Podcasts about Science Mission Directorate

NASA is paving the way for human exploration of the Moon—starting with robots!

On The Space Show for Wednesday, 8 January 2025: Mars Sample Return Mission: From NASA HQ, Bill Nelson (Administrator) and Nicky Fox (Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate), outline a new plan to retrieve the Mars surface samples collected by the Perseverance rover. Mars Sample Return, is a joint campaign being planned by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), which would see multiple missions and components with the goal of bringing Mars rock, loose surface material, and gas samples to Earth for detailed laboratory analysis.

NASA says a spacecraft that has been examining the sun's outermost atmosphere recently got closer to our Earth's star than any past explorer has. 美国宇航局表示，一艘一直在检查太阳最外层大气层的航天器最近比任何过去的探测器都更接近我们的地球恒星。 The American space agency announced its Parker Solar Probe passed within 6.1 million kilometers of the sun's outer corona on December 24. Mission leaders established communication with the spacecraft after the operation and said the orbiter was safe.美国航天局宣布帕克太阳探测器于12月24日通过距太阳外日冕610万公里以内的区域。任务负责人在操作后与航天器建立了联系，并表示轨道飞行器是安全的。 NASA launched the Parker Solar Probe in August 2018. Its mission is to study the sun's powerful corona and solar wind. Solar wind is created by a continuous flow of charged particles, called plasma, into space from the corona. NASA于2018年8月发射了帕克太阳探测器，其任务是研究太阳强大的日冕和太阳风。太阳风是由带电粒子（称为等离子体）从日冕持续流入太空而产生的。 In 2021, NASA announced the orbiter had passed into the solar atmosphere for the first time. Researchers said at the time, the spacecraft had successfully “touched” the sun. Parker was believed to be about 13 million kilometers from the center of the sun when it crossed over into the sun's outer atmosphere. 2021年，美国宇航局宣布轨道飞行器首次进入太阳大气层。研究人员当时表示，飞船已经成功“接触”太阳。当帕克进入太阳外层大气层时，据信距离太阳中心约 1300 万公里。In a statement, NASA's Associate Administrator Nicky Fox praised the spacecraft's latest pass-by of the sun. “Flying this close to the sun is a historic moment in humanity's first mission to a star,” she said. Fox leads the agency's Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. 美国宇航局副局长尼基·福克斯在一份声明中赞扬了航天器最近一次经过太阳。“飞得如此接近太阳是人类首次恒星任务的历史性时刻，”她说。福克斯领导位于华盛顿特区的美国宇航局总部的科学任务理事会。 The Parker Solar Probe is believed to have traveled at speeds up to 692,000 kilometers per hour during the mission. NASA said this was “faster than any human-made object has ever moved.” 据信帕克太阳探测器在任务期间以高达每小时 692,000 公里的速度行驶。美国宇航局表示，这“比任何人造物体移动的速度都要快”。 Fox said she hopes data collected by the spacecraft can help scientists better understand how the sun behaves and influences other elements in our solar system and beyond. “By studying the sun up-close, we can better understand its impacts throughout our solar system, including on the technology we use daily on Earth and in space.” 福克斯表示，她希望航天器收集的数据能够帮助科学家更好地了解太阳的行为以及对太阳系及其他地区其他元素的影响。“通过近距离研究太阳，我们可以更好地了解它对整个太阳系的影响，包括对我们日常在地球和太空中使用的技术的影响。”

In this Making Leaders podcast, we hear from Bradley Williams, Acting Associate Director for Flight in the Heliophysics Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate and one of three Promise Award Recipients in 2024. Bradley began his career in aerospace at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, where he served as a Project Manager and Systems Engineer collaborating with faculty and research teams to identify proposal opportunities and develop spaceflight proposals for NASA. He went on to serve as the Director of Civil Space Programs at Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems (now Terran Orbital Corporation, LLAP), a role in which he led the development of project/program management processes that prepared the company for trading on the New York Stock Exchange. While at Tyvak, Bradley led the NASA Pathfinder Technology Demonstrator CubeSats project, which included the TeraByte InfraRed Delivery (TBIRD) payload achieving a groundbreaking 200 Gigabits per second optical communications downlink. He also provided critical leadership during the design and integration phases of the CAPSTONE mission, a landmark project that continues to operate in cislunar space. Upon joining NASA, Bradley was a vital member of the OSIRIS-Rex Camera Suite (COAMS) team, contributing to both development and launch successes as a member of the systems integration and test team, management team and later as the ALTO lead and primary interface to the spacecraft team. Following the OSIRIS-Rex launch, Bradley served as Deputy Payload Manager on GUSTO, a first of its kind, balloon-borne observatory selected as a Mission of Opportunity out of NASA's Astrophysics Division. GUSTO completed the longest duration flight from Antarctica on a long duration balloon after its launch in 2023.

  Presidential elections in the United States don't just shape the country's future — they set the course for space exploration. This week, Casey Dreier, the chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, analyzes what the incoming Trump administration could mean for NASA's funding, human spaceflight, and its Science Mission Directorate. Meanwhile, budget cuts have triggered another round of layoffs at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Jack Kiraly, Planetary Society director of government relations, explains why it happened, and what U.S. residents can do to help. Plus, Bruce Betts is back with What's Up and another fascinating Random Space Fact. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-election-nasaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jake and Anthony are joined by Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Former Associate Administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate and leader of ETH Zurich Space, to talk about some of the big stories in science at NASA—Mars Sample Return, cost growth in missions across the board, and more.Note: Dr. Z cited the Europa Clipper solar arrays at 100 yards across, as in one football field, but clarified via email that they are actually 100 feet. He is European, so the football field mix up is understandable. Go Birds.TopicsOff-Nominal - YouTubeEpisode 172 (with Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen) - YouTubeWe're finally going to the Solar System's most intriguing but unexplored frontier - Ars TechnicaNASA's James Webb Space Telescope has reached its final destination. Let's celebrate the team that got it there (op-ed) | SpaceAs Psyche Mission Moves Forward, NASA Responds to Independent Review | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)Psyche review finds institutional problems at JPL - SpaceNewsBridenstine to Lead NASA Mars Sample Return Strategy Review – SpacePolicyOnline.comFollow ThomasThomas ZurbuchenThomas Zurbuchen (@Dr_ThomasZ) / XFollow Off-NominalSubscribe to the show! - Off-NominalSupport the show, join the DiscordOff-Nominal (@offnom) / TwitterOff-Nominal (@offnom@spacey.space) - Spacey SpaceFollow JakeWeMartians Podcast - Follow Humanity's Journey to MarsWeMartians Podcast (@We_Martians) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit@spacey.space) - Spacey SpaceFollow AnthonyMain Engine Cut OffMain Engine Cut Off (@WeHaveMECO) | TwitterMain Engine Cut Off (@meco@spacey.space) - Spacey SpaceAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo) | TwitterAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo@jawns.club) - jawns.club

Ok, the title Engineer is kinda derivative.  Dana Bolles is more than just an engineer, but I couldn't fit her full title on the line.  Dana is a NASA headquarters External Infomation Technology Lead, Science Mission Directorate.  Dana has been at NASA for 29 years.  She has worked at 3 NASA sites and is currently in DC working with Astrobiologists (yes, we explain what that is on the show).Dana talks about her background, disability, and ability to get the work done.  Make sure you check out this episode and learn more. Support the show

Dr. Nicola "Nicky" Fox, is the associate administrator for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, which essentially means she is the head of science for NASA. Her directorate is responsible for more than 150 missions that are currently in space or in development. Further Together hosts Michael Holtz and Matthew Underwood talk to Fox about the importance of her role, the trajectory of her career, how she became interested in science and how the desire to work for NASA brought her from England to the United States. She also tells a great story about how her father propped 8-month-old Nicky in front of the television to witness Neil Armstrong landing on the moon. Perhaps that event planted the seed? Fox came to NASA as a Postdoctoral Fellow and rose through the ranks to her current role. We cover a lot in this great and fun conversation. Give it a listen. Learn more about Nicky Fox: https://science.nasa.gov/people/nicola-fox/ Learn more about the NASA Postdoctoral Fellowship Program: https://npp.orau.org/index.html

Intuitive Machines' IM-1 mission made history on Feb. 22, with the first successful Moon landing by a company. This televised news conference will discuss details of Odysseus' landing as part of NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign. Participants from NASA and Intuitive Machines will discuss next steps for NASA science instruments aboard, as well as details of the landing, which made last-minute use of NASA's precision landing technology demonstration, NDL, or Navigation Doppler Lidar. Participants in the news conference include: • Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington • Prasan Desai, deputy associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters • Steve Altemus, chief executive officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines • Tim Crain, chief technology officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines

Intuitive Machines' IM-1 mission made history on Feb. 22, with the first successful Moon landing by a company. This televised news conference will discuss details of Odysseus' landing as part of NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign. Participants from NASA and Intuitive Machines will discuss next steps for NASA science instruments aboard, as well as details of the landing, which made last-minute use of NASA's precision landing technology demonstration, NDL, or Navigation Doppler Lidar. Participants in the news conference include: • Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington • Prasan Desai, deputy associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters • Steve Altemus, chief executive officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines • Tim Crain, chief technology officer and co-founder, Intuitive Machines

