KECK INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES

     

Keck Institute for Space Studies

Final Reports:

2025

The Biology of Biosignature Detection Final Report

The Biology of Biosignature Detection

doi: 10.26206/57j7-pk96

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2024

The Mysterious Interior of Uranus

The Mysterious Interior of Uranus

doi: 10.7907/1k6kh-fjs61

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Enabling Fast Reponse Missions to Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), Interstellar Objects (ISOs), and Long-Period Comets (LPCs)

Enabling Fast Reponse Missions to Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), Interstellar Objects (ISOs), and Long-Period Comets (LPCs)

doi: 10.26206/kxcp-4561

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Towards a US Framework for Continuity of Satellite Observations of Earth’s Climate and for Supporting Societal Resilience

Towards a US Framework for Continuity of Satellite Observations of Earth’s Climate and for Supporting Societal Resilience

doi: 10.1029/2023EF003757

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2023

Venus In Situ Transfer and Analysis (VISTA)

Venus In Situ Transfer and Analysis (VISTA)

doi: 10.26206/78tbr-5ta74

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Data-Driven Approaches to Searches for the Technosignatures of Advanced Civilizations

Data-Driven Approaches to Searches for the Technosignatures of Advanced Civilizations

doi: 10.26206/gvmj-sn65

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Next-Generation Planetary Geodesy

Next-Generation Planetary Geodesy

doi: 10.7907/y1m4-ek67

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2022

Development of a Compact, All-Photonic, Dynamic Laser Frequency Comb Spectrum Flattener (Technical Development)

Development of a Compact, All-Photonic, Dynamic Laser Frequency Comb Spectrum Flattener (Technical Development)

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Meeting with the Goddess: Venus Science Enabled by Human Proximity

Meeting with the Goddess: Venus Science Enabled by Human Proximity

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2021

Non-Nuclear Exploration of the Solar System

Non-Nuclear Exploration of the Solar System

doi:10.7907/h62p-6328

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Revolutionizing Access to the Martian Surface

Revolutionizing Access to the Martian Surface

doi: 10.7907/d1smmj77

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Nebulae: Deep-Space Computing Clouds

Nebulae: Deep-Space Computing Clouds

doi:10.7907/yqde-dj03

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Societal Shifts due to COVID-19 Reveal Large-Scale Complexities and Feedbacks Between Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Change

Societal Shifts due to COVID-19 Reveal Large-Scale Complexities and Feedbacks Between Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Change

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Detecting Forest Response to Droughts with Global Observations of Vegetation Water Content

Detecting Forest Response to Droughts with Global Observations of Vegetation Water Content

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Detecting Climate-Carbon Feedbacks: Next-Generation Approach for Space-Based Integration of OCS, CO2, and SIF

Detecting Climate-Carbon Feedbacks: Next-Generation Approach for Space-Based Integration of OCS, CO2, and SIF

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2020

Space Science Opportunities Augmented by Exploration Telepresence

Space Science Opportunities Augmented by Exploration Telepresence

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2019

The Architecture of the LISA Science Analysis

The Architecture of the LISA Science Analysis

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Tidal Heating: Lessons from Io and the Jovian System

Tidal Heating: Lessons from Io and the Jovian System

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The Next Frontier for Planetary and Human Exploration

The Next Frontier for Planetary and Human Exploration

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2018

Unlocking the Climate Record Stored within Mars' Polar Layered Deposits

Unlocking the Climate Record Stored within Mars' Polar Layered Deposits

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Methane on Mars and Habitability: Challenges and Responses

Methane on Mars and Habitability: Challenges and Responses

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Optical Frequency Combs for Space Applications

Optical Frequency Combs for Space Applications

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Techniques and Technologies for Investigating the Interior Structure of Venus (Technical Development)

Techniques and Technologies for Investigating the Interior Structure of Venus (Technical Development)

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Asteroid Retrieval Technology Development From the Asteroid Return Mission Study (Technical Development)

Asteroid Retrieval Technology Development From the Asteroid Return Mission Study (Technical Development)

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PhotoSpec - Measuring Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (Technical Development)

PhotoSpec - Measuring Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (Technical Development)

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Science-Driven Autonomous & Heterogeneous Robotic Networks: A Vision for Future Ocean Observations (Technical Development)

Science-Driven Autonomous & Heterogeneous Robotic Networks: A Vision for Future Ocean Observations (Technical Development)

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Addressing the Mars ISRU Challenge: Production of Oxygen and Fuel from CO2 using Sunlight

Addressing the Mars ISRU Challenge: Production of Oxygen and Fuel from CO2 using Sunlight

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2017

Optical Communication on SmallSats: Enabling the Next Era in Space Science

Optical Communication on SmallSats: Enabling the Next Era in Space Science

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Exploring New Multi-Instrument Approaches to Observing Terrestrial Ecosystems and the Carbon Cycle from Space

Exploring New Multi-Instrument Approaches to Observing Terrestrial Ecosystems and the Carbon Cycle from Space

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In Situ Science and Instrumentation for Primitive Bodies: Constraining the Origin of the Jupiter Trojans by in situ Measurement of Volatiles, Minerals, and Ices
(Technical Development)

