New research grant for X-ray observatory to examine the Universe
OU researchers have been awarded £979,000 from the UK Space Agency to develop an X-ray observatory to get clearer images of the Universe.
The grant will allow the OU team led by Dr David Hall, Senior Lecturer in Physical Sciences, to continue their research into the European Space Agency Advanced Telescope for High-Energy Astrophysics (ATHENA), a large-scale mission to develop the next generation of X-ray observatory, which is due for launch in 2032.
The grant will run from April 2019 to March 2022 and address questions like:
- How does ordinary matter assemble into the large-scale structures we see today?
- How do black holes grow and shape the Universe?
“The funding will allow us to continue to develop the graded-Z radiation shielding for the Athena Wide Field Imager, contributing to the reduction in radiation background so that the instrument can achieve its science goals when subjected to the radiation environment in orbit,” said Dr Hall.
The OU team collaborated with Scherrer Institute, Switzerland on this project.
Contact our news team
For all out of hours enquiries, please telephone +44 (0)7901 515891
Contact detailsNews & articles
OU research to help transform understanding of football crowd dynamics
As the world turns its attention to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a major new Open University research project has secured £201,665 from the Swiss National Science Foundation to examine how football crowds, police forces and stadium authorities interact during high-profile matches and how these interactions can be managed more safely and effectively across Europe.
Explore
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Policy
-
Follow us on Social media
-
