Indian Space Odyssey

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY - GIS

 

Science and Technology e-book

Science and Technology Snippets

Green pigment is called	Chlorophyll
The carbohydrate produced in the photosynthesis	Glucose
Sweetest sugar is	Fructose
Respiration in Amoeba occurs by	Diffusion
Respiratory pigment is	Haemoglobin
The colour of the blood in Crabs and Snails is	Blue
In cockroach the blood is	White color
The normal blood pressure of man is	120 / 80 mmHg
Doctors measure blood pressure with the instrument called	Sphygmomanometer
The inter cellular fluid in blood is	Plasma
Nucleus is present in RBC of animals like	Camel
Hormone that controls Phototropism and Geotropism in plants is	Auxins
Early ripening of fruits is promoted by	Ethylene
The master gland of the body	Pituitary gland
Deficiency of iodine in food results in the enlargement of mixed gland	Pancreas
Deficiency of Insulin causes	Diabetes mellitus
The largest part of the brain is	Cerebrum
The 3 tests for detecting HIV are	ELISA, Western blot test, PCR tests
Deficiency of Iron causes	Anaemia
Deficiency of Iodine causes	Hypothyroidism
Excessive intake of fluorine results in	Fluorosis
The name vitamin was given by	Funk
The rainfall at a particular place is measured by	Rain gauge
Forests that grow near the sea shores are called	Mangroves
The gas responsible for global warming is	Carbon dioxide
Examples for non-renewable resources are	Coal, Petroleum
Carbon dioxide, Nitrogen Oxide, Chlorofluro carbons, and hydrocarbons are also called as	Green house gases
Ozone layer is damaged by	Chlorofluro Carbons
The big waves created in the sea because of the eruption of volcanoes are called	Tsunami
Environment friendly fuel is	CNG
Which lamps are used to minimize electricity consumption	Compact fluorescent
In human body fats are stored in	Adipose tissue
We feel thirsty when	Osmotic pressure of blood increases
Which organism is used in production of alcohol?	Yeast
Gasohol is a combination of gasoline and	Ethyl alcohol
Biochemical and histological examination of tissues is called	Biopsy
Oil spreads over the surface of water because	Oil has less surface tension than water
When an iron nail gets rusted, the weight of the iron nail is	Increased
The element common to all acids is	Hydrogen
Non-stick cooking utensils are coated with	Teflon
Monazite is an ore of	Thorium
The gas usually filled in the electric bulb is	Mixture of Nitrogen and Argon
Washing soda is the common name for	Sodium carbonate
The hardest substance available on the earth is	Diamond
The working principle of a Washing Machine is	Centrifugation
The audible sounds having a frequency of	20 to 20,000 hertz
The major component in the LPG is	Propane
Carbon dioxide is called greenhouse gas because	It absorbs infrared radiation
Balloons are filled with	Helium
Bell metal is an alloy of	Tin and Copper
Heavy water is	Deuterium oxide
The gases used in different types of welding would include	Oxygen and Acetylene
Cooking oil can be converted into vegetable ghee by the process of	Hydrogenation
Milk is an example of	Emulsion
Coloured glasses for goggles contain	Ferrous Oxide
The bacterium responsible for causing plague is	Yersinia pestis
Who is known as the father of Indian Ecology?	R. Mishra
The chemical name of Aspirin is	Acetylsalicylic acid
Which vitamin has cobalt	Vitamin B12
Dry Ice is	Solid Carbon dioxide
The protein used in paper coating is	Casein
The largest group of plant kingdom is	Thallophyta
Bacteria was discovered by	Antonie Van Lecuwenhoek
The Universal Blood Recipient is	AB
Which acid is found in apples	Malic acid
The basic structural and functional unit of life is	Cell
The universal blood group donor for all group is	Blood Groop O
Which human gland does secret growth hormone?	Pituitary gland
Astronomical Distance is measured in	Light year
One byte equal to	8 bit
Steel is mainly alloy of	Iron and Carbon
What does air bag, used for safety of car driver, contain?	Sodium azide
Complete loss of memory is called	Amnesia
The stones formed in human kidney mainly consist of	Calcium oxalate
The oxide of which element is used as coolant?	Nitrogen
Sleeping Sickness happens due to	Trypanosoma
The gas used in the manufacture of Vanaspati from Vegetable Oil is	Hydrogen
A device which converts electrical energy into mechanical energy is	Electric Motor
In which industry is mica used as a raw material?	Electrical Industry
The oxides of which gases cause acid rain?	Oxides of Nitrogen and Sulphar
The substance used for artificial rains is	Silver Iodide
Red light is used as danger signal because it	is scattered least
Chromosomes consist of	DNA and Proteins
Ozone layer in the outer atmosphere helps in	Absorbing UV radiations
Which of the following is known as graveyard of RBCs?	Spleen
The name of the white revolution is associated with	Kurien Verghese
Name the first Lunar Rover of China, which was carried by an unmanned remotely piloted spacecraft Chang'e-3 and was deployed successfully on moon on 14 December 2013?	Jade Rabbit (called Yutu in Chinese)
Which country scientists recently developed Li-Fi Tech, a new cheaper way of getting connected to internet by using signals sent through light bulbs ?	China
"Green House Effect" means -Trapping of Solar energy due to atmospheric carbon dioxide 2, 4-d is a	herbicide
The nuclear reaction involved in a nuclear reactor is	Fusion
The scientist associated with the success of Green Revolution is	Norman Borlaug
Centre for DNA fingerprinting is located at	Hyderabad
Solar energy is due to	fusion reactions
A non-conventional source of power is	Solar Power
India's permanent Research Station 'Dakshin Gongotri' is located at	Antarctica
Penicillin, an antibiotic, is obtained from	Fungus
Where was India's first computer installed?	Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta
Where the early Tsunami warning system was installed to predict a tsunami immediately after an earthquake?	Rangachang in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
____ are used to supply Nitrogen to paddy.	Blue green algae
The fish released into ponds and wells to control the mosquitoes is	Gambusia
Stranger Gas is called as	Xenon
In the human body, the longest cell is	Liver Cell
_____ is used to make electric heater coil.	Nichrome
The formation of fruit without fertilisation is known as	Parthenicarpy
Root modules are commonly found in ____ plants.	Leguminous
Alzheimers disease is a disorder of the	Brain
Chromosomes of the ___ will determine the sex of a child.	Father
Hypermetropia or long sight can be corrected by using	Concave lenses
A plant product obtained from dried latex is	Opium
Cryogenic engines are used in	Rockets
Skin Cancer is caused due to presence of excess ____ in water.	Arsenic
The largest satellite in solar system is	Ganymede
German Silver is an alloy of	Copper, Zinc & Nickel
The tracking of people by trained dogs is based on the recognition of _____ from feet.	Carboxylic sweat
Boiling point of water depends on	atmospheric Pressure
An astronaut in outer space will observe sky in	Black colour
The polymer used in making plastic crockery is	Melamine
Food is cooked in a pressure cooker quickly because boiling point of water	Increases
Which vegetable's genome was sequenced completely in 2012?	Tomato

