The Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology & Astrophysics Revealing the Origins of Planets and Galaxies
Start date: 07 Jul 2009
Address: Oxford University Physics Building, United Kingdom
The purpose of this joint European/Japanese workshop on the SPICA mission is to showcase the prompt discussion and debate on the capabilities of SPICA - a proposed next generation infrared satellite for cosmology and astrophysics and a candidate mission for the ESA Cosmic Vision. A Japanese-led, joint JAXA-ESA mission, SPICA will have a single-element, high surface accuracy 3.5m mirror, cooled to ~4.5K. The combination of large collecting area, low self-emission and diffraction-limited performance over a core wavelength range of 5 - 210um, will provide the basis for a sensitive and versatile suite of focal plane instruments. Contributed talks and posters will explore the key outstanding questions that can be addressed with SPICA, from those in the very local universe to those at the edges of time.