Applied Physics Seminar

Preparing for a Suborbital Research Flight Via a Submersible Dive to the RMS Titanic

Alan Stern, PhD, Helicity Space Corporation,

Pizza for attendees in Watson Courtyard directly following the lecture.

Abstract: In July 2022 I dived 2,100 fathoms to the wreck of the RMS Titanic as the mission scientist. During the dive we studied the archaeology of the wreck and documented biology on the sea floor at depth; we also collected seafloor bottom samples. The dive served the additional purpose of providing analog operational experience in preparation for two flights I will be making to space aboard Virgin Galactic to conduct astrophysical and space physiological research. I will describe both the Titanic dive and the upcoming spaceflight research in this presentation, and how one supported training for the other.

More about the Speaker:

Dr. Alan Stern is a planetary scientist, space program executive, and soon to be suborbital astronaut. He is the principal investigator of the New Horizons Mission to Pluto which performed a flyby study of Pluto and is currently exploring the Kuiper Belt. He was previously the NASA associate administrator of its Science Mission Directorate, NASA Associate administrator for science missions, and board chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. He is a member of the National Science Board. He completed his Ph.D. in Astrophysics and Planetary Science at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

This presentation is sponsored by Helicity Space Corp, Pasadena, CA. https://www.helicityspace.com

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For more information, please contact Seth Pree by email at [email protected].