Conservation biologists leverage NASA's technology for biodiversity conservation projects. Satellite and radar images are used to identify high-biodiversity areas, track changes in ecosystems, and understand the impact of human activities on wildlife populations. These studies have implications for reserve creation and corridor managem...
NASA has launched a new Second Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle program office at the Marshall Space Flight Center, aiming to develop a safer and less expensive launch system. The program seeks proposals from industry and academia to reduce business and technical risk.
The NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Global Change Media Directory 2001 features over 343 scientists from 50 disciplines, including climate change, natural hazards, ozone, water resources, and global warming. The directory contains a list of experts with complete contact information.
NASA's 2nd Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle Program aims to develop a privately owned, commercially competitive reusable launch vehicle. Proposals are due November 27, with cost proposals due December 4, and are expected to award multiple contracts totaling $900 million next spring.
NASA and Lockheed Martin have agreed on a plan to proceed with the X-33 space plane program, including the use of aluminum fuel tanks for hydrogen fuel. The restructured plan focuses on milestone payments and mission safety, with the goal of reducing launch costs.
Dr. David Hathaway and Paul Meyer's Video Image Stabilization and Registration (VISAR) technology refines TV images, revealing clues about crimes. The FBI has worked with them on over a dozen cases, including the 1996 Olympic bombing, improving crime scene analysis and evidence collection.
NASA has awarded four small businesses 90-day contracts to develop concepts and requirements for a potential backup capability to provide access to the International Space Station. The study aims to enhance the station's operational flexibility by launching within a week if primary delivery methods are unavailable.
Researchers are studying zeolites, crystals that can produce more gasoline from a barrel of oil, reducing dependence on petroleum. In microgravity, larger crystals are grown, providing insights into their structure and potential for efficient fuel production.
The National Space Science and Technology Center will bring together scientists, engineers, and educators to work on common goals of technology advancements. The center will provide expertise and advanced research opportunities for NASA's mission and the growing medical research sector in Alabama.
The NASA-developed Data Matrix symbol technology offers high-capacity marking in a small space, with applications in various industries such as automotive and electronics. The technology enables permanent identification of parts and products, even when protected by coatings or other obstacles.
The program allows educators to conduct research for the space program while enriching their teaching skills. Basil Antar, a returning fellow, is conducting microgravity research that could lead to better fiber optics, which will improve high-speed computers and digital communications.
A team led by Dr. Charles Meegan is developing a new burst monitor to fly on the Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope, which will provide broad energy coverage for gamma-ray studies and help solve the nature of gamma-ray bursts.
NASA's X-34 and X-40A vehicles will be showcased at the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Technology Exposition, highlighting the X-37 Project and its related technologies. The event will provide an opportunity for industry representatives to learn about the program and its benefits.
The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center has awarded a $136.9 million contract option to Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) to provide information services from May 2000 to April 2001. This brings the total value of the contract to approximately $1.05 billion if all options are exercised.
Renowned author and futurist Ben Bova will deliver a keynote address at NASA's second 'Turning Goals into Reality' conference, exploring the future of air and space transportation technology. The conference, held May 18-19 at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, aims to spotlight aerospace accomplishments by NASA and industry partners.
A new NASA web site features women who are making history with their contributions to microgravity research. The site profiles women from diverse backgrounds and expertise, including astronauts, scientists, engineers, and more.
NASA is launching a new effort to develop a safer and cheaper reusable launch vehicle system, relying on commercial industry to meet NASA's science and exploration goals. The agency aims to reduce risk and technical challenges by partnering with industry partners.
The Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell experiment simulated Earth's climate, the Sun's atmosphere, and other planets' atmospheres in microgravity. Scientists created models of fluid flows in planetary atmospheres using a nickel-coated steel ball, silicone oil, and artificial gravity.
The NASA space shuttle Endeavour will gather information key to the University of Hawaii's research on the aftermath of volcanic eruptions. The mission aims to provide more extensive topographic data on volcanoes, including Mount Pinatubo, using advanced radar interferometry.
The composite liquid oxygen tank is the largest ever made and will be the first to fly on a launch vehicle, aiming to reduce launch costs from $10,000 per pound to $1,000. The X-34 flying laboratory is being developed to demonstrate technologies for safer and more efficient reusable launch vehicles.
