All Activity

🔴 Live Now: 24/7 NASA Live Stream of Earth from Space (Seen From The ISS)

As Russia and China seek to expand their influence in space, Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, urged greater international cooperation to safeguard the domain at the South American Defense Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 20. View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) ResilienX employees Angelo Niforatos, left, and Ryan Pleskach, right, overview the NASA safety tools integrated into the company’s commercial system, July 11, 2025, at the ResilienX Headquarters in Syracuse, New York. Credit: ResilienX A future with advanced air mobility aircraft populating the skies will require the U.S. to implement enhanced preflight planning that can mitigate potential risks well before takeoff – and NASA is working to develop the tools to make that happen. Preflight planning is critical to ensuring safety in the complex, high-risk environments of the future airspace. Timely, predictive, and up-to-date risk assessment within a single platform makes it much easier for drone or air taxi operators to check flight plans for high-risk concerns. NASA is working on tools to deliver those services, and in June, the agency and aviation safety company ResilienX Inc. demonstrated how these tools can be integrated into commercial systems. During a series of tests conducted at ResilienX’s facility in Syracuse, New York, researchers used NASA services that allowed flight operators to submit flight plans prior to departure, obtain risk assessment results, and then decide whether to proceed with flights or change their flight plans and re-assess risks. Allowing operators to perform these tasks quickly reduces the safety risk to flight passengers as well as humans on the ground. The three NASA-developed services are intended to assess unique risks associated with highly automated aircraft flying at low altitudes over cities. The partnership was managed under a Phase III NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract, which is an extension of prior work to assess weather-related risks. This collaboration is already leading to direct technology transfer of safety systems into ResilienX’s platform. The partnership is also intended to provide indirect benefits for ResilienX partners and customers, such as the U.S. Air Force and regional operators, helping to advance the overall safety of future airspace operations.  This work is led by NASA’s System-Wide Safety project under the Airspace Operations and Safety program in support of the agency’s Advanced Air Mobility mission. The mission seeks to deliver data, findings, and recommendations to guide the industry’s development of future air taxis and drones. Share Details Last Updated Aug 22, 2025 EditorDede DiniusContactTeresa Whitingteresa.whiting@nasa.gov Related TermsArmstrong Flight Research CenterAdvanced Air MobilityAeronauticsAeronautics Research Mission DirectorateAirspace Operations and Safety ProgramDrones & YouSmall Business Innovation Research / Small BusinessSystem-Wide Safety Explore More 5 min read National Aviation Day: Celebrating NASA’s Heritage While Charting Our Future Article 3 days ago 5 min read NASA Invites You to Celebrate National Aviation Day 2025 Article 3 days ago 4 min read NASA Tests Research Aircraft to Improve Air Taxi Flight Controls Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

4 Min Read La NASA revela los finalistas del concurso de diseño de la mascota lunar de Artemis II Read this story in English here. La NASA ya tiene 25 finalistas para el diseño del indicador de gravedad cero de Artemis II que volará con la tripulación de esta misión alrededor de la Luna y de regreso a la Tierra el próximo año. Los astronautas Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover y Christina Koch de la NASA, y el astronauta de la CSA (Agencia Espacial Canadiense) Jeremy Hansen pronto seleccionarán uno de los diseños finalistas para que les acompañe dentro de la nave espacial Orion como su mascota lunar. “El indicador de gravedad cero de Artemis II será especial para la tripulación”, dijo Reid Wiseman, comandante de Artemis II. “En una nave espacial llena de equipos y herramientas complejas que mantienen viva a la tripulación en el espacio profundo, el indicador es una forma amigable y útil de resaltar el elemento humano que es tan crítico para nuestra exploración del universo. Nuestra tripulación está entusiasmada con estos diseños provenientes de muchos lugares del mundo y esperamos con interés llevar al ganador con nosotros en este viaje”. Un indicador de gravedad cero es un pequeño peluche que típicamente viaja con la tripulación para indicar visualmente el momento en que llegan al espacio. Durante los primeros ocho minutos después del despegue, la tripulación y el indicador, que estará situado cerca de ellos, seguirán siendo presionados contra sus asientos por la gravedad y la fuerza de la subida al espacio. Cuando se apaguen los motores principales de la etapa central del cohete Sistema de Lanzamiento Espacial (SLS, por sus siglas en inglés), se eliminarán las restricciones de la gravedad, pero la tripulación seguirá atada de manera segura a sus asientos: la capacidad de flotar de su indicador de gravedad cero será la evidencia de que han llegado al espacio. Artemis II será la primera misión en la que el público haya participado en la creación de la mascota de la tripulación. Estos diseños, con ideas que abarcan desde versiones lunares de criaturas terrestres hasta visiones creativas sobre la exploración y el descubrimiento, fueron seleccionados entre más de 2.600 propuestas procedentes de más de 50 países, e incluyen diseños de estudiantes desde primaria a secundaria. Los finalistas representan a 10 países, entre los que están Estados Unidos, Canadá, Colombia, Finlandia, Francia, Alemania, Japón, Perú, Singapur y Gales. Mira aquí los diseños finalistas: Lucas Ye | Mountain View, California“Rise” Kenan Ziyan | Canyon, Texas“Zappy Zebra” Royal School, SKIES Space Club | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada“Luna the Space Polar Bear” Garden County Schools | Oshkosh, Nebraska“Team GarCo” Richellea Quinn Wijaya | Singapore“Parsec – The Bird That Flew to the Moon” Anzhelika Iudakova | Finland“Big Steps of Little Octopus” Congressional School | Falls Church, Virginia“Astra-Jelly” Congressional School | Falls Church, Virginia“Harper, Chloe, and Mateo’s ZGI” Alexa Pacholyk | Madison, Connecticut“Artemis” Leila Fleury | Rancho Palos Verdes, California“Beeatrice” Oakville Trafalgar School | Oakville, Ontario, Canada“Lepus the Moon Rabbit” Avon High School | Avon, Connecticut“Sal the Salmon” Daniela Colina | Lima, Peru“Corey the Explorer” Caroline Goyer-Desrosiers | St. Eustache, Quebec, Canada“Flying Squirrel Ready for Its Take Off to Space!” Giulia Bona | Berlin, Germany“Art & the Giant” Tabitha Ramsey | Frederick, Maryland“Lunar Crust-acean” Gabriela Hadas | Plano, Texas“Celestial Griffin” Savon Blanchard | Pearland, Texas“Soluna Flier” Ayako Moriyama | Kyoto, Japan“MORU: A Cloud Aglow with Moonlight and Hope” Johanna Beck | McPherson, Kansas“Creation Mythos” Guillaume Truong | Toulouse, France“Space Mola-mola (aka Moon Fish) Plushie” Arianna Robins | Rockledge, Florida“Terra the Titanosaurus” Sandy Moya | Madrid, Colombia“MISI: Guardian of the Journey” Bekah Crowmer | Mooresville, Indiana“Mona the Moon Moth” Courtney John | Llanelli, Wales“Past, Present, Future” En marzo, la NASA anunció que buscaba propuestas de creadores de todo el mundo para el diseño de un indicador de gravedad cero que volaría a bordo de Artemis II, la primera misión tripulada de la campaña Artemis de la NASA. Se pidió a los creadores que presentaran ideas que representaran la importancia de Artemis, la misión, o la exploración y el descubrimiento, y que cumplieran con requisitos específicos de tamaño y materiales. La empresa de crowdsourcing (colaboración abierta) Freelancer sirvió como facilitadora del concurso en nombre de la NASA, a través del Laboratorio de Campeonatos de la NASA, el cual es gestionado por la Dirección de Misiones de Tecnología Espacial de la agencia. Una vez que la tripulación haya seleccionado un diseño final, el Laboratorio de Mantas Térmicas de la NASA lo fabricará para el vuelo. El indicador estará amarrado dentro de Orion antes del lanzamiento. La misión, que tendrá alrededor de 10 días de duración, es otro paso adelante hacia misiones en la superficie lunar y sirve como preparación para futuras misiones tripuladas a Marte de la agencia. Mediante Artemis II, la NASA enviará astronautas a explorar la Luna para llevar a cabo descubrimientos científicos, obtener beneficios económicos y sentar las bases para las primeras misiones tripuladas a Marte. View the full article

