The 10th annual Onizuka Day of Exploration (ODE) ignited curiosity and celebrated STEM for an estimated 4,500 attendees at the University of Hawaiʻi—West Oʻahu on April 11. The free, family-friendly event, honors the legacy of Hawaiʻi-born astronaut Ellison Onizuka. It featured more than 100 interactive activities, demonstrations and exhibits, and was presented by Scouting America, Aloha Council.

“The energy throughout the day was outstanding,” said ODE Co-Chair Will Hartzell. “The campus was filled with students, families, educators and community partners engaging in hands-on learning, discovery, and exploration. The event continues to reflect the spirit of Ellison Onizuka—bringing curiosity, innovation and opportunity together in a way that inspires the next generation.”

NASA astronaut, inflatable whale

Crowd favorites included a presentation by NASA astronaut Mike Fincke and the massive 45-foot inflatable whale exhibit. Participants explored the Bishop Museum Planetarium, used flight simulators, learned about AI in the Cyber Learning Pavilion, and watched the VEX IQ Robotics Scrimmage.

In the days leading up to the event, unstable weather conditions required organizers to quickly relocate more than 100 booths to covered areas for safety and accessibility.

This marked the fourth consecutive year ODE was held at 东精影业 West Oʻahu. Hartzell acknowledged the support of university staff, including Vice Chancellor for Administration David McDonald, and Lynn Reyes and John Murakami from Auxiliary Services.

“Despite weather challenges, the collaboration between 东精影业 West Oʻahu; Scouting America, Aloha Council; community organizations; and volunteers made it possible to deliver an inspiring and meaningful experience for thousands of attendees,” he said. “Onizuka Day not only honors Ellison Onizuka鈥檚 legacy, but also creates real moments of inspiration that shape future interests, education paths and careers.”

For more visit .

—By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

Among the finalists in a national NASA competition focused on advancing technologies for future space exploration is a student-led engineering team from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and 东精影业 Hilo.

(Robotic Space Exploration) is one of 14 university teams selected for the 2026 . The challenge invites students to develop innovative concepts supporting sustained human activity on the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Powering lunar operations

The team鈥檚 proposal, (Power Energy Transfer Architecture for the Lunar), centers on building a scalable power management and distribution system for lunar operations. The concept integrates multiple energy sources and storage methods, including nuclear power and energy stored using lunar soil, to support long-term missions and lays the groundwork for future applications on Mars.

As a finalist, Project PETAL received a $7,000 award to support participation in the RASC-AL Forum, scheduled for June 1–4, in Cocoa Beach, Florida. During the forum, students will present their work to NASA engineers and industry professionals while refining their concepts through technical feedback. The top-performing teams will be recognized for technical merit, innovation and presentation excellence.

“Being part of this project has shown us what it takes to develop a concept that could be considered for future lunar and Mars missions,” said Nathan Chong, project manager of Project PETAL and 东精影业 Mānoa computer engineering freshman. “It鈥檚 been incredibly rewarding to collaborate across campuses and push ourselves to think at a much higher level.”

The project also aligns with broader 东精影业 efforts supporting NASA鈥檚 Artemis missions, including a lunar rover instrument being developed at 东精影业 Mānoa that is slated to fly as part of the Artemis 5 mission. The work creates opportunities to connect student-led projects such as PETAL with real-world systems headed to the Moon.

Space science and engineering initiative

Project PETAL members are primarily from engineering and related STEM disciplines at 东精影业 Mānoa and 东精影业 Hilo. The interdisciplinary effort emphasizes hands-on design, systems integration and real-world problem-solving. Faculty advisors supporting the project include Matthew Siegler and Marvin Young from 东精影业 Mānoa, and Branden Allen from 东精影业 Hilo.

Project PETAL is part of , which aims to expand space technology development and hands-on student training. Launched in 2024, the initiative provides students with opportunities to work on advanced space systems while building Hawaiʻi鈥檚 capacity in aerospace engineering and instrumentation. It is a collaboration among 东精影业 Mānoa鈥檚 College of Engineering, the Institute for Astronomy and 东精影业 Hilo.

Team RoSE is one of more than 20 at 东精影业 Mānoa, which seek to foster long-term, in-depth, project-based learning to engage students and better prepare them for future careers.

More about Project PETAL

Hundreds of Hawaiʻi Island kids and families gathered at the on January 24, to celebrate the legacy of Kona-born astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who was killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy 40 years ago.

“We鈥檙e trying to continue his legacy. He inspired a lot of people, and he wanted to encourage the youngsters to work hard, study hard, and never give up on their dreams,” said Ellison鈥檚 younger brother, Claude Onizuka, who worked to bring the event back to Hawaiʻi Island after a five-year hiatus.

Organized by the (PISCES) in partnership with 东精影业 Hilo, the Onizuka Memorial Committee, Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope and the Hawaiʻi Science and Technology Museum, the day marked a return for the beloved community tradition, paused since the pandemic.

The event featured a keynote by NASA astronaut Donald R. Pettit, whose appearance was funded by American Savings Bank. Pettit, who has spent 590 days in space and is part of the team preparing for the Artemis II mission, challenged young attendees.

“I want them to think, ‘Wow, flying into space, it鈥檚 exploration, it鈥檚 tough, it鈥檚 difficult, but it鈥檚 something I want to do!’ and I hope everyone of these students [will] come and arm wrestle me for my job!”

Approximately 350 attendees participated in hands-on workshops from building volcanoes to learning traditional Polynesian canoe lashing. Interactive exhibits featured liquid nitrogen demos, Maunakea Observatory displays, and a state-qualifying VEX IQ Robotics tournament hosted by Wai膩kea Intermediate School.

Ellison Onizuka was the first Asian American and first person of Japanese ancestry to reach space when he completed the Space Shuttle Discovery mission in 1985. He remains the only NASA astronaut from Hawaiʻi.

AstroDay West 2025 brought a wave of excitement to Kona Commons as crowds gathered around science booths, telescopes and live demonstrations. The University of Hawaiʻi (IfA) joined partners across the island to offer a day of engaging ways to explore the universe at the annual event hosted by .

The day-long celebration offered family-friendly learning, free giveaways and simple science experiments designed to spark curiosity. Organizers said the goal was to make astronomy feel approachable for everyone.

“We were excited to provide keiki and families with the opportunity to learn more about science and astronomy right here in Kona,” said Carolyn Kaichi, education and outreach specialist at IfA. “Through hands-on learning and key partnerships with organizations across the island, we hoped to inspire the next generation of local science and technology leaders.”

Sun, sky and science

Visitors lined up to use a special solar telescope to safely view details on the sun鈥檚 surface. Nearby booths showed how stars form, how weather shapes our islands and how scientists observe the sky from Hawaiʻi鈥檚 mountaintops. IfA staff and students answered questions, guided activities and shared stories about their work.

AstroDay has long been a staple for families interested in science with a mission to strengthen public understanding of astronomy and create more opportunities for learning.

The event also featured displays and expertise from a wide range of partners, such as Las Cumbres Observatory, W. M. Keck Observatory, Gemini Observatory, Subaru Telescope, Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope, TMT International Observatory, NASA Solar System Ambassadors and the 东精影业 Hilo .

The University of Hawaiʻi showcased its growing role in global astronomy and space research by hosting an international symposium, September 22–24, bringing together leading experts from Japan and Hawaiʻi to explore the future of ground- and space-based science and technology.

The three-day event at , and Subaru and Gemini observatories, was part of 东精影业鈥檚 Space Science and Engineering Initiative (SSEI), which is positioning the university as a hub for cutting-edge space research, engineering and workforce training. More than 45 participants—22 from Japan and 25 from 东精影业—took part in sessions on cosmology, exoplanets, planetary science, cosmochemistry and astrophysics, along with specialized discussions on telescope technologies, optics, detectors and spectrometers.

“This symposium highlights Hawaiʻi鈥檚 unique role in global space research and underscores our commitment to training the next generation of scientists and engineers right here at home,” 东精影业 President Wendy Hensel said. “We are proud that 东精影业 continues to expand its expertise and work in this field.”

“One of our goals is to create an academic pathway for students in space sciences and engineering that will develop a well-qualified, locally based workforce pipeline to service the needs of our world-class observatories here in the islands,” 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 Interim Provost Vassilis Syrmos said.

Participants toured 东精影业鈥檚 advanced laboratories, including the Hawaiʻi Space Flight Laboratory Clean Room, the Adaptive Secondary Mirror Lab and the Advanced Detector Development and Engineering Research Laboratory. The final day featured tours of IfA Hilo鈥檚 Photonics Lab, Adaptive Secondary Mirror Lab, Advanced Detector Development and Engineering Research Lab, and visits to the Subaru and Gemini observatories on Maunakea, underscoring Hawaiʻi鈥檚 unique role as home to some of the world鈥檚 most powerful astronomical facilities.

The symposium was built on a series of high-level meetings among 东精影业, University of Tokyo (UTokyo) and National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), which operates the Subaru Telescope on Maunakea. The expanded collaboration is expected to include joint research projects, testing of new instruments, faculty exchanges and student training opportunities.

“It became clear to all of us at this symposium that 东精影业, NAOJ and UTokyo each have their own unique institutional strengths in research on space science, engineering and technology,” said Hiroaki Aihara, executive director and vice president of the University of Tokyo. “A 东精影业–NAOJ–UTokyo partnership can only enhance our research capacity.”

NAOJ Director General Mamoru Doi added, “The symposium clearly shows that various new developments in space and ground-based technology are expected for future astronomy and astrophysics. By working closely, 东精影业, NAOJ and UTokyo can achieve not only innovative research but also foster next generation leading researchers both in Hawaiʻi and Japan.”

More about SSEI

东精影业 launched SSEI to harness Hawaiʻi鈥檚 natural advantages in astronomy while building local expertise in engineering and manufacturing for space-based missions. The initiative is backed by state support to create a new space engineering and instrument development center in Hilo, which is expected to expand Hawaiʻi鈥檚 technology sector, bring in millions of dollars in research funding and create high-paying jobs for residents.

