Category: Events

Wednesday, May 7, 2025 from 11:00am to 12:00pm in ES&T L1118.

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the primary drivers of adverse space weather at Earth. Their interactions with large-scale solar wind structures can significantly alter their properties during propagation, increasing their complexity and making space weather forecasting more challenging. To improve predictions at Earth, it is crucial to study CMEs near the Sun, in their early evolutionary phases, and track their progression through the heliosphere. So, what does this have in common with space weather at Mercury? The answer lies in a unique dataset from the MESSENGER mission. I will discuss how we have used MESSENGER data, along with observations from other spacecraft, to investigate both CME evolution and Mercury’s magnetosphere. In extreme cases, CMEs observed by MESSENGER have compressed Mercury’s dayside magnetosphere to the planet’s surface, which is an event that, to date, has not been observed in situ at any other planet. This finding also has implications for close-in exoplanetary systems. Overall, the high frequency of CME encounters during MESSENGER’s four-year mission has enabled both individual case studies and statistical analyses of space weather effects on Mercury, as well as extensive research on CME evolution. I will summarize these findings and provide an outlook on current and future research using datasets from Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter, along with upcoming mission opportunities.

*Refreshments: 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM (ES&T L1118)

View the event here.

Monday April 14, 2025 from 8:30am to 4:30pm at the Georgia Tech Global Learning Center. Join members of the Space Research Initiative for the 2025 Yuri’s Day Symposium at Georgia Tech, where we celebrate the incredible research and achievements in space exploration. This event will feature talks from leading experts, panel discussions, and networking opportunities.

A multidisciplinary initiative, the Space RI brings together faculty, researchers, and students from across campus who share a passion for space exploration. Their combined research explores a broad array of space-related topics, all considered from a human perspective.

Seating is limited. To request a seat, please fill out the request form. Please note that your seat is not guaranteed until you receive a confirmation email from our team. We will send you an email once your registration has been processed and your seat is confirmed.

View the full event listing here.

Tentative Agenda

8:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.	Networking, coffee, and continental breakfast
9 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.	Welcome remarks and Update on Space Research InstituteSpeakers: Tim Lieuwen, Julia Kubanek, Glenn Lightsey, Mariel Borowitz, and Jennifer Glass
9:30 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.	Session 1: Space Policy at Georgia Tech Panel Speakers: Mariel Borowitz and panel
10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.	Break
10:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.	Session 2: Commercialization and Entrepreneurship at Georgia Tech Speakers: Jonathan Goldman and panel
11:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.	Session 3: GTRI space poster session and Lunch
12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.	Keynote speaker: Griff Russell, President, Gryphon Effect, LLC (formerly at SpaceX)
1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.	Break
2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.	Session 4: Human Space Initiative in the State of Georgia Speakers: Thom Orlando and panelists
2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.	Session 5: Fire and Ice: Earth Analog Studies Speakers: Frances Rivera-Hernandez and panel
3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.	Session 6: Student organizations Speakers: Glenn Lightsey and panel
4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.	Closing remarks and look ahead
4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.	Social Hour and NetworkingBoho Taco

Tuesday, May 20, 2025 – Thursday, May 22, 2025. Venue: Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Kossiakoff Center, Laurel, MD, (hybrid)

Technology Demonstration

There are many technology payloads headed to the Moon from our LSII/LSIC community! This is your chance to share your technologies for the Moon and eventually, Mars. LSIC is taking submissions from individuals and/or companies interested in bringing a prototype to our 2025 Spring Meeting for our technology “Show and Tell”. This provides the community an opportunity to learn more about what technologies are out there to drive partnerships and establish networks that bridge us to a sustainable existence on the Moon. To be considered for this showcase, please fill out this application, since space is limited. Please note, LSIC may not be able to accommodate all requested support items but provided infrastructure will be communicated upon acceptance. Technology demonstrators are responsible for delivering technologies to the demonstration floor, as well as removing technologies. Storing technologies (for the day of demonstration only) can be arranged in advance dependent on space available. We are only accepting prototypes carried in hand. There is no option for shipping to our facility. 

Abtract Portal

The Abstract Portal is open! We invite abstracts from the community pertaining to our LSIC capability areas. This includes technical capabilities and lunar surface technology needs and assessments. If the abstract subject is related to a specific technology, we encourage the inclusion of TRL and possible infusion paths. These abstracts are due no later than March 31, 2025 at 11:59pm EDT. Abstracts are limited to one page in length and should be submitted using the template available on the 2025 LSIC Spring Meeting webpage. Accepted abstracts will be invited to participate in the poster session. To submit, please follow our 4 step process and note that compliance with the abstract template is required for acceptance.

———-PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS———-

Step 1: Download the template https://lsic.jhuapl.edu/abstractTemplate.

