NASA

NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov land in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in the water off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida on March 18, 2025. Hague, Gorbunov, Williams, and Wilmore returned from a long-duration science expedition aboard the International Space Station.Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber Today is the 100th day of the Trump-Vance Administration after being inaugurated on Jan. 20. In his inaugural address, President Trump laid out a bold and ambitious vision for NASA’s future throughout his second term, saying, “We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.” NASA has spent the first 100 days in relentless pursuit of this goal, continually exploring, innovating, and inspiring for the benefit of humanity. “In just 100 days, under the bold leadership of President Trump and acting Administrator Janet Petro, NASA has continued to further American innovation in space,” said Bethany Stevens, NASA press secretary. “From expediting the return of American astronauts home after an extended stay aboard the state-of-the-art International Space Station, to bringing two new nations on as signatories of the Artemis Accords, to the historic SPHEREx mission launch that takes us one step closer to mapping the secrets of the universe, NASA continues to lead on the world stage. Here at NASA, we’re putting the America First agenda into play amongst the stars, ensuring the United States wins the space race at this critical juncture in time.” A litany of victories in the first 100 days set the stage for groundbreaking success throughout the remainder of the term. Read more about NASA’s cutting-edge work in this short, yet dynamic, period of time below: Bringing Astronauts Home Safely, Space Station Milestones America brought Crew-9 safely home. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams, and Nick Hague, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, returned to Earth after a successful mission aboard the International Space Station, splashing down in the Gulf of America. Their safe return reflects America’s unwavering commitment to the agency’s astronauts and mission success. A new, American-led mission launched to space. The agency’s Crew-10 mission is currently aboard the space station, with NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, joined by international partners from Japan and Russia. NASA continues to demonstrate American leadership and the power of space diplomacy as we maintain a continuous human presence in orbit. The agency welcomed home NASA astronaut Don Pettit, concluding a seven-month science mission aboard the orbiting laboratory. Pettit landed at 6:20 a.m. Kazakhstan time, April 20 on his 70th birthday, making him NASA’s oldest active astronaut and the third oldest person to reach orbit. NASA astronaut Jonny Kim launched and arrived safely at the International Space Station, marking the start of his first space mission. Over eight months, he’ll lead groundbreaking research that advances science and improves life on Earth, proving once again that Americans are built to lead in space. The four members of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11, NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov were named by NASA. Launching no earlier than July 2025, this mission continues America’s leadership in long-duration human spaceflight while strengthening critical global partnerships. NASA announced Chris Williams will launch in November 2025 for his first spaceflight. His upcoming mission underscores the pipeline of American talent ready to explore space and expand our presence beyond Earth. NASA is inviting U.S. industry to propose two new private astronaut missions to the space station in 2026 and 2027 – building toward a future where American companies sustain a continuous human presence in space and advance our national space economy. NASA and SpaceX launched the 32nd Commercial Resupply Services mission, delivering 6,700 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station. These investments in science and technology continue to strengthen America’s leadership in low Earth orbit. The payload supports cutting-edge research, including:New maneuvers for free-flying robotsAn advanced air quality monitoring system Two atomic clocks to explore relativity and ultra-precise timekeeping Sending Humans to Moon, Mars Teams began hot fire testing the first of three 12-kW Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) thrusters. These high-efficiency thrusters are a cornerstone of next-generation spaceflight, as they offer greater fuel economy and mission flexibility than traditional chemical propulsion, making them an asset for long-duration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. For Mars in particular, SEP enables three key elements required for success:Sustained cargo transportOrbital maneuvering Transit operations NASA completed the fourth Entry Descent and Landing technology test in three months, accelerating innovation to achieve precision landings on Mars’ thin atmosphere and rugged terrain. NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications experiment aboard Psyche broke new ground, enabling the high-bandwidth connections vital for communications with crewed missions to Mars. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission One successfully delivered 10 NASA payloads to the Moon, advancing landing, autonomy, and data collection skills for Mars missions. Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission achieved the southernmost lunar landing, collecting critical data from challenging terrain to inform Mars exploration strategies. NASA cameras aboard Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander captured unprecedented footage of engine plume-surface interactions, offering vital data for designing safer landings on the Moon and Mars. The agency’s Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies (SCALPSS) 1.1 aboard Blue Ghost collected more than 9,000 images of lunar descent, providing insights on lander impacts and terrain interaction to guide future spacecraft design. New SCALPSS hardware delivered for Blue Origin’s Blue Mark 1 mission also is enhancing lunar landing models, helping build precision landing systems for the Moon and Mars. The LuGRE (Lunar Global Navigation Satellite System Receiver Experiment) on Blue Ghost acquired Earth navigation signals from the Moon, advancing autonomous positioning systems crucial for lunar and Mars operations. The Electrodynamic Dust Shield successfully cleared lunar dust, demonstrating a critical technology for protecting equipment on the Moon and Mars. Astronauts aboard the space station conducted studies to advance understanding of how to keep crews healthy on long-duration Mars missions. NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture Workshop gathered industry, academic, and international partners to refine exploration plans and identify collaboration opportunities. Artemis Milestones NASA completed stacking the twin solid rocket boosters for Artemis II, the mission that will send American astronauts around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years. This is a powerful step toward returning our nation to deep space. At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, teams joined the core stage with the solid rocket boosters inside the Vehicle Assembly Building. Engineers lifted the launch vehicle stage adapter atop the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage, connecting key systems that will soon power NASA’s return to the Moon. Teams received the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage and moved the SLS core stage into the transfer aisle, clearing another milestone as the agency prepares to fully integrate America’s most powerful rocket. NASA attached the solar array wings that will help power the Orion spacecraft on its journey around the Moon, laying the groundwork for humanity’s next giant leap. Technicians installed the protective fairings on Orion’s service module to shield the spacecraft during its intense launch and ascent phase, as NASA prepares to send astronauts farther than any have gone in more than half a century. The agency’s next-generation mobile launcher continues to take shape, with the sixth of 10 massive modules being installed. This structure will carry future Artemis rockets to the launch pad. NASA and the Department of Defense teamed up aboard the USS Somerset for Artemis II recovery training, ensuring the agency and its partners are ready to safely retrieve Artemis astronauts after their historic mission around the Moon. NASA unveiled the Artemis II mission patch. The patch designates the mission as “AII,” signifying not only the second major flight of the Artemis campaign but also an endeavor of discovery that seeks to explore for all and by all. America First in Space NASA announced the first major science results from asteroid Bennu, revealing ingredients essential for life, a discovery made possible by U.S. leadership in planetary science through the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) mission. The team found salty brines, 14 of the 20 amino acids used to make proteins, and all five DNA nucleobases, suggesting that the conditions and ingredients for life were widespread in our early solar system. And this is just the beginning – these results were from analysis of only 0.06% of the sample. NASA was named one of TIME’s Best Companies for Future Leaders, underscoring the agency’s role in cultivating the next generation of American innovators. NASA awarded contracts to U.S. industry supporting Earth science missions, furthering our understanding of the planet while strengthening America’s industrial base. As part of the Air Traffic Management-Exploration project, NASA supported Boeing’s test of digital and autonomous taxiing with a Cessna Caravan at Moffett Federal Airfield. The test used real-time simulations from the agency’s Future Flight Central to gather data that will help Boeing refine its systems and safely integrate advanced technologies into national airspace, demonstrating American aviation leadership. NASA successfully completed its automated space traffic coordination objectives between the agency’s four Starling spacecraft and SpaceX’s Starlink constellation. Teams demonstrated four risk mitigation maneuvers, autonomously resolving close approaches between two spacecraft with different owner/operators.   In collaboration with the National Institute of Aeronautics, NASA selected eight finalists in a university competition aimed at designing innovative aviation solutions that can help the agriculture industry. NASA’s Gateways to Blue Skies seeks ways to apply American aircraft and aviation technology to enhance the productivity, efficiency, and resiliency of American farms.  In Houston, United Airlines pilots successfully conducted operational tests of NASA-developed technologies designed to reduce flight delays. Using technologies from the Air Traffic Management Exploration project, pilots flew efficient re-routes, avoiding airspace with bad weather upon departure. United plans to expand the use of these capabilities, another example of how NASA innovations benefit all humanity.  On March 11, NASA’s newest astrophysics observatory, SPHEREx, launched on its journey to answer fundamental questions about our universe, thanks to the dedication and expertise of the agency’s team. Riding aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, SPHEREx will scan the entire sky to study how galaxies formed, search for the building blocks of life, and look back to the universe’s earliest moments. After launch, SPHEREx turned on its detectors, and everything is performing as expected. Also onboard were four small satellites for NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission, which will help scientists understand how the Sun’s outer atmosphere becomes solar wind. These missions reflect the best of the agency – pushing the boundaries of discovery and expanding our understanding of the cosmos. On March 14, NASA’s EZIE (Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer) mission launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This trio of small satellites will study auroral electrojets, or intense electric currents flowing high above Earth’s poles, helping the agency better understand space weather and its effects on our planet. The mission has taken its first measurements, demonstrating that the spacecraft and onboard instrument are working as expected. The X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft cleared another hurdle on its way to first flight. The team successfully completed an engine speed hold test, confirming the “cruise control” system functions as designed.  NASA researchers successfully tested a prototype that could help responders fight and monitor wildfires, even in low-visibility conditions. The Portable Airspace Management System, developed by NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations project, safely coordinated simulated operations involving drones and other aircraft, tackling a major challenge for those on the front lines. This is just one example of how NASA’s innovation is making a difference where it’s needed most.  NASA’s Parker Solar Probe completed its 23rd close approach to the Sun, coming within 3.8 million miles of the solar surface while traveling at 430,000 miles per hour – matching its own records for distance and speed. That same day, Parker Solar Probe was awarded the prestigious Collier Trophy, a well-earned recognition for its groundbreaking contributions to heliophysics.  In response to severe weather that impacted more than 10 states earlier this month, the NASA Disasters Response Coordination System activated to support national partners. NASA worked closely with the National Weather Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency serving the central and southeastern U.S. to provide satellite data and expertise that help communities better prepare, respond, and recover.  As an example of how NASA’s research today is shaping the transportation of tomorrow, the agency’s aeronautics engineers began a flight test campaign focused on safely integrating air taxis into the national airspace. Using a Joby Aviation demonstrator aircraft, engineers are helping standardize flight test maneuvers, improving tools to assist with collision avoidance and landing operations, and ensuring safe and efficient air taxis operations in various weather conditions. NASA premiered “Planetary Defenders,” a new documentary that follows the dedicated team behind asteroid detection and planetary defense. The film debuted at an event at the agency’s headquarters with digital creators, interagency and international partners, and now is streaming on NASA+, YouTube, and X. In its first 24 hours, it saw 25,000 views on YouTube – 75% above average – and reached 4 million impressions on X.  Finland became the 53rd nation to sign the Artemis Accords, reaffirming its commitment to the peaceful, transparent, and responsible exploration of space. This milestone underscores the growing global coalition led by the United States to establish a sustainable and cooperative presence beyond Earth. In Dhaka, Bangladesh, NASA welcomed a new signatory to the Artemis Accords. Bangladesh became the 54th nation to commit to the peaceful, safe, and responsible exploration of space. It’s a milestone that reflects our shared values and growing global momentum, reaffirming the United States’ leadership in building a global coalition for peaceful space exploration.  At NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, engineers conducted calibration flights for a new shock-sensing probe that will support future flight tests of the X-59 quiet supersonic demonstrator. Mounted on a research F-15D that will follow the X-59 closely in flight, the probe will gather data on the shock waves the X-59 generates, providing important data about its ability to fly faster than sound, but produce only a quiet thump. In its second asteroid encounter, Lucy flew by the asteroid Donaldjohanson and gave NASA a close look at a uniquely shaped fragment dating back 150 million years – an impressive performance ahead of its main mission target in 2027. A celebration of decades of discovery, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope celebrated its 35th anniversary with new observations ranging from nearby solar system objects to distant galaxies – proof that Hubble continues to inspire wonder and advance our understanding of the universe. The SPHEREx team rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, spotlighting NASA’s newest space telescope and its bold mission to explore the origins of the universe. NASA received six Webby Awards and six People’s Voice Awards across platforms – recognition of America’s excellence in digital engagement and public communication. The NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed and Advanced Air Transport Technology project concluded testing of a 2.5-megawatt Wright Electric motor designed to eventually serve large aircraft. The testing used the project’s capabilities to simulate altitude conditions of up to 40,000 feet while the electric motor, the most powerful tested so far at the facility, ran at both full voltage and partial power. NASA partnered with the Department of Energy on the tests. U.S. entities can now request the Glenn Icing Computational Environment (GlennICE) tool from the NASA Software Catalog and discover solutions to icing challenges for novel engine and aircraft designs. A 3D computational tool, GlennICE allows engineers to integrate icing-related considerations earlier in the aircraft design process and enable safer, more efficient designs while saving costs in the design process. For more about NASA’s mission, visit: https://www.nasa.gov -end- Bethany Stevens Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 bethany.c.stevens@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Apr 29, 2025 EditorJennifer M. DoorenLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsWhat We DoMissionsScience for EveryoneSTEM Impacts View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s annual Student Launch challenge will bring middle school, high school, and college students from around the country together to launch high-powered rockets and payloads. On Saturday, May 3, from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. CDT (or until the last rocket launches), student teams will convene for the agency’s 25th annual challenge at Bragg Farms in Toney, Alabama, near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. Hundreds of students from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico launched amateur rockets near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, during the Agency’s 2024 Student Launch competition. NASA Live streaming will begin at 8:20 a.m. CDT on NASA Marshall YouTube. Media interested in covering Student Launch events should contact Taylor Goodwin at 938-210-2891. Winners will be announced June 9 during a virtual awards ceremony once all teams’ flight data has been verified. Seventy-one teams participated this year; 47 teams are expected to launch in-person. Teams not traveling to Alabama are allowed to conduct final test flights at a qualified launch field near them. Schedule of Events: Rocket Fair: Friday, May 2, 2025, 3-6 p.m. at the Von Braun Center East Hall. A free event for the public to view rockets and meet the student teams. Launch Day: Saturday, May 3, 2025, gates open at 7 a.m. and the event runs from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (or until last rocket launch) at Bragg Farms, in Toney, Alabama. This is a free public event with live rocket launches. Please be weather aware. Lawn chairs are recommended. Pets are not permitted. Back-up Launch Day: Sunday, May 4, 2025, is reserved as a back-up launch day in case of inclement weather. If needed, the event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (or until last rocket launches) at Bragg Farms. About the Competition Student Launch provides relevant, cost-effective research and development of rocket propulsion systems and reflects the goals of NASA’s Artemis Program, which will establish the first long-term presence on the Moon and pave the way for eventual Mars missions. Each year, the payload component changes to reflect current NASA missions. As Student Launch celebrates its 25th anniversary, the payload challenge will include “reports” from STEMnauts, non-living objects representing astronauts. The STEMnaut “crew” must relay real-time data to the student team’s mission control, just as the Artemis astronaut crew will do as they explore the lunar surface. Eligible teams compete for prizes and awards and are scored in nearly a dozen categories including safety, vehicle design, social media presence, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) engagement. Marshall’s Office of STEM Engagement hosts Student Launch to encourage students to pursue careers in STEM through real-world experiences. Student Launch is a part of the agency’s Artemis Student Challenges– a variety of activities exposing students to the knowledge and technology required to achieve the goals of the Artemis missions. In addition to the NASA Office of STEM Engagement’s Next Gen STEM project, NASA Space Operations Mission Directorate, Northrup Grumman, National Space Club Huntsville, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Association of Rocketry, Relativity Space and Bastion Technologies provide funding and leadership for the competition. For more information about Student Launch, please visit: https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/nasa-student-launch/ Taylor Goodwin NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama 256-544-0034 taylor.goodwin@nasa.gov Facebook logo @NASAStudentLaunch @StudentLaunch Instagram logo @NASA_Marshall Share Details Last Updated Apr 29, 2025 EditorBeth RidgewayLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsMarshall Space Flight CenterFor Colleges & UniversitiesLearning Resources Explore More 4 min read NASA Marshall Fires Up Hybrid Rocket Motor to Prep for Moon Landings Article 5 days ago 6 min read NASA Tests Key Spacesuit Parts Inside This Icy Chamber Article 5 days ago 6 min read Building for a Better World: Norfolk Students Bring STEM to Life with NASA Partnership At Norfolk Technical Center in Norfolk, Virginia, carpentry students in Jordan Crawford’s first-year class aren’t… Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

