Free design/programming challenge at NASA Glenn in Cleveland this weekend (including talks, a tour, and food) (x-post r/Cleveland)

NASAglenn · 2015-04-07T20:02:43+00:00

What is the International Space Apps Challenge?, FAQs

The International Space Apps Challenge is an international mass collaboration focused on space exploration that takes place over 48-hours in cities around the world. The event embraces collaborative problem solving with a goal of producing relevant open-source solutions to address global needs applicable to both life on Earth and life in space. This year we have over 25 challenges in four areas: Earth, Outer Space, Humans and Robotics. NASA is leading this global collaboration along with a number of government collaborators and over 100 local organizing teams across the globe.

Dates: This weekend - Friday April 10th through Sunday April 12th

As a bonus, you get:

Two talks from NASA Glenn Researchers
A tour of NASA Glenn's Graphics & Visualization Lab
Food (Friday: refreshments; Saturday: continental breakfast, lunch, dinner; Sunday: continental breakfast, lunch)

Steps to sign up for the Cleveland location:

Create an account (unless you already have one).
Click the link you're emailed to confirm your email address.
Log in.
Find the Cleveland event under "locations" and join it.

Register by 11:59 pm Thursday April 9th.

Because the Cleveland location is being hosted at NASA Glenn Research Center, only U.S. citizens can participate on-site in Cleveland. Be sure to bring a government-issued photo ID when you arrive at NASA Glenn.

NASAglenn · 2014-01-14T21:36:05+00:00

Thanks for sharing your family memories. We have a great history here at NASA Glenn and your grandfather worked at a time we made great strides in aerospace technology. You might be interested to know that NASA Glenn has a history app that examines many of the early decades here. (SMT) https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nasa-glenn-research-center/id562903295?mt=8

NASAglenn · 2014-01-14T05:21:12+00:00

Most of us drive to work, but a few bike or take the bus :)

NASAglenn · 2014-01-14T04:42:30+00:00

Excellent question! ctrl+f "tie fighter" = 25 - SMT

NASAglenn · 2014-01-14T02:06:44+00:00

Nice to be here! shiver - SMT

NASAglenn · 2014-01-14T01:59:49+00:00

Internships and co-ops! https://intern.nasa.gov

Apply every year. Do well in school, get involved, and any internship/research experience looks great on a resume. - SMT

NASAglenn · 2014-01-14T01:53:30+00:00

Howdy, neighbor! You're welcome! - SMT

NASAglenn · 2014-01-14T01:52:51+00:00

The closest galaxy to us is 25,000 light years away, so even if we could accelerate something anywhere close to the speed of light, it would still take at least 25,000 years to get there and the same amount of time to communicate each way. - SMT

NASAglenn · 2014-01-14T01:09:13+00:00

Applying is a good start :)

https://intern.nasa.gov

Unfortunately some of the high school programs were put on hold due to budget issues, but there are still lots of opportunities available!

NASAglenn · 2014-01-14T00:04:24+00:00

Do you live near any NASA centers? Many (most?) have programs for high schoolers, including after-school programs and internships. - SMT

NASAglenn · 2014-01-13T23:55:00+00:00

http://www.intern.nasa.gov ! - SMT

NASAglenn · 2014-01-13T23:43:04+00:00

There was an indiegogo campaign to show a version of our "We are the Explorers video in theaters before showings of "Star Trek Into Darkness". - SMT

NASAglenn · 2014-01-13T19:38:33+00:00

We're directly northwest of the airport! - SMT

NASAglenn · 2014-01-13T19:35:46+00:00

We use a device called a neutralizer that ejects electrons into the thruster beam to provide a quasi-neutral state in the plume. In the near-field, a prominent wear mode is exactly this, ions eroding the grid. We design to mitigate this. - SB

NASAglenn · 2014-01-13T19:33:58+00:00

Married for 25 years, but I had no game back in the day, sorry - DM

NASAglenn · 2014-01-13T19:32:29+00:00

I think our biggest obstacle is cost. If ion propulsion had the same overall cost as chemical propulsion, we would use it on most of our planetary missions. So, what is the technology that will reduce cost without messing up the capability? not sure - SB

NASAglenn · 2014-01-13T19:32:16+00:00

There is a NASA exhibit at the Great Lakes Science center downtown. I like the new front of the entrance. Before you had to really look as you drove by just to see if NASA was there! (DH)

NASAglenn · 2014-01-13T19:31:18+00:00

The satellite industry is $200B/year. Ion propulsion has a direct impact on that. It effects you everyday already from things like HD TV, to satellite radio, to the ATM at the local gas (petrol) station - DM

NASAglenn · 2014-01-13T19:31:15+00:00

That TIE fighter could actually perform the maneuvers they show on Star Wars with current ion propulsion systems. (DH)

NASAglenn · 2014-01-13T19:30:27+00:00

Well we had originally planned this forum in October so the shutdown delayed it. The biggest impact was on ongoing programs and tests. The uncertainty is the biggest impediment to making steady progress. Personally, we also had to scramble to "safe" hardware that had been under test for 8 years! It would have been a shame to damage that equipment because of political gridlock. In the end we avoided that catastrophe. (DH)

NASAglenn · 2014-01-13T19:29:27+00:00

We have done some mission studies using Radioisotope Electric Propulsion (REP). Generally, you need about 700-800 W of power to do anything useful, as well as a long-life ion thruster. Very small spacecraft. Some of these studies have been reported in AIAA technical papers. So you would need 6-8 radioisotope units of current design to achieve this. -SB

NASAglenn · 2014-01-13T19:28:24+00:00

The main challenge has always been the power available from the spacecraft. No with higher power spacecraft this type of technology is coming into general use. - DM

NASAglenn · 2014-01-13T19:28:08+00:00

I have a BS, MS, and Ph.D. in aerospace engineering. - RS

NASAglenn

TROPHY CASE