NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.
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4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) By Daniel Boyette Jeremy Kenny squinted his eyes as he looked toward the brilliant light. Then came the deafening sound waves that vibrated his body. This was the moment he’d dreamed about since childhood. It was Nov. 16, 2009, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and Kenny and his wife were watching space shuttle Atlantis embark on a mission to the International Space Station. Kenny, who was less than two years into his NASA career, had the opportunity to see the liftoff from Launch Pad 39A as part of receiving the Space Flight Awareness Award for supporting the Space Shuttle …
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The Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop (TFAWS) is an annual event cosponsored by the NESC’s Thermal Control & Protection, Environmental Control & Life Support, Aerosciences, and Cryogenics Technical Discipline Teams in collaboration with the TFAWS Steering Committee. It is well known for a diverse set of events and remains a model for Community of Practice technical discipline workshops. Originally devised as an analysis tool training opportunity for new engineers, TFAWS has grown in scope over more than three decades to include a variety of activities including training, theory-based short courses, paper sessions, student posters, center tours, and vendor prese…
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NASA/Joel Kowsky A fast boat crosses the waters several hours after NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 splashdown on March 12, 2024. The SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft landed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. The Crew-7 members spent nearly six months in space as part of Expedition 70 on the International Space Station. Throughout their mission, the Crew-7 members contributed to a host of science and maintenance activities and technology demonstrations. Moghbeli conducted one spacewalk, joined by NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, replacing one of the 12 trundle bearing assemblies on the port solar alpha rotary joint, which allows the arrays to track the Su…
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As NASA continues to pursue new human missions to low Earth orbit, lunar orbit, the lunar surface, and on to Mars, the NESC continues to provide a robust technical resource to address critical challenges. The NESC Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS), Crew Systems, and Extravehicular Activity (EVA) discipline is led by the NASA Technical Fellow for ECLS, Dr. Morgan Abney, ECLSS & Crew Systems Deputy Dave Williams, Extravehicular & Human Surface Mobility Deputy Danielle Morris, and EVA Deputy Colin Campbell. In 2023, this team led assessments and provided support to the Commercial Crew Program, ISS, Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, Extra…
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NASA Administrator Bill Nelson delivers remarks during an event with Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to highlight how the agencies are making progress toward President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative, Thursday, March 21, 2024, in the Earth Information Center at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. NASA is working with agencies and researchers across the federal government to help cut the nation’s cancer death rate by at least 50% in the next 25 years, a goal of the Cancer Moonshot Initiative. Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber During an event at NASA Headquarters in Washington Thursday, N…
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Sea level rise is affecting coastal communities around the world, especially those like Honolulu, pictured, that are located on islands.NOAA Teacher at Sea Program, NOAA Ship HI’IALAKAI A long-term sea level dataset shows ocean surface heights continuing to rise at faster and faster rates over decades of observations. Global average sea level rose by about 0.3 inches (0.76 centimeters) from 2022 to 2023, a relatively large jump due mostly to a warming climate and the development of a strong El Niño. The total rise is equivalent to draining a quarter of Lake Superior into the ocean over the course of a year. This NASA-led analysis is based on a sea level dataset …
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Quasar H1821+643.X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Nottingham/H. Russell et al.; Radio: NSF/NRAO/VLA; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/N. Wolk This image shows a quasar, a rapidly growing supermassive black hole, which is not achieving what astronomers would expect from it, as reported in our latest press release. Data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue) and radio data from the NSF’s Karl G. Jansky’s Very Large Array (red) reveal some of the evidence for this quasar’s disappointing impact on its host galaxy. Known as H1821+643, this quasar is about 3.4 billion light-years from Earth. Quasars are a rare and extreme class of supermassive black holes that are furiously p…
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“Not only was I going to school, raising a family, and working a full-time job, but I was also the state director for my sorority [and was responsible for] over 1,200 members at one time. And I think it comes down to perseverance. At the end of the day, you’re going to do what needs to be done if you truly want to get it done. You’re going to make the sacrifices that you need to make in order to be successful. “I’m a night person. So my big homework hours were between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. I made the time because it was important. And we all do that — we make the time for what’s important to us. I hear people say, ‘There’s no way I could have done that.’ Well, it’s easy …