University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 researchers in the have created a molecule once thought too unstable to exist called methanetetrol using extreme, space-like conditions. The discovery could reshape our understanding of chemistry in the universe and shed light on the complex reactions happening in deep space.

Methanetetrol is the only alcohol which has four hydroxyl groups (OH) at a single carbon atom. Scientists have theorized its existence for more than a century, but no one had ever observed it, until now. Using ultra-cold temperatures, near-perfect vacuum and high-energy radiation to simulate the environment inside interstellar clouds, researchers produced this elusive molecule.

Complex compounds, building blocks of life

This finding shows that outer space may host a far more diverse and unexpected set of chemical reactions than previously believed. These reactions are critical to understanding the formation of organic molecules (building blocks of life) across the galaxy. By proving that methanetetrol can form under cosmic conditions, the team has revealed a surprising pathway for how complex compounds might evolve in the icy dust clouds where stars and planets form.

The team used powerful vacuum ultraviolet light to detect tiny amounts of methanetetrol made from water and carbon dioxide. They found that high-energy particles mimicking high energy cosmic rays triggered a series of chemical reactions leading to the creation of methanetetrol and related compounds.

“In collaborations with scientists from Mississippi, Samara University and Shanghai, this work pushes the boundaries of what we know about chemistry in space,” said Department of Chemistry Professor Ralf I. Kaiser.

While this alcohol does not occur naturally on Earth due to its instability in everyday conditions, its formation in space demonstrates that the universe is far more chemically dynamic than previously imagined. The findings push the boundaries of both chemistry and astronomy, and open the door to further discoveries and astronomical observations about how life’s ingredients can emerge in the coldest, darkest corners of space.

The study was . The Department of Chemistry is housed in 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补鈥檚 .

A telescope operated by the University of Hawaiʻi has detected the third known interstellar (from outside our solar system) object to enter our solar system. Researchers say that it poses no danger to Earth.

The discovery was made by 东精影业鈥檚 NASA-funded (ATLAS) telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile. ATLAS is a global network of four telescopes managed by the 东精影业 that scan the skies for asteroids that could pose a threat to Earth. According to researchers, the object is moving right through the Milky Way, making it difficult to distinguish amidst all the stars. But researchers say this is one of ATLAS鈥檚 strengths.

“Spotting a possible interstellar object is incredibly rare, and it鈥檚 exciting that our 东精影业-operated system caught it,” said John Tonry, 东精影业 Institute for Astronomy astronomer and professor. “These interstellar visitors provide an extremely interesting glimpse of things from solar systems other than our own. Quite a few come through our inner solar system each year, although 3I/ATLAS is by far the biggest to date. The chances of one actually hitting the Earth are infinitesimal, less than 1 in 10 million each year, but ATLAS is continually searching the sky for any object that might pose a problem.”

The newly identified object, designated , was added to the International Astronomical Union鈥檚 Near-Earth Object confirmation list on July 1, and a Minor Planet Electronic Circular was just released that names it 3I/ATLAS. It is currently soaring toward the sun on a trajectory and with speed that reveals that it originated from outside our solar system, and will leave the solar system again after passing the Sun. Early estimates suggest the object may be as large as 12 miles in diameter. Researchers say it will make its closest approach to the sun—about twice the distance from Earth—in October, traveling at more than 150,000 miles per hour.

Although 3I/ATLAS appears on the Near-Earth Object list, there is no risk of collision with Earth or even a close pass. It is sobering, however, that if it struck the Earth (and it will not) it would create an explosion more than 100 times greater than the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs. Researchers suspect that 3I/ATLAS is a comet and it should show increasing activity as it gets closer to the Sun, although it will never get warm enough to make a naked eye display.

The four-telescope ATLAS system is the first line of defense in surveying hazardous asteroids capable of monitoring the entire dark sky every 24 hours. Read this 东精影业 News story for more about ATLAS.

Visitor number 3?

This marks the third likely interstellar visitor, following the discoveries of ʻOumuamua in 2017 and comet 2I/Borisov in 2019. ʻOumuamua was first detected by 东精影业鈥檚 Pan-STARRS1 telescope on Haleakal膩 and became the first object to receive an official interstellar designation. It caught global attention with its strange, elongated shape and unexpected acceleration as it exited the solar system. Although it showed no visible tail, its motion suggested comet-like behavior. Most scientists now agree that it was a natural object, likely a comet from another star system, although its exact nature is still debated.

Related 东精影业 News stories:

• Two 东精影业 astronomers part of international team that agrees on a natural origin for ʻOumuamua, July 2, 2019
• An interstellar visitor unmasked, November 20, 2017

Scientists have been on the hunt to determine where and how much ice is present on the Moon. Water ice would be an important resource at a potential future lunar base, as it could be used to support humans or be broken down to hydrogen and oxygen, key components of rocket fuel. University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 researchers are using two innovative approaches to advance the search for ice on the Moon.

NASA‘s ShadowCam scouts for surface ice

Water ice was previously detected in the permanently shaded regions of the Moon鈥檚 north and south poles by Shuai Li, assistant researcher at the (HIGP) in the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 (SOEST). A led by Jordan Ando, planetary sciences graduate student in Li鈥檚 laboratory, examined images from a specialized camera, NASA‘s ShadowCam, that is aboard the Korea Aerospace Research Institute Korea Lunar Pathfinder Orbiter.

