UNews - Canadian Space Agency

New links to industry and innovation realized as U of L joins Composites Research Network

trevor.kenney — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 18:49:47 +0000

Academic research, innovation, student opportunity and industry connection received a huge boost recently as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge formally joined the Composites Research Network (CRN).

Canada’s leading network for composites research and the major link between academia and major composites industry partners, the CRN acts to bridge the divide between academic activity and industrial need.

Dr. David Naylor says that composites are the material of the future.

“This is a major step forward for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, putting our research into the hands of industry partners and creating multiple new opportunities for researchers and students alike,” says Dr. David Naylor, Board of Governors’ Research Chair in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and head of the Astronomical Instrumentation Group (AIG). “Being a part of this network will connect us to industry heavyweights like Boeing and Convergent Manufacturing Technologies.”

A composite material is that which is made from two or more constituent materials, when combined, produce a material with different characteristics from the individual materials. Advanced composites are replacing many metal components in use today, particularly in the aerospace industry. Describing composites as the material of the future, Naylor says the opportunities created through his group’s inclusion in the CRN are massive.

“We’re now partnered with Boeing in exploring this new realm of composite materials,” he says. “Composites are stronger than steel, lightweight, have virtually no conductivity, and for what we do in space, they are the perfect answer.”

As an example of the importance of composites in industry, Naylor points to Boeing and its design of the Boeing 787 aircraft, of which more than 50 per cent of the material is made from composites. Boeing also operates a satellite division and is heavily involved with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The U of L joins the CRN as the second Alberta node, along with ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. The hub and main node of the network exists at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia, while ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria, UBC-Okanagan, Camosun College, Canadian Light Source, Composites Innovation Centre and McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ make up the rest of the academic nodes.

AIG has carved out an impeccable international reputation in recent years. Its work as part of the Herschel-SPIRE Consortium earned Naylor a Royal Astronomical Society award. Recently AIG was awarded $500,000 from the Canadian Space Agency (Flights and Fieldwork for the Advancement of Science and Technology grant) to train up-and-coming astronomers and engineers while contributing to Canada’s ability to play leading roles in future space astronomy missions.

“Composites are the future. The majority of new materials, whether it’s hot tubs, tractors, airplanes, spacecraft, bicycles, Lamborghinis, will be built out of composites. People are realizing that these advanced manufacturing techniques and products will end up everywhere in society,” says Naylor, whose group runs the leading cryogenic test facility in the country, allowing for the testing of components in extremely cold temperatures.

“We’re the only group that can do this kind of testing,” he says. “We can test material properties at extremely low temperatures, down to .3 Kelvin, which is 10 times lower than the Big Bang, the coldest part of the universe. You wouldn’t think that cryogenics would be at a small university such as ours but we are anomalous and we bring a unique skill set. We’re a solution looking for a problem and I think they’ve got problems we can help solve.”

By joining the CRN, Naylor and the AIG are transitioning to a new level of engagement.

“This is a prestigious group that leads the way in composites research. Our involvement in the CRN allows us access to specific training events and laboratory facilities and puts us in a collaborative position with the country’s key stakeholders,” he says. “To have that industry connection and to be a part of a network working to transition academic research into industrial practice is transformative for our group and our students. It will present them with massive opportunities.”

Fahlman, world renowned astrophysicist, to receive honorary degree

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 May 2015 15:24:18 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Senate is pleased to announce the third of its 2015 Honorary Degree recipients – world leading astrophysicist, researcher and educator
Dr. Gregory Fahlman.

Fahlman is an accomplished scientific researcher, university educator and astronomy facilities manager.

“We are extremely pleased that Dr. Fahlman has accepted our offer of an honorary degree,” says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Chancellor Janice Varzari. “His work as a university educator, scientific researcher and manager of Canada’s foremost astronomy centres has played a major role in keeping our country at the forefront of astronomical discovery.”

The U of L will present Dr. Gregory Fahlman with the degree of Doctor of Science, honouris causa, at the Spring 2015 Convocation Ceremony III on Friday, May 29, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. in the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness.

Dr. Gregory Fahlman

Gregory Gaylord Fahlman is an accomplished scientific researcher, university educator and astronomy facilities manager who has helped maintain Canada’s status as a top astronomy nation.

Since 2003, Fahlman has been a leader at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics, Canada’s top centre for astronomy and astrophysics. First as its director general, and now as general manager of astronomy and astrophysics, he has helped strengthen the NRC’s reputation as a world-class facility for ground- and space-based astronomical observatories.

