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The Thanksgiving holiday typically brings families and friends together in a celebration of common gratitude for all the good things that have happened during the previous year. People celebrate the holiday in various ways, with parades, football marathons, and attending services, but food remains the over-arching theme. For astronauts embarked on long-duration space missions, separation from family and friends is inevitable and they rely on fellow crew members to share in the tradition and enjoy the culinary traditions as much as possible. Over the past decades, astronauts have celebrated the holiday during their time in space in a variety of unique ways. Enjoy the stories and photographs from orbital Thanksgiving celebrations over the years. Skylab 4 astronauts Edward G. Gibson, left, William R. Pogue, and Gerald P. Carr demonstrate eating aboard Skylab during Thanksgiving in 1973. NASA Skylab 4 astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue hold the distinction as the first crew to celebrate Thanksgiving in space on Nov. 22, 1973. On that day, their seventh of an 84-day mission, Gibson and Pogue completed a 6-hour and 33-minute spacewalk, while Carr remained in the Multiple Docking Adapter, with no access to food. All three made up for missing lunch by consuming two meals at dinner time, although neither included special items for Thanksgiving. Twelve years passed before the next orbital Thanksgiving celebration. On Nov. 28, 1985, the seven-member crew of STS-61B, NASA astronauts Brewster H. Shaw, Bryan D. O’Connor, Jerry L. Ross, Mary L. Cleave, and Sherwood C. “Woody” Spring, and payload specialists Charles D. Walker from the United States and Rodolfo Neri Vela from Mexico, feasted on shrimp cocktail, irradiated turkey, and cranberry sauce aboard the space shuttle Atlantis. STS-80 astronauts Tamara E. Jernigan, left, Kent V. Rominger, and Thomas D. Jones enjoy Thanksgiving dinner in Columbia’s middeck in 1996.NASA Neri Vela introduced tortillas to space menus, and they have remained favorites among astronauts ever since. Unlike regular bread, tortillas do not create crumbs, a potential hazard in weightlessness, and have multiple uses for any meal of the day. The crew of STS-33, NASA astronauts Frederick D. Gregory, John E. Blaha, Manley L. “Sonny” Carter, F. Story Musgrave, and Kathryn C. Thornton, celebrated Thanksgiving aboard space shuttle Discovery in 1989. Gregory and Musgrave celebrated their second Thanksgiving in space two years later, joined by fellow STS-44 NASA astronauts Terrence T. “Tom” Henricks, James S. Voss, Mario Runco, and Thomas J. Hennen aboard space shuttle Atlantis. In 1996, Blaha celebrated his second Thanksgiving in space with Russian cosmonauts Valeri G. Korzun and Aleksandr Y. Kaleri aboard the space station Mir. Blaha watched the beautiful Earth through the Mir windows rather than his usual viewing fare of football. The STS-80 crew of NASA astronauts Kenneth D. Cockrell, Kent V. Rominger, Tamara E. Jernigan, Thomas D. Jones, and Musgrave, now on his third turkey day holiday in orbit, celebrated Thanksgiving aboard space shuttle Columbia. Although the eight crew members worked in different spacecraft in different orbits, they exchanged holiday greetings via space-to-space radio. This marked the largest number of people in space on Thanksgiving Day up to that time. One year later, NASA astronaut David A. Wolf celebrated Thanksgiving with his Russian crewmates Anatoli Y. Solovev, who translated the holiday into Russian as den blagodarenia, and Pavel V. Vinogradov aboard Mir. They enjoyed smoked turkey, freeze-dried mashed potatoes, peas, and milk. Also in orbit at the time was the crew of STS-87, NASA astronauts Kevin R. Kregel, Steven W. Lindsey, Kalpana Chawla, and Winston E. Scott, Takao Doi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Leonid K. Kadenyuk of Ukraine, aboard Columbia. The nine crew members aboard the two spacecraft broke the one-year-old record for the largest number of people in space at one time for Thanksgiving, also setting the record for the most nations represented, four. NASA astronaut Frank L. Culbertson, left, and Vladimir N. Dezhurov of Roscosmos enjoy Thanksgiving dinner aboard the International Space Station in 2001.NASA The Expedition 1 crew of NASA astronaut William M. Shepherd, and Yuri P. Gidzenko and Sergei K. Krikalev of Roscosmos celebrated the first Thanksgiving aboard the International Space Station on Nov. 23, 2000, three weeks after their arrival aboard the facility. The crew took time out of their busy schedule to enjoy ham and smoked turkey and send words of thanks to people on the ground who provided excellent support to their flight. Crews have celebrated Thanksgiving in space every November since then. In 2001, Expedition 3 crew members NASA astronaut Frank L. Culbertson, and Vladimir N. Dezhurov and Mikhail V. Tyurin of Roscosmos enjoyed the first real Thanksgiving aboard the space station, complete with a cardboard turkey as decoration. The following year’s orbital Thanksgiving celebration included the largest number of people to that time, the combined 10 crewmembers of Expedition 5, STS-113, and Expedition 6. After a busy day that included the first Thanksgiving Day spacewalk from the space station, the crews settled down to a dinner of smoked turkey, mashed potatoes, and green beans with mushrooms. Blueberry-cherry cobbler rounded out the meal. The crews of Expeditions 18 and STS-126 share a Thanksgiving meal in the space shuttle middeck in 2008. NASA Expedition 18 crew members NASA astronauts E. Michael Fincke and Gregory E. Chamitoff and Yuri V. Lonchakov representing Roscosmos, welcomed the STS-126 crew of NASA astronauts Christopher J. Ferguson, Eric A. Boe, Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper, Donald R. Pettit, Stephen G. Bowen, R. Shane Kimbrough, and Sandra H. Magnus during Thanksgiving in 2008. They dined in the space shuttle Endeavour’s middeck on smoked turkey, candied yams, green beans and mushrooms, cornbread dressing and a cranapple dessert. The following year saw the largest and an internationally diverse group celebrating Thanksgiving in space. The six Expedition 21 crew members, NASA astronauts Jeffrey N. Williams and Nicole P. Stott, Roman Y. Romanenko and Maksim V. Suraev of Roscosmos, Frank L. DeWinne of the European Space Agency, and Robert B. Thirsk of the Canadian Space Agency hosted the six members of the STS-129 crew, NASA astronauts Charles O. Hobaugh, Barry E. Wilmore, Michael J. Foreman, Robert L. Satcher, Randolph J. Bresnik, and Leland D. Melvin. The twelve assembled crew members represented the United States, Russia, Belgium, and Canada. The celebration took place two days early, since the shuttle undocked from the space station on Thanksgiving Day. We hope you enjoyed these stories and photographs from Thanksgivings celebrated in space. We would like to wish everyone here on the ground and the seven-member crew of Expedition 72 aboard the space station a very Happy Thanksgiving! For NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” E. Wilmore and Donald R. Pettit, this will mark the third time they celebrate the holiday in space. Expedition 42 crew members enjoy Thanksgiving dinner aboard the space station in 2014.NASA Expedition 45 crew members gather at the Thanksgiving dinner table aboard the orbital outpost in 2015. NASA Expedition 50 crew members at the Thanksgiving dinner table aboard the orbiting laboratory in 2016. NASA The Expedition 53 crew awaits the start of Thanksgiving dinner aboard the space station in 2017.NASA Expedition 66 crew members enjoy a Thanksgiving feast in 2021.NASA Expedition 70 crew members Andreas E. Mogensen, of the European Space Agency, front left, NASA astronauts Loral A. O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli, and Satoshi Furukawa of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency beam down their Thanksgiving message to everyone on the ground in 2023. The astronauts presented their favorite Thanksgiving space food items.NASA View the full article

NASA On Nov. 30, 2002, NASA astronauts John Herrington (pictured) and Michael Lopez-Alegria performed the third and final spacewalk of the STS-113 mission. The goal of the mission was to install and activate the Port 1 Integrated Truss Assembly (P1). The first major component installed on the left side of the Station, the P1 truss provides an additional three External Thermal Control System radiators. Herrington, an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, was the first Native American in space. On STS-113, he logged over 330 hours in space, including 3 spacewalks totaling 19 hours and 55 minutes. Image credit: NASA View the full article

NASA Lewis Research Center’s DC-9 commences one of its microgravity-producing parabolas in the fall of 1994. It was the center’s largest aircraft since the B-29 Superfortress in the 1940s.Credit: NASA/Quentin Schwinn A bell rings and a strobe light flashes as a pilot pulls the nose of the DC-9 aircraft up sharply. The blood quickly drains from researchers’ heads as they are pulled to the cabin floor by a force twice that of normal gravity. Once the acceleration slows to the desired level, and the NASA aircraft crests over its arc, the flight test director declares, “We’re over the top!” The pressure drops as the aircraft plummets forward in freefall. For the next 20 to 25 seconds, everybody and everything not tied down begins to float. The researchers quickly tend to their experiments before the bell rings again as the pilot brings the aircraft back to level flight and normal Earth gravity. By flying in a series of up-and-down parabolas, aircraft can simulate weightlessness. Flights like this in the DC-9, conducted by NASA’s Lewis Research Center (today, NASA Glenn) in the 1990s, provided scientists with a unique way to study the behavior of fluids, combustion, and materials in a microgravity environment. Researchers conduct experiments in simulated weightlessness during a flight aboard the DC-9. The aircraft sometimes flew up to 40 parabolas in a single mission.Credit: NASA/Quentin Schwinn Beginnings In the 1960s, NASA Lewis used a North American AJ-2 to fly parabolas to study the behavior of liquid propellants in low-gravity conditions. The center subsequently expanded its microgravity research to include combustion and materials testing. So, when the introduction of the space shuttle in the early 1980s led to an increase in microgravity research, NASA Lewis was poised to be a leader in the agency’s microgravity science efforts. To help scientists test experiments on Earth before they flew for extended durations on the shuttle, Lewis engineers modified a Learjet aircraft to fly microgravity test flights with a single strapped-down experiment and researcher. The DC-9 flight crew in May 1996. Each flight required two pilots, a flight engineer, and test directors. The flight crews participated in pre- and post-flight mission briefings and contributed to program planning, cost analysis, and the writing of technical reports.Credit: NASA/Quentin Schwinn Bigger And Better In 1990, NASA officials decided that Lewis needed a larger aircraft to accommodate more experiments, including free-floating tests. Officials determined the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 would be the most economical option and decided to assume responsibility for a DC-9 being leased by the U.S. Department of Energy. In the fall of 1993, 50 potential users of the aircraft visited the center to discuss the modifications that would be necessary to perform their research. In October 1994, the DC-9 arrived at Lewis in its normal passenger configuration. Over the next three months, Lewis technicians removed nearly all the seats; bolstered the floor and ceiling; and installed new power, communications, and guidance systems. A 6.5-by-11-foot cargo door was also installed to allow for the transfer of large equipment. The DC-9 was the final element making NASA Lewis the nation’s premier microgravity institution. The center’s Space Experiments Division had been recently expanded, the 2.2-Second Drop Tower and the Zero Gravity Facility had been upgraded, and the Space Experiments Laboratory had recently been constructed to centralize microgravity activities. NASA Lewis researchers aboard the DC-9 train the STS-83 astronauts on experiments for the Microgravity Science Laboratory (MSL-1).Credit: NASA/Quentin Schwinn Conducting the Flights Lewis researchers partnered with industry and universities to design and test experiments that could fly on the space shuttle or the future space station. The DC-9 could accommodate up to eight experiments and 20 research personnel on each flight. The experiments involved space acceleration measurements, capillary pump loops, bubble behavior, thin film liquid rupture, materials flammability, and flame spread. It was a highly interactive experience, with researchers accompanying their tests to gain additional information through direct observation. The researchers were often so focused on their work that they hardly noticed the levitation of their bodies. The DC-9 flew every other week to allow time for installation of experiments and aircraft maintenance. The flights, which were based out of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, were flown in restricted air space over northern Michigan. The aircraft sometimes flew up to 40 parabolas in a single mission. Seth Lichter, professor at Northwestern University, conducts a thin film rupture experiment aboard the DC-9 in April 1997.Credit: NASA/Quentin Schwinn A Lasting Legacy When the aircraft’s lease expired in the late 1990s, NASA returned the DC-9 to its owner. From May 18, 1995, to July 11, 1997, the Lewis microgravity flight team had used the DC-9 to fly over 400 hours, perform 70-plus trajectories, and conduct 73 research projects, helping scientists conduct hands-on microgravity research on Earth as well as test and prepare experiments designed to fly in space. The aircraft served as a unique and important tool, overall contributing to the body of knowledge around microgravity science and the center’s expertise in this research area. NASA Glenn’s microgravity work continues. The center has supported experiments on the International Space Station that could improve crew health as well as spacecraft fire safety, propulsion, and propellants. Glenn is also home to two microgravity drop towers, including the Zero Gravity Research Facility, NASA’s premier ground-based microgravity research lab. Additional Resources: Learn more about why NASA researchers simulate microgravity Take a virtual tour of NASA Glenn’s Zero Gravity Research Facility Discover more about Glenn’s expertise in space technology Explore More 6 min read Art Meets Exploration: Cosmic Connections in Galveston Article 1 day ago 3 min read Emerging Engineering Leader Basil Baldauff Emphasizes Osage Values Article 1 day ago 6 min read NASA’s Commercial Partners Make Progress on Low Earth Orbit Projects Article 2 days ago View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The focus of Airspace Technology Demonstration 2 was IADS, a software that coordinates flight schedules between the ramp, tower, terminal, and center control facilities. This visual representation of data helps minimize delays on the ground.NASA / Jim Banke If every commuter drove the same few roads at the same time every day, the traffic would be unbearable. That’s exactly what’s happening in the skies above the nation, known as national airspace (NAS). Multiple flights from different airlines try to use the most direct flight paths, converging on the same airports. With limited runway space, that causes jumbo-sized traffic congestion. “The majority of uncertainty in the NAS can be attributed to surface operations, and in particular, uncertainty related to when a flight will be available to push back from the gate,” said Jeremy Coupe of NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California. To help develop a solution, NASA Ames focused on how to improve managing traffic on the ground and scheduling departures. Holding airplanes at the gate until just before takeoff allows them to run on power supplied by the airport. American Airlines saved millions of gallons of fuel and maintenance costs and tons of harmful emissions by only running engines when arriving at and leaving the gate.NASA Working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), commercial airlines, and airports, NASA developed and tested a new program to manage airport traffic on the ground – the Integrated Arrival, Departure, and Surface (IADS) system. In 2022, the FAA began incorporating this system’s capabilities at 27 of the busiest airports in the country. Just as a traffic officer can prevent gridlock at a busy intersection, IADS is designed to prevent similar traffic tangles. The first test site for the program development was Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, the second-busiest airport on the East Coast with only three runways. About 75% of those are connecting flights. Before IADS, one challenge the airport faced was a technology mismatch – the airport’s control tower used one software program and ground management used a different one, with no way to integrate them. A phone call was the most common way to notify each other about changes or problems. With approximately 115 aircraft on the ground at any time, a delay in communication could create complications. A plane leaving the gate before being notified of a delay could result in several planes waiting in line at the runway. “Knowing that you’re going to get where you need to go when the airline says it’s going to deliver you is what people stress about when they’re traveling, especially if they’re trying to make connections in an airport like Charlotte,” said Lee Davis, communications director for the airport. Many factors, including weather, influence timeliness, but making ground operations run predictably is fundamental. With near real-time data related to on-time departures and delays, airlines can actively address issues related to connections for crew, customers, and cargo. Whether it’s in space or the skies above, NASA innovations continue to make travel more efficient. Read More Share Details Last Updated Nov 27, 2024 Related TermsTechnology Transfer & SpinoffsSpinoffsTechnology Transfer Explore More 2 min read Super Insulation Requires Super Materials NASA researchers helped create an insulation coating that blocks heat and sunlight Article 1 week ago 2 min read From Mars Rovers to Factory Assembly Lines NASA-funded AI technology enabling autonomous rovers and drones now keeps an eye on conveyor belts Article 4 weeks ago 2 min read The View from Space Keeps Getting Better After 50 years of Landsat, discovery of new commercial and scientific uses is only accelerating Article 1 month ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Aeronautics Air Traffic Management Research Ames Research Center Missions View the full article

“I love my country. I love serving my country. I think that was ingrained in me in the military, where I grew to realize how lucky we are to live in America and have the freedoms that we have. When I returned from [my first duty station] in Germany, I separated from the Air Force for about nine months, but I missed it so much, I was like, ‘Well, I guess I could join the reserves.’ I did want to get my education. I was ready by then. “So, I enrolled in school and went into the Reserves, and then 9/11 happened. That will change a person. I called my unit that afternoon and said, “Whatever you need, I’m ready.” I was activated supporting the mission, but I didn’t deploy like my husband. [9/11] is what touched my life more than anything: how quickly things can change in the blink of an eye. That’s what strengthened my respect of the Air Force core values: service before self and integrity, and excellence in all we do. “Then, when I got pregnant, I thought I might want to be home, so I continued in civil service and just fell in love with my kids. That’s when my relationship with loving the Air Force changed. It evolved. I still value all that time I had and served and the lessons I learned growing up [in the Air Force]. The biggest thing I have and will continue to pass on to my kids is respect for your country, even if you don’t follow the route I did. Respect your country and the people who serve it.” – Tami Wisniewski, Management and Program Analyst, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center Image Credit: NASA/Charles Beason Interviewer: NASA/Tahira Allen Check out some of our other Faces of NASA. View the full article

NASA, on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has selected Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory of Laurel, Maryland, to build the Suprathermal Ion Sensors for the Lagrange 1 Series project, part of NOAA’s Space Weather Next Program. This cost-plus-fixed-fee contract is valued at approximately $20.5 million and includes the development of two Suprathermal Ion Sensor instruments. The anticipated period of performance for this contract will run through Jan. 31, 2034. The work will take place at the awardee’s facility in Maryland, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The contract scope includes design, analysis, development, fabrication, integration, test, verification, and evaluation of the Suprathermal Ion Sensor instruments, launch support, supply and maintenance of ground support equipment, and support of post-launch mission operations at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility. The Suprathermal Ion Sensors will provide critical data to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, which issues forecasts, warnings and alerts that help mitigate space weather impacts, including electric power outages and interruption to communications and navigation systems. The instruments will measure suprathermal ions and electrons across a broad range of energies, and will provide real-time, continuous observations to ensure early warning of various space weather impacts. They also will monitor ions to characterize solar ejections including coronal mass ejections, co-rotating interaction regions, and interplanetary shocks. Analysis of these spectra aids in estimating the arrival time and strength of solar wind shocks. NASA and NOAA oversee the development, launch, testing, and operation of all the satellites in the L1 Series project. NOAA is the program owner that provides funds and manages the program, operations, and data products and dissemination to users. NASA and commercial partners develop, build, and launch the instruments and spacecraft on behalf of NOAA. For information about NASA and agency programs, please visit: https://www.nasa.gov -end- Jeremy Eggers Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 757-824-2958 jeremy.l.eggers@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Nov 26, 2024 EditorRob GarnerContactJeremy EggersLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related TermsNOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)Goddard Space Flight CenterHeliophysicsHeliophysics Division View the full article

Space Station Astronauts Deliver a Thanksgiving Message for 2024

NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) invite media to the official launch celebration of the new SERVIR Central America regional hub, located in Costa Rica, on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 11 a.m. EST. The event will be hosted by NASA SERVIR Program Manager Daniel Irwin, U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador William H. Duncan, and a representative from El Salvador’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN). Betzy Hernandez from SERVIR’s Science Coordination Office leads a land cover mapping workshop in Belize. NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are opening a new SERVIR Central America regional hub, located in Costa Rica, on Tuesday, Dec. 3. NASA Central America is the latest addition to SERVIR’s global network, a NASA and USAID initiative that has been operating in Asia, Africa, and Latin America since 2005. Implemented by the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE), SERVIR Central America will strengthen climate resilience, sustainable resource management, and biodiversity conservation through satellite data and geospatial technology. The SERVIR Central America hub will support evidence-based decision-making at local, national, and regional levels, strengthening the resilience of more than 40 million people in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions. The event will be in Spanish with English translation available. For press access and location details, please RSVP to Belarminda Quijano at belarminda@bqcomunicaciones.com by Monday, Dec. 2. NASA’s media accreditation policy is online. The event will be livestreamed. For more information on SERVIR, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/servir Elizabeth Vlock Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 elizabeth.a.vlock@nasa.gov Lane Figueroa Huntsville, Alabama 256-544-0034 lane.e.figueroa@nasa.gov Explore More 4 min read NASA Marshall Thermal Engineering Lab Provides Key Insight to Human Landing System Article 4 days ago 2 min read NASA, SpaceX Illustrate Key Moments of Artemis Lunar Lander Mission Article 6 days ago 5 min read NASA’s Chandra, Hubble Tune Into ‘Flame-Throwing’ Guitar Nebula Article 6 days ago View the full article

NASA/Ben Smegelsky Employees at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and NASA astronaut Victor Glover (right) happily snap a photo of themselves during a visit on Nov. 8, 2024. The employees are part of the agency’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS), which develops and operates the systems and facilities needed to process and launch rockets and spacecraft for NASA’s Artemis missions. EGS plays a primary role in assembly, launch, and recovery of rockets and spacecraft. Image credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky View the full article

4 min read NASA AI, Open Science Advance Natural Disaster Research and Recovery Hurricane Ida is pictured as a category 2 storm from the International Space Station as it orbited 264 miles above the Gulf of Mexico. In the foreground is the Canadarm2 robotic arm with Dextre, the fine-tuned robotic hand, attached. NASA By Lauren Perkins When you think of NASA, disasters such as hurricanes may not be the first thing to come to mind, but several NASA programs are building tools and advancing science to help communities make more informed decisions for disaster planning. Empowered by NASA’s commitment to open science, the NASA Disasters Program supports disaster risk reduction, response, and recovery. A core element of the Disasters Program is providing trusted, timely, and actionable data to aid organizations actively responding to disasters. Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana Aug. 21, 2021, as a category 4 hurricane, one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes in the continental United States on record. The effects of the storm were widespread, causing devastating damage and affecting the lives of millions of people. During Hurricane Ida, while first responders and other organizations addressed the storm’s impacts from the ground, the NASA Disasters program was able to provide a multitude of remotely sensed products. Some of the products and models included information on changes in soil moisture, changes in vegetation, precipitation accumulations, flood detection, and nighttime lights to help identify areas of power outages. Image Before/After The NASA team shared the data with its partners on the NASA Disasters Mapping Portal and began participating in cross-agency coordination calls to determine how to further aid response efforts. To further connect and collaborate using open science efforts, NASA Disasters overlaid publicly uploaded photos on their Damage Proxy Maps to provide situational awareness of on-the-ground conditions before, during, and after the storm. Immediate post-storm response is critical to saving lives; just as making informed, long- term response decisions are critical to providing equitable recovery solutions for all. One example of how this data can be used is blue tarp detection in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. Using artificial intelligence (AI) with NASA satellite images, the Interagency Implementation and Advanced Concepts Team (IMPACT), based at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, conducted a study to detect the number of blue tarps on rooftops in the aftermath of hurricanes, such as Ida, as a way of characterizing the severity of damage in local communities. An aerial photograph shows damaged roofs from Hurricane Maria in 2017 in Barrio Obrero, Puerto Rico. In the wake of the hurricane, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and United States Army Corps of Engineers distributed 126,000 blue tarps and nearly 60,000 temporary blue roofs to people awaiting repairs on damaged homes. NASA While disasters cannot be avoided altogether, timely and accessible information helps communities worldwide reduce risk, improve response, hasten recovery, and build disaster resilience. Through an initiative led by NASA’s Office of the Chief Science Data Officer, NASA and IBM are developing five open-source artificial intelligence foundation models trained on NASA’s expansive satellite repositories. This effort will help make NASA’s vast, ever-growing amounts of data more accessible and usable. Leveraging NASA’s AI expertise allows users to make faster, more informed decisions. User applications of the Prithvi Earth Foundation Models could range from identifying flood risks and predicting crop yields to forecasting long range atmospheric weather patterns. “NASA is dedicated to ensuring that our scientific data are accessible and beneficial to all. Our AI foundation models are scientifically validated and adaptable to new data, designed to maximize efficiency and lower technical barriers. This ensures that even in the face of challenging disasters, response teams can be swift and effective,” said Kevin Murphy, NASA’s chief science data officer. “Through these efforts, we’re not only advancing scientific frontiers, but also delivering tangible societal benefits, providing data that can safeguard lives and improve resilience against future threats.” Hear directly from some of the data scientists building these AI models, the NASA disaster response team, as well as hurricane hunters that fly directly into these devastating storms on NASA’s Curious Universe podcast. Learn more about NASA’s AI for Science models at https://science.nasa.gov/artificial-intelligence-science/. Share Details Last Updated Nov 26, 2024 Related Terms Earth Natural Disasters Open Science Explore More 5 min read NASA Data Reveals Role of Green Spaces in Cooling Cities Article 3 hours ago 5 min read 5 Surprising NASA Heliophysics Discoveries Not Related to the Sun Article 6 days ago 14 min read NASA’s Brad Doorn Brings Farm Belt Wisdom to Space-Age Agriculture From his South Dakota roots to leading NASA’s agricultural program, Brad Doorn’s mission has remained… Article 6 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

Artist’s concept of “hot Neptune” TOI-3261 b. NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Miller (Caltech/IPAC) By Grace Jacobs Corban The Discovery A Neptune-sized planet, TOI-3261 b, makes a scorchingly close orbit around its host star. Only the fourth object of its kind ever found, the planet could reveal clues as to how planets such as these form. Key Facts An international team of scientists used the NASA space telescope, TESS (the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite), to discover the exoplanet (a planet outside our solar system), then made further observations with ground-based telescopes in Australia, Chile, and South Africa. The measurements placed the new planet squarely in the “hot Neptune desert” – a category of planets with so few members that their scarcity evokes a deserted landscape. This variety of exoplanet is similar to our own Neptune in size and composition, but orbits extremely closely to its star. In this case, a “year” on TOI-3261 b is only 21 hours long. Such a tight orbit earns this planet its place in an exclusive group with, so far, only three other members: ultra-short-period hot Neptunes whose masses have been precisely measured. Details Planet TOI-3261 b proves to be an ideal candidate to test new computer models of planet formation. Part of the reason hot Neptunes are so rare is that it is difficult to retain a thick gaseous atmosphere so close to a star. Stars are massive, and so exert a large gravitational force on the things around them, which can strip the layers of gas surrounding a nearby planet. They also emit huge amounts of energy, which blow the gas layers away. Both of these factors mean that hot Neptunes such as TOI-3261 b might have started out as much larger, Jupiter-sized planets, and have since lost a large portion of their mass. By modeling different starting points and development scenarios, the science team determined that the star and planet system is about 6.5 billion years old, and that the planet started out as a much larger gas giant. It likely lost mass, however, in two ways: photoevaporation, when energy from the star causes gas particles to dissipate, and tidal stripping, when the gravitational force from the star strips layers of gas from the planet. The planet also might have formed farther away from its star, where both of these effects would be less intense, allowing it to retain its atmosphere. The remaining atmosphere of the planet, one of its most interesting features, will likely invite further atmospheric analysis, perhaps helping to unravel the formation history of this denizen of the “hot Neptune desert.” Planet TOI-3261 b is about twice as dense as Neptune, indicating that the lighter parts of its atmosphere have been stripped away over time, leaving only the heavier components. This shows that the planet must have started out with a variety of different elements in its atmosphere, but at this stage, it is hard to tell exactly what. This mystery could be solved by observing the planet in infrared light, perhaps using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope – an ideal way to see the identifying fingerprints of the different molecules in the planet’s atmosphere. This will not just help astronomers understand the past of TOI-3261 b, but also begin to uncover the physical processes behind all hot, giant planets. Fun Facts The first-ever discovery of an ultra-short-period hot Neptune, LTT-9779 b, came in 2020. Since then, TESS discoveries TOI-849 b and TOI-332 b have also joined the elite ultra-short-period hot-Neptune club (with masses that have been precisely measured). Both LTT-9779 b and TOI-849 b are in the queue for infrared observations with the James Webb Space Telescope, potentially broadening our understanding of these planets’ atmospheres in the coming years. The Discoverers An international science team led by astronomer Emma Nabbie of the University of Southern Queensland published their paper on the discovery, “Surviving in the Hot Neptune Desert: The Discovery of the Ultrahot Neptune TOI-3261 b,” in The Astronomical Journal in August 2024. View the full article

