MWGaiaDN Tech Workshop

15 Jul 2025, 09:00 → 16 Jul 2025, 16:15 Europe/London

Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge

Nic Walton (Institute of Astronomy)

This workshop will address technical and science challenges for next generation astrometry missions. It is organised as a workshop within the MWGaia Doctoral Training Network. 

The meeting will look ahead to the GaiaNIR mission, a candidate for the ESA Voyage 2050 L5 launch slot to address the 'Galactic Eco-Systems' theme.

An earlier design for GaiaNIR (this as an M mission class concept) went through an ESA CDF study in 2017. The CDF study report is at https://sci.esa.int/s/8a65kZA

The concept for the GaiaNIR Large mission is encapsulated in the GaiaNIR white paper submitted through the ESA Voayage2050 process. The paper, 'All-sky visible and near infrared space astrometry' Hobbs, D., et al. Exp Astron (2021) is at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-021-09705-z

Recent evolution of the GaiaNIR mission concept were recently presented at the NAM2025 meeting in the GaiaNIR lunch discussion session.

Registration for this meeting is open for members and associates of the MWGaia Doctoral Network.

Others who are interested please contact the organisers (naw@ast.cam.ac.uk) first before registering. 

Tuesday, 15 July

09:00 → 10:00 Registration + Coffee

Coffee/ tea available

Convener: Nic Walton (Institute of Astronomy)

10:00 → 10:10 Welcome and Logistics

Convener: Nic Walton (Institute of Astronomy)

gaianir-welcome-walton-jul25.pdf

10:10 → 11:10 Block 1: MWGaia Doctoral Network: Status and Updates

Convener: Nic Walton (Institute of Astronomy)

10:10 MWGaia Doctoral Network: Overview and Status

This presentation will discuss the MWGaiaDN (see https://www.mwgaiadn.eu/) and current status.

Speaker: Anthony Brown (Leiden University)

MWGaiaDN-Status-Jul2026.pdf

10:30 MWGaia Doctoral Network: Research Overview

This presentation will highlight the research projects being undertaken within MWGaiaDN, focusing on those most relevant in setting requirements on a future nearIR astrometry mission.

Speaker: Antonella Vallenari (INAF-Padova)

Vallenari_GaiaNIR.pdf

10:50 MWGaia Doctoral Network: Communications and Outreach

This presentation will discuss the communication activities of MWGaiaDN, and in particular note preparations for the final conference, which will set the scene for GaiaNIR.

Speaker: Despina Hatzidimitriou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)

Communication_and_Outreach_15_July_2025_Cambridge.pdf

11:10 → 11:40 Coffee Break

11:40 → 13:00 Block 2: GaiaNIR: Overview and Status / Other existing and upcoming astrometry missions

11:40 GaiaNIR: Overview and Status

This will cover the status of the GaiaNIR mission, a candidate for the ESA Voyage 2050 L5 launch slot.

Speaker: David Hobbs (Lund University)

CAM1_2025_GaiaNIR_Hobbs.pdf

12:10 JASMINE: Japan Astrometry Satellite Mission for INfrared Exploration

JASMINE is a unique candidate for the competitive M-class Satellite Mission No. 3 at the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) of JAXA, whose launch is targeted for 2032. The mission has two science goals: (1) to explore the formation and evolution of the Milky Way Galaxy, and (2) to search for Earth-like exoplanets within the habitable zone. To achieve these goals, we will develop a 36 cm aperture telescope optimized for near-infrared wavelengths (0.9–1.6 $\mu$m). We are now developing a large-format (2k x 2k pixels) InGaAs imaging sensor in collaboration with a Japanese manufacturer for the mission, based on the sensor developed by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) for ground-based observations. Using these instruments, JASMINE will perform astrometric observations toward the Galactic center in spring and autumn, and transit observations of mid-M-type stars in summer and winter. The target precisions in astrometry are 40 $\mu$as for parallax and 125 $\mu$as for proper motion. Achieving these precisions requires the development of highly stable, high-performance instruments. To ensure optical stability (particularly in image distortion), the telescope will be constructed from low thermal expansion materials and operated in a temperature-controlled environment. To reduce thermal noise but to avoid mechanical disturbances, the detectors will be cooled using a combination of a radiator and Peltier devices. Precise data analysis methods are also critical to the mission’s success. We plan to use self-calibration techniques, using data collected over the three-year observation period, to model and correct image distortions. In this aspect of the mission, we are collaborating with the Gaia team as pioneers in space-based astrometry.

