African VLBI Network Training Site

 22 March 2017 16:30 - 17:30

Title: Radio Astronomy with the NASA DSN

Authors: Mrs Cristina García Miró
                Radio Astronomy Engineer
                Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex
                NASA-INTA/ISDEFE 

                Mr Christopher Jacobs
                JPL, Caltech / NASA

Abstract:
The Deep Space Network (DSN) is the larger and most sensitive network of antennas in the world used by NASA and international space agencies to communicate with spacecraft across the solar system. This talk will explain the importance of the usage of the DSN for Radio Astronomy studies and will review the different scientific projects in which it is currently involved.

More about the author:

Cristina García Miró received her Bachelor of Science in Physics from the Complutense University of Madrid (1994) and her Master of Science in Astrophysics from the same university (1997) and the Granada University (2003). She started her scientific career at the Laboratory of Space Astrophysics and Fundamental Physics of the Spanish Aerospace Institute (INTA) supporting the Host Country Radio Astronomy activities at the NASA’s Madrid Deep Space Communications Complex. She also worked as a spacecraft controller and telescope operator of the International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite (NASA/ESA). 

After a research stay at the Astrophysics Institute of Andalucía (IAA) of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research she started working in the NASA’s Madrid Deep Space Complex as Radio Astronomy Engineer (2000-date). She is currently responsible for all the Radio Astronomy activities in the complex and collaborates in the astronomical educational projects PARTNeR (NASA) and CESAR (ESA/INTA/ISDEFE). She also participates in several research programs (INTA/ISDEFE) and has published scientific results in well-known research journals. 

She has received two NASA group achievement awards.