European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere ESO

Description

The ESO (European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere) is a globally recognised intergovernmental body that builds and operates Earth-based astronomy research facilities and involves the majo- rity of the European States. Currently, the ESO has 14 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Den- mark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United King- dom. It was established in 1962 and its headquarters are in Garching, Germany.

The German offices are responsible for managing and carrying out most of the administrative, scientific and technological tasks of the Organisation. Garching has laboratories which are used to develop technologies applied to the 94 sophisticated scientific observation instruments used in the telescopes, as well as integration rooms for them. It is also home to the ESO scientific archive which contains all astronomical observation data obtained at the observatories, which can be accessed on the Internet. e (ESO)

ESO observation programme: instrumental equipment n Hemispher

her The ESO selected Chile to build the first observatory, primarily due to the exceptional atmospheric conditions for astronomy and the possibility of accessing the sky in the Southern Hemisphere. The telescopes are set up in three he Sout locations: La Silla, Cerro Paranal and El Llano de Chajnantor. Although the ESO identifies its operational facilities in h in t Chile as a single observatory for functional purposes, they should be considered separately for description purpo-

esearc ses. onomical R

tr La Silla or As La Silla, located 600 km north of Santiago de Chile at an altitude of 2,400 m, was the site chosen by the ESO to set up its first facilities. Today, the 3.6 m telescope, which was the star of the Institution's Founding Convention is still anisation f g in operation. The New Technology Telescope (NTT), with a 3.5 m aperture, is also operational. There is also a 2.2 m diameter telescope operated by the ESO by virtue of an agreement with the Max Planck Institute of Astronomy of

opean Or Heidelberg, Germany. Eur

Half a century examining the Universe

Paranal nomy of Bonn, Germany, and the Observatory of Onsa- la, Sweden. Cerro Paranal currently has the world's most powerful astronomical observation tools. Located at an altitu- ALMA de of 2,600 m near Antofagasta, it houses four 8.2 m diameter telescopes that are known jointly as a Very Lar- In a truly global project for Earth-based astronomy, ge Telescope (VLT). These four telescopes (also known together with partners in North America and Eastern as telescopic units or TUs) are able to operate indepen- Asia, the ESO is building an antenna array in Llano de dently, each focusing on a different area of the sky, using Chajnantor capable of observations in the millimetric different astrophysical instruments. However, what and submillimetric band, using the interferometry tech- makes it unique, apart from the power, is the possibi- nique, with unprecedented precision and sensitivity. It lity of combining the light received from the different is the ALMA (Atacama Large Millimetre/sub-millimetre telescopes from the same area of the sky and appl- Array) project. A project that will revolutionise obser- ying the technique known as interferometry. The VLT vations with its 66 mobile antennas, with a separa- group, together with an additional four mobile auxiliary tion of up to 10 km between them for establishing dif- telescopes measuring 1.8 m in diameter, can operate ferent observation configurations. Most of the anten- together as an interferometer (known as VLTI), making nas (54) will have a 12 m diameter, while the other 12 it possible to achieve unparalleled space resolutions will have a smaller diameter (seven metres). Each of in visual and infrared light. these antennas will be equipped with receivers in several spectral bands, covering the wavelength range from Meanwhile, broad-field telescopes are expected to go 0.3 to 10 mm. into service, capable of mapping large areas of the sky in a single take: the VLT Survey Telescope (VST), with a ALMA is designed to observe the cold Universe, espe- 2.6 m aperture in the visual band and the VLT Infrared cially the molecules around forming stars and the 96 Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA), with a 4 m aper- interstellar medium of the galaxies, from the closest ture in the infrared band. The latter became operatio- to the most remote, just when they were beginning nal in late 2009. to take shape. The Operations Support Facility (OSF)

e (ESO) is located at an altitude of 2,900 m, near San Pedro de Atacama, while the ALMA headquarters are loca- Llano de Chajnantor ted in Santiago de Chile. n Hemispher her Llano de Chajnantor (in the Atacama Desert) is located In late 2009, the first antennas had already been trans-

he Sout at an altitude of 5,000 m, making it one of the most inhos- ported to Llano de Chajnantor and the first interfero-

h in t pitable places on Earth for human activity. In compen- metric observations had been made with 3 antennas and sation, the quantity of water vapour that can precipita- phase closure. ALMA is expected to be fully operational esearc te above the observatory is very small, which hugely faci- in around 2012 or 2013. litates the transparency of the atmosphere to millime-

onomical R tric and submillimetric waves. tr

or As Scientific access to facilities and data

APEX Scientific access to the ESO facilities is achieved through anisation f g APEX (Atacama Pathfinder Experiment) is a 12 m diame- a competitive procedure. There are two calls a year for ter radiation observation antenna, equipped with a the research community to send their observation pro-

opean Or modern array of detectors and receivers in the millime- posals, which tend to be five or more times greater than Eur tric and submillimetric band. This is a joint project bet- the time available. The Observation Programmes Com- ween the ESO, the Max-Planck Institute of Radio Astro- mittee, made up of experts from the entire community,

recommends the proposals to be undertaken at the observatories to the ESO general manager.

Observations may be made in "visitor" mode (where the researcher travels to the observatory to direct the cam- paign onsite) or in “service” mode (the ESO staff make e (ESO) the observations directly, following the researcher's ins- tructions). n Hemispher

All data obtained at the observatories is stored in the her scientific archive. The research team normally has a he Sout maximum priority period of 12 months in which to use h in t the data, after which time it may be used by any rese-

archer from the Member States. esearc

ALMA antennas (ESO image). onomical R The future of ESO: the E-ELT Telescope tr or As nish delegation is held by the MICINN (Ministry of Scien- The extremely large telescopes (with apertures in the ce and Innovation). anisation f

30 m range) are considered to be one of the world's gre- g atest priorities for Earth-based astronomy. With this

class of telescopes, it is expected to be possible to detect opean Or and study planets similar to Earth in orbit around other Eur stars, identify the individual stars that make up other 97 galaxies near our own, examine the structure of galaxies shortly after their formation at distances not rea- In 2003, prior to Spain's entry into the ESO, the minis- chable until now or measure the expansion of the Uni- ters of science and technology at the time signed an verse in real time. agreement with the ESO that regulated Spanish participation in the construction of the ALMA telescope. The European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) project Because of that agreement and Spain's subsequent mem- (see page 256), an infrastructure identified in the ESFRI bership in the organisation, the Spanish industries and Roadmap in the area of astronomy, will maintain and R&D centres have made and continue to make major reinforce Europe's position at the cutting edge of contributions in kind to the construction of this teles- astrophysical research. To do so, the ESO has been desig- cope, as well as to the other ESO activities. ning this facility since early 2007 (it will be the largest optical telescope on the planet with a 42m aperture), and the design is expected to be completed in mid-2010. Additional information

Location: Garching, Germany Spanish participation Budget: Û 120M/ year Year of commissioning: 1962 Spain has been a full member of the ESO since 1 July Websites: 2006. The country's contribution to the annual bud- http://www.eso.org get of the institution is made in proportion to its GDP http://www.eso.org/public/spain/ (currently representing around 9% of the total). The Spa- index.html

IRAMInstitut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique

Description

IRAM (Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique) is a Spanish-French-German technical research and development institute, specialising in millimetric radio astronomy. Spain participates in this large scientific facility through the Natio- nal Geographic Institute (IGN, Ministry of Public Works) and, more specifically, through the National Astronomic Observatory (OAN). When it was established in 1979, IRAM (Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique) was the first multinational European radio astronomy institute.

