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Ant-like alien creature seen in Perseverance Mars rover image
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By NASA
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
NASA MSFC HERC is the annual engineering competition – one of NASA’s longest standing challenges – held its concluding event April 19 and April 20, at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.NASA NASA has selected 75 student teams to begin an engineering design challenge to build rovers that will compete next spring at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center near the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The competition is one of the agency’s Artemis Student Challenges, encouraging students to pursue degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Recognized as NASA’s leading international student challenge, the 31st annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) aims to put competitors in the mindset of NASA’s Artemis campaign as they pitch an engineering design for a lunar terrain vehicle which simulates astronauts piloting a vehicle, exploring the lunar surface while overcoming various obstacles.
Participating teams represent 35 colleges and universities, 38 high schools, and two middle schools from 20 states, Puerto Rico, and 16 other nations from around the world. The 31st annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) is scheduled to begin on April 11, 2025. The challenge is managed by NASA’s Southeast Regional Office of STEM Engagement at NASA Marshall.
Following a 2024 competition that garnered international attention, NASA expanded the challenge to include a remote-control division, Remote-Operated Vehicular Research, and invited middle school students to participate. The 2025 HERC Handbook includes guidelines for the new remote-control division and updates for the human-powered division.
NASA’s Artemis Student Challenges reflects the goals of the Artemis campaign, which seeks to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon while establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration.
More than 1,000 students with 72 teams from around the world participated in the 2024 challenge as HERC celebrated its 30th anniversary as a NASA competition. Since its inception in 1994, more than 15,000 students have participated in HERC – with many former students now working at NASA, or within the aerospace industry.
To learn more about HERC, please visit:
HERC Website Taylor Goodwin
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
256.544.0034
taylor.goodwin@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Oct 04, 2024 EditorBeth RidgewayLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms
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NASA Student Launch Challenge
Middle/high school and college-level student teams design, build, test, and launch a high-powered rocket carrying a scientific or engineering payload.
NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge
Teams of high school and college students design, develop, build, and test human-powered rovers capable of traversing challenging terrain.
NASA STEM Opportunities and Activities For Students
Marshall Space Flight Center
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By USH
Where do asteroids get all those craters? Countless small circular craters, plus almost always a few that look like massive killers. Even more confusing is that these craters are at a perfect 90º angle, as if an electric arc had run across the surface.
According to ThunderboltsProject, the Electric Universe (EU) model, the scars observed on asteroids are caused by electric arcs which cut surface depressions, scoop out material, accelerate it into space, then leave behind clean-cut geological relief.
This theory is supported by Electric Discharge Machining (EDM), a process we use every day to shape materials with electric arcs, producing similar clean-cut effects.
This brings us to the following hypothesis: Could it be that, instead of craters on asteroids being formed solely by natural space phenomena, that all these craters at a perfect 90º angle with clean-cut geological relief are the result of asteroid mining originated by alien races who use advanced electric arc/laser technology by extracting raw minerals they urgently need for use on their planet or for in-space manufacturing?
Asteroids vary greatly in composition, ranging from those rich in volatile substances to those composed of metals like gold, silver, platinum, cobalt, and palladium, alongside more common elements such as iron and nickel. This makes them potential treasure troves of valuable resources.
For us as Earthlings, asteroid mining is a technology in its earliest stages and requires significant advances in robotic technology before asteroid mining becomes a reality, however, if more advanced civilizations exist elsewhere in the universe, it's quite plausible that some of them have already turned to asteroid mining long ago.
Could their efforts be leaving behind the very craters on asteroids we observe today?
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By NASA
4 min read
NASA’s Instruments Capture Sharpest Image of Earth’s Radiation Belt
From Aug. 19-20, ESA’s (European Space Agency’s) Juice (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) mission made history with a daring lunar-Earth flyby and double gravity assist maneuver, a spaceflight first. As the spacecraft zipped past our Moon and home planet, Juice’s instruments came online for a dry run of what they’ll do when they reach Jupiter. During that time, two of NASA’s onboard instruments added another first to the list: capturing the sharpest-ever image of Earth’s radiation belts – swaths of charged particles trapped in Earth’s magnetic shield, or magnetosphere.
The Jovian Energetic Neutrals and Ions (JENI) instrument, built and managed by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, on behalf of NASA, took the image as Juice soared away from Earth. What it captured is invisible to the human eye. Unlike traditional cameras that rely on light, JENI uses special sensors to capture energetic neutral atoms emitted by charged particles interacting with the extended atmospheric hydrogen gas surrounding Earth. The JENI instrument is the newest generation of this type of camera, building on the success of a similar instrument on NASA’s Cassini mission that revealed the magnetospheres of Saturn and Jupiter.
