Recent research in the sociology of technology had focused on the factors that determine crucial design choices in the sociology of science, the role of instrumentation in shaping the development of science is being stressed. This project combined these two interests. Several teams of infrared astronomers are currently building cameras incorporating mosaic detectors arrays. These arrays, which combine the output of several hundred individual sensors, emerged from military research and development, and are now available on the open market. But, despite this idential technical output, the teams' cameras will differ significantly. The aim of this project was to investigate the reasons for these differences and their subsequent effects. The way in which the teams organise their work was the focus of analysis; plus the teams' differing locations (in observatories or universities), and the extent in which their designs were influenced not only by "scientific goals" but also by their perceptions of other important "reference groups" (e.g. other users or committees considering the design of later facilities). The project drew on interviews and archival documents with some participants and it was part of the Science studies and science policy initiative (Reference A/33/2/).