Space Sciences

The ASC/Alliances Center for Astrophysical Thermonuclear Flashes aims to solve the long-standing problem of thermonuclear flashes on the surfaces of compact stars such as neutron stars and white dwarf stars, and in the interior of white dwarfs (i.e., Type Ia supernovae). Our Center - the "FLASH Center" - is funded by the DOE ASC/Alliances Program to build a state-of-the-art simulator code for solving nuclear astrophysical problems related to exploding stars. This website contains information about the astrophysics, the code, and related basic physics and computer science efforts. Please follow the appropriate links. We also distribute the FLASH code. Procedure and conditions are described on the Code Request Page.

JILA astrophysicists want to understand our origins and place in the scheme of things. That's why they investigate topics ranging from the dynamics of our sun to the fundamental properties that give rise to the universe itself. Their quest is aided by vast amounts of new data gathered by ground- and space-based instruments such as the Apache Point 3.5 m telescope, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, the Far UV Spectroscopic Explorer, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the Chandra X-ray Observatory, the X-ray Multimirror Mission X-ray (XXM-Newton) Observatory, and the Spitzer Space Telescope. JILA scientists will also be part of the science team for the new Cosmic Origins Spectrograph for the HST (if NASA allows the project to proceed) and the multi-satellite Constellation X-ray Observatory.

The Berkeley Cosmology Group is comprised of instrument builders, experimentalists, observers and theorists from the Departments of Physics and Astronomy at UC Berkeley, Space Sciences Lab and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. We bring together a wide array of talents and techniques to address topics ranging from cosmological probes of fundamental physics to the formation and evolution of galaxies and large scale structure.

The Beyond Einstein program has three linked elements which advance science and technology towards two visions: to detect directly gravitational wave signals from the earliest possible moments of the Big Bang, and to image the event horizon of a black hole. The central element is a pair of Einstein Great Observatories, Constellation-X and LISA. These powerful facilities will blaze new paths to the questions about black holes, the Big Bang, and dark energy. They will also address other central goals of contemporary astrophysics (discussed in Part II of the 2003 Roadmap). The second element is a series of competitively selected Einstein probes, each focused on one of the science questions. The third element is a program of technology development, theoretical studies, and education, to support the Probes and the vision missions: the Big Bang Observer and the Black Hole Imager. The program offers competitive opportunities for mission leadership, technology development, and groundbreaking scientific research, with goals that excite the public.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) was established in 1989 by the Canadian Space Agency Act. The agency operates like a government department. The president is the equivalent of a deputy minister and reports to the Minister of Industry. The president oversees five core functions: Space Programs, Space Technologies, Space Science, Canadian Astronaut Office, Space Operations.

The CfA-Arizona Space Telescope Lens Survey (CASTLeS) is a collaboration between scientists at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and the University of Arizona. We intend to carry out a complete survey of all known galaxy-mass gravitational lens systems (those with image separations of less than 10 arcseconds). We plan to use the Hubble Space Telescope to obtain deep, high-resolution images in the optical and near infrared, using NICMOS/NIC2 for H band observations and WFPC2/PC1 for V and I band images where they do not yet exist. This information can be used to address a number of problems in modern cosmology and galaxy evolution.

The Center for Space Environment Modeling (CSEM) is an interdisciplinary research organization of the College of Engineering, the University of Michigan. CSEM is comprised of a tightly integrated group of faculty and students from the Department of Aerospace Engineering, the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. As our nation's technologies deployed in space and on the ground become more sophisticated, they also become more vulnerable to various dynamic phenomena which occur in the near-Earth space environment. As a consequence, a national goal has been set to produce a physics-based model of the space environment, capable of providing accurate predictions of the environment in order to enable the operators of technologies to undertake mitigating practices to protect their assets from 'space weather' storms. The overall goal of CSEM is to develop high-performance, first-principles based computational models to describe and predict hazardous conditions in the near-earth space environment extending from the sun to the ionosphere, called space weather. In order to achieve predictive capability, the models must run considerably faster than real time on mid-size parallel computers. In order to achieve its ambitious goal CSEM spans accross discipline and departmental boundaries. Its participants combine expertize in modern numerical algorithms, high-performance computational science, and solar, interplanetary, magnetospheric, and ionospheric physics.

The Cassini Imaging Science System was specifically designed for exploring the Saturn system, and includes spectral filters and imaging capabilities for a multitude of scientific objectives, including capturing lightning, investigating the three dimensional cloud structure and meteorology of the Saturn and Titan atmospheres, imaging the surfaces of its many icy satellites, determining the composition and structure of its enormous ring system, and peering through the hazy Titan atmosphere down its still unexplored surface. Find the latest information about the research here, including maps, images, and science blogs.

If water once flowed on Mars, did it leave any clues? In 2005, aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) instrument joins NASA's set of high-tech detectives seeking traces of past water on the Martian surface. CRISM's mission: Find the spectral fingerprints of aqueous and hydrothermal deposits and map the geology, composition and stratigraphy of surface features. The instrument will also watch the seasonal variations in Martian dust and ice aerosols, and water content in surface materials - leading to new understanding of the climate. Led by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the CRISM team includes expertise from universities, government agencies and small business in the United States and abroad.

Deep Impact is an ambitious mission aiming to accomplish the incredible: Blast a hole in comet Tempel 1 in an effort to see what it's made of. Comets like Tempel 1 are thought to have existed since the early days of our Solar System. Scientists suspect that frozen within these celestial nomads are the same chemical building blocks that lead to the formation of water -- and life -- here on Earth. Do comets and our own planet have something in common? This clever mission could answer the question once and for all.

The NASA Deep Space Network - or DSN - is an international network of antennas that supports interplanetary spacecraft missions and radio and radar astronomy observations for the exploration of the solar system and the universe. The network also supports selected Earth-orbiting missions. The DSN currently consists of three deep-space communications facilities placed approximately 120 degrees apart around the world: at Goldstone, in California's Mojave Desert; near Madrid, Spain; and near Canberra, Australia. This strategic placement permits constant observation of spacecraft as the Earth rotates, and helps to make the DSN the largest and most sensitive scientific telecommunications system in the world.

The Department of Astrophysics is located in the Rose Center for Earth and Space on the grounds of the American Museum of Natural History. The newest academic research department in the Museum, the department was formed to support the astronomy education activities of the Museum and to conduct research into astronomy and astrophysics. Additionally, the department provides scientific support for the exhibits of the Rose Center and Hayden Planetarium.

Official website for Mars Express Mission of the European Space Agency. Mars Express is so called because it will be built more quickly than any other comparable planetary mission. Beagle 2 was named after the ship in which Charles Darwin sailed when formulating his ideas about evolution.

The European Space Agency is Europes gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europes space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe.

Our goal is to inspire learning about the space sciences & technology through this web-based Mars simulator. Using ultra realism in site content and graphics, we present plausible concepts for near future Mars missions drawing upon the depth of knowledge from experts around the world. We invite criticism on all aspects of the design presented on this site. In the futures, our goal is to present an open forum for issues regarding Mars exploration. As part of this effort, we will be presenting alternative designs, technology, and science as we receive input from visitors.