Satellite to carry out first 'census of the Milky Way'

Secrets of the galaxy captured by a satellite made in Hertfordshire are to be revealed at an event in London.

The Gaia project's mission is to map and collect data on one billion stars. It was designed in the airbus space facility in Stevenage.

Its initial findings will be presented at the Royal Astronomical Society.

Professor Gerry Gilmore, Cambridge University, said: "Gaia is the most precise measuring machine ever built.

"It's a big satellite and is in operation one and a half million kilometres away from us. It is doing the first ever census of the milky way."