Can Green Bank Telescope Defend Against Asteroid Apophis?

Written by

This image is taken from an animation showing the distance between the Apophis asteroid and Earth at the time of the asteroid’s closest approach. The blue dots are the many man-made satellites that orbit our planet, and the pink represents the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Telescope (GBT) is teaming up with NASA’s Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex (GDSCC) to observe this potentially hazardous asteroid. These new observations of Apophis will allow scientists to improve their understanding of the asteroid’s orbit, and better estimate the odds that Apophis could strike the Earth in the future. Predicting if there is a real chance of impact, decades ahead of time, gives scientists the opportunity to take action to manipulate the orbit of Apophis to avoid a collision in the future.

(more…)

NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover landing observed by the Green Bank Telescope

Written by

NSF/GBO/JPL/NASA/Amber Bonsall

This “waterfall image” is actually three separate observations combined to show NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover as it enters the Martian atmosphere before touching down on the red planet. Green Bank Observatory Data Analyst Amber Bonsall created this image using data received by the Green Bank Telescope (GBT). The GBT was pointed at Mars to observe communications from the rover as it landed February 18th, 2021 at 3:55 p.m. EDT.

(more…)

NASA Mars Rover Touches Down, Green Bank Telescope Receives Signal

Written by

The Green Bank Telescope’s Part in the NASA Perseverance Mars Rover Landing

Green Bank Observatory scientist Will Armentrout and data analyst Amber Bonsall staffed the GBT control room during Perseverance’s touchdown. This image is taken from the Observatory’s livestream coverage.

GREEN BANK, WEST VIRGINIA  –  Cheers could be heard throughout the Green Bank Observatory as NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover successfully touched down on the red planet Thursday, February 18th, at 3:55 p.m. EDT. The National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Telescope (GBT) helped relay communications from the rover to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) located in southern California.

(more…)

Mars Rover Phones Home, Green Bank Telescope Answers

Written by

West Virginia’s Role in the NASA Perseverance Mars Rover Landing

The National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Telescope (GBT), located in Green Bank, West Virginia, plays a role in the upcoming mission of the NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover. The GBT will receive communications from the rover as it arrives on Mars on February 18th and pass these on to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) located in southern California.

(more…)

Successful Test Paves Way for New Planetary Radar

Written by

New radar image of the Apollo 15 landing site, located with respect to prominent lunar features.
Credit: Sophia Dagnello, NRAO/GBO/Raytheon/AUI/NSF/USGS

The National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Observatory (GBO) and National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), and Raytheon Intelligence & Space conducted a test in November to prove that a new radio telescope system can capture high-resolution images in near-Earth space.

(more…)