>> Karen Fox: HELLO, AND
WELCOME!
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NASA'S
NEWEST MISSION GOLD.
GOLD WILL BE EXPLORING OUR
INTERFACE TO SPACE.
I'M KAREN FOX.
I'M HERE TODAY AT NASA'S
GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER IN
GREEN BELT, MARYLAND.
WE WILL TAKE YOUR COMMENTS, IN
THE SECTION DOWN BELOW OR USE
#ASKNASA.
WE WILL BE ANSWERING YOUR
QUESTIONS A LITTLE LATER IN THE
SHOW.
WE ARE TALKING TODAY ABOUT
SPACE.
I DON'T MEAN THE FARTHEST
PICTURES OF SPACE THAT HUBBLE
TAKES PICTURES OF.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE FABRIC OF
SPACE BETWEEN THE PLANETS AND
THAT SPACE AROUND EARTH.
INCREASINGLY THIS IS THE DOMAIN
OF HUMANS.
WE HAVE SATELLITES TRAVELING
THROUGH THEM.
WE HAVE RADIOCOMMUNICATION
WAVES TRAVELING THROUGH THERE
AND IT'S A DYNAMIC PLACE, THE
UPPER ATMOSPHERE AFFECTS IT AND
SPACE WEATHER AFFECTS IT FROM
ABOVE AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND
IT BETTER WHICH IS WHAT GOLD
WILL HELP US DO.
TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THAT TODAY, WE HAVE RICHARD
EASTES.
RICHARD EASTES IS THE PERSON
WHO CONCEIVED OF THE GOLD
MISSION AND WATCHING IT ALL THE
WAY THROUGH DEVELOPMENT.
I WANT TO START OUT JUST
HEARING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE
BEGINNINGS.
WHAT WERE YOU INSPIRED BY?
WHAT WAS IT THAT YOU WANTED TO
STUDDIE WITH THIS MISSION?
>> WE WANTED TO GET THE BIG
PICTURE.
WE WERE STUDYING THE EARTH'S
ATMOSPHERE AND WE HAVE BEEN
LOOKING AT THOSE IN DETAIL, AND
FROM THE GROUND AND FROM LOWER
ORBIT MISSIONS.
WE WANTED TO BACK OFF AND LOOK
AT IT FROM GEOSTATIONAL ORBIT
AND GET THE WHOLE HEMISPHERE AT
ONCE AND PUT THINGS INTO
CONTEXT, THINGS WE CAN'T
UNDERSTAND WHEN WE ARE LOOKING
AT ONE LITTLE PIECE AND ALSO AT
THE SAME TIME, WE WANTED TO GET
PICTURES OF THE TEMPERATURE
WHICH IS SOMETHING WE NEVER HAD
BEFORE.
IT'S A UNIQUE PIECE OF THIS
MISSION.
WE WILL GET VARIOUS PIECES OF
INFORMATION, SOME OF WHICH HAVE
BEEN DONE BEFORE BUT THE
TEMPERATURE IS SOMETHING
DIFFERENT.
WE WILL GET PICTURES OF THE
TEMPERATURE IN THE UPPER
ATMOSPHERE.
THAT'S WHAT INSPIRED US TO DO
THIS.
THAT'S WHERE WE HEADED WHEN WE
STARTED TO DO THIS.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO.
>> Karen Fox: WE WILL GET A
MORE GLOBAL SCALE PICTURE THAN
WE HAVE BEFORE, EXCITING STUFF.
I WOULD LIKE TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT TODAY ABOUT WHY THAT
MATTERS TO US DOWN ON EARTH,
WHY THIS REGION OF SPACE
ACTUALLY AFFECTS US AND TO
FOCUS ON THAT, WE ARE INCLUDING
SARAH JONES, WHO WILL BE
JOINING US.
SARAH JONES IS THE MISSION
SCIENTIST FOR GOLD HERE AT NASA
GODDARD.
TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT WHY
THIS REGION OF SPACE, THIS LOW
LEVEL OF SPACE AFFECTS US HERE.
>> Sarah Jones: SURE, KAREN.
SPACE IS NOT JUST THE HOME OF
ASTRONAUTS AND WHERE SATELLITES
FLIGHT BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
TO US.
HOW ABOUT WE TAKE A LOOK AT
THIS GRAPHIC.
SO THE REGION THAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS THE
REGION OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE
THAT STARTS AROUND 60 MILES
ABOVE US, AND EXTENDS UPWARD.
AND MOST OF THE GAS UP THERE IS
ACTUALLY ESSENTIALLY AN
EXTENSION OF THE AIR THAT WE
BREATHE BELOW, BUT THERE'S
ACTUALLY A SMALL COMPONENT
THERE THAT'S CREATED WHEN THE
SUN'S RADIATION HITS THE GAS IN
THE ATMOSPHERE, AND BREAKS IT
APART INTO IONS AND ELECTRONS.
AND THIS NEW IONIZED COMPONENT
WE REFERRED T TO TO AS THE
IONOSPHERE.
IT AFFECTS THE WAY RADIO
SIGNALS TRAVEL THROUGH THE
ATMOSPHERE.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE RADIO
SIGNALS FROM OUR COMMUNICATION
SATELLITES AND GPS SATELLITES
PASSING DOWN TO THE GROUND TO
OUR CELL PHONES AND GPS
NAVIGATION SYSTEMS THAT HAVE TO
GO THROUGH THE IONOSPHERE AND
THAT'S A VERY DYNAMIC PLACE
WITH A LOT OF STRUCTURING AND
AS THE STRUCTURE DEVELOPS, IT
CAN ACTUALLY GARBLE ALL OF
THESE SIGNALS THAT ARE COMING
THROUGH OUR ATMOSPHERE.
IT'S MORE VARIABLE THAN WE HAD
REALIZED IN THE PAST AND IT'S
ACTUALLY AN EXCITING
OPPORTUNITY FOR GOLD TO NOW
TAKE A LOOK AND HELP US TO
UNDERSTAND HOW THE IONOSPHERE
AFFECTS OUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE.
>> Karen Fox: THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
IF YOU ARE JUST TUNING IN, WE
ARE HERE TODAY TALKING ABOUT
NASA'S NEWEST MISSION GOLD.
IT'S GOING TO BE LAUNCHING AT
THE END OF THE JULY, FROM
FRENCH GUIANA.
IT'S BEEN LEAD BY CENTRAL
FLORIDA AND THE INSTRUMENT
ITSELF WAS BUILT AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, THE
LABORATORY OF ATMOSPHERIC AND
SPACE PHYSICS.
YOU CAN USE #ASKNASA.
WE HAVE OUR FIRST QUESTION
ALREADY.
SO I WILL ASK YOU, SARAH FOR
THIS.
9 QUESTION WE HAVE IN IS -- I'M
ALMOST THERE.
THE QUESTION IS: I THOUGHT
SPACE WAS A VACUUM.
TELL US HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY
STUDY THAT.
>> Sarah Jones: OKAY.
WELL, SPACE IS ACTUALLY A
VACUUM.
THAT'S TRUE.
BUT ACTUALLY THE VACUUM OF
SPACE IS NOT COMPLETELY EMPTY
IN.
SPACE, WE HAVE PARTICLES.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S
ELECTRONICKIC PARTICLES MOVING
QUICKLY THROUGH SPACE AND THERE
ARE ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC
FIELDS WHICH KIND OF GUIDE THE
WAY THAT THOSE PARTICLES MOVE
THROUGH SPACE.
AND ALSO IN OUR ANOSPHERE WE
HAVE THE SAME PARTICLES AND
FIELDS THAT ARE DETERMINING HOW
THE EARTH INTERACTS WITH THE
SPACE ENVIRONMENT AROUND US.
>> Karen Fox: RICHARD, DO YOU
WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO ANSWER
ABOUT THIS QUESTION.
ANYTHING ABOUT GOLD THAT WE
WANT TO KNOW ABOUT SPACE ABOUT
THIS?
>> WELL, SPACE CERTAINLY HAS A
LOT OF INFLUENCE ON OUR -- ON
WHAT SYSTEMS ARE USED
DAY-TO-DAY AND ALSO TELLS US A
LOT ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING TO
OTHER PLANETS.
EARTH IS THE CLOSEST PLANET AND
WE ARE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT AND
LEARN FROM IT, THE THINGS THAT
WE CAN'T EASILY LEARN FROM
OTHER PLANETS BECAUSE THEY ARE
TOO FAR AWAY OR TOO DIFFICULT
TO STUDY.
>> Karen Fox: SO THE SPACE
MATTERS.
THE SPACE AROUND IT IS NOT
COMPLETELY EMPTY.
THERE'S STUFF GOING ON IN THERE
AND IT HELPS US UNDERSTAND A
LOT ABOUT OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
ALL RIGHT.
WITH, THAT LET'S FOCUS A LITTLE
BIT MORE, SARAH.
TELL US SPECIFICALLY WHAT GOLD
WILL BE TRYING TO LEARN.
>> Sarah Jones: SURE!
THE GOLD MISSION IS STUDYING
WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY A NEW AREA
OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH THAT'S
OPENED UP RECENTLY.
IN THE PAST, PEOPLE THOUGHT
THAT THIS REGION OF THE EARTH'S
UPPER ATMOSPHERE WAS AFFECTED
PRIMARILY BY WHAT'S HAPPENING
AT THE SUN, AND WHAT'S COMING
TO THE EARTH FROM THE SUN.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE AN
IMAGE HERE OF THE SUN'S
RADIATION COMING DOWN AND
HITTING THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.
THE SUN'S MAGNETIC FIELD ALSO
INTERACTS WITH THE EARTH AND
CAUSES THINGS LIKE GEOMAGNETIC
STORMS AND OTHER EFFECTS THAT
WE REFER TO AS SPACE WEATHER.
HOWEVER, IN ABOUT THE LAST TEN
YEARS OR SO, THERE'S BEEN THIS
GROWING BODY OF EVIDENCE, THAT
THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE IS ALSO
AFFECTED BY WHAT'S GOING ON
BELOW, LIKE THE TERRESTRIAL
WEATHER WHICH IS THE WEATHER
THAT WE EXPERIENCE EVERY DAY
HERE ON EARTH.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, TSUNAMIS
CREATE WAVES IN THE AIR AND
THOSE WAVES MOVE UPWARDS AND
THE WAVES COULD POTENTIALLY
CAUSE CHANGES EVEN AT THE VERY
BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE EARTH AND
THE SPACE.
AND SO GOLD IS STUDYING IN
PARTICULAR, HOW TO TEASE OUT
THE EFFECTS COMING FROM THE SUN
ABOVE AND THE EARTH BELOW AND
NASA ACTUALLY HAS TWO UPCOMING
MISSIONS STUDYING THIS SORT OF
SCIENCE.
ONE IS CALLED ICON AND THE
OTHER, OF COURSE IS GOLD THAT
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE
TODAY.
>> Karen Fox: SO WE LEARNED A
LITTLE BIT HERE ABOUT WHAT GOLD
SPECIFICALLY WILL BE STUDYING.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT TODAY, OUR NEW MISSION
GOLD, TO STUDY THE LOWEST
REACHES THE SPACE.
ANOTHER SORT OF INTERESTING
THING ABOUT GOLD WE WILL BE
TALKING ABOUT IT MORE AS WE GO
ON, IS THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY
THE FIRST TIME NASA HAS PUT AN
INSTRUMENT LIKE THIS -- I'M
SORRY, A MISSION LIKE THIS ON
TO A COMMERCIAL SATELLITE.
SO WE'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THAT AS WE GO ON.
IN THE MEANTIME, LET'S TALK
AGAIN TO RICHARD.
RICHARD EASTES COMING ON TO
DISCUSS WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO
DO WITH THIS INFORMATION.
SO THERE YOU ARE.
YOU GET ALL OF THESE GREAT
OBSERVATIONS AND WHAT HAPPENS
NEXT?
>> WELL, THE DATA WILL BE
TAKING THESE PICTURES AND USING
THEM TO HELP US UNDERSTAND
PIECES -- BASICALLY HELP US
PIECE OF THE PUZZLE TOGETHER.
IT'S A BIG PIECE OF THE PUZZLE
WE HAVEN'T HAD BEFORE.
SO THIS GLOBAL CONTEXT AND IT
ALSO HELPS US PUT OTHER PIECES
OF PUZZLE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE
AND DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY FIT,
IT WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND
WHERE THOSE FIT TOGETHER AND
HOW IT ALL FIT FITS TOGETHER.
SO WE WILL USE WHAT WE LEARN TO
DEVELOP THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE.
WE HAVE SOME GOOD MODELS NOW,
BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT
ADEQUATE AND THEY FAIL IN THE
LIMITED TIME FRAME, JUST A DAY
OR SO, AS WE CAN'T GO OUT VERY
FAR IN PREDICT PENTAGON WHATING
HAPPEN.
WE PLAN TO USE THESE TO IMPROVE
OUR MODELS AND UNDERSTANDING.
>> Karen Fox: FANTASTIC!
SO HERE YOU ARE, TODAY, WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT OUR NEWEST
MISSION GOLD, I'M STANDING HERE
RIGHT NOW AT NASA GODDARD IN
GREEN BELT, MARYLAND.
WE ARE TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE WILL ANSWER THEM THROUGHOUT
THE SHOW.
GO AHEAD AND PUT THEM IN YOUR
COMMENTS.
YOU CAN USE #ASKNASA.
AND WE WILL BE FRA TRACKING THEM
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS
REGION OF SPACE AND HOW DYNAMIC
IT IS.
I WANT TO GIVE YOU A BIT MORE
OF A TOUR, A SENSE OF
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND WHAT
IS GOING ON THERE.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL MOVIE FOR
EVERYBODY TO LOOK AT AND WE
WILL ROLL THAT NEXT.
♪
>> LONGING FOR MORE SPACE AND
OPEN SKIES AND EXOTIC TRAVEL.
ABOUT 30 TO 600 STRAIGHT MILES
STRAIGHT UP, AT THE IONOSPHERE,
EARTH'S INTERFACE TO SPACE.
BELOW OUTER SPACE, THIS LITTLE
UNDERSTOOD DESTINATION INVITES
YOU TO EXPLORE ITS MANY
FEATURES.
EXPERIENCE BOTH THE WEATHER
FROM EARTH AND THE WEATHER FROM
SPACE.
MARVEL AT THE BALLET OF
RADIOWAVES AND NAVIGATION
SIGNALS LIKE GPS, LEAPING
THROUGH THIS PARTICLE PARADISE.
SIT BACK, RELAX, AND TAKE IN
THE AURORA AND THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AS
THEY SAIL BY.
AND YOU WILL WANT YOUR CAMERA
HANDY FOR ONE OF THE REGION'S
SIGNATURE FEATURES.
BRIGHT AND COLORFUL AIR GLOW.
THIS DAILY SHOW IS MADE
POSSIBLE BY THE IONOSPHERE'S
OWN SWIRLING CHARGED PARTICLES
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE
IONOSPHERE IS, IT'S ALL CHARGED
PARTICLES.
>> Karen Fox: HELLO AND WELCOME
BACK!
WE ARE HERE TODAY AT NASA
GODDARD, TALKING ABOUT NASA'S
NEWEST MISSION GOLD, WHICH WILL
BE STUDYING THAT REGION OF
SPACE YOU JUST HEARD ABOUT
IONOSPHERE.
I HAVE ALEX YOUNG WHO IS A
HELIOPHYSICIST, HOW DOES THIS
FIT INTO THE BIGGER PICTURE
THAT NASA IS STUDYING ABOUT
SPACE?
>> C. Alex Young: LET'S TALK
ABOUT WHAT IS HELIOPHYSICS.
STUDYING THE IONOSPHERE IS PART
OF HELIOPHYSICS.
IT'S CENTERED AROUND THE SUN
BUT IT'S MORE THAN THE STUDY OF
THE SUN.
SO WE HAVE A DIAGRAM HERE
THAT'S SHOWING YOU ALL OF THE
ENERGY, LIGHT, MATTER, AND MAG
NMAGNETIC AND ELECTRIC FIELDS
COMING OFF THE SUN AND SHOWING
THEM INTERACTING WITH THE EARTH
BUT THEY INTERACT WITH EVERY
PART OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM, EVERY
PLANET, EVERY OBJECT AND THIS
ALL CREATES A GREAT SYSTEM THAT
WE CALL THE HELIOSPHERE.
AND SO STUDYING THE IONOSPHERE
IS ONE OF THE PARTS OF THE
BIGGER SYSTEM.
UNDERSTANDINGTHIS TELLS US
ABOUT THE FUNDAMENTAL PROCESSES
THAT ARE HAPPENING ON MANY
DIFFERENT SCALES FROM THE
SMALLEST SCALES TO THE
PARTICLES IN THE FIELD, ALL THE
WAY TO THE SIZE OF THE PLANETS
AND THE SUN ITSELF.
AND ALL OF THIS CREATES THIS
DYNAMIC SPACE THAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT, AND THIS IS WHAT
MAKES THIS NONEMPTY SPACE.
