UK team plans lunar satellite to seek 21cm hydrogen signal

Researchers at the University of Cambridge are developing a suitcase-sized satellite called CosmoCube to orbit the moon and measure the redshifted 21cm radio line from neutral hydrogen on the lunar far side. The team says the signal can trace gas temperature from the cosmic dark ages through cosmic dawn and the epoch of reionization and may carry signatures of dark matter. The two-year mission is estimated to cost just under £50m, has received more than £2m from the UK Space Agency, and aims to launch in about five years to avoid Earth radio interference and ionosphere disturbances.

CosmoCube will search 21cm hydrogen signal from lunar far side