NASA

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Gary Laier, center liaison for the Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, teaches students about aeronautics during Aero Fair at Tropico Middle School in Rosamond, California, on April 9, 2025.NASA/Genaro Vavuris When curiosity takes flight, learning knows no bounds. The impact of supporting STEM education extends far beyond the classroom, shaping the future of innovation and exploration. NASA Engages is the agency’s outreach website that connects NASA experts and resources with communities, educators, and students across the country. Led by NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, the platform fosters collaboration between educators, organizations, and NASA employees to inspire the next generation. Giovanna Camacho, Pathways systems engineering intern from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, teaches students about aeronautics during Aero Fair at Tropico Middle School in Rosamond, California, on April 9, 2025.NASA/Genaro Vavuris Bringing NASA to the Classroom NASA employees dedicate their time and expertise through NASA Engages, whether they’re passionate about robotics, flight research, or inspiring young minds to pursue STEM careers. One example of this is Aero Fair, a STEM program led by the California Office of STEM Engagement at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. This initiative brings aeronautics directly to students, with NASA Armstrong professionals visiting classrooms – both in person and virtually – to engage students during three-day experiences that allow them to learn about aeronautics, meet NASA professionals, and explore potential career paths they might not have previously considered. “When volunteers step up to help inspire and facilitate learning in the classroom, they are benefiting not only the students they interact with, but our future generation as well,” says Giovanna Camacho, Pathways systems engineering intern at NASA Armstrong, who volunteered at the event. Chloe Day, a student at Tropico Middle School in Rosamond, California, said Aero Fair inspired her to consider a STEM career. “When NASA employees were talking about what they do and how they help our world today, it made me feel like I want to do it too.” Educators can request an Aero Fair experience through NASA’s STEM Gateway. These programs “give students a chance to see themselves as real problem-solvers and innovators,” said Shauna Tinich, a Tropico Middle School teacher. “The most beneficial part of Aero Fair is the real-world connection to STEM. The connection to NASA makes it real and exciting for the students.” Students from Tropico Middle School in Rosamond, California, build their own paper planes as part of a project during NASA Aero Fair on April 9, 2025.NASA/Genaro Vavuris A Program for Impact The NASA Engages website matches outreach opportunities to employee skills and interests, while educators and community organizations can use the website to request public speakers, classroom visits, and educational support at events. For many volunteers, the experience is just as inspiring as it is for the students. “Every time I volunteer, I walk out inspired,” Camacho said. “It motivates me to continue my pursuit of making a difference.” Gary Laier, center liaison for the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs at NASA Armstrong, and Aero Fair volunteer, agreed: “It’s a rewarding experience for students, teachers, and NASA volunteers alike. I enjoy the opportunity to inspire youth and get them excited about their futures.” By participating in outreach activities like Aero Fair, career panels, or events, NASA employees not only help ignite curiosity and provide knowledge to students and the community but also strengthen NASA’s connection to the communities it serves. Gary Laier, center liaison for the Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, teaches students about aeronautics during Aero Fair at Tropico Middle School in Rosamond, California, on April 9, 2025.NASA/Genaro Vavuris Explore NASA STEM Opportunities Educators, organizations, and community groups can connect with NASA in two ways. Through NASA Engages, external groups can request NASA support for their own events – such as inviting a NASA speaker or arranging classroom visits and providing outreach materials. Meanwhile, NASA STEM Gateway provides opportunities for individuals to participate in NASA-developed STEM events, internships, and programs like Aero Fair. To request NASA participation in an event or to learn more about NASA STEM opportunities, visit https://stemgateway.nasa.gov/nasaengages/s/. Giovanna Camacho, Pathways systems engineering intern at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, teaches students about aeronautics during Aero Fair at Tropico Middle School in Rosamond, California, on April 9, 2025.NASA/Genaro Vavuris Share Details Last Updated Apr 30, 2025 Related TermsArmstrong Flight Research CenterLearning ResourcesNASA STEM ProjectsSTEM Engagement at NASA Explore More 7 min read ¿Qué es una caminata espacial? (Grados 5.o a 8.o) Article 4 hours ago 4 min read Robots, Rovers, and Regolith: NASA Brings Exploration to FIRST Robotics 2025 Article 1 day ago 3 min read NASA Tracks Snowmelt to Improve Water Management Article 6 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

NASA In this photo taken on Feb. 8, 1984, NASA astronaut Ronald E. McNair plays his saxophone while off-duty during the STS-41B mission. He and fellow crew members Vance D. Brand, Robert L. Gibson, Robert L. Stewart, and Bruce McCandless II launched on the space shuttle Challenger from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 3, 1984. During the mission, McCandless and Stewart performed the first untethered spacewalks. McNair, who was nationally recognized for his work in laser physics, was selected as an astronaut candidate in January 1978. He completed a one-year training and evaluation period in August 1979, qualifying him for assignment as a mission specialist astronaut on space shuttle flight crews. STS-41B was his first flight. Check out STS-41B mission highlights, narrated by the crew. Image credit: NASA View the full article

Did you know some of the brightest sources of light in the sky come from the regions around black holes in the centers of galaxies? It sounds a little contradictory, but it’s true! They may not look bright to our eyes, but satellites have spotted oodles of them across the universe. One of those satellites is NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Fermi has found thousands of these kinds of galaxies since it launched in 2008, and there are many more out there! To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Watch a cosmic gamma-ray fireworks show in this animation using just a year of data from the Large Area Telescope (LAT) aboard NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Each object’s magenta circle grows as it brightens and shrinks as it dims. The yellow circle represents the Sun following its apparent annual path across the sky. The animation shows a subset of the LAT gamma-ray records available for more than 1,500 objects in a continually updated repository. Over 90% of these sources are a type of galaxy called a blazar, powered by the activity of a supermassive black hole. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center/Daniel Kocevski Black holes are regions of space that have so much gravity that nothing — not light, not particles, nada — can escape. Most galaxies have supermassive black holes at their centers, and these black holes are hundreds of thousands to billions of times the mass of our Sun. In active galactic nuclei (also called “AGN” for short, or just “active galaxies”) the central region is stuffed with gas and dust that’s constantly falling toward the black hole. As the gas and dust fall, they start to spin and form a disk. Because of the friction and other forces at work, the spinning disk starts to heat up. This composite view of the active galaxy Markarian 573 combines X-ray data (blue) from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and radio observations (purple) from the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array in New Mexico with a visible light image (gold) from the Hubble Space Telescope. Markarian 573 is an active galaxy that has two cones of emission streaming away from the supermassive black hole at its center. X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/A.Paggi et al; Optical: NASA/STScI; Radio: NSF/NRAO/VLA The disk’s heat gets emitted as light, but not just wavelengths of it that we can see with our eyes. We detect light from AGN across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, from the more familiar radio and optical waves through to the more exotic X-rays and gamma rays, which we need special telescopes to spot. In the heart of an active galaxy, matter falling toward a supermassive black hole creates jets of particles traveling near the speed of light as shown in this artist’s concept. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab About one in 10 AGN beam out jets of energetic particles, which are traveling almost as fast as light. Scientists are studying these jets to try to understand how black holes — which pull everything in with their huge amounts of gravity — somehow provide the energy needed to propel the particles in these jets. This artist’s concept shows two views of the active galaxy TXS 0128+554, located around 500 million light-years away. Left: The galaxy’s central jets appear as they would if we viewed them both at the same angle. The black hole, embedded in a disk of dust and gas, launches a pair of particle jets traveling at nearly the speed of light. Scientists think gamma rays (magenta) detected by NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope originate from the base of these jets. As the jets collide with material surrounding the galaxy, they form identical lobes seen at radio wavelengths (orange). The jets experienced two distinct bouts of activity, which created the gap between the lobes and the black hole. Right: The galaxy appears in its actual orientation, with its jets tipped out of our line of sight by about 50 degrees. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Many of the ways we tell one type of AGN from another depend on how they’re oriented from our point of view. With radio galaxies, for example, we see the jets from the side as they’re beaming vast amounts of energy into space. Then there’s blazars, which are a type of AGN that have a jet that is pointed almost directly at Earth, which makes the AGN particularly bright. Blazar 3C 279’s historic gamma-ray flare in 2015 can be seen in this image from the Large Area Telescope on NASA’s Fermi satellite. During the flare, the blazar outshone the Vela pulsar, usually the brightest object in the gamma-ray sky. NASA/DOE/Fermi LAT Collaboration Fermi has been searching the sky for gamma ray sources since 2008. More than half of the sources it has found have been blazars. Gamma rays are useful because they can tell us a lot about how particles accelerate and how they interact with their environment. So why do we care about AGN? We know that some AGN formed early in the history of the universe. With their enormous power, they almost certainly affected how the universe changed over time. By discovering how AGN work, we can understand better how the universe came to be the way it is now. Share Details Last Updated Apr 30, 2025 Related Terms The Universe Active Galaxies Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Galaxies Explore More 8 min read How to Contribute to Citizen Science with NASA Article 24 hours ago 6 min read Where Does Gold Come From? NASA Data Has Clues Article 1 day ago 2 min read Hubble Visits Glittering Cluster, Capturing Its Ultraviolet Light Article 5 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Galaxies Black Holes Telescopes 101 Fermi View the full article

Expedition 72 Flight Engineers Takuya Onishi from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and NASA astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, and Don Pettit pose while inside the vestibule between the International Space Station’s Unity module and the Cygnus space freighter.NASA NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi will answer prerecorded questions about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics from students in Mansfield, Texas, while aboard the International Space Station. The 20-minute space-to-Earth call will take place at 10:40 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 5, and can be watched on the NASA STEM YouTube Channel. Media interested in covering the event must RSVP no later than 5 p.m., Friday, May 2 by contacting Laura Jobe at laurajobe@misdmail.org or 817-299-6300. The event, hosted by Mansfield Independent School District, also will have students present from Brenda Norwood Elementary, Alma Martinez Intermediate, Charlene McKinzey Middle, Jerry Knight and Frontier STEM Academies in Mansfield. This opportunity will allow the students to relate what they have learned about space travel to personal experiences. For more than 24 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 aboard the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network. Important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and lays the groundwork for other agency 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 Artemis Generation explorers and ensuring the United States continues to lead in space exploration and discovery. See videos of astronauts aboard the space station 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 Apr 30, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsHumans in SpaceInternational Space Station (ISS)Johnson Space CenterNASA Headquarters View the full article

Este artículo es para estudiantes de 5.o a 8.o grado. Cada vez que un astronauta sale de un vehículo espacial, se dice que hace una actividad extravehicular (EVA, por sus siglas en inglés). A esto también se le llama caminata espacial. El astronauta ruso Alexei Leonov hizo la primera caminata espacial el 18 de marzo de 1965. La primera caminata espacial duró 10 minutos. El astronauta Ed White hizo la primera caminata espacial de un estadounidense durante la misión Géminis 4, el 3 de junio de 1965. La caminata espacial de White duró 23 minutos. Hoy en día, las caminatas espaciales se hacen en el exterior de la Estación Espacial Internacional (EEI). Las caminatas espaciales suelen durar entre cinco y ocho horas, según el trabajo a realizar. El récord mundial de más caminatas espaciales lo tiene el cosmonauta ruso Anatoly Solovyev. Hizo 16 caminatas espaciales por un total de más de 82 horas en el espacio exterior. Cuatro astronautas de la NASA tienen un empate para la mayor cantidad de caminatas espaciales. Michael López-Alegría (Mike L.A.), Peggy Whitson, Bob Behnken y Chris Cassidy han hecho 10 caminatas espaciales cada uno. Mike L.A. tiene el récord de Estados Unidos para la mayor cantidad de tiempo en caminatas espaciales. Su total es de más de 67 horas. ¿Por qué los astronautas llevan a cabo caminatas espaciales? Los astronautas hacen caminatas espaciales por muchas razones. Las caminatas espaciales permiten a los astronautas trabajar fuera de su nave espacial mientras aún están en el espacio. Un trabajo que hacen los astronautas en una caminata espacial son los experimentos científicos. Se pueden sujetar experimentos en el exterior de una nave espacial para ver cómo el entorno espacial afecta diferentes objetos. Los astronautas colocan los experimentos fuera de la nave espacial durante una caminata espacial. Vuelven a salir para recuperar los experimentos cuando terminan. Los astronautas también pueden poner a prueba nuevos equipos y reparar los satélites o sus naves espaciales mientras están en órbita. Al hacer caminatas espaciales, los astronautas pueden reparar equipos que, de otro modo, tendrían que ser devueltos a la Tierra para su reparación. _____________________________________________________________________________ Palabras que debes saber radiación: una forma de energía que se emite, o transmite, en forma de rayos, ondas electromagnéticas o partículas _____________________________________________________________________________ ¿Cómo hacen los astronautas las caminatas espaciales? Cuando los astronautas hacen caminatas espaciales, usan trajes espaciales. Los trajes espaciales los protegen del duro entorno del espacio. Protegen a los astronautas de las temperaturas extremas de calor y frío, del dañino polvo espacial y de la radiación. Los trajes espaciales también les dan a los astronautas oxígeno para respirar y agua para beber durante las caminatas espaciales. Los astronautas se visten con sus trajes espaciales varias horas antes de hacer una caminata espacial. Los trajes están presurizados. Esto significa que los trajes están llenos de oxígeno. Los trajes espaciales están presurizados para mantener los fluidos del cuerpo en estado líquido. Una vez que tienen puestos sus trajes, los astronautas respiran oxígeno al 100% durante varias horas hasta que todo el nitrógeno sale de su cuerpo. Tener nitrógeno en el cuerpo durante una caminata espacial puede hacer que se formen burbujas de gas en el cuerpo. Estas burbujas de gas pueden hacer que los astronautas sientan dolor en articulaciones como los hombros, los codos, las muñecas y las rodillas. Esta condición se llama “enfermedad de los buzos” o síndrome de descompresión. La misma condición puede afectar a los buceadores que usan tanques de oxígeno para respirar debajo del agua. Los astronautas ahora están listos para salir de la nave espacial. Salen de la nave espacial a través de una puerta especial llamada compuerta de aire. La compuerta de aire tiene dos puertas. Cuando los astronautas están dentro de la nave espacial, la compuerta de aire es hermética, lo que significa que no puede salir el aire. Cuando los astronautas se preparan para salir a una caminata espacial, pasan por la primera puerta y la cierran herméticamente