NASA’s Big Science, Small Missions at AAS

A splinter session titled "NASA’s Big Science, Small Missions" takes place Tuesday, June 16, 1:00–2:30 p.m. ET (10:00–11:30 a.m. PT). The session is hybrid; remote participants should use the "Join the Session" link above the agenda on the Cosmic Origins at AAS website.

Organizers Swara Ravindranath (NASA/GSFC) and Emily Witt (JHU) will open the session. Short talks will cover the FORTIS sounding rocket, the BlackCAT CubeSat, the SunRISE CubeSat constellation, the SPHEREx Medium Explorer mission, the Landolt Pioneer Mission, and a talk on non-traditional paths to missions. A brief break precedes a panel discussion.

The panel, moderated by Swara Ravindranath (NASA/GSFC), includes Drew Miles (Caltech), Pablo Saz Parkinson (NASA HQ), Joseph Lazio (University of Michigan), Abe Falcone (Pennsylvania State University), and David Ardila (JPL).

The session is part of the 248th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, held 14–18 June 2026 in Pasadena, California.

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