This facility is made up of two observatories with complementary telescopes and headquarters in Grenoble, Fran- ce, where most of the instruments (receivers, spectrometers) and software are developed, with the latter being used by a large part of the world's radio astronomers.

The main application of the IRAM (Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique) is to meet the needs of the radio astro- 98 nomy community with regards the study of cold material (gas and dust) in the Universe, which is relevant in toda- y's most cutting-edge research works in the different fields of astronomy. The scientists' requirements are reflec- (IRAM)

Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique

View of the Plateau de Bure telescope facilities.

A gateway to the invisible universe

This facility consists of two observatories with complementary telescopes and headquarters in Grenoble, France.

ted by the continuous development of the necessary 72 to 350 GHz, make it the most powerful radio teles- equipment and the implementation of observation cope in the world. In Spain, when talking of this type of modes that are pertinent in each of the telescopes. installation, this infrastructure is known as a Major Scien- tific-Technical Facility (ICTS). The IRAM (Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique) (USTC) offers compu- 100 Objectives ter resources and assistance from experts in calibra- ting observations and analysis of interferometric data, as well as expert assistance in making observations in IRAM (Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique) (IRAM) both telescopes. It also organises biannual schools on programme: instrumental equipment radio astronomic observation using the 30 m radio telescope and also on millimetric interferometry. The millimetric wave interferometer located on Plate- au de Bure, France, consists of six fully adjustable antennas measuring 15 m in diameter, with synchronised functioning (by means of the aperture synthesis method) which enables celestial objects to be mapped with an angular resolution which, following the final

Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique extension of its baselines, reaches 0.3 s of an arc, the

same as obtained with the larger optical telescopes. The technical developments in the fields of collecting, The operating frequencies range from 82 to 116 and detecting and analysing millimetric and submillime- from 205 to 245 GHz. Currently it is the world's most tric radiation have been carried out, for the most part, powerful instrument of its kind. at the IRAM (Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique) laboratories (SIS low-noise detectors, receivers, cryoge- The 30 m diameter millimetric wave radio telescope is nics, quasioptical systems, filter banks, correlators and located on Loma de Dílar, on the slopes of Pico de Vele- auto-correlators), with the collaboration and contribu- ta, Granada, and has been operational since 1986. The tions of the other institutions involved in the IRAM (Ins- broad range of frequencies in which it operates, from titut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique).

Scientific access to facilities and data

Scientific access to the IRAM (Institut de Radioastro- nomie Millimétrique) facilities is achieved through a competitive concurrence procedure. There are two calls a year for the worldwide research community to send their observation proposals.

Given the power and flexibility of the telescopes at this facility, they are used by a wide-ranging community of The Plateau de Bure interferometer will be upgraded via a project called NOEMA, which includes increasing the number of astronomers from around the world to conduct studies antennas from the current six to a total of 12. in all fields of astronomic research. The observations (IRAM) cover a broad spectrum, from the Solar System to the Spanish participation most remote objects in the Universe, as well as studies on star formation and development, galactic and extragalactic interstellar cold matter, and normal, acti- The institutes participating in the IRAM (Institut de Radioas- ve, ultrabright and newly formed galaxies. It has been tronomie Millimétrique) are the CNRS (National Scientific in operation for more than 20 years and during this time Research Centre, France), MPG (Max Planck Gesellschaft, over 2,000 articles have been published in the most Germany) and the IGN (National Geographic Institute, prestigious international astronomy journals with data Ministry of Public Works, Spain). The IGN participates with obtained with the IRAM (Institut de Radioastronomie 6% of the investment and operating expenditure, in exchan-

Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique Millimétrique) telescopes. ge for 16% of the observation time on each of the institute's telescopes and priority participation in all adminis- 101 trative and technical councils (Executive Committee, Con- sultative Scientific Committee and Telescope Time Assign- ment Committee). The observation time must be obtai- The future of the IRAM (Institut de Radioastronomie ned in open international competition in which any Spa- Millimétrique) nish astronomer may compete.

The total cost of the investment made to date is 90 For the Plateau de Bure interferometer, studies are million. This amount includes the cost of the two teles- underway for a very considerable expansion that will copes (with a total of seven antennas), the buildings at maintain its competitiveness for many years. This pro- the Grenoble and Granada sites, the microwave, electro- ject, known as NOEMA, includes increasing the number nics and cryogenics laboratories and the mechanical of antennas from the current six to a total of 12, exten- ding the maximum baselines to reach over one kilo- metre and installing a new generation of very broadband receivers. Additional information

Location: Headquarters in Grenoble, France At the 30 m Pico Veleta telescope, very broadband recei- Estimated annual budget: Û12 M vers and spectrometers (up to 4 GHz) have recently been Year of commissioning: 1979 installed and new multipixel receiver systems are under Websites: development which will increase the features of the http://www.iram-institute.org radio telescope very significantly. http://www.oan.es

Science Missions

Introduction

Space sciences cover a group of sciences and scientific disciplines whose common denominator is knowledge of the cosmos, its use as a laboratory and provider of global data on our planet and its surroundings. They are characterised by two key parameters: their youth and their multidiscipline nature. Their youth is dictated by the calendar of mankind's access to space in the late 1950s, while the multidiscipline nature is due to the extreme operating conditions in environments very different from the normal ones in Earth-based laboratories: very difficult environments of radiation, microgravity, heat and operational distances. This has imposed the need to develop complex survival technologies in hostile environments in which there are heat gradients of 200°C in distances of less than one metre or advanced control systems that must be capable of reacting without human intervention.

102 Space missions constitute a set of unique facilities open to the international scientific community that provide essential data to a wide range of branches of knowledge, from astronomy, where they open windows of observation of the Universe that are inaccessible from the Earth's surface (IR, UV, X and gamma), to the life sciences, with experimenta- tion on biological systems in extreme environments of microgravity and radiation. Science Missions

The agencies

Space missions are very expensive and technologically complex. The operators are space agencies at both the national level (NASA, JAXA, China, Russia or India) and supranational level, such as the European Space Agency (ESA). In the case of Spain, the Centre for Technological and Industrial Development (CDTI) is the national representative in the ESA, maintaining bilateral relations with Space agencies from other countries, via which it reaches participation agreements in missions of common interest. The agencies provide access to space, select the missions and their objectives in cooperation with the scientific community and, finally, support the operation during its working life. The scientific community receives the data, is responsible for its analysis and generates the results.

