Our group has developed several facilities and software toolboxes that we use for our research in planetary science. Since 2022 we are investing in the expansion of our laboratory facilities. Below you can find an overview of current facilities and the ones under development.
Delft Planetary Labs
The Delft Planetary Labs (DPL) offers a coherent framework for research facilities that are centred on applications in planetary science. DPL is a ‘distributed lab’ consisting of lab facilities tailored to various research strategies that focus on studying properties of asteroids, planets and (icy) moons. All these facilities have in common that planetary properties and processes are studied using an ‘analogue approach’, i.e. by recreating conditions found on other planets, through lab environments, use of analogue materials or field (i.e. landscape) analogues. This approach offers excellent crosslinking of labs with each other and with other topics within department; they can provide observables, help test instruments and offer validation for in silico (modelling) studies.
DakLab (‘Rooftop laboratory’)
In 2022 we opened our brand new DakLab, a rooftop laboratory dedicated to radio, satellite and astronomical observations. Various users operate instrumentation placed outside on the rooftop of the faculty building. One of the key projects is the DopTrack station, a satellite tracking station hosting several VHF/UHF antenna’s to capture the radio signals of over passing satellites for educational and research purposes. The principle of Doppler shift is used to determine the range-rate of the satellites. The TU Delft own precise orbit determination software TUDAT is able to use these observables to predict trajectories of cubesats. DopTrack is open for student and staff to experiment and able to track Delfi-C3, Delfi-n3Xt, Delfi-PQ, and any other satellite transmitting in the VHF/UHF bandwidth.
Virtual Lab Tour
Join us on a virtual lab tour to get to know some of our people and experience the labs they work in. The video below showcases the work at the department of Space engineering, for other departments at our faculty follow this link.