Astronomers pinpointed a gamma-ray burst's precise location using coordinated observations from NASA satellites, providing data on X-rays and visible energy. The blast occurred over 10 billion light years away, roughly 2 billion years after the Big Bang.
NASA has awarded $22 million in grants to 65 researchers to explore the effects of microgravity on materials science. The research will be conducted both on Earth and in space, with a focus on understanding fundamental physical and chemical processes.
The Chandra X-ray Observatory has been selected as one of the top 100 'Best of What's New' items by Popular Science magazine, highlighting its significant contributions to X-ray astronomy. The observatory is already sending back impressive images that are aiding in understanding exploding stars, black holes, and other celestial phenomena.
NASA will unveil its future space transportation goals and programs at Space Transportation Day '99, aiming to lower launch costs and make interplanetary exploration feasible. The conference will cover various projects, including X-33 and X-34 rocket planes, as well as technologies for safer and more reliable operations.
The partnership will focus on materials science, biotechnology, Earth sciences, propulsion, optics, and other areas that support NASA's mission. The center aims to reduce expenses and maximize scientific return by sharing facilities and ideas.
Scientists from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center will launch a weather balloon equipped with a digital camera to broadcast web images of the Perseid Meteor Shower. The camera will provide a clearer view of the meteor shower and capture particles from the stratosphere during the event.
Dr. Colleen Wilson-Hodge, a NASA astrophysicist, has discovered two new X-ray pulsars using the Burst and Transient Source Experiment on NASA's Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. The pulsars are powered by accretion of material from companion stars and have strong gravity that pulls matter toward their surfaces.
The Terra mission marks a new era in global change research, providing unprecedented data to study climate change. The workshop brings together leading scientists to discuss new findings and challenges in the field.
Scientists experiment with materials in space to study structure, properties and processing methods. These experiments have led to new understanding of semi-conductors, metallic-electronic crystals and improved X-ray and infrared sensors.
NASA is investing half a million dollars in an experiment to create a device that shields a rocket from the Earth's gravity. The project, led by physicist Ronald Koczor, aims to replicate elements of Russian scientist E. E. Podkletnov's controversial experiments on antigravity.
The NASA Explorer MIDEX Program has selected the Auroral Multiscale Midex Mission (AMM) for a feasibility study. The mission aims to study the interaction between Earth's atmosphere and its nearby space environment, with a focus on understanding auroral phenomena.
Researchers gathered unprecedented data from NASA aircraft in Atlantic hurricanes Bonnie, Danielle, Earl, and Georges, shedding light on complex wind patterns and rainfall enhancement by mountains. The study aims to improve hurricane forecast capabilities, saving lives and reducing evacuation zones.
A total of 48 researchers, including eight from Alabama, have been awarded NASA grants to study protein crystallization and cell science. These grants may lead to improvements in medical technologies such as drug design and tissue engineering.
Researchers are studying the upper levels of hurricanes to understand their mechanics, a shift from traditional middle-altitude observations. This is part of ongoing research to save lives by providing more accurate data on storm intensity and energy exchange.
NASA's Global Hydrology and Climate Center provides real-time geostationary satellite data, enabling users to view weather formations, temperature, winds, and precipitation in various regions. The center offers an interactive viewer with low-resolution animations and on-demand image sequences.
A NASA instrument package will measure atmospheric conditions on a record-breaking solo balloon flight around the world. The mission aims to simulate planetary missions and educate the public on Earth's lower atmosphere.
Astronomers have detected a giant solar eruption with particles hurtling towards the Earth. The NASA POLAR spacecraft will monitor the Earth's aurora in real-time, capturing enhanced activity on Wednesday afternoon.
Research from NASA and the Global Hydrology and Climate Center suggests that the temperature structure of the atmosphere is more complex than previously thought. The study found a slight downward trend in the lower troposphere since 1979, while surface measurements show a warming trend.
The study enhances lightning detection capabilities with total lightning measurements, providing more accurate forecasts of severe storms and storm morphology. This technology has the potential to improve space launch weather support and reduce delays or scrubs due to adverse weather conditions.
Astronomers use BATSE to detect four rare cosmic gamma-ray bursts, sparking debate about their origin and distance. The events appeared in rapid succession over two days from the same general position in the sky.