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35 Years Ago: NASA Selects its 13th Group of Astronauts 

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On Jan. 17, 1990, NASA announced the selection of its 13th group of astronaut candidates. The diverse group comprised 23 candidates – seven pilots and 16 mission specialists. The group included one African American, one Asian American, and five women including the first female pilot and the first Hispanic woman. Following one year of astronaut candidate training, all 23 became eligible for technical assignments within the astronaut office and for assignment to space shuttle crews. All members of the group completed at least one spaceflight, making significant contributions to the space shuttle program, the Shuttle Mir program, important science missions, and assembly and maintenance of the International Space Station. Several went on to serve in key NASA management positions. 

Outdoor group photo of 23 men and women wearing blue overall flight suits, with a jet airplane in the background.
The Group 13 NASA astronaut candidates pose for a group photo – front row kneeling, Charles Precourt, left, Janice Voss, Ellen Ochoa, David Wolf, Eileen Collins, and Daniel Bursch; standing, William Gregory, left, Jeffrey Wisoff, Carl Walz, Richard Searfoss, Donald Thomas, James Halsell, Thomas Jones, James Newman, Kenneth Cockrell, Bernard Harris, Leroy Chiao, Ronald Sega, Susan Helms, William McArthur, Nancy Sherlock, Richard Clifford, and Terrance Wilcutt.

The newest class of NASA astronaut candidates included pilot candidates Kenneth Cockrell, Eileen Collins, William Gregory, James Halsell, Charles Precourt, Richard Searfoss, and Terrence Wilcutt and mission specialist candidates Daniel Bursch, Leroy Chiao, Rich Clifford, Bernard Harris, Susan Helms, Thomas Jones, William Mc Arthur, James Newman, Ellen Ochoa, Ronald Sega, Nancy Sherlock, Donald Thomas, Janice Voss, Carl Walz, Jeffrey Wisoff, and David Wolf. From the 1,945 qualified applicants, NASA invited 103 candidates for interviews and medical exams at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston between September and November 1989. 

The 23 astronaut candidates reported to work at JSC on July 16, 1990, to begin their one-year training period. During the yearlong training, the candidates attended classes in applied sciences, space shuttle systems, space medicine, Earth and planetary sciences, and materials sciences. They visited each of the NASA centers to learn about their functions and received instruction in flying the T-38 Talon training aircraft, high-altitude and ground egress systems, survival skills, parasail flight, and scuba. They experienced short-duration weightlessness aboard NASA’s KC-135 aircraft dubbed the Vomit Comet. After completing the astronaut candidate training, they qualified for various technical assignments within the astronaut office leading to assignments to space shuttle crews. 

Per tradition, most astronaut classes have a nickname, often humorously given to them by the previous class of astronauts. In the case of the class of 1990, they chose their own nickname, The Hairballs. The origin stems from the class adopting a black cat as their mascot, in recognition of their class number 13. The nickname came about as hairballs are often associated with cats. 

Daniel Bursch 

Born in Pennsylvania, Bursch grew up in New York state and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. He served as a pilot in the U.S. Navy prior to his selection as an astronaut. He received his first flight assignment as a mission specialist on STS-51, flying with fellow Hairballs Newman and Walz on the 10-day flight aboard Discovery in 1993. On his second mission, the 10-day STS-68 flight aboard Endeavour in 1994, Bursch, accompanied by fellow classmates Jones, Wilcutt, and Wisoff, served as a mission specialist on the Space Radar Laboratory-2 (SRL-2) Earth observation mission. For his third trip into space, Bursch flew as a mission specialist aboard Endeavour for the 10-day STS-77 mission in 1996. For his fourth and final spaceflight, Bursch, along with fellow Hairball Walz, spent 196 days in space as an Expedition 4 flight engineer aboard the space station in 2001 and 2002, conducting two spacewalks totaling 11 hours 46 minutes. He launched on STS-108 and returned on STS-111. Across his four missions, Bursch accumulated 227 days in space. 

Leroy Chiao 

California native Chiao earned a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, before NASA selected him as an astronaut. For his first flight, he flew as a mission specialist on STS-65, the International Microgravity Lab-2 (IML-2) mission aboard Columbia in 1994. Fellow Hairballs Halsell, Walz, and Thomas accompanied Chiao on the nearly 15-day flight, the longest shuttle mission up to that time. During his second spaceflight, the nine-day STS-72 flight of Endeavour in 1996, Chiao participated in two spacewalks totaling 13 hours 3 minutes to demonstrate future techniques. In 2000, Chiao, accompanied by fellow classmates McArthur and Wisoff, flew the 13-day STS-92 3A space station assembly mission aboard Discovery. He participated in two spacewalks with classmate McArthur totaling 13 hours 16 minutes. For his fourth and final mission, Chiao served as commander of Expedition 10 in 2004 and 2005, spending 193 days in space. During the mission, he conducted two spacewalks totaling 9 hours 58 minutes. During his four flights, Chiao logged 229 days in space and spent more than 36 hours outside on his six spacewalks. 

Rich Clifford 

Clifford, born in California, grew up in Ogden, Utah. He holds the distinction as one of the first three astronauts of his class assigned to a spaceflight, the seven-day STS-53 mission aboard Discovery in 1992 to deploy a large satellite for the Department of Defense. His second flight, the SRL-1 mission aboard Endeavour took place in 1994. Fellow Hairball Jones accompanied him on the STS-59 11-day Earth observation mission. For his third and final spaceflight, Clifford flew as a mission specialist on the STS-76 third Shuttle Mir docking mission. During the nine-day mission in 1996, accompanied by fellow classmate Sega, Clifford participated in a six-hour one-minute spacewalk. During his three spaceflights, he accumulated nearly 28 days in space. 

Kenneth Cockrell 

Cockrell, a native Texan, served as naval aviator prior to his selection as an astronaut. On his first mission, STS-56, he served as a mission specialist for the nine-day ATLAS-2 Earth observation mission in 1993. Fellow classmate Ochoa accompanied him on the flight aboard Discovery. Cockrell served as pilot on his second mission, the 11-day STS-69 Endeavour flight in 1995 to deploy and retrieve the Wake Shield Facility. Classmate Voss accompanied him on this mission. Cockrell commanded his third spaceflight, STS-80 in 1996 aboard Columbia, accompanied by fellow Hairball Jones. At 17 days 15 hours 53 minutes days, it holds the distinction as the longest shuttle flight. He once again served as commander on his fourth mission, the STS-98 5A space station assembly flight in 2001. Accompanied by classmate Jones, the crew delivered the U.S. Laboratory Module Destiny during the 13-day mission. On his fifth and final spaceflight, Cockrell commanded the STS-111 space station UF-2 utilization mission in 2002. During the 14-day flight, the crew brought the Expedition 5 crew to the station and returned the Expedition 4 crew, including Hairballs Bursch and Walz. During his five missions, Cockrell accumulated 64.5 days in space. He served as Chief of the Astronaut Office from October 1997 to October 1998. 

