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<strong>RAL</strong> <strong>Space</strong><br />

Latest <strong>developments</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />

<strong>space</strong> <strong>science</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>technology</strong><br />

Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

Contacts<br />

General enquiries<br />

Susan Humphreys 01235 445552 s.humphreys@rl.ac.uk<br />

Department Director<br />

Richard Holdaway 01235 445527 r.holdaway@rl.ac.uk<br />

<strong>Space</strong> Physics<br />

Richard Harrison 01235 446884 r.a.harrison@rl.ac.uk<br />

Atmospheric Science/Earth Observation<br />

Chris Mutlow 01235 446525 c.mutlow@rl.ac.uk<br />

<strong>Space</strong> Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> Technology<br />

Richard Crowther 01235 446431 r.crowther@rl.ac.uk<br />

Imag<strong>in</strong>g Systems<br />

Nick Waltham 01235 446500 n.waltham@rl.ac.uk<br />

<strong>Space</strong> Data<br />

Peter Allan 01235 445723 p.m.allan@rl.ac.uk<br />

Radio Propagation<br />

Ken Craig 01235 445134 k.h.craig@rl.ac.uk<br />

Publicity<br />

Jeremy Curtis 01235 446460 w.j.curtis@rl.ac.uk<br />

Market<strong>in</strong>g<br />

John Ellis 01235 445923 j.a.ellis@rl.ac.uk<br />

Messages<br />

Adm<strong>in</strong> office 01235 445111<br />

The <strong>Space</strong> Science <strong>and</strong> Technology Department (SSTD) at CCLRC<br />

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (<strong>RAL</strong>) carries out an excit<strong>in</strong>g<br />

range of world-class <strong>space</strong> research <strong>and</strong> <strong>technology</strong> development.<br />

With significant <strong>in</strong>volvement <strong>in</strong> over 150 <strong>space</strong> missions, we are<br />

at the very forefront of UK <strong>space</strong> research. Our expertise covers<br />

a wide range of discipl<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g: astronomy, solar physics,<br />

planetary physics, fundamental physics, earth observation,<br />

atmospheric chemistry, <strong>and</strong> radio propagation. Our eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g<br />

discipl<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong>clude <strong>space</strong> electronics, detector systems, thermal<br />

<strong>and</strong> mechanical eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g, optics design, software eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>and</strong> e-Science.<br />

Our 220+ staff are dedicated to support<strong>in</strong>g the programmes of<br />

the Particle Physics <strong>and</strong> Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) <strong>and</strong><br />

the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), as well as<br />

undertak<strong>in</strong>g a large number of <strong>space</strong> projects for UK <strong>and</strong><br />

overseas agencies, universities, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustrial companies. We are<br />

also a member of the British National <strong>Space</strong> Centre which<br />

coord<strong>in</strong>ates UK civil <strong>space</strong> activities.<br />

We undertake world-lead<strong>in</strong>g <strong>space</strong> research <strong>and</strong> <strong>technology</strong><br />

development, provide <strong>space</strong> test <strong>and</strong> ground-based facilities,<br />

design <strong>and</strong> build <strong>in</strong>struments, analyse <strong>and</strong> process data <strong>and</strong><br />

operate S- <strong>and</strong> X-b<strong>and</strong> ground-station facilities, <strong>and</strong> lead<br />

conceptual studies for future missions. We work with <strong>space</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />

ground-based groups around the world. If you are <strong>in</strong>terested <strong>in</strong><br />

collaborat<strong>in</strong>g with us, please contact of the key people shown<br />

<strong>in</strong> the table below.<br />

Chilbolton Observatory<br />

Reception 01264 860391<br />

Cover: Images from ESA, Stephen Kill (BITD), Earth image<br />

copyright (2005) EUMETSAT.<br />

Editor: Helen Walker assisted by Adam Shaw, Carron Wilson,<br />

Jeremy Curtis.<br />

Richard Holdaway<br />

Director<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> <strong>Space</strong> Science <strong>and</strong> Technology


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory<br />

<strong>Space</strong> Science <strong>and</strong> Technology Department<br />

The Sun 2<br />

Near-Earth environment 4<br />

Earth observation 6<br />

Planetary <strong>science</strong> 8<br />

Astronomy 10<br />

Research 12<br />

Services 16<br />

Design 18<br />

Technology 20<br />

Operations 22<br />

Data management 24<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> <strong>space</strong> missions 26<br />

Staff at <strong>RAL</strong> <strong>Space</strong> Science 28<br />

1


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

The Sun<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> has a long heritage of solar <strong>space</strong> mission <strong>in</strong>volvement, ma<strong>in</strong>ly<br />

through the development <strong>and</strong> operation of spectroscopic <strong>in</strong>strumentation<br />

<strong>in</strong> the extreme-UV <strong>and</strong> X-ray wavelengths. We use observations of<br />

the solar atmosphere to determ<strong>in</strong>e plasma characteristics of the solar<br />

atmosphere.<br />

SOHO STEREO SOLAR-B<br />

Launched <strong>in</strong> 1995, the ESA/NASA<br />

Solar <strong>and</strong> Heliospheric Observatory<br />

(SOHO) is the world’s largest solar<br />

physics <strong>space</strong> mission <strong>and</strong> it has<br />

revolutionised our underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g of<br />

the Sun. <strong>RAL</strong>’s Coronal Diagnostic<br />

Spectrometer (CDS) is a unique<br />

<strong>in</strong>strument, designed to detect solar<br />

extreme ultraviolet radiation which<br />

allows us to probe conditions <strong>in</strong> the<br />

solar corona. The spectra recorded by<br />

CDS provide <strong>in</strong>formation on<br />

temperature, density, elemental<br />

composition <strong>and</strong> flows of very hot<br />

plasma trapped <strong>in</strong> the Sun’s magnetic<br />

field. The CDS operation is run from<br />

<strong>RAL</strong>, where the requests for<br />

observations from a user community<br />

of 15 UK <strong>in</strong>stitutes <strong>and</strong> over 50 worldwide<br />

groups are coord<strong>in</strong>ated, planned<br />

<strong>and</strong> run. CDS has enabled the<br />

discovery of a number of phenomena,<br />

<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g rotat<strong>in</strong>g columns of plasma<br />

that resemble tornadoes <strong>and</strong> the fact<br />

that the Sun’s atmosphere is riddled<br />

with Earth-sized explosions known<br />

as bl<strong>in</strong>kers.<br />

Contact: Andrzej Fludra<br />

Tel. 01235 445679<br />

E-mail: a.fludra@rl.ac.uk<br />

solar.bnsc.rl.ac.uk/<br />

The Sun occasionally ejects vast gas<br />

clouds <strong>in</strong>to <strong>space</strong>. Known as coronal<br />

mass ejections (CMEs), each cloud<br />

may carry 1,000,000,000 tonnes of<br />

gas <strong>in</strong>to <strong>space</strong> at several hundred<br />

km/s. When these clouds engulf Earth<br />

they can disrupt power, navigation,<br />

communication <strong>and</strong> satellite control<br />

systems. The NASA STEREO mission,<br />

due for launch <strong>in</strong> 2006, will send two<br />

identical <strong>space</strong>craft <strong>in</strong>to Earth-like<br />

orbits, one ahead <strong>and</strong> one lagg<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

Earth, from where they can look back<br />

at both the Earth <strong>and</strong> Sun, <strong>and</strong> detect<br />

CMEs as they approach Earth. All of<br />

the imager <strong>and</strong> coronagraph<br />

<strong>in</strong>struments on each <strong>space</strong>craft will<br />

use a novel CCD-based camera system<br />

developed by <strong>RAL</strong>. In addition <strong>RAL</strong><br />

provides the scientific lead for the UK’s<br />

Heliospheric Imager on STEREO.<br />

Contact: Richard Harrison<br />

Tel. 01235 446884<br />

E-mail: r.harrison@rl.ac.uk<br />

The Solar-B mission is an Earthorbit<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Japanese <strong>space</strong>craft, due for<br />

launch <strong>in</strong> 2006, whose payload is<br />

be<strong>in</strong>g provided by Japanese, American<br />

<strong>and</strong> British groups. Build<strong>in</strong>g on the<br />

highly successful SOHO <strong>and</strong> Yohkoh<br />

solar missions, Solar-B will carry<br />

imagers which can map the magnetic<br />

fields of the solar surface as well as<br />

the structure <strong>and</strong> evolution of the<br />

different layers of the solar<br />

atmosphere with unprecedented highresolution.<br />

The Extreme-ultraviolet<br />

Imag<strong>in</strong>g Spectrometer (EIS) is be<strong>in</strong>g<br />

built by an <strong>in</strong>ternational consortium<br />

led by the Mullard <strong>Space</strong> Science<br />

Laboratory. EIS measures spectral<br />

emission l<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong> order to derive solar<br />

plasma diagnostic <strong>in</strong>formation, at a<br />

pixel size of 750 km on the solar<br />

surface. <strong>RAL</strong> is a key player <strong>in</strong> the<br />

EIS consortium, provid<strong>in</strong>g assembly,<br />

<strong>in</strong>tegration <strong>and</strong> test facilities, with<br />

particular responsibility for cleanl<strong>in</strong>ess<br />

<strong>and</strong> contam<strong>in</strong>ation control. <strong>RAL</strong> is also<br />

responsible for the vital radiometric<br />

calibration of EIS <strong>and</strong> for software for<br />

operations plann<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> support.<br />

Contact: Jim Lang<br />

Tel. 01235 446365<br />

E-mail: j.lang@rl.ac.uk<br />

SOHO/CDS, NASA, ESA<br />

Enormous loops of gas at 400,000 K break away<br />

from the Sun<br />

ESA<br />

Left: An artist’s impression of Solar Orbiter<br />

Background: SOHO/EIT image of a solar<br />

prom<strong>in</strong>ence erupt<strong>in</strong>g<br />

NASA, ESA<br />

2


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

SOHO <strong>space</strong>craft NASA, ESA<br />

SOLAR ORBITER<br />

SOLAR DYNAMICS<br />

OBSERVATORY<br />

Solar Orbiter was selected by ESA <strong>in</strong><br />

September 2000 with a proposal led<br />

by the Max Planck Institute for<br />

Aeronomy <strong>and</strong> <strong>RAL</strong>. The mission<br />

makes use of solar electric propulsion<br />

<strong>and</strong> planetary fly-bys (Venus <strong>and</strong><br />

Earth) to achieve a 150-day orbit with<br />

a perihelion of 40 solar radii, <strong>and</strong> thus<br />

makes numerous close encounters of<br />

the Sun. Repeated Venus fly-bys, on<br />

every third orbit, will allow the<br />

<strong>space</strong>craft to climb out of the ecliptic,<br />

provid<strong>in</strong>g the first high latitude<br />

observations of the solar atmosphere<br />

– extremely valuable for studies of the<br />

high-speed polar w<strong>in</strong>d outflows, the<br />

solar dynamo, global mass ejection<br />

processes <strong>and</strong> global irradiance. The<br />

mission is now <strong>in</strong> a study phase <strong>and</strong> is<br />

due for launch <strong>in</strong> 2013. <strong>RAL</strong> is lead<strong>in</strong>g<br />

a consortium to build a highresolution<br />

UV spectrometer/imager for<br />

the mission.<br />

Contact: Richard Harrison<br />

Tel. 01235 446884<br />

E-mail: r.harrison@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.orbiter.rl.ac.uk/<br />

SDO is NASA’s first <strong>Space</strong> Weather<br />

Research Network mission <strong>in</strong> the<br />

Liv<strong>in</strong>g With a Star programme. It is<br />

designed to study solar atmospheric<br />

structures <strong>and</strong> magnetic fields from<br />

their emergence at the surface <strong>in</strong>to<br />

the corona, us<strong>in</strong>g a set of imag<strong>in</strong>g<br />

systems <strong>in</strong> the UV, extreme-UV <strong>and</strong><br />

visible light, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g magnetic<br />

mapp<strong>in</strong>g us<strong>in</strong>g the Zeeman effect.<br />

SDO is due for launch <strong>in</strong> April 2008<br />

<strong>and</strong> will be <strong>in</strong> a geosynchronous orbit.<br />

The emphasis on high-resolution<br />

imag<strong>in</strong>g results <strong>in</strong> a data rate of<br />

140 Mbps. <strong>RAL</strong> has a contract with<br />

Lockheed Mart<strong>in</strong> Advanced<br />

Technology Center to provide the<br />

CCD camera electronics boxes for two<br />

of the three scientific <strong>in</strong>struments on<br />

SDO. In addition, <strong>RAL</strong> has scientific<br />

<strong>in</strong>terest through a co-<strong>in</strong>vestigator role<br />

<strong>and</strong> is heavily <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> preparation<br />

for receipt of high data-rate data,<br />

automated analysis, <strong>and</strong> storage of<br />

data for UK scientists.<br />

Contact: Andrzej Fludra<br />

Tel. 01235 445679<br />

E-mail: a.fludra@rl.ac.uk<br />

SOHO/EIT images<br />

of erupt<strong>in</strong>g solar<br />

prom<strong>in</strong>ences<br />

NASA, ESA<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> has been <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> scientific missions<br />

to study the Sun for over 25 years<br />

3


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

Near-Earth environment<br />

A wonderful natural laboratory for study<strong>in</strong>g fundamental phenomena <strong>in</strong><br />

the physics of plasmas (ionised gases). Our scientists study these us<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>space</strong>-based <strong>and</strong> ground-based <strong>in</strong>struments. These phenomena are of<br />

great <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>in</strong> underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>space</strong> weather.<br />

