Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site
-
Similar Topics
-
By NASA
4 Min Read NASA Data Helps Protect US Embassy Staff from Polluted Air
This visualization of aerosols shows dust (purple), smoke (red), and sea salt particles (blue) swirling across Earth’s atmosphere on Aug. 23, 2018, from NASA’s GEOS-FP (Goddard Earth Observing System forward processing) computer model. Credits:
NASA’s Earth Observatory United States embassies and consulates, along with American citizens traveling and living abroad, now have a powerful tool to protect against polluted air, thanks to a collaboration between NASA and the U.S. State Department.
Since 2020, ZephAir has provided real-time air quality data for about 75 U.S. diplomatic posts. Now, the public tool includes three-day air quality forecasts for PM2.5, a type of fine particulate matter, for all the approximately 270 U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. These tiny particles, much smaller than a grain of sand, can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing respiratory and cardiovascular problems.
“This collaboration with NASA showcases how space-based technology can directly impact lives on the ground,” said Stephanie Christel, climate adaptation and air quality monitoring program lead with the State Department’s Greening Diplomacy Initiative. “This is not something the State Department could have done on its own.” For instance, placing air quality monitors at all U.S. diplomatic posts is prohibitively expensive, she explained.
“NASA’s involvement brings not only advanced technology,” she added, “but also a trusted name that adds credibility and reliability to the forecasts, which is invaluable for our staff stationed abroad.”
The forecasts, created using NASA satellite data, computer models, and machine learning, are crucial for U.S. embassies and consulates, where approximately 60,000 U.S. citizens and local staff work. Many of these sites are in regions with few local air quality monitors or early warning systems for air pollution.
“ZephAir’s new forecasting capability is a prime example of NASA’s commitment to using our data for societal benefit,” said Laura Judd, an associate program manager for Health and Air Quality at NASA. “Partnering with the State Department allows us to extend the reach of our air quality data, providing embassies and local communities worldwide with vital information to protect public health.”
Enhancing Health, Safety with NASA Air Quality Data
To manage air pollution exposure, the tool can assist diplomatic staff with decisions on everything from building ventilation to outdoor activities at embassy schools.
For many embassies, especially in regions with severe air pollution, having reliable air quality forecasts is crucial for safeguarding staff and their families, influencing both daily decisions and long-term planning. “Air quality is a top priority for my family as we think about [our next assignment], so having more information is a huge help,” said Alex Lewis, a political officer at the U.S. embassy in Managua, Nicaragua.
A screenshot of the ZephAir web dashboard featuring air quality forecasts for Managua, Nicaragua. U.S. Department of State Previously, ZephAir only delivered data on current PM2.5 levels using air quality monitors on the ground from about 75 U.S. diplomatic locations and about 50 additional sources. Now, the enhanced tool provides PM2.5 forecasts for all sites, using the Goddard Earth Observing System forward processing (GEOS-FP), a weather and climate computer model. It incorporates data on tiny particles or droplets suspended in Earth’s atmosphere called aerosols from MODIS (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites.
Aerosols are tiny airborne particles that come from both natural sources, like dust, volcanic ash, and sea spray, and from human activities, such as burning fossil fuels. PM2.5 refers to particles or droplets that are 2.5 micrometers or smaller in diameter — about 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
“We use the GEOS-FP model to generate global aerosol forecasts,” said Pawan Gupta, of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the lead scientist on the project. “Then we calibrate the forecasts for embassy locations, using historical data and machine learning techniques.”
As of August 2024, the forecasting feature is available on the ZephAir web and mobile platforms.
The new forecasts are about more than just protecting U.S. citizens and local embassy staff; they are also contributing to global action on air quality. The State Department engages with local governments and communities to raise awareness about air quality issues. “These forecasts are a critical part of our strategy to mitigate the impacts of air pollution not only for our personnel but also for the broader community in many regions around the world,” Christel said.
Officials with the Greening Diplomacy Initiative partnered with NASA through the Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team to develop the new forecasts and will continue the collaboration through support from the Satellite Needs Working Group.
Looking ahead, the team aims to expand ZephAir’s capabilities to include ground-level ozone data, another major pollutant that can affect the health of embassy staff and local communities.
By Emily DeMarco
NASA’s Earth Science Division, Headquarters
Share
Details
Last Updated Sep 20, 2024 Editor Rob Garner Contact Rob Garner rob.garner@nasa.gov Location Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms
Aqua Benefits Back on Earth Earth Earth’s Atmosphere Goddard Space Flight Center Terra View the full article
-
By USH
Reports of alien abductions first became widespread during the 1960s and 70s. Alleged abductees frequently described undergoing experimental procedures performed by extraterrestrial beings. Some even claimed that these aliens had inserted unknown objects into their bodies.
In many cases, these so-called "alien implants" are metallic and have been reported to emit radio frequency waves. Often, they are found attached to nerve endings within the body.
One of the most prominent figures in this field of research was Dr. Roger Leir, who passed away on March 14, 2014. Along with his surgical team, Dr. Leir performed 17 surgeries on individuals who claimed to have been abducted by aliens, removing 13 distinct objects suspected to be alien implants.
These objects were subjected to scientific analysis by prestigious laboratories, including Los Alamos National Labs, New Mexico Tech, and the University of California at San Diego. The findings have been puzzling, with some comparisons made to meteorite samples, and isotopic ratios in some tests suggesting materials not of Earthly origin.
One such case is that of Terry Lovelace, a former Air Force medic, who kept a disturbing secret for 40 years. In 2012, a routine x-ray revealed a small square object about the size of a fingernail which was buried deep in Terry's right leg the doctor had never see anything like it.
Then Terry suddenly remembered the terrifying experience he had tried to forget - an event during a camping trip at Devil's Den State Park that he had never spoken of, knowing no one would believe him without proof. Yet the evidence had always been there: a strange metal object embedded in his leg, something that was not man-made.
In 1977, Terry and a friend had an extraordinary encounter at Devil's Den State Park, where they witnessed a massive triangular craft. This experience resulted in missing time and unexplained injuries. Years later, Terry was faced with a difficult choice: reveal his story of alien contact or remain silent. His decision led him into conflict with powerful forces and uncovered a conspiracy that extended beyond our world.
While some remain skeptical, believing these implants are man-made and part of a secretive human agenda, Dr. Leir’s work, along with Terry Lovelace's experience at Devil’s Den and the mysterious object found in his leg, suggests that 'alien' implants may not be mere fiction.
View the full article
-
By NASA
4 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
As students head back to school, teachers have a new tool that brings NASA satellite data down to their earthly classrooms.
The My NASA Data homepage categorizes content by areas of study called spheres and also Earth as a system. NASA/mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov For over 50 years of observing Earth, NASA’s satellites have collected petabytes of global science data (that’s millions and millions of gigabytes) – with terabytes more coming in by the day. Since 2004, the My NASA Data website has been developing ways for students and teachers of grades 3-12 to understand, and visualize NASA data, and to help incorporate those measurements into practical science lessons.
“We have three different types of lesson plans, some of which are student-facing and some are teacher-facing,” said Angie Rizzi, My NASA Data task lead, based at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. “Teachers can download complete lesson plans or display a wide variety of Earth data. There are also lessons written for students to interact with directly.”
An image from My NASA Data’s Earth System Data Explorer visualization tool showing the monthly leaf index around the world as measured by NASA satellites in August 2020. Data parameters for this visualization were set to biosphere under the sphere dropdown and vegetation as a category. NASA/mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov A key component of the My NASA Data site is the newly updated Earth System Data Explorer visualization tool, which allows users to access and download NASA Earth data. Educators can explore the data then create custom data tables, graphs, and plots to help students visualize the data. Students can create and investigate comparisons between land surface temperatures, cloud cover, extreme heat, and a wide range of other characteristics for a specific location or region around the globe.
An image from My NASA Data’s visualization tool showing various searchable categories under the atmosphere dataset selection. NASA/mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov “The Earth System Data Explorer tool has a collection of science datasets organized by different spheres of the Earth system,” explained Desiray Wilson, My NASA Data scientific programmer. The program highlights six areas of study: atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and Earth as a system. “The data goes as far back as the 1980s, and we are getting more daily datasets. It’s really good for looking at historical trends, regional trends, and patterns.”
My NASA Data had over one million site visits last year, with some of the most popular searches focusing on temperatures, precipitation, water vapor, and air quality.