Speaker: Ryouhei Kano (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan)

JASMINE_20250715r2o-kano.pdf

12:30 Reflections from Gaia

I will discuss lessons learned from Gaia as an astrophysics survey mission, emphasizing the need to complement the high accuracy astrometry with a rich set of astrophysical information. Illustrations from high impact science with Gaia will be used to make the point.

Speaker: Anthony Brown (Leiden University)

gaia-reflections-jul-2025.pdf

12:50 Discussion

Space for discussion

Speaker: Nic Walton (Institute of Astronomy)

13:00 → 14:00 Lunch

14:00 → 15:30 Block 3: MWGaiaDN/ Industry Forum and Discussion

14:00 Payload and System Issues

Speaker: Luis Venancio (ESTEC, ESA)

20250715_GAIANIR_Workshop_ESA presentation-venancio.pdf

14:20 Detector systems

Speaker: Robert Wilson (Leonardo UK)

GAIA Tech Workshop - Leonardo IR Detectors.pdf

GAIA Tech Workshop - Leonardo IR Detectors.pptx

14:40 Payload Instrumentation issues

Speaker: Gaizka Murga Llano (IDOM)

IDOM-Instrument-Issues-GaiaNIR-WS.pdf

15:00 Spacecraft Issues

Includes consideration of sunshields and power

Speaker: Joan-Manel Casalta (SENER)

MWGaiaDN - Sener GAIA Experience v2.pdf

MWGaiaDN - Sener GAIA Experience v2.pptx

15:15 MWGaiaDN/ Industry Forum: Discussion

Discussion and round table from industry attendees. Challenges and perspectives for future large astrometry missions.

Speaker: Nic Walton (Institute of Astronomy)

15:30 → 16:00 Coffee

16:00 → 17:00 Observatory Visit

19:00 → 21:00 Workshop Dinner: 19.00 @ The Punter

Wednesday, 16 July

08:45 → 09:15 Arrival and Coffee

09:15 → 10:45 Block 4: Science Requirement Input to Next Generation Astrometry Missions (input from the GaiaNIR White Paper)

09:15 GaiaNIR: Science Drivers

Speaker: David Hobbs (Lund University)

CAM2_2025_GaiaNIR_Hobbs.pdf

09:35 MWGaiaDN Science Cases: Simulations

Speaker: Marie Schölch (University of Barcelona)

MWGaiaDN_TechWorkshop_MarieSchölch.pdf

09:50 MWGaiaDN Science Cases: Extinction

Speaker: Alejandro Martín Escabia (Université Grenobles Alpes)

extinction_GaiaNIR-escabia.pdf

10:05 Lessons learned from Gaia

This presentation aims to provide technological and practical lessons we learned from Gaia. We will discuss insights from the data processing, and (systematic) effects of the instrument itself, as well as lessons we learned from processing the necessary auxiliary data like time-transformations (LATT, HATT) and orbital processing and analysis. Furthermore, we will discuss some aspects of what we learned about the influence of the basic angle (in)stability on fundamental physics experiments (like PPN-gamma and other relativistic effects). We argue that care must be taken for GaiaNIR to monitor and stabilize the instrument as much as possible, preferably to an even greater extend than Gaia.

Speakers: Robin Geyer (Lohrmann-Observatory / TUD) , Prof. Sergei Klioner (Lohrmann-Observatory / TUD)

Geyer_Klioner__Lessons_learned_from_Gaia.pdf

10:25 Lessons from Gaia: End of mission tests and outcomes

Edmund was the Gaia payload operations engineer at ESOC from before launch and throughout the flying mission, he has over 30 years of experience working with ESA satellites. In this presentation Edmund will introduce the operations concept for the payload and the successes and difficulties that were encountered. At the end of the Gaia operations, there were several weeks of technological testing to provide further information about the behaviour of the spacecraft by using it outside of its normal operating parameters. These tests were intended to provide information to help design future missions, such as LISA, or investigate Gaia problems, such as the basic angle variation. Although the analyses of these tests are still ongoing, the early results are promising and a selection will be presented.

