Researchers are developing a mission to study the early universe by placing a compact satellite into lunar orbit. The spacecraft, designated CosmoCube, will search for radio frequency signals emitted by neutral hydrogen atoms in the ancient cosmos as it travels past the moon’s far side.
The instrument will focus on detecting what scientists call the 21cm line, a specific wavelength of radiation. When these signals travel through expanding space, their wavelengths stretch over time, a phenomenon known as redshift. This characteristic allows researchers to track signal strength relative to the cosmic microwave background radiation and determine when the signals originated.
According to Prof Eloy de Lera Acedo from the University of Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory, the 21cm signal functions similarly to a thermometer, enabling scientists to measure the physical temperature of gas during various cosmic epochs. The team intends to investigate periods spanning from approximately 380,000 years after the big bang through about 1 billion years afterward, encompassing the cosmic dark ages, cosmic dawn when early stars and galaxies formed, and the epoch of reionization. Additionally, the signal’s characteristics are expected to provide insights into dark matter, the universe’s mysterious invisible component.
Previous attempts to detect the 21cm line using Earth-based instruments have faced significant obstacles. The signal is inherently weak, and human-made electromagnetic interference from sources such as radio broadcasts and aircraft communications obscures observations. Earth’s ionosphere also creates additional disturbances. By positioning the instrument on the lunar far side, researchers expect to avoid many of these challenges.
The CosmoCube mission is anticipated to operate for two years, with a projected launch window approximately five years from the article’s publication date. The total estimated cost is just under £50 million, and the UK Space Agency has already allocated more than £2 million in funding. Independent experts have expressed cautious optimism about the project, though they note that other competing missions are pursuing similar objectives and that future lunar activities may introduce new sources of radio interference.
Article Attribution | Read More at Article Source
Article summary produced by Claude AI