Earth as seen by MSG<br />

© 2005 EUMETSAT<br />

ACE<br />

The <strong>RAL</strong> Ground Station receives data<br />

from the American Advanced<br />

Composition Explorer (ACE) satellite,<br />

located 1.5 million kilometres from<br />

Earth <strong>in</strong> the direction of the Sun.<br />

The satellite measures the particles<br />

<strong>and</strong> magnetic fields <strong>in</strong> the solar w<strong>in</strong>d,<br />

enabl<strong>in</strong>g scientists to predict<br />

electromagnetic events that could<br />

disrupt satellite or ground-based<br />

communications systems. The data<br />

gathered at <strong>RAL</strong> are sent to the NOAA<br />

<strong>Space</strong> Environment Center <strong>in</strong> the USA<br />

for process<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong> the results can be<br />

viewed at http://sec.noaa.gov/ace/.<br />

Contact: John Wright<br />

Tel: 01235 445809<br />

Email: j.s.wright@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.ralgroundstation.rl.ac.uk/<br />

ACE <strong>space</strong>craft NASA<br />

Gas clouds ejected from the sun <strong>and</strong> travell<strong>in</strong>g at hundreds<br />

km/s can engulf Earth, disrupt<strong>in</strong>g power, navigation,<br />

communication <strong>and</strong> satellite control systems<br />

4


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

CLUSTER II<br />

Cluster II is an ESA mission,<br />

revolutionis<strong>in</strong>g our underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g of<br />

the <strong>in</strong>teraction between electrically<br />

charged particles from the Sun <strong>and</strong><br />

the Earth’s magnetic field. The four<br />

Cluster <strong>space</strong>craft were launched <strong>in</strong><br />

pairs on 16 July <strong>and</strong> 9 August 2000<br />

<strong>and</strong> now orbit the Earth <strong>in</strong> formation.<br />

This unique set of multi-po<strong>in</strong>t<br />

measurements allows us to study, for<br />

the first time, the three-dimensional<br />

structure of the fundamental physical<br />

processes occurr<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the near-Earth<br />

environment as they vary with time.<br />

The second mission extension will start<br />

<strong>in</strong> 2006 <strong>and</strong> will make use of new<br />

multi-scale formations <strong>and</strong> sampl<strong>in</strong>g<br />

of regions not previously covered. <strong>RAL</strong><br />

has a major hardware <strong>in</strong>volvement <strong>in</strong><br />

two of the <strong>in</strong>struments: RAPID<br />

measures the energetic ions <strong>and</strong><br />

electrons, while PEACE measures the<br />

lower energy electrons. <strong>RAL</strong> runs ESA’s<br />

Cluster Jo<strong>in</strong>t Satellite Operations<br />

Centre which has responsibility for<br />

plann<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> comm<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g the<br />

<strong>in</strong>ternational <strong>science</strong> operations.<br />

The UK Cluster Data Centre is located<br />

at <strong>RAL</strong> <strong>and</strong> provides <strong>science</strong> data<br />

process<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> dissem<strong>in</strong>ation facilities<br />

for the national Cluster community<br />

<strong>and</strong> is also responsible for the<br />

technical development of ESA’s Cluster<br />

Active Archive. <strong>RAL</strong> scientists play a<br />

lead<strong>in</strong>g role <strong>in</strong> the <strong>science</strong> exploitation<br />

from the mission <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> coord<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g<br />

activities with ground-based<br />

<strong>in</strong>strumentation such as EISCAT<br />

(see page 7).<br />

Foreground: Three of the four CLUSTER <strong>space</strong>craft<br />

ESA<br />

Background: TRACE image of coronal loop<br />

NASA<br />

Contact: Chris Perry<br />

Tel: 01235 445780<br />

Email: c.h.perry@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.cluster.rl.ac.uk/<br />

5


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

Earth observation<br />

Mak<strong>in</strong>g observations of the l<strong>and</strong>, sea <strong>and</strong> air from <strong>space</strong> allows scientists to<br />

develop <strong>and</strong> improve their models of our environment. <strong>Space</strong> <strong>in</strong>struments<br />

provide cont<strong>in</strong>uous, global measurements for many years at a time allow<strong>in</strong>g<br />

events like El Niño to be studied.<br />

EARTHSHINE<br />

IONOSPHERIC<br />

MONITORING<br />

MSG (GERB)<br />

Astrium UK<br />

An artist’s impression of EARTHSHINE<br />

The EARTH-Sun-Heliosphere-<br />

Interactions Experiment is a multidiscipl<strong>in</strong>ary,<br />

<strong>in</strong>ter-discipl<strong>in</strong>ary mission<br />

which will provide vital new data on<br />

how the Sun <strong>in</strong>fluences Earth’s <strong>space</strong><br />

environment <strong>and</strong> climate.<br />

EARTHSHINE will be able to monitor<br />

the photon, particle <strong>and</strong> magnetic<br />

outputs of the Sun, <strong>and</strong> study how<br />

they <strong>in</strong>fluence the power that Earth<br />

reflects back <strong>in</strong>to <strong>space</strong>. EARTHSHINE<br />

will tell us much about the formation<br />

<strong>and</strong> effects of clouds, about the global<br />

electric circuit, the solar w<strong>in</strong>d, <strong>and</strong><br />

how solar <strong>and</strong> heliospheric magnetic<br />

fields form <strong>and</strong> evolve.<br />

Contact: Mike Lockwood<br />

Tel: 01235 446496<br />

Email: m.lockwood@rl.ac.uk<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> carries out rout<strong>in</strong>e monitor<strong>in</strong>g of<br />

the Earth’s ionosphere from<br />

Oxfordshire <strong>and</strong> the Falkl<strong>and</strong> Isl<strong>and</strong>s.<br />

These stations provide the longest<br />

sequences of ionospheric data <strong>in</strong> their<br />

respective hemispheres <strong>and</strong> set the<br />

world st<strong>and</strong>ard for data quality. The<br />

data are used <strong>in</strong> a wide variety of<br />

<strong>science</strong> areas, from radio<br />

communications to climate change.<br />

Contact: Sarah James<br />

Tel: 01235 446579<br />

Email: s.f.james@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.ionospheric-monitor<strong>in</strong>g.rl.ac.uk/<br />

ENVISAT<br />

ESA’s ENVIronmental monitor<strong>in</strong>g<br />

SATellite was successfully launched on<br />

1 March 2002. It carries the AATSR<br />

<strong>in</strong>strument – the third <strong>in</strong> the Along<br />

Track Scann<strong>in</strong>g Radiometers (ATSR)<br />

series. AATSR monitors global sea<br />

surface temperatures with an accuracy<br />

of 0.3 C for climate study purposes.<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> provided subsystems <strong>and</strong><br />

laboratory calibration, <strong>and</strong> also the<br />

reference data process<strong>in</strong>g system.<br />

MIPAS, an <strong>in</strong>frared spectrometer,<br />

measures pressure, temperature <strong>and</strong><br />

trace gases such as ozone from 6 km<br />

to 70 km <strong>in</strong> the atmosphere. <strong>RAL</strong><br />

provided the low vibration cooler<br />

electronics.<br />

Contact: Chris Mutlow<br />

Tel: 01235 446525<br />

Email: c.t.mutlow@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.atsr.rl.ac.uk/<br />

Scientists are us<strong>in</strong>g observations from <strong>space</strong><br />

to underst<strong>and</strong> if the complex <strong>in</strong>teractions<br />

between the Sun <strong>and</strong> Earth’s atmosphere<br />

affect global warm<strong>in</strong>g<br />

The Geostationary Earth Radiation<br />

Budget series of <strong>in</strong>struments monitor<br />

the reflected sunlight <strong>and</strong> thermal<br />

emission from Earth, to study daily<br />

variations <strong>and</strong> long-term climate<br />

changes. There are four <strong>in</strong>struments <strong>in</strong><br />

the series: three have been completed<br />

by a European consortium led by <strong>RAL</strong><br />

<strong>and</strong> the fourth is currently be<strong>in</strong>g<br />

manufactured. GERB-1 was launched<br />

<strong>in</strong>to geo-synchronous orbit on the first<br />

of EUMETSAT’s METEOSAT Second<br />

Generation Satellites (MSG-1) on<br />

28 August 2002. MSG-2, with<br />

GERB-2, is planned for launch <strong>in</strong> June<br />

2005. This will meet EUMETSAT’s<br />

requirement to have two of the MSG<br />

satellites <strong>in</strong> orbit at any time, one<br />

Check<strong>in</strong>g GERB at <strong>RAL</strong><br />

provid<strong>in</strong>g the operational service <strong>and</strong><br />

the other act<strong>in</strong>g as a reserve. The four<br />

satellites scan the Earth roughly every<br />

three m<strong>in</strong>utes <strong>and</strong> are designed to<br />

provide a service for more than<br />

15 years. <strong>RAL</strong> has also developed <strong>and</strong><br />

operates a major part of the GERB<br />

ground segment, receiv<strong>in</strong>g data from<br />

the <strong>in</strong>strument <strong>in</strong> near real-time,<br />

process<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> archiv<strong>in</strong>g it.<br />

Contact: Cormac Neeson<br />

Tel: 01235 446435<br />

Email: c.g.neeson@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/gerb/<br />

6


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

TOPSAT under test <strong>in</strong> a clean room at <strong>RAL</strong><br />

EISCAT<br />

TOPSAT<br />

SUPPORTING GALILEO<br />

The European Incoherent SCATter<br />

facility consists of three radar systems<br />

<strong>in</strong> Northern Sc<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>avia which studies<br />

the ionosphere, the ionised region of<br />

the Earth's atmosphere. At high<br />

latitudes the Earth's magnetic field<br />

l<strong>in</strong>es extend outwards from the<br />

ionosphere <strong>in</strong>to regions of the<br />

magnetosphere which <strong>in</strong>teract strongly<br />

with the solar w<strong>in</strong>d, so that EISCAT<br />

can observe many important solarterrestrial<br />

coupl<strong>in</strong>g processes. Major<br />

<strong>science</strong> themes <strong>in</strong>clude the study of<br />

energy coupl<strong>in</strong>g from the Sun to the<br />

Earth's plasma environment, with<br />

coord<strong>in</strong>ated observations with Cluster<br />

(p.5). An <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g emphasis is placed<br />

A high-resolution optical camera is<br />

be<strong>in</strong>g developed for the TopSat<br />

programme, produc<strong>in</strong>g 2.5 m<br />

resolution panchromatic images <strong>and</strong><br />

5 m resolution colour images. The<br />

camera has been built for<br />

approximately one fifth of the cost of<br />

comparable cameras <strong>and</strong> is scheduled<br />

for launch <strong>in</strong> mid 2005.<br />

Contact: Nigel Morris<br />

Tel: 01235 445470<br />

Email: n.morris@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/TopSat/<br />

MST RADAR<br />

Galileo, Europe’s own GPS system,<br />

becomes real with the launch <strong>in</strong><br />

October 2005 of Surrey Satellite<br />

Technology Limited’s ‘test bed’ satellite<br />

GSTB-V2A. <strong>RAL</strong>’s Ground Station will<br />

help validate the operations,<br />

support<strong>in</strong>g the launch <strong>and</strong> early<br />

operations phase, <strong>and</strong> provide a<br />

backup dur<strong>in</strong>g the two year mission.<br />

The 25 m antenna at Chilbolton will<br />

carry out the crucial <strong>in</strong>-orbit test<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>and</strong> validation.<br />

Contact: Trevor Dimbylow<br />

Tel: 01235 445827<br />

Email: t.g.dimbylow@rl.ac.uk<br />

MARSCHALS<br />

Construction of the orig<strong>in</strong>al EISCAT 42 m dish at<br />

Svalbard, taken <strong>in</strong> 1995<br />

on the study of solar-terrestrial<br />

<strong>in</strong>fluences on long-term global change.<br />

In 2005, EISCAT starts a design study<br />

<strong>in</strong>to a next-generation phased array<br />

radar system which will provide the<br />

basis of its observational capability for<br />

the next decade, complement<strong>in</strong>g a<br />

similar radar due to be deployed <strong>in</strong><br />

North America <strong>in</strong> 2006.<br />

Contact: Ian McCrea<br />

Tel: 01235 446513<br />

Email: i.w.mccrea@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.eiscat.rl.ac.uk/<br />

