Satellites and missions
DTU Space A+A contributes to the Atmospheric Remote-sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey (ARIEL) providing design and support to the Danish company SCSDK, who procures the CFRP struts to carry the payload on board. ARIEL is expected to be launched in 2029. A+A also participates in the science team and has established specific projects to simulate and define the eventual target list for ARIEL.
ASIM
The Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) is an observatory on the International Space Station (ISS) that measures lightning and bursts of gamma-rays from thunderstorm clouds. The overarching goal is to understand the role of electrified storms in atmospheric dynamics. ASIM is a mission of the European Space Agency ESA’s SciSpace Programme for scientific utilization of the ISS and non-ISS space exploration platforms and space environment analogues. DTU Space A+A is leading the scientific advisory board to ESA and Terma A/S is the prime contractor under ESA for the payload development.
ASIM was launched to ISS on April 2, 2018, and was mounted on the Columbus module on April 13, 2018. Later, ASIM had to be re-positioned to a limb viewing position.
ATHENA
AWS
Arctic
Weather Satellite (AWS) is an ESA earth observing mission and will eventually
consist of a constellation of identical satellites. They will carry identical
cross-track scanning microwave radiometers and provide measurements of
atmospheric humidity and temperature. DTU Space A+A collaborates with OHB
Sweden with the responsibility to perform the structural analysis of the
instrument using finite element modelling and the thermal, thermo-mechanical
and orbital transient analysis of the instrument to establish the thermal
environment of payload units. AWS first version is expected to launch in 2024.
CO2M
ESA’s
Carbon Dioxide Monitoring mission (CO2M) is under the Copernicus program and is
designed to measure the CO2 release from human activity. DTU Space A+A develops
structural and thermal finite elements models of the BiPod assemblies and
performs the associated analyses in collaboration with Space
Composite Structures Denmark in Odense, Denmark.
EnVision
EnVision is an ESA spaceflight mission to visit Venus, and it will be launched in early 2031. The aim is to explore why Venus and the Earth are so different despite similarity in size and composition. EnVision will orbit Venus and use sounders and radars to penetrate the thick atmosphere. DTU Space A+A has joined the project and will provide tools to assess the feasibility of the techniques and the science goals.
EUCLID
DTU Space A+A has primarily participated in the calibration facility in
Laboratoire Astrophysique de Marseilles (LAM). The calibration facility
was used for calibrating the NISP instrument on board the Euclid
satellite. Euclid was launched on July 1, 2023. A+A also participates in
Euclid science definition and in the consortium (member of Euclid consortium
board).
INTEGRAL
DTU Space A+A is PI on the JEM-X monitor instruments on board International
Gamma Ray Laboratory (INTEGRAL), which was launched October 17, 2002.
The two twin JEM-X instruments are of coded-mask type, designed and procured by
a consortium of European Institutes effectively operating in the 3 - 30 keV
range.
JWST
DTU Space A+A has provided support structure to the MIRI instrument on James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). JWST is a joint ESA/NASA mission, and was launched on December 25, 2021.
LISA
DTU Space A+A collaborates with Albert Einstein Institute in Hannover, Germany,
developing the phasemeter to the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), an
ESA mission. LISA will consist of a set of three satellites in a triangle
constellation launched to the L5 point trailing the Earth in its orbit. The
phasemeter will be the core and enabling instrument of the satellite
constellation allowing for an unprecedented accurate gravitational wave
detecting system.
Hollow Core Fiber Gas Cell for Laser Frequency Stabilization (I2
and C2HD).
In collaboration with Danish Fundamental Metrology (DFM) A+A also
contributes to the development of an atomic or molecular frequency reference,
this is a technology activity running in the frame of LISA. A+A contributes
with the development of the electronics in the laser reference. LISA is an
L-mission of ESA and is expected to be launched in mid-2030’s.
NICER
The Neutron star Interior Composition ExploreR (NICER) is a NASA instrument set mounted on ISS. The energy range is 0.12 to 12 keV. Its core is 56 x-ray concentrator optical systems, which collects photons from the sources with a high time resolution. DTU Space M+I delivered the tracking system, and A+A is part of the science team. NICER was launched June 3, 2017 to the ISS and deployed on ISS on June 16, 2017.
NuSTAR
The NuSTAR (Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array) mission is a NASA SMEX type mission. It has deployed the first orbiting telescopes to focus light in the high energy X-ray (3 - 79 keV) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. DTU Space A+A defined and deposited the mission enabling coating on most of the mirrors, and A+A is part of the science team. NuSTAR was launched on June 13, 2012.
PLANCK
Planck was an ESA mission dedicated to map the cosmic microwave background with an unprecedented resolution of 5-10 arcminutes with a temperature sensitivity of a millionth of a degree. DTU Space A+A was PI on designing the observatory’s mirror system, and the mirrors were made of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP). Planck was launched on May 14, 2009 on an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana. Planck had a cooling system with liquid He, and therefore a limited lifetime, and the mission concluded in October 2013.