News

Berkeley News: When is an aurora not an aurora?

Phenomena called “Steve” and “picket fence” are masquerading as auroras, graduate student argues. Claire Gasque, a University of California, Berkeley, graduate student in physics, has now proposed a physical explanation for these phenomena that is totally different from the processes responsible for the well-known auroras. She has teamed up with researchers at the campus’s Space Sciences Laboratory (SSL) to propose that NASA launch a rocket into the heart of the aurora to find out if she’s correct.

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NASA will launch a Mars mission on Blue Origin’s first New Glenn rocket

NASA is aware of the risk of launching a real science mission on the first flight of a new rocket. But this mission, known by the acronym ESCAPADE, is relatively low cost. The Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers mission has a budget of approximately $79 million, significantly less than any mission NASA has sent to Mars in recent history.

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SSL will have a booth at AGU

For the first time, SSL will have its own booth at the Fall American Geophysical Union (AGU) Meeting, from Monday, December 11, through Thursday, December

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SSL Mourns the Passing of Dr. Michael Logan Lampton (1941-2023) – Join us for a celebration of life 8/26/23

Michael Logan Lampton, University of California Berkeley scientist, astronaut, inventor, entrepreneur, and beloved husband and father, passed away surrounded by loved ones on June 9, 2023 in Oakland, CA at the age of 82 years old. He is survived by his wife, Susan Lea, and daughter Jennifer Lea (Nathan) Lampton.

Join us for a celebration of life August 26th, 2023 3pm.

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