Space Science and Technology
Looking up – looking down
Peter Allan
STFC Head of Space Data Division
Chandrayaan
MSG-2
LISA
VISTA
STEREO
DoubleStar
ATSR
Thermal Vac
Herschel-Planck
TOPSAT
Radio Propagation
Ground Station
Security
JWST
What do we do in SSTD?
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Design and build instruments in consortia
Develop technology to achieve this
Run facilities to enable this
Operate data centres on behalf of the science community
Operate ground station
Provide advice to government
What do we do in RAL Space?
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Design and build instruments in consortia
Develop technology to achieve this
Run facilities to enable this
Operate data centres on behalf of the science community
Operate ground station
Provide advice to government
Funding
• 40% STFC → UKSA
• 20% NERC → UKSA
• 40% non-RC
– Over 100 contracts
– Often described as “commercial”, but originating with some
government, somewhere
Science
• Astronomy
– Solar
– Space Plasma
– Infra Red / mm wave astronomy
• Atmospheric Science
– Chemical constituents of the atmosphere
– Changes over time, e.g. ozone hole
• Earth Observation
– Sea surface temperature
– Earth radiation budget
Sun
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SoHO
Hinode
STEREO
Solar Dynamics Observatory
Space Plasma
• Earth’s magnetic field
• Interaction of solar wind with magnetic field
• Star Trek sheilds
Solar System
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Chandrayaan-1 / C1XS
Cluster / Double Star
Mars Express
Cassini / Huygens
C1XS spectrum showing well resolved signatures of calcium and iron
Mosaic of 3 frames from descent imager
Water ice and methane springs
Rocks and ice blocks
Water and hydrocarbon ice
IR astronomy
• SPIRE on Herschel Space Observatory
• Planck
Astronomy Projects
• James Webb Space Telescope MIRI (Mid Infra Red Imager)
– Far universe, early galaxies, first stars
– Action now known to be nearer home
• ALMA (Atacama Large Millimetre Array)
– Picture of array
– Star formation
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GAIA
LISA
Solar Orbiter
SPICA
Astronomy Projects
• James Webb Space Telescope MIRI (Mid Infra Red Imager)
– Far universe, early galaxies, first stars
– Action now known to be nearer home
• ALMA (Atacama Large Millimetre Array)
– Picture of array
– Star formation
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GAIA
LISA
Solar Orbiter
SPICA
Earth Observation Projects
• Sea surface temperature
– ATSR series -> SLSTR
Earth Observation Projects
• Sea surface temperature
– ATSR series -> SLSTR
• Earth Radiation Budget
– GERB series -> BBR
• Rain radar / Lidar
– Chilbolton
Technology
5 days of GERB data
18 g
Atmospheric Science
• Atmospheric Chemistry
Technology
• Design
– Mechanical Design
– Thermal Design
– Electronic Design
• Build
– Micro-machining
• Test
– Vacuum test chamber
– Cryogenic vibration
• Software
Facilities
• Vacuum test chamber
Facilities
• Vacuum test chamber
• Vibration test
– Cryogenic
Facilities
• Vacuum test chamber
• Vibration test
– Cryogenic
• Ground Station
Technology
• Concurrent Design Facility
Technology
• Imaging Systems
– Cameras for space
– Electronics
– Show a picture
Data
• Data Processing
• Data Archives
• Long term preservation of data
ISIC
• International Space Innovation Centre
Knowledge Exchange
• Work with industry
– Giving them things does not work
– Generates income too
TOPsat
Spin Out
• Orbital Optics
– TOPsat design → Orbital Optics → MDA UK
• Terahertz Imaging
International Space Innovation Centre (ISIC)
A new environment where government, universities and industry can work together to
better exploit scientific opportunities and create new technologies, applications
and IP that exploits UK, European and Global Space Programmes
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ISIC will initially focus on three key areas :
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Understanding and countering Climate Change
Ensuring the Security of space systems and services
Exploiting and visualising the data generated by Earth Observation satellites
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The ISIC will be a modern building complex housing:
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Robotics and Exploration
Novel Power Sources
Integrated Applications
Research (Government agencies (e.g. ESA), academics and commercial organisations)
Incubation (Space Business Incubator Unit (BIC), funded by ESA, TSB and STFC)
Open Innovation and Commercialisation (Including co-location of satellite operations, exploitation
and visualisation infrastructure)
The ISIC programme will include collaborative R&D projects
ISIC (First Phase)
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EO Hub
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Security and Resilience Unit
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A scientific facility - providing data visualisation/exploration tools normally out of
financial/technical capacity of individual entities.
An applications development tool - a means for new players to access the potential of
Earth observation for a range of applications
An outreach/media facility - a high impact engagement tool to help demonstrate
applications and uses of space technology.
Business Incubation Centre
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Expertise on security infrastructure and systems plus appropriate tools and analysis
Provision of new secure services for UK government and international partners
Visualisation Studio
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ESA compatible end-to-end capability for cost effective satellite operations and data
exploitation services
Jointly funded by ESA and UK
10 start up companies/ year
Concurrent Design Facility
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Interoperable with ESA systems
Capability for supporting full mission analysis and design
Benefits to Partners
• Operational centre fully compatible with ESA standards and
interoperable – increased access to European opportunities
• Access to broad range of technologies and expertise on the
Harwell Campus
 The Hub and Spokes model extends this access throughout the
UK and internationally
• Working example of a new approach to innovation across
multidisciplinary applications
• Facilitates interactions and partnerships between large and
small/medium companies
• Access to critical mass of expertise in space operations, data
handling and data exploitation
• Provides a key delivery mechanism for, and input into, the new
UKSA