Monthly Archives: April 2019

Introduction to various spacecraft propulsion methods

Space propulsion is different from regular propulsion methods that deal with situations on the ground or in the air. It’s also different from launch propulsion which space propulsion methods exclusively deal with propulsion systems used in vacuum of space. Before introducing different propulsion methods, there are couple of concepts that are really important related to … Continue reading Introduction to various spacecraft propulsion methods Continue reading

Posted in Space Travel | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Introduction to various spacecraft propulsion methods

Astrobiology, The Future.

Space Travel I am still trying to decide whether my admiration for Elon Musk is because of his electric vehicles (S-3-X-Y) or his passion for space exploration. The topic of space exploration leads me to a scientific field I would like to talk about briefly, Astrobiology. Wikipedia defines Astrobiology as “an interdisciplinary scientific field concerned … Continue reading Astrobiology, The Future. Continue reading

Posted in Space Travel | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Astrobiology, The Future.

The Arecibo Message: Humanity’s Greeting to the Cosmos

To this day, one of humanity’s most loaded questions remains unanswered: are we alone in this universe? Though we have yet to detect the presence of any extraterrestrial civilizations, that has not stopped humanity from attempting to make contact with whatever else might be out there. The most famous attempt to communicate humanity’s existence to … Continue reading The Arecibo Message: Humanity’s Greeting to the Cosmos Continue reading

Posted in Class, Historical | Tagged , | Comments Off on The Arecibo Message: Humanity’s Greeting to the Cosmos

Extremophiles 101

Extremophiles produce some of the color at the Grand Prismatic Spring Wikipedia defines “an extremophile as an organism that thrives in physically or geochemically extreme conditions that are detrimental to most life on Earth.” This means that if extremophiles were your classmates, they will totally be the cool kids in the class. Not only are … Continue reading Extremophiles 101 Continue reading

Posted in Space Travel | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Extremophiles 101

Chroococcidiopsis Aboard EXPOSE-R2

Chroococcidiopsis was sent aboard EXPOSE-R2 as part of the Biofilm Organisms Surfing Space (BOSS) experiment on July 24, 2014. Its goal was to test the hypothesis that “microorganisms grown as biofilms, hence embedded in self-produced extracellular polymeric substances, are more tolerant to space and Martian conditions compared to their planktonic counterparts” (or, put simply, to … Continue reading Chroococcidiopsis Aboard EXPOSE-R2 Continue reading

Posted in Class | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Chroococcidiopsis Aboard EXPOSE-R2

Extremophile: Chroococcidiopsis

Chroococcidiopsis is a primitive, photosynthetic, coccoidal cyanobacteria that is able to resist desiccation (extreme dryness). Its ability to live in arid environments is due in part because it colonizes on the underside of translucent rocks which provide both enough condensed moisture for growth and enough light for photosynthesis to occur. Hence, because Chroococcidiopsis is resistant … Continue reading Extremophile: Chroococcidiopsis Continue reading

Posted in Class | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Extremophile: Chroococcidiopsis

The End of a Course, But The Start of a Passion!

What a ride this class has been! The sheer amount of new topics and discoveries I learned about is ridiculous, but my favorite has definitely got to be regarding the unknowns and potentials for life in our universe, or even our own Solar System! Learning about worlds such as Europa and Titan, and the liquid … Continue reading The End of a Course, But The Start of a Passion! Continue reading

Posted in Universe | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The End of a Course, But The Start of a Passion!

A Great Semester

This was a great class, and I’m grateful for all the information I learned. Some concepts were reemphasized since I knew them before taking the course, but I’ve received and retained some new, useful knowledge that I can share with others. I’ve been interested in all things concerning astronomy since I was young, and I … Continue reading A Great Semester Continue reading

Posted in Class | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on A Great Semester

Space Travel?

Jumping into hyperspace to make a lightspeed escape is typically something normally associated with the Millennium Falcon’s capabilities. Our technology, sad to say, is far from the point to where we could safely travel at such speeds. Therefore, even though there are plenty potential hotspots for investigation for life, civilized or microbial, habitable conditions, or … Continue reading Space Travel? Continue reading

Posted in Space Travel | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Space Travel?

Blog 7: Culmination of a Semester in Astronomy

Because of this class my view of the solar system has changed. From a young age I knew the order of the planets and even some basic facts about each of them. What I did not know, however, was how much more there was to know not only about our solar system, but about the … Continue reading Blog 7: Culmination of a Semester in Astronomy Continue reading

Posted in Class, Physics | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Blog 7: Culmination of a Semester in Astronomy