The ARRAKIHS mission was officially presented this week at the headquarters of the Spanish Space Agency (AEE), in an event that brought together representatives from Spain’s scientific and industrial space community. The presentation, delivered by Professor Rafael Guzmán (IFCA, CSIC-UC), Principal Investigator of ARRAKIHS, offered an overview of the mission’s objectives, progress, and the cutting-edge technology that will make it possible to explore the nature of dark matter and galaxy formation.
It is the first mission within the European Space Agency’s Scientific Programme led by Spain, a milestone that highlights the country’s growing role in international space science. The mission will study the faint outer halos of galaxies similar to the Milky Way, reaching an exceptional observational depth of 30 mag/arcsec² , a level of precision that will provide new insights into how galaxies and dark matter interact.
During the session, Juan Carlos Cortés, Director of the AEE, emphasized the importance of ARRAKIHS as “a pioneering mission that demonstrates Spain’s leadership in scientific and industrial innovation within ESA.” Isabel Pérez Grande, Director of Science, Technology and Innovation at the AEE, also underlined the mission’s key role within Spain’s national space strategy.
The event, held at the Agency’s new “Emilio Herrera” Auditorium, was one of the first public sessions hosted in this space, a nice setting for sharing the mission’s vision and scientific goals with the wider community. The presentation concluded with an engaging Q&A session, where attendees both in-person and online, shared questions and reflections.
ARRAKIHS is coordinated by the Instituto de Física de Cantabria (IFCA, CSIC-UC), together with nearly fifty institutions that form the ARRAKIHS Mission Consortium (AMC). The development of the mission’s main instrument is led by the Spanish company SATLANTIS, in collaboration with European partners. With more than 150 scientists and engineers involved from institutions across multiple countries, ARRAKIHS continues to grow as a truly collaborative international effort.
