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John C. Mather, a senior astrophysicist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and senior project scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), has won the 2006 Nobel Physics Prize.

Mather shares the prize with George F. Smoot, a professor of physics at the University of California at Berkeley, for work that helped solidify the Big Bang theory for the origin of the universe. Mather and Smoot were members of a science team that used NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite to measure the diffuse microwave background radiation, which is considered a relic of the Big Bang.

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      Titans Space Industries, a commercial space company, selected a new cohort of astronaut candidates this spring – and among them is NASA citizen scientist, Benedetta Facini. She has participated in not one, but many NASA citizen science projects: Cloudspotting on Mars, Active Asteroids, Daily Minor Planet, GLOBE, Exoasteroids and International Astronomical Collaboration (IASC). We asked her a few questions about her work with NASA and her path to becoming an astronaut candidate.
      Benedetta Facini visiting Kennedy Space Center in 2023 Credit: B.F. Q: How did you learn about NASA Citizen Science?
      A: Through colleagues and social media, I often came across people talking about Citizen Science, and this immediately caught my curiosity. I did some online research on the subject, and I asked some colleagues already involved in it. Finally, I managed to find the way to participate by exploring the programs offered by NASA Citizen Science, which impressed me with their variety.
      Q: What would you say you have gained from working on these NASA projects?
      A: Curiosity in discovering new things and a lot of patience: many projects indeed require attention and, as mentioned, patience. I was pleased to discover that even NASA relies on “ordinary people” to carry out research, giving them the opportunity to learn new things using simple tools.
      I also gained hands-on experience in analyzing real data and identifying celestial objects to contribute to real research efforts. My favorite part was to learn to recognize the pattern of clouds in data collected by the Mars Climate Sounder on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
      I have learned the importance of international collaboration: I know many citizen scientists now, and interacting with them teaches me a lot every day. 
      Q. What do you do when you’re not working on citizen science?
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      Recently, I achieved a major milestone: I was selected as an Astronaut Candidate by the commercial space company, Titans Space Industries. I am thrilled to soon begin the basic training, which marks the first step toward realizing my dream of becoming an astronaut and contributing directly to human spaceflight and scientific research.
      Q. What do you need to do to become an astronaut?
      A: Gain as much experience as possible. During astronaut selection, not only academic achievements are evaluated, but also professional and personal experiences.
      Every skill can be useful during the selection process: the ability to work in a team, which is essential during space missions; survival skills; experience as a diver, skydiver, or pilot; knowledge of other languages; and the ability to adapt to different situations.
      I would also like to debunk a myth: you don’t need to be Einstein and fit as an Olympic level athlete; you just need to be good at what you do and be healthy.
      Q: How has citizen science helped you with your career?
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      The hands-on experience I gained in analyzing real data was also very helpful for my academic career, too. I had never had real data to work with before, and this experience proved extremely valuable for the practical courses in my physics degree program.
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      Q: Thank you for sharing your story with us! Is there anything else you would like to add?
      A: I would like to thank the team behind NASA Citizen Science.
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      Knowing that I have contributed to helping scientists is incredibly motivating and encourages me and students around the world to keep going, stay curious, and continue pursuing our path in the science field.
      The opportunity to participate in these projects while learning is inspiring and it reinforces the idea that everyone, regardless of their background, can make a real impact in the scientific community.
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      To view all 2025 art contest entries, please click here.

      Brittny McGraw
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      Joe Atkinson
      Public Affairs Officer, NASA Langley Research Center

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      “The RASC-AL Competition cultivates students who bring bold, imaginative thinking to the kinds of complex challenges we tackle at NASA,” said Dan Mazanek, RASC-AL program sponsor and senior space systems engineer at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. “These teams push the boundaries of what’s possible in space system design and offer new insights. These insights help build critical engineering capabilities, preparing the next generation of aerospace leaders to step confidently into the future of space exploration.” 

      As NASA continues to push the boundaries of space exploration, the RASC-AL Competition stands as an opportunity for aspiring aerospace professionals to design real-world solutions to complex problems facing the Agency. By engaging with the next generation of innovators, NASA can collaborate with the academic community to crowd-source new solutions for the challenges of tomorrow. 

      Additional 2025 Forum Awards include: 
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      Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University  Project Title: Project Aeneas  Advisor: Dr. Kevin Shinpaugh  Best in Theme: Advanced Science Missions and Technology Demonstrators for Human-Mars Precursor Campaign 
      Auburn University  Project Title: Dynamic Ecosystems for Mars ECLSS Testing, Evaluation, and Reliability (DEMETER)  Advisor: Dr. Davide Guzzetti  Best in Theme: Small Lunar Servicing and Maintenance Robot 
      Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University  Project Title: Adaptive Device for Assistance and Maintenance (ADAM)  Advisor: Dr. Kevin Shinpaugh  Best Prototype: South Dakota State University 
      Project Title: Next-gen Operations and Versatile Assistant (NOVA)  Advisor: Dr. Todd Letcher, Allea Klauenberg, Liam Murray, Alex Schaar, Nick Sieler, Dylan Stephens, Carter Waggoner 
      RASC-AL is open to undergraduate and graduate students studying disciplines related to human exploration, including aerospace, bio-medical, electrical, and mechanical engineering, and life, physical, and computer sciences. RASC-AL projects allow students to incorporate their coursework into space exploration objectives in a team environment and help bridge strategic knowledge gaps associated with NASA’s vision. Students have the opportunity to interact with NASA officials and industry experts and develop relationships that could lead to participation in other NASA student research programs.   

      RASC-AL is sponsored by the Strategies and Architectures Office within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, and by the Space Mission Analysis Branch within the Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate at NASA Langley. It is administered by the National Institute of Aerospace.   

      For more information about the RASC-AL competition, including complete theme and submission guidelines, visit: http://rascal.nianet.org. 

      National Institute of Aerospace
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