India's Advanced Communication Satellite GSAT-7 Launched Successfully

India's advanced multi-band communication satellite, GSAT-7, was successfully launched on August 30, 2013 by the Ariane-5 launch vehicle of Arianespace from Kourou, French Guiana. Ariane-5 precisely placed GSAT-7 into the intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) after a flight of 34 minutes 25 seconds duration. 

As planned, ISRO's Master Control Facility (MCF) at Hassan in Karnataka started acquiring the signals five minutes prior to the separation of GSAT-7 from Ariane-5 launch vehicle. The solar panels of the satellite have been deployed and they are generating power. Initial checks have indicated normal health of the satellite. 

The present orbit of the satellite will be raised to Geostationary Orbit of about 36,000 km altitude through three orbit raising manoeuvres by firing of GSAT-7's Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM). Preparations are underway for the first firing, planned in the early hours of August 31, 2013. The satellite will be placed in the Geostationary Orbit by Sep 04, 2013.

                                        All Satellites

Satellite	Launch Date	Launch Vehicle	Type of Satellite
GSAT-7	30.08.2013	Ariane-5 VA-215	Geo-Stationary Satellite
INSAT-3D	26.07.2013	Ariane-5 VA-214	Geo-Stationary/Meteorological Satellite
IRNSS-1A	01.07.2013	PSLV-C22	Navigation Satellite
SARAL	25.02.2013	PSLV-C20	Earth Observation Satellite
GSAT-10	29.09.2012	Ariane-5 VA-209	Geo-Stationary Satellite
RISAT-1	26.04.2012	PSLV-C19	Earth Observation Satellite
Jugnu	12.10.2011	PSLV-C18	Experimental / Small Satellite
SRMSat	12.10.2011	PSLV-C18	Experimental / Small Satellite
Megha-Tropiques	12.10.2011	PSLV-C18	Earth Observation Satellite
GSAT-12	15.07.2011	PSLV-C17	Geo-Stationary Satellite
GSAT-8	21.05.2011	Ariane-5 VA-202	Geo-Stationary Satellite
RESOURCESAT-2	20.04.2011	PSLV-C16	Earth Observation Satellite
YOUTHSAT	20.04.2011	PSLV-C16	Experimental / Small Satellite
GSAT-5P	25.12.2010	GSLV-F06	Geo-Stationary Satellite
STUDSAT	12.07.2010	PSLV-C15	Experimental / Small Satellite
CARTOSAT-2B	12.07.2010	PSLV-C15	Earth Observation Satellite
GSAT-4	15.04.2010	GSLV-D3	Geo-Stationary Satellite
Oceansat-2	23.09.2009	PSLV-C14	Earth Observation Satellite
ANUSAT	20.04.2009	PSLV-C12	Experimental / Small Satellite
RISAT-2	20.04.2009	PSLV-C12	Earth Observation Satellite
Chandrayaan-1	22.10.2008	PSLV-C11	Space Mission
CARTOSAT - 2A	28.04.2008	PSLV-C9	Earth Observation Satellite
IMS-1	28.04.2008	PSLV-C9	Earth Observation Satellite
INSAT-4B	12.03.2007	Ariane-5ECA	Geo-Stationary Satellite
CARTOSAT - 2	10.01.2007	PSLV-C7	Earth Observation Satellite
SRE - 1	10.01.2007	PSLV-C7	Experimental / Small Satellite
INSAT-4CR	02.09.2007	GSLV-F04	Geo-Stationary Satellite
