NASA SELECTS USU SPACE DYNAMICS LAB PROJECT
Utah State University Research Foundation’s Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) is a teammate on the AIM (Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere) mission, one of two SMEX (Small Explorer) programs recently selected by NASA for launch.
The AIM mission will determine the causes of the highest altitude clouds in the Earth’s atmosphere. These clouds, called Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMC), form about 50 miles above the Earth’s surface and are commonly seen over the polar regions. The first recorded sightings of these clouds over Colorado and Utah occurred in the summer of 1999.
“We want to find out why the frequency of PMCs is increasing and why we are seeing PMCs further south then ever before,” said John Kemp, senior scientist at SDL. “AIM will study the characteristics of these clouds to try and determine whether they are a natural occurrence or a result of something caused by the human environment.”
SDL will build the primary infrared sensor, called SOFIE (Solar Occultation for Ice Experiment). SOFIE will measure the proportional amount of eight different atmospheric gases. This sensor is one of four sensors aboard the satellite, which is expected to launch in April 2006.
“The fun thing about SOFIE is that we are looking directly at the sun,” said Kemp. “We usually look at dim objects with our infrared technology. For the first time we will be using the sun as a source that helps us learn the concentration of the different gases in the clouds.”
The project is expected to bring $5 million to $7 million in revenue to SDL and will occupy seven scientists, engineers and support personnel at the lab.
“SDL has been working the same team of scientists and engineers for more than four years to get this project awarded,” said Yvonne Polak, proposal manager. “It is nice to be part of another large program with NASA.”
The AIM mission will be directed by Hampton University with James M. Russell III, as the principal investigator. Other team members include the Naval Research Laboratory, the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) of the University of Colorado, Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation and GATS, Inc. In addition to these institutions, science team members include Mike Taylor, physics professor at Utah State University, who is co-investigator for the project, and scientists from George Mason University and the British Antarctic Survey.
“From the time Explorer I was launched more than 40 years ago and discovered the Van Allen radiation belts, Explorer satellites have made impressive discoveries by obtaining significant science at the lowest cost,” said Edward Weiler, associate administrator for space science, NASA headquarters. “The two missions we‚ve selected will continue in the Explorer tradition by investigating some of the most fundamental questions raised in space science.”
NASA’s Small Explorer program provides frequent flight opportunities for highly focused and relatively inexpensive science missions. SMEX spacecraft weigh only 180 to 250 kilograms.