Jump to content

Save the Date: Apophis 2029 Innovation (A29I) Listening Workshop


NASA

Recommended Posts

  • Publishers

3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

three grayscale, pixelated images of asteroid Apophis (circled) taken with radar
These images of asteroid Apophis were recorded in March 2021 by radio antennas at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex in California and the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia. The asteroid was 10.6 million miles (17 million kilometers) away, and each pixel has a resolution of 127 feet (38.75 meters).
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech and NSF/AUI/GBO

Save the Date

Apophis 2029 Innovation (A29I) Listening Workshop

February 7, 2024

Please refer to this web page for any updated information

OVERVIEW:

NASA’s Agency Chief Technologist (ACT) within the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS) is hosting a listening workshop on February 7, 2024, on innovative approaches to conduct missions during the Earth flyby of the asteroid Apophis in 2029. This workshop is co-hosted with NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) in the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) as well as with NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD).

The Apophis 2029 Innovation (A29I) Listening Workshop will engage the public to explore innovative approaches for a low-cost mission to the asteroid Apophis. Specifically, the workshop seeks information from the commercial space sector, academia, researchers, technology developers, transportation providers, other government agencies, international space agencies, and other interested parties on innovative programmatic, financial, and partnership approaches. Participation by other U.S. government agencies and international space agencies is highly encouraged. The agenda will feature an overview briefing by NASA officials followed by pre-scheduled one-on-one listening sessions between NASA and interested parties.

PROGRAM

The listening workshop will be held on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, in Washington, D.C. The workshop is divided into two parts.

The first part is a widely attended morning overview briefing that will be held at the James E. Webb Auditorium at NASA Headquarters (West Lobby, 300 E St SW, Washington, DC 20024), starting at 9:00 AM Eastern Time. Doors will open at 8:15 AM Eastern Time. 

The second part will be one-on-one sessions between NASA representatives and external organizations. These one-on-one sessions will begin at 11:00 AM Eastern Time. NASA will determine the final schedule of one-on-one sessions and will contact organizations directly to confirm logistics, location, and assigned session time. The location will be within close proximity to NASA headquarters. Each organization requesting a one-on-one session is limited to up to three participants per organization. The one-on-one sessions will be no more than 30 minutes in length for each organization.

For the one-on-one sessions, please do not prepare a slide deck or presentation material as audio/visual equipment will not be provided nor will be permitted. NASA also will not accept any written or electronic material. Please do not provide any confidential or proprietary information during the one-on-one sessions. The one-one-one sessions will not be recorded; however, notes may be taken by NASA civil servants or its support contractor(s).

For those organizations and individuals interested in participating in the overview briefing and/or the one-on-one sessions please RSVP by January 19, 2024 by providing the following for all individuals attending from your organization:

  • Name
  • Title (if applicable)
  • Affiliation
  • Email
  • Phone number
  • Attending overview briefing: Y/N
  • Attending one-on-one session: Y/N

Please RSVP by sending an email to taelor.n.jones@nasa.gov using the subject line “Apophis 2029 Workshop.”

There are no associated activities (e.g., procurement, cooperative agreement, Space Act agreement, etc.) planned at this time.

REFERENCES:

View the full article

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Similar Topics

    • By NASA
      The future of human space exploration took a bold step forward at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on Nov. 15, 2024, as Texas A&M University leaders’ broke ground for the Texas A&M University Space Institute.

      Texas state officials, NASA leaders, and distinguished guests participated in the ceremony, held near the future development site of Johnson’s new Exploration Park, marking an important milestone in a transformative partnership to advance research, innovation, and human spaceflight.
      NASA’s Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche gives remarks at the Texas A&M University Space Institute groundbreaking ceremony in Houston on Nov. 15, 2024. NASA/Robert Markowitz “This groundbreaking is not just a physical act of breaking ground or planting a flag,” said Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche. “This is the moment our vision—to dare to expand frontiers and unite with our partners to explore for the benefit of all humanity—will be manifested.”

      The Texas A&M University Space Institute will be the first tenant at NASA’s 240-acre Exploration Park to support facilities that enhance commercial access, foster a collaborative development environment, and strengthen the United States’ competitiveness in the space and aerospace industries.
      Chairman Bill Mahomes Jr. of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, left, Chancellor John Sharp of the Texas A&M University System, and Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche hold a commemorative plaque celebrating the establishment of the Texas A&M University Space Institute at Exploration Park. NASA/Robert Markowitz Exploration Park aims to foster research, technology transfer, and a sustainable pipeline of career development for the Artemis Generation and Texas workers transitioning to the space economy. The park represents a key achievement of Johnson’s 2024 Dare | Unite | Explore commitments, emphasizing its role as the hub of human spaceflight, developing strategic partnerships, and paving the way for a thriving space economy.

      Research conducted at the Space Institute is expected to accelerate human spaceflight by providing opportunities for the brightest minds worldwide to address the challenges of living in low Earth orbit, on the Moon, and on Mars.
      Senior leadership from Johnson Space Center gathers for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Texas A&M University Space Institute. NASA/Robert Markowitz Industry leaders and Johnson executives stood alongside NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle and Space Exploration Vehicle, symbolizing their commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration.

      Texas A&M University Space Institute director and retired NASA astronaut Dr. Nancy Currie-Gregg and Dr. Rob Ambrose, Space Institute associate director, served as the masters of ceremony for the event. Johnson leaders present included Deputy Director Stephen Koerner; Associate Director Donna Shafer; Associate Director for Vision and Strategy Douglas Terrier; Director of External Relations Office Arturo Sanchez; and Chief Technologist and Director of the Business Development and Technology Integration Office Nick Skytland.

      Also in attendance were Texas State Rep. Greg Bonnen; Texas A&M University System Board of Regents Chairman William Mahomes Jr.; Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp; Texas A&M University President and Retired Air Force Gen. Mark Welsh III; and Texas A&M Engineering Vice Chancellor and Dean Robert Bishop.
      Texas A&M University Space Institute Director and retired NASA astronaut Nancy Currie-Gregg plants a Texas A&M University Space Institute flag at Johnson Space Center, symbolizing the partnership between the institute and NASA.NASA/Robert Markowitz The institute, expected to open in September 2026, will feature the world’s largest indoor simulation spaces for lunar and Martian surface operations, high-bay laboratories, and multifunctional project rooms.

      “The future of Texas’ legacy in aerospace is brighter than ever as the Texas A&M Space Institute in Exploration Park will create an unparalleled aerospace, economic, business development, research, and innovation region across the state,” Wyche said. “Humanity’s next giant leap starts here!”
      View the full article
    • By NASA
      NASA researchers Guan Yang, Jeff Chen, and their team received the 2024 Innovator of The Year Award at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for their exemplary work on a lidar system enhanced with artificial intelligence and other technologies.
      Engineer Jeffrey Chen tests a lidar prototype on the roof of Building 33 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Chen and his team earned the center’s 2024 Innovator of the Year award for their work on CASALS, a lidar system enhanced with artificial intelligence and other technologies.NASA Like a laser-based version of sonar, lidar and its use in space exploration is not new. But the lidar system Yang and Chen’s team have developed — formally the Concurrent Artificially-intelligent Spectrometry and Adaptive Lidar System (CASALS) — can produce higher resolution data within a smaller space, significantly increasing efficiency compared to current models.
      The true revolution in CASALS is a unique combination of related technologies, such as highly efficient laser and receiver designs, wavelength-based, non-mechanical beam steering, multispectral imaging, and the incorporation of artificial intelligence to allow the instrument to make its own decisions while in orbit, instead of waiting for direction from human controllers on the ground.
      “Existing 3D-imaging lidars struggle to provide the 2-inch resolution needed by guidance, navigation and control technologies to ensure precise and safe landings essential for future robotic and human exploration missions,” team engineer Jeffrey Chen said in an earlier interview. “Such a system requires 3D hazard-detection lidar and a navigation doppler lidar, and no existing system can perform both functions.”
      The CASALS lidar is being developed to study land and ice topography, coastline changes, and other Earth science topics. Future applications in solar system science beyond our planet are already in the works, including space navigation improvements and high-resolution lunar mapping for NASA’s Artemis campaign to return astronauts to the Moon.
      An effective and compact lidar system like CASALS could also map rocky planets like Venus or Mars.
      NASA leveraged contributions from external Small Business Innovation Research companies such as Axsun Technologies, Freedom Photonics, and Left Hand for laser and optical technology to help make CASALS a reality.
      The Internal Research and Development (IRAD) Innovator of The Year award is presented by Goddard’s Office of the Chief Technologist to a person or team within the program with a notable contribution to cutting-edge technology. The CASALS team was presented their award at a technology poster session on Nov. 6, 2024, at NASA Goddard.
      By Avery Truman
      NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
      Share
      Details
      Last Updated Nov 15, 2024 EditorRob GarnerContactRob Garnerrob.garner@nasa.govLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related Terms
      Goddard Technology Technology Explore More
      5 min read NASA, Industry Improve Lidars for Exploration, Science
      NASA engineers will test a suite of new laser technologies from an aircraft this summer…
      Article 8 months ago 4 min read Goddard Engineers Improve NASA Lidar Tech for Exploration
      Cutting edge innovations by NASA researchers seek to refine lidars into smaller, lighter, more versatile…
      Article 1 year ago 3 min read NASA Engineer Earns Goddard Innovation Award for Sun-studying Photon Sieves
      Goddard Engineer Kevin Denis receives innovation award for photon sieves.
      Article 1 year ago View the full article
    • By NASA
      5 min read
      Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
      Candeska Cikana Community College uses selective laser sintering, a type of 3D-printing in which heat and pressure form specific structures using layers of powdered material. Shown here, a student works to remove excess material, in this case a powdered form of nylon with carbon fibers, to reveal a prototype of the “Mapi Hapa,” or “sky shoe.” Candeska Cikana Community College Human exploration on the lunar surface is no small feat. It requires technologists and innovators from all walks of life to tackle many challenges, including feet. 
      From designing astronaut boots, addressing hazardous Moon dust, and researching new ways to land on Mars, NASA is funding valuable research through M-STAR (Minority University Research and Education Project’s (MUREP) Space Technology Artemis Research). The M-STAR program provides opportunities for students and faculty at Minority Serving Institutions to participate in space technology development through capacity building and research grants. With more than $11.5 million awarded since 2020, M-STAR aims to ensure NASA isn’t leaving any potential solution behind. 
      Best Foot Forward 
      Nicholas Bitner from Candeska Cikana Community College, left, and Jesse Rhoades from the University of North Dakota (UND), right, are pictured in UND’s BiPed lab, where their students test and capture motion data for the Mapi Hapa. Walter Criswell, UND Today Supportive boots are required for astronauts who will perform long duration Artemis missions on the Moon. With astronaut foot health in mind, students and faculty of North Dakota’s Candeska Cikana Community College in Fort Totten and the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks are designing a solution for extravehicular activity Moon boots. The project, called Mapi Hapa, proposes a 3D printed device that helps astronauts achieve the range of motion that takes place in the ankle when you draw your toe back towards the shin. 
      Candeska Cikana Community College is a tribal college that serves the Spirit Lake Nation, including the Dakota, Lakota, Sisseton, Wahpeton, and Yanktonai peoples.  
      Nicholas Bitner, an instructor at Candeska Cikana and graduate student at the University of North Dakota, notes the unique skills that tribal students possess. “Their perspective, which is unlike that of any other student body, thrives on building with their hands and taking time to make decisions.” 
      Bitner also attributes many opportunities and successes of their program to M-STAR and its partnership which exemplifies the dire importance of consistent funding. 
      “Given the relationships, we have been able to expand our capabilities and our lab, but it has also given us funding. We were able to hire all our students in the engineering department as lab technicians. So, they get paid to do the research that they are a part of, and not only do they have that psychological ownership, but they also have a good paying job that looks nice on their resumes.”  
      In addition to addressing astronaut foot health, M-STAR funding is helping develop solutions to combat lunar regolith, or Moon dust, which can damage landers, spacesuits, and human lungs, if inhaled. 
      Lunar Dust Development 
      With M-STAR, New Mexico State University in Las Cruces developed affordable, reliable lunar regolith simulants to help test lunar surface technologies. The team also designed testing facilities that mimic environmental conditions on the Moon.   
      New Mexico State has already started sharing their simulants, including with a fellow M-STAR awardee. An M-STAR project selected in 2023 from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne uses the simulants to help test their experience in smart agriculture to test applications for crop production on the Moon. 
      University of Maryland, Eastern Shore explores the possibility of growing crops in lunar regolith by mixing varying proportions of lunar regolith simulant, horse manure, and potting soil. The lunar regolith simulant was provided by fellow M-STAR awardee at New Mexico State University in in Las Cruces.Stephanie Yeldell/NASA Douglas Cortez, associate professor in civil engineering at New Mexico State, believes different perspectives are essential to maximizing solutions.  
      “There are hundreds of people working at Minority Serving Institutions that are used to looking at the world in a completely different way,” said Cortez. “When they start looking at the same problem and parameters, they come up with very different solutions.” 
      As we look to sustainable presence on the Moon, NASA also has its sights set on Mars and M-STAR is helping develop technologies to inform crewed Martian exploration.  
      Stick the Landing 
      San Diego State University in California was awarded funding for research on Mars entry, descent, and landing technologies. The team aims to achieve optimal trajectory by developing onboard algorithms that guide vehicles to descent autonomously. 
      The M-STAR research opportunities have been invaluable to students like Chris Davami and his teammates working to develop improved methods to land on Mars.  
      Christopher Davami, who supported San Diego State University’s 2021 M-STAR project, is pictured here at NASA’s Langley Research Center, where he was selected for internships supporting research in aeroelasticity, atmospheric flight, and entry systems research.NASA “I would definitely not have been able to have these opportunities with NASA if it weren’t for M-STAR,” said Davami. “M-STAR helped pay for my education, which helped me save a lot in student loans. I probably wouldn’t be going to graduate school right now if I did not have this opportunity. This program enabled me to keep pursuing my research and continue doing what I love.” 
      Following his contributions to the M-STAR-funded project, Davami was awarded a NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunity in 2023 on his work in autonomous end-to-end trajectory planning and guidance constrained entry and precision power decent.  
      Through efforts like M-STAR, NASA aims to seed the future workforce and prepare colleges and universities to win other NASA research opportunities. When it comes to the advancement of space technology, people of different backgrounds and skillsets are needed to achieve what was once known as impossible. Not only can the diversification of ideas spark fundamental innovations in space, but it can also help students apply these technological advancements to solving problems here on Earth. 
      To learn more about M-STAR visit: 
      https://go.nasa.gov/442k76s
      by: Gabrielle Thaw, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate 
      Facebook logo @NASATechnology @NASA_Technology Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
      Space Technology Mission Directorate
      Student & STEM Opportunities
      NASA Grants to Strengthen Diversity in Engineering, STEM Fields
      Get Involved
      Share
      Details
      Last Updated Nov 05, 2024 EditorLoura Hall Related Terms
      Space Technology Mission Directorate Technology View the full article
    • By NASA
      NASA logo NASA has awarded $15.6 million in grant funding to 15 projects supporting the maintenance of open-source tools, frameworks, and libraries used by the NASA science community, for the benefit of all.
      The agency’s Open-Source Tools, Frameworks, and Libraries awards provide support for the sustainable development of tools freely available to everyone and critical for the goals of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate.
      “We received almost twice the number of proposals this year than we had in the previous call,” said Steve Crawford, program executive, Open Science implementation, Office of the Chief Science Data Officer, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The NASA science community’s excitement for this program demonstrates the need for sustained support and maintenance of open-source software. These projects are integral to our missions, critical to our data infrastructure, underpin machine learning and data science tools, and are used by our researchers, every day, to advance science that protects our planet and broadens our understanding of the universe.”
      This award program is one of several cross-divisional opportunities at NASA focused on advancing open science practices. The grants are funded by NASA’s Office of the Chief Science Data Officer through the agency’s Research Opportunities for Space and Earth Science. The solicitation sought proposals through two types of awards:
      Foundational awards: cooperative agreements for up to five years for open-source tools, frameworks, and libraries that have a significant impact on two or more divisions of the Science Mission Directorate. Sustainment awards: grants or cooperative agreements of up to three years for open-source tools, frameworks, and libraries that have significant impact in one or more divisions of the Science Mission Directorate. 2024 awardees are:
      Foundation awards:
      NASA’s Ames Research Center, Silicon Valley, CaliforniaPrincipal investigator: Ross Beyer “Expanding and Maintaining the Ames Stereo Pipeline” Caltech, Pasadena, CaliforniaPrincipal investigator: Brigitta Sipocz “Enhancement of Infrastructure and Sustained Maintenance of Astroquery” Cornell University, Scarsdale, New YorkPrincipal investigator: Ramin Zabih “Modernize and Expand arXiv’s Essential Infrastructure” NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MarylandPrincipal investigator: D. Cooley “Enabling SMD Science Using the General Mission Analysis Tool” NumFOCUS, Austin, TexasPrincipal investigator: Thomas Caswell “Sustainment of Matplotlib and Cartopy” NumFOCUSPrincipal investigator: Erik Tollerud “Investing in the Astropy Project to Enable Research and Education in Astronomy” Sustainment awards:
      NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Southern CaliforniaPrincipal investigator: Cedric David “Sustain NASA’s River Software for the Satellite Data Deluge,” three-year award Pennsylvania State University, University ParkPrincipal investigator: David Radice “AthenaK: A Performance Portable Simulation Infrastructure for Computational Astrophysics,” three-year award United States Geological Survey, Reston, VirginiaPrincipal investigator: Trent Hare “Planetary Updates for QGIS,” one-year award NASA JPLPrincipal investigator: Michael Starch “How To F Prime: Empowering Science Missions Through Documentation and Examples,” three-year award NASA GoddardPrincipal investigator: Albert Shih “Enhancing Consistency and Discoverability Across the SunPy Ecosystem,” three-year award Triad National Security, LLC, Los Alamos, New MexicoPrincipal investigator: Julia Kelliher “Enhancing Analysis Capabilities of Biological Data With the NASA EDGE Bioinformatics Platform,” four-year award iSciences LLC, Burlington, VermontPrincipal investigator: Daniel Baston “Sustaining the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library,” three-year award University of Maryland, College Park,Principal investigator: C Max Stevens “Sustaining the Community Firn Model,” three-year award Quansight, LLC, Austin, TexasPrincipal investigator: Dharhas Pothina “Ensuring a Fast and Secure Core for Scientific Python – Security, Accessibility and Performance of NumPy, SciPy and scikit-learn; Going Beyond NumPy With Accelerator Support,” three-year award For information about open science at NASA, visit:
      https://science.nasa.gov/open-science
      -end-
      Alise Fisher
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-617-4977
      alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
      View the full article
    • By European Space Agency
      ESA has signed a contract with OHB Italia SpA worth €63 million to begin preparatory work on the Agency’s proposed Ramses mission to the infamous asteroid Apophis.
      View the full article
  • Check out these Videos

×
×
  • Create New...