INSAT-4C	10.07.2006	GSLV-F02	Geo-Stationary Satellite
INSAT-4A	22.12.2005	Ariane-5GS	Geo-Stationary Satellite
HAMSAT	05.05.2005	PSLV-C6	Experimental / Small Satellite
CARTOSAT-1	05.05.2005	PSLV-C6	Earth Observation Satellite
EDUSAT (GSAT-3)	20.09.2004	GSLV-F01	Geo-Stationary Satellite
Resourcesat-1(IRS-P6)	17.10.2003	PSLV-C5	Earth Observation Satellite
INSAT-3A	10.04.2003	Ariane-5G	Geo-Stationary Satellite
INSAT-3E	28.09.2003	Ariane-5G	Geo-Stationary Satellite
GSAT-2	08.05.2003	GSLV-D2	Geo-Stationary Satellite
KALPANA-1(METSAT)	12.09.2002	PSLV-C4	Geo-Stationary Satellite
INSAT-3C	24.01.2002	Ariane-42L H10-3	Geo-Stationary Satellite
Technology Experiment Satellite (TES)	22.10.2001	PSLV-C3	Earth Observation Satellite
GSAT-1	18.04.2001	GSLV-D1	Geo-Stationary Satellite
INSAT-3B	22.03.2000	Ariane-5G	Geo-Stationary Satellite
Oceansat(IRS-P4)	26.05.1999	PSLV-C2	Earth Observation Satellite
INSAT-2E	03.04.1999	Ariane-42P H10-3	Geo-Stationary Satellite
INSAT-2DT	January 1998	Ariane-44L H10	Geo-Stationary Satellite
IRS-1D	29.09.1997	PSLV-C1	Earth Observation Satellite
INSAT-2D	04.06.1997	Ariane-44L H10-3	Geo-Stationary Satellite
IRS-P3	21.03.1996	PSLV-D3	Earth Observation Satellite
IRS-1C	28.12.1995	Molniya	Earth Observation Satellite
INSAT-2C	07.12.1995	Ariane-44L H10-3	Geo-Stationary Satellite
IRS-P2	15.10.1994	PSLV-D2	Earth Observation Satellite
Stretched Rohini Satellite Series (SROSS-C2)	04.05.1994	ASLV	Space Mission
IRS-1E	20.09.1993	PSLV-D1	Earth Observation Satellite
INSAT-2B	23.07.1993	Ariane-44L H10+	Geo-Stationary Satellite
INSAT-2A	10.07.1992	Ariane-44L H10	Geo-Stationary Satellite
Stretched Rohini Satellite Series (SROSS-C)	20.05.1992	ASLV	Space Mission
IRS-1B	29.08.1991	Vostok	Earth Observation Satellite
INSAT-1D	12.06.1990	Delta 4925	Geo-Stationary Satellite
INSAT-1C	21.07.1988	Ariane-3	Geo-Stationary Satellite
Stretched Rohini Satellite Series (SROSS-2)	13.07.1988	ASLV	Earth Observation Satellite
IRS-1A	17.03.1988	Vostok	Earth Observation Satellite
Stretched Rohini Satellite Series (SROSS-1)	24.03.1987	ASLV	Space Mission
INSAT-1B	30.08.1983	Shuttle [PAM-D]	Geo-Stationary Satellite
Rohini (RS-D2)	17.04.1983	SLV-3	Earth Observation Satellite
INSAT-1A	10.04.1982	Delta 3910 PAM-D	Geo-Stationary Satellite
Bhaskara-II	20.11.1981	C-1 Intercosmos	Earth Observation Satellite
Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment (APPLE)	19.06.1981	Ariane-1(V-3)	Geo-Stationary Satellite
Rohini (RS-D1)	31.05.1981	SLV-3	Earth Observation Satellite
Rohini (RS-1)	18.07.1980	SLV-3	Experimental / Small Satellite
Rohini Technology Payload (RTP)	10.08.1979	SLV-3	Experimental / Small Satellite
Bhaskara-I	07.06.1979	C-1 Intercosmos	Earth Observation Satellite
Aryabhata	19.04.1975	C-1 Intercosmos	Experimental / Small Satellite

Monsoon Diseases

During rainy season some want to enjoy watching the weather from the comfort of their homes eating their favourite ‘pakoras’ and sipping a hot cup of ‘chai’, while others want to go out and enjoy the rains. Though following a scorching summer the rain ushers in new lease of life, it sometimes brings with it some deadly diseases.

Following are the most common diseases, their symptoms and some suggestions to prevent them during the rainy season.

Malaria

• This is the most dangerous disease in India with a very high number of deaths credited to it. The disease is spread by Female Anopheles mosquito. A large number of cases are reported during the rainy season as water logging provides conducive conditions for mosquitoes to breed.

• Fever at regular intervals, bouts of shivering, muscle pain and weakness are the general symptoms of Maleria.

• Since this disease is spread by mosquitoes the best prevention is to keep the surroundings clean and mosquito-free. Make sure that water does not stagnate in your area as mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. Use DDT in the drains near your home. Use of mosquito repellents and nets is highly recommended. Do not ignore any symptoms of malaria and consult your doctor immediately if you feel any sign of the disease.

Cholera

• Cholera is caused by contaminated food and water. Also poor hygienic conditions help the spread of the disease. It normally spreads in places with poor sanitation facilities.

• Severe diarrhea with watery stools is the most common symptom of Cholera. There could also be vomiting with immediate water loss and muscle cramps.

• Keep the drinking water clean and boil it before using. Maintain personal hygiene and good sanitation. It is advisable to get vaccinated as it gives immunity for almost six months.

• Oral rehydration should be given immediately for patients suffering from Cholera.

Typhoid

• Typhoid is another highly infectious disease that spreads during the monsoon season and it is also caused by contaminated food and water.

• The most common symptom of this disease is prolonged fever. Severe pain in abdomen and headache can also be the symptoms.

• This is a highly communicable disease so the patient should be isolated from the rest of the family. Advance vaccination may also help prevent it. High intake of fluid is advised to patients to prevent dehydration. Since this disease has a tendency of relapsing precautions should continue even after apparent recovery.

Hepatitis A

• Hepatitis A is generally caused by flies. It can also spread by coming in direct contact with the patient.

• The symptoms are similar to those of flu including high fever along with headache, pain in joints and vomiting.

• The most important prevention of this disease is vaccination. This vaccine is available at all the government and private hospitals. Complete bed rest and a high calorie diet is advised to the patient.

Common Cold

• Common cold is the most common disease that spreads easily during rainy season. • Constant sneezing, sore throat and fever are the common symptoms of the disease. • The easy way to prevent common cold is to avoid catching it. But if at all it catches you, treat yourself with a glass of hot turmeric milk. Gargles with warm water give relief to your sore throat. If things don’t improve you may like to see a doctor.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY MCQs

1. British scientists developed the EndoBarrier to cure __.
a) Diabetes
b) Cancer
c) AIDS
d) Skin Cancer
Answer: (a)

2.  Scientists at the University of Columbia in New York developed a portable blood test device which could be used effectively to prevent__.
a) AIDS
b) Cancer
c) Diabetes
d) Leukemia
Answer: (a)

3.  US scientists found an antibody which acts against 30 of 36 strains of influenza. What is the name of that antibody?
a) CH65
b) CCH65
c) DD65
d) CC65
Answer: (a)

4.  A new technique was engineered by the scientists that involved leukemia patients being treated with their own T cells.  T cells are a kind of__.
a) White Blood Cell
b) Red Blood Cell
c) Liver cell
d) Cancerous Cell
Answer: (a)

5.   Astronomers discovered that the planet named TrES-2b is blacker than any planet in our solar system. Astronomers made this observation after using NASA’s__spacecraft.
a) Kepler
b) Freedom 7
c) Faith 7
d) Discovery
Answer: (a)

6.  The Hershel Space Observatory’s large telescope and infrared detectors provided the first confirmed finding of oxygen molecules in space. Oxygen gas was discovered in which one of the following years?         
a) 1774
b) 1974
c) 1600
d) 1707
Answer:  (a)

7.  The Scientists from France and Uganda discovered in Uganda the 20 million year old skull at an excavation site called___.
a) Napak XV
b) Napak
c) Napak V
d) Napal X
Answer: (a)

8.  A recent study found that vampire bats can locate blood vessels in their prey using infrared vein sensors on their lips. Consider the statements given below.
i) Vampire bats are the only mammals known to feed solely on blood.
ii) Besides vampire bats, the snake is the only other vertebrate that can detect infrared radiation.
Choose the right option:
a)    Both i and ii are correct.
b)    Neither i nor ii is correct.
c)    Only i is correct.
d)    Only ii is correct.
Answer: (a)

9.  NASA scientists announced on 5 August 2011 that they had found the first evidence of flowing water on which one of the following planets?
a) Mars
b) Jupiter
c) Mercury
d) Venus
Answer: (a) 

10.  The First Trojan Asteriod of earth discovered by the scientists. What is its name?
a) 2010TK7
b) 2010KT 7
c)  2010Xy
d) 2010 YX
Answer:  (a)

NASA LUNAR MISSIONS

Past Missions

• 

  Apollo

  President Kennedy's bold challenge set the nation on a journey unlike any before in human history--a journey to land on the moon.
  
• 

  Apollo-Soyuz Test Project

  The first international partnership in space wasn't the ISS or even the Shuttle-Mir missions; it was the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project.
  
• 

  Ares I-X Flight Test

  Ares I-X completes a successful flight test.
  
• 

  Constellation

  Ares rockets and the Orion crew vehicle.
  
• 

  Deep Impact

  Exploring Comet Tempel 1 to determine the origins of life in our Solar System.
  
• 

  Explorer

  America's first artificial satellite.
  
• 

  Fast Auroral Snapshot Explorer (FAST) 

  FAST, the second mission in NASA's Small Explorer Satellite Program (SMEX), is a satellite designed to study Earth's aurora.
  
• 

  Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) Mission 

  FUSE looks at light in the far ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
  
• 

  Galileo 

  Journey to Jupiter.
  
• 

  Gemini

  Bridge to the moon.
  
• 

  Genesis Mission

  The search for origins.
  
• 

  Glory

  The Glory mission failed to reach orbit after launch. Telemetry indicated the fairing did not separate as expected.
  
• 

  Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE)

  IMAGE is a mission to study the global response of the magnetosphere to the changes in solar wind.
  
• 

  International Space Station

  Read more about past missions to the International Space Station.
  
• 

  Mars Global Surveyor

  After studying the Red Planet four times longer than originally planned, the Mars Global Surveyor orbiter succumbed to battery failure.
  
• 

  Mars Pathfinder

  Mars Pathfinder was the first mission to deliver a lander and a free-ranging robotic rover to the surface of Mars.
  
• 

  Mercury

  America's First Space Program.
  
• 

  Orbiting Carbon Observatory

  NASA's first spacecraft dedicated to studying carbon dioxide, the leading human-produced greenhouse gas driving changes in Earth's climate.
  
• 

  Phoenix Mars Lander

  The search for possible conditions for life in the Martian arctic.
  
• 

  Pioneer

  A journey through our solar system and beyond.
  
• 

  Pioneer Venus

  The mission's objective was to investigate the Venus's solar wind, map the planet's surface and study the upper atmosphere.
  
• 

  Polar Mission

  The Polar Mission was designed to obtain data from both high- and low-altitude perspectives of the polar region of geospace.
  
• 

  QuikScat

  The Quick Scatterometer, or QuikScat, replaces the NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) instrument on Japan's Midori satellite.
  
• 

  Shuttle-Mir

  In the arena of space exploration, the U.S. and Russia share a history of competition and cooperation.
  
• 

  Skylab

  America's first space station and orbital science and engineering laboratory.
  
