Topics: African Americans, Black History Month, Civil Rights, Diversity in Science, Education, NASA, Space Exploration, STEM, Women in Science The Honorable Aprille J. Ericsson was the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology (S&T). In this role, she directed an organization responsible for the oversight, advocacy, and policy for the Department of Defense (DoD)Continue reading “Dr. Aprille J. Ericsson…”
Category Archives: Space Exploration
Mars’ Summer Solstice…
The hills in Mars’ Australe Scopuli region, located near the planet’s south pole, are covered in carbon dioxide ice. The darker areas are layers of dust. (Image credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin) Topics: Astrophysics, Environment, ESA, Mars, NASA, Planetary Science, Space Exploration Snow dots the Martian landscape in these images from ESA’s Mars Express orbiter and NASA’s MarsContinue reading “Mars’ Summer Solstice…”
Canceling V.I.P.E.R…
The completed VIPER rover awaits one of two fates: be sent to the Moon by an organization other than NASA or be cannibalized for its parts and instruments. Credit: NASA Topics: Astrobiology, Astronautics, Astrophysics, Chemistry, COVID-19, NASA, Space Exploration, Spectrographic Analysis “Boldly going” has budget constraints, but all is not lost. “Plan B” is atContinue reading “Canceling V.I.P.E.R…”
The Checkbook of Space Travel…
An illustration of NASA’s Orion spacecraft in orbit around the moon. (Image credit: Lockheed Martin) Topics: Astronautics, History, NASA, Space Exploration, Spaceflight Between 1969 and 1972, the Apollo missions sent a total of a dozen astronauts to the surface of the moon — and that was before the explosion of modern technology. So why does it seem likeContinue reading “The Checkbook of Space Travel…”
Eclipse…
Topics: Astronomy, Astrophysics, Philosophy, Planetary Science, Space Exploration There will be a partial eclipse here in Greensboro. These glasses (6 pair), I purchased in 2017 for ANOTHER partial eclipse that I missed due to working in the lab my first year in grad school. Nano took precedent over astro. The current show starts around 1:56Continue reading “Eclipse…”
Oxymoron…
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists shifted the Doomsday Clock to 90 seconds to midnight at a news conference in January 2023. From left, Siegfried Hecker, Daniel Holz, Sharon Squassoni, Mary Robinson and Elbegdorj Tsakhia (Photo credit: Patrick Semansky). Topics: Astrobiology, Civilization, Existentialism, Science Fiction, SETI, Space Exploration A few weeks ago, I posted “Wine of Consciousness”Continue reading “Oxymoron…”
Gas Nephilim…
Artist’s depiction of an extra-solar system that is crowded with giant planets. Credit: NASA/Dana Berry Topics: Astronomy, Astrophysics, Planetary Science, Space Exploration Giant gas planets can be agents of chaos, ensuring nothing lives on their Earth-like neighbors around other stars. New studies show in some planetary systems, the giants tend to kick smaller planets outContinue reading “Gas Nephilim…”
OSIRIS-REx…
The sample return capsule from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission is seen shortly after touching down in the desert at the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range. Keegan Barber/NASA Topics: Asteroids, Astrobiology, Astrophysics, NASA, Space Exploration Scientists are exulting over the safe arrival of a canister containing about a cup’s worth of asteroid rocks, collectedContinue reading “OSIRIS-REx…”
“Boldly Going” Pretty Close…
Artist’s conception of the dwarf planet Sedna in the outer edges of the known solar system. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC)) Topics: Astronomy, Astrophysics, Exoplanets, NASA, Space Exploration Astronomers are racing to explain peculiar orbits of faraway objects at the edge of our solar system. Among the many mysteries that make the furthest reaches of ourContinue reading ““Boldly Going” Pretty Close…”
Valentina Tereshkova…
Valentina Tereshkova. Credit: ESA Topics: Astronautics, ESA, History, NASA, Space Exploration, Spaceflight, Women in Science The first female cosmonaut flew years before NASA put a man on the Moon and decades before any other country would send a woman into orbit. On a drab Sunday in Moscow in November 1963, a dark-suited man stood besideContinue reading “Valentina Tereshkova…”
Physics and Nano 