James Webb Telescope Primary Mirror; Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
Name of Trip: Goddard Space Flight Center
Date: Sunday, January 15, 2017
Time: 12:00 noon
Location/Address: You can either carpool (see below) or meet at 12:00 p.m. at:
Goddard Space Flight Center
8800 Greenbelt Road
Greenbelt, MD
Carpool Location/Time: Depart the Giant parking lot at 8750 Arliss St., Silver Spring, at 11:30 a.m. Map of Carpool Location
RockSat-X Education Payload on a Terrier-Improved Malemute suborbital sounding rocket; Credit: NASA/Wallops
Overview:
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, is home to the nation’s largest organization of scientists, engineers and technologists who build spacecraft, instruments and new technology to study Earth, the sun, our solar system and the universe.
Just outside Washington, Goddard is home to Hubble operations and the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope. Goddard manages communications between mission control and orbiting astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Goddard scientists stare into the sun, grind up meteorites for signs of life’s building blocks, look into the farthest reaches of space, and untangle the mysteries of our own changing world. Goddard engineers construct sensitive instruments, build telescopes that peer into the cosmos, and operate the test chambers that ensure those satellites’ survival.
The visitor center demonstrates Goddard’s innovative and exciting work in Earth science, astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary science, engineering, communication and technology development. Browse the unique, informative exhibits and learn about climate change or you can even climb inside a Gemini capsule model.
Leader: Phil Boyer
Cost: Free
Directions: From Capital Beltway (I-495/I-95)
Take Exit 22A (Balt/Wash Parkway – Rt. 295 North). Take the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (Route 295) North to Greenbelt Road (Route 193). Take Greenbelt Road East for approximately 2.5 miles. Turn left onto ICESat Road (formerly Soil Conservation Road).
Turn left at the first opportunity to reach the Visitor Center.
Link: Visitor Center’s website http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/visitor/home/index.html
Ideas on lunch: Open to suggestions
Antenna Anechoic Chamber, with the GPM High Gain Antenna ready for measurements. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Cornelis du Toit