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Is it time for space lasers yet? Almost.

As time passes, ideas that were once confined to the realm of science fiction become more realistic. It’s true of things like using robots to explore other worlds. Space lasers are a well-used element in science fiction, and we’re approaching the time when they could become a reality.

Where would we put them, and what could we use them for?

In science fiction, lasers are predominantly used as powerful weapons. While some countries have investigated the idea of using lasers as space weapons, an international treaty limits their use.

A more realistic use for lasers is for deflecting incoming asteroids or as propulsion systems for spacecraft. In a new paper, a researcher examines where a giant laser array could be positioned in space to be of most use to humanity while at the same time minimizing risk.

The research is “Minimum Safe Distances for DE-STAR Space Lasers.” The paper is in pre-print, and Adam Hibberd from the Initiative for Interstellar Studies in London, UK, is the sole author.

While space lasers could also be used to utilize resources or in satellite laser ranging systems to control space traffic, Hibberd’s focus is on using them to protect Earth from impacts.

DE-STAR stands for Directed Energy Systems for Targeting of Asteroids and exploRation. Of all the space laser ideas that have been discussed, DE-STAR is probably the most well-studied and developed. It would consist of a modular phased array of lasers powered by solar cells. It could heat the surface of potentially hazardous objects (PHO) to approximately 3,000 Kelvin. That’s hot enough to melt all known constituents of PHOs. DE-STAR could also be used to propel spacecraft.

The idea originated in 2013 when a group of researchers published a paper titled “DE-STAR: Phased-Array Laser Technology for Planetary Defense and Other Scientific Purposes.” In their paper, they outlined the idea for DE-STAR, a stand-off laser array. In 2016, some of the same authors published another paper titled “Directed Energy Missions for Planetary Defense.” It expanded on DE-STAR and added DE-STARLITE, a stand-on system that would be sent to the vicinity of an approaching object to ward it off with lasers.

This artist’s illustration shows DE-STARLITE firing its lasers at a hazardous object. Image Credit: Lubin et al. 2016.

In either case, the system would be based on the Sun’s energy. “DE-STAR is a square modular design which exploits the energy created by banks of solar cells in space to generate and amplify the power of a laser beam,” Hibberd explains in his new paper. In literature, DE-STAR is typically referred to as DE-STAR n, where n is usually between 0 and 4 and denotes the size of the bank of lasers. The larger the array, the more powerful it is. The more powerful DE-STAR is, the more effective it will be at deflecting asteroids from greater distances.

While the merit of this idea is immediately clear, the problems follow soon after. A bank of powerful space lasers is every supervillain’s dream. Its destructive power could be immense. “With a DE-STAR 4
structure (10 km × 10 km square) capable of generating a laser beam on the order of tens of gigawatts,
clearly, there is the potential for such an asset to be deployed as a weapon by targeting locations on Earth,” Hibberd writes.

How can this risk be mitigated so that the system can be used to protect Earth rather than as a weapon?

The simple solution is to not deploy them in Earth’s orbit. The lasers lose energy with range, so they could be deployed at distances where they pose no threat. “Results indicate that given they should lie 1 au from
the Sun, there are feasible locations for DE-STAR 0-2 arrays where there is no danger to Earth,” Hibberd writes.

This table from the paper shows the specs adopted in this paper for different-sized DE-STAR arrays. The clip ratio affects beam quality, energy efficiency, how well it propagates through space, and how well it handles heat generation. Smaller is generally better, and 0.9 is the ratio adopted by other researchers. Optimizing the clip ratio is an important part of designing an effective array. Image Credit: Hibberd 2024.

Of course, the more lasers there are in the array, the greater the safe minimum distance.

For DE-STAR 4 or even 5, that distance wouldn’t be enough. Instead, these lasers would need to be much further away or at positions in the Solar System with no direct line of sight to Earth. These systems would need to correct their positions regularly with an on-board propulsion system “or preferably using push-back from the laser itself,” Hibberd explains.

The minimum safe distance also changes depending on the wavelength of the DE-STAR system. Hibberd defines minimum safe distance as a single laser with a maximum intensity on Earth’s surface of 100 Wm-2. “Or on the order 10 % of the Solar Constant at Earth (1 au from the Sun),” Hibberd writes. For an infrared system, the minimum safe distance is just beyond geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). At the more powerful end of the scale, a UV laser would need to be beyond cis-lunar space.

This figure from the research shows the Dependence of the Minimum Safe Distance of any Unphased DE-STAR Array with the Wavelength of the Laser. Image Credit: Hibberd 2024.

There’s another factor to consider. Since DE-STAR gets its energy from the Sun, its power decreases the further away from the Sun it is. “This reduction is a consequence of the decrease in solar flux intensity on the photovoltaic cells, where an inverse square law is followed,” Hibberd explains.

This figure shows how the laser’s power diminishes with distance from the Sun for four different array sizes. “We find that a DE-STAR n at 90 au from the Sun is approximately equivalent to a DE-STAR n-1 at 10 au and a DE-STAR n-2 at 1 au,” Hibberd writes. Image Credit: Hibberd 2024.

For DE-STAR 1 and 2 Arrays, the minimum safe distances are not that great. Hibberd points out that for a DE-STAR 2 Array, Sun/Earth Lagrange 4 and 5 points would be suitable and require no propulsion. L4 and L5 are about 400,000 km from Earth.

These figures show the minimum safe distance for DE-STAR 1 and 2 Arrays by wavelength. Image Credit: Hibberd 2024.

However, as the arrays become larger, the minimum safe distance quickly increases. Conversely, the available solar energy decreases.

A DE-STAR 3 would have to be placed somewhere beyond the asteroid belt. If it were ultraviolet, it would have to be beyond Jupiter.

A DE-STAR 4 phased array would have to be much further away. It would have to be about 30 ? 40 au away, and even further for an ultraviolet system, about 70 au from the Sun.

These figures show the minimum safe distance for DE-STAR 3 and 4 Arrays by wavelength. Image Credit: Hibberd 2024.