Some of the 400 Yagi aerials from the MST radar<br />

at Aberystwyth<br />

The NERC Mesosphere-Stratosphere-<br />

Troposphere Radar at Aberystwyth is<br />

the UK’s most powerful <strong>and</strong> versatile<br />

w<strong>in</strong>d-profil<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>strument. In the ST<br />

mode it provides cont<strong>in</strong>uous<br />

measurements of the threedimensional<br />

w<strong>in</strong>d vector over the<br />

altitude range 2 km to 20 km at high<br />

resolution (300 m <strong>in</strong> altitude <strong>and</strong> a<br />

few m<strong>in</strong>utes <strong>in</strong> time).<br />

Contact: David Hooper<br />

Tel: 01235 445705<br />

Email: d.a.hooper@rl.ac.uk<br />

The sturdy frame for the MARSCHALS experiment<br />

be<strong>in</strong>g checked aga<strong>in</strong>st the design<br />

MARSCHALS is a millimetre-wave<br />

spectrometer designed to measure<br />

vertical profiles of ozone, water<br />

vapour, carbon monoxide, nitrous<br />

oxide, nitric acid <strong>and</strong> other gaseous<br />

components of the Earth’s atmosphere<br />

from the Russian Geophysica<br />

high-altitude aeroplane. It is also a<br />

simulator for MASTER, one of the key<br />

<strong>in</strong>struments for a future <strong>space</strong> mission.<br />

Contact: Brian Moyna<br />

Tel: 01235 446548<br />

Email: b.moyna@rl.ac.uk<br />

7


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

Planetary <strong>science</strong><br />

<strong>RAL</strong> has a very strong <strong>in</strong>strument program, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g missions to all the<br />

<strong>in</strong>ner solar system planets, as well as comets <strong>and</strong> the Saturnian system.<br />

These missions cont<strong>in</strong>ue to yield a wealth of <strong>science</strong> <strong>and</strong> help us to<br />

underst<strong>and</strong> the Earth <strong>and</strong> the Solar System, <strong>and</strong> the planetary systems<br />

of other stars.<br />

SMART-1<br />

MARS EXPRESS<br />

VENUS EXPRESS<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> leads a team for the<br />

Demonstration Compact Imag<strong>in</strong>g<br />

X-ray Spectrometer (D-CIXS) on<br />

SMART-1 (the first Small Mission for<br />

Advanced Research <strong>in</strong> Technology).<br />

SMART-1 is now <strong>in</strong> orbit around the<br />

Moon. D-CIXS began rout<strong>in</strong>e<br />

operations <strong>in</strong> March 2005, <strong>and</strong> is<br />

mapp<strong>in</strong>g the abundances of the<br />

elements mak<strong>in</strong>g up the surface of<br />

the Moon. This is critical <strong>in</strong>formation<br />

to test our current theories of lunar<br />

formation.<br />

ESA<br />

2005 sees the launch of Venus<br />

Express, a small ESA mission <strong>in</strong>tended<br />

to build on the success of Mars<br />

Express. Venus presents many<br />

mysteries, not least the evolution of its<br />

comet-like atmosphere <strong>and</strong> its<br />

<strong>in</strong>teractions with the solar w<strong>in</strong>d which<br />

will be probed by the ASPERA-4<br />

<strong>in</strong>strument <strong>in</strong> which <strong>RAL</strong> is <strong>in</strong>volved.<br />

Contact: Malcolm Dunlop<br />

Tel: 01235 445427<br />

Email: m.w.dunlop@rl.ac.uk<br />

Contact: Manuel Gr<strong>and</strong>e<br />

Tel: 01235 446501<br />

Email: m.gr<strong>and</strong>e@rl.ac.uk<br />

sspg1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk/<br />

Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g model of D-CIXS at <strong>RAL</strong><br />

An artist’s impression of MARS EXPRESS at Mars<br />

ASPERA-3 (Analyzer of <strong>Space</strong> Plasma<br />

<strong>and</strong> EneRgetic Atoms) is one of the<br />

<strong>in</strong>struments on Mars Express. <strong>RAL</strong> is<br />

part of the team, led by IRF Sweden,<br />

which built the detector which directly<br />

images the erosion of the atmosphere<br />

by the solar w<strong>in</strong>d <strong>and</strong> helps us to<br />

study the mechanism for los<strong>in</strong>g water<br />

<strong>in</strong>to <strong>space</strong>. <strong>RAL</strong> also provides the<br />

Payload Operations Service for Mars<br />

Express support<strong>in</strong>g <strong>science</strong> operations<br />

under contract to ESA (see page 22).<br />

Contact: Manuel Gr<strong>and</strong>e<br />

Tel: 01235 446501<br />

Email: m.gr<strong>and</strong>e@rl.ac.uk<br />

sspg1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk/aspera3.htm<br />

With a host of European missions underway to explore<br />

the planets <strong>in</strong> our solar system, <strong>RAL</strong> is at the forefront<br />

of <strong>in</strong>strument development <strong>and</strong> planetary <strong>science</strong><br />

Background: Artist’s impression of CASSINI <strong>and</strong> Saturn from Titan ESA<br />

8


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

Model of ROSETTA ESA<br />

CASSINI/HUYGENS<br />

ROSETTA<br />

HUYGEN’s SSP probe<br />

The Huygens probe (built by ESA) has<br />

l<strong>and</strong>ed on Titan, Saturn’s largest moon.<br />

It carried the surface <strong>science</strong> package,<br />

which conta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>RAL</strong> electronics <strong>and</strong><br />

packag<strong>in</strong>g to support the sensors from<br />

various <strong>in</strong>stitutes. <strong>RAL</strong> also contributed<br />

to the Cass<strong>in</strong>i Plasma Sensor <strong>and</strong> the<br />

Cosmic Dust Analyser which are<br />

onboard Cass<strong>in</strong>i for its four year<br />

campaign <strong>in</strong> orbit around Saturn.<br />

Contact: John Delderfield<br />

Tel: 01235 446412<br />

Email: j.delderfield@rl.ac.uk<br />

ESA’s Rosetta satellite was launched<br />

successfully <strong>in</strong> 2004 <strong>and</strong> will<br />

rendezvous with comet Churyumov<br />

Gerasimenko <strong>in</strong> May 2014. Once it<br />

has arrived it will carry out very<br />

precise isotopic ratio measurements as<br />

the comet evolves dur<strong>in</strong>g its journey<br />

towards the Sun. <strong>RAL</strong> supported the<br />

Open University by build<strong>in</strong>g an<br />

advanced gas chromatography<br />

<strong>in</strong>strument, Ptolemy, which is part of<br />

the l<strong>and</strong>er. It <strong>in</strong>cludes a compact, lowpower,<br />

mass spectrometer, controlled<br />

by <strong>in</strong>tegrated circuits (ASICs) designed<br />

at <strong>RAL</strong> <strong>and</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g use of<br />

nano<strong>technology</strong> developed at <strong>RAL</strong> for<br />

the ionisation device. The challenge<br />

for the team was not only to build the<br />

<strong>in</strong>strument <strong>in</strong> an ultra compact, low<br />

power <strong>and</strong> lightweight form, but also<br />

to ensure that it functions perfectly<br />

after several years of <strong>in</strong>activity on the<br />

way to the comet.<br />

Contact: Eric Sawyer<br />

Tel: 01235 446385<br />

Email: e.sawyer@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/Rosetta/Modulus/<br />

ESA<br />

An artist’s impression of SMART-1 near<strong>in</strong>g<br />

the Moon<br />

BEPICOLOMBO<br />

BepiColombo is ESA’s first mission to<br />

the planet Mercury, <strong>and</strong> consists of<br />

two <strong>space</strong>craft due for launch <strong>in</strong><br />

2012. <strong>RAL</strong> is the lead <strong>in</strong>stitute on the<br />

MIXS (Mercury Imag<strong>in</strong>g X-ray<br />

Spectrometer) <strong>in</strong>strument <strong>and</strong> heavily<br />

<strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> the SIXS (Solar Intensity<br />

X-ray Spectrometer) led by colleagues<br />

<strong>in</strong> F<strong>in</strong>l<strong>and</strong>.<br />

Contact: Sarah Dunk<strong>in</strong><br />

Tel: 01235 446861<br />

Email: s.k.dunk<strong>in</strong>@rl.ac.uk<br />

sspg1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk/sspg.htm<br />

AURORA<br />

Aurora is ESA’s programme for robotic<br />

<strong>and</strong> human exploration of the solar<br />

system, concentrat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> particular on<br />

the Moon <strong>and</strong> Mars. <strong>RAL</strong> is <strong>in</strong>volved<br />

<strong>in</strong> help<strong>in</strong>g PPARC to def<strong>in</strong>e the UK<br />

direction <strong>in</strong> the programme.<br />

Contact: Sarah Dunk<strong>in</strong><br />

Tel: 01235 446861<br />

Email: s.k.dunk<strong>in</strong>@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.aurora.rl.ac.uk/<br />

9


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

Astromony<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> supports astronomers us<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>struments <strong>in</strong> <strong>space</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />

on the ground, with a wide range of expertise, <strong>in</strong> design,<br />

build<strong>in</strong>g, test<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> calibration. Our scientists also<br />

participate <strong>in</strong> astronomical research us<strong>in</strong>g data from these<br />

<strong>and</strong> other <strong>in</strong>struments to further our underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g of<br />

galaxies <strong>and</strong> the formation of stars <strong>and</strong> planets.<br />

ALMA<br />

DARWIN<br />

The UK is participat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the<br />

construction of the Atacama Large<br />

Millimetre Array <strong>in</strong> the Atacama Desert<br />

of Northern Chile at an altitude over<br />

5000 m. The ALMA Observatory will<br />

have 64 twelve-metre diameter<br />

telescopes work<strong>in</strong>g together as an<br />

<strong>in</strong>terferometric imag<strong>in</strong>g array equivalent<br />

to a s<strong>in</strong>gle telescope 15 km <strong>in</strong> diameter.<br />

The array will provide an unprecedented<br />

sensitivity <strong>and</strong> spatial resolution at<br />

millimetre <strong>and</strong> sub-millimetre<br />

wavelengths. It will be used to detect<br />

<strong>and</strong> study the earliest <strong>and</strong> most distant<br />

galaxies <strong>and</strong> will also probe dustobscured<br />

regions of which are the<br />

birthplace of stars <strong>and</strong> planets. The<br />

project is an <strong>in</strong>ternational collaboration<br />

between North America <strong>and</strong> Europe,<br />

<strong>and</strong> more recently Japan. The UK<br />

A CAD image of part of ALMA<br />

technical contribution is managed by<br />

the ALMA UK Project Office located at<br />

<strong>RAL</strong>. <strong>RAL</strong> is also contribut<strong>in</strong>g key areas<br />

of <strong>technology</strong> dur<strong>in</strong>g the array<br />

construction phase, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

detector system cryogenics, photonic<br />

phase reference mixers, <strong>and</strong> calibration<br />

load development.<br />

Contact: Brian Ellison<br />

Tel: 01235 446719<br />

Email: b.ellison@r.ac.uk<br />

Darw<strong>in</strong> is a constellation of six<br />

<strong>space</strong>craft each with a large <strong>in</strong>frared<br />

telescope which will be like a s<strong>in</strong>gle<br />

telescope with a diameter of 400 m.<br />

Darw<strong>in</strong> will be used to search for<br />

Earth-like planets <strong>and</strong> for signs of life<br />

on them. <strong>RAL</strong> is tak<strong>in</strong>g part <strong>in</strong> ESA’s<br />

scientific <strong>and</strong> technical studies.<br />

Contact: Sarah Dunk<strong>in</strong><br />

Tel: 01235 446861<br />

Email: s.k.dunk<strong>in</strong>@rl.ac.uk,<br />

www.darw<strong>in</strong>.rl.ac.uk/<br />

JWST MIRI<br />

The James Webb <strong>Space</strong> Telescope<br />

(JWST) is planned to succeed the<br />

Hubble <strong>Space</strong> Telescope. The<br />

Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on<br />

JWST will provide unique capabilities<br />

to study the dust-enshrouded regions<br />

of the universe. <strong>RAL</strong> is responsible for<br />

several key areas, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g assembly<br />

<strong>and</strong> verification, project <strong>science</strong>,<br />

thermal systems eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong><br />

contam<strong>in</strong>ation control.<br />

Contact: Sam Elder<br />

Tel: 01235 445761<br />

Email: s.c.elder@rl.ac.uk<br />

SUBARU FMOS<br />

The Fibre-Multi-Object Spectrograph<br />

(FMOS) is a collaboration to design<br />

<strong>and</strong> construct a fibre-fed <strong>in</strong>frared<br />

spectrograph system for the Subaru<br />

8 m telescope on Mauna Kea <strong>in</strong> Hawaii.<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> has overall responsibility for the<br />

optical <strong>and</strong> thermal design of the<br />

spectrograph, <strong>and</strong> for the fabrication<br />

of the camera/detector system.<br />

Contact: Ian Tosh<br />

Tel: 01235 445450<br />

Email: i.a.j.tosh@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/FMOS<br />

An artist’s impression of the three LISA <strong>space</strong>craft<br />

<strong>in</strong> <strong>space</strong><br />

LISA AND<br />

LISA PATHFINDER<br />

The Laser Interferometer <strong>Space</strong><br />

Antenna measures gravitational waves<br />

from violent events such as the<br />

merg<strong>in</strong>g of black holes. The unique<br />

<strong>technology</strong> is to be tested on LISA<br />

Pathf<strong>in</strong>der, due for launch <strong>in</strong> 2008.<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> is <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> the gravitational<br />

wave sensor, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g components<br />

for the high precision <strong>in</strong>terferometers<br />

which measure the position of<br />

gravitational reference masses, <strong>and</strong><br />

protect<strong>in</strong>g the masses from damage<br />

dur<strong>in</strong>g launch. <strong>RAL</strong> <strong>technology</strong> also<br />

prevents the <strong>space</strong>craft from<br />

becom<strong>in</strong>g electrically charged when it<br />

operates its electric field powered<br />

micro-thrusters.<br />

Contact: Barry Kent<br />

Tel: 01235 446364<br />

Email: b.j.kent@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/fundphys/lisa/<br />

