[meteorite-list] NASA, Mavericks Launch Study of Earth's Atmosphere

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:23:32 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201008162123.o7GLNWW3023204_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/releases/2010/10-68AR.html

Cathy Weselby
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
650.604.2791
cathy.weselby at nasa.gov

Tom Atchison
Mavericks, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, Calf.
650.492.5978
toma at rocketmavericks.com

Aug. 16, 2010
 
RELEASE : 10-68AR
 
NASA, Mavericks Launch Study of Earth's Atmosphere
 
MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. - NASA's Ames Research Center and Mavericks
Civilian Space Foundation, Moffett Field, Calif., today announced a
collaboration to develop a high-altitude high-velocity air sampling
system for NASA biological experiments.

Under the terms of a Space Act Agreement, Mavericks, in collaboration
with NASA scientists, will develop and operate airborne science
platforms to carry biological sampling devices and retrieve organisms,
such as microbes, algal spores, viruses, and fungi, and other evidence
of life from lower atmosphere to the upper atmosphere, or more than 78
miles above the surface of Earth. Mavericks will provide payload launch
capabilities, instrumentation on sounding rockets and research balloons,
and facilitate NASA flights on other space vehicles.

"This partnership allows NASA to conduct Earth science in an exciting
new way and learn more about life, our planet and atmosphere in an
effective, rapid and cost-efficient manner," said Ames Center Director
S. Pete Worden.

Lynn Rothschild, an astrobiologist at NASA's Ames Research Center, will
lead the research efforts to study life in the upper portions of the
stratosphere and mesosphere, the middle layers of Earth's atmosphere
between five and 78 miles above the surface of Earth, the biology
present in clouds and the extent of airborne algal blooms. Rothschild
will design and test the aerobiology and astrobiology experimental
payloads and analyze returned samples.

"In an era where we have powerful technologies to study the diversity of
life on Earth, the biology of Earth's atmosphere remains a relative
mystery," said Rothschild. "We know more about life at the bottom of the
ocean. And, until we understand life in our own atmosphere, we cannot
understand the true limits for life on Earth and by extension, the
possibility for life in the atmosphere of other planets or moons, most
notably Venus."

"This collaboration begins a new chapter in civilian partnership with
NASA to not only jointly attain the answer to a fundamental question in
biology, but also to re-inspire and re-engage our youth to demonstrate
their mastery of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
education principles through participation, as part of our efforts to
drive STEM education through research," said Thomas Atchison, Mavericks
Civilian Space Foundation founder and chairperson.

Mavericks is a non-profit 501(c)3 educational foundation that combines
raising public awareness through the inspiration and productivity of
competitive challenges, with the leverage of social networking to
provide resources for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
education and research programs that drive civilian space exploration.

The agreement is in accordance with the National Space Policy, under
which NASA will expand its partnerships with private industry, allowing
commercial companies to take a larger role in the exploration of space,
while NASA pursues activities the agency is uniquely qualified to do.

For more information about NASA Ames Research Center, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ames

For more information about the Mavericks Civilian Space Foundation, visit:

http://www.rocketmavericks.com/

- end -
 
Received on Mon 16 Aug 2010 05:23:32 PM PDT