Step 2: Write the abstract using the format shown in the template.

Step 3: Create a PDF file.

Step 4: Fill out the electronic abstract submission form and click “Submit”.

See the event here.

Tuesday March 18 6:00 pm at Monday Night Brewing West Midtown Rooftop. 670 Trabert Ave NW, Atlanta.

Meet fellow engineers, founders, educators, and innovators local to ATL shaping the future of the space industry

Atlanta Space Fest Happy Hour. Space Execs in Atlanta: Launch & Libations

RSVP requested.

RSVP:

Tony Sewell: tsewell@gmail.com

OR

Colin Ake: colinake@gmail.com

March 7, 2025.

The ExplOrigins early career group invites you to join the 2025 Exploration and Origins Colloquium! This colloquium will have events on two days: a poster session & social on March 6^th  (4:30-8pm) and talks on March 7^th. We are thrilled to feature plenary talks by Dr. Penelope Boston from NASA Ames and Dr. Tony G. Chen from Georgia Tech.

Talks and the poster session will be held in person at Georgia Tech, with a virtual viewing/presenting option for talks. Our aim is to highlight early career projects that explore, conceptualize, celebrate, and discover pieces of space, life’s origins, and astrobiology from any field in the Atlanta area. Through this colloquium, we hope to:

• forge relationships between diverse individuals of various fields, experience levels and backgrounds
• expand our internal awareness of local work and innovations
• encourage collaboration and interdisciplinary understanding
• provide a professional growth opportunity for early career individuals including undergraduates, graduates, and post-docs

General registration and abstract submission are through this form. All early career individuals (graduate students, postdocs, research scientists, and more) are highly encouraged to submit abstracts, due by the end of the day February 20th. To prepare your abstract you will need a title, author/affiliation list, and one descriptive paragraph. The announcement of selected speakers and poster presentations will be made on March 1st.

Thank you for your consideration. We hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

The Georgia Tech Astrobiology Fellows Abby Diering, Alivia Eng, Jelis Sostre Cortés and Chloe LeCates

March 6, 2025 from 4:30 to 8pm.

The ExplOrigins early career group invites you to join the 2025 Exploration and Origins Colloquium! This colloquium will have events on two days: a poster session & social on March 6^th  (4:30-8pm) and talks on March 7^th. We are thrilled to feature plenary talks by Dr. Penelope Boston from NASA Ames and Dr. Tony G. Chen from Georgia Tech.

Talks and the poster session will be held in person at Georgia Tech, with a virtual viewing/presenting option for talks. Our aim is to highlight early career projects that explore, conceptualize, celebrate, and discover pieces of space, life’s origins, and astrobiology from any field in the Atlanta area. Through this colloquium, we hope to:

• forge relationships between diverse individuals of various fields, experience levels and backgrounds
• expand our internal awareness of local work and innovations
• encourage collaboration and interdisciplinary understanding
• provide a professional growth opportunity for early career individuals including undergraduates, graduates, and post-docs

General registration and abstract submission are through this form. All early career individuals (graduate students, postdocs, research scientists, and more) are highly encouraged to submit abstracts, due by the end of the day February 20th. To prepare your abstract you will need a title, author/affiliation list, and one descriptive paragraph. The announcement of selected speakers and poster presentations will be made on March 1st.

Thank you for your consideration. We hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

The Georgia Tech Astrobiology Fellows Abby Diering, Alivia Eng, Jelis Sostre Cortés and Chloe LeCates

Tuesday, February 18, 2025 11:00AM in Guggenheim 442. Join us for the AE Seminar with Piyush Mehta about Advanced Space Weather Characterization for Satellite Operations!

Piyush Mehta

Associate Professor | Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering | West Virginia University

About the Seminar: 
Space Weather is the combined study of the Sun, the solar wind, and the geospace environment that can influence technological systems and endanger human life and health. Known impacts of space weather include radiation exposure for astronauts and civil aviation passengers and flight crew, damage to electric power grids, navigation/communication degradation, satellite charging and damage, and satellite operations. Space weather affects several aspects of satellite operations in low Earth orbit (LEO) including mission design and planning, catalogue maintenance, forensic analysis, policy, and collision avoidance. The US Space Policy Directive-3, National STM Policy has emphasized the necessity “to make significant contributions to establish a quality threshold for actionable collision avoidance warning to minimize false alarms”. Space weather modeling is the largest source of uncertainty and a grand challenge in LEO where the majority active satellite population resides. Current operational system for space weather is not accessible for non-DoD use, is limited in its fidelity, and has no framework for robust uncertainty quantification. This talk will cover recent progress towards addressing these limitations and advancing space weather modeling and characterization for satellite operations. 