An illustration showing the trajectory of ESA’s Juice spacecraft during its lunar-Earth gravity assist, featuring a high-resolution ENA image of the million-degree hot plasma halo encircling Earth captured by NASA’s JENI instrument. The white rings denote equatorial distance of 4 and 6 Earth radii. The inset showcases measurements taken by the NASA’s JENI and JoEE instruments during their passage through the radiation belts, revealing a highly structured energetic ion and electron environment. Credit: ESA/NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Josh Diaz “As soon as we saw the crisp, new images, high fives went around the room,” said Matina Gkioulidou, deputy lead of JENI at APL. “It was clear we had captured the vast ring of hot plasma encircling Earth in unprecedented detail, an achievement that has sparked excitement for what is to come at Jupiter.”
On Aug. 19, JENI and its companion particle instrument Jovian Energetic Electrons (JoEE) made the most of their brief 30-minute encounter with the Moon. As Juice zoomed just 465 miles (750 kilometers) above the lunar surface, the instruments gathered data on the space environment’s interaction with our nearest celestial companion. It’s an interaction scientists expect to see magnified at Jupiter’s moons, as the gas giant’s radiation-rich magnetosphere barrels over them.
On Aug. 20, Juice hurled into Earth’s magnetosphere, passing some 37,000 miles (60,000 km) above the Pacific Ocean, where the instruments got their first taste of the harsh environment that awaits at Jupiter. Racing through the magnetotail, JoEE and JENI encountered the dense, lower-energy plasma characteristic of this region before plunging into the heart of the radiation belts. There, the instruments measured the million-degree plasma encircling Earth to investigate the secrets of plasma heating that are known to fuel dramatic phenomena in planetary magnetospheres.
“I couldn’t have hoped for a better flyby,” said Pontus Brandt, principal investigator of JoEE and JENI at APL. “The richness of the data from our deep-dive through the magnetosphere is astounding. JENI’s image of the entire system we just flew through was the cherry on top. It’s a powerful combination we will exploit in the Jovian system.”
Now after using the Moon’s and Earth’s gravity, Juice’s trajectory has been successfully adjusted for a future encounter with Venus in August 2025. That Venus flyby will serve as a gravitational slingshot, propelling Juice back toward Earth and priming it for two additional flybys in September 2026 and January 2029. Only then will the spacecraft, now boosted into high gear, make its grand arrival at Jupiter in July 2031.
The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, in Laurel, Maryland, manages the JoEE and JENI instruments, which together make up the Particle Environment Package (PEP-Hi) instrument suite, for NASA on ESA’s Juice mission. The JoEE and JENI instruments are part of the Solar System Exploration Program, managed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.
For more information on NASA’s involvement with ESA’s Juice mission, visit:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/juice/
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By USH
A photo recently captured by NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars has revealed a surprising object that stands out from the planet's natural landscape.
The object in question looks like an artificial piece of glass or eventual a mirror, (the contours of the glass/mirror are clearly visible), partially located behind a rock formation.
The fact that it could be a mirror is because the reflection in the mirror seems to show a part of what appears to be a metallic rectangular object what lies in front of the mirror.
Both the glass/mirror and the metallic object seem to be remnants of something either abandoned or wrecked long ago. They clearly do not belong to the rover's equipment or any known NASA gear.
This discovery joins a growing list of mysterious objects found on Mars hinting at the possibility that intelligent civilizations may have once existed on the planet potentially wiped out due to a catastrophic event which made life on the planet impossible.
Link to the photo uploaded by Neville Thompson on his Gigapan page. http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/236036View the full article
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By NASA
NASA’s HERA (Human Exploration Research Analog) crew members enjoy their first glimpse of the outside after a 45-day stay inside the analog environment. From left to right: Sergii Iakymov, Sarah Elizabeth McCandless, Erin Anderson, and Brandon Kent.NASA/Bill Stafford An all-volunteer crew on a simulated trip to Mars “returned” to Earth on Sept. 23, 2024, after being isolated in a tiny habitat at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Their work is contributing to the science that will propel humanity to the Moon and eventually Mars.
The HERA missions provide valuable scientific insights into how humans may respond to the confinement, demanding work-life conditions, and remote environments that astronauts may encounter on deep space missions. These insights help NASA prepare for humanity’s next giant leap to the Moon and Mars.
Campaign 7 Mission 3 started when HERA operations lead Ted Babic rang the bell outside the habitat 10 times, a ceremonial send-off wishing the crew a safe and successful simulated mission to Mars. Seven rings honored the campaign, and three more signaled the mission—continuing a long-standing tradition.