The tables above assume a direct line of sight to Earth. But there are locations where there is no direct line, and they could be used as locations for powerful arrays. Hibberd explains that the Earth/Moon Lagrange 2 point and the Sun/Earth Lagrange 3 point both lack direct lines of sight but, unfortunately, are unstable. “In both cases, the instability of these points will result in the DE-STAR wandering away and potentially becoming visible from Earth, so an on-board propulsion would be needed to prevent this,” Hibberd writes. It’s possible that an array could be built that is physically prevented from pointing at Earth, but the author doesn’t tackle that aspect of the problem.

Sun-Earth Lagrange Points. Credit: Xander89/Wikimedia Commons

Nobody’s building a DE-STAR phased array, but that doesn’t mean it’s too soon to think about it. This type of technology is on the horizon, and it’s difficult to predict which nation or nations might be the first to build one. Treaties are in place to prevent the weaponization of space, but not everybody signed them. Some nations are known to sign treaties and then break them, in any case. Also, an argument could be made that this isn’t a weapon.

It likely won’t be long before serious talk about such a system begins to surface in wider public discussions. That will surely generate a lot of political difficulty and wrangling as nations argue over what constitutes a weapon and what doesn’t.

If civilization is to survive, we will eventually need a way to protect the entire globe from asteroid strikes, whether it’s phased laser arrays or some other system.

The post There are Plenty of Uses for Powerful Lasers in Space. But Where Should We Put Them? appeared first on Universe Today.

From Sept. 6-7, 2024, NASA’s Johnson Space Center brought the excitement of space exploration to the annual Japan Festival at Hermann Park in Houston.  

The lively cultural event featured traditional food, dance, martial arts, and more, while Johnson’s booth attracted attendees with interactive space exhibits and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities.  

Johnson Space Center volunteers share NASA’s mission and student opportunities at the annual Japan Festival in Houston. NASA

Johnson employees passed along information about High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS), a NASA-unique program offering Texas high school juniors an opportunity to explore STEM fields.  

The program kicks off with an online course and, for top performers, culminates in an on-site summer experience at Johnson, where students can learn from NASA scientists and engineers. Program graduates may also apply for NASA internships and scholarships, including the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ and Rotary National Award for Space Achievement scholarships. 

Attendees enjoy Johnson Space Center’s exhibit booth at Hermann Park in Houston. NASA/Johnnie Joseph

Festival attendees explored interactive displays, including models of the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, space food samples, and a real spacesuit glove and helmet. Johnson volunteers distributed NASA meatball stickers, mission stickers, and Artemis bookmarks with QR codes, offering students and space enthusiasts opportunities to dive deeper into STEM education and NASA’s missions. 

Johnson volunteers share NASA’s mission and student opportunities to festival attendees. NASA/Johnnie Joseph

NASA’s long-standing partnership with Japan was front and center as JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) set up a neighboring booth. JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa delighted festival-goers by posing for photos, signing autographs, and visiting NASA’s booth to greet Johnson employees.  

The event highlighted the collaborative spirit of space exploration between NASA and its international partners, who are working together on missions around the Moon and beyond as part of the Artemis campaign. Japan, alongside other global partners, has committed to supporting the International Space Station through 2030. 

Festival attendees explore NASA’s booth, captivated by the space exhibits.NASA/Johnnie Joseph

Even though the strange behaviour we observe in the quantum realm isn’t part of our daily lives, simulations suggest it is likely our reality could be one of the many worlds in a quantum multiverse

Even though the strange behaviour we observe in the quantum realm isn’t part of our daily lives, simulations suggest it is likely our reality could be one of the many worlds in a quantum multiverse

If microscopic black holes born a fraction of a second after the Big Bang exist, then at least one may fly through the solar system per decade, generating tiny gravitational distortions that scientists can detect.

5 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Back to Ocean Science Landing Page

Internet of Animals

The Internet of Animals project combines animal tracking tags with remote sensing, to better understand habitat use and movement patterns. This kind of research enables more informed ecological management and conservation efforts, and broadens our understanding of how different ecosystems are reacting to a changing climate.
https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-earth-exchange-nex/new-missions-support/internet-of-animals/

FATE: dFAD Trajectory Tool

FATE will quantify dFAD (drifting fish aggregating devices) activity in relation to ocean currents, fish biomass, and animal telemetry at Palmyra Atoll, which is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) National Wildlife Refuge and is part of the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) in the central Pacific Ocean. This innovative decision support tool will use NASA observations and numerical models to predict future dFAD trajectories and inform resource managers whether they should deploy tactical resources (boats, personnel) to monitor, intercept, or retrieve dFADs that have entered the MPA.

SeaSTAR

SeaSTAR aims to provide multi-spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD) and aerosol optical properties using a custom-built robotic sun/sky photometer. The instrument is designed to operate from a ship and is planned to deploy aboard the NOAA research vessel RV Shearwater in September 2024 to support the PACE-PAX airborne campaign.

PACE Validation Science Team Project: AirSHARP

Airborne asSessment of Hyperspectral Aerosol optical depth and water-leaving Reflectance Product Performance for PACE

The goal of AirSHARP is to provide high fidelity spatial coverage and spectral data for ocean color and aerosol products for validation of the PACE Ocean Color Instrument (OCI). Coastal influences on oceanic waters can produce high optical complexity for remote sensing especially in dynamic waters in both space and time. Dynamic coastal water features include riverine plumes (sediments and pollution), algal blooms, and kelp beds. Further, coastal California has a range of atmospheric conditions related to fires. We will accomplish validation of PACE products by combined airborne and field instrumentation for Monterey Bay, California.

Water2Coasts

Watersheds, Water Quality, and Coastal Communities in Puerto Rico

Water2Coasts is an interdisciplinary island landscape to coastal ocean assessment with socioeconomic implications. The goal of Water2Coasts is to conduct a multi-scale, interdisciplinary (i.e., hydrologic, remote sensing, and social) study on how coastal waters of east, and south Puerto Rico are affected by watersheds of varying size, land use, and climate regimes, and how these may in turn induce a variety of still poorly understood effects on coastal and marine ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass beds.

US Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF)

The USCRTF was established in 1998 by Presidential Executive Order to lead U.S. efforts to preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems. The USCRTF includes leaders of Federal agencies, U.S. States, territories, commonwealths, and Freely Associated States. The USCRTF helps build partnerships, strategies, and support for on-the-ground action to conserve coral reefs. NASA ARC scientists are members of the Steering Committee, Watershed Working Group, and Disease and Disturbance Working Group, and lead the Climate Change Working Group to assist in the use of NASA remote sensing data and tools for coastal studies, including coral reef ecosystems. Data from new and planned hyperspectral missions will advance research in heavily impacted coastal ecosystems.

CyanoSCape

Cyanobacteria and surface phytoplankton biodiversity of the Cape freshwater systems

The diversity of phytoplankton is also found in freshwater systems. In Southern Africa, land use change and agricultural practices has hindered hydrological processes and compromised freshwater ecosystems. These impacts are compounded by increasingly variable rainfall and temperature fluctuations associated with climate change posing risks to water quality, food security, and aquatic biodiversity and sustainability. The goal of CyanoSCape is to utilize airborne hyperspectral data and field spectral and water sample data to distinguish phytoplankton biodiversity, including the potentially toxic cyanobacteria.

mCDR: Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal

The goals of this effort are to conduct literature review, analysis, and ocean simulation to provide scientifically vetted estimates of the impacts, risks, and benefits of various potential mCDR methods.

Ocean modeling Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in a changing climate

The goals of this project are to build scientific understanding of the AMOC physics and its implications for biogeochemical cycles and climate, to assess the representation of AMOC in historical global ocean state estimates, and evaluate future needs for AMOC systems in a changing climate.

Elucidating the role of the ocean circulation in changing North Atlantic Ocean nutrients and biological productivity

This project will conduct analysis of NASA’s ECCO-Darwin ocean biogeochemical state estimate and historical satellite ocean color observations in order to understand the underlying causes for the sharp decline in biological productivity observed in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Integrated GEOS and ECCO Earth system modeling and data assimilation to advance seasonal-to-decadal prediction through improved understanding and representation of air-sea interactions

This analysis will build understanding of upper ocean, air-sea interaction, and climate processes by using data from the SWOT mission and ultra-high-resolution GEOS-ECCO simulations.

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16 min read

ICESat-2 Hosts Third Applications Workshop

Introduction

The NASA Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 mission (ICESat-2), launched September 15, 2018, continues the first ICESat mission, delivering invaluable global altimetry data. Notwithstanding its icy acronym, ICESat-2 can do more than measure ice – in fact, the expanded acronym hints at these wider applications. From vegetation to inland surface water to bathymetry, ICESat-2 has emerged as a more versatile mission than originally planned, thanks in part to the ingenuity of research scientists, the Science Team (ST), and users of the data – see Figure 1.

Figure 1. A word cloud designed to highlight terms that occur most frequently in all ICESat-2 publications since 2018. The larger the word, the more often it is used.Figure credit: Aimee Neeley

ICESat-2 was among the first NASA missions to develop an applications program that engages both scientists and potential users of the science data to accelerate user uptake. Throughout this program, ICESat-2 has demonstrated the value of Earth Observation data to end users, stakeholders, and decision makers. The ICESat-2 Early Adopter (EA; pre-launch) program, now the Applied User program (post-launch), was created to “promote applications research to provide a fundamental understanding of how ICESat-2 data products can be scaled and integrated into organizations, policy, business, and management activities to improve decision making efforts.” This article summarizes the workshop objectives met through plenary talks, lightning talks, an applied user panel, and a breakout session. The ICESat-2 Applications page contains more about the ICESat-2 Applications Program.

Motivation and Objectives

To meet Applications Program initiatives, the ICESat-2 Applications Team hosted its third Applications workshop June 3–4, 2024 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in a hybrid environment. A total of 113 participants registered for the workshop, representing multiple government agencies, including NASA Centers, non-profit organizations, and academic organizations – see Figure 2. Approximately 20 individuals attended the workshop in person with the majority participating online through the Webex platform. This workshop provided the space to foster collaboration and to encourage the conceptualization of applications not yet exploited.

Figure 2.  A ‘donut’ plot showing the proportion of ICESat-2 Applications Workshop attendees identified by institution. This information was provided during the online registration process.Figure credit: Aimee Neeley

The objectives of the Applications workshop were to:

1. provide an overview of the mission status, data products, and support services from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC);
2. build partnerships among applied users, data producers, and end users;
3. foster synergies with all participants, decision makers, and satellite operators;
4. identify new potential applications or products from ICESat-2;
5. review available tools for extracting ICESat-2 data; and
6. understand the challenges faced by applied users, data users, and end users, and identify solutions.

The remainder of this article will summarize the meeting highlights. Rather than give a strict chronological survey, the report is organized around the meeting objectives listed above. Readers interested in more details can find the full agenda and slide decks from individual presentations mentioned in this summary on the ICESat-2 Workshop website.

Workshop Overview and Structure

The agenda of the 2024 ICESat-2 Applications workshop was intended to bring together end-users, including ICESat-2 applications developers, satellite operators, and decision makers from government and nongovernmental entities to discuss the current state and future needs of the community – see Figure 3.

On the morning of the first day, the workshop participants contributed to a plenary session and ICESat-2 data tool demonstrations. These presentations were intended to provide a broad overview of the ICESat-2 mission, data, science, and applications. Plenary talks during the afternoon session provided an overview of the Earth Science-to-Action initiative and measuring impacts of science. The afternoon also included lightning talks from participants and an Applied User Panel. The second day consisted of a plenary presentation and more lightning talks from participants. The workshop ended with a thematic breakout session with pre-constructed topics and a report out to create a forum for direct interaction between participants.

Figure 3. Graphic showing the different levels of data available from the NASA Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) mission.Figure credit: NASA, adapted from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) Distributed Active Archive Center’s  ICESat-2 page

Objective 1: Provide an overview of the status of the mission and current data products and support services from the NSIDC.

To fulfill the first meeting objective, the workshop included a series of overview presentations given by ICESat-2 team members about the status of the ICESat-2 mission and its data products, as well as a review of the NASA Applied Sciences Program.

