Carbon and Earth’s future climate on This Week @NASA – November 13, 2015 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

New observations from OCO-2 provide insight into Earth's response to rising heat-trapping gases. New Horizons flyby of Pluto yields over 50 discoveries.

Key Insights

• 🎟️ OCO-2 mission observes Earth's absorption of carbon dioxide to understand future climate implications.
• 🥶 New Horizons' flyby of Pluto reveals potential ice volcanoes and unusual geological features.
• 🎓 NASA actively engages in public outreach and education programs to encourage interest in math and science.
• 👨‍🚀 Deep space technologies are being developed to facilitate future manned missions, such as the Journey to Mars.
• ❓ The Bay Area Science Festival provides a platform for NASA to showcase its scientific endeavors.
• 🏝️ The European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft reached the one-year anniversary of successfully landing on a comet.
• 😫 NASA's Cygnus spacecraft is set to deliver cargo and research to the International Space Station.

Transcript

“Here’s some of the stories trending This Week at NASA!” New observations from NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) mission is providing insight into how Earth is responding to rising levels of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, and what this means for our future climate. Earth’s land and ocean currently absorb about half of all carbon ... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How is NASA's OCO-2 mission providing insight into Earth's response to rising heat-trapping gases?

OCO-2, NASA's first satellite dedicated to measuring carbon dioxide, is observing how Earth's land and ocean absorb carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels. This data will help understand whether this absorption can be sustained in the future.

Q: What are some of the discoveries from New Horizons' flyby of Pluto?

The New Horizons spacecraft has discovered potential ice volcanoes on Pluto, the absence of smaller surface craters, and intriguing details about Pluto's moons. These findings provide valuable insights into the geological activity and history of Pluto.

Q: What did NASA showcase at the Bay Area Science Festival?

NASA displayed several exhibits and activities at the Bay Area Science Festival, highlighting the agency's efforts in science and technology. This event served to engage the public and raise awareness of NASA's initiatives.

Q: What technologies for deep space exploration did NASA's Chief Technologist discuss at Nerd Night?

The Chief Technologist discussed NASA's ongoing efforts to develop technologies that will aid the next generation of explorers in making significant advancements in deep space exploration. This includes advancements in propulsion, robotics, and spacecraft systems.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• NASA's OCO-2 mission is studying the Earth's response to increasing levels of heat-trapping gases, and the uncertain future of carbon dioxide absorption by land and ocean.

• The New Horizons spacecraft's flyby of Pluto has led to over 50 new discoveries, including 3-D imagery of potential ice volcanoes, the absence of smaller surface craters, and intriguing details about Pluto's moons.

• NASA participated in the Bay Area Science Festival, showcasing the agency's efforts in science and technology, and NASA's Chief Technologist discussed technologies for deep space exploration.