'How to Talk to a Satellite' (Science for Alaska Lecture Series)

February 12, 2020

On Tuesday, Feb. 18, Denise Thorsen will present “How to Talk to a Satellite.” The talk is part of the 2020 Science for Alaska Lecture Series, sponsored by the Geophysical Institute and presented Tuesdays from 7-8 p.m. at Raven Landing, 1222 Cowles St. Other discussions will focus on citizen science with the aurora and the 2018 earthquake in Anchorage.

Almost everyone today uses electronic devices to communicate. We video chat, text, send email and download movies through cell phones, tablets and computers. How do our voices, images and ideas go from Alaska to the other side of the world? In a word: satellites. Scientists also use satellites and the data they collect to study the phenomena that significantly affect life on Earth.

Researchers at the Geophysical Institute and at universities around the world study sea ice, volcanoes, earthquakes, weather, solar activity and wildfires using a vast amount of information. The Space Systems Engineering Program in the UAF College of Engineering and Mines is developing a satellite to test communication protocols to help manage this flood of data. This talk will describe how satellites “talk” to each other and the ground, and research underway to maximize that conversation.

You can download a flyer here. Talks are free and open to the public. All ages are encouraged to attend. For more information, visit the Science for Alaska Lecture Series webpage.