In high-stakes environments like NASA, the margin for error is incredibly slim. Even minor mistakes can lead to substantial setbacks and costs, which is why Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA's Former Science Mission Directorate Associate Administrator, emphasizes the critical need for precision and careful management in space exploration. In today's leadership spark, I chat with Thomas to discuss how NASA approaches making critical decisions, having a culture of open communication, and learning from mistakes. These have all been vital elements of leadership during projects like the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes. ________________ This episode is sponsored by Workleap Workleap Officevibe is a set of simple engagement, recognition and performance management tools. A game-changing product that enable businesses to team up HR leaders with their managers to instantly act on engagement insights, fuel meaningful peer recognition, and even drive continuous performance management. Visit Workleap.com/Officevibe to know more. ________________ Start your day with the world's top leaders by joining thousands of others at Great Leadership on Substack. Just enter your email: ⁠⁠https://greatleadership.substack.com/

NASA's Artemis project aims to establish a long-term human presence on the moon—and then put astronauts on Mars. So in addition to designing rockets and spacesuits, NASA is also exploring the ethical and societal implications of living in space. In the third episode of our Science Policy IRL series, Zach Pirtle, who got his undergraduate degrees in engineering and philosophy at Arizona State University, explains how he came to work in the agency's Office of Technology Policy and Strategy, where he recently organized a seminar on space ethics. He also works as a program executive within the Science Mission Directorate working on commercial lunar payload services. Zach joins Issues editor-in-chief Lisa Margonelli to talk about how he almost accidentally found his way to a perfect career, and how agencies engage hands-on in science policy as they figure out how to implement legislation.   Is there something about science policy you'd like us to explore? Let us know by emailing us at podcast@issues.org, or by tagging us on social media with the hashtag #SciencePolicyIRL. Resources: Presidential Management Fellows Program National Academies' Mirzayan Fellowship AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships Daniel Sarewitz, emeritus co-director at ASU's Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes NASA Artemis Artemis, Ethics and Society: Synthesis from a Workshop NASA named best place to work in the federal government How Would You Defend the Planet From Asteroids? –an Issues article by Mahmud Farooque and Jason Kessler 

The U.S. Postal Service has issued two new Priority Mail stamps celebrating NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, the largest, most powerful, and most complex telescope ever put in space. The stamps, issued Jan. 22, feature images of the cosmos captured by Webb since it began its science mission in 2022. Webb is a mission led by NASA in partnership with ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).“NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is the perfect intersection of science, engineering, and art as it reveals the greatest secrets of our cosmos through the beautiful images it captures,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “With these stamps, people across the country can have their own snapshot of Webb's captivating images – and the incredible science they represent – at their fingertips, and know that they, too, are part of this ground-breaking new era in astronomy.”Orange mountain-like structures against a blue background form the Cosmic CliffsThe U.S. Postal Service issued a Priority Mail Express stamp Jan. 22, 2024, highlighting an image of the Carina Nebula from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. Greg Breeding, an art director for the U.S. Postal Service, designed the stamp with an image provided by NASA, ESA, CSA, and the Space Telescope Science Institute.US Postal ServiceThe first of the new stamps, a Priority Mail Express stamp, features Webb's NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) image of the “Cosmic Cliffs” in the Carina Nebula, located roughly 7,600 light-years away. The image shows emerging stellar nurseries and individual stars that were previously hidden from sight. This scene was one of the first full-color images revealed from Webb in July 2022, demonstrating the telescope's ability to peer through cosmic dust and shed new light on how stars form.The other stamp, a Priority Mail stamp, features an image of the Pillars of Creation captured by Webb's MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument). Webb's look at this familiar landscape, which was first made famous by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, shows pillars flush with gas and dust, enshrouding stars that are slowly forming over many millennia. The Pillars of Creation is set within the vast Eagle Nebula, which lies 6,500 light-years away.These new stamps join a Forever stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service in 2022, featuring an artist's digital illustration of Webb against a background of stars.The U.S. Postal Service stamps honor Webb's achievements as it continues its mission to explore the unknown in our universe and study every phase in cosmic history. Webb has already pulled back the curtain on some of the farthest galaxies, stars, and black holes ever observed; solved a longstanding mystery about the early universe; given us a more detailed look at the atmospheres of planets outside our solar system than ever before; and offered new views and insights into our own cosmic backyard.

Joy Donnell is a producer and writer focused on the psychospiritual power of storytelling. She is cofounder of CIME, the Center for Intersectional Media and Entertainment, which researches how our stories make us feel and the tools needed to create restorative narratives. Joy speaks internationally about media, equity and storytelling. Her latest bestselling book, Show Us Your Fire, explores our birthright to self-compassion. She also serves as an IDEA Practitioner on the Astrophysics Division of the Science Mission Directorate for NASA. Joy can be found on social platforms under @doitinpublic.

This is one of the 10 interviews being broadcast this month, by Federal Drive Host Tom Temin, with recent recipients of the Presidential Rank Award. Dr. Lori Glaze is a career NASA researcher, who has focused on the nearby planets and their geologic behavior. She's currently Director of the Planetary Science Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is one of the 10 interviews being broadcast this month, by Federal Drive Host Tom Temin, with recent recipients of the Presidential Rank Award. Dr. Lori Glaze is a career NASA researcher, who has focused on the nearby planets and their geologic behavior. She's currently Director of the Planetary Science Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you view the universe? Chances are that answer has changed a lot in the last few years. With all of the amazing images coming from Mars (via the Perserverance Rover), the James Webb Space Telescope, and even the Artemis 1 mission, the universe seems even more incredibly amazing than before. It is our honor to chat with the person who was in charge of the teams at NASA who completed all of these amazing missions. Our guest today is Dr. Thomas Zerbuchen, Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA from 2016 to 2022. Don't miss this awesome discussion of space and the universe. 

In this  Space Café Radio -  SpaceWatch.Global team's Dr. Emma Gatti and Torsten Krieningspoke with Susie Perez Quinn, NASA's Chief of Staff, Dr. Karen St. Germain,  NASA's Division Director of the Earth Science Division in the Science Mission Directorate, and Dr. Kate Calvin, NASA's Chief Scientist and Senior Climate Advisor. The episode was recorded in Oslo during GLOC -  Global Space Conference on Climate Change. GLOC was co-organized by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), and the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA).  In this special 3-guests radio episodes Emma and Torsten asked the NASA's representative about the US agency's initiative towards climate change and why it is essential to get out of the Space bubble  and open a dialogue with the community and the end users. This radio episode is part of a joint collaboration between SpaceWatch.Global and the Norwegian Space Agency. Our collaboration focuses on creating tangible outreach for GLOC, while highlighting the commitment of the space industry to combat the climate crisis. This mini series will explore the several approaches space is taking for climate change action and its significance for the society,  as well as its practical results, challenges, and evolution into future applications.Space Café Radio brings you talks, interviews, and reports from the team of SpaceWatchers while out on the road. Each episode has a specific topic, unique content, and a personal touch. Enjoy the show, and let us know your thoughts at radio@spacewatch.global!Please visit us at SpaceWatch.Global, subscribe to our newsletters. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!

Brad McLain, PhD, is the founder of Designing Transformative Experiences LLC. He is a social scientist interested in the nature and psychology of identity development, learning, and leadership, with over twenty years of experience working with organizations and leaders of all stripes. McLain is on the faculty of the University of Colorado at Boulder and serves as the Director of the Center for STEM Learning and Director of Corporate Research at the National Center for Women in Information Technology. He routinely works closely with companies including Apple, Google, Morgan Stanley and dozens of others on the subject of identity, inclusive culture construction, and change leadership. Prior, he served two terms on the Board of Directors for the Jane Goodall Institute and was the United States Chair of Dr. Goodall's Roots and Shoots Leadership Committee. McLain has served as principal investigator and researcher on numerous federal, foundation, and privately funded programs, resulting in frequent collaborations with state and federal government agencies, corporations, non-profits, and private organizations. Before that, he was an educational researcher at the Space Science Institute, worked at NASA in the Space Shuttle Program as well as NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research, and NASA's Science Mission Directorate, and was a social science researcher at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). He is also an accomplished filmmaker, having produced and directed three documentary features and dozens of short films. McLain lives in Boulder, Colorado with his two children. For more information, please visit www.designingtransformativeexperiences.comDiscover our captivating array of extraordinary guests at: https://www.savvybroadcasting.com

Can Medicine Move To Animal-Free Testing? Before a new drug can begin clinical trials in humans, it gets tested on animals. But things are changing. Late last year, Congress passed the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, which cleared the way for new drugs to skip animal testing. Can we expect to phase out animal testing altogether? Is it safe? And what technologies might make that possible? Guest host Flora Lichtman talks with Dr. Thomas Hartung, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing, to get a broader picture of alternatives to animal testing.   Capturing Carbon With Tasty Fungus This week, a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change brought dire warnings about our planet's climate future and an alert that drastic action is needed—now—to avoid catastrophe. One action the report recommends involves an overhaul of our food production systems to decrease their carbon impact.   Writing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers suggest one possible way of sequestering some carbon dioxide might be cultivating certain kinds of edible mushrooms on land that has already been cultivated for agroforestry. The researchers are working with Lactarius deliciosus, commonly known as the saffron milk cap or red pine mushroom, but other species are possible as well. These mycorrhizal fungi live in a symbiotic relationship with the roots of the trees, increasing biomass and storing more carbon, while producing food on land that might have otherwise been used only for trees. In certain climates and with certain trees, these fungi can actually be a carbon-negative source of protein. However, to produce a pound of protein currently requires a lot of land and effort. The researchers are working to make forest fungal farming easier, and to expand the approach to a wider range of trees. SciFri's Charles Bergquist talks with Dr. Paul Thomas, author of that report and research director at the company Mycorrhizal Systems, a company that helps farmers grow truffles. He's also an honorary professor in the University of Stirling's Faculty of Natural Sciences in the UK.   Whiskey Distillery On The Rocks After Fungus Spreads Lincoln County, Tennessee has been overcome by an unwelcome guest: whiskey fungus. It covers everything from houses and cars to stop signs and trees, and no amount of power washing seems to make it go away. Why has whiskey fungus attached to this small town? It feeds on ethanol from the famed Jack Daniel's distillery, which is in a neighboring county. Lincoln County isn't the first place to encounter this problem. Whiskey fungus was first documented in 1872 by a French pharmacist named Antonin Baudoin. Baudoin noted how mold caused distillery walls in Cognac to blacken, a phenomenon that has since been seen near distilleries across the world. The fungus was not given a name until 2007, when it was dubbed Baudoinia compniacensis, named for Antonin Baudoin. Joining guest host Flora Lichtman is James A. Scott, PhD, professor of public health at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario. Scott has studied whiskey fungus for over two decades, and gave it its scientific name.   NASA's New Science Head Sees A Bright Future Last month, NASA announced Dr. Nicola Fox as the agency's new scientific leader. Fox is taking on a critical role at NASA, shaping the agency's science priorities and overseeing roughly 100 missions, with a budget of $7.8 billion. The portfolio includes space science from astrophysics and Earth science, covering the planets in our solar system to exoplanets far beyond. Previously, she was the director of the heliophysics division at NASA, which studies the Sun and its role in the solar system. SciFri senior producer Charles Bergquist talks with Dr. Nicola Fox, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate for NASA, about her new position, career path, and plans for science at NASA.    