IT'S ALL OF THE STUFF COMING
OFF THE SUN, INTERACTING WITH
EVERYTHING IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
AND THE REASON THAT IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT IS NOT ONLY IS IT
TELLING US ABOUT FUNDAMENTAL
SCIENCE, WHICH IS PERTINENT NOT
JUST TO WHAT HAPPENS HERE IN
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM BUT, IN FACT,
OTHER SOLAR SYSTEMS, EXOPLANET
SYSTEMS AND YOU WILL OF THIS
ENERGY AND MATTER INTERACTS
WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY.
SO AS RICHARD AND SARAH HAVE
MENTIONED, THIS INTERACTS WITH
OUR TECHNOLOGY WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT THE IONOSPHERE AND, IN
FACT, EVEN FARTHER OUT IN THE
MAGNEOSPHERE OF THE EARTH, AND
HELIOSPHERE AND ALL OF THIS
SPACE IS MESSING WITH
TECHNOLOGY.
IT'S INTERACING WITH
SPACECRAFT, SOMETIMES
DISRUPTING THEM.
AND IT EVEN CREATES A REALLY
NASTY ENVIRONMENT FOR
ASTRONAUTS.
SO UNDERSTANDING THAT IS
IMPORTANT ALSO FOR SPACE TRAVEL
NEAR THE EARTH AND THROUGH THE
REST OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
SO THAT'S THE BIGGER PICTURE OF
HELIOPHYSICS.
>> SO WITH THAT, I HAVE A GOOD
QUESTION FOR YOU THAT WE GOT
IN.
WE ARE TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS.
YOU CAN USE #ASKNASA.
WE HAVE A PERFECT ONE THAT
SEGUES INTO THIS.
THE QUESTION IS JAY FROM
FACEBOOK ASKS: HOW DO THE
RESULTS OF THIS MISSION
CONTRIBUTE TO SPACE WEATHER
PREDICTION?
>> C. Alex Young: THAT'S A
GREAT QUESTION, BECAUSE -- AND
EVEN SARAH AND RICHARD HINTED
AT THIS.
UNDERSTANDING THIS INTERACTION
IS TELLING US ABOUT THE
FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS,
INTERACTIONS OF PLASMAS, WHICH
ARE THIS IONIZED GAS, ALSO WITH
NEUTRAL GASES.
THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS IN MANY
DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS
THROUGHOUT THE SOLAR SYSTEM,
EVEN ON THE SUN ITSELF.
THAT IS FUNDAMENTAL AND
IMPORTANT.
IT TELLS US HOW OUR TECHNOLOGY,
HOW RADIOWAVES INTERAC WITH
THIS EVER CHANGING ATMOSPHERE.
SO UNDERSTANDING THIS IS REALLY
CRITICAL FOR US AS WE CONTINUE
TO EXPAND ALL THE TECHNOLOGY
THAT WE USE IN OUR SOCIETY.
AND UNDERSTANDING THIS
ATMOSPHERE TELLS BUS OTHER
ATMOSPHERES, OTHER PLANETS IN
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND
EXOPLANETS.
>> Karen Fox: FANTASTIC!
WE WILL HAVE SOME MORE
QUESTIONS WE WILL BE TAKING
RIGHT NOW.
I WILL THROW THIS ONE TO
RICHARD.
WELCOME BACK.
>> YEAH, YEAH.
>> Karen Fox: THIS ONE IS FROM
KEVIN FROM FACEBOOK.
IS THERE ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR
WE ARE LOOKING FOR ON THIS
MISSION, SOMETHING SPECIFIC OR
IS IT MORE OF JUST A GENERAL
UNDERSTANDING OF REGION?
>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE
LOOKING FOR IS FOR YEARS WE
HAVE HAD INFORMATION ABOUT THE
OXYGEN AND THE NITROGEN, THE
COMPOSITION OF THE UPPER
ATMOSPHERE.
WE HAVEN'T HAD REALLY IMAGES
OF -- WE HAVE IMAGES OF THOSE
BUT WE HAVEN'T HAD IMAGES OF
THE TEMPERATURES AND THE
COMBINATION OF THOSE TWO IS
WHAT MAKES THE -- WHICH IS
REALLY USEFUL TO US.
THOSE ARE REALLY KEY PIECES, OF
OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PUZZLE
OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE.
WE HAVE BOTH OF THOSE.
THAT'S WHAT THE THRUST OF THIS
IS, TO LOOK AT THE INTERACTION
BETWEEN THOSE, SEE HOW THOSE
CHANGE OVER TIME, AND BE ABLE
TO WATCH THEM THROUGHOUT A
DATE, TO SEE HOW IT EVOLVES
BECAUSE OUR PREVIOUS MISSIONS
HAVE EITHER BEEN VERY LIMITED
IN THE LOCATION THEY COULD
COVER OR THEY HAVE BEEN VERY
LIMITED IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME
COVERAGE THEY COULD PROVIDE.
WE KNOW THAT THE UPPER
ATMOSPHERE CHANGES IN ABOUT AN
HOUR.
LARGE CHANGES IN THE ORDER OF
AN HOUR BUT WE HAVE ONLY BEEN
ABLE TO REVISIT AT SEVERAL
HOURS PREVIOUSLY VIA
SATELLITES.
THAT'S THE KEY PIECE OF WHAT
THE MISSION IS DOING.
>> Karen Fox: THANK YOU.
WE ARE GETTING LOTS OF
QUESTIONS IN AND WE WILL KEEP
ANSWERING THEM THROUGHOUT THE
SHOW.
BUT WE WILL TAKE A BREAK NOW TO
MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE VERY
INTERESTING ABOUT GOLD.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THIS
IS ONE OF THE FIRST -- IT IS
THE FIRST TIME THAT NASA HAS A
MISSION UP ON A COMMERCIAL
SATELLITE AND TO TALK A LITTLE
BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, WE HAVE
TODD GOSSETT WHO IS JOINING US
TO -- HE'S HERE FROM SES
GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS.
>> Todd Gossett: THANK YOU,
KAREN.
>> Karen Fox: SO WHAT THIS IS,
WHAT GOLD IS, IT'S A HOSTED
PAYLOAD AND TODD IS IN CHARGE
OF HOSTED PAYLOADS.
SO TELL US ABOUT THAT.
HOW ARE WE CATCHING THIS RIDE?
>> Todd Gossett: I WANTED TO
EXPLAIN WHAT A HOSTED PAY LOAD
IS.
IT'S A PIECE OF SPACE HARDWARE.
IT'S A MISSION, AS YOU WERE,
THAT HAS A FUNCTION, A PURPOSE,
MAYBE AN OPERATING ORGANIZATION
THAT IS DISTINCT AND DIFFERENT
FROM THAT 69 HOST SPACECRAFT.
SO FOR SES-14 AND GOLD, GOLD IS
OPERATED BY UNIVERSITY OF
COLORADO ON BEHALF OF NASA AND
SES-14 IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY
SES.
WE ARE PROVIDING C AND KU BANDS
OVER THE AMERICAS AND
TRANSATLANTIC, RADIO CAN
TRANSMISSIONS.
A COMPANY LIKE SES, WE HAVE TO
SUSTAIN THE FLEET AND WE HAVE
TO PROCURE AND LAUNCH THREE
SATELLITES PER YEAR.
EACH OF THOSE SATELLITES
AFFORDS A RIDE SHARE
OPPORTUNITY, A HITCHING A RIDE
OPPORTUNITY FOR HOSTED PAYROAD
AS WE ARE ABLE NO MOST TIME
ABLE TO PROVIDE EXCESS SIZE
WEIGH AND POWER THAT REAL
ESTATE ON BOARD A SPACECRAFT TO
A HOSTED PAYLOAD CUSTOMER AND
FURTHER A HOSTED PAYLOAD
CUSTOMER CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, THE GROUND
CENTERS THAT WE HAVE SET UP TO
COMMAND AND CONTROL THE
SATELLITE, THE COMMUNICATION
SERVICES, THE FIBER, THE GROUND
STATIONS THAT WE USE TO MOVE
DATA AROUND ON BEHALF OF OUR
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
CUSTOMERS, ET CETERA.
WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN?
WELL, A HOSTED PAY PAYLOAD CUSTO
CAN SAVE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS VERSUS PROCURING A
DEDICATED SATELLITE ON THEIR
OWN.
>> Karen Fox: FANTASTIC!
TELL ME A HILL BIT MORE ABOUT
HOW WE EVEN GET THAT INSTRUMENT
UP INTO SPACE, COORDINATED WITH
SES.
I SAID BEFORE -- SORRY TO
INTERRUPT YOU.
