60 years of research history: an exhibition (1964-2024)

Poster Cover 1994 - 2024 — **On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the BIRA-IASB, this page offers an overview of our space aeronomy research from 1964 to 2024.**

1. The birth of space aeronomy as research field

At the time when the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy was created (in 1964), aeronomy was a science relatively unknown to the general public.

The term aeronomy was first introduced in 1946 by Professor Sydney Chapman, who defined it as the science of the upper region of the atmosphere, where dissociation and ionization are important. Eight years later, in 1954, the term was officially adopted by the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG).

The International Geophysical Year (1957-1958), for which Chapman had been assigned as President of its Special Committee, was a decisive year for space sciences. It was the kick-off of the space age and the birth of space aeronomy as a field of research. On 4 October 1957, the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, was launched. As of then, new techniques for observing the Earth’s atmosphere and exploring the solar system became within reach.

Aeronomy is a transdisciplinary science that studies the atmosphere of the Earth, other planets (mainly Mars and Venus) and comets, as well as interplanetary space. Aeronomy studies space using instruments on the Earth's surface, in the air, and from space.

2. Marcel Nicolet: pioneer of space aeronomy

Located next to the Royal Observatory of Belgium and the Royal Meteorological Institute in Uccle, the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy was created on 25 November 1964.

At the instigation of Baron Marcel Nicolet, and with the full support of King Baudouin, the aeronomy department was separated from the Meteorological Institute to become an independent scientific institute. Nicolet became its first director.

He was an internationally well-known scientist of the Meteorological Institute, who in 1953 was assigned as Secretary-General of the International Geophysical Year and whose achievements in scientific research and administration earned him honors such as the Guggenheim prize.

The Institute started its activities on 1 January 1965.

3. From a tennis court to an internationally renowned scientific institute

At the start of the Institute for Space Aeronomy (Instituut voor Ruimte-Aëronomie – Institut d’Aéronomie Spatiale, shortly IRA-IAS) as independent federal institute, Marcel Nicolet and the team of scientists and engineers around him used to continue its activities in the so-called building B of the Royal Meteorological Institute.

In 1970, the tennis court of the Space Pole had to make place for the construction of BIRA-IASB’s own mechanical workshop. A few years later also the scientists moved to their own building. Since then, the Institute grew exponentially, and in 1997, a third floor was inevitable. Nowadays, nearly 200 people are working at BIRA-IASB.

A small history of aeronomy at BIRA-IASB

4. Diversity among planetary atmospheres (Venus, Earth, Comets & Mars)

Nowadays, the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy no longer only studies the atmosphere of planet Earth (shown in blue), but also of its closest neighbours in the Solar system, Venus (to its left, closest to the Sun, yellowish) and Mars (to its right, rusty colour), and of comets during their orbit around the Sun.

It also studies the phenomena resulting from the interactions between the solar radiation and solar wind with the atmospheres and magnetospheres of all planetary objects (space weather, aurora, …).

5. Sounding rockets and stratospheric balloons

In its early years, the engineering team of the Institute of Space Aeronomy developed payloads for sounding rockets and stratospheric balloons to study the Earth’s atmosphere.

Stratospheric balloons were called the “satellites of the poor”, but since they reached as high as the stratosphere (15-45 km altitude), they fitted very well our research which focused on the study of the ozone layer and the ultraviolet light of the Sun, both not measurable with Earth-based experiments.

From the mid-1970s and for almost 25 years, BIRA-IASB's mass spectrometry group performed in situ measurements in the stratosphere to determine its composition.

6. Experiments on board space laboratories

BIRA-IASB's first space experiments take place during the SPACELAB-1 mission (official name: STS-9), launched on November 28, 1983. It is the first European space laboratory, put into place to enable scientists to carry out experiments on and from the space shuttle in orbit.

Between 1983 and 1998, Spacelab flew 22 times. Spacelab-1 carried three experiments from BIRA-IASB onboard, that were reflown on ATLAS-1 in 1992 and carried out by Dirk Frimout.