My NASA Data program leaders and instructors collaborating with educators from the North Carolina Space Grant at NASA’S Langley Research Center June 26, 2024. Teachers were at NASA Langley as part of the North Carolina Space Education Ambassadors (NCSEA) program and were given demonstrations of the My NASA Data website. NASA/David C. Bowman Natalie Macke has been teaching for 20 years and is a science teacher at Pascack Hills High School in Montvale, New Jersey. Teachers like Macke help shape the lessons on the site through internships with the My NASA Data team. Teachers’ suggestions were also incorporated to enhance the visualization tool by adding new features that now allow users to swipe between visual layers of data and make side-by-side comparisons. Users can also now click on a location to display latitude and longitude and variable data streamlining the previous site which required manual input of latitude and longitude.
“The new visualization tool is very much a point-and-click layout like our students are used to in terms of just quickly selecting data they want to see,” said Macke. “Instantaneously, a map of the Earth comes up, or just the outline, and they can get the satellite view. So if they’re looking for a specific city, they can find the city on the map and quickly grab a dataset or multiple datasets and overlay it on the map to make visual comparisons.”
Map of the East Coast of the United States from the My NASA Data visualization tool from August 2023 before adding layers of atmospheric satellite data. The image below shows the same map layered with atmospheric measurements.NASA/mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov The East Coast of the United States shown with monthly daytime surface (skin) temperatures from August 2023 overlayed from Earth-observing satellite data using the My NASA Data Earth System Data Explorer visualization tool. The image above shows the same region without the data layer added.NASA/mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/ Even more valuable than creating visualizations for one specific lesson, elaborated Macke, is the opportunity My NASA Data provides for students to understand the importance of interpreting, verifying, and using datasets in their daily lives. This skill, she said, is invaluable, because it helps spread data literacy enabling users to look at data with a discriminating eye and learn to discern between assumptions and valid conclusions.
“Students can relate the data map to literally what’s happening outside their window, showing them how NASA Earth system satellite data relates to real life,” said Macke. “Creating a data literate public – meaning they understand the context and framework of the data they are working with and realizing the connection between the data and the real world – hopefully will intrigue them to continue to explore and learn about the Earth and start asking questions. That’s what got me into science when I was a little kid.”
Read More My NASA Data
Earth System Data Explorer
Join the My NASA Data Educator Community
About the Author
Charles G. Hatfield
Earth Science Public Affairs Officer, NASA Langley Research Center
Share
Details
Last Updated Sep 16, 2024 Related Terms
For Educators Aerosols Climate Change Clouds Earth Earth's Atmosphere For Kids and Students Grades 5 – 8 Grades 5 – 8 for Educators Grades 9 – 12 Grades 9-12 for Educators Grades K – 4 Grades K – 4 for Educators Learning Resources NASA STEM Projects Partner with NASA STEM Space Grant STEM Engagement at NASA Explore More
3 min read NASA Mobilizes Resource for HBCU Scholars, Highlighted at Conference
Article 4 hours ago 1 min read NASA Moon to Mars Architecture Art Challenge
Article 4 days ago 5 min read NASA Finds Summer 2024 Hottest to Date
Article 5 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
Missions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
The My NASA Data homepage categorizes content by areas of study called spheres and also Earth as a system. View the full article
-
By NASA
For some people, working for NASA is a lifelong dream. For others, it is an interesting and perhaps unexpected opportunity that comes up at just the right time and place.
Everything from family ties and influential teachers to witnessing human spaceflight history and enjoying sci-fi entertainment has helped bring people of all backgrounds together at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Several of them recently shared their inspiration to join the NASA team.
***
“As a kid, I always had my head up looking at the stars. I loved astronomy and seeing videos of humans walking on the Moon fascinated me! I wanted to be the first female to walk on the Moon. When Star Wars came out, I wanted to build my own R2-D2 that could explore the galaxies. I was curious how things worked (so I could build a robot) and a cousin told me about engineering. That was the name for what I wanted to do! So, I went to the High School for Engineering Professions in Houston. The guidance counselor there told me about an opportunity to apply for a summer internship with NASA as a junior. I got in and I’ve worked with NASA as much as I could since I was 16 years old – internships and full-time positions. I may not get the chance to be an astronaut and walk on the Moon, but I know I will play a role in helping achieve that dream for another female and a person of color!”
– Alicia Baker, engineering project manager for Portable Life Support System test support, JSC Engineering, Technology, and Science (JETS) Contract
Alicia Baker in a spacesuit test chamber at Johnson Space Center.NASA/David DeHoyos “My dad was an aerospace engineer with Lockheed Martin. I went to take your kid to work day and got to stand in front of a booster engine. I’ve wanted to work in the space industry ever since. I almost didn’t enter the field after getting my aerospace degree, but I was fortunate to take an Intro to Human Spaceflight class during my last quarter of college. Without that class and the professor (who had worked at Johnson) I wouldn’t be here today. I’m so glad my path led me here. Johnson is such a great place to be, and I can look back and tell little Margaret that we did it!”
– Margaret Kennedy, aerospace systems engineer, Engineering Directorate Crew and Thermal Systems Division
Margaret Kennedy and her dad visited Space Center Houston when she started her job at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in October 2019.Image courtesy of Margaret Kennedy “In first grade, my teacher organized a ‘Space Week’ in which we learned about outer space. Her sons – who were studying engineering in college – came and launched model rockets for us. I knew from that point on that I wanted to work at NASA when I grew up.”
– Krista Farrell, International Space Station attitude determination and control officer and motion control systems instructor; Boeing Starliner guidance, navigation, and control instructor
Krista Farrell (center) stands with members of the Expedition 71 crew. From left: NASA astronauts Jeannette Epps, Matt Dominick, and Mike Barratt; Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin; and NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson. NASA/Josh Valcarcel “I didn’t think I would ever work for NASA. But multiple professors in college encouraged me to challenge myself and do some space research. I realized that it was something that I was very passionate about. Thanks to my research work for the Europa Clipper as an undergraduate student, I got my first internship at NASA and subsequently an offer to join the Pathways Program. Now I am part of a small group of engineers that solve entry, descent, and landing problems for multiple missions on Earth, the Moon, and Mars.”
– Sergio Sandoval, guidance engineer, Engineering Directorate Flight Mechanics and Trajectory Design Branch
Sergio Sandoval helps staff a NASA table during a Johnson Space Center community engagement event.Image courtesy of Sergio Sandoval
“Dad would take me to the viewing room of the original Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR) during the Apollo era. He was one of the people supporting MOCR in the Staff Support Room. I have worked at Johnson for 27 years [as a contractor] for Lockheed Martin, Hamilton Sundstrand, and Jacobs Technology.”
– David Fanelli, software engineer, Energy Systems Test Area
“In early 1969, when I was a boy, my uncle visited the Johnson Space Center and brought back astronaut and mission photos of the recently completed Apollo 8 lunar orbiting mission. Those photos, coupled with a Saturn V rocket model I assembled, and the Time Life records and books about the Apollo space program my parents purchased for me, sparked my imagination. I knew I wanted to work for NASA one day. It wasn’t until many years later that that dream became a reality, when I joined NASA’s co-op program for college students during my second attempt to become an aeronautical engineer. After I graduated college, I began working full time as a civil servant engineer at Johnson.”
– David Fletcher, NASA lead, Gateway-Ready Avionics Integration Lab
David Fletcher (center) with his daughters Jessica (left) and Erica (right). Image courtesy of David Fletcher
“I remember watching Star Trek and Star Wars as a kid with my dad. I found some of his college notes in a box one day and thought the small, neat print on graph paper pads was really pretty. He went to the University of Texas at Austin to study astrophysics and engineering, but he never got to finish. Fast forward to 2022 and I find myself in Houston for an unknown amount of time, so I decided to go out and make some friends. I met a woman at a Geeky Game Night, and I learned that she was a food scientist at NASA! After talking some more, she told me to send her my resume. Later that week I received a call to set up an interview. I’m still in awe of how that one chance connection led me to my childhood dream of working at NASA.”
– Kristin Dillon, document/IT specialist, Space Food Systems Laboratory
“I grew up in a small agricultural village in India. My first introduction to spaceflight was reading Russian cosmonauts’ translated accounts of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project as a young girl. I am still not sure whether my father picked that book for me on a whim or with a grand dream for his daughter, but it certainly had me hooked. However, I found my true calling to make human spaceflight safer and more efficient after witnessing the Columbia mishap. India, at the time, did not have a human spaceflight program. Thus started a 20-year-long grand adventure of seeking opportunities, pursuing them, immigrating to the United States, and finding my path to NASA, which culminated in a Pathways internship at Johnson.”
– Poonampreet Kaur Josan, three-time Pathways intern, currently supporting the Human Health and Performance Directorate Habitability and Human Factors Branch
View the full article
-
By NASA
The four-person crew of the Polaris Dawn mission pictured wearing their SpaceX extravehicular activity suits.Credit: SpaceX NASA researchers will soon benefit from a suite of experiments flying aboard a new fully-commercial human spaceflight mission, strengthening future agency science as we venture to the Moon, Mars and beyond.
The experiments are flying as part of the Polaris Dawn mission which launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket earlier today.
The four-person Polaris Dawn crew of Jared Isaacman, Scott “Kidd” Poteet, Sarah Gillis, and Anna Menon will conduct science during the mission including essential health and human performance research for NASA’s Human Research Program. The research will help NASA scientists better understand how exposure to space conditions affects the human body. The crew will test new medical approaches and technology on telemedicine capabilities, gather data on space motion sickness, and better characterize flight-associated injury risks.
“Each mission, whether the crew is comprised of commercial or NASA astronauts, provides a key opportunity to expand our knowledge about how spaceflight affects human health,” said Jancy McPhee, associate chief scientist for human research at NASA. “Information gathered from Polaris Dawn will give us critical insights to help NASA plan for deeper space travel to the Moon and Mars.”
The crew will test drive, a commercial device that can collect and integrate measurements of health, including blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, and temperature. The technology also provides ultrasound imaging and larynx and throat-focused video camera capabilities, and includes an experimental telemedicine feature that could help diagnose crew members in near-real time.
To test this technology during the mission, crew members will compare vital sign collection from the device with data gathered from standard periodic health status exams. The technology’s telemedicine feature, which relies on SpaceX’s Starlink communications system to connect with doctors and specialists on Earth, will also be tested during a simulation. During the test, the device will attempt to offer an appropriate diagnosis based on crew inputs and available documentation.
“Crew members will need to be more self-reliant during lengthy missions, and we hope that telemedicine can provide crews with assistance,” said McPhee.
Another research project aims to better understand and prevent the motion sickness symptoms that many astronauts experience in space. Participating crew members will describe their motion sickness symptoms, what interventions they tried to alleviate their symptoms, and whether any approaches helped.
A separate NASA-based research project will survey crew members after their mission to see whether they experienced any injuries or discomfort during re-entry to Earth.
“Our team will take the crew’s survey data and combine it with information gathered from sensors on the spacecraft. This will allow us to link crews’ reported experiences and health outcomes with the spacecraft’s dynamics and landing loads,” said Preston Greenhalgh, an injury biomechanist at NASA who is leading this work.
Crew members also will participate in a variety of other health studies on behalf of the NASA-funded TRISH (Translational Research Institute for Health), a consortium with various academic institutions. As part of that work, the Polaris Dawn mission will set a new baseline for collecting standard health data on commercial spaceflights, creating a complement to the datasets routinely collected from NASA astronauts and missions.
Polaris Dawn crew members participating in these TRISH studies will provide data about how spaceflight affects mental and physical health through a rigorous set of medical tests and scans completed before, after, and during the mission. The work will include assessments of behavior, sleep, bone density, eye health, cognitive function, and other factors, as well as analysis of blood, urine, and respiration.
“We’re so grateful to the crew members who volunteer to be part of NASA’s work. The insights that we gain from each study may trigger breakthroughs that will help ensure future mission success,” said McPhee.
____
NASA’s Human Research Program pursues the best methods and technologies to support safe, productive human space travel. Through science conducted in laboratories, ground-based analogs, commercial missions, and the International Space Station, the program scrutinizes how spaceflight affects human bodies and behaviors. Such research continues to drive NASA’s mission to innovate ways that keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready as space exploration expands to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Explore More
3 min read NASA Astronaut Don Pettit’s Science of Opportunity on Space Station
Article 6 days ago 3 min read NASA, Boeing Optimizing Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay for Future SLS Stage Production
Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read NASA Seeks Input for Astrobee Free-flying Space Robots
Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
Living in Space
Artemis
Human Research Program
Space Station Research and Technology
View the full article
-
-
Check out these Videos
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.