Eileen Collins 

Hailing from New York state, Collins has the distinction as the first female selected by NASA as a shuttle pilot. She received her first flight assignment as pilot of STS-63, the eight-day Shuttle-Mir rendezvous mission in 1995. Fellow classmates Harris and Voss accompanied her aboard Discovery. Collins once again served as pilot on STS-84, the sixth Shuttle-Mir docking mission commanded by fellow Hairball Precourt. The nine-day flight aboard Atlantis took place in 1997. On her third flight, Collins served as the first female commander of a space mission, the five-day STS-93 flight of Columbia in 1999 to deploy the Chandra X-ray Observatory. She commanded her fourth and final mission, the STS-114 return to flight mission following the Columbia accident. The 14-day flight aboard Discovery took place in 2005. During her four missions, Collins logged 36 days in space. 

William Gregory 

New York native Gregory served as a U.S. Air Force pilot when NASA selected him as an astronaut. He flew his single mission as pilot of STS-67, the 17-day Astro-2 mission aboard Endeavour in 1995. The mission set a record for the longest shuttle flight up to that time. 

James Halsell 

Halsell, a native of Louisiana, served as a U.S. Air Force pilot when NASA selected him as an astronaut. On his first spaceflight, he served as pilot on STS-65, the IML-2 mission aboard Columbia in 1994. Fellow Hairballs Chiao, Walz, and Thomas accompanied Halsell on the nearly 15-day flight, the longest shuttle mission up to that time. Halsell once again served as pilot on his second flight, STS-74, the second Shuttle-Mir docking mission that delivered the Docking Module to Mir. Classmate McArthur joined Halsell on the eight-day Atlantis flight in 1995. He commanded his third spaceflight, STS-83 aboard Columbia, the Microgravity Sciences Lab in 1997. Because managers cut the flight short after four days due to a fuel cell failure, NASA decided to refly the mission, with the same crew, later in the year as STS-94, and it stayed in space for nearly 16 days. Classmates Voss and Thomas accompanied Halsell on both missions. Halsell also commanded his fifth and final spaceflight, the STS-101 2A.2a space station logistics mission in 2000. Classmate Helms accompanied Halsell on the 10-day mission aboard Atlantis. During his five missions, Halsell accumulated more than 52 days of spaceflight time.  

Bernard Harris 

Texas native Harris served as a NASA flight surgeon when the agency selected him as an astronaut. He holds the distinction as one of the first three astronauts of his class assigned to a spaceflight. He served as a mission specialist on the STS-55 joint U.S.-German Spacelab D2 mission in 1993. Fellow Hairball Precourt accompanied him on the 10-day flight aboard Columbia. Harris flew as payload commander on his second and final spaceflight, the STS-63 Mir rendezvous mission in 1995, accompanied by classmates Collins and Voss. During the flight, Harris conducted a 4-hour 49-minute spacewalk, earning the distinction as the first African American to do so. Across his two missions, Harris logged 18 days in space. 

Susan Helms 

Helms, a native of Portland, Oregon, graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in the first class that included women. Shortly after her selection as an astronaut, NASA assigned her to her first spaceflight, and she holds the distinction as one of the first three astronauts of her class assigned to a mission. She flew as a mission specialist on STS-54, a six-day flight aboard Endeavour in 1993 that deployed the sixth Tracking and Data Relay Satellite. On her second mission, Helms flew aboard STS-64, an 11-day flight aboard Discovery in 1994. She served as the payload commander on STS-78, the Life and Microgravity Sciences Spacelab mission aboard Columbia in 1996. The flight set a then-record of 16 days 22 hours for the longest space shuttle mission. On her fourth mission, she served as a mission specialist on STS-101, the 2A.2a space station logistics mission in 2000 commanded by classmate Halsell. The Atlantis mission lasted 10 days. For her fifth and final spaceflight, she served as a flight engineer during Expedition 2, the first woman to fly a long-duration mission on the International Space Station. She conducted one spacewalk lasting 8 hours 56 minutes, a record not broken until 2024. During her five spaceflights she logged 211 days in space. 

Thomas Jones 

Jones, a native of Baltimore, graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and served as a B-52 pilot when NASA selected him as an astronaut. For his first spaceflight, he served as a mission specialist on STS-59, the 11-day SRL-1 Earth observation mission on Endeavour in 1994, along with classmate Clifford. Later that same year, with just 163 days between the two missions – the second shortest turnaround time in history – Jones served as payload commander on STS-68, the 11-day SRL-2 mission also on Endeavour. Fellow Hairballs Wilcutt, Wisoff, and Bursch accompanied him on the mission. In 1996, Jones flew as a mission specialist on STS-80, commanded by classmate Cockrell. During the nearly 18-day flight – the longest shuttle flight in history – Jones had planned to participate in two spacewalks, but a stuck bolt prevented the opening of Columbia’s airlock hatch, forcing the cancelation of the excursions. Jones flew his fourth and final mission in 2001, the STS-98 5A space station assembly flight, commanded by classmate Cockrell. During the 13-day mission of Atlantis, the crew installed the U.S. Laboratory Module Destiny and Jones participated in three spacewalks totaling nearly 20 hours. During his four spaceflights, Jones logged 53 days in space. 

William McArthur 

Hailing from North Carolina, West Point graduate McArthur worked as a space shuttle vehicle integration test engineer at JSC when NASA selected him as an astronaut. He received his first spaceflight assignment as a mission specialist on the STS-58 Spacelab Life Sciences-2 (SLS-2) mission in 1993. Classmates Searfoss and Wolf accompanied him on the 14-day Columbia mission, at the time the longest space shuttle flight. In 1995, he flew as a mission specialist on STS-74, the second Shuttle Mir docking mission that brought the Docking Module to Mir. Classmate Halsell served as pilot on the eight-day flight of Atlantis. McArthur next flew on STS-92, the 3A space station assembly mission in 2000, accompanied by classmates Chiao and Wisoff. McArthur completed two spacewalks with Chiao totaling 13 hours 16 minutes during the 13-day Atlantis mission. For his fourth and final spaceflight, McArthur served as commander of the 190-day Expedition 12 in 2005-2006, conducting two spacewalks totaling 11 hours 5 minutes. During his four missions, McArthur logged 225 days in space and spent more than 24 hours on four spacewalks. He served as the director of the JSC Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate from 2011 to 2017. 