10


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

MIRI structural model under test at <strong>RAL</strong><br />

The VISTA camera for the telescope at<br />

the European Southern Observatory <strong>in</strong><br />

Chile weighs over two tonnes<br />

HERSCHEL SPIRE<br />

The Spectral <strong>and</strong> Photometric Imag<strong>in</strong>g<br />

REceiver (SPIRE) will fly on ESA’s<br />

Herschel mission <strong>in</strong> 2007. The<br />

<strong>in</strong>strument, operat<strong>in</strong>g between<br />

200 <strong>and</strong> 700 microns, will search for<br />

galaxies, which are ‘young’ <strong>in</strong><br />

cosmological terms. The <strong>in</strong>strument is<br />

be<strong>in</strong>g built by a consortium of<br />

European <strong>and</strong> American groups, led<br />

by Cardiff University. <strong>RAL</strong> is<br />

responsible for the <strong>in</strong>strument<br />

conceptual design, project<br />

management, <strong>in</strong>-flight operations <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>strument calibration.<br />

Contact: Bruce Sw<strong>in</strong>yard<br />

Tel: 01235 446271<br />

Email: b.m.sw<strong>in</strong>yard@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/SPIRE/<br />

PLANCK<br />

Planck is an ESA mission to map the<br />

structure of the Cosmic Microwave<br />

Background radiation. The detail <strong>and</strong><br />

sensitivity of the measurements will<br />

help determ<strong>in</strong>e fundamental<br />

parameters relat<strong>in</strong>g to the orig<strong>in</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />

evolution of the universe. For<br />

frequencies higher than 100 GHz, a<br />

bolometer receiver system is used,<br />

operat<strong>in</strong>g at cryogenic temperatures.<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> has provided thermal analysis for<br />

the design of the system, as well as<br />

the cool<strong>in</strong>g stage that reduces the<br />

temperature from 20 K to 4 K, us<strong>in</strong>g<br />

a Joule-Thomson system.<br />

Contact: Roger Emery<br />

Tel: 01235 446711<br />

Email: r.j.emery@rl.ac.uk<br />

VISTA<br />

The Visible <strong>and</strong> Infrared Survey<br />

Telescope for Astronomy is a 4 m<br />

diameter wide-field survey telescope<br />

dedicated to conduct<strong>in</strong>g detailed<br />

imag<strong>in</strong>g surveys of the sky. It will be<br />

located at the European Southern<br />

Observatory’s Cerro Paranal<br />

Observatory <strong>in</strong> Chile. <strong>RAL</strong> is lead<strong>in</strong>g a<br />

consortium with UKATC <strong>and</strong> Durham<br />

University which is build<strong>in</strong>g a camera<br />

with sixteen 2000 x 2000 pixel<br />

<strong>in</strong>frared detectors.<br />

Contact: Kim Ward<br />

Tel: 01235 445327<br />

Email: a.k.ward@rl.ac.uk<br />

11


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

Research<br />

SSTD undertakes pure research <strong>in</strong> solar physics, solar-terrestrial physics<br />

atmospheric physics, planetary <strong>and</strong> magnetospheric physics, astronomy<br />

<strong>and</strong> fundamental physics. The research encompasses a wide range of<br />

<strong>in</strong>terests, runn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> close harmony with the <strong>space</strong> hardware projects, <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>volves collaboration with many university groups <strong>in</strong> the UK <strong>and</strong> abroad.<br />

FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS<br />

SOLAR<br />

TERRESTRIAL PHYSICS<br />

SOLAR PHYSICS<br />

Fundamental physics research at <strong>RAL</strong><br />

explores the underly<strong>in</strong>g laws which<br />

govern the behaviour of the universe.<br />

The <strong>RAL</strong> <strong>space</strong> <strong>in</strong>strument team is<br />

closely associated with the STEP<br />

satellite which will measure<br />

differences between <strong>in</strong>ertial <strong>and</strong><br />

gravitational masses predicted by<br />

str<strong>in</strong>g theory alternatives to General<br />

Relativity, <strong>and</strong> participates <strong>in</strong> the LISA<br />

(p. 10) mission to measure<br />

gravitational waves predicted by<br />

General Relativity. Other areas be<strong>in</strong>g<br />

researched are neutr<strong>in</strong>o astrophysics,<br />

the Casimir Effect, quantum gravity<br />

fluctuations <strong>and</strong> laboratory<br />

astrophysics, together with<br />

<strong>in</strong>strumentation that could be<br />

deployed to measure these<br />

phenomena by the use of atom-wave<br />

<strong>in</strong>terferometers.<br />

Contact: Bob B<strong>in</strong>gham<br />

Tel: 01235 445800<br />

E-mail: r.b<strong>in</strong>gham@rl.ac.uk<br />

SPACE WEATHER<br />

<strong>Space</strong> weather is concerned with<br />

variations <strong>in</strong> the activity of the Sun<br />

<strong>and</strong> their impact on human activities,<br />

<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g potentially serious disruption<br />

to position<strong>in</strong>g services, <strong>space</strong>craft<br />

operations <strong>and</strong> telecommunications.<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> has multidiscipl<strong>in</strong>ary expertise <strong>in</strong><br />

the <strong>science</strong> beh<strong>in</strong>d <strong>space</strong> weather<br />

(solar, heliospheric, magnetospheric<br />

<strong>and</strong> ionospheric physics) <strong>and</strong> plays a<br />

lead<strong>in</strong>g role <strong>in</strong> ongo<strong>in</strong>g European<br />

<strong>space</strong> weather <strong>in</strong>itiatives.<br />

Contact: Mike Hapgood<br />

Tel: 01235 446520<br />

Email: m.hapgood@rl.ac.uk<br />

ESA<br />

One of the DOUBLE STAR <strong>space</strong>craft undergo<strong>in</strong>g<br />

test<strong>in</strong>g<br />

STP research covers a broad range,<br />

from the effects of variations <strong>in</strong> the<br />

solar w<strong>in</strong>d <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>terplanetary<br />

magnetic field on the terrestrial<br />

plasma environment <strong>and</strong> atmosphere<br />

to the effects of solar variability on the<br />

Earth’s climate. The research covers<br />

timescales rang<strong>in</strong>g from sub-second to<br />

millennia, <strong>and</strong> is underp<strong>in</strong>ned by a<br />

world-lead<strong>in</strong>g expertise <strong>in</strong> multi<strong>space</strong>craft<br />

data analysis, radar remote<br />

sens<strong>in</strong>g of <strong>space</strong> plasmas <strong>and</strong><br />

manipulation of large <strong>and</strong> long data<br />

sets. In particular, our STP research<br />

exploits data from <strong>space</strong>craft such as<br />

Cluster (p. 5) <strong>and</strong> Double Star,<br />

together with measurements from<br />

ground-based <strong>in</strong>struments such as<br />

EISCAT (p. 7).<br />

Contact: Mike Lockwood<br />

Tel: 01235 446496<br />

Email: m.lockwood@rl.ac.uk<br />

<strong>RAL</strong>’s Solar Physics Group is a<br />

cornerstone of UK solar physics<br />

research, provid<strong>in</strong>g an established<br />

world-lead<strong>in</strong>g research programme<br />

with observational <strong>and</strong> scientific<br />

leadership over a wide range of key<br />

areas. The basic underp<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g<br />

experimental expertise of the group is<br />

solar atomic spectroscopy, for the<br />

derivation of solar plasma diagnostics.<br />

The group has a long heritage,<br />

<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the NASA Solar Maximum<br />

Mission (1980-89), the CHASE<br />

<strong>Space</strong>lab 2 experiment (1985), the<br />

Japanese Yohkoh mission<br />

(1991-2001), <strong>and</strong> SOHO (p. 2).<br />

The group has major hardware roles <strong>in</strong><br />

the NASA STEREO (p. 2) <strong>and</strong> the<br />

Japanese Solar-B (p. 2) missions <strong>and</strong><br />

studies are underway for an <strong>RAL</strong>-led<br />

<strong>in</strong>strument for the ESA Solar Orbiter<br />

(p. 3). The Group is <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> SDO<br />

(p. 3) <strong>and</strong> also <strong>in</strong> some smaller<br />

projects such as the RESIK <strong>in</strong>strument<br />

aboard the Russian Coronas<br />

<strong>space</strong>craft, <strong>and</strong> the NASA SERTS <strong>and</strong><br />

EUNIS rocket experiments. The bulk of<br />

our research effort over the last few<br />

years has been underp<strong>in</strong>ned by<br />

observational work us<strong>in</strong>g the SOHO<br />

<strong>space</strong>craft <strong>and</strong>, <strong>in</strong> particular, the<br />

<strong>RAL</strong>-led Coronal Diagnostic<br />

Spectrometer (CDS). Specific research<br />

areas <strong>in</strong>clude studies of fundamental<br />

processes <strong>in</strong> the solar atmosphere,<br />

research <strong>in</strong>to solar mass ejection<br />

processes <strong>and</strong> flares, <strong>and</strong> plasma<br />

diagnostic techniques.<br />

Contact: Richard Harrison<br />

Tel. 01235 446884<br />

E-mail: r.harrison@rl.ac.uk<br />

solar.bnsc.rl.ac.uk/<br />

12


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

SOHO/EIT image of<br />

a solar prom<strong>in</strong>ence<br />

eruption<br />

NASA, ESA<br />

NEOS<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> is engaged <strong>in</strong> assess<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

hazards posed by asteroids <strong>and</strong><br />

comets that pass close to the Earth<br />

(so-called Near Earth Objects) <strong>and</strong><br />

advis<strong>in</strong>g the British National <strong>Space</strong><br />

Centre on appropriate courses of<br />

action to mitigate the risk <strong>and</strong> to<br />

m<strong>in</strong>imise the danger from debris<br />

impact, air-blast <strong>and</strong> tsunamis.<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> works with groups such as the<br />

Organisation for Economic<br />

Cooperation <strong>and</strong> Development<br />

(OECD) <strong>and</strong> the United Nations.<br />

Below: Clement<strong>in</strong>e (NASA) <strong>space</strong>craft multispectral <strong>and</strong> abundance maps of K<strong>in</strong>g crater on the Moon<br />

Contact: Richard Crowther<br />

Tel: 01235 446431<br />

Email: r.crowther@rl.ac.uk<br />

PLANETARY SCIENCES<br />

RESEARCH<br />

Planetary research at <strong>RAL</strong> is based on,<br />

<strong>and</strong> complements, our strong<br />

portfolio of planetary <strong>science</strong> mission<br />

<strong>in</strong>volvement, consist<strong>in</strong>g of two ma<strong>in</strong><br />

str<strong>and</strong>s; ‘planetary surfaces’ focus<strong>in</strong>g<br />

on the volcanic history of the Moon<br />

<strong>and</strong> ‘comparative magnetospheres’<br />

look<strong>in</strong>g at the vary<strong>in</strong>g solar w<strong>in</strong>d<br />

<strong>in</strong>teractions with planets <strong>in</strong> our<br />

solar system.<br />

Contact: Manuel Gr<strong>and</strong>e<br />

Tel: 01235 446501<br />

Email: m.gr<strong>and</strong>e@rl.ac.uk<br />

sspg1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk/<br />

Strong <strong>space</strong> <strong>science</strong> research programmes underp<strong>in</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />

complement the diverse hardware programmes at <strong>RAL</strong><br />

13


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

Research cont<strong>in</strong>ued<br />

An artist’s impression of ENVISAT ESA<br />

Laboratory test setup for a millimetre wave<br />

experimental groundstation receiver<br />

14


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

The performance of satellite navigation<br />

systems such as GPS <strong>and</strong> Galileo are<br />

strongly affected by the behaviour of<br />

the ionosphere <strong>and</strong> by <strong>space</strong> weather<br />

Chilbolton Observatory<br />

RAIN AND CLOUD<br />

RESEARCH<br />

RADIO<br />

COMMUNICATIONS<br />

CLIMATE RESEARCH<br />

Activities with<strong>in</strong> the Radio<br />

Communications Research Unit are<br />

focused on study<strong>in</strong>g the impact of<br />

water, <strong>in</strong> its various atmospheric forms,<br />

on weather <strong>and</strong> climate. Us<strong>in</strong>g data<br />

collected with <strong>in</strong>struments at CFARR<br />

(p. 16), current research is lead<strong>in</strong>g to<br />

the establishment of spatial-temporal<br />

models of ra<strong>in</strong>-rate variation, <strong>and</strong> the<br />

characterisation of drizzle drop size<br />

distributions. Detailed studies of water<br />

vapour density profile variations <strong>in</strong> the<br />

first 3 km of the atmosphere are be<strong>in</strong>g<br />

undertaken with data collected us<strong>in</strong>g a<br />

ground-based UV Raman lidar. Research<br />

is also be<strong>in</strong>g undertaken to validate<br />

atmospheric data retrieved from Earth<br />

Observation satellite measurements,<br />

<strong>and</strong> for this purpose, radar <strong>and</strong> lidar<br />

measurements made at CFARR are<br />

be<strong>in</strong>g used to validate estimates of<br />

cloud top height made by visible/IR<br />

imagers such as MODIS, MERIS, SEVERI<br />

<strong>and</strong> ATSR-2, <strong>and</strong> to validate ra<strong>in</strong>fall<br />

estimates made us<strong>in</strong>g data collected<br />

with the AMSU-B radiometer on a<br />

number of NOAA satellites.<br />

The UV Raman LIDAR <strong>in</strong>strument<br />

Contact: John Goddard<br />

Tel: 01235 446127<br />

Email: j.w.f.goddard@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.rcru.rl.ac.uk/<br />