6 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Research scientist Alfonso Delgado Bonal makes important discoveries about patterns in cloud movements while thriving within the NASA Goddard family. Name: Alfonso Delgado Bonal Formal Job Classification: Research scientist Organization: Climate and Radiation Laboratory, Science Directorate (Code 613) Alfonso Delgado Bonal is a research scientist for NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s Climate and Radiation Laboratory in Greenbelt, Md.NASA What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? As a theoretical physicist, I study data from the DSCOVR satellite to analyze daytime variability of cloud properties. We are discovering diurnal (daylight) cloud patterns using a single sensor. What is your educational background? I have an undergraduate degree in theoretical physics from the University of Salamanca, Spain. I have a master’s in astrophysics from the University of Valencia, Spain, and a second master’s in space technology from the University of Alcalá, Spain. In 2015, I received a doctorate in theoretical physics from the University of Salamanca. From 2016–2018, I had a postdoctoral fellowship with the Spanish National Research Agency. From 2018–2020, I had a postdoctoral fellowship at Goddard’s Climate and Radiation Laboratory. I also have an undergraduate degree in economics from the Spanish Open University and an undergraduate degree in law from the University of La Rioja, Spain. I am considering returning to school for a master’s in law to sit for the bar. What fascinates you about clouds? As a child, I remember watching clouds moving. I never questioned whether these clouds moved randomly or in a pattern. One day, Sasha Marshak, my supervisor and one of my mentors, asked me to determine if clouds move randomly or in a pattern. Clouds have a profound impact on our planet. They regulate the Earth’s energy budget. Some clouds reflect radiation that cools our planet while other clouds trap radiation which warms our planet. Cloud behavior is one of the most important factors in regulating climate change. What is the data from the DSCOVR satellite telling you? DSCOVR is the only satellite capturing data that shows the entire sunlit part of the Earth at once. The left part of an image is early morning and the right part of an image is nearing sunset. For the first time, we can see how clouds evolve throughout the entire day. Other satellites only capture either a fixed time or a small region of the planet. We discovered that clouds do not move randomly, they move in patterns. We measure these patterns in terms of cloud fraction (the amount of sky covered by clouds), cloud height and cloud optical thickness. In general, at noon we have the maximum cloud coverage over land and the minimum cloud coverage over sea. Also, at noon, clouds are generally lower and thicker. There is some predictability in the general pattern of cloud movement. Coming from Spain, what was the most unusual cultural aspect you had to adjust to when you joined your lab? When I arrived from Spain, my English was not great and I did not understand the cultural aspects. My first email was from Headquarters thanking the whole NASA family. The idea of a work family was something unfamiliar. To me, family meant blood relatives. After one or two years, I felt that members of my lab were indeed my family. They really care about me as a person and I feel the same about them. We have parties where we do not talk about work, we talk about ourselves and our families. Our lab has people from all over the world, and we all share the same feeling about being part of the NASA family. We have a family at home and also a family at NASA. Every time I see Sasha, he always asks about my family and about myself before talking about the work. Lazaros Oreopoulos, Sasha’s supervisor, does the same. They really inspire me. As your mentors, how did Sasha and Lazaros made you feel welcome? I came here from a different world. I was doing theoretical physics in Spain but my NASA post doc involved data analysis, which is what I am doing now. Sasha also came from a different county and also had a strong mathematical background. I felt that he understood me and the challenges before me. He made me feel extremely welcome and explained some cultural aspects. He made sure that I understood how the lab worked, introduced me to everyone, and invited my wife and me to dinner at his home. He really made me feel part of the NASA family. Lazaros strikes the perfect balance between being a respected supervisor and acting like family. He always has a winter party for the entire office where everyone brings in homemade food from their country. Our lab has people from many different countries. Lazaros always checks in with me to see how I am doing. He has created a marvelous place where we all feel like family and do great work. Lazaros and Sasha gave me a chance when they invited me to join their lab. I do not have words to thank them enough for believing in me when I was just a post doc and for guiding me through my career and, most of all, for their incredible advice about life. They are now both family to me. What advice have your mentors given you? Both Sasha and Lazaros taught me creativity. They both always ask questions. Even if a question seems at first impossible to answer, eventually you will develop the tools to answer the questions. It was Sasha who asked me if clouds have random behavior or move in patterns. It has taken me a few years to answer his question and now we are making unexpected and important discoveries about clouds. What do you do for fun? Now that I have two young children, my fun now is spending as much time as I can with my wife and children. My wife is a biologist and I have learned a lot from her. What book are you currently reading? I love reading. I am rereading the “Iliad,” one of my favorites. My favorite book is “The Little Prince.” I read my children a bedtime story every night and now that they are a little older, sometimes they read one to me. What is your one big dream? To see my kids have great lives and be happy. What is your motto? “If you’re going to try, go all the way.” —Charles Bukowski By Elizabeth M. Jarrell NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage. Share Details Last Updated Nov 26, 2024 EditorJamie AdkinsContactRob Garnerrob.garner@nasa.govLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related TermsPeople of GoddardDeep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR)Goddard Space Flight CenterPeople of NASA Explore More 5 min read NASA Data Reveals Role of Green Spaces in Cooling Cities As any urban dweller who has lived through a heat wave knows, a shady tree… Article 58 mins ago 3 min read Emerging Engineering Leader Basil Baldauff Emphasizes Osage Values Article 7 hours ago 4 min read NASA, JAXA XRISM Mission Looks Deeply Into ‘Hidden’ Stellar System The Japan-led XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) observatory has captured the most detailed portrait… Article 1 day ago View the full article

FjordPhyto participants playing in an incredible phytoplankton bloom surrounded by early season sea ice at Damoy on the Antarctic Peninsula. They share knowledge with one another and take samples to better understand and protect Antarctica. Allison Cusick This year, we’re giving thanks to you for Doing NASA Science! You and the millions of other volunteers have enabled an incredible banquet of discoveries—by taking data, analyzing data, writing code, writing papers, and even inventing your own science projects. Your work helps us maintain our leadership in space science! Our scientists have shared examples of many outstanding volunteers. Here are just a few of the remarkable amateur scientists/citizen scientists whose help we’re so grateful for: Dani Abras from the FjordPhyto project. “Dani Abras has been an exemplary facilitator of the FjordPhyto program with travelers in Antarctica. Her enthusiasm for engaging people in the natural world is infectious and her love of participatory science draws people into the wonderful microscopic world of phytoplankton. She is a very enthusiastic and engaged Expedition Guide and you might even see her featured in our new online training course on the NASA Infiniscope platform.” –Allison Cusick Mr. Kevvy from the “Are we Alone in the Universe?” project. “Mr. Kevvy goes above and beyond as a moderator of `Are we alone in the universe?’. He is always reaching out to me and letting me know what our volunteers have been experiencing, as well as going out of his way to look for other collaborations our project might be interested in. His insight is always extremely helpful, and many of his ideas have made it into our final products. I enjoy working with him and am grateful for his support.” –Megan Li Nicholas Brereton, Emmanuel Gonzalez, and Stefan Green from the Genelab Microbes Analysis Working Group. “Over the course of ~6 years, the open-access data in NASA GeneLab/Open Science Data Repository was mined by this 100% volunteer group in the Microbes Analysis Working Group, which resulted in this recent publication: Spaceflight alters host-gut microbiota interactions All authors in the publication could/should get kudos, but especially the ones listed above who saw it through” –Ryan Scott Want to join this illustrious group and make a lasting mark on NASA science? You’ll find opportunities here at https://science.nasa.gov/citizen-science/. Happy Thanksgiving! Facebook logo @DoNASAScience @DoNASAScience Share Details Last Updated Nov 26, 2024 Related Terms Astrophysics Biological & Physical Sciences Citizen Science Earth Science Heliophysics Planetary Science Explore More 4 min read NASA, JAXA XRISM Mission Looks Deeply Into ‘Hidden’ Stellar System Article 1 day ago 5 min read Hats Off to NASA’s Webb: Sombrero Galaxy Dazzles in New Image Article 1 day ago 2 min read Hubble Captures an Edge-On Spiral with Curve Appeal Article 4 days ago View the full article