James Newman 

Born in Micronesia, Newman grew up in San Diego and earned a doctorate in physics from Rice University. He worked at JSC as a crew and flight controller trainer when NASA selected him as an astronaut. For his first spaceflight assignment, Newman flew as a mission specialist on STS-51 in 1993 with fellow Hairballs Bursch and Walz. During the 10-day mission aboard Discovery, Newman conducted a 7-hour 5-minute spacewalk with Walz to demonstrate future spacewalking techniques. His second flight took place in 1995, the 11-day STS-69 mission of Endeavour, with classmate Halsell serving as pilot. On his third mission, Newman flew as a mission specialist on STS-88, the first space station assembly flight in 1998. Classmate Sherlock, now using her married name Currie, accompanied him on the 12-day Atlantis mission. Newman participated in three spacewalks totaling 21 hours 22 minutes. For his fourth and final spaceflight in 2002, Newman flew on STS-109, the fourth servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, accompanied once again by classmate Currie. During the 11-day Columbia mission, Newman conducted two spacewalks totaling 14 hours 46 minutes. During his career four spaceflights, Newman logged more than 43 days in space and spent nearly 50 hours on six spacewalks. 

Ellen Ochoa 

Born in Los Angeles, Ochoa received her doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University and worked at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley when NASA selected her as an astronaut. Her first flight assignment came in 1993 when she flew as a mission specialist on STS-56, the nine-day ATLAS-2 Earth observation mission. Classmate Cockrell accompanied her on the Discovery mission. On her second spaceflight, she served as payload commander on the STS-66 ATLAS-3 mission, an 11-day flight of Atlantis in 1994. For her third flight, she flew on Discovery’s STS-96, the 10-day 2A.1 space station assembly and logistics mission in 1999. In 2002, on her fourth and final mission, STS-110, she served as a mission specialist on the 8A space station assembly flight that brought the S0 truss to the facility. The flight on Atlantis lasted nearly 11 days. Over her four missions, Ochoa accumulated nearly 41 days in space. Following her spaceflights, Ochoa served in management positions with increasing scope and responsibilities, as director of the Flight Crew Operations Directorate, JSC deputy director, and JSC director. 

Charles Precourt 

Massachusetts native Precourt graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and served as a U.S. Air Force pilot when NASA selected him as an astronaut. On his first spaceflight in 1993, he served as a mission specialist on STS-55, the joint U.S.-German Spacelab D2 mission. Fellow Hairball Harris accompanied him on the 10-day Columbia mission. On his next spaceflight, Precourt served as pilot on STS-71, the first Shuttle-Mir docking mission in 1995. The 10-day Atlantis mission included the first shuttle-based crew rotation. Precourt commanded his third spaceflight, STS-84 in 1987, the sixth Shuttle-Mir docking mission. Classmate Collins served as pilot on the nine-day Atlantis mission. He commanded his fourth and final space mission, STS-91, the ninth and final Shuttle-Mir docking flight, earning him the honor as the only American astronaut to visit Mir three times. The 10-day mission aboard Discovery took place in 1998. Across his four spaceflights, Precourt logged nearly 39 days in space. He served as chief of the Astronaut Office from October 1998 to November 2002. 

Richard Searfoss 

Born in Michigan, Searfoss graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and served as an instructor at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School when NASA selected him as an astronaut. On his first spaceflight, Searfoss served as pilot on STS-58, the SLS-2 mission in 1993. Classmates McArthur and Wolf joined him on the flight aboard Columbia, at 14 days then the longest space shuttle mission. In 1996, he once again served as pilot on STS-76, the third Shuttle-Mir docking mission. Classmates Clifford and Sega joined him on the nine-day flight aboard Atlantis. Searfoss commanded his third and final spaceflight, the 16-day STS-90 Neurolab mission aboard Columbia in 1998. Across his three missions, Searfoss logged 39 days in space. 

Ronald Sega 

Ohio native Sega graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and worked as a research associate professor of physics at the University of Houston when NASA selected him as an astronaut. On his first spaceflight, he served as a mission specialist aboard STS-60, the first Shuttle-Mir mission. The eight-day mission aboard Discovery took place in 1994. For his second and final spaceflight in 1996, Sega served as a mission specialist on STS-76, the third Shuttle-Mir docking mission. Fellow Hairballs Searfoss and Clifford also flew on the nine-day Atlantis mission. Across his two spaceflights, Sega logged 17.5 days in space. 

Nancy Sherlock Currie 

Born in Delaware, Sherlock grew up in Ohio and worked as a flight simulation engineer at JSC when NASA selected her as an astronaut. On her debut spaceflight, Sherlock flew as a mission specialist on STS-57, the first flight of the Spacehab module in 1993. Fellow classmates Voss and Wisoff joined her on the 10-day mission aboard Endeavour. On her subsequent missions, she flew under her married name of Currie. Her second trip into space took place in 1995, the nine-day STS-70 mission aboard Discovery. Classmate Thomas joined her on this mission to deploy the seventh TDRS satellite. On her third mission, Currie flew as a mission specialist on STS-88, the first space station assembly mission in 1998. Classmate Newman accompanied her on the 12-day Atlantis mission. For her fourth and final spaceflight in 2002, Currie flew on STS-109, the fourth Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Classmate Newman once again accompanied her on the 11-day Columbia mission. Across her four spaceflights, Currie logged nearly 42 days in space. 

Donald Thomas 

Ohio native Thomas earned a doctorate in materials science from Cornell University and worked as a materials science engineer at JSC when NASA selected him as an astronaut. For his first flight, he flew as a mission specialist on STS-65, the IML-2 mission aboard Columbia in 1994. Fellow Hairballs Halsell, Chiao, and Walz accompanied Thomas on the nearly 15-day flight, the longest shuttle mission up to that time. His second trip into space took place in 1995, the nine-day STS-70 mission aboard Discovery. Classmate Currie joined him on this mission to deploy the seventh TDRS satellite. Thomas flew his third spaceflight on STS-83 aboard Columbia, the MSL mission in 1997. Because managers cut the flight short after four days due to a fuel cell failure, NASA decided to fly the mission again, with the same crew, later in the year as STS-94, for the full 16-day mission duration. Classmates Halsell and Voss accompanied Thomas on both missions. Across his four missions, Thomas logged 43 days in space. 

