About This Event

A fascinating talk by Dr James Mortimer from the Open University How do scientists design instruments that can travel millions of miles through space and still make incredibly precise measurements when they arrive? Dr James Mortimer from the Open University takes us behind the scenes of planetary science and space exploration, looking at the challenges of designing scientific instruments for spacecraft and probes exploring other worlds. The talk will include work on European Space Agency (ESA) projects studying volatile elements such as hydrogen, carbon, neon, helium and argon on the surfaces of airless planetary bodies. It will also explore the fascinating Phobos Sample Return mission, investigating how a spacecraft landing on Phobos, one of the moons of Mars, could potentially contaminate its surface through its own thruster plumes. A fascinating insight into the science, technology and engineering behind space probes, planetary exploration and future missions to Mars and its moons — and the extraordinary care needed to make sure that what scientists discover really was there before the spacecraft arrived!

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