Miniature Spacecraft Mission: New Satellite Design Aims to Study the Early Cosmos
Scientists have proposed a novel small-satellite mission that would offer an uncommon way to study one of the least-understood eras of our cosmic history: the very early universe immediately after the Big Bang.
Dubbed CosmoCube, this mission involves placing a compact satellite into orbit around the Moon and using its far side as a shield from terrestrial radio noise. The main purpose of this satellite is to detect the very faint radio signals emitted by neutral hydrogen during the very early stages of cosmic evolution.
The importance of the mission lies in the fact that there is very little information available to the scientists about what happened between the first atom formation and appearance of the very first stars and galaxies.
What Is the CosmoCube Mission?
CosmoCube is a proposed UK-based lunar orbiting spacecraft aimed at conducting research on the early universe using the methods of radio astronomy. In spite of its impressive scientific scope, the spacecraft itself is going to be approximately suitcase sized.
The mission will include the installation of a sophisticated device called radiometer. Unlike ordinary space telescopes, which capture photographs of galaxies millions of light years away, it will be aimed at detecting the weak radio emissions produced by hydrogen from the early universe.
It is assumed that the spacecraft will function during two years after its deployment. At present, the spacecraft is expected to be launched in about five years’ time, but this is just the plan. The development of the spacecraft has been funded by the UK Space Agency to the amount of over £2 million, whereas its total cost is going to be less than £50 million.
Why Does the Early Universe Matter?
The universe used to be totally different in its earlier stages. The universe was cooling down after the Big Bang, forming neutral hydrogen. During some time, the universe was dark until the formation of the first stars and galaxies that started emitting light and altering their environment.
It is known as the period of cosmic dark ages and cosmic dawn.
It would be interesting for scientists to know how the process took place. At which stage were the first stars formed? When did the first galaxies come to life? How did the emission of energy alter their environment? What was the contribution of dark matter into the formation of the first structures?
The answer will help us better comprehend how the present-day universe was created.
The 21cm Signal Could Act Like a Cosmic Time Capsule
The universe used to be totally different in its earlier stages. The universe was cooling down after the Big Bang, forming neutral hydrogen. During some time, the universe was dark until the formation of the first stars and galaxies that started emitting light and altering their environment.
It is known as the period of cosmic dark ages and cosmic dawn.
It would be interesting for scientists to know how the process took place. At which stage were the first stars formed? When did the first galaxies come to life? How did the emission of energy alter their environment? What was the contribution of dark matter into the formation of the first structures?
The answer will help us better comprehend how the present-day universe was created.
Why Go to the Far Side of the Moon?
What is unique about this mission is its place.
There are many radio signals around the Earth, which were created by humans. Such radio signals may hinder the reception of very weak signals that scientists try to receive.
Another problem comes from the ionosphere of the Earth because it can affect low-frequency radio observations.
But what is the most attractive feature of the Moon’s far side? It is the natural shielding of the radio noise emitted from the Earth.
So, when the spacecraft goes behind the Moon from the Earth’s point of view, the Moon will act as a shield blocking many radio noises.
This is why the Moon’s far side looks like a good place to listen to “whispers” of the early Universe.
What Could Scientists Discover?
However, if CosmoCube can successfully detect and study the 21-cm signal, it will provide new insights into the universe at the time of the birth of the first luminous objects.
For example, scientists may find out more details on how the first stars heated their environment, how the process of galaxy formation occurred, and how the universe changed from its dark early age into the modern luminous universe.
Moreover, the 21-cm signal may contain information on dark matter since the distribution and behavior of early hydrogen depend on the structure of matter in the universe.
Finally, researchers believe that this kind of observation can be useful for resolving some cosmological issues such as those related to measuring the universe’s expansion rate.
Why Is the Mission Technologically Difficult?
Receiving the 21cm signal is no simple matter.
First, the 21cm signal is incredibly weak, but the Earth’s radio environment is also highly noisy. When researchers already know what it is they are looking for, the challenge of distinguishing between a weak cosmic signal and interference is difficult, requiring the use of very precise equipment.
One reason why the Moon is such a valuable resource lies in the above observation – there is no need to find ways to suppress all of the sources of interference on Earth when one can simply move the experiment to a different location.
There is no guarantee, however, that the far side of the Moon will remain radio quiet forever.
As technology becomes increasingly more common on the Moon, it is possible that the very interference that the CosmoCube hopes to avoid will become an issue.
When Could CosmoCube Launch?
However, at present, the CosmoCube is yet to be launched and is not yet in lunar orbit.
The team working on this project has developed and tested prototypes, with the latest plans expecting a launch date within five years and an operational period of about two years.
These plans could very well be altered based on progress made in engineering, funding, launch planning, and lunar mission planning.
Why a Small Craft Could Make a Huge Difference
As seen in the idea of the CosmoCube, the advancement of space science is increasingly taking place without the use of huge observatories.
Small crafts can take instruments to places where they can observe phenomena which are not possible from Earth.
In this case, size is not really a factor for the craft. The main advantage is location and using a highly sensitive instrument without the problem of Earth-based radio interference.
This could lead to answering questions that pertain to billions of years ago.
The Bigger Race to Understand Cosmic Origins
But CosmoCube is far from the only mission that would attempt to study the early universe using 21cm radiation measurements. There are other missions as well, which means that the scientific race has already started.
The problem is especially acute now, since further missions to the Moon might increase radio interference around it.
Therefore, should CosmoCube succeed, it would be more than just a mission. It would show how the Moon could serve as a scientific platform to study very rare phenomena on Earth.
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Conclusion
The CosmoCube, which is a project to build a spacecraft on a miniature scale, revolves around one very simple concept – going somewhere more peaceful and listening for the smallest hint of the origins of the universe.
The 21 cm hydrogen line coming from the lunar orbit will allow scientists to probe into the time period of the cosmic dark age, the appearance of the first stars and galaxies, and possibly even the influence of dark matter on the process of formation of the universe.
The spacecraft itself might not be big, but the scientific challenges that it will have to answer are close to the very origins of the history of the universe.
The far side of the moon may become the listening station for the early universe through the means of the suitcase-sized spacecraft.