Janice Voss 

Ohio native Voss earned a doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and worked as an integration manager at Orbital Science Corporation in Houston when NASA selected her as an astronaut. On her first spaceflight, Voss flew as a mission specialist on STS-57, the first flight of the Spacehab module in 1993. Fellow classmates Sherlock and Wisoff joined her on the 10-day mission aboard Endeavour. Voss flew as a mission specialist on her second spaceflight, the STS-63 Mir rendezvous mission in 1995, accompanied by classmates Collins and Harris. Voss flew as payload commander on her third spaceflight on STS-83 aboard Columbia, the MSL mission in 1997. Because managers cut the flight short after four days due to a fuel cell failure, NASA decided to refly the mission, with the same crew, later in the year as STS-94, for the full 16-day mission duration. Classmates Halsell and Thomas accompanied Voss on both missions. On her fifth and final spaceflight, Voss once again served as payload commander on STS-99, the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. The 11-day mission aboard Endeavour took place in 2000. Over her five missions, Voss accumulated 49 days of spaceflight time. 

Carl Walz 

A native of Ohio, Walz worked as a flight test manager at the U.S. Air Force Flight Test Center in Nevada when NASA selected him as an astronaut. He received his first flight assignment as a mission specialist on STS-51, flying with fellow Hairballs Bursch and Newman on the 10-day flight aboard Discovery in 1993. Walz conducted a 7-hour 5-minute spacewalk with Newman to demonstrate future spacewalking techniques. For his second flight, he flew as a mission specialist on STS-65, the IML-2 mission aboard Columbia in 1994. Fellow Hairballs Halsell, Chiao, and Thomas accompanied Walz on the nearly 15-day flight, the longest shuttle mission up to that time. On his third trip into space, he served as a mission specialist on STS-79, the fourth Shuttle-Mir docking mission in 1996. Classmate Wilcutt served as pilot on the 10-day Atlantis mission. For his fourth and final spaceflight, Walz, along with fellow Hairball Bursch, spent 196 days in space as an Expedition 4 flight engineer aboard the space station in 2001 and 2002, conducting two spacewalks totaling 11 hours 50 minutes. He launched on STS-108 and returned on STS-111. Across his four missions, Walz logged more than 230 days in space and spent nearly 19 hours on three spacewalks. 

Terrance Wilcutt 

A native of Kentucky, Wilcutt served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked as a test pilot at Naval Air Station Patuxent River when NASA selected him as an astronaut. Wilcutt served as pilot on his first spaceflight, STS-68, the 10-day SRL-2 Earth observation mission aboard Endeavour in 1994. Classmates Bursch, Jones, and Wisoff accompanied Wilcutt on the flight. He served as pilot on his second spaceflight, the STS-79 fourth Shuttle-Mir docking mission in 1996. Fellow Hairball Walz accompanied him on the 10-day Atlantis mission. Wilcutt commanded his third mission, STS-89, the eighth Shuttle-Mir docking mission. The nine-day flight aboard Endeavour took place in 1998. He commanded his fourth and final spaceflight in 2000, the STS-106 2A.2b space station assembly and logistics mission. The 12-day mission flew on Atlantis. Across his four missions, Wilcutt logged 42 days in space. He served as the NASA chief of Safety and Mission Assurance from 2011 to 2020. 

Jeff Wisoff 

Virginia native Wisoff earned a doctorate in applied physics from Stanford University and worked as an assistant professor at Rice University when NASA selected him as an astronaut. On his first spaceflight, Wisoff flew as a mission specialist on STS-57, the first flight of the Spacehab module in 1993. Fellow classmates Sherlock and Voss joined him on the 10-day mission aboard Endeavour. He participated in a 5-hour 50-minute spacewalk to demonstrate future spacewalking techniques. Wisoff served as a mission specialist on his second spaceflight, STS-68, the 10-day SRL-2 Earth observation mission aboard Endeavour in 1994. Classmates Bursch, Jones, and Wilcutt accompanied him on the flight. He served as a mission specialist on his third flight, STS-81, the fifth Shuttle-Mir docking mission in 1997. The 10-day flight took place aboard Atlantis. He flew his fourth and final mission on STS-92, the 3A space station assembly mission in 2000 that brought the Z1 truss to the facility. Wisoff participated in two spacewalks totaling 14 hours 3 minutes during the 13-day Discovery mission. Across his four spaceflights, Wisoff logged 44 days in space and spent nearly 20 hours on three spacewalks. 

David Wolf 

A native of Indiana, Wolf earned a medical degree from Indiana University and worked as an aerospace medical officer at JSC when NASA selected him as an astronaut. He received his first spaceflight assignment as a mission specialist on the STS-58 SLS-2 mission in 1993. Classmates Searfoss and McArthur accompanied him on the 14-day Columbia mission, at the time the longest space shuttle flight. For his second trip into space, he completed the 128-day NASA-6 long-duration mission as part of the Shuttle-Mir program in 1997 and 1998, launching aboard STS-86 and returning aboard STS-89. He participated in a 3-hour 52-minute spacewalk. He flew his third spaceflight as a mission specialist on the STS-112 9A space station assembly mission in 2002 that delivered the S1 truss to the orbiting lab. During the 11-day Atlantis mission, Wolf participated in three spacewalks totaling 19 hours 41 minutes. He completed his fourth mission on STS-127 in 2009, earning him the distinction as the last Hairball to make a spaceflight. During the 16-day Endeavour mission that delivered the Japanese module’s exposed pallet to the space station, Wolf participated in three spacewalks totaling 18 hours 24 minutes. Across his four spaceflights, Wolf logged more than 168 days in space and spent 42 hours on seven spacewalks. 