There is a wide variety of operational protocols, depending on the type of mission, its size, complexity and the agency or agencies involved, but they generally follow a procedure in which the scientific objective is identified by means of a call for opportunities from the international community, followed by a proposal selection. It is an open, highly competitive system taking several years, in which concepts and missions are selected for a decade, analysing their technological complexity, viability and cost.

The Conquest of the Cosmos

The development of the space platform, launch and ope- almost 100% of Spain's science activity in space with rations are the responsibility of the Agency itself, while very few exceptions; two such being the Spanish Mini- the development of the instruments and data analysis sat-01 and Nanosat 1A missions organised by the Natio- systems are the responsibility of the States and research nal Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA, after its centres. In Spain, instruments are financed by the National initials in Spanish). Activity on self-organised missions R&D&I Plan and the Directorate General for International and those involving multi-lateral co-operation is currently Co-operation and Institutional Relations (DGCIRI) at the growing. MICINN (Ministry of Science and Innovation), with nota- ble contributions from the CDTI in especially complex industrial cases. ESA Missions

There are many types of missions, with very diverse complexities. From a large observatory operating in There are in total 21 ESA science missions, both in ope- space for over a decade, such as the HST (Hubble Spa- ration or under development, which involve Spanish ce Telescope), to complex astronomical missions such scientists.Participation and hence scientific return is of as XMM-Newton and INTEGRAL by ESA, as well as tech- a variable geometry, ranging from almost token parti- nologically less complex experiments in the field of bio- cipations of 2%, to collaborations more heavily weigh- logy or fluid mechanics, such as those conducted at the ted than Spain's as a member nation (8%), such as in the ISS (International Space Station) and with a duration of case of INTEGRAL (15%) or the recently launched SMOS just a few months. (30%).

The following tables offer the list of ESA missions, both Platforms in operation and in an in operation and under development, with Main Rese- advanced stage of development 104 archer, Main Co-Investigatoror Co-Investigator in onboard instrumentation and/or in operations. The intensity As Member State, Spain undertakes most of its space parameter gives an idea of the degree of involvement science activity in ESA science and exploration and to conclude, there is a list of the acronyms of the lea- missions.In the 1990's, ESA missions accounted for ding Spanish bodies. Science Missions Operation

Mission Type Intensity Bodies Leaders

XMM-Newton CoI Low IFCA (CSIC-UC)

INTEGRAL PI Very High UV, INTA

Cassini Cassini-Huyghens CoI Medium IAA

Rosetta CoI Medium IAA, INTA,UPM

Mars Express CoI Medium IAA, UPC

Venus Express CoI Medium IAA, UPV

CoRoT CoPI Medium IAA, UV, IAC

Herschel CoPI High IFCA-UC, IAC

Planck CoI Medium IAC, IAA, ICM

SMOS PI Very High ICM, UPC, UV, U Sal.

Development

Mission Type Intensity Bodies Leaders

LISA PathFinder CoI High IEEC

JWST (MIRI) CoI Medium INTA, UAH

Gaia CoPI Very High UB, INTA, UC

Bepi Colombo CoI Medium CAB, IAA

ExoMars (Raman) PI Very High CAB, U Vall.

ASIM_ISS CoPI Very High UV, INTA, UPC, UJCI, IAA

Use ISS PI and CoIin a variety of experimental missions

Solar Orbiter (SOPHI) CoPI Very High IAC, INTA, IAA, UV, UPC...

*Solar Orbiter (EPD) CoPI Very High UAH

*SPICA CoPI Very High CAB, INTA, IAA, UA

*PLATO CoPI Very High CAB, INTA

*EUCLID CoI High IAC

* These latter four missions have just been selected by the ESA in 2010 to enter the definition phase within the Cosmic Vision programme. Science Missions Missions undertaken through multi-lateral co- ces of the ESA with Spanish Main Researchers or Co- 105 operation Researchers is as follows:

Due to the maturity of the science groups and their technological capacities, in this decade great endeavour has been to become involved in missions involving multi- lateral cooperation. The list of missions in operation or under development undertaken outside the auspi-

Mission Type Intensity Bodies Leaders

IMAX CoPI Very High INTA, IAC, IAA, UV, NASA, DLR

AMS_ISS CoPI High NASA, Ciemat (Centro de Investiga- ciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas), IAC

Rover Environmental PI High NASA, CAB, UPC, INM (Seville) Monitoring Station (REMS)

WSO-UV PI High Russia, UCM

Phobos_METNET PI High Russia, INTA, UCM, UC3M, UPC, IAA

JEM-EUSO PI High JAXA, UAH, INTA, UC3M

Domestic missions with scientific responsibilities

This field of activity began in the 1990's with the first Spanish scientific satellite, the Minisat-01. It currently comprises five missions, two in operation (Nanosat 1A and 1B) and three under development SEOSAT/INGE- NIO, PAZ and XATCOBEO.

Mission Type Intensity Bodies Leaders

Nanosat_1A PI Very High INTA

Nanosat_1B PI Very High INTA

XATCOBEO PI Very High U. Vigo, INTA

ROHPP in PAZ PI Very High IEEC

UVAS in SEOSAT/INGENIO PI Very High UV

The Two Towers in SEOSAT/INGENIO PI Very High INTA

SENSOSOL SEOSAT/INGENIO PI Very High U. Seville

The details of some of the missions are described in the following sections. 106

Conclusions

Science Missions The Spanish scientific community is actively involved in processing the data and in undertaking a total of 21 ESA missions, ten of which are in operation and eleven are under development. In addition to these, there are a further six international cooperation missions at various stages of development and seven payloads on the two Spanish government satellites and the two INTA satellites.

In the 1990's Spain was involved in 10 science missions, either in operation or under development, in the decade from 2000 it was involved in 19 and today it is involved in 38 missions.This significant figure, which represents decade-on-decade rises of 100% is accompanied by another important factor - the rise in the number of instrumental Main Researchers or Main Co-Researchers per decade: From three to nine and then to 22, which

XMM-Newton

The ESA XMM-Newton mission was sent into orbit on 10 December and is still operational. With its X-ray focalisation and detection instruments, it is capable of forming intermediate angular resolution images (15s of arc) and measuring energy with an accuracy ranging from 5% to 0.5% (from 0.2 to 12 keV). This makes it a privileged observer of high energy phenomena in the Universe, such as active stellar coro- nas, matter accretions in compact stars (such as white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes), the hot gas trapped inside galaxies and cumulus of galaxies or the radiation issued by matter when falling towards the giant black holes of the Acti- ve Galactic Nuclei (AGN).