I SAID BEFORE THAT 9 UNIVERSITY
OF CENTRAL FLORIDA IS THE LEAD
INSTITUTION AND IT WAS BUILT AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO'S
LASP LABORATORY.
FROM THERE, IT HAS NO GET ALL
THE WAY UP INTO SPACE AND MAYBE
YOU CAN WATCH US THROUGH THAT
PROCESS.
I JUST REALIZED I HAVE ONE
OTHER IMPORTANT THING TO SAY.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR
LIVESTREAM WATCHERS.
WE HAVE JUST GOTTEN OUR STREAM
UP ON FACEBOOK AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU GUYS STICKING
WITH US AND WELCOME AND STICK
WITH US!
WE HAVE INTERESTING STUFF TO
TALK ABOUT TODAY.
AND NOW BACK TO YOU, TODD.
>> Todd Gossett: SO WE LEFT OFF
THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO,
LASP BUILT THE GOLD PAYLOAD.
THEY FINISHED IT UP AROUND THE
END OF 2016 AND THEY SHIPPED IT
TO TOULOUSE, FACILITY, IN
FRANCE.
THEY INTEGRATED THE GOAL HOSTED
PAYLOAD ON TO SES-14 IN APRIL
OF LAST YEAR.
I THINK I HAVE A GRAPHIC HERE.
THIS IS AN ARTIST'S DEPICTION
BUT THIS SHOWS GOAL, THE
INSTRUMENT ON TOP OF THE NADR
DECK SURROUNDED BY SES-14'S
MISSION, WHICH IS
COMMUNICATIONS.
THAT'S HOW IT GOT THERE.
AND THROUGHOUT THE SPRING AND
SUMMER AND INTO THE FALL, THE
SATELLITE UNDERWENT WHAT WE
CALL ASSEMBLY INTEGRATION AND
TEST IN TOULOUSE, THAT FINISHES
CONSTRUCTION OF THE SATELLITE
AND TESTS IT OUT TO MAKE SURE
IT MEETS OUR REQUIREMENTS.
NOT ONLY DO WE MAKE SURE WE
MEET OUR REQUIREMENTS BUT
THERE'S COMPATIBILITY
TESTING -- WE MADE SURE THAT
SES-14 WOULD DO NO HARM AND
GOLD WOULD DO NO HARM TO THE
SES-14 MISSION.
AND WE FINISHED THAT UP FORT
WORTH FALL, AND THAT WAS BACKED
UP AND TRANSPORTED TO KOUROU,
FRENCH GUIANA.
I THINK WE HAVE A GRAPHIC TO
SHOW WHERE THAT IS.
THIS IS THE GUIANA SPACE
CENTER.
AND THIS IS WHERE THE EUROPEAN
COMPANY LAUNCHES 9
INFRASTRUCTURE FROM.
AND THIS IS TO THE NORTHWEST OF
KOUROU.
THE SATELLITE WAS PACKED UP AND
TRANSPORTED ON THE 22nd OF
DECEMBER AND ARRIVED IN KOUROU,
AS YOU CAN SEE IT'S BEING
UNLOADED FROM THE ENTONOV
AIRCRAFT AND IT'S PROCESSED IN
KOUROU FOR A JANUAR
JANUARY 25th LAUNCH ON AN
ARAINE 5 ROCKET.
>> Karen Fox: FANTASTIC!
AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
IT GOES INTO SPACE.
>> Todd Gossett: EXACTLY.
JANUARY 25th, THE LAUNCH AIRS
AND THE ARAINE 5 WILL GIVE THE
SES-14 AND GOLD TO THE TRANSFER
ORBIT.
IT WILL BE RAISED OPPORTUNITY
GEOSTATIONARY SPOT.
THE FINAL GEOSTATIONARY SPOT IS
47.5 DEGREES WEST OVER BRAZIL,
IN WHICH IT WILL DO THAT
SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
MISSION THAT I MENTIONED
EARLIER, BUT EVEN -- OF MORE
INTEREST TO US TODAY IS THAT'S
WHEN WE TURN GOLD ON AND PUT IT
THROUGH THE COMMISSIONING
PROCESS SO IT WILL START ITS
MISSION FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF
YEARS.
>> Karen Fox: LET'S TALK ABOUT
THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
ONE THING THAT'S SO FASCINATING
ABOUT A LAB N LAB MISSION, YOU N
AN ORBIT THAT WORKS FOR THE
TELECOM SATELLITE AND THE
MISSION ITSELF, THE MISSION TO
DO ITS SCIENCE, RIGHT?
SO TELL ME WHAT GOLD CAN DO.
WHY DOES THIS ORBIT WORK FOR
GOLD?
WHY DOES IT WANT TO BE THERE?
>> WELL, THE GREAT THING ABOUT
THIS ORBIT, THE GEOSTATIONARY
ORBIT, STAYS ABOVE ONE
LOCATIONAL EARTH.
WE REVIEW THEM -- WE PLAN TO DO
THIS HALF HOUR CADENCE AS WE
MENTIONED EARLIER, I THINK
THAT.
LETS US FOLLOW THE EVOLUTION
THROUGHOUT THE TIME OF THE --
OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE.
PREVIOUS MISSIONS FROM LOW
EARTH ORBIT WE HAVE DIFFICULTY
OR AS I SAY, WE CAN'T TELL
BETWEEN CHANGES IN TIME AND
CHANGES IN LOCATIONS.
SO WE ARE REVISITING DIFFERENT
LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE DAY,
AND AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
WE DON'T KNOW WHICH IS REALLY
THE SOURCE OF THE CHANGE AND WE
KNOW THAT BOTH OF THOSE THINGS
INFLUENCE WHAT WE ARE
OBSERVING.
SO THAT'S THE GREAT THING ABOUT
GOLD AND ALSO SPARTA LETS US
VIEW A HEMISPHERE, GETS US A
LARGE-SCALE VIEW FROM 9
INSTRUMENT.
THE
INSTRUMENT.
>> Karen Fox: WE HAVE A GOOD
QUESTION THAT HAS COME IN.
THIS IS FROM KIMBERLY
UNDERWOOD.
AND HOW DOES THE LAUNCHING ON A
COMMERCIAL SATELLITE COME ABOUT
FOR GOLD?
HOW DID THAT EVEN HAPPEN?
I KNOW YOU GUYS IN THE -- YOU
HAVE BEEN TALKING TO SES FOR A
WHILE.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE
INITIAL SPARK THERE?
>> THE INITIAL CONVERSATION WAS
I WAS LOOKING FOR A RIDE,
ACTUALLY, AND I CALLED UP A FEW
SATELLITE COMPANIES LOOKING TO
SEE WHO IS WILLING -- WHO HAS
SATELLITES AND WHO IS FLYING
THEM AND I REALIZED THE
COMMUNICATION COMPANIES WERE
FLYING LOTS OF SATELLITES AND
THAT'S THE PLACE TO GO.
WE STARTED TALKING TO SOME OF
THE SATELLITE COMMUNICATION
COMPANIES, AND SES WAS ONE OF
THEM, AND IT EVOLVED FROM
THERE.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE
FOR ALL OF US.
>> Karen Fox: THAT'S GREAT.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO TAKE OUR
QUESTIONS.
WE ARE HERE AT NASA GODDARD
TALKING ABOUT GOLD, THE NEWEST
MISSION, LAUNCHING IN JANUARY
FROM FRENCH GUIANA.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO TALK ABOUT
WHAT GOLD CAN DO.
YOU JUST GAVE US THIS
INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT IT CAN
DO FROM ITS ORBIT.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE
INSTRUMENT.
WHAT IS IT SCANNING?
WHAT IS IT SEEING SOME WHAT'S
GOING ON THERE?
>> WHAT IT'S DOING, IT SCANS --
IT'S LIKE A SPECTOGRAPH AND IT
LINES OUT AND BY USING THE
DIFFERENCES AND HOW THE COLORS
CHANGE OVER TIME AND HOW
THAT -- WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE AS
FAR AS THE COLORS, WE CAN TELL
WHAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE
UPPER ATMOSPHERE IS AND WHAT
THE CHANGES AND WEB TELL WHAT
THE CHANGES -- AND WE CAN TELL
WHAT THE CHANGES OF THE
ATMOSPHERE ARE DOING.
WE CAN SEE THE NIGHTTIME AIR
GLOW AND WE'LL SEE THE
STRUCTURE IN THE DAYTIME TOO.
IT SCANS ACROSS THE EARTH IN
HALF AN HOUR CADENCE AND BY
COMBINING THOSE INDIVIDUAL
PICTURES AS WE GO ACROSS, WE
GET A PICTURE OF THE WHOLE
EARTH AT THAT CADENCE.
