Von Karman Lecture by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Introduction

• Presented by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
• Focus on exploring planets, solar systems, and beyond
• Discussion topic: Evidence of life outside our solar system

Key Questions and Challenges

• What will the first evidence of extraterrestrial life look like?
• What future technologies are required to discover this evidence?
• Challenge: Space-borne telescopes need to suppress starlight up to 10 billion times to image exoplanets

Starlight Suppression Technologies

• Coronagraphs

  • Blocks starlight within a telescope

• Starshades

  • Blocks starlight outside a telescope

Guest Speaker: Dr. Nick Siegler

• Astrophysicist and Chief Technologist for NASA's Exoplanet Exploration Program
• Educational Background:
  • Ph.D., Master's from University of Arizona
  • MBA from Rotterdam School of Management
  • Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology
• Career shift from chemical manufacturing to astrophysics

Cosmic Perspective

• Are there other worlds like ours?
• Hubble Space Telescope: Revealing the density and diversity of stars in clusters like Omega Centauri
• Enormous number of stars and galaxies suggests statistical probability of life

Discovery of Exoplanets

• 20 years since the first exoplanet was discovered (51 Pegasi)
• Techniques for discovering exoplanets:
  • Radial Velocity: Measures star's wobble due to gravitational pull from planets
  • Transiting Method: Detects dips in starlight when a planet crosses in front

Diversity and Commonality of Exoplanets

• Exoplanets are diverse and often unlike our solar system
• Types include rocky, icy, and those orbiting multiple stars
• Evidence of water worlds and nomadic planets

Kepler Mission Discoveries

• Kepler has significantly increased the number of known exoplanets
• Findings: Planets are common; many are Earth-sized
• Identified habitable zones where liquid water could exist

Search for Life

• Solar System Exploration: Mars, Pluto, and icy moons for signs of life
• SETI: Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence via radio signals
• Probing Atmospheres: Look for biological signatures like oxygen and methane

Technology and Techniques

• Direct Imaging of Exoplanets: Combines starlight from stars and planets
• Challenges: Suppressing starlight to detect fainter planets
• Coronagraph and Starshade: Technologies to achieve this

Current and Future Missions

• Upcoming Missions:
  • TESS: Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
  • James Webb Space Telescope: Advanced capabilities for finding new planets
  • WFIRST: Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope with coronagraph
• Future Possibilities:
  • New Worlds Telescope: Potential life-finding mission
  • Advanced concepts for extensive telescopic arrays

Conclusion

• Earth's uniqueness as known life-bearing planet
• Inspirational potential of discovering life
• Encouragement for future investments in science and technology

Q&A Highlights

• Importance of location and technology for starshade missions
• Inquiry on specific exoplanets and discovery techniques
• Discussion on how different stars affect the potential for life-supporting planets

Final Thoughts

• Encouragement from Dr. Nick Siegler to pursue dreams and the importance of funding for NASA's goals
• Inspirational role of NASA in science and engineering

These notes capture the main points and discussions from the lecture, summarizing the key ideas and potential impact of space exploration technology.