Aimee Neeley [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)/Science Systems and Applications Inc. (SSAI)—ICESat-2 Mission Applications Lead] and Molly Brown [GSFC/University of Maryland—ICESat-2 Mission Applications Scientist] served as cohosts for the event. Neeley opened the first day with a brief overview of workshop goals, logistics, and the agenda. On the second day she gave a brief overview of the agenda for the day and opened it up for questions.

Thomas Neumann [GSFC—ICESat-2 Project Scientist and Deputy Director of Earth Sciences Division] provided an overview of the ICESat-2 measurement concepts, which includes activity of GPS positioning, pointing angle, altimetry measurements, and ground processing. He continued with an overview of the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) instrument, the wavelength and spatial resolution of the lasers, and the distributed data products. Neumann presented the mission outlook, with an expected lifespan until December 2035.

Walter Meier [University of Colorado, Boulder (UC, Boulder)—NSIDC DAAC Scientist] provided an overview of ICESat-2 data tools and services. He walked the audience through the ICESat-2 data website, as well as the instructional guides that are available for all the tools and services. Meier provided an overview of ICESat-2 standard data products – see Figure 3. Most of the products have a ~45-day latency while quick look data sets have an ~3-day latency. Future data sets include ATL24 and ATL25 and quick look data sets for ATL03, ATL20, and ATL25. Next, he described webinars and tutorials, access tools, and customization services for different users and workflows, including graphical user interfaces and programmatic tools in Earthaccess and the NSIDC website.

Helen Amanda Fricker [Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California (UC), San Diego—ICESat-2 ST Leader and Professor] provided an overview of the ST members and ST goals. Fricker described the ST goals to: 1) provide coordination between the team, project science office, and NASA headquarters; 2) use science talks, posters, and social events to stimulate collaboration within the ST and across disciplines; and 3) maintain the visibility of the ICESat-2 mission through publications, press releases, white papers, open science, and synergies with other missions. Next, Fricker shared the list of ST members that can be found on the ICESat-2 website. She concluded with an overview of a recent publication by Lori Magruder [University of Texas, Austin] and coauthors published in Nature Reviews.

Stephanie Schollaert Uz [NASA GSFC—Applied Sciences Manager] provided an overview of the NASA Applied Science Program, including the current NASA Earth Science Satellite missions that are monitoring Earth systems. The NASA Applied Science Programs “tackle challenges on our home planet in areas for which Earth science information can respond to the urgent needs of our time.” Earth science data products are used to “inform decisions and actions on management, policy and business.” Uz provided examples of applications using Earth science data, including economic activity, active fire mapping, food security, and monitoring air quality – see Figure 4.

Figure 4. Near real-time active fire mapping as well as air quality monitoring and forecasting are available via NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS).Figure credit: FIRMS U.S./Canada

Molly E. Brown [University of Maryland—ICESat-2 Mission Applications Scientist] began her presentation by defining the term application in the context of this workshop, which includes “innovative uses of mission data products in decision-making activities for societal benefit.” Brown stated that the ICESat-2 Mission Applications program “works to bring our data products into areas where they can help inform policy or decisions that benefit the public.” End users include the private sector, academia, and government agencies. Brown described the benefits of the program and strategies to extend ICESat-2 to new communities – see Figure 5. Brown concluded with an overview of recent publications and new research efforts to assess the impact of ICESat-2 data.

Figure 5. Strategies to extend ICESat-2 to new communities through activities and trainings such as those hosted by the Applied Remote Sensing Training (ARSET) program.Figure credit: Molly Brown

Mike Jasinski [NASA GSFC, Hydrological Sciences Laboratory—Assistant Chief for Science] provided an overview of ICESat-2 inland water standard and quick look data products, ATL13QL and ATL22QL. ICESat-2 covers approximately one million lakes each year. Jasinski also listed application areas for water resources decision support, including river elevation and discharge, lake and reservoir water balance and management, and validation of Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) data. He provided metrics for each data product and quick look product and the advantages and disadvantages of ATL13 and ATL22 data products.

Mary D. Ari [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Science—Senior Advisor for Science] provided an overview of the Science Impact Framework (SIF). Ari explained that our partners and public need “evidence to support practice or policy or decision making, accountability for public finds, and research focus to advocate for research priority.” A major goal is to translate findings into practice or action. Next, she presented ways by which impact can be measured, including bibliometrics (quantitative) and value (qualitative). Ari further explained the Science Impact Framework (SIF), which includes five domains of scientific influence: disseminating science, creating awareness, catalyzing action, effecting change, and shaping the future – see Figure 6.

Figure 6. The Science Impact Framework, which allows the impact of scientific work to be quantified and to determine if the science we produce is being put into action.Figure credit: Mary Ari

Woody Turner [NASA Headquarters—ICESat-2 Program Applications Lead] provided an overview of NASA’s Earth Science to Action Strategy. Turner explained that NASA’s Earth Science to Action strategy is integral to the Earth Science Division’s 2024–2034 strategic plan. The overall strategy has two objectives: 1) observe, monitor, and understand the Earth System and 2) deliver trusted information to drive Earth resilience activities. He also summarized the “three key pillars” for this new Earth Action paradigm to 1) be user centered, 2) build bridges between research, technology, flight, data, and Earth Action elements, and 3) scale up existing efforts to get NASA data into the hands of end users. Lastly, Turner listed NASA’s core values, including safety, integrity, inclusion, teamwork, excellence, trustworthiness, innovation, and collaboration.

Objective 2: Review available tools for extracting ICESat-2 data for a diverse community.

To achieve this objective, the meeting included a series of presentations in which each speaker described a different tool that is being used to download and analyze ICESat-2 data.

Jessica Scheick [University of New Hampshire] provided an overview of a set of Python tools, named icepyx, that can be used to obtain and manipulate ICESat-2 data. Scheick, who developed icepyx, described how the tools address challenges with ICESat-2 data. Lastly, she performed a live demonstration of icepyx.

Tyler Sutterley [Applied Physics Laboratory/University of Washington] presented a live demonstration of Sliderule, an ICESat-2 plugin module that uses an application programming interface (API) to “query a set of ATL03 input granules for photon heights and locations based on a set of photon-input parameters that select the geographic and temporal extent of the request.”