The scientific instrumentation on board the XMM-Newton XMM-Newton observatory consists of three co-aligned x-ray telescopes, plus a small optical telescope for locating sources. The XMM-New- ton instruments are a set of the EPIC cameras, which can simul- No Spanish centre was involved in the construction of the XMM- taneously obtain low-resolution images and spectroscopy, Newton payload. Spain is involved in processing the scienti- together with the RGS spectrograph dispersion located in two fic data, an activity led by the Cantabria Physics Institute (CSIC- of the three telescopes for high resolution spectroscopy.A con- UC), as a member of the XMM-Newton Survey Science Centre. sortium forms the XMM-Newton Survey Science Centre, which It scientifically validates the products, design and software is responsible for the data analysis software, for processing maintenance and it plays an important role in drawing up the said data and cataloguing. This catalogue has over 20,000 catalogue.TheXMM-Newton scientific operations centre is in entries and 1% of the sky covered. XMM-Newton is proving ESAC, near Madrid, which has resulted in important syner- to be the ESA's most productive mission, with some 300 arti- gies with the Spanish research community. cles published a year.Access to the XMM is made by tender and the data is published a year after being delivered to the Main Researcher. Science Missions

107

International Gamma-Ray Astrophysical cia (UV) and INTA, which Laboratory (INTEGRAL) enable sources in broad FOV's to be simultaneously The aim of the ESA INTEGRAL mission is to provide the scien- located and observed. tific community with a multi-purpose observatory in the gamma domain between 3 keV and 10 MeV. Its scientific objecti- Spanish involvement in ves range from systematic soundings of galactic sources with INTEGRAL has been the accretion processes in compact objects (black holes, neutron greatest so far to date in stars) to online mapping of extensive regions such as the cen- an ESA science The aim of the mission is to provide the scientific tre of the galaxy and the nucleosynthesis regions (Al26 andTi mission.Spain has taken community with an part with a Main Resear- 44). In astronomy beyond the galaxy, the AGN's and the intri- observatory in the gamma guing Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRB) are the two basic lines of work. cher and eight Co-Resear- The mission went into orbit in 2002 and is still operational. chers from the UV , INTA and the University of Alicante (UA). Furthermore, it was responsible for the development of the The payload comprises four instruments: The OMC, JEM-X, IBIS OMC, which is the first ESA instrument under Spanish lea- and SPI. The OMC is the INTEGRAL optical monitor which was dership for high energy optical systems: The SPI, IBIS and JEM- developed in Spain. JEM-X is an x-ray instrument based on gas X. SENER has been the prime contractor and a further 15 Spa- detector technology in the range of 3 - 60 keV, (FOV 5o x 5o). nish companies have taken part. The INTA/CAB is responsi- IBIS is the imager and it is based on solid state TeCd detector ble for OMC operations. The UV is likewise responsible for technologies and dual layer Csl pixels. It is fitted with a coded maintenance of the SPI software, and the UA for that of the mask and works in the range of 25 keV to 10 MeV (FOV 9ox9o). JEM-X. The UV also houses the Data Analysis Centre, which sup- Lastly, SPI is a high resolution Ge spectrometer shielded by ports users not belonging to the mission. The IAA (Instituto BGO and with an energy range 25 keV to 2 MeV (FOV 16ox16o). de Astrofísica de Andalucía) undertakes the monitoring of the What is new with regards INTEGRAL's technology is the bro- camera and infrared detector for GRB's, using a robotic teles- ad field of vision of its high energy instruments, which is achie- cope network, Bootes. ved by the use of systems involving spatial multiplexing of the signal with coded masks, developed by the University of Valen-

Mars Express

The ESA Mars Express (MEX) mission is the first wholly Euro- pean mission to the planet Mars. Launched in 2003, it comprises an orbiter with seven scientific instruments on board and a descent probe, which was lost on entry. The MEX has been extended until 2011. The MEX orbiter performs precise minerology and topography soundings of the surface of Mars, searching for ice in the sub-surface and carbonates on View of the Kasei valley and the Sacra trench, in perspective. the surface, characterisation of the thermal structure, dyna-

mics and composition of the atmosphere in 3D, research of carbonates, the existence of mesospheric CO2 clouds at the the ionosphere and how the neutral upper atmosphere inter- equator, the detection of discrete auroras and the abundance acts with the solar wind, as well as studying the atmospheric of ozone in the atmosphere.The PFS instrument has provided escape processes and their implications for evolution. important results; such as the detection of ice at the South Pole of Mars and the presence of methane in the atmosphere (15 Its scientific equipment is made up of seven instruments: MAR- ppm). Spain's involvement centres on the PFS instrument, which SIS, MIRS, ASPERA, HRSC, Spicam, Omega and PFS. Spain's gre- has been led by the IAA (Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalu- atest involvement lies in the PFS instrument (IR spectrometer). cía). Scientific involvement is channelled through the Centro The scientific results obtained by the MEX are of great impact; de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA), and the Polytechnic University of worthy of mention, amongst others, are the non-detection of Catalonia, which is involved in exploitation of data supplied

Venus Express

Venus Express is the first wholly European mission directed at Venus. It is the first orbiter around said planet since the Maga- llanes mission (1990) and the first one devoted to studying its atmosphere since Pioneer Venus (1978). It is an orbiter fitted with a wide range of instrumentation to perform systematic Venus' interaction with the solar wind. research on the planet surface and atmosphere, from the lowest levels to the ionosphere and exosphere.The open issues that the (UV-IR spectrograph) and PFS (IR spectrograph). The nume- project aims to explore are the origin of the super-rotation of rous results obtained from analysis of the Venus Express data 108 the atmosphere, the interaction between the planet surface and are of great impact, with monographs being published in seve- its atmosphere, volcanic activity, the interaction of plasma with ral journals.In the PFS, the Astrophysics Institute of Andalusia the solar wind, as well as the evolutionary changes in the pla- (IAA) has been involved in the same way as it is in the Mars Express net and its atmosphere. Venus Express has continued to be ope- mission. The body cooperates at Co-Investigator level and has rational since it was put into orbit in 2006, but the mission has designed and built the control electronics.In VIRTIS, which is also been extended until 2012. involved as Co-Investigator, the IAA has undertaken the validation, analysis and processing of the upper atmosphere data.Fur- Science Missions Its scientific equipment comprises seven instruments: Spicav, ASPERA, VERA, VENIS, VMC, VIRTIS and PES. The most outs- thermore, the University of the Basque Country is involved at tanding as far as Spanish involvement is concerned are VIRTIS Co-Investigator level in the instrument's scientific team, focus-

