1978: Supported by 1985: With instruments 1990: The Hubble Space 1995: The Solar & Heliospheric 2000: The UK manages 3 of the 11 major investigations 2009: ESA launches Planck 2011: ESA approves 2013: The UK-supported Swarm 2013: The Mid Infrared Instrument (MIRI) is the UK, the European built in the UK, Giotto is Telescope is launched. Observatory (SOHO) is launched being carried out by the Cluster mission. This investigates to observe the artefacts Euclid, a mission mission is launched; a trio of successfully integrated into the James Webb Space Agency (ESA) the first European deep One of the most important and revolutionises our ability to solar wind, which can cause electrical storms - damaging from the Big Bang. This to study dark satellites designed to study aspects Telescope. MIRI is designed and built by a launches the world’s space mission. It sends astronomical projects of forecast space weather; playing a satellites or even causing power cuts on the ground. mission has a strong UK energy. The UK is of the Earth. In particular, it will consortium of ten EU countries, led by the first high orbit telescope back unprecedented all time, it changes our lead role in early warning systems. involvement. contributing to the study its protective magnetic field, UK in partnership with NASA. A number the International images; confirming understanding of space The UK plays a significant role and imaging instrument without which the atmosphere as we of UK institutions are involved, in particular Ultraviolet Explorer Halley’s comet is billions and leads to breakthroughs Astrium is the prime contractor. 2002: The International Gamma Ray Astrophysics 2009: ESA launches and the data know it would not exist, rendering STFC’s UK Astronomy Technology Centre 1962: Ariel-1 is the world’s first solar (IUE). This operated of years old. in astrophysics, such Laboratory (INTEGRAL) is the most sensitive gamma Herschel, to study the processing activities. life on Earth virtually impossible. (lead) and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, until 1996, making it as calculating the rate ray observatory ever launched. It is now supported formation of stars and the University of Leicester and EADS mission and is the first international 1997: Cassini-Huygens is one of the longest-lived of expansion of the by the UK Space Agency (UKSA) and continues to galaxies at previously 2013: A team from Surrey Space Astrium. satellite. It carries experiments devised the first mission to make a and most productive universe. An international change the way astronomers think of the cosmos. unexplored wavelengths Centre at the University of Surrey and operated by the UK, making the UK long-term study of Saturn. astronomical satellites. collaboration between ESA of light. The UK made launches the Surrey Training, 2013: ESA’s first Large Class mission is the world’s 3rd space faring nation. A joint NASA/ESA/Italian and NASA; UK scientists 2004: Rosetta launches and is the first spacecraft a major contribution to Research and Nanosatellite selected; the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer Satellites Space Agency project with 1967: The UK’s Chilbolton Observatory, play a key role. to make a long-term study of a comet at close the instruments and UK Demonstrator (STRaND-1), a (JUICE) will make observations of Jupiter’s instruments designed in the UK, & Astronomy an internationally important atmospheric quarters. It is one of the most challenging missions scientists are leading the Cubesat which aims to test normal atmosphere and magnetosphere; an the original 4 year mission has research station, is first opened. It is ever undertaken and is due to rendezvous with exploitation of this mission. technologies for space research using important step in the exploration of our proven so successful that it is now one of the world’s most advanced the Comet 67P in 2014. UK researchers have a smartphone you can buy on the outer Solar System. The UKSA is funding now extended to 2017. meteorological radar facilities. contributed to the space probe and lander. high street as its on-board processor. the Magnetometer instrument. Late 1970s: A small device that Mid 1990s: First developed by ESA, shape 2000: UK scientists demonstrate 2007: Satellites detect a rise 2009: UK scientists treat a multicellular 2012: UK scientists identify the 2013: Software for measures radiation is developed memory alloys are now used in the repair that the mortality rates of tsetse in surface temperatures in the organism (C.elegans) in space with RNAi, a metals that played a crucial role in processing satellite pictures by REM Ltd (Oxford) and used on of broken bones and repositioning of teeth. flies, which transmit sleeping sickness equatorial part of the Indian regulator of gene expression in diseased tissue, the production of RNA, the building taken from space is now the Hubble Space Telescope and Anson Medical, a company created on the killing tens of thousands of Africans a Ocean, bringing heavy and demonstrating that this could