3 Min Read NASA Shares Final Contenders for Artemis II Moon Mascot Design Contest NASA is down to 25 finalists for the Artemis II zero gravity indicator set to fly with the mission’s crew around the Moon and back next year. Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch of NASA, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen will soon select one of the finalist designs to join them inside the Orion spacecraft as their Moon mascot. “The Artemis II zero gravity indicator will be special for the crew,” said Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander. “In a spacecraft filled with complex hardware to keep the crew alive in deep space, the indicator is a friendly and useful way to highlight the human element that is so critical to our exploration of the universe. Our crew is excited about these designs from across the world and we are looking forward to bringing the winner along for the ride.” A zero gravity indicator is a small plush item that typically rides with a crew to visually indicate when they are in space. For the first eight minutes after liftoff, the crew and their indicator nearby will still be pushed into their seats by gravity, and the force of the climb into space. When the main engines of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket’s core stage cut off, gravity’s restraints are lifted, but the crew will still be strapped safely into their seats – their zero gravity indicator’s ability to float will provide proof that they’ve made it into space. Artemis II will mark the first time that the public has had a hand in creating the crew’s mascot. These designs – ideas spanning from Moon-related twists on Earthly creatures to creative visions of exploration and discovery – were selected from more than 2,600 submissions from over 50 countries, including from K-12 students. The finalists represent 10 countries including the United States, Canada, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Peru, Singapore, and Wales. View the finalist designs: Lucas Ye | Mountain View, California“Rise” Kenan Ziyan | Canyon, Texas“Zappy Zebra” Royal School, SKIES Space Club | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada“Luna the Space Polar Bear” Garden County Schools | Oshkosh, Nebraska“Team GarCo” Richellea Quinn Wijaya | Singapore“Parsec – The Bird That Flew to the Moon” Anzhelika Iudakova | Finland“Big Steps of Little Octopus” Congressional School | Falls Church, Virginia“Astra-Jelly” Congressional School | Falls Church, Virginia“Harper, Chloe, and Mateo’s ZGI” Alexa Pacholyk | Madison, Connecticut“Artemis” Leila Fleury | Rancho Palos Verdes, California“Beeatrice” Oakville Trafalgar School | Oakville, Ontario, Canada“Lepus the Moon Rabbit” Avon High School | Avon, Connecticut“Sal the Salmon” Daniela Colina | Lima, Peru“Corey the Explorer” Caroline Goyer-Desrosiers | St. Eustache, Quebec, Canada“Flying Squirrel Ready for Its Take Off to Space!” Giulia Bona | Berlin, Germany“Art & the Giant” Tabitha Ramsey | Frederick, Maryland“Lunar Crust-acean” Gabriela Hadas | Plano, Texas“Celestial Griffin” Savon Blanchard | Pearland, Texas“Soluna Flier” Ayako Moriyama | Kyoto, Japan“MORU: A Cloud Aglow with Moonlight and Hope” Johanna Beck | McPherson, Kansas“Creation Mythos” Guillaume Truong | Toulouse, France“Space Mola-mola (aka Moon Fish) Plushie” Arianna Robins | Rockledge, Florida“Terra the Titanosaurus” Sandy Moya | Madrid, Colombia“MISI: Guardian of the Journey” Bekah Crowmer | Mooresville, Indiana“Mona the Moon Moth” Courtney John | Llanelli, Wales“Past, Present, Future” In March, NASA announced it was seeking design ideas from global creators for a zero gravity indicator to fly aboard Artemis II, the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis campaign. Creators were asked to submit ideas representing the significance of Artemis, the mission, or exploration and discovery, and to meet specific size and materials requirements. Crowdsourcing company Freelancer facilitated the contest on NASA’s behalf though the NASA Tournament Lab, managed by the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. Once the crew has selected a final design, NASA’s Thermal Blanket Lab will fabricate it for flight. The indicator will be tethered inside Orion before launch. The approximately 10-day mission is another step toward missions on the lunar surface and helping the agency prepare for future human missions to Mars. Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. View the full article

NASA/Christopher LC Clark The parachute of the Enhancing Parachutes by Instrumenting the Canopy, or EPIC, test experiment deploys following an air launch from an Alta X drone on June 4, 2025, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA researchers are developing technology to make supersonic parachutes safer and more reliable for delivering instruments and payloads to Mars. The flight tests were a first step toward filling gaps in computer models to improve supersonic parachutes. This work could also open the door to future partnerships, including with the aerospace and auto racing industries. Image Credit: NASA/Christopher LC Clark View the full article

