Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Big powerful rockets may get all the glory, but did you know you don’t need to send instruments into orbit to do really valuable research? Sounding rockets are specifically designed to fly scientific instruments in the region between weather balloons and satellites, allowing us to make measurements that only require being above most of the Earth’s atmosphere. They are also frequently used to study the atmosphere itself! This week we talk with a scientist who specializes in using sounding rockets to research everything from nearby planets to galactic evolution to the structure of the universe itself!
Dr. Kevin France is the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies at CU Boulder. His research focuses on exoplanets and their host stars, protoplanetary disks, and the development of instrumentation for ultraviolet astrophysics. Dr. France was a member of the HST-COS instrument and science teams, is a regular guest observer with Hubble and ground-based telescopes, is a member of NASA's LUVOIR Science and Technology Definition Team. He is also the PI of a NASA-supported sounding rocket program to develop and flight test critical path hardware for future UV/optical astrophysics and planetary science missions.
Fiske is one of the largest planetariums in the US, having served CU Boulder & the local community since 1975. We offer a diverse range of fulldome films, live talks, laser and liquid sky shows, as well as public gatherings for astronomical and NASA-related events.
Follow Fiske Planetarium:
Website | https://www.colorado.edu/fiske
Instagram | instagram.com/fiskeplanet
Facebook | facebook.com/teamfiske
Big powerful rockets may get all the glory, but did you know you don’t need to send instruments into orbit to do really valuable research? Sounding rockets are specifically designed to fly scientific instruments in the region between weather balloons and satellites, allowing us to make measurements that only require being above most of the Earth’s atmosphere. They are also frequently used to study the atmosphere itself! This week we talk with a scientist who specializes in using sounding rockets to research everything from nearby planets to galactic evolution to the structure of the universe itself!
Dr. Kevin France is the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies at CU Boulder. His research focuses on exoplanets and their host stars, protoplanetary disks, and the development of instrumentation for ultraviolet astrophysics. Dr. France was a member of the HST-COS instrument and science teams, is a regular guest observer with Hubble and ground-based telescopes, is a member of NASA's LUVOIR Science and Technology Definition Team. He is also the PI of a NASA-supported sounding rocket program to develop and flight test critical path hardware for future UV/optical astrophysics and planetary science missions.
Fiske is one of the largest planetariums in the US, having served CU Boulder & the local community since 1975. We offer a diverse range of fulldome films, live talks, laser and liquid sky shows, as well as public gatherings for astronomical and NASA-related events.
Follow Fiske Planetarium:
Website | https://www.colorado.edu/fiske
Instagram | instagram.com/fiskeplanet
Facebook | facebook.com/teamfiske