Speaker: Ed Serpell (ESOC, ESA)

Serpell_Gaia_Cambridge_2025_07_16.pdf

10:45 → 11:15 Coffee

11:15 → 12:45 Block 5: NearIR astrometry missions: Current and Future technical studies

11:15 NearIR Detector Studies

Speaker: Nic Walton (Institute of Astronomy)

gaianir-detectors-walton-jul25.pdf

11:35 Metrology studies

Speaker: Fabien Malbet (Université Grenoble Alpes)

Metrology_Malbet_Cambridge_2025-v3.pdf

11:55 Radial velocity calculations for the GaiaNIR spectrograph

Our goal is to determine which 100 nm wide wavelength region provides the most precise radial velocities between 800 and 2500 nm. For this reason, we generated 20,000 spectra with random Teff, logg, and [M/H] values at a resolution of 10,000, shifted their spectra by a random radial velocity between -100 and 100 km/s. Each spectrum was assigned a random SNR between 10 and 100 with a Gaussian noise pattern, and then re-derived their radial velocity values using the original spectrum without any noise. We checked the median offset and the scatter of the difference between the original and the new velocities. We find that the 1060-1160 nm region is the most optimal wavelength space to derive radial velocities, however the 1910 and 2010 nm window provides sufficiently precise radial velocities in a large effective temperature and metallicity range, with the advantage of the ability to probe the dust obscured regions of the Miky Way.

Speaker: Szabolcs Mészáros

meszaros_gaianir.pdf

meszaros_gaianir.pptx

12:15 DZA Detector Activities

DZA, the Deutsches Zentrum für Astrophysik, is an emerging national research center for astrophysics that is current being established in the city of Görlitz in East Germany. Over a startup period of 15 years, the center is expected to establish critical mass in the areas of fundamental research, big data, and technology development, with the goal to better enable German astronomers to engage in major ground and space based facilities, e.g. GaiaNIR. DZA is growing quickly, with a target to host about 1000 employees by the end of startup in 2038. The DZA Center of Technology has already established a provisional facility with electronics and optics labs, and a detector lab, in particular. Amongst several pilot projects, the development of novel detector technologies is ramping up quickly. Two qCMOS cameras and a C-Red-One eAPD camera as turnkey systems are already in house to be characterized in the new detector lab. One of the qCMOS systems has already been commissioned at Calar Alto in June. A joint activity with AIP is planned to install an existing Large Saphira for lab tests with an ESO NGC. In collaboration with ESO a CMOS development contract was awarded to Fraunhoer IPMS in Dresden. Novel detector materials such as oganic semiconductors are being studied jointly with IAPP at TU Dresden. The talk will summarize the ongoing activities and sketch DZA's interest in contributing to GaiaNIR.

Speaker: Martin Roth (Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP))

16_GaiaNIR_Roth.pdf

16_GaiaNIR_Roth.pptx

12:35 Discussion: NearIR astrometry missions: technical studies

Speaker: Nic Walton (Institute of Astronomy)

12:45 → 13:45 Lunch

Buffet lunch

13:45 → 15:15 Block 6: Roadmap for Next Generation Astrometry

13:45 The Voyage 2050 Process and timeline

Speaker: Nic Walton (Institute of Astronomy)

gaianir-voyage2050-timeline-walton-jul25.pdf

14:05 GaiaNIR: Building the community

Speaker: David Hobbs (Lund University)

CAM3_2025_GaiaNIR_Hobbs.pdf

14:25 Defining a technical development roadmap

Discussion to include voices from industry.

Speakers: Anthony Brown (Leiden University) , David Hobbs (Lund University) , Nic Walton (Institute of Astronomy)

15:15 → 15:30 Meeting Summary and Close

15:15 Meeting Summary and Next Steps

Speaker: Nic Walton (Institute of Astronomy)

gaianir-nextsteps-walton-jul25.pdf

15:30 → 16:00 Closing Tea/Coffee

tea and coffee available