A scanning electron microscope image of a micrometeorite impact crater in a particle of asteroid Bennu material. Credits: NASA/Zia Rahman 5 min read NASA’s Bennu Samples Reveal Complex Origins, Dramatic Transformation Asteroid Bennu, sampled by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission in 2023, is a mixture of dust that formed in our solar system, organic matter from interstellar space, and pre-solar system stardust. Its unique and varied contents were dramatically transformed over time by interactions with water and exposure to the harsh space environment. These insights come from a trio of newly published papers based on the analysis of Bennu samples by scientists at NASA and other institutions. Bennu is made of fragments from a larger parent asteroid destroyed by a collision in the asteroid belt, between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. One of the papers, co-led by Jessica Barnes at the University of Arizona, Tucson, and Ann Nguyen of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and published in the journal Nature Astronomy, suggests that Bennu’s ancestor was made up of material that had diverse origins—near the Sun, far from the Sun, and even beyond our solar system. The analyses show that some of the materials in the parent asteroid, despite very low odds, escaped various chemical processes driven by heat and water and even survived the extremely energetic collision that broke it apart and formed Bennu. “We traced the origins of these initial materials accumulated by Bennu’s ancestor,” said Nguyen. “We found stardust grains with compositions that predate the solar system, organic matter that likely formed in interstellar space, and high temperature minerals that formed closer to the Sun. All of these constituents were transported great distances to the region that Bennu’s parent asteroid formed.” The chemical and atomic similarities of samples from Bennu, the asteroid Ryugu (sampled by JAXA’s (the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Hayabusa2 mission) and the most chemically primitive meteorites collected on Earth suggest their parent asteroids may have formed in a similar, distant region of the early solar system. Yet the differences from Ryugu and meteorites that were seen in the Bennu samples may indicate that this region changed over time or did not mix as well as some scientists have thought. We found stardust grains with compositions that predate the solar system, organic matter that likely formed in interstellar space, and high temperature minerals that formed closer to the Sun. Ann Nguyen Planetary Scientist Though some original constituents survived, most of Bennu’s materials were transformed by reactions with water, as reported in the paper co-led by Tom Zega of the University of Arizona and Tim McCoy of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington and published in Nature Geoscience. In fact, minerals in the parent asteroid likely formed, dissolved, and reformed over time. “Bennu’s parent asteroid accumulated ice and dust. Eventually that ice melted, and the resulting liquid reacted with the dust to form what we see today, a sample that is 80% minerals that contain water,” said Zega. “We think the parent asteroid accumulated a lot of icy material from the outer solar system, and then all it needed was a little bit of heat to melt the ice and cause liquids to react with solids.” Bennu’s transformation did not end there. The third paper, co-led by Lindsay Keller at NASA Johnson and Michelle Thompson of Purdue University, also published in Nature Geoscience, found microscopic craters and tiny splashes of once-molten rock – known as impact melts – on the sample surfaces, signs that the asteroid was bombarded by micrometeorites. These impacts, together with the effects of solar wind, are known as space weathering and occurred because Bennu has no atmosphere to protect it. “The surface weathering at Bennu is happening a lot faster than conventional wisdom would have it, and the impact melt mechanism appears to dominate, contrary to what we originally thought,” said Keller. “Space weathering is an important process that affects all asteroids, and with returned samples, we can tease out the properties controlling it and use that data and extrapolate it to explain the surface and evolution of asteroid bodies that we haven’t visited.” Ann Nguyen, co-lead author of a new paper that gives insights into the diverse origin of asteroid Bennu’s “parent” asteroid works alongside the NanoSIMS 50L (nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry) ion microprobe in the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Credit: NASA/James Blair As the leftover materials from planetary formation 4.5 billion years ago, asteroids provide a record of the solar system’s history. But as Zega noted, we’re seeing that some of these remnants differ from what has been found in meteorites on Earth, because certain types of asteroids burn up in the atmosphere and never make it to the ground. That, the researchers point out, is why collecting actual samples is so important. “The samples are really crucial for this work,” Barnes said. “We could only get the answers we got because of the samples. It’s super exciting that we’re finally able to see these things about an asteroid that we’ve been dreaming of going to for so long.” The next samples NASA expects to help unravel our solar system’s story will be Moon rocks returned by the Artemis III astronauts. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center provided overall mission management, systems engineering, and the safety and mission assurance for OSIRIS-REx. Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona, Tucson, is the principal investigator. The university leads the science team and the mission’s science observation planning and data processing. Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, built the spacecraft and provided flight operations. Goddard and KinetX Aerospace were responsible for navigating the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. Curation for OSIRIS-REx takes place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. International partnerships on this mission include the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter instrument from the Canadian Space Agency and asteroid sample science collaboration with JAXA’s Hayabusa2 mission. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Melissa Gaskill Johnson Space Center For more information on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, visit: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/osiris-rex/ Karen Fox / Molly Wasser Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov Victoria Segovia Johnson Space Center (281) 483-5111 victoria.segovia@nasa.gov View the full article

The U.S. Space Force, in partnership with SpaceX, successfully launched the eighth mission of the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV-8) on a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A. View the full article

Week in images: 18-22 August 2025 Discover our week through the lens View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig simulates the intense cold of the lunar night, ranging from 40 Kelvin (K) to 125 K while maintaining a vacuum environment. This creates a tool by which scientists and engineers can test materials, electronics, and flight hardware for future Moon and Mars missions, characterizing their behaviors at these temperatures while also validating their ability to meet design requirements. Cryogenic engineer Adam Rice tests the Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig to simulate the thermal-vacuum conditions of the lunar night on Thursday, May 22, 2025.NASA/Jef Janis Facility Overview The Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig (LESTR) approaches the problem of creating a simulated lunar environment by departing from typical fluid immersion or jacketed-and-chilled chamber systems. It does this by using a cryocooler to reject heat and bring the test section to any point desired by the test engineer, as low as 40 K or as high as 125 K in a vacuum environment. By combining high vacuum and cryogenic temperatures, LESTR enables safe, accurate, and cost-effective testing of materials and hardware destined for the Moon and beyond. Its modular setup supports a wide range of components — from spacesuits to rover wheels to electronics — while laying the foundation for future Moon and Mars mission technologies. Quick Facts LESTR is a cryogenic mechanical test system built up within a conventional load frame with the goal of providing a tool to simulate the thermal-vacuum conditions of the lunar night to engineers tasked with creating the materials, tools, and machinery to succeed in NASA’s missions. LESTR replicates extreme lunar night environments — including temperatures as low as 40 K and high vacuum (<5×10⁻⁷ Torr) — enabling true-to-space testing without liquid cryogens. Unlike traditional “wet” methods, LESTR uses a cryocooler and vacuum system to create an environment accurate to the lunar surface. From rover wheels to spacesuits to electronics, LESTR supports static and dynamic testing across a wide range of Moon and Mars mission hardware. With scalable architecture and precision thermal control, LESTR lays critical groundwork for advancing the technologies of NASA’s Artemis missions and beyond. Capabilities Specifications Temperature Range: 40 K to 125 K Load Capacity: ~10 kN Vacuum Level: <5×10⁻⁷ Torr Test Volume (Cold Box Dimensions): 7.5 by 9.5 by 11.5 inches Maximum Cycle Rate: 100 Hz Time to Vacuum:10⁻⁵ Torr in less than one hour 10⁻⁶ Torr in four hours Features Dry cryogenic testing (no fluid cryogen immersion) “Dial-a-temperature” control for precise thermal conditions Integrated optical extensometer for strain imaging Digital image correlation and electrical feedthroughs support a variety of data collection methods Native support for high-duration cyclic testing Applications Cryogenic Lifecycle Testing: fatigue, fracture, and durability assessments Low-Frequency Vibration Testing: electronics qualification for mobility systems Static Load Testing: material behavior characterization in lunar-like environments Suspension and Drivetrain Testing: shock absorbers, wheels, springs, and textiles Textiles Testing: evaluation of spacesuits and habitat fabrics Dynamic Load Testing: up to 10 kN linear capacity, 60 mm stroke Contact Cryogenic and Mechanical Evaluation Lab Manager: Andrew Ring 216-433-9623 Andrew.J.Ring@nasa.gov LESTR Technical Lead: Ariel Dimston 216-433-2893 Ariel.E.Dimston@nasa.gov Using Our Facilities NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland provides ground test facilities to industry, government, and academia. If you are considering testing in one of our facilities or would like further information about a specific facility or capability, please let us know. Gallery The Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig simulates the intense cold of the lunar night on Friday, June 6, 2025.NASA/Steven Logan The Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig uses a cryocooler to reject heat and bring the test section as low as 40 Kelvin in a vacuum environment on Thursday, May 22, 2025.NASA/Jef Janis Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Aeronautics Research NASA Glenn Virtual Tours Hubble Space Telescope (A) Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Gemini View the full article

Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered AI and Hubble Science Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities 3D Hubble Models Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources More 35th Anniversary Online Activities 2 min read Hubble Observes Noteworthy Nearby Spiral Galaxy This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 2835. ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Chandar, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST team This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image offers a new view of the nearby spiral galaxy NGC 2835, which lies 35 million light-years away in the constellation Hydra (the Water Snake). The galaxy’s spiral arms are dotted with young blue stars sweeping around an oval-shaped center where older stars reside. This image differs from previously released images from Hubble and the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope because it incorporates new data from Hubble that captures a specific wavelength of red light called H-alpha. The regions that are bright in H-alpha emission are visible along NGC 2835’s spiral arms, where dozens of bright pink nebulae appear like flowers in bloom. Astronomers are interested in H-alpha light because it signals the presence of several different types of nebulae that arise during different stages of a star’s life. Newborn, massive stars create nebulae called H II regions that are particularly brilliant sources of H-alpha light, while dying stars can leave behind supernova remnants or planetary nebulae that can also be identified by their H-alpha emission. By using Hubble’s sensitive instruments to survey 19 nearby galaxies, researchers aim to identify more than 50,000 nebulae. These observations will help to explain how stars affect their birth neighborhoods through intense starlight and winds. Text Credit: ESA/Hubble Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Share Details Last Updated Aug 21, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Spiral Galaxies The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble Astronauts Hubble e-Books Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge View the full article

The first video, beginning around the 1:02 mark, was captured on a dash cam while driving eastbound on a four-lane freeway. Suddenly, a large triangular craft entered the frame, flying approximately 300 to 400 feet above the road. Although the exact location remains unknown, the sighting is remarkable for its level of visible detail: A blinking light with two dull orange lights in the center. A large circular feature on the underside, possibly an energy source. A distinctly aerodynamic triangular design. What appears to be an energy field or interference surrounding the craft. An estimated width of 75 to 100 feet, with no audible sound, suggesting non-conventional technology. When viewed in slow motion, the footage stands out as one of the most striking nighttime captures to date, raising the question: is this a black-budget military project, or evidence of something extraterrestrial? Interestingly, the triangular craft bears a strong resemblance to the rumored TR-3B black manta, an alleged anti-gravity alien reproduction vehicle. Additional almost similar sightings in Texas and Florida. Austin, Texas: A dark craft hovering silently in the night sky, completely stationary throughout the entire recording. Sarasota, Florida: Three energy sources forming a triangular pattern while hovering in the night sky. It looks like it could be one of those triangle crafts. Today, many aerial craft, whether human-made or not, are observed using technologies that remain beyond our current understanding. View the full article

After a month-long series of exercises across the Indo-Pacific, The Department of the Air Force has concluded its Department-Level Exercises and looks to lessons learned. View the full article

NASA’s SpaceX 33rd commercial resupply mission will launch on the company’s Dragon spacecraft on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to deliver research and supplies to the International Space StationNASA NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 2:45 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 24, for the next launch to deliver scientific investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. Filled with more than 5,000 pounds of supplies, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will lift off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Dragon will dock autonomously about 7:30 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 25, to the forward port of the space station’s Harmony module. NASA’s SpaceX 33rd commercial resupply mission will launch from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.NASA This launch is the 33rd SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the orbital laboratory for the agency, and the 13th SpaceX launch under the Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract. The first 20 launches were under the original resupply services contract. Watch agency launch and arrival coverage on NASA+, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and more. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media. NASA’s live launch coverage will begin at 2:25 a.m. on Aug 24. Dragon’s arrival coverage will begin at 6 a.m. on Aug. 25. For nearly 25 years, the International Space Station has provided research capabilities used by scientists from over 110 countries to conduct more than 4,000 groundbreaking experiments in microgravity. Research conducted aboard the space station advances Artemis missions to the Moon and human exploration of Mars, while providing multiple benefits to humanity. Arrival & Departure The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will arrive at the space station and dock autonomously to the forward port of the station’s Harmony module at approximately 7:30 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 25. NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Jonny Kim will monitor the spacecraft’s arrival. It will stay docked to the orbiting laboratory for about four months before splashing down and returning critical science and hardware to teams on Earth. NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Jonny Kim will monitor the arrival of the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft from the International Space Station.NASA Research Highlights Preventing bone loss in space Microgravity Associated Bone Loss-B (MABL-B) assesses the effects of microgravity on bone marrow stem cells and may provide a better understanding of the basic molecular mechanisms of bone loss that occurs during spaceflight and from normal aging on Earth.NASA A study of bone-forming stem cells in microgravity could provide insight into the basic mechanisms of the bone loss astronauts experience during long-duration space flight ahead of future exploration of the Moon and Mars. Researchers identified a protein in the body called IL-6 that can send signals to stem cells to promote either bone formation or bone loss. This work evaluates whether blocking IL-6 signals could reduce bone loss during spaceflight. Results could improve our understanding of bone loss on Earth due to aging or disease and lead to new prevention and treatment strategies. Printing parts, tools in space Printing parts, tools in space The objective of the Metal 3D printer aboard the International Space Station is to gain experience with operating and evaluating the manufacturing of spare parts in microgravity to support long duration space missions.NASA As mission duration and distance from Earth increase, resupply becomes harder. Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, could be used to make parts and dedicated tools on demand, enhancing mission autonomy. Research aboard the space station has made strides in 3D printing with plastic, but it is not suitable for all uses. Investigations from ESA’s (European Space Agency) Metal 3D Printer builds on recent successful printing of the first metal parts in space. Bioprinting tissue in microgravity Maturation of Vascularized Liver Tissue Construct in Zero Gravity (MVP Cell-07) is a biotechnology experiment studying bioprinted, or lab grown, liver tissues complete with blood vessels in space. The results could improve astronaut health on long missions and lead to new ways to treat patients on Earth.NASA Researchers plan to bioprint liver tissue containing blood vessels on the ground and examine how the tissue develops in microgravity. Results could help support the eventual production of entire functional organs for transplantation on Earth. A previous mission tested whether this bioprinted liver tissue survived and functioned in space. This experimental round could show whether microgravity improves the development of the bioprinted tissue. Biomanufacturing drug-delivery medical devices The InSPA-Auxilium Bioprinter will test 3D printing medical implant devices designed to deliver drugs and treat various health conditions such as nerve inuries. Printing on the International Space Station may produce higher-quality devices than on Earth.NASA Scientists are creating an implantable device in microgravity that could support nerve regrowth after injuries. The device is created through bioprinting, a type of 3D printing that uses living cells or proteins as raw materials. Traumatic injuries can create gaps between nerves, and existing treatments have a limited ability to restore nerve function and may result in impaired physical function. A bioprinted device to bridge nerve gaps could accelerate recovery and preserve function. Cargo Highlights NASA’s SpaceX 33rd commercial resupply mission will carry over 5,000 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station.NASA Hardware Launch: Reboost Kit – This kit will perform a reboost demonstration of the station to maintain its current altitude. The hardware, located in Dragon’s trunk, contains an independent propellant system, separate from the spacecraft’s main system, to fuel two Draco engines using existing hardware and propellant system design. The boost kit will demonstrate the capability to maintain the orbiting lab’s altitude starting in September with a series of burns planned periodically throughout the fall of 2025. During NASA’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply services mission, the Dragon spacecraft first demonstrated these capabilities on Nov. 8, 2024. Poly Exercise Rope Kit – These exercise ropes distribute the desired exercise loads through a series of pulleys for the Advanced Restrictive Exercise Device. The ropes have a limited life cycle, and it will be necessary to replace them once they have reached their limit. Brine Filter – These filters remove solid particles from liquid in urine during processing as a part of the station’s water recovery system. Acoustic Monitor – A monitor that measures sound and records the data for download. This monitor will replace the sound level meter and the acoustic dosimeter currently aboard the orbiting laboratory. Multi-filtration Bed – This space unit will support the Water Processor Assembly and continue the International Space Station Program’s effort to replace a fleet of degraded units aboard the station to improve water quality through a single bed. Water Separator Orbital Unit – The unit draws air and condensate mixture from a condensing heat exchanger and separates the two components. The air is returned to the cabin air assembly outlet air-flow stream, and the water is delivered to the condensate bus. This unit launches to maintain in-orbit sparing while another is being returned for repair. Anomaly Gas Analyzer Top Assembly – This battery-powered device detects and monitors gases aboard the station, including oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, ammonia, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen cyanide. It also measures cabin pressure, humidity, and temperature. It replaces the Compound Specific Analyzer Combustion Products as the primary tool for detecting airborne chemicals and conditions. Separator Pump (Water Recovery and Management) – This electrically-powered pump separates liquids and gases while rotating. It includes a scoop pump that moves the separated liquid into storage containers for use in other systems. The pump also contains sensor components and a filter to reduce electrical interference from the motor. Launching to maintain in-orbit sparing. Reducer Cylinder Assembly & Emergency Portable Breathing Apparatus – Together, this hardware provides 15 minutes of oxygen to a crew member in case of an emergency (smoke, fire, alarm). Two are launching to maintain a minimum in-orbit spare requirement. Passive Separator Flight Experiment – This experiment will test a new method for separating urine and air using existing technology that combines a water-repellent urine hose with an airflow separator from the station’s existing Waste Hygiene Compartment. Improved Resupply Water Tanks – Two tanks, each holding approximately 160 pounds of potable water, to supplement the Urine Processing Assembly. NORS (Nitrogen/Oxygen Recharge System) Maintenance Tank/Recharge Tank Assembly, Nitrogen – The NORS maintenance kit comprises two assemblies: the NORS recharge tank assembly and the NORS vehicle interface assembly. The recharge tank assembly will be pressurized with nitrogen gas for launch. The vehicle interface assembly will protect the recharge tank assembly for launch and stowage aboard the space station. Launching to maintain reserve oxygen levels on station. Swab Kits – These quick-disconnect cleaning kits are designed and created to replace in-orbit inventory. Return: Oxygen Generation Assembly Pump – The assembly pump converts potable water from the water recovery system into oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen is sent to the crew cabin, and the hydrogen is either vented or used to produce more water. The International Space Station has been using this process to produce oxygen and hydrogen for 15 years, and this unit will be retired upon its return to Earth. The flight support equipment within will be refurbished and used in a new pump launched aboard a future flight. Carbon Dioxide Monitoring Assembly – A carbon dioxide monitor that measures the gas using the infrared absorption sensor. It expired in July 2025 and will return for refurbishment. Meteoroid Debris Cover Center Section Assembly – This external multilayer insulation provides thermal and micro-meteoroid orbital debris protection on the node port. After it is removed and replaced with a new assembly launching on NASA’s Northrop Grumman 23rd commercial resupply services mission, this unit will return for repair or used for spare parts. Multi-filtration Bed – This spare unit supports the Water Processor Assembly, which improves water quality aboard the International Space Station. Its return is part of an ongoing effort to replace a degraded fleet of in-orbit units. After its use, this multi-filtration bed will be refurbished for future re-flight. Separator Pump – This electrically powered pump separates liquids and gases while rotating. It includes a scoop pump that moves the separated liquid into storage containers for use in other systems. The pump also contains sensor components and a filter to reduce electrical interference from the motor. This unit is designed to run to failure, and after investigation and testing, it will be returned for repair and future flight. Rate Gyro Enclosure Assembly – The Rate Gyro Assembly determines the space station’s rate of angular motion. It is returning for repair and refurbishment and will be used as a spare. NORS (Nitrogen/Oxygen Recharge System) Maintenance Kit (Oxygen) – The NORS Maintenance Kit comprises two assemblies: the NORS Recharge Tank Assembly and the NORS Vehicle Interface Assembly. The recharge tank assembly will be pressurized with Nitrogen gas for launch. The vehicle interface assembly will protect the recharge tank assembly for launch and stowage aboard the space station. They are routinely returned for reuse and re-flight. The kit also includes a VIA bag (vehicle interface assembly) with foam, which is used as a cargo transfer bag for launch and return to protect the tank. Watch, Engage Watch agency launch and arrival coverage on NASA+, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and more. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media. NASA’s live launch coverage will begin at 2:25 a.m. on Aug 24. Dragon’s arrival coverage will begin at 6 a.m. on Aug. 25. Read more about how to watch and engage. View the full article

