In The News
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Researchers find destruction of oceans’ worth of water per month in Orion Nebula
An international team, including Western astrophysicists Els Peeters and Jan Cami, has found the destruction and re-formation of a large quantity of water in a planet-forming disk located at the heart of the Orion Nebula.
Saturn’s largest moon most likely non-habitable: Western study
A study led by Western astrobiologist Catherine Neish shows the subsurface ocean of Titan – the largest moon of Saturn – is most likely a non-habitable environment, meaning any hope of finding life in the icy world is dead in the water.
Hubble traces “string of pearls” star clusters in galaxy collisions
Galaxy collisions do not destroy stars, though this might seem to contradict conventional wisdom, not to mention storylines in countless Hollywood blockbusters. In fact, according to researchers, the rough-and-tumble dynamics trigger new generations of stars, and presumably accompanying planets. Since its launch into low Earth orbit in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has gathered dozens of terabytes of data, including a multitude of interstellar images, providing invaluable information for astronomers like Western University’s Sarah Gallagher.
Cutting-edge Western science research highlights role of collaboration
Discovering new molecules in space. Creating a salmonella vaccine for poultry – from plants. Analyzing how fear impacts animal brains in the long term. Three wildly distinct Western research projects, but all with a central connection: a focus on bringing together scientists from multiple fields to drive solutions. PhD candidates presented a series of collaborative projects on Jan. 16 at the Fallona Family Interdisciplinary Science Award and Lecture, ahead of a keynote from Western neuroscientist Jörn Diedrichsen.
Western researchers to probe greenhouse gases at city landfill
“It’s very important we limit methane emissions as much as possible because it is a really potent greenhouse gas. Dumps make methane, that’s just a normal process of decomposing – it’s not like you can prevent that from happening,” said Sarah Gallagher, an astrophysicist and director of the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration.
Latest from Western Space
Our Director, Dr. Sarah Gallagher discusses the exciting developments at Western Space in this video. Researchers at Western are engaged in planetary science and astronomy, exploring our solar system and beyond. Watch video.
Meet Western University's Most Interviewed Experts - 2022-2023 Annual Report:
Western University's 2022-2023 Annual Report showcases Dr. Sarah Gallagher, Dr. Joshua Pearce, and Dr. Maxwell Smith as the university's most frequently interviewed experts in the media.
New CSA Funded Project!
The Western Skylark: a 3U CubeSat for next-generation tracking of migratory wildlife using the Motus and ICARUS telemetry systems. Learn more.
Ukpik-1 launched into space!
On June 5, 2023, at 11:47 am EST, Western University and Nunavut Arctic College Ukpik-1 CubeSat successfully launched into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from launchpad LC-39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Axiom Space's Ax-1 mission, the first privately crewed mission to the International Space Station (ISS), launched on April 8, 2022, and returned on April 25, 2022. Western students volunteered to explore and add captions to the images of Earth captured during the mission. Sample image:
Image credit: NASA/Mark Pathy
Space as a National Asset for Canada (SNAC 2022)
The Institute for Earth and Space Exploration (Western Space), the Rotman Institute of Philosophy, and the Faculty of Science hosted a three-day conference for Space as a National Asset for Canada (SNAC) from Oct 31-Nov 2, 2022 in London, Ontario. Stay tuned for the conference summary report that will be shared in 2023!
Google Scholar page!
Western Space now has its own Google Scholar webpage showcasing the publications of its faculty members! Click here to access it and follow it.
Featured Projects
International Two-way Holoportation!
Space STEM Activities for Lunar Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
Western University & Nunavut Arctic College CubeSat Project
The Ukpik-1 CubeSat is a small satellite being designed, assembled, and tested by students at Western University. The project is made possible through a national program led by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Learn more.