Supermassive Black Holes in Our Backyard – SOLD OUT

by Rachel Herrington | Nov 8, 2023

Rescheduled date from January 15

Featuring Ann-Marie Madigan

Presented By KUNC

Door time: 7:00

Show time: 7:30

Supermassive black holes, millions to billions of times the mass of our sun, are lurking nearby. Theoretical astrophysicist Dr. Ann-Marie Madigan shares how we’ve found them using stars in orbit around them.

Dr. Ann-Marie Madigan is an associate professor in the Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences department at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research explores the motions of stars and gas around supermassive black holes, dark matter in galaxies, the icy worlds of the outer solar system, and planets around dead stars.

Orion Artemis I: Mission Around the Moon – SOLD OUT

by Rachel Herrington | Nov 8, 2023

Featuring Corey Brooker

Presented By KUNC

Door time: 7:00

Show time: 7:30

This presentation will focus on highlights from our Artemis I mission around the moon and give you a glimpse into what lies ahead for Orion as we look to return humans back to the Moon.

Corey Brooker:

Corey Brooker has been working on the Orion Program within the Commercial Civil Space Line of Business at Lockheed Martin Space for the past 16 years. He is currently the Senior Manager for Orion’s Systems Environments and Specialty Engineering. Systems Environments includes: Aerosciences (ascent & reentry aerodynamics, purge & vent, and plume impingement); Thermal analysis for Active and Passive thermal control systems; and the Loads & Dynamics analysis for events such as liftoff, ascent, acoustics, aborts, separation, docking, control, descent and landing. Specialty area includes: Reliability & Maintainability; Electromagnetic Compatibility & Interference; Radiation; and Micrometeorite and Orbital Debris analyses.

His previous role on Orion included leading the Launch Vehicle Integration efforts between Orion and the Space Launch System (SLS) for both Artemis-1 and Artemis-2. Lead the technical management for the Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 between LM and United Launch Alliance. He is a graduate of the LM Executive Development & Growth Enhancement (ED&GE) and Systems Engineering Mid-Career Advanced Program (SE MAP). In addition to his work on Orion, he is passionate about employee development & engagement, mentoring and supporting the community via STEM activities and public outreach.

Previous work experience includes over 12 years of Loads & Dynamics analysis for the launch vehicle development and production flights on the Atlas V and Delta IV evolved expendable launch vehicles. He has been a part of 4 Orion missions (PA-1, EFT-1, AA-2, and Artemis I), 10 Delta IV and 11 Atlas V successful mission flights with 100% Mission Success rate.

Corey holds a bachelor’s (1994) and master’s degree (1995) in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan. The proud father to 3 children: Alexis, Isabella and TJ, and husband of 28 years to my wife, Nikki, who runs a non-profit in our local community for mom’s struggling with mental health issues and postpartum depression.

Shadow Chasers: Studying our Solar System through Occultations

by Rachel Herrington | Nov 8, 2023

Featuring John Keller and Marc Buie

Presented By KUNC

Door time: 7:00

Show time: 7:30

Presenters:

John Keller, Director of CU Boulder Fiske Planetarium

Marc Buie, Southwest Research Institute

Stellar occultations are a powerful technique for measuring and learning about minor planets in our Solar System, (such as Kuiper Belt Objects, Centaurs, Trojans, and other groups of asteroids) that provide clues into the origin and evolution of our Solar System.  Planetary Scientists Marc Buie (Southwest Research Institute) and John Keller (CU Boulder) will share adventures involving hundreds of observers who have participated in occultation campaigns both locally and internationally to provide data critical to mission planning for the NASA New Horizons, Lucy, and other spacecraft. They will explain how community-engaged researchers are contributing to our understanding of the Solar System.

How to Lead an Outer Space Lifestyle

by Rachel Herrington | Nov 8, 2023

Featuring Kirby Runyon

Presented By KUNC

Door time: 7:00

Show time: 7:30

Outer space inspires hearts and fires imaginations. What if your vacations were like mini-spaceflights? What if your daily routine had a touch of the awe of the Cosmos? Planetary geologist and professional space enthusiast Dr. Kirby Runyon shares his story about how Lifestyle-Outer Space fires him up.

Dr. Kirby Runyon holds a PhD in planetary geology and is a research scientist with the Planetary Science Institute, a NASA-sponsored non-profit research corporation. He also is the CEO of Planex – Planetary Experience Consulting and coaches flyers in weightlessness for the Zero Gravity Corporation. His mission is to explore space and to take the world along for the ride.