Research that's
out of this world

Within weeks of their arrival in Aberdeen, the University’s new Planetary Sciences Group had used their expertise in the development of life support systems for manned space missions to build a ventilator (ATMO-Vent) for use in the fight against Covid-19.

Having now signed an agreement with a company in Rwanda to support the development of the ventilator in several African countries, the group has also developed a prototype face mask for medical professionals which, like ATMO-Vent, is designed for rapid deployment in healthcare settings worldwide.

Recruited as part of a campaign to enhance the University’s status as a world leader in research, the Planetary Sciences Group is led by Professor Javier Martín-Torres, with support from Professor Maria-Paz Zorzano, who recently joined the group as Chair in Mars Research and Astrobiology.

Specialising in Martian research, the group is renowned as having discovered the first evidence of transient liquid water on Mars and has been involved in the majority of discoveries made by NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover. It has also designed and built an instrument that will be used in the European Space Agency’s ExoMars mission, scheduled to fly to the red planet in 2022.

The group’s expertise in the development of instruments for Earth and planetary exploration using commercial components were put to good use in the development of the ATMO-Vent, which may one day be used as part of its usual activities.

Professor Martín-Torres explained: “As a multidisciplinary research group specialising in Martian study, we have a wealth of experience in building, calibrating and qualifying space instruments using commercial components.

“We’ve used this expertise to design and build a fully operating prototype ventilator using widely available parts, but looking beyond the current crisis, there is also the potential to scale the design for space applications by using it to implement and control artificial atmospheres, for example in space greenhouses and artificial habitats for future planetary explorations.”

In another example of their recent work, the group has also designed an atmospheric monitoring instrument for use in future space missions.

Known as PACKMAN, the instrument is designed to monitor radiation and atmospheric conditions in space and was successfully tested aboard a balloon flight to the edge of Earth's atmosphere.

The group’s arrival in Aberdeen underlines the ambitions of the University’s long-term Aberdeen 2040 strategy, with its emphasis on interdisciplinary research helping to solve real-world challenges.

Dr Dave Muirhead, Head of the University’s School of Geosciences, said: “The arrival of the Planetary Sciences Group in Aberdeen is an extremely exciting development for the School of Geosciences and the University.

“The Group’s track record in interplanetary research includes numerous high-profile research publications in leading journals, with an emphasis on remote observation, and atmospheric and planetary research on the Earth, Moon and Mars.

“Their skill in building high-quality instruments for use in planetary research is already world-renowned, and it is to their credit that they have already used these skills to offer assistance in the Covid-19 effort.”