Explore our high-profile work through media engagement, as well as opportunities to study and work with us in Materials Physics
By: Alice Ingall
Last updated: Thursday, 21 March 2024
Photo by NASA from Unsplash
University of Sussex researchers secure significant grant to become UK lead on NASA research project
Sussex research team selected by UK Space Agency as part of £7 million investment in UK space research
Funding win comes as another Sussex research group works with NASA on mission to search for water on one of Jupiter’s moons
The University of Sussex is aiming for the stars once again as Sussex scientists secure a major grant to lead a UK research effort for a NASA space mission.
With £1.1 million funding from the UK Space Agency, the Sussex led research team will be working on developments for a potential probe mission to investigate the formation of planetary systems and the evolution of galaxies.
The funding is part of a £7.4 million investment in UK space research from the UK Space Agency to enable UK scientists and engineers to play a role in major global space science missions in partnership with other space agencies around the world. The Sussex researchers will be leading a coalition of research teams from the University of Cardiff, Imperial College London and Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, to develop optics, filters and data pipelines for NASA.
The UK institutions that were selected by the UK Space Agency to receive this fundingneeded to demonstrate scientific excellence in critical areas of space science and exploration technology, and opportunities to work closely with international counterparts.
Professor Seb Oliver, Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor of Research and Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Sussex, who is leading the UK effort, says: “I am delighted that the UK Space Agency has given us this opportunity to secure a significant UK role in a NASA space mission. The UK has an amazing track record in developing new space technology and providing data analysis that allows astronomers to see processes in galaxies, stars and planetary systems that would otherwise be hidden to conventional optical telescopes. My UK colleagues and I are very excited to start work with our US partners on developing exceptional space mission concepts.”
Andrew Griffith MP, Minister for Space at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, said: “From exploring water on Mars and the possibility of sustained human activity on the red planet, to how galaxies evolved over time, our more than £7 million investment is pushing the boundaries of space discovery and putting the UK at the heart of some of the most important global space missions.
“With top UK universities such as Sussex leading these groundbreaking endeavours, our country is at the heart of exploring beyond our planet, working with partners in Japan, India, North America and around the world, and growing our economies.”
News of the funding win comes as researchers from the University of Sussex’s Materials Physics group complete work on the development of panels for a bespoke testing room for NASA’s Clipper mission. The spacecraft will fly to Jupiter’s moon, Europa to test for liquid water under its exterior ice crust.
Professor of Experimental Physics, Alan Dalton who leads the Materials Physics group at the University of Sussex said: “The panels we built for NASA’s testing chamber for the Europa Clipper’s antenna are lightweight, portable, easily assembled and effective. We developed the technology here at the University of Sussex working with our main partner and funder, Advanced Material Development, who are based at the Sussex Innovation Centre. It’s very exciting to see how our speciality nanomaterial technology is being used to support projects that are, literally, out of this world.”
These NASA research projects are the latest additions to a growing specialism in space science at the University of Sussex.Sussex academics are playing pivotal roles in the James Webb Space Telescope data analysis; are pushing boundaries in our understanding of black holes; and are sharing expertise with the media and public on the cosmic mysteries of our night skies. Sussex astrophysics alumna Rosemary Coogan is also set to become the UK’s third astronaut, following her selection by the European Space Agency as an astronaut trainee in 2022.
Our work on nanosheet-stabilised emulsions demonstrates that 2D materials (including graphene and molybdenum disulfide) confer emulsion stability and network conductivity at volume fractions as low as 10⁻⁵. Emulsions can be deposited as inks for functional thin films which preserve droplet structure and eliminate the notorious coffee ring effect, highlighting the potential for printed single-droplet devices.
This work has been made open access, which you can read here: Nanosheet-Stabilized Emulsions: Near-Minimum Loading and Surface Energy Design of Conductive Networks
Did you know that nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in Brighton are among the highest in the UK? NO2 is an air pollutant that originates from combustion engines and industrial processes. Long-term exposure to NO2 can cause respiratory issues, which can be particularly severe and even life-threatening for babies and asthma sufferers. We have developed a laser deposited carbon aerogel gas sensor with exceptional selectivity towards NO2.
Watch the BBC South East news report below or read more about our research here: Sussex scientists develop air quality sensor that could save the lives of babies and asthma sufferers.
Using a combination of graphene and silver nanowires we have developed an optically transparent, flexible touchscreen technology, eliminating the need for glass smartphone screens. Current touchscreen technology requires rare-earth alloys which are extracted by mining, making them unsustainable and expensive. This graphene technology would significantly reduce the cost of smartphone screens while improving their durability and flexibility.
Watch the BBC South East news report below or read more about this technology here: Sussex physicists have breakthrough on brittle smartphone screens
We have developed highly sensitive breathing monitors out of a simple mixture of oil, water and graphene. These are a cheap, non-intrusive alternative to the current technology, with potential to alert parents of any change to their child’s breathing via their smartphone, potentially preventing seizures and cot death, which sadly affect hundreds of families each year.
Watch the BBC South East news report below or read more about this life-saving technology here: Potentially life-saving ‘health monitor’ technology designed by University of Sussex physicists
To usher in the next industrial revolution based on nanotechnologies, there’s a high demand for nanoscientists. As a graduate, you’ll be ready for industry roles in fields such as:
You’ll also be well equipped to take a research degree in physics, chemistry, biology or engineering.