Explore This Section Perseverance Home Mission Overview Rover Components Mars Rock Samples Where is Perseverance? Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Mission Updates Science Overview Objectives Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Perseverance Raw Images Images Videos Audio More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions Mars Home 3 min read To See the World in a Grain of Sand: Investigating Megaripples at ‘Kerrlaguna’ NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image of inactive megaripples at “Kerrlaguna,” Perseverance’s latest target of exploration, on Aug. 13, 2025. The rover acquired the image using its Right Mastcam-Z camera, one of a pair of cameras located high on the rover’s mast, on Sol 1593 — or, Martian day 1,593 of the Mars 2020 mission — at the local mean solar time of 12:05:13. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU Written by Athanasios Klidaras, Ph.D. candidate at Purdue University On Mars, the past is written in stone — but the present is written in sand. Last week, Perseverance explored inactive megaripples to learn more about the wind-driven processes that are reshaping the Martian landscape every day. After wrapping up its investigation at the contact between clay and olivine-bearing rocks at “Westport,” Perseverance is journeying south once more. Previously, attempts were made to drive uphill to visit a new rock exposure called “Midtoya.” However, a combination of the steep slope and rubbly, rock-strewn soil made drive progress difficult, and after several attempts, the decision was made to return to smoother terrain. Thankfully, the effort wasn’t fruitless, as the rover was able to gather data on new spherule-rich rocks thought to have rolled downhill from “Midtoya,” including the witch hat or helmet-shaped rock “Horneflya,” which has attracted much online interest. More recently, Perseverance explored a site called “Kerrlaguna” where the steep slopes give way to a field of megaripples: large windblown sand formations up to 1 meter (about 3 feet) tall. The science team chose to perform a mini-campaign to make a detailed study of these features. Why such interest? While often the rover’s attention is focused on studying processes in Mars’ distant past that are recorded in ancient rocks, we still have much to learn about the modern Martian environment. Almost a decade ago, Perseverance’s forerunner Curiosity studied an active sand dune at “Namib Dune” on the floor of Gale crater, where it took a memorable selfie. However the smaller megaripples — and especially dusty, apparently no longer active ones like at “Kerrlaguna” — are also common across the surface of Mars. These older immobile features could teach us new insights about the role that wind and water play on the modern Martian surface. After arriving near several of these inactive megaripples, Perseverance performed a series of measurements using its SuperCam, Mastcam-Z, and MEDA science instruments in order to characterize the surrounding environment, the size and chemistry of the sand grains, and any salty crusts that may have developed over time. Besides furthering our understanding of the Martian environment, documenting these potential resources could help us prepare for the day when astronauts explore the Red Planet and need resources held within Martian soils to help them survive. It is hoped that this investigation at “Kerrlaguna” can provide a practice run for a more comprehensive campaign located at a more extensive field of larger bedforms at “Lac de Charmes,” further along the rover traverse. Want to read more posts from the Perseverance team? Visit Mission Updates Want to learn more about Perseverance’s science instruments? Visit the Science Instruments page Share Details Last Updated Aug 21, 2025 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4636-4637: Up Against a Wall Article 19 hours ago 3 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4634-4635: A Waiting Game Article 2 days ago 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4631-4633: Radiant Ridge Revolution Article 2 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited… All Mars Resources Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,… Rover Basics Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a… Mars Exploration: Science Goals The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four… View the full article

