1. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

2. NASA Hubble Telescope – Justin Lauer Hubble Telescope – Justin Lauer Mars Exploration – Michelle Hernandez Mars Exploration – Michelle Hernandez International Space Station – Robert Roark International Space Station – Robert Roark The Challenger Disaster – Laura Montanez The Challenger Disaster – Laura Montanez Spaceguard Survey Program – Jose Ruiz Spaceguard Survey Program – Jose Ruiz Hypersonic X43A – Pilar Lamarque Hypersonic X43A – Pilar Lamarque Gravity Probe B – Josh Thomas Gravity Probe B – Josh Thomas

3. Hubble Telescope

4. Mars Exploration: Rover Mission By Michelle Hernandez

5. Twin Robots: Spirit and Opportunity A Body: protects the rovers A Body: protects the rovers Brains: computers to process information Brains: computers to process information Temperature controls: internal heaters, a layer of insulation, and more Temperature controls: internal heaters, a layer of insulation, and more Eyes and other "senses": cameras and instruments give information about their environment Eyes and other "senses": cameras and instruments give information about their environment

6. Twin Robots: Spirit and Opportunity Arm: a way to extend its reach Arm: a way to extend its reach Wheels and "legs": parts for mobility Wheels and "legs": parts for mobility Eenergy: batteries and solar panels Eenergy: batteries and solar panels Communications: antennas for "speaking" and "listening" Communications: antennas for "speaking" and "listening"

7. Mars Rover Discoveries Spirit’s discoveries at Maztzal showed different layers of Martian dust and network fractures Spirit’s discoveries at Maztzal showed different layers of Martian dust and network fractures Opportunity's discoveries at Meridiani Planum showed rolling, never parallel lines of rock Opportunity's discoveries at Meridiani Planum showed rolling, never parallel lines of rock

8. Mars Rover Mission NASA approved a five extension for this Mission NASA approved a five extension for this Mission Many concerns have arised regarding keeping the rovers in working condition Many concerns have arised regarding keeping the rovers in working condition

9. International Space Station

12. The Power System

13. Modules to Live & Work

14. Laboratory Module Interior

15. Space Station Research

16. The Challenger Disaster: A NASA Tragedy

17. Mechanical Flaws Blow holes forming in putty Blow holes forming in putty Erosion of O-rings Erosion of O-rings Joint rotation Joint rotation Loss of flexibility in material Loss of flexibility in material

18. Administrative Flaws Lack of understanding of problem Lack of understanding of problem Eagerness to launch Eagerness to launch Underestimating problem Underestimating problem –Weather not suitable for launch “Take off your engineering hat. Put on your management hat!”

19. Ethics Safety and the public’s well-being is ALWAYS a priority Safety and the public’s well-being is ALWAYS a priority Do not become a part of “group think” Do not become a part of “group think” Never ignore or underestimate people Never ignore or underestimate people

20. NASA Spaceguard Survey Program

21. Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) Asteroid: Asteroid: –Small planetoid that orbit the solar system –Rocky or metallic composition Comet Comet –Composed of ice and dust –Near sun becomes gas and ignites luminous tail

22. NEOs (continued) NEOs with diameter (d) less than 10 m break down as entering atmosphere. NEOs with diameter (d) less than 10 m break down as entering atmosphere. Category 1 Category 1 –Size: 10 m < d < 100 m –Power: 100 kilotons of TNT (a few Hiroshima-type bombs) –Damage: Fire and destruction in radius of up to 40 km –Dissipates before hitting ground

23. NEOs (continued) Category 2 Category 2 –Size: 100 m < d < 1 km –Damage: 1 km objects could have radius of destruction encompassing whole states –Plunges enough dust into atmosphere to begin influencing global temperatures –Creates craters Category 3 Category 3 –Size: 1 km < d < 5 km

24. Spaceguard Survey Program (SSP) What is it? What is it? –Program which is being developed to explore the sky in order to locate NEOs that could pose a threat to collide with the Earth. –Started in 1992 and its goal is to Survey 90% of NEOs with d > 1 km by 2009. –Detection rate Currently 70 per year Currently 70 per year When fully expanded 500 per year When fully expanded 500 per year

25. SSP (continued) International network of programs and their observatories such as LINEAR, NEAT, Spacewatch (University of Arizona), LEONOS, and Catalina among others monitoring about 6000 square degrees per month. International network of programs and their observatories such as LINEAR, NEAT, Spacewatch (University of Arizona), LEONOS, and Catalina among others monitoring about 6000 square degrees per month.

26. SSP (continued) Detection Techniques Detection Techniques –Photograph Films are either exposed in pairs with a gap in time between the first and next exposure and scanned with a built stereo comparator, objects which move noticeably from exposure to exposure can be detected in that way. Angular velocity can be determined by the motion between exposures. Selection of potential threats is based on the object’s angular velocity and orbits are calculated only for those who have abnormal motions. Films are either exposed in pairs with a gap in time between the first and next exposure and scanned with a built stereo comparator, objects which move noticeably from exposure to exposure can be detected in that way. Angular velocity can be determined by the motion between exposures. Selection of potential threats is based on the object’s angular velocity and orbits are calculated only for those who have abnormal motions. –Charged-Couple Device (CCD) Scanning Matching the rate of transfer of the charges from row to row of the CCD chip, to the rate of scanning of the telescope. Each line of the CCD image is clocked into the serial shift register and is read by a computer, the software determines the potential threat of an object and prompts for verification. Matching the rate of transfer of the charges from row to row of the CCD chip, to the rate of scanning of the telescope. Each line of the CCD image is clocked into the serial shift register and is read by a computer, the software determines the potential threat of an object and prompts for verification.

27. SSP (continued) What if a NEO is going to hit? What if a NEO is going to hit? –Warning anticipation Ranges from months (long term comets) to decades to centuries Ranges from months (long term comets) to decades to centuries –Options Destroy by launching nuclear weapons at it Destroy by launching nuclear weapons at it Deflect by trying to attach rockets to deviate course Deflect by trying to attach rockets to deviate course Evacuate Area (currently most realistic solution) Evacuate Area (currently most realistic solution)

28. Mission: Hypersonic X-43A Video 1: About X-43A Video 1: About X-43A Video 2: X-43A Take Off! Video 2: X-43A Take Off! By: Pilar Lamarque

29. Gravity Probe B

30. Einstein’s Theories Special Relativity: Special Relativity: –Does not include gravity –E=mc ² General Relativity: General Relativity: –Theory of Gravity –“Field”

31. Gravity Probe B Gyroscope Gyroscope Reference Telescope Reference Telescope Dewar vessel Dewar vessel

32. Launch Gravity Probe B is scheduled to be launched on April 17 th, 2004.

33. Questions?