Space Sciences at Marshall Space Flight Center
X-Ray Astronomy: MSFC has long served as a leading institution in X-ray astronomy. The group has provided scientific and technical support for Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO, previously known as AXAF) project science since its launch in 1999. The Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) builds on Chandra’s legacy by providing novel measurements of the polarization of X-ray light. IXPE is led by MSFC principal investigator Dr. Martin C. Weisskopf.
MSFC scientists and engineers additionally conduct research in various other areas of X-ray astronomy and instrumentation development. This includes balloon-borne X-ray astronomy & detector development, microwave-interferometry of the Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect, theoretical X-ray spectroscopy, and applied X-ray optics.
Space Plasma Physics: Our principal objective is to develop an understanding of the physical processes that control the geospace plasma environment and its interaction with both natural and man-made bodies in space. Our unique emphases are on the plasma that originates in the ionosphere and its heating in auroral light displays. The heating causes plasma to escape from Earth's gravity, producing a plasma fountain; this in turn has been found to supply plasma to the acceleration regions that generate disruptive space plasma storms. The basic physics of moving plasmas, and their interactions with bodies in space, provide the fundamental basis for our research.
Heliophysics Solar physics (heliophysics) research at MSFC seeks to understand the nature of solar flares, the coronal heating process, sunspot cycles, the solar wind, and interplanetary effects. MSFC provides project science leadership for the JAXA/NASA/ESA Hinode project, which has observed the Sun since its launch in 2006. MSFC is also a leader in solar sounding rockets, with numerous recent flights providing novel solar science and technology development. This has included spectrally-resolved soft X-ray measurements with the MaGIXS rockets, ultra-high-resolution extreme ultraviolet imaging via flights of Hi-C, and several others.
The history of heliophysics at MSFC also includes the pioneering MSFC Vector Magnetograph, as well as contributions to many flight missions and other projects (the Solar Ultraviolet Magnetograph Instrument (SUMI), the GOES Soft X-Ray Imager, the Yohkoh Mission, the Multi-Spectral Solar Telescope Array (MSSTA), Ulysses, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Mission (SOHO - ESA/NASA), and the Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG - NSF/National Solar Observatory).
Gamma-Ray Astronomy MSFC provides project science leadership for the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) aboard NASA’s Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope (FGST). GBM is a crucial contributor to multi-messenger astrophysics – it made the first-ever detection of a pulse of light associated with a neutron star merger observed in gravitational waves by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO).
MSFC scientists have also historically made use of data from the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) on NASA's Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. During nine years of successful operation, CGRO recorded observations of gamma-ray bursts, pulsars, and other transient gamma-ray phenomena. Dr. Gerald Fishman, Principle Investigator for BATSE, was awarded one-half of the 2011 Shaw Prize in Astronomy (Enrico Costa is the other recipient). The award was made for "...leadership of space missions that enabled the demonstration of the cosmological origin of gamma ray bursts, the brightest sources known in the universe."
Planetary Science: The Planetary Science group at Marshall Space Flight Center studies the processes that occur in the creation and evolution of planets and other solar system bodies, with particular emphasis on the entire inner solar system environment, including the Moon, Mars, and asteroids. Research expertise includes remote sensing; autonomous robotics; geophysical modeling of planetary interiors; planetary seismology; surface processes such as impact cratering, LiDAR mapping, geology, geomorphology, and volcanology; sample studies; atmospheres and ionospheres; and planetary plasma environments. Planetary scientists at MSFC also work closely with the Heliophysics group to study interactions between planetary bodies and our Sun. The group is actively involved in missions and projects across the inner solar system, as well as development of new lunar and Martian missions such as orbiting and landed instruments and the Lunar Geophysical Network. In addition, they operate a unique research facility, the Dusty Plasma Laboratory. For more information on that resource contact Dr. Dennis Gallagher, dennis.gallagher @ nasa.gov.