3 min read Help Classify Galaxies Seen by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope! The Galaxy Zoo classification interface shows you an image from NASA’s Webb telescope and asks you questions about it. Image credit: Galaxy Zoo, Zooniverse. Inset galaxy: NASA/STScI/CEERS/TACC/S. Finkelstein/M. Bagley/Z. Levay/A. Pagan NASA needs your help identifying the shapes of thousands of galaxies in images taken by our James Webb Space Telescope with the Galaxy Zoo project. These classifications will help scientists answer questions about how the shapes of galaxies have changed over time, what caused these changes, and why. Thanks to the light collecting power of Webb, there are now over 500,000 images of galaxies on website of the Galaxy Zoo citizen science project—more images than scientists can classify by themselves. “This is a great opportunity to see images from the newest space telescope,” said volunteer Christine Macmillan from Aberdeen, Scotland. “Galaxies at the edge of our universe are being seen for the first time, just as they are starting to form. Just sign up and answer simple questions about the shape of the galaxy that you are seeing. Anyone can do it, ages 10 and up!” As we look at more distant objects in the universe, we see them as they were billions of years ago because light takes time to travel to us. With Webb, we can spot galaxies at greater distances than ever before. We’re seeing what some of the earliest galaxies ever detected look like, for the first time. The shapes of these galaxies tell us about how they were born, how and when they formed stars, and how they interacted with their neighbors. By looking at how more distant galaxies have different shapes than close galaxies, we can work out which processes were more common at different times in the universe’s history. At Galaxy Zoo, you’ll first examine an image from the Webb telescope. Then you will be asked several questions, such as ‘Is the galaxy round?’, or ‘Are there signs of spiral arms?’. If you’re quick, you may even be the first person to see the galaxies you’re asked to classify. “I’m amazed and honored to be one of the first people to actually see these images! What a privilege!” said volunteer Elisabeth Baeten from Leuven, Belgium. Galaxy Zoo is a citizen science project with a long history of scientific impact. Galaxy Zoo volunteers have been exploring deep space since July 2007, starting with a million galaxies from a telescope in New Mexico called the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and then, moving on to images from space telescopes like NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and ESA (European Space Agency)’s Euclid telescope. The project has revealed spectacular mergers, taught us about how the black holes at the center of galaxies affect their hosts, and provided insight into how features like spiral arms form and grow. Now, in addition to adding new data from Webb, the science team has incorporated an AI algorithm called ZooBot, which will sift through the images first and label the ‘easier ones’ where there are many examples that already exist in previous images from the Hubble Space Telescope. When ZooBot is not confident on the classification of a galaxy, perhaps due to complex or faint structures, it will show it to users on Galaxy Zoo to get their human classifications, which will then help ZooBot learn more. Working together, humans and AI can accurately classify limitless numbers of galaxies. The Galaxy Zoo science team acknowledges support from the International Space Sciences Institute (ISSI), who provided funding for the team to get together and work on Galaxy Zoo. Join the project now. Share Details Last Updated Apr 29, 2025 Related Terms Astrophysics Division Citizen Science Get Involved James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Explore More 2 min read Hubble Visits Glittering Cluster, Capturing Its Ultraviolet Light Article 4 days ago 5 min read Eye on Infinity: NASA Celebrates Hubble’s 35th Year in Orbit Article 6 days ago 3 min read Nine Finalists Advance in NASA’s Power to Explore Challenge Article 6 days ago View the full article

This artist’s concept depicts a magnetar – a type of neutron star with a strong magnetic field – losing material into space. Shown as thin green lines, the magnetic field lines influence the movement of charged material around the magnetar. NASA/JPL-Caltech Since the big bang, the early universe had hydrogen, helium, and a scant amount of lithium. Later, some heavier elements, including iron, were forged in stars. But one of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics is: How did the first elements heavier than iron, such as gold, get created and distributed throughout the universe? “It’s a pretty fundamental question in terms of the origin of complex matter in the universe,” said Anirudh Patel, a doctoral student at Columbia University in New York. “It’s a fun puzzle that hasn’t actually been solved.” Patel led a study using 20-year-old archival data from NASA and ESA telescopes that finds evidence for a surprising source of a large amount of these heavy elements: flares from highly magnetized neutron stars, called magnetars. The study is published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Study authors estimate that magnetar giant flares could contribute up to 10% of the total abundance of elements heavier than iron in the galaxy. Since magnetars existed relatively early in the history of the universe, the first gold could have been made this way. “It’s answering one of the questions of the century and solving a mystery using archival data that had been nearly forgotten,” said Eric Burns, study co-author and astrophysicist at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. How could gold be made at a magnetar? Neutron stars are the collapsed cores of stars that have exploded. They are so dense that one teaspoon of neutron star material, on Earth, would weigh as much as a billion tons. A magnetar is a neutron star with an extremely powerful magnetic field. On rare occasions, magnetars release an enormous amount of high-energy radiation when they undergo “starquakes,” which, like earthquakes, fracture the neutron star’s crust. Starquakes may also be associated with powerful bursts of radiation called magnetar giant flares, which can even affect Earth’s atmosphere. Only three magnetar giant flares have been observed in the Milky Way and the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud, and seven outside. Patel and colleagues, including his advisor Brian Metzger, professor at Columbia University and senior research scientist at the Flatiron Institute in New York, have been thinking about how radiation from giant flares could correspond to heavy elements forming there. This would happen through a “rapid process” of neutrons forging lighter atomic nuclei into heavier ones. Protons define the element’s identity on the periodic table: hydrogen has one proton, helium has two, lithium has three, and so on. Atoms also have neutrons which do not affect identity, but do add mass. Sometimes when an atom captures an extra neutron the atom becomes unstable and a nuclear decay process happens that converts a neutron into a proton, moving the atom forward on the periodic table. This is how, for example, a gold atom could take on an extra neutron and then transform into mercury. In the unique environment of a disrupted neutron star, in which the density of neutrons is extremely high, something even stranger happens: single atoms can rapidly capture so many neutrons that they undergo multiple decays, leading to the creation of a much heavier element like uranium. When astronomers observed the collision of two neutron stars in 2017 using NASA telescopes and the Laser Interferomete Gravitational wave Observatory (LIGO), and numerous telescopes on the ground and in space that followed up the initial discovery, they confirmed that this event could have created gold, platinum, and other heavy elements. But neutron star mergers happen too late in the universe’s history to explain the earliest gold and other heavy elements. Recent research by co-authors of the new study — Jakub Cehula of Charles University in Prague, Todd Thompson of The Ohio State University, and Metzger — has found that magnetar flares can heat and eject neutron star crustal material at high speeds, making them a potential source. A rupture in the crust of a highly magnetized neutron star, shown here in an artist’s rendering, can trigger high-energy eruptions. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/S. Wiessinger New clues in old data At first, Metzger and colleagues thought that the signature from the creation and distribution of heavy elements at a magnetar would appear in the visible and ultraviolet light, and published their predictions. But Burns in Louisiana wondered if there could be a gamma-ray signal bright enough to be detected, too. He asked Metzger and Patel to check, and they found that there could be such a signature. “At some point, we said, ‘OK, we should ask the observers if they had seen any,’” Metzger said. Burns looked up the gamma ray data from the last giant flare that has been observed, which was in December 2004. He realized that while scientists had explained the beginning of the outburst, they had also identified a smaller signal from the magnetar, in data from ESA (European Space Agency)’s INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL), a recently retired mission with NASA contributions. “It was noted at the time, but nobody had any conception of what it could be,” Burns said. Metzger remembers that Burns thought he and Patel were “pulling his leg” because the prediction from their team’s model so closely matched the mystery signal in the 2004 data. In other words, the gamma ray signal detected over 20 years ago corresponded to what it should look like when heavy elements are created and then distributed in a magnetar giant flare. Patel was so excited, “I wasn’t thinking about anything else for the next week or two. It was the only thing on my mind,” he said. Researchers supported their conclusion using data from two NASA heliophysics missions: the retired RHESSI (Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager) and the ongoing NASA’s Wind satellite, which had also observed the magnetar giant flare. Other collaborators on the new study included Jared Goldberg at the Flatiron Institute. Next steps in the magnetar gold rush NASA’s forthcoming COSI (Compton Spectrometer and Imager) mission can follow up on these results. A wide-field gamma ray telescope, COSI is expected to launch in 2027 and will study energetic phenomena in the cosmos, such as magnetar giant flares. COSI will be able to identify individual elements created in these events, providing a new advancement in understanding the origin of the elements. It is one of many telescopes that can work together to look for “transient” changes across the universe. Researchers will also follow up on other archival data to see if other secrets are hiding in observations of other magnetar giant flares. “It very cool to think about how some of the stuff in my phone or my laptop was forged in this extreme explosion of the course of our galaxy’s history,” Patel said. Media Contact Elizabeth Landau Headquarters, Washington 202-358-0845 elandau@nasa.gov View the full article