NASA astronauts Mike Fincke (left) and Zena Cardman photographed during training for their trip to the International Space Station at SpaceX facilities in Florida. Credit: SpaceX NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman will connect with students in Ohio as they answer prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) questions aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will begin at 10:15 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, Aug. 27, and will stream live on the agency’s Learn With NASA YouTube channel. Media interested in covering the event must RSVP by 5 p.m., Monday, Aug. 25, to Mary Beddell at: 330-492-3500 or at beddellm@plainlocal.org. The STEM Academy at Glen Oak High School will host this event in Canton, Ohio for high school students. The goal of this event is to expose learners to the excitement and challenges of engineering and technology, while bringing space exploration to life through cross-curricular instruction and language arts. For nearly 25 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network. Research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and lay the groundwork for other agency deep space missions. As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars, inspiring the world through discovery in a new Golden Age of innovation and exploration. See more information on NASA in-flight calls at: https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation -end- Gerelle Dodson Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 gerelle.q.dodson@nasa.gov Sandra Jones Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Aug 21, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsIn-flight Education DownlinksHumans in SpaceInternational Space Station (ISS)Johnson Space CenterLearning ResourcesNASA Headquarters View the full article

HURRICANE ERIN - Live Tracker

Técnicos trabajan en el cierre del observatorio IMAP (Sonda de Cartografía y Aceleración Interestelar) de la NASA en las instalaciones Astrotech Space Operations Facility, cerca del Centro Espacial Kennedy de la NASA en Florida, el viernes 15 de agosto de 2025. La misión IMAP explorará y cartografiará los límites de la heliosfera —una enorme burbuja creada por el viento solar que encapsula todo nuestro sistema solar— y estudiará cómo interactúa la heliosfera con el vecindario galáctico local más allá de ella.Crédito: NASA/Kim Shiflett Read this release in English here. La NASA ha abierto el plazo para la acreditación de los medios para el lanzamiento de tres observatorios que estudiarán el Sol y mejorarán nuestra capacidad de hacer pronósticos precisos de meteorología espacial, ayudando a proteger los sistemas tecnológicos que impactan la vida en la Tierra. La NASA tiene previsto lanzar, no antes del martes 23 de septiembre, la sonda IMAP (por las siglas en inglés de Sonda de Cartografía y Aceleración Interestelar) de la agencia, el Observatorio Carruthers de la Geocorona y el observatorio Seguimiento de la Meteorología Espacial–Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1, por su acrónimo en inglés) de la Administración Nacional Oceánica y Atmosférica (NOAA, por sus siglas en inglés). Los observatorios se lanzarán a bordo de un cohete SpaceX Falcon 9 desde el Complejo de Lanzamiento 39A del Centro Espacial Kennedy de la NASA en Florida. Los medios acreditados tendrán la oportunidad de participar en sesiones informativas previas al lanzamiento y entrevistas con miembros clave de la misión antes del lanzamiento, así como de cubrir el lanzamiento. La NASA comunicará más detalles sobre el calendario de eventos para los medios de comunicación a medida que se acerque la fecha del lanzamiento. Las fechas límites de acreditación de medios para el lanzamiento son: Los miembros de medios de comunicación sin ciudadanía estadounidense deben enviar su solicitud a más tardar a las 11:59 p.m. EDT del domingo, 31 de agosto. Los miembros de medios de comunicación con ciudadanía estadounidense deben enviar su solicitud a más tardar a las 11:59 p.m. EDT del jueves, 4 de septiembre. Todas las solicitudes de acreditación deben enviarse en línea en: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov La política de acreditación de medios de la NASA está disponible en línea. Si tiene preguntas sobre el proceso de acreditación, por favor envíelas a: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. Para otras preguntas, por favor póngase en contacto con el centro de prensa del centro Kennedy de la NASA: +1 321-867-2468. Para obtener información en español en sobre el Centro Espacial Kennedy, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo: 321-501-8425. Si desea solicitar entrevistas en español sobre IMAP, póngase en contacto con María-José Viñas: maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov. La sonda IMAP de la NASA utilizará diez instrumentos científicos para estudiar y mapear la heliosfera, una vasta burbuja magnética que rodea al Sol y protege nuestro sistema solar de la radiación proveniente del espacio interestelar. Esta misión y sus dos compañeros de viaje orbitarán el Sol cerca del punto de Lagrange 1, a aproximadamente 1,6 millones de kilómetros (un millón de millas) de la Tierra, donde escaneará la heliosfera, analizará la composición de partículas cargadas e investigará cómo esas partículas se mueven a través del sistema solar. Esto proporcionará información sobre cómo el Sol acelera las partículas cargadas, aportando información esencial para comprender el entorno meteorológico espacial en todo el sistema solar. IMAP también monitoreará continuamente el viento solar y la radiación cósmica. La comunidad científica podrá usar estos datos para evaluar capacidades nuevas y mejoradas para herramientas y modelos de predicción de la meteorología espacial, que son vitales para la salud de los humanos que exploran el espacio y la longevidad de sistemas tecnológicos, como satélites y redes eléctricas, que pueden afectar la vida en la Tierra. El Observatorio Carruthers de la Geocorona de la agencia es un pequeño satélite concebido para estudiar la exosfera, la parte más externa de la atmósfera de la Tierra. Utilizando cámaras ultravioletas, monitoreará cómo la meteorología espacial del Sol impacta la exosfera, la cual juega un papel crucial en la protección de la Tierra contra eventos de meteorología espacial que pueden afectar satélites, comunicaciones y líneas eléctricas. La exosfera, una nube de hidrógeno neutro que se extiende hasta la Luna y posiblemente más allá, se crea por la descomposición del agua y el metano por la luz ultravioleta del Sol, y su brillo, conocido como la geocorona, solo se ha observado a nivel mundial cuatro veces antes de esta misión. La misión SWFO-L1, gestionada por la NOAA y desarrollada con el Centro de Vuelo Espacial Goddard de NASA en Greenbelt, Maryland, y socios comerciales, utilizará un conjunto de instrumentos para proporcionar mediciones en tiempo real del viento solar, junto con un coronógrafo compacto para detectar eyecciones de masa coronal del Sol. El observatorio, que sirve como baliza de alerta temprana para fenómenos meteorológicos espaciales potencialmente destructivos, permitirá pronósticos más rápidos y precisos. Sus datos, disponibles las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana, ayudarán al Centro de Predicción Meteorológica Espacial de la NOAA a proteger infraestructuras vitales, intereses económicos y la seguridad nacional, tanto en la Tierra como en el espacio. David McComas, profesor de la Universidad de Princeton, lidera la misión IMAP con un equipo internacional de 25 instituciones asociadas. El Laboratorio de Física Aplicada Johns Hopkins en Laurel, Maryland, construyó la nave espacial y opera la misión. IMAP de la NASA es la quinta misión en el portafolio del programa de Sondas Solares Terrestres de la NASA. La División de Exploradores y Proyectos de Heliofísica en el centro Goddard de la NASA gestiona el programa para la División de Heliofísica de la Dirección de Misiones Científicas de la NASA. Para más detalles (en inglés) sobre la misión IMAP y actualizaciones sobre los preparativos de lanzamiento, visite: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/imap/ -fin- Abbey Interrante / María José Viñas Sede central de la NASA, Washington 301-201-0124 abbey.a.interrante@nasa.gov / maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov Sarah Frazier Centro de Vuelo Espacial Goddard, Greenbelt, Md. 202-853-7191 sarah.frazier@nasa.gov Leejay Lockhart Centro Espacial Kennedy, Fla. 321-747-8310 leejay.lockhart@nasa.gov John Jones-Bateman Servicio de Satélites e Información de la NOAA, Silver Spring, Md. 202-242-0929 john.jones-bateman@noaa.gov Share Details Last Updated Aug 21, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNASA en españolCarruthers Geocorona Observatory (GLIDE)Goddard Space Flight CenterHeliophysicsHeliophysics DivisionIMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe)Kennedy Space CenterLaunch Services ProgramScience & ResearchScience Mission DirectorateSpace Weather View the full article