detrás de ellos. Luego pueden abrir la segunda puerta sin que el aire se escape de la nave espacial. Después de una caminata espacial, los astronautas regresan al interior a través de la compuerta de aire. Cuando un astronauta se quita el traje espacial, se dice que sale del traje. Los astronautas usan pasamanos en la estación espacial para desplazarse de un lugar a otro. A veces, se usa un gran brazo robótico para mover a los astronautas en las caminatas espaciales. Los astronautas están sujetos al brazo robótico con una correa para los pies. Los astronautas ahora están listos para salir de la nave espacial. Salen de la nave espacial por una puerta especial llamada compuerta de aire. La compuerta de aire tiene dos puertas. Cuando los astronautas están dentro de la nave espacial, la compuerta de aire es hermética, lo que significa que no puede salir el aire. Cuando los astronautas se preparan para salir a una caminata espacial, pasan por la primera puerta y la cierran herméticamente detrás de ellos. Luego pueden abrir la segunda puerta sin que el aire se salga de la nave espacial. Después de una caminata espacial, los astronautas regresan al interior a través de la compuerta de aire. ¿Cómo se mantienen seguros los astronautas durante las caminatas espaciales? Cuando hacen una caminata espacial, los astronautas usan correas de seguridad para sujetarse a su nave espacial. Las correas son como cuerdas. Un extremo está enganchado al caminante espacial. El otro extremo está conectado al vehículo. Las correas de seguridad evitan que los astronautas se alejen flotando en el espacio. Los astronautas también usan correas para evitar que las herramientas se alejen flotando. Atan las herramientas a sus trajes espaciales con correas. Otra forma en que los astronautas se mantienen seguros durante las caminatas espaciales es usando una mochila llamada SAFER. SAFER son las siglas en inglés de Ayuda Simplificada para Rescate en Actividad Extravehicular. El SAFER se usa como una mochila. Utiliza pequeños propulsores a reacción para permitir que el astronauta se desplace por el espacio. Si un astronauta se soltara y se alejara flotando, SAFER le ayudaría a volar de regreso a la nave espacial. Los astronautas controlan SAFER con una pequeña palanca de mando. ¿Cómo entrenan los astronautas para las caminatas espaciales? Una forma en que los astronautas se entrenan para las caminatas espaciales es nadando. Flotar en el espacio es muy parecido a flotar en el agua. Los astronautas practican las caminatas espaciales debajo del agua en una gran piscina cerca del Centro Espacial Johnson de la NASA en Houston, Texas. La piscina se llama Laboratorio de Flotabilidad Neutral (NBL, por sus siglas en inglés). La piscina tiene capacidad para unos 23,5 millones de litros (6,2 millones de galones) de agua. Por cada hora que pasen en una caminata espacial, los astronautas deben entrenar siete horas en la piscina del NBL. Otra forma en que los astronautas practican para una caminata espacial es utilizando la realidad virtual. Los astronautas usan un casco que tiene una pantalla de video dentro y guantes especiales. En la pantalla dentro del casco se muestra un video de la simulación. Los guantes especiales permiten mostrar los movimientos de los astronautas con el video. La simulación de realidad virtual se ve y se siente como una caminata espacial. Read this article in English here: What Is a Spacewalk? (Grades 5-8) Explore More For Students Grades 5-8 View the full article

A Volvo Crawler Excavator severs the airframe, separating the tail section from the fuselage, of the modified C-141 Kuiper Airborne Observatory at Moffett Field, California.NASA The planned deconstruction, disposal, and preservation of historic parts of NASA’s decommissioned Kuiper Airborne Observatory is complete. Part of the airborne astronomy legacy of NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, Kuiper conducted more than two decades of astronomical observations from 1975 to 1995. Later this year, the Kuiper cockpit will go on display at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Pima, Arizona, where NASA’s retired SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) aircraft is located, while its telescope will go on display at the Moffett Field Museum in the NASA Research Park. Author: Cara Dodge View the full article

Crew members are kicking off operations for several biological experiments that recently launched to the International Space Station aboard NASA’s 32nd SpaceX commercial resupply services mission. These include examining how microgravity affects production of protein by microalgae, testing a microscope to capture microbial activity, and studying genetic activity in biofilms. Microalgae in microgravity Sophie’s BioNutrients This ice cream is one of several products made with a protein powder created from Chorella microalgae by researchers for the SOPHONSTER investigation, which looks at whether the stress of microgravity affects the algae’s protein yield. Microalgae are nutrient dense and produce proteins with essential amino acids, beneficial fatty acids, B vitamins, iron, and fiber. These organisms also can be used to make fuel, cooking oil, medications, and materials. Learning more about microalgae growth and protein production in space could support development of sustainable alternatives to meat and dairy. Such alternatives could provide a food source on future space voyages and for people on Earth and be used to make biofuels and bioactive compounds in medicines. Microscopic motion Portland State University These swimming microalgae are visible thanks to the Extant Life Volumetric Imaging System or ELVIS, a fluorescent 3D imaging microscope that researchers are testing aboard the International Space Station. The investigation studies both active behaviors and genetic changes of microscopic algae and marine bacteria in response to spaceflight. ELVIS is designed to autonomously capture microscopic motion in 3D, a capability not currently available on the station. The technology could be useful for a variety of research in space and on Earth, such as monitoring water quality and detecting potentially infectious organisms. Genetics of biofilms BioServe This preflight image shows sample chambers for the Genetic Exchange in Microgravity for Biofilm Bioremediation (GEM-B2) investigation, which examines the mechanisms of gene transfer within biofilms under microgravity conditions. Biofilms are communities of microorganisms that collect and bind to a surface. They can clog and foul water systems, often leave a residue that can cause infections, and may become resistant to antibiotics. Researchers could use results from this work to develop genetic manipulations that inhibit biofilm formation, helping to maintain crew health and safety aboard the International Space Station and on future missions. Learn more about microgravity research and technology development aboard the space station on this webpage. Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Space Station Research and Technology Latest News from Space Station Research Space Station Research Results NASA Science, Cargo Launch on 32nd SpaceX Resupply Station Mission View the full article

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 4 min read Sols 4522-4524: Up on the Roof NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image of target “Hale Telescope” (the layered rock left of center) using its Left Navigation Camera on April 23, 2025 — Sol 4519, or Martian day 4,519 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — at 09:53:56 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech Written by Deborah Padgett, OPGS Task Lead at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Earth planning date: Friday, April 25, 2025 On Sols 4520 and 4521, Curiosity was supposed to study layered rocks in its workspace, then drive on. Unfortunately, a communications pass didn’t go as expected, preventing this plan from being transmitted. Our rover is fine, but it has been metaphorically “twiddling its thumbs” waiting for the expected Wednesday contact from Earth. This is a process known as “runout,” which happens when Earth fails to call a spacecraft at the appointed time. The communications stations are back up now, so the team assembled a weekend plan made from Wednesday’s postponed activities plus an extra day of untargeted science observations after the drive. The additional two days prior to plan execution allowed our science team to add another interesting target to contact science at the starting location. On Sol 4522, Curiosity will start science observations with a Mastcam 14 x 3 mosaic on the new target “Mesa Peak,” a flat-topped, layered outcrop named for a mountain in the Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California covered with sandstone pinnacles and offering an ocean view toward Channel Islands National Park. This will be followed by two Mastcam examinations of troughs to document evidence of differential ground motion. ChemCam will then shine its laser on the “Fan Palm” nodular