MIT AeroAstro’s Post

At the Study Center for Computational Mathematics of the Universidad de las Ciencias Informáticas, we (David Batard Lorenzo, Jorge Gulín Gonzales and me) are conducting research on spacecraft detection and tracking, inspired by NASA’s Pose Bowl: Spacecraft Detection and Pose Estimation Challenge at DrivenData. I am pleased to share our preliminary results: with the smallest trained model, we have achieved a Mean Average Precision (mAP-50) of 87.6%. We anticipate that this result will improve with further training, fine-tuning, and an extensive hyperparameter search. All of this has been undertaken with the intent to address an increasing challenge for humanity: space debris due to satellite and spacecraft collisions, which could lead to the Kessler Syndrome. This scenario describes a condition where the density of objects in low Earth orbit (LEO), exacerbated by space pollution, is high enough that collisions between objects could trigger a cascade effect. Each collision would generate more space debris, thereby increasing the likelihood of further collisions. #UCI #CEMC #AI4LIFE #KESSLESYNDROME #ObjectDetection

The University of Colorado Boulder's contribution to NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission is a testament to our 75-year legacy of space exploration and innovation and commitment as an AAU-recognized university to advance research and scholarship that positively impact our world. The IMAP mission, which relies on an instrument developed by CU Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) to capture and analyze particles, could help shed light on the very building blocks of our solar system. The collaborative spirit of CU Boulder will allow expert researchers, faculty and students to work side-by-side and forge a path to the next wave of aerospace innovation. We look forward to witnessing the IMAP launch in spring 2025. Read more at the link here: https://bit.ly/3uHMpFQ #Nasa #IMAP #CUEngineering #AerospaceEngineering #SpaceExploration #Innovation #Stardust #SolarSystem

GSFC Systems Engineering Seminar http://ses.gsfc.nasa.gov/   Tuesday, September 10, 2024 - 1pm (ET)   Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) Overview and Systems Engineering Perspective for Phases B-D Presented by: Janice Houston, Systems Engineer, Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian   Two viewing options: GSFC – Building 3 Auditorium   OR   WebEx – Click to access WebEx meeting Meeting number: 2823 126 5745 Meeting password: cXETrn3e*28 (29387633 when dialing from a phone or video system)   Join by phone 415-527-5035 US Toll   Abstract: The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) is a Small Explorer Mission that launched in December 2021 and is currently in the extended mission phase. IXPE, was developed by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), Ball Aerospace, the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the Institute for Space Astrophysics and Planetology (IAPS)/ National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF), the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN), the University of Colorado Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), Stanford University, McGill University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. For this presentation, the focus is the IXPE observatory and the collaboration of NASA MSFC, Ball Aerospace and IAPS/INAF. The IXPE partners each provided unique capabilities and experience which were utilized to design, build and launch the IXPE observatory resulting in the collection of on-orbit scientific data measurements which are transmitted to ground stations and analyzed. An overview of the mission lifecycle for phases B through D will be reviewed. The established systems engineering (SE) methods, including NASA NPR 7123.1, and teaming approach to achieve the IXPE mission goals will be discussed. The requirements development and analysis along with definition of the interface control documents (ICD) will be reviewed. Of particular note are requirements and ICDs between major flight elements and between organizations.

Space Competition: Geo-Strategic Questions Over NASA’s Plan to Destroy the ISS This is part 2 of a deep dive into NASA’s plan to destroy the 420-metric-tonne #InternationalSpaceStation by de-orbiting. This episode is about the geo-strategic consequences and risks associated with de-orbiting and alternative ideas for the space station after 2030. Part 1, “Space Technology: Holes Bubble Up In NASA’s Narrative On And Plan To De-Orbit The Space Station”, posted in July. Laura Winter speaks with Kazuto Suzuki, a member of the National Space Policy Committee of the Cabinet Office, the Government of Japan, Professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy, The University of Tokyo, and Director of the Institute of Geoeconomics (IOG) at International House of Japan; and Namrata Goswami, an independent scholar on space policy and great power politics and co-author of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”.

https://lnkd.in/dVmZrFQE Rocket science is aptly named due to the extraordinary complexity and precision required in fields like complex calculations, precision engineering, and navigating unpredictable environments. Its demanding nature has made it a metaphor for anything highly complex or challenging. Recent events in space exploration underscore the immense challenges and risks involved, further solidifying the term's aptness as a descriptor for endeavors of exceptional difficulty.

Station Science 101 | Research in Microgravity: Higher, Faster, Longer: The International Space Station provides unique features that enable innovative research, including microgravity, exposure to space, a unique orbit, and hands-on operation by crew members. Microgravity The space station provides consistent, long-term access to microgravity. Eliminating the effects of Earth’s gravity on experiments is a game-changer across many disciplines, including research on living things and […]

NASA awarded an EPSCoR grant worth $750,000 to the "III-Nitride Ultraviolet Laser Diodes for Harsh Environments, Space-Based Communications, and Remote Sensing" project. The initiative focuses on enhancing high-data-rate communications between satellites and Earth, particularly for deep space missions. Morgan Ware of the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department serves as the lead scientific investigator for the project. The long-term focus is on advancing communications technology in advanced semiconductor research, which spans multiple scientific disciplines and industries. If successful, the technology could greatly speed up satellite-to-satellite or deep space communications. According to Ware, "there is a growing need for high data transfer rates from very distant systems. Having the capability to watch pseudo-live video feed from the Mars rovers, for example, would make future explorations there significantly more productive." Full story: https://lnkd.in/gwJrTFBj

🌌 Want to know what it takes to build a space mission from the ground up? 🚀 Now’s your chance to take a deeper dive into systems engineering with NASA and #UNOOSA! Following the success of our first webinar series, we’re back with an even more advanced 4-part webinar series designed to teach you the essential skills needed to develop small space missions. 🌍 🔍 Systems engineering is the backbone of every successful space mission or experiment. Whether you’re planning, designing, or managing a project, this series will cover several critical aspects—taught by NASA experts. 💡 What you’ll learn: 1️⃣ Requirements & Testing: How to write and evaluate mission-critical requirements 2️⃣ Project Lifecycle Reviews: Key milestones for each phase of a space mission 3️⃣ MBSE: The role of model-based systems engineering in small spacecraft missions 4️⃣ Science Mission Design: Steps to create and develop a successful science mission 🎓 Who should join? University students or recent graduates with a degree in space-related fields, who are committed to attending all sessions. 🗓 Key dates: Registration Deadline: 21 October 2024 (CEST) First Session: 30 October 2024 👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dY9DrN4A #SpaceMissions #SystemsEngineering #SpaceEducation #AccSpace4All

I am profoundly happy that my first scientific journal article is out: it goes by the long title ‘A Generalized Beta Prime Distribution as the Ratio Probability Density Function for Change Detection Between two SAR Intensity Images with Different Number of Looks’ and it has been published in the IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing. I co-author this paper with my PhD supervisors Philippa Mason and Richard Ghail, as well as my SAR mentor in Denmark Jørgen Dall and our colleague at NASA Scott Hensley. The work presented expands basic SAR theory on change detection test statistics, but it is just one small step in our collective quest towards intermission SAR change detection on Venus! Exciting times, and more to follow soon :) #venus #envision