WE CAN GIVE US PICTURES OF THE
TEMPERATURE AND THE COMPOSITION
AND OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE
UPPER ATMOSPHERE.
>> Karen Fox: SO THIS IS ONE.
THINGS THAT I FIND PARTICULARLY
INTERESTING.
YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
30-MINUTE SCANS OF THE ENTIRE
DISK, BUT IT CAN BE FLEXIBLE
TOO, RIGHT?
IT CAN ZOOM IN.
IT CAN DO FASTER SCANS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S SO
USEFUL ABOUT THAT, IS WE CAN
COORDINATE WITH OTHER MISSIONS
AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE
LOOKING AT THE IONOSPHERE AND
SARAH JONES RECENTLY MENTIONED
AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS SHOW,
WE HAVE ANOTHER MISSION COMING
UP THIS YEAR, LATER IN 2018,
IT'S CALLED THE IONOSPHERE
CONNECTION EXPLORER, ICON.
TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT.
HOW DO THEY PLAY TOGETHER?
>> Sarah Jones: SURE.
THE ICON MISSION GOES LATER ON
THIS YEAR.
S IS SIMILAR TO WHAT GOLD IS
STUDYING BUT A DIFFERENT
VANTAGE POINT.
LOW EARTH ORBIT IS WHAT THE I.
S.S. FLIES IN AND THIS IS RIGHT
WITHIN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE
THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING B.SO
ICON WILL BE FLYING THROUGH
THAT VERY REGION, DIRECTLY
MEASURING THE PARTICLES THERE
AND HOW THEY MOVE.
THAT MEANS THAT ICON WILL BE
GETTING A VERY LOCALIZED VIEW,
WITH FINE SCALES IN CONTRAST
WITH GOLD, WHICH IS HOVERING
22,000 MILES ABOVE SEEING THE
WHOLE GLOBAL SCALE AND WATCHING
EVERYTHING PLAY OUT BELOW.
SO THESE TWO MISSIONS ARE VERY,
VERY COMPLIMENTARY, AND THEY
WILL GIVE SCIENTISTS A MORE
COMPREHENSIVE PICTURE OF WHAT'S
GOING ON HERE FROM THE GLOBAL
SCALES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO
METER SCALES.
NOW, KAREN MENTIONED THAT ICON
IS AN EXPLORER MISSION AND
THAT'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE
EXPLORER LINE THE MISSIONS.
YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT,
ALEX?
>> C. Alex Young: SURE.
THAT'S A REALLY COOL LINE THAT
NASA HAS, THE EXPLORE PROGRAM
AND IT IS BOTH MISSIONS THAT
HAVE THEIR OWN DEDICATED
SPACECRAFT, OR WHAT'S CALLED A
MISSION OF OPPORTUNITY LIKE
GOLD, WHERE IN THIS CASE WE
HAVE ACTUALLY FOR THE FIRST
TIME HAVE IT ON A PRIVATE SPACE
CRAFT.
AND THE COOL THING ABOUT
EXPLORER MISSIONS IS THEY ARE
DESIGNED TO BE VERY NIMBLE,
VERY QUICK TO COME AROUND,
RELATIVELY LOW COST, BUT
SPECIFICALLY THEY ARE DESIGNED
TO ANSWER VERY SPECIFIC
QUESTIONS, VERY FOCUSED
SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS.
AND SO THEY ARE A VERY
IMPORTANT PARENT OF THE LINE OF
MISSIONS THAT NASA HAS IN
HELIOPHYSICS AND ALSO IN
ASTROPHYSICS AND ALL OF THESE
DIFFERENT MISSIONS ARE
ADDRESSING DIFFERENT PARTS OF
KIND OF THE BIGGER PIECE AS WE
TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, OF THE
PUZZLE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT
THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN
THE HELIOPHYSICS SYSTEM.
>> Karen Fox: THANK YOU GUYS,
SO MUCH.
I'M REALLY ENJOYING THIS TODAY.
WE ARE TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE ARE GETTING SO MANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT 9 COLLABORATION
WITH THE COMMERCIAL SATELLITE
AND I PROMISE YOU, WE WILL GET
TO THOSE.
THERE'S SOME GOOD ONES COMING
IN.
IN THE MEANTIME, YOU CAN KEEP
ASKING QUESTIONS BY USING THE
#ASKNASA.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS
NOW -- I HAVE A NICE EASTY ONE
FOR YOU, RICHARD.
>> OKAY.
>> Karen Fox: WHAT DOES THE
LIMB AND DISK PART OF THE TITLE
MEAN?
>> THE LIMIT IS -- THE DIS DISK
LOOKING AT THE EARTH, AND THE
LIMB IS THE EARTH.
THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, THE LIMB
IS -- ALL WE'RE SEEING THERE,
WE SEE UP IN THE ATMOSPHERE.
WE CAN LOOK AT ALTITUDE
PROFILES AND THE MISSIONS, BUT
THE DISK IS WHERE WE GET THE
PICTURES OF WHAT'S HAPPENING ON
EARTH.
>> Karen Fox: ALL RIGHT.
ALSO GETTING A QUESTION FROM
JANE ON INSTAGRAM, WHO ASKS:
WILL GOLD BE ABLE TO DETECT THE
EFFECTS OF SOLAR FLARES?
>> OH, YES!
DEFINITELY.
YES.
9 AIR GLO THE AIR GLOW THAT WE A
LOOKING AT AND THE NIGHT TIME
AIR GLOW OR THE DAYTIME AIR
GLOW RESPOND TO WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN THE SUN.
SO THE SOLAR FLARES WILL
INFLUENCE THOUGH.
THE DAYTIME, WE WILL SEE THE
CHANGES.
>> C. Alex Young: CAN I ADD TO
THAT?
THAT'S REALLY COOL.
THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.
WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY NICE
DISCOVERIES RECENTLY.
YOU KNOW, WE SEE OSCILLATIONS
IN SOLAR FLARES.
WE SEE THAT IN X-RAY LIGHT THAT
COMES FROM THE SUN AND RECENTLY
FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE STARTED
TO SEE THOSE CORRESPONDING
OSCILLATIONS DIRECTLY CONNECTED
IN THE IONOSPHERE.
SO HAVING MORE OBSERVATIONS OF
THE IONOSPHERE IS REALLY,
REALLY COOL FOR SEEING THIS
SUN/EARTH CONNECTION IN A NEW
WAY.
>> Karen Fox: THAT'S EXCITING.
ONE MORE NOW, THOUGH YOU CAN
KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS BY SAYING
#ASKNASA IN YOUR HASHTAG.
AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GOLD,
THE NASA MISSION THAT WILL BE
LAUNCHING THE END OF JANUARY TO
STUDYING THE INTERFACE TO
SPACE, THE BOUNDARY TO SPACE.
WE HAVE THIS OVERLAP WITH THE
UPPER ATMOSPHERE.
WE TALK ABOUT HOW IT WILL TAKE
INTO CONSIDERATION, TERRESTRIAL
WEATHER.
SO WE HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION
FOR THIS ROUND AND THAT'S ALEX
FROM TWITTER, WHO WOULD LIKE TO
KNOW, WILL GOLD IMPROVE THE
WEATHER FORECASTING ON EARTH?
>> AS FAR AS WE KNOW, IT WILL
NOT IMPROVE WEATHER FORECASTING
ON EARTH.
BUT THE WEATHER FORECASTING ON
EARTH WILL BE ABLE TO -- WE CAN
USE THAT TO IMPROVE THE WEATHER
FORECASTING IN SPACE.
THAT'S THE WAY IT WILL WORK.
>> Karen Fox: ALL RIGHT.
FANTASTIC!
I'M GOING TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS
NOW.
MY TURN.
ALL RIGHT, WHAT I WANT TO KNOW
IS: RICHARD, WHAT IS THE THING
YOU ARE MOST EXCITED ABOUT,
EAS?YOU HAVE BEEN WITH THIS MISS
FOR A LONG TIME, WHAT ARE YOU
MOST EXCITED ABOUT?
>> GETTING DATA.
AFTER WORKING ON THIS FOR
SEVERAL YEARS, IT'S EXCITING TO
GET DATA.
I THINK IT'S ALSO INTERESTING
TO GET -- IT'S FUNDAMENTAL AS
A -- AS FUNDAMENTAL AS A PIECE
OF INFORMATION THAT
TEMPERATURES. WE NEVER HAD
PICTURES -- IT'S JUST AS
IMPORTANT.
JUST BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE
TEMPERATURE IN CALIFORNIA,
DOESN'T MEAN YOU KNOW THE
TEMPERATURE IN D.C.
