Finnish technology will help scientists study the birth of the universe

The European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing to launch two scientific satellites, Planck and Herschel, in May. The satellites will help scientists to investigate the structure of the universe and the formation of stars and galaxies. Finnish enterprises and scientists have made a significant contribution to the development of the satellites.

Planck and Herschel will be launched in tandem from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Finland has delivered high-technology scientific instruments and satellite technology for both missions.

"Finland’s involvement in the Planck project is one of the largest contributions we have made to space projects. It has required cutting-edge expertise from the companies and research teams involved," says Technology Director Kimmo Kanto from Tekes.

Planck listens to cosmic microwave background radiation from the very dawn of time

The Planck satellite will study the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation which holds clues to how the galaxies, stars and planets started to form 14 billion years ago. Planck will also be used to study other sources of radio-frequency radiation, such as galaxies and star-forming regions in the Milky Way.

Scientists at the Observatory and Department of Physics at the University of Helsinki, the Helsinki Institute of Physics, the Metsähovi Radio Observatory at the Helsinki University of Technology and the Tuorla observatory in Turku will be able to use the data obtained from Planck in their research. Their input has been vital in both the design of the Planck satellite and the implementation of its scientific programme.

The world’s most sensitive radio technology delivered by the Finnish team

Planck carries some of the most sensitive radio technology ever developed. The 70 GHz radio receiver was developed and built in Finland. The project was coordinated by MilliLab, the joint laboratory of VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and the Helsinki University of Technology (TKK), and the receiver was built by DA-Design Oy.

”The work was very demanding in nature, which gave us the opportunity to develop valuable expertise that we can also use for other applications”, says Jussi Tuovinen, Research Director at VTT. Tuovinen was responsible for the component construction for the Finnish Planck project. The technology developed in the project is available for use in, for example, security checks or detecting vehicles through fog. It is also suitable for high-precision cloud radar and future telecommunications applications.

Herschel’s principal mirror was polished in Piikkiö

A space observatory that operates in the long-wavelength infrared spectrum, Herschel will allow scientists to study the mechanisms of star formation. The primary mirror of the space observatory was polished by the Finnish company Opteon Oy. The mirror is the largest and technically most demanding silicon carbide mirror ever constructed for a space mission.

The Central Data Management Unit Application Software for the Herschel and Planck missions, which directs the satellites’ functions such as fault repair and thermal control, was developed by Space Systems Finland. Herschel's Cryostat Control Unit, which maintains the temperature of the focal plane of the scientific instruments at as close to absolute zero as possible, was designed and constructed by Patria.

The Finnish involvement in the development of the scientific instruments and technology deliveries totals some 14.5 million euro. Tekes coordinates and finances Finland’s participation in ESA programmes. The Academy of Finland has provided funding worth over 2.5 million euro for research by Finnish scientists related to Herschel and Planck.