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4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A total solar eclipse creates stunning celestial views for people within the path of the Moon’s shadow. This astronomical event is a unique opportunity for scientists to study the Sun and its influence on Earth, but it’s also a perfect opportunity to capture unforgettable images. Whether you’re an amateur photographer or a selfie master, try out these tips for photographing the eclipse. A total solar eclipse is a unique opportunity for scientists studying in the shadow of the Moon, but it’s also a perfect opportunity to capture unforgettable images. Whether you’re an amateur photogra…
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4 min read NASA’s Hubble Finds that Aging Brown Dwarfs Grow Lonely It takes two to tango, but in the case of brown dwarfs that were once paired as binary systems, that relationship doesn’t last for very long, according to a recent survey from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Brown dwarfs are interstellar objects larger than Jupiter but smaller than the lowest-mass stars. They are born like stars – out of a cloud of gas and dust that collapses – but do not have enough mass to sustain the fusion of hydrogen like a normal star. This is an artist’s concept of a brown dwarf. This class of object is too large to be a planet (and did not form in the same way), but is too…
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2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility supported the successful launch of a Rocket Lab Electron rocket at X:XX a.m. EDT, Thursday, March 21, from Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia. The rocket carried three collaborative research missions for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The mission, dubbed NROL-123, was the first NRO mission to fly on a Rocket Lab rocket launched from the United States. Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket lifts off from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility March 21, 2024, at X a.m. EDT. The rocket carried small research satellites for …
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12 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA is partnered with other government agencies, industry, and academia to conduct Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) research to benefit a future transportation system with routine flight of air taxis and drones. See the current partnerships below and in the map above. Aerostar Sioux Falls, South Dakota NASA and Aerostar are conducting collaborative evaluation of a NASA prototype simulated Upper Class E Traffic Management (ETM) system. AeroVironment Simi Valley, California NASA and AeroVironment are conducting research, development, testing, and evaluation of a NASA prototype simulated…
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22 Min Read The Marshall Star for March 20, 2024 Marshall Technologist Talks Solar Sail Technology in Rocket Center Exhibit By Jessica Barnett Space enthusiasts at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center were treated to a special exhibit featuring technologist Les Johnson of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and a look at the future of solar sail technology. NASA technologist Les Johnson, on stage, discusses how the solar sail can use solar propulsion to travel farther in space than anyone has traveled before during an exhibit held March 12 at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. …
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The four crew members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 mission are seated inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after landing in the Gulf of Mexico on March 12, 2024.Credits: NASA/Joel Kowsky After spending 199 days in space, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 crew members will discuss their science mission aboard the International Space Station during a news conference at 2:30 p.m. EDT Monday, March 25, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon …
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NASA/Kim Shiflett and Isaac Watson In celebration of Women’s History Month, NASA highlights the multifaceted group of women behind the launch and recovery efforts for Artemis missions. They are a driving force in preparing and planning for crewed missions and are helping inspire the next generation of space explorers – the Artemis Generation. On the left is Artemis Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson and some of the women of the launch team wearing green to symbolize they are “go” for launch. As the agency prepares to return to the Moon under Artemis, the teams in the launch control center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida are responsible for launchi…
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The road to the Moon landing cleared a major hurdle in March 1969 with the flight of Apollo 9 that tested all components of the spacecraft in low Earth orbit. Astronauts James A. McDivitt and Russell L. Schweickart flew the Lunar Module (LM) Spider while David R. Scott awaited their return in the Command Module (CM) Gumdrop. The success of Apollo 9 paved the way for Apollo 10, the next mission planned for May, to test the combined spacecraft in lunar orbit. Preparations for Apollo 10 continued with the rollout of the Saturn V to its launch pad. And if that dress rehearsal mission completed all its objectives, Apollo 11 could achieve the first Moon landing in July. The ast…
