At the beginning of the year, three students from the Univeridad de Valencia decided to take part of a student contest of the European Space Agency (ESA). Success, which is the name of the contest, consists in the elaboration of a document about an experimental purpose to be done onboard the International Space Station (ISS). In short time they started searching for help in order to take part of this adventure. This is the way in which a fourth student from the Grupo de Astronomía y Ciencias del Espacio (GACE) of the Universidad de Valencia joined. All together and after several rough copies they found the main idea, the one, finally made them pass the first round.

 

 

Because of this, they travelled in a well deserved visit, to the European Space and Technology Centre (ESTEC) of the ESA, place where they made a good impression with their project and determination. ESA had such interest that they took the project out of the contest in exchange for having it done in a short time. This is how ESA offered the opportunity to achieve the experiment during 10 days onboard the ISS.

Later on, more students and support professors joined the group. The Facultad de Físicas, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenierías (ETSE) and the Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales (ICMUV), all of them centres of the Universidad de Valencia, also offer their support.

The project is called UTBI (Under The Background Influence). The main goal is the measurement of the background radiation in a space mission. Measurements of the X ray and gamma ray as well as particles (protons, neutrons, electrons…), which have a very important effect outside the Earth’s geomagnetic field, can help in the development of future vehicles and space technologies.

After several managements and a meeting with Rogier Schonenborg, member of the ESA, the project is becoming a reality and at the present time all the members work hard in order to have it all finished by June.