rock to determine its surface composition. Its telescopic RMI camera will then image distant “Torote Bowl.” After a set of REMS observations, Curiosity will un-stow its arm and begin a detailed study of “Hale Telescope,” a finely layered stone with a target name honoring the famous 200-inch telescope (5.1 meters) on Palomar Mountain, northeast of San Diego. Despite being close to 80 years old, Palomar Observatory’s Hale Telescope still enables world-class astronomy with teams from Caltech and its partner organizations competing for observing time every year. Here, 5,500 feet “up on the roof” (thank you, Carole King!) of Southern California is where I spent some of my happiest times in graduate school. Curiosity’s arm will first deploy the APXS to touch “Hale Telescope.” Then, the MAHLI microscopic imager will take extreme close-up pictures of this rock and the neighboring “Cerro Alto” target. Finally, APXS will measure the composition of “Hale Telescope” in a measurement lasting two hours, similar to the exposure time required for the actual 200-inch telescope to measure the redshift of quasars, determining that they were located at cosmological distances. Sol 4522 ends with Curiosity stowing its arm in preparation for the next sol’s drive. On 4523, Curiosity will perform Mastcam mosaics of “Puerto Suelo” and “Potrero Seco,” as well as companion observation of the ChemCam target “Fan Palm” and an AEGIS-selected target from Sol 4919. ChemCam will then use laser spectroscopy to obtain surface composition of “Mesa Peak” and train the RMI telescope on intriguing formations along the side of Texoli Butte. Mastcam will follow up with an “after the laser zap” picture of “Mesa Peak.” The science block ends with a Navcam 360-degree dust-devil survey. Afterwards, Curiosity will drive around 20 meters (about 66 feet), passing near or over some large rocks, followed by post-drive imaging with the Hazcams, Navcam, and Mastcam. Afterwards, the rover will do AEGIS observations and take a MARDI picture of the ground underneath the rover. On Sol 4524, the science block will focus on the atmosphere, with a super horizon cloud movie, a dust-devil survey, and Mastcam dust opacity observation. There will also be ChemCam laser spectroscopy of a target selected by AEGIS. Early on the morning of Sol 4525, Curiosity will wake to take a morning-light mosaic of the “boxwork” formations to the west with Navcam, then turn Navcam toward the sky for suprahorizon and zenith cloud movies and a dust opacity observation across Gale Crater. Mastcam will then perform its own dust observation, which will wrap up the plan. If the team finds that Curiosity’s wheels are firmly seated on Martian soil and not rocks, our rover will again do contact science on a new set of rocks and continue its journey toward the boxwork formation. Share Details Last Updated Apr 29, 2025 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 2 min read Searching for the Dark in the Light Article 4 days ago 3 min read Sols 4520-4521: Prinzregententorte Article 4 days ago 5 min read Sols 4518-4519: Thumbs up from Mars Article 6 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

8 Min Read How to Contribute to Citizen Science with NASA A number of NASA projects use mobile phone apps to put satellite data into the palm of your hand, and allow intrepid citizen scientists to upload data. Credits: NASA A cell phone, a computer—and your curiosity—is all you need to become a NASA citizen scientist and contribute to projects about Earth, the solar system, and beyond. Science is built from small grains of sand, and you can contribute yours from any corner of the world. All you need is a cell phone or a computer with an internet connection to begin a scientific adventure. Can you imagine making a pioneering discovery in the cosmos? Want to help solve problems that could improve life on our planet? Or maybe you dream of helping solve an ancient mystery of the universe? All of this is possible through NASA’s Citizen Science program. NASA defines citizen science, or participatory science, as “science projects that rely on volunteers,” said Dr. Marc Kuchner, an astrophysicist and the Citizen Science Officer in the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C. For decades, volunteers have been supporting NASA researchers in different fields and in a variety of ways, depending on the project. They help by taking measurements, sorting data from NASA missions, and deepening our understanding of the universe and our home planet. It all counts. “That’s science for you: It’s collaborative,” said Kuchner, who oversees the more than 30 citizen science projects NASA offers. “I connect the public and scientists to get more NASA science done.” NASA astrophysicist Marc Kuchner is a pioneer in participatory science and today serves as NASA’s Citizen Science program officer. In 2014, Kuchner created the Disk Detective project, which helps NASA scientists study how planets form. Kuchner has also been the principal investigator for some of the agency’s many citizen science projects, but today he oversees the portfolio and promotes volunteer participation around the world. Credit: David Friedlander A menu of projects for all tastes Citizen scientists can come from anywhere in the world—they do not have to be U.S. citizens or residents. Volunteers help NASA look for planets in other solar systems, called exoplanets; sort clouds in Earth’s sky; observe solar eclipses; or detect comets and asteroids. Some of those space rocks are even named after the volunteers who helped find them. Mass participation is key in initiatives that require as many human eyes as possible. “There are science projects that you can’t do without the help of a big team,” Kuchner said. For example, projects that need large datasets from space telescopes—or “things that are physically big and you need people in different places looking from different angles,” he said. One example is Aurorasaurus, which invites people to observe and classify northern and southern auroras. “We try to study them with satellites, but it really helps to have people on the ground taking photos from different places at different times,” he explained. “Part of the way we serve our country and humankind is by sharing not just the pretty pictures from our satellites, but the entire experience of doing science,” Kuchner said. More than 3 million people have participated in the program. Kuchner believes that shows how much people want to be part of what he calls the “roller coaster” of science. “They want to go on that adventure with us, and we are thrilled to have them.” The dream of discovering “You can help scientists who are now at NASA and other organizations around the world to discover interesting things,” said Faber Burgos, a citizen scientist and science communicator from Colombia. “Truth be told, I’ve always dreamed of making history.” Colombian citizen scientist Faber Burgos studied Modern Languages at the Colombian School of Industrial Careers and has a university degree in Classical Archaeology. Today, he is dedicated to disseminating science content through his social media accounts, focusing on children. In 2020, he and his team launched a balloon probe into the stratosphere with a camera that captured the curvature of the Earth, with the aim of demonstrating that the Earth is round. The video of that feat exceeds 97 million views on his Facebook account, earning him a Guinness World Record. Credit: Courtesy of Faber Burgos Burgos has been involved in two projects for the past four years: the International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC), which searches the sky for potentially dangerous asteroids, and Backyard Worlds: Planet 9. This project uses data from NASA’s now-completed Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and its follow-up mission, NEOWISE, to search for brown dwarfs and a hypothetical ninth planet. “There are really amazing participants in this project,” said Kuchner, who helped launch it in 2015. NASA’s WISE and NEOWISE missions detected about 2 billion sources in the sky. “So, the question is: Among those many sources, are any of them new unknowns?” he said. The project has already found more than 4,000 brown dwarfs. These are Jupiter-sized objects—balls of gas that are too big to be planets, but too small to be stars. Volunteers have even helped discover a new type of brown dwarf. Participants in the project are also hopeful they’ll find a hypothetical ninth planet, possibly Neptune-sized, in an orbit far beyond Pluto. The Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 citizen science project asks volunteers to help search for new objects at the edge of our solar system. The assignment is to review images from NASA’s past WISE and NEOWISE missions in search of two types of astronomical objects: brown dwarfs(balls of gas the same size as Jupiter that have too little mass to be considered stars) and low-mass stars. Or, even, the hypothetical ninth planet of our Sun, known as Planet nine, or Planet X. The image shows an