Scientists are still exploring whether Mars was ever home to life in its past and exploring methods to extract water from its soil. To gain a better understanding of this intriguing planet, we turned to some LSU experts for insight on its many mysteries and quarries. They provided answers to some commonly-asked questions regarding Mars….
Record-setting weather and climate events may seem endlessly repetitive at times, yet occasionally there will be moments like an abruptly sounding cymbal that draw our attention back into focus. Temperature, or the measure of atmospheric heat or cold, is one key indicator of weather. Additionally, precipitation consists of rain, hail, sleet and snowfall – two…
34 years ago, a Saturn V rocket launched from Cape Kennedy with Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins aboard. Millions of viewers across the world watched live as Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins successfully reached and landed on the moon. President Kennedy had spent weeks carefully considering America’s space options after Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin made headlines by…
Scientists have long puzzled over why Venus appears to be such an unstable, polluted version of Earth. Today, NASA announced it had approved two missions to study this turbulent world. DAVINCI+ will examine the planet’s toxic atmosphere while VERITAS will map its surface and search for any sign that it once hosted water. Venera 1…
Color is more than simply one hue; understanding their interactions is crucial for creating presentations and selecting a color palette for projects. Tyndall and Rayleigh believed that the blue color of the sky must be due to microscopic particles of dust or droplets of water vapour in the atmosphere. Blue Light Light from the sun…
Spacecraft attitude dynamics and control is a study that encompasses kinematics, rigid-body dynamics, linear control theory and orbital environmental effects. This block models attitude dynamics using numerical integration. Spacecraft use thrusters to propel themselves in specific directions, however this approach has its limitations, including fuel usage and thruster cycle time. An alternative would be relying…
An explosion on board a spaceship can be terrifying for astronauts and potentially hazardous to satellites nearby. America watched in horror in January 1986 as the space shuttle Challenger exploded during liftoff, killing seven astronauts including Christa McAuliffe of NASA’s Teacher in Space program. A suitcase-sized piece of insulating foam fell from an external tank…
Armstrong and Aldrin used the two-hour moon walk to deploy Early Apollo Scientific Experiment Package instruments as well as collect rock and soil samples. Armstrong realized as they approached landing, the automatic landing system was leading them towards a rocky crater and ordered mission controllers to authorize a risky manual maneuver to address it. Apollo…
Australia boasts more to offer than its iconic animals: Fraser Island is the world’s largest sand island and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Did you know Tasmania has some of the cleanest air in the world? Read on for even more interesting Australian facts! 1. The Sydney Opera House was inspired by an orange Australia…
