Mullard Space Science Laboratory (MSSL) was honoured this week to receive 
a visit from the Mayor of Guildford, Cllr Keith Taylor. During the Mayor's 
year in office he has been leading a technology initiative, 
choosing youth and technology as his mayoral theme.

The Mayor's interest in MSSL was sparked on a visit to MSSL's annual 
science fesitval which is held during National Science Week in March. He 
was so 
impressed by the space research and by the way the 
scientists were able to communicate complicated ideas to schools and the 
general public that he requested a visit to the laboratory to learn more.

Set in the beautiful Surrey Hills, MSSL is home to 150 space scientists 
who design, build and test space instrumentation as well as conducting 
research into areas including black holes, the planets and our Sun. It 
provides a valuable resource to the local community in communicating 
science, as well as being a world leader in space research.

The visit was hosted by former Director of MSSL, Professor Len Culhane. The Mayor was introduced to the history of the laboratory, 
the scientific workshops and the cryogenic labs where scientists build 
detectors whch operate at temperatures lower than -273 degrees C.