Space Science at the University of Pittsburgh is multi-departmental and multi-disciplinary. It centers upon data analysis, data modeling, and instrument/mission development, spanning from cutting-edge theoretical and computational studies of exoplanets and galaxy clusters, to innovative planetary surface studies of bodies in our own solar system, to developing new tools and approaches to understand the dynamic processes here on Earth.
Investigating the Unknown
The University of Pittsburgh has a long history of space science from the earliest days of the Allegheny Observatory to study the rings of Saturn and measuring the distance to nearby stars. Later, in the Apollo-era, lunar samples were analyzed here and fundamental theories were pioneered on how light interacted with planetary surfaces like the Moon. Soon after, the Antarctic Search for Meteorites Program was founded and responsible for tens of thousands of new samples. More recently, space science studies have centered on James Webb space telescope data to understand galaxy formation, probing the physics of black holes, astrobiological and geological studies of Mars and Venus, and applying these many space science analysis tools to data of Earth to research natural disasters, climate change, and human impacts.
- Space Science Topics
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- Astrophysics
- Astrobiology
- Climate Change
- Dark Matter
- Earth System Science
- Galaxy Formation
- Geographical Information Systems
- Infrared Spectroscopy
- Instrument Development
- Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
- Mission Development
- Natural Disasters
- Particle Physics
- Planetary Science
- Remote Sensing
- Theoretical Modeling
- Volcanology
One ongoing space mission driven by Pitt researchers in Space Science is the GEO-URP system for volcanic observations in geostationary orbit.
For questions or more information, please contact our Director of Space Science, Dr. Michael Ramsey.