Related 东精影业 News stories:

• Water on the Moon; team confirms with ground equipment, January 10, 2022
• Direct evidence of ice on Moon surface discovered, August 21, 2018

Craters in the Moon鈥檚 polar regions receive no direct sunlight, but sunlight that bounces off of one side of a crater can indirectly illuminate another side. The ShadowCam, designed specifically to look only at the dark, permanently shaded areas on the Moon, is extremely sensitive to the indirect light reflected off the lunar surface.

“Ice is generally brighter, that is, reflects more light, than rocks,” said Ando. “We analyzed high-quality images from this sensitive camera to look really closely into these permanently shaded areas and investigate whether water ice in these regions leads to widespread brightening of the surface.”

The analysis of Shadow Cam images indicates that water ice makes up less than 20% of the lunar surface.

Cosmic rays help search for buried ice

Another group of 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 researchers with HIGP and recently in Geophysical Research Letters that outlines an innovative approach to detect buried ice deposits at the Moon鈥檚 poles.

“We showed that a new technique for detecting buried water ice on the Moon is possible using naturally occurring cosmic rays,” said Emily S. Costello, study lead author and researcher at HIGP. “These ultra-high-energy cosmic rays strike the lunar surface and penetrate to the layers below. The rays emit radar waves that bounce off buried ice and rock layers, which we can use to infer what鈥檚 below the surface.”

The team used an advanced computer simulation that tests how radar waves travel through the lunar soil and how they encode information about possible buried ice layers. A team of HIGP and Department of Physics and Astronomy researchers are working to assemble a radar instrument specifically tuned to listen for these signals on the Moon and hope to test the full system by early 2026. They will look for opportunities to send it to the Moon to hopefully detect large deposits of buried water ice on the Moon for the first time.

“More and more, Hawaiʻi is becoming a hub for space exploration, and specifically the exploration of the Moon,” said Costello. “These projects, led by 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 scientists, represent up-and-coming opportunities for students and professionals in Hawaiʻi to lead and participate in the budding space industry.”

Read the entire story on the .

—By Marcie Grabowski

Emily Costello, a planetary scientist at the University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补, was as one of eight participating scientists to join its to the Jupiter Trojan asteroids. These asteroids are remnants of the early solar system trapped on stable orbits associated with, but not close to, the planet Jupiter.

On the Lucy mission, Costello will contribute to the goal of understanding the nature and history of Trojan asteroids by providing insights into the role of meteoritic impacts in shaping the surfaces of the Trojans.

“Impacts are a pervasive geological process on small bodies, so it is critical that we accurately decipher how these impacts shape the formation and evolution of the asteroids,” said Costello, who is a researcher at the in the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 (SOEST).

The impact of impacts

Launched in 2021, the spacecraft is the first space mission to explore the diverse group of small bodies known as the Jupiter Trojan asteroids. Trojan asteroids orbit in two “swarms” that lead and follow Jupiter in its orbit around the Sun.

Impacts from meteors mix the surface of these bodies and muddle geologic layers, called strata. Impacts play a crucial role in erasing and homogenizing certain surface features, such as crater rays, and in the evolution of chemical and physical characteristics. Costello will provide the Lucy team with a key piece of the surface geology puzzle, leveraging her impact modeling expertise and targeted observations of craters and the material they propel outward.

“The history written and rewritten by impacts will influence the interpretation of all observations by the Lucy mission’s scientific instruments that view Trojan surfaces,” Costello said. “So, it’s thrilling to be able to help interpret the first ever close-up look at these likely ancient asteroids.”

More about the Lucy mission

Over its 12-year mission, Lucy will explore a record-breaking number of asteroids, flying by three asteroids in the solar system鈥檚 main asteroid belt, and by eight Trojan asteroids that share an orbit around the Sun with Jupiter. Lucy also will fly by Earth three times to get a push from its gravity, making it the first spacecraft to return to the vicinity of Earth from the outer solar system.

and .

Related 东精影业 News stories on Costello:

• Linking planetary science, art, Indigenous culture focus of early career award, June 5, 2024
• Building pathways for Indigenous lunar science at 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补, June 17, 2022
• Mission to find lunar ice gets $3M NASA boost, February 1, 2022
• Surface of Jupiter鈥檚 moon Europa may have conditions for life, July 12, 2021

Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa recently received and analyzed pristine samples from the asteroid Bennu—material that has been preserved in the vacuum of space since the tumultuous formation of the solar system. Their findings will provide clues to the building blocks and events of those earliest days.

“To date there have been only a handful of missions that brought material back to Earth from elsewhere in the solar system,” said Gary Huss, researcher at the (HIGP) in the 东精影业 Mānoa (SOEST) and director of HIGP鈥檚 . “It is an honor and a privilege to analyze a sample from another world.”

