Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site
NASA-IBM Collaboration Develops INDUS Large Language Models for Advanced Science Research
-
Similar Topics
-
By NASA
1 min read
NASA Science Activation Teams Present at National Rural STEM Summit
NASA Science Activation (SciAct) teams participated in the National Rural STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics) Summit held June 4-7, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona. Hosted by Kalman Mannis of the Rural Activation and Innovation Network (Arizona Science Center) and the SciTech Institute, the summit fostered learning and sharing among organizations dedicated to creating partnerships and pathways for authentic STEM learning in rural communities.
Participants included:
Matt Cass and Randi Neff from SciAct’s Smoky Mountains STEM Collaborative, who presented “A sense of place: Crafting authentic experiences for rural STEM learners”; Tina Harte from NASA (Science Systems and Applications, Inc), who presented “Nature explorations with NASA”; Kalman Mannis from the SciAct STEM Ecosystems project and the Rural Activation and Innovation Network, who presented “Building leaders in STEM through coaching, connections, and camaraderie”; and members of the SciAct Rural Committee. SciAct STEM Ecosystems is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC210007 and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn
Randi Neff of the NASA SciAct-funded Smoky Mountains STEM Collaborative presents at the National Rural STEM Learning Summit. Arizona Science Center Share
Details
Last Updated Jul 05, 2024 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms
Astrophysics Biological & Physical Sciences Earth Science Heliophysics Planetary Science Science Activation Science-enabling Technology Explore More
4 min read NASA’s Webb Captures Celestial Fireworks Around Forming Star
Article
3 days ago
9 min read Behind the Scenes of a NASA ‘Moonwalk’ in the Arizona Desert
Article
4 days ago
3 min read NASA Selects 5 Proposals to Conduct Research Using Openly Available Data in the Physical Sciences Informatics System
Article
7 days ago
Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
James Webb Space Telescope
Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the…
Perseverance Rover
This rover and its aerial sidekick were assigned to study the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient microbial…
Parker Solar Probe
On a mission to “touch the Sun,” NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to fly through the corona…
Juno
NASA’s Juno spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016, the first explorer to peer below the planet’s dense clouds to…
View the full article
-
By NASA
The Goldstone Solar System Radar, part of NASA’s Deep Space Network, made these observations of the recently discovered 500-foot-wide (150-meter-wide) asteroid 2024 MK, which made its closest approach — within about 184,000 miles (295,000 kilometers) of Earth — on June 29.NASA/JPL-Caltech The Deep Space Network’s Goldstone planetary radar had a busy few days observing asteroids 2024 MK and 2011 UL21 as they safely passed Earth.
Scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California recently tracked two asteroids as they flew by our planet. One turned out to have a little moon orbiting it, while the other had been discovered only 13 days before its closest approach to Earth. There was no risk of either near-Earth object impacting our planet, but the radar observations taken during these two close approaches will provide valuable practice for planetary defense, as well as information about their sizes, orbits, rotation, surface details, and clues as to their composition and formation.
Passing Earth on June 27 at a distance of 4.1 million miles (6.6 million kilometers), or about 17 times the distance between the Moon and Earth, the asteroid 2011 UL21 was discovered in 2011 by the NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey, in Tucson, Arizona. But this is the first time it has come close enough to Earth to be imaged by radar. While the nearly mile-wide (1.5-kilometer-wide) object is classified as being potentially hazardous, calculations of its future orbits show that it won’t pose a threat to our planet for the foreseeable future.
Because close approaches by asteroids the size of 2024 MK are relatively rare, JPL’s planetary radar team gathered as much information about the near-Earth object as possible. This mosaic shows the spinning asteroid in one-minute increments about 16 hours after its closest approach with Earth.NASA/JPL-Caltech Using the Deep Space Network’s 230-foot-wide (70-meter) Goldstone Solar System Radar, called Deep Space Station 14 (DSS-14), near Barstow, California, JPL scientists transmitted radio waves to the asteroid and received the reflected signals by the same antenna. In addition to determining the asteroid is roughly spherical, they discovered that it’s a binary system: A smaller asteroid, or moonlet, orbits it from a distance of about 1.9 miles (3 kilometers).
“It is thought that about two-thirds of asteroids of this size are binary systems, and their discovery is particularly important because we can use measurements of their relative positions to estimate their mutual orbits, masses, and densities, which provide key information about how they may have formed,” said Lance Benner, principal scientist at JPL who helped lead the observations.
These seven radar observations by the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone Solar System Radar shows the mile-wide asteroid 2011 UL21 during its June 27 close approach with Earth from about 4 million miles away. The asteroid and its small moon (a bright dot at the bottom of the image) are circled in white.NASA/JPL-Caltech Second Close Approach
Two days later, on June 29, the same team observed the asteroid 2024 MK pass our planet from a distance of only 184,000 miles (295,000 kilometers), or slightly more than three-quarters of the distance between the Moon and Earth. About 500 feet (150 meters) wide, this asteroid appears to be elongated and angular, with prominent flat and rounded regions. For these observations, the scientists also used DSS-14 to transmit radio waves to the object, but they used Goldstone’s 114-foot (34-meter) DSS-13 antenna to receive the signal that bounced off the asteroid and came back to Earth. The result of this “bistatic” radar observation is a detailed image of the asteroid’s surface, revealing concavities, ridges, and boulders about 30 feet (10 meters) wide.
Close approaches of near-Earth objects the size of 2024 MK are relatively rare, occurring about every couple of decades, on average, so the JPL team sought to gather as much data about the object as possible. “This was an extraordinary opportunity to investigate the physical properties and obtain detailed images of a near-Earth asteroid,” said Benner.
This sunset photo shows NASA’s Deep Space Station 14 (DSS-14), the 230-foot-wide (70-meter) antenna at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex near Barstow, California.NASA/JPL-Caltech The asteroid 2024 MK was first reported on June 16 by the NASA-funded Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) at Sutherland Observing Station in South Africa. Its orbit was changed by Earth’s gravity as it passed by, reducing its 3.3-year orbital period around the Sun by about 24 days. Although it is classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid, calculations of its future motion show that it does not pose a threat to our planet for the foreseeable future.
The Goldstone Solar System Radar Group is supported by NASA’s Near-Earth Object Observations Program within the Planetary Defense Coordination Office at the agency’s headquarters in Washington. Managed by JPL, the Deep Space Network receives programmatic oversight from Space Communications and Navigation program office within the Space Operations Mission Directorate, also at NASA Headquarters.
More information about planetary radar and near-Earth objects can be found at:
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroid-watch
News Media Contact
Ian J. O’Neill
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-2649
ian.j.oneill@jpl.nasa.gov
2024-097
Share
Details
Last Updated Jul 03, 2024 Related Terms
Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) Asteroids Deep Space Network Jet Propulsion Laboratory Planetary Defense Planetary Defense Coordination Office Potentially Hazardous Asteroid (PHA) Space Communications & Navigation Program Explore More
3 min read NASA’s ECOSTRESS Maps Burn Risk Across Phoenix Streets
Article 19 hours ago 5 min read NASA Asteroid Experts Create Hypothetical Impact Scenario for Exercise
Article 23 hours ago 5 min read NASA’s NEOWISE Infrared Heritage Will Live On
Article 2 days ago View the full article
-
By NASA
A photo of MPLAN principal investigator awardees from various minority-serving institutions at the 2023 NASA Better Together conference in San Jose, California.Credits: NASA NASA has selected 23 minority-serving institutions to receive $1.2 million to grow their research and technology capabilities, collaborate on research projects, and contribute to the agency’s missions for the benefit of humanity.
Through NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Partnership Learning Annual Notification (MPLAN) award, selected institutions will receive up to $50,000 each for a six-month period to work directly on STEM projects with subject matter experts in NASA’s mission directorates.
“As NASA looks to inspire the next generation, the Artemis Generation, we are intentional in increasing access for all,” said Shahra Lambert, NASA senior advisor for engagement and equity. “It’s a daring task to return to the Moon then venture to Mars, but NASA is known to make the impossible possible. By funding partnerships such as MPLAN, and tapping into all pools of STEM resources, including MSIs, we are ensuring the future of our missions are in good hands.”
The awards will contribute to research opportunities in preparation for larger funding programs such as NASA’s annual Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer solicitation, the Space Technology Research Grant Program within the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, the University Leadership Initiative within the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, and the Human Research Program within NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate.
“These awards will help unlock the full potential of students traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics research and careers,” said Torry Johnson, deputy associate administrator of STEM Engagement Projects at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Through this award, universities receive support, resources, and guidance directly from NASA experts, which can be a game changer for the work they do to develop technological innovations that contribute to NASA missions and benefit all of humanity.”
The awardees are as follows:
Arizona State University Drones for Contact-inclusive Planetary Exploration
California State University-Dominguez Hills Bioinspired Surface Design for Thermal Extremes
California State University-Fresno Human-Centric Digital Twins in NASA Space Missions
California State University-Northridge Repurposing Lander Parts into Geodesic Assemblies
California State University, Monterey Bay Crafting Biofuels via Molecular Insights
CUNY New York City College of Technology Polyethylene Glycol Diacrylate for Seed Growth: Microgreens in Space
Delgado Community College, New Orleans, Louisiana Freshmen Access to CubeSat Education
Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville, North Carolina New Tech for Storm Tracking with Machine Learning
Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia Sustained Approach for Energetic Lunar Operation
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Information-Theoretic Multi-Robot Exploration
Portland State University, Portland, Oregon Robot Leg Design for Lunar Exploration
Regents of New Mexico State University Extreme Aerodynamics Over Small Air Vehicles
San Diego State University Enhanced Aero-Composites: Reinforcement Innovation
San Francisco State University Early Non-invasive Diagnosis of Heart Diseases
San Jose State University Designing Resilient Battery System for Space
Southern University and A & M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana X-Ray 3D Printing of Nanocomposites for AME
Plant Antimicrobial in Space Exploration using AI
Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia Non-contact Optical Sensor for Biomedicine
The Research Foundation of CUNY on behalf of City College, New York Soft Tendril-inspired Robot for Space Exploration
The University of Texas at San Antonio Hydrodynamic Stability of Jets via Neural Networks
Low-SWaP Water Electrolyzer for Lunar/Martian In-Situ Resource Utilization
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Tuneable NanoEnergetic Microthruster Cartridges
University of California, Irvine Flexible Modular Robots for Extreme Access
University of Hawaii at Manoa Ultrasound methods for monitoring carcinogenesis
University of New Mexico All-climate and Ultrafast Aluminum Ion Batteries
The awarded institutions and their partners are invited to meet with NASA researchers and MUREP representatives throughout the remainder of 2024. The meetings serve as training sessions to pursue future NASA opportunities. These trainings focus primarily on fostering collaboration, enhancing technical skills, and providing insights into NASA’s research priorities to better prepare participants for future opportunities.
To learn more about MPLAN, visit:
https://go.nasa.gov/49gsZ9X
-end-
Gerelle Dodson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
gerelle.q.dodson@nasa.gov
Share
Details
Last Updated Jul 01, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
STEM Engagement at NASA Get Involved Grants & Opportunities MUREP View the full article
-
By NASA
4 min read
Mapping the Red Planet with the Power of Open Science
This image of Perseverance’s backshell sitting upright on the surface of Jezero Crater was collected from an altitude of 26 feet (8 meters) by NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter during its 26th flight at Mars on April 19, 2022. NASA/JPL-Caltech Mars rovers can only make exciting new discoveries thanks to human scientists making careful decisions about their next stop. The Mars 2020 mission is aimed at exploring the geology of Jezero Crater and seeking signs of ancient microbial life on Mars using the Perseverance rover. Scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California used novel mapping techniques to direct both the rover and the flights of the Ingenuity helicopter, which rode to Mars on Perseverance — and they did it all with open-source tools.
JPL mapping specialists Dr. Fred Calef III and Dr. Nathan Williams used geospatial analysis to help the scientific community and NASA science leadership select Jezero Crater as the landing site for Perseverance and Ingenuity. Before the vehicles arrived on Mars, they helped create maps of the terrain using data from orbiting satellites.
“Maps and images are a common language between different people — scientists, engineers, and management,” Williams said. “They help make sure everyone’s on the same page moving forward, in a united front to achieve the best science that we can.”
Maps and images are a common language between different people.
Nathan Williams
NASA JPL Geologist and Systems Engineer
After the mission touched down on Mars in February 2021, the Ingenuity helicopter opportunistically scouted ahead to take photos. The team then generated more detailed maps from both rover and helicopter image data to help plan the Perseverance rover’s path and science investigations.
To enable this full-scale mapping of Mars, Calef created the Multi-Mission Geographic Information System (MMGIS), an open-source web-based mapping interface. Online demos of the software, pre-loaded with Mars imagery taken from orbit, allow visitors to explore the paths of Perseverance, Ingenuity, and the Curiosity rover, a sister Mars mission that landed in 2012.
This image of NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover at the rim of Belva Crater was taken by the agency’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter during the rotorcraft’s 51st flight on April 22, 2023. The rover is in the upper left of the image, parked at a light-toned rocky outcrop. NASA/JPL-Caltech The open nature of the software was key to the mission’s success. “We have people literally all over the world who are working on the mission, and we need to be able to give them fast and quick access to software and data,” Calef said.
MMGIS aimed to help people understand the full scope of Martian geography. By combining images from orbit and augmenting with images from Perseverance and Ingenuity, the JPL team allows researchers to zoom in to see individual boulders and zoom out to see all of Mars. This variety of viewpoints gives the team a sense of scale and context to properly understand the landscape around the Perseverance rover, and how to optimally achieve their science goals within the available terrain.
This image of an area the Mars Perseverance rover team calls “Faillefeu” was captured by NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter during its 13th flight at Mars on Sept. 4, 2021. Images of the geologic feature were taken at the request of the Mars Perseverance rover science team, which was considering visiting the geologic feature during the first science campaign. NASA/JPL-Caltech The impact of the tools developed by the JPL team went beyond the Mars 2020 mission. The team wanted their software to help other researchers easily visualize their data without needing to be data visualization experts themselves. Thanks to this open-source approach, other teams have now used MMGIS to map Earth and other planetary bodies.
In keeping with this open philosophy, the images taken by Perseverance and Ingenuity over the course of the Mars 2020 mission are freely available to the public. By sharing these data with the rest of the world, the results from the mission can be used to educate, inspire, and enable further research.
It’s being able to share data between people … getting a higher order of science.
Fred Calef
NASA JPL Geologist and Data Scientist
As Mars scientists look to the future, with the Perseverance rover team deploying even more advanced tools powered by AI, open science will pave the way for further exploration. JPL is now working on designs for potential future Mars helicopters that are far more capable and complex than Ingenuity. Payload mass, flight range, and affordability are at the forefront of their minds.
Existing open-source tools will help address those concerns. Not only are open-source applications free to use, but the large amount of collaboration in creating and testing them means that they’re often highly reliable.
Ultimately, the JPL team views its work as part of the cycle of open science, using open tools to make its job easier while also developing new features in the tools for others to use in the future. “Every mission is contributing back to the other missions and future missions in terms of new tools and techniques to develop,” Calef said. “It’s not just you working on something. It’s being able to share data between people … getting a higher order of science.”
By Lauren Leese
Web Content Strategist for the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer
Share
Details
Last Updated Jun 27, 2024 Related Terms
Open Science Explore More
4 min read NASA-IBM Collaboration Develops INDUS Large Language Models for Advanced Science Research
Article
2 days ago
4 min read Marshall Research Scientist Enables Large-Scale Open Science
Article
7 days ago
2 min read NASA’s Repository Supports Research of Commercial Astronaut Health
Article
2 weeks ago
Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
Missions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
View the full article
-
By NASA
Bricks produced using mycelium, yard waste and wood chips as a part of the myco-architecture project. Similar materials could be used to build habitats on the Moon or Mars.Credits: NASA As NASA prepares for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars for the benefit of all, a habitat-growing concept selected Wednesday by the agency could help “grow” homes using fungi for future explorers. A team of researchers at NASA Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley will receive new funding under the NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program to propel their habitat research.
The Phase III NIAC award will provide $2 million over two years to continue technology development of the Mycotecture Off Planet project in preparation for a potential future demonstration mission. The work is led by Lynn Rothschild, a senior research scientist at NASA Ames.
“As NASA prepares to explore farther into the cosmos than ever before, it will require new science and technology that doesn’t yet exist” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “NASA’s space technology team and the NIAC program unlock visionary ideas – ideas that make the impossible, possible. This new research is a steppingstone to our Artemis campaign as we prepare to go back to the Moon to live, to learn, to invent, to create – then venture to Mars and beyond.”
Some habitats, such as landers and rovers, will be delivered to planetary surfaces. However, the mycotecture project team is developing technologies that could “grow” habitats on the Moon, Mars, and beyond using fungi and the underground threads that comprise the main part of fungi, known as mycelia. With this development, explorers could travel with a compact habitat built out of lightweight material containing dormant fungi. By adding water, fungi can potentially grow around that framework into a fully functional human habitat, while being safely contained to avoid contaminating the environment.
“We are committed to advancing technologies to transport our astronauts, house our explorers, and facilitate valuable research,” said Walt Engelund, associate administrator for Programs in the Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “We invest in these technologies throughout their lifecycle, recognizing their potential to help us accomplish our goals – benefiting industry, our agency, and humanity.”
The mycotecture project could enable a new, multi-use material for in-space construction, reducing mass and saving resources for additional mission priorities. The proof of concept for this technology was demonstrated through earlier NIAC awards. The team created multiple combinations of fungal-based biocomposites, fabricated prototypes, tested materials in a planetary simulator, evaluated enhancements including incorporating radiation protection, and drafted detailed mycelium-based Moon habitat designs. This project also has uses on Earth in addition to applications on other worlds. Mycelia could be used for water filtration and systems that extract minerals from wastewater.
From deep space human exploration to advanced propulsion and robotics, NASA aims to change the possible by supporting early-stage space technology research that could radically change the future.
“Mycotecture Off Planet exemplifies how advanced concepts can change how we envision future exploration missions,” said John Nelson, NIAC Program Executive. “As NASA embarks on the next era of space exploration, NIAC helps the agency lay the necessary groundwork to bring innovative visions to life.”
Work under the Phase III award will allow the research team to optimize material properties. It also will enable the team to progress toward testing in low Earth orbit. Future applications of this project could include integration into commercial space stations or infusion into missions to the Moon with the ultimate goal of use on Mars.
NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts supports visionary, early-stage research ideas through multiple progressive phases of study. In January 2024, NASA announced 19 Phase I and Phase II proposal selections. NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, which is responsible for developing the new cross-cutting technologies and capabilities the agency needs to achieve its current and future missions, funds NIAC activities.
For more information about NASA’s investments in space technology, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/space-technology-mission-directorate
-end-
Jasmine Hopkins
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
jasmine.s.hopkins@nasa.gov
Share
Details
Last Updated Jun 26, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Space Technology Mission Directorate NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program Science & Research 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.