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  • SESDA Supports Development of NICER Repair Tools

ADNET Systems Inc. has been awarded the Space and Earth Science Data Analysis (SESDA-V) contract by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to support the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland. SESDA-V is a five-year cost-plus fixed-fee contract with a total potential value of approximately $342 million.

Under SESDA-V, ADNET will provide a broad range of services to support Space and Earth science research and development, data operations, as well as activities in information system technologies, engineering, and science communication, education and public outreach that enable the Sciences and Exploration Directorate to successfully carry out its science missions at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).

SESDA is the premier Space and Earth science contract at GSFC and this award represents the fourth consecutive time ADNET Systems has been selected for this prestigious contract. More than 300 scientists, engineers, IT professionals, and education outreach specialists support the SESDA contract across a broad range of science disciplines, including solar and space plasma physics, astrophysics and astronomy, planetary studies, oceanography, land processes, geodynamics, and solid earth geographics. “All of us at ADNET are pleased and excited to continue our partnership with NASA and we are thrilled to be selected as the SESDA contractor for the fourth time.” said Ashok Jha, President and CEO of ADNET.

Read more about SESDA and ADNET Systems


SESDA Supports Development of NICER Repair Tools

 August 6, 2024

NICER-repair-caddy: The NICER caddy is an aluminum box containing two of the mission’s spare sunshades, which are attached to the bottom. Inside the sunshades, 12 patches are locked into place. Astronauts will take the complete caddy assembly with them during a future spacewalk to address damage to NICER’s thermal shields.

The extremely successful GSFC project, NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer), was launched in June of 2017. In 2023 it was damaged by debris and its operating time became limited to nighttime observations only. SESDA personnel contributed to the rapid development and fabrication of the repair parts, and a repair plan was put in place. After a successful Florida launch on August 4, 2024, the capsule carrying the repair kit was captured by the robotic arm of the space station. An astronaut will perform a space walk later this year to install the repair components. NICER will be the first X-ray telescope in orbit to be serviced by astronauts. The repairs should restore NICER to full time operation studying the X-ray sky.

NICER-ISS: A photo of NICER attached to the ISS. NICER is about the size of a washing machine. The sunshades of its X-ray concentrators are visible as an array of circular features.

SESDA Helps Promote Total Eclipse

 June 21, 2024

To promote the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024, SESDA outreach coordinators and social media specialists organized and led an extensive array of eclipse activities. Working out of Texas’ Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, the coordinators visited four Title I schools in the Austin, TX, area. At the park, they supported a three-day in-person event hosting activities, holding presentations, and giving demonstrations, reaching an estimated 3,500 people. Costumes used in their demonstrations to entertain and educate the public are shown in the figure. Since January, outreach coordinators have passed out over 7,000 informational packets to volunteers in 22 U.S. states.

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