In 2016, NASA launched with a mission to reach Bennu, which orbits near Earth, and collect a sample of material from its surface. In addition to gathering remote observations that revealed Bennu鈥檚 with , OSIRIS-REx unfurled its robotic arm and, in a first for NASA, briefly touched down and collected dust and pebbles. Years later, in 2023, the spacecraft delivered the sample to Earth and a thin polished section of that material was shared by NASA in January with researchers at HIGP.

“Collecting and transporting these samples 200 million miles back to Earth was an engineering marvel,” said Rob Wright, HIGP director. “That some of this precious material has been entrusted to HIGP鈥檚 labs is testament to the world-leading expertise of Gary, Kazu [Nagashima, HIGP specialist], and the cosmochemistry group; and the cutting-edge science being conducted at the University of Hawaiʻi.”

Bennu is essentially a time capsule from the early solar system. Researchers from around the world applied to receive samples of the asteroid to better understand the origin of the asteroid and by extension the origin of the solar system. Huss and Nagashima, were granted access to the cherished samples to measure oxygen isotopes in various minerals including dolomite, calcite, bruennerite, and magnetite, using the ion probe in the Keck Lab.

“This will give us new insight into the raw materials for the solar system and the water that was part of the asteroid,” said Huss. “Additionally, the mineral analyses will tell us about the temperature of interactions between rock and water on the asteroid, and the isotopic measurements can potentially tell us about the timing of various things that happened in the early solar system.”

Beneath a miles-thick icy crust, Jupiter’s moon Europa likely has a saltwater ocean that may be one of the best places to look for life beyond Earth. Researchers in the (HIGP) at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa were awarded $1.8 million by NASA to predict where they may have the best chance of accessing the ocean and possibly finding life.

On Europa, liquid from the ocean may be exposed at the surface, or actively escape into space through plumes of vapor and ice particles. Such activity could also bring with it samples of microbial life that may inhabit the ocean. Sarah Fagents, researcher in HIGP at the 东精影业 Mānoa (SOEST), is leading the effort via the , the mission to Europa launched by NASA in October.

“This precursor work will provide critical context to enable more efficient analysis of Clipper data by the science community and will help generate discoveries and new questions that will feed into the planning of mission observations,” said Fagents. “This will maximize the science return during the lifetime of the Europa Clipper, which is limited due to the intense radiation it will experience around this moon.”

After traversing the solar system for nearly six years, Europa Clipper will reach Jupiter, orbit the planet, and conduct nearly 50 close flybys of Europa.

Clues from chaos

The team鈥檚 research will focus on what is referred to as Europa鈥檚 . These are highly fractured and disrupted areas of the moon鈥檚 surface where blocks of ice appear to have broken off, drifted and refrozen to the surface. Previous research has indicated that liquid water either rises directly from the ocean to the subsurface or forms by the melting of salty ice at shallow depths, creating massive lakes inside the moon’s frozen crust. Over time, the ice directly above these lakes collapses, splintering into floating fragments that rotate, raft and resettle into all kinds of configurations.

“With the upcoming work, we will assess the feasibility of different chaos formation models, determine the potential for exposure of interior and/or ocean materials at the surface, develop techniques for efficient analysis of Clipper data, and evaluate where best to look for signs of habitability exposed at the surface,” said Fagents. “I鈥檓 excited to see what鈥檚 ahead.”

Fagents鈥� three-year project includes HIGP researchers Shuai Li, Gwendolyn Brouwer and Lauren Schurmeier; and collaborators from four other institutions (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, the University of Texas at Austin, and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab).

–By Marcie Grabowski

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa students have more space workforce opportunities with two new undergraduate minors, one in Earth and Planetary Exploration and Technology (EPET) and the other in Human Space Flight Technology. Located in one of the most geographically isolated locations on Earth, 东精影业 Mānoa has established itself as a world-renowned leader in space-related programs.

The two minors will be administered by the (HIGP) in the 东精影业 Mānoa . The objective of these programs is to provide professional education in the expanding field of human space flight and broaden access to space system science and technology education for 东精影业 Mānoa students, with special emphasis on including historically underrepresented groups.

“Space exploration is an interdisciplinary field that is growing at 东精影业 Mānoa, in the State, nationally and internationally,” said Peter Englert, professor in HIGP and program chair for the new academic opportunities. “The successful establishment of the certificate program in 2020 provided a model for the establishment of the new minors. These offerings will increase the number of 东精影业 students with qualifications to enter the space workforce with their chosen majors.”

Opportunities for diverse majors

Englert anticipates that students in physical sciences, astronomy, computer science and engineering will be interested in pursuing the Earth and Planetary Exploration and Technology minor. The Human Space Flight Technology minor, which has a strong component of life sciences, space life support technology, human factors, space ethics and comparative space policy, is likely to generate more interest among students interested in the new space economy from social sciences to business. Undergraduate students can enroll for the minors beginning in spring 2025.

“With the missions to return to the Moon and current revolution in technology, this innovative educational program will allow for 东精影业 students to get involved with internships, fellowships, and leadership opportunities in our future as a spacefaring civilization,” said co-instructor, Ari Eisenstat with the Hawaiʻi Research Center for Future Studies.

For more information on the minors and how to enroll, contact Englert at englert@hawaii.edu or visit the .

Enhancing our understanding and predictions of space weather patterns that pose significant risks in space and on Earth, especially in preparation of high solar activity forecasted in 2025, is the focus of a University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 project.

The project, led by 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 Chair and Professor Veronica Bindi, will measure the most powerful particles in space through a new Haleakal膩 Neutron Monitor Station (HLEA) on Maui and a space weather station on Oʻahu.

“Before going hiking or surfing, you usually want to check the weather,” Bindi said. “The same goes for when you鈥檙e in space. You want to make sure astronauts, instruments and other assets are safe from harmful, inclement solar weather.”

The project is supported by a four-year, $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

Upcoming solar maximum

Initially targeted for completion in 2025, Bindi and her team expedited their efforts to launch the HLEA and space monitoring center in 2024 in order to collect data from the impending solar maximum of Solar Cycle 25, initially forecasted for 2025. Occurring once during the Sun鈥檚 11-year solar cycle, a solar maximum marks the period when the Sun is most active.

Upon reaching the Earth鈥檚 magnetosphere (a magnetic field that protects the planet from harmful solar radiation), coronal mass ejections can trigger geomagnetic storms that can disturb or damage satellites and electrical power grids. They can also corrode gas and other pipelines, and increase radiation exposure risks for commercial and other aircraft flying at high altitudes.

The strongest solar storm ever recorded, known as the Carrington Event of 1859, wreaked havoc on telecommunications around the world and brought northern lights as far south as Hawaiʻi.

“With today鈥檚 heavy reliance on technology, the global impact of a similar solar storm today could be catastrophic and cost billions of dollars,” Bindi said. “Everything from using our phones, laptops, credit cards, GPS and financial transactions to a lot of our infrastructure depends on satellites and other technologies in space.”

As the newest of approximately 50 ground neutron monitor stations around the world and the only one in the Pacific Ocean, HLEA will provide groundbreaking new data by filling a wide gap in the global neutron monitor network between Mexico and Thailand.

For more on HLEA, . Noelo is 东精影业鈥檚 research magazine from the .

An asteroid that some are calling Earth鈥檚 next “mini-moon” was discovered by a University of Hawaiʻi-operated telescope.

The 33-foot wide asteroid, called 2024 PT5, was detected on August 7, by the NASA-funded 东精影业鈥檚 (ATLAS) telescope in Sutherland, South Africa, one of four global telescopes operated by 东精影业鈥檚 ATLAS system that search for dangerous asteroids that might impact the Earth.

Earth’s gravitational pull will snag 2024 PT5 between September 29 and November 25, before it escapes the planet鈥檚 orbit and continues its journey around the Sun. 东精影业 experts describe the orbit of 2024 PT5 as “Earth-like,” meaning that the asteroid is nearly the same distance from the Sun as the Earth and spends all of its time along a path very similar to Earth鈥檚 orbit.

Every few decades, the asteroid comes close enough to Earth to be temporarily “captured,” meaning that it will be loosely bound to Earth鈥檚 gravity without being in orbit around the Earth. This capture episode will last for two months before the asteroid escapes the Earth鈥檚 gravitational field until the year 2055, when the next capture is predicted to occur.

While there is no official definition of a “mini-moon,” 2024 PT5 comes only within about one million miles from Earth, four times farther than the Moon, and is so tiny that it can only be seen with a powerful telescope. Even though its behavior is not very “moon-like,” it is the latest of a handful of objects that have been temporarily captured by the Earth鈥檚 gravity. Such objects could someday present opportunities for sample retrieval or asteroid mining.

“The discovery of 2024 PT5 by our ATLAS telescopes is an important reminder that there are countless small objects orbiting the Sun, and some of them can temporarily become Earth鈥檚 companions,” said Larry Denneau, 东精影业 astronomer and ATLAS co-principal investigator. “While this object poses no threat whatsoever to our planet, it showcases the invaluable work our team is doing to vigilantly monitor the skies and detect these objects before they make a close approach.”

The unusual temporary capture aspect of 2024 PT5鈥檚 orbit was revealed after the object鈥檚 discovery by a in Research Notes of the American Astronomical Society.

The four-telescope ATLAS system is the first line of defense in surveying hazardous asteroids capable of monitoring the entire dark sky every 24 hours. Read this 东精影业 News story for more about ATLAS.

A University of Hawaiʻi at 惭腻苍辞补 project to investigate potential signs of antimatter (particles with opposite charge to ordinary matter) in space has been awarded a $600,000 grant from the .

This research by Professor Philip von Doetinchem is contributing to unraveling one of the greatest mysteries in modern physics—the nature of dark matter—which makes up about 85% of the universe鈥檚 mass and affects cosmic structure, yet remains invisible and poorly understood.

“By carefully scrutinizing our antimatter search data that we collected in space, we鈥檙e not just pushing the boundaries of science; we鈥檙e also heading toward a new era in particle astrophysics,” Doetinchem said.

Doetinchem will lead a three-year project analyzing data from the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) aboard the International Space Station. The AMS-02 has potentially found rare antiparticles called antideuterons and antihelium in space. These findings could be evidence of dark matter or point to new physics beyond our current understanding. However, they might also be explained by known cosmic processes. Resolving the nature of the origin is the prime motivation for the project.

Doetinchem鈥檚 Cosmic Ray Antiparticle team, composed of postdoctoral researcher Anirvan Shukla and graduate students Bobby Lyon and Ammar Bayyari, will use advanced analysis techniques, including machine learning, to analyze more data from the upgraded AMS-02. They鈥檒l also incorporate results from new measurements on the ground with the SPS Heavy Ion and Neutrino Experiment (NA61/SHINE) at CERN, a leading physics research center in Europe, to interpret the results from space.

Currently, scientists lack a comprehensive explanation for why they鈥檙e potentially seeing these antimatter particles in space or why they appear in the proportions observed. This research aims to solve this cosmic riddle and potentially reshape our understanding of the universe鈥檚 fundamental makeup.

Empowering students through cosmic science

Beyond its scientific goals, the project includes an educational outreach component. In collaboration with Lena Stone鈥檚 team from , Doetinchem鈥檚 team continues providing . Additionally, the researchers collaborate with Sandra von Doetinchem and others on developing strategies to s.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is housed in the 东精影业 惭腻苍辞补 .

After three and a half years exploring Jezero Crater鈥檚 floor and river delta on Mars, NASA鈥檚 will to an area where University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa members of the Mastcam-Z camera team will search for more discoveries that could rewrite Mars鈥� history.

东精影业 Mānoa scientists and graduate students who are , began searching for signs of ancient life on Mars in February 2021.

graduate student Eleni Ravanis and her advisor Sarah Fagents, researcher in the , will be looking for rocks on the crater rim that might provide detailed insights into the earliest period of the planet鈥檚 history.

“Our samples are already an incredibly scientifically compelling collection, but the crater rim promises to provide even more samples that will have significant implications for our understanding of Martian geologic history,” said Ravanis. “This is because we expect to investigate rocks from the most ancient crust of Mars. These rocks formed from a wealth of different processes, and some represent potentially habitable ancient environments that have never been examined up close before.”

The rover has been exploring the floor of the 45 km-diameter Jezero Crater, where an ancient delta provides a window into the fluvial (river-related) history of the area. During that phase of the mission, the rover collected the first sedimentary rocks ever sampled from a planet other than Earth. These sedimentary rocks are important because they formed when particles of various sizes were transported by water and then deposited into a standing body of water; on Earth, liquid water is one of the most critical requirements for life as we know it.

Challenging terrain

Perseverance will soon begin a months-long ascent up the western rim of Jezero Crater that is likely to include some of the steepest and most challenging terrain the rover has encountered to date.

On the Crater Rim Campaign, Ravanis is one of the science leads, providing input into where the rover drives and which rocks should be investigated along the way. The rover should see very ancient rocks, perhaps more than 4 billion years old, that were excavated by the formation of Jezero crater.

“Examining these rocks up close and sampling them for later will inform our understanding of not just Jezero Crater, but the planet Mars as a whole and through time,” said Ravanis.

A newly-discovered asteroid by a University of Hawaiʻi-operated telescope will pass close to Earth, inside the Moon’s orbit in the evening of June 28. Orbit computations by NASA and the European Space Agency predict it will make its closest approach to Earth shortly after 1:30 a.m. Hawaiʻi time.

The asteroid, named 2024 MK, is about 575 feet or nearly two football fields across, and will brighten to visual magnitude 8, fainter than what is visible by the naked eye but easily detectable with binoculars or a small telescope. The best time to observe the object from Hawaiʻi will be around 10 p.m. It will be visible in the southern sky to the southeast of the constellation Scorpius.

Asteroid 2024 MK was discovered on June 19 by the NASA-funded 东精影业鈥檚 (ATLAS) telescope in Sutherland, South Africa, one of four global telescopes operated by 东精影业‘s ATLAS system.

“2024 MK is a routine discovery for ATLAS, and while this object will not collide with Earth and poses no immediate danger, it shows that we can detect these objects prior to their close approach or collision with the Earth,” said Larry Denneau, 东精影业 astronomer and ATLAS co-principal investigator.

The four-telescope ATLAS system is the first line of defense in surveying for hazardous asteroids capable of monitoring the entire dark sky every 24 hours. Read this 东精影业 News story for more about ATLAS.

A one-of-a-kind nursing simulation center, innovative classroom spaces, and student-made satellites launched into space were some of the highlights from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Talk Story: Campus Tour on June 26, which invited new state legislators to discover and support the university鈥檚 academic and research spaces.

“We were glad our lawmakers were able to get a better understanding of what we are doing here on campus,” said 东精影业 Mānoa Provost Michael Bruno. “The tour showcased some of our exceptional programs, spanning from innovative learning spaces to creating a workforce pipeline in space science. Our representatives also had the opportunity to meet some of our incredible faculty, staff and students who make this campus the world class institution that it is.”

Hawaiʻi state legislators from the House participated in the tour including Reps. Trish La Chica, Darius Kila, Luke Evslin, Andrew Takuya Garrett, Jackson Sayama and Kirstin Kahaloa.

Related 东精影业 News stories:

• State lawmakers get insights about how 东精影业 Mānoa is innovating, March 1, 2024
• 东精影业 faculty, state lawmakers share ideas on public safety, April 19, 2024

The tour began with a welcome message at the Queen Liliʻuokalani Center for Student Success. The first stop was the 东精影业 Translational Health Science Simulation Center in the , where theatre and dance students portray patients and their families while nursing students practice patient interactions through .

“This was actually my first time touring the campus,” said Kila. “The highlight for me was seeing where the university is positioned for almost this tangible strategic future plan. I’m truly impressed with the nursing facility that we got to tour. I鈥檝e been impressed with every facility that we’ve seen and the quality of staff, faculty and students. Now I can actually visualize the programs here and I am proud of the work that’s being done.”

The highlight for me was seeing where the university is positioned for almost this tangible strategic future plan.
—Darius Kila

Representatives also toured the 鈥檚 glass blowing classroom; innovative learning spaces in Sakamaki Hall and the (LAVA Lab); and the , where students are trained to engineer small satellites that are being launched into space. The tour concluded at 东精影业鈥檚 Walter Dods, Jr. RISE Center for a Q&A session.

“As a mom raising two young kids here, I’m constantly thinking about ways to enable our youth to stay,” said La Chica. “One of the highlights from today was the Hawaiʻi Space Flight Laboratory and learning about the opportunities to diversify our economy and create pathways for high tech jobs here. And looking at how UH is creating opportunities for our students to get a world-class education and a strong start in their careers. It was just a wonderful experience today. And I’m looking forward to continuing to get more exposure and learning how else we can best support the university.”

The severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the planetary science community is greater than in the general U.S. population, according to a study led by a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa scientist and published in . The study also found that symptoms are more severe for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers than any other career stage.

“After reading about so much anxiety and depression in academia, and as someone who loves both planetary science and psychology, I felt like I needed to do something because there are so many people suffering,” said David Trang, an assistant researcher in the at the time of this research and graduate student in the at .

Prompted by growing recognition of a mental health crisis within the academic and research communities, Trang and co-authors from 东精影业 Mānoa , Hawaiʻi Pacific University, Jet Propulsion Lab, NASA and U.S. Geological Survey, surveyed more than 300 members of the planetary science community. The survey requested demographic information and included commonly used assessments to measure the severity of anxiety, depression and stress symptoms.

Symptoms greater among marginalized groups

The authors found that anxiety, depressive or stress symptoms appear greater among marginalized groups, such as women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community. And further, when examining the correlation between marginalized communities and considering leaving planetary science, LGBTQ+ respondents were more likely to be unsure about staying in the field.

“Some of my colleagues have left the field of science because the academic workplace was hard on their well-being,” said Trang. “This is so unfortunate because science would benefit from each and every person who is passionate about research, as they could contribute so much to the field.”

The authors hope this work highlights issues that some suspected existed in planetary sciences.

“This work marks the beginning of the changes needed to improve mental health in planetary science,” said Trang. “I hope to continue to unravel what is driving these mental health issues and collectively develop solutions that will improve well-being, which will in turn enhance research quality and productivity.”

In the near future, Trang hopes to run psychoeducation workshops based on psychotherapy concepts to begin improving mental health in planetary science and potentially serve as a model to improve mental health in the rest of academia.

A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa student group was as one of 10 small research satellite developers to launch their satellite into space as early as 2025 through NASA鈥檚 . This is the second project led by students in the (EPET) certificate program to be granted an opportunity to take their satellite project to the deployment phase. The first student-built satellite was selected in April 2023.

“The two groups of EPET students securing opportunities to launch their satellite with NASA highlights both the science and design strengths of the student research groups, and the quality of the EPET program enabling students to invent, design, and build spacecraft with exciting science and educational outcomes,” said Peter Englert, professor in the (HIGP) and EPET course coordinator.

Started in 2020 by HIGP and the in the (SOEST), the EPET certificate program is open to undergraduate students majoring in the physical sciences, such as chemistry, earth sciences, physics or astrophysics, and disciplines. The program has empowered undergraduates through hands-on, student-driven development of science payloads and building of small satellites, called CubeSats, that can be launched into low Earth orbit.

“Our team is very excited to have this opportunity and grateful for all the help we have had to make it to this point,” said Sapphira Akins, CubeSat Relativistic Electron and Proton Energy Separator (CREPES) project manager and graduate student in mechanical engineering and aerospace. “We can’t wait to have something we built operating in space within the next few years!”

The CREPES mission is a student-led project that began at 东精影业 Mānoa in 2022 and aims to study solar energetic particle events and increase knowledge of the Sun. When they launch their satellite with NASA, CREPES will fly a new type of micropattern gaseous detector to amplify the signals of solar radiation. Data obtained from these measurements is expected to contribute to the understanding of space weather and development of space climatology.

“The student research success is an outcome of the high quality of the EPET curriculum, student engagement with the research topics they have chosen, and the resources provided by HIGP, the SOEST dean鈥檚 office, Hawaiʻi Space Grant Consortium, the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program of 东精影业 Mānoa, and private donor support,” said Englert.