Organization:Netherlands Institute for Space Research

SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research
	Ruimteonderzoeksinstituut SRON
	SRON, Leiden; 2021
Agency overview
Abbreviation	SRON
Formed	1983; 41 years ago
Type	Space agency
Headquarters	Leiden
Administrator	Michael Wise (Scientific Director)
Employees	250
Website	{{{1}}}

SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON) is a national Dutch institute for space research. It develops and uses technology for analysis in space, focusing on astrophysical research, Earth observation, and exoplanetary research. SRON conducts research into new and more sensitive sensors for X-rays, infrared radiation, and visible light.

SRON was founded in 1983 under the name Stichting Ruimteonderzoek Nederland (SRON; ) as part of the Dutch Research Council (NWO), consisting of space labs in Leiden, Utrecht and Groningen. Later, the Leiden lab merged with the Utrecht location. As of 2005, this institute is called SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research. In 2021 the Utrecht lab moved back to Leiden. Since then, SRON has been headquartered in Leiden with additional facilities in the city of Groningen.

Science and technology

The institute has over 250 staff members who are employed in four programme lines—Astrophysics, Earth observation, Exoplanets, Technology––and two expertise groups––Engineering and Instrument science.

Technology

SRON's mission is to act as a leading institute in developing state-of-the-art satellite instruments for space research missions of ESA, NASA , and other agencies. Through the years, SRON technology has contributed to many space missions, mainly dedicated to mapping the infrared sky (e.g., IRAS, ISO, HIFI/Herschel), analyzing X-ray and gamma-ray sources (e.g., CGRO/COMPTEL, Beppo-SAX, Chandra, XMM-Newton), and studying the Earth's atmosphere (SCIAMACHY/ENVISAT and TROPOMI). The institute is also working on missions that will study other planets beyond the Solar System. Examples of future missions to which SRON will contribute to are Athena (X-ray), LISA (gravitational waves), PLATO (exoplanets), GUSTO (infrared) and PACE (Earth observation).

Missions and projects

Current missions or projects with SRON contribution

SRON instruments are named in parentheses.

Athena (X-IFU)
Chandra (Low Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer (LETG))
XMM-Newton (Reflection Grating Spectrometers (RGS))
INTEGRAL
CO2M
HUBS
POEMM
XRISM (Resolve Soft X-Ray Spectrometer)
LOFT
ALMA (2 band receivers)
Sentinel-5p (TROPOMI)
Sentinel 5 (Immersed gratings)
MetOp (GOME-2)
GUSTO (8-pixel camera)
ARIEL
PLATO
PACE (SPEXone)
LISA (Quadrant Photo Receivers; Mechanism Control Unit)

Previous missions/projects

BeppoSAX
Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (COMPTEL)
Hitomi (High-Resolution Soft X-Ray Spectrometer)
IRAS
ISO (Short Wave Spectrometer)
Astronomical Netherlands Satellite
GOCE
ERS-2
Herschel (HIFI)
Envisat (SCIAMACHY)

Technology development

Optical photograph of a bolometer for SAFARI (detail); the shiny square is the superconducting TES thermometer, the large grey square is the Ta absorber. The ring-type structure is the SiN suspension, intended to produce a very weak coupling to the heat bath and thus a sensitive detector.

In various wavelength areas, SRON's sensors are already some of the most sensitive in the world^{[citation needed]}. However, SRON is continuously looking for new ways to deploy even more sensitive sensors for the improved detection of cosmic radiation or measurements of the atmosphere of Earth and other planets^{[citation needed]}. This requires long-term investments in the development of new sensors, electronics and specialist techniques. In the near future, detectors shall increasingly take the shape of large chips with many megapixels and a unique combination of two-dimensional pictures and spectroscopy color resolving power.

These detectors require the development of new advanced electronics, smart control software, extreme cooling techniques, and novel materials. SRON is developing a new generation of detectors and the necessary read-out and control electronics for international missions in the sub-millimeter and far-infrared areas. For example, SRON is developing Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KID) for research in visible light (exoplanets) and far-infrared (star-forming clouds)^{[citation needed]}. For the Athena mission, SRON is working on Transition Edge Sensors (TES)^{[citation needed]}.

National and international partners

SRON collaborates with scientists and international organizations in bilateral, European, and global projects^{[citation needed]}. Within the Netherlands, these include universities in Utrecht, Groningen and Leiden^{[citation needed]}. Outside the Netherlands, an example is the German Aerospace Center (DLR).^[1] Through these consortia, SRON is a partner with NASA, ESA and JAXA.