SPICA - SAFARI
SPICA is the next-generation infrared astronomy mission, lead by JAXA (Japan) with ESA to assume a partner role and taking responsibility for the SPICA telescope assembly, a European ground segment, SAFARI instrument systems engineering and management. With its cold (<6K), large (3m-class) mirror, SPICA will be achieving a superb sensitivity at the spatial resolution of Herschel.
SPICA was proposed as an M-class candidate mission for the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 programme in response to the Call for Proposals issued by ESA in March 2007. In October 2007 it was selected for further assessment and consideration.
SAFARI (SpicA FAR-infrared Instrument) is one of the three instruments planned for the SPICA payload. SAFARI is the FIR imaging spectrometer (30 - 210 μm, spectral resolution of 10 to 10000), next to two mid-infrared instruments, namely the MIR coronograph (3.5/5 - 27 μm) and the MIR camera/spectrometer (5 - 38 μm).
The Institute of Astronomy at KU Leuven is co-ordinating the Belgian contributions to the SAFARI instrument development, leading the calibration team of the instrument and developing ground support software for the testing of the instrument prior to launch.
People involved
Bart Vandenbussche, Rik Huygen, Pierre Royer, Christoffel Waelkens