As any urban dweller who has lived through a heat wave knows, a shady tree can make all the difference. But what happens when there’s no shade available? A recent study in Nature Communications used NASA satellite data to identify a major gap in global resilience to climate change: cities in the Global South have far less green space — and therefore less cooling capacity — than cities in the Global North. The terms Global North and Global South were used in the study to distinguish developed countries (mostly in the Northern Hemisphere) from developing nations (mostly in the Southern Hemisphere). Cities tend to be hotter than nearby rural areas because of the urban heat island effect. Heat-trapping dark surfaces such as sidewalks, buildings, and roads absorb heat from the Sun’s rays, which raises the temperature of the city. Extreme heat poses serious health threats for urban residents, including dehydration, heat stroke, and even death. Though not a cure-all, greenery provides shade and releases moisture into the air, cooling the surroundings. “Cities can strategically prioritize developing new green spaces in areas that have less green space,” said Christian Braneon, a climate scientist at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York who was not affiliated with this study. “Satellite data can be really helpful for this.” The Operational Land Imager (OLI) on the NASA and U.S. Geological Survey’s Landsat 8 satellite captured this natural color image of Sanaa, Yemen, on June 8, 2024. Sanaa, which has a hot, dry climate and little green space, had the second-lowest cooling capacity of 500 cities studied in a paper recently published in the journal Nature Communications. Wanmei Liang, NASA Earth Observatory An international team of researchers led by Yuxiang Li, a doctoral student at Nanjing University, analyzed the 500 largest cities in the world to compare their cooling capacities. They used data from the Landsat 8 satellite, jointly managed by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey, to determine how effective green space was at cooling each city. First, they calculated the average land surface temperature for the hottest month of 2018 for each city, as well as the average of the hottest months from 2017 to 2019. Next, the researchers used a metric called the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to map how much green space each city had. The NDVI relies on the fact that healthy vegetation absorbs red light and reflects infrared light: the ratio of these wavelengths can show the density of healthy vegetation in a given satellite image. Researchers found that cities in the Global South have just 70% of the greenery-related cooling capacity of cities in the Global North. The green spaces in an average Global South city cool the temperature by about 4.5 F (2.5 C). In an average Global North city, that cooling capacity is 6.5 F (3.6 C). This compounds an existing problem: cities in the South tend to be at lower latitudes (that is, nearer to the Equator), which are predicted to see more heat extremes in the coming years. “It’s already clear that Global South countries will be impacted by heat waves, rising temperatures, and climatic extremes more than their Global North counterparts,” said Chi Xu, a professor of ecology at Nanjing University and a co-author of the study. The Global South has less capacity to adapt to heat because air conditioning is less common and power outages are more frequent. Why do cities in the Global South struggle to stay cool? Cities in the Global South tend to have less green space than cities in the Global North. This mirrors studies of the disparities within cities, sometimes referred to as the “luxury effect”: wealthier neighborhoods tend to have more green space than poorer neighborhoods. “Wealthier cities also have more urban green spaces than the poorest cities,” Chi said. It’s unlikely that urban planners can close the gap between the study’s worst-performing city (Mogadishu, Somalia) and the best-performing one (Charlotte, North Carolina). Mogadishu is a dense city with a dry climate that limits vegetation growth. Still, there’s a lot that each city can learn from its neighbors. Within a given region, the researchers identified the city with the greatest cooling capacity and used that as a goal. They calculated the difference between the best-performing city in the region and every city nearby to get the potential additional cooling capacity. They found that cities’ average cooling capacity could be increased substantially — to as much as 18 F (10 C) — by systematically increasing green space quantity and quality. “How you utilize green space is really going to vary depending on the climate and the urban environment you’re focused on,” said Braneon, whose research at NASA focuses on climate change and urban planning. Greener cities in the U.S. and Canada have lower population densities. However, fewer people per square mile isn’t necessarily good for the environment: residents in low-density cities rely more on cars, and their houses tend to be bigger and less efficient. Braneon noted that there’s a suite of solutions beyond just planting trees or designating parks: Cities can increase cooling capacity by creating water bodies, seeding green roofs, and painting roofs or pavement lighter colors to reflect more light. With a global study like this, urban planners can compare strategies for cities within the same region or with similar densities. “For newly urbanized areas that aren’t completely built out, there’s a lot of room to still change the design,” Braneon said. By Madeleine Gregory NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Share Details Last Updated Nov 26, 2024 Editor Rob Garner Contact Rob Garner rob.garner@nasa.gov Location Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Climate Change Earth Goddard Institute for Space Studies Goddard Space Flight Center Landsat Landsat 8 / LDCM (Landsat Data Continuity Mission) View the full article

The Texas Art Education Association hosted its annual conference from Nov. 14–16 at Moody Gardens Hotel & Convention Center in Galveston, Texas, drawing nearly 3,000 educators, administrators, and artists. This year’s theme, “Cosmic Connections: SPACE, the Last Frontier and the Element of Art,” celebrated the fusion of creativity and space exploration, with NASA’s Johnson Space Center participating for the first time to inspire the Artemis Generation art educators. Johnson Space Center volunteers Raul Tijerina (left), building graphics lead for the International Space Station Program; Gary Johnson (middle), technical manager in NASA’s International Space Station Mission Integration and Operations Office; and Christian Getteau, Imagery Integration and Multimedia producer with the Human Space Flight Technical Integration Contract, participate in the NASA booth at the Texas Art Education Association annual conference held Nov. 14–16 at Moody Gardens Hotel & Convention Center in Galveston, Texas.NASA From astronauts crafting in orbit to collaborative art projects on Earth, NASA continues to showcase how creativity can capture the wonder of the cosmos. This event allowed educators to connect with NASA, explore teaching resources, and discover innovative ways to merge the arts with science and space exploration in their classrooms. Johnson volunteers pose with an astronaut spacesuit at the Texas Art Education Association conference.NASA/Sumer Loggins “We have seen our astronauts bring the art of painting, music, photography, and more to orbit aboard the space shuttle and the International Space Station,” said Gary Johnson, NASA’s International Space Station Mission Integration and Operations Office technical manager. “Our mission is to inspire the next generation of artists and explorers to capture the beauty of space through any medium they choose.” “Everyone has a place at NASA,” added Raul Tijerina, International Space Station Program building graphics lead. “This collaboration celebrates the diversity of talents needed to explore the universe, including those who bring ideas to life through art.” NASA’s inflatable mascot, Cosmo, greets attendees and poses for photos during the art car show at the conference. NASA Guests immersed themselves in a variety of stellar experiences, including interacting with NASA’s inflatable mascot, Cosmo, taking selfies at the NASA booth, and viewing artwork that shares the past and celebrates the future of space exploration. The nonprofit SciArt Exchange provided teachers with details about its space art competitions, aimed at sparking curiosity across all ages. These competitions include the Project Mars Competition, where adults compete to have their artwork featured at Johnson, and the Moon Youth Art Competition, which highlights lunar-themed creations from students around the world. Attendees also explored infographics and had the chance to download NASA’s Spot the Station app to track the orbiting laboratory in real-time. NASA astronaut Michael Foreman (middle left) and Gordon Andrews, a strategic communications specialist for the International Space Station Program, pose with attendees following a space-themed presentation.NASA Gordon Andrews, a strategic communications specialist for the International Space Station Program, and NASA astronaut Michael Foreman introduced the Spacesuit Art Project to conference attendees. They shared the documentary “Space for Art,” which chronicles the project’s mission to inspire hope, courage, and healing through art. Andrews and Foreman discussed their experiences working on the project with retired NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, the first person to watercolor in space, and the Space for Art Foundation. Foreman shared stories from his time in space and posed for photos with guests. Andrews also presented to the Visual Art Administrators of Texas, a group of over 200 Texas education leaders. The film played at NASA’s booth, showcasing how the initiative brings hope to children undergoing pediatric cancer treatment by inviting them to create colorful spacesuit artwork. Each suit—Hope, Courage, Unity, Victory, Dreamer, Exploration, Beyond, and Infinity—embodies the resilience and imagination of its creators. Four of these spacesuits have journeyed to and from the microgravity laboratory, inspiring children to dream big as they view their artwork in orbit. By raising awareness about pediatric cancer and promoting art therapy worldwide, the project demonstrates the powerful connection between space exploration and the human spirit. The NASA booth featured the Spacesuit Art Project, showcasing a Flat Stanley of NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, the first person to watercolor in space, alongside spacesuits painted by pediatric patients.NASA Texas’ first Space Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets—the only program of its kind in Texas and one of just 10 in the nation—participated in the event, as well. As a NASA rendition of the National Anthem played in the background, the cadets from Klein High School inspired the next generation of dreamers and doers to reach for the stars. Texas’ first Space Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets from Klein High School participate in the ceremony as a NASA rendition of the National Anthem plays in the background. NASA The conference also featured three murals that will be added to the art collection in Johnson’s building 4 south. The art installation project began in 2022 when Johnson and Tijerina collaborated with Texas high school art programs to create space-themed murals for display at the center. With the help of their teachers, students brainstormed ideas and painted the murals together before visiting Johnson to install them and experience a guided walk-through of NASA’s facilities. Led by their shared passion for artistic expression and space exploration, the students bring color, wonder, and creativity to the walls at Johnson. The initiative is part of a long-term effort to engage with students locally and globally to ignite the imagination of all and enhance the visual work environment for Johnson employees. “Absolute Equality: Breaking Boundaries” by Reginald C. Adams, symbolizes unity and humanity’s collective future in space exploration. The artwork titled “Absolute Equality: Breaking Boundaries,” by artist Reginald C. Adams, will be one of the latest installations in building 4 south. The piece envisions humanity’s shared future, symbolizing unity and the possibilities of interplanetary exploration. Adams was a keynote speaker for the conference, and when he learned about the mural project, he wanted to contribute to the initiative. The two figures are enclosed within a shared helmet, representing a collective vision for the future of space exploration. The patterns surrounding them signify technology’s role in connecting humanity across cultural and societal divides. La Marque High School students, art teacher Joan Finn, and artist Cheryl Evans painted a mural highlighting the interconnected roles in space exploration. A collaborative piece by La Marque High School art students, art teacher Joan Finn, and artist Cheryl Evans depicted the interconnected roles of visionaries, engineers, artists, and astronauts in space exploration. Just as the space station was assembled piece by piece over more than 40 missions, the mural was created using 10 separate stretched canvases bolted together. The International Space Station patch at the bottom highlights the collaboration of the 17 countries involved. “The Moon Now,” created by La Marque High School students, depicts two astronauts on the lunar surface in Axiom spacesuits with mirrored visors. A student-created vision titled “The Moon Now” showcased two astronauts on the lunar surface wearing Axiom spacesuits, with helmet visors designed as mirrors, signifying the next generation to envision themselves contributing to the next giant leap in space exploration. The students created individual pieces depicting the Milky Way and other astronomical objects, which were collaged onto the surface of the artwork. Through partnerships like this, NASA continues to embrace STEAM—science, technology, engineering, art, and math—to empower the Artemis Generation to dare, unite, and explore. View the full article