The International Space Station (ISS) is the most complex and powerful laboratory for research in space: Belgian experiments on board are operated by the Belgian User Support and Operations Centre (B.USOC). Nowadays, B.USOC provides technical and operational support for the preparation, implementation and operation of space projects, experiments or missions that are supported by the Belgian Science Policy (BELSPO) and the European Space Agency (ESA), or other funding organisations.

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7. Belgian astronauts

I see Earth! It is so beautiful!

Famous words by Yuri Gagarin in 1961, the first human in space. Since Gagarin, more than 600 astronauts have been in space, including two of our compatriots: Dirk Frimout in 1992 and Frank De Winne in 2002 and 2008.

As young engineer, Dirk Frimout started his career at the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy. Frank De Winne was supported during his missions by the operators at the Belgian User Support and Operations Centre, now part of the Institute.

A third Belgian astronaut, Raphaël Liégeois, will fly for the first time in 2026. For sure, he will immediately recognise Belgium from his temporary home some 400 km above the Earth, glowing more brightly than its neighbours and with deep orange colours due to the widespread use of low-pressure sodium lights.

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8. Monitoring air pollution from space

The air we breathe contains a variety of pollutants. These gaseous and aerosol pollutants, resulting from fuel combustion (traffic, industry, etc.) and other anthropogenic activities, may be harmful to public health, vegetation, and the environment. Hence, mitigation of health issues caused by poor air quality by reducing the emissions of pollutants is high on the agenda in Belgium, at the European level, and worldwide.

Tracking the progress on emission reduction, identification of unknown sources, regular monitoring, reporting and verification of emissions are mandatory. Earth observation satellites provide us the essential inputs to do so. We monitor trace gases and aerosols in the atmosphere of the Earth with unprecedented resolution and on a daily basis.

Air pollution, major concern in urban industrialized areas

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9. Satellites reveal more and more details thanks to their increasing precision

Since the first satellite was launched into orbit in 1957, space technology has evolved drastically. Satellites were once as big as a small school bus and weighed up to 6 tons. Today, we use small standardized satellites, and we focus on the improvement of the data precision and accuracy. Over the last 20 years, the spatial resolution of satellite imagery, referring to the size of one pixel on the ground, has increased by a factor of 285, going from the level of Belgium to city level.

The images all show the same map of air pollution, but with different resolution. Early satellites were not able to distinguish local sources of pollution as polluted and cleaner areas were averaged over the larger pixel area.

Air pollution, major concern in urban industrialized areas

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10. Pollution seen from the air and the ground

To study anthropogenic pollution, the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy is operating UV-visible Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) spectrometers. These instruments are used to measure the concentrations of trace gases in the atmosphere by analysing how these gases absorb specific wavelengths of light in the ultraviolet (UV) and visible parts of the spectrum. They’re especially valuable for detecting gases that play important roles in air quality and atmospheric chemistry, like nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), ozone (O₃), and formaldehyde (HCHO).

DOAS instruments have been operated both during specific measurement campaigns - mounted on an airplane, car or bike - but also continuously at different groundbased stations in the framework of international measurement networks.

This visual shows some of the results of such measurements for Brussels. A flight campaign over Brussels reveals both heavily polluted areas as well as clean air spaces in the Sonian Forest. A bike campaign over summer reveals a snapshot of the air quality in the streets of Brussels. Ground-based instruments, such as the one in Uccle, provide information on pollution trends and help us to validate satellite data.

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11. Examples of processes that impact the Earth’s atmosphere

The Earth's atmosphere is constantly shaped by both natural and human-driven (or anthropogenic) processes, each contributing various gases and particles that influence air quality, climate, and environmental health.

Natural sources like volcanic eruptions release gases such as sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide, which can impact the atmosphere locally and even globally. Sea salt, lifted from ocean spray, contributes particles that affect cloud formation and can reflect sunlight, cooling the atmosphere slightly.

On the other hand, human activities add a significant layer of influence. Industrial processes, smelting operations, and transportation emit pollutants which can lead to smog, acid rain, and respiratory issues.

