Not many people in the world can say that something they built is orbiting Mars—especially not college students. Soon, a cross-disciplinary team of about 35 NAU students—most studying planetary science, astronomy, mechanical engineering or electrical engineering—led by faculty members at NAU will be able to claim that accomplishment. The team’s VISIONS (VISible and Infrared ObservatioN System) camera is… Read more
A Flagstaff team made up of NAU and Flagstaff-based engineers, scientists and fire professionals has been selected to advance to the next stage of the Space-based Detection and Intelligence Track of the XPRIZE Wildfire competition.
The team proposes to put a ‘constellation’ of 90 small satellites into Earth orbit equipped with heat-seeking sensors built at Northern Arizona University. The network would continuously monitor wildfire-prone areas in parts of the Southwest including Flagstaff and the Pacific Northwest, Canada, and Alaska.
The Pine Magazine of the NAU Foundation, Fall 2023 Edition, spotlights “NAU professors, students and researchers [that] are working to answer important questions about Life on Earth … and possibly beyond.“
The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM), the first interplanetary exploration undertaken by an Arab nation, has unveiled a series of groundbreaking observations of Mars’ smaller moon, Deimos. The observations, shared during a special session at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly (EGU23) in Vienna, used all three of the mission’s science instruments (EMUS, EMIRS and EXI) to reveal new details of Mars’ most mysterious moon and where it came… Read more
It’s a project that could also improve life here on Earth.
“If you think about this project—it’s pretty ambitious,” said Dr. Christopher Edwards, associate professor in NAU’s department of astronomy and planetary science.
He’s over the moon about this opportunity.
“We’re going to send a spacecraft to orbit another planet, land on its moon, pick up samples and bring it back to Earth,” Edwards explained.
Read the article and see the video of the interview at FOX 10 Phoenix