Fahlman performs cutting-edge research on star clusters, galaxy clusters, white dwarfs and stellar populations. His research has helped shed light on the age of our universe. He has published nearly 130 refereed papers that have been cited some 5,300 times.

For decades, Fahlman taught astronomy and astrophysics at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia. During part of that time, he was also executive director of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.

Fahlman has volunteered for astronomy organizations such as the Gemini Observatory, the Canadian Space Agency and the Association of Canadian Universities for Research in Astronomy. In 2013, he was made a member of the Order of British Columbia.

Naylor honoured for work on Herschel

trevor.kenney — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 21:36:00 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Dr. David Naylor will receive a Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) award for outstanding contribution to astronomy as part of the Herschel-SPIRE Consortium.

Dr. David Naylor was the Canadian lead on the eight-nation team that comprised the Herschel-SPIRE Consortium.

Naylor (physics and astronomy), the Canadian lead on the Herschel-SPIRE Consortium, and his group are being honoured with the Group Achievement Award for achievement by a large consortium in astronomy. The RAS medals and awards for 2014 were announced Jan. 10, 2014 and will be presented at the 2014 National Astronomy Meeting to be held in Portsmouth, England in June 2014.

“Through his work with the SPIRE consortium, Dr. Naylor has played a leadership role on an initiative that will have a lasting impact for decades,” says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Vice-President (Research) Dr. Dan Weeks. “This recognition is well-deserved and is yet another example of the world leading research that happens at the U of L.”

The award represents recognition by the astronomical community of the outstanding success of the SPIRE instrument, which observed the universe at far infrared wavelengths, a few hundred times longer than the wavelengths of visible light. The international team was responsible for the design, construction and delivery of the instrument as part of the instrument suite for the European Space Agency’s Herschel Space Observatory.

SPIRE was co-developed by Naylor and a team of researchers who led Canada’s contribution to the Herschel project on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency.

“We’re delighted to receive see this award from the Royal Astronomical Society. Astronomy is a science driven by advances in technology. Nowhere is this more true than in the technically challenging wavelength range observed by Herschel,” says Naylor. “Having spent well over a decade working on the SPIRE instrument it felt like a member of our family when it was launched, and it is fair to say that it has exceeded all expectations. Some would argue that it is one of the most successful space astronomy projects of all time.”

The Herschel satellite was launched in 2009 and operated very successfully for four years. By virtue of its unparalleled sensitivity and unique capabilities, the results obtained using SPIRE have been felt across a broad swath of astrophysics and in particular in detailed studies of star formation in the local universe and extending out to very distant objects.

“SPIRE has been a truly international endeavour, with 18 institutes in eight countries participating, and countless talented people with wide ranging expertise contributing to building and operating the instrument,” says Professor Matt Griffin, from Cardiff ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, who led the international SPIRE team. “This Group Achievement award for is a fitting tribute to the success of their efforts.”

The Royal Astronomical Society, founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. Its more than 3,500 members include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories, as well as historians of astronomy and others.

The Sky Is Not The Limit

david.kirby — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 20:34:55 +0000

Since blasting off in December 2012, astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield has become a worldwide sensation, harnessing the power of social media to make outer space accessible to millions and infusing a sense of wonder into the collective consciousness not felt since man first walked on the moon.

He was sitting on the back of a neighbour’s couch in Sarnia, Ont., watching Neil Armstrong take those famous first steps on July 20, 1969, when Hadfield decided he was going to be an astronaut when he grew up.

“Me and a million other kids,” says Hadfield, who was born in 1959, making him a child of the classic space age. “I wasn’t quite 10 when they walked on the moon, but it was a seminal moment in my life.”

Having always been interested in the inner workings of the world around him, Hadfield admits he was by nature a curious child. Nevertheless, it’s impossible to deny the impact the Apollo 11 mission had on his young mind.

“If you want to show a young person the wonderful things that can result when you apply the latest in technology, science, engineering and math to make the impossible happen, it’s hard to be more inspiring than that,” recalls Hadfield, who 44 years later, is inspiring a whole new generation of future space travellers.

Hadfield admits he was a curious child by nature, and was inspired by Neil Armstrong in the late 1960s. Photo courtesy of NASA.

Called “the most famous astronaut since Neil Armstrong” by the BBC, today Hadfield is the role model he himself was looking for as a young Canadian with dreams of travelling to space. An elite group, astronauts have a variety of backgrounds and experience. Some have degrees in engineering, physics or medicine, while others come directly from the military. With no Canadian examples to follow, Hadfield made his own way, having to find an entry point into what seemed like an impenetrable world.

