The Space Science Institute (SSI) in

Boulder, Colorado Boulder is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule city in Boulder County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 108,250 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the most ...

, is a

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

, public-benefit corporation formed in 1992. Its purpose is to create and maintain an environment where scientific research and education programs can flourish in an integrated fashion. SSI is among the four non-profit institutes in the US cited in a 2007 report by

Nature Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the Ecosphere (planetary), ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the Scientific law, laws, elements and phenomenon, phenomena of the physic ...

, including Southwest Research Institute, Planetary Science Institute, and Eureka Scientific, which manage federal grants for non-tenure-track astronomers.

Description

SSI's research program encompasses the following areas: space physics,

earth science Earth science or geoscience includes all fields of natural science related to the planet Earth. This is a branch of science dealing with the physical, chemical, and biological complex constitutions and synergistic linkages of Earth's four spheres ...

planetary science Planetary science (or more rarely, planetology) is the scientific study of planets (including Earth), celestial bodies (such as moons, asteroids, comets) and planetary systems (in particular those of the Solar System) and the processes of ...

, and

astrophysics Astrophysics is a science that employs the methods and principles of physics and chemistry in the study of astronomical objects and phenomena. As one of the founders of the discipline, James Keeler, said, astrophysics "seeks to ascertain the ...

. The flight operations branch manages the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft's visible camera instrument and provides spectacular images of Saturn and its moons and rings to the public. SSI participates in mission operations and is home to the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for OPerations (CICLOPS).CICLOPS
/ref> The primary goal of SSI is to bring together researchers and educators to improve science education. Toward this end, the institute acts as an umbrella for researchers who wish to be independent of universities. In addition, it works with educators directly to improve teaching methods for astronomy. SSI has also produced several traveling exhibits for science museums, including Electric Space, Mars Quest, and Alien Earths. It is currently producing Giant Worlds. SSI provides management support for

research Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to ...

scientists A scientist is a person who researches to advance knowledge in an area of the natural sciences. In classical antiquity, there was no real ancient analog of a modern scientist. Instead, philosophers engaged in the philosophical study of nature ...

and principal investigators, which help them to submit proposals to major

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...

funding agencies such as

National Aeronautics and Space Administration The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the United States's civil space program, aeronautics research and space research. Established in 1958, it su ...

(NASA),

National Science Foundation The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an Independent agencies of the United States government#Examples of independent agencies, independent agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that su ...

(NSF), Space Telescope Science Institute (STSci), Department of Energy (DOE), and

Jet Propulsion Laboratory The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a Federally funded research and development centers, federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) in La Cañada Flintridge, California, Crescenta Valley, United States. Founded in 1936 by Cali ...

(JPL) Principal investigators are supported by SSI though proposal budget preparation, proposal submission, and project reporting tools, and have competitive negotiated overhead rates. The institute is loosely affiliated with the University of Colorado Boulder. SSI has obtained several grants in astrophysical sciences since 1992 from NSF and

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

funding agencies.

Divisions

SSI has five research centers: * Center for Space Plasma Physics (CSPP), * Center for Extrasolar Planetary Systems (CEPS), * Center for Mars Science (CMS), * Center for Polarimetric Remote Sensing (CPRS), * Center for Data Science (CDS). SSI's National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL) is dedicated to expanding the understanding of educators, and citizens in science through educational and outreach programs by SSI researchers in four interconnected groups: Exhibition Development, Digital Learning, Professional Development, and Public Engagement. SSI is managed by a board of 12 directors for Aerospace, Academic Research, Small Business Consultant, Astronomy, Science and Technology, Engineering, Civil Space, Martin, Planetarium, Innovation, Legal and Policy, and 4 acting directors for Research, National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL), Information Systems and Technology (IST), and Business Operations.

Gallery

SSI has participated in

's Cassini mission and hosted the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for OPerations (CICLOPS). File:Saturn during Equinox.jpg, NASA's Cassini color view of the planet Saturn. File:The Day the Earth Smiled - PIA17172.jpg, NASA's Cassini image of the planet Saturn. File:PIA08166 - Saturn's Subtle Spectrum.tif, Cassini-Huygens Image of Saturn's Subtle Spectrum. File:Mimas_Cassini.jpg, NASA's Cassini image of Saturn's moon Mimas. File:Iapetus as seen by the Cassini probe - 20071008.jpg, NASA's Cassini image ofSaturn's moon Iapetus.

References

External links

*
National Center for Interactive Learning

Scientific Publications (INSPIRE-HEP)

Scientific Publications (ResearchGate)
{{Authority control Non-profit organizations based in the United States Organizations established in 1992 Research institutes established in 1992 Companies based in Boulder, Colorado Astronomy institutes and departments Astrophysics research institutes Research institutes in Colorado 1992 establishments in Colorado Space organizations

Description

Divisions

Gallery

See also

References

External links