ROSETTA The scientific instrumentation on the oribter com- The aim of the Rosetta mission is to study primitive bodies in prises a complex set of 11 the Solar System. To do so, the mission was launched on 2 instruments, including March 2004 in the direction of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gera- spectrometers, cameras, simenko and on its journey it will visit and study asteroids 2867 particle detectors and Steins and 21 Lutetia. dust meters. The Philae landing module is equip- After a 10 year trip, when it reaches the comet, Rosetta will go into ped with a further 10 ins- orbit around it and after landing a module on its surface, it will truments. accompany it for two years until the perihelion. Its objectives will be the global characterisation of the nucleus and the definition Spanish involvement is Steins Asteroid as seen from of its mineralogy and the isotope composition of its volatile com- focussed on two instru- Rosetta. ponents, together with a study of the comet's activity and of the ments; OSIRIS and GIA- processes and overall characterisation of the asteroids. Rosetta, DA. Both are led by the after its third fly-by of the Earth and its visit to Steins, is heading IAA (Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía) with the co-opera- towards Asteroid Lutetia, which it will fly over in July 2010. tion of the INTA and the Polytechnic University of Madrid.

CoRoT (Convection, Rotation and Transits)

The CoRoT mission is a project of the French CNES (Centre Natio- nal d´Études Spatiales), with participation from Austria, Bel- gium, Brazil, the ESA, Germany and Spain.The project has two main objectives: The detection of planets through the transits method and the study of the internal structures of stars by analysing their oscillations.The mission is in the processing phase until 2013. Its most relevant results include the detection and confirmation of several planets, among which is one that is the smallest known mass to orbit a star, and the detection of sun-type oscillations in stars not of this type.

The basic technique this mission employs is precision photometry. The basic technique this mission employs is precision The measurement instrument is a passively cooled CDD detector. photometry. The lens of the instrument divides the incoming ray into two parts; one of them, the astroseismological track, reaches the detector outside the spot and covers a very small field, in which it is only Spanish scientific involvement in CoRoT has been led by the possible to measure bright stars with precision levels of 0.6 ppm. IAA, with an important contribution from the IAC. Spain has The other track for detecting transits, starts from the ray and covers contributed a large part of the Mission Centre on the ground a larger field, through which it is possible to measure tens of thou- (GMV). Also worthy of mention is that Spain has a perma- sands of stars at the same time. nent Main Co-Investigator level representative on the CoRoT Science Committee.

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). MIRI simulator which reproduces the entry of signal into MIRI equi- (Medium InfraRed Instrument) valent to that which it will receive once integrated into the telescope. It will be used to verify and calibrate the instru- JWST, successor to the Hubble, will be the future Space Teles- ment, in a vacuum and at cryogenic temperatures. It is an

cope in the infrared range. It will be a telescope open to the extremely complex piece of land-based equipment which Science Missions entire community, which will work under a system of time allo- incorporates high precision mechanisms and operates bet- cations and tender processes. ween wavelengths of 25 to 35 K. MTS will be capable of pro- 109 jecting the image from a test source onto the MIRI entry MIRI, together with the Nir-Spec and the Nir-Cam instruments plane and scanning it across the whole of its field of vision. will form the JWST payload, which is being developed by the ESA and NASA in joint collaboration. Its launch is forecast for The MTS was developed at INTA. It was then handed over to 2013.MIRI will provide images, spectroscopy and coronorarphy Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in May 2008, which is respon- in wave-lengths ranging from 5 to 28 micras. sible for integrating and verifying MIRI.

Spain's technical contribution to the project consisted in the development of the MTS (MIRI Telescope Simulator), a Integration of the JWST telescope MIRI simulator at INTA.

Herschel Space Observatory (Herschel) loped at Herschel are the superconducting The ESA's Herschel Space Observatory is equipped with a devices, which have ena- 3.5mm diameter telescope and is the first observatory to bled observation of the systematically study the universe within a spectral range farthest, unexplored of 55 to 670 µm. Its central scientific objectives include spectral range. the study of the historical formation and evolution of galaxies and stars and their interaction with surrounding space Spanish institutions par- and the observation of molecular chemistry in the universe, ticipating in the construc- placing particular emphasis on ascertaining the chemical tion, maintenance and composition of interstellar and circumstellar matter, as well exploitation of these as that of the atmosphere of planets, satellites and comets. three instruments at Herschel is designed to operate as an observatory for three Herschel **at COL years. It is a scientific installation open to the whole com- level** included the IAC, munity with just one third of its observation time being reser- which worked on the ved for the teams that built the instruments. Its construc- PACS instrument and SPI- tion began in 1998 and it was finally launched in May 2009. RE and PACS control cen- Herschel is made up of three instruments which operate at tres, and the company, cryogenic temperatures below 5 K: The Heterodyne Instru- CRISA, as primary con- Herschel is the first observatory ment for the Far Infrared (HIFI), the Photodetector Array Came- tractor. The Observatorio to systematically study the ra and Spectrometer (PACS) and the Spectral and Photometric Astronómico Nacional universe within a spectral range Imaging Receiver (SPIRE). HIFI is a high-resolution spectrome- (National Astronomy of 55 to 670 µm. ter (10 µm). PACS is a bolometric camera that can operate Observatory) also took simultaneously in two bandwidths (130-210 µm and 60-85 part, designing the low µm or 85-130 µm). SPIRE is a photometric camera operating noise cryogenic amplifiers for the Herschel-HIFI's receivers, simultaneously in three bandwidths, 250, 350 and 500 µm. which were ultimately constructed by Thales Alenia Space, Spain. It also has a Fourier-Transform Spectrometer which ena- Also, CAB (CSIC/INTA) is collaborating on the HIFI Control Cen- bles 3D spectrometry at resolutions of 40, 160 and 1000. tre. We are pleased to report that, for the first time, Spain The most relevant technological breakthrough to be deve- has a Mission Scientist on the Herschel Science Team.

110

Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS)

ESA's SMOS mission, launched on 2 November 2009, seeks to provide global and systematic measurements of super- ficial salinity of the oceans and soil moisture of the Earth's landmasses. It is the first time that an Earth Observation mis- Science Missions sion has been able to collect data on both of these variables, which are fundamental to understanding our planet's water cycle; a cycle which is accelerated in a situation of global warming.