These anthropogenic emissions also contribute to long-term changes in the atmosphere, impacting everything from local air quality to global climate. Understanding the combined effects of these natural and human-driven sources is key to managing air quality and addressing climate change.

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30 years after Mt. Pinatubo eruption: an illustration of the relationship between volcanoes and climate

12. Monitoring of atmospheric climate forcers

Monitoring atmospheric climate forcers is essential for understanding how human activities and natural processes impact our climate over time. Climate forcers include greenhouse gases (like carbon dioxide CO₂, methane CH₄, and nitrous oxide N₂O) and aerosols (tiny particles like desert dust) that either warm or cool the Earth’s atmosphere. Tracking these substances helps scientists assess the rate of climate change, identify the sources of emissions, and understand complex atmospheric effects.

At La Réunion Island’s ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observation System) station, rising levels of greenhouse gases highlight the rapid increase in these climate forcers, reflecting similar trends worldwide. Monitoring stations like this help researchers see where emissions are growing or shrinking, offering insights into how well efforts to reduce emissions are working.

Satellites can detect variations in greenhouse gas concentrations, identify sources of emissions, and measure aerosols like desert dust. Desert dust itself impacts both climate and weather—it can cool or warm the atmosphere depending on conditions and also influences rain, clouds, and winds.

Finally, some climate forcers have multiple effects. For instance, nitrous oxide is the third most important greenhouse gas produced by human activity, after carbon dioxide and methane, but it also contributes to ozone depletion. This double impact makes it especially critical to monitor.

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13. Stratospheric ozone monitoring

In the past, artificial chemical substances, such as the notorious chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), were released into the troposphere where they drifted upwards, reached the stratosphere and have accumulated. Each year, these compounds are broken down on droplets inside high-level clouds during winter and are activated by sunlight in spring, resulting in chemical reactions that damage the ozone layer and form the 'ozone hole'.

Such a hole in the ozone layer forms each year over the Antarctic during the Southern Hemisphere spring (September to November), but also sometimes over the Arctic (around March to May). These seasonal events allow more ultraviolet light to reach ground level, where it can increase the risks of skin cancer, sunburn, eye damage and other health issues. The ban on emissions of ozone-depleting substances means the ozone layer is on track to recover, but this will still take about 40 years.

Satellites, aeroplanes, weather balloons and ground-based instruments are used to monitor the amounts of ozone in different parts of the atmosphere.
BIRA-IASB also proposed the ALTIUS satellite to monitor the distribution and evolution of stratospheric ozone in the Earth's atmosphere. Its launch is currently foreseen for 2026.

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14. Atmospheric composition modelling

Atmospheric modelling is a powerful tool that helps scientists measure and predict changes in the atmospheric composition - like the abundance of gases and aerosols - over time and across different regions. By creating simulated data, these models allow researchers to explore the factors that drive atmospheric changes and gain deeper insights into how the atmospheric system of planets behaves.

BIRA-IASB contributes, amongst others, to the stratospheric component of the Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring System (CAMS) with its in-house developed stratospheric model. This poster shows the different types of chlorine, including reservoirs and active species, and how it contributes to the depletion of the ozone layer.

BIRA-IASB is also involved in the development of models for the Earth’s troposphere, its plasmasphere, the solar wind, … as well as for planetary atmospheres, like the weather and climate model for Mars.

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15. The impact of space weather on our daily life

Space weather refers to the environmental conditions in space as influenced by solar activity (solar wind, solar flares, solar energetic particles, coronal mass ejections, etc.) and cosmic radiation.

Even if we may not realise it, space weather can heavily impact our daily life, e.g. through disturbances in satellite navigation services, like Galileo, which in turn can affect aviation, road transport, shipping and other activities that depend on precise positioning. Commercial airlines may experience damage to aircraft electronics and their crews may be exposed to increased radiation doses (especially the ones flying over the poles). Space weather effects on ground can include damage and disruption to power distribution networks, increased pipeline corrosion and degradation of radio communications.

For satellites in orbit, the effects of space weather can be seen in the degradation of communications, performance, reliability and overall lifetime. For example, the solar panels that convert sunlight to electrical power on most spacecraft will steadily generate less power over the course of a mission, and this degradation must be taken into account in designing the satellite.

