Cosmos – serie

The sun is the source of energy for life on earth and is the strongest modulator of the human physical environment. In fact, the Suna (TM)s influence extends throughout the solar system, both through photons, which provide heat, light, and ionization, and through the continuous outflow of a magnetized, supersonic ionized gas known as the solar wind. While the accomplishments of the past decade have answered important questions about the physics of the Sun, the interplanetary medium, and the space environments of Earth and other solar system bodies, they have also highlighted other questions, some of which are long-standing and fundamental. The Sun to the Eartha "and Beyond organizes these questions in terms of five challenges that are expected to be the focus of scientific investigations in solar and space physics during the coming decade and beyond.

In 1997, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) formed the National Astrobiology Institute to coordinate and fund research into the origins, distribution, and fate of life in the universe. A 2002 NRC study of that program, Life in the Universe: An Assessment of U.S. and International Programs in Astrobiology, raised a number of concerns about the Astrobiology program. In particular, it concluded that areas of astrophysics related to the astronomical environment in which life arose on earth were not well represented in the program. In response to that finding, the Space Studies Board requested the original study committee, the Committee on the Origins and Evolution of Life, to examine ways to augment and integrate astronomy and astrophysics into the Astrobiology program. This report presents the results of that study. It provides a review of the earlier report and related efforts, a detailed examination of the elements of the astrobiology program that would benefit from greater integration and augmentation of astronomy and astrophysics, and an assessment of ways to facilitate the integration of astronomy with other astrobiology disciplines.

The adverse effects of extreme space weather on modern technology--power grid outages, high-frequency communication blackouts, spacecraft anomalies--are well known and well documented, and the physical processes underlying space weather are also generally well understood. Less well documented and understood, however, are the potential economic and societal impacts of the disruption of critical technological systems by severe space weather. As a first step toward determining the socioeconomic impacts of extreme space weather events and addressing the questions of space weather risk assessment and management, a public workshop was held in May 2008. The workshop brought together representatives of industry, the government, and academia to consider both direct and collateral effects of severe space weather events, the current state of the space weather services infrastructure in the United States, the needs of users of space weather data and services, and the ramifications of future technological developments for contemporary society's vulnerability to space weather.The workshop concluded with a discussion of un- or underexplored topics that would yield the greatest benefits in space weather risk management.

The United States spends approximately $4 million each year searching for near-Earth objects (NEOs). The objective is to detect those that may collide with Earth. The majority of this funding supports the operation of several observatories that scan the sky searching for NEOs. This, however, is insufficient in detecting the majority of NEOs that may present a tangible threat to humanity. A significantly smaller amount of funding supports ways to protect the Earth from such a potential collision or "mitigation." In 2005, a Congressional mandate called for NASA to detect 90 percent of NEOs with diameters of 140 meters of greater by 2020. Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies identifies the need for detection of objects as small as 30 to 50 meters as these can be highly destructive. The book explores four main types of mitigation including civil defense, "slow push" or "pull" methods, kinetic impactors and nuclear explosions. It also asserts that responding effectively to hazards posed by NEOs requires national and international cooperation.Defending Planet Earth: Near-Earth Object Surveys and Hazard Mitigation Strategies is a useful guide for scientists, astronomers, policy makers and engineers.

In recent years, planetary science has seen a tremendous growth in new knowledge. Deposits of water ice exist at the Moon's poles. Discoveries on the surface of Mars point to an early warm wet climate, and perhaps conditions under which life could have emerged. Liquid methane rain falls on Saturn's moon Titan, creating rivers, lakes, and geologic landscapes with uncanny resemblances to Earth's. Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 surveys the current state of knowledge of the solar system and recommends a suite of planetary science flagship missions for the decade 2013-2022 that could provide a steady stream of important new discoveries about the solar system. Research priorities defined in the report were selected through a rigorous review that included input from five expert panels. NASA's highest priority large mission should be the Mars Astrobiology Explorer Cacher (MAX-C), a mission to Mars that could help determine whether the planet ever supported life and could also help answer questions about its geologic and climatic history.Other projects should include a mission to Jupiter's icy moon Europa and its subsurface ocean, and the Uranus Orbiter and Probe mission to investigate that planet's interior structure, atmosphere, and composition. For medium-size missions, Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 recommends that NASA select two new missions to be included in its New Frontiers program, which explores the solar system with frequent, mid-size spacecraft missions. If NASA cannot stay within budget for any of these proposed flagship projects, it should focus on smaller, less expensive missions first. Vision and Voyages for Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022 suggests that the National Science Foundation expand its funding for existing laboratories and establish new facilities as needed. It also recommends that the program enlist the participation of international partners. This report is a vital resource for government agencies supporting space science, the planetary science community, and the public.