NASA's SpaceX 33rd Commercial Resupply Services Launch

NASA/Nichole Ayers NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers took this photo of California’s San Francisco Bay Area surrounded by the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, and their suburbs on Aug. 3, 2025. At the time, the International Space Station orbited 260 miles above the Golden State. The International Space Station serves as a unique platform for observing Earth with both hands-on and automated equipment. Station crew members have produced hundreds of thousands of images, recording phenomena such as storms in real time, observing natural events such as volcanic eruptions as they happen, and providing input to ground personnel for programming automated Earth-sensing systems. In its third decade of continuous human presence, the space station has a far-reaching impact as a microgravity lab hosting technology, demonstrations, and scientific investigations from a range of fields. The research done on the orbiting laboratory will inform long-duration missions like Artemis and future human expeditions to Mars. Learn more about Earth observation from the space station. Image credit: NASA/Nichole Ayers View the full article

5 min read Close-Up Views of NASA’s DART Impact to Inform Planetary Defense Photos taken by the Italian LICIACube, short for the LICIA Cubesat for Imaging of Asteroids. These offer the closest, most detailed observations of NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) impact aftermath to date. The photo on the left was taken roughly 2 minutes and 40 seconds after impact, as the satellite flew past the Didymos system. The photo on the right was taken 20 seconds later, as LICIACube was leaving the scene. The larger body, near the top of each image is Didymos. The smaller body in the lower half of each image is Dimorphos, enveloped by the cloud of rocky debris created by DART’s impact. NASA/ASI/University of Maryland On Sept. 11, 2022, engineers at a flight control center in Turin, Italy, sent a radio signal into deep space. Its destination was NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft flying toward an asteroid more than 5 million miles away. The message prompted the spacecraft to execute a series of pre-programmed commands that caused a small, shoebox-sized satellite contributed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), called LICIACube, to detach from DART. Fifteen days later, when DART’s journey ended in an intentional head-on collision with near-Earth asteroid Dimorphos, LICIACube flew past the asteroid to snap a series of photos, providing researchers with the only on-site observations of the world’s first demonstration of an asteroid deflection. After analyzing LICIACube’s images, NASA and ASI scientists report on Aug. 21 in the Planetary Science Journal that an estimated 35.3 million pounds (16 million kilograms) of dust and rocks spewed from the asteroid as a result of the crash, refining previous estimates that were based on data from ground and space-based observations. While the debris shed from the asteroid amounted to less than 0.5% of its total mass, it was still 30,000 times greater than the mass of the spacecraft. The impact of the debris on Dimorphos’ trajectory was dramatic: shortly after the collision, the DART team determined that the flying rubble gave Dimorphos a shove several times stronger than the hit from the spacecraft itself. “The plume of material released from the asteroid was like a short burst from a rocket engine,” said Ramin Lolachi, a research scientist who led the study from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The important takeaway from the DART mission is that a small, lightweight spacecraft can dramatically alter the path of an asteroid of similar size and composition to Dimorphos, which is a “rubble-pile” asteroid — or a loose, porous collection of rocky material bound together weakly by gravity. “We expect that a lot of near-Earth asteroids have a similar structure to Dimorphos,” said Dave Glenar, a planetary scientist at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who participated in the study. “So, this extra push from the debris plume is critical to consider when building future spacecraft to deflect asteroids from Earth.” The tail of material that formed behind Dimorphos was prominent almost 12 days after the DART impact, giving the asteroid a comet-like appearance, as seen in this image captured by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope in October 2022. Hubble’s observations were made from roughly 6.8 million miles away. NASA, ESA, STScI, Jian-Yang Li (PSI); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale DART’s Star Witness NASA chose Dimorphos, which poses no threat to Earth, as the mission target due to its relationship with another, larger asteroid named Didymos. Dimorphos orbits Didymos in a binary asteroid system, much like the Moon orbits Earth. Critically, the pair’s position relative to Earth allowed astronomers to measure the duration of the moonlet’s orbit before and after the collision. Ground and space-based observations revealed that DART shortened Dimorphos’ orbit by 33 minutes. But these long-range observations, made from 6.8 million miles (10.9 million kilometers) away, were too distant to support a detailed study of the impact debris. That was LICIACube’s job. After DART’s impact, LICIACube had just 60 seconds to make its most critical observations. Barreling past the asteroid at 15,000 miles (21,140 kilometers) per hour, the spacecraft took a snapshot of the debris roughly once every three seconds. Its closest image was taken just 53 miles (85.3 km) from Dimorphos’ surface. The short distance between LICIACube and Dimorphos provided a unique advantage, allowing the cubesat to capture detailed images of the dusty debris from multiple angles. The research team studied a series of 18 LICIAcube images. The first images in the sequence showed LICIACube’s head-on approach. From this angle, the plume was brightly illuminated by direct sunlight. As the spacecraft glided past the asteroid, its camera pivoted to keep the plume in view. This animated series of images was taken by a camera aboard LICIACube 2 to 3 minutes after DART crashed into Dimorphos. As LICIACube made its way past the binary pair of asteroids Didymos, the larger one on top, and Dimorphos, the object at the bottom. The satellite’s viewing angle changed rapidly during its flyby of Dimorphos, allowing scientists o get a comprehensive view of the impact plume from a series of angles. ASI/University of Maryland/Tony Farnham/Nathan Marder As LICIACube looked back at the asteroid, sunlight filtered through the dense cloud of debris, and the plume’s brightness faded. This suggested the plume was made of mostly large particles — about a millimeter or more across — which reflect less light than tiny dust grains. Since the innermost parts of the plume were so thick with debris that they were completely opaque, the scientists used models to estimate the number of particles that were hidden from view. Data from other rubble-pile asteroids, including pieces of Bennu delivered to Earth in 2023 by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, and laboratory experiments helped refine the estimate. “We estimated that this hidden material accounted for almost 45% of the plume’s total mass,” said Timothy Stubbs, a planetary scientist at NASA Goddard who was involved with the study. While DART showed that a high-speed collision with a spacecraft can change an asteroid’s trajectory, Stubbs and his colleagues note that different asteroid types, such as those made of stronger, more tightly packed material, might respond differently to a DART-like impact. “Every time we interact with an asteroid, we find something that surprises us, so there’s a lot more work to do,” said Stubbs. “But DART is a big step forward for planetary defense.” The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, managed the DART mission and operated the spacecraft for NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office as a project of the agency’s Planetary Missions Program Office. By Nathan Marder, nathan.marder@nasa.gov NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Share Details Last Updated Aug 21, 2025 Related Terms DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) Explore More 2 min read NASA’s DART Team Earns AIAA Space Systems Award for Pioneering Mission Article 12 months ago 5 min read NASA’s DART Mission Sheds New Light on Target Binary Asteroid System Article 1 year ago 3 min read NASA Selects Participating Scientists to Join ESA’s Hera Mission Article 1 year ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Asteroids, Comets & Meteors Our Solar System For Planetary Science Researchers Resources specifically curated to help planetary science researchers, whether new to the field or seasoned professionals. View the full article

