RAL Space - latest developments in space science and technology
RAL Space - latest developments in space science and technology
RAL Space - latest developments in space science and technology
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<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 />
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