1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The Canadarm2 removes materials science samples from the Kibo laboratory module's airlock. NASA The Materials ISS Experiment Flight Facility mounted on the outside of the International Space Station allows researchers to test the performance and durability of materials and devices. This is done by exposing items of interest to everything that makes the space environment harsh, including radiation, highly reactive atomic oxygen, microgravity, and extreme temperatures. Currently, one suite on the platform holds MISSE-20-Commercial, an investigation conducting 12 experiments from different research teams. Among MISSE-20-Commercial is the Space Entanglement and Annealing Quantum Experiment (SEAQUE) which tests two technologies that could advance the field of quantum communications. The first technology is a novel method to transmit quantum data. This method could make way for a scalable quantum information network and provide the foundation of quantum cloud computing, a technology that holds the promise of operating millions of times faster than conventional computers. SEAQUE will also validate technology to “self-heal” its sensitive detectors against radiation damage using laser annealing, prolonging the life of these quantum tools in a space environment. Diana Garcia International Space Station Research Communications Team Johnson Space Center Keep Exploring Discover More Topics Benefits to Humanity Humans In Space International Space Station Space Station Research and Technology View the full article

NASA Rocket Engine Fireplace - 8 Hours in 4K

Basil Baldauff knew early in his tenure at NASA’s Johnson Space Center that he wanted to become a leader within the agency and make an impact on the future of space exploration. As a contract electrical design and test engineer working within Johnson’s Energy Systems Test Area, Baldauff had an opportunity to lead small teams in performing battery testing. Exposure to the test director role inspired him to pursue a more permanent leadership position, and today he is the lead facility engineer for the Battery Systems Test Facility. The facility supports hundreds of abuse, performance, and flight tests of batteries and cells for applications ranging from laptops and satellite phones used by astronauts to life-saving equipment used in spacesuits and backup power supplies. Baldauff ensures all battery testing is performed properly and safely while managing facility resources and maintaining the functionality of all test support systems. Official portrait of Basil Baldauff.NASA To date, one of his favorite projects at Johnson involved serving as test director for thermal runaway testing of the Artemis III Orion Crew Module battery. This test was an engineering evaluation to validate and certify that the battery’s design met requirements for handling a possible internal short circuit and preventing such an event from causing battery failure. “Being able to lead a team of engineers and technicians to help fulfill NASA’s mission at such an early part of my career is an achievement I take pride in,” he said. Baldauff is also a proud member of the Osage Nation. “I try to demonstrate some of the Osage core values daily in the workplace such as compassion, cooperation, honesty, and respect,” he said. He has been involved with the American Indian Science and Engineering Society since he was in high school, helping the organization support Indigenous students and professionals in STEM fields. He believes that NASA can further promote diversity by continuing to highlight and celebrate the many different groups and cultures within the agency’s workforce. Basil Baldauff attends Osage I’n-Lon-Schka, a ceremonial tribal dance that takes place each June.Image courtesy of Basil Baldauff Reflecting on his three years at Johnson, Baldauff highlighted the value of mentorship. “Finding or having a mentor early on in your career who can help you navigate unencountered situations or lend advice when needed is crucial,” he said. “It is vital to learn as much as you can from your mentor or supervisor, since they have most likely walked in your exact footsteps at some time.” Baldauff noted that challenges can arise in any job. “Staying positive and keeping an open mind when searching for solutions can go a long way,” he said. Baldauff is excited to see humanity’s return to the Moon and establishment of a long-term presence on the lunar surface. “I look forward to seeing how what I achieved in my career at NASA helped to make that future a reality.” He also encourages the Artemis Generation to never stop learning. “I hope to pass on the eagerness to always keep learning, no matter how old or where you are in your career,” he said. View the full article

6 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The Milky Way pictured from the International Space Station in a long-duration photographCredits: NASA NASA and its commercial partners continue to drive innovation in space exploration, achieving milestones that will ultimately benefit human spaceflight and commercial low Earth orbit efforts. These recent achievements from NASA’s industry partners include completed safety milestones, successful flight tests, and major technological advancements. “Our commercial partners’ growing capabilities in low Earth orbit underscore NASA’s commitment to advance scientific discovery, pioneering space technology, and support future deep space exploration,” said Angela Hart, manager of the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. As NASA expands opportunities in low Earth orbit, the agency is working with seven U.S. companies to meet future commercial and government needs through the second Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities initiative. The first and second stages of Blue Origin’s New Glenn test vehicle pictured at the company’s orbital launch vehicle factory in Cape Canaveral, FloridaCredits: Blue Origin Blue Origin Blue Origin continues to make progress in the development of an integrated commercial space transportation capability that ensures safe, affordable, and high-frequency U.S. access to orbit for crew and other missions. Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft pictured approaching the International Space StationCredits: NASA Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman is evolving the company’s Cygnus spacecraft as a foundational logistics and research platform to support NASA’s next generation of low Earth orbit ventures. The company recently completed a project management review with NASA, presenting the roadmap and enhancements to commercialize the spacecraft. Northrop Grumman also continues to make progress toward the implementation of docking capability through a partnership with Starlab Space. Sierra Space’s LIFE (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) habitat following a full-scale ultimate burst pressure test at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.Credits: Sierra Space Sierra Space Sierra Space recently completed two full-scale ultimate burst pressure tests of its LIFE (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) habitat structure, an element of a NASA-funded commercial space station for new destinations in low Earth orbit. The company also has selected and tested materials for the habitat’s air barrier, focusing on permeability and flammability testing to meet the recommended safety standards. The inflatable habitat is designed to expand in orbit, creating a versatile living and working area for astronauts with a flexible, durable structure that allows for compact launch and significant expansion upon deployment. Sierra Space also has advanced in high velocity impact testing and micro-meteoroid and orbital debris configuration and material selection, crucial for ensuring the safety and durability of the company’s space structures, along with advancing radiator designs to optimize thermal management for long-duration missions. The SpaceX Starship spacecraft, a fully reusable transportation, ahead of a test flight at the company’s Starbase facilities in Boca Chica, Texas.Credits: SpaceX SpaceX SpaceX continues developing the company’s Starship spacecraft, a fully reusable transportation system designed for missions to low Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. SpaceX completed multiple flight tests, launching the spacecraft on the Super Heavy, the launch system’s booster, from the company’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. During the tests, SpaceX demonstrated key capabilities needed for the system’s reusability, including landing burns and reentry from hypersonic velocities. SpaceX is preparing to launch newer generations of the Starship system, powered by upgraded versions of its reusable methane-oxygen staged-combustion Raptor engines, as it works to operationalize the system ahead of the first crewed lunar landing missions under the agency’s Artemis campaign. An engineer for Special Aerospace Services tests the company’s Autonomous Maneuvering UnitCredits: Special Aerospace Services Special Aerospace Services Special Aerospace Services is developing an Autonomous Maneuvering Unit that incorporates in-space servicing, propulsion, and robotic technologies. The company is evaluating customer needs and establishing the details and features for the initial flight unit. Special Aerospace Services also is working on a prototype unit at its Special Projects Research Facility in Arvada, Colorado, and has started construction of a new campus and final assembly facility in Huntsville, Alabama. The application of these technologies is intended for the safer assembly of commercial destinations, servicing, retrieval, and inspection of in-space systems. Two twin containers hosting the welding experiment developed by ThinkOrbital, validated by NASA and ESA (European Space Agency),Credits: ThinkOrbital ThinkOrbital ThinkOrbital recently demonstrated autonomous welding in space, validated by NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). The company will further test in-space welding, cutting, and X-ray inspection technologies on another mission later this year. ThinkOrbital’s third mission, scheduled for late 2025, will focus on developing commercially viable products, including a robotic arm with advanced end-effector solutions and standalone X-ray inspection capabilities. In-space welding technologies could enable building larger structures for future commercial space stations. The qualification primary structure of Vast’s Haven-1 commercial space station during final welding stages at the company’s headquarters in Long Beach, California Credits: Vast Vast Vast continues development progress on the Haven-1 commercial space station, targeted to launch in 2025. The company recently completed several technical milestones, including fabricating key components such as the primary structure pathfinder, hatch, battery module, and control moment gyroscope. Vast also completed a solar array deployment test and the station’s preliminary design review with NASA’s support. While collaborating with the agency on developing and testing the commercial station’s dome-shaped window, Vast performed rigorous pressure testing to meet safety requirements. In addition to these efforts, NASA also is collaborating with two businesses through its Small Business Innovation Research Ignite initiative, which focuses on commercially viable technology ideas aligned with the agency’s mission needs. Both companies are developing technologies for potential use on the International Space Station and future commercial space stations. A ceramic heat shield, or thermal protection system, being developed by Canopy Aerospace Credits: Canopy Aerospace Canopy Aerospace Canopy Aerospace is developing a new manufacturing system aimed at improving the production of ceramic heat shields, also known as thermal protection systems. The company recently validated the material properties of a low-density ceramic insulator using an alumina-enhanced thermal barrier formulation. Canopy Aerospace also continues development of a 3D-printed, low-density ablator designed to provide thermal protection during extreme heating. The company also worked on other 3D-printed materials, such as aluminum nitride and oxide ceramic products, which could be useful in various applications across the energy, space, aerospace, and industrial sectors, including electromagnetic thrusters for satellites. Canopy Aerospace also developed standard layups of fiber-reinforced composites and integrated cork onto composite panels. The Cargo Ferry, a reusable cargo transportation vehicle, prototype during a recent high-altitude flight test to test its recovery system and range capabilities.Credits: Outpost Technologies Outpost Technologies Outpost Technologies completed a high-altitude flight test of its Cargo Ferry, a reusable cargo transportation vehicle. The company dropped a full-scale prototype from 82,000 feet via weather balloon to test its recovery system and range capabilities. The key innovation is a robotic paraglider that guides the vehicle to a precise landing. The paraglider deployed at a record-setting altitude of 65,000 feet, marking the highest flight ever for such a system. During the test, the vehicle autonomously flew 165 miles before it was safely recovered at the landing site, demonstrating the system’s reliability. The company’s low-mass re-entry system can protect payload mass and volume for future space cargo return missions and point-to-point delivery. NASA’s low Earth orbit microgravity strategy builds on the agency’s extensive human spaceflight experience to advance future scientific and exploration goals. As the International Space Station nears the end of operations, NASA plans to transition to a new low Earth orbit model to continue leveraging microgravity benefits. Through commercial partnerships, NASA aims to maintain its leadership in microgravity research and ensure continued benefits for humanity. Learn more about NASA’s low Earth orbit microgravity strategy at: https://www.nasa.gov/leomicrogravitystrategy News Media Contacts Claire O’Shea Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov Anna Schneider Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 anna.c.schneider@nasa.gov Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Low Earth Orbit Economy Commercial Destinations in Low Earth Orbit Commercial Use of the International Space Station Commercial Space View the full article

