von Karman Lecture Series--July 2007 Follow this link to skip to the main content
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For more information, please contact:

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Mail Stop 186-113
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109

Phone: (818) 354-0112
Fax: (818) 393-4641

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Artist rendition of Explorer 1 - July 2007



This month’s lecture:  

The International Geophysical Year:
Igniting a Revolution in American Science
Launching Science into Space

Summary :  
In 1952, a group of American scientists decided the world scientific community should undertake a third International Polar Year (IPY), building on those carried out in 1882–1883 and 1932–1933. The idea of launching an artificial scientific satellite during the IPY took hold and the event was renamed the International Geophysical Year, or IGY. It took place from 1957–1958. The IGY’s Earth satellite program led to the Soviet “Sputnik surprise” and the space race. It also led to the transformation of JPL from an Army weapons laboratory to NASA’s planetary exploration center. These events revolutionized American science, creating the new field of planetary science while enabling new discoveries in areas as diverse as geophysics and climate science.
Speaker :   Erik Conway
JPL Historian
Location:   Thursday, July 19, 2007, 7p.m.

The von Kármán Auditorium at JPL
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA
+Directions
    Friday, July 20, 2007, 7p.m.

The Vosloh Forum at Pasadena City College
1570 East Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA
+Directions
Webcast:
 

"Mars Rovers: Two Thousand Sunsets on Mars" Archived Webcasts:

RealPlayer (with captions): "Geophysical Year" Webcast Video Icon

RealPlayer (w/out captions): "Geophysical Year" Webcast Video Icon


If you don't have RealPlayer, you can download the free RealPlayer 8 Basic.





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