Physics Colloquium: NASA Science and SmallSat Exploration

Abstract: 

NASA's Science Mission Directorate conducts scientific exploration that is enabled by access to space. To accomplish this, NASA utilizes a portfolio of spacecraft of various sizes and purposes. At the strategic level, missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope or Mars 2020 Rover seek to transform our knowledge of nature. On the lower-cost end of the spectrum, small spacecraft have proved useful for performing targeted measurements and forming constellations that provide unprecedented insights. During this talk, we will first examine progress being made by NASA to transform our knowledge of nature, then explore the emergence of CubeSats and SmallSats in NASA’s science portfolio and discuss the agency’s undertaking to drive the scientific potential of these tools.

Event Organizer: Dr. Iair Arcavi