Dominic Dirkx, Marc Rovira Navarro and Edgar Steenstra have each received funding from the NWO programme ‘Use of space infrastructure for Earth observation and planetary research (GO)’. Dr Dirkx works on high-precision spacecraft orbit determination around celestial bodies. Dr Rovira Navarro studies the three-dimensional structure of Ganymede’s subsurface ocean Dr Steenstra studies the evolution of Venus’s lower atmosphere. All three projects contribute to future space missions and to our understanding of planets.
All projects funded under the NWO programme Use of space infrastructure for Earth observation and planetary research (GO) make use of existing space infrastructure, such as satellites, instruments and the associated data and signals. Together with the Netherlands Space Office (NSO), NWO stimulates the use of this infrastructure by Dutch researchers. In doing so, the programme aligns with the Dutch space policy of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) and supports research that depends on large-scale scientific facilities.