Planck Surveyor Satellite

Planck Satellite
Artist's Impression of Planck Satellite
Prediction
Predicted Accuracy of Fluctuation Spectrum of the CMWB observed by Planck

About the Project

  • The Planck Satellite is scheduled for launch in 2008
  • The Planck mission will collect and characterise radiation from the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) using sensitive radio receivers operating at extremely low temperatures.
  • The telescope will map the sky in 8 wavebands in order to eliminate the many foreground emissions. The result will be an order of magnitude improvement over the WMAP observations.
  • The questions that Planck will seek answers to include:
    • What are the (more precise) values of fundamental cosmological parameters such as the Hubble constant?
    • Can it be shown conclusively that the early Universe passed through an inflationary phase?
    • What is the nature of the dark matter that dominates the present Universe?

Cavendish AP Group involvement

  • The Group is a partner with the Institute of Astronomy in the Cambridge Planck Data Analysis Centre.
  • The results will provide definitive values for the cosmological parameters and test thoroughly our understanding of the standard ΛCDM cosmological model.