SEES 2025 PROJECT THEMES

Subject to Change – Updated November 14, 2024

EARTH AND SPACE RESEARCH

Astronaut Photography: Observing Earth from Space 
NASA monitors our dynamic Earth using a variety of assets, from Earth-orbiting satellites to astronaut photography taken by crew on the International Space Station. Awareness of the fragility and beauty of Earth is important for people all over the world. This project will have interns working with astronaut photography of Earth and NASA data to gain experience with research, analysis, and communication. The plan is to have interns work together on a project to observe change over time in astronaut photographs and use NASA datasets to support their observations. Be ready to do research, enhance your geography knowledge, learn about landforms and features on Earth, gain skills with communicating information effectively to others, and more!

Astronomy – Surveying the Universe
Our Earth is just a small part of the whole Universe. In addition to learning about the scale of the Universe the students and reviewing some important astronomy tools, the students will be working with real data. Options are astronomy research through Citizen Science projects such as Searching for Extreme Galaxies, or Seeking Pulsars based on their radio emission. With these projects students will be helping astronomers process the vast amount of available data and make conclusions about the frequency of different object types, star formation, and galaxies.

Planetary Geology
The Planetary Geology strand will focus on looking at geologic processes on Earth and comparing them to known and possible activity on other planets. We will explore surface processes that are indicative of weathering and erosion and compare Earth’s surface to the surface of other celestial bodies to look for similarities. We will learn about internal processes of Earth that drive plate tectonics and are responsible for Earth’s volcanoes, earthquakes and mountains and look for evidence of these processes on other planets and celestial objects. Significance will be given to case study evidence from Mars regarding marsquakes.

Students in this strand will have the opportunity to explore asteroids and meteorites* and will in particular consider the groundbreaking results from the OSIRIS-REx mission as well as make predictions about what is yet to be discovered through the Psyche mission.

CLIMATE RESEARCH

Measuring Environmental Changes with Altimetry 
Interns will examine altimetry products over a wide range of global surfaces (e.g. ice sheets, sea ice, vegetation, ocean) from the Earth observing laser altimeter onboard the Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat-2) and utilize additional Earth observing satellite datasets and observations to answer a novel scientific question. The analyses will include data visualization, parameter derivation, and validation using independent resources and complementary measurements to explore how the comprehensive observations can inform investigations associated with Earth’s dynamic processes most influencing our environment and climate.

Weighing Where the Water Goes 
Interns will analyze data from GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) and GRACE-FO, twin satellites that are making detailed measurements of Earth’s gravity field changes and revolutionizing investigations about Earth’s water resources over land, ice, and oceans, as well as earthquakes and crustal deformations. These discoveries are having far-reaching benefits to society and the world’s population.

ENGINEERING

Engineer Your World – Exploring our Solar System 
Interns will be challenged to learn more about the mysteries of the Solar System. After extensive research using the latest in NASA software and exploration trends, the team will narrow the project down from several prospective locations to decide on their top planetary body of interest. Their mission will help us understand more about the formation of the early solar system, our quest to find life off the Earth and will be guided by solid aerospace engineering practices. Students are tasked with sub-team design, construction of prototypes including electronics and sensors, testing and a final design based on the best researched and tested designs, as well as atmospheric and geographical research and site selection.

High Altitude Balloon – Airship Project 
For this project, SEES interns will design an airship that improves on the gondola design and the mechanisms to control the airship. The project would involve coding the Arduino, electronics, RF communication, and physics of airship flight (moments, buoyancy, etc.). Students could also incorporate 3D printing and PCB design. Teams may develop this into an outreach activity to incorporate into the NASA ROADS challenge, write a short paper describing their design, and select journals to submit their research.

In-space Refueling: It’s All About the Bubbles
Students will help NASA develop concepts for refueling spacecraft in orbit or in deep space. In microgravity, liquid propellant clings to the surfaces of containment vessels leaving an “ullage” bubble floating somewhere in the tank. Without gravity, there is no buoyant force on the bubble, but we must move the bubble to the vent port of the tank prior to refueling the spacecraft. How can you move a bubble without using external forces like gravity? We will explore different approaches, including ultrasound and magnetic forces. We will use a combination of experiment, computer modeling, and literature review.

The X-59: Lowering the Sonic Boom
NASA’s QueSST (Quiet SuperSonic Technology) focuses on reducing sonic booms from supersonic aircraft to make faster-than-sound flight over land feasible. The X-59, an experimental aircraft, demonstrates how a quiet sonic “thump” replaces the loud boom. TXSESS interns contribute to QueSST by studying sonic boom science, the X-59’s design and sound propagation, and testing microphone hardware for capturing its acoustic signature. Interns help identify technical needs for future flyover missions and collect preliminary field data, working under the guidance of NASA aerospace experts.