IT'S JUST IMPORTANT IN THE
UPPER ATMOSPHERE TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT THOSE TEMPERATURE
DIFFERENCES ARE AND WE'LL
FINALLY HAVE THAT.
I'M LOOKING IN ORDER TO THAT.
>> Karen Fox: FAN FASTIC.
EVERYONE WILL HAVE THEIR TURN
HERE.
SARAH WHAT IS THE THING THAT'S
MOST EXCITING FOR YOU ABOUT
THIS MISSION?
>> Sarah Jones: OKAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M
EXCITED ABOUT IS THIS
OPPORTUNITY THAT WE TALKED
ABOUT FOR THE G GOLD AND ICON
MISSIONS TO WORK TOGETHER AND
TO BE ABLE TO FOR THE FIRST
TIME GET A GLOBAL SCALE VIEW
AND A FINE SCALE LOCAL VIEW AT
THE SAME TIME AND LIKE RICHARD
SAID, GETTING IT MUCH FASTER,
GETTING A PICTURE OF GLOBAL
SCALE, AND THAT WILL ALLOW US
TO LOOK AT THE DAY-TO-DAY
EFFECTS AND LONGER TERM EFFECTS
THAT WE LOOKED AT IN THE PAST.
>> Karen Fox: THAT BRINGS US TO
ALEX YOUNG, WHAT ARE YOU MOST
LOOKING FORWARD TO?
WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT
WITH THIS MISSION?
>> C. Alex Young: WELL, I'M
EXCITED -- IT'S KIND OF AN
EXTENSION OF WHAT SARAH SAID.
THE COOL THING ABOUT THE COMBO
BETWEEN ICON AND GOLD, THE FACT
THAT WE ARE GETTING THIS GLOBAL
VIEW THAT'S ACTUALLY REMOTE
SENSING PANE THEN WE HAVE THE
IN SITU VIEW, WE ARE SENDING
SOMETHING THROUGH IT.
THAT'S ICON FLYING THROUGH IT.
THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT WAYS THAT WE HAVE TO
DO HELIOPHYSICS.
WE HAVE ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT
PLACES IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM, IN
THE HELIOSPHERE AND WE HAVE
SOME SPACECRAFT THAT ARE
LOOKING AT A DISTANCE AND THE
REMOTE SENSING VIEW AND
SOMEWHERE WE ARE ACTUALLY
FLYING SPACECRAFT THROUGH IT,
TO BASICALLY SCOOP UP PARTICLES
AND THAT IS PART OF THE BIGGER
HELIOPHYSICS SUITE.
THESE TWO MISSIONS GOAL AND
ICON ARE PART OF THIS BIGGER
PICTURE.
WE HAVE A GRAPHIC SHOWING ALL
THE DIFFERENT MISSIONS OF WHAT
WE CALL THE HELIOPHYSICS FEED
OR THE OBSERVE FORY.
ALL OF THESE MISSIONS ARE PART
OF ONE GIANT OBSERVATORY.
AND THEY ARE SHOWING US THE
SUN, BOTH INSIDE AND OUT, ALL
OF THE STUFF THAT'S CREATING
THAT SPACE AND THEN THEY ARE
SHOWING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT
ENVIRONMENTS.
THE IONOSPHERE, AS WE TALKED
ABOUT, MOVING FARTHER OUT, THE
MAGNETO SPHERE OF THE EARTH AND
OTHER PLANETS WHICH CAN BE
VASTLY DIFFERENT AND HOW THESE
THINGS INTERACT, AS WELL AS THE
BROADEST REGIONS OF OUR LOCAL
SPACE TO THE VERY EDGE, WITH
EVEN SPACECRAFT LIKE VOYAGER
WHICH HAVE NOW FLOWN OUT,
OUTSIDE OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM AND
ARE STARTING TO TOUCH
INTERSTELLAR MATTER,
INTERSTELLAR MEDIA.
SO THAT TO ME, SEEING THESE --
SEEING ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT
VIEW POINTS COME TOGETHER TO
GIVE US THAT GLOBAL SCALE VIEW
IS REALLY WHAT'S SO EXCITING.
>> Karen Fox: FANTASTIC!
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE
TODD GOSSETT, FROM SES
GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS TO TELL US
WHAT HE FINDS MOST INTERESTING
ABOUT 9 UPCOMING -- NOT
INTERESTING, MOST EXCITING
ABOUT THE UPCOMING GOLD LAUNCH
IN JANUARY FROM FRENCH GUIANA.
>> Todd Gossett: WHAT I'M MOST
EXCITED ABOUT AND SES IS MOST
EXCITED ABOUT GETTING THE
SES-14 PAY LOAD AND THE
PARTNERSHIP WITH NASA, HARDWARE
AND SOFTWARE.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH
RICHARD AND THE GOAL GOLD TEAM F
GOOD PART OF THE DECADE.
DOZENS OF PEOPLE COMPANY-WIDE
AND WE GET TO REALIZE THE
FRUITS OF THAT LABOR AND
DEMONSTRATE THIS COMMERCIAL
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT.
>> Karen Fox: FANTASTIC!
IT WILL BE AN EXCITING MISSION.
WE HAVE A BUNCH MORE QUESTIONS
AND WE WILL START GOING THROUGH
THEM.
I WILL KEEP YOU GUYS UP HERE
AND WE WILL ASK EACH OF YOU THE
APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, YOU WILL STILL LEAVE
THEM FOR US.
USE #ASKNASA OR DOWN BELOW.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS
INTERESTING REGION OF SPACE IF
YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
SCIENCE THERE, WHAT'S GOING ON
OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MISSION,
WE ARE INTERESTED IN HEARING
THEM.
FAY WHOLE BUNCH, WE HAVE A
NUMBER FROM SOME OF OUR PRESS
WHO ARE WATCHING AS WELL.
WE WILL GO THROUGH THIS.
WE HAVE SPACE NI FLIGHT INSIDER.
WHAT DOES NASA HOPE TO GAIN?
>> Sarah Jones: WE ARE EXCITED
ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THE GOLD
MISSION AND HOW IT'S BEEN
WORKING OUT.
I THINK RICHARD AND TODD TALKED
ABOUT WHAT WE ARE GAINING IN
THAT CASE.
NOW, NOT EVERY MISSION CAN A
HOSTED PAYLOAD.
SOME MISSIONS NEED A SPECIAL
CUSTOMILED BUS.
OTHERS DONE.
SOME COULD FLY AS CUSTOMIZED
PAYLOADS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE
EXCITED ABOUT AND HOPE TO DO
MORE.
>> Karen Fox: FANTASTIC!
ALL RIGHT.
WE ALSO HAVE -- I WILL GIVE
THIS ONE TO YOU, RICHARD.
THIS IS GENE FROM TWITTER.
WHY COULDN'T GOLD HAVE BEEN
MOUNTED ON THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION INSTEAD OF GOING
ON A COMMERCIAL SATELLITE?
>> GOOD QUESTION.
THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
IS IN LOW EARTH ORBIT.
IT GOES AROUND AND HAS A
90-MINUTE ORBIT.
IT DOESN'T ALLOW US TO STAY
OVER ONE LOCATION AND KEEP
LOOKING.
AND ALSO IT'S SO CLOSE TO THE
EARTH THAT WE DON'T GET AS BIG
A VIEW, AS WIDE A VIEW AS WE DO
FROM GEOSTATIONAL ORBIT.
>> Karen Fox: REMIND US HOW
HIGH GOLD IS IN ITS ORBIT.
>> I THINK IT'S 22,000 MILES.
IT'S QUITE A WAYS OUT THERE.
IT GIVES US THE PERSPECTIVE
THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR.
YOU SEE ALMOST HALF THE EARTH.
ESSENTIALLY YOU CAN SEE HALF
THE EARTH FROM THERE.
>> Karen Fox: FANTASTIC!
FINDING SOME MORE BECAUSE
THERE'S A LOT!
THIS ONE I WILL HAND OFF TO
TODD.
WHAT IS THE ACTUAL LAUNCH
VEHICLE?
>> Todd Gossett: IT'S AN ARAINE
5.
IT'S A VEHICLE PROVIDED BY A
EUROPEAN COMPANY.
ARAINESPACE.
AND THEIR LAUNCH IS THE FRENCH
GUYANA LOCATION IN KOUROU.
>> Karen Fox: AND I WILL ASK
YOU ONE MORE QUESTION.
WHAT IS THE BENEFIT FOR SES?
>> Todd Gossett: THE BENEFIT
FOR SES, MY PART OF SES, SES
GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS WE
STRICTLY DO BUSINESS WITH THE
U.S. GOVERNMENT.
