Heliophysics and Planetary Science Branch
The Heliophysics and Planetary Science Branch studies the coupled Sun-Earth system and the terrestrial planets and icy satellites of our solar system. Our heliophysics portfolio includes instrumentation development, sounding rocket flight, and research focusing on energy transfer across physical scales throughout the solar atmosphere. Our planetary science portfolio includes research on the origin, composition, and evolution of terrestrial planetary bodies, focusing on geological, geophysical, and related models, experiments, and observations conducted in the field, laboratory, and via analysis of remotely sensed data from space-based missions.
The Brazilian Technical Institute for Aeronautics (ITA) started the integration of the SPORT flight unit. They are testing Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) software utilizing the engineering model (EM). The issue of dropping instrument data packets has been resolved. …
Scintillation Prediction Observations Research Task (SPORT) Read More »
Heidi Haviland (ST13) was selected as the Project Scientist for the Commercial Lunar Payloads System (CLPS) PRISM1a delivery. This position is a part time detail to the Exploration Science Strategy and Integration Office (ESSIO) office at HQ and the CLPS …
“Paper I, An Overview” by Robert M. Wilson (ST13) has been published in the Journal of the Alabama Academy of Science, Volume 91(2), pp. 99-115, November 2020. Examined are annual values of sunspot number (SSN), corrected sunspot area (SSA), number …
Paper Published: An Examination of the Sunspot Area Dataset” 1875-2017 Read More »
The sounding rocket mission for student led projects, Rocksat-X : (46.030 UO KOEHLER/COLORADO SPACE GRANT ROCKSAT-X) successfully launched and was recovered from Wallops Flight Facility on the evening of 8/19/21. The project, led by Chris Koehler and Abby Schefer of …
Paul Bremner and Heidi Haviland (ST13) presented at the annual LEAG meeting, a meeting focused on supporting lunar exploration objectives and implications held 8/31-9/2/21. This year’s theme, “Lunar Science and Exploration in the Next Five Years”, featured updates from NASA …
Annual Meeting of the Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) Read More »