• 

  Solar Anomalous and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) Mission

  SAMPEX studies the energy, composition and charge states of particles from supernova explosions in the distant reaches of the galaxy, from the heart of solar flares and from the depths of nearby interstellar space.
  
• 

  Space Shuttle

  Read more about past shuttle missions.
  
• 

  Space Technology 5

  The Space Technology 5 (ST5) Project built and tested micro-satellites to validate new technologies for future science missions.
  
• 

  Stardust

  Exploring Comet Tempel 1
  
• 

  Topex Mission

  The Topex mission will collect information with which scientists can relate changes in ocean currents to atmospheric and climate patterns.
  
• 

  Transition Region and Coronal Explorer (TRACE) Mission

  TRACE enables solar physicists to study the connections between fine-scale magnetic fields and the associated plasma structures on the Sun.
  
• 

  Viking

  The Viking Mission to Mars: Determining whether life ever existed on Mars.
  
• 

  UARS Mission

  The Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), launched in 1991, orbited at an altitude of 375 miles.
  
• 

  Ulysses Mission 

  A mission to study the sun at all latitudes.
  
  

  Current Missions

• 

  Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE)

  Major mission of the Explorer program.
  
• 

  AIM: Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere

  AIM's two-year mission is to study Polar Mesospheric Clouds, the Earth’s highest clouds, which form an icy membrane 50 miles above the surface at the edge of space.
  
• 

  Aqua

  Aqua, Latin for water, is a NASA Earth Science satellite mission named for the large amount of information that the mission will be collecting about the Earth's water cycle.
  
• 

  Aquarius

  The Aquarius/SAC-D mission launched on June 10, 2011 on a mission to map ocean salinity.
  
• 

  ARCTAS

  Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites
  
• 

  ARTEMIS

  ARTEMIS: Studying the Moon's Interaction With the Sun
  
• 

  Astro-E2/Suzaku

  The Suzaku mission is a joint effort of JAXA and NASA designed to discover more about the x-ray universe.
  
• 

  Aura Mission

  A mission dedicated to the health of Earth's atmosphere.
  
• 

  CALIPSO

  CALIPSO will provide the next generation of climate observations, drastically improving our ability to predict climate change and to study the air we breathe.
  
• 

  Cassini-Huygens Mission

  Unlocking the secrets of Saturn.
  
• 

  Chandra X-ray Observatory

  NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory probes the mysteries of space with unprecedented x-ray images that help to unravel the structure and evolution of the universe.
  
• 

  CINDI

  CINDI will study the elements that influence space weather near Earth's equator.
  
• 

  CloudSat

  CloudSat's cloud-profiling radar is 1,000 times more sensitive than typical weather radar and can detect clouds and distinguish between cloud particles and precipitation.
  
• 

  Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer (CHIPS)

  CHIPS uses an extreme ultraviolet spectrograph to study the "Local Bubble" surrounding our Solar System.
  
• 

  Cluster ESA/NASA Mission

  The four Cluster spacecraft carry out 3D measurements in the Earth's Magnetosphere.
  
• 

  Dawn

  Dawn launched in September, becoming the first spacecraft ever planned to orbit two different bodies after leaving Earth. The spacecraft will orbit Vesta and Ceres, two of the largest asteroids in the solar system.
  
• 

  Earth Probe Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (EP-TOMS)

  Earth Probe Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (EP-TOMS), along with the Ozone Monitoring Instrument onboard AURA, are currently the only NASA spacecraft on orbit specializing in ozone retrieval.
  
• 

  Earth Observing-1

  As the first New Millennium Program Earth Observing Mission, EO-1 has validated advanced land imaging and unique spacecraft technologies.
  
• 

  EPOXI

  NASA's EPOXI mission successfully flew by comet Hartley 2 at about 10 a.m. EDT, Nov. 4, 2010. Hartley 2 is the fifth comet nucleus visited by a spacecraft.
  
• 

  Fire and Smoke

  NASA satellites, aircraft, and research know-how have created a wealth of cutting-edge tools to help firefighters battle wildfires.
  
• 

  GALEX

  Mapping the history of star formation in the universe.
  › Galaxy Evolution Explorer
  
• 

  GLAST Launches on Gamma Ray Mission

  The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope will answer questions about supermassive black hole systems, pulsars and the origin of cosmic rays.
  
• 

  Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES)

  GOES-N is the latest in a series of satellites that provide a constant vigil for the atmospheric "triggers" for severe weather conditions such as tornadoes and hurricanes.
  
• 

  GOES-O

  The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-O represents the newest generation of environmental satellites.
  