The Radio Research group <strong>in</strong>cludes<br />

research activities <strong>in</strong> radio<br />

communications, radio systems <strong>and</strong><br />

radiowave propagation modell<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

It provides expert advice to<br />

government <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry on matters<br />

related to the use of the radio<br />

spectrum. Current projects <strong>in</strong>clude a<br />

long term measurement campaign<br />

aimed at improv<strong>in</strong>g the efficiency of<br />

spectrum use by fixed services,<br />

CAMRa image of a squall l<strong>in</strong>e pass<strong>in</strong>g the UK<br />

projects designed to facilitate the<br />

<strong>in</strong>troduction of spectrum trad<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong><br />

the implications of new technologies<br />

<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Ultra WideB<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> Smart<br />

Radios. The group is a member of<br />

BROADWAN, aim<strong>in</strong>g to enable<br />

Broadb<strong>and</strong> Internet access through a<br />

radio based system. The group is<br />

<strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> ionospheric propagation<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>space</strong> weather prediction,<br />

work<strong>in</strong>g towards a better<br />

underst<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g of the ionosphere with<br />

many practical applications <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g<br />

improv<strong>in</strong>g the position<strong>in</strong>g accuracy of<br />

GPS <strong>and</strong> Galileo <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> HF<br />

communications.<br />

Contact: Mike Willis<br />

Tel: 01235 445492<br />

Email: m.j.willis@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.rcru.rl.ac.uk/<br />

The research group <strong>in</strong> the British<br />

Atmospheric Data Centre is work<strong>in</strong>g<br />

on aspects of climate modell<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong><br />

data fusion. The climate modell<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>in</strong>cludes <strong>in</strong>volvement <strong>in</strong> the world’s<br />

largest climate prediction ensemble.<br />

The physical processes which make up<br />

the climate system are be<strong>in</strong>g studied<br />

<strong>in</strong> targeted projects, look<strong>in</strong>g at the<br />

representation of gravity waves <strong>in</strong><br />

climate models, the <strong>in</strong>fluence of<br />

variability <strong>in</strong> the Atlantic sea surface<br />

temperature on European climate, <strong>and</strong><br />

the <strong>in</strong>fluence of solar variability on the<br />

middle atmosphere. One data fusion<br />

project is concerned with global sea<br />

surface temperature distribution us<strong>in</strong>g<br />

a comb<strong>in</strong>ation of satellite sensors,<br />

another is exploit<strong>in</strong>g ENVISAT (p. 6)<br />

data to generate global fields of<br />

stratospheric ozone, methane <strong>and</strong><br />

water vapour. <strong>RAL</strong> is a key member of<br />

DARC, the Data Assimilation Research<br />

Centre, one of the Centres of<br />

Excellence established by NERC <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>RAL</strong> provides data support for DARC<br />

via BADC.<br />

Contact: Mart<strong>in</strong> Juckes<br />

Tel: 01235 445124<br />

Email: m.juckes@rl.ac.uk<br />

ATSR false-colour image of a typhoon over the<br />

East Ch<strong>in</strong>a Sea<br />

15


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

Services<br />

We are able to provide a range of services to customers, which can<br />

enhance a project’s technical <strong>and</strong> management programme.<br />

We can provide assistance through experts <strong>and</strong> managers from<br />

various related discipl<strong>in</strong>es.<br />

CFARR<br />

SPACE PROJECT<br />

MANAGEMENT AND PA<br />

ENVIRONMENTAL TEST,<br />

CALIBRATION FACILITIES<br />

AND CLEAN ROOMS<br />

The control room at CFARR<br />

The Chilbolton Facility for<br />

Atmospheric <strong>and</strong> Radio Research is<br />

based at the CCLRC Chilbolton<br />

Observatory <strong>in</strong> Hampshire. CFARR is a<br />

ground-based atmospheric remote<br />

sens<strong>in</strong>g facility for atmospheric <strong>science</strong><br />

<strong>and</strong> radio propagation research. The<br />

site is dom<strong>in</strong>ated by the fully steerable<br />

25 m antenna which hosts the 3 GHz<br />

Chilbolton Advanced Meteorological<br />

Radar (CAMRa) <strong>and</strong> the 1275 MHz<br />

clear air radar (ACROBAT). Other<br />

facilities at the site <strong>in</strong>clude cloud<br />

radars, radiometers, UV <strong>and</strong> IR lidars,<br />

<strong>and</strong> meteorological sensors.<br />

Instrumented microwave<br />

communications l<strong>in</strong>ks <strong>and</strong> satellite<br />

beacon receivers operated for radio<br />

propagation experiments are at a<br />

second site located 8 km from<br />

Chilbolton at Sparsholt. Chilbolton<br />

frequently hosts visit<strong>in</strong>g experiments<br />

from the UK <strong>and</strong> abroad; recent major<br />

campaigns <strong>in</strong>cluded CWAVE’03 <strong>and</strong><br />

CSIP’04. Data are distributed through<br />

the BADC (p. 25).<br />

Contact: John Goddard<br />

Tel: 01235 446127<br />

Email: j.w.f.goddard@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.chilbolton.rl.ac.uk/<br />

SSTD has managed (<strong>and</strong> provides help<br />

for) many <strong>space</strong> projects, <strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g<br />

universities, UK research councils,<br />

government departments <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>dustry, ESA, NASA, EUMETSAT <strong>and</strong><br />

the EU. We operate our Quality<br />

Management System <strong>and</strong> <strong>Space</strong><br />

Products Assurance to ensure that<br />

projects comply with ISO 9001:2000<br />

<strong>and</strong> +TickIT (Software) St<strong>and</strong>ards.<br />

Contact: Richard Crowther<br />

Tel: 01235 446431<br />

Email: r.crowther@rl.ac.uk<br />

MOLECULAR<br />

SPECTROSCOPY FACILITY<br />

The world-class MSF laboratories<br />

provide high resolution (up to 1 part<br />

per million), broad optical b<strong>and</strong>width<br />

(IR/visible/UV) spectrometers, variable<br />

temperature (77 - 350 K) gas cells<br />

with optical paths from 1 mm to over<br />

1 km, <strong>and</strong> time-resolved, aerosol, <strong>and</strong><br />

reflectance spectroscopy accessories.<br />

Contact: Kev<strong>in</strong> Smith<br />

Tel: 01235 446475<br />

Email: k.m.smith@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/msf<br />

Inside a test chamber at <strong>RAL</strong><br />

The environmental test facilities at<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> have been developed to meet the<br />

needs of people <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> the<br />

design, manufacture <strong>and</strong> qualification<br />

of <strong>space</strong> hardware. The facilities<br />

consist of a vibration test facility<br />

<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g cryogenic vibration, thermal<br />

vacuum facilities, vacuum bakeout<br />

facilities <strong>and</strong> large clean rooms for<br />

assembl<strong>in</strong>g sensitive flight hardware.<br />

They are all equipped with the <strong>latest</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>strumentation <strong>and</strong> have modern<br />

computer-based control <strong>and</strong><br />

monitor<strong>in</strong>g/data acquisition systems.<br />

Our largest facility is a 3 m diameter<br />

by 5.5 m long thermal vacuum<br />

chamber, which was recently used to<br />

perform thermal vacuum test<strong>in</strong>g for<br />

the Disaster Monitor<strong>in</strong>g Constellation<br />

(DMC) satellites. The test facilities also<br />

<strong>in</strong>clude an extreme ultraviolet<br />

radiometric calibration facility for solar<br />

<strong>in</strong>struments, capable of tak<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>in</strong>struments up to 3 m long. These<br />

facilities are available for use by<br />

<strong>in</strong>dustry <strong>and</strong> universities.<br />

Contact: Graham Toplis<br />

Tel: 01235 445732<br />

Email: g.m.toplis@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/envtest/<br />

EIS for SOLAR-B eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g model under test at <strong>RAL</strong><br />

16


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

MOROCCOSAT <strong>and</strong> BADR-B under test at <strong>RAL</strong><br />

<strong>RAL</strong> <strong>Space</strong> Science <strong>and</strong> Technology manages <strong>and</strong><br />

provides help for many <strong>space</strong> projects <strong>in</strong>volv<strong>in</strong>g<br />

universities <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />

17


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

Design<br />

Our experienced eng<strong>in</strong>eers use the <strong>latest</strong> tools to design <strong>and</strong> build <strong>space</strong><br />

<strong>and</strong> ground-based <strong>in</strong>struments. We adopt an <strong>in</strong>tegrated approach <strong>and</strong><br />

support projects throughout the full life cycle from requirements analysis<br />

<strong>and</strong> conceptual design through to flight or commission<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

MECHANICAL DESIGN<br />

AND STRUCTU<strong>RAL</strong><br />

ANALYSIS<br />

THERMAL SYSTEMS<br />

ENGINEERING<br />

INSTRUMENT DESIGN<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> has a small team of highly skilled<br />

mechanical eng<strong>in</strong>eers with<br />

considerable experience <strong>in</strong> the design<br />

of lightweight subsystems for scientific<br />

<strong>in</strong>struments. We use the <strong>latest</strong> 3-D<br />

computer aided design tools with l<strong>in</strong>ks<br />

to computer aided manufacture <strong>and</strong><br />

rapid prototyp<strong>in</strong>g technologies. We<br />

also have f<strong>in</strong>ite element software tools<br />

for detailed structural analysis of parts<br />

<strong>and</strong> complete systems.<br />

Contact: Mart<strong>in</strong> Whalley<br />

Tel: 01235 445032<br />

Email: m.s.whalley@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/Mectherm/<br />

Test<strong>in</strong>g the Joule-Thomson cooler for PLANCK<br />

Thermal analysis of the PTOLEMY <strong>in</strong>strument<br />

for ROSETTA<br />

The Thermal Eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g Group<br />

designs <strong>space</strong> <strong>and</strong> ground-based<br />

<strong>in</strong>struments to meet temperature<br />

requirements, whilst surviv<strong>in</strong>g harsh<br />

environmental conditions. We provide<br />

a range of services from conceptual<br />

studies <strong>and</strong> detailed analysis, through<br />

to the def<strong>in</strong>ition <strong>and</strong> management of<br />

thermal tests. We also design,<br />

manufacture <strong>and</strong> procure thermal<br />

hardware <strong>and</strong> multilayer <strong>in</strong>sulation<br />

blankets.<br />

Contact: Sam Elder<br />

Tel: 01235 445761<br />

Email: s.c.elder@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/Mectherm/<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> frequently assembles teams of<br />

specialists to help academia <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>dustry to design <strong>in</strong>struments. <strong>RAL</strong> is<br />

cont<strong>in</strong>ually search<strong>in</strong>g for ways of<br />

improv<strong>in</strong>g the efficiency of this<br />

process by better <strong>in</strong>tegration of<br />

software to enable ‘concurrent<br />

design’, follow<strong>in</strong>g similar <strong>in</strong>novations<br />

with its partners <strong>in</strong> NASA <strong>and</strong> ESA.<br />

Contact: Richard Crowther<br />

Tel: 01235 446431<br />

Email: r.crowther@rl.ac.uk<br />

Beagle 2 undergo<strong>in</strong>g thermal tests at <strong>RAL</strong><br />

<strong>RAL</strong> eng<strong>in</strong>eers have designed <strong>and</strong> built <strong>in</strong>struments for<br />

operations on the ground, <strong>in</strong> Earth orbit <strong>and</strong> for other<br />

planets <strong>in</strong> our solar system<br />

18


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

Design for the Advanced Technology Solar<br />

Telescope to be built on Haleakela<br />

NSO, AURA, NSF<br />

OPTICAL SYSTEMS<br />

RF DESIGN<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> designs <strong>and</strong> builds novel optical<br />

systems for a wide variety of <strong>space</strong>borne<br />

<strong>in</strong>struments <strong>and</strong> ground based<br />

astronomy projects. The range of<br />

applications <strong>in</strong>cludes high-resolution<br />

cameras for remote sens<strong>in</strong>g, fibre-fed<br />

spectrographs for IR astronomy <strong>and</strong><br />

non-imag<strong>in</strong>g systems (illum<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>and</strong><br />

stray light analysis etc).<br />

Contact: Ian Tosh<br />

Tel: 01235 445450<br />

Email: i.a.tosh@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/optics/<br />