Summary

The NASA Group 13 astronauts made significant contributions to spaceflight. As a group, they completed 85 flights spending 1,960 days, or more than five years, in space, including one long-duration flight aboard Mir and five aboard the International Space Station. One Hairball made a single trip into space, three made two trips, one made three, 15 made four, and three went five times. Twenty-one members of the group contributed their talents on Spacelab or other research missions and three performed work with the great observatories Hubble and Chandra. Thirteen participated in the Shuttle Mir program, with 11 visiting the orbiting facility, one of them twice, another three times, and one completing a long-duration mission. Fifteen visited the International Space Station, five twice, participating in its assembly, research, maintenance, and logistics, with five completing long-duration missions aboard the facility. Eleven of the 23 performed 37 spacewalks spending 242 hours, or more than 10 days, outside their spacecraft.  

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      From its perch in Earth orbit, SPHEREx peers into the darkness, pointing away from the planet and the Sun. The observatory will complete more than 11,000 orbits over its 25 months of planned survey operations, circling Earth about 14½ times a day. It orbits Earth from north to south, passing over the poles, and each day it takes images along one circular strip of the sky. As the days pass and the planet moves around the Sun, SPHEREx’s field of view shifts as well so that after six months, the observatory will have looked out into space in every direction.
      When SPHEREx takes a picture of the sky, the light is sent to six detectors that each produces a unique image capturing different wavelengths of light. These groups of six images are called an exposure, and SPHEREx takes about 600 exposures per day. When it’s done with one exposure, the whole observatory shifts position — the mirrors and detectors don’t move as they do on some other telescopes. Rather than using thrusters, SPHEREx relies on a system of reaction wheels, which spin inside the spacecraft to control its orientation.
      Hundreds of thousands of SPHEREx’s images will be digitally woven together to create four all-sky maps in two years. By mapping the entire sky, the mission will provide new insights about what happened in the first fraction of a second after the big bang. In that brief instant, an event called cosmic inflation caused the universe to expand a trillion-trillionfold.
      “We’re going to study what happened on the smallest size scales in the universe’s earliest moments by looking at the modern universe on the largest scales,” said Jim Fanson, the mission’s project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “I think there’s a poetic arc to that.”
      Cosmic inflation subtly influenced the distribution of matter in the universe, and clues about how such an event could happen are written into the positions of galaxies across the universe. When cosmic inflation began, the universe was smaller than the size of an atom, but the properties of that early universe were stretched out and influence what we see today. No other known event or process involves the amount of energy that would have been required to drive cosmic inflation, so studying it presents a unique opportunity to understand more deeply how our universe works.
      “Some of us have been working toward this goal for 12 years,” said Jamie Bock, the mission’s principal investigator at Caltech and JPL. “The performance of the instrument is as good as we hoped. That means we’re going to be able to do all the amazing science we planned on and perhaps even get some unexpected discoveries.”
      Color Field
      The SPHEREx observatory won’t be the first to map the entire sky, but it will be the first to do so in so many colors. It observes 102 wavelengths, or colors, of infrared light, which are undetectable to the human eye. Through a technique called spectroscopy, the telescope separates the light into wavelengths — much like a prism creates a rainbow from sunlight — revealing all kinds of information about cosmic sources.
      For example, spectroscopy can be harnessed to determine the distance to a faraway galaxy, information that can be used to turn a 2D map of those galaxies into a 3D one. The technique will also enable the mission to measure the collective glow from all the galaxies that ever existed and see how that glow has changed over cosmic time.
      And spectroscopy can reveal the composition of objects. Using this capability, the mission is searching for water and other key ingredients for life in these systems in our galaxy. It’s thought that the water in Earth’s oceans originated as frozen water molecules attached to dust in the interstellar cloud where the Sun formed.
      The SPHEREx mission will make over 9 million observations of interstellar clouds in the Milky Way, mapping these materials across the galaxy and helping scientists understand how different conditions can affect the chemistry that produced many of the compounds found on Earth today.
      More About SPHEREx
      The SPHEREx mission is managed by JPL for the agency’s Astrophysics Division within the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. BAE Systems in Boulder, Colorado, built the telescope and the spacecraft bus. The science analysis of the SPHEREx data will be conducted by a team of scientists located at 10 institutions in the U.S., two in South Korea, and one in Taiwan. Caltech in Pasadena managed and integrated the instrument. The mission’s principal investigator is based at Caltech with a joint JPL appointment. Data will be processed and archived at IPAC at Caltech. The SPHEREx dataset will be publicly available at the NASA-IPAC Infrared Science Archive. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.
      For more about SPHEREx, visit:
      https://science.nasa.gov/mission/spherex/
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      Last Updated May 01, 2025 Related Terms
      SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe and Ices Explorer) Astrophysics Exoplanets Galaxies Jet Propulsion Laboratory The Search for Life The Universe Explore More
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    • NASA
      What’s Up: May 2025 Skywatching Tips from NASA
      By NASA
      Skywatching Skywatching Home What’s Up What to See Tonight Meteor Showers Eclipses Moon Guide More Tips & Guides Skywatching FAQ Night Sky Network Eta Aquarids & Waiting for a Nova! 
      The first week of May brings the annual Eta Aquarid meteors, peaking on the 6th. And sometime in the next few months, astronomers predict a “new star” or nova explosion will become visible to the unaided eye. 
      Skywatching Highlights
      All Month – Planet Visibility: 
      Venus: Appears very bright and low in the east in the hour before sunrise all month.  Mars: Easy to find in the west in the first few hours of the night, all month long. Sets around midnight to 1 a.m. local time.  Jupiter: Shines brightly in the west following sunset all month. Early in the month it sets about two hours after the Sun, but by late May it’s setting only an hour after sunset.  Saturn: Begins the month next to Venus, low in the eastern sky before sunrise. Quickly separates from Saturn and rises higher in the sky each day before dawn.  Daily Highlights
      May 6 – Eta Aquarid Meteors – The peak of this annual shower is early on the morning of May 6th. The two or three nights before that are also decent opportunities to spy a few shooting stars. On the peak night this year, the Moon sets by around 3 a.m., leaving dark skies until dawn, for ideal viewing conditions. Seeing 10-20 meteors per hour is common for the Northern Hemisphere, while south of the equator, observers tend to see substantially more. 
      May 3 – Mars & Moon: The first quarter Moon appears right next to the Red Planet on the 3rd. Find them in the west during the first half of the night that evening. 
      All month – Venus & Saturn: Low in the eastern sky each morning you’ll find bright Venus paired with much fainter Saturn. They start the month close together, but Saturn pulls away and rises higher over the course of the month. 
      All month – Mars & Jupiter: The planets to look for on May evenings are Mars and Jupiter. They’re visible for a couple of hours after sunset in the western sky. 
