A Small History of Aeronomy
We have come a long way, since Viktor Hess took an electroscope on a balloon ride, to see if radioactivity decreased with altitude. He was the aeronomic pioneer to be followed by many.
Soon, unmanned rockets and large fragile high-altitude balloons were launched to carry scientific instruments into the until then unreachable zones of the Earth's atmosphere.
The 1957 launch of the Russian Sputnik paved the way to even higher altitudes and in 1958 the United States launched the Explorer 4 satellite into orbit. It was the first satellite to measure charged particles in the terrestrial radiation belts.
Today, aeronomy scientists use a wide range of instruments, from groundbased stations to specific instruments mounted on the International Space Station platforms.
Click on the tags in the timeline to explore the history of Aeronomy.
Space revolution: new observation techniques
In 1957 something happened that was decisive for space science: Russia launched the very first artificial satellite...
First steps towards Space Physics
Interaction between the Sun and the Earth's atmosphere, from idea to discovery...
Balloon flights for solar UV radiation
In situ measurements of ultraviolet solar irradiance for ozone studies in the stratosphere...
The importance of supporting services
For many of the scientific efforts performed at BIRA-IASB, technical engineering and IT support is crucial...
Balloon flights with mass spectrometers
Increased knowledge about stratospheric natural ion chemistry and composition thanks to 25 years of balloon observations...
Balloon flights with infrared instruments
Commercial stratospheric supersonic transport planes allowed, thanks to extraordinary new balloon science...
Establishment of the European Space Agency (ESA)
An independant space organisation in Europe was created in 1975...
Balloon flights for aerosol measurements
Surprising results while observing volcanic eruptions like Mount St. Helens, Loki, Tambora and Krakatau...
History stratospheric ozone-related issues
The impact of human activity on the atmosphere: stratospheric ozone-related issues...
Ozone Hole (Antarctic)
In 1985 scientists reported that the ozone column had gradually decreased by about 40 percent...
Interaction between Solar Wind and Magnetosphere
Space Physics or how the relations between the Earth and the Sun influence our planet...
Solar wind & Ulysses
The Ulysses spacecraft explored the interplanetary medium above the polar regions of the Sun...
Networks for Atmospheric Composition
High-quality, remote-sensing research stations for observing the physical-chemical state of stratosphere and troposphere...
Pinatubo, a major volcanic eruption
The most spectacular volcanic event in the 20th century in terms of stratospheric effects...
ATLAS-1 mission Dirk Frimout
Dirk Frimout, the first Belgian astronaut, travelled aboard the American Space Shuttle...
EURECA, the European Retrievable Carrier
One of the largest spacecraft built and flown by ESA with a total of 16 active experiments...
Public Service
To transform research into applications that are made available to public authorities, industry, scientists and the general public...
Environmental Satellites
Remote sensing from an orbiting platform provides unique access to the global mapping of atmospheric constituents...
A look at the International Space Station
Coordination of operations (distance control) of space experiments...
Cluster spacecrafts
Multi-spacecraft exploration of the magnetosphere...
Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE)
To measure the distribution of dozens of chemicals interacting with the ozone layer and with climate change...
Mars Express
Belgium's involvement in Europe's first mission to the Red Planet provides knowledge about Martian aerosols and ice clouds...
Mass spectrometry on ROSETTA
Measurement of cometary gases by means of a high resolution mass spectrometer....
Total Carbon Column Observing Network
Groundbased spectrometers validating the greenhouse gas measurements from space...
Atmospheric Limb Tracker ALTIUS
A Belgian spaceborne instrument for the remote sensing of ozone and other important trace gases...
Venus atmosphere exploration with Venus Express
One of the more reliable instruments for research on a warm and dry planet...
Chemical Weather
Tools for monitoring stratospheric ozone and other species related to ozone...
Groundbased UV-measurements
Stratospheric ozone depletion has led to the need for measurements of the solar ultraviolet irradiance at the Earth's surface...
Influence of plants on air quality
Forests, crops and grasslands have a major impact on air quality and health...
Phoenix Mars lander
Major discovery while developing models for the atmosphere of Mars: snow on Mars...
SOLAR SOLSPEC instrument
Measuring solar irradiance above the atmosphere in 5 space missions over the past 30 years...
Belgian Radio Meteor Stations (BRAMS) network
Using radio waves for detection of meteors in the atmosphere...
Radiation belts
Particles are trapped creating doughnut shaped particle populations known as Earth's Van Allen belts...
Space Weather Services
The impact of solar activity on our earthly environment. Effects on humans and technology on Earth and in space...
ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter
Thanks to its successfull participation to the Venus Express mission, BIRA-IASB was selected for this challenging planetary mission...
Picosatellite PICASSO
'Cubesats' will demonstrate the potential of miniaturised technology for teledetection and in-situ observations in space...
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