Cosmos Revitalized

 

I often imagined having an obscene amount of money and what I would do with it; buy houses, cars, fun- but otherwise superfluous gadgets- but there are things I would do that I felt would mean something important. Like fund space exploration, or throw money at creating a cartoon about space that was actually accurate for little kids to watch. 

So when I heard that Seth MacFarlane was backing a revamp of the Carl Sagan classic, Cosmos, I felt a twinge of catharsis. So here comes this guy who has made tons of money off delightfully simple and stupidly funny shows, and now he is backing an educational show about space.

After watching the first episode I felt like I was watching the first step in a scientific renaissance for the masses. Sure there have been other shows (History of the Universe, Through the Wormhole), but this show is doing something right: They let an actual scientist host it. Morgan Freeman is great, but it creates a veil that we need a renowned celebrity to make space and learning interesting. Neil deGrasse Tyson (along with others) has continued to break that mold for years.

His enthusiasm for the subject comes through in his somewhat histrionic hosting style that makes me both chuckle and empathize. When you talk about the Big Bang, the formation of Earth, our Sun, the Solar System, or galaxies, it’s hard not to get caught up in the drama of what all that stuff must have been like. That passion pierces through in Tyson’s expressions and is amplified by the awe-inspiring visuals that dazzle the viewers and becomes a smorgasbord for the imagination.

What’s more mold-breaking about this show is that it isn’t relegated to some lame channel nobody watches, it’s on the Fox network. I can only hope that this level of exposure will draw in a younger audience that will so desperately need to find real passion for sciences in a society of growing anti-intellectualism. 

The closing for the first episode really sealed that deal for me and was a stroke of genius. Tyson discusses his first time ever meeting Carl Sagan and even presents us with Sagan’s book signed and gifted to a young Tyson. This was like a passing of the torch. Carl Sagan was a brilliant scientist who worked hard to demystify science and bring the wonders of the cosmos into everyone’s home. To see Tyson doing the same thing, with the same show, and to see that link between them adds a sense of kismet (and generally speaking I hate that word) about this show’s revival and what it should mean for science and for the lay viewers at home. 

Exoplanets, E.T. and Geek

One of my favorite things about astronomy is the existence of other planets and the possibility of extraterrestrial life (E.T.). I geek out to scifi shows and love the wide girth of imagination that comes with what other species might look like and how we would interact with them. I admit I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be in a position like Jodie Foster’s in Contact, or John Crichton from Farscape.  To find out that there are other life forms out there, to see just how wonderfully diverse our universe can be would truly be a mind-altering experience.

So this segment is about planets: Exoplanets (planets that revolve around different stars) and planets within our very own solar system, namely Mars. There is a lot of cool information and implications to the information we find on Mars. The existence of water in the form of ice was established early in our planetary exploration of the red planet. We have had quite a few landers on Mars and the reason for this is because the answers we uncover beg more questions. Finding water on Mars led to questions like: So is there life? Where is it? And if none exists: What happened? The What happened? is a very deep question. There are a lot of fascinating geological formations that lead many scientists to believe that Mars met with some catastrophic events.  Giant volcanoes, deep impact craters, and large crevices that dwarf anything we see on Earth dot the surface of the red planet and as scientists we LOVE to ask questions and find out more.

The current lander, Curiosity, has a few objectives NASA is hoping to accomplish. For life related research Curiosity will do experiments to gain a more detailed inventory of organic carbon atoms (a sign of life past or present), an inventory of life-building chemicals (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur), and looking for features that would indicate some sort of biological process (http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/mission/science/objectives/). This vague experiment includes taking samples and exposing them to certain temperatures and radiation and then looking for the release of certain gases or signs of absorption. These tests are pretty standard since our past experiments have usually been inconclusive and with the advancement of technology, we can get more accurate and reliable readings.

Curiosity will also be doing geological studies. Using a high-powered laser it will drill into rock to take samples from deep inside these rocks. Much like on Earth when we dig through the layers of the surface and discover different compositions, drilling into the rock will give NASA a better idea of how these rocks were formed, were they volcanic? Are they Martian in nature or remnants from a meteorite?

Curiosity will also observe how the seasons change on Mars. During the Mars winter, the polar caps grow with the freezing of CO2 molecules, but in the summer these melt off showing a layer of permafrost.

                If nothing else however, Curiosity is practice. Practice for how we explore another planet remotely, and for landing large payloads onto the surface. Curiosity is paving the way for us to send a manned mission to Mars, complete with buildings and facilities for teams to live and work in. How awesome is that? This could happen in the near future, the colonization of Mars! It’s exciting when you consider that it is another small step towards deep space exploration for humanity. A chance for us to really interact with the universe around us in a big way!