“In the beginning, I had no idea how I was going to make it happen,” recalls Hadfield, who eventually decided to pursue a career as a military test pilot because it seemed like a logical first step. He joined the Canadian Armed Forces and earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering before being selected to attend U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California. He did post-graduate work at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Waterloo and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Tennessee before eventually being selected by the Canadian Space Agency as one of four new Canadian astronauts from a field of 5,330 applicants in June 1992.

“It really was an early commitment to my education – education in all its forms – that allowed me to do the things that I’ve done,” says Hadfield, looking back on his success in landing one of these coveted positions. And, while he admits the prospect of gazing down at Earth’s blue marble, conducting extraterrestrial research and perhaps eventually exploring new worlds is only available to a handful of candidates, for Hadfield that’s enough.

“Today, astronaut is a viable career choice as a Canadian,” says Hadfield, acknowledging the irresistible allure the position still holds for thousands of young people. “The odds are very small, but they aren’t zero. It’s a tough road but it’s definitely something that should be on the guidance counsellors’ list of Canadian professions that students can aspire to.”

He sees this as a natural progression of our country’s involvement in the space program.

“Canada’s maturation in this business is really just a straight, linear increase in trust and accomplishment over time,” explains Hadfield, citing examples of the country’s initial involvement, followed by the development of Canadarm, and leading most recently to his role as the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station (ISS). “And with each step forward, we have opened the door a little more and helped remove some of the obstacles I faced when I was trying to get into the program.”

For him, these types of dreams are only made possible if people can see the bigger picture. “We all need to think beyond the horizons of our own street or school or town, so that we can think of ourselves on a larger stage,” says Hadfield, referring back to how watching the first man walk on the moon completely changed his perspective on what was possible.

“One of the things I’ve tried to do throughout my career is show the opportunities that do exist by helping put things on the horizon that people may not have even thought about,” says Hadfield. “The fact is that some little kid in some little town from Canada might walk on the moon one day, but you have to get their attention first.”

And that’s exactly what he did. For more than five months, Hadfield woke the world with a simple tweet: “Good morning, Earth.” And followers did not need to imagine the view from more than 423 km above Earth’s surface – Hadfield shared magnificent photos of our home planet to his nearly one million fans worldwide using social media.

“The space station is a terrific platform for sharing,” says Hadfield, adding that it’s our first permanent outpost and has been occupied since 2000. “Even amongst all the other news and noise of the world, our effort to leave our own planet resonates with people. And, as a result, millions of people around the world stop and pay attention.”

One of the major focusses of Hadfield's mission was to share his experiences with the world, inspiring wonder in millions of followers.

Hadfield has always worked hard to share his experiences in space with the rest of the world, but advances in technology have made that infinitely easier. Harnessing the power of social media to make his experience accessible to millions, his most recent mission was shared in real-time and helped infuse a sense of wonder into the collective consciousness not felt since man first walked on the moon.

“The immediacy granted by social media gave me a stronger voice than I’ve had on previous missions,” says Hadfield, whose moving photos and insightful tweets helped provide a new perspective on our world. “It’s really easy to be selfish if you’ve never been anywhere but home. It’s hard to have any regard for the rest of the world if it’s all just theoretical to you. But if you can see how similar the rest of the world is to how you are and how the actions you take today have impacts globally, it immediately changes your perspective, and as a result, your decision-making. The space station is a wonderful place to share that perspective and therefore to try and help people make better decisions.”

Although Hadfield returned to Earth in May 2013 and recently retired, he continues to bring the glory of space travel and the lessons he learned over a 35-year career to everyone he encounters and, on March 27, 2014, he will share his story with guests at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge 2014 Calgary Alumni & Friends Dinner.

“At any university, including the U of L, there are so many opportunities available,” says Hadfield, who hopes events like the upcoming dinner will help motivate people to get involved. “Too many students go through their whole education without even realizing that those exchange programs, or scholarships, or electives even exist. It’s up to the alumni and friends of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to not only ensure the opportunities are there but to ensure students know about them and take advantage of them.”

For Hadfield, events like this bring things full circle.

“As commander of the space station, it suddenly struck me that a nine-year-old chose my career. And, more importantly, it actually worked out,” says Hadfield with a laugh. “The odds were improbable but they would have been zero if at nine I hadn’t seen the impossible happen and made the choice to pursue it.”