Observation tools like the Hubble and James Webb telescopes have fueled deeper explorations of the universe. In this episode, NASA's James Webb Telescope discoveries and implications for STEM education and technology. And what comes next, the search for habitable planets.  Joining us is Dr. Mark Clampin, astrophysics division director at NASA's headquarters in Washington DC.  Dr. Mark Clampin is the Astrophysics Division Director in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. The goals of the Astrophysics Division are to understand how the universe works, understand how we got here and to address the question, are we alone?

On The Space Show for Wednesday, 22 March 2023: Space Show News Trailblazer Program Awarded: Australia is closer to embarking on its first mission to the Moon in partnership with NASA. The Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth (AROSE) consortium and the EPE and Lunar Outpost Oceania consortium, will each receive $4 million to design early-stage prototypes of a semi-autonomous rover, as part of stage one of the Trailblazer program mission to the Moon. Launch of the National Indigenous Space Academy: Indigenous Australian university students will be given an opportunity to allow their careers to take off with a new internship program supported by the Australian Space Agency (ASA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The National Indigenous Space Academy (NISA) will see up to five students studying in STEM fields travel to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA JPL) in California for a 10-week full-time summer internship program. A panel discussion on Moon mining and robotics at the Moon Village Association meeting, Deakin Edge at Federation Square in March 2019, featuring: Anita Parbhakar-Fox, Senior Research Fellow, Geo-environmental Studies, University of Queensland Carlos Espejel, iSpace, Luxembourg Bohan Deng, CEO Spherospace, Sydney Daniel Ricardo & Henry Lourey, Nova Rover Team, Monash University Key highlights of the 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference - LPSC 2023 reporting on NASA's budget decisions, the status of planetary missions, and a vigorous discussion on matters arising, with: Sandra Connelly, Deputy Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA HQ Lori Glaze, Director, Planetary Science Division, NASA HQ Sue Smrekar, Principal Investigator, VERITAS, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and others... Planet Earth: Season 4 - Episode 47 The Surface Water Ocean Topography or SWOT satellite.

How will a human Mars mission play out? Where exactly should it go? What unexpected challenges will we face? We're discussing all these aspects with Rick Davis. He is the Assistant Director for Science and Exploration, NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

How will a human Mars mission play out? Where exactly should it go? What unexpected challenges will we face? We're discussing all these aspects with Rick Davis. He is the Assistant Director for Science and Exploration, NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

Our guest today is Dr. Ed Weiler, a retired NASA scientist who spent 20 years as the chief scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope, the forerunner of the James Webb. During his 33-year NASA career, Ed wore many hats, including Associate Administrator of the Science Mission Directorate; Center Director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Associate Administrator for NASA's Space Science Enterprise, chief of the Ultraviolet/Visible and Gravitational Astrophysics Division and director of the Astronomical Search for Origins Program. In today's episode, we talk to Ed about: -- NASA's accomplishments in the past year, including the Perseverance mission, the success of the James Webb telescope, and the launch of Artemis-1. -- Ed's experience as the Chief Scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope during its early development. -- Ed's time as the director of NASA's Astronomical Search for Origins program. -- Ed's role in the development of the New Horizons space craft and its mission to fly by and study Pluto and it's moons. -- Ed's belief that in the next 20 to 50 years, we will be able to the prove the existence of other life in the universe. Show notes [00:02:59] Dawn opens the interview mentioning that she and Ed share a common experience of going through the selection process to become a NASA astronaut. [00:03:55] Dawn mentions that instead of becoming an astronaut, Ed joined NASA in 1978 as a scientist, serving in a variety of science leadership roles throughout his career, eventually retiring in 2011 after 33 years of service. Dawn asks Ed to talk about his various accomplishments at NASA. [00:05:57] Dawn asks Ed about his feelings toward the various accomplishments of NASA in recent years since his retirement, such as the Perseverance mission, the success of the James Webb telescope, and the launch of Artemis-1. [00:08:42] Ken asks Ed to discuss the recent images from the James Webb telescope, images that have captured the public's imagination. [00:12:10] Dawn asks if it's true that Ed decided to become an astronomer and go to work for NASA when he was only 13 years old. [00:15:36] Dawn mentions that we have had several guests on STEM-Talk that cite the Apollo missions as their inspiration for pursuing a career in science. Dawn points out that Ed was already in grad school when Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon. Dawn asks Ed about watching the moon landing on the campus of Northwestern University. [00:16:48] Ken asks about Ed's experience as the Chief Scientist for the Hubble Space Telescope during its early development. [00:25:01] Dawn points out that after graduating from Northwestern University, Ed joined the research staff at Princeton while also working at the Goddard Space Flight Center. In 1978, Ed became a staff scientist at NASA headquarters and Dawn asks how that position came about. [00:29:45] Dawn mentions that Ed was also the director of NASA's Astronomical Search for Origins program and asks Ed to talk about that experience. [00:33:03] Ken mentions that in 1998, Ed became the Associate Administrator for Space Science for the first time. Ken goes on to mention when Ed was first approached about the position, he said “not in a million years.” Ken asks what eventually changed Ed's mind. [00:37:10] Dawn asks Ed about his first stint as NASA's Associate Administrator, where he oversaw several successful missions and set in motion an ambitious Mars exploration mission. [00:43:43] Dawn asks Ed to talk about the role he played in the development of the New Horizons craft and its mission to fly by and study Pluto and its moons. [00:45:46] Ken mentions that when Ed's first tenure as Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate ended in 2004, he took over the leadership of the Goddard Space Flight Center, which is one of the premier institutions for space and earth science missions. Ken asks Ed to talk about the work he did at the cente...

