The committee on sign, space and technology will come to order. Theyre authorized to declare recesses at any time. Good morning and welcome to todays hearing entitled the Great American eclipse to totalality and beyond. I recognize myself for an Opening Statement but im going to submit most of my prepared statement for a record. We will be inspired by our Witnesses Today and harnessing the enthusiasm for the eclipse we saw when people really came together. I know my husband had was with the cereal box doing this. So we really are excited to see this whole generation of students who are interested in this and like the now translate that into stem careers. Excited to hear from our Witnesses Today. Im going to shorten up and submit my statement for the record and then im going to now recognize the Ranking Member from california for his Opening Statement. Thank you, madam chairwoman. The eclipse was absolutely exciting, right . On august 21st i went to the Power House Science Center in sacramento and what was great about it was the number of kids that were throughout with their glass sdwes and the number of amateur astronomers that were out there. That reminds me of the excitement growing up with the Apollo Program and the generation of scientists that encouraged to go into science. We were at and i cant remember the scientists name but she was one of the most enthusiastic people ive seen. Its going to generate a generation of kids wanting to go into science. I will yield back and im excited to hear what you have to say. Great and i now recognize the chairman of the full committee. In august millions of americans turned their eye to the sky to witness a rare event, a Solar Eclipse. It was a profound experience and exciting even for those of us who witnessed a partial eclipse. An eclipse is a site that has inspired previous generations and one i hope will inspire a whole new group of young people to study the universe and beyond. It was a 1878 american eclipse that inspired a young inventor, thomas edison. He took a trip to wyoming and attempt a experiment to study the suns outer atmosphere. It failed but allowed him to think about the principals of light and power. The very next year invented the incandescent light bulb. Who knows what discoveries this years eclipse will inspire but its already generated an enthusiasm for astronomy, aast rophysics andast robiology. That enthusiasm was converted to Stem Education lessons. We have the privilege of hearing from a panel of witnesses who helped make the day a success i tharj our witnesses and look forward seeing their inkredsable photos and videos. And hearing whats next for solar science. Its human nature to seek out the unknown and discover more about the universe around us. We have an extraordinary opportunity to turn enthusiasm for the Great American eclipse into a renewal of american physics and astronomy that lasts far beyond the two minutes of totalality. We yield back. Thank you and i now recognize the chairman of the Space Committee for an Opening Statement. I want to start by thanking our colleagues and also our witnesses that have come forth on this very, very interesting hearing. Something that struck me about this eclipse is the level of excitement that it generated all across the United States. It was something that really brought us all together in our interest and awe. Id like to also add that nasas web traffic sky rocketed. It peekedality seven times higher than the previous record. The online viewing audience compare would the audience of the super bowl and even netflix lost 10 of the days viewership of the eclipse. And schools across the country incorporated the eclicpse into their teaching programs and no doubt how it captured their fascination and thoroughly enjoyed myself showing and explaining to our School Children in some parts of my district during that time, including my own grandchildren, the little cereal boxes that we had made, the solar viewer projectors. I think is what theyre real name is. But it was one of those rare wonderful events that was exciting to the Scientific Community as it was to the man on the street. It brings to mind an interesting comparison and in a way it was almost like a space station, a Space Mission that was brought into our own back yards. Im very excited about the upcoming 2024 eclipse, which in my opinion can be even more impressive and awe inspiring. Not the least because the path to totalality for this eclipse travels right across my home state of texas. I want to thank you all for your testimony and looking forward to it and i yield back, madam chair. Thank you and i will now introduce our witnesses. Our first witness today is dr. James, acting assistant director for mathematical and physical sciences at the national siennation National Science foundation. He was assistant director of the radio astronomy observatory where he over saw the very large array and baseline array telescopes. He is also served in various capacities at the nasa propulsion laboratory. Received his bachelor of arts degree in astronomy from the university of california in los angeles and ph. D. In astronomy from the university of maryland. Our second witness today is dr. Thomas im going to let you he previously served at the university of michigan. Hes worked on several Missions Including yul isease. Here in both his masters of science degree and ph. D. Of physics in switzerland. Our third witness today is dr. Heidi hamill, executive Vice President of the university of research and astronomy. 