Voyager: From Planetary Spacecraft to Interstellar Probe by Lou Mayo, Marymount University, Virginia. USA
Wednesday 17th November 2021 at 7:30 pm GMT
Get to know the Voyager Missions from someone who worked on the project.
Abstract: In July and August of 1977, two spacecraft were launched on an historic journey to the outer solar system that would rewrite textbooks and change the way we look at the universe and ourselves within it, forever. Originally named MJS, the Voyager missions sent back stunning images and other data that were as beautiful as they were intriguing and often surprising. The many discoveries, the quantum leap in our understanding of our solar system and, by reference, other yet to be discovered solar systems, may be favourably compared to Galileo’s first views of the sun, moon, Venus, and Jupiter; a rare and precious game changing event for humanity.
In this talk, we will examine the mission, its technology, discoveries, and the problems that it overcame; and explore what lies ahead for these two tiny Voyagers.
The Speaker: Lou Mayo is a planetary scientist and professor of astronomy at Marymount University with over 40 years’ experience supporting NASA planetary and heliophysics missions, research, science archives, and public engagement. He was a member of the Voyager Infrared Science Team from 1981 to 1990 while also supporting the Cassini CIRS instrument development and Cassini ground system development. His research has focused on the atmosphere of Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, developing radiative transfer models of Titan’s molecular constituents, aerosols, and condensates. Lou is a frequent speaker on a wide spectrum of topics in astronomy and space science and has authored a number of articles on astronomy for the public.
Tickets at just £3.00 pp are available from https://voyagerspace.eventbrite.co.uk
Michael Bryce
GoSpaceWatch Limited
michael@gospacewatch.co.uk
www.gospacewatch.co.uk