Environmental research from the skies

Starting in July of 2009, and going into August, the National Suborbital Education and Research Center (NSERC), a joint venture by NASA and UND, will be attempting to get a whole new generation of scientists ready for the future.

The summer-long program will offer a chance for students to work on NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory, and conduct research measurements.

Alexandra Novak, the education and outreach coordinator for NSERC spoke about the goals of the project.

"NASA's airborne science program is funding the endeavor, and we are launching on behalf of them. They realized there is a whole generation of NASA scientists getting ready to retire in the next 2-5 years. Because they haven't paid attention to education, they don't have the resources to fill those leaving."

In terms of the project, Novak explained, "We are going to take about 25-30 students, put them on the DC-8, take some measurements, and do a little bit of everything - some atmospheric, land and ocean measurements. We are trying to make it a little bit of everything. As my boss Rick Shetter would say, 'We're casting a really wide net' to get as many students as possible."

Students chosen for the project will do their research from the aircraft's home base in Palmdale, California, near Edwards Air Force Base where Lockheed Martin operates the famed Skunk Works program.

Novak added that several faculty members from other universities around the country will also be participating in the program. Staff members from UND, including Adam Webster, configuration manager for NSERC's DC-8 who will demonstrate the integration of the research instruments in the aircraft.

As a flying space lab, safety is a very important aspect. "There is a fine line between the aircraft safety and integrity of the airplane," said Novak. Before the airplane is deemed flight worthy with the instruments aboard, it must undergo rigorous flight testing where pilots take the airplane to the extremes of its flight capabilities.

Applying for the program Novak explained the application process. "This is a national program, but we are certainly accepting applications from UND. For any students interested, the website is www.nserc.und.edu. We are looking for advanced undergraduate students or early graduate students. The departments we are focusing on, what NASA has asked, are physics, chemistry, atmospheric science, computer science, geology, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and biology. One thing NASA really wants to do is make the work force more diverse."

Webster spoke about some of the work that goes into making a DC-8 flying laboratory. "For this year, we have done 3 missions. One, an atmospheric chemical composition method, measuring pollutants, aerosols, things like that. The second mission was looking at ice in the arctic. How the sea ice forms every year. The third mission was a little different, we were filming the reentry of the European Space Agency vehicle over the south pacific."

Webster is one of the engineers who has the job of ensuring the instruments affixed to the aircraft can accurately collect measurements, or film, without violating the integrity of the airframe, or the aerodynamics.

NSERC is a unit of UND's Northern Great Plains Center for People and the Environment and has successfully flown several missions around the world. The aircraft has flown in places like Tahiti, Costa Rica, Sweden and Western Africa.

Research obtained from the aircraft is, in many cases, used for public outreach and education in the areas of atmospheric sciences and environmental stewardship.