Joanna D. Millstein [Colorado School of Mines] provided an overview of CryoCloud, which is a “JupyterHub built for NASA cryosphere communities in collaboration with 2i2c.” The goal of CryoCloud is to create a “simple and cost-effective managed cloud environment for training and transitioning new users to cloud workflows and determining community best practices.” CryoCloud makes it possible to “process data faster, minimize downloading and democratize science.” The CryoCloud GitHub provides access to a Slack channel, trainings and tutorials, and community office hours.

Mikala Beig [UC, Boulder—NSIDC User Services] provided and overview of OpenAltimetry, a platform for visualizing and downloading surface elevation data from ICESat and ICESat-2. OpenAltimetry was developed to alleviate the challenges faced by researchers, including the “steep learning curves and heavy demands on computational resources” necessary to download and manipulate large volumes of data. The strengths of OpenAltimetry include fostering user engagement, lowering technical hurdles for visualizing data, and allowing deeper data exploration. Lastly, Beig demonstrated the platform for the audience – see Figure 7.

Figure 7. Searching ICESat-2 tracks in OpenAltimetry, a map-based data visualization and discovery tool for altimetry data.Figure credit: Mikala Beig

Objectives 3 and 4: Foster synergies between all participants; Identify new potential applications or products from ATLAS data not currently under investigation.

To meet these two meeting objectives, workshop organizers scheduled a round of lightning talks, where a series of presenters gave five-minute presentations on their research or activities. The talks are distilled below. The reader is directed online to find formal presentation titles and additional information. There was also an applied user panel and a breakout session to facilitate synergies between participants and identify new applications.

Younghyun Koo [Lehigh University/ Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science (CIRES)] described a method to filter landfast ice (or sea ice “fastened” to the coastline) for accurate examination of thermodynamic and dynamic sea ice features using the ICESat-2 ATL10 data product – see Figure 8.

Chandana Gangodagamage [OeilSat—Principal Investigator] described the company’s efforts to track freshwater in the Congo River for the purposes of water resources management and other water-related applications that require river bathymetry data.

Daniel Scherer [Technischen Universität München (TUM), Germany] provided an overview of the ICESat-2 River Surface Slope (IRIS), a global reach-scale water surface slope dataset that provides average and extreme water slopes from ICESat-2 observations. The data can be dowloaded from Zenodo.

Louise Croneborg-Jones [Water In Sight—Chief Executive Officer] described her company’s effort to use satellite data and mobile and cloud technology to digitize river and rainfall observation at scale in Malawi. Water In Sight has emphasized getting local communities involved in monitoring water resources to increase observations of water levels for conservation.

Ravindra Duddu [Vanderbilt University] provided an overview on a project called Modeling Antarctic Iceshelf Calving and Stability (MAGICS), which involves using computation, data, and machine learning to map the rift and crevasse configurations of ice shelves in Antarctica to better understand calving events.

Shawn Serbin [GSFC] discussed use of harmonized above ground products from ICESat-2 and other earth observing platforms, including Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI), Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), for terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycle reanalysis and near-term, iterative forecasting for North America and the globe.

Wengi Ni-Meister [Hunter College of the City University of New York—ICESat-2 Early Adopter] summarized an effort to retrieve canopy and background reflectivity ratio from ICESat-2 data and use it for the retrieval of vegetation cover and snow distribution in boreal forests.

Morgaine McKibben [GSFC–Plankton, Aerosol, Clouds, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Applications Lead] provided an overview of NASA’s PACE mission, suggesting possible synergies between ICESat-2 and PACE with the intent of opening the door for further discussion on collaboration between the two missions.  (To learn more about planned applications for PACE, see  Preparing for Launch and Assessing User Readiness: The 2023 PACE Applications Workshop. (Also published in The Earth Observer, Nov–Dec 2023, 35:6, 25–32.)

Anthony Campbell [GSFC/ University of Maryland, Baltimore County] discussed his group’s research into using ICESat-2 data to monitor changes in coastal wetland migration, including coastal elevation and canopy height.

Brian A Campbell [NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility (WFF)—ICESat-2 Mission Education Lead] described the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program’s network of citizen scientists who collect several different kinds of data using the GLOBE Observer app. He highlighted one data type with particular relevance to ICESat-2. GLOBE Trees – see Figure 8 – equips citizen scientists with the tools to take tree height measurements using their mobile devices. These observations could then be compared to data from NASA satellite missions.

Figure 8. NASA’s Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) has developed an app called GLOBE Trees that allows users take measurements of tree height data using a mobile device. Those data can then be uploaded, and scientists can use them to validate satellite tree height measurement (e.g., from ICESat-2/ATLAS).Figure credit: Brian Campbell

Caio Hamamura [University of Florida/School of Forest, Fisheries & Geomatics Sciences—Postdoctoral Associate] summarized a literature review his team had conducted of studies using ICESat-2 data for land and vegetation applications as well as results of an assessment of the current capability and limitations of ICESat-2 data for land and vegetation applications – see Figure 9.

Figure 9. Illustration of the ATL18 canopy height product at 1 km (~0.6 mi) spatial resolution at the global scale. The height values represent the median of all ATL18 height estimates within a given grid size of 1 km.Figure credit: Jordan Borak and Ciao Hamamura

Jacob Comer [Cultural Site Research and Management Foundation] summarized results from an evaluation of the use of ICESat-2 data for archaeological prospection and documentation of archaeological sites – particularly in the Federal States of Micronesia.

Juradana M. Iqrah [University of Texas at San Antonio] described her group’s effort to obtain high resolution sea ice classification and freeboard information from ICESat-2 ATL03 observations to understand the impact of global warming on the melting and retreat of polar sea ice cover.

Michael MacFerrin [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)—Coastal Digital Elevation (DEM) Model Team] provided an overview of the NOAA/CIRES ICESat-2 Validation of Elevations Reporting Tool (IVERT) tool, which is used to generate land-based validation statistics of digital elevation models (DEM) anywhere in the word using the ATL03 and ATL08 datasets – see Figure 10.