Cobb County was placed under a tornado watch and wind advisory as a wall of thunderstorms swept across the Southeast on Thursday afternoon. The most significant damage occurred in Austell, according to Cobb County, where firefighters found at least 18 homes with damage. At least 14 homes were damaged enough that the Red Cross was brought in to assist residents. No significant injuries were been reported, the county said around 6:30 p.m., but assessments were still underway. Cobb DOT was still clearing downed trees countywide Thursday night, and as of 6:30 p.m. had cleared at least 25 roads and 11 flooded roadways. Also in Austell, a warehouse on Oak Ridge Parkway was severely damaged and had a wall collapse, according to the county. Residents were asked to report damage to the county. Cobb's wind advisory was in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. as gusts between 30 and 40 miles per hour were expected. The tornado watch, meanwhile, was in effect until 7 p.m. The National Weather Service expected isolated hail a few tornados in the area between Montgomery, Alabama, and Athens, including metro Atlanta. Dobbins Air Reserve Base will play host in the coming months to a high-altitude NASA research craft. The ER-2 aircraft will be flying out of the base until March 5, Dobbins announced this week. The ER-2 plane is a variant of the famous U-2 spy plane developed by Lockheed in the 1950s. It is used for civilian research missions, and operates at altitudes between 20,000 and 70,000 feet, per NASA. “These flights are sponsored by the Earth Science Division of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The purpose of this mission is to track severe weather to measure properties such as wind, temperature, precipitation, humidity and aerosol profiles,” the base said in a news release. The base said while it will try to restrict flights to the hours between sunrise and sunset, but missions may occur during night time hours and on weekends. Chiefs running back and Sprayberry alum Jerick McKinnon closed out the final six weeks of the 2022 regular season in emphatic fashion, scoring a league-high nine total touchdowns in that span. It was only fitting that the NFL on Thursday recognized McKinnon as the AFC Offensive Player of the Month. McKinnon became the first running back since 1970 with a touchdown reception in at least five consecutive games, and his scoring binge was impressive. The streak started innocently enough, with a 2-yard touchdown catch in Week 13. And then his trips to the end zone kept coming, week after week. By the time the six-game stretch concluded, the 5-foot-9, 209-pound McKinnon had amassed eight touchdown catches and one rushing score. The Chiefs' all-purpose running back finished the regular season with 291 yards and a touchdown on 72 carries plus 512 yards and nine touchdowns on 56 catches. His 535 offensive snaps led all Chiefs running backs. Jerrick's Chiefs have a bye this weekend in NFL playoffs Wild Card round. If everything goes right next week in the divisional round, he could have a chance to play for the AFC championship in front of his home fans. Due to the Cincinnati Bengals-Buffalo Bills game on January the second being cancelled due to the collapse of Bills' safety Damar Hamlin, the NFL decided that if the AFC Championship game is between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills, the game will be played in Atlanta at the Mercedes Benz Stadium, giving the teams a neutral field to play on for a trip to the Super Bowl.   Kennesaw Parks & Rec will have the “Out of this World” Dance Party on February 4. Participants can dress to the nines or in their space suit and dance the night away as the Ben Robertson Community Center's Banquet Hall is transformed into outer space. This family-friendly event will feature an “all-you-can-eat” dinner and dessert bar, a professional DJ and plenty of memorable photo opportunities. All adults must be accompanied by a child and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Seating will be reserved. Participants can list all members of their party in their registration. Tickets are only $15 per person and can be purchased online or at the Ben Robertson Community Center. Advance purchase is required. Tickets are non-refundable after January 27.For more information please go to Kennesaw dash G A dot gov. The Emily Lembeck Early Learning Center, the Pre-K Center for Marietta City Schools, invites the community to learn more about the framework it uses for literacy and language development. The Community Scope and Sequence was created by the Emily Lembeck Early Learning Center and connects the Georgia Pre-K learning standards to a curriculum that builds and develops the “reading brain,” all based upon brain science. It has since been adopted by nine other early learning centers in the City of Marietta in correlation with the Literacy and Justice for All campaign, reaching a total of approximately 400 children. Each month there is a different focus on themes and “anchor” books that reinforce the themes. In February, young students will answer inquiry questions like: How does the world work? What do all living things need? and How are living things connected to each other and the Earth? February's anchor books are "Moonbear's Shadow" by Frank Asch, "The Little Engine that Could" by Watty Piper, "Rabbits and Raindrops" and "Raccoon on His Own" by Jim Arnosky. Families are encouraged to visit the public library or find the books at a local store. Suggested activities that families can do with their children to deepen their understanding and promote these themes and inquiry questions include: Find a sunny spot outside. Watch one's shadow change as the sun moves throughout the day. Stand in the same spot and trace one's shadow with chalk at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Then talk about what happened to the shadow and how it changed. Take a nature scavenger hunt and talk about the things that one finds and sees. Make a collage with the things one finds. Look for rocks to paint or decorate with fun and happy pictures or messages. Place them in public places to share with others. All of the early learning centers invite parents and caregivers in Marietta to follow along with the Community Scope and Sequence to encourage shared knowledge. CobbCounty #Georgia #LocalNews      -            -            -            -            -            The Marietta Daily Journal Podcast is local news for Marietta, Kennesaw, Smyrna, and all of Cobb County.             Subscribe today, so you don't miss an episode! MDJOnline            Register Here for your essential digital news.            https://www.chattahoocheetech.edu/  https://cuofga.org/ https://www.esogrepair.com/ https://www.drakerealty.com/           Find additional episodes of the MDJ Podcast here.             This Podcast was produced and published for the Marietta Daily Journal and MDJ Online by BG Ad Group   For more information be sure to visit https://www.bgpodcastnetwork.com            See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Dr. Teasel Muir-Harmony of the Smithsonian discusses her book, Operation Moonglow. She argues that its primary purpose wasn't advancing science; rather, it was part of a political strategy to build a global coalition. Operation Moonglow paints a riveting picture of the intersection of spaceflight, geopolitics, propaganda, and diplomacy during the Cold War. Research Question: Dr. Muir Harmony believes more work is needed for evaluating the impact of information dissemination in a public diplomacy context. Resources: Dr. Teasel Muir-Harmony Operation Moonglow: A Political History of Project Apollo by Dr. Teasel Muir-Harmony Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell How to Build a Dyson Sphere - The Ultimate Megastructure How to Move the Sun: Stellar Engines Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-130 Guest Bio:  Dr. Teasel Muir-Harmony is a historian of science and technology and the curator of the Apollo Collection. Before coming to the Smithsonian, she earned a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She has held positions as a visiting scholar at the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden (KTH), an Associate Historian at the American Institute of Physics, and as a curator at the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum in Chicago. Muir-Harmony researches and writes on the history of exploring the Moon, from debates about lunar governance to the use of spaceflight as soft power, the topic of her award-winning book, Operation Moonglow: A Political History of Project Apollo (Basic Books, 2020). She is the author of Apollo to the Moon: A History in 50 Objects (National Geographic, 2018) and an advisor to the television series Apollo's Moon Shot. Her scholarship has been featured by CBS, the New York Times, NPR, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, and numerous other media outlets. Muir-Harmony's research and writing have been supported by the Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation, the Consortium for the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine, the MIT Presidential Fellowship, the Smithsonian Institution Graduate Research Fellowship, NASA's Science Mission Directorate, and the National Science Foundation.  At the Air and Space Museum, she is the lead curator for the One World Connected gallery and serves on exhibit teams for Destination Moon and the Allan and Shelley Holt Innovations Gallery. Her collection comprises over 2,000 artifacts related to the Apollo program, the Skylab program, and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.  Muir-Harmony co-organizes the Space Policy & History Forum, serves on the Executive Council of the Society for the History of Technology, is a member of the American Astronautical Society History Committee, and participates in the US State Department's Speakers Program. In addition, she teaches in Georgetown University's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

A key component of the scientific method is replicability. But how do scientists replicate research findings unless they have access to the data, methods, and systems used to generate the initial results? Enter, the Open Science Movement -- a push to make science more accessible, not just to other researchers, but to the general public as well. In this Episode, we speak to Dr. Kevin Murphy, Chief Science Data Officer of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, to learn about the Open Science Movement, its opportunities, and its challenges!

News: Researchers run a gas turbine on pure hydrogen in world first | New Atlas (01:51) Gas turbines are found in aircraft, trains, ships, generators, pumps, compressors and all sorts of other places. 90% currently run on natural gas, which  produces carbon dioxide when you burn it In the race to zero emissions by 2050, several organizations, including General Electric, have been looking into transitioning gas turbines to burn green hydrogen as a clean fuel source.As of now, GE has more than 100 turbines running on at least 5 percent hydrogen fuel by volume, and they say they are on the path to 100 percent. Researchers at the University of Stavinger in Norway say they've beaten everyone to the punch, claiming that they've had a 100 percent hydrogen-burning gas turbine running since mid-May this year.Runs its own micro gas power plant, and its gas turbine produces heat, electricity and hot water for hydronic heating. Professor Mohsen Assadi, leader of the research team, states:“We have set a world record in hydrogen combustion in micro gas turbines. No one has been able to produce at this level before … The efficiency of running the gas turbine with hydrogen will be somewhat less. The big gain though, is to be able to utilize the infrastructure that already exists.” Eventually, these kinds of projects will lead to conversion kits that can keep old turbine equipment alive while moving it to zero-emissions fuel sources.But this process needs to become economically viable, which means the price of green hydrogen needs to come down substantially.   First successful treatment of severe pulmonary hypertension with umbilical cord stem cells | MedicalXPress (05:27) Clinical researchers at Hannover Medical School (MHH) have succeeded for the first time in stopping the usually fatal course of pulmonary hypertension thanks to a novel therapeutic approach. Pulmonary hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), blood vessels in the lungs are narrowed, blocked or destroyed. In some people, pulmonary hypertension slowly gets worse and can be life-threatening. A three-year-old girl suffering from so-called pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was treated a total of five times with mesenchymal stem cell products obtained from a human umbilical cord. The researchers' analysis showed that the products of the stem cells from the umbilical cord were able to improve regeneration in the damaged blood vessels, inhibit inflammation of the blood vessels and curb damage to certain parts of the cells. Professor Dr. Georg Hansmann, head of the Translational Cardiopulmonary Biomedicine research group, talked on the treatment's success:“The treatment led to a significant improvement in growth, exercise tolerance and clinical cardiovascular variables and reduced the number of plasma markers in the blood that can be detected in vascular constriction and inflammation." After six months, not only was there a clear improvement in health, but there were also no undesirable side effects.First time there is a therapy for people suffering from pronounced forms of pulmonary hypertension The team assumes that such a therapy must be repeated at regular intervals in order to be successful long term, in the case of chronically progressive, often therapy-resistant pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Japan Is Dropping a Gargantuan Turbine Into The Ocean to Harness 'Limitless' Energy | ScienceAlert (08:53) Japanese engineers have constructed a true leviathan, a beast capable of withstanding the strongest of ocean currents to transform its flow into a virtually limitless supply of electricity.IHI Corporation – has been tinkering with the technology for over a decade now, partnering with New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) in 2017 to put their designs to the test. In February, the project passed a major milestone with the completion of a successful three-and-a-half year field test in the waters off Japan's southwestern coast. Prototype called Kairyu330 tons 20 meter (66 foot) long fuselage flanked by a pair of similar-sized cylinders Housing a power generation system attached to an 11 meter long turbine blade. The device can orient itself to find the most efficient position to generate power from the push of a deep-water current, and channel it into a grid. IHI estimates that if the energy present in the current could be harnessed, it could feasibly generate around 205 gigawatts of electricity, an amount it claims is in the same ballpark as the country's current power generation.Enormous amount of potential in the ocean's tumultuous movements Kairyu was designed to hover roughly 50 meters below the waves – as it floats towards the surface, the drag created provides the necessary torque on the turbines. The turbine blades rotate in an opposing direction keeping the device relatively stable. Churning out a total of 100 kilowatts of power. With demonstrated success at withstanding what nature can throw at it, Kairyu could soon have a monster sibling swinging 20-meter-long turbines to generate a more respectable 2 megawatts.I covered another tidal turbine The Orbital 02 developed a Scottish Engineering Company back in episode 55 that was able to generate 2 MW of power.   Woman receives 3D-printed ear made from her own cells | The Verge (12:23) Around 1,500 babies born in the United States each year have microtia, a condition where one or both ears are underdeveloped or missing entirely.  A regenerative medicine company, 3DBio Therapeutic, announced in a press release doctors successfully transplanted a 3D-printed ear made from human cells onto a woman born with the rare ear deformity microtia. Part of the first clinical trial of the technology, Marks a major step forward for tissue engineering. 3DBio Therapeutics has an ongoing clinical trial with 11 participants testing its AuriNovo ear, a personalized tissue implant to replace the missing ear in these patients.This experimental process involves taking a biopsy from the patient's existing ear and pulling out cartilage cells. Those cells are then grown and 3D printed into the shape of the patient's ear. The ear keeps regenerating cartilage over patients' lifetimes, and because it is made from their own cells, it's less likely to be rejected. Executives from 3DBio Therapeutics told The New York Times they thought their technology could potentially print other body parts like noses and rotator cuffs and, eventually, complex organs like livers and kidneys.Ears are simpler than organs and, unlike livers, aren't necessary to keep people alive, so it'll be a long road toward that potential future.   NASA assembles a UFO research team to study ‘unidentified aerial phenomena' | TechCrunch (16:22) NASA has announced the formation of a study team dedicated to UFOs — or unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs) Starting this fall, the study will have researchers identify what UAP data already exists, determine how best to collect UAP data moving forward and develop methods to study the nature of UAPs, for both scientific and aerospace defense reasons. Part of the team will be Daniel Evans, the assistant deputy associate administrator for research at NASA's Science Mission Directorate, who stated:“Over the decades, NASA has answered the call to tackle some of the most perplexing mysteries we know of, and this is no different … I do want to underscore that NASA is uniquely positioned to address UAPs, because who other than us can use the power of data and science to look at what's happening in our skies? And quite frankly, this is why we do what we do.” This isn't the first program dedicated to UAP research:1952 and 1969, the United States Air Force (USAF) studied UAPs under Project Blue Book.  In 2017, The New York Times revealed a Pentagon UAP research program called the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), which ended in 2012 due to lack of funding.  NASA will not be seeking to develop explanations for UAPs, extraterrestrial or otherwiseThis is more of an information-gathering mission — one whose results will be shared publicly, unlike many findings of the DoD — that may open the door for further UAP research and analysis.  

