Space

Two UA astronomers received Early Career Research Awards from the Department of Energy to to investigate the nature of the expanding universe and other dark mysteries.

Humans first explored the Earth’s moon 50 years ago, an impressive feat for sure. But what would it be like to visit some of the other moons in our solar system?

UA scientists were instrumental in creating the first photographic atlases of the moon, which helped NASA successfully complete the Apollo 11 mission. Now, UA scientists are busy mapping worlds throughout our solar system.

The merge between astronomy and geology, necessary to get humans to the moon, led to field trips that continue to this day, enabling fledgling scientists to interpret data from far-off worlds without leaving Earth.

A determined bunch of scientists set out to map the moon in preparation of the Apollo landings, but that was only the beginning. A new field of science blossomed, and UA scientists have been involved in nearly every U.S. space mission since.

When she’s not in class or training to qualify for next year’s Boston Marathon, you can find undergraduate Stephanie Stewart hard at work with her teammates on OSIRIS-REx, NASA’s first asteroid sample return mission.

A University of Arizona team imaged and mapped the surface of the moon, which allowed them and NASA to understand the moon’s geology and choose landing sites for future robotic and Apollo missions.

Thanks to new technological tools, moon samples collected by the Apollo astronauts a half-century ago hold answers to questions that weren't even on scientists' minds at the time.

Where did the moon come from? The Giant Impact Theory germinated in the mind of a UA graduate student as he mapped the surface of the moon and is still cited today as scientists learn more about our celestial neighbor.

For decades, UA scientists have contributed to the research that has shaped our understanding of our solar system and the universe – beginning with the Apollo 11 mission 50 years ago.