Figure 10. Digital Elevation Model output before and after Hurricane Michael in Florida, October 2018.Figure credit: Michael MacFerrin

Gretchen Imahori [NOAA National Geodetic Survey, Remote Sensing Division] presented an overview of satellite derived bathymetry using ICESat-2 data, including the new Level 3 (L3) bathymetry data product (ATL24) that will be available later in 2024 – see Figure 11.

Figure 11. Bathymetry data from ICESat-2 have been used across a wide variety of morphologies [some of which are illustrated in the photos above] and disciplines. Figure credit: Gretchen Imahori and the ICESat-2 bathymetry working group

Objectives 5 and 6: Understand the challenges faced by applied, data users, and end users and identify solutions. Build partnerships between applied users, data producers, and end users.

To achieve these two objectives, planners organized an applied user panel and a breakout session as means to foster conversation among participants. The applied user panel consisted of five panelists– three participating virtually and two in-person. The presenters in the session shared their responses to three prepared discussion prompts: 1) an introduction of ICESat-2 data products; 2) use of ICESat-2 data products for their application; and 3) potential data latency impacts. The conversation was brief, but it provided a unique opportunity to hear from experienced applied users.

A breakout session consisted of pre-planned discussion prompts through two virtual breakout groups and one in-person group. Group One discussed questions that covered examination of ice crevassing and rifting, community tools for shallow water mapping, and slope measurement bias and uncertainties. Group Two discussed a variety of current and potential surface water applications, identified challenges using ICEat-2 data, and developed suggestions to increase the accessibility and usability of ICESat-2 data products. Group Three covered a gamut of topics, including potential products for Alaskan and Canadian communities, increased accessibility to products, and applications through central cloud storage systems, central repositories and detailed documentation, and the desire for future topic-specific workshops and focus sessions.

Conclusion

The 2024 NASA ICESat-2 Applications Workshop was the third in a series of workshops – with the first workshop occurring in 2012, six years prior to launch. The EA program was transitioned to the Applied User program, which deployed a post-launch program per the NASA Early Adopter Handbook “that acts as a continuation of the Early Adopter program to engage with Communities of Practice and Potential.” This workshop provided the space to foster collaboration and conceptualization of applications not yet exploited that may be developed using ICESat-2 data products. The workshop met its objectives and created an environment that fostered collaboration between participants. The workshop was a success, and participants requested another one focused on a thematic topic. Updates, future workshops, and other events will be posted on the ICESat-2 ‘Get Involved’ page.

Aimee Renee Neeley
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Science Systems and Applications, Inc.
aimee.neeley@nasa.gov

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Diseño del pódcast Universo curioso de la NASA, el primer pódcast en español de la agencia, que vuelve con una segunda temporada en septiembre de 2024. Créditos: NASA / Krystofer Kim

Read this news release in English here.

Para celebrar el Mes de la Herencia Hispana, la NASA publica nuevos contenidos para Universo curioso de la NASA, el primer pódcast en español de la agencia, que inicia ahora su segunda temporada. La temporada de cinco semanas comienza el martes, con nuevos episodios disponibles semanalmente.

Escucha el avance de la segunda temporada de Universo curioso de la NASA. 

En cada episodio, Universo curioso destaca las contribuciones de la fuerza laboral hispana y latina de la NASA al trabajo de la agencia en el ámbito de la exploración de la Tierra y el espacio en beneficio de todos.

“Mediante el pódcast Universo curioso de la NASA, estamos entusiasmados de contar la historia de los esfuerzos de la NASA para que el espacio esté al alcance de más gente de todo el mundo”, dijo Tonya McNair, administradora asociada adjunta de la Dirección de Misiones de Operaciones Espaciales de la NASA en Washington. “En la segunda temporada, escucharán a trabajadores hispanos y latinos de la NASA, como la directora de vuelo Diana Trujillo y el astronauta Marcos Berríos, que ayudan a dirigir algunas de las misiones de exploración espacial más vitales de la agencia e inspiran al mundo a través del descubrimiento.”

Los episodios se centran en algunas de las principales misiones de la NASA, acercando las maravillas de la exploración, la tecnología espacial y los descubrimientos científicos al público hispanohablante del mundo entero.

“Este pódcast pone en relieve la dedicación de la NASA a hacer que el conocimiento esté a disposición de todos, independientemente de su lengua materna”, dijo Shahra Lambert, asesora principal de la NASA para la participación pública. “Al compartir la emoción de las misiones de la NASA en el segundo idioma más hablado en los EE.UU. y en todo el mundo, estamos amplificando nuestro alcance y posiblemente allanando el camino para una fuerza de trabajo en ciencia, tecnología, ingeniería y matemáticas más diversa en el futuro.”

El primer episodio de Universo curioso se emitió en 2021, como parte de la cobertura en español del lanzamiento del telescopio espacial James Webb. En 2023, el programa fue seleccionado como “Programa que nos encanta” por Apple Podcasts Latinoamérica.

Presentado por Noelia González, especialista en comunicaciones del Centro Goddard de Vuelo Espacial de la NASA en Greenbelt, Maryland, en el pódcast invitamos a los oyentes a emprender un viaje a una de las lunas heladas de Júpiter, a oír acerca de los dos primeros años de descubrimientos del telescopio espacial James Webb, así como a conocer la trayectoria de un astronauta de Puerto Rico y de una directora de vuelo colombiana para llegar a la NASA.

Los episodios cubrirán el próximo lanzamiento de Europa Clipper en octubre de 2024, una misión que tiene como objetivo determinar si existen lugares bajo la superficie de la luna helada de Júpiter, Europa, que puedan albergar vida.

A continuación figura la lista completa de los nuevos episodios, así como sus fechas de publicación:

• Martes, 17 de septiembre: Avance de la segunda temporada
• Martes, 24 de septiembre: Diana Trujillo: De Cali a la Luna y Marte
• Martes, 1 de octubre: Europa Clipper: Un viaje poético a la luna de Júpiter
• Martes, 8 de octubre: Marcos Berríos: Cómo convertirse en astronauta de la NASA
• Martes, 15 de octubre: Explorando el cosmos con Webb

Universo curioso de la NASA es una iniciativa conjunta de los programas de comunicación en español y de audio de la agencia. La nueva temporada, así como los episodios anteriores, están disponibles en Apple Podcasts, Spotify y el sitio web de la NASA.