U of L dots honouree list for ASTech awards

trevor.kenney — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 15:53:52 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will be well-represented at the 2013 ASTech Awards Gala later this fall.

Today, the ASTech Foundation announced the 23 honourees of the 2013 ASTech Awards and three are associated with the U of L. Drs. Igor Kovalchuk and David Naylor were both recognized, as was the Canada-Wide Science Fair team.

These highly-respected individuals, companies and teams make up an elite group of leaders who are paving the way for future innovation and technology in 13 ASTech Award categories. The honourees will be recognized for their contributions at the 2013 ASTech Awards Gala on Oct. 25, 2013.

Naylor (physics and astronomy, Board of Governors Research Chair) and a team of researchers led Canada's contribution to the Herschel Space project on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency, developing the Herschel Space Telescope's Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) instrument. They were recently awarded the prestigious 2013 Sir Arthur Clarke Award for academic study and research.

Naylor was nominated in the Outstanding Leadership in Alberta Science award classification.

Kovalchuk (biological sciences, Board of Governors Research Chair) heads the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory on campus, investigating epigenetic and genetic regulation of plant genome stability under normal and stressful conditions. Operating under an Alberta Agriculture Research Institute Grant (2009-2013), the lab's research is aimed at analyzing the mechanisms of plant adaptation to stress, including plant DNA repair mechanisms. His activity in the area of plant transgenesis has afforded him a strategic alliance with API Labs Inc., a Canadian biotech company that seeks to develop a market for a high thebaine poppy industry in Canada.

Kovalchuk was nominated in the Innovation in Agricultural Science award category.

The 52nd Annual Canada-Wide Science Fair was hosted by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, May 11-18, 2013, and welcomed more than 1,100 students, chaperones, judges, sponsors and dignitaries to campus. An unmitigated success, the CWSF energized both southern Alberta and Alberta as a whole as the country's top young scientific minds presented to a distinguished group of adjudicators.

The Canada-Wide Science Fair Host committee was nominated in the Excellence in Science and Technology Public Awareness award category.

The theme of this year's ASTech Awards Gala is "Shaping the Future" and will showcase the significant impact each of the honourees has in the development of innovation in Alberta. Representing a broad range of industries including energy, environment, agriculture and information technology, and covering the entire innovation spectrum from research to development to commercialization, the honourees offer an inspiring breadth of fascinating stories of how they are taking innovation to new levels in their respective fields.

For 24 years, the ASTech Foundation has invited members of industry, educational institutions and government agencies to be nominated for the ASTech Awards and only the top candidates are selected as honourees in each category.

For a look at all the honourees, follow this link, or view an ASTech video about the awards here.

SPIRE earns international award

trevor.kenney — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 22:20:47 +0000

A ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge physics research team and a Lethbridge-based high tech data processing company are among the collective group of people behind the Herschel Space Telescope's Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) instrument, which has been awarded the prestigious 2013 Sir Arthur Clarke Award for academic study and research.

The award is in recognition of the scientific achievements of the SPIRE instrument, which was designed, built and operated by an international team of astronomers, scientists and engineers.

SPIRE was co-developed by Dr. David Naylor (physics and astronomy) and a team of researchers who led Canada's contribution to the Herschel project on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency.

Blue Sky Spectroscopy, a Lethbridge-based, high tech company, is one of the three international Data Processing and Science Analysis Software centres for the SPIRE instrument. The mission, launched on May 14, 2009 from the Ariane Spaceport in French Guyana, almost immediately began to shed new light on stars and galaxies by measuring a level of light called far-infrared.

Over a four-year mission period, Herschel -- the largest, most powerful infrared telescope ever flown in space -- made extraordinary discoveries across a wide range of topics, from starburst galaxies in the distant Universe to newly forming planetary systems orbiting nearby young stars. SPIRE is one of three devices attached to the Herschel telescope system.

"SPIRE detects heat and chemical signals that are not visible by optical telescopes, and turns that data into the amazing images and information we and other scientists are using to learn more about the life and death of stars and galaxies," says Naylor.

In addition to literally 'clearing up' the images people have been using for two centuries to look into space, Naylor said the Herschel mission is confirming the existence of molecules on earth that originated in space.

"With SPIRE we can look at the big picture, or the very tiny picture, and gain a whole new insight into how stars live and die. The reason the imagery is so clear is that the space observatory sits more than 1.5 million km from earth, far from our atmosphere, which absorbs virtually all radiation at which far-infrared wavelengths travel. Since the universe emits most of its energy at these wavelengths, Herschel provides us with our first comprehensive view of the universe."