34 u. S. Universities and institutions that operate world class astraunm astran astronomical. Sorry. Observatories, including hubbal, the National Optical astronomy observatory, the National Solar observatory and the gem nigh observatory. Since 2003 has served as one of 6 interdisciplinary scientists assisting nasa on the james web space telescope. She received her undergraduate from mit and ph. D. In astronomy from the university of hawaii. Our third witness is dr. Matthew pen, astronomer at the National Solar observatory in arizona. Principal investigator on the citizens continental eclipse experiment or citizen cate. And specifically he works on the dkist telescope project under construction in hawaii developing infrared science and instrumental requirements. He received his bachelor of science from cal tech as well as from the university of had hawaii and our fifth witness today is miss michelle nicholls, director of public observing that adler plan tearium. She also leads theed alers various telescope observatory and sky observing efforts. She earned hes bachelors of physics from the university of illinois and masters of education in curriculum instruction from national st. Louis university and i now recognize dr. Alvastad for his testimony. Thank you. Members of the subcommittees, im acting assistant director for mathematical and physical science directors at the National Science foundation and thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I want to focus my remarks on the large scale out reach associate woud with the eclipse. August 21st was an exciting day for our citizens and scientists alike. As our nation was center stage for the total Solar Eclipse, the first since 1979. Soy scientists and spectators from around the world gathered across this country to witness this extraordinary event. It was a total Solar Eclipse where direct sun lite was blocked for over two minutes while the moon covered the sun. It made its way from oregon to South Carolina illuminating a 70 mile wide path across 14 states. The rest of the continental u. S. Experienced a percentage during the 90minute traverse across the country. So the sun is the basis for life on earth. Its Magnetic Fields and atmosphere, specifically the corona fuel a space weather that power the communication grids and its a source of Renewable Energy for our advanced civilization. And that leads nsf to sponsor a wide array of Research Related to our local star. They tracked the development of sun spots, flairs and curoanal mass ejections. They work to better understand how these phenomena are associate would the Magnetic Field which fuels the space weather events that can wreak havoc on our technology. So during the eclipse the High Altitude observatory of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in partnership with the harvard smithsonian. This instrument collected infrared data to probe the complex magnetic environment of the suns corona. Of course there arent results yet. Theyll be coming out over the next year or two. So researchers in general continue to study the behavior of the sun to develop learnings of solar storms that may be coming towards earth. So the global osilations network group, a network of six solar monitoring telescopes sited world wide provides fulltime monitoring of the sun and critical element of sports casting models. So let me move to the eclipse and some of the outreach efforts. Any funding that federal government put into this was leveraged by a factor of a thousand. By the plan teariums and amateur astronomers who engaged with the public. One of the activityies already mentioned and placed along the 2500 mile path of totalality. So nsf director whos shown on this slide was pleased to be in glen del wyoming, which i think had had 100 or a thousand fold population for one day. To experience the Solar Eclipse and participate first hand, youll hear more about this from dr. Matt penn. And the program called Solar Eclipse across america. This funded 31 projects in 21 states. Now as far as the future goes, by early 2020 nsfs solar telescope, the new center piece of the observatory will be complete on maui, hawaii. It will provide researchers an unprecedented view without having to wait for a Solar Eclipse. The enhanced understanding of the sun and the origin of solar storms will undoubtedly contribute to better space weather predictions in the future. This was a great opportunity for citizen init gaugement in an event that brought a sense of wonder and curiosity to citizens alike. It will revolutionize our understanding of the sun in the future. Were looking forward to the next eclipse in 2024. There will also be an annualer eclipse in 2023. So a six month ahead rehearsal and were pleased to enjoy the support of the public in fulfilling our role. We thank the subcommittee efforts in our efforts to serve the people of the United States. Now recognize doctor. Madam chair, members of the subcommittee, i represent the thousands of volunteers, partners and nasa employees who made the 2017 eclipse the biggest media event in nasa. I would like the describe nasas experience with the eclipse, our science and stem efforts and discuss how important helio physics is for nasas missions. Monday, august 21st, Solar Eclipse occurred for the firs time in almost a century in the u. S. And my own Vantage Point was 35,000 point over the Pacific Ocean in an aircraft equipped with expeerments to take pictures. It was really breath takings. Look. Thats incredible. Do you see that little beach. Do you see the its absoutlooly amazing. Just look at this background. Were