artist’s rendering of such a hypothetical world orbiting far from the Sun. Credit: Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC) Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC) Burgos explained that analyzing the images is easy. “If it’s a moving object, it’s obviously going to be something of interest,” he said. “Usually, when you see these images, everything is still. But if there’s an object moving, you have to keep an eye on it.” Once a citizen scientist marks the object across the full image sequence, they send the information to NASA scientists to evaluate. “As a citizen scientist, I’m happy to do my bit and, hopefully, one day discover something very interesting,” he said. “That’s the beauty of NASA—it invites everyone to be a scientist. Here, it doesn’t matter what you are, but your desire to learn.” The first step To become a NASA citizen scientist, start by visiting the program’s website. There you’ll find a complete list of available projects with links to their respective sites. Some are available in Spanish and other languages. Many projects are also hosted on the Zooniverse platform, which has been available since 2006. “Another cool way to get involved is to come to one of our live events,” said Kuchner. These are virtual events open to the public, where NASA scientists present their projects and invite people to participate. “Pick a project you like—and if it’s not fun, pick a different one,” he advised. “There are wonderful relationships to be had if you reach out to scientists and other participants.” Another way for people to get involved in citizen science is to participate in the annual NASA International Space Apps Challenge, the largest global hackathon. This two-day event creates innovation through international collaboration, providing an opportunity for participants to use NASA’s free and open data and agency partners’ space-based data to tackle real-world problems on Earth and in space. The next NASA International Space Apps Challenge will be October 4-5, 2025. Credit: NASA Age is not the limit People of all ages can be citizen scientists. Some projects are kid-friendly, such as Nemo-Net, an iPad game that invites participants to color coral reefs to help sort them. “I’d like to encourage young people to start there—or try a project with one of the older people in their life,” Kuchner said. Citizen science can also take place in classrooms. In the Growing Beyond Earth project, teachers and students run experiments on how to grow plants in space for future missions. The IASC project also works with high schools to help students detect asteroids. A student waters small plants inside a Growing Beyond Earth citizen science project grow box. Credit: NASA Projects by the community, for the community GLOBE Observer is another initiative with an international network of teachers and students. The platform offers a range of projects—many in Spanish—that invite people to collect data using their cell phones. One of the most popular is the GLOBE Mosquito Habitat Mapper, which tracks the migration and spread of mosquitoes that carry diseases. “It’s a way to help save lives—tracking the vectors that transmit malaria and Zika, among others,” Kuchner said. Other GLOBE projects explore everything from ground cover to cloud types. Some use astronomical phenomena visible to everyone. For example, during the 2024 total solar eclipse, participants measured air temperature using their phones and shared that data with NASA scientists. The full experience of doing science No prior studies are needed, but many volunteers go on to collaborate on—or even lead—scientific research. More than 500 NASA citizen scientists have co-authored scientific publications. One of them is Hugo Durantini Luca, from Córdoba, Argentina, who has participated in 17 published articles, with more on the way. For years, he explored various science projects, looking for one where he could contribute more actively. Durantini Luca participated in one of NASA’s first citizen science projects, launched in 2006: Stardust at home. Still ongoing, this project invites volunteers to participate in the search for evidence of interstellar dust on the aerogel and aluminum foil collectors returned by NASA’s Stardust mission, using an online virtual microscope. Credit: NASA He participated in NASA’s first citizen science project, Stardust@home, which invites users to search for interstellar dust particles in collectors from the Stardust mission, using a virtual microscope. In 2014, he discovered Disk Detective, a project that searches for disks around stars, where planets may form. By looking at images from the WISE and NEOWISE missions, participants can help understand how worlds are born and how solar systems evolve. “And, incidentally, if we find planets or some sign of life, all the better,” said Durantini Luca. Although that remains a dream, they have made other discoveries—like a new kind of stellar disk called the “Peter Pan Disk,” which appears young even though the star it surrounds is not. Durantini Luca participated in one of NASA’s first citizen science projects, launched in 2006: Stardust at home. Still ongoing, this project invites volunteers to participate in the search for evidence of interstellar dust on the aerogel and aluminum foil collectors returned by NASA’s Stardust mission, using an online virtual microscope. Credit: NASA Science in person In 2016, Durantini Luca got the chance to support Disk Detective with his own observations from the southern hemisphere. He traveled to El Leoncito Astronomical Complex (CASLEO), an observatory in San Juan, Argentina. There, he learned to use a spectrograph—an instrument that breaks down starlight to analyze its composition. He treasures that experience. “Curiously, it was the first time in my life I used a telescope,” he said. In 2016, citizen scientist Hugo Durantini Luca traveled for 18 hours to the El Leoncito Astronomical Complex (CASLEO), at the foot of the Andes Mountains. From there, he made observations of a candidate star of the Disk Detective project. Credit: Luciano García While in-person opportunities are rare, both virtual and physical events help build community. Citizen scientists stay in touch weekly through various channels. “Several of us are friends already—after so many years of bad jokes on calls,” said Durantini Luca. “People send me pictures of how they met,” said Kuchner. He said the program has even changed how he does science. “It’s changed my life,” he said. “Science is already cool—and this makes it even cooler.” About the Author NASA Science Editorial Team Share Details Last Updated Apr 29, 2025 Related Terms Citizen Science Earth Science Get Involved The Solar System The Universe Explore More 3 min read Help Classify Galaxies Seen by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope! 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What does the future of space exploration look like? At the 2025 FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston, NASA gave student robotics teams and industry leaders a first-hand look—complete with lunar rovers, robotic arms, and real conversations about shaping the next era of discovery. Students and mentors experience NASA exhibits at the 2025 FIRST Robotics World Championship at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston from April 16-18. NASA/Sumer Loggins NASA engaged directly with the Artemis Generation, connecting with more than 55,000 students and 75,000 parents and mentors. Through interactive exhibits and discussions, students explored the agency’s robotic technologies, learned about STEM career paths and internships, and gained insight into NASA’s bold vision for the future. Many expressed interest in internships—and dreams of one day contributing to NASA’s missions to explore the unknown for the benefit of all humanity. Multiple NASA centers participated in the event, including Johnson Space Center in Houston; Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California; Kennedy Space Center in Florida; Langley Research Center in Virginia; Ames Research Center in California; Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans; Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California; Glenn Research Center in Cleveland; Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; and the Katherine Johnson Independent Verification and Validation Facility in West Virginia. Each brought unique technologies and expertise to the exhibit floor. FIRST Robotics attendees explore NASA’s exhibit and learn about the agency’s mission during the event.NASA/Robert Markowitz Displays highlighted key innovations such as: Automated Reconfigurable Mission Adaptive Digital Assembly Systems: A modular system of small robots and smart algorithms that can autonomously assemble large-scale structures in space. Cooperative Autonomous Distributed Robotic Exploration: A team of small lunar rovers designed to operate independently, navigating and making decisions together without human input. Lightweight Surface Manipulation System