Antonio Paris, a Professor of Astronomy at St. Petersburg College, Chief Scientist for the Center for Planetary Science, and MOSI Space Programs Manager in Tampa, FL has been selected as an Astronaut Candidate by Integrated Space Flight for Project PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere). Project PoSSUM is part of NASA’s Flight Opportunities Program for Noctilucent Cloud Imagery and Tomography Experiments. Astronaut Candidate Paris will report for Astronaut training at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University in May 2016. Training will consist of:
- Spacecraft Mission Simulation and Astronaut Crew Resource Management
- High-G and microgravity Space Physiology
- Decathlon Aerobatic Aircraft Training
- Anti-G Training
- High Altitude Mission Training
- Altitude Chamber and Biometric Analysis Training
- Spacesuit Training
- Full Scientist-Astronaut Mission Simulation Training in Spacesuits
- Individual instruction on PoSSUMCam and Scientific Video Camera Systems
- All Astronaut-Candidate must have SCUBA Certification and a FAA Class 3 Certificate
- Upon successful sub-orbital flight the crew will receive FAA Commercial Astronaut Wings
Science Objectives
The PoSSUM Noctilucent Cloud Tomography Experiment will answer two critical answered questions relating to our understanding of noctilucent clouds. Astronauts will:
1) Employ noctilucent cloud and OH-layer imaging and tomography to characterize the roles ofgravity wave and instability dynamics in the mixing and transport processes of the upper atmosphere.
and
2) Characterize the geometry of noctilucent cloud particles to better understand their growth and sublimation processes.
Mission Plan:
Each PoSSUM Tomography Experiment sortie will employ a manned reusable suborbital vehicle (e.g. the XCOR Lynx Mark II) from a high-latitude spaceport. Project PoSSUM noctilucent cloud campaigns require launches from latitudes where noctilucent clouds could be observed, since noctilucent clouds form generally at latitudes higher than 60 degrees. The clouds also form with greater intensity at higher latitudes. The two leading candidates for the July 2016 PoSSUM noctilucent cloud campaign are Spaceport Sweden, which is located in northern Sweden, at a latitude of 68 degrees, and Eielson AFB, near Fairbanks Alaska.For More Information visit Project PoSSUM