• 

  GOES-P

  The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-P represents the newest generation of environmental satellites.
  
• 

  Geotail Mission 

  A mission to study the tail of Earth's magnetosphere.
  
• 

  Gravity Probe B

  This mission is the relativity gyroscope experiment developed by NASA and Stanford University to test two unverified predictions of Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity.
  
• 

  Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment

  The twin satellites are making detailed measurements of Earth's gravity field to learn more about gravity and Earth's natural systems.
  
• 

  GRAIL

  The Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory mission will create the most accurate gravitational map of the moon to date.
  
• 

  Hayabusa (MUSES-C)

  Hayabusa (MUSES-C) is Japan's asteroid sample return mission.
  
• 

  Herschel

  The Herschel Space Observatory is a space-based telescope that will study the Universe by the light of the far-infrared and submillimeter portions of the spectrum.
  
• 

  High Energy Transient Explorer-2 (HETE-2) Mission 

  HETE-2 is a small scientific satellite designed to detect and localize gamma-ray bursts.
  
• 

  Hinode (Solar B)

  A collaboration between the space agencies of Japan, the United States, United Kingdom and Europe, Hinode's mission is to investigate the interaction between the sun's magnetic field and its corona.
  
• 

  Hubble Space Telescope

  Learn how Hubble has expanded our knowledge of the cosmos.
  
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  Hurricanes

  Latest storm images and data from NASA.
  
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  IBEX

  A mission to achieve the first global observations of the region beyond the termination shock at the very edge of our solar system.
  
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  Ice Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICEsat) Mission

  The ICESat mission will provide multi-year elevation data regarding ice sheet mass balance as well as cloud property information, especially for stratospheric clouds common over polar areas.
  
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  International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL)

  INTEGRAL is the most sensitive gamma-ray observatory ever launched.
  
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  International Space Station

  Aboard the International Space Station, astronauts work to improve life on Earth and extend life beyond our home planet.
  
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  J-2X Engine Development

  J-2X is a highly efficient and versatile rocket engine with the ideal thrust and performance characteristics to power the upper stage of a heavy-lift launch vehicle.
  
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  Jason 

  Jason-1 is the first follow-on to the highly successful TOPEX/Poseidon mission that measured ocean surface topography.
  
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  Juno

  Beneath its clouds, Jupiter holds secrets about our solar system’s early history. Juno will endeavor to unlock these secretss.
  
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  Kepler

  NASA's search for habitable planets.
  
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  Landsat

  The Landsat Program is a series of Earth-observing satellite missions jointly managed by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey.
  
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  LCROSS

  The LCROSS mission's objective is to confirm the presence or absence of water ice in a permanently shadowed crater at the moon's South Pole.
  
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  LRO: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter

  The LRO mission objectives are to find safe landing sites, locate potential resources, characterize the radiation environment, and demonstrate new technology.
  
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  Lunar Quest Program

  NASA's Lunar Quest Program is a multi-element program consisting of flight missions, instruments for lunar missions of opportunity, as well as research and analysis efforts.
  
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  Mars Express 

  Mission to search for subsurface water from orbit.
  
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  Mars Exploration Rovers

  Rovers Spirit and Opportunity explore the Martian landscape.
  
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  Mars Odyssey

  This orbiter is mapping the mineralogy and morphology of the Martian surface.
  
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  Moon Mineralogy Mapper 

  Aboard the Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, whose technology mission has been completed successfully and now embarks on a scientific mission.
  
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  Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

  The mission will determine whether long-standing bodies of water ever existed on Mars.
  
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  Mars Science Laboratory

  Scheduled to launch in the fall of 2011, the Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory rover will assess whether Mars ever was, or is still today, an environment able to support microbial life. In other words, its mission is to determine the planet's "habitability."
  
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  Mercury, Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) Mission

  MESSENGER will study Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun.
  
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  Mini-RF

  The Mini-RF project will fly two radar instruments to the moon to map the lunar poles, search for water ice, and to demonstrate future NASA communication technologies.
  
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  NEEMO

  The NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations project, provides a convincing analog to space exploration, and its crew experience some of the same challenges underwater as they would in space.
  
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  New Horizons

  New Horizons began its journey across the solar system to conduct flyby studies of Pluto and its moon.
  
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  NOAA Environmental Satellites

  NOAA-N is the latest in a series of polar-orbiting satellites, that will collect information to improve weather prediction and climate research across the globe.
  
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  NOAA-N Prime

  NOAA-N Prime will provide a polar-orbiting platform to support environmental monitoring instruments for imaging and measuring Earth's atmosphere and sea surface temperature.
  