The data and crisp images come from a device about as big as a large microwave oven that took more than 15 years and $100 million to develop – and has to function at a chilly -270C. Herschel operated until the end of its scientific mission on Apr. 29, 2013.

A multi-year data analysis period is now taking place.

The award was collected on behalf of the team by Tanya Lim, of the UK-based STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

"A lot of people from both science and engineering disciplines have dedicated up to 15 years of their lives of making SPIRE a scientific success," says Lim. "It is wonderful that we can all share in this award and we are very grateful for receiving it."

The UK team is led by Naylor's colleague Matt Griffin, of Cardiff ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Wales.

"Building and operating SPIRE has taken many years of effort by a lot of very talented people in our multi-national team. They are rightly proud of the scientific success of Herschel and SPIRE, and they are delighted to win this award."

The Sir Arthur Clarke awards are presented annually in recognition of notable or outstanding achievements in, or contributions to, all space activities. They are organized by the Arthur C Clarke Foundation and the British Interplanetary Society, and this year were presented during the conference dinner at the UK Space Conference in Glasgow, Scotland.

The full list of 2013 winners are available on the British Interplanetary Society website.

This is the second Sir Arthur Clarke Award for the SPIRE team, with Matt Griffin receiving the award for individual achievement in 2010.

U of L researchers see Herschel mission shut down

trevor.kenney — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:51:25 +0000

Just a few days shy of its four-year anniversary, the Herschel Space Observatory has exhausted its supply of liquid helium coolant, and officially 'closed its eyes' on the universe, April 29.

Researchers around the world, and at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, now have a massive data collection, years of future research projects, and remarkable images that show unique star births sand star formations, galaxies and a host of other dramatic developments in the origins of the universe.

The pioneering space imaging mission logged more than 35,000 observations and generated more than 25,000 hours worth of science data from about 600 observing programmes. A further 2,000 hours of calibration observations will also contribute to the rich dataset.

Herschel (which operated more than 1.5 million km away from earth in deep space) included a scientific instrument co-developed by U of L researcher Dr. David Naylor (physics and astronomy) and his team, who led Canada's contribution to the Herschel project on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency.

The instrument, called the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver ("SPIRE"), is one of three devices attached to the Herschel telescope system. SPIRE measures infrared light and picks up heat and chemical signals that are not visible by optical telescopes -- turning that data into images and information researchers will use to learn more about the life and death of stars and galaxies.

Image samples are available here.

Now that the school-bus sized telescope will cease its active duty, astronomers from 14 countries, including Canada, will devote their full attention to analyzing the prolific telescope's legacy of data.

The five-year, post-operation phase will see the data obtained during the mission used to develop improved calibration algorithms to allow the most information to be extracted. Eventually the data will be reprocessed and placed in an archive.

In addition to dramatically enhancing the level of information about the origins of the universe, the U of L contributions to the Herschel mission saw the creation of numerous and unique student experiences at all levels, and a high-tech spin-off company - Blue Sky Spectroscopy - founded by Naylor in 2003, and now privately owned and operated. Blue Sky is one of the three international Data Processing and Science Analysis Software centres for the SPIRE instrument. Data will continue to be downloaded from the spacecraft and stored on the Blue Sky servers. Its highly qualified staff, all with postgraduate degrees, specialize in custom hardware and software spectroscopic solutions. Customers include NASA, ESA, and CSA, and many leading research institutes such as Harvard, Berkeley, Chicago, Max Planck and Cardiff, NIST, Centre d'Etudes Atomique, Paris, Institute National d'Optique, Canada to name a few.

Additional information about future projects ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers are planning that arise from the Herschel mission can be found at this website.

As well, Naylor and colleague Roy Golsteyn (biological sciences) are collaborating on a way to use the highly-sensitive imaging systems developed for deep space to detect rogue cancer cells.

Herschel Mission Operating Phase Wrapping Up

trevor.kenney — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:54:37 +0000

A pioneering space imaging mission that sent a scientific instrument co-developed by a U of L researcher on a 1.5 million kilometre trip to deep space aboard the Herschel Space Observatory might be nearing its conclusion, but that doesn't mean the end of the project for the research team.

Dr. David Naylor (Physics and Astronomy) and his team of researchers lead Canada's contribution to the Herschel project on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency.

