High Resolution stable spectrographs, coupled to large-size telescopes such as VLT or GTC, will allow us to extract in detail the dynamical and chemical information of stars across the Milky Way. The ESPRESSO spectrograph, in whose Science Team the PIs are involved, and which will be installed at the VLT in Winter 2017, will allows us to discover and characterize planets similar to Earth in the Habitability Zone, in particular around bright and nearby solar-like stars, and therefore with possibilities of hosting life. These exo-Earths are candidates for the study of their atmospheres with the next generation of instrumnets, such as HIRES on the ELT, on which we are involved. The HORS spectrograph, to be installed in GTC in Winter 2017, will allow us to study the chemistry of the most metal-poor stars in the halo of the Milky Way, which have been identified from spectra in large data bases such as SDSS or LAMOST. The chemical composition of the atmospheres of these stars provides first-hand information about the first stars, those that formed shortly after the Big Bang with zero metallicity, and the nucleosynthesis in the supernovae that went off at the end of their lives. The main goals of this project are:

1) To carry out the scientific exploitation of the ultra-stable high-resolution spectrograph ESPRESSO, using the Guaranteed Time, and in particular to discover rocky planets in the habitable zone.

 2) To carry out the scientific exploitation of HARPS equipped with the laser comb (LFC) and HARPS-N through intensive observing programs, including the Guaranteed Time for HARPS-LFC, aimed to detect super-Earth and Earth-like planets around GKM-type stars.

3) To perform high-resolution spectroscopy with HORS, and other high-resolution spectrographs available on the VLT, Keck and Subaru, of the most promitive stars in the halo of the Milky Way discovered by our research team. 4) To finish the development of the fiber link for the NIRPS instrument for the ESO 3.6m telescope, whose installation is planned for 2019, and start its scientific exploitation taking advantage of the Guaranteed Time. 5) To lead the development of the fiber link for HIRES, the high-resolution ultra-stable spectrograph for the future 39-m ESO ELT, and to participate in the development of the optical arm of the spectrograph.

High Resolution stable spectrographs, coupled to large-size telescopes such as VLT or GTC, will allow us to extract in detail the dynamical and chemical information of stars across the Milky Way. The ESPRESSO spectrograph, in whose Science Team the PIs are involved, and which will be installed at the VLT in Winter 2017, will allows us to discover and characterize planets similar to Earth in the Habitability Zone, in particular around bright and nearby solar-like stars, and therefore with possibilities of hosting life. These exo-Earths are candidates for the study of their atmospheres with the next generation of instrumnets, such as HIRES on the ELT, on which we are involved. The HORS spectrograph, to be installed in GTC in Winter 2017, will allow us to study the chemistry of the most metal-poor stars in the halo of the Milky Way, which have been identified from spectra in large data bases such as SDSS or LAMOST. The chemical composition of the atmospheres of these stars provides first-hand information about the first stars, those that formed shortly after the Big Bang with zero metallicity, and the nucleosynthesis in the supernovae that went off at the end of their lives. The main goals of this project are:

1) To carry out the scientific exploitation of the ultra-stable high-resolution spectrograph ESPRESSO, using the Guaranteed Time, and in particular to discover rocky planets in the habitable zone.

 2) To carry out the scientific exploitation of HARPS equipped with the laser comb (LFC) and HARPS-N through intensive observing programs, including the Guaranteed Time for HARPS-LFC, aimed to detect super-Earth and Earth-like planets around GKM-type stars.

3) To perform high-resolution spectroscopy with HORS, and other high-resolution spectrographs available on the VLT, Keck and Subaru, of the most promitive stars in the halo of the Milky Way discovered by our research team. 4) To finish the development of the fiber link for the NIRPS instrument for the ESO 3.6m telescope, whose installation is planned for 2019, and start its scientific exploitation taking advantage of the Guaranteed Time. 5) To lead the development of the fiber link for HIRES, the high-resolution ultra-stable spectrograph for the future 39-m ESO ELT, and to participate in the development of the optical arm of the spectrograph.