We are engaged in technology and instrument development for new observations and measurements in the Far-Infrared and Microwave region of the spectrum, which have important applications in

• Studies of the Earth's atmosphere for better understanding of the climate, climate change, chemical composition, and how the atmosphere transports pollutants and other species from one region of the globe to another;
• Studies of planets, comets, and asteroids, with particular emphasis on the use of spectroscopy to determine the composition of the gases and vapors surrounding these bodies as well as their surfaces;
• Astrophysical observations for improved understanding of
• The Cosmic Microwave Background
• The chemistry and dynamics of our Milky Way galaxy
• The composition of the inter-galactic medium

Space flight instruments that collect data for these studies include the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) aboard the Earth-orbiting Aura spacecraft; the Advanced Microwave Radiometer (AMR) to be launched on the Earth-orbiting Ocean Surface Topography Mission spacecraft; the Microwave Instrument for the Rosetta (comet) Orbiter (MIRO); the Herschel Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared (HIFI) to be launched on the ESA Herschel Space Observatory spacecraft; and the Microwave Radiometer (MWR) to be launched on the Juno Mission spacecraft for studies of Jupiter.