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.
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Heliophysics and Planetary Science Updates
On March 18, NASA’s IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) arrived at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for thermal vacuum testing at the X-ray and Cryogenic Facility, which simulates the harsh conditions of space. The IMAP mission…
David McKenzie (ST10), Sabrina Savage, and Robert Loper (ST13) participated in the 13th NASA Space Exploration and Space Weather Workshop (https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/674/m2m/workshop/), hosted by the Moon to Mars Space Weather Analysis Office, at NASA GSFC, 29-30 April. David McKenzie presented an…
Robert Loper, Mitzi Adams, and Adam Kobelski (ST13), and Joseph Matus (LP03) appeared in the Arkansas PBS special, “TOTALITY: The Great Arkansas Eclipse Documentary.” The documentary streamed beginning 3/28/24at https://www.myarkansaspbs.org/, and is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lHct5xSI-U.
Robert Loper (ST13) participated in the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse event in Russellville, AR, 4/4-8/24. Loper gave talks on eclipse orbital dynamics titled, “Eclipse Basics,” to multiple audiences at Arkansas Technical University, Russellville City Schools, and the Moon Over Main…
Alphonse Sterling and Amy Winebarger (ST13) were invited to present at the 21st Annual International Astrophysics Conference with the topic “Bracketing the Solar Wind: The Physics of its Initiation and Termination”. The conference occurred in Turin, Italy on March 25-29,…