Mission to Map the 'Dark Universe' Sets Off on Space Journey
July 4, 2023 | UK Space AgencyEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
The Euclid space telescope will map the “dark Universe” by observing billions of galaxies out to 10 billion lightyears, across more than a third of the sky, to gather data on how its structure has formed over its cosmic history.
Led by the European Space Agency (ESA) and a consortium of 2,000 scientists across 16 countries, Euclid will spend six years venturing through space with two scientific instruments: a UK-built visible imager (VIS) that will become one of the largest cameras ever sent into space, and a near infrared spectrometer and photometer, developed in France.
Secretary of State for Science and Technology Chloe Smith said, "The launch of the Euclid mission is a truly significant moment. Backed by £37 million in UK funding and supported by our remarkable scientific talent and expertise, the mission will launch one of the largest cameras ever into space to look out across our universe. The mission will gain unparalleled insight into the mysteries of how the Universe was formed, delivering ground-breaking discoveries that will redefine what we know about space."
Dr Paul Bate, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency, said, "Watching the launch of Euclid, I feel inspired by the years of hard work from thousands of people that go into space science missions, and the fundamental importance of discovery – how we set out to understand and explore the Universe. The UK Space Agency’s £37 million investment in Euclid has supported world-class science on this journey, from the development of the ground segment to the build of the crucial visible imager instrument, which will help humanity begin to uncover the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy."
Euclid took off on board a SpaceX spacecraft from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 4.12pm (BST) on 1 July.
The UK Space Agency’s funding goes back to 2010, up to 2024, and is divided between teams at University College London, The Open University, University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, University of Oxford, University of Portsmouth and Durham University.
All these institutions have contributed to the development and implementation of the Euclid UK Science Ground Segment (UKSGS), which runs the Euclid data analysis. Led by the University of Edinburgh, which hosts Euclid’s UK Science Data Centre (SDC-UK), the UKSGS will process hundreds of petabytes of data over the next six years to produce maps of the galaxies and dark matter of the Universe
The wider Euclid Consortium includes experts from 300 organisations across 13 European countries, the US, Canada and Japan.
The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) also contributed to design and development work on Euclid instrumentation and provided funding to UK astronomy teams who will analyse the data returned from the mission, including studies on the physics responsible for the observed accelerated expansion of the Universe.
Executive Chair at STFC Professor Mark Thomson said, "Euclid will answer some of the biggest and most profound questions we have about the Universe and dark energy. Congratulations to everyone involved in the design, construction and launch of Euclid – we are opening a new window on the cosmos. This is a fantastic example of close collaboration between scientists, engineers, technicians, and astronomers across Europe working together to tackle some of the biggest questions in science."
Suggested Items
Using AI to Redefine Productivity
05/15/2024 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 MagazinePlato Systems, a machine perception company spun out of Stanford University, employs AI and video data to analyze and optimize the human component in manufacturing. Initially focused on semiconductors, Plato Systems has expanded into EMS manufacturing. Co-founder and CEO Amin Arbabian, along with product advisor Anders Holden and head of growth Luis Vidal, discuss their approach to changeover optimization and its impact on productivity in the industry. They’ve also included customer Raj Vora in the conversation.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Manufacturing Intelligence from the Factory Floor
05/15/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPONolan Johnson and Ranjan Chatterjee, Vice President of Smart Factory Business Units at PDF Solutions, discuss the background of Cimetrix and PDF Solutions. They explore the analytics tools provided by PDF Solutions, the merging of semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, and data handling in these industries. They also discuss different product lines, standards, packaging technologies, data usage, and integration with ERP systems
Nolan’s Notes: Coming to Terms With AI
05/07/2024 | Nolan Johnson -- Column: Nolan's NotesHow fast do things move in the world of data analytics? Here’s an example. We’ve been planning this issue on artificial intelligence for the past few months, and, in fact, I had already written this column about a month ago. Then I went to IPC APEX EXPO and upended it all. I originally had compared AI to drag racing in that (CPU) horsepower and new (data) vehicles have steadily delivered higher performance competition. That seemed pretty accurate given how generative AI models dominated the popular media with amazing results—and sometimes spectacular crashes.
RTX's Advanced Ground System for Space-based Missile Warning Now Operational
05/06/2024 | RTXAn advanced ground system for space-based missile warning developed by Raytheon, an RTX business, is now operational at the U.S. Space Force's Overhead Persistent Infrared Battlespace Awareness Center (OBAC).
Cigent, Swissbit Announce Partnership to Enhance Endpoint Data Security
05/06/2024 | CigentCigent, a leading provider of endpoint data protection solutions, and Swissbit, a leading manufacturer of storage, security, and embedded IoT solutions, today announced a strategic partnership to offer a comprehensive portfolio of secure storage drives designed to safeguard endpoint data against a growing landscape of cyberthreats.