Sometimes an unexpected turn in a carefully planned career path leads to surprising opportunities for growth and exciting new experiences. For Jason Phillips, that turn steered toward NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Official portrait of Jason Phillips.NASA/Bill Stafford Phillips joined the U.S. Air Force in 1994 and planned to serve for at least 20 years, but in 2010—while preparing for a third deployment after 14 years of service—he found himself facing a medical separation from the military. “In a very short amount of time I had to figure out next steps for a career and lifestyle that no longer involved being an active duty servicemember,” he said. Thanks to a special hiring authority obtained by Peterson Air Force Base’s Office of Procurement, Phillips was able to transition to the civil service and apply his experience as an Air Force contracting officer to a new role. Phillips returned home to Houston and shifted from a Defense Department job to NASA as a contract specialist, spending his first 10 years at Johnson supporting all aspects of the Center Operations Directorate. He was then tasked with the challenge of serving as a lead contracting officer within Johnson’s procurement office for the International Space Station Program. Phillips currently leads a team of highly skilled acquisition professionals who support a variety of contracts that sustain the International Space Station’s operations, maximize science conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory, and pave the way for a seamless transition to commercial low Earth orbit destinations. He oversees the team’s daily work, which includes strategic planning and acquisition of contracts valued at more than $21 billion. Specifically, the team handles NASA’s Cargo Resupply Services contracts, a cooperative agreement with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, and the Research, Engineering & Mission Integration Services-2 contract. Jason Phillips (left) and Johnson Office of Procurement colleagues attend a National Contract Management Association conference at the Gilruth Center in 2016. NASA/James Blair “I am responsible for providing high-quality procurement products, services, and support to ensure that executive and technical customer needs are met and exceeded while maintaining compliance with applicable statutes, regulations, and guidelines,” he said. That work has included modifying the program’s original acquisition strategy to minimize delays, target cost savings, and emphasize critical infrastructure and services such as the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems aboard the space station. Phillips enjoys seeing the direct impact of his work. “This career field almost always allows me to see the fruits of my labor, whether I am procuring office supplies and equipment or managing construction projects,” he said, noting that the remodeling of Johnson’s building 20 was his first project at the center. He is also proud to have supported the career progression of fellow procurement professionals and technical staff. “It’s a nod to those who came before me and provided me with their leadership and technical knowledge of procurement.” Jason Phillips received an Individual Contribution Award for continuous support in Johnson’s Office of Procurement from NASA Assistant Administrator for Procurement Karla Jackson in 2022.NASA/Robert Markowitz Phillips said that staying humble and accountable is key to finding mission-focused solutions that benefit everyone. He also cautioned against making assumptions. “The people around you are very willing to offer thoughts and insights into a solution to your problem,” he said. “There is so much knowledge to be gained by listening.” He encourages the Artemis Generation to seek opportunities to expand their technical knowledge and grow professionally. “Help yourself so that you may help others.” Explore More 2 min read How Are We Made of Star Stuff? We Asked a NASA Expert: Episode 58 Article 14 hours ago 5 min read NASA 3D Wind Measuring Laser Aims to Improve Forecasts from Air, Space Article 15 hours ago 3 min read Lunar Space Station Module for NASA’s Artemis Campaign to Begin Final Outfitting Article 3 days ago View the full article

The Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSolo) for NASA’s Volatile Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission is prepared for packing inside a laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 21, 2023. MSolo is a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer modified to work in space and it will help analyze the chemical makeup of landing sites on the Moon, as well as study water on the lunar surface.NASA/Kim Shiflett A NASA-developed technology that recently proved its capabilities in the harsh environment of space will soon head back to the Moon to search for gases trapped under the lunar surface thanks to a new Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between NASA and commercial company Magna Petra Corp. The Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSOLO) successfully demonstrated the full range of its hardware in lunar conditions during the Intuitive Machines 2 mission earlier this year. Under the new agreement, a second MSOLO, mounted on a commercial rover, will launch to the Moon no earlier than 2026. Once on the lunar surface, it will measure low molecular weight volatiles in hopes of inferring the presence of rare isotopes, such as Helium-3, which is theorized to exist, trapped in the regolith, or lunar dust, of the Moon. “This new mission opportunity will help us determine what volatiles are present in the lunar surface, while also providing scientific insight for Magna Petra’s goals,” said Roberto Aguilar Ayala, research physicist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. “Learning more about the lunar volatiles and their isotopes supports NASA’s goal of sustaining long-term human space exploration. We will need to extract resources locally to enhance the capabilities of our astronauts to further exploration opportunities on the lunar surface.” The MSOLO instrument will be integrated on a commercial rover, selected by Magna Petra. The rover will allow MSOLO to gather the data needed for researchers to understand which low-molecular weight gases reside within the Moon’s surface. NASA will work with the partner to integrate MSOLO so that it will function properly with the rover, and the partner will analyze and share data in real time with NASA to understand the location of these volatiles on the Moon and their ability to be extracted in the future. Magna Petra hopes to understand the presence of Helium-3 isotope within the Moon’s surface, with the ultimate goal of collecting it and bringing it back to Earth for use in a variety of industries, including energy production through nuclear fusion, quantum computing, health care, and specialized laboratory equipment. The MSOLO instrument began as a commercial off-the-shelf mass spectrometer designed to analyze volatiles used in the manufacturing of semi-conductors, which helped keep NASA’s development costs down. NASA modified the device to withstand the rigors of spaceflight and the Moon’s harsh conditions. On its first journey to the Moon, MSOLO was part of the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment 1. Signed on April 2, the reimbursable agreement is the first of its kind established at NASA Kennedy. Under the agreement, Magna Petra will reimburse NASA for costs such as supporting MSOLO integration and testing with the rover, pre-mission preparation and mission operations of the instruments, and expertise in system engineering, avionics, and software. “This innovative agreement promises to provide valuable data to both partners,” said Jonathan Baker, chief of Spaceport Development at NASA Kennedy. “This approach demonstrates NASA’s commitment to finding unique ways to work with commercial industry to help advance technology in a fiscally responsible way and enabling innovation for the benefit of humankind.” Throughout the mission, NASA will retain ownership of MSOLO. Once the mission is complete, the instrument will no longer have access to power and communications and will remain on the surface of the Moon. The valuable data gathered during the mission will be submitted to the Planetary Data System for public dissemination. View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) https://youtu.be/63uNNcCpxHI How are we made of star stuff? Well, the important thing to understand about this question is that it’s not an analogy, it’s literally true. The elements in our bodies, the elements that make up our bones, the trees we see outside, the other planets in the solar system, other stars in the galaxy. These were all part of stars that existed well before our Sun and Earth and solar system were even formed. The universe existed for billions of years before we did. And all of these elements that you see on the periodic table, you see carbon and oxygen and silicon and iron, the common elements throughout the universe, were all put there by previous generations of stars that either blew off winds like the Sun blows off a solar wind, or exploded in supernova explosions and thrust their elements throughout the universe. These are the same things that we can trace with modern telescopes, like the Hubble Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, the Chandra X-ray Observatory. These are all elements that we can map out in the universe with these observatories and trace back to the same things that form us and the elemental abundances that we see in stars now are the same things that we see in the Earth’s crust, we see in asteroids. And so we know that these are the same elements that were once part of these stars. So the question of, “How are we made of star stuff?”, in the words of Carl Sagan, “The cosmos is within us. We are made of star stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.” [END VIDEO TRANSCRIPT] Full Episode List Full YouTube Playlist Share Details Last Updated Apr 28, 2025 Related TermsGeneralAstrophysicsAstrophysics DivisionChandra X-Ray ObservatoryHubble Space TelescopeJames Webb Space Telescope (JWST)Origin & Evolution of the UniverseScience Mission DirectorateThe Solar SystemThe Universe Explore More 3 min read NASA Moon Observing Instrument to Get Another Shot at Lunar Ops Article 16 mins ago 5 min read NASA 3D Wind Measuring Laser Aims to Improve Forecasts from Air, Space Article 1 hour ago 1 min read Earth Science Showcase – Kids Art Collection Article 3 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

