Mechanical Electronical Engineering

To study the physics and chemistry of the Earth and planetary atmospheres and of the interplanetary space, ground-based, balloon, rocket and satellite instruments are used. Especially the remote sounding of the chemical composition of atmospheres using spectrometric methods from the ultraviolet to the infrared spectral range and from ground and space borne platforms is one of the main expertise fields.

The BIRA-IASB engineering team plays a major role to achieve the scientific goals. They are responsible for the design and manufacturing of the necessary instruments in collaboration with Belgian industrial partners and for the technical support of the scientists. Their know-how includes all the steps from an idea till a fully operational instrument.

3I/ATLAS: An interstellar comet hiding its secrets beneath an irradiated crust
3I/ATLAS is an interstellar comet originating from another stellar system. New research led by the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB) shows that 3I/ATLAS does not directly expose the material from which it formed.
Successful participation in CINDI-3 measurement campaign
The international measurement campaign “Cabauw Intercomparison of UV-Vis DOAS Instruments” (CINDI-3) campaign, that took place in May-June 2024, is the largest of its kind in the world.
A green glow in the martian night
For the first time, a visible nightglow has been detected in the martian atmosphere
Development of the SEMPAS instrument for monitoring pollutant emissions from ships over the North Sea
BIRA is working on an innovative optical system that will measure pollutant concentrations in ship plumes from a wind turbine in the North Sea.
JUICE: Exploring the icy moons of Jupiter
On 13 April 2023, the ESA spacecraft JUICE will take off on board an Ariane 5 launcher from ESA’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guyana. After an 8-year-long journey, JUICE will investigate Jupiter and its icy moons, with a special focus on Ganymede, the largest moon in the solar system.
The Tale of the Golden CubeSat PICASSO
September 2 marked the two-year anniversary of PICASSO’s launch, the first CubeSat mission of BIRA-IASB.
Data from Rosetta mission shows comets contain organic material older than the solar system
Comets contain contain organic material older than the solar system, as is shown by data gathered by the DFMS instrument, which flew on board the Rosetta spacecraft to study comet Chury. An instrument and discovery to which BIRA-IASB scientists and engineers have contributed.
Networking Event "Technology for Aeronomy"
On June 22, 2022, our Institute will be hosting a networking event for space science and industry partners. This "Technology for Aeronomy" event aims to allow all participants to explore opportunities for collaborations in future space and Earth-based missions.
Belgium will actively participate to the exploration program of Venus
BIRA-IASB is sending an instrument to Venus. The VenSpec-H instrument will fly with the EnVision mission, which has just been selected by ESA and is planned for launch in 2031-2032.
3DEES instrument for the study of Earth’s radiation environment is approved
BIRA-IASB is preparing a new space instrument, 3DEES, in consortium with the Université Catholique de Louvain and QinetiQ Space, to study the Earth's space radiation environment on board ESA's PROBA-3 satellite.
MAJIS: on a quest to Jupiter and its icy moons
A team of the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy is working on the characterisation of a space instrument called MAJIS, for ESA's JUICE mission to the planet Jupiter and its icy moons.
NOMAD on board ExoMars reveals its first secrets
Prestigious journal Nature publishes two papers describing the first results of the Belgian NOMAD instrument on board ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter.