science enabling technology

Towards Autonomous Surface Missions on Ocean Worlds – NASA Science

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Towards Autonomous Surface Missions on Ocean Worlds – NASA Science

  Principal Investigator (PI) PI Institution Project Testbed Used Purpose of Project ARROW Projects Jonathan Bohren Honeybee Robotics Stochastic PLEXIL (SPLEXIL) OceanWATERS Extended PLEXIL with stochastic decision-making capabilities by employing reinforcement learning techniques. Pooyan Jamshidi University of South Carolina Resource Adaptive Software Purpose-Built for Extraordinary Robotic Research Yields (RASPBERRY SI) OceanWATERS & OWLAT Developed software … Read more

New NASA Instrument for Studying Snowpack Completes Airborne Testing – NASA Science

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New NASA Instrument for Studying Snowpack Completes Airborne Testing – NASA Science

7 min read S-MODE, ASIA-AQ, and the Role of ESPO in Complex Airborne Campaigns ESPO solves problems before you know you have them. If you are missing a canister of liquid nitrogen, got locked out of your rental car, or need clearance for a South Korean military base, you want ESPO in your corner. What … Read more

Entrepreneurs Challenge Prize Winner Uses Artificial Intelligence to Identify Methane Emissions – NASA Science

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Entrepreneurs Challenge Prize Winner Uses Artificial Intelligence to Identify Methane Emissions – NASA Science

4 min read NASA-Designed Greenhouse Gas-Detection Instrument Launches Developed by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the imaging spectrometer will provide actionable data to help reduce emissions that contribute to global warming. Tanager-1, the Carbon Mapper Coalition’s first satellite, which carries a state-of-the-art, NASA-designed greenhouse-gas-tracking instrument, is in Earth orbit after lifting off aboard a SpaceX … Read more

Primary Instrument for Roman Space Telescope Arrives at NASA Goddard – NASA

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Primary Instrument for Roman Space Telescope Arrives at NASA Goddard – NASA

The primary instrument for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a sophisticated camera that will survey the cosmos from the outskirts of our solar system all the way out to the edge of the observable universe. Called the Wide Field Instrument, it was recently delivered to the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, … Read more

NASA Tests Deployment of Roman Space Telescope’s ‘Visor’ – NASA

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NASA Tests Deployment of Roman Space Telescope’s ‘Visor’ – NASA

In this clip, engineers are testing the the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s Deployable Aperture Cover. This component is responsible for keeping light out of the telescope barrel. It will be deployed once in orbit using a soft material attached to support booms and remains in this position throughout the observatory’s lifetime. Credit: NASA’s Goddard … Read more

Quantum Scale Sensors used to Measure Planetary Scale Magnetic Fields – NASA Science

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Quantum Scale Sensors used to Measure Planetary Scale Magnetic Fields – NASA Science

Magnetic fields are everywhere in our solar system. They originate from the Sun, planets, and moons, and are carried throughout interplanetary space by solar wind. This is precisely why magnetometers—devices used to measure magnetic fields—are flown on almost all missions in space to benefit the Earth, Planetary, and Heliophysics science communities, and ultimately enrich knowledge … Read more

NASA Science Activation Teams Present at National Rural STEM Summit – NASA Science

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NASA Science Activation Teams Present at National Rural STEM Summit – NASA Science

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 … Read more

Breaking the Scaling Limits: New Ultralow-noise Superconducting Camera for Exoplanet Searches – NASA Science

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Breaking the Scaling Limits: New Ultralow-noise Superconducting Camera for Exoplanet Searches – NASA Science

When imaging faint objects such as distant stars or exoplanets, capturing every last bit of light is crucial to get the most out of a scientific mission. These cameras must be extremely low-noise, and be able to detect the smallest quantities of light—single photons.  Superconducting cameras excel in both of these criteria, but have historically … Read more

NASA Selects Commercial Service Studies to Enable Mars Robotic Science – NASA

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NASA Selects Commercial Service Studies to Enable Mars Robotic Science – NASA

Nine companies have been selected to conduct early-stage studies of concepts for commercial services to support lower-cost, higher-frequency missions to the Red Planet. NASA has identified nine U.S. companies to perform a total of 12 concept studies of how commercial services can be applied to enable science missions to Mars. Each awardee will receive between … Read more