LASP pursues an impressive range of Earth and space science research. Two of these areas are existential to our advanced society: space weather and climate change. This newsletter focuses on our contributions to understanding the latter.
There are key facets to understanding our planet’s complex climate system. At its core is how the Sun’s energy inputs drive Earth’s atmosphere. LASP has been the chief steward of solar irradiance measurements for nearly 40 years, and we continue this tradition with ongoing NASA/NOAA TSIS and GOES measurements. Beginning with the Libera mission, the Lab will also determine—with exquisite precision—energy radiated from Earth back into space. This means our institute will be responsible for monitoring Earth’s entire energy balance starting in 2027.
It is imperative to understand the human role on our changing planet. LASP’s efforts will provide continuous, unblinking knowledge of the natural (solar-driven) backdrop upon which human (anthropogenic) climate change is superimposed. The accuracy and precision of LASP-made measurements have already set a worldwide standard, and we will—without fail—continue to watch over our home planet to better understand how it’s changing.
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In the pages of this newsletter, LASP’s communications team covers all kinds of launches, including SmallSats, sounding rockets, and flagship NASA missions. But in this issue, we are especially excited to alert you to one that took place here in Boulder, Colorado: the launch of our new website on July 7! Created in-house by our website development and communications teams, the new site incorporates the latest design and navigation standards and was curated with an in-depth understanding of our many audiences. Captivating images, carefully culled text, staff bios, and new ways to search LASP’s myriad missions and instruments make it a great site to visit frequently. We hope you enjoy exploring!
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High schoolers win science fair awards using MAVEN data
Louisville, Colorado’s Monarch High School students Langley Nakari and Ali Inge completed an impressive study of the Martian atmosphere using data from the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvoultioN (MAVEN) mission. On the strength of that, they won multiple awards at several regional and state science fairs.
In March, Langley and Ali placed first in the Earth and Space Science Senior Division at the CordenPharma Regional Science Fair and were one of three International Science and Engineering Fair winners. And in April, they placed second in the Earth and Space Science Senior Division at the Colorado Science and Engineering fair and won several other awards as well.
Their project—mentored by LASP and MAVEN scientist Ed Thiemann—used data from the LASP-built Extreme Ultraviolet Monitor instrument on the orbiter to study the narrow boundary that separates Mars’ lower and upper atmospheric layers.
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LASP planetary scientist Fran Bagenal was inducted into the National Academy of Sciences during a ceremony on April 29 in Washington, D.C. This prestigious award honors individuals for their extraordinary scientific achievements. Bagenal was recognized as “a leading expert on the properties of plasmas that pervade the magnetospheres of the outer planets”.
Allison Liu, who graduated in May with a B.S. in applied mathematics, won an academic research award. Announced at the graduation ceremony, this award recognizes undergraduates in CU Boulder’s College of Engineering who demonstrate excellence in research. Allison is now working at LASP with Wendy Carande on machine learning applications in space weather research.
On August 6, LASP’s Brian Toon—along with eight scientists including the late Carl Sagan—was awarded the 2022 Future of Life Award. This $50,000 per person prize, given to those who “helped make today dramatically better than it may otherwise have been,” honored them “for reducing the risk of nuclear war by developing and popularizing the science of nuclear winter.”
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U.S. Space Force Brigadier General John Olson and Colonel Marc Brock visited LASP on April 4 as part of a campus tour organized by CU. Randy Siders, LASP’s executive associate director of finance and operations, briefed them on the Lab’s new research and satellite tracking capabilities as part of a research and education partnership launched with CU Boulder last summer.
On May 5, NASA’s Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy met with leaders of CU Boulder, which is a major player in the U.S. and international aerospace community. She discussed the importance of diversifying the space workforce and other topics with LASP representatives Dan Baker (director), Gail Tate (engineering), and Terri Cook (communications).
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Gus Villines was hired in February as the new technical recruiter for LASP’s human resources department. He is responsible for recruiting and candidate sourcing processes. Villines understands the current Denver-area employment environment including knowledge of the skills available in, and the competitive nature of, the region. He will help LASP develop and maintain diversity sourcing capabilities as well as build strong connections in the commercial and governmental portions of the aerospace industry.
LASP Scientist Frank Eparvier was appointed in June as LASP’s new associate director of science. He is an expert in measuring the Sun’s output of light energy and understanding the sources of its variability and the resulting effects on Earth and other planets. Eparvier has served as the principal investigator on the highly successful Extreme Ultraviolet and X-Ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS) instrument suite aboard the NASA/NOAA GOES constellation of weather satellites. He has also worked as an instrument and project scientist on many other NASA missions during his 25 years at LASP. In appointing Eparvier, LASP Director Dan Baker took into account his demonstrated record of scientific excellence, extensive collaboration with LASP’s other divisions, and his lengthy service at LASP. He will replace Bruce Jakosky, who retired from his position as the Lab’s lead scientist after 17 years.
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- LASP operates 3 satellites
- LASP operates 2 CubeSats
- LASP operates 142 instruments on 20 spacecraft
- LASP employs 42 students in Mission Operations and Data Systems
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Missions and instruments in development
- AEPEX*
- BABAR
- CANVAS*
- CLARREO Pathfinder/RS
- COUSIN†
- DYNAGLO*
- Europa Clipper/SUDA
- GDC/AETHER
- GOES-U/EXIS
- GTOSat*
- IMAP/IDEX
- INFUSE†
- INSPIRESat-3,4*
- Libera
- NEO Surveyor
- SISTINE, series†
- SNIFS†
- SPRITE*
- SunCET*
- TSIS-2
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Upcoming launches (2022–2023)
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Operating missions and instruments
- AIM/CIPS
- CTIM*
- CUTE*
- EMM
- GOES-16,17,18/EXIS
- GOLD
- InspireSat-1/DAXSS*
- IXPE
- MAVEN/IUVS
- MMS
- New Horizons/SDC
- Parker Solar Probe/Fields Experiment
- SDO/EVE
- THEMIS/ARTEMIS
- TIMED/SEE
- TSIS-1
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