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Alan Stern

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space1 year ago

"Discovery of Second Kuiper Belt by New Horizons"

The New Horizons spacecraft, known for its historic flybys of Pluto and Arrokoth, has found evidence for a possible second Kuiper Belt, indicating more dust at greater distances from the sun than expected. Chief scientist Alan Stern highlighted the unexpected discoveries and outlined plans for future exploration, including a proposed multiyear search for new Kuiper Belt Objects using ground-based telescopes. The spacecraft is in excellent health and has the potential to continue exploring into the 2040s, with goals of reaching the heliosphere’s termination shock and venturing into interstellar space.

via EarthSky|
#alan-stern#interstellar-space#kuiper-belt
space-exploration1 year ago

"Preparing for 'Oumuamua's Return: The Interstellar Object Explorer (IOE)"

Astronomers have proposed a purpose-built robotic Interstellar Object Explorer (IOE) to study future interstellar objects (ISOs) passing through our Solar System, following the detection of 'Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. The IOE would aim to determine the composition and nature of ISOs, shedding light on the formation of planetary systems around other stars and the distribution of organic material in the galaxy. With next-generation observatories like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which is expected to detect up to 70 ISOs a year, and proposed intercept missions, the study of ISOs is a burgeoning field of astronomical research.

via Universe Today|
#alan-stern#interstellar-object-explorer#interstellar-objects
space-exploration2 years ago

Virgin Galactic and NASA Collaborate for Groundbreaking Space Mission

Virgin Galactic has teamed up with NASA scientist Alan Stern and bioastronautics researcher Kellie Gerardi for their upcoming mission, Galactic 05. Stern will be training for future suborbital spaceflights and conducting experiments to assess researchers' reactions to high G-forces and the microgravity environment. Gerardi will fly three human-tended payloads, including studying fluid behavior in low gravity and investigating the effects of long-duration spaceflight on insulin resistance. The mission represents a new era of access to space for the research community and is part of Virgin Galactic's commercial spaceflight program.

via Gizmodo|
#alan-stern#nasa#space-exploration
space2 years ago

Virgin Galactic's Upcoming Suborbital Research Flight: Date, Crew, and Mission Details Revealed

Virgin Galactic is set to perform its final suborbital spaceflight of the year, Galactic 05, in early November. The mission will include two researchers, Alan Stern and Kellie Gerardi, who will conduct various experiments and collect biomedical data. Stern, an advocate for suborbital research, will evaluate a harness and test an astronomical camera, while Gerardi will test a biomonitoring device and conduct a fluid dynamics experiment. The flight represents a new kind of space activity, allowing scientists to train in space for future experiments funded by NASA. Virgin Galactic sees suborbital research as a potentially lucrative application for its vehicles and plans to enhance its research capabilities for future missions.

via SpaceNews|
#alan-stern#space#spaceflight