                Mars is just the beginning, and as we learn how to explore other planets our search for life will continue to grow.  Currently there are over 3,000 exoplanets that we have observed from our small corner of the universe (http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/).  As this number climbs our chances of finding life on another planet grows.

                In 1961 Dr. Frank Drake presented a formula that considers factors that would affect our chances of finding intelligent life in the Milky Way galaxy. This formula is known as the Drake Equation and has been largely accepted by the scientific community.  The equation looks like this:

N = Rⁿ × f_p × n_e × f_l × f_i × f_c × L

Where:

 

N = the number of civilization with detectable electromagnetic (EM) emissions in the Milky Way.	Rn = the rate of formation of stars suited for developing intelligent life.
fp = the fraction of those stars with planets	ne = The number of planets/ solar system with suitable life conditions.
fl = the fraction of those planets where life actually appears.	fi = the fraction of life bearing planets that have intelligent life.
fc = the fraction of civilizations that developed technology that emits EM waves detectable in space.	L = The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space.

 

We don’t have a lot of detailed data to plug into this equation, however. We are beginning to get some very rough estimates about what fraction of stars have planetary systems (f_p), but we are still in the early stages of knowing how many planets exist in the solar system. Planets with suitable life conditions (n_e) has turned out to be hard to find. Many of the exoplanets we have discovered are gas giants or “super Earth.” These planets are incredibly large and often times appear to have atmospheres not suitable for life.

Aside from size there is also the issue of the Circumstellar Habitable Zone (CHZ). This is the zone in which a planet would have to orbit around its parent star in order to have life-sustaining conditions. This zone varies depending on the type of star a planet orbits, but it is a such a relatively narrow margin that even though we have observed many exoplanets we have yet to find one in the CHZ of its star.

Ironically many of the other variables we won’t have answers to until we actually start finding life on other planets, but for now the more variables that we can fill in with actual numbers, the better our estimates will be. Astronomers are working hard to get more accurate numbers. One big way this is happening is with the JamesWebb Space Telescope (JWST). Built to be larger than the Hubble and with more light-gathering power, the JWST will work largely in the infrared so that it can pierce the vale of dust clouds that block our view of much of our galaxy. It will also have visual capabilities and be capable or more detailed pictures than the Hubble.

NASA is working on several other technologies to improve our planet-detecting capabilities. And as the next couple of years pass we will discover more and more fascinating solar systems and planets. In the mean time we practice our space travel and planetary exploration in our back yard, trying to unlock, at least in part, the stencil for life and planetary formation in an attempt to be prepared for whatever we might find out there.

               

 

Why Space Research?

“The science of today is the technology of tomorrow.” – Edward Teller

                In the day-to-day studying for my astrophysics degree I never think about why we pursue it this science. For myself I can say, “I find it fascinating: the exploration, the attempts to glean some understanding of the universe and her mysterious workings.”

                However, sometimes when I am at a party and I get asked what I am studying, someone asks, “Why do we put so much effort into space exploration.” Admittedly, my knee-jerk reaction is to simply spout, “Space is awesome! How can you even ask that question?” but that isn’t a real answer. So with the start of this blog and the subject of my first article, I decided that maybe it’s important to spend the time researching and understanding the precise reasons we spend effort and money on our NASA programs and other space exploration initiatives.

                I would first like to point out that historically, every field of science has had to face that question; its initial foundations seemingly useless. Without going into great detail, biology, chemistry, and physics have all contributed greatly to our current existence. The computer you are using? Thank physics and chemistry, because it is our understanding of electrical currents and the elements that we use as conduits that you can check your Facebook and keep up with mom who lives not nearby. Advances in modern medicine, technology, and infrastructure are all thanks to one form of science or another, but that’s just scraping the ice burg. Essentially every little thing that we take for granted on a daily basis is thanks to pioneers of science.  So what has space exploration shown us for all the money we spend?

                Let’s address first, the idea that the USA, or any country for that matter, spends “a lot of money” on space exploration. In 2011 NASA received about 18 billion dollars ($18,000,000,000) in funding. Wow! As a college student- that’s a lot of money. That’s a lot of money for just about anyone, except the US Government. Hear me out: In 2011 the US spending budget equaled 3.6 trillion dollars ($3,600,000,000,000) – notice the extra set of zeros. I know those numbers are huge so let’s put it this way, NASA received 0.6% of the country’s total spending. That would be like giving someone $6 out of your $1,000 paycheck. Doesn’t seem so bad now, does it? I won’t argue about how efficiently NASA uses that money. That isn’t the point. The point is: we don’t spend that much and cutting back on our NASA spending won’t make any real dent in the budget. The chart below is a good representation of the money distribution in the US budget. NASA is over in the slew of tiny slivers that are hard to separate out.

