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DAF releases memorandum on Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Equal Opportunity programs continuation in compliance with executive orders and federal laws
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By Space Force
The Department of the Air Force has opened a public comment period to detail recent updates to the background and methodology for Support of Military Families 2025 scorecards for spouse employment and public education surrounding DAF installations.
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By Space Force
On May 23, the Department of the Air Forcereleased updated guidance for implementation of Executive Order 14183, ‘Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness, aligning with updated Department of Defense policy and addressing medical standards, accession, retention, and administrative processes for transgender Airmen and Guardians.
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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Boeing’s test plane simulates digital taxiing at Moffett Field at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. NASA/Brandon Torres Navarrete New technology tested by an industry partner at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley could improve how commercial planes taxi to and from gates to runways, making operations safer and more efficient on the surfaces of airports.
Airport taxiways are busy. Planes come and go while support vehicles provide maintenance, carry fuel, transport luggage, and more. Pilots must listen carefully to air traffic control when getting directions to the runway – and garbled communications and heavy workloads can cause issues that could lead to runway incursions or collisions.
Researchers at Boeing are working to address these issues by digitizing taxiway information and automating aircraft taxi functions. The team traveled to NASA Ames to collaborate with researchers while testing their technology at the Moffett Federal Airfield and NASA’s FutureFlight Central, an air traffic control simulation facility.
Doug Christensen, test engineer for Air Traffic Management eXