The HIFI spectrometer on board the European space telescope Herschel – launched on 14 May – is experiencing a setback. The space measuring instrument has been temporarily switched off due to a problem in the so-called Local Oscillator Control Unit. The exact cause of the problem on this ESA mission remains unclear. Extensive tests – …
A new look at the atmospheric water cycle: Isotope measurements from space using SCIAMACHY
Researchers from SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Utrecht University and various international partners have obtained the first global observations of water isotopes in the lowest part of our atmosphere. They analysed measurements from the satellite instrument SCIAMACHY, providing new insights into the hydrological cycle that are expected to further improve climate models. The researchers …
Dutch golden X-ray gratings launched 10 years ago
On July 23rd, exactly 10 years have passed since the Chandra space telescope (NASA) was launched. A Dutch instrument on board still provides a new view on X-rays from space, including X-ray emission from black holes. X-ray astronomer prof. Frits Paerels from New York, who is deeply involved in the development and exploitation of the …
European grant for astronomers
Astronomers dr. Andrey Baryshev (SRON) and prof. dr. Amina Helmi (University Groningen) received a Starting Grant of 0,9 and 1,6 million Euro from the European Research Council (ERC). The ERC is founded in 2007 by the European Union to finance pioneering research. The Starting Grant is meant for researchers who have a doctors degree for …
Space instrument HIFI delivers crystal clear observations
’We can investigate the universe’s thermostat’ The first measurement data from the Dutch space instrument HIFI are of such a good quality that they can be used for more than just fine-tuning the instruments. According to scientific leader Frank Helmich and project leader Peter Roelfsema they can be used straightaway for scientific research: ’We shall …
The Netherlands and ESA sign agreement for environmental monitoring satellite
A green light for the building of Tropomi, the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument, was given by the ESA Council Meeting of Ministers in charge of space activities last November at The Hague. There the ministers decided to build the satellite. Earlier the Dutch government had made available 78 million Euro for the building of the Tropomi …
Using Earth-observation to search for new Earths
Spectrometer SCIAMACHY observes the atmosphere of Venus A team of German, Dutch, and Belgian researchers has managed to observe Venus using the Earth-observing spectrometer SCIAMACHY. Succesfull test-measurements took place in March. On June 25th, the researchers aimed SCIAMACHY at Venus again. Planetary researcher Daphne Stam hopes that the new measurements will help the search for …
Space camera HIFI sends first measurements to earth
Ruimte-instrument HIFI seint eerste meetgegevens door naar de aarde‘De kwaliteit is nog beter dan we verwachtten’ Het Nederlandse ruimte-instrument HIFI aan boord van de in mei gelanceerde Herschel-satelliet, heeft met succes de eerste meetgegevens vanuit de ruimte aan de aarde doorgegeven. De medewerkers van ruimteonderzoeksinstituut SRON, dat verantwoordelijk is voor het functioneren van HIFI, zijn …
SRON responsible for new ambitious space project
Het Nederlands ruimteonderzoeksinstituut SRON gaat weer de ontwikkeling van een nieuw ruimte-instrument leiden. Het gaat om het SAFARI-instrument, de Europese bijdrage aan de Japanse ruimtetelescoop SPICA. De beoogde lanceerdatum is 2017. SRON heeft de leiding over de ontwikkeling van het SAFARI-instrument op de infraroodruimtetelescoop SPICA (JAXA). SPICA gaat, net als de onlangs gelanceerde Europese ruimtetelescoop …
HIFI passes first tests in space
HIFI doorstaat eerste testen in de ruimte De eerste testen met het ruimte-instrument HIFI zijn goed verlopen. Volgens HIFI-projectleider Peter Roelfsema van het Nederlands ruimteonderzoeksinstituut SRON functioneert HIFI, die na de succesvolle lancering aan boord van de ruimtetelescoop Herschel eerder deze maand nu op een miljoen kilometer van de aarde is, naar behoren: ‘We hadden …