Reserve Bank of India, the country's central bank has proposed allowing integration between India's Unified Payments Interface and credit cards, TechCrunch reports. “UPI facilitates transactions by linking savings or current accounts through users' debit cards. It is now proposed to allow linking of credit cards on the UPI platform,” Shaktikanta Das, the governor of Reserve Bank of India said at a briefing, according to TechCrunch. To begin with, the RuPay credit cards will be linked to UPI, he said. RuPay is India's homegrown card network, which is promoted by the National Payments Corporation of India, a special body of RBI that also oversees UPI payments. Infosys has won a contract from TK Elevator that expands the Indian IT services giant's engagement with the German maker of lifts, the company said in a press release yesterday. The seven-year contract involves providing AI-powered IT helpdesk services, digital workplace management, and network services, using automation solutions from Infosys Cobalt, the company's suite of cloud technologies, products and services. NASA is putting together an independent team of researchers to study sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs, the updated term now used to refer to UFOs, the American space agency said in a blog post yesterday. NASA says it plans to study these sightings from a scientific perspective but also stressed that “there is no evidence UAPs are extraterrestrial in origin,” The Verge reports. The study team is to be led by astrophysicist David Spergel under NASA's Science Mission Directorate. It will attempt to identify what data is out there on UAPs and figure out how to best capture data on UAPs in the future. NASA noted that the limitations in sightings make it hard to come to logical conclusions about where UAPs come from. The study will be open and unclassified, according to Thomas Zurbuchen, the associate administrator for science at NASA, according to The Verge. SolarSquare, a Mumbai-based startup, has raised $4 million led by Google Capital, with participation from US investor Chris Sacca's Lowercarbon Capital, Singapore based Symphony Asia and Nithin Kamath's Rainmatter Foundation. The round also saw participation from Better Capital, Climate Angels and several angel investors. This investment mark's the $1 billion Lowercarbon Capital's first Indian investment, according to SolarSquare's press release. SolarSquare was founded in 2015 by Neeraj Jain and Nikhil Nahar, and Shreya Mishra joined them as co-founder. The company, originally started as a B2B solar venture, is rapidly expanding its B2C operations, and the fresh funds will help SolarSquare to go faster in that direction. Theme music courtesy Free Music & Sounds: https://soundcloud.com/freemusicandsounds

Often, when we fall, it helps to simply look up and find hope in what's above us. Hakeem Oluseyi is professor of physics and space sciences at the Florida Institute of Technology and has served at Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He joins host Krys Boyd to talk about his early life, when he struggled with inequality, poverty and addiction, and how he found his way out by studying the stars. His book, co-authored with Joshua Horwitz, is “A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Street to the Stars.” This episode originally aired July 1, 2021.

Would you like to help NASA to collect data from space? You can! Listen to this awesome chat with Dr. Marc Kuchner, Citizen Science Officer for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. You may just help to discover a new planetary object! 

Today's guests include: ( 1:41) Heliophysics Division Director in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Dr. Nicola Fox and (30:05) author David Chalmers.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA; /ˈnæsə/) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.[note 1] NASA was established in 1958, succeeding the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The new agency was to have a distinctly civilian orientation, encouraging peaceful applications in space science.[7][8][9] Since its establishment, most US space exploration efforts have been led by NASA, including the Apollo Moon landing missions, the Skylab space station, and later the Space Shuttle. NASA is supporting the International Space Station and is overseeing the development of the Orion spacecraft, the Space Launch System, Commercial Crew vehicles, and the planned Lunar Gateway space station. The agency is also responsible for the Launch Services Program, which provides oversight of launch operations and countdown management for uncrewed NASA launches. NASA's science is focused on better understanding Earth through the Earth Observing System;[10] advancing heliophysics through the efforts of the Science Mission Directorate's Heliophysics Research Program;[11] exploring bodies throughout the Solar System with advanced robotic spacecraft such as New Horizons;[12] and researching astrophysics topics, such as the Big Bang, through the Great Observatories and associated programs.[13] Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BreakroomNachos Intro music by Dan Mason: https://danmason.bandcamp.com/

On The Space Show for Wednesday, 15 December 2021: NASA's Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) satellite with Tiffany Russell-Lockhart, a systems engineer at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama A primer on why astronomers need to see the non-visible wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum Dr Ellen Stofan, Smithsonian Under Secretary for Science and Research and Dr Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator at NASA's Science Mission Directorate, discuss XPIE at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST): A next-generation infra-red observatory is prepared for launch James Webb Space Telescope by the Chromatics Revealing the universe with the JWST: a feature from the Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland The Operations Control Centre for the Hubble Space Telescope: a feature from the Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland The Chandra X-ray Observatory: Celebrating the 8th and 15th anniversaries of the telescope The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope

In this episode of “Un Cafecito with a Woman in STEM”, a sub-series of SWE's Diverse Podcast. In this episode, Marissa Doyen, the Hispanic Heritage Month Lead with SWE's Latinos Affinity Group, speaks with Sandra Cauffman, the Deputy Director of Earth Science Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA. Listen as Cauffman shares how she accomplished her childhood dream of working at NASA and how she now helps inspire other young girls.

Often, when we fall, it helps to simply look up and find hope in what's above us. Hakeem Oluseyi is professor of physics and space sciences at the Florida Institute of Technology and has served at Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He joins host Krys Boyd to talk about his early life, when he struggled with inequality, poverty and addiction, and how he found his way out by studying the stars. His book, co-authored with Joshua Horwitz, is “A Quantum Life: My Unlikely Journey from the Street to the Stars.”

Knowledge Project Key Takeaways The most important question is: “Is somebody else watching the other way?” – Dr. ZurbuchenLife, like planetary systems, might also be distributed in the universeInternational coordination in space is critical for our future However, we see some countries that are making us question whether they’re serious about the peaceful utilization of spaceThings will only heat up because the mining approach to the “world in space” is inevitableThis is especially true of colonizing Mars and mining asteroidsThe toughest part of research is walking the edge between irrelevance and the seemingly impossibleThis requires building programs that push that edge at the maximum speed viable and require that you learn how to failTwo red flags that he tries to keep an eye out for when running an organization:Dishonesty, or over-exaggerating your comfort level Blindness, or forgetting you might not be seeing some part of your trade space“The priority is mission success. We will not rush and make stupid mistakes because every one of these mistakes in that environment costs us hundreds of millions of dollars. Saving a day and having six months to fix a mistake, it’s just a bad thing.” – Thomas ZurbuchenRead the full notes @ podcastnotes.orgThomas Zurbuchen is currently Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA, where he seeks answers to big questions about the universe and our place in it. Previously, he was a professor of space science and aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan and a founding director of its Center for Entrepreneurship. In this episode, Thomas and Shane discuss the origin of his passion for astrophysics, commercial spaceflight, exciting experiments going on at the International Space Station, the challenges of space flight, how he makes decisions, whether humans will ever live on Mars, and more. Go Premium: Members get early access, ad-free episodes, hand-edited transcripts, searchable transcripts, member only episodes, and more. https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-premium/ Every Sunday our newsletter shares timeless insights and ideas that you can use at work and home. Add it to your inbox: https://fs.blog/newsletter/ Follow Shane on twitter at: https://twitter.com/ShaneAParrish