Constraining the Origin of the Jupiter Trojans by in situ Measurement of Volatiles, Minerals, and Ices (Technical Development)

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2016

Coherent Arrays for Astronomy and Remote Sensing (Technical Development)

Coherent Arrays for Astronomy and Remote Sensing (Technical Development)

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Planetary Magnetic Fields: Planetary Interiors and Habitability

Planetary Magnetic Fields: Planetary Interiors and Habitability

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Next Generation UV Instrument Technologies
(Technical Development)

Next Generation UV Instrument Technologies (Technical Development)

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Mapping the Epoch of Reionization with C+ Line Tomography
(Technical Development)

Mapping the Epoch of Reionization with C+ Line Tomography (Technical Development)

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2015

Science and Enabling Technologies to Explore the Interstellar Medium

Science and Enabling Technologies to Explore the Interstellar Medium

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Bridging the Gap: Observations and Theory of Star Formation Meet on Large and Small Scales

Bridging the Gap: Observations and Theory of Star Formation Meet on Large and Small Scales

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Gazing at the Solar System: Capturing the Evolution of Dunes, Faults, Volcanoes and Ice from Space

Gazing at the Solar System: Capturing the Evolution of Dunes, Faults, Volcanoes and Ice from Space

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Venus Seismology

Venus Seismology

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The Sleeping Giant: Measuring Ocean Ice Interactions in Antarctica

The Sleeping Giant: Measuring Ocean Ice Interactions in Antarctica

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Satellites to the Seafloor: Autonomous Science to Forge a Breakthrough in Quantifying the Global Ocean Carbon Budget

Satellites to the Seafloor: Autonomous Science to Forge a Breakthrough in Quantifying the Global Ocean Carbon Budget

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Science-Driven Autonomous & Heterogeneous Robotic Networks: A Vision for Future Ocean Observations (Technical Development)

Science-Driven Autonomous & Heterogeneous Robotic Networks: A Vision for Future Ocean Observations (Technical Development)

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Addressing the Mars ISRU Challenge: Production of Oxygen and Fuel from CO2 using Sunlight

Addressing the Mars ISRU Challenge: Production of Oxygen and Fuel from CO2 using Sunlight

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2014

Airships: A New Horizon for Science

Airships: A New Horizon for Science

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New Approaches to Lunar Ice Detection and Mapping

New Approaches to Lunar Ice Detection and Mapping

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Small Satellites: A Revolution in Space Science

Small Satellites: A Revolution in Space Science

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2013

Inferring Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Celestial Bodies Regolith Using (Simple) Low-Tech Tools

Inferring Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Celestial Bodies Regolith Using (Simple) Low-Tech Tools

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New Methods to Measure Photosynthesis from Space

New Methods to Measure Photosynthesis from Space

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In Situ Science and Instrumentation for Primitive Bodies

In Situ Science and Instrumentation for Primitive Bodies

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Engineering Resilient Space Systems

Engineering Resilient Space Systems

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Tools and Algorithms for Sampling in Extreme Terrain

Tools and Algorithms for Sampling in Extreme Terrain

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Development of Ultrasensitive Photon Detectors and Microwave Amplifiers Using Superconducting Nitride Thin Films
(Technical Development)

Development of Ultrasensitive Photon Detectors and Microwave Amplifiers Using Superconducting Nitride Thin Films (Technical Development)

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Robotic Exploration and Sampling of Mars

Robotic Exploration and Sampling of Mars

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2012

Quantum Communication, Sensing and Measurement in Space

Quantum Communication, Sensing and Measurement in Space

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Asteroid Return Mission Study

Asteroid Return Mission Study

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Digging Deeper: Algorithms for Computationally-Limited Searches in Astronomy

Digging Deeper: Algorithms for Computationally-Limited Searches in Astronomy

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Next Generation UV Instrument Technologies Enabling Missions in Astrophysics, Cosmology and Planetary Sciences

Next Generation UV Instrument Technologies Enabling Missions in Astrophysics, Cosmology and Planetary Sciences

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xTerramechanics - Integrated Simulation of Planetary Surface Missions

xTerramechanics - Integrated Simulation of Planetary Surface Missions

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High Altitude Ballooning for Space and Atmospheric Observation

High Altitude Ballooning for Space and Atmospheric Observation

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The First Billion Years

The First Billion Years

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Quantifying the Sources and Sinks of Atmospheric CO2

Quantifying the Sources and Sinks of Atmospheric CO2

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Monitoring Earth Surface Changes from Space (Technical Development)

Monitoring Earth Surface Changes from Space (Technical Development)

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Monitoring of Geoengineering Effects and their Natural and Anthropogenic Analogues

Monitoring of Geoengineering Effects and their Natural and Anthropogenic Analogues

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2011

Future Missions to Titan: Scientific and Engineering Challenges

Future Missions to Titan: Scientific and Engineering Challenges

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Coherent Arrays for Astronomy and Remote Sensing

Coherent Arrays for Astronomy and Remote Sensing

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