In addition, increased radiation due to space weather may lead to increased health risks for astronauts, both today on board the International Space Station in low orbit and in future on voyages to the Moon or Mars.

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16. Polar light

Activity on the Sun, such as solar flares, can affect the atmosphere. End of 2024, the Sun is now reaching its solar maximum period, which could continue for the next year.

A particularly intense event took place on 11 May 2024, on Mother's Day weekend, hence it was named the "Mother's Day event". Following a strong solar flare aimed at Earth, aurora were visible all over the world. It was the most intense magnetic storm in more than 20 years. Also early October 2024, people in Belgium were rewarded with a spectacular show of Northern Lights due to a solar storm that was accompanied by the largest solar flare since 2017.

The colour of aurora teach us something about the chemical elements in our atmosphere that are excited by the particles of the solar wind.

17. Detecting meteors with radio waves

A meteor (commonly known as a 'shooting star') is the luminous phenomenon resulting from the interaction of a meteoroid with the Earth's atmosphere. We study them with radio observations. When a meteoroid enters the Earth's atmosphere, it creates a trail of electrons in its wake, which acts as a mirror, allowing us to observe the sky with radio antennae.

Scientists from the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy have installed a large network of over 50 radio-receiving stations in Belgium and neighbouring countries. A big advantage is that, in contrary to optical observations, we can continuously observe meteors, also during the day or when it is cloudy. A disadvantage of this method, however, is that radio waves are also reflected by airplanes.

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BRAMS (Belgian RAdio Meteor Stations) is a network of radio receiving stations

18. The atmosphere of Mars

Besides Earth, Mars might be the best-known planet in our solar system. The planet has a thin atmosphere primarily composed of carbon dioxide, with traces of nitrogen and argon. Understanding the dynamics and composition of this atmosphere is crucial for unraveling Mars' climatic history and potential for supporting life.

We proudly contribute to this research through our advanced instruments onboard the Mars Express and ExoMars missions, providing invaluable data and insights.

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19. The atmosphere of Venus

Venus, our closest planetary neighbour, has an atmosphere shrouded in thick clouds of sulphuric acid, creating a hostile environment. Understanding the extreme conditions on Venus, where surface temperatures average 464°C and pressures are 92 times those on Earth, is key to unraveling the planet's climatic history and its divergence from Earth.

Our instruments onboard the Venus Express and EnVision missions provide us unique insights into Venus' atmosphere and its evolution.

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20. The atmosphere of comets

As a comet approaches the Sun, radiation evaporates the surface material, giving rise to a temporary, special atmosphere called the coma. The comet ejects large amounts of dust and gas during this process, creating two distinct tails in its wake.

The Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy studied comet Chury with an instrument onboard the Rosetta satellite and is now preparing for a mission to a yet unknown comet with the Comet Interceptor, to be launched in 2027.

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21. B.RCLab and other laboratories

The B.RCLab is a radiometric characterization laboratory specialising in the measurement of light and the testing of instruments across a wide spectrum. Located in the laboratories of the Royal Institute for Space Aeronomy of Belgium (BIRA-IASB), the B.RCLab has several rooms equipped for performing high-precision radiometric measurements.

Its expertise covers a wide range of fields, including the physics and chemistry of the Earth's and planetary atmospheres, solar measurements, and aurora observations.

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B.RCLab (Belgian Radiometric Characterization Laboratory)

22. Lifecycle of a space mission

The Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy has the capacity and expertise to address all the challenges associated with a space mission, from the very beginning to the end.

Birth of a space mission > Mission requirements and design > Instrument design and development > Instrument calibration and characterisation > Launch and operation of the space mission > Scientific data production > Product validation > Exploitation of the mission

The cycle involves researchers, engineers (both mechanical, electronic, and software engineers), staff working in the radiometric laboratory B.RCLab, operators providing support in the B.USOC, ...

Ultimately, the exploitation of the space mission gives rise to new insights, leading to new ideas from which new projects and space missions emerge, and the cycle continues...

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Space mission development