Escucha el pódcast en:

https://www.nasa.gov/universo-curioso-de-la-nasa

-fin-

María José Viñas / Cheryl Warner
Sede, Washington
240-458-0248 / 202-358-1600
maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov

Podcast art for Universo curioso de la NASA, the agency’s first podcast in Spanish, which returns for a second season in September 2024. Credits: NASA / Krystofer Kim

Lee este comunicado de prensa en español aquí.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, NASA is releasing new content for Universo curioso de la NASA, the agency’s first Spanish-language podcast, now in its second season. A five-week season starts Tuesday with new episodes released weekly.

Listen to the preview of the second season of Universo curioso de la NASA.

In each episode, Universo curioso highlights the contributions of NASA’s Hispanic and Latino workforce to the agency’s work in Earth and space exploration for the benefit of all.

“Through the Universo curioso de la NASA podcast, we are thrilled to tell the story of NASA’s efforts to open space to more people from across the world,” said Tonya McNair, deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate in Washington. “In the second season, you’ll hear from NASA’s Hispanic and Latino workforce, like flight director Diana Trujillo and astronaut Marcos Berríos, helping lead some of the agency’s most vital space exploration missions and inspiring the world through discovery.”

Episodes focus on some of NASA’s top missions, bringing the wonder of exploration, space technology, and scientific discoveries to Spanish-speaking audiences around the world. 

“This podcast highlights NASA’s dedication to making knowledge available to all, regardless of their native language,” said Shahra Lambert, NASA senior advisor for engagement. “By sharing the excitement of NASA’s missions in the second most spoken language in the U.S. and around the world, we are amplifying our outreach and possibly paving the way for a more diverse STEM workforce in the future.”

The first episode of Universo curioso ran in 2021, as part of the agency’s Spanish coverage of the launch of its James Webb Space Telescope. In 2023, the show was selected as a “Podcast We Love” by Apple Podcasts Latin America.

Hosted by Noelia González, communications specialist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, listeners are invited to go on a journey to one of Jupiter’s icy moons, hear about the first two years of discoveries of the James Webb Space Telescope, as well as learn about an astronaut from Puerto Rico’s and a Colombian flight director’s path to NASA.

Episodes will cover the upcoming launch of Europa Clipper in October 2024, a mission that aims to determine whether there are places below the surface of Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, that could support life.

A complete list of the new episodes, as well as their release dates, is as follows:

• Tuesday, Sept. 17: Introducing the Second Season
• Tuesday, Sept. 24 Diana Trujillo: From Cali to the Moon and Mars
• Tuesday, Oct. 1 Europa Clipper: A Poetic Journey to Jupiter’s Moon
• Tuesday, Oct. 8 Marcos Berríos: How to Become a NASA Astronaut
• Tuesday, Oct. 15: Exploring Cosmos with Webb

Universo curioso de la NASA is a joint initiative of the agency’s Spanish-language communications and audio programs. The new season, as well as previous episodes, are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and NASA’s website.

Listen to the podcast at:

https://www.nasa.gov/universo-curioso-de-la-nasa

-end-

María José Viñas / Cheryl Warner
Headquarters, Washington
240-458-0248 / 202-358-1600
maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov

"I would say family and part of that 'first-gen experience' [shaped me]...It shaped me to be a hard worker and to aspire to large things because not only was it my goal at this point, but it was also my parents' aspiration." – Zaida Hernandez, Engineer, Lunar Architecture Team, NASA's Johnson Space Center

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will sweep around the sun on Sept. 27 to make a brief foray into the morning sky. Will it be a bright naked-eye object with a significant tail? Here's where and when you might be able to see it.

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Sols 4307-4308: Bright Rocks Catch Our Eyes NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity captured this image while exploring a rock-strewn channel of Gediz Vallis on the Red Planet. Mission scientists were particularly intrigued to investigate several bright-toned rocks (at the middle-right, bottom-right and bottom-center of the image), similar to rocks that Curiosity had encountered previously that were unexpectedly rich in sulfur. This image was taken by Left Navigation Camera aboard Curiosity on Sol 4306 — Martian day 4,306 of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission — on Sept. 16, 2024 at 12:47:18 UTC.NASA/JPL-Caltech

Earth planning date: Monday, Sept. 16, 2024

We made good progress through Gediz Vallis in the weekend drive, landing in a segment of the channel containing a mix of loose rubble and other channel-filling debris. Amongst the jumbled scene, though, particular objects of interest caught our eye: bright rocks. In past workspaces in Gediz Vallis, similar bright rocks have been associated with very high to almost pure sulfur contents. As all good geologists know, however, color is not diagnostic, so we cannot assume these are the same as sulfur-rich rocks we have encountered previously. The only way to know is to collect data, and that was a significant focus of today’s plan.

We planned multiple mosaics across the examples of bright rocks visible in the image above. Mastcam and ChemCam RMI will cover “Bright Dot Lake” and “Sheep Creek” both in the right midfield of the image. Mastcam imaged the example in the bottom right corner of the image at “Marble Falls,” and ChemCam LIBS targeted one of the small bright fragments along the bottom of the image at “Blanc Lake.” There was also a small bit of bright material in the workspace, but unfortunately, it was not reachable by APXS. APXS analyzed a spot near the bright material, at target “Frog Lake,” and MAHLI was able to tack on a few extra images around that target that should capture the bright material. MAHLI also imaged a vuggy target in the workspace at “Grasshopper Flat.”  The wider context of the channel was also of interest for imaging, so we captured the full expanse of the channel with one Mastcam mosaic, and focused another on mounds distributed through the channel at target “Copper Creek.”

Even with all this rock imaging, we did not miss a beat with our environmental monitoring. We planned regular RAD, REMS, and DAN measurements, mid and late day atmospheric dust observations, a cloud movie, and dust devil imaging. 