5 Min Read NASA 3D Wind Measuring Laser Aims to Improve Forecasts from Air, Space 3D wind measurements from NASA's Aerosol Wind Profiler instrument flying on board a specially mounted aircraft along the East Coast of the U.S. and across the Great Lakes region on Oct. 15, 2024. Credits: NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio Since last fall, NASA scientists have flown an advanced 3D Doppler wind lidar instrument across the United States to collect nearly 100 hours of data — including a flight through a hurricane. The goal? To demonstrate the unique capability of the Aerosol Wind Profiler (AWP) instrument to gather extremely precise measurements of wind direction, wind speed, and aerosol concentration – all crucial elements for accurate weather forecasting. Weather phenomena like severe thunderstorms and hurricanes develop rapidly, so improving predictions requires more accurate wind observations. “There is a lack of global wind measurements above Earth’s surface,” explained Kris Bedka, the AWP principal investigator at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. “Winds are measured by commercial aircraft as they fly to their destinations and by weather balloons launched up to twice per day from just 1,300 sites across the globe. From space, winds are estimated by tracking cloud and water vapor movement from satellite images.” However, in areas without clouds or where water vapor patterns cannot be easily tracked, there are typically no reliable wind measurements. The AWP instrument seeks to fill these gaps with detailed 3D wind profiles. The AWP instrument (foreground) and HALO instrument (background) was integrated onto the floorboard of NASA’s G-III aircraft. Kris Bedka, project principal investigator, sitting in the rear of the plane, monitored the data during a flight on Sept. 26, 2024. NASA/Maurice Cross Mounted to an aircraft with viewing ports underneath it, AWP emits 200 laser energy pulses per second that scatter and reflect off aerosol particles — such as pollution, dust, smoke, sea salt, and clouds — in the air. Aerosol and cloud particle movement causes the laser pulse wavelength to change, a concept known as the Doppler effect. The AWP instrument sends these pulses in two directions, oriented 90 degrees apart from each other. Combined, they create a 3D profile of wind vectors, representing both wind speed and direction. We are measuring winds at different altitudes in the atmosphere simultaneously with extremely high detail and accuracy. Kris bedka NASA Research Physical Scientist “The Aerosol Wind Profiler is able to measure wind speed and direction, but not just at one given point,” Bedka said. “Instead, we are measuring winds at different altitudes in the atmosphere simultaneously with extremely high detail and accuracy.” Vectors help researchers and meteorologists understand the weather, so AWP’s measurements could significantly advance weather modeling and forecasting. For this reason, the instrument was chosen to be part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Joint Venture Program, which seeks data from new technologies that can fill gaps in current weather forecasting systems. NASA’s Weather Program also saw mutual benefit in NOAA’s investments and provided additional support to increase the return on investment for both agencies. On board NASA’s Gulfstream III (G-III) aircraft, AWP was paired with the agency’s High-Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) that measures water vapor, aerosols, and cloud properties through a combined differential absorption and high spectral resolution lidar. Working together for the first time, AWP measured winds, HALO collected water vapor and aerosol data, and NOAA dropsondes (small instruments dropped from a tube in the bottom of the aircraft) gathered temperature, water vapor, and wind data. The AWP and HALO instrument teams observing incoming data on board NASA’s G-III aircraft over Tennessee while heading south to observe Hurricane Helene. Sept. 26, 2024. NASA/Maurice Cross “With our instrument package on board small, affordable-to-operate aircraft, we have a very powerful capability,” said Bedka. “The combination of AWP and HALO is NASA’s next-generation airborne weather remote sensing package, which we hope to also fly aboard satellites to benefit everyone across the globe.” The combination of AWP and HALO is NASA's next-generation airborne weather remote sensing package. kris bedka NASA Research Physical Scientist The animation below, based on AWP data, shows the complexity and structure of aerosol layers present in the atmosphere. Current prediction models do not accurately simulate how aerosols are organized throughout the breadth of the atmosphere, said Bedka. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This visualization shows AWP 3D measurements gathered on Oct. 15, 2024, as NASA’s G-III aircraft flew along the East Coast of the U.S. and across the Great Lakes region. Laser light that returns to AWP as backscatter from aerosol particles and clouds allows for measurement of wind direction, speed, and aerosol concentration as seen in the separation of data layers. NASA/Scientific Visualization Studio “When we took off on this particular day, I thought that we would be finding a clear atmosphere with little to no aerosol return because we were flying into what was the first real blast of cool Canadian air of the fall,” described Bedka. “What we found was quite the opposite: an aerosol-rich environment which provided excellent signal to accurately measure winds.” During the Joint Venture flights, Hurricane Helene was making landfall in Florida. The AWP crew of two pilots and five science team members quickly created a flight plan to gather wind measurements along the outer bands of the severe storm. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This video shows monitors tracking the AWP science team’s location in the western outer bands of Hurricane Helene off the coast of Florida with views outside of the aircraft looking at turbulent storm clouds on Sept. 26, 2024. NASA/Kris Bedka “A 3D wind profile can significantly improve weather forecasts, particularly for storms and hurricanes,” said Harshesh Patel, NOAA’s acting Joint Venture Program manager. “NASA Langley specializes in the development of coherent Doppler wind lidar technology and this AWP concept has potential to provide better performance for NOAA’s needs.” The flight plan of NASA’s G-III aircraft – outfitted with the Aerosol Wind Profiler – as it gathered data across the Southeastern U.S. and flew through portions of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 26, 2024. The flight plan is overlaid atop a NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-16 (GOES) satellite image from that day. NASA/John Cooney The flights of the AWP lidar are serving as a proving ground for possible integration into a future satellite mission. “The need to improve global 3D wind models requires a space-based platform,” added Patel. “Instruments like AWP have specific space-based applications that potentially align with NOAA’s mission to provide critical data for improving weather forecasting.” A view of the outer bands of Hurricane Helene off the coast of Florida during NASA’s science flights demonstrating the Aerosol Wind Profiler instrument on Sept. 26, 2024.NASA/Maurice Cross After the NOAA flights, AWP and HALO were sent to central California for the Westcoast & Heartland Hyperspectral Microwave Sensor Intensive Experiment and the Active Passive profiling Experiment, which was supported by NASA’s Planetary Boundary Layer Decadal Survey Incubation Program and NASA Weather Programs. These missions studied atmospheric processes within the planetary boundary layer, the lowest part of the atmosphere, that drives the weather conditions we experience on the ground. To learn more about lidar instruments at NASA visit: NASA Langley Research Center: Generations of Lidar Expertise About the AuthorCharles G. HatfieldScience Public Affairs Officer, NASA Langley Research Center Share Details Last Updated Apr 28, 2025 LocationNASA Langley Research Center Related TermsGeneralAirborne ScienceCloudsLangley Research Center Explore More 3 min read Lunar Space Station Module for NASA’s Artemis Campaign to Begin Final Outfitting Article 3 days ago 4 min read Navigation Technology Article 3 days ago 3 min read NASA Tracks Snowmelt to Improve Water Management Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

X-ray: NASA/SAO/CXC; Optical: John Stone (Astrobin); Image Processing: NASA/SAO/CXC/L. Frattre, N. Wolk The Cygnus Loop, also known as the Veil Nebula, is a supernova remnant – the remains of the explosive death of a massive star. Studying images like these leads to discovery, but NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory provides another way to experience this data: three-dimensional (3D) models that allow people to explore – and print – examples of stars in the early and end stages of their lives. The 3D model of the Cygnus Loop is the result of a simulation describing the interaction of a blast wave from the explosion with an isolated cloud of the interstellar medium (that is, dust and gas in between the stars). Chandra sees the blast wave and other material that has been heated to millions of degrees. These 3D models are based on state-of-the-art theoretical models, computational algorithms, and observations from space-based telescopes like Chandra that give us accurate pictures of these cosmic objects and how they evolve over time. See more 3D printable models of cosmic objects. Image credit: X-ray: NASA/SAO/CXC; Optical: John Stone (Astrobin); Image Processing: NASA/SAO/CXC/L. Frattre, N. Wolk View the full article

1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) On April 16, 2025, the Earth Science Division at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley held an Earth Science Showcase to share its work with the center and their families. As part of this event, kids were invited to share something they like about the Earth. These are their masterpieces. Sora U. Age 9. “Wildlife” Sora U. Age 9. “Wildlife” Wesley P. Age 2.5. “Pale Blue” Wesley P. Age 2.5. “Pale Blue” Kira U. Age 5. “Hawaii” Kira U. Age 5. “Hawaii” Anonymous. “eARTh” Anonymous. “eARTh” Brooks P. Age 8mo. “Squiggles” Brooks P. Age 8mo. “Squiggles” About the AuthorMilan LoiaconoScience Communication SpecialistMilan Loiacono is a science communication specialist for the Earth Science Division at NASA Ames Research Center. Share Details Last Updated Apr 25, 2025 Related TermsEarth ScienceAmes Research CenterAmes Research Center's Science DirectorateEarth Science Division Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Gateway’s HALO module at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona, on April 4, 2025, shortly after its arrival from Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy. NASA/Josh Valcarcel NASA continues to mark progress on plans to work with commercial and international partners as part of the Gateway program. The primary structure of HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrived at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona, where it will undergo final outfitting and verification testing. HALO will provide Artemis astronauts with space to live, work, and conduct scientific research. The habitation module will be equipped with essential systems including command and control, data handling, energy storage, power distribution, and thermal regulation. Following HALO’s arrival on April 1 from Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy, where it was assembled, NASA and Northrop Grumman hosted an April 24 event to acknowledge the milestone, and the module’s significance to lunar exploration. The event opened with remarks by representatives from Northrop Grumman and NASA, including NASA’s Acting Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development Lori Glaze, Gateway Program Manager Jon Olansen, and NASA astronaut Randy Bresnik. Event attendees, including Senior Advisor to the NASA Administrator Todd Ericson, elected officials, and local industry and academic leaders, viewed HALO and virtual reality demonstrations during a tour of the facilities. Dr. Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, and Dr. Jon B. Olansen, Gateway Program manager, on stage during an April 24, 2025, event at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona, commemorating HALO’s arrival in the United States. Northrop Grumman While the module is in Arizona, HALO engineers and technicians will install propellant lines for fluid transfer and electrical lines for power and data transfer. Radiators will be attached for the thermal control system, as well as racks to house life support hardware, power equipment, flight computers, and avionics systems. Several mechanisms will be mounted to enable docking of the Orion spacecraft, lunar landers, and visiting spacecraft. Launching on top of HALO is the ESA (European Space Agency)-provided Lunar Link system which will enable communication between crewed and robotic systems on the Moon and to mission control on Earth. Once these systems are installed, the components will be tested as an integrated spacecraft and subjected to thermal vacuum, acoustics, vibration, and shock testing to ensure the spacecraft is ready to perform in the harsh conditions of deep space. In tandem with HALO’s outfitting at Northrop Grumman, the Power and Propulsion Element – a powerful solar electric propulsion system – is being assembled at Maxar Space Systems in Palo Alto, California. Solar electric propulsion uses energy collected from solar panels converted to electricity to create xenon ions, then accelerates them to more than 50,000 miles per hour to create thrust that propels the spacecraft. The element’s central cylinder, which resembles a large barrel, is being attached to the propulsion tanks, and avionics shelves are being installed. The first of three 12-kilowatt thrusters has been delivered to NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland for acceptance testing before delivery to Maxar and integration with the Power and Propulsion Element later this year. Learn More About Gateway Facebook logo @NASAGateway @NASA_Gateway Instagram logo @nasaartemis Linkedin logo @NASA Share Details Last Updated Apr 25, 2025 ContactLaura RochonLocationJohnson Space Center Related TermsArtemisArtemis 4Earth's MoonExploration Systems Development Mission DirectorateGateway Space StationGeneralHumans in Space Explore More 2 min read NASA Welcomes Gateway Lunar Space Station’s HALO Module to US From Italy to Arizona: Gateway’s first habitation module takes a major step on its path… Article 3 weeks ago 2 min read NASA Prepares Gateway Lunar Space Station for Journey to Moon Assembly is underway for Gateway's Power and Propulsion Element, the module that will power the… Article 2 months ago 2 min read Advanced Modeling Enhances Gateway’s Lunar Dust Defense Ahead of more frequent and intense contact with dust during Artemis missions, NASA is developing… Article 3 months ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