      All month – Corona Borealis: Practice finding this constellation in the eastern part of the sky during the first half of the night, so you have a point of comparison when the T CrB nova appears there, likely in the next few months. 
      Transcript
      What’s Up for May? Four bright planets, morning and night, a chance of meteor showers, and waiting for a nova. 
      May Planet Viewing 
      For planet watching this month, you’ll find Mars and Jupiter in the west following sunset. Mars sticks around for several hours after it gets dark out, but Jupiter is setting by 9:30 or 10 p.m., and getting lower in the sky each day. The first quarter Moon appears right next to the Red Planet on the 3rd. Find them in the west during the first half of the night that evening. 
      Sky chart showing Venus and Saturn with the crescent Moon in the predawn sky on May 23., 2025. NASA/JPL-Caltech In the morning sky, Venus and Saturn are the planets to look for in May. They begin the month appearing close together on the sky, and progressively pull farther apart as the month goes on. For several days in late May, early risers will enjoy a gathering of the Moon with Saturn and Venus in the eastern sky before dawn. Watch as the Moon passes the two planets while becoming an increasingly slimmer crescent. You’ll find the Moon hanging between Venus and Saturn on the 23rd.   
      Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower 
      Early May brings the annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower. These are meteors that originate from Comet Halley. Earth passes through the comet’s dust stream each May, and again in October. Eta Aquarids are fast moving, and a lot of them produce persistent dust trains that linger for seconds after the meteor’s initial streak.  
      This is one of the best annual showers in the Southern Hemisphere, but tends to be more subdued North of the Equator, where we typically see 10-20 meteors per hour. On the peak night this year, the Moon sets by around 3 a.m., leaving dark skies until dawn, for ideal viewing conditions. While the peak is early on the morning of May 6th, the two or three nights before that are also decent opportunities to spy a few shooting stars. 
      Waiting for a Nova 
      Sky chart showing constellation Corona Borealis with the location where nova “T CrB” is predicted to appear. The view depicts the constellation with the nova occurring, indicated by an arrow. NASA/JPL-Caltech Astronomers have been waiting expectantly for light from a distant explosion to reach us here on Earth. An event called a nova is anticipated to occur sometime in the coming months. Some 3,000 light years away is a binary star system called T Coronae Borealis, or “T CrB.” It consists of a red giant star with a smaller white dwarf star orbiting closely around it. Now the giant’s outer atmosphere is all puffed up, and the dwarf star is close enough that its gravity continually captures some of the giant’s hydrogen. About every 80 years, the white dwarf has accumulated so much of the other star’s hydrogen, that it ignites a thermonuclear explosion. And that’s the nova. 
      T Coronae Borealis is located in the constellation Corona Borealis, or the “Northern Crown,” and it’s normally far too faint to see with the unaided eye. But it’s predicted the nova will be as bright as the constellation’s brightest star, which is about as bright as the North Star, Polaris. You’ll find Corona Borealis right in between the two bright stars Arcturus and Vega, and you can use the Big Dipper’s handle to point you to the right part of the sky. Try having a look for it on clear, dark nights before the nova, so you’ll have a comparison when a new star suddenly becomes visible there. 
      A sky chart indicating how to locate the constellation Corona Borealis between the bright stars Arcturus and Vega. The Big Dipper’s handle points in the direction of Corona Borealis. NASA/JPL-Caltech Now, you may have heard about this months ago, as astronomers started keeping watch for the nova midway through 2024, but it hasn’t happened yet. Predicting exactly when novas or any sort of stellar outburst will happen is tricky, but excitement began growing when astronomers observed the star to dim suddenly, much as it did right before its previous nova in 1946. When the nova finally does occur, it won’t stay bright for long, likely flaring in peak brightness for only a few days. And since it’s not predicted again for another 80 years, you might just want to join the watch for this super rare, naked eye stellar explosion in the sky! 
      Here are the phases of the Moon for May. 
      The phases of the Moon for May 2025. NASA/JPL-Caltech You can stay up to date on all of NASA’s missions exploring the solar system and beyond at NASA Science.
      I’m Preston Dyches from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and that’s What’s Up for this month. 
      Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
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      View the full article
    • NASA
      NASA, International Astronauts to Connect with Students in Texas
      By NASA
      Expedition 72 Flight Engineers Takuya Onishi from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and NASA astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, and Don Pettit pose while inside the vestibule between the International Space Station’s Unity module and the Cygnus space freighter.NASA NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi will answer prerecorded questions about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics from students in Mansfield, Texas, while aboard the International Space Station.
      The 20-minute space-to-Earth call will take place at 10:40 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 5, and can be watched on the NASA STEM YouTube Channel.
      Media interested in covering the event must RSVP no later than 5 p.m., Friday, May 2 by contacting Laura Jobe at laurajobe@misdmail.org or 817-299-6300.
      The event, hosted by Mansfield Independent School District, also will have students present from Brenda Norwood Elementary, Alma Martinez Intermediate, Charlene McKinzey Middle, Jerry Knight and Frontier STEM Academies in Mansfield. This opportunity will allow the students to relate what they have learned about space travel to personal experiences.
      For more than 24 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network.
      Important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and lays the groundwork for other agency missions. As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars; inspiring Artemis Generation explorers and ensuring the United States continues to lead in space exploration and discovery.
      See videos of astronauts aboard the space station at:
      https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation
      -end-
      Gerelle Dodson
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-1600
      gerelle.q.dodson@nasa.gov
      Sandra Jones
      Johnson Space Center, Houston
      281-483-5111
      sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov
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      Last Updated Apr 30, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
      Humans in Space International Space Station (ISS) Johnson Space Center NASA Headquarters View the full article
    • NASA
      NASA Soars to New Heights in First 100 Days of Trump Administration
      By NASA
      NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov land in a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in the water off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida on March 18, 2025. Hague, Gorbunov, Williams, and Wilmore returned from a long-duration science expedition aboard the International Space Station.Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber Today is the 100th day of the Trump-Vance Administration after being inaugurated on Jan. 20. In his inaugural address, President Trump laid out a bold and ambitious vision for NASA’s future throughout his second term, saying, “We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.” NASA has spent the first 100 days in relentless pursuit of this goal, continually exploring, innovating, and inspiring for the benefit of humanity.
      “In just 100 days, under the bold leadership of President Trump and acting Administrator Janet Petro, NASA has continued to further American innovation in space,” said Bethany Stevens, NASA press secretary. “From expediting the return of American astronauts home after an extended stay aboard the state-of-the-art International Space Station, to bringing two new nations on as signatories of the Artemis Accords, to the historic SPHEREx mission launch that takes us one step closer to mapping the secrets of the universe, NASA continues to lead on the world stage. Here at NASA, we’re putting the America First agenda into play amongst the stars, ensuring the United States wins the space race at this critical juncture in time.”
