#uaseds

[uaseds]

Orion is in the final stages of preparation for the uncrewed flight test that will take it 3,600 miles above Earth on a 4.5-hour mission to test many of the systems necessary for future human missions into deep space.

Full video

[carmenaustin]

UASEDS second to last stop for spring break 2013 was the VLA. This was my second trip to the VLA. It's my favorite telescope! Also, I love the movie Contact! Here's me and my carload right outside the VLA.

We wanted to remove a sticker from the sign. We got half of it off.

Look at this thing. It's beautiful.

Somebody had the great idea to pose as Palmer Joss and Ellie Arroway in that movie poster.

It was good fun. Here's mine, alongside the movie poster:

Our last stop was in the middle of nowhere, New Mexico. We just found a place that had extremely light pollution-free skies, and stopped for about an hour to star gaze. No pictures of that from me. I don't have a good enough camera.

[carmenaustin]

Carlsbad Caverns was pretty incredible!

I didn't take any good pictures inside—no tripod.

White Sands National Monument, as expected, was a blast (until someone got sand in his eye and had to go to the ER cause it actually scratched him pretty bad).

[carmenaustin]

The earth is governed by geological processes. Thrust faults are both terrestrial and extraterrestrial geological features that signify crustal compression. Research on the topic by University of Arizona students has shown a disregard for studies with varying degrees of gravity. It is unknown if gravity is a governing factor when computing an angle of failure for thrust faults. The UASEDS Microgravity team has designed and built an experiment that will test the influence of varying gravitational forces on thrust fault analogues. The experiment is being run in NASA's Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program. Read about the experiment and the student's flight experience here!

[carmenaustin]

So I had an amazing week. The highlights were probably driving a 10m telescope, sliding down the sand dunes of White Sands National Monument, and TOUCHING A DRAGON CAPSULE THAT HAS BEEN TO SPACE. Pictures soon.

[carmenaustin]

Leaving on a trip today with UASEDS. We'll be visiting McDonald Observatory today, and later this week: NASA Johnson Space Center, Lockhead Martin, SpaceX, White Sands test facility, What Sands National Monument, and Carlsbad caverns. I think I mentioned everything. Naw, probably not. Long post to come!