MISSION DESIGN

Aerospace Engineering – TASR 
In this project, students will develop a small engineering payload to be deployed on a high-altitude balloon. Students will work with mentors to develop the payload, along with the supporting electronics and systems required to conduct a simple test with a given sensor. Students will develop the test hypothesis and experiment design, assist with assembly of the payload, and its deployment. Upon recovering the payload, students will analyze the data and generate results in support of (or in contradiction of) the test hypothesis. This includes generating a final write-up and/or presentation communicating the hypothesis, the test procedures, data analysis, and conclusions.

Human Research Analog Study 
Students will investigate NASA’s use of human research by looking at previous findings such as the twin study, current research like the research analog program, and potential future research applications. While investigating advancements made through human research, students will hear from NASA human research subjects and learn about the impacts of this research in their everyday lives. The student research will culminate in designing all aspects of a human research study including the purpose, manner in which the research would be carried out, and the potential benefits from this study.

Mars Rover Resource Utilization 
Interns will design a rover mission to explore in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) on Mars. Key goals include Studying Mars Habitability, Seeking Signs of Past Microbial Life, Collecting and Caching Samples, and Preparing for Future Human Missions. Interns will select a landing site for a hypothetical rover mission, decide on an instrument payload for their rover, determine regions of interest for the rover to investigate, and plot a traverse for their rover using remote sensing data of their chosen landing site.

Moon Exploration and Habitation 
Interns will form a team that is responsible for the research and design of a lunar laboratory that is capable of sustaining a long-term human presence on the Moon along with performing research activities making a lunar research laboratory. Success in this endeavor will require many areas of expertise, and each intern will each take on one of a variety of engineering or science roles that will make up one cohesive design team. Through gaining knowledge of the most pressing and current scientific questions about the Moon, the team will choose the most appropriate landing site that will not only provide the best opportunity to conduct science, but also one that will provide the valuable in-situ resources that will be needed for sustained human habitation on the lunar surface. The design phase of the lunar habitat allows for a vast amount of creativity and provides a unique view of how the disciplines of science, engineering, biology, physics, and chemistry are all needed for the success of any mission involving humans.

TECHNOLOGY

Artemis ROADS
Artemis ROADS is robotic challenge that gives novice teams of interns a chance to model their own NASA mission inspired by the Artemis III mission. Artemis III will be one of the most complex undertakings of engineering and human ingenuity in the history of deep space exploration, exploring the lunar South Pole region. The astronauts’ observations, samples, and data collected will expand our understanding of our solar system and home planet, while inspiring the Artemis Generation. Over the course of about 30 days, the Artemis III astronauts will travel to lunar orbit, where two crew members will descend to the surface and spend approximately a week near the South Pole of the Moon conducting new science before returning to lunar orbit to join their crew for the journey back to Earth. https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-iii/ Artemis ROADS is robotic challenge that gives novice teams of interns a chance to model their own NASA mission to the Moon, including flying to the mission site (via drone), surveying the landscape (via E I robot), and taking and analyzing samples. Teams will face challenges including engineering and programming, analysis of biological signatures and geologic features, and simulating flight to collect samples and successfully landing. Students will gain a better understanding of drones, EV3, basic programming through Lego Programming Software. The mission will include crater formation, digital microscopes, mission patch design, and robotic exploration. This internship is designed for students with no programming experience.

VIRTUAL INTERNSHIP 

Air Quality Initiative Group – GLOBE Mission EARTH 
Students will have the opportunity to conduct intensive research investigations into air quality and other related topics, dependent on their interests with the Air Quality Initiative (AQI) Group, hosted by the GLOBE Mission EARTH Team and the NASA Langley Research Center. Real-time aerosols data will be extracted from the PurpleAir aerosols monitoring website. Each student will also receive equipment so they may collect data from their immediate environment utilizing The GLOBE Program’s (www.globe.gov) standardized sampling protocols. This data will then be shared on GLOBE’s Visualization System, a cloud-based Geographic Information System (GIS) of citizen science data. Students will be free to choose research project topics based on their particular interests, within the science of air quality.

Astronomy – Age and Distance to an Open Cluster
Students will determine the age and distance to an open cluster of stars. Open clusters are groups of stars that are thought to have formed (approximately) at the same time and are the same distance from Earth. The group of stars is roughly the same chemical composition as well. Students will use astronomy software to analyze the data collected and calculate the member stars’ magnitudes. Stars will be classified by spectral type and age can be determined. From this information, the approximate distance of the cluster can also be determined.

