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The Herschel Space Observatory

The Herschel Space Observatory was launched on May 14, 2009 on board the same Ariane 5 rocket that was carrying the Planck Space Telescope. With funding from the Canadian Space Agency, several Canadian institutions and entrepreneurs contributed to Herschel by taking part in the development of two of the three science instruments: the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared (HIFI) and the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE).

Professor Michel Fich of the University of Waterloo is the Principal Investigator for HIFI in Canada. COM DEV, Cambridge, Ontario, is the prime contractor for Canada's contribution to HIFI.

Professor David Naylor of the University of Lethbridge is the Principal Investigator for Canada's contribution to SPIRE. Blue Sky Spectroscopy, Lethbridge, Alberta, hosts the centre of expertise for the SPIRE imaging spectrometer. The Canadian Herschel team includes scientists from the universities of British Columbia, Calgary, Western Ontario, Toronto, Victoria, McMaster University and the National Research Council Canada.