10 episodes

Are we alone in the universe? How did our solar system evolve? These are the kind of questions that inspire John Zarnecki, Professor of Space Science in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at The Open University. In the course of his 30 year career, Zarnecki has taken part in several high profile space probe missions. In this album, he recalls the landing of the Huygens probe on Titan, explains why space has become essential for communication and navigation today and describes technology developed by the space programme that's set to improve our lives on Earth.

Space scientist: John Zarnecki - Audio The Open University

    • Education

Are we alone in the universe? How did our solar system evolve? These are the kind of questions that inspire John Zarnecki, Professor of Space Science in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at The Open University. In the course of his 30 year career, Zarnecki has taken part in several high profile space probe missions. In this album, he recalls the landing of the Huygens probe on Titan, explains why space has become essential for communication and navigation today and describes technology developed by the space programme that's set to improve our lives on Earth.

    Space scientist: John Zarnecki

    Space scientist: John Zarnecki

    A brief introduction to this album.

    • 52 sec
    Transcript -- Space scientist: John Zarnecki

    Transcript -- Space scientist: John Zarnecki

    A brief introduction to this album.

    Big questions about our universe

    Big questions about our universe

    Zarnecki talks about the projects and ideas that drive him: sending scientific instruments into outer space, how our solar system evolved, and whether life exists on other planets.

    • 4 min
    Transcript -- Big questions about our universe

    Transcript -- Big questions about our universe

    Zarnecki talks about the projects and ideas that drive him: sending scientific instruments into outer space, how our solar system evolved, and whether life exists on other planets.

    Huygens Space Probe landing

    Huygens Space Probe landing

    In 2005, a probe landed on Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Zarnecki describes how it felt to gather real time data one and a half billion kilometres away from Earth.

    • 7 min
    Transcript -- Huygens Space Probe landing

    Transcript -- Huygens Space Probe landing

    In 2005, a probe landed on Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Zarnecki describes how it felt to gather real time data one and a half billion kilometres away from Earth.

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