SMOS has just one piece of equipment, the MIRAS (Microwa- ve Imaging Radiometer with Aperture Synthesis), which is a type of radiometer that has never before been used from a satellite and was inspired in the concept of radio astronomy antennas distributed on the ground. MIRAS has 69 small antennas distributed on Y-shaped arms, which are folded during launch. The leading role played by Spain in SMOS is unprecedented in Cross-correlation of the signals generates a two-dimensional previous missions. image of some 1,000 x 1,000 km with a spatial resolution of up to 30 km. Ciencias del Mar (Institute of Sea Sciences) (CSIC), which was The SMOS mission was developed as a joint collaboration developed in collaboration with the Polytechnic University between ESA, CNES and CDTI. The leading role played by of Catalonia, the University of Valencia and the University of Spain in SMOS is unprecedented in previous missions. The Salamanca who designed the data processing algorithms instrument was constructed by an industrial consortium and participated in mission validation activities. The Spanish coordinated by EADS-CASA. Mier developed the receivers data processing centre (CP34) and expert SMOS centre in while the data processing system was developed by Indra. Barcelona CSIC/ UPC are also involved in this project. Spain has a Main Co-Investigator (MCR) at the Instituto de

Laser Interferometer Space Antenna PathFinder (LISA-PathFinder)

ESA's LISA PathFinder is one of the missions of the SMART programme. LISA PathFinder does not have any scientific objectives of its own, but will pave the way for the development of LISA: an instrument aimed at detecting gravitational waves, a type of radiation that has remained undetected until now but that could contain hugely significant information. LISA is being built to be sensitive to signals within a frequency range of between 0.1 MHz and 1 Hz, for sources situated at reds- hifts of up to five.

Technologically-speaking, this mission is highly innovative, with drag-free precision of 3·10-14 m/s2/Hz-1/2 in the frequency range of 1 to 30 MHz. Consequently, the degree of integration between payload and satellite is greater than in any previous mission. The main nucleus is made up of dragfree, optic metro- logy, and data diagnostics and management sub-systems.

Spain's contribution is led by the Instituto de Estudios Espacia- les de Cataluña (IEEC) (Catalan Institute of Space Studies), with the support of the Instituto de Física de Altas Energías (IFAE) (Institute of High Energy Physics) and NTE-SENER for the flight hardware and software. These institutes contribute to LISA PathFinder in the form of a diagnostics and data management

Integration of LISA PathFinder at the ESA. Science Missions

111 Gaia

The objective of the Gaia mission, scheduled for launch mid- way through 2012, is to obtain data which will enable the study of the composition, formation and evolution of our galaxy. Gaia will conduct a comprehensive census of stars up to magnitu- de 20 (over one thousand million stars) over a five-year period. For each star, it will chart its position, distance and movements and, for a great many of them, its radial velocity. Operating in a continually sweeping motion and without a pre-defined catalogue, Gaia will also observe other celestial objects from both our Solar System and stars from nearby galaxies and qua- sars. Gaia was designed with unique capabilities, incorpora- ting all the required functions: astrometry, photometry and spectroscopy, sharing the same telescopes and focal plane.

The greatest challenge faced by Gaia is the management, storage and reduction of the large volume of data that it will collect. The Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium (DPAC) has been established for this purpose, and Spain's participation in this consortium is considerable. The mission data simulator and the treatment and revision of this data is the responsibility of the team at the University of Barcelona, who make use of the additional calculation capacity of the Mare Nostrum supercomputer (Barcelona Super Computing Centre, BSC). Other Spanish teams, such as the University of La Coru- The greatest challenge faced by Gaia is the handling and ña and the LAEFF (INTA) collaborate on the tasks of the DPAC. reduction of the large volume of data that will be collected.

Bepi Colombo

The objective of ESA's Bepi Colombo mission is to arrive at Mer- cury and conduct an exhaustive study of the characteristics of this planet. There will be two spacecraft involved in this mission: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (ESA) and the Mercury Mag- netospheric Orbiter (JAXA). Mercury is a particularly interesting planet which, as a result of its location very near to the Sun, presents extreme environmental conditions, with temperatures ranging from + 360°C to -140°C. Its exploration will enable us to better understand the origin and evolution of our Solar System. Bepi Colombo is set to be launched in 2014 and will enter Mercury's orbit towards the end of 2019, thanks to its innovative electric propulsion system.

Its on-board instruments will enable us to study the chemical composition of the surface of Mercury, precisely chart three- dimensional maps, study the interaction of its magnetosphe- re with the solar wind and craters produced upon impact with other bodies. It will be equipped with 16 scientific instruments developed by research groups in Europe and Japan, eleven of which will be installed on the European orbiter and six on its Japanese counterpart, including multi-spectral cameras, plasma detectors, altimeters and spectrographs. The Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA) leads Spain's contribution to the Mer- cury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer and Solar Intensity X-ray Spec- The mission's objective is to arrive at Mercury and conduct an trometer. The IAA is participating in the mission, developing exhaustive study of the characteristics of this planet. the power supply unit for BELA (Bepi Colombo Laser Altime- ter), which will enable 3D topographical mapping of the sur-

112 Raman in ExoMars

ESA's ExoMars mission is the first of the Aurora programme. The objective of this programme is the exploration of Mars in various stages of robotic missions and culminating in a manned mission. It is a joint NASA-ESA mission to land a robotic vehicle equipped with a payload of seven instruments on the

Science Missions surface of Mars in 2018.

The objectives of the Raman instrument include the identifi- cation of organic compounds and potential mineral compounds indicative of bacterial activity on Mars, as well as the study of minerals as a product of water activity. Essentially, it is a source of laser lighting, connected by fibre optic to a probe that focuses stimulation on the sample being tested, a spectrometer and a detection system. The spectrometer operates within the visible range (200 - 3800 cm-1) with a spectral resolution greater than 6 cm-1.

Raman operates by analysing the surface of the deposit of crystalline dust, generated by grinding down the samples obtai- Virtual representation of the rover that will be used on the ned from various depths using Rover, the robotic vehicle's drill mission to the Red Planet. within the vehicle's on-board analysis laboratory. The probe will obtain an estimated number of 20 spectrums throug- hout the sample measuring 50 µm in diameter. and technological elements of the project and is developing Raman is being developed via an international consortium essential component parts of the scientific instrument, such made up of Spain, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, as the laser and spectrometer. The Spanish team is also res- Holland and the USA (with the two latter countries participa- ponsible for the instrument's integration, and the definition of ting solely in scientific aspects). Spain is leading the science the science and operative modes. The team is led by CAB

Solar Orbiter (SOPHI. Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager and EPD. Energetic Particle Detector)