Liquid nitrogen calibration for the microwave<br />

radiometers at Chilbolton Observatory<br />

TOPSAT under construction at <strong>RAL</strong><br />

<strong>RAL</strong> is expert <strong>in</strong> the design of<br />

advanced radars, radiometers, satellite<br />

<strong>and</strong> terrestrial propagation<br />

measurement l<strong>in</strong>ks, <strong>and</strong> their<br />

associated data acquisition systems.<br />

Our experience spans the RF range<br />

from HF to millimetre-wave, with<br />

customers <strong>in</strong> the government,<br />

academic <strong>and</strong> commercial sectors.<br />

We specialise <strong>in</strong> custom designs <strong>and</strong><br />

prototypes, <strong>and</strong> have a proven track<br />

record of delivery encompass<strong>in</strong>g<br />

concept studies, system eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>and</strong> detailed, component-level,<br />

design-<strong>and</strong>-build.<br />

Contact: Jon Eastment<br />

Tel: 01235 446546<br />

Email: j.d.eastment@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.rcru.rl.ac.uk/<br />

19


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

Technology<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> has a number of <strong>in</strong>ternationally important <strong>technology</strong> groups, each<br />

specialis<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a specific critical <strong>technology</strong> associated with cutt<strong>in</strong>g-edge <strong>space</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>strumentation. This expertise, backed by <strong>RAL</strong>’s extensive eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g capability,<br />

allows us to play a lead<strong>in</strong>g role <strong>in</strong> def<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g novel scientific <strong>in</strong>struments.<br />

MILLIMETRE AND<br />

TERAHERTZ<br />

INSTRUMENTATION<br />

ELECTRONICS DESIGN<br />

HIGH RESOLUTION<br />

OPTICAL IMAGING<br />

The Millimetre Wave Technology<br />

Group is expert <strong>in</strong> all aspects of the<br />

design, manufacture <strong>and</strong> test of<br />

millimetre wave <strong>and</strong> terahertz devices<br />

<strong>and</strong> systems at frequencies from<br />

30 GHz to 3 THz. Applications <strong>in</strong>clude<br />

remote sens<strong>in</strong>g, astronomy <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>dustrial monitor<strong>in</strong>g. The Group has<br />

extensive CAD, assembly <strong>and</strong> test<br />

expertise with a world-renowned<br />

micro-mach<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g capability.<br />

It <strong>in</strong>corporates a precision microwave<br />

development facility, produc<strong>in</strong>g, for<br />

example, waveguides as small as<br />

100 µm x 26 µm.<br />

Contact: David Matheson<br />

Tel 01235 446582<br />

Email: d.n.matheson@rl.ac.uk<br />

The <strong>Space</strong> Electronics Group has<br />

provided electronics packages for<br />

many of the <strong>in</strong>struments described <strong>in</strong><br />

this brochure. Specialities <strong>in</strong>clude<br />

on-board processors <strong>and</strong> their<br />

software, mechanism control systems,<br />

<strong>and</strong> image process<strong>in</strong>g us<strong>in</strong>g advanced<br />

electronics.<br />

Contact: Dave Parker<br />

Tel: 01235 445850<br />

Email: d.j.parker@rl.ac.uk<br />

Build<strong>in</strong>g on the goals of the TopSat<br />

(p. 11) programme, <strong>RAL</strong> is develop<strong>in</strong>g<br />

a next-generation Earth observation<br />

camera capable of one metre per pixel<br />

ground sampl<strong>in</strong>g from a microsatellite.<br />

The new camera <strong>in</strong>corporates<br />

a novel 3-mirror optical design <strong>in</strong><br />

which the first <strong>and</strong> third mirrors are<br />

formed on a common substrate.<br />

Contact: Nick Waltham<br />

Tel: 01235 446500<br />

Email: n.r.waltham@rl.ac.uk<br />

CCD TECHNOLOGY<br />

The group has a strategic programme<br />

<strong>in</strong> the development of CCD detectors,<br />

<strong>and</strong> readout electronics <strong>technology</strong>.<br />

It provides a UK lead through the<br />

development of radiation tolerant<br />

ASICs designed specifically for <strong>science</strong>grade<br />

CCD camera systems. A new<br />

CCD video process<strong>in</strong>g ASIC provides a<br />

preamplifier, correlated double<br />

sampler <strong>and</strong> 16-bit ADC all <strong>in</strong> one<br />

low-power chip.<br />

Contact: Nick Waltham<br />

Tel: 01235 446500<br />

Email: n.r.waltham@rl.ac.uk<br />

RADAR SYSTEMS<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> is expert <strong>in</strong> all aspects of radar<br />

design, with extensive practical<br />

experience <strong>in</strong> polarimetric, Doppler,<br />

coherent-phase, <strong>and</strong> pulsecompression<br />

techniques at UHF,<br />

microwave <strong>and</strong> millimetre<br />

wavelengths. Our operational systems<br />

span the range 1 to 94 GHz,<br />

employ<strong>in</strong>g advanced RF <strong>and</strong> signal<br />

process<strong>in</strong>g <strong>technology</strong> to characterize<br />

precipitation, clouds <strong>and</strong> clear-air<br />

atmospheric effects.<br />

Contact: Jon Eastment<br />

Tel: 01235 446546<br />

E-mail: j.d.eastment@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.rcru.rl.ac.uk/<br />

COOLERS<br />

<strong>RAL</strong>’s 80 K Stirl<strong>in</strong>g-cycle coolers<br />

cont<strong>in</strong>ue to function excellently <strong>in</strong><br />

orbit on ATSR-2 (launched 1995).<br />

4 K coolers, us<strong>in</strong>g the same<br />

compressors plus a <strong>RAL</strong> Joule-<br />

Thomson head, are be<strong>in</strong>g provided for<br />

the Planck (p. 11) mission. <strong>RAL</strong> cooler<br />

drive-electronics are used for AATSR<br />

<strong>and</strong> MIPAS on ENVISAT (p. 6). Under<br />

ESA contract, we developed a tool for<br />

the mathematical modell<strong>in</strong>g of<br />

cryocoolers.<br />

Contact: John Delderfield<br />

Tel: 01235 446412<br />

Email: j.delderfield@rl.ac.uk<br />

20


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

Electronics for the drop-count<strong>in</strong>g ra<strong>in</strong>-gauge units at CFARR<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> is develop<strong>in</strong>g the next generation Earth<br />

observation camera, capable of one metre per pixel ground<br />

sampl<strong>in</strong>g from a micro-satellite<br />

Electronics with four ASIC units designed for<br />

CCD camera system<br />

CRYOGENIC<br />

ENGINEERING<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> has a specialist capability <strong>in</strong><br />

cryogenic eng<strong>in</strong>eer<strong>in</strong>g for <strong>space</strong><br />

projects. We are <strong>in</strong>volved throughout<br />

the full project life cycle, <strong>and</strong> have the<br />

expertise to cover all areas of<br />

<strong>in</strong>strument design <strong>and</strong> test<strong>in</strong>g.<br />

A number of project-dedicated<br />

cryostats are currently be<strong>in</strong>g used to<br />

verify flight hardware designed <strong>and</strong><br />

built at <strong>RAL</strong>.<br />

Contact: Doug Griff<strong>in</strong><br />

Tel: 01235 446406<br />

Email: d.k.griff<strong>in</strong>@rl.ac.uk<br />

CMOS ACTIVE PIXEL<br />

SENSOR TECHNOLOGY<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> has a UK lead <strong>in</strong> the development<br />

of <strong>science</strong>-grade CMOS Active Pixel<br />

Sensors as an alternative to CCD<br />

detectors. A 12 million pixel sensor<br />

has been fabricated <strong>and</strong> tested <strong>in</strong><br />

work lead<strong>in</strong>g towards the<br />

development of a back-th<strong>in</strong>ned EUV<br />

sensitive detector for the Extreme<br />

Ultra-Violet Spectrograph on ESA’s<br />

forthcom<strong>in</strong>g Solar Orbiter (p. 3)<br />

mission.<br />

Contact: Nick Waltham<br />

Tel: 01235 446500<br />

Email: n.r.waltham@rl.ac.uk<br />

21


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

Operations<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> has a proven track record, recognised <strong>in</strong>ternationally, <strong>in</strong> the areas of<br />

satellite mission plann<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> payload <strong>science</strong> operations, provid<strong>in</strong>g<br />

ground station services <strong>and</strong> software for the precision control of a wide<br />

variety of telescope systems.<br />

TELESCOPE CONTROL<br />

MISSION PLANNING<br />

AND OPERATIONS<br />

SATELLITE GROUND<br />

STATION AND CONTROL<br />

CENTRE<br />

<strong>RAL</strong>’s expertise <strong>in</strong> software for<br />

precision control of telescopes <strong>and</strong><br />

radio antennas is world-lead<strong>in</strong>g. We<br />

played a major role <strong>in</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

control system for the two 8 m<br />

Gem<strong>in</strong>i astronomy telescopes located<br />

<strong>in</strong> Hawaii <strong>and</strong> Chile. Work cont<strong>in</strong>ues<br />

on projects <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g po<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g<br />

software for the two 8 m telescope<br />

which comprise the Large B<strong>in</strong>ocular<br />

Telescope under construction <strong>in</strong><br />

Arizona, the 4 m Advanced<br />

Technology Solar Telescope for<br />

Haleakala, <strong>and</strong> the active optics for<br />

the VISTA (p. 11) 4 m <strong>in</strong>fra-red survey<br />

telescope at ESO’s Cerro Paranal<br />

observatory. <strong>RAL</strong> also played a lead<strong>in</strong>g<br />

role <strong>in</strong> the evaluation of the po<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g<br />

performance of the prototype antenna<br />

for ALMA (p. 10). We are <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong><br />

the calibration work on the ESO Very<br />

Large Telescope Interferometer<br />

<strong>in</strong> Chile.<br />

Contact: Patrick Wallace<br />

Tel: 01235 445372<br />

Email: p.t.wallace@rl.ac.uk<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> has been carry<strong>in</strong>g out satellite<br />

mission plann<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> payload <strong>science</strong><br />

operations dat<strong>in</strong>g back to the late<br />

1970s with missions such as Ariel 5,<br />

IRAS, AMPTE-UKS <strong>and</strong> ISO. More<br />

recent work <strong>in</strong>cludes the design,<br />

implementation <strong>and</strong> execution of<br />

<strong>science</strong> operations services for three of<br />

ESA’s missions. The first of these is the<br />

Jo<strong>in</strong>t Science Operations Centre for<br />

the four-satellite Cluster mission (p. 5),<br />

launched <strong>in</strong> 2000 <strong>and</strong> the first of<br />

ESA’s Cornerstone missions. The<br />

second is the Payload Operations<br />

Service for ESA’s Mars Express (p. 8)<br />

mission, operat<strong>in</strong>g s<strong>in</strong>ce early 2003<br />

<strong>and</strong> Europe’s first mission to Mars.<br />

The third is the European Payload<br />

Operation Service for the two satellite<br />

Double Star Programme mission,<br />

launched <strong>in</strong> 2003 <strong>and</strong> 2004, the first<br />

jo<strong>in</strong>t mission between ESA <strong>and</strong> the<br />

Ch<strong>in</strong>a National <strong>Space</strong> Adm<strong>in</strong>istration.<br />

Contact: Trevor Dimbylow<br />

Tel: 01235 445827<br />

Email: t.g.dimbylow@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/SOGweb/a<br />

The Ground Station at <strong>RAL</strong> currently<br />

has 2.4 m <strong>and</strong> 12 m antennas, with<br />

an additional 4.5 m antenna planned<br />

for 2005-06. The 25 m antenna at<br />

Chilbolton is also available. The<br />

Ground Station has the capability for<br />

both S-b<strong>and</strong> upl<strong>in</strong>k comm<strong>and</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong><br />

downl<strong>in</strong>k telemetry reception, <strong>and</strong> is<br />

be<strong>in</strong>g upgraded to add X-b<strong>and</strong><br />

capability. It is currently receiv<strong>in</strong>g data<br />

from the ACE (p. 4) <strong>space</strong>craft <strong>and</strong> we<br />

will be support<strong>in</strong>g the Galileo (p. 7)<br />

test bed GSTB-V2 mission with both<br />

the 12m antenna at <strong>RAL</strong> <strong>and</strong> the<br />

25 m antenna at Chilbolton (p. 16).<br />

Contact: John Wright<br />

Tel: 01235 445809<br />

Email: j.s.wright@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.ralgroundstation.rl.ac.uk<br />

12 m antenna at <strong>RAL</strong><br />

LBT corporation<br />

Design for the Large B<strong>in</strong>ocular Telescope<br />

22


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

Jo<strong>in</strong>t Science Operations Centre for CLUSTER at <strong>RAL</strong><br />

Eighteen scientific groups across Europe use <strong>RAL</strong> to help<br />

plan <strong>and</strong> coord<strong>in</strong>ate their observations us<strong>in</strong>g ESA’s four<br />

Cluster <strong>space</strong>craft, Ch<strong>in</strong>a’s two Double Star <strong>space</strong>craft <strong>and</strong><br />

ESA’s Mars Express <strong>space</strong>craft<br />

Background: Mars Express HRSC image of Hale Crater<br />

23


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

Data management<br />

SSTD has very wide experience <strong>in</strong> the process<strong>in</strong>g, analysis <strong>and</strong> archive of<br />

<strong>science</strong> data. This expertise covers the fields of ground <strong>and</strong> <strong>space</strong> based<br />

astronomy, solar terrestrial physics, <strong>and</strong> ionospheric, atmospheric <strong>and</strong> Earth<br />

observation. Allied to this, it has set up <strong>and</strong> ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong>s many web sites<br />

provid<strong>in</strong>g the <strong>science</strong> community with access to archived data.<br />

