May 3 2016

From The Space Library

MEDIA ADVISORY M16-050 NASA to Provide Coverage of May 9 Mercury Transit of the Sun

NASA is inviting media and viewers around the world to see a relatively rare celestial event, with coverage of the Monday, May 9 transit of the sun by the planet Mercury. Media may view the event at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Agency scientists will be available at the Goddard viewing event for live media interviews from 6 to 11:30 a.m. EDT. To attend, media must contact Michelle Handleman at michelle.z.handleman@nasa.gov. To schedule an interview with a NASA scientist at the event, contact Claire Saravia, claire.g.desaravia@nasa.gov.

Mercury passes between Earth and the sun only about 13 times a century, its last trek taking place in 2006. Due to its diminutive size, viewing this event safely requires a telescope or high-powered binoculars fitted with solar filters made of specially-coated glass or Mylar.

NASA is offering several avenues for the public to view the event without specialized and costly equipment, including images on NASA.gov, a one-hour NASA Television special, and social media coverage.

Mercury will appear as a small black dot as it crosses the edge of the sun and into view at 7:12 a.m. The planet will make a leisurely journey across the face of the sun, reaching mid-point at approximately 10:47 a.m., and exiting the golden disk at 2:42 p.m. The entire 7.5-hour path across the sun will be visible across the Eastern United States – with magnification and proper solar filters – while those in the West can observe the transit in progress after sunrise.

Images from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) will be posted at: [[1]]

NASA also will stream a live program on NASA TV and the agency’s Facebook page from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. -- an informal roundtable during which experts representing planetary, heliophysics and astrophysics will discuss the science behind the Mercury transit. Viewers can ask questions via Facebook and Twitter using #AskNASA.

Roundtable participants include:

• Jim Green, planetary science director at NASA Headquarters in Washington
• Lika Guhathakurta, heliophysics program scientist at NASA Headquarters
• Nicky Fox, project scientist for the Solar Probe Plus mission at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland
• Doug Hudgins, Exoplanet Exploration Program scientist at NASA Headquarters

RELEASE 16-013 NASA, FAA Demonstrate Wireless Communication with Aircraft

For the first time ever, a team of engineers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center conveyed aviation data -- including route options and weather information -- to an airplane over a wireless communication system for aircraft on the ground.

The demonstration, which was conducted at Glenn’s Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) test bed in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration and Hitachi, LTD on Feb. 11, demonstrated two technologies that could change airport operations worldwide.

“This was the first time we provided this type of information to an airplane over a ground wireless network,” said Paul Nelson, Glenn’s project manager for Cyber-Security and Secure Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS).

The team used an Aircraft Access to System Wide Information Management (SWIM), or AAtS, prototype technical solution to convey the aviation information to an FAA Bombardier Global 5000 test aircraft taxiing 60 to 70 miles per hour on the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport runway. They sent the information over a new wireless communication system called Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System, or AeroMACS.

The prototype AeroMACS hardware was developed by Hitachi. The system is based on WiMAX wireless communication standards, but uses different frequencies to enable connectivity on the ground. AAtS is an FAA technology demonstration and prototype initiative that enables solutions for connecting aircraft and flight crews to common-sourced aeronautical, weather and flight information. The AeroMACS demonstration enabled connectivity to allow updates to weather, airport status and flight and flow information prior to takeoff.

Until now, pilots have relied on voice communication with air traffic control or their airline operations center for this type of information because traditional wireless technologies don’t support high data throughputs. Together, AAtS and AeroMACS will improve situational awareness and reduce the potential for human error by giving pilots access to the information they need to make decisions. The trials consisted of three test cases designed to evaluate performance of both the AAtS and AeroMACS technologies. The trials demonstrated that AeroMACS can simultaneously transport multiple services seamlessly.

“It performed very well; it passed the test,” said Rafael Apaza, the AeroMACS technical lead. “We were able to send multiple applications to the aircraft at the same time and exchange surveillance and advisory flight information with fixed facilities without losing any data. This wireless communications capability will deliver great benefits to U.S. airport operations.”

In addition to improving safety, Nelson said the new wireless technology could allow airports to grow and change more affordably by replacing old underground systems.

“Airport communication systems use a lot of underground cables, which makes repairs and changes difficult,” he said. “Replacing and eliminating the underground infrastructure with wireless technology will reduce maintenance costs and downtime and allow airports to enhance capabilities more quickly.”

Glenn began investigating wireless communication technology for airports in 2004 and has worked with government and industry partners worldwide to develop AeroMACS and the wireless network standards.

The next steps for AeroMACS will include end-to-end testing involving multiple airports and evaluation of security measures.