Explore This Section Perseverance Home Mission Overview Rover Components Mars Rock Samples Where is Perseverance? Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Mission Updates Science Overview Objectives Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Perseverance Raw Images Images Videos Audio More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions Mars Home 2 min read Searching for the Dark in the Light The Perseverance rover acquired this image of the “Hare Bay” abrasion patch using its SHERLOC WATSON camera (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals, and the Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering), located on the turret at the end of the rover’s robotic arm. This image was acquired on April 18, 2025 (Sol 1479, or Martian day 1,479 of the Mars 2020 mission) at the local mean solar time of 12:53:57. NASA/JPL-Caltech Written by Eleanor Moreland, Ph.D. Student Collaborator at Rice University Perseverance has been busy exploring lower “Witch Hazel Hill,” an outcrop exposed on the edge of the Jezero crater rim. The outcrop is composed of alternating light and dark layers, and naturally, the team has been trying to understand the makeup of and relationships between the light and dark layers. A few weeks ago, we sampled one of the light-toned layers, which we discovered was made up of very small clasts, or fragments of rocks or minerals, at “Main River.” Since then, we have learned that the dark layers tend to be composed of larger clasts compared to the light layers, and we’ve been searching for a place to sample this coarser-grained rock type. Sometimes, these coarser-grained rocks also contain spherules, which are of great interest to the science team because they provide clues about the process that formed these layered rocks. Perseverance first looked at a dark layer at “Puncheon Rock” with an abrasion. We then examined a dark layer at “Wreck Apple,” near “Sally’s Cove,” but we could not identify a suitable surface to abrade. So, while team members searched for other locations to study the coarse-grained units and spherules, Perseverance drove south to “Port Anson.” Perseverance acquired this image of the “Strong Island” workspace near Port Anson using its onboard Front Left Hazard Avoidance Camera A (https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance/rover-components/#eyes). This image was acquired on April 12, 2025 (Sol 1473, or Martian day 1,473 of the Mars 2020 mission) at the local mean solar time of 12:50:32. NASA/JPL-Caltech Port Anson was intriguing because, from orbit, it showed a clear contact between the light layers of Witch Hazel Hill and a distinct unit below it. And, although the rocks below the Port Anson contact do show interesting compositional differences with those of Witch Hazel Hill, they weren’t the coarse-grained rocks we were looking for. We still performed an abrasion there, at Strong Island, before driving back up north for another attempt at investigating the coarser-grained rocks. We aimed for “Pine Pond,” which neighbors “Dennis Pond,” to abrade at “Hare Bay.” With the data just coming down over the weekend, the team will be hard at work to figure out if we captured the coarse grains and spherules, and if it is representative of rocks we have seen before or not. The image below is a close-up of this most recent abrasion patch at Hare Bay — what do you think? Stay tuned to find out! Share Details Last Updated Apr 25, 2025 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 3 min read Sols 4520-4521: Prinzregententorte Article 6 hours ago 5 min read Sols 4518-4519: Thumbs up from Mars Article 2 days ago 3 min read Sols 4515-4517: Silver Linings Article 4 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

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the globular cluster Messier 72 (M72).ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Sarajedini, G. Piotto, M. Libralato As part of ESA/Hubble’s 35th anniversary celebrations, the European Space Agency (ESA) shared new images that revisited stunning, previously released Hubble targets with the addition of the latest Hubble data and new processing techniques. ESA/Hubble released new images of NGC 346, the Sombrero Galaxy, and the Eagle Nebula earlier in the month. Now they are revisiting the star cluster Messier 72 (M72). M72 is a collection of stars, formally known as a globular cluster, located in the constellation Aquarius roughly 50,000 light-years from Earth. The intense gravitational attraction between the closely packed stars gives globular clusters their regular, spherical shape. There are roughly 150 known globular clusters associated with the Milky Way galaxy. The striking variety in the color of the stars in this image of M72, particularly compared to the original image, results from the addition of ultraviolet observations to the previous visible-light data. The colors indicate groups of different types of stars. Here, blue stars are those that were originally more massive and have reached hotter temperatures after burning through much of their hydrogen fuel; the bright red objects are lower-mass stars that have become red giants. Studying these different groups help astronomers understand how globular clusters, and the galaxies they were born in, initially formed. Pierre Méchain, a French astronomer and colleague of Charles Messier, discovered M72 in 1780. It was the first of five star clusters that Méchain would discover while assisting Messier. They recorded the cluster as the 72nd entry in Messier’s famous collection of astronomical objects. It is also one of the most remote clusters in the catalog. View the full article

Students take a tour of the Glenn International Space Station Payload Operations Center at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, where researchers operate International Space Station experiments, during 4-H Day on June 14, 2024.Credit: NASA/Jef Janis Ohio middle school students will step into the shoes of real-world NASA professionals for a day of career exploration and hands-on activities at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. Nearly 200 students are slated to participate in TECH Day at NASA Glenn on May 1, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Media are invited to attend. TECH Day is designed to inspire and inform the next generation of innovators by introducing them to clear and attainable career pathways into the aerospace industry. Students will tour NASA Glenn facilities, participate in an interactive engineering challenge, and engage with professionals to learn about the wide range of careers in STEM fields. Student tours will include the following Glenn facilities: Graphics and Visualization Lab, where researchers create engaging projects using virtual and augmented reality Glenn International Space Station Payload Operations Center, where researchers remotely operate experiments aboard the International Space Station Simulated Lunar Operations Laboratory, a unique indoor space designed to mimic the surface of the Moon and Mars 10×10 Supersonic Wind Tunnel, NASA Glenn’s largest and fastest wind tunnel facility Creating Clear Pathways Developing early and accessible entry points into STEM careers is essential to meeting the growing demand for a skilled technical workforce. NASA STEM engagement events help students visualize their future and better understand the technical experience needed for a career in the aerospace sector. Opportunities like this equip students with the skills to further technological advancement and become the STEM professionals of tomorrow. Media interested in attending should contact Jacqueline Minerd at jacqueline.minerd@nasa.gov no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 30. Interviews with experts will take place from 9 to 10 a.m. For more information on NASA Glenn, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/glenn -end- Jacqueline Minerd Glenn Research Center, Cleveland 216-433- 6036 jacqueline.minerd@nasa.gov 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 3 min read Sols 4520-4521: Prinzregententorte NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image of its target area — including the layered rocks “Hale Telescope” and “Fan Palm” — using its Front Hazard Avoidance Camera on April 22, 2025 (Sol 4518, or Martian day 4,518 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission) at 11:03:37 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech Written by Scott VanBommel, Planetary Scientist at Washington University Earth planning date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025 I will start this blog with an apology, an apology because I suspect, by the end of this post, you, the reader, may have a craving for chocolate, or cake, or both. While we saw hints of it in the previous workspace, as captured by Susanne’s blog, today’s workspace featured prominent laminations throughout Curiosity’s sightlines, which presented the science team with the challenge of finding a safe place to utilize APXS (and MAHLI). Perhaps it was because of Easter last weekend, perhaps I needed an early lunch — whatever the cause, I could not shake the visual parallels between the rocks in our workspace, as captured in this blog’s image, and a many-layered-cake such as a Prinzregententorte. The rover planners rose to the technical challenge, as they always do, and were ultimately able to find a safe area to place APXS on the top of the rock that is prominent just above and left of the center of today’s image. Combined with a green-light from SRAP, Curiosity now had its (cakey) target and could APXS it too. Tosol’s APXS and MAHLI target, “Hale Telescope,” is named after the famous landmark located north-northwest of San Diego, California. I, for one, was not familiar with the history of this landmark, including how groundbreaking it was at the time of its development and commissioning through the 1920s, ‘30s, and ‘40s. Curiosity’s plan tosol started with APXS and MAHLI of Hale Telescope. These activities were complemented by Mastcam images of “Puerto Suelo” and “Potrero Seco,” as well as long-distance imaging by ChemCam of “Torote Bowl,” nearly 1 kilometer (about 0.6 miles) away. Curiosity also imaged and conducted compositional analyses of the layered target “Fan Palm,” slightly offset from Hale Telescope, with LIBS. Our intrepid rover then completed a drive of about 23 meters (about 75 feet) in preparation for the three-sol weekend plan. On the second sol of the current plan, Curiosity acquired Navcam images and a suprahorizon movie. The highlight of the second sol, however, arguably was an upgraded version of the AEGIS (Autonomous Exploration for Gathering Increased Science) activity where the rover will autonomously determine its own target to analyze with ChemCam while awaiting further instructions from Earth. The software upgrade will allow Curiosity’s team to know what target the rover chose to observe in time for us to make the weekend plan, even though the observation itself won’t happen on Mars until later. Mars continues to offer stories written in stone, and like all good stories, the richness lies in the voices layered within. Or chocolate. The data aren’t down yet. Share Details Last Updated Apr 25, 2025 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 5 min read Sols 4518-4519: Thumbs up from Mars Article 2 days ago 3 min read Sols 4515-4517: Silver Linings Article 4 days ago 2 min read Origins Uncertain: ‘Skull Hill’ Rock Article 1 week 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

4 Min Read Navigation Technology ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer sets up an Astrobee for the ReSWARM experiment. Credits: NASA Science in Space April 2025 Humans have always been explorers, venturing by land and sea into unknown and uncharted places on Earth and, more recently, in space. Early adventurers often navigated by the Sun and stars, creating maps that made it easier for others to follow. Today, travelers on Earth have sophisticated technology to guide them. Navigation in space, including for missions to explore the Moon and Mars, remains more of a challenge. Research on the International Space Station is helping NASA scientists improve navigation tools and processes for crewed spacecraft and remotely controlled or autonomous robots to help people boldly venture farther into space, successfully explore there, and safely return home. NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers talks to students on the ground using ham radio equipment.NASA A current investigation, NAVCOM, uses the space station’s ISS Ham Radio program hardware to test software for a system that could shape future lunar navigation. The technology processes signals in the same way as global navigation satellite systems such as GPS, but while those rely on constellations of satellites, the NAVCOM radio equipment receives position and time information from ground stations and reference clocks. The old made new ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst operates the Sextant Navigation device.NASA Sextant Navigation tested star-sighting from space using a hand-held sextant. These mechanical devices measure the angle between two objects, typically the Sun or other stars at night and the horizon. Sextants guided navigators on Earth for centuries and NASA’s Gemini and Apollo missions demonstrated that they were useful in space as well, meaning they could provide emergency backup navigation for lunar missions. Researchers report that with minimal training and practice, crew members of different skill levels produced quality sightings through a station window and measurements improved with more use. The investigation identified several techniques for improving sightings, including refocusing between readings and adjusting the sight to the center of the window. Navigating by neutron stars The station’s NICER instrument studies the nature and behavior of neutron stars, the densest objects in the universe. Some neutron stars, known as pulsars, emit beams of light that appear to pulse, sweeping across the sky as the stars rotate. Some of them pulse at rates as accurate as atomic clocks. As part of the NICER investigation, the Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology or SEXTANT tested technology for using pulsars in GPS-like systems to navigate anywhere in the solar system. SEXTANT successfully completed a first in-space demonstration of this technology in 2017. In 2018, researchers reported that real-time, autonomous X-ray pulsar navigation is clearly feasible and they plan further experiments to fine tune and modify the technology. Robot navigation Crews on future space exploration missions need efficient and safe ways to handle cargo and to move and assemble structures on the surface of the Moon or Mars. Robots are promising tools for these functions but must be able to navigate their surroundings, whether autonomously or via remote control, often in proximity with other robots and within the confines of a spacecraft. Several investigations have focused on improving navigation by robotic helpers. NASA astronaut Michael Barratt (left) and JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata perform a check of the SPHERES robots.NASA The SPHERES investigation tested autonomous rendezvous and docking maneuvers with three spherical free-flying robots on the station. Researchers reported development of an approach to control how the robots navigate around obstacles and along a designated path, which could support their use in the future for satellite servicing, vehicle assembly, and spacecraft formation flying. NASA astronaut Megan McArthur with the three Astrobee robots.NASA The station later gained three cube-shaped robots known as Astrobees. The ReSWARM experiments used them to test coordination of multiple robots with each other, cargo, and their environment. Results provide a base set of planning and control tools for robotic navigation in close proximity and outline important considerations for the design of future autonomous free-flyers. Researchers also used the Astrobees to show that models to predict the robots’ behavior could make it possible to maneuver one or two of them for carrying cargo. This finding suggests that robots can navigate around each other to perform tasks without a human present, which would increase their usefulness on future missions. ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti working on the Surface Avatar experiment.ESA An investigation from ESA (European Space Agency), Surface Avatar evaluated orbit-to-ground remote control of multiple robots. Crew members successfully navigated a four-legged robot, Bert, through a simulated Mars environment. Robots with legs rather than wheels could explore uneven lunar and planetary surfaces that are inaccessible to wheeled rovers. The German Aerospace Center is developing Bert. View the full article