Our drive is planned to take us up onto one of the ridges in the channel. Will we find more bright rocks there? Or something new and unexpected that was delivered down Gediz Vallis by some past Martian flood or debris flow? Only the channel knows!

Written by Michelle Minitti, Planetary Geologist at Framework

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Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 Related Terms

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Billions of dollars of observatory spacecraft orbit around Earth or in the same orbit as our planet. When something wears out or goes wrong, it would be good to be able to fix those missions “in situ”. So far, only the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has enjoyed regular visits for servicing. What if we could work on other telescopes “on orbit”? Such “fixit” missions to other facilities are the subject of a new NASA paper investigating optimal orbits and trajectories for making service calls on telescopes far beyond Earth.

Some of the most productive orbiting telescopes operate at the Sun-Earth Lagrange points L1 and L2. Currently, those positions afford us some very incredible science. What they can’t afford is easy access for repairs and servicing. That limits the expected lifetime of facilities such as JWST to about 10-15 years. In the future, more missions will be deployed a Lagrange points. These include the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope, ESA’s PLATO and ARIEL missions, and the Large Ultraviolet Optical Infrared Surveyor (LUVOIR).

Artist’s impression of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, named after NASA’s first Chief of Astronomy. This spacecraft will orbit at SEL2, far from Earth. Credits: NASA

These observatories need propellants for attitude thrusters to help them stay ‘in place’ during their observations. There’s only so much “gas” you can send along with these observatories. In addition, components wear out, as they did with HST. So, people are looking at ways to extend their lifetimes through servicing missions. If failing components can be replaced and propellant delivered, the lifetimes of these observatories should be extended quite a bit, giving astronomers more bang for the observational buck.

Planning Future Spacecraft Servicing Missions

Researchers at the Satellite Servicing Capability Office (SSCO) at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) investigated the possibilities for servicing missions to distant space telescopes. In a recently released paper, they focus on the feasibility of on-orbit refueling missions for space telescopes orbiting at Sun-Earth Lagrange 2 (SEL2).

There are many challenges. For one thing, present-day launch technologies are (at this writing) inadequate to do that kind of mission at such distances. Clearly, the technology has to advance for servicing visits to take place. In addition, it’s important to remember that current telescopes, such as Gaia and JWST, weren’t designed for such access. However, future telescopes can be fitted with servicing ports, etc. to enable servicing. Finally, there are the challenges of actually getting the servicing missions to the observatories.

Illustration of OSAM-1 (bottom) grappling Landsat 7. This servicing mission concept was discontinued by NASA, but remains a good example of what’s needed to perform repairs and refueling to orbiting spacecraft. Credits: NASA

The Goddard team focused on this final issue by computing models of various launch and orbital solutions for such missions. Not only did they take into account the launch trajectories themselves, but also Sun-Earth-Lagrange point dynamics, plus the relative positions of observatories at SEL2. In addition, the team considered the stability of the observatories during and after rendezvous and attachment. All of these factors count when planning whether or not a servicing vehicle can be launched at a reasonable cost to extend the lifetime of the observatory enough to make the effort worth the time and expense.

Getting a Spacecraft Refuelling Mission Underway

The team created models for a theoretical mission for on-orbit fuelling at SEL2. That’s where JWST and Gaia are sitting, for example, along with WMAP, Planck, and others. The paper examines robotic refueling missions out to SEL2 for modeling purposes.

To do that, however, there must be an optimal trajectory for the robotic spacecraft to take out to SEL2. They need to be able to perform autonomous navigation to the correct point in space. Once at the target observatory, the refueling robot would then need to make a careful approach for its docking maneuvers. That requires on-orbit assessment of the target’s motion in space with respect to the Sun as well as its position in its SEL2 orbit. Docking itself can affect the observatory’s position and motion and the robot needs to take that into account, as well. The idea is to keep the observatory in the same position after docking.

However, the big question is: how do we get it out there inexpensively, fast, and safe?

The Goddard team primarily investigated the best and most efficient trajectories to get to SEL2. In particular, they looked at the best approaches to get to the Gaia spacecraft, which will run out of its propellant sometime in the next year. They also examined JWST as a possible target for such a mission. If such a mission was possible today, those observatories would gain years of “point and shoot” access to the Universe.

How to Get There

In their paper, the team looks at two approaches to the SEL2 refueling mission. One is a direct launch trajectory from Earth and the other is a spacecraft leaving from a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). They assumed that the point of the mission was the fastest possible restoration of telescope operation. That dictates the shortest and safest possible trajectory along which the spacecraft can maintain constant thrust.

The Goddard team created a “forward design” approach for computing low-energy and low-thrust transfers from an Earth departure orbit to a space telescope orbiting the SEL2 point. Then they did the same for a servicing spacecraft leaving from a point in geostationary space. Essentially, either an Earth-departure or GTO-centric departure will work. Once the robotic servicing mission leaves Earth orbit, it travels at low thrust during a spiraling transit to SEL2. Once there, it does a rendezvous with the target, matches its motion in space, and then “locks on” to perform its delivery mission.

It’s important to remember that a launch from Earth or GTO is part of several solutions to SEL2 servicing missions. The team’s analysis resulted in a simplified process of generating possible orbits and trajectories for such activities. You can read the full text of their detailed analysis of the different trajectory solutions at the link below.

For More Information

Mission Design for Space Telescope Servicing at Sun-Earth L2
JWST Home Page
Gaia Telescope

The post There Could be a Way to Fix Spacecraft at L2, Like Webb and Gaia appeared first on Universe Today.

Maternity services need to educate parents-to-be on how pregnancy will affect their brain - their life could depend on it, says Helen Thomson

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Echolocating bats can more easily find and pollinate long-stemmed flowers that stand out from the surrounding foliage, which may be why this floral trait evolved

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Snoring is often viewed as harmless, at least to the snorer, but we are now uncovering its potentially serious effects on cardiovascular health. And finding ways to stop is surprisingly challenging

Snoring is often viewed as harmless, at least to the snorer, but we are now uncovering its potentially serious effects on cardiovascular health. And finding ways to stop is surprisingly challenging