The instrument, called the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver ("SPIRE"), is one of three devices attached to the Herschel telescope system.

http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/satellites/herschel/default.asp

The helium-filled 'gas tank' cooling Herschel's equipment is expected to run dry over the next few weeks – an expected process.

As the coolant diminishes, equipment will stop working, but data transmission will continue until the bus-sized telescope parks itself in a permanent orbit around the sun.

What follows is a five-year post operation phase, where the data obtained during the mission are used to develop improved calibration algorithms to allow the most information to be extracted from the images. Eventually the data will be reprocessed and placed in an archive that will have legacy value.

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Herschel_to_finish_observing_soon

The mission, launched on May 14, 2009 from the Ariane Spaceport in French Guyana, almost immediately began to shed new light on stars and galaxies by measuring a level of light called far-infrared.

Infrared light is invisible to the human eye, but travels well across the universe. Star forming regions emit light at these wavelengths and Herschel can detect it, capturing a wealth of detail such as heat signatures and chemical composition that help astronomers clearly see, for the first time, stars and whole galaxies that have previously remained hidden or only poorly understood.

"SPIRE picks up heat and chemical signals that are not visible by optical telescopes, and turns that data into the amazing images and information we and other scientists are using to learn more about the life and death of stars and galaxies," Naylor said.

In addition to literally 'clearing up' the images people have been using for two centuries to look into space, Naylor said the Herschel mission is confirming the existence of molecules on earth that originated in space.

"With SPIRE we can look at the big picture, or the very tiny picture, and gain a whole new insight into how stars live and die. The reason the imagery is so clear is that the space observatory sits more than 1.5 million km from earth, far from our atmosphere which absorbs virtually all radiation at which far-infrared wavelengths. Since the universe emits most of its energy at these wavelengths, Herschel provides us with our first comprehensive view of the universe."

The data and crisp images come from a device about as big as a large microwave oven that took more than 15 years and $100 million to develop – and has to function at a chilly -270C.

Also gratifying are the unique research collaborations that Naylor sees happening in the future. "Approximately one-third of the time available to researchers is guaranteed to those involved in key projects, and our time is included in that. We see the data here in Lethbridge before anyone else does. Scientists will be seeking our help in analyzing their data and the U of L group will be an important Canadian and international resource."

With an estimated output of up to 7,000 hours per year of data, there should be enough information to keep researchers busy for years – and some of that data flows through Blue Sky Spectroscopy, a Lethbridge-based, high tech spinoff company founded by Naylor in 2003, and now privately owned and operated.

Blue Sky is one of the three international Data Processing and Science Analysis Software centres for the SPIRE instrument. Data are downloaded daily from the spacecraft and stored on the Blue Sky servers.

Its highly qualified staff, all with postgraduate degrees, specialize in custom hardware and software spectroscopic solutions. Customers include NASA, ESA, and CSA, and many leading research institutes such as Harvard, Berkeley, Chicago, Max Planck and Cardiff, NIST, Centre d'Etudes Atomique, Paris, Institute National d'Optique, Canada to name a few.

What's next?

According to Naylor, more research that refines his current SPIRE device to make it suitable for yet another space mission currently under review by the Japanese, European and Canadian Space Agencies.

The project – SPICA, which stands for Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics – is a next-generation version of the SPIRE device, and would perform a similar function on a space telescope planned to launch in 2022.

Learn more about the SPICA project, here: http://research.uleth.ca/spica/index.php

Naylor said Herschel has been an overwhelming success, but its sensitivity is limited by its 'warm' telescope. "At a temperature of -80K (-193C) this may sound cold, but it limits the achievable sensitivity. By cooling a telescope to -6K (-267C) would increase the sensitivity by an astonishing factor of 100, allowing it to explore a volume of space 1000x greater than Herschel".

Building on the success of Herschel, the Japanese Space Agency JAXA is developing such a cooled telescope. ESA has joined forces with JAXA; in return for ESA providing the telescope and a ground station, European scientists will build one of the flight instruments.

Based on the Herschel experience, an imaging FTS similar to the ones Naylor's group has been building for over two decades has been selected and Naylor has been invited to join the international team that will build the instrument known as SAFARI.

The instrument is similar to one that the U of L team has recently commissioned on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, the world's largest submillimetre telescope located atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/JCMT/

The space-based project, SPICA – which stands for Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics – is a next-generation version of the SPIRE device, and would perform a similar function on a space telescope planned to launch in 2022.