Jeremy Johnson, a research pilot and aviation safety officer, poses in front of a PC-12 aircraft inside the hangar at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland on Thursday, April 17, 2025. Johnson flies NASA planes to support important scientific research and testing.Credit: NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna Jeremy Johnson laces his black, steel-toed boots and zips up his dark blue flight suit. Having just finished a pre-flight mission briefing with his team, the only thing on his mind is heading to the aircraft hangar and getting a plane in the air. As he eases a small white-and-blue propeller aircraft down the hangar’s ramp and onto the runway, he hears five essential words crackle through his headset: “NASA 606, cleared for takeoff.” This is a typical morning for Johnson, a research pilot and aviation safety officer at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. Johnson flies NASA planes to support important scientific research and testing, working with researchers to plan and carry out flights that will get them the data they need while ensuring safety. Johnson hasn’t always flown in NASA planes. He comes to the agency from the U.S. Air Force, where he flew missions all over the world in C-17 cargo aircraft, piloted unmanned reconnaissance operations out of California, and trained young aviators in Oklahoma on the fundamentals of flying combat missions. Jeremy Johnson stands beside a C-17 aircraft before a night training flight in Altus, Oklahoma, in 2020. Before supporting vital flight research at NASA through a SkillBridge fellowship, which gives transitioning service members the opportunity to gain civilian work experience, Johnson served in the U.S. Air Force and flew C-17 airlift missions all over the world.Credit: Courtesy of Jeremy Johnson He’s at Glenn for a four-month Department of Defense SkillBridge fellowship. The program gives transitioning service members an opportunity to gain civilian work experience through training, apprenticeships, or internships during their last 180 days of service before separating from the military. “I think SkillBridge has been an amazing tool to help me transition into what it’s like working somewhere that isn’t the military,” Johnson said. “In the Air Force, flying the mission was the mission. At NASA Glenn, the science—the research—is the mission.” By flying aircraft outfitted with research hardware or carrying test equipment, Johnson has contributed to two vital projects at NASA so far. One is focused on testing how well laser systems can transmit signals for communication and navigation. The other, part of NASA’s research under Air Mobility Pathfinders, explores how 5G telecommunications infrastructure can help electric air taxis of the future be safely incorporated into the national airspace. This work, and the data that scientists can collect through flights, supports NASA’s research to advance technology and innovate for the benefit of all. Jeremy Johnson pilots NASA Glenn Research Center’s PC-12 aircraft during a research flight on Thursday, April 17, 2025.Credit: NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna “It’s really exciting to see research hardware come fresh from the lab, and then be strapped onto an aircraft and taken into flight to see if it actually performs in a relevant environment,” Johnson said. “Every flight you do is more than just that flight—it’s one little part of a much bigger, much more ambitious project that’s going on. You remember, this is a small little piece of something that is maybe going to change the frontier of science, the frontier of discovery.” Johnson has always had a passion for aviation. In college, he worked as a valet to pay for flying lessons. To hone his skills before Air Force training, one summer he flew across the country in a Cessna with his aunt, a commercial pilot. They flew down the Hudson River as they watched the skyscrapers of New York City whizz by and later to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, where the Wright brothers made their historic first flight. Johnson even flew skydivers part-time while he was stationed in California. Jeremy Johnson in the cockpit of a PC-12 aircraft as it exits the hangar at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland before a research flight on Thursday, April 17, 2025.Credit: NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna Although he’s spent countless hours flying, he still takes the window seat on commercial flights whenever he can so he can look out the window and marvel at the world below. Despite his successes, Johnson’s journey to becoming a pilot wasn’t always smooth. He recalls that as he was about to land after his first solo flight, violent crosswinds blew his plane off the runway and sent him bouncing into the grass. Though he eventually got back behind the stick for another flight, he said that in that moment he wondered whether he had the strength and skills to overcome his self-doubt. “I don’t know anyone who flies for a living that had a completely easy path into it,” Johnson said. “To people who are thinking about getting into flying, just forge forward with it. Make people close doors on you, don’t close them on yourself, when it comes to flying or whatever you see yourself doing in the future. I just kept knocking on the door until there was a crack in it.” Explore More 2 min read NASA, Boeing, Consider New Thin-Wing Aircraft Research Focus Article 19 hours ago 3 min read Nine Finalists Advance in NASA’s Power to Explore Challenge NASA has named nine finalists out of the 45 semifinalist student essays in the Power… Article 2 days ago 4 min read NASA Tests Ultralight Antennas to Benefit Future National Airspace Article 3 days ago View the full article

Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources Multimedia Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary More 35th Anniversary Online Activities 2 min read Hubble Visits Glittering Cluster, Capturing Its Ultraviolet Light This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the globular cluster Messier 72 (M72). ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Sarajedini, G. Piotto, M. Libralato As part of ESA/Hubble’s 35th anniversary celebrations, the European Space Agency (ESA) shared new images that revisited stunning, previously released Hubble targets with the addition of the latest Hubble data and new processing techniques. ESA/Hubble released new images of NGC 346, the Sombrero Galaxy, and the Eagle Nebula earlier in the month. Now they are revisiting the star cluster Messier 72 (M72). M72 is a collection of stars, formally known as a globular cluster, located in the constellation Aquarius roughly 50,000 light-years from Earth. The intense gravitational attraction between the closely packed stars gives globular clusters their regular, spherical shape. There are roughly 150 known globular clusters associated with the Milky Way galaxy. The striking variety in the color of the stars in this image of M72, particularly compared to the original image, results from the addition of ultraviolet observations to the previous visible-light data. The colors indicate groups of different types of stars. Here, blue stars are those that were originally more massive and have reached hotter temperatures after burning through much of their hydrogen fuel; the bright red objects are lower-mass stars that have become red giants. Studying these different groups help astronomers understand how globular clusters, and the galaxies they were born in, initially formed. Pierre Méchain, a French astronomer and colleague of Charles Messier, discovered M72 in 1780. It was the first of five star clusters that Méchain would discover while assisting Messier. They recorded the cluster as the 72nd entry in Messier’s famous collection of astronomical objects. It is also one of the most remote clusters in the catalog. Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov) NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Share Details Last Updated Apr 25, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Globular Clusters Goddard Space Flight Center Star Clusters Stars The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble’s Star Clusters Hubble’s 35th Anniversary Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The C-20A aircraft, based at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, flies over the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California for the Dense UAVSAR Snow Time (DUST) mission on Feb. 28, 2025. The DUST mission collected airborne data about snow water to help improve water management and reservoir systems on the ground.NASA/Starr Ginn As part of a science mission tracking one of Earth’s most precious resources – water – NASA’s C-20A aircraft conducted a series of seven research flights in March that can help researchers track the process and timeline as snow melts and transforms into a freshwater resource. The agency’s Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) installed on the aircraft collected measurements of seasonal snow cover and estimate the freshwater contained in it. “Seasonal snow is a critical resource for drinking water, power generation, supporting multi-billion dollar agricultural and recreation industries,” said Starr Ginn, C-20A project manager at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. “Consequently, understanding the distribution of seasonal snow storage and subsequent runoff is essential.” The Dense UAVSAR Snow Time (DUST) mission mapped snow accumulation over the Sierra Nevada mountains in California and the Rocky Mountains in Idaho. Mission scientists can use these observations to estimate the amount of water stored in that snow. Peter Wu, radar operator from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, observes data collected during the Dense UAVSAR Snow Time (DUST) mission onboard NASA’s C-20A aircraft on Feb. 28, 2025. The C-20A flew from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, over the Sierra Nevada Mountains to collect data about snow water.NASA/Starr Ginn “Until recently, defining the best method for accurately measuring snow water equivalent (SWE) – or how much and when fresh water is converted from snow – has been a challenge,” said Shadi Oveisgharan, principal investigator of DUST and scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “The UAVSAR has been shown to be a good instrument to retrieve SWE data.” Recent research has shown that snow properties, weather patterns, and seasonal conditions in the American West have been shifting in recent decades. These changes have fundamentally altered previous expectations about snowpack monitoring and forecasts of snow runoff. The DUST mission aims to better track and understand those changes to develop more accurate estimates of snow-to-water conversions and their timelines. “We are trying to find the optimum window during which to retrieve snow data,” Oveisgharan said. “This estimation will help us better estimate available fresh snow and manage our reservoirs better.” The Dense UAVSAR Snow Time (DUST) mission team assembles next to the C-20A aircraft at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Feb. 28, 2025. From left, radar operator Adam Vaccaro, avionics lead Kelly Jellison, C-20A project manager Starr Ginn, pilot Carrie Worth, pilot Troy Asher, aircraft mechanic Eric Apikian, and operations engineer Ian Elkin.NASA/Starr Ginn The DUST mission achieved a new level of snow data accuracy, which is partly due to the specialized flight paths flown by the C-20A. The aircraft’s Platform Precision Autopilot (PPA) enables the team to fly very specific routes at exact altitudes, speeds, and angles so the UAVSAR can more precisely measure terrain changes. “Imagine the rows made on grass by a lawn mower,” said Joe Piotrowski Jr., operations engineer for NASA Armstrong’s airborne science program. “The PPA system enables the C-20A to make those paths while measuring terrain changes down to the diameter of a centimeter.” Share Details Last Updated Apr 24, 2025 EditorDede DiniusContactErica HeimLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related TermsArmstrong Flight Research CenterAirborne ScienceC-20AEarth ScienceEarth's AtmosphereJet Propulsion LaboratoryScience Mission Directorate Explore More 6 min read NASA Tests Key Spacesuit Parts Inside This Icy Chamber Article 5 hours ago 2 min read 2025 EGU Hyperwall Schedule EGU General Assembly, April 27 – May 2, 2025 Join NASA in the Exhibit Hall… Article 7 hours ago 5 min read NASA Airborne Sensor’s Wildfire Data Helps Firefighters Take Action Article 1 day ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