THIS IS ANOTHER LINE OF
BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE BEEN
DEVELOPING FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY A SOURCE OF
REVENUE FOR THE COMPANY BUT IT
ALSO EXTENDS OUR PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE U.S. GOVERNMENT BEYOND
JUST COMMUNICATION SERVICES AND
GETS US INTO NEW AND
INTERESTING AREAS THAT COULD BE
A POTENTIAL BENEFIT TO THE
UNITED STATES AND ITS PARTNERS
AROUND THE WORLD.
>> Karen Fox: THANK YOU.
AIRLINES BENEFIT FROM THE GOLD
AND ICON MISSIONS?
WE WILL START WITH YOU ON THAT
ONE, SARAH, UNLESS YOU WANT TO
TOSS IT TO SOMEONE ELSE.
>> Sarah Jones: I WAS GOING TO
TOSS IT TO ALEX.
>> C. Alex Young: I HAD A
FEELING YOU WOULD DO THAT.
ABSOLUTELY.
AS WAS SHOWN IN SOME OF THE
DIAGRAMS AND ANIMATIONS THAT
SARAH SHOWED AND WHAT SARAH AND
RICHARD TALKED ABOUT.
THE IONOSPHERE HAS A HUGE
INFLUENCE ON RADIO
COMMUNICATIONS BOTH SIGNALS
GOING THROUGH THE IONOSPHERE
AND SIGNALS THAT WE USE THE
IONOSPHERE TO BEND, TO TRAVEL
AROUND THE EARTH.
SHORT WAVE RADIO, THAT'S HOW WE
CAN COMMUNICATE AROUND THE
EARTH, USING THE IONOSPHERE IS
LIKE A LENS.
AND SO WHEN THE IONOSPHERE
CHANGES AND GETS DISRUPTED, IT
CHANGES THE WAY THE SIGNALS
PROPAGATE THROUGH AND AROUND
IT, AND THAT DIRECTLY AFFECTS
AIRLINES.
IN FACT, IT ALSO AFFECTS
CERTAIN WAVE BANDS THAT ARE
USED BY NAVIGATION FOR SHIPS.
SO IT IS A HUGE IMPORTANCE FOR
AVIATION INDUSTRY, FOR THE
MARITIME INDUSTRY, AND EVEN FOR
THE MILITARY, BECAUSE THEY WANT
TO BE CERTAIN THAT THEIR
SIGNALS ARE GOING TO GET
THROUGH, THAT THEY ARE ALWAYS
IN COMMUNICATION, AND SO
UNDERSTANDING THE IONOSPHERE,
BEING ABLE TO ENRICH AND
IMPROVE OUR MODELS WHICH ARE
TELLING US WHAT'S HAPPENING
OVER A LONGER TIME SCALE IS
REALLY CRITICAL.
SO ICON AND GOLD ARE CRUCIAL
COMPONENTS TO REALLY FLESHING
THAT OUT AND BETTER
UNDERSTANDING HOW THIS IS GOING
TO BE IMPACTED.
>> Karen Fox: THIS IS PART OF
WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT, RIGHT?
>> YES, AND I WILL ADD THAT
F.A.A. IS GOING TO ASSIST WITH
THE GPS TO BASICALLY -- I
GUESS, MANAGE PLANES IN FLIGHT.
AND AS THEY TRANSITION TO THAT,
IF THERE'S TIMES WHEN THEY
CAN'T BE SURE THEY CAN RELY ON
THE GPS SIGNALS THAT THEY WILL
HAVE NO GO BACK TO, SAY,
SOME -- SOMEONE WILL BE LEFT
SITTING ON THE GROUND.
SOMETIMES THAT'S NECESSARY BUT
SOMETIMES IF WE DON'T KNOW
ENOUGH, THAT'S UNNECESSARY AND
PEOPLE WILL BE DELAYED
UNNECESSARILY.
IT WILL EVENTUALLY FEED INTO
THAT WITH NOAA AND F.A.A.
>> Karen Fox: ALL RIGHT.
WE ARE STILL GOING.
#ASKNASA.
WE ARE STILL GOING HERE.
THE NEXT ONE IS COLE FROM
FACEBOOK.
HE WANTS TO KNOW, HOW WILL GOLD
MEASUREMENTS BE AFFECTED BY THE
SOLAR CYCLE?
COULD THE DATA BE INTERESTING
DURING QUIET PERIOD OF SOLAR
MINIMUM?
>> Sarah Jones: WELL,
ABSOLUTELY, THE DATA WILL BE
INTERESTING ALWAYS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
BUT, YEAH, ACTUALLY, THERE'S
CERTAIN SCIENTIFIC PHENOMENON
THAT ARE MORE PRESENT DURING
SOLAR MINIMUM, I THINK, ISN'T
THAT RIGHT, RICHARD?
>> CORRECT.
>> Sarah Jones: AND WE WILL BE
ABLE TO SEE THAT.
SO LOOKING AT THE UPPER
ATMOSPHERE, BOTH DURING THESE
DYNAMIC ACTIVE TIMES AND ALSO
SEEING THE QUIET TIMES SO WE
CAN GET A BASELINE
UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE
ATMOSPHERE IS BEHAVING IS
ACTUALLY REALLY IMPORTANT.
>> C. Alex Young: AND I CAN ADD
TO THAT.
IT'S IN THE CASE THAT IN SOME
WAYS WE ARE EXPECTING THIS TO
BE A RATHER LOW SOLAR MINIMUM.
AND THIS IS ACTUALLY AN
OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY, YOU KNOW,
A STATE OF THE SUN AND WHAT IS
COMING OFF THE SUN IN A WAY
THAT WE COULDN'T BEFORE.
WE HAVE CERTAINLY LEARNED OVER
THE 3569 PAST, 10, 20 YEARS, TH
IT'S NOT JUST THE GIANT SUPER
EXPLOSIONS THAT HAPPENED BUT
THE SUBTLE FLOWS AND
FLUCTUATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING
ON THE SUN.
AND SO WE REALLY NEED TO
UNDERSTAND THEM DURING THE
TIMES OF SOLAR MINIMUM, NOT
JUST SOLAR MAXIMUM.
>> AND I WILL ADD, THE SOLAR
MINIMUM, SOME OF THAT STUFF,
THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE WILL BE
MORE OF AN IMPACT, BE EASIER TO
SEE.
SO IT'S A BENEFIT TO US WHERE
THE SIGNALS ARE OVERALL MAY BE
LESS, ACTUALLY SOME OF THOSE
SIGNALS WILL BE GREATER.
SO --
>> C. Alex Young: IT'S PRETTY
EXCITING.
>> YEAH.
>> C. Alex Young: AND JUST FROM
STUDYING SPACE WEATHER IN
GENERAL.
THE SOLAR MINIMUM WILL BE
BORING FOR YOU, BECAUSE THERE'S
NOT THE SOLAR FLARE.
THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
IT'S TIME TO STUDY THE THINGS
WE COULDN'T BEFORE.
ALL TIMES OF THE CYCLE ARE
IMPORTANT.
THEY ALL MATTER.
THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT EFFECTS
AND WE REALLY HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND THEM ALL TO REALLY
SEE THE BIG PICTURE.
>> Karen Fox: NEXT ONE IS FROM
ME.
THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW WE CAN
WATCH THE LAUNCH.
THE ANSWER IS RIGHT HERE ON
NASA TV.
WE WILL WORK WITH SES AND
ARAINE TO MAKE SURE WE GET SOME
OF THAT FEED.
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO WATCH IT
AND WE WILL HAVE INFORMATION
LEADING UP TO THE LAUNCH AS
WELL, TALKING ABOUT GOLD A
LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO PLEASE JOIN US FOR ALL OF
THAT.
KEEP ASKING YOUR QUESTIONS
BELOW IN THE COMMENTS OR
#ASKNASA.
A QUESTION FOR RICHARD.
MASON FROM FACEBOOK ASKS, HOW
LONG WILL IT TAKE AFTER LAUNCH
TO GET DATA AND WILL IT BE PUCK
PUBLICLY AVAILABLE?
>> IT WILL BE PUBLICLY
AVAILABLE.
IT TAKES SOME TIME TO GET INTO
AORBIT.
WE HAVE TO PUT IT INTO A
GEOTRANSFER STATION ORBIT,
INITIALLY AND THEN THE
SATELLITE HAS TO BE CHECKED
OUT.
SO AS WE UNDERSTAND IT NOW, THE
SCHEDULE NOW, OCTOBER -- THE
END OF SEPTEMBER, BEGINNING
OCTOBER BEFORE THE DATA STARTS
FLOWING FROM THE GOLD
INSTRUMENT AND IT.