About the Speaker: 
Prof. Mehta is currently an associate professor in the department of mechanical, materials, and aerospace engineering at West Virginia University. He is the director of the Astrodynamics, Space ScIence and Space Technology (ASSIST) Lab and the Center for Innovation in Space Exploration and Research (CISER) with interests at the intersection of astrodynamics, space weather, data science, and space safety and sustainability. His group is supported by funding from NSF, NASA, DoD, DoE, and IARPA. He is the recipient of the 2021 NSF CAREER award, a class of 2025 AIAA Associate Fellow, and a member of the Space Weather Advisory Group (SWAG), a Federal Advisory Committee for the White House Space Weather Operations, Research, and Mitigation (SWORM) Subcommittee. He has co-authored 50 peer-reviewed publications and delivered more than 35 invited talks across the world. He received his PhD in aerospace engineering from the University of Kansas in 2013. 

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 from 12:30pm to 1:30pm in Marcus Nanotechnology 1116-1118

Dr. Leonid Olifer (Univ. of Alberta) Quantifying extreme space weather hazards: space radiation and its impact on our planet

Speaker: Dr. Leonid Olifer

Title: Quantifying extreme space weather hazards: space radiation and its impact on our planet

Abstract:  Space radiation poses significant challenges for space exploration and influences Earth’s weather and climate. In this talk, I will delve into the physics of high-energy particles that dominate the space environment and examine the worst-case radiation levels that could be encountered during space flights. Specifically, I will discuss natural, self-limiting plasma processes that can cap extreme radiation levels around Earth—phenomena first theorized by Kennel and Petschek in 1966 and confirmed by our recent findings. Additionally, I will highlight ongoing space-borne experiments, led by my research group, to enhance our understanding of space weather.

Bio: Dr. Leon Olifer is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Physics at the University of Alberta, where he studies space physics and radiation belt dynamics. He earned his Bachelor of Applied Physics at Kyiv Polytechnic Institute in Ukraine, graduating first in class. He spent a year working at CERN in Switzerland and later moved to Canada, where he got his PhD in Physics at the University of Alberta, focusing on space weather and geomagnetic storms. Leon has played key roles in multiple Canadian and international space missions. For example, he is a deputy mission scientist for RADICALS satellite and a PI of a balloon-borne experiment SPRINT.

January 13, 2025 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm.

From the surface of Mars to the ocean of Enceladus: Advancing the Frontier of Exploration with Adaptive Robots

Hiro Ono
Group Supervisor of the Robotic Mobility Group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Monday, January 13

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.

Guggenheim 246

Virtual Microsoft Teams

About the Seminar:

Robots have been at the forefront of Solar System exploration for over seven decades. Most recently, NASA’s Perseverance rover is on its mission to find a sign of ancient Martian life that might have existed billions of years ago. However, current Mars exploration requires ample environmental knowledge accumulated over decades and across multiple missions, resulting in a slow progression toward exploring unvisited worlds beyond Mars. I envision a new robotic space exploration (RSE) paradigm called RSE 3.0, in which a highly adaptive robotic system would explore previously unvisited worlds in one shot. As an instantiation of RSE 3.0, we developed the EELS (Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor) robot, a snake-like robot designed for exploring the potentially inhabited subsurface ocean of Enceladus, a small icy moon of Saturn. EELS combines highly versatile robotic hardware with intelligent, risk-aware autonomy so that it can flexibly adapt its behaviors after landing. We built prototypes of EELS and successfully tested them in a wide range of environments, including natural vertical holes on Athabasca Glacier in Canada. Adaptive and intelligent robots like EELS will be a key enabler of the RSE 3.0 paradigm, which would open the door to the exploration of more distant and challenging worlds than Mars. This seminar will start by describing the autonomous motion planning capability of the Perseverance rover, followed by research on AI/ML applications for future planetary rovers. The technologies and the field demonstrations of EELS will be presented in depth, with particular emphasis on autonomy. Finally, the vision and the potential of RSE 3.0 will be discussed with the audience.

About the Speaker:

Hiro Ono is the Group Supervisor of the Robotic Mobility Group at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Currently, he serves as the PI of the EELS project to create a highly versatile and intelligent robot for exploring unknown environments such as Enceladus vents. As a member of the Mars 2020 Rover (M2020) Mission, he supports tactical robotic operations. Previously, he developed M2020’s autonomous driving algorithm and also led the landing site traversability analysis. His research interest is centered around the application of robotic autonomy to space exploration, with an emphasis on machine learning applications to perception, data interpretation, and risk-aware decision-making. Before joining JPL in 2013, he was an assistant professor at Keio University in Japan. He graduated from MIT with PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics in 2012. A father of a rebellious princess and a mischievous munchkin. Go Red Sox and Hanshin Tigers.