Earth System Explorers 
The Earth System Explorers virtual internship is recruiting highly motivated interns interested in working with NASA satellite data products and the digital tools that scientists use to monitor and document our changing landscape and climate. The virtual format of the Earth System Explorers enables interns to conduct their internship from their homes. Like the other SEES teams, the project will engage participants in 120-150 hours of research, working closely with NASA scientist mentors. The internship runs for 8 weeks, beginning the first week in June and ending the last week in July. We estimate a minimum of 15 hours/week to be spent in various research/virtual experiences. If accepted, you must participate in synchronous four-hour sessions each Wednesday, in addition to 8-10 hours working with your team members on your project. The work includes conducting local field research and data analysis using NASA’s GLOBE Observer data collection mobile app and utilizing various online tools such as the GLOBE Advanced Data Access Tool, Collect Earth Online, Colab, Jupyter notebooks, AppEARS, NASA Worldview, and Google Earth Engine. You will have the opportunity to create data products and research outcomes resulting from the Earth System Explorers team. You will contribute to a team project as well as a co-authored peer-reviewed research paper. Because our anticipated outcome is a professional and peer-reviewed research product, we can only accept students who are able to commit fully to attending synchronous Wednesday cohort meetings weekly. Still trying to decide about going virtual? Check out the SEES Intern blogs from 2024 here: https://www.globe.gov/web/mission-mosquito/overview/science-cafe-posts

Exoplanet Transits – Detecting Planets Around Other Stars 
An exoplanet, or extra-solar planet, is just what it sounds like—a planet orbiting a star other than our Sun. Why search for them? The ultimate goal is to find a world similar to earth with the possibility that it might contain life. Additionally, studying worlds around other stars gives us clues to how our own solar system might have formed.

There are two primary methods by which exoplanets are initially discovered—the transit method, where an exoplanet crosses that face of its parent star as seen from the earth, causing the star’s brightness to drop slightly, and the radial velocity method, where the orbiting exoplanet tugs on its parent star, causing it to “wobble” a little as the exoplanet orbits it. There are additional methods of exoplanet detection, but these two are the most common, with the transit method being the way that most exoplanets are currently detected. Large planets orbiting close to their parent stars are the easiest to detect and will be the focus of this study. Two NASA spacecraft, TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite)—still active and Kepler—no longer functioning, are responsible for many of the candidate exoplanet detections, but follow-up work is not their primary mission—that is the job of ground-based instruments.

For the project, students will observe several stars that have an orbiting exoplanet or an exoplanet candidate, using hundreds of images, taken over the course of one or more nights. The images may be taken at one of several wavelengths of light. The students will then use photometry software and attempt to detect the presence of the exoplanet. If it appears that there was a successful detection, then more powerful software will be brought into use and an attempt made to determine the actual size and mid-transit times of the exoplanet. Accurate mid-transit times are vitally important for scheduling follow-up observations using large ground-based telescopes. Positive detections produced by this project will be submitted to the NASA Exoplanet Archive, the primary repository of exoplanet data, so they can be used by other researchers.

Hack the GLOBE!
Do you have an interest in climate change and enjoy working with large data sets? Join our Hack the GLOBE! SEES Team. In this 3-week intensive program, you will be guided by experts in data science and apply your analytical and coding skills solving data quality challenges in big data. Your team will access the NASA-funded GLOBE Program’s (www.globe.gov) 30-year history of citizen science data and investigate long-term environmental  trends in from around the world to investigate climate change.

When: June 16-24, with half day synchronous sessions Tuesday and Thursday mornings with a required 120 hours of work total in teams and a final team research project. You will have an opportunity to present your research at the SEES Virtual Research Symposium end of July.

Urban Heat Island Study – GLOBE Mission EARTH 
Did you know that July 2024 was the Earth’s hottest month on record? According to the NOAA report dated August 12, 2024 the average July global surface temperature was 2.18 degrees F (1.21 degree C) above the 20th-century average of 60.4 degrees F (15.8 degrees C) revealing that July 2024 was the 14th-consecutive month of record-high temperatures for the Earth. Increases in LST can have negative impacts on wildlife, our land and water resources, and on human health and economic activity. In particular, urban areas are prone to increased LST, due to their extensive use of impermeable surfaces such as asphalt and concrete, and their lack of vegetation. The tendency for these areas to be hotter than their surrounding rural areas is known as the “Urban Heat Island Effect”.

You can study this phenomenon and add to NASA scientists’ knowledge of the topic, from your own backyard! By joining the Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE) Study Group, you will receive instrumentation to collect data from your immediate environment on Surface Temperature, Air Temperature and Clouds. You will then share this data with the group (and the world) by uploading it to The GLOBE Program’s Visualization System, a cloud-based Geographic Information System (GIS) of citizen science data. The GLOBE Program has a long history of engaging students and citizen scientists in the study of LST in their areas, and you will become part of this worldwide community!

The SEES High School Summer Intern Program is funded through NASA Cooperative Agreement Notice NNH15ZDA004C and is a part of NASA’s Science Activation program. For more information, go to: https://science.nasa.gov/learners