When the International Space Station (ISS) reaches the end of its lifespan in 2031, where will it go? No options for major recycling exist in outer space, so when a spacecraft is decommissioned, there are only three “trash cans” available. The first is a so-called “graveyard orbit,” where spacecraft are blasted away from Earth into
At the Kennedy Space Center, NASA is finalizing preparations to launch the Mars 2020 rover in July. One of the aims of the Mars 2020 mission is to search for signs of past microbial life through biosignatures. Biosignatures typically present themselves in traces of nitrogen, oxygen, or methane, indicating some active life form in either
Like many kids, I dreamt of becoming an astronaut; exploring distant planets and making contact with aliens. With a huge number of planets out there, it's hard to think we're all alone in this vast universe. But, as I grew as a scientist, my curiosity focused on a specific question: How can we find alien
We talk about astronauts going on space missions to unravel the possibility of life beyond Earth. In fact, with NASA and SpaceX's race to Mars, it is not long before a human colony is established on the Red planet. But have we ever considered how we will sustain ourselves there? Food has been a major
Satellites are often thought to be large and needing millions of dollars to be built. But, can citizen science change that notion with CubeSats? Join Graham Grable as he discusses the potential for using citizen scientists and CubeSats to increase research. To learn more about the Kepler satellite, listen to the project manager for Kepler,
It's 1974: the first published peer-reviewed article claiming that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are damaging the stratospheric ozone layer hits the news. CFCs, once used commonly in aerosol cans, fire extinguishers, refrigerators, and air conditioners, were responsible for causing depletion of the ozone layer. The paper created such a national stir that ozone depletion is still a