In Alberta, a recent and significant collaboration has also been launched with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, where the U of L and the U of C and Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ have formed the Institute for Space Imaging Science (ISIS) to work together on projects that take space research further than Herschel technology, whether on the ground or in the atmosphere.

"By nature, physics researchers don't get too excited, but to see these images and know that we're looking at them in a whole new way, and further that we'll be able to share this information with the public so they can learn about the origins of the universe, is truly exciting," Naylor said.

He estimates that more than 200 papers have already been produced using data from the Herschel mission, and approximately half of those have Canadian co-authors.

The geographical distribution of SPIRE science within Canada is broad with authors affiliated with the following universities/institutions: UBC, Calgary, CFHT, HIA/UVic, Laval, Lethbridge, McMaster, Toronto, Waterloo. As well, a large group of researchers, including more than 30 post docs, undergrad and grad students have conducted research using SPIRE data.

An example of the type of imaging and discoveries made possible by the Herschel Space Observatory can be found here:

Comet 'Demolition Derby' Creates New Information About Solar System Origin

Compelling new images from the Herschel Space Telescope – parked more than 1.5 million kilometres from earth and facing into deep space -- are showing researchers what the formation of our solar system must have looked like at its early stages: a violent, comet-laden disk of debris where thousands of 1 km wide chunks of ice collide and spin around a young star.

http://oshi.esa.int/#list=/images.html?q=pillars;detail=image.html?id=89

The images are made possible in part by technology created by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers, and designed and built by an international consortium of space agencies, universities and research institutes.

http://www.uleth.ca/notice/display.html?b=300&s=17611

Herschel mission coming to close

trevor.kenney — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:22:44 +0000

A pioneering space imaging mission that sent a U of L Physics research device on a 1.5 million kilometre trip into deep space aboard the Herschel Space Observatory might be nearing its conclusion, but that doesn't mean the end of the project for the research team.

Dr. David Naylor (Physics and Astronomy) and his team of researchers lead one of Canada's contributions to the European Space Agency (ESA) Herschel mission on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency. The instrument, called the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver ("SPIRE"), is one of three scientific instruments attached to the Herschel telescope system.

The helium-filled 'gas tank' cooling Herschel's equipment is expected to run dry over the next few weeks – a planned process. As the coolant diminishes, equipment will stop working but data transmissions will continue until the school bus-sized telescope parks itself in a permanent orbit around the sun.

The mission, launched into space on May 14, 2009 from the Ariane Spaceport in French Guiana, very quickly began to shed new light on stars and galaxies by measuring a level of light called far-infrared. Infrared light is invisible to the human eye, but travels well across the universe.

Star-forming regions emit light at these wavelengths and Herschel can detect it, capturing a wealth of detail such as heat signatures and chemical composition that help astronomers clearly see, for the first time, stars and whole galaxies that have previously remained hidden or only poorly understood.

"SPIRE picks up heat and chemical signals that are not visible by optical telescopes, and turns that data into the amazing images and information we and other scientists are using to learn more about the life and death of stars and galaxies," Naylor said.

In addition to literally 'clearing up' the images people have been using for two centuries to look into space, Naylor said the Herschel mission is confirming the existence of molecules on earth that originated in space.

"With SPIRE we can look at the big picture, or the very tiny picture, and gain a whole new insight into how stars live and die. The reason the imagery is so clear is that the space observatory sits more than 1.5 million km from earth, far from our atmosphere and other types of optical distractions that interfere with gaining good data which can be turned into images."

To view some of the images brought back to earth from Herschel, please visit this European Space Agency website.

The precious data and crisp images come from a device about as big as a large microwave oven that took more than 15 years and $100 million to develop – and has to function at a chilly –270C.

"Approximately one-third of the time available to researchers is guaranteed to those involved in key projects, and our time is included in that. We see the data here in Lethbridge before anyone else does. Scientists are seeking our help in analyzing their data and the U of L group is an important Canadian and international resource."

With an estimated output of up to 7,000 hours per year of data, there should be enough information to keep researchers busy for years – and some of that data flows through Blue Sky Spectroscopy, a Lethbridge-based, high tech spinoff company founded by Naylor in 2003, and now privately owned and operated.

Blue Sky is one of the three international Data Processing and Science Analysis Software centres for the SPIRE instrument. Data are downloaded daily from the spacecraft and stored on the Blue Sky servers.

The Blue Sky team is planning to continue to improve data processing software and calibration of the SPIRE instrument through the three years of the post-operational phase, starting once Herschel has run out of Helium.

