Naval Research Laboratory Space Science Division Newsletter: 01/2007

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Space Science Division (SSD) conducts a broad-spectrum RDT&E program in solar-terrestrial physics, astrophysics, upper/middle atmospheric science, and astronomy. Instruments to be flown on satellites, sounding rockets and balloons, and ground-based facilities and mathematical models are conceived and developed. Division researchers apply these and other capabilities to the study of the atmospheres of the Sun and the Earth, including solar activity and its effects on the Earth's ionosphere, upper atmosphere and middle atmosphere, laboratory astrophysics, and the unique physics and properties of celestial sources. The program is important to orbital tracking, radio communications and navigation that affect the operation of ships and aircraft, utilization of the near-space and space environment of the Earth, and to the fundamental understanding of natural radiation and geophysical phenomena. This first quarterly newsletter provides highlights of SSD activities in January 2007, and a summary of SSD accomplishments in 2006. The original document contains color images.