Technicians conduct blanket closeout work on NASA’s IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) observatory at the Astrotech Space Operations Facility near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, Aug. 15, 2025. The IMAP mission will explore and map the boundaries of the heliosphere — a huge bubble created by the Sun’s wind that encapsulates our entire solar system — and study how the heliosphere interacts with the local galactic neighborhood beyond.Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett Media accreditation is open for the launch of three observatories that will study the Sun and enhance the ability to make accurate space weather forecasts, helping protect technology systems that affect life on Earth. NASA is targeting no earlier than Tuesday, Sept. 23, for the launch of the agency’s IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe), the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Follow On–Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1) observatory. The observatories will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Accredited media will have the opportunity to participate in prelaunch briefings and interviews with key mission personnel prior to launch, as well as cover the launch. NASA will communicate additional details regarding the media event schedule as the launch date approaches. Media accreditation deadlines for the launch are as follows: International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 31. U.S. media and U.S. citizens representing international media organizations must apply by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4. All accreditation requests must be submitted online at: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For questions about accreditation, please email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other mission questions, please contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468. Para obtener información en español en sobre el Centro Espacial Kennedy, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo: 321-501-8425. Si desea solicitar entrevistas en español sobre IMAP, póngase en contacto con María-José Viñas: maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov. NASA’s IMAP will use 10 science instruments to study and map the heliosphere, a vast magnetic bubble surrounding the Sun protecting our solar system from radiation incoming from interstellar space. This mission and its two rideshares will orbit the Sun near Lagrange point 1, about one million miles from Earth, where it will scan the heliosphere, analyze the composition of charged particles, and investigate how those particles move through the solar system. This will provide information on how the Sun accelerates charged particles, filling in essential puzzle pieces to understand the space weather environment across the solar system. The IMAP spacecraft also will continuously monitor solar wind and cosmic radiation. Scientists can use this information to evaluate new and improved capabilities for space weather prediction tools and models, which are vital for the health of human space explorers and the longevity of technological systems, like satellites and power grids, that can affect life on Earth. The agency’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory is a small satellite set to study the exosphere, the outermost part of Earth’s atmosphere. Using ultraviolet cameras, it will monitor how space weather from the Sun impacts the exosphere, which plays a crucial role in protecting Earth from space weather events that can affect satellites, communications, and power lines. The exosphere, a cloud of neutral hydrogen extending to the Moon and possibly beyond, is created by the breakdown of water and methane by ultraviolet light from the Sun, and its glow, known as the geocorona, has been observed globally only four times before this mission. The SWFO-L1 mission, managed by NOAA and developed with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and commercial partners, will use a suite of instruments to provide real-time measurements of solar wind, along with a compact coronagraph to detect coronal mass ejections from the Sun. The observatory, serving as an early warning beacon for potentially destructive space weather events, will enable faster and more accurate forecasts. Its 24/7 data will support NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center in protecting vital infrastructure, economic interests, and national security, both on Earth and in space. David McComas, professor, Princeton University, leads the IMAP mission with an international team of 25 partner institutions. The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, built the spacecraft and operates the mission. NASA’s IMAP is the fifth mission in NASA’s Solar Terrestrial Probes program portfolio. The Explorers and Heliophysics Project Division at NASA Goddard manages the program for the agency’s Heliophysics Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at NASA Kennedy, manages the launch service for the mission. For more details about the IMAP mission and updates on launch preparations, visit: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/imap/ -end- Abbey Interrante Headquarters, Washington 301-201-0124 abbey.a.interrante@nasa.gov Sarah Frazier Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 202-853-7191 sarah.frazier@nasa.gov Leejay Lockhart Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-747-8310 leejay.lockhart@nasa.gov John Jones-Bateman NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service, Silver Spring, Md. 202-242-0929 john.jones-bateman@noaa.gov Share Details Last Updated Aug 21, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsIMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe)Carruthers Geocorona Observatory (GLIDE)Goddard Space Flight CenterHeliophysicsHeliophysics DivisionKennedy Space CenterLaunch Services ProgramScience & ResearchScience Mission DirectorateSpace Weather View the full article

HURRICANE ERIN - Live Tracker

Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio Mosaics More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions Mars Home 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4636-4637: Up Against a Wall NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image, showing itself parked at the wall of a fracture named “Río Frío.” Curiosity used its Left Navigation Camera on Aug. 19, 2025 — Sol 4634, or Martian day 4,634 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — at 14:51:33 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech Written by Michelle Minitti, MAHLI Deputy Principal Investigator, Framework Earth planning date: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 What does a good rover do when her back is up against a wall? Fight for science! Curiosity indeed fought the good fight at “Río Frío,” the wall of one of the many ridges cutting through the boxwork terrain we have been systematically exploring. The observations along the wall today provide insight into the internal structure and chemistry of the ridges, hopefully giving us clues as to why they are standing proud relative to the surrounding terrain. The structural story will be told by the large Mastcam mosaics we planned, covering the ridge from base to top, and from a MAHLI mosaic covering a horizon of the wall filled with resistant nodules and smooth, swooping surfaces cutting in all directions that are likely veins. The mosaic target, “Jardín de las Delicias,” will surely yield a surfeit of Martian delights. The chemical story will be told by APXS analysis of the nodule-filled target “Minimini” and SuperCam analysis of a vein at “El Tapado.” In contrast to the ridge itself, we planned a Mastcam mosaic of part of the hollow at the base of the ridge at target “Playa Zapatilla.” Beyond the ridge, we planned Mastcam and ChemCam imaging of the “Paniri” and “Mishe Mokwa” buttes, respectively, and sky observations with Navcam and Mastcam. DAN, RAD, and REMS run periodically through the plan keeping their eye on the Martian environment. Our drive will take us to a smaller ridge perpendicular to Río Frío, where we will once again fight to learn the secrets these ridges have to tell about Mars’ past. Want to read more posts from the Curiosity team? Visit Mission Updates Want to learn more about Curiosity’s science instruments? Visit the Science Instruments page NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity at the base of Mount Sharp NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Share Details Last Updated Aug 20, 2025 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 3 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4634-4635: A Waiting Game Article 1 day ago 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4631-4633: Radiant Ridge Revolution Article 1 day ago 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4629-4630: Feeling Hollow Article 3 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited… All Mars Resources Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,… Rover Basics Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a… Mars Exploration: Science Goals The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four… View the full article

HURRICANE ERIN - Live Tracker