TAKE 9 SCIENCE TEAM ABOUT A
MONTH TO CHECK OUT THE DATA TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE
UNDERSTANDING -- THAT THE DATA
IS ALL GOOD AND WE HAVE
INTERPRETED THINGS CORRECTLY.
THAT'S ABOUT THE TIME IT WILL
BE AVAILABLE.
IT WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH A
WEBSITE AT UCF AND ALSO BE
AVAILABLE ON THE SPDF, A NASA
SITE THAT HAS IT ALSO.
>> Karen Fox: GREAT.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF
QUESTIONS.
SO IF YOU WANT YOUR QUESTION
ASKED, PUT IT IN THERE.
#ASKNASA OR PUT IT IN THE
COMMENTS BELOW.
WE ARE STILL TALKIN TALKING ABOU
NASA'S NEWEST GOLD MISSION.
WE WILL BE LOOKING AT THE
INTERFACE TO SPACE, THE
BOUNDARY BETWEEN OUR UPPER
ATMOSPHERE AND SPACE, AN AREA
THAT WE CARE ABOUT AT NASA
BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF STUFF
GOING IN AND THERE ARE RADIO
SIGNALS.
>> Todd Gossett: I HAVE A
QUESTION.
I HAVE A QUESTION AND MAYBE FOR
THESE TWO, PROBABLY IT WAS
BROUGHT UP IN TERMS OF WHEN
GOLD AND ICON WOULD BE
LAUNCHED, IF THEY WOULD BE
AROUND FOR THE ECLIPSE.
THE BIG TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE
THAT WE JUST HAD.
BUT SINCE THAT'S NOT THE CASE
AND WE DO KNOW THAT ECLIPSES
HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE
IONOSPHERE, WHICH MAYBE WE WILL
TALK ABOUT, SO MY QUESTION TO
THE TWO OF YOU, HAVE YOU BEEN
SORT OF APPROACHED BY ANY OTHER
ECLIPSE PHYSICISTS ABOUT FUTURE
ECLIPSES AND MAYBE WOULD THEY
GET DATA DURING ANOTHER TOTAL
SOLAR ECLIPSE THAT YOU MIGHT BE
ABLE TO USE?
>> I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT!
I REALLY AM.
WE ALREADY LOOKED TO SEE WHEN
THERE WILL BE OTHER ECLIPSES
AND IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OR TWO
DURING THE PRIME MISSION OVER
SOUTH AMERICA.
SO NOT ONLY DO WE GET AN
ECLIPSE, I HAVE AN EXCUSE TO GO
TO SOUTH AMERICA.
SO 2019 AND 2020 ECLIPSES.
>> C. Alex Young: FANTASTIC!
>> IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN
THIS DATA WE WILL BE GLAD TO
TALK TO YOU BECAUSE WE WILL
NEED TO DO SOME PLANNING FOR
THE OBSERVATIONS TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT
ARE MOST PRODUCTIVE TO LOOK AT.
>> C. Alex Young: RIGHT.
RIGHT.
>> AS KAREN MENTIONED, IT CAN ME
FOCUS ON A SPECIFIC AREA.
DURING THE ECLIPSE, WE WILL
HAVE ONE OF TWO CHANNELS, MAYBE
BOTH, CONCENTRATE ON THE OTHER
WHERE THE ECLIPSE IS HAPPENING.
>> C. Alex Young: THAT'S REALLY
INTERESTING.
WE SAW EVIDENCE OF THESE WAVES
PROPAGATING INTO SOUTH AMERICA
FROM NORTH AMERICA.
SO YOU POSSIBLY WOULD HAVE SEEN
IT.
YES.
>> C. Alex Young: SOME EFFECT
FROM IT.
THAT'S REALLY COOL.
>> Karen Fox: THAT IS EXCITING.
A LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO WITH
THIS MISSION.
I'M NOW GETTING BACK TO VIOLET
BECAUSE I WOULD DO VIOLET.
VIOLET FROM TWITTER.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A BIRD'S
EYE VIEW, HOW DO YOU TELL THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE UPPER
PART OF THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE
LOWER PART OF THE ATMOSPHERE?
>> Sarah Jones: THAT'S A
FANTASTIC QUESTION.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE ATMOSPHERE,
IT LOOKS CLEAR AND BLUE BUT WE
ARE LOOKING DOWN FROM ABOVE.
CERTAIN PARTS OF THE ATMOSPHERE
ARE COMPOSED OF DIFFERENT
GASES, HYDROGEN, OXYGEN,
NITROGEN AND WHEN THEY GET SIT
BY THE SUN'S RADIATION, THEY
GLOW IN DIFFERENT COLORS.
SO CERTAIN COLORS WILL BE
DOMINANT AT CERTAIN ALTITUDES
AND THAT'S HOW YOU CAN TELL
ESSENTIALLY WHAT ALTITUDE YOU
ARE LOOKING AT WITH A CAMERA
THAT'S LOOKING DOWN.
NOW GOLD IS ACTUALLY LOOKING AT
FAR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT WHICH IS
LIGHT THAT OUR EYES CAN'T SEE.
IT'S THE SAME SITUATION THERE.
THERE'S CERTAIN ALTITUDES THAT
PREFERENTIALLY EMIT THAT FAR
ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT.
>> AND ALSO, I WILL ADD THAT
THE FAR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT IS
ABSORBED IN OUR LOWER
ATMOSPHERE.
SO WE KNOW ALL THE LIGHT WE GET
IS ABOVE 60 MILES.
SORT OF BY EXCLUDING THAT STUFF
DOWN LOW, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING
ABLE TO SEE IT, WE KNOW WE ARE
SEEING THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE.
>> Karen Fox: A QUESTION WITH
MARK WITH HISTORICAL AIR SPACE
NEWS.
HOW WILL GOLD'S IMAGING
SPECTOGRAPH VIEW THE ATMOSPHERE
DIFFERENT THAN PREVIOUS
INSTRUMENTS.
>> IT WILL VIEW SOME OF THE
SAME PROCESSES AND WE ARE
LOOKING -- AT NIGHT THERE'S
ATOMIC OXYGEN THAT'S FORMED
DURING THE DAYTIME, AND THEN IT
REFORMS.
WE CAN SIT AND WATCH IT FOR
HOURS TO SEE HOW THE ATMOSPHERE
EVOLVES AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO
WATCH THE STRUCTURES MOVE IN
THE IONOSPHERE AND SEE THE
STRUCTURES CHING.
STRUCTURES CHANGE.
THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE ABOUT
GOLD AND THE VIEW POINT OF IT
AND HOW WE CAN FOLLOW THE
CHANGES AND WHAT HAPPENED IN
THE DAYTIME, IN THE DAYTIME, TO
OVER TO WHAT HAPPENED AT NIGHT
AND SEE HOW THAT IMPACTS
THINGS.
HOW IT CHANGES THINGS.
>> Karen Fox: WE HAVE ONE MORE
QUESTION.
THIS IS FROM JEFF FAUST WITH
SPACE NEWS AND SPECIFICALLY FOR
TODD GOSSETT.
THE QUESTION IS: WHAT LESSONS
LEARNED FOR SES?
WILL THEY APPLY TO FUTURE
HOSTED PAYLOADS WHETHER IT'S
FOR NASA OR OTHER U.S.
GOVERNMENT CUSTOMERS?
>> Todd Gossett: ANY TIME WE DO
THIS.
THIS IS THE THIRD IS THE SES-GS
AND EVERY TIME WE DO THAT, WE
LEARN SOMETHING HOW TO APPLY IT
FORWARD.
WHETHER HOW IT'S TO COORDINATE
SCHEDULES AND BUNDLE
REQUIREMENTS EARLY ON IN THE
SELLING/PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND
HOW TO SYNCHRONIZE CONTRACTS.
AND IT'S A WHOLE HOST OF
THINGS.
HOW BETTER TO BE A GOOD STEWARD
OF THE TAXPAYERS MONEY AND HOW
TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE
CUSTOMER.
WE LEARN SOMETHING EVERY TIME.
>> Karen Fox: THIS HAS BEEN
GREAT.
I HAD A REALLY GOOD TIME
TALKING TO YOU GUYS.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL TO GET THE
QUESTIONS FROM YOU, OUR
WATCHERS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
KEEP WATCHING FOR MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT GOLD WHICH AS
WE SAID IS LAUNCHING AT THE END
OF JANUARY FROM FRENCH GUIANA.
THERE WILL BE MORE INFORMATION
ON NASA TV AND AT NASA.GOV.
THANK YOU SO MUCH!
BYE!
♪