The selection of two new science missions to investigate flares on the Sun and the evolution of galaxies was announced today by Dr. Wesley T. Huntress, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science. Also selected was a mission of opportunity which will pinpoint the location of gamma ray bursts in the sky. The Principal Investigator is Dr. Robert P. Lin, University of California, Berkeley. The science team includes scientists from the U.S., Switzerland, France, Japan, the United Kingdom and The Netherlands. The Principal Investigator is Dr. Christopher Martin, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena.
Bursters emit in a few seconds as much energy as an entire galaxy emits in a year.
This program provides frequent flight opportunities for highly focused and relatively inexpensive science missions that typically weigh around 500 pounds or less. Dr. David McComas, Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM, is the Principal Investigator.