A University of Leicester scientist has been honoured on the international stage after winning the Science Breakthrough Award at the Global Space Awards for her leadership on a groundbreaking mission to study Mars.
Dr Beatriz Sanchez-Cano, a lecturer in the University’s School of Physics and Astronomy and a researcher based at Space Park Leicester, received the award for her work on the Mars Magnetosphere Atmosphere Ionosphere and Space-weather Science (M-MATISSE) mission. The project is a candidate for the European Space Agency’s medium-class programme and aims to uncover how solar wind and charged particles shape the Martian environment.
Picture credit: University of Leicester
The mission could play a crucial role in preparing for future human and robotic exploration of the Red Planet — and Leicester’s space research hub is at its heart.
Speaking after the ceremony at London’s Natural History Museum, Dr Sanchez-Cano said she was “thrilled” to receive the award: “I’m so thrilled to have won this award on behalf of everyone who has worked on the M-MATISSE mission which is helping us to better understand how the Martian atmosphere responds to space weather. It was fantastic to attend the awards and to see so many illustrious people from the space community.”
This year’s Global Space Awards celebrated the innovators driving forward the future of space science and sustainability. Guests included the family of Apollo 13 astronaut James Lovell, and the evening was hosted by renowned physicist and author Brian Greene.
In Leicester, colleagues say the award highlights the city’s growing profile as a UK centre for space research and innovation.
Professor Simon Vaughan, Head of the School of Physics and Astronomy, said: “Beatriz’s recognition with the Global Space Award speaks to the ambition and creativity behind the M-MATISSE mission concept. Leading the proposal and design of a mission that could transform our understanding of Mars is an extraordinary achievement, and it showcases the world-class science in the School and at Space Park Leicester.”
Professor Leigh Fletcher, also in the School of Physics and Astronomy, praised the scale of the mission: “ESA’s medium-class missions provide incredible opportunities, but taking charge of an international team proposing these ideas is no small undertaking. Beatriz and her team are hoping to fly two spacecraft into the Martian plasma environment, giving us multi-point measurements of how Mars’ magnetic field and upper atmosphere interact. It’s an exciting idea — and we’re immensely proud of her.”
The win adds to Leicester’s reputation as a leading force in UK space science, bolstered by the growing influence of Space Park Leicester and the University’s strong heritage in planetary research.