Caption: Artist’s concept of Dragonfly soaring over the dunes of Saturn’s moon Titan. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben NASA has selected SpaceX to provide launch services for the Dragonfly mission, a rotorcraft lander mission under NASA’s New Frontiers Program, designed to explore Saturn’s moon Titan. The mission will sample materials and determine surface composition in different geologic settings, advancing our search for the building blocks of life. The firm-fixed-price contract has a value of approximately $256.6 million, which includes launch services and other mission related costs. The Dragonfly mission currently has a targeted launch period from July 5, 2028, to July 25, 2028, on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Dragonfly centers on novel approach to planetary exploration, employing a rotorcraft-lander to travel between and sample diverse sites on Saturn’s largest moon. With contributions from partners around the globe, Dragonfly’s scientific payload will characterize the habitability of Titan’s environment, investigate the progression of prebiotic chemistry on Titan, where carbon-rich material and liquid water may have mixed for an extended period, and search for chemical indications of whether water-based or hydrocarbon-based life once existed on Saturn’s moon. NASA’s Launch Services Program at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center is responsible for managing the launch service. Managed for NASA at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, the Dragonfly team comprises scientists, engineers, technologists, managers and more who have deep experience on missions that have explored the solar system from the Sun to Pluto and beyond, as well as experts in rotorcraft, autonomous flight, and space systems from around the globe. Dragonfly is the fourth mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. For more information about NASA programs and missions, visit: https://www.nasa.gov -end- Julian Coltre / Tiernan Doyle Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 julian.n.coltre@nasa.gov / tiernan.p.doyle@nasa.gov View the full article

NASA/JPL-Caltech A 16.5-inch-long prototype of a robot designed to explore subsurface oceans of icy moons is reflected in the water’s surface during a test in a competition swimming pool in September 2024. Conducted by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the testing showed the feasibility of a mission concept called SWIM, short for Sensing With Independent Micro-swimmers. The project envisions a swarm of dozens of self-propelled, cellphone-size robots looking for signs of life on ocean worlds. SWIM is funded by NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts program under the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. Learn more about the next generation of robotic concepts that could potentially plunge into the watery depths of Europa and other ocean worlds. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech View the full article

The NASA Ames Science Directorate recognizes the outstanding contributions of (pictured left to right) Forrest Melton, Ariel Deutsch, Dan Sirbu, and Chanel Idos. Their commitment to the NASA mission represents the entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise, and collaborative disposition needed to explore this world and beyond. Earth Science Star: Forrest Melton Forrest Melton serves as Senior Research Scientist with the Atmospheric Science Branch, and leads the OpenET consortium, which develops a unique satellite-driven support system for water resources management using six satellite-driven models and publicly available data from NASA, USGS and NOAA. OpenET currently provides data for 23 states in the western U.S., delivers data at daily, monthly, seasonal and annual timescales, and has become a necessary tool for domestic and international water managers and agricultural producers (feature story). Space Science & Astrobiology Star: Ariel Deutsch Ariel Deutsch is an early career planetary scientist in the Planetary Systems Branch for the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute. She is recognized for being invited to join the Artemis II Science Team to support the Artemis II Lunar Science Objectives. Her Lunar Data Analysis Program grant was selected to improve our understanding of the distribution and abundance of volatiles cold-trapped on the Moon, which include Artemis III candidate landing sites. Space Science & Astrobiology Star: Dan Sirbu Dan Sirbu is a key member of the Exoplanet Technologies group within the Astrophysics Branch. He currently serves as the principal investigator on the Photonic Integrated Circuit High-Contrast Imaging for Space Astronomy (AstroPIC) early career initiative, serves multiple roles on the Multi-Star Wavefront Control (MSWC) project, and is involved in outreach efforts. In recent months, Dan has been the primary operator performing MSWC testing, setting several new performance records demonstrating high contrast imaging of planets around binary stars. Dan’s work also advances NASA’s and humanity’s capability of imaging exoplanets in multi-star systems, including Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to the Sun. Space Biosciences Star: Chanel Idos Chanel Idos serves as the ARC Resource Analyst for the Human Research Program (HRP) in the Space Biosciences Division. HRP is a multifaceted initiative encompassing six Elements and Offices at JSC and three Divisions across two Directorates at ARC. Her exceptional expertise, coupled with outstanding organizational skills and clear, effective communication, have been instrumental in ensuring the seamless operation of HRP activities at ARC. Chanel’s contributions have been pivotal in achieving excellent cost performance for FY24, positioning ARC to enter FY25 in an optimal state. View the full article

Space-grown crystals could lead to targeted cancer drugs Researchers used space-grown protein crystals to determine the structure of a helix-loop-helix (HLH) peptide (one with a double helix and connecting loop) in a complex with vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF). VEGF prompts the formation of new blood vessels and inhibiting it can stop tumor growth. This finding suggests that HLH peptides could be used to create drugs to target disease-related proteins like VEGF. JAXA PCG, an investigation from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), grew protein crystals in microgravity and returned them to Earth for detailed analysis of their structures. Microgravity enables production of high-quality crystals, and examining their structures supports the design of new drugs and other types of research. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi works on the PCG experiment aboard the International Space Station.NASA Wood could make satellites more sustainable Wood exposed to space for approximately 10 months showed no change in weight and no erosion due to atomic oxygen. This finding could inform selection of the appropriate species and thickness of wood for use in building satellites. Metal satellites reentering Earth’s atmosphere can generate particles and aerosols that may harm the ozone layer. Wood becomes water and carbon dioxide on reentry, does not contribute to atmospheric pollution, and could provide a more sustainable option for future space exploration. JAXA’s Exposure of Wood to Outer Space evaluated how atomic oxygen, galactic cosmic rays, and solar energetic particles in space affect the mechanical properties of wood. Different types of wood to be tested in space as a building material for satellites. Kyoto University Analyzing glass-forming ability of magnesium silicates Researchers report detailed structural and atomic information for glassy and liquid magnesium silicates, which are important in glass science and geoscience. The results suggest that electronic structure does not play an important role in determining glass-forming ability, but atomic structure does. JAXA’s Fragility measured thermophysical properties such as density and viscosity of oxidized molten metals using the International Space Station’s Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) to gain insight into glass formation and the design of novel materials. The ELF makes it possible to observe the behavior of materials without the use of a container, providing information crucial for examining glass formation. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly works on the Electrostatic Levitation Furnace aboard the International Space Station.NASAView the full article

