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Researchers from ASU and two other universities will use the James Webb Space Telescope to probe the atmospheres of seven planets beyond our solar system. In conjunction with JWST, this project, called the KRONOS program, will use computers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to create atmospheric models that could help us understand how planets form, evolve and possibly even harbor conditions favorable for life.

To celebrate its anniversary, the lab reflected on the student-powered, NASA-supported missions it successfully launched in the past five years. One such project, LightCube, is a small, standard-sized satellite that can be deployed to low-Earth orbit and commanded with a ham radio. Other satellites include the Phoenix, an infrared camera used to look at urban heat islands, and DORA, which uses lasers for inter-spacecraft communication.

Meet Julia Tizard Hunter, Interplanetary Initiative’s latest explorer-in-residence. No stranger to adventure, the space visionary spent 10 months voyaging across the Pacific Ocean with her family and ran a marathon in the North Pole. Now, she’s ready for her next epic journey. In her new role, Hunter will be part of the initiative’s leadership team, giving her a platform to talk about important space topics on behalf of the university.