Solar Orbiter is a joint ESA-NASA mission that will seek answers to the fundamental question of heliophysics: in what way does the Sun create and control the heliosphere? To find out, the mission will travel to a distance of 0.22 AU from the Sun in order to observe the physical processes occurring on the King Star and its surrounding area. By doing so, we will achieve a greater understanding of energy phenomena of magnetic origins on the Sun and will be able to determine how the various kinds of energy particles are generated, stored, expelled and spread from their source within the solar atmosphere, or from the interplane- tary environment close to the Sun, to all points of the heliosphere. Launch is scheduled for 2017-2018 as part of ESA's Cosmic Vision programme. Image obtained using the IMAX instrument. The mission has two instruments, the development of which is led by Spain. The Solar Orbiter Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (SOPHI), which will use instruments for measuring local enabled images of the solar magnetic field with an unprece- plasma conditions and taking direct images of the sun to study dented level of detail. magnetic phenomena occurring on the Sun and surrounding SOPHI will be developed by a consortium led by Germany area. Meanwhile, the Energetic Particle Detector (EPD) will study and Spain, with the Main Researcher from the MPS and the energy particles. It is equipped with five independent instru- Main Co-Investigator from the IAC/INTA. The University of Valen- ments, which are located at various points across the space- cia, the University of Barcelona and the Polytechnic Univer- craft, for taking samples of various energy ranges and parti- sity of Madrid are also participating in this project. For the EPD, cles issued from solar eruptions. SOPHI inherits technology ori- it is Spain, through the University of Alcalá de Henares ginally developed for the Imaging Magneto-graph eXperiment (SRG/UAH), who is leading the international consortium, made (IMAX) instrument in Sunrise. Launched in 2009, its data has up of various institutes and universities from the United Sta- Science Missions

113

Atmospheric Space Interaction Monitor (ASIM)

ASIM is one of ESA's first three missions for the European laboratory, Columbus, on the ISS (International Space Station). The scientific objective of this instrument is to study Terrestrial Gam- ma-ray Flashes (TGF) and their relationship with other atmospheric phenomena such as lightning, sprites and blue jets. TGFs were discovered by Batse during the NASA mission CGRO in the mid- nineties and remain an unsolved enigma. Their spectrum ranges from very few keV to 10 MeV and is, therefore, an extremely difficult spectrum to study. Their duration is just one millisecond. ASIM will attempt to locate their exact position, ascertain their spectrum and seek correlations with other transitory phenomena on Earth such as lightning, electron socurces which, when accelerated, could explain the spectrum observed. ASIM is one of ESA's first three missions for the European ASIM is made up of two main scientific instruments: MXGS and laboratory, Columbus. MMIA. The first, the MXGS, is an imager equipped with a coded mask and 1,000 cm2 of TeZnCd and BGO detectors on a second layer. This is the same technology that was developed for the tributions. Spain is participating as Main Co-Investigator and is LEGRI instrument, used in the Spanish Minisat-01 mission, and responsible for designing thermal, mechanical, DPU, flight soft- for the IBIS instrument and the INTEGRAL mission. The MMIA, ware, AIVT and MXGS imaging systems, which accounts for 70% in turn, is made up of two high-velocity, wide-view optical came- of the scientific instrument and 35% of the mission. The Main Co- ras and two ultraviolet photometers, whose mission is to obser- Investigator comes from the University of Valencia, with the con- ve rays and sprites. MMIA is being developed by Denmark and sortium also counting on the support of INTA, the UPC, the URJC MXGS, Spain and Norway. Italy and Poland have also made con- and the IAA.

Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS)

The aim of the AMS experiment is to install a particle detector on the International Space Station (ISS), which will be used to conduct high precision studies of cosmic rays. The primary objective of the mission is to seek out anti-matter and dark matter in space and to conduct an exhaustive study into the composition of cosmic rays. The AMS instrument is the result of a collaboration between 500 scientists and 50 institutes.

The detector is fitted with a superconducting magnet, provi- ding a 0.7 tesla magnetic field, a trajectory detector, and systems of flight time and anticoincidence metres. For its part, a Cherenkov radiation detector provides a precise measurement of the velocity of particles and their charge, and a tran- sition radiation detector distinguishes electromagnetic particles from protons. The mission also incorporates an electromagnetic calorimeter to determine the energy of photons, electrons and positrons. The geometric acceptance of the detector stands at 0.45 m2sr, its weight at 6.7 Tn and it requi- res a power of 2 kW.

Spain's participation in the experiment is developed through the Ciemat (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioam- bientales y Tecnológicas) and IAC groups, which have been The purpose of the AMS experiment is to install a particle tasked with the construction of Cherenkov Radiation Detec- detector onboard the ISS in order to study cosmic rays. In the red box, where the instrument is to be installed. tor (RICH) and the Superconducting Magnet, as well as the RICH simulation and reconstruction software and several data analysis packages. CRISA is the main contractor. The equipment is in the process of being delivered to NASA.

114

Mars MetNet Precursor – MEIGA

The MetNet Precursor (MMPM) mission consists in landing a Science Missions probe on the surface of Mars in order to take in situ measurements of meteorological and magnetic parameters. Its launch is scheduled for 2011 and it will travel as secondary payload in the Phobos Sample Return. The project is a trilate- ral mission between Russia, Finland and Spain. The MMPM is the demonstration mission for the MetNet project, which plans to deploy a series of meteorological stations on the surface of Mars. Launched with penetrators, these stations will enable simultaneous observation of the planet's atmosphere in various locations and lead to a study of circulation patterns, phenomena associated with the ozone layer and climate cycles. For its part, the study of the magnetic and thermal properties of the soil will enable studies to be conducted into the struc- MEIGA is Spain's participation in MMPM and involves the ture and composition of Mars. development of three instruments accounting for 20% of the payload. MEIGA groups together Spain's participation in MMPM and has been entrusted with the responsibility of developing three instruments for the mission: a solar irradiance spectral sensor, a triaxial gradiometer/magnetometer and a dust sensor. Spain's participation is comprised of INTA (as the main researcher), UCM, UC3M, US (IMSE), UPC and IAA.

Extreme Universe Space Observatory on the Japanese Exposure Module (JEM-EUSO)

The JEM-EUSO (JAXA/NASA) mission will be placed on the Japa- nese ISS module and its objective is to provide the scientific community with a cosmic radiation observatory of the Univer- se's most extreme energies. The JEM-EUSO space observatory will be the first space mission dedicated to exploring the Universe at these extremely high energies based on the detection of fluorescence and Cherenkov radiation.

The telescope's focal plane allows a 250 km radius to be observed from the ground and it monitors an atmospheric volume of around a teraton and a volume of 10 teratons for the upwards detection of neutrinos.

The JEM-EUSO's Spanish groups are led by the University of Alcalá of Henares with the participation of the INTA (Natio- nal Institute for Aerospace Techniques) and the Infrared Labo- ratory of the UC3M (Carlos III University of Madrid). The Spa- nish contribution to JEM-EUSO consists of the development of the infrared chamber for the atmospheric monitoring system and 137 high voltage units. This is a main researcher-type participation and the contractor is SENER.

