Contact Us
Contact:
Beverly Brown
ISSTI Coordinator
Space Science and Technology at Â鶹ÊÓƵ
Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s Institute for Integrated Space Science and Technology (ISSTI) advances space science research through collaborations with NASA and other federal and private-sector partners. It provides research and educational opportunities for students, staff, and faculty in areas such as astronomy, astrophysics, and heliophysics, as well as in the interdisciplinary fields of planetary science, astrobiology, and astrochemistry. ISSTI researchers address some of the most compelling scientific challenges of the 21st century, from developing innovative methods for studying exoplanets and their atmospheres, designing advanced instruments for NASA missions, modeling the Sun’s dynamics and its effects on Earth, and utilizing observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope to explore the universe. Additionally, Â鶹ÊÓƵ hosts the , which partners with ISSTI to promote student engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, inspiring the next generation of researchers and innovators.
Related Degrees
Â鶹ÊÓƵ Space Science Research, News, and Events
Â鶹ÊÓƵ ISSTI Research Assistant Professor and NASA Space Research Scientist Dr. Thomas Fauchez contributed to a team that used data taken using the James Webb Space Telescope to detect a possible atmosphere on exoplanet LHS 1140 b. This would be the first time a rocky planet with an atmosphere has been found in the habitable zone outside the solar system. Fauchez used the Planetary Spectrum Generator, a tool created at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, to analyze the Webb data with simulations of transmitted light spectra, comparing these spectra under various atmospheric conditions, to identify which scenario best matched the telescope observations. The new findings will soon be published in The Astrophysical Letters Journal.
Ìý
Â鶹ÊÓƵ ISSTI Research Associate Professor and NASA Planetary Scientist Dr. Lucas Paganini led a team of researchers who have detected plumes of water vapor emitted from Jupiter’s moon Europa. The discovery, published in , supports the hypothesis that there is an ocean of water below the moon frozen surface. The possibility of liquid water makes Europa one of the current leading candidates for life in our solar system, outside of Earth. For more on this exciting science, check out the and space.com article, .