MSSL scientists are building and operating instruments on a fleet of space missions that stretch from the Sun to the outer planets. The group's work spans the full life cycle of space exploration—designing hardware, launching it, collecting data, and analysing the results. This matters because many fundamental questions about the solar system and the universe can only be answered from space, where instruments can measure magnetic fields, plasma, and X-rays that never reach the ground. The research addresses gaps in our understanding of how the Sun drives space weather around Earth, how planets form and evolve, and what lies at the farthest observable reaches of the cosmos. If these missions succeed, the impact will be primarily on fundamental science—deepening our picture of the universe and the forces that shape it. That knowledge has historically seeded unexpected applications, from satellite navigation corrections to radiation-hardened electronics. The group is also developing new technologies—cryogenic coolers for future X-ray telescopes, miniaturised instruments for planetary probes, and micropenetrators for Mars and Venus—that could enable entirely new classes of space missions.
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MSSL's PPARC rolling grant supports world-class research in astrophysics and solar system science. Investigators at MSSL are leading programmes to investigate the Earth's magnetosphere, explore the planets, understand the Sun and probe the furthest reaches of the universe. Our academic staffs are involved with the development, design, build, operations and data analysis aspects of space missions. We have hands-on involvement during the lifetime of missions that spans conception to operations. These include an impressive array of missions that are currently operational: Cassini, Cluster, Double Star, Mars Express, Coronas-F, SOHO, Swift, Venus Express and XMM-Newton. In the next grant period Solar-B and Herschel will be launched. We have had hardware involvement in all these missions, and are PI on 5. The drive for this involvement is the cutting edge science that can be achieved from these missions. We are also immersed in the development of future missions including ExoMars, Gaia, KuaFu, Xeus, LISA, and Solar Orbiter. New technologies such as cryogenic coolers for future X-ray missions, instrument miniaturisation for solar system exploration and micropenetrators to explore planets such as Mars and Venus are being developed.
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