Welcome to the projects page of the CCD Group.
MSSL's CCD research group is involved in space missions using CCD detectors in various science fields and wavelength ranges. Scientific applications range from astrophysics (looking for the optical signatures of violent events in distant galaxies) to solar physics (investigating the complex processes of solar flares and the sun's million degree corona). The range of wavelengths is from the visible spectrum through the ultra violet to x-ray energies.
This table shows a list of the projects that the MSSL CCD group is currently involved in:
| Mission |
Launch date |
Mission overview |
MSSL's CCD group role |
GAIA |
December 2011 |
 Image courtesy ESA |
Investigations into the use of L3CCDs for the GAIA-RVS instrument. |
Eddington |
Cancelled |
 Image courtesy ESA |
Eddington demo FPA |
Solar-B (Hinode)
(EIS) |
Successfully launched!
22 September 2006 (22:36 BST)
|
 |
Procurement, characterisation and selection of the CCDs for the EIS camera. MSSL is the main lead for the EIS instrument and has developed the camera system.
Solar-B EIS/MSSL CCD page |
Solar-B
(Hinode)
(SOT-FPP) |
Successfully launched!
22 September 2006 (22:36 BST) |
 |
Procurement (on behalf of Lockheed Martin - LMSAL) and characterisation of the CCDs for the FPP part of the SOT instrument.
Solar-B SOT-FPP/MSSL CCD page |
MOSES |
Successfully launched
8 February 2006 |
MOSES - Montana State University
|
Procurement (on behalf of Montana State University ) and characterisation of the CCD imaging detectors. MSSL has provided the camera system. |
GOES-N
(SXI) |
Successfully launched
24 May 2006 (22:11 GMT) |
 Image courtesy NASA |
Procurement (on behalf of Lockheed Martin - LMSAL) and characterisation of the CCDs for the SXI instruments on board the GOES-N satellite.
Link to MSSL/SXI web page |
GOES-O
(SXI) |
April 2007 |
 Image courtesy NASA |
Procurement (on behalf of Lockheed Martin - LMSAL) and characterisation of the CCDs for the SXI instruments on board the GOES-O satellite. |
SWIFT
(UVOT) |
Successfully launched
20 November 2004 |
 |
Development of the SWIFT UVOT detector system.
The UVOT was designed, built and is currently supported on-orbit by a team at MSSL. |
PPARC
PIPSS
CCD project |
Research concluded and report submitted August 2003 |
PPARC
MSSL PIPSS project page |
MSSL was awarded a PPARC PIPSS grant with e2v technologies as the industrial partner. The aim of MSSL's research was to investigate various methods of determining the spatial resolution, and use the chosen method to measure the resolution of several CCDs. |
Mars Express
(Beagle 2 Lander) |
Mars Express successfully launched 2 June 2003
Beagle 2 Lander failed to reach Mars |
 |
MSSL led the Beagle 2 Stereo Camera System (SCS) and was responsible for the manufacture and integration of the filters and associated structure.
Link to MSSL/Beagle 2 SCS web page |
INTEGRAL |
Successfully launched 17 October 2002 |
 Image courtersy ESA |
Link to MSSL/INTEGRAL-OMC web page
The CCD and readout electronics for the OMC instrument on Integral - link to Scientific paper |
XMM (OM) |
Successfully launched December 1999 |
 |
Development of the XMM-OM detector system.
The XMM-OM was designed, built and is currently supported on-orbit by a team at MSSL. |
XMM (RGS) |
Successfully launched December 1999 |
 |
Development of software for XMM-RGS, which involved investigations into the CCD camera system. |