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Astronauts will test drive NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the first time during the agency’s Artemis II test flight next year. While many of the spacecraft’s maneuvers like big propulsive burns are automated, a key test called the proximity operations demonstration will evaluate the manual handling qualities of Orion. During the approximately 70-minute demonstration set to begin about three hours into the mission, the crew will command Orion through a series of moves using the detached upper stage of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket as a mark. The in-space propulsion stage, called the ICPS (interim cryogenic propulsion stage), includes an approximately two-foot …
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A NASA-funded commercial space station, Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef, recently completed testing milestones for its critical life support system as part of the agency’s efforts for new destinations in low Earth orbit. The four milestones are part of a NASA Space Act Agreement originally awarded to Blue Origin in 2021 and focused on the materials and designs for systems to clean, reclaim, and store the air and water critical for human spaceflight. NASA is working closely with commercial companies to develop new space stations capable of providing services to NASA and others, which will ensure that the U.S. maintains a continuous human presence in low Earth orbit and …
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4 min read NASA Radar Finds Ice Deposits at Moon’s North Pole Additional evidence of water activity on moon Using data from a NASA radar that flew aboard India’s Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, scientists have detected ice deposits near the moon’s north pole. NASA’s Mini-SAR instrument, a lightweight, synthetic aperture radar, found more than 40 small craters with water ice. The craters range in size from 1 to 9 miles (2 to15 km) in diameter. Although the total amount of ice depends on its thickness in each crater, it’s estimated there could be at least 1.3 trillion pounds (600 million metric tons) of water ice. Mini-SAR map of the Circular Polarization Ratio (CPR) of …
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Artist’s concept of a Lunar Terrain Vehicle on the surface of the Moon. Credits: NASA NASA will host a news conference to announce the company, or companies, selected to move forward in developing the LTV (Lunar Terrain Vehicle), which will help Artemis astronauts explore more of the Moon’s surface on future missions. The televised event will take place at 4 p.m. EDT (3 p.m. CDT), Wednesday, April 3, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The news conference will air live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media. Event participants will include: …
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5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA engineers will test a suite of new laser technologies from an aircraft this summer for Earth science remote sensing. Called lidar, the instruments could also be used to improve models of the Moon’s shape and aid the search for Artemis landing sites. Similar to sonar, but using light instead of sound, lidars calculate distances by timing how long a laser beam takes to reflect off a surface and return to an instrument. Multiple pings from the laser can provide the relative speed and even 3D image of a target. They increasingly help NASA scientists and explorers navigate, map, and coll…
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5 min read Sketch the Shape of the Sun for Science During the Solar Eclipse Calling all eclipse admirers! The SunSketcher team is looking for one million volunteers to capture photos on their cell phones during the April 8 total solar eclipse. These images will help scientists learn about the size, shape, and inner structure of the Sun. This NASA-funded citizen science project invites anyone who will be within the path of totality in the U.S. to take photos of the Baily’s Beads effect, which occurs when little points of sunlight pass through the valleys in between the mountains on the edge of the Moon. It’s the last piece of the Sun seen before totality and the firs…
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Lunar scientist Casey Honniball conducts lunar observations and field work near volcanoes to investigate how astronauts could use instruments during moonwalks. Name: Casey Honniball Title: Lunar scientist Organization: Planetary Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Laboratory, Science Directorate (Code 698) Casey Honniball is a lunar scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Courtesy of Casey Honniball What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard’s mission? I study the Moon using Earth-based telescopes to understand the lunar volatile cycle. I also conduct field wo…
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Credit: NASA NASA released Tuesday the first episode of a new six-part podcast series for first-time space explorers to learn about the Sun. Ahead of the total solar eclipse in April, NASA’s Sun + Eclipse Series will focus on the sphere full of swirling magnetic fields and explosions of hot gases. New episodes will post every Tuesday through April 23. The first episode is available at: Sun Series: The Sun, Our Star – NASA On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. More than 32 million people will have the chance to witness, and a phenomenon the contiguous U.S. will not see again for 2…
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NASA Science Live: How to Prepare for the April 8 Total Solar Eclipse
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