Marcia Neugebauer, AV Resident and retired Space Physicist

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

2:30pm – 3:30 pm.,

ASA Koffler Great Room  and Zoom

 

 

While scientific research missions continue with space-based telescopes and planetary missions throughout our solar system, the past few decades has also seen an incredible proliferation of earth orbiting satellites.

From communication to navigation to weather forecasting these devices play a beneficial role for humanity.  But the incredibly growing number of earth orbiting satellites also poses potential hazards.  Crowded orbits may result in collisions that generate dangerous debris in addition to disrupting communication and navigation systems on earth.

Intentional physical or cyber-attacks on satellites could lead to war in outer space with catastrophic effects on earth.

Academy Village resident Marcia Neugebauer, an internationally recognized space physicist will explain these important developments in space projects – both the scientific research missions and the benefits and dangers of new technology that is being launched on almost a daily basis.

Marcia Neugebauer has an impressive background in space physics, having worked for NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, including Manager of the Physics and Space Physics sections, Manager of the Mariner Mark II study team and Project Scientist for Rangers 1 and 2 and the Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby mission.

She has received many awards from NASA, including  the Distinguished Service Medal (the highest award given by NASA).  In 1997 she was inducted in the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame. In 2010 was awarded the Arctowski Medal from the National Academy of Sciences “for definitively establishing the existence of the solar wind, critical to understanding the physics of the heliosphere, and for elucidating many of its key properties.”

Compiled and edited by Kate Kampa and Bob Foucault, Academy Village volunteers

You can connect to Zoom either by using the following URL: https://zoom.us/j/95456511620?pwd=OC9GcnJRNmJpMTdXdXFhaUpCUkx4QT09 or by opening a browser to zoom.com/join and typing in Meeting ID: 954 5651 1620 and Passcode: 85747 

April 10: “What’s Going on in Space”