      A litany of victories in the first 100 days set the stage for groundbreaking success throughout the remainder of the term. Read more about NASA’s cutting-edge work in this short, yet dynamic, period of time below:
      Bringing Astronauts Home Safely, Space Station Milestones
      America brought Crew-9 safely home. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams, and Nick Hague, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, returned to Earth after a successful mission aboard the International Space Station, splashing down in the Gulf of America. Their safe return reflects America’s unwavering commitment to the agency’s astronauts and mission success. A new, American-led mission launched to space. The agency’s Crew-10 mission is currently aboard the space station, with NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, joined by international partners from Japan and Russia. NASA continues to demonstrate American leadership and the power of space diplomacy as we maintain a continuous human presence in orbit. The agency welcomed home NASA astronaut Don Pettit, concluding a seven-month science mission aboard the orbiting laboratory. Pettit landed at 6:20 a.m. Kazakhstan time, April 20 on his 70th birthday, making him NASA’s oldest active astronaut and the third oldest person to reach orbit. NASA astronaut Jonny Kim launched and arrived safely at the International Space Station, marking the start of his first space mission. Over eight months, he’ll lead groundbreaking research that advances science and improves life on Earth, proving once again that Americans are built to lead in space. The four members of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11, NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov were named by NASA. Launching no earlier than July 2025, this mission continues America’s leadership in long-duration human spaceflight while strengthening critical global partnerships. NASA announced Chris Williams will launch in November 2025 for his first spaceflight. His upcoming mission underscores the pipeline of American talent ready to explore space and expand our presence beyond Earth. NASA is inviting U.S. industry to propose two new private astronaut missions to the space station in 2026 and 2027 – building toward a future where American companies sustain a continuous human presence in space and advance our national space economy. NASA and SpaceX launched the 32nd Commercial Resupply Services mission, delivering 6,700 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station. These investments in science and technology continue to strengthen America’s leadership in low Earth orbit. The payload supports cutting-edge research, including:New maneuvers for free-flying robots An advanced air quality monitoring system Two atomic clocks to explore relativity and ultra-precise timekeeping Sending Humans to Moon, Mars
      Teams began hot fire testing the first of three 12-kW Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) thrusters. These high-efficiency thrusters are a cornerstone of next-generation spaceflight, as they offer greater fuel economy and mission flexibility than traditional chemical propulsion, making them an asset for long-duration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. For Mars in particular, SEP enables three key elements required for success:Sustained cargo transport Orbital maneuvering Transit operations NASA completed the fourth Entry Descent and Landing technology test in three months, accelerating innovation to achieve precision landings on Mars’ thin atmosphere and rugged terrain. NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications experiment aboard Psyche broke new ground, enabling the high-bandwidth connections vital for communications with crewed missions to Mars. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission One successfully delivered 10 NASA payloads to the Moon, advancing landing, autonomy, and data collection skills for Mars missions. Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission achieved the southernmost lunar landing, collecting critical data from challenging terrain to inform Mars exploration strategies. NASA cameras aboard Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander captured unprecedented footage of engine plume-surface interactions, offering vital data for designing safer landings on the Moon and Mars. The agency’s Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies (SCALPSS) 1.1 aboard Blue Ghost collected more than 9,000 images of lunar descent, providing insights on lander impacts and terrain interaction to guide future spacecraft design. New SCALPSS hardware delivered for Blue Origin’s Blue Mark 1 mission also is enhancing lunar landing models, helping build precision landing systems for the Moon and Mars. The LuGRE (Lunar Global Navigation Satellite System Receiver Experiment) on Blue Ghost acquired Earth navigation signals from the Moon, advancing autonomous positioning systems crucial for lunar and Mars operations. The Electrodynamic Dust Shield successfully cleared lunar dust, demonstrating a critical technology for protecting equipment on the Moon and Mars. Astronauts aboard the space station conducted studies to advance understanding of how to keep crews healthy on long-duration Mars missions. NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture Workshop gathered industry, academic, and international partners to refine exploration plans and identify collaboration opportunities. Artemis Milestones
      NASA completed stacking the twin solid rocket boosters for Artemis II, the mission that will send American astronauts around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years. This is a powerful step toward returning our nation to deep space. At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, teams joined the core stage with the solid rocket boosters inside the Vehicle Assembly Building. Engineers lifted the launch vehicle stage adapter atop the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage, connecting key systems that will soon power NASA’s return to the Moon. Teams received the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage and moved the SLS core stage into the transfer aisle, clearing another milestone as the agency prepares to fully integrate America’s most powerful rocket. NASA attached the solar array wings that will help power the Orion spacecraft on its journey around the Moon, laying the groundwork for humanity’s next giant leap. Technicians installed the protective fairings on Orion’s service module to shield the spacecraft during its intense launch and ascent phase, as NASA prepares to send astronauts farther than any have gone in more than half a century. The agency’s next-generation mobile launcher continues to take shape, with the sixth of 10 massive modules being installed. This structure will carry future Artemis rockets to the launch pad. NASA and the Department of Defense teamed up aboard the USS Somerset for Artemis II recovery training, ensuring the agency and its partners are ready to safely retrieve Artemis astronauts after their historic mission around the Moon. NASA unveiled the Artemis II mission patch. The patch designates the mission as “AII,” signifying not only the second major flight of the Artemis campaign but also an endeavor of discovery that seeks to explore for all and by all. America First in Space