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  NPOESS Preparatory Project

  NPOESS Preparatory Project is a first step in building the next-generation of Earth-observing satellites.
  
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  Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason 2

  The joint NASA-French satellite will help scientists better monitor and understand rises in global sea level, study the world's ocean circulation and its links to Earth's climate.
  
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  Operation Ice Bridge

  Operation Ice Bridge, a six-year NASA field campaign, is the largest airborne survey of Earth's polar ice ever flown. It will yield a three-dimensional view of Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets, ice shelves and sea ice.
  
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  Pioneer

  A journey through our solar system and beyond.
  
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  Planck

  Planck will provide a map of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) field.
  
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  Polar Operational Environmental Satellite (POES)

  POES is a cooperative effort between NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United Kingdom and France.
  
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  Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI)

  RHESSI's primary mission is to explore the basic physics of particle acceleration and explosive energy release in solar flares.
  
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  Rosetta Mission

  Rosetta will orbit comet 67P and accompany it on its journey to the Sun.
  
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  Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) Mission  →

  RXTE is a satellite that observes the fast-moving, high-energy worlds of black holes, neutron stars, X-ray pulsars and bursts of X-rays that light up the sky and then disappear forever.
  
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  SERVIR

  The SERVIR initiative integrates satellite observations, ground-based data and forecast models to monitor and forecast environmental changes.
  
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  SMART 1

  SMART 1's two part mission will test new technologies and explore darker regions of the Moon's south pole for the first time.
  
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  SOFIA

  The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy--or SOFIA--is an airborne observatory that will complement the Hubble, Spitzer, Herschel and James Webb space telescopes, as well as major Earth-based telescopes.
  
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  Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)

  SOHO, designed to study the sun, from its deep core to its outer corona, is a cooperative program between ESA and NASA.
  
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  Solar Dynamics Observatory (sdo)

  The Solar Dynamics Observatory began its mission on Feb. 11, 2010, in an effort to help us understand the sun's influence on Earth.
  
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  Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE)

  A NASA-sponsored satellite mission that will provide state-of-the-art measurements of incoming x-ray, ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, and total solar radiation.
  
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  Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO)

  STEREO continues its mission to capture 3D images of the sun.
  
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  Small Satellite Missions

  Small satellite missions provide NASA with valuable opportunities to test emerging technologies and economical commercial off-the-shelf components, which may be useful in future space missions.
  
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  Spitzer Space Telescope

  NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, studying the universe in infared.
  
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  Stardust-NExT

  Exploring Comet Tempel 1
  
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  Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS)

  A mission that was designed to study the chemical composition of interstellar gas clouds.
  
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  Suzaku

  The Suzaku mission is a joint effort of JAXA and NASA designed to discover more about the x-ray universe.
  
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  Swift

  The Swift mission seeks to tell us more about gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe.
  
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  TacSat-2

  TacSat-2 features 11 onboard experiments, which will be conducted during the spacecraft’s planned six to 12-month mission.
  
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  Terra

  Terra is a multi-national, multi-disciplinary partnership between the U.S., Canada and Japan that is an important part of helping us better understand and protect our home planet.
  
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  THEMIS

  The 2-year mission of Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions During Substorms (THEMIS) is to track these violent, colorful eruptions near the North Pole.
  
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  Thermospere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics Mission (TIMED)

  The TIMED mission is studying the influences of the Sun and humans on the least explored region of Earth's atmosphere.
  
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  Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS)

  This system of satellites and ground stations makes up a portion of the Space Network and provides mission services for near Earth satellites and orbiting vehicles.
  
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  Tropical Composition, Cloud and Climate Coupling (TC4)

  The TC4 study will tackle challenging questions about Earth's ozone layer and climate using coordinated observations from satellites and high-flying NASA airplanes.
  
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  Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 

  TRMM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency designed to monitor and study tropical rainfall.
  
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  Voyager - The Interstellar Mission

  Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 journey to study the region in space where the Sun's influence ends and the dark recesses of interstellar space begin.
  
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  WISE: Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

  WISE will study the solar system, Milky Way and universe. Among the objects WISE will study are asteroids, the coolest and dimmest stars and the most luminous galaxies.
  
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  Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP)

  A mission to take the first full sky picture of the early Universe.
  
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  Wind Mission 

  A mission to investigate the solar wind and its impact on the near-Earth environment.
  
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  XMM-Newton 

  The Mirror Modules on this x-ray observatory allow XMM-Newton to detect millions of sources, far more than any previous X-ray mission.