The Mullard Space Science Laboratory is building miniature plasma analysers and sub-0.1 Kelvin coolers to fly on spacecraft, while simultaneously using existing space missions to study black holes, gamma-ray bursts, and the solar wind's interaction with planetary atmospheres. This research addresses fundamental gaps in our understanding of the universe—how matter falls into black holes, what powers nature's largest explosions, and how magnetic fields shape everything from the Sun's corona to Saturn's magnetosphere. It also tackles practical unknowns, such as how the solar wind strips planetary atmospheres and what drives auroral acceleration. This is primarily curiosity-driven fundamental science. There is no immediate commercial application. However, the instrumentation work—particularly the miniaturised plasma analysers and ultra-low-temperature coolers—could eventually enable smaller, cheaper spacecraft for Earth observation or communications. Past fundamental research in space plasma physics has underpinned satellite navigation and space weather forecasting. A deeper understanding of gamma-ray bursts and obscured galaxies may one day inform how we detect high-energy events or map the structure of the Milky Way, but for now the value lies in answering questions that have no other way of being answered.
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This consolidated grant application comprises a portfolio of related projects across the fields of astrophysics, planetary sciences, solar physics, space plasma physics and instrumentation. Each individual project has clear objectives and the projects are generally grouped into three themes: Astrophysics; Solar System and Instrumentation. In all areas the research builds upon our science expertise and the opportunities comming from our provision and support of space assets. However our programme is by no means limited by MSSL hardware exploitation or even the exploitation of missions flying our hardware. Rather, every route available is considered when gathering the data necessary to understand the science questions that we address and that have been identified by STFC as being important. The consolidated grant also sets the foundation for the expoitation of future missions including Gaia, JWST and Solar Orbiter. In Astrophysics we seek to better understand: a universe that is heavily obscured by dust; inflow of material onto black holes (of all scales); the dynamics and formation history of the Milky Way and other galaxies; the nature of gamma-ray sources discovered by the Fermi spacecraft, many of which are presently un-identified; gamma-ray bursts (natures greatest explosions) and their environs; the origin of magnetic fields on the largest-scale; the energy spectra of neutrinos produced by active galactic nuclei and stars; and the transportation of particles and radiation in extreme astrophysics environments. In our Solar System Research we study: plasma-neutral interactions (important in understanding the interaction of the solar wind with atmospheres); the effect of the solar wind on Saturn's enormous magnetosphere; auroral acceleration mechanisms which drive such phenomena as the northern lights; various parts of the Earth's protective magnetic sheath including the magnetotail, substorms, magnetopause and the role of magnetic reconnection; properties of global coronal waves on the Sun; sun-quakes and there relation to eruption events; the formation of the solar wind; the role of flux ropes in solar eruptions; and surface formation processes on Mars and the Moon - two objects very different to the Earth in this respect. Our Instrumentation research includes the development of novel, miniaturised plasma analysers and <0.1K coolers.
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