Luis Abalo

My work sits between space instrumentation and astrophysical research. I have contributed to the development of X-ray optics through hands-on work and software development at synchrotron radiation facilities at BESSY II (Berlin) and ALBA (Barcelona), supporting the assembly and characterisation of mirror modules for an ESA L-class mission (NewAthena).

I am currently a final-year PhD candidate at Leiden University and part of ESA’s Space Science Faculty. My thesis connects the design and manufacturing of X-ray optics for future observatories with the scientific exploitation of current missions, focusing on accreting systems such as high-mass X-ray binaries and pulsating ultraluminous X-ray sources.

I strongly believe that scientific research carries a responsibility beyond publications and missions. Engaging with students, schools, and the wider public—through talks, supervised projects, and science communication—is a way of giving back to society and strengthening the connection between science and the people it ultimately serves.