At ingress, Anderson, a structural engineer at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia, told HERA’s mission control, “We’re going to take good care of this ship of yours on our journey.”
The HERA crew members wave goodbye to friends, family, and support staff before entering the analog environment on Aug. 9, 2024.NASA/James Blair Life on a 45-Day Journey
The HERA crew members participated in 18 human health and performance studies, seven of which were led by scientists from outside the United States. These international studies are in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates’ Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre and the European Space Agency.
HERA crew members inside the analog environment at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. From left: Sarah Elizabeth McCandless, Brandon Kent, Erin Anderson, and Sergii Iakymov.NASA/Bill Stafford Throughout the simulation, the crew performed a variety of tasks. They harvested plants from a hydroponic garden, grew shrimp, deployed a small cube satellite to simulate data gathering, conducted a virtual reality “walk” on the surface of Mars, and flew simulated drones on the Martian terrain. These activities are designed to immerse the crew in the task-focused mindset of astronauts. NASA scientists then monitor HERA crew to assess how routine tasks, along with isolation and confinement, impact behavior and performance.
As their mission progressed, the team experienced longer communication delays with mission control, eventually reaching five-minute lags. This simulates the challenges astronauts might face on Mars, where delays could be up to 20 minutes. Scientists studying HERA crew are interested to see how this particular group builds independent, autonomous workflows, despite this communication delay.
Here are some snapshots of crew activities:
McCandless holds a skeletal framework of a Mars rover. She is wearing augmented reality glasses that allow her to project various scientific hardware as holograms. The final product will be a Mars rover that she ‘built’ herself. NASA Kent and Anderson, seen through an airlock window separating rooms inside HERA, conduct a virtual reality EVA on the Mars surface. NASA McCandless analyzes geological samples inside HERA’s glove box. Throughout the HERA mission, samples are “collected” on Mars during mock extravehicular activities. NASA/James Blair Anderson holds her coffee cup as she climbs the ladder connecting the first and second floors inside HERA.NASA Kent examines a petri dish for storing swabs of microbes. He and fellow crew members swab surfaces around HERA, then wait a few days to examine any microbes that grow in the dishes. Iakymov examines water quality and temperature in a tank that holds a few triops shrimp that he and his crewmates raised.NASA McCandless and Anderson work out on HERA’s second floor. They are holding power blocks, dumbbells equipped with weights that can adjust to a maximum of 35 pounds. The blocks take up less space than a set of regular dumbbells, helping to save space in the tiny habitat.NASA All crew members brought books to accompany them on their journey to the Red Planet, while Kent left behind letters for his two daughters to open each day.
McCandless also brought letters from loved ones, along with Legos, her favorite card game, and a vintage iPod.
Iakymov, an aerospace engineer with more than 15 years of experience in research and design, is carrying postcards and photos of family and friends.
Anderson, who describes herself as a massive space nerd, brought extra socks and “The Never Ending Story,” a book she has cherished throughout her life.
The crew all shared appreciation for being part of a mission that contributes to the aspirations of future human space exploration travel.
The crew holds up varieties of lettuce grown in hydroponic units inside HERA. NASA Returning to Earth
As the mission neared its end, McCandless and Anderson participated in a Groundlink—a live session connecting them with middle school students in a classroom in Coconut Grove, Florida, and in Olathe, Kansas. Groundlinks provide a unique opportunity for students to engage directly with crew members and learn about the realities of long-duration missions.
The students asked the crew about life inside the habitat, the challenges of isolation, and what it might be like to live on Mars. They were also curious about the crew’s favorite foods and activities. McCandless shared her love for cheddar crisps and freeze-dried Pad Thai and proudly showed off favorite sports teams from her home state of Kansas, much to the cheers of the crowd. Anderson displayed the massive collection of comics and fantasy books that she read inside the habitat.
In the late afternoon of Sept. 23, 2024, the crew egressed from HERA, marking the end of their 45-day simulated mission to Mars. After stepping out of the habitat, the crew expressed gratitude for the opportunity and reflected on the mission’s significance.
“Following our safe passage to Mars, and our safe return to Earth, as the crew of Campaign 7, Mission 3, we hereby officially transfer this exploration vessel to the flight analogs operations team,” said Kent. “We hope this vessel continues to serve as a safe home for future HERA crews.”
Want to Participate in HERA?
NASA is actively seeking healthy, non-smoking volunteers, aged 30 to 55, for future HERA missions. Volunteers, who will be compensated for their participation, must pass a physical and psychological assessment to qualify.
For those inspired to take part in this groundbreaking research, opportunities to join future HERA missions await:
https://analogstudies.jsc.nasa.gov
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