posted 10-19-2022 12:53 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
Webb's new view of the Pillars of Creation...

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posted 11-18-2022 10:57 AM               

NASA Shares James Webb History Report

Advancing full equality for LGBTQI+ Americans is a core value and priority for NASA. Building a more inclusive future requires we honestly and openly confront our history, including the times when the federal government has fallen short of supporting LGBTQI+ communities. Today, NASA shared findings from an investigation into the historical role of former NASA Administrator James Webb, after whom its flagship infrared observatory is named. The report found no evidence that Webb was either a leader or proponent of firing government employees for their sexual orientation.

In response to concerns about the name of the James Webb Space Telescope and whether James Webb had promoted anti-LGBTQI+ policies during his leadership, NASA launched an extensive investigation in 2021 into James Webb's role during his time in leadership at the State Department from 1949 to 1952 and at NASA from 1961 to 1968. The agency's investigation sought any available evidence placing James Webb within the context of the "Lavender Scare," a time when the outing and firing of LGBTQI+ individuals in the executive branch was a harmful and discriminatory federal policy.

"For decades, discrimination against LGBTQI+ federal employees was not merely tolerated, it was shamefully promoted by federal policies. The Lavender Scare that took place following World War II is a painful part of America's story and the struggle for LGBTQI+ rights," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "After an exhaustive search of U.S. government and Truman library archives, NASA's historical investigation found, 'To date, no available evidence directly links Webb to any actions or follow-up related to the firing of individuals for their sexual orientation,' as stated on page four of the report."

NASA's chief historian led a review of over 50,000 pages of documents from archival collections at NASA Headquarters; NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center; the National Archives and Records Administration; the National Archives at College Park, Maryland; and the Truman Presidential Library, in addition to secondary literature and other historians' work on this time period. NASA has shared the full report on its findings related to Webb's history. The report lists every document and collection the historians located and includes facsimiles of the most relevant.

The investigation closely examined two instances in which James Webb appears in the historical context around the Lavender Scare. The report found Webb's primary involvement was to attempt to limit Congressional access to the personnel records of the Department of State. None of the evidence found links Webb to actions or follow-up in pursuit of firings after these discussions.

The investigation also sought to find out whether James Webb knew of the firing of Clifford J. Norton in 1963. Norton was a NASA GS-14 budget analyst, who was fired – based on civil service policy at the time – after being arrested by Washington, D.C., police on Oct. 22, 1963, for having made a "homosexual advance." Norton sued the Civil Service Commission, and ultimately the 1969 federal case Norton v. Macy found for the appellant – one of several cases that helped pave the way for the civil service policy to be overturned in 1975. There is no evidence Webb knew of the firing.

Based on the available evidence, the agency does not plan to change the name of the James Webb Space Telescope. However, the report illuminates that this period in federal policy – and in American history more broadly – was a dark chapter that does not reflect the agency's values today. Understanding this history will help to guide NASA in its work to advance full equality for LGBTQI+ Americans, and equal opportunities for LGBTQI+ NASA employees. By sharing these findings, we also hope to promote public understanding of the history of discrimination against LGBTQI+ employees throughout the federal government and strengthen our efforts to confront the barriers that LGBTQI+ Americans continue to face.

"NASA's core values of equality and inclusivity are in part what makes this agency so great, and we remain committed to ensuring those values are lived out throughout the workplace," said Nelson.

posted 04-05-2023 10:36 AM               

James Webb Space Telescope Team Earns the 2022 Robert J. Collier Trophy

Aviations greatest award will be given to ground-breaking space observatory

It is with great excitement that the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) shares that the James Webb Space Telescope Team has earned the 2022 Robert J. Collier Award.

"The James Webb Space Telescope is one of the greatest achievements in aerospace history. In a matter of months, Webb has changed our understanding of the universe, and many more discoveries lie ahead," said Kathy Warden, Chair, Chief Executive Officer and President at Northrop Grumman. "We dedicate the Collier Trophy to the Northrop Grumman employees and our industry partners who delivered humanity an extraordinary observatory to explore the universe and inspire future generations."

The Robert J. Collier Trophy has been awarded annually since 1911 for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year.

"The James Webb Space Telescope is nothing short of a scientific feat, and is a shining example of what NASA can accomplish when we push the boundaries of space exploration," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "From discovering some of the earliest galaxies ever observed to delivering a more detailed view of exoplanet atmospheres than ever before, it's all due to the hard work and dedication of the exceptional Webb team. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor!"

The list of Collier recipients represents a timeline of the most groundbreaking aviation achievements that created today's aerospace industry. Previous recipients include momentous people and achievements such as Orville Wright (1913), Chuck Yeager (1947), and NASA/JPL Ingenuity Team (2021). The James Webb Space Telescope is appropriately placed among these history makers for its unprecedented discovery mission to explore, identify and photograph what lies beyond what is currently known and to seek what is unknown.

"The James Webb Space Telescope integrates multiple advanced technologies into a system with unprecedented capabilities," stated NAA Chairman, Jim Albaugh. " Its use will accelerate humankind's understanding of the world we live in and help unlock the mysteries of the universe. The team is truly deserving of this great honor."

On July 11, 2022, President Biden shared the first images delivered by the James Webb Telescope at a public event at the White House. "These images are going to remind the world that America can do big things, and remind the American people – especially our children – that there's nothing beyond our capacity," said President Biden in remarks during the event. "We can see possibilities no one has ever seen before. We can go places no one has ever gone before."

The James Webb Team will be celebrated at the Collier Award Dinner on June 15th, 2023. The event will be held at the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City, Washington, D.C..

posted 09-12-2023 03:37 PM               

The researchers stress that the detection on the planet 120 light years away is "not robust" and more data is needed to confirm its presence.

Researchers have also detected methane and CO2 in the planet's atmosphere.

Detection of these gases could mean the planet, named K2-18b, has a water ocean.

Prof Nikku Madhusudhan, of the University of Cambridge, who led the research, told BBC News that his entire team were ''shocked'' when they saw the results.

"On Earth, DMS is only produced by life. The bulk of it in Earth's atmosphere is emitted from phytoplankton in marine environments," he said.