in the middle of a dark cloud. So its popping back out. There it comes. Wow. See the ring around it. Thats the solar ring. So cool. Unbelievable. Ive done research on this for 25 years. Ive never seen it, you know. So i was excited, you may be able to tell. I was so excited i mixed up the colors. Its called a diamond ring, not the solar ring. If you want to quote that. Our nasa team and scientists have been planning for this eclipse for many years and with me at had the hearing is dr. Alex young. Our project manager has been a champion for the eclipse and working with the gnanasa team f over three years. They focussed on safety, science and education and Public Engagement. To accomplish these priorities, we knew we couldnt do it alone. The had entire agency rallied and major functions and events. There was nearly 7,000 libraries, 200 museums, planetary and Science Center and that 20 national parks, zoos and even baseball stayed y78s. More than 50 million unique viewers watched across multiple nasa and media platforms and 90 million pictures on eclipse day alone on the nasa website. These numbers exceed previous records by many times over. It was really clear not only professionals were deeply moved but amateurs alike. This is truly moving. Thats what nasa science does for us every day. Showing now our views of the Solar Eclipse from various nasa assets. 11 of them were focussed on this unique event as well as aircraft. Just like the congressman think ogof the park we saw a probe which well travel closer to the sun, really making these unique observations and revolutionizing our understanding of the sun, which is really the Rosetta Stone of understanding of all stars in the universe. Additionally we wanted to take advantage of unique opportunities to do science. 11 grant tees were selected. Seven were measuring how the suns Energy Effects this reach and this region of the outer atmosphere. Cold will continue to improve after the launching later on. Our understanding and prolific capability for what is happening to that region and the edge of space. We also want to stress citizen sienls and im going to let matt talk about this. Its valuable to have science done by citizens, not just professionals and theres true value with this, not just here but elsewhere. With safety a top priority, we publish proet collars on our websites and partnered with nsf and others to spread the word. This provided proouved critical when it was discovered that uncertified solar glasses were making to the market. We owe a debt of gratitude to communicate which glass were safe. We distributed our 4. 3 million glasses. Lets talk about solar and space physics as others refer to it that protects and improves life on earth. This provided the unique opportunity of seeing the source of space, whether with our naked eye. The atmosphere of our magnetic star. This corona impacts the earth through the solar wind explosions on the sun, flairs and innerjtic particles effecting our space assets and technological infrastructure. So we want to make these improvements better for the dod. So i too suggest that we start making plans for the next Solar Eclipse in the u. S. On april 8, 2024. Its going to be another great opportunity for all of us to learn about the solar system we live in and i really suggest you get started with these hotel reservations. They got really expensive for latecomers. Thank you. I now recognize dr. Hamill. Madam chair and members, thank you for the opportunity to testify about the total Solar Eclipse. On august 2014. Disappeared from the sky. At the same time. About the suns faint corona. The suns corona is the source of solar storms. The term space weather refers to the effects. We live inside the atmosphere of an active star. In 1859 a monster solar storm, the carrington event stunned the world. Telegraph systems world wide went hay wire. Emating sparks that not only shocked the telegraph operators but actually set telegraph paper on fire. Its sobering to imagine the catastrophic social and economic destruction of a carringtonlike storm on todays infrastructure including electricity grids, and Communications Satellites and that is why understanding the sun and space weather are Critical National imperatives. Eclipses offer one of the best opportunities to study the suns active corona. But eclipses are rare. To study the corona without an eclipse, the National Solar observatory is building the daniel k solar telescope for the nsf. When completed in 2020 dekissed will be the worlds most powerful solar telescope. It will yield exquisite observations of the corona and Magnetic Field but let me return to the 2017 total Solar Eclipse because it too was a unique opportunity to solar science. And so began preparing more than five years ago, focusing their efforts on sienls and safety. Claire and her team developed a social Media Campaign with a variety of content inhadcluding monthly web casts that focussed on science and educational engagement and on eclipse day nso marticipated in two major solar out reach events. The first was in wyoming. It culminated years of effort to prepare this Tiny Community of 200 people and the local Sheriffs Office estimated that 185,000 people descended on tiny glendo, wyoming. Including as you saw, the director of nsf. The second event in salem, oregon focussed on high school students. Nso in partnership with other groups trained a dozen students, all of whom are minorities underrepresented in the stem fields to be ambassadors of science and on eclipse day the students led the programs for the