be used to block of life on earth; suggesting helping medical researchers Meteosat-3. Later it is developed back of this technology, is subsequently year, are significantly correlated with sustained rains and warmer air, control muscle degradation in spaceflight and that these were contained within to establish a simple method for medical use, to help treat acquired by a major UK company, Lombard data from meteorological satellites, causative agents for mosquito help people who suffer from muscle wasting. the meteorites that collided with for wide-scale screening for heart and cancer patients. Medical, for €40 million in 2001. particularly land-surface temperature. population multiplication. This Earth billions of years ago. Alzheimer’s disease. allows pre-emptive measures 2010: UK scientists develop The tool, based on software 1996: UK scientists show that 2005: ESA funds medical to prevent a Rift Valley fever the SSO i-Tour, which uses 2012: UK scientists develop a for ESA’s Envisat satellite, ecological data from satellites researchers to track dust epidemic in East Africa. Google mapping technology to new cost-effective geographic was used to create a can highlight factors affecting storms blowing across undertake virtual assessments on information system to characterise program that analysed Health malaria transmission, supporting Africa’s Sahel belt using 2007: Based on the technology neighbourhood factors related to the areas outside of villages in Africa human brain scans. decision making systems for satellites in order to developed for Beagle 2, the 2003 children’s health. which may present an elevated malaria control. learn more about lethal mission to search for life on epidemiological risk of human meningitis epidemics Mars, UK researchers develop sleeping sickness. that often follow in the a portable mass spectrometry dust’s wake. device that can be used to detect TB in resource-poor settings. 1960 1978 19 90 1996 2008 2012 2013 1977: Supported by 1980: The UK National 1991: ESA’s European 2000: Supported by 2002: Launch of ESA’s Envisat, the 2006: NERC Earth Observation Data 2010: ESA launches 2011: UK government invests in the NovaSAR satellite. 2013: Go-ahead for Biomass mission, the UK, Meteosat-1 is Remote Sensing Centre is Remote Sensing satellite UK funding, the Disaster world’s largest earth observation satellite. Acquisition and Analysis Service launches, Cryosat-2 to measure the This enables UK company SSTL to launch an innovative scheduled to launch in 2020. This is being Europe’s first weather formed as a Government (ERS-1) is launched to Monitoring Constellation This provides ten years of invaluable bringing together the expertise at the Dundee shape and thickness of polar and highly competitive new space-based radar remote developed with a UK science lead and will satellite in a series of Centre of Excellence for provide a wealth of (DMC) is a network of environmental data on air quality, the size Satellite Receiving Station and remote sensing ice. The mission is conceived sensing programme in the international market. produce the first accurate maps of forest satellites. These satellites Earth Observation. data about the Earth, satellites designed by of the ozone hole, the extent of sea ice, data analysis at Plymouth, focusing on areas such and led by UK scientists. biomass from space. These maps will help now provide invaluable In 1991, it becomes a its climate and changing UK company Surrey and the risks from earthquakes, volcanos as sea surface temperature and ocean colour. 2011: Copernicus, the joint EU/ ESA Earth scientists address fundamental questions and continuous data private company, Infoterra, environment. This Satellite Technology Ltd. and floods. The prime contractor for the 2008: NERC launches the Observation Programme, starts operations. This is a about changes in forest structure, and the for weather forecasts which is now a subsidiary included the Along-Track (SSTL) and built with the mission is EADS Astrium Ltd. 2006: Launch of Antarctic Polar View service, European system for monitoring the Earth; providing impact of deforestation and land use. using satellite imagery to provide ships in the National Centre for Earth and images for earth of the world-leading Scanning Radiometer active involvement of Observation (NCEO) to provide information on how our planet and its climate are observation. Astrium Group. (ATSR), designed in a number of countries. 2002: The first Geostationary Earth Southern Ocean with timely information about changing, the role played by human activities in these sea ice. This is part of Copernicus; a network a focal point for research related 2012: The National Risk Register of the UK to measure The DMC provides Radiation Budget (GERB) instrument to Earth observation and the changes and how these will influence our daily lives. Civil Emergencies is amended to include sea-surface temperature detailed images of any is developed and built in the UK, and disseminating information concerning the environment and security.