Astrophysics Branch (Code SSA)

SSA6
Observations, Instrument Development, and Experiments
We perform observations from ground-based and space-born telescopes to better understand the origin of stars and planetary systems and support space missions. We had more successful Spitzer space telescope proposals than any other organization, we have performed observations from the Hubble space telescope and space mission spectrometers such as Cassini VIMS, and our scientists are so well respected that they chair and sit on observatory time allocation committees.
SSA1
SSA2
SSA3
 
The SOFIA water vapor monitor

We develop instruments and detectors to improve the capabilities of ground based and airborn telescopes.  This is possible thanks to our scientists expertise in IR observations and our highly specialized instrument development shop tailored to producing scientific equipment and rapid prototyping which has produced flight hardware for airborne and space use. The team of technicians has extensive expertise with high vacuum systems, cryogenics, and optics.  But that's not all…
Lab Facilities
Ice Spectroscopy and photo-chemistry:

Facilities include High-vacuum cryogenic equipment to simulate space ices, from interstellar grains at 10 K to icy surfaces of planets, comets, and satellites in the outer Solar System.

Alexandrite, Nd/YAG, and dye lasers and associated optical instrumentation for the vaporization, and photo-luminescence, and spectroscopic analysis of materials.

Chromatography for the analysis of organic molecules from meteorites and simulation experiments.

SSA4

Instrumentation for transmission and reflection spectroscopy from the Vacuum UV through the Far IR.
SSA5


Gas-phase spectroscopy: A Pulsed slit discharge nozzle that produces ultracold, very low density gas and plasmas combined with a high sensitivity cavity ringdown spectrometer.

 


 

Branch Chief:
Jessie Dotson
Email: Jessie.Dotson@nasa.gov
Phone: 650-604-2041
Sutter's Mill meteorite

Search for the "Sutter's Mill" meteorite

The fireball created by the falling meteoroid, which is thought to have been about 3-4 meters in diameter, was seen in multiple states.  These searches have so far turned up two fragments of the original body, and additional pieces have been found by meteorite dealers and members of the public. 

Kepler

NASA's Kepler Mission Wins 2012 Aviation Week Laureate Award

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. -- NASA's Kepler mission has been named winner of the 2012 Aviation Week Laureate Award in the Space category, announced last night at the 55th annual black-tie awards dinner in Washington, D.C.

Introducing the new AAS Laboratory Astrophysics Division

The first new AAS division in more than 30 years was introduced last week by the AAS. The new division is the Laboratory Astrophysics Division (LAD) of the American Astronomical Society (AAS). LAD's mission is to advance our understanding of the universe through the promotion of fundamental theoretical and experimental research into the underlying processes that drive cosmic evolution.
Sandford-Hayabusa

First Hayabusa samples transferred to NASA

Dr. Scott Sandford of NASA-ARC made a trip to Japan in December 2011 to join Japanese colleagues at the SPring-8 cyclotron facility in order to study some of the particles returned from asteroid Itokawa by the Hayabusa spacecraft. 
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