                So now that we have cleared up and given perspective to how much the government spends on space exploration, let’s talk about why. There haven’t been a lot of discoveries that have made their practical, everyday use apparent yet, but there are some things you might not expect have come from NASA’s research that we use today for the most mundane things.

                For example, would you have ever thought that the material coating infrared antennae would end up in your mouth? It’s true. In 1961 NASA’s Advanced Ceramics Research was working with Ceradyne on a special coating to protect infrared antennae on heat-seeking missile trackers. They developed translucent polycrystalline alumina (TPA). The material was durable and translucent and was just the material a company called Unitek was looking for when they began research making braces that were aesthetically more pleasing but still functional. The first invisible braces were released in 1987 based on a technology developed by NASA.

                Do you remember when eye glasses were made out of glass? Neither do I. That’s because in 1972 the FDA ordered that all eye wear stop being made from glass. This lead to plastic lenses, which scratch easy. What a pain! Enter NASA to save the day! A scientist, Ted Wydeven, who worked at the Ames Research Center was working on a water filtration system. Using an electric discharge of an organic vapor, he coated the filter with a thin plastic layer. This plastic turned out to be extremely durable! This was later used on astronaut’s helmets and eventually made its way into the commercial sector to coat glasses.  To learn more about the process used to make the coating click here.

                Are you convinced yet that the money given to NASA is worth the while? No? That’s okay, there is more. Memory Foam is another great invention by NASA. This one is fairly common knowledge since the fact that it was “space technology” was a selling point when memory foam first made it on to the scene. The foam is a polyurethane-silicone plastic. It is temperature sensitive and helps to evenly distribute the weight while eliminating pressure points. Besides its obvious use in shuttles, it is also used for bed-ridden patients to help them ward off bedsores.  You can also find memory foam on motorcycle seats, and even used to make the use of prosthetic limbs more comfortable. Racing car seats are also equipped with this super comfortable material.

                Okay, okay admittedly these innovations are not particularly changing the course of humanity, so let’s look at a more serious contribution NASA has made.  NASA uses a lot of fuel and needs a lot of propulsion to get its gear and staff out of Earth’s atmosphere. Naturally NASA scientists would look for a way to get the most bang for their buck. Recently,  Orbitec a company contracted by NASA came up with a new engine propulsion system. When fuel is pumped into the combustion chamber it is spun up creating a vortex.  This was useful to NASA because it kept the combustion chamber walls cool, resulting in less wear and tear on engine parts. This system was found to have another use: in fire suppression.

                Recently studies were conducted at the Vandenberg Air Force Base. Empty houses were set on fire. The traditional fire hose technology which pumps out water at 100 gallons per min (g/m) at 125 psi was compared to a fire hose utilizing the vortex technology NASA had developed. The “vortex” hose releases only 20 g/m but at a psi of 1,400. So how did those results come out? The standard system took 1 minute and 45 seconds to snuff out the fire and used 220 gallons of water. The “vortex” system, using only 13.6 gallons, put the fire out in 17.3 seconds…  More importantly the “vortex” hose was managed by one person. The standard hose requires a few people to control it. If you can’t appreciate the implications of this research, there is no convincing you that science is worth the cost.

                NASA’s research has improved a lot of other technologies as well. Water filters now have antimicrobial properties, battery operated drills are more powerful, your cell phone works because of NASA’s initial work with satellite technology. The amount of cool and useful things that have come from space exploration is widely unknown. I was surprised by some of the things I learned and proud. I am more excited to go into this field than ever, knowing the my contributions might fruit something that everyone someday uses.

                The research and discovery that NASA does is at the heart of all the advances (good and bad) that humanity has accomplished. Christopher Columbus set off to prove the world was round. Isaac Newton defined gravity. Max Planck progressed our understanding of quantum mechanics.  Scientists and explorers have all changed the course of humanity. The same people today who work at NASA, peer up at the stars, or crunch numbers and mix materials together are the same sort of people that have given us phones, computers, electricity, cars, and modern medicine. To deny the usefulness of their research is to deny the advances we have today.

Links:

www.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=9&step=1

curiosity.discovery.com/topic/physics-concepts-and-definitions/ten-nasa-inventions.htm

spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2011/ps_5.html