Dr. Henry Throop / University of Colorado
Astronomy 1110
June 22, 2000
Lecture 13: NASA and the Operation of Science

Announcements
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Pluto & comets : more next week

Minute essays

NASA budget
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Worksheet & project

Operation of Science
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Mars press conference
  This is first step

  As much as they'd like to, no one's saying that it is _proof_
    of anything at all.

  In fact, they all say it's quite unexpected, and they don't have good
    explanations for it (e.g., water on north-facing slopes)
   
  Next step: let other people look at data

  Let them publish

  Someone looks at everything, or sees same features on Earth, which are not water

  It all gets revised

    Look at the data
    Publish (peer-review for technical accuracy)
    Look harder, broader
    Get more data
    Revise conclusions

  NB: this was a 'NASA press conference'.  But really, NASA isn't in
  the business of doing science, just like NEA doesn't actually go out
  and make any sculptures themselves.

  NASA does give grants out to scientists, and also NASA does emply
  some scientists directly.

Spacecraft missions
-------------------

  Voyager
  Galileo
  Magellan
  Viking
  Cassini

Bunch of decisions:
  o Spacecraft or telescope?

  o Orbiter, Lander, Balloon, Flyby?

  o Big or small mission
    Budget
    Mass -- how long to get there

  o Where to send it?
    Venus -- has to endure heat if it's a lander

  o Sample return, in situ, or remote sensing
    Pluto -- 

  o Can't do an `everything' mission!  Or if you do, it's v. risky

--

VG's: NASA budget, idl plots, pie charts, etc.
Slides: shuttle, ISS, ground-based scopes

Do: pick a target: mercury?  Comet?  Mars?  

Toys