Typically this design work will be done collaboratively with members of your permanent staff.  Alternatively, I have ties to optical designers using Z-max and thermal analysis people, and can offer an augmented level of contracted design support, if this best fits the task.

Call me about your next proposal effort.

Contact Information

P O Box 266
Altadena, CA 91003
phone 626 622 8562
fax 626 354 1450
email: robert@chave.net


Present Projects Include

A focal plane assembly for a stratospheric, balloon borne, telescope in collaboration with Caltech, Columbia and the French National Space Agency (CNES).

Modifications to the Advanced Fiber Optic Eschelle Spectrograph (AFOE) at the Mt Wilson Observatory for the Smithsonian Observatory and the Harvard Center for Astrophysics.

Core Capability & Skills

• design & development of precision instruments, often incorporating optical elements
• design of cryogenic mechanisms for temperature regulation & sample motion control 
• design, configuration & packaging of instruments for use in air, space & severe environments


Twelve NASA New Technology Awards

In recent years I have received a dozen awards from NASA for inventions or concepts related to new technology.  Click the links on the Invention page on this site for references to the NASA / JPL sites describing these devices.  Other award submittals are pending.

My fees are cost competitive within the world of academic astronomy and public science