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) An artist’s concept of NASA’s Europa Clipper shows the spacecraft in silhouette against Europa’s surface, with the magnetometer boom fully deployed at top and the antennas for the radar instrument extending out from the solar arrays.NASA/JPL-Caltech Headed to Jupiter’s moon Europa, the spacecraft is operating without a hitch and will reach Mars in just three months for a gravity assist. NASA’s Europa Clipper, which launched Oct. 14 on a journey to Jupiter’s moon Europa, is already 13 million miles (20 million kilometers) from Earth. Two science instruments have deployed hardware that will remain at attention, extending out from the spacecraft, for the next decade — through the cruise to Jupiter and the entire prime mission. A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launched it away from Earth’s gravity, and now the spacecraft is zooming along at 22 miles per second (35 kilometers per second) relative to the Sun. Europa Clipper is the largest spacecraft NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission. It will travel 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) to arrive at Jupiter in 2030 and in 2031 will begin a series of 49 flybys, using a suite of instruments to gather data that will tell scientists if the icy moon and its internal ocean have the conditions needed to harbor life. For now, the information mission teams are receiving from the spacecraft is strictly engineering data (the science will come later), telling them how the hardware is operating. Things are looking good. The team has a checklist of actions the spacecraft needs to take as it travels deeper into space. Here’s a peek: Boom Times Shortly after launch, the spacecraft deployed its massive solar arrays, which extend the length of a basketball court. Next on the list was the magnetometer’s boom, which uncoiled from a canister mounted on the spacecraft body, extending a full 28 feet (8.5 meters). To confirm that all went well with the boom deployment, the team relied on data from the magnetometer’s three sensors. Once the spacecraft is at Jupiter, these sensors will measure the magnetic field around Europa, both confirming the presence of the ocean thought to be under the moon’s icy crust and telling scientists about its depth and salinity. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This animation shows how the boom of Europa Clipper’s magnetometer deployed — while the spacecraft was in flight — to its full length of 28 feet (8.5 meters). NASA/JPL-Caltech On the Radar After the magnetometer, the spacecraft deployed several antennas for the radar instrument. Now extending crosswise from the solar arrays, the four high-frequency antennas form what look like two long poles, each measuring 57.7 feet (17.6 meters) long. Eight rectangular very-high-frequency antennas, each 9 feet (2.76 meters) long, were also deployed — two on the two solar arrays. “It’s an exciting time on the spacecraft, getting these key deployments done,” said Europa Clipper project manager Jordan Evans of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “Most of what the team is focusing on now is understanding the small, interesting things in the data that help them understand the behavior of the spacecraft on a deeper level. That’s really good to see.” Instrument Checkout The remaining seven instruments will be powered on and off through December and January so that engineers can check their health. Several instruments, including the visible imager and the gas and dust mass spectrometers, will keep their protective covers closed for the next three or so years to guard against potential damage from the Sun during Europa Clipper’s time in the inner solar system. Mars-Bound Once all the instruments and engineering subsystems have been checked out, mission teams will shift their focus to Mars. On March 1, 2025, Europa Clipper will reach Mars’ orbit and begin to loop around the Red Planet, using the planet’s gravity to gain speed. (This effect is similar to how a ball thrown at a moving train will bounce off the train in another direction at a higher speed.) Mission navigators already have completed one trajectory correction maneuver, as planned, to get the spacecraft on the precise course. At Mars, scientists plan to turn on the spacecraft’s thermal imager to capture multicolored images of Mars as a test operation. They also plan to collect data with the radar instrument so engineers can be sure it’s operating as expected. The spacecraft will perform another gravity assist in December 2026, swooping by Earth before making the remainder of the long journey to the Jupiter system. At that time, the magnetometer will measure Earth’s magnetic field, calibrating the instrument. More About Europa Clipper Europa Clipper’s three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon’s icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission’s detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet. Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, JPL leads the development of the Europa Clipper mission in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. APL designed the main spacecraft body in collaboration with JPL and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The Planetary Missions Program Office at Marshall executes program management of the Europa Clipper mission. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, managed the launch service for the Europa Clipper spacecraft. Find more information about Europa Clipper here: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/europa-clipper 8 Things to Know About Europa Clipper Europa Clipper Teachable Moment NASA’s Europa Clipper Gets Its Giant Solar Arrays Kids Can Explore Europa With NASA’s Space Place News Media Contacts Gretchen McCartney Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-287-4115 gretchen.p.mccartney@jpl.nasa.gov Karen Fox / Molly Wasser NASA Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov 2024-163 Share Details Last Updated Nov 25, 2024 Related TermsEuropa ClipperEuropaJet Propulsion Laboratory Explore More 5 min read NASA Ocean World Explorers Have to Swim Before They Can Fly Article 5 days ago 5 min read NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Takes a Last Look at Mysterious Sulfur Article 7 days ago 4 min read Precision Pointing Goes the Distance on NASA Experiment Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

4 min read NASA, JAXA XRISM Mission Looks Deeply Into ‘Hidden’ Stellar System The Japan-led XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) observatory has captured the most detailed portrait yet of gases flowing within Cygnus X-3, one of the most studied sources in the X-ray sky. Cygnus X-3 is a binary that pairs a rare type of high-mass star with a compact companion — likely a black hole. Cygnus X-3 is a high-mass binary consisting of a compact object (likely a black hole) and a hot Wolf-Rayet star. This artist’s concept shows one interpretation of the system. High-resolution X-ray spectroscopy indicates two gas components: a heavy background outflow, or wind, emanating from the massive star and a turbulent structure — perhaps a wake carved into the wind — located close to the orbiting companion. As shown here, a black hole’s gravity captures some of the wind into an accretion disk around it, and the disk’s orbital motion sculpts a path (yellow arc) through the streaming gas. During strong outbursts, the companion emits jets of particles moving near the speed of light, seen here extending above and below the black hole. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center “The nature of the massive star is one factor that makes Cygnus X-3 so intriguing,” said Ralf Ballhausen, a postdoctoral associate at the University of Maryland, College Park, and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “It’s a Wolf-Rayet star, a type that has evolved to the point where strong outflows called stellar winds strip gas from the star’s surface and drive it outward. The compact object sweeps up and heats some of this gas, causing it to emit X-rays.” A paper describing the findings, led by Ballhausen, will appear in a future edition of The Astrophysical Journal. “For XRISM, Cygnus X-3 is a Goldilocks target — its brightness is ‘just right’ in the energy range where XRISM is especially sensitive,” said co-author Timothy Kallman, an astrophysicist at NASA Goddard. “This unusual source has been studied by every X-ray satellite ever flown, so observing it is a kind of rite of passage for new X-ray missions.” XRISM (pronounced “crism”) is led by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) in collaboration with NASA, along with contributions from ESA (European Space Agency). NASA and JAXA developed the mission’s microcalorimeter spectrometer instrument, named Resolve. Observing Cygnus X-3 for 18 hours in late March, Resolve acquired a high-resolution spectrum that allows astronomers to better understand the complex gas dynamics operating there. These include outflowing gas produced by a hot, massive star, its interaction with the compact companion, and a turbulent region that may represent a wake produced by the companion as it orbits through the outrushing gas. XRISM’s Resolve instrument has captured the most detailed X-ray spectrum yet acquired of Cygnus X-3. Peaks indicate X-rays emitted by ionized gases, and valleys form where the gases absorb X-rays; many lines are also shifted to both higher and lower energies by gas motions. Top: The full Resolve spectrum, from 2 to 8 keV (kiloelectron volts), tracks X-rays with thousands of times the energy of visible light. Some lines are labeled with the names of the elements that produced them, such as sulfur, argon, and calcium, along with Roman numerals that refer to the number of electrons these atoms have lost. Bottom: A zoom into a region of the spectrum often dominated by features produced by transitions in the innermost electron shell (K shell) of iron atoms. These features form when the atoms interact with high-energy X-rays or electrons and respond by emitting a photon at energies between 6.4 and 7 keV. These details, clearly visible for the first time with XRISM’s Resolve instrument, will help astronomers refine their understanding of this unusual system. JAXA/NASA/XRISM Collaboration In Cygnus X-3, the star and compact object are so close they complete an orbit in just 4.8 hours. The binary is thought to lie about 32,000 light-years away in the direction of the northern constellation Cygnus. While thick dust clouds in our galaxy’s central plane obscure any visible light from Cygnus X-3, the binary has been studied in radio, infrared, and gamma-ray light, as well as in X-rays. The system is immersed in the star’s streaming gas, which is illuminated and ionized by X-rays from the compact companion. The gas both emits and absorbs X-rays, and many of the spectrum’s prominent peaks and valleys incorporate both aspects. Yet a simple attempt at understanding the spectrum comes up short because some of the features appear to be in the wrong place. That’s because the rapid motion of the gas displaces these features from their normal laboratory energies due to the Doppler effect. Absorption valleys typically shift up to higher energies, indicating gas moving toward us at speeds of up to 930,000 mph (1.5 million kph). Emission peaks shift down to lower energies, indicating gas moving away from us at slower speeds. Some spectral features displayed much stronger absorption valleys than emission peaks. The reason for this imbalance, the team concludes, is that the dynamics of the stellar wind allow the moving gas to absorb a broader range of X-ray energies emitted by the companion. The detail of the XRISM spectrum, particularly at higher energies rich in features produced by ionized iron atoms, allowed the scientists to disentangle these effects. “A key to acquiring this detail was XRISM’s ability to monitor the system over the course of several orbits,” said Brian Williams, NASA’s project scientist for the mission at Goddard. “There’s much more to explore in this spectrum, and ultimately we hope it will help us determine if Cygnus X-3’s compact object is indeed a black hole.” XRISM is a collaborative mission between JAXA and NASA, with participation by ESA. NASA’s contribution includes science participation from CSA (Canadian Space Agency). Download additional images from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio By Francis Reddy NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media Contact: Claire Andreoli 301-286-1940 claire.andreoli@nasa.gov NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Share Details Last Updated Nov 25, 2024 Related Terms Black Holes Electromagnetic Spectrum Galaxies, Stars, & Black Holes Research Goddard Space Flight Center Stars Stellar-mass Black Holes The Universe X-ray Binaries XRISM (X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) Facebook logo @NASAUniverse @NASAUniverse Instagram logo @NASAUniverse Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article