Recently launched satellites offer USU research opportunities
Satellites will provide research opportunities for USU students, according to professor Jan Sojka, who led a discussion with faculty and students Thursday.
Three Polar Orbiting Passive Atmosphere Calibration Sphere satellites, or POPACS, were recently deployed in an experiment donated to USU by Gilbert and Phyllis Moore.
“They will provide over 10 years of hands-on research for any of our students,” Sojka said.
The satellites were launched into a polar orbit Sept. 29 by the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
The purpose of the satellites is to measure changes in the density of the upper atmosphere due to solar activity, Sojka said.
“By monitoring (their) position, we can see every orbital storm,” he said.
The Department of Defense will be tracking these satellites with technology most people do not know about, Sojka said.
POPACS is comprised of three spheres, weighing 1, 1.5 and 2 kilograms, respectively, named Phyllis, Gilbert and Moore.
Sojka pulled out three yellow foam balls with the names written on them and tossed them to the listeners.
“The challenge will be taking out telescopes with cameras and taking pictures of satellites,” Sojka said.
He said the satellites are not visible to the human eye.
The department of physics is in the process of ordering another telescope for this purpose and don’t have any cameras yet, he said.
An international network of amateur and university observers will use Two Line Elements or TLEs – orbit elements of a satellite – to track the spheres, Sojka said.
Rees Fullmer, an associate professor in the College of Engineering who also spoke at the presentation, teaches a class about orbital dynamics. The class estimates orbital elements. Fullmer said he is modifying class projects to study the satellites.
“The objectives of the class is to identify and when to identify objects in space,” Fullmer said.
Janelle Jeanings, a graduate in physics who attended the presentation, is also in the Air Force.
“It is really cool to take something in orbit, look for it, derive data from it and see how information can be used to make data,” she said. “The Air Force uses this data to find locations using the TLE. The school will see if the TLE is right.”
For the next few weeks during Wednesday’s Common Hour, there will be further discussions and opportunity for any students interested in this project to become involved in research activities, Sojka said.
–marissa.neeley@aggiemail.usu.edu