AutoNomy Capabilities Development for Surface Operations and Construction: A robotic arm system built for lunar construction tasks, developed through NASA’s Early Career Initiative. Space Exploration Vehicle: A pressurized rover prototype built for human exploration of planetary surfaces, offering attendees a look at how future astronauts may one day travel across the Moon or Mars. Mars Perseverance Rover: An exhibit detailing the rover’s mission to search for ancient microbial life and collect samples for future return to Earth. In-Situ Resource Utilization Pilot Excavator: A lunar bulldozer-dump truck hybrid designed to mine and transport regolith, supporting long-term exploration through the Artemis campaign. Visitors view NASA’s Space Exploration Vehicle on display.NASA/Robert Markowitz “These demonstrations help students see themselves in NASA’s mission and the next frontier of lunar exploration,” said Johnson Public Affairs Specialist Andrew Knotts. “They can picture their future as part of the team shaping how we live and work in space.” Since the FIRST Championship relocated to Houston in 2017, NASA has mentored more than 250 robotics teams annually, supporting elementary through high school students. The agency continued that tradition for this year’s event, and celebrated the fusion of science, engineering, and creativity that defines both robotics and space exploration. NASA’s booth draws crowds at FIRST Robotics 2025 with hands-on exhibits. NASA/Robert Markowitz Local students also had the chance to learn about the Texas High School Aerospace Scholars program, which offers Texas high school juniors hands-on experience designing space missions and solving engineering challenges—an early gateway into NASA’s world of exploration. As the competition came to a close, students and mentors were already looking ahead to the next season—energized by new ideas, strengthened friendships, and dreams of future missions. NASA volunteers at the FIRST Robotics World Championship on April 17, 2025. NASA/Robert Markowitz “It was a true privilege to represent NASA to so many inspiring students, educators, and mentors,” said Jeanette Snyder, aerospace systems engineer for Gateway. “Not too long ago, I was a robotics student myself, and I still use skills I developed through FIRST Robotics in my work as a NASA engineer. Seeing so much excitement around engineering and technology makes me optimistic for the future of space exploration. I can’t wait to see these students become the next generation of NASA engineers and world changers.” With the enthusiastic support of volunteers, mentors, sponsors, and industry leaders, and NASA’s continued commitment to STEM outreach, the future of exploration is in bold, capable hands. See the full event come to life in the panorama videos below. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video View the full article

Landing on the Moon is not easy, particularly when a crew or spacecraft must meet exacting requirements. For Artemis missions to the lunar surface, those requirements include an ability to land within an area about as wide as a football field in any lighting condition amid tough terrain. NASA’s official lunar landing requirement is to be able to land within 50 meters (164 feet) of the targeted site and developing precision tools and technologies is critically important to mission success. NASA engineers recently took a major step toward safe and precise landings on the Moon – and eventually Mars and icy worlds – with a successful field test of hazard detection technology at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida. A joint team from the Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center’s in Houston and Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, achieved this huge milestone in tests of the Goddard Hazard Detection Lidar from a helicopter at Kennedy in March 2025. NASA’s Hazard Detection Lidar field test team at Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility in Florida in March 2025. NASA The new lidar system is one of several sensors being developed as part of NASA’s Safe & Precise Landing – Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) Program, a Johnson-managed cross-agency initiative under the Space Technology Mission Directorate to develop next-generation landing technologies for planetary exploration. SPLICE is an integrated descent and landing system composed of avionics, sensors, and algorithms that support specialized navigation, guidance, and image processing techniques. SPLICE is designed to enable landing in hard-to-reach and unknown areas that are of potentially high scientific interest. The lidar system, which can map an area equivalent to two football fields in just two seconds, is a crucial program component. In real time and compensating for lander motion, it processes 15 million short pulses of laser light to quickly scan surfaces and create real-time, 3D maps of landing sites to support precision landing and hazard avoidance. Those maps will be read by the SPLICE Descent and Landing Computer, a high-performance multicore computer processor unit that analyzes all SPLICE sensor data and determines the spacecraft’s velocity, altitude, and terrain hazards. It also computes the hazards and determines a safe landing location. The computer was developed by the Avionics Systems Division at Johnson as a platform to test navigation, guidance, and flight software. It previously flew on Blue Origin’s New Shepard booster rocket. The NASA team prepares the Descent and Landing Computer for Hazard Detection Lidar field testing at Kennedy Space Center. NASA For the field test at Kennedy, Johnson led test operations and provided avionics and guidance, navigation, and control support. Engineers updated the computer’s firmware and software to support command and data interfacing with the lidar system. Team members from Johnson’s Flight Mechanics branch also designed a simplified motion compensation algorithm and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California contributed a hazard detection algorithm, both of which were added to the lidar software by Goddard. Support from NASA contractors Draper Laboratories and Jacobs Engineering played key roles in the test’s success. Primary flight test objectives were achieved on the first day of testing, allowing the lidar team time to explore different settings and firmware updates to improve system performance. The data confirmed the sensor’s capability in a challenging, vibration-heavy environment, producing usable maps. Preliminary review of the recorded sensor data shows excellent reconstruction of the hazard field terrain. A Hazard Detection Lidar scan of a simulated hazard field at Kennedy Space Center (left) and a combined 3D map identifying roughness and slope hazards. NASA Beyond lunar applications, SPLICE technologies are being considered for use on Mars Sample Return, the Europa Lander, Commercial Lunar Payload Services flights, and Gateway. The DLC design is also being evaluated for potential avionics upgrades on Artemis systems. Additionally, SPLICE is supporting software tests for the Advancement of Geometric Methods for Active Terrain Relative Navigation (ATRN) Center Innovation Fund project, which is also part of Johnson’s Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division. The ATRN is working to develop algorithms and software that can use data from any active sensor – one measuring signals that were reflected, refracted, or scattered by a body’s surface or its atmosphere – to accurately map terrain and provide absolute and relative location information. With this type of system in place, spacecraft will not need external lighting sources to find landing sites. With additional suborbital flight tests planned through 2026, the SPLICE team is laying the groundwork for safer, more autonomous landings on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. As NASA prepares for its next era of exploration, SPLICE will be a key part of the agency’s evolving landing, guidance, and navigation capabilities. 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ESA/Hubble & NASA, L. C. Ho, D. Thilker Today’s rather aquatic-themed NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the spiral galaxy Messier 77, also known as the Squid Galaxy, which sits 45 million light-years away in the constellation Cetus (The Whale). The designation Messier 77 comes from the galaxy’s place in the famous catalog compiled by the French astronomer Charles Messier. Another French astronomer, Pierre Méchain, discovered the galaxy in 1780. Both Messier and Méchain were comet hunters who cataloged nebulous objects that could be mistaken for comets. Messier, Méchain, and other astronomers of their time mistook the Squid Galaxy for either a spiral nebula or a star cluster. This mischaracterization isn’t surprising. More than a century would pass between the discovery of the Squid Galaxy and the realization that the ‘spiral nebulae’ scattered across the sky were not part of our galaxy but were in fact separate galaxies millions of light-years away. The Squid Galaxy’s appearance through a small telescope — an intensely bright center surrounded by a fuzzy cloud — closely resembles one or more stars wreathed in a nebula. The name ‘Squid Galaxy’ is recent, and stems from the extended, filamentary structure that curls around the galaxy’s disk like the tentacles of a squid. The Squid Galaxy is a great example of how advances in technology and scientific understanding can completely change our perception of an astronomical object — and even what we call it! Hubble previously released an image of M77 in 2013. This new image incorporates recent observations made with different filters and updated image processing techniques which allow astronomers to see the galaxy in more detail. View the full article