Its highly qualified staff, all with postgraduate degrees, specialize in custom hardware and software spectroscopic solutions. Customers include NASA, ESA, and CSA, and many leading research institutes such as Harvard, Berkeley, Chicago, Max Planck and Cardiff to name a few.

What's next?

According to Naylor, more research that refines his current SPIRE device to make it suitable for yet another space mission which is currently under review by the Japanese, European and Canadian Space Agencies. The project – SPICA, which stands for Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics – is a next-generation version of the SPIRE device, and would perform a similar function on a space telescope planned to launch in 2022.

In Alberta, a recent and significant collaboration has also been launched with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, where the U of L and the U of C and Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ have formed the Institute for Space Imaging Science (ISIS) to work together on projects that take space research further than Herschel technology, whether on the ground or in the atmosphere.

"By nature, physics researchers don't get too excited, but to see these images and know that we're looking at them in a whole new way, and further that we'll be able to share this information with the public so they can learn about the origins of the universe, is truly exciting," Naylor said.

He estimates that more than 200 papers have already been produced using data from the Herschel mission, and approximately half of those have some type of Canadian connection.

Open Mike - May 2012, Taking advantage of new channels

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:20:13 +0000

There are many ways to tell the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge story and to get that message beyond our borders – the last week being a perfect example.

A YouTube video produced by new media student Matthew Lunde has gone viral, giving the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ new media program unprecedented exposure in markets it likely never would have entered through traditional means. The video (Stormtrooper Shuffle) is a parody of Star Wars' evil Stormtroopers dancing to the popular LMFAO hit Party Rock Anthem.

Lunde is one of the program's top students and among the latest to earn an internship with the Canadian Space Agency. The Stormtrooper Shuffle was not a class-related project, nor is it intended as an endorsement of the U of L, but the fact that it has racked up more than 100,000 views means it is reaching people and garnering the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the new media program specifically, a lot of attention.

Exploring new channels to get the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's message out to a worldwide audience is something we can learn from our students.

We often talk about the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as a destination university, with a strong majority of our students coming from outside of southern Alberta. We are focused on continuing to grow our reputation throughout the country and around the globe and this video tells me that there is much to be learned from our students.

While it is important to continue to foster relationships through face-to-face methods, this quirky, funny video has shown that our story can be told in a variety of ways and our students are at the forefront of these unique methodologies. And at the end of the day, a student testimonial, or in this case, a showcase of skills learned while studying at the U of L, carries more weight than any advertising material.

Having said that, furthering the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's interests internationally using personal relationship building continues to be very important. Last month I spoke about the work we did in Mexico City, Beijing and Hong Kong, exploring our historic connections with these areas and opening doors for the possibility of future collaborations.

Recently, I visited Brazil as part of a group that includes 30 Canadian university presidents. The goal of the excursion, led by Governor General David Johnston, is to showcase Canadian university opportunities and to strengthen relationships with Brazil, a country identified as a rapidly growing economic powerhouse.

Intriguing to me are the many similarities that exist between Brazil and Alberta, and the commitment by the Brazilian government to expand its academic and research capacity. This is a country that has established a Science Without Borders program, creating over 70,000 scholarships for students to travel and learn outside of Brazil.

With an economy rich in oil and gas reserves that is also working hard to find answers to environmental questions, a commitment to developing aerospace technology, health-sciences, food security and agriculture related issues, and interests around water and the environment, I see the potential of developing a number of connections between Brazil and the work we do here at the
U of L.

It is an exciting time in that the world really is at our doorstep and it is important we continue to reach out and develop relationships that will further internationalize our university.

This story first appeared in the May issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - Canadian Space Agency

New links to industry and innovation realized as U of L joins Composites Research Network

Related Content

Learning to design gadgets for outer space opens doors to other fields

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge receives grant to help train the next generation of space scientists and engineers

Related Topics

Fahlman, world renowned astrophysicist, to receive honorary degree

Related Topics

Naylor honoured for work on Herschel

Related Topics

The Sky Is Not The Limit

Related Topics

U of L dots honouree list for ASTech awards

Related Topics

SPIRE earns international award

Related Topics

U of L researchers see Herschel mission shut down

Related Topics

Herschel Mission Operating Phase Wrapping Up

Related Topics

Herschel mission coming to close

Related Topics

Open Mike - May 2012, Taking advantage of new channels

Related Topics

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge receives grant to help train the next generation of space scientists and engineers