Space Instrumentation at The Open University

We develop the cutting-edge technology that underpins space science - designing, building, and testing instruments that help answer some of the biggest questions in astronomy, planetary science, and Earth observation.

From the depths of deep space to the surfaces of planets, our work supports national and international space missions through innovation, collaboration, and hands-on engineering. We combine fundamental research with real-world impact, working closely with space agencies, industry, and academic partners across the globe.

Image credit: ESA/Roscosmos/CaSSIS/Uni Bern

Our research falls broadly into three categories across interdisciplinary themes:

Advanced Space Imaging: The Centre for Electronic Imaging
Contact:  Dr. David Hall

With over 20-years of collaboration with Teledyne e2v, the Centre for Electronic Imaging develops cutting-edge detectors and imaging technologies for missions like Gaia, Euclid, and Nancy Grace Roman, focusing on novel pixel design, radiation damage modelling and detector optimisation for harsh space environments.

Specialising in Charge Coupled Devices (CCD) and Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductors (CMOS) we design, model, test and deliver the “eyes” for astronomers and planetary scientists to observe the wonders of our universe.

Atmospheric research and space exploration
Contact:  Prof. Manish Patel

Specializing in remote sensing and in situ instrumentation for planetary missions, exploring the atmospheres and surfaces of Solar System bodies to understand their present-day conditions and investigate how they have evolved over time. Current in-flight activities include co-lead for the NOMAD instrument on the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter for Mars the CaSSIS imager and ACS spectrometer also on the same mission, as well as the JANUS camera on the JUICE mission to Jupiter and its icy moons.  We have active involvements in a variety of upcoming missions, including the EnVision mission to Venus and future high-resolution imaging for Mars.

Analytical Instrumentation and Lunar Exploration
Contact:  Dr. Simeon Barber and Dr. Simon Sheridan

Our teams in analytical instrumentation develop miniature mass spectrometers to fly on space missions such as Rosetta and PROSPECT to measure the chemical and isotopic composition of volatiles. As well as space missions, the group is actively involved with projects back on Earth making use of technology developed and expertise gained through space research.

We have also had significant involvement in the investigation of habitats for space exploration.  By combining the fields of the Built Environment, Manufacturing, Materials, Space Engineering, and Planetary Sciences, we have investigated the use of lunar soil (or regolith) as a building material for 3D-printed lunar habitats and developing the techniques and instrumentation to enable these extra-terrestrial construction processes.