Thomas Zurbuchen is currently Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA, where he seeks answers to big questions about the universe and our place in it. Previously, he was a professor of space science and aerospace engineering at the University of Michigan and a founding director of its Center for Entrepreneurship. In this episode, Thomas and Shane discuss the origin of his passion for astrophysics, commercial spaceflight, exciting experiments going on at the International Space Station, the challenges of space flight, how he makes decisions, whether humans will ever live on Mars, and more. Go Premium: Members get early access, ad-free episodes, hand-edited transcripts, searchable transcripts, member only episodes, and more. https://fs.blog/knowledge-project-premium/ Every Sunday our newsletter shares timeless insights and ideas that you can use at work and home. Add it to your inbox: https://fs.blog/newsletter/ Follow Shane on twitter at: https://twitter.com/ShaneAParrish

Two Masks Are Better Than One Masks have been a big issue throughout the pandemic, from supply shortages to debates about when they should be required to be used. This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out research and guidance on the effectiveness of double masking—wearing one mask over another. Engineer and aerosol scientist Linsey Marr talks about how a face mask traps a virus, the effectiveness of double masking, and other other questions about face masks.   Next Week, A Return To Martian Soil It’s a busy time on Mars. This week, spacecraft from both China and the United Arab Emirates successfully maneuvered into position in Martian orbit. And next week, if all goes according to plan, the Mars 2020 mission will deliver the Perseverance rover to its new home in Jezero Crater on the planet’s surface. Scientists hope to use it there for at least two Mars years, exploring the geology and chemistry of what once was a catch-basin for a river delta on the Red Planet. Lori Glaze, head of the Planetary Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, joins Ira to give a preview of the landing process, and an overview of some of the experiments on board Perseverance—from a ground-penetrating radar system to an experimental helicopter that may make the first controlled, powered flight on another planet.   Some People Had COVID-19 For So Long That It Mutated Inside Them COVID-19 variants have been front and center in the news over the past few months. Mutations are a natural part of the course of life for viruses. But to us humans, they’re adding more unknowns to an already stressful time. Groups of researchers around the world have found something interesting in a select few COVID-19 patients: individuals who seem to be reservoirs for coronavirus mutations. Essentially, these patients were infected with COVID-19 for so long that the virus was able to mutate inside them. Experts are scratching their heads at these strange cases, and now are looking into what this means for our efforts to fight the virus. Meanwhile, South Africa has suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine because it doesn’t clearly stop the coronavirus variant that originated in the country. This is a problem for AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, which planned on deploying this vaccine en masse in developing countries. Joining Ira to break down these stories and other science news of the week is Maggie Koerth, senior science reporter for FiveThirtyEight.  

How does one go from being a B+ student who got dressed down by her 8th grade softball coach to the Division Director of the Earth Science Division at NASA? While this might sound like the plot of an inspirational Hallmark movie, this was real life for Karen St. Germain. For our inaugural episode, we talked with her about mentorship, the value of being able to communicate science, and how perseverance can pay off. This episode was produced by Shane M Hanlon and mixed by Collin Warren. Transcript Shane M Hanlon: Hi everyone, I'm Shane M Hanlon, the host of the Sci & Tell. Just a note before we get rolling - Each episode is gonna start w/ a quick story from me that somehow relates to something our interviewee said. Sometimes it may seem out of context…but there's definitely a thread there. So w/out further ado, let's get into it. Shane M Hanlon: I used to jokingly call myself the Abe Lincoln of fellowships. Something that always stuck with me about Lincoln was how many times he ran for elected office…and how many times he lost before finally succeeding. I could definitely relate to that. I applied to about a 1/2 dozen grad schools and only got into one (and frankly, it wasn't my first choice). As a grad student I applied for dozens of grants and fellowships and came away with a handful of small awards. I was waitlisted for the post-phd fellowship that ultimately brought me to Washington, DC. I think (or at least hope) that my current job is the first time that I wasn't the second choice. But instead of being resentful, I've tried to learn from these situations. And at the end of the day - who cares how I got here. I'm being judged on where I'm going, not where I've been. Shane M Hanlon: Everyone has a story, even, or maybe especially, scientists. Science affects each and every one of us. Let's talk about it. From the American Geophysical Union, I'm Shane M Hanlon, and this is Sci & Tell. Shane M Hanlon: I am so excited for this. A couple years ago I had this idea to take audio from interviews we were doing with NASA scientists here at AGU and turn them into a podcast, mainly because I just didn't like the idea of unused audio. But during that pilot series where I piggy-backed on our other podcast, Third Pod from the Sun, I realized the folks were talking to were great examples of different folks from different backgrounds in different parts of the sciences. They weren't perpetuating stereotypes of who scientists are and what they look like. They were showing that anyone can be a scientist and that there is no one-size-fits-all formula when thinking about who's in the sciences. Shane M Hanlon: Well, now we're back for our first official, I guess season. We're going to bring y'all 12 interviews with scientists, mostly from NASA who is the sponsor for this season, who talk about their career path, successes and failures, inspirations, and more. Shane M Hanlon: For our first episode we talked with Karen St. Germain, Division Director of the Earth Science Division, in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA. That is a long title the basically means Karen does some cool and impressive stuff. So enough from me, let's hear from Karen. Our interviewer was Paul Molin. Karen St. Germain: My name is Karen St. Germain, and I am the director of Earth Science for NASA. That means I lead the team of scientists, engineers and programs to use the unique vantage point of space to study our home planet and understand how the processes on Earth work. Karen St. Germain: When I was a little girl, I absolutely loved solving problems. I was really energized by that, solving puzzles and exploring. So, science is really the convergence of those two things. It's understanding how things work, solving problems and, frankly, exploring to find the answers. So, this was a natural endeavor for me. Karen St. Germain: I have had mentors, and I'll say more broadly, people who believed in me, going all the way back to those junior high days. And then, throughout college and graduate school. I'll give you a couple of examples. When I was in junior high, I was really struggling with algebra. The default response of the system was, "Well, you probably won't use it anyway." Karen St. Germain: But I had one teacher, and I went to summer school to try to really catch up. I had one teacher who really took an interest. She knew that I was smart, and she knew that it must be just something that I was missing. She focused on helping me figure out what that concept was that I had missed somewhere along the way, and after that, math fell into place for me. Paul Molin: Have you now, as your career has moved on, been able to kind of reverse that role and mentor young scientists and engineers as they've come up through the ranks, and been able to give back a bit there? Karen St. Germain: I sure have tried to, and that includes things like going back to my alma matter and talking with students. It includes serving on panels. But closer to home, it includes really challenging the younger people on my team, giving them opportunities to really stretch, to do things that they didn't know they could do, and encouraging them along the way to do that. Karen St. Germain: Helping them work through problems and challenges because those are the things that were really most valuable to me, that people did for me. You learn more when things aren't going well than you learn when they are going well. So, that's the time when you can really use the additional support. Karen St. Germain: I would say, over the course of a career, the real hurdle for me has been, and it's not a hurdle, but the real challenge has been knowing when to stick with it, whatever it is, and just keep grinding through, and knowing when it was time to maybe make a change, build a new perspective and a new set of skills, and then trusting that decision was the right one. So, it's not a single major event. It's more a career is built on the collection of everyday individual decisions. So, it's being consistent and being true in those everyday decisions that I think is actually the biggest challenge. Paul Molin: And from my experience in my field, which is obviously completely different than yours, but a lot of that, being able to look at a problem and switch gears, or to stick with a decision, like you said, a lot of that comes down to confidence and two, having a pretty strong network of people that you can use as a sounding board. Do you find that to be the case? Karen St. Germain: Yeah, absolutely. And I think that's an important thing for everyone to do. And that means a network that not only consists of people who do what you do, but also people who have very different perspectives. So, I'm very lucky. I've got friends in my life who have been friends for 30 years, and they do very different things than I do, but we do that for each other. We talk one another through those challenges and provide that sort of very blunt feedback that we all need sometimes. Karen St. Germain: So, I've been very lucky in my life to have mentors and good friends, who've been willing to do that. And as you mentioned earlier, one has to be willing to do that in return, to be that for other people. And so, it's a mutual investment in those relationships. And those people can also help you with the bravery, right? They can help with the encouragement, because sometimes they see things about you that you don't see about yourself. Paul Molin: I find, in my career, sometimes it's not necessarily that you have to make the right decision all the time. It's like you have to have the confidence to make a decision before you can move forward. And maybe, as you move forward, you find out it was the wrong one, but making a decision can be more of an asset than just hemming and hawing, and being uncertain about how you want to move forward. Karen St. Germain: That is absolutely true. I often think about my eighth grade softball coach when I think about that kind of situation. So, I had always been an infielder when I played softball as a kid, and I was sort of a utility infielder. But my coach believed, especially at that age, everybody should try every position. You really ought to explore. Karen St. Germain: So, he put me in the outfield. He put me in center field, and I was lost. And he said, "St. Germain, what are you doing out there? What are you waiting for?" Somebody would hit a ball toward in my general direction that I was responsible for fielding. I'd never get there in time. He walked out, I'll never forget it. Walked out, slow walk, out to center field. He said, "Look, the second you see that batter's bat come off their shoulder," in other words, "The minute you see that they're taking a swing, you start moving." Karen St. Germain: And I said, "But coach, how do I know where the ball's going to go?" And he said, "It doesn't matter. No matter where the ball goes, you will get there faster if you are moving than you will from a dead stop, if you're standing still, waiting to see where the ball goes." Karen St. Germain: And I have found that to be true in almost every aspect of life. If you're afraid to move, if you're standing still, waiting to figure out exactly what to do, you're really going to be late to the game. Karen St. Germain: The fact is, my entire life I was a B+ student, but I was a B+ student with a lot of grit and a great network of friends and family that were just positive influences. Karen St. Germain: But I didn't get to this position because I was born with a particular gift. I've got a good brain. That's true. But along the way, it was and still is a lot of hard work and paying attention to relationships with people, and paying attention to learning how to communicate. This is the piece of advice I would give to students all the time, is there are two things that are important. Karen St. Germain: Really paying attention to your own passion, paying attention to what gets you fired up. Because if you're going to excel, you're going to need that passion. So, that's one thing. But the other thing is to take every opportunity to practice communicating with people who don't do what you do. Because that's the other thing that's really going to give you an edge, is if you can be the one who can tell the story. Shane M Hanlon: My job, when I'm not podcasting, is to teach fellow scientists how to communicate more effectively and I swear I didn't ask Karen to plug this. But she has a point – if we as scientists don't get out there to talk about science, someone else will. This is a good thing to keep in mind, especially now, and I wanna thank Karen for sharing her story with us. Shane M Hanlon: Special thanks to NASA for making this episode possible and to Paul Molin for conducting the interview. Shane M Hanlon: If you like what you've heard, stay tuned for future episodes. You can subscribe to Sci & Tell wherever you get your podcasts and find us a sciandtell, all spelled out, .org. Shane M Hanlon: From this scientist in the studio, to all of you out there in the world, thanks for listening to our stories.

