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Astrophysics Science Division

Astrophysics Science Division

The Astrophysics Science Division supports the GSFC astrophysics projects by providing scientific leadership and supports a research program to achieve NASA's strategic science goals. The key questions addressed by the Divisions research programs include:

  • How do galaxies, stars, and planetary systems form and evolve?
  • What is the diversity of worlds beyond our solar system?
  • Which planets might harbor life?
  • What powered the big bang?
  • What is Dark Energy?
  • What happens to space, time and matter at the edge of a black hole?
  • What are the cycles of matter & energy in the evolving universe?

  + Read more about the Astrophysics Science Division
  + Read more about our Laboratories

Seminars & Meetings

Master Calendar: Seminars & Colloquia

Thu Aug 7 - B2/Rm8 @ 3:00pm
Prof. Victor Migenes (University of Guanajuato, Mexico)
MASERs: A very special window to the Universe

  • ASD Colloquium
  • Boldt Lectureship Series
  • Seminars & Meetings page
  • Links

    APOD thumbnail
    Astronomy Picture of the Day
    HEAPOW thumbnail
    HEASARC Picture of the Week
     

    News Feature


    Image Credit: JAXA

    NASA Goddard Mission Approved to Probe Matter in Extreme Environments
    An instrument to study the extreme environments of the universe has been given the "green light" from NASA Headquarters. The High-Resolution Soft X-Ray Spectrometer (SXS) was one of the two science proposals recently selected by NASA for the Explorer Program Mission of Opportunity investigations, and is managed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

      + Read more

      + Archive

    Division News

    Jul 3 - Scott Barthelmy is featured in an article in Volume 4 Issue 11 of the Goddard View.

    Jun 20 - NASA Selects Explorer Mission of Opportunity Investigations which include the High-Resolution Soft X-Ray Spectrometer (SXS) for NeXT, led by Richard Kelley. Congrats to the whole team!

    Jun 11 - GLAST launched!

    May 29 - The Gravity and Extreme Magnetism (GEMS) SMEX mission led by PI Jean Swank was selected for Phase A study. Congratulations to Jean and her team! Neil Gehrels is a Co-I on another SMEX selected for Phase A study: JANUS.

    News Archive...
    Press Release Archive...

     

    Current Missions

    Missions in Development

    James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
    JWST is an infrared-optimized space telescope designed to study the earliest stars and galaxies.
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    NuSTAR
    NuSTAR is a pathfinder mission that will open the high energy X-ray sky for sensitive study for the first time.
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    Astro-H
    Astro-H (formerly known as "NeXT") is a facility-class mission to be launched on a JAXA H-IIA into low Earth orbit.

    Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)
    SOFIA is a 2.5-meter telescope for infrared to far-infrared astrophysics carried aboard a Boeing 747-SP aircraft. GSFC is responsible for the SAFIRE instrument.
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    Future Missions

    Physics of the Cosmos Missions (formerly Beyond Einstein)
    Beyond Einstein consists of several missions:   + Read More