ASTROGRID<br />

UKSSDC<br />

Background:<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> model of Solar<br />

Terrestial Physics<br />

(STP) data<br />

Below:<br />

Examples of HMNAO<br />

publications<br />

Astrogrid is an e-Science project; a UK<br />

contribution to what will become a<br />

global ‘Virtual Observatory’. It will<br />

provide astronomers with easy access<br />

to the very large amounts of data<br />

(hundreds or thous<strong>and</strong>s of terabytes)<br />

produced by modern <strong>in</strong>struments.<br />

The data cover a wide range of<br />

wavelengths (radio to X-ray) <strong>and</strong><br />

formats (STP, solar <strong>and</strong> traditional<br />

astronomy). Astrogrid is be<strong>in</strong>g<br />

developed by a collaboration of ten<br />

UK partners <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>RAL</strong>.<br />

Contact: Peter Allan<br />

Tel: 01235 445723<br />

Email: p.m.allan@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.astrogrid.org/<br />

STARLINK<br />

Starl<strong>in</strong>k provides <strong>and</strong> distributes data<br />

process<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> analysis software used<br />

by most UK astronomers <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />

several observatory data process<strong>in</strong>g<br />

pipel<strong>in</strong>es. Pipel<strong>in</strong>es have also been<br />

produced for non-UK observatories.<br />

Software is available to deal with data<br />

from all wavelengths <strong>and</strong> all types of<br />

<strong>in</strong>struments, <strong>space</strong> as well as groundbased.<br />

Starl<strong>in</strong>k is play<strong>in</strong>g a major role<br />

<strong>in</strong> the International Virtual<br />

Observatory Alliance (IVOA) <strong>and</strong> is<br />

produc<strong>in</strong>g world-class software which<br />

supports the IVOA st<strong>and</strong>ards. The<br />

unique features of Starl<strong>in</strong>k software<br />

<strong>in</strong>clude the highest quality astrometry,<br />

data <strong>and</strong> unit registration, <strong>and</strong><br />

track<strong>in</strong>g of errors <strong>and</strong> data quality.<br />

The UK Solar System Data Centre,<br />

<strong>in</strong>corporat<strong>in</strong>g the World Data Centre<br />

for STP, archives <strong>and</strong> distributes data,<br />

encompass<strong>in</strong>g a diverse set of satellite<br />

<strong>and</strong> ground-based observations<br />

concern<strong>in</strong>g the Sun, the planets,<br />

<strong>in</strong>terplanetary <strong>space</strong> <strong>and</strong> the Earth’s<br />

magnetosphere <strong>and</strong> ionosphere<br />

(spann<strong>in</strong>g many solar cycles).<br />

Contact: Matthew Wild<br />

Tel: 01235 445173<br />

Email: m.n.wild@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.ukssdc.ac.uk/<br />

Distometer on the ra<strong>in</strong>-guage site at<br />

Chilbolton Observatory<br />

Contact: David Giaretta<br />

Tel: 01235 446235<br />

Email: d.l.giaretta@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.starl<strong>in</strong>k.rl.ac.uk/<br />

24


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

Right: AATSR image of New<br />

Zeal<strong>and</strong> (<strong>in</strong> false colour)<br />

Left: Astronomical data<br />

displayed by Starl<strong>in</strong>k<br />

software<br />

HMNAO<br />

NEODC<br />

Her Majesty’s Nautical Almanac Office<br />

has provided astronomical <strong>in</strong>formation<br />

to a wide variety of customers for<br />

more than 170 years, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

Armed Forces of many countries, the<br />

Police, the legal profession,<br />

astronomers, TV <strong>and</strong> film companies,<br />

architects, surveyors, newspapers,<br />

diary manufacturers, publishers,<br />

outdoor events organisers, the<br />

Forestry Commission, historians <strong>and</strong><br />

religious groups. The <strong>in</strong>formation<br />

<strong>in</strong>cludes the accurate positions of<br />

astronomical bodies <strong>and</strong> astronavigational<br />

data, light levels <strong>in</strong><br />

twilight, moonlight <strong>and</strong> daylight,<br />

times of astronomical phenomena<br />

such as sunrise <strong>and</strong> sunset, eclipses<br />

<strong>and</strong> transits. Our <strong>in</strong>formation is<br />

generally provided <strong>in</strong> specialist<br />

publications (almanacs), <strong>in</strong> the form<br />

of Astronomical Information Sheets<br />

<strong>and</strong> NAO Technical Notes, or it can be<br />

provided <strong>in</strong> response to specific<br />

requests.<br />

Contact: Steve Bell<br />

Tel: 01235 446503<br />

Email: hmnao@nao.rl.ac.uk<br />

www.nao.rl.ac.uk/<br />

The NERC Earth Observation Data<br />

Centre is one of eight NERC<br />

Designated Data Centres. It carries out<br />

professional data curation <strong>and</strong><br />

archiv<strong>in</strong>g activities <strong>and</strong> provides the<br />

NERC <strong>and</strong> wider environmental<br />

<strong>science</strong> communities with access to a<br />

rapidly-grow<strong>in</strong>g collection of EO data<br />

from a variety of satellite <strong>and</strong> airborne<br />

sensors. Recent highlights <strong>in</strong>clude the<br />

provision of access to data from the<br />

ATSR <strong>in</strong>struments <strong>and</strong> the NEXTMap<br />

high-resolution terra<strong>in</strong> model of<br />

the UK.<br />

Contact: Matt Pritchard<br />

Tel: 01235 445645<br />

Email: m.pritchard@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.neodc.rl.ac.uk<br />

BADC<br />

The British Atmospheric Data Centre<br />

supplies meteorological <strong>and</strong> other<br />

atmospheric data to the scientific<br />

community. It also provides a<br />

long-term archive for data collected<br />

by NERC-funded research. Data<br />

suppliers <strong>in</strong>clude the UK<br />

Meteorological Office, the European<br />

Centre for Medium-range Weather<br />

Forecasts <strong>and</strong> NASA. Distribution of<br />

data <strong>and</strong> services is done via the<br />

World Wide Web.<br />

Contact: Sam Pepler<br />

Tel: 01235 446538<br />

Email: badc@rl.ac.uk<br />

www.badc.rl.ac.uk/<br />

Her Majesty’s Nautical Almanac Office<br />

has provided astronomical <strong>in</strong>formation<br />

to a wide range of customers<br />

for more than 170 years<br />

25


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

<strong>RAL</strong> <strong>space</strong> missions<br />

Some of the more than 150 <strong>space</strong> missions <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>struments with <strong>RAL</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>volvement (168 <strong>space</strong> <strong>in</strong>struments, as of 15 may 2005). The <strong>RAL</strong><br />

<strong>in</strong>volvement <strong>and</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> objective are l<strong>in</strong>ked to the appropriate section(s)<br />

<strong>in</strong> the brochure <strong>and</strong> where missions are mentioned explicitly, the page<br />

number is given.<br />

Launch<br />

Ma<strong>in</strong><br />

year Mission <strong>RAL</strong> <strong>in</strong>volvement objectives Page<br />

1974 Ariel-5 Services, operations ■ Astronomy<br />

1978 IUE Design, <strong>technology</strong>, data management ■ Astronomy<br />

1979 Ariel-6 Services, operations ■ Astronomy<br />

1980 SMM (XRP) Technology, operations, data management ■ Sun<br />

1983 IRAS Operations ■ Astronomy<br />

1984 AMPTE-UKS Design, <strong>technology</strong>, operations, data management ■ Near-Earth<br />

1985 Giotto (DIDSY, JPA) Services, <strong>technology</strong>, data management ■ Near-Earth<br />

1985 <strong>Space</strong>lab 2 (CHASE) Services, design, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Sun<br />

1987 G<strong>in</strong>ga (Astro C, LAC) Services, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Astronomy<br />

1989 ZEBRA (balloon-borne) Services, <strong>technology</strong>, operations ■ Astronomy<br />

1990 HST Data management ■ Astronomy<br />

1990 ROSAT (WFC) Technology, data management ■ Astronomy<br />

1990 CRRES .(MICS) Technology ■ Near-Earth<br />

1991 ERS-1 (ATSR-1) Services, <strong>technology</strong>, operations, data management ■ Earth<br />

1991 UARS (ISAMS, MLS) Technology ■ Earth<br />

1991 Yohkoh (BCS) Technology ■ Sun<br />

1995 ERS-2 (ATSR-2) Services, <strong>technology</strong>, operations, data management ■ Earth<br />

1995 ISO (LWS, PHT, CAM) Services, <strong>technology</strong>, operations, data management ■ Astronomy<br />

1995 SOHO (CDS) Services, design, <strong>technology</strong>, data management ■ Sun 2<br />

1996 Polar (CEPPAD,CAMMICE) Technology ■ Near-Earth<br />

1997 M<strong>in</strong>isat-1 (LEGRI) Technology ■ Astronomy<br />

1997 ACE Operations ■ Sun 6<br />

1997 Cass<strong>in</strong>i/Huygens (CAPS, CDA, SSP) Technology ■ Planetary 9<br />

1998 TRACE Data management ■ Sun<br />

2000 Cluster II (RAPID, PEACE) Services, <strong>technology</strong>, operations, data management ■ Near-Earth 5<br />

2000 STRV-1c/d Operations ■ Earth<br />

2001 CORONAS-F (RESIK) Services, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Sun<br />

2001 BADR-B Technology ■ Earth<br />

2001 MoroccoSat Technology ■ Earth<br />

2002 ENVISAT-1 (AATSR, MIPAS) Services, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Earth 6<br />

2002 EOS-AQUA (HSB) Technology ■ Earth<br />

26


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory provides world-lead<strong>in</strong>g<br />

research <strong>and</strong> <strong>technology</strong> development, <strong>space</strong> test facilities,<br />

<strong>in</strong>strument <strong>and</strong> mission design, <strong>and</strong> studies of <strong>science</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>technology</strong> requirements for new missions<br />

Launch<br />

Ma<strong>in</strong><br />

year Mission <strong>RAL</strong> <strong>in</strong>volvement objectives Page<br />

2002 NOAA-M (AMSU-B) Technology ■ Earth<br />

2002 MSG-1 (GERB1) Services, design, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Earth 6<br />

2002 Coriolis (SMEI) Electronics ■ Sun<br />

2003 Mars Express .(ASPERA) Design, <strong>technology</strong>, operations ■ Planetary 8<br />

2003 SMART-1 Technology ■ Planetary 8<br />

2003 UK-DMC Services ■ Earth<br />

2004 Double Star Operations ■ Near-Earth<br />

2004 Rosetta (MODULUS) Services, design, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Planetary 9<br />

2004 EOS-AURA (HIRDLS) Services, design ■ Earth<br />

2004 Swift Services ■ Astronomy<br />

2005 TopSat Technology ■ Earth 7<br />

2005 MSG-2 (GERB2) Services, design, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Earth 6<br />

2005 TELIS (balloon-borne) Technology ■ Earth<br />

2005 Venus Express Technology ■ Planetary 8<br />

2005 Solar-B (EIS) Services, <strong>technology</strong>, data management ■ Sun 2<br />

2006 STEREO (SECCHI) Services, design, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Sun 2<br />

2007 LISA Pathf<strong>in</strong>der Design, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Astronomy 10<br />

2007 Herschel (SPIRE) Services, design, <strong>technology</strong>, operations ■ Astronomy 10<br />

2007 Planck (HFI, LFI) Services, design, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Astronomy 11<br />

2007 MSG-3 (GERB3) Services, design, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Earth 6<br />

2008 Solar Dynamics Observatory Services, design, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Sun 3<br />

2008 NEXUS Services, operations ■ Sun<br />

2011 JWST (MIRI) Services, design, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Astronomy 11<br />

2012 BepiColombo Services, design, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Planetary 9<br />

2012 LISA Services, design, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Astronomy 10<br />

2013 Solar Orbiter Services, design, <strong>technology</strong> ■ Sun 3<br />

2014 Darw<strong>in</strong> Services, design ■ Astronomy 10<br />

2015 ACECHEM Technology ■ Earth<br />

– SERTS Services ■ Sun<br />

– Earthsh<strong>in</strong>e Operations ■ Earth 6<br />

– STEP Services, design ■ Astronomy<br />

27


CCLRC RUTHERFORD APPLETON LABORATORY<br />

Staff at <strong>RAL</strong> <strong>Space</strong> Science<br />

There are around 230 people (as of May 2005) <strong>in</strong> the <strong>Space</strong> Science <strong>and</strong><br />

Technology Department at CCLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory <strong>and</strong><br />