Subscribe to the YouTube Channel here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA Join the Episode after party on Discord! Link: https://discord.gg/ZzJSrGP SpaceX executive pitches Starship for space debris cleanup Link: https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/10/27/spacex-executive-pitches-starship-for-space-debris-cleanup/ SpaceX could use its Starship vehicles to clear out space debris in Earth orbit, alongside the program's more publicized purpose of ferrying people and cargo to the moon and Mars, a company executive said. The Starship is the upper stage of a giant new rocket SpaceX is developing to boost more than 100 metric tons, or more than 220,000 pounds, of payloads into low Earth orbit. With in-orbit refueling, the Starship's methane-fed engines could propel more than 100 metric tons of cargo to the moon, Mars, and other deep space destinations, according to SpaceX. SpaceX is designing the Starship and its massive booster rocket — named the Super Heavy — to be fully reusable. Both vehicles will come back to Earth for vertical landings to be turned around for more missions. “Not only will it decrease the costs of access to space, it's the vehicle that would transport people from Earth to Mars,” Shotwell said in an interview with Time's technology columnist Patrick Lucas Austin. “But it also has the capability of taking cargo and crew at the same time, and so it's quite possible that we could leverage Starship to go to some of these dead rocket bodies — other people's rocket's, of course — basically pick up some of this junk in outer space.” In the hunt for Planet Nine, astronomers eye a new search technique for the elusive world Link: https://www.space.com/planet-nine-search-observing-technique Finding Planet Nine may require looking at telescope images in a different light. Astronomers are vetting a "shifting and stacking" technique that could aid the hunt for the putative world, which some researchers think lurks undiscovered in the far outer system, way beyond Pluto's orbit. The strategy involves shifting space-telescope images along sets of possible orbital paths, then stacking the photos together to combine their light. The technique has already been used to discover some moons in our solar system, and it could potentially spot Planet Nine — also known as Planet X, Giant Planet Five or Planet Next — and other extremely farflung objects, researchers said. Astronomers are vetting a "shifting and stacking" technique that could aid the hunt for the putative world, which some researchers think lurks undiscovered in the far outer system, way beyond Pluto's orbit. The strategy involves shifting space-telescope images along sets of possible orbital paths, then stacking the photos together to combine their light. The technique has already been used to discover some moons in our solar system, and it could potentially spot Planet Nine — also known as Planet X, Giant Planet Five or Planet Next — and other extremely farflung objects, researchers said. "You really can't see them without using this kind of method," Malena Rice, an astronomy Ph.D. student at Yale University in Connecticut, said in a statement. "If Planet Nine is out there, it's going to be incredibly dim." In a test, the researchers found the faint signals of three known trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) — small bodies that circle the sun beyond Neptune's orbit — in shifted and stacked TESS images. The scientists then conducted a blind search of two distant patches of sky, turning up 17 new TNO candidates. "If even one of these candidate objects is real, it would help us to understand the dynamics of the outer solar system and the likely properties of Planet Nine," Rice said. "It's compelling new information." NASA's SOFIA Discovers Water on Sunlit Surface of Moon Link: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-sofia-discovers-water-on-sunlit-surface-of-moon/ NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) has confirmed, for the first time, water on the sunlit surface of the Moon. This discovery indicates that water may be distributed across the lunar surface, and not limited to cold, shadowed places. “We had indications that H2O – the familiar water we know – might be present on the sunlit side of the Moon,” said Paul Hertz, director of the Astrophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Now we know it is there. This discovery challenges our understanding of the lunar surface and raises intriguing questions about resources relevant for deep space exploration.” “Prior to the SOFIA observations, we knew there was some kind of hydration,” said Casey Honniball, the lead author who published the results from her graduate thesis work at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Honolulu. “But we didn't know how much, if any, was actually water molecules – like we drink every day – or something more like drain cleaner.” “Without a thick atmosphere, water on the sunlit lunar surface should just be lost to space,” said Honniball, who is now a postdoctoral fellow at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “Yet somehow we're seeing it. Something is generating the water, and something must be trapping it there.” SOFIA's follow-up flights will look for water in additional sunlit locations and during different lunar phases to learn more about how the water is produced, stored, and moved across the Moon. The data will add to the work of future Moon missions, such as NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER), to create the first water resource maps of the Moon for future human space exploration. The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is an 80/20 joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR)[1] to construct and maintain an airborne observatory. SOFIA is based on a Boeing 747SP wide-body aircraft that has been modified to include a large door in the aft fuselage that can be opened in flight to allow a 2.5 m (8.2 ft) diameter reflecting telescope access to the sky The Nearest Stars to Earth (Infographic) Link: https://www.space.com/18964-the-nearest-stars-to-earth-infographic.html The nearest stars to Earth are in the Alpha Centauri triple-star system, about 4.37 light-years away. One of these stars, Proxima Centauri, is slightly closer, at 4.24 light-years. Of all the stars closer than 15 light-years, only two are spectral type G, similar to our sun: Alpha Centauri A and Tau Ceti. The majority are M-type red dwarf stars. Only nine of the stars in this area are bright enough to be seen by the naked human eye from Earth. These brightest stars include Alpha Centauri A and B, Sirius A, Epsilon Eridani, Procyon, 61 Cygni A and B, Epsilon Indi A and Tau Ceti. Sirius A is the brightest star in Earth's night sky, due to its intrinsic brightness and its proximity to us. Sirius B, a white dwarf star, is smaller than Earth but has a mass 98 percent that of our sun. In late 2012, astronomers discovered that Tau Ceti may host five planets including one within the star's habitable zone. Tau Ceti is the nearest single G-type star like our sun (although the Alpha Centauri triple-star system also hosts a G-type star and is much closer). The masses of Tau Ceti's planets range from between two and six times the mass of Earth. 53 Stars 16 Light years or less! Show Stuff Join the episode after party on Discord! Link: https://discord.gg/ZzJSrGP The Dark Horde Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-dark-horde The Dark Horde, LLC – http://www.thedarkhorde.com Twitter @DarkHorde or https://twitter.com/HordeDark Support the podcast and shop @ http://shopthedarkhorde.com UBR Truth Seekers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216706068856746 UFO Buster Radio: https://www.facebook.com/UFOBusterRadio YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA To contact Manny: manny@ufobusterradio.com, or on Twitter @ufobusterradio Call the show anytime at (972) 290-1329 and leave us a message with your point of view, UFO sighting, and ghostly experiences or join the discussion on www.ufobusterradio.com Mail can be sent to: UFO Buster Radio Network PO BOX 769905 San Antonio TX 78245 For Skype Users: bosscrawler