4 Min Read NASA Marshall Fires Up Hybrid Rocket Motor to Prep for Moon Landings NASA’s Artemis campaign will use human landing systems, provided by SpaceX and Blue Origin, to safely transport crew to and from the surface of the Moon, in preparation for future crewed missions to Mars. As the landers touch down and lift off from the Moon, rocket exhaust plumes will affect the top layer of lunar “soil,” called regolith, on the Moon. When the lander’s engines ignite to decelerate prior to touchdown, they could create craters and instability in the area under the lander and send regolith particles flying at high speeds in various directions. To better understand the physics behind the interaction of exhaust from the commercial human landing systems and the Moon’s surface, engineers and scientists at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, recently test-fired a 14-inch hybrid rocket motor more than 30 times. The 3D-printed hybrid rocket motor, developed at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, ignites both solid fuel and a stream of gaseous oxygen to create a powerful stream of rocket exhaust. “Artemis builds on what we learned from the Apollo missions to the Moon. NASA still has more to learn more about how the regolith and surface will be affected when a spacecraft much larger than the Apollo lunar excursion module lands, whether it’s on the Moon for Artemis or Mars for future missions,” said Manish Mehta, Human Landing System Plume & Aero Environments discipline lead engineer. “Firing a hybrid rocket motor into a simulated lunar regolith field in a vacuum chamber hasn’t been achieved in decades. NASA will be able to take the data from the test and scale it up to correspond to flight conditions to help us better understand the physics, and anchor our data models, and ultimately make landing on the Moon safer for Artemis astronauts.” Fast Facts Over billions of years, asteroid and micrometeoroid impacts have ground up the surface of the Moon into fragments ranging from huge boulders to powder, called regolith. Regolith can be made of different minerals based on its location on the Moon. The varying mineral compositions mean regolith in certain locations could be denser and better able to support structures like landers. Of the 30 test fires performed in NASA Marshall’s Component Development Area, 28 were conducted under vacuum conditions and two were conducted under ambient pressure. The testing at Marshall ensures the motor will reliably ignite during plume-surface interaction testing in the 60-ft. vacuum sphere at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, later this year. Once the testing at NASA Marshall is complete, the motor will be shipped to NASA Langley. Test teams at NASA Langley will fire the hybrid motor again but this time into simulated lunar regolith, called Black Point-1, in the 60-foot vacuum sphere. Firing the motor from various heights, engineers will measure the size and shape of craters the rocket exhaust creates as well as the speed and direction the simulated lunar regolith particles travel when the rocket motor exhaust hits them. “We’re bringing back the capability to characterize the effects of rocket engines interacting with the lunar surface through ground testing in a large vacuum chamber — last done in this facility for the Apollo and Viking programs. The landers going to the Moon through Artemis are much larger and more powerful, so we need new data to understand the complex physics of landing and ascent,” said Ashley Korzun, principal investigator for the plume-surface interaction tests at NASA Langley. “We’ll use the hybrid motor in the second phase of testing to capture data with conditions closely simulating those from a real rocket engine. Our research will reduce risk to the crew, lander, payloads, and surface assets.” To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Credit: NASA Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars – for the benefit of all. For more information about Artemis, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/artemis News Media Contact Corinne Beckinger Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256.544.0034 corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov View the full article

The New York Stock Exchange welcomed team members from NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) mission to celebrate the launch of the agency’s newest astrophysics observatory to understand the origins and structure of the universe. Image courtesy of NYSE Group Members of NASA’s recently launched SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) mission team participated in the New York Stock Exchange’s closing bell ceremony in New York City on April 22. Michael Thelen, SPHEREx flight system manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, is seen here ringing the closing bell. Additional SPHEREx team members from NASA JPL, which manages the mission, and BAE Systems Inc., Space & Mission Systems, which built the telescope and spacecraft bus for NASA, participated. The SPHEREx observatory, which launched March 11 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, will soon begin mapping the universe like none before it. Using 102 color filters to scan the entire sky quickly, SPHEREx will gather data on hundreds of millions of galaxies that will complement the work of more targeted telescopes, like NASA’s Hubble and James Webb space telescopes. Its surveys will help answer some of the biggest questions in astrophysics: what happened in the first second after the big bang, how galaxies form and evolve, and the origins and abundance of water and other key ingredients for life in our galaxy. Michael P. Thelen, SPHEREx Observatory Flight System Manager, rings the bell alongside NASA SPHEREx team members at the New York Stock Exchange Tuesday, April 25, 2025. Image courtesy of NYSE Group More About SPHEREx SPHEREx is managed by JPL for NASA’s Astrophysics Division within the Science Mission Directorate in Washington. BAE Systems (formerly Ball Aerospace) built the telescope and the spacecraft bus. The science analysis of the SPHEREx data will be conducted by a team of scientists located at 10 institutions across the U.S. and in South Korea. Data will be processed and archived at IPAC at Caltech, which manages JPL for NASA. The mission principal investigator is based at Caltech with a joint JPL appointment. The SPHEREx dataset will be publicly available. For more information on SPHEREx, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/spherex News Media Contacts Alise Fisher NASA Headquarters, Washington 202-358-2546 alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov Calla Cofield Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 626-808-2469 calla.e.cofield@jpl.nasa.gov View the full article

NASA/JPL-Caltech A NASA spacesuit glove designed for use during spacewalks on the International Space Station is prepared for thermal vacuum testing inside a one-of-a-kind chamber called CITADEL (Cryogenic Ice Testing, Acquisition Development, and Excavation Laboratory) at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on Nov. 1, 2023. Part of a NASA spacesuit design called the Extravehicular Mobility Unit, the glove was tested at vacuum and minus 352 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 213 degrees Celsius) — temperatures as frigid as those Artemis III astronauts could experience on the Moon’s South Pole. A team from NASA JPL, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, and the NASA Engineering and Safety Center have collaborated on testing gloves and boots in CITADEL. Elbow joints are slated for testing next. In addition to spotting vulnerabilities with existing NASA suit designs, the experiments will help the agency prepare criteria for test methods for the next-generation lunar suit — being built by Axiom Space — which NASA astronauts will wear during the Artemis III mission. Read more about the testing needed for Artemis III. Text credit: Melissa Pamer Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A Boeing-built X-66 full-span model underwent testing in the 11-Foot Transonic Unitary Plan Facility at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley between January and March 2025.NASA / Brandon Torres NASA and Boeing are currently evaluating an updated approach to the agency’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project that would focus on demonstrating thin-wing technology with broad applications for multiple aircraft configurations. Boeing’s proposed focus centers on a ground-based testbed to demonstrate the potential for long, thin-wing technology. Work on the X-66 flight demonstrator – which currently incorporates a more complex transonic truss braced wing concept that uses the same thin wing technology as well as aerodynamic, structural braces — would pause for later consideration based on the thin-wing testbed results and further truss-braced configuration studies. Under this proposal, all aspects of the X-66 flight demonstrator’s design, as well as hardware acquired or modified for it, would be retained while the long, thin-wing technology is being investigated with more focus. NASA and Boeing would also continue to collaborate on research into the transonic truss-braced wing concept. The proposal is based on knowledge gained through research conducted under the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project so far. Since NASA issued the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator award in 2023, the project has made significant progress toward its goal of informing future generations of more sustainable commercial airliners. Boeing and NASA have collaborated on wind tunnel tests, computational fluid dynamics modeling, and structural design and analysis aimed at exploring how best to approach fuel-efficient, sustainable designs. This research has built confidence in the substantial potential energy-savings benefits that technologies investigated through the Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project and other NASA research can make possible. The Boeing proposal identifies the thin-wing concept as having broad applications for potential incorporation into aircraft with and without truss braces. NASA and Boeing are discussing potential options for advancing these sustainable flight technologies. NASA’s ultimate goal for this sustainable aircraft research is to achieve substantial improvements for next-generation airliner efficiency, lower costs for travelers, reduced fuel costs and consumption, and increase U.S. aviation’s technological leadership. Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es @NASA@NASAaero@NASAes Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASAes Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 4 min read NASA Tests Ultralight Antennas to Benefit Future National Airspace Article 2 days ago 2 min read A Fond Farewell: NASA’s C-130 Begins New Mission in California Article 6 days ago 3 min read NASA Studies Wind Effects and Aircraft Tracking with Joby Aircraft Article 7 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Sustainable Flight Demonstrator Project Aeronautics STEM Explore NASA’s History Share Details Last Updated Apr 24, 2025 EditorLillian GipsonContactRobert Margettarobert.j.margetta@nasa.gov Related TermsAeronauticsAeronautics Research Mission DirectorateGreen Aviation TechIntegrated Aviation Systems ProgramSustainable Flight Demonstrator View the full article