The JEM-EUSO space observatory will be the first observatory dedicated to the exploration of the far reaches of the Universe at very high energies. Science Missions

115 Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS)

The Mars Science Laboratory's (MSL) REMS project forms part of the rover's payload and will be sent to Mars in 2011 by NASA. It is made up of a set of sensors which will measure the planet's environmental conditions. The instrument will study the planet's water cycle and its atmosphere's boundary layer, in addition to identifying the peculiar processes of the Martian atmosphere's dynamics. The set of sensors – which will measure pressure, temperature (ground and air temperature), relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and ultraviolet radiation – have been grouped together on two small booms located on the rover's extendible mast, and the ultraviolet radiation and pressure sensors are situated on the rover itself. The great technological effort involved in the REMS project should be highlighted due to the extreme operating conditions in Mars.

The REMS project is being led by the Centro de Astrobiolo- gía (CSIC/INTA). Additionally, the University of Alcalá of Hena- res, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and the INM in Seville are taking part in the Spanish scientific team. CRISA is the main contractor.

The REMS project is being led by the Centro de Astrobiología

World Space Observatory – UltraViolet (WSO-UV)

The WSO-UV mission is an international project led by the Rus- sian Rokosmos space agency with the participation of Spain, Germany, the Ukraine and China. Its main objective is to provide the scientific community with a multi-use observatory in the UV domain, along with an extension towards the optical spectrum in image mode. The project will cover the gap left by the Hubble Space Telescope at the end of its mission. It will thus become the only astronomical observatory for images and UV spectroscopy between 2013 and 2023. The WSO- UV will have a nominal lifetime of five years, with a possible 10- year extension. Its launch is expected for 2013. The project's main objective is to provide the scientific Its main scientific objectives are as follows: community with a multi-use observatory in the ultraviolet domain. · To study the evolution of the chemistry of intergalactic environments and galactic halos. And, lastly, an ISSIS (Imaging and Slitless Spectroscopy Instru- · To analyse the evolution of the star formation rate. ment for Surveys) to perform imaging with a resolution of 0.1 within the range of 1,150 to 7,500 A and slitless spectroscopy · To study gravitational motors in astrophysics. within the same range. · To conduct research on the evolution of young planetary discs and the impact of ultraviolet radiation on them, as well as The WSO-UV represents Spain's highest level of co-operation with research into giant planets in near-star orbits. The WSO-UV is Russia to date. Spain will contribute with the ISSIS instrument and equipped with three instruments: A HIRDES (High Resolu- the software for scientific operations and the mission. The WSO- tion Double Echelle Spectrograph) with a resolution of 55,000, UV's operations have been designed to be shared on an equal basis 1,150-3,150 A. A LSS (Long Slit Spectrograph), with a resolu- by Spain and Russia. Scientific responsibility for the project is held tion of 1,500 within the range of 1,150 to 3,150 A. by the University Complutense of Madrid (UCM).

116 Complementary payloads in the SEOSAT/INGENIO mission

A co-operation sub-programme has been developed between the CDTI (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Indus- trial) and the DGCIRI (Directorate General for International Co- operation and Institutional Relations) of the Ministry of Scien- ce and Innovation aimed at implementing complementary Science Missions scientific payloads (CSP) for the SEOSAT/INGENIO earth observation satellite programme. These complementary payloads UNCLEAR PHOTO- complete the SEOSAT's main instrumentation, which consists of a high-resolution optical camera and an intermediate-reso- GRAPH lution IR camera.

The CSP programme has a two-fold aim: on the one hand, to boost the development of complex in-flight systems and, on the other, to provide earth observation data to the Spanish scientific community. The three complementary payloads include: The Two Towers (TTT), SENSOSOL and an Ultraviolet visible and near-infrared Atmospheric Sounder (UVAS) instruments. Science onboard the SEOSAT/INGENIO.

The TTT instrument’s objective is to study the SEOSAT's radiation environment to provide data that would allow our knowledge of space meteorology to be improved. The SENSOSOL mechanisms and climactic processes. This is a complex high- instrument is low-weight (250 grams) high-performance solid- performance instrument with three spectrometers to identify

state solar sensor developed on the basis of systems imple- and measure lines of three fundamental gases: O3, CO2 and

mented on earth-bound solar platforms. Lastly, the objective CH4 . of the UVAS instrument is to measure the atmosphere's composition to study existing relationships among the main man- The TTT is an instrument led by the INTA. The SENSOSOL ins- made gases, as well as their sources, formation, elimination trument is being developed by the University of Seville in colla-

Radio-Occultation and High Precipitations polarimetric GPS reception. An effort is being made to confirm with PAZ (ROHPP) this concept, which was conceived in Spain, through the ROHPP experiment in order to lay the groundwork for future RO-pola- The instrument proposed for the ROHPP experiment is a secon- rimetric missions. dary payload for the Spanish government's satellite, PAZ. Its The ROHPP experiment is a mission of opportunity, whose basic main objectives are to provide the scientific community with instruments form part of the PAZ mission (SAR resolution of operating data on atmospheric refractivity profiles obtained 1 m). The GPS receiver is prepared to observe RO and only small through radio-occultation (RO) and to demonstrate a new modifications are necessary. The only additional elements nee- system to measure abundant precipitation through the use of ded for the ROHPP experiment are randomly-aimed GPS anten- signals of opportunity transmitted by global navigation sate- nae, which are necessary to receive the signals in occultation llite systems. geometry, along with their pre-amplifiers and cabling. The ROHPP experiment will be the first experiment that The CSIC's Institute for Space Sciences is leading the experi- attempts to detect rain with RO GPS through polarimetric mea- ment. surements and will constitute the first mission equipped with

GPS application to study the atmosphere. Science Missions

117 MELiSSA (Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternatives)

MELiSSA (Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternatives) is an ESA project that commenced as part of a life support technology research programme for a long-term manned space mission. It is not possible to include all the food and oxygen needed to ensure the crew's survival for years in the launch payload of these kinds of missions. A thousand-day mission to Mars can only be done if a self-sufficient life support system is available.

The life support system should be capable of supplying the basic elements of an ecological cycle: food, recycling of the atmosphere, water recovery and waste disposal. MELiSSA com- bines all these elements in a loop of bioreactors and modu- les to cultivate superior plants. The project's objective is to attain the complete recycling of all chemical compounds in a self-sustained fashion without any kind of external supply. It is a highly complex challenge in terms of processes, control, stability, safety and robustness. Life support technologies for long-term manned space missions. One of the project's most significant aspects is to build a pilot plant capable of simulating this environment on a representa- Belgium, the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) in tive scale to demonstrate the concept's feasibility. In this plant, Spain, the University of Guelph in Canada, the Blaise Pascal the crew is simulated by a group of laboratory rats (from the University and SHERPA Engineering in France. The plant's design viewpoint of breathing, forty rats are equivalent to one human was initiated in 1995 at the UAB and it was inaugurated on 4 being) . June 2009. The plant is currently operational.

The MELiSSA project is coordinated by the ESA with the participation of: SCK/CEM, VITO and the University of Ghent in