My new 3 million dollar toy

Hey guys, thought I would let you know about the newest tool that can be used to help us in the Deny Ignorance era.

I am one of a handful of space science majors at MSU. It is a very new program here. This is our new baby. It will be finished in December of this year.

The Space Science Center at Morehead State University is developing a full motion 21-meter class antenna system referred to as the Morehead State University Space Tracking Antenna and Radiotelescope (M-STAR). Establishment of the Space Science Center was made possible by a joint NASA-Morehead State University-Kentucky NSF EPSCoR initiative whose initial intent was to move a NASA instrument-the 18-meter NASA-Goddard satellite tracking station known as the Advanced Data Acquisition System (ADAS), to Morehead State University. The 18-meter NASA-Goddard satellite tracking station referred to as the Advanced Data Acquisition System (ADAS), is located at the NASA Wallops Island, VA facility, and served as the telecommunication station for the NASA IUE satellite until ca. 1997. The proposed M-STAR system is referred to as 'hybrid" in that it will integrate key components of the NASA ADAS antenna system into a new "chassis" which includes the antenna reflector, positioner, and associated electromechanical drive systems and electronics. The 21-meter antenna system will be engaged in a rigorous research program in radio astronomy and will also serve as a ground station with the capability to track low earth orbiting (LEO) satellites.

This baby will be online VERY soon and I can't wait.

If anyone wants to read more click here.

____________________________________________________________
Be Cool
K_OS

You lucky devil. Now don't go coving things up now you hear?

Wow! Congrats on getting to play with that! I missed out this summer on going to Arecibo to do some experiments (damn those pesky grad students!) Here's my main toy though...



It's a 10 inch apochromatic refractor, with a 4 inch apo guide scope. There's a bunch other scopes that you can view and read about here.

So not quite as impressive, but I think we're sort of in the same league.

Again, CONGRATS!

EDIT: Oh, and by the way, that's NOT me in the picture.

[edit on 10/6/2004 by cmdrkeenkid]

Does it get HBO.

Seriously, congrats.

Wow, that a cool device...

Can i be you new best friend?

K_OS, what kind of access will you have to that?? I would love for you to tell me that you have uninhibited access to the info being gathered, but is it so?

Are in need for a charming soon to be high-school graduate lab assistant who goes by Surfup on ATS?

Please

Surf

cmdrkeenkid, that is a very nice scope...

To give a breakdown of access... We have to do some research for NASA, some for the university, the rest of the time will be our own experiments. There are not many space science majors right now so the time allowed to use it is pretty good.

The college is always looking for new students... This is a very young major... So if you don't mind a lot of physics and math, come on down.

____________________________________________________________
Be Cool
K_OS

What sort of experiments are you going to be running for yourself K_OS? NASA? The Uni? Sorry, have to be nosy... at least yours is being used for something scientific! Here at EMU it's just basically a big toy, with very little actual scientific use.