      NASA announced the first major science results from asteroid Bennu, revealing ingredients essential for life, a discovery made possible by U.S. leadership in planetary science through the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) mission. The team found salty brines, 14 of the 20 amino acids used to make proteins, and all five DNA nucleobases, suggesting that the conditions and ingredients for life were widespread in our early solar system. And this is just the beginning – these results were from analysis of only 0.06% of the sample. NASA was named one of TIME’s Best Companies for Future Leaders, underscoring the agency’s role in cultivating the next generation of American innovators. NASA awarded contracts to U.S. industry supporting Earth science missions,  furthering our understanding of the planet while strengthening America’s industrial base. As part of the Air Traffic Management-Exploration project, NASA supported Boeing’s test of digital and autonomous taxiing with a Cessna Caravan at Moffett Federal Airfield. The test used real-time simulations from the agency’s Future Flight Central to gather data that will help Boeing refine its systems and safely integrate advanced technologies into national airspace, demonstrating American aviation leadership. NASA successfully completed its automated space traffic coordination objectives between the agency’s four Starling spacecraft and SpaceX’s Starlink constellation. Teams demonstrated four risk mitigation maneuvers, autonomously resolving close approaches between two spacecraft with different owner/operators.   In collaboration with the National Institute of Aeronautics, NASA selected eight finalists in a university competition aimed at designing innovative aviation solutions that can help the agriculture industry. NASA’s Gateways to Blue Skies seeks ways to apply American aircraft and aviation technology to enhance the productivity, efficiency, and resiliency of American farms.  In Houston, United Airlines pilots successfully conducted operational tests of NASA-developed technologies designed to reduce flight delays. Using technologies from the Air Traffic Management Exploration project, pilots flew efficient re-routes, avoiding airspace with bad weather upon departure. United plans to expand the use of these capabilities, another example of how NASA innovations benefit all humanity.  On March 11, NASA’s newest astrophysics observatory, SPHEREx, launched on its journey to answer fundamental questions about our universe, thanks to the dedication and expertise of the agency’s team. Riding aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, SPHEREx will scan the entire sky to study how galaxies formed, search for the building blocks of life, and look back to the universe’s earliest moments. After launch, SPHEREx turned on its detectors, and everything is performing as expected. Also onboard were four small satellites for NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission, which will help scientists understand how the Sun’s outer atmosphere becomes solar wind. These missions reflect the best of the agency – pushing the boundaries of discovery and expanding our understanding of the cosmos. On March 14, NASA’s EZIE (Electrojet Zeeman Imaging Explorer) mission launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base. This trio of small satellites will study auroral electrojets, or intense electric currents flowing high above Earth’s poles, helping the agency better understand space weather and its effects on our planet. The mission has taken its first measurements, demonstrating that the spacecraft and onboard instrument are working as expected. The X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft cleared another hurdle on its way to first flight. The team successfully completed an engine speed hold test, confirming the “cruise control” system functions as designed.  NASA researchers successfully tested a prototype that could help responders fight and monitor wildfires, even in low-visibility conditions. The Portable Airspace Management System, developed by NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations project, safely coordinated simulated operations involving drones and other aircraft, tackling a major challenge for those on the front lines. This is just one example of how NASA’s innovation is making a difference where it’s needed most.  NASA’s Parker Solar Probe completed its 23rd close approach to the Sun, coming within 3.8 million miles of the solar surface while traveling at 430,000 miles per hour – matching its own records for distance and speed. That same day, Parker Solar Probe was awarded the prestigious Collier Trophy, a well-earned recognition for its groundbreaking contributions to heliophysics.  In response to severe weather that impacted more than 10 states earlier this month, the NASA Disasters Response Coordination System activated to support national partners. NASA worked closely with the National Weather Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency serving the central and southeastern U.S. to provide satellite data and expertise that help communities better prepare, respond, and recover.  As an example of how NASA’s research today is shaping the transportation of tomorrow, the agency’s aeronautics engineers began a flight test campaign focused on safely integrating air taxis into the national airspace. Using a Joby Aviation demonstrator aircraft, engineers are helping standardize flight test maneuvers, improving tools to assist with collision avoidance and landing operations, and ensuring safe and efficient air taxis operations in various weather conditions. NASA premiered “Planetary Defenders,” a new documentary that follows the dedicated team behind asteroid detection and planetary defense. The film debuted at an event at the agency’s headquarters with digital creators, interagency and international partners, and now is streaming on NASA+, YouTube, and X. In its first 24 hours, it saw 25,000 views on YouTube – 75% above average – and reached 4 million impressions on X.  Finland became the 53rd nation to sign the Artemis Accords, reaffirming its commitment to the peaceful, transparent, and responsible exploration of space. This milestone underscores the growing global coalition led by the United States to establish a sustainable and cooperative presence beyond Earth. In Dhaka, Bangladesh, NASA welcomed a new signatory to the Artemis Accords. Bangladesh became the 54th nation to commit to the peaceful, safe, and responsible exploration of space. It’s a milestone that reflects our shared values and growing global momentum, reaffirming the United States’ leadership in building a global coalition for peaceful space exploration.  At NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, engineers conducted calibration flights for a new shock-sensing probe that will support future flight tests of the X-59 quiet supersonic demonstrator. Mounted on a research F-15D that will follow the X-59 closely in flight, the probe will gather data on the shock waves the X-59 generates, providing important data about its ability to fly faster than sound, but produce only a quiet thump. In its second asteroid encounter, Lucy flew by the asteroid Donaldjohanson and gave NASA a close look at a uniquely shaped fragment dating back 150 million years – an impressive performance ahead of its main mission target in 2027. A celebration of decades of discovery, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope celebrated its 35th anniversary with new observations ranging from nearby solar system objects to distant galaxies – proof that Hubble continues to inspire wonder and advance our understanding of the universe. The SPHEREx team rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, spotlighting NASA’s newest space telescope and its bold mission to explore the origins of the universe. NASA received six Webby Awards and six People’s Voice Awards across platforms – recognition of America’s excellence in digital engagement and public communication. The NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed and Advanced Air Transport Technology project concluded testing of a 2.5-megawatt Wright Electric motor designed to eventually serve large aircraft. The testing used the project’s capabilities to simulate altitude conditions of up to 40,000 feet while the electric motor, the most powerful tested so far at the facility, ran at both full voltage and partial power. NASA partnered with the Department of Energy on the tests. U.S. entities can now request the Glenn Icing Computational Environment (GlennICE) tool from the NASA Software Catalog and discover solutions to icing challenges for novel engine and aircraft designs. A 3D computational tool, GlennICE allows engineers to integrate icing-related considerations earlier in the aircraft design process and enable safer, more efficient designs while saving costs in the design process. For more about NASA’s mission, visit:
      https://www.nasa.gov
      -end-
      Bethany Stevens
      Headquarters, Washington
      202-358-1600
      bethany.c.stevens@nasa.gov
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      Last Updated Apr 29, 2025 EditorJennifer M. DoorenLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
      What We Do Missions Science for Everyone STEM Impacts View the full article

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