and will be using Spitzer to study the formation of water in shocks, to search for the presence of carbon dioxide ice, along with other projects.

ESA's Herschel Space Observatory (with key NASA participation)

Herschel Space Observatory: Copyright ESA

In 2003 I was named as a co-investigator on HIFI, one of the key Herschel instruments that will provide unprecedented spectral resolution over a large wavelength range (60 - 670 microns). At present I am the coordinator of one on the science "key programs" that will study the formation of simple and organic species in two of the most fascinating regions in our galaxy, the Orion molecular cloud and the galactic center.