CCLRC Chilbolton Observatory. Most of the staff are shown below.<br />

Jack<br />

ABOLINS<br />

Judith<br />

AGNEW<br />

Byron<br />

ALDERMAN<br />

Peter<br />

ALLAN<br />

Mark<br />

ANDERSON<br />

Karen<br />

APLIN<br />

Ruth<br />

BAMFORD<br />

Mart<strong>in</strong><br />

BATES<br />

Mat<br />

BEARDSLEY<br />

Steve<br />

BELL<br />

Angharad<br />

BEURLE-<br />

WILLIAMS<br />

Bob<br />

BINGHAM<br />

Eric<br />

CLARK<br />

Mal<br />

CLARKE<br />

Brian<br />

COAN<br />

Ken<br />

CRAIG<br />

Steve<br />

CROTHERS<br />

Richard<br />

CROWTHER<br />

Jeremy<br />

CURTIS<br />

Jenny<br />

DALLIMORE<br />

Gav<strong>in</strong><br />

DALTON<br />

Keith<br />

DANCEY<br />

Jackie<br />

DAVIES<br />

Chris<br />

DAVIS<br />

Ruben<br />

EDESON<br />

Sam<br />

ELDER<br />

Chris<br />

ELEY<br />

John<br />

ELLIS<br />

Brian<br />

ELLISON<br />

Roger<br />

EMERY<br />

Jayne<br />

FEREDAY<br />

Marc<br />

FERLET<br />

Ivan<br />

FINCH<br />

Andrzej<br />

FLUDRA<br />

Ken<br />

FREEMAN<br />

Tim<br />

FROUD<br />

Marta<br />

GUTIERREZ<br />

Mike<br />

HAPGOOD<br />

Mark<br />

HARMAN<br />

Richard<br />

HARRISON<br />

Christopher<br />

HARROLD<br />

Andrew<br />

HARWOOD<br />

Phil<br />

HAYWARD<br />

Richard<br />

HENWOOD<br />

Peter<br />

HISCOCK<br />

Cather<strong>in</strong>e<br />

HOHENKERK<br />

Richard<br />

HOLDAWAY<br />

David<br />

HOOPER<br />

Barry<br />

KENT<br />

Brian<br />

KERRIDGE<br />

Philip<br />

KERSHAW<br />

Jamie<br />

KETTLEBOROUGH<br />

Charles<br />

KILBURN<br />

David<br />

KING<br />

James<br />

KING<br />

Ken<br />

KING<br />

Rodney<br />

KNIGHT<br />

Darcy<br />

LADD<br />

Brian<br />

LANDOWSKI<br />

Jim<br />

LANG<br />

Kev<strong>in</strong><br />

MARSH<br />

Andy<br />

MARSHALL<br />

Simon<br />

MARTIN<br />

Andy<br />

MATHESON<br />

David<br />

MATHESON<br />

Ian<br />

McCREA<br />

Andrew<br />

McDERMOTT<br />

Brian<br />

McILWRATH<br />

Derek<br />

McKAY<br />

Robert<br />

McPHEAT<br />

Anabelle<br />

MENOCHET<br />

Kev<strong>in</strong><br />

MIDDLETON<br />

Charlotte<br />

PASCOE<br />

Stephen<br />

PASCOE<br />

Mukesh<br />

PATEL<br />

Kev<strong>in</strong><br />

PAULSON<br />

Jeff<br />

PAYNE<br />

Alan<br />

PEARCE<br />

Alan<br />

PEARCE<br />

Sam<br />

PEPLER<br />

Chris<br />

PERRY<br />

Dave<br />

PIKE<br />

Roy<br />

PLATON<br />

Jane<br />

PORTER<br />

Eric<br />

SAWYER<br />

Bryan<br />

SHAUGHNESSY<br />

Adam<br />

SHAW<br />

Richard<br />

SIDDANS<br />

Sunil<br />

SIDHER<br />

Elizabeth<br />

SLACK<br />

Dave<br />

SMART<br />

Andy<br />

SMITH<br />

Dave<br />

SMITH<br />

Kev<strong>in</strong><br />

SMITH<br />

Paul<br />

SMITH<br />

George<br />

SPALDING<br />

Mike<br />

TROWER<br />

Spyridon<br />

VENTOURAS<br />

Angela<br />

VERNON<br />

Joe<br />

WAIGHT<br />

Helen<br />

WALKER<br />

Patrick<br />

WALLACE<br />

Mattias<br />

WALLNER<br />

Nick<br />

WALTHAM<br />

Kim<br />

WARD<br />

Damien<br />

WEIDMANN<br />

28


<strong>RAL</strong> SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY<br />

29<br />

Adrian<br />

BOULTER<br />

John<br />

BRADFORD<br />

Mart<strong>in</strong><br />

CALDWELL<br />

Sarah<br />

CALLAGHAN<br />

Giles<br />

CASE<br />

Anne<br />

CHADWICK<br />

Patrick<br />

CHAIZY<br />

Peter<br />

CHIU<br />

Matthew<br />

CLAPP<br />

John<br />

DELDERFIELD<br />

Trevor<br />

DIMBYLOW<br />

Steve<br />

DONEGAN<br />

Allan<br />

DOWELL<br />

Duncan<br />

DRUMMOND<br />

Bill<br />

DUELL<br />

Matt<br />

DUNCKLEY<br />

Sarah<br />

DUNKIN<br />

Malcolm<br />

DUNLOP<br />

Karen<br />

DUXBURY<br />

Mila<br />

de VERE<br />

Paul<br />

GALLOP<br />

David<br />

GIARETTA<br />

John<br />

GODDARD<br />

Anne-Sophie<br />

GOIZEL<br />

John<br />

GOOD<br />

Vito<br />

GRAFFAGNINO<br />

Manuel<br />

GRANDE<br />

Paul<br />

GREENWAY<br />

Doug<br />

GRIFFIN<br />

Tim<br />

GRUNDY<br />

Chris<br />

HOWE<br />

Vikki<br />

HOWELLS<br />

Peter<br />

HUGGARD<br />

Susan<br />

HUMPHREYS<br />

Gerard<br />

HUTCHINSON<br />

Alan<br />

IWI<br />

Sarah<br />

JAMES<br />

Victoria<br />

JAY<br />

Mart<strong>in</strong><br />

JUCKES<br />

Barry<br />

KELLETT<br />

Dave<br />

KELSH<br />

Bryan<br />

LAWRENCE<br />

Hansh<strong>in</strong><br />

LEE<br />

Niki<br />

LEGGE<br />

Chunkey<br />

LEPINE<br />

Tanya<br />

LIM<br />

Chris<br />

LLOYD<br />

Mike<br />

LOCKWOOD<br />

Judy<br />

LONG<br />

John<br />

MACKERNESS<br />

Brian<br />

MADDISON<br />

Barry<br />

LATTER<br />

Jo<br />

MURRAY<br />

Chris<br />

MUTLOW<br />

Cormac<br />

NEESON<br />

Sarah<br />

NICHOLLS<br />

Tim<br />

NIGHTINGALE<br />

Matthew<br />

OLDFIELD<br />

Alison<br />

PAMMENT<br />

Dave<br />

PARKER<br />

Grant<br />

MUNRO<br />

David<br />

RIPPINGTON<br />

L<strong>in</strong>da<br />

ROBERTS<br />

Bel<strong>in</strong>da<br />

ROBINSON<br />

Anne-Marie<br />

BROMLEY<br />

Gary<br />

BURTON<br />

Wendy<br />

GARLAND<br />

John<br />

RAINNIE<br />

Duncan<br />

RUSSELL<br />

Mart<strong>in</strong><br />

RICKETTS<br />

David<br />

TERRETT<br />

Nick<br />

THOMAS<br />

Eric<br />

THRELFALL<br />

Sam<br />

TOBIN<br />

Graham<br />

TOPLIS<br />

Ian<br />

TOSH<br />

Don<br />

TAYLOR<br />

Andrew<br />

BIRKS<br />

Anne<br />

de RUDDER<br />

Steve<br />

GUEST<br />

Sue<br />

LATHAM<br />

Monica<br />

KENDALL<br />

Huw<br />

MORRIS<br />

Nigel<br />

MORRIS<br />

Brian<br />

MOYNA<br />

Carol<strong>in</strong>e<br />

POULSEN<br />

Matt<br />

PRITCHARD<br />

Stephen<br />

RANKIN<br />

Jolyon<br />

REBURN<br />

Philip<br />

RICHARDS<br />

Tony<br />

RICHARDS<br />

John<br />

SPENCER<br />

Richard<br />

STAMPER<br />

Ag<br />

STEPHENS<br />

Brian<br />

STEWART<br />

Bruce<br />

SWINYARD<br />

Gary<br />

WILLIAMS<br />

Michael<br />

WILLIS<br />

Carron<br />

WILSON<br />

Guy<br />

WOODHOUSE<br />

Charles<br />

WRENCH<br />

John<br />

WRIGHT<br />

Peter<br />

YOUNG<br />

Matthew<br />

WILD<br />

Mart<strong>in</strong><br />

WHALLEY<br />

Over 40% of the staff <strong>in</strong> SSTD have a PhD


Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils<br />

Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX, UK<br />

Tel: +44 (0)1235 445000 . Fax: +44 (0)1235 445808<br />

Further <strong>in</strong>formation<br />

The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is part of the Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC) <strong>and</strong> is<br />

a partner member of the British National <strong>Space</strong> Centre (BNSC).<br />

The <strong>Space</strong> Science <strong>and</strong> Technology Department (SSTD) conducts the bulk of its programmes <strong>in</strong> collaboration with other UK<br />

scientific <strong>in</strong>stitutes. These <strong>in</strong>clude the follow<strong>in</strong>g:<br />

ATC<br />

Bath<br />

Birm<strong>in</strong>gham<br />

BNSC<br />

Bristol<br />

Cambridge<br />

Cardiff<br />

Central Lancashire<br />

Cranfield<br />

DEFRA<br />

De Montfort<br />

DSTL<br />

DTI<br />

Durham<br />

East Anglia<br />

Ed<strong>in</strong>burgh<br />

EPSRC<br />

Essex<br />

FCO<br />

Glamorgan<br />

Glasgow<br />

Hertfordshire<br />

Hull<br />

Imperial College, London<br />

SSTD also works with many <strong>in</strong>ternational agencies, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g:<br />

Keele<br />

Kent<br />

K<strong>in</strong>gs College, London<br />

Leeds<br />

Leicester<br />

Liverpool John Moores<br />

Manchester<br />

Met Office<br />

MOD<br />

Mullard <strong>Space</strong> Science<br />

Laboratory<br />

NERC<br />

Nott<strong>in</strong>gham<br />

Ofcom<br />

Open University<br />

Oxford<br />

Plymouth<br />

Portsmouth<br />

PPARC<br />

Q<strong>in</strong>etiq<br />

Queen’s, Belfast<br />

Queen Mary, London<br />

Read<strong>in</strong>g<br />

Salford<br />

Sheffield<br />

Southampton<br />

St. Andrews<br />

Strathclyde<br />

Surrey<br />

Sussex<br />

Swansea<br />

University College,<br />

London<br />

Warwick<br />

ASI (Italy)<br />

CAST (Ch<strong>in</strong>a)<br />

CNES (France)<br />

CNR (Italy)<br />

CONAE (Argent<strong>in</strong>a)<br />

COSPAR (International)<br />

CRCSS (Australia)<br />

CRERS (Morocco)<br />

CSA (Canada)<br />

CSIRO (Australia)<br />

DLR (Germany)<br />

DoD (USA)<br />

DSRI (Denmark)<br />

EUMETSAT (Europe)<br />

ESA (Europe)<br />

ESO (Europe)<br />

EU (Europe)<br />

IAA (International)<br />

IAF (International)<br />

IKI (Russia)<br />

INPE (Brazil)<br />

INTA (Spa<strong>in</strong>)<br />

ISRO (India)<br />

ITU (International)<br />

JAXA (Japan)<br />

KARI (Korea)<br />

NASA (USA)<br />

NCAR (USA)<br />

NDRE (Norway)<br />

NIVR (Netherl<strong>and</strong>s)<br />

NOAA (USA)<br />

NSPO (Taiwan)<br />

OECD (International)<br />

PSI (Switzerl<strong>and</strong>)<br />

Roskosmos (Russia)<br />

SSA (Sweden)<br />

SSTC (Belgium)<br />

SUPARCO (Pakistan)<br />

UN (International)<br />

USNO (USA)<br />

The Department provides opportunities for host<strong>in</strong>g senior scientist <strong>and</strong> eng<strong>in</strong>eers on sabbatical leave, visit<strong>in</strong>g scientists on<br />

short-term visits <strong>and</strong> university s<strong>and</strong>wich course students on one-year placements. SSTD also provides graduate eng<strong>in</strong>eer tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>and</strong> CASE studentships. For more <strong>in</strong>formation see the CCLRC website.<br />

To contact anyone with<strong>in</strong> the <strong>Space</strong> Science <strong>and</strong> Technology Department at <strong>RAL</strong>, please use the follow<strong>in</strong>g address:<br />

<strong>Space</strong> Science <strong>and</strong> Technology Department<br />

CCLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire OX11 0QX UK<br />

Tel: +44 (0) 1235-821900 Fax: +44 (0) 1235-445848<br />

Any enquiries may be addressed to Jeremy Curtis. Tel: +44 (0)1235 446460 E-mail: w.j.curtis@rl.ac.uk<br />

The Director for <strong>Space</strong> Science <strong>and</strong> Technology is Professor Richard Holdaway. Tel: +44 (0)1235 445527 E-mail: r.holdaway@rl.ac.uk<br />

SSTD http://www.sstd.rl.ac.uk/<br />

Chilbolton Observatory/CCLRC http://www.chilbolton.rl.ac.uk/<br />

<strong>RAL</strong>/CCLRC http://www.cclrc.ac.uk/<br />

June 2005<br />

www.cclrc.ac.uk

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