"We serve the nation by developing and applying the best science and technology to make the world a better and safer place."
- Los Alamos National Laboratory Vision Statement

Los Alamos National Laboratory began in-kind contributions to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey in early 1999 and became a formal member of the collaboration in March of 2002. The Laboratory has been providing infrastructure and operations services in the form of controls engineering and observing support for the photometric telescope. Los Alamos involvement in the SDSS is structured as an Astrophysics Survey Team (AST) spanning multiple organizations within the Laboratory. The AST is overseen by William H. Press, Deputy Director for Science and Technology, who is an External Participant in the Survey.

Engineers at Los Alamos have been responsible for the monitoring of telescope performance issues using a system based on the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System [EPICS] toolkit originally co-developed by Los Alamos and Argonne National Laboratory. Los Alamos scientists have also contributed to the establishment of the photometric primary standard star network.

Astrophysical research activity at Los Alamos is diverse and spread throughout the Laboratory with the Los Alamos Astrophysics organization serving as a clearinghouse for information. Initial studies specific to the SDSS include work in star formation, stellar activity, brown dwarfs, the interstellar medium, and the creation of a galaxy cluster radial velocity catalog.

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration, of the US Department of Energy.

Participants from Los Alamos National Laboratory:

* denotes a Builder of the SDSS.