STEM Faculty

Simon Sheridan

Senior Research Fellow

Research interests

My research interests include the design, development, and operation of instrumentation to aid the understanding of the chemical composition of Solar System bodies. I am particularly interested in the characterisation of volatiles contained in the lunar regolith, and their application to In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU). Currently, I am the science lead developing the EMS-L mass spectrometer for the JAXA LUPEX mission which will measure volatiles released from excavated sub-surface materials at the south pole of the moon in 2028.

Teaching interests

I am passionate about teaching and currently serve as Co-Chair of Y033, the Open Universities STEM Access course that introduces students to university study and prepares them for studying STEM subjects at degree level. I am also an Associate Lecturer for the SPS288 Remote Experiments in Physics and Space, the Open Universities practical science module that includes remote experiments in astronomy, physics and planetary Science

Impact and engagement

I am a passionate STEM ambassador, and enjoy interacting with local school, exhibitions, and the media. Some highlights include:

ESERO-UK Tim Peake Primary Project (TPPP) Space Ambassador
ESERO-UK Polar Ambassador
Interviews on national television and radio including the Sky at Night and
Delivering space related CPD to primary school STEM teachers
Delivering public talks
Delivering enrichment sessions for local schools

Featured research

Space Instrumentation at The Open University

Planetary and Space Sciences

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Latest news

OU researchers find Saturn’s radiation can form molecules for life…

10 Sep 2025

Scientists from the OU have helped find that organic molecules found in plumes from Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus could be…

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Latest publications

Displaying 10 of 44 publications

Losekamm, M. J., Biswas, J., Chupin, T., Deiml, M., Deremetz, M., Evagora, A. M., Fau, G., Flahaut, J., Gancet, J., Glier, M., Gscheidle, C., Joulaud, M., Madakashira, H. K., Murray, N. J., Neumann, J., Pöschl, T., Richter, L., Sargeant, H. M., Schröder, S., Schwanethal, J., Sheridan, S., Urbina, D., Vogt, D. S. and Wessels, P., 2022, ‘Assessing the Distribution of Water Ice and Other Volatiles at the Lunar South Pole with LUVMI-X: A Mission Concept’, The Planetary Science Journal, 3(10), https://oro.open.ac.uk/85544/.
Sargeant, H. M., Dyson, J., Otto, H., Long-Fox, J., Britt, D. and Sheridan, S., 2022, ‘Lunar Dust Transport from Rover Wheel Interactions: Modelling Charged Dust Grains in Surface Electric Fields’, in 53rd Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 7-11 Mar 2022, The Woodlands, Texas, USA., https://oro.open.ac.uk/83330/.
Sargeant, H. M., Dyson, J., Otto, H., Long-Fox, J., Britt, D. and Sheridan, S., 2022, ‘Modelling Dust Clouds Produced from Lunar Rover Operations’, in Space Resources Week, 3-5 May 2022, Luxemburg (Online)., https://oro.open.ac.uk/83329/.
Jouland, M., Flahaut, J., Urbina, D., Madakashira, H., Ito, G., Biswas, J., Sheridan, S. and Gancet, J., 2021, ‘Candidate landing sites and possible traverses at the south pole of the Moon for the LUVMI-X rover’, in vEGU21, the 23rd EGU General Assembly, 19-30 Apr 2021, Online., https://oro.open.ac.uk/87053/.
Losekamm, M., Barber, S., Biswas, J., Chupin, T., Evagora, A., Fau, G., Fodorcan, D., Gancet, J., Kubitza, S., Madakashira, H., Murray, N., Neumann, J., Poeschl, T., Reganaz, M., Richter, L., Schroeder, S., Schwanethal, J., Sheridan, S., Urbina, D., Vogt, D. and Wessels, P., 2021, ‘LUVMI-X: A Versatile Platform for Resource Prospecting on the Moon’, in 17th Biennial International Conference on Engineering, Science, Construction, and Operations in Challenging Environments (Earth and Space), Online, 19 Apr-23 Apr., https://oro.open.ac.uk/79291/.
Sheridan, S., Pitcher, C., Schwanethal, J., Barber, S., Biswas, J., Reissa, P., Reganaz, M. and Richter, L., 2021, ‘The LUVMI Volatile Sampler and Volatile Analysis Package for in Situ ISRU Applications on the Moon and Other Airless Bodies’, in 17th Biennial International Conference on Engineering, Science, Construction, and Operations in Challenging Environments. Earth and Space 2021: Space Exploration, Utilization, Engineering, and Construction in Extreme Environments, 19-23 Apr 2021, Seattle, United States., https://oro.open.ac.uk/76226/.
Verchovsky, A. B., Anand, M., Barber, S. J., Sheridan, S. and Morgan, G. H., 2020, ‘A quantitative evolved gas analysis for extra-terrestrial samples’, Planetary and Space Science, 181, https://oro.open.ac.uk/68653/.
Biswas, J., Sheridan, S., Pitcher, C., Richter, L., Reganaz, M., Barber, S. J. and Reiss, P., 2020, ‘Searching for potential ice-rich mining sites on the Moon with the Lunar Volatiles Scout’, Planetary and Space Science, 181, https://oro.open.ac.uk/68587/.
Barber, S. J., Sheridan, S., Anand, M., Harkness, P., Timoney, R., Worrall, K., Murray, N. J., Trautner, R. and Howe, C. J., 2020, ‘i-Drill: An Instrumented Drill for Surface and Sub-Surface Ground Truthing of Lunar Volatiles and Resources’, in 51st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, 16-20 Mar 2020, The Woodlands, Houston, Texas, USA., https://oro.open.ac.uk/74745/.
Joulaud, M., Flahaut, J., Urbina, D., Hemanth, M. H., Gen, I., Biswas, J. and Sheridan, S., 2020, ‘Candidate landing sites and possible traverses at the South Pole of the Moon for the LUVMI-X rover’, in EPSC2020, 21 Sep - 9 Oct 2020, Virtual meeting., https://oro.open.ac.uk/74708/.

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