Low Frequency Science and Technology Symposium

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At the August 14-15 Space-based Ultimate Low Frequency Radio Astronomy Symposium at the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO), scientists from China and Europe discussed future satellite missions aimed at radio astronomy at frequencies below the Earth's ionospheric cut-off. Two- and three dimensional constellations of up to 12 satellites, in Moon orbit and at the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrangian point, were discussed both from scientific and technology perspectives. Such missions would open up the last, virtually unexplored, frequency range.

Vivid discussions helped clarify the properties of the concepts, and the range of science cases which can be supported by a distributed set of micro and nano-satellites. As many scientists at the workshop also attended the URSI in Beijing in the following week, most of them took the opportunity to visit the Chinese National Space Science Centre (NSSC) on August 20th, to continue discussing science and mission details.

The SHAO workshop and the NSSC meeting also served as preparation for presenting a radio mission concept at the upcoming ESA-CAS September 23-24 Copenhagen meeting. The latter is aimed at planning for a joint scientific space mission, and is initiated by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). A call is expected by the end of this year, mission selection by the end of 2015, and launch is aimed at 2021.

The picture shows participants at the Low Frequency Science and Technology Symposium in SHAO Shanghai.