Origins 2003

Origins 2003

Author: Alan Dressler

Publisher:

Published: 2002-12

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780756729783

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This Roadmap is the product of deliberation & discussion by the Origins Subcomm. of NASAs Space Science Advisory Comm., working with rep's. from NASA's field centers & with substantial input from the astronomical community. The Roadmap sets out a plan for a 20-year period at the beginning of the millennium, with particular emphasis on activities advocated for new mission starts in the near-term (2005-2010) or mid-term (2010-2015) time frame. The Roadmap describes the Origins missions currently operating & in development, & focuses on those missions that will start in the near- & mid-term. Chapters include: stars & planets; habitable planets & life; enabling technologies; research & analysis; engaging the public, & more. Color illustrations.


Origins 2000

Origins 2000

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 94

ISBN-13:

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The scientific goals are to: understand how galaxies formed; understand how stars and planetary systems form and evolve; determine wether habitable or life-bearing planets exist around other stars; and understand how life forms and evolves.


The Astrophysical Context of Life

The Astrophysical Context of Life

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2005-06-25

Total Pages: 93

ISBN-13: 0309096278

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In 1997, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) formed the National Astrobiology Institute to coordinate and fund research into the origins, distribution, and fate of life in the universe. A 2002 NRC study of that program, Life in the Universe: An Assessment of U.S. and International Programs in Astrobiology, raised a number of concerns about the Astrobiology program. In particular, it concluded that areas of astrophysics related to the astronomical environment in which life arose on earth were not well represented in the program. In response to that finding, the Space Studies Board requested the original study committee, the Committee on the Origins and Evolution of Life, to examine ways to augment and integrate astronomy and astrophysics into the Astrobiology program. This report presents the results of that study. It provides a review of the earlier report and related efforts, a detailed examination of the elements of the astrobiology program that would benefit from greater integration and augmentation of astronomy and astrophysics, and an assessment of ways to facilitate the integration of astronomy with other astrobiology disciplines.


Exploring the Origin, Extent, and Future of Life

Exploring the Origin, Extent, and Future of Life

Author: Constance M. Bertka

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2009-09-03

Total Pages: 337

ISBN-13: 0521863635

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Philosophers, historians, ethicists, and theologians provide the perspectives of their fields on astrobiology for graduate students and researchers.


Space Policy in the Twenty-First Century

Space Policy in the Twenty-First Century

Author: W. Henry Lambright

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 322

ISBN-13: 9780801870682

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Though more than forty years old, the space age has just begun, and questions about its future abound. What will replace the Space Shuttle? Will the International Space Station justify its $100 billion potential cost? Are asteroids real threats to Earth or just the subject of science fiction movies? Will humans land on Mars? Will the search for extraterrestrial life be rewarded? In Space Policy in the Twenty-First Century, W. Henry Lambright brings together ten top-ranking observers of United States space exploration to address these and other issues relating to the future of the space program. While the U.S. no longer competes with the Soviets for technological "firsts," they argue, ideology and national image remain at the core of space policy, with other factors playing subordinate roles. Reminding readers of the historical highlights, the authors pose searching questions about the priorities and applications of space science, manned vs. unmanned flights, and commercial access to the space enterprise. Contributors include: Christopher F. Chyba, SETI Institute and Stanford University; Ronald J. Deibert, University of Toronto; Daniel H. Deudney, the Johns Hopkins University; W. Henry Lambright, Syracuse University; Roger D. Launius, NASA; Karl A. Leib, Syracuse University; John M. Logsdon, George Washington University; Howard E. McCurdy, American University; Scott N. Pace, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; and Debora L. VanNijnatten, Wilfrid Laurier University.


The Universe in a Mirror

The Universe in a Mirror

Author: Robert Zimmerman

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2010-02-22

Total Pages: 331

ISBN-13: 1400834767

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The Hubble Space Telescope has produced the most stunning images of the cosmos humanity has ever seen. It has transformed our understanding of the universe around us, revealing new information about its age and evolution, the life cycle of stars, and the very existence of black holes, among other startling discoveries. But it took an amazing amount of work and perseverance to get the first space telescope up and running. The Universe in a Mirror tells the story of this telescope and the visionaries responsible for its extraordinary accomplishments. Robert Zimmerman takes readers behind the scenes of one of the most ambitious scientific instruments ever sent into space. After World War II, astronomer Lyman Spitzer and a handful of scientists waged a fifty-year struggle to build the first space telescope capable of seeing beyond Earth's atmospheric veil. Zimmerman shows how many of the telescope's advocates sacrificed careers and family to get it launched, and how others devoted their lives to Hubble only to have their hopes and reputations shattered when its mirror was found to be flawed. This is the story of an idea that would not die--and of the dauntless human spirit. Illustrated with striking color images, The Universe in a Mirror describes the heated battles between scientists and bureaucrats, the perseverance of astronauts to repair and maintain the telescope, and much more. Hubble, and the men and women behind it, opened a rare window onto the universe, dazzling humanity with sights never before seen. This book tells their remarkable story. A new afterword updates the reader on the May 2009 Hubble service mission and looks to the future of astronomy, including the prospect of a new space telescope to replace Hubble.