6 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) An astronaut glove designed for International Space Station spacewalks is prepped for testing in a chamber called CITADEL at NASA JPL. Conducted at temperatures as frigid as those Artemis III astronauts will see on the lunar South Pole, the testing supports next-generation spacesuit development.NASA/JPL-Caltech Engineers with NASA Johnson and the NASA Engineering and Safety Center ready an astronaut glove for insertion into the main CITADEL chamber at JPL. The team tested the glove in vacuum at minus 352 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 213 degrees Celsius).NASA/JPL-Caltech A JPL facility built to support potential robotic spacecraft missions to frozen ocean worlds helps engineers develop safety tests for next-generation spacesuits. When NASA astronauts return to the Moon under the Artemis campaign and eventually venture farther into the solar system, they will encounter conditions harsher than any humans have experienced before. Ensuring next-generation spacesuits protect astronauts requires new varieties of tests, and a one-of-a-kind chamber called CITADEL (Cryogenic Ice Testing, Acquisition Development, and Excavation Laboratory) at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California is helping. Built to prepare potential robotic explorers for the frosty, low-pressure conditions on ocean worlds like Jupiter’s frozen moon Europa, CITADEL also can evaluate how spacesuit gloves and boots hold up in extraordinary cold. Spearheaded by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center, a glove testing campaign in CITADEL ran from October 2023 to March 2024. Boot testing, initiated by the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, took place from October 2024 to January 2025. An astronaut boot — part of a NASA lunar spacesuit prototype, the xEMU — is readied for testing in JPL’s CITADEL. A thick aluminum plate stands in for the cold surface of the lunar South Pole, where Artemis III astronauts will confront conditions more extreme than any humans have yet experienced.NASA/JPL-Caltech In coming months, the team will adapt CITADEL to test spacesuit elbow joints to evaluate suit fabrics for longevity on the Moon. They’ll incorporate abrasion testing and introduce a simulant for lunar regolith, the loose material that makes up the Moon’s surface, into the chamber for the first time. “We’ve built space robots at JPL that have gone across the solar system and beyond,” said Danny Green, a mechanical engineer who led the boot testing for JPL. “It’s pretty special to also use our facilities in support of returning astronauts to the Moon.” Astronauts on the Artemis III mission will explore the Moon’s South Pole, a region of much greater extremes than the equatorial landing sites visited by Apollo-era missions. They’ll spend up to two hours at a time inside craters that may contain ice deposits potentially important to sustaining long-term human presence on the Moon. Called permanently shadowed regions, these intriguing features rank among the coldest locations in the solar system, reaching as low as minus 414 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 248 degrees Celsius). The CITADEL chamber gets close to those temperatures. Engineers from JPL and NASA Johnson set up a test of the xEMU boot inside CITADEL. Built to prepare potential robotic explorers for conditions on ocean worlds like Jupiter’s moon Europa, the chamber offers unique capabilities that have made it useful for testing spacesuit parts.NASA/JPL-Caltech “We want to understand what the risk is to astronauts going into permanently shadowed regions, and gloves and boots are key because they make prolonged contact with cold surfaces and tools,” said Zach Fester, an engineer with the Advanced Suit Team at NASA Johnson and the technical lead for the boot testing. Keeping Cool Housed in the same building as JPL’s historic 10-Foot Space Simulator, the CITADEL chamber uses compressed helium to get as low as minus 370 F (minus 223 C) — lower than most cryogenic facilities, which largely rely on liquid nitrogen. At 4 feet (1.2 meters) tall and 5 feet (1.5 meters) in diameter, the chamber is big enough for a person to climb inside. An engineer collects simulated lunar samples while wearing the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit during testing at NASA Johnson in late 2023. Recent testing of existing NASA spacesuit designs in JPL’s CITADEL chamber will ultimately support de-velopment of next-generation suits being built by Axiom Space.Axiom Space More important, it features four load locks, drawer-like chambers through which test materials are inserted into the main chamber while maintaining a chilled vacuum state. The chamber can take several days to reach test conditions, and opening it to insert new test materials starts the process all over again. The load locks allowed engineers to make quick adjustments during boot and glove tests. Cryocoolers chill the chamber, and aluminum blocks inside can simulate tools astronauts might grab or the cold lunar surface on which they’d walk. The chamber also features a robotic arm to interact with test materials, plus multiple visible-light and infrared cameras to record operations. Testing Extremities The gloves tested in the chamber are the sixth version of a glove NASA began using in the 1980s, part of a spacesuit design called the Extravehicular Mobility Unit. Optimized for spacewalks at the International Space Station, the suit is so intricate it’s essentially a personal spacecraft. Testing in CITADEL at minus 352 F (minus 213 C) showed the legacy glove would not meet thermal requirements in the more challenging environment of the lunar South Pole. Results haven’t yet been fully analyzed from boot testing, which used a lunar surface suit prototype called the Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit. NASA’s reference design of an advanced suit architecture, this spacesuit features enhanced fit, mobility, and safety. In addition to spotting vulnerabilities with existing suits, the CITADEL experiments will help NASA prepare criteria for standardized, repeatable, and inexpensive test methods for the next-generation lunar suit being built by Axiom Space — the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit, which NASA astronauts will wear during the Artemis III mission. “This test is looking to identify what the limits are: How long can that glove or boot be in that lunar environment?” said Shane McFarland, technology development lead for the Advanced Suit Team at NASA Johnson. “We want to quantify what our capability gap is for the current hardware so we can give that information to the Artemis suit vendor, and we also want to develop this unique test capability to assess future hardware designs.” In the past, astronauts themselves have been part of thermal testing. For gloves, an astronaut inserted a gloved hand into a chilled “glove box,” grabbed a frigid object, and held it until their skin temperature dropped as low as 50 F (10 C). McFarland stressed that such human-in-the-loop testing remains essential to ensuring future spacesuit safety but doesn’t produce the consistent data the team is looking for with the CITADEL testing. To obtain objective feedback, the CITADEL testing team used a custom-built manikin hand and foot. A system of fluid loops mimicked the flow of warm blood through the appendages, while dozens of temperature and heat flux sensors provided data from inside gloves and boots. “By using CITADEL and modern manikin technology, we can test design iterations faster and at much lower cost than traditional human-in-the-loop testing,” said Morgan Abney, NASA technical fellow for Environmental Control and Life Support, who conceived the glove testing effort. “Now we can really push the envelope on next-generation suit designs and have confidence we understand the risks. We’re one step closer to landing astronauts back on the Moon.” Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. Houston, We Have a Podcast: next-generation spacesuits Why NASA’s Perseverance rover carries spacesuit materials News Media Contact Melissa Pamer Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 626-314-4928 melissa.pamer@jpl.nasa.gov 2025-060 Share Details Last Updated Apr 24, 2025 Related TermsArtemis 3Earth's MoonExploration Systems Development Mission DirectorateJet Propulsion LaboratoryNASA Engineering & Safety Center AcademySpacesuitsxEVA & Human Surface Mobility Explore More 3 min read NASA’s Curiosity Rover May Have Solved Mars’ Missing Carbonate Mystery Article 7 days ago 4 min read NASA Aims to Fly First Quantum Sensor for Gravity Measurements Researchers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, private companies, and academic institutions are… Article 1 week ago 3 min read Michael Ciancone Builds a Lasting Legacy in Human Spaceflight Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team shared Thursday the designs for the three core surveys the mission will conduct after launch. These observation programs are designed to investigate some of the most profound mysteries in astrophysics while enabling expansive cosmic exploration that will revolutionize our understanding of the universe. “Roman’s setting out to do wide, deep surveys of the universe in a way that will help us answer questions about how dark energy and dark matter govern cosmic evolution, and the demographics of worlds beyond our solar system,” said Gail Zasowski, an associate professor at the University of Utah and co-chair of the ROTAC (Roman Observations Time Allocation Committee). “But the overarching goal is that the surveys have broad appeal and numerous science applications. They were designed by and for the astronomical community to maximize the science they’ll enable.” NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s three main observing programs, highlighted in this infographic, can enable astronomers to view the universe as never before, revealing billions of cosmic objects strewn across enormous swaths of space-time.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Roman’s crisp, panoramic view of space and fast survey speeds provide the opportunity for astronomers to study the universe as never before. The Roman team asked the science community to detail the topics they’d like to study through each of Roman’s surveys and selected committees of scientists across many organizations to evaluate the range of possibilities and formulate three compelling options for each. In April, the Roman team received the recommendations and has now determined the survey designs. These observations account for no more than 75 percent of Roman’s surveys during its five-year primary mission, with the remainder allocated to additional observations that will be proposed and developed by the science community in later opportunities. “These survey designs are the culmination of two years of input from more than 1,000 scientists from over 350 institutions across the globe,” said Julie McEnery, Roman’s senior project scientist at NASA Goddard. “We’re thrilled that we’ve been able to hear from so many of the people who’ll use the data after launch to investigate everything from objects in our outer solar system, planets across our galaxy, dark matter and dark energy, to exploding stars, growing black holes, galaxies by the billions, and so much more.” With all major hardware now delivered, Roman has entered its final phase of preparation for launch, undergoing integration and key environmental testing at NASA Goddard. Roman is targeted to launch by May 2027, with the team working toward a potential launch window that opens in October 2026. This infographic describes the High-Latitude Wide-Area Survey that will be conducted by NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. This observation program has three components, covering more than 5,000 square degrees (about 12 percent of the sky) altogether in just under a year and a half. The main part covers about 2,500 square degrees, doing both spectroscopy (splitting light into individual colors to study patterns that reveal detailed information) and imaging in multiple filters (which allow astronomers to select specific wavelengths of light) to provide the rich dataset needed for precise studies of our universe. A wider component spans more than twice the area using a single filter, specifically covering a large area that can be viewed by ground-based telescopes located in both the northern and southern hemispheres. The final component focuses on a smaller region to provide a deeper view that will help astronomers study faint, distant galaxies.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center High-Latitude Wide-Area Survey Roman’s largest survey, the High-Latitude Wide-Area Survey, combines the powers of imaging and spectroscopy to unveil more than a billion galaxies strewn across a wide swath of cosmic time. Roman can look far from the dusty plane of our Milky Way galaxy (that’s what the “high-latitude” part of the survey name means), looking up and out of the galaxy rather than through it to get the clearest view of the distant cosmos. The distribution and shapes of galaxies in Roman’s enormous, deep images can help us understand the nature of dark energy — a pressure that seems to be speeding up the universe’s expansion — and how invisible dark matter, which Roman will detect by its gravitational effects, influences the evolution of structure in our universe. For the last two years, researchers have been discussing ways to expand the range of scientific topics that can be studied using the same dataset. That includes studying galaxy evolution, star formation, cosmic voids, the matter between galaxies, and much more. This infographic describes the High-Latitude Time-Domain Survey that will be conducted by NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The survey’s main component covers over 18 square degrees — a region of sky as large as 90 full moons — and sees supernovae that occurred up to about 8 billion years ago. Smaller areas within the survey can pierce even farther, potentially back to when the universe was around a billion years old. The survey is split between the northern and southern hemispheres, located in regions of the sky that will be continuously visible to Roman. The bulk of the survey consists of 30-hour observations every five days for two years in the middle of Roman’s five-year primary mission.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center High-Latitude Time-Domain Survey Roman’s High-Latitude Time-Domain Survey can probe our dynamic universe by observing the same region of the cosmos repeatedly. Stitching these observations together to create movies can allow scientists to study how celestial objects and phenomena change over time periods of days to years. This survey can probe dark energy by finding and studying many thousands of a special type of exploding star called type Ia supernovae. These stellar cataclysms allow scientists to measure cosmic distances and trace the universe’s expansion. “Staring at a large volume of the sky for so long will also reveal black holes being born as neutron stars merge, and tidal disruption events –– flares released by stars falling into black holes,” said Saurabh Jha, a professor at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and ROTAC co-chair. “It will also allow astronomers to explore variable objects, like active galaxies and binary systems. And it enables more open-ended cosmic exploration than most other space telescopes can do, offering a chance to answer questions we haven’t yet thought to ask.” This infographic describes the Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey that will be conducted by NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The smallest of Roman’s core surveys, this observation program consists of repeat visits to six fields covering 1.7 square degrees total. One field pierces the very center of the galaxy, and the others are nearby — all in a region of the sky that will be visible to Roman for two 72-day stretches each spring and fall. The survey mainly consists of six seasons (three early on, and three toward the end of Roman’s primary mission), during which Roman views each field every 12 minutes. Roman also views the six fields with less intensity at other times throughout the mission, allowing astronomers to detect microlensing events that can last for years, signaling the presence of isolated, stellar-mass black holes.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey Unlike the high-latitude surveys, Roman’s Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey will look inward to provide one of the deepest views ever of the heart of our Milky Way galaxy. Roman’s crisp resolution and infrared view can allow astronomers to watch hundreds of millions of stars in search of microlensing signals — gravitational boosts of a background star’s light that occur when an intervening object passes nearly in front of it. While astronomers have mainly discovered star-hugging worlds, Roman’s microlensing observations can find planets in the habitable zone of their star and farther out, including analogs of every planet in our solar system except Mercury. The same set of observations can reveal “rogue” planets that drift through the galaxy unbound to any star, brown dwarfs (“failed stars” too lightweight to power themselves by fusion the way stars do), and stellar corpses like neutron stars and white dwarfs. And scientists could discover 100,000 new worlds by seeing stars periodically get dimmer as an orbiting planet passes in front of them, events called transits. Scientists can also study the stars themselves, detecting “starquakes” on a million giant stars, the result of sound waves reverberating through their interiors that can reveal information about their structures, ages, and other properties. Data from all of Roman’s surveys will be made public as soon as it is processed, with no periods of exclusive access. “Roman’s unprecedented data will offer practically limitless opportunities for astronomers to explore all kinds of cosmic topics,” McEnery said. “We stand to learn a tremendous amount of new information about the universe very rapidly after the mission launches.” Download high-resolution video and images from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio By Ashley Balzer NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 301-286-1940 Share Details Last Updated Apr 24, 2025 EditorAshley BalzerContactAshley Balzerashley.m.balzer@nasa.govLocationNASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related TermsNancy Grace Roman Space TelescopeBlack HolesDark EnergyDark MatterEarth-like ExoplanetsExoplanetsGalaxiesGas Giant ExoplanetsNeptune-Like ExoplanetsNeutron StarsStarsStellar-mass Black HolesSuper-Earth ExoplanetsSupernovaeTerrestrial ExoplanetsThe Milky WayThe Solar SystemThe Universe Explore More 6 min read Team Preps to Study Dark Energy via Exploding Stars With NASA’s Roman Article 1 month ago 6 min read How NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Will Chronicle the Active Cosmos Article 1 year ago 6 min read Why NASA’s Roman Mission Will Study Milky Way’s Flickering Lights Article 2 years ago View the full article