Space ’time machine’ takes first glimpse into the past

Space 'time machine' takes first glimpse into the past. First images from the Planck space observatory %0A " - By Danielle Reeves - Thursday 17 September 2009 The Planck space observatory, the European Space Agency's mission to study the early Universe, has successfully completed its initial test survey of the sky, it was announced today. The test confirms that Planck's sophisticated cooling system and scientific instruments, which Imperial College London physicists played a key role in developing, are working well. Following the successful survey, Planck has now embarked on its 15 month mission to map the structure of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation (CMB) - the relic radiation from the Big Bang. Researchers from the astrophysics group in Imperial's Department of Physics have been involved in the Planck mission since it was first planned over 10 years ago. In particular, the Imperial team has been closely involved with developing software and systems for the high frequency data collection instrument on the observatory. Over the course of the next 15 months, as the mission progresses, Imperial physicists will be responsible for determining determining the precise pointing of Planck's detectors, and for ensuring the 'sharpness' of its vision.