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A brief sketch of the objectives and status of the various subdisciplines in gamma-ray astronomy (below 10 GeV) are presented. The Gamma-Ray Observatory planned for launch in 1988 is described. This NASA observatory and several planned French-Soviet spacecraft are expected to elevate gamma-ray astronomy into a mature observational science for the Space Station era.
Presentation on the Lunar Resource Mapper/Lunar Geodetic Scout (LRM/LGS) program status. Topics covered include the LEXWG Lunar Observer science measurement priorities, space exploration initiative priorities, the question of why a lunar orbiting mission is attractive to the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI), instrument selection, major milestones, and the organization of the LRM/LGS Program Office.
For the first part of this briefing, see NONP-NASA-VT-2000081556. Marvin Traxler continues his discussion on signal tracking from the Mars Observer. Julie Webster, Lead Engineer, Telecommunications Subsystem, is introduced. She explains how signals coming back from Mars are detected. Dr. Pasquale Esposito talks about flyby orbits and capture orbits. He says that frequencies coming from the spacecraft can determine if the spacecraft has flown by Mars, or if a capture orbit has occurred. Charles Whetsel, System Engineer Spacecraft Team, presents a computer program. He shows where the signal will appear on the computer from the Spacecraft. Suzanne Dodd presents orbit insertion geometry. Dr. Arden Albee, Project Scientist Mars Observer Project, Cal Tech tech, says that Mars is studied to get more data to confirm their hypotheses derived from previous Mars Missions such as the Viking Mars Program and the Mariner Program. Dr. Albee also describes instrumentation on the Mars Observer such as the Ultra Stable Oscillator, Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter, and Magnetometer. The camera on the spacecraft is similar to a fax machine because it scans one line at a time as the spacecraft orbits Mars. Dr. Michael Malin, Principle Investigator Mars Observer Camera, Malin Space Science Systems, Inc., describe this process.
The Spacelab Module, exposed platforms, and supporting instrumentation were designed and developed by the European Space Agency to house advanced experiments inside the Space Shuttle cargo bay. The Spacelab program has hosted a cross-disciplinary research agenda over a 17-year flight history. Several variations of Spacelab were used to host payloads for almost every space research discipline that NASA pursues-life sciences, microgravity research, space sciences, and earth observation studies. After seventeen years of flight, Spacelab modules, pallets, or variations thereof flew on the Shuttle 36 times for a total of 375 flight days.
A broad range of advanced spacecraft and measurement technologies are needed to support NASA's ambitious plans for space and Earth science observations during the first decade of the 21st century.
Space sciences are confronted with overwhelming volume of data. The data rates are increasing, the granularity of registered observations is continuously refining, and computer technology allows producing terabytes of images and catalogs. The inexpensive emerging storage technologies, combined with the availability of high-speed communications will offer the infrastructure for extremely large data repositories to be accessible on-line. Mission data will be quickly accessible almost immediately after it has been collected from space observations. On-line science will demand for new tools and technologies for data access, data analysis, and data discovery. These trends will enhance the archival operational concepts mainly related to the long-term information preservation, placing an equally important emphasis on rapid data production, and dissemination to consumers.
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In an effort to more full explore the potential of commercial remotely sensed land data sources, the NASA Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) implemented an experimental Scientific Data Purchase (SDP) that solicited bids from the private sector to meet ESE-user data needs. The images from the Space Imaging IKONOS system provided a particularly good match to the current ESE missions such as Terra and Landsat 7 and therefore serve as a focal point in this analysis.
This viewgraph document presents a overview of the Dryden Flight Research Center's facilities. Dryden's mission is to advancing technology and science through flight. The mission elements are: perform flight research and technology integration to revolutionize aviation and pioneer aerospace technology, validate space exploration concepts, conduct airborne remote sensing and science observations, and support operations of the Space Shuttle and the ISS for NASA and the Nation. It reviews some of the recent research projects that Dryden has been involved in, such as autonomous aerial refueling, the"Quiet Spike" demonstration on supersonic F-15, intelligent flight controls, high angle of attack research on blended wing body configuration, and Orion launch abort tests.
This presentation provides an overview the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate’s (SMD’s) Small Satellite missions that protect and improve life on earth and in space. In recent years, Small Satellites offer a path to new types of observations for Earth and space science. NASA recognizes the value and impact of Small Satellites, from CubeSats to ESPA-class satellites, for high-value science missions to support exploration through innovative technologies. With smaller size, lower cost, more rapid solicitation, and with constellation missions, our Small Satellite missions can perform targeted science, prove out new technologies, increase our science capabilities to add to our understanding of how we can improve life on earth and in space. Our Small Satellites missions have produced synchronic, high spatial, and temporal science measurements to our changing earth, demonstrating that such missions must be part of our platforms for unique science measurements. We are also able to educate and train the next generation of scientists and engineers by means of these high-risk lower-cost missions.
Satellite observations of space phenomena - mercury project
November 1993 represented the 10-year anniversary of the flight of Spacelab 1 mission, with the first precursor mission (OSTA-1) being launched 2 years earlier. Since that time, a total of 27 Shuttle missions has been flown, using the Spacelab system as a facility for conducting scientific research in space. The missions flown to date have allowed a total of approximately 500 Principle Investigator class investigations to be conducted in orbit. These investigations have constituted major scientific efforts in astronomy/astrophysics, atmospheric science, Earth observation, life sciences, microgravity science, and space plasma physics. An initial survey of the scientific products gleaned from Spacelab missions already flown was sent to the Principle Investigators. In that survey, information was gathered from the investigators on the scientific highlights of their investigations and statistical measurements of overall success -- such as papers published. This document is a compilation of the papers that have been published to date in referred literature.