Understanding the effects of natural and human-induced changes on the global environment and their implications requires a foundation of integrated observations of land, sea, air and space, on which to build credible information products, forecast models, and other tools for making informed decisions. The 2007 National Research Council report on decadal survey called for a renewal of the national commitment to a program of Earth observations in which attention to securing practical benefits for humankind plays an equal role with the quest to acquire new knowledge about the Earth system. NASA responded favorably and aggressively to this survey, embracing its overall recommendations for Earth observations, missions, technology investments, and priorities for the underlying science. As a result, the science and applications communities have made significant progress over the past 5 years. However, the Committee on Assessment of NASA's Earth Science Program found that the survey vision is being realized at a far slower pace than was recommended, principally because the required budget was not achieved.Exacerbating the budget shortfalls, NASA Earth science programs experienced launch failures and delays and the cost of implementing missions increased substantially as a result of changes in mission scope, increases in launch vehicle costs and/or the lack of availability of a medium-class launch vehicle, under-estimation of costs by the decadal survey, and unfunded programmatic changes that were required by Congress and the Office of Management and Budget. In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has made significant reductions in scope to its future Earth environmental observing satellites as it contends with budget shortfalls. Earth Science and Applications from Space: A Midterm Assessment of NASA's Implementation of the Decadal Survey recommends a number of steps to better manage existing programs and to implement future programs that will be recommended by the next decadal survey. The report also highlights the urgent need for the Executive Branch to develop and implement an overarching multiagency national strategy for Earth observations from space, a key recommendation of the 2007 decadal survey that remains unfulfilled.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is widely admired for astonishing accomplishments since its formation in 1958. Looking ahead over a comparable period of time, what can the nation and the world expect of NASA? What will be the agency's goals and objectives, and what will be the strategy for achieving them? More fundamentally, how will the goals, objectives, and strategy be established and by whom? How will they be modified to reflect changes in science, technology, national priorities, and available resources? In late 2011, the United States Congress directed the NASA Office of Inspector General to commission a "comprehensive independent assessment of NASA's strategic direction and agency management." Subsequently, NASA requested that the National Research Council (NRC) conduct this independent assessment. In the spring of 2012, the NRC Committee on NASA's Strategic Direction was formed and began work on its task.The committee determined that, only with a national consensus on the agency's future strategic direction-along the lines described in the full NRC report-can NASA continue to deliver the wonder, the knowledge, the national security and economic benefits, and the technology that have been typified by its earlier history. NASA's Strategic Direction and the Need for a National Consensus summarizes the findings and recommendations of the committee.

High school student Kaede’s new job is out of this world—or at least his clients are…When high school student Kaede is hired to use his uncanny ability to sniff out fact from fiction for Cosmos, an intergalactic insurance agency, he embarks on a journey that is out of this world…Kaede’s search for a missing classmate leads to the shocking discovery that his friend is actually an alien in a human flesh suit. Grateful for Kaede’s help with her case, cute and ruthless insurance investigator Rin headhunts him. Kaede’s job interview leads to an epic battle on a commuter train, alien treachery, and a hidden spaceship. But before he can decide whether to accept the position or not, Kaede discovers another alien hidden in plain sight—one with a tragic story to share.

High school student Kaede’s new job is out of this world—or at least his clients are...When high school student Kaede is hired to use his uncanny ability to sniff out fact from fiction for Cosmos, an intergalactic insurance agency, he embarks on a journey that is out of this world…Alien abduction is in the air…so to speak. When an alien princess vanishes, it’s not exactly clear who abducted whom or why…but it’s still up to Kaede and Rin to rescue her. Then, our team moves on to investigate a kidnapping case that leads to an ethical dilemma. By the way, is it true that Rin is only in this for the money?

High school student Kaede’s new job is out of this world—or at least his clients are...When high school student Kaede is hired to use his uncanny ability to sniff out fact from fiction for Cosmos, an intergalactic insurance agency, he embarks on a journey that is out of this world…Things get personal for Kaede when aliens endanger his little sister. Rin doesn’t want to work on her day off but can’t tolerate an incompetent S.T.A.R.S. operative messing up a mission. Then a mundane job insuring a painting leads Kaede and Rin to a thief who steals things far more valuable than art, and their new associate Soprano gets an offer that’s very hard to refuse…

High school student Kaede’s new job is out of this world—or at least his clients are...When high school student Kaede is hired to use his uncanny ability to sniff out fact from fiction for Cosmos, an intergalactic insurance agency, he embarks on a journey that is out of this world…While Sakura embraces the challenges of her new music club, her protective older brother Kaede worries about the aliens hiding in plain sight in her class. Then, our friends uncover a scam operation at an alien host club, and Cosmos’s pursuit of the mysterious crime syndicate Pied Piper continues with a visit to a strange oracle…

High school student Kaede’s new job is out of this world—or at least his clients are...When high school student Kaede is hired to use his uncanny ability to sniff out fact from fiction for Cosmos, an intergalactic insurance agency, he embarks on a journey that is out of this world…Soprano and Sunagami finally infiltrate Pied Piper’s HQ, only to discover that they are in over their heads. Can Rin and Kaede rescue them and the rest of Pied Piper’s captives? Then, more is revealed about the source of Kaede’s special ability to smell lies. Plus, a wild party at Galactica leads to the Cosmos staff battling for the attention of its hottest members!

High school student Kaede’s new job is out of this world—or at least his clients are...When high school student Kaede is hired to use his uncanny ability to sniff out fact from fiction for Cosmos, an intergalactic insurance agency, he embarks on a journey that is out of this world…Kaede meets Rin’s beloved surrogate aunties, alien sisters who write and draw a hit manga series but are now aging backward toward the end of their careers and their lives. Meanwhile, Soprano returns a young former captive of the Pied Piper to a creepy rural village where no one is who they seem… Then, our friends become embroiled in the case of a criminal alien who will stop at nothing to acquire the bizarrely specific food he needs to survive…

High school student Kaede’s new job is out of this world—or at least his clients are...When high school student Kaede is hired to use his uncanny ability to sniff out fact from fiction for Cosmos, an intergalactic insurance agency, he embarks on a journey that is out of this world…Mizumori tries to earn the trust of an extraterrestrial student at his school while another student tries to earn her affection. Next, the gang explores the case of missing vloggers at a haunted hot springs hotel. Are the culprits alien or supernatural? Then, when Rin takes some well-deserved time off, her solitude is interrupted by S.T.A.R.S. paramilitary operatives who are way out of their depth. Plus, more disturbing intel about Soprano’s deadbeat dad...