OU space research gets share of £1 million Government fund

Earth from space with stars and sun flare and space telescope

The OU is leading on one of five UK space projects awarded over £1 million by the Government as part of its efforts to boost international innovation.

The National Space Innovation Programme (NSIP) International is the first fund dedicated to supporting the UK space sector through collaborations with international partners, designed to contribute to UK science, security and prosperity.

The OU’s project, ‘Enhancing UK EMCCD camera technology for space applications‘, which has received £279,000, will build on its Centre for Electronic Imaging’s (CEI) previous involvement in the design of bespoke sensors for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. By working with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the team will further develop the UK imaging technology for the mission.

Dr David Hall, Senior Lecturer in Space Science at the OU and academic lead of the team working on the project, commented:

“This funding from UK Space Agency will enable us to develop a new laboratory camera testing system to allow detailed optimisation of the camera to help the Roman CGI to deliver the best results possible. Our work on these new sensors doesn’t stop with the Roman CGI – as part of this NSIP International project we are investigating other areas in which this new technology can be exploited, starting with the Space Astronomy Group at the U R Rao Satellite Centre (ISRO) who are leading the delivery of the Auroral X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (AXIS) on the twin satellite mission for Disturbed and quiet-type Ionosphere System at High Altitudes (DISHA).”