Subscribe to the YouTube Channel here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA Join the Episode after party on Discord! Link: https://discord.gg/ZzJSrGP SpaceX executive pitches Starship for space debris cleanup Link: https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/10/27/spacex-executive-pitches-starship-for-space-debris-cleanup/ SpaceX could use its Starship vehicles to clear out space debris in Earth orbit, alongside the program's more publicized purpose of ferrying people and cargo to the moon and Mars, a company executive said. The Starship is the upper stage of a giant new rocket SpaceX is developing to boost more than 100 metric tons, or more than 220,000 pounds, of payloads into low Earth orbit. With in-orbit refueling, the Starship's methane-fed engines could propel more than 100 metric tons of cargo to the moon, Mars, and other deep space destinations, according to SpaceX. SpaceX is designing the Starship and its massive booster rocket — named the Super Heavy — to be fully reusable. Both vehicles will come back to Earth for vertical landings to be turned around for more missions. “Not only will it decrease the costs of access to space, it's the vehicle that would transport people from Earth to Mars,” Shotwell said in an interview with Time's technology columnist Patrick Lucas Austin. “But it also has the capability of taking cargo and crew at the same time, and so it's quite possible that we could leverage Starship to go to some of these dead rocket bodies — other people's rocket's, of course — basically pick up some of this junk in outer space.” In the hunt for Planet Nine, astronomers eye a new search technique for the elusive world Link: https://www.space.com/planet-nine-search-observing-technique Finding Planet Nine may require looking at telescope images in a different light. Astronomers are vetting a "shifting and stacking" technique that could aid the hunt for the putative world, which some researchers think lurks undiscovered in the far outer system, way beyond Pluto's orbit. The strategy involves shifting space-telescope images along sets of possible orbital paths, then stacking the photos together to combine their light. The technique has already been used to discover some moons in our solar system, and it could potentially spot Planet Nine — also known as Planet X, Giant Planet Five or Planet Next — and other extremely farflung objects, researchers said. Astronomers are vetting a "shifting and stacking" technique that could aid the hunt for the putative world, which some researchers think lurks undiscovered in the far outer system, way beyond Pluto's orbit. The strategy involves shifting space-telescope images along sets of possible orbital paths, then stacking the photos together to combine their light. The technique has already been used to discover some moons in our solar system, and it could potentially spot Planet Nine — also known as Planet X, Giant Planet Five or Planet Next — and other extremely farflung objects, researchers said. "You really can't see them without using this kind of method," Malena Rice, an astronomy Ph.D. student at Yale University in Connecticut, said in a statement. "If Planet Nine is out there, it's going to be incredibly dim." In a test, the researchers found the faint signals of three known trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) — small bodies that circle the sun beyond Neptune's orbit — in shifted and stacked TESS images. The scientists then conducted a blind search of two distant patches of sky, turning up 17 new TNO candidates. "If even one of these candidate objects is real, it would help us to understand the dynamics of the outer solar system and the likely properties of Planet Nine," Rice said. "It's compelling new information." NASA's SOFIA Discovers Water on Sunlit Surface of Moon Link: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-sofia-discovers-water-on-sunlit-surface-of-moon/ NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) has confirmed, for the first time, water on the sunlit surface of the Moon. This discovery indicates that water may be distributed across the lunar surface, and not limited to cold, shadowed places. “We had indications that H2O – the familiar water we know – might be present on the sunlit side of the Moon,” said Paul Hertz, director of the Astrophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Now we know it is there. This discovery challenges our understanding of the lunar surface and raises intriguing questions about resources relevant for deep space exploration.” “Prior to the SOFIA observations, we knew there was some kind of hydration,” said Casey Honniball, the lead author who published the results from her graduate thesis work at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in Honolulu. “But we didn't know how much, if any, was actually water molecules – like we drink every day – or something more like drain cleaner.” “Without a thick atmosphere, water on the sunlit lunar surface should just be lost to space,” said Honniball, who is now a postdoctoral fellow at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “Yet somehow we're seeing it. Something is generating the water, and something must be trapping it there.” SOFIA's follow-up flights will look for water in additional sunlit locations and during different lunar phases to learn more about how the water is produced, stored, and moved across the Moon. The data will add to the work of future Moon missions, such as NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER), to create the first water resource maps of the Moon for future human space exploration. The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is an 80/20 joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR)[1] to construct and maintain an airborne observatory. SOFIA is based on a Boeing 747SP wide-body aircraft that has been modified to include a large door in the aft fuselage that can be opened in flight to allow a 2.5 m (8.2 ft) diameter reflecting telescope access to the sky The Nearest Stars to Earth (Infographic) Link: https://www.space.com/18964-the-nearest-stars-to-earth-infographic.html The nearest stars to Earth are in the Alpha Centauri triple-star system, about 4.37 light-years away. One of these stars, Proxima Centauri, is slightly closer, at 4.24 light-years. Of all the stars closer than 15 light-years, only two are spectral type G, similar to our sun: Alpha Centauri A and Tau Ceti. The majority are M-type red dwarf stars. Only nine of the stars in this area are bright enough to be seen by the naked human eye from Earth. These brightest stars include Alpha Centauri A and B, Sirius A, Epsilon Eridani, Procyon, 61 Cygni A and B, Epsilon Indi A and Tau Ceti. Sirius A is the brightest star in Earth's night sky, due to its intrinsic brightness and its proximity to us. Sirius B, a white dwarf star, is smaller than Earth but has a mass 98 percent that of our sun. In late 2012, astronomers discovered that Tau Ceti may host five planets including one within the star's habitable zone. Tau Ceti is the nearest single G-type star like our sun (although the Alpha Centauri triple-star system also hosts a G-type star and is much closer). The masses of Tau Ceti's planets range from between two and six times the mass of Earth. 53 Stars 16 Light years or less! Show Stuff Join the episode after party on Discord! Link: https://discord.gg/ZzJSrGP The Dark Horde Podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-dark-horde The Dark Horde, LLC – http://www.thedarkhorde.com Twitter @DarkHorde or https://twitter.com/HordeDark Support the podcast and shop @ http://shopthedarkhorde.com UBR Truth Seekers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216706068856746 UFO Buster Radio: https://www.facebook.com/UFOBusterRadio YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA To contact Manny: manny@ufobusterradio.com, or on Twitter @ufobusterradio Call the show anytime at (972) 290-1329 and leave us a message with your point of view, UFO sighting, and ghostly experiences or join the discussion on www.ufobusterradio.com Mail can be sent to: UFO Buster Radio Network PO BOX 769905 San Antonio TX 78245 For Skype Users: bosscrawler

NASA undertakes so many studies and projects that often they call on “citizen scientists” to assist them. Dr. Marc Kuchner , astrophysicist and NASA’s Chief Science Officer for Science Mission Directorate, oversees 25 citizen scientist programs and joins Dean Regas and Anna Hehman to talk about a couple of them.

Steve Clarke, the Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, discusses commercial payload delivery services to the Moon.

Steve Clarke, the Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration in NASA's Science Mission Directorate, discusses commercial payload delivery services to the Moon.

--Stephanie J. Harrison is a systems engineer at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. In her current role on the Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) Pathfinder Project, Harrison provides systems engineering rigor and technical excellence throughout development, integration, and operations of the CLARREO Pathfinder Reflected Solar Payload on the International Space Station. Harrison joined NASA as an intern through the Langley Aerospace Research Student Scholars (LARSS) Program with opportunities in the Crew Systems and Aviation Operations Branch and Systems Engineering and Engineering Methods Branch from 2011 – 2013. She was hired in 2014 as an aerospace research engineer and transitioned to the role of an aerospace flight systems engineer in 2016. In her time at NASA to date, Harrison has worked on the many aeronautics research projects in the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and currently supports an earth science project in the Science Mission Directorate. Kirsten M. Boogaard Kirsten M. Boogaard is a flight operations engineer at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. In her current role on the X-57 Maxwell all-electric X-plane, Boogaard serves as the Deputy Operations Engineering Lead, providing sound engineering to ensure airworthiness throughout planning, integration, and eventually flight of the X-57. Boogaard joined NASA as an intern through the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Program at Cal Poly with the Flight Opportunities Program in the summers of 2012 and 2013. She was hired in 2013 as an operations engineer with Jacobs Engineering and joined as a NASA employee in 2015 as an engineer and the STEM engagement lead in the Office of Education until transferring back to the flight operations engineering branch in 2016. Kirsten Boogaard Kirsten M. Boogaard is a flight operations engineer at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. In her current role on the X-57 Maxwell all-electric X-plane, Boogaard serves as the Deputy Operations Engineering Lead, providing sound engineering to ensure airworthiness throughout planning, integration, and eventually flight of the X-57. Boogaard joined NASA as an intern through the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Teacher and Researcher (STAR) Program at Cal Poly with the Flight Opportunities Program in the summers of 2012 and 2013. She was hired in 2013 as an operations engineer with Jacobs Engineering and joined as a NASA employee in 2015 as an engineer and the STEM engagement lead in the Office of Education until transferring back to the flight operations engineering branch in 2016

In this interview we go onsite at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C. for an in-depth conversation with Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, the Associate Administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD). Thomas is an award-winning astrophysicist, with honors including receiving the National Science and Technology Council Presidential Early Career for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) Award in 2004... The post 88. DR THOMAS ZURBUCHEN: Associate Administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate appeared first on 15 Minutes With Chuck - podcast.

Thomas Zurbuchen, the Associate Administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, joins NASA Chief Scientist Jim Green to discuss the mysterious we still need to solve about the Sun, and more!

更多内幕请关注今天的微信头条~"Today we're announcing the discovery of an exoplanet that as far as we can tell is a pretty good close cousin to the earth and our sun"An historic moment in NASA's epic pursuit of earth-like planets, as the newly discovered Kepler-452b was officially unveiled.That honour went to administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington John Grunsfeld, who alongside other experts explained that the planet orbits it's star every 385 days, and according to Jon Jenkins, the man who led the discovery team, the surface of the planet stands a good chance of being rocky, cloudy and home to active volcanoes."It would likely have a mass 5 times that of earth and surface gravity twice that of earth so you and I would weigh twice as much as we do now but only until we'd walked around for a few weeks and lost some serious pounds"Pouring over vast quantities of data collected by the Kepler telescope over several years, Astronomers had already discovered eight or nine planets similar in size to Earth in so-called "habitable" zones of their stars – where conditions are not too hot, not too cold, and could potentially support life, but with Kepler-452b scientists say they have found earth 2.0.Didier Queloz, professor of astrophysics at Cambridge University."Keep working as well, and we keep being as enthusiastic and we keep designing program like we have done so far I mean it is for sure that one day the issue to detect life on another planet will solved"California based Astronomer, Jeff Coughlin says the Kepler telescope, which uses the largest camera ever launched into space, still has plenty more planet-hunting ahead."You might be asking yourself hey is this the end, you just told me that you've analyzed everything in the Kepler data set, is this all we're going to get, is this the end, and my answer is heck no! there's a lot more to come"Kepler is now gathering other kinds of data to help scientists understand other areas of astrophysics, such as how planets are formed.A year from now NASA plans to release even more mission details, with the Kepler team already confident of further earth-like discoveries on the horizon.