6 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) JunoCam, the visible light imager aboard NASA’s Juno, captured this enhanced-color view of Ju-piter’s northern high latitudes from an altitude of about 36,000 miles (58,000 kilometers) above the giant planet’s cloud tops during the spacecraft’s 69th flyby on Jan. 28, 2025. Image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS Image processing: Jackie Branc (CC BY) New data from the agency’s Jovian orbiter sheds light on the fierce winds and cyclones of the gas giant’s northern reaches and volcanic action on its fiery moon. NASA’s Juno mission has gathered new findings after peering below Jupiter’s cloud-covered atmosphere and the surface of its fiery moon, Io. Not only has the data helped develop a new model to better understand the fast-moving jet stream that encircles Jupiter’s cyclone-festooned north pole, it’s also revealed for the first time the subsurface temperature profile of Io, providing insights into the moon’s inner structure and volcanic activity. Team members presented the findings during a news briefing in Vienna on Tuesday, April 29, at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly. “Everything about Jupiter is extreme. The planet is home to gigantic polar cyclones bigger than Australia, fierce jet streams, the most volcanic body in our solar system, the most powerful aurora, and the harshest radiation belts,” said Scott Bolton, principal investigator of Juno at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. “As Juno’s orbit takes us to new regions of Jupiter’s complex system, we’re getting a closer look at the immensity of energy this gas giant wields.” To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Made with data from the JIRAM instrument aboard NASA’s Juno, this animation shows the south polar region of Jupiter’s moon Io during a Dec. 27, 2024, flyby. The bright spots are locations with higher temperatures caused by volcanic activity; the gray areas resulted when Io left the field of view.NASA/JPL/SwRI/ASI – JIRAM Team (A.M.) Lunar Radiator While Juno’s microwave radiometer (MWR) was designed to peer beneath Jupiter’s cloud tops, the team has also trained the instrument on Io, combining its data with Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) data for deeper insights. “The Juno science team loves to combine very different datasets from very different instruments and see what we can learn,” said Shannon Brown, a Juno scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “When we incorporated the MWR data with JIRAM’s infrared imagery, we were surprised by what we saw: evidence of still-warm magma that hasn’t yet solidified below Io’s cooled crust. At every latitude and longitude, there were cooling lava flows.” The data suggests that about 10% of the moon’s surface has these remnants of slowly cooling lava just below the surface. The result may help provide insight into how the moon renews its surface so quickly as well as how as well as how heat moves from its deep interior to the surface. “Io’s volcanos, lava fields, and subterranean lava flows act like a car radiator,” said Brown, “efficiently moving heat from the interior to the surface, cooling itself down in the vacuum of space.” Looking at JIRAM data alone, the team also determined that the most energetic eruption in Io’s history (first identified by the infrared imager during Juno’s Dec. 27, 2024, Io flyby) was still spewing lava and ash as recently as March 2. Juno mission scientists believe it remains active today and expect more observations on May 6, when the solar-powered spacecraft flies by the fiery moon at a distance of about 55,300 miles (89,000 kilometers). This composite image, derived from data collected in 2017 by the JIRAM instrument aboard NASA’s Juno, shows the central cyclone at Jupiter’s north pole and the eight cy-clones that encircle it. Data from the mission indicates these storms are enduring fea-tures.NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/ASI/INAF/JIRAM Colder Climes On its 53rd orbit (Feb 18, 2023), Juno began radio occultation experiments to explore the gas giant’s atmospheric temperature structure. With this technique, a radio signal is transmitted from Earth to Juno and back, passing through Jupiter’s atmosphere on both legs of the journey. As the planet’s atmospheric layers bend the radio waves, scientists can precisely measure the effects of this refraction to derive detailed information about the temperature and density of the atmosphere. So far, Juno has completed 26 radio occultation soundings. Among the most compelling discoveries: the first-ever temperature measurement of Jupiter’s north polar stratospheric cap reveals the region is about 11 degrees Celsius cooler than its surroundings and is encircled by winds exceeding 100 mph (161 kph). Polar Cyclones The team’s recent findings also focus on the cyclones that haunt Jupiter’s north. Years of data from the JunoCam visible light imager and JIRAM have allowed Juno scientists to observe the long-term movement of Jupiter’s massive northern polar cyclone and the eight cyclones that encircle it. Unlike hurricanes on Earth, which typically occur in isolation and at lower latitudes, Jupiter’s are confined to the polar region. By tracking the cyclones’ movements across multiple orbits, the scientists observed that each storm gradually drifts toward the pole due to a process called “beta drift” (the interaction between the Coriolis force and the cyclone’s circular wind pattern). This is similar to how hurricanes on our planet migrate, but Earthly cyclones break up before reaching the pole due to the lack of warm, moist air needed to fuel them, as well as the weakening of the Coriolis force near the poles. What’s more, Jupiter’s cyclones cluster together while approaching the pole, and their motion slows as they begin interacting with neighboring cyclones. “These competing forces result in the cyclones ‘bouncing’ off one another in a manner reminiscent of springs in a mechanical system,” said Yohai Kaspi, a Juno co-investigator from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. “This interaction not only stabilizes the entire configuration, but also causes the cyclones to oscillate around their central positions, as they slowly drift westward, clockwise, around the pole.” The new atmospheric model helps explain the motion of cyclones not only on Jupiter, but potentially on other planets, including Earth. “One of the great things about Juno is its orbit is ever-changing, which means we get a new vantage point each time as we perform a science flyby,” said Bolton. “In the extended mission, that means we’re continuing to go where no spacecraft has gone before, including spending more time in the strongest planetary radiation belts in the solar system. It’s a little scary, but we’ve built Juno like a tank and are learning more about this intense environment each time we go through it.” More About Juno NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Juno is part of NASA’s New Frontiers Program, which is managed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Italian Space Agency funded the Jovian InfraRed Auroral Mapper. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built and operates the spacecraft. Various other institutions around the U.S. provided several of the other scientific instruments on Juno. More information about Juno is at: https://www.nasa.gov/juno News Media Contacts DC Agle Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-393-9011 agle@jpl.nasa.gov Karen Fox / Molly Wasser NASA Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov Deb Schmid Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio 210-522-2254 dschmid@swri.org 2025-062 Share Details Last Updated Apr 29, 2025 Related TermsJunoJet Propulsion LaboratoryJupiterJupiter Moons Explore More 3 min read NASA Tracks Snowmelt to Improve Water Management Article 5 days ago 6 min read NASA Tests Key Spacesuit Parts Inside This Icy Chamber Article 5 days ago 3 min read NASA’s Curiosity Rover May Have Solved Mars’ Missing Carbonate Mystery Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 captured an image March 6, 2025, after landing in a crater from the Moon’s South Pole. The lunar lander is on its side near the intended landing site, Mons Mouton. In the center of the image between the two lander legs is the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment 1 suite, which shows the drill deployed.Intuitive Machines NASA’s PRIME-1 (Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment 1) mission was designed to demonstrate technologies to help scientists better understand lunar resources ahead of crewed Artemis missions to the Moon. During the short-lived mission on the Moon, the performance of PRIME-1’s technology gave NASA teams reason to celebrate. “The PRIME-1 mission proved that our hardware works in the harshest environment we’ve ever tested it in,” said Janine Captain, PRIME-1 co-principal investigator and research chemist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. “While it may not have gone exactly to plan, this is a huge step forward as we prepare to send astronauts back to the Moon and build a sustainable future there.” Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission launched to the Moon on Feb. 26, 2025, from NASA Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A, as part of the company’s second Moon delivery for NASA under the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign. The IM-2 Nova-C lunar lander, named Athena, carried PRIME-1 and its suite of two instruments: a drill known as TRIDENT (The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain), designed to bring lunar soil to the surface; and a mass spectrometer, Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSOLO), to study TRIDENT’s drill cuttings for the presence of gases that could one day help provide propellant or breathable oxygen to future Artemis explorers. The IM-2 mission touched down on the lunar surface on March 6, just around 1,300 feet (400 meters) from its intended landing site of Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau near the Moon’s South Pole. The Athena lander was resting on its side inside a crater preventing it from recharging its solar cells, resulting in an end of the mission. “We were supposed to have 10 days of operation on the Moon, and what we got was closer to 10 hours,” said Julie Kleinhenz, NASA’s lead systems engineer for PRIME-1, as well as the in-situ resource utilization system capability lead deputy for the agency. “It was 10 hours more than most people get so I am thrilled to have been a part of it.” Kleinhenz has spent nearly 20 years working on how to use lunar resources for sustained operations. In-situ resource utilization harnesses local natural resources at mission destinations. This enables fewer launches and resupply missions and significantly reduces the mass, cost, and risk of space exploration. With NASA poised to send humans back to the Moon and on to Mars, generating products for life support, propellants, construction, and energy from local materials will become increasingly important to future mission success. “In-situ resource utilization is the key to unlocking long-term exploration, and PRIME-1 is helping us lay this foundation for future travelers.” Captain said. The PRIME-1 technology also set out to answer questions about the properties of lunar regolith, such as soil strength. This data could help inform the design of in-situ resource utilization systems that would use local resources to create everything from landing pads to rocket fuel during Artemis and later missions. “Once we got to the lunar surface, TRIDENT and MSOLO both started right up, and performed perfectly. From a technology demonstrations standpoint, 100% of the instruments worked.” Kleinhenz said. The lightweight, low-power augering drill built by Honeybee Robotics, known as TRIDENT, is 1 meter long and features rotary and percussive actuators that convert energy into the force needed to drill. The drill was designed to stop at any depth as commanded from the ground and deposit its sample on the surface for analysis by MSOLO, a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer modified by engineers and technicians at NASA Kennedy to withstand the harsh lunar environment. Designed to measure the composition of gases in the vicinity of the lunar lander, both from the lander and from the ambient exosphere, MSOLO can help NASA analyze the chemical makeup of the lunar soil and study water on the surface of the Moon. Once on the Moon, the actuators on the drill performed as designed, completing multiple stages of movement necessary to drill into the lunar surface. Prompted by commands from technicians on Earth, the auger rotated, the drill extended to its full range, the percussion system performed a hammering motion, and the PRIME-1 team turned on an embedded core heater in the drill and used internal thermal sensors to monitor the temperature change. While MSOLO was able to perform several scans to detect gases, researchers believe from the initial data that the gases detected were all anthropogenic, or human in origin, such as gases vented from spacecraft propellants and traces of Earth water. Data from PRIME-1 accounted for some of the approximately 7.5 gigabytes of data collected during the IM-2 mission, and researchers will continue to analyze the data in the coming months and publish the results. View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Nemanja Jovanovic, lead instrument scientist at Caltech, presents at the Emerging Technologies for Astrophysics workshop, held at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. The workshop brought together experts in astrophysics to discuss how advanced technologies could impact future mission planning.NASA/Donald Richey The future of astrophysics research could unlock the secrets of the universe, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, quantum sensing, and advanced materials may hold the key to faster, more efficient discovery. Advancements and implementations of new technologies are imperative for observational astrophysics to achieve the next level of detection. NASA’s Emerging Technologies for Astrophysics workshop brought together subject matter experts from industry, government, and academia to explore the state of new and disruptive technologies. The meeting was an effort to identify specific applications for astrophysics missions and better understand how their infusion into future NASA space telescopes could be accelerated. The workshop took place at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley,. supporting the agency’s efforts to make partnership with public and private industry and collaborative mission planning possible. “The profound questions about the nature of our universe that astrophysics at NASA answers require giant leaps in technology,” explained Mario Perez, chief technologist for the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Spotting potential in early-stage tech by encouraging discussions between imaginative researchers helps expand the scope of science and lessen the time required to achieve the next generation of astrophysics missions.” Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can support the design and optimization of future missions, and participants focused efforts on combining technologies to push research further. “Cross-pollination” of advanced materials like composites with advanced manufacturing, metamaterials, and photonic chips could support advancement in imaging missions beyond existing mechanical stability needs. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has dubbed 2025 the “International Year of Quantum Science and Technology” in recognition of a century of quantum mechanics. Workshop participants discussed how quantum sensing could enable more precise measurements, achieve “super resolution” by filling in missing details in lower resolution images, and provide greater capabilities in forthcoming space telescopes. “This gathering of experts was an opportunity to find ways where we can increase the capabilities of future space instrumentation and accelerate technology development for infusion into NASA astrophysics missions,” said Naseem Rangwala, astrophysics branch chief at NASA Ames. “We can speed up the process of how we develop these future projects by using the emerging technologies that are incubated right here in Silicon Valley.” The findings from this workshop and ongoing discussions will support efforts to study and invest in technologies to advance astrophysics missions with greater speed and efficiency. About the AuthorTara Friesen Share Details Last Updated Apr 29, 2025 Related TermsAmes Research CenterAstrophysicsAstrophysics DivisionGeneralScience Mission Directorate Explore More 3 min read Help Classify Galaxies Seen by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope! NASA needs your help identifying the shapes of thousands of galaxies in images taken by… Article 2 hours ago 3 min read In the Starlight: Jason Phillips’ Unexpected Path to Johnson Procurement Article 6 hours ago 2 min read How Are We Made of Star Stuff? We Asked a NASA Expert: Episode 58 Article 20 hours ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article