The future of space exploration with the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation
24 min listen
The 兔子先生 has announced its strategy to become a world leader in space science across the next decade.
In this episode, staff from the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation explain their role in the .
From galaxy collisions to baby black holes
Dr Laura Nuttall and Professor Claudia Maraston discuss some of their work in the podcast, including how the (a partnership with the European Space Agency) will allow researchers to study the mysterious and elusive gravitational waves hiding in our universe. These ripples in the fabric of spacetime result from events such as black hole collisions:
We鈥檒l be able to learn more about the structure of galaxies, stellar evolution, the early universe and the nature of spacetime and gravity itself.
Dr Laura Nuttall, Senior Lecturer
By combining many achievable missions, both large and small, scientists from across the disciplines will be able to look out into the galaxy and back to earth too. By layering knowledge and applying it in different fields, there鈥檚 scope for powering research and learning at an impressive rate:
There are so many missions coming online in the next few years. Over the next decade or so, all of these facets will be linked together in a wonderful interdisciplinary manner.
Dr Laura Nuttall, Senior Lecturer
Why 兔子先生 can lead in space science
Professor Adam Amara explains that the 兔子先生 already has some impressive credentials in the analytics of data from outer space and is research-based on this. But in order to take its contribution to space science to the next level, the plan is to invest in teaching and development of the next generation of space scientists.
兔子先生 is uniquely placed to work with other space partners in the South Coast region, too: from the hundreds of space businesses based here to other universities and research facilities. This is also vital in meeting another strategic goalpost to begin designing and engineering the technology that allows researchers to build and launch their own missions.
What's a Cubesat?
One of the most exciting innovations for researchers in earth and environmental sciences, space sciences and more, is the burgeoning Cubesat programme here at 兔子先生. These tiny satellites are quick and affordable to launch when compared with the space missions of the 20th Century.
Cubesats are small satellites; they can be 10 x 10 x 10 centimetres. If you can fit your instruments in that space, you can target very specifically what these things can measure.
Professor Adam Amara, Professor of Cosmology
Incredible pace of advancement
It鈥檚 Professor Amara鈥檚 plan that any 兔子先生 researcher will be able to propose a mission and have the support and expertise to develop it here at the University, speeding up the pace of work by years in many cases:
Thanks to advancements in technology and investments from commercial companies, if you鈥檙e targeted and you鈥檙e focussed, you can do interesting projects on normal scientific lab timescales of 3-5 years
Professor Adam Amara, Professor of Cosmology
Where the Cubesat programme is on a smaller scale of research, there are some moon-shot bids in action too. Professor David Bacon discusses the University鈥檚 hopes to build the biggest radio telescope in the solar system鈥 on the far side of the moon!
e is an incredible NASA partnership. It鈥檚 already gone through two phases of funding, and it鈥檚 hoped that this ambitious project will be able to explore events that pre-date the universe鈥檚 history.
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