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Innovative brain synergy in Star Tiger
2 April 2002
| The objective of the Star Tiger activity is to explore a new way of performing technology research and development in general.
The key features and guiding principles of StarTiger are:
- to co-locate a multidisciplinary group of dedicated highly motivated researchers and experts in a centre that has all the necessary facilities to allow a quantum step forward in technology development
- to grant to the team priority access to state of the art equipment, facilities (e.g. testing, production, etc.), computing power and technical support,
- to allow them to work for an intense period, no longer than 6 months, devoid from administrative red tape and normal everyday day distractions, on a particular project.
The ‘end goal’ is to provide significant advancement with respect to the present state-of-the-art of the technology selected for development in a promising technological area. Furthermore, it is aimed at providing a dramatic reduction in the turnaround time for state-of-the-art technological developments.
Whilst the Star Tiger concept is generally applicable to all innovative technology research, a pilot project has been selected in the field of antennas. ESA’s objective is to develop a colour terahertz-wave imager, which would represent a true breakthrough for sub-millimetre-wave remote sensing from space, as well as to open up new opportunities within several non-space application areas.
Credits: ESA / Rutherford Appleton Laboratory | |  |  | |
| | | | | Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) located in Oxfordshire near Didcot is a world-class UK research institution part of the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CLRC). RAL has a staff of around 1200 who support the work of over 10 000 scientists and engineers, mainly from the university research community. Its main facilities enable research into new materials and structures, for example from battery electrolytes to turbine blades, X-ray laser research, space-based astronomy, the coordination of particle physics and many other topics.
Credits: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory | | | | |
| | | | What can we see with such a camera?
| Unlike X-ray scanners, which are potentially dangerous to people, the source of the signals for a terahertz imager occurs naturally and is totally safe. All objects emit terahertz signals. A dramatic example of terahertz imaging can be seen here provided by QinetiQ which is pioneering the development of compact millimetre wave imaging systems. The image was produced with one of their systems and shows the interesting properties of waves in the 10-100 GHz range emitted from a man with clothes on. QinetiQ is a new science and technology powerhouse formed mainly from DERA, the British Government's elite defence research and development organisation.
Credits: QinetiQ | | | | |
| | | | | The Space Science and Technology Department (SSTD) at the CLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) carries out an exciting range of space research and technology development. With significant involvement in over 50 space missions in recent years, SSTD is in the forefront of UK space research. The Star Tiger project will be carried out at SSTD with the support of approximately 30 engineers and scientists from RAL. Here can be seen the Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) instrument for the Envisat satellite being prepared for testing in a thermal vacuum tank at RAL.
Credits: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory | | | | |
| | | | | ESA is looking for 10 scientists to bring together the expertise required for the Star Tiger pilot project. The aim is to produce a compact colour terahertz imager using state-of-art micro-machining technology. It will integrate such innovative technology areas as planar antenna technology, planar detector technology, photonic bandgap materials and miniaturised back-end electronics.
Credits: ESA / Rutherford Appleton Laboratory | | | | |
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| | More about... Star Tiger advertisementStar Tiger home pageRelated articles Qinetic: Millimetre Wave CamerasRelated links CLRC Rutherford Appleton LaboratoryESA technology activitiesESA Technology
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