Over the last four decades a tremendous progress has been made in the Earth science space-based remote sensing observations, technologies and algorithms. Such advancements have improved the predictability by providing lead-time and accuracy of forecast in weather, climate, natural hazards, and natural resources. It has further reduced or bounded the overall uncertainties by partially improving our understanding of planet Earth as an integrated system that is governed by non-linear and chaotic behavior. Many countries such as the US, European Community, Japan, China, Russia, India has and others have invested billions of dollars in developing and launching space-based assets in the low earth (LEO) and geostationary (GEO) orbits. However, the wealth of this scientific knowledge that has potential of extracting monumental socio-economic benefits from such large investments have been slow in reaching the public and decision makers. For instance, there are a number of areas such as water resources and availability, energy forecasting, aviation safety, agricultural competitiveness, disaster management, air quality and public health, which can directly take advantage. Nevertheless, we all live in a global economy that depends on access to the best available Earth Science information for all inhabitants of this planet. This presentation discusses a process to transition Earth science data and products for societal needs including NASA's experience in achieving such objectives. It is important to mention that there are many challenges and issues that pertain to a number of areas such as: (1) difficulties in making a speedy transition of data and information from observations and models to relevant Decision Support Systems (DSS) or tools, (2) data and models inter-operability issues, (3) limitations of spatial, spectral and temporal resolution, (4) communication limitations as dictated by the availability of image processing and data compression techniques. Additionally, the most critical element amongst all is the organizational and management boundaries that must be resolved at local, state, national and international levels to implement and realize free flow of such vital information.
Observations with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope (HST) are scheduled with the assistance of a long-range scheduling system (SPIKE) that was developed using artificial intelligence techniques. In earlier papers, the system architecture and the constraint representation and propagation mechanisms were described. The development of high-level automated scheduling tools, including tools based on constraint satisfaction techniques and neural networks is described. The performance of these tools in scheduling HST observations is discussed.
This viewgraph presentation reviews NASA Dryden's capabilities, the work that Dryden has done for NASA, and its current research. Dryden's Mission is stated to advance technology and science through flight. The mission elements are: (1) Perform flight research and technology integration to revolutionize aviation and pioneer aerospace technology, (2) Validate space exploration concepts, (3) Conduct airborne remote sensing and science observations, (4) Support operations of the Space Shuttle and the ISS for NASA and the Nation.
This software provides capabilities for autonomous cross-cueing and coordinated observations between multiple orbital and landed assets. Previous work has been done in re-tasking a single Earth orbiter or a Mars rover in response to that craft detecting a science event. This work enables multiple spacecraft to communicate (over a network designed for deep-space communications) and autonomously coordinate the characterization of such a science event. This work investigates a new paradigm of space science campaigns where opportunistic science observations are autonomously coordinated among multiple spacecraft. In this paradigm, opportunistic science detections can be cued by multiple assets where a second asset is requested to take additional observations characterizing the identified surface feature or event. To support this new paradigm, an autonomous science system for multiple spacecraft assets was integrated with the Interplanetary Network DTN (Delay Tolerant Network) to provide communication between spacecraft assets. This technology enables new mission concepts that are not feasible with current technology. The ability to rapidly coordinate activities across spacecraft without requiring ground in the loop enables rapid reaction to dynamic events across platforms, such as a survey instrument followed by a targeted high resolution instrument, as well as regular simultaneous observations.
The NASA/NOAA Electronic Theater presents Earth science observations and visualizations from space in a historical perspective. Fly in from outer space to Cambridge and Harvard University. Zoom through the Cosmos to SLC and site of the 2002 Winter Olympics using 1 m IKONOS "Spy Satellite" data. Contrast the 1972 Apollo 17 "Blue Marble" image of the Earth with the latest US and International global satellite images that allow us to view our Planet from any vantage point. See the latest spectacular images from NASA/NOAA remote sensing missions like Terra, GOES, TRMM, SeaWiFS, & Landsat 7, of storms & fires like Hurricane Isabel and the LNSan Diego firestorms of 2003. See how High Definition Television (HDTV) is revolutionizing the way we do science communication. Take the pulse of the planet on a daily, annual and 30-year time scale. See daily thunderstorms, the annual blooming of the northern hemisphere landmasses and oceans, fires in Africa, dust storms in Iraq, and carbon monoxide exhaust from global burning. See visualizations featured on Newsweek, TIME, National Geographic, Popular Science covers & National & International Network TV. Spectacular new global visualizations of the observed and simulated atmosphere & oceans are shown. See the currents and vortexes in the oceans that bring up the nutrients to feed tiny plankton and draw the fish, whales and fishermen. See the how the ocean blooms in response to El Niiioh Niiia climate changes. The Etheater will be presented using the latest High Definition TV (HDTV) and video projection technology on a large screen. See the global city lights, and the great NE US blackout of August 2003 observed by the "night-vision" DMSP satellite.