News
Western researchers among first to capture James Webb Space Telescope images
These images have been obtained as part of the Early Release Science program Photodissociation Regions for All (PDRs4All ID 1288) on Webb. Co-led by Peeters, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) scientist Olivier Berné, and Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale (IAS) associate professor Emilie Habart, PDRs4All is an international collaboration which involves a team of more than one hundred scientists in 18 countries, including Western astrophysicists Jan Cami, Ameek Sidhu, Ryan Chown, Bethany Schefter, Sofia Pasquini and Baria Kahn.
Western team achieves international holographic teleportation
Holographic teleportation sounds like something out of Star Wars or Star Trek, but instead of the bridge of a flashy interstellar spaceship, a futuristic technological achievement took place in a nondescript boardroom on campus at Western recently. The term holographic teleportation, or holoport, is a combination of hologram and teleport: when a hologram of a person or object is transmitted instantaneously to another location.
Canadian-made tools on Webb space telescope help provide spectacular views of space
“It was so hard, and just the fact that all of these people working together around the world were able to make something so beautiful, so precise, so functional, and it’s delivering exactly or even better than promised.” - Dr. Sarah Gallagher
Black Hole Image Reveals the Beast Inside the Milky Way’s Heart
Both observations are glorious in their own right: beautiful results that are “an affirmation of the scientific process,” said Dr. Sarah Gallagher
“I was absolutely thrilled,” said Els Peeters, an astronomer at Western University in London, Ont., who will be among the first to use the new telescope as part of a project to study hydrocarbon molecules in space.
Space as a National Asset for Canada (SNAC 2022)
The Institute for Earth and Space Exploration (Western Space), the Rotman Institute of Philosophy, and the Faculty of Science hosted a three-day conference for Space as a National Asset for Canada (SNAC) from Oct 31-Nov 2, 2022 in London, Ontario.
The first two days of the conference were full of diverse talks and panels. Topics included, Astronomy for Innovation, Northern Tornadoes Project, Earth Observations, Space Resources, Space Industry, Science Communication, Artemis Mission, Analogue Astronauts, Space Situational Awareness, Vantage Points, Future Science Missions, Space in National Security and Defence and the OSIRIS-REx mission.
The third of the conference took place at Western's Interdisciplinary Research Building and it was a networking building workshop. Conference participants discussed the importance of having a Canadian space sector network and what that looks like; gaps in the Canadian space ecosystem; and ways to foster networking connections.
The conference wrapped up with a Gala Dinner at the Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre with Tim Haltigin, Senior Mission Scientist at the CSA as a key note speaker.
Thanks to all those who have joined us and helped make our event a success!
International Two-way Holoportation!
We are excited to share that we have successfully tested the world's first International two way holoportation led by Dr. Adam Sirek!
“We transported one person from Alabama to London, Ontario, and then each of the students here on the project were able to instantly holoport themselves in holographic form down to Huntsville, Alabama,” Dr. Adam Sirek said. Read more.
STEM Outreach in Cochrane, ON
We attended the Stardust STEM Festival in Cochrane, ON, August 1st-13th. It was an excting week filled with STEM outreach activities and networking. We met space industry leaders and attended many great presentations. The event coincided with Canada's first student rocket launch competition, which had more than 150 engineering students competing!
Featured Projects
International Two-way Holoportation!
Space STEM Activities for Lunar Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
Western Space & Nunavut Arctic College CubeSat Project
Led by the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the Canadian CubeSat Project offers post-secondary institutions the opportunity for their students to take part in a real space mission by designing, building, launching, and operating their own miniature satellite, called a CubeSat. Learn more.
