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By NASA
1 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Will the Sun ever burn out?
Well, the Sun, just like the stars we see at night, is a star. It’s a giant ball of super hot hydrogen.
Gravity squeezes it in and it creates energy, which is what makes the Sun shine. Eventually, it will use up all of that hydrogen. But in the process, it’s creating helium. So it will then use the helium. And it will continue to use larger and larger elements until it can’t do this anymore.
And when that happens, it will start to expand into a red giant about the size of the inner planets. Then it will shrink back down into a very strange star called a white dwarf — super hot, but not very bright and about the size of the Earth.
But our Sun has a pretty long lifetime. It’s halfway through its 10-billion-year lifetime.
So the Sun will never really burn out, but it will change and be a very, very different dim kind of star when it reaches the end of its normal life.
[END VIDEO TRANSCRIPT]
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Last Updated May 15, 2025 Related Terms
Science Mission Directorate Heliophysics Heliophysics Division The Solar System The Sun The Sun & Solar Physics Explore More
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By NASA
During the Piston Powered Auto-Rama at the I-X Center in Cleveland on Monday, March 31, 2025, NASA Glenn Research Center’s Salvadore Oriti, right, discusses the technology behind free-piston Stirling cycle machines. Credit: NASA/Kristin Jansen NASA Glenn Research Center’s work in power and propulsion was on full display at the Piston Powered Auto-Rama at the I-X Center in Cleveland, March 28-30. The event is the largest indoor showcase of cars, trucks, motorcycles, tractors, and other engine-powered vehicles.
Center staff introduced guests to NASA’s Stirling engine technology, a free-piston Stirling power convertor that set records for accomplishing 14 years of maintenance-free operation at NASA Glenn in 2020. Attendees also explored how NASA is using space nuclear power to reach the deepest, dustiest, darkest, and most distant regions of our solar system through radioisotope power systems.
More than 57,500 people attended the event.
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1 min read NASA Glenn Engineer Highlights Research for Hubble Servicing Missions
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By NASA
NASA Glenn Research Center senior materials research engineer Kim de Groh, who conducted research for Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions, shared her experiences during a presentation at Great Lakes Science Center, home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, in Cleveland on Thursday, May 8, 2025. Credit: NASA/Dennis Brown April 24 marked the 35th anniversary of the launch of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The iconic space observatory remains a household name —the most well-recognized and scientifically productive telescope in history. Engineers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland played a significant role in how the telescope functions today.
NASA’s Glenn Research Center researchers Kim de Groh, left, and Joyce Dever conducted research for Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions. De Groh shared her experiences during a presentation at Great Lakes Science Center, home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, in Cleveland on Thursday, May 8, 2025. Credit: NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna NASA Glenn researchers assisted in all five Hubble servicing missions by testing damaged insulation, determining why it degraded in space, and recommending replacement materials.
One of those researchers, Kim de Groh, senior materials research engineer, shared some of that research in a special presentation at Great Lakes Science Center, home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, in Cleveland on May 8. She chronicled her Hubble experience with a presentation, a show-and-tell with samples directly from the telescope, and a Q&A addressing the audience’s Hubble-related questions.
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1 min read NASA Glenn Hosts Slovenian Delegation and Ohio Governor’s Office
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By NASA
A specialty license plate showcasing NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is now available on the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles website. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Ohio residents can now take their vehicle to new heights with a specialty license plate showcasing NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.
It is available on the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) website under the “Special Interest Plates” section. Click the “Organizational Plates” drop-down tab for details on NASA Glenn’s plate.
The Ohio BMV will collect an additional $10 above the regular license plate fee. NASA will not receive any money from the sale.
NASA Glenn makes space exploration and aviation possible. This incredible work is happening right here in Northeast Ohio. The specialty license plate allows fans to show support for their community and Ohio’s NASA center.
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1 min read NASA Glenn Engineer Highlights Research for Hubble Servicing Missions
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By NASA
During World Water Day at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, March 21, 2025, NASA’s Glenn Research Center staff, left to right, Heather Roe, Debbie Welch, and Jacqueline Minerd show how NASA’s Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment uses water to regulate the body temperatures of astronauts during spacewalks. Credit: NASA/Lillianne Hammel Water is essential for life, and it is an important engineering tool as well. On March 21, NASA’s Glenn Research Center staff joined Great Lakes Science Center in celebrating World Water Day at the science center, home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, in downtown Cleveland. Staff conducted hands-on demonstrations highlighting NASA’s Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment during the free day for students.
A NASA Glenn Research Center staff member demonstrates how NASA’s Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment cools down the body using water during World Water Day at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, March 21, 2025. Credit: NASA/Lillianne Hammel This interactive activity helped students discover how NASA uses water to regulate the body temperatures of astronauts during spacewalks.
Approximately 450 students and educators attended the event.
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1 min read NASA Glenn Engineer Highlights Research for Hubble Servicing Missions
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