Past Events

Exploring Space Lectures

Aside from the meteorites that fall to Earth haphazardly, direct analysis of the materials of the solar system has required explorers–both human and robotic–to collect and return samples from the Moon, comets, asteroids, and one day other planets. The four lectures in this year’s series will spotlight the sample return missions that have helped us better understand the origin and evolution of the Earth and other planets.

This lecture series is made possible by the generous support of Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, and United Launch Alliance. 

Showing 1-7 of 7

Lecture Living with a Star National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC

Dr. Barbara Thompson will further explore the Sun-Earth connection and how it is being studied by the armada of ground-based and space-based observatories that are making more than a global effort, cooperating in the International Heliophysical Year (IHY). 
Lecture Confirming the Connection: Energetic Particles and Storms from the Sun National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC

Join Dartmouth professor Mary K. Hudson as she discusses how a particularly violent class of solar storms became identified as the major mechanism producing disruptions in space weather in the Earth's vicinity.
Lecture Discovering the Connection: The Day the Earth Caught Fire National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC

Solar physicist and former Spacelab astronaut Dr. Loren Acton will launch us into the topic with "Discovering the Connection: The Day the Earth Caught Fire." He will recount the events around Richard Carrington's 1859 discovery of the solar storm that 'shocked' the world.  
Lecture New Horizons: Exploring the Solar System's Frontier National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC

The 2007 Exploring Space Lectures, Journey Through the Outer Solar System, will feature four world-class scholars discussing current missions to the distant realm of the gas giants, the icy Kuiper Belt, and beyond.
Lecture Expedition to the Ringed Planet National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC

The 2007 Exploring Space Lectures, Journey Through the Outer Solar System, will feature four world-class scholars discussing current missions to the distant realm of the gas giants, the icy Kuiper Belt, and beyond.
Lecture Exploring the Surface of Titan with Cassini-Huygens National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC

The 2007 Exploring Space Lectures, Journey Through the Outer Solar System, will feature four world-class scholars discussing current missions to the distant realm of the gas giants, the icy Kuiper Belt, and beyond.
Lecture Pluto, Eris, and the Dwarf Planets of the Outer Solar System National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC

The 2007 Exploring Space Lectures, Journey Through the Outer Solar System, will feature four world-class scholars discussing current missions to the distant realm of the gas giants, the icy Kuiper Belt, and beyond.