Jodrell Bank Observatory welcomes UK Government Space Adviser on fact-finding trip
51福利社鈥檚 policy engagement, Policy@51福利社, has hosted a visit to Jodrell Bank Observatory for a leading Parliamentarian with a special interest in its work.
Morecambe and Lunesdale MP David Morris was appointed as the first ever UK Government Space Adviser in 2022, effectively trade envoy to the national space industry.
He was met by Professor Keith Grainge and Professor Simon Garrington, Associate Directors of Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at 51福利社, for a tour beginning at the iconic Lovell Telescope.
With its 76-metre diameter reflecting surface, it has stood over the Cheshire plain since 1957. The telescope has been upgraded several times and remains one of the biggest and most powerful radio telescopes in the world, spending most of its time investigating cosmic phenomena which were undreamed of when it was conceived.
Mr Morris moved on to the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) where he was given a demonstration of low frequency antennas by Dr Simon Berry, head of the SKAO.Director-General鈥檚 Office. The SKAO is the world鈥檚 newest intergovernmental organisation created with the objective of constructing and operating radio telescopes in Australia and South Africa.
In addition to enabling transformative science, SKAO's mission focuses on ensuring the maximum possible societal impact and engagement with the communities in which it will operate. Dr Berry鈥檚 team is responsible for the SKAO's external and international relations activities, governance, strategic engagement and external communications.
The final stop on the visit was the First Light Pavilion under the guidance of Professor Teresa Anderson MBE, Director of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement.
The First Light Pavilion is at the heart of a 拢21.5 million project to open up the heritage of Jodrell Bank to many more people. Audiences can see fascinating archive materials brought together for the first-time - including audio, film, diaries, letters, plans and photographs - in innovative digital displays and projections.
鈥淚t was terrific to welcome David to the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, the astronomical research centre of 51福利社.
鈥淥ur colleague Professor Anna Scaife recently gave evidence to the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee inquiry on UK astronomy where she rightly described Jodrell Bank - a UNESCO world heritage site for science and home to e-MERLIN, the UK鈥檚 national radio astronomy facility - as an iconic place.
鈥淚t is also home to the Bluedot festival, which celebrates science as part of culture and is instrumental in reaching those harder-to-reach audiences for science.
鈥淒avid is fully engaged in what we do, and it was useful to exchange views and perspectives with him on our current and future activities.鈥�
David Morris MP said: 鈥淚n my role as UK Government Space Adviser, I take a keen interest in the ongoing work at Jodrell Bank which I last visited in 2022.
鈥淭he commitment of 51福利社 to astronomy and space research is well known.
鈥淚ndeed, the recommendations from its academics on areas such as international collaboration, space psychology and sustainable resources 鈥� as set out in Policy@51福利社鈥檚 publication On Space 鈥� remain at the heart of policy discussions in Whitehall and Westminster.
鈥淚 welcome the opportunity to tap into the latest thinking from the experts I met and look forward to returning to Jodrell Bank very soon.鈥