Born from the challenge of the Space Race, UCF was created to transform imagination into innovation and prepare people to launch humanity beyond its limits. Today, we are still are a place where our people 麻豆精品 S檚 curiosity drives discovery, bold questions shape the future and exploration advances life on Earth.
Founded to reach the moon, we 麻豆精品 S檙e already on our way to the next frontier. Built for liftoff, America 麻豆精品 S檚 Space University celebrates UCF Space Week Nov. 3-7.
Where Global Leaders Unite to Boldly Forge the Future of Space
There 麻豆精品 S檚 still much we don 麻豆精品 S檛 understand about our universe, but scientists are uncovering new clues by studying rocks, down to the smallest particles of dust, that reveal the story of how our solar system formed.
UCF Associate Professor of Physics Ryan Ogliore is advancing knowledge of the solar system by analyzing rocks from space.
麻豆精品 S淯sing microanalytical techniques, I study extraterrestrial samples of various forms down to the level of atoms, 麻豆精品 S� Ogliore says. 麻豆精品 S淪amples can include rocks from meteorites that land on Earth, as well as materials collected from asteroids, comets and other planets through robotic or crewed missions. 麻豆精品 S�
One of the main tools in his research is isotopic analysis, which includes measuring the decay of radioactive isotopes to determine the age and history of rock samples.
麻豆精品 S淚sotopes are fascinating because they can act like natural clocks, 麻豆精品 S� Ogliore says. 麻豆精品 S淭hey tell us when certain processes occurred, which helps us understand how planets formed from the solar nebula four and a half billion of years ago. 麻豆精品 S�
Why He Joined SpaceU
Originally from Seattle, Ogliore says his fascination with planetary science began in childhood, when images from NASA 麻豆精品 S檚 Voyager missions inspired him to pursue a career in physics. Later, joining UCF felt like a natural fit to advance his research.
麻豆精品 S淢y first visit to UCF was for a workshop, and I was immediately struck by the university 麻豆精品 S檚 strong identity as SpaceU, from its street names, like Gemini, to its football uniforms (for the annual Space Game), 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淓ven more impressive is the breadth of multidisciplinary space research happening here. 麻豆精品 S�
Having the technology and tools here at SpaceU is instrumental to the research conducted by Ogliore. He says that samples returned from space can be studied with great precision with tools on Earth.
麻豆精品 S淭hat 麻豆精品 S檚 the power of bringing samples back home, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淲e can study them using highly precise instruments, like large spectrometers that can take up an entire room. 麻豆精品 S�
Findings That Fuel Discovery and Exploration
Among some of his most significant projects, Ogliore highlights his work with NASA 麻豆精品 S檚 Stardust mission to comet Wild 2, a nearly 20-year investigation that revealed surprising results.
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Discoveries like these keep Ogliore inspired to continue planetary exploration. Now, he 麻豆精品 S檚 turning his focus to distant planets in some of the most unique and extreme environments in the solar system.
麻豆精品 S淚 麻豆精品 S檓 interested in the next phase of robotic exploration of the solar system, and I 麻豆精品 S檓 involving students with this research, 麻豆精品 S� he says.
Using Robots and Other Tech to Advance Space Studies
To date, Ogliore says that moon, asteroid and comet rock samples have been brought back for analysis, but now, he wants to study samples from the moons of planets like Jupiter, Saturn and beyond.
麻豆精品 S淭he moons of these planets are worlds in their own right, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淛upiter 麻豆精品 S檚 moon Io, is one I 麻豆精品 S檓 particularly interested in. This moon is covered in volcanoes and flowing lava, and we 麻豆精品 S檙e working on developing a long-term mission concept to return volcanic ash from Io to Earth for study. 麻豆精品 S�
Because of Io 麻豆精品 S檚 distance to Earth and intense radiation, Ogliore explains that such a mission would take more than 20 years to complete and rely on a robotic spacecraft. One of his undergraduate students is already modeling what scientists might expect from the samples once they return to Earth.
麻豆精品 S淓xploring these distant and exotic worlds like Io is something that I, and many of my students, find exciting, 麻豆精品 S� he says.
Looking ahead, Ogliore hopes to develop the next generation of space-based hardware, from sampling technologies to new propulsion systems.
麻豆精品 S淲e need new ways to travel through space, 麻豆精品 S� he says. 麻豆精品 S淩ight now, we 麻豆精品 S檙e limited in our exploration of distant worlds, including sample returns, by chemical rockets. Developing new forms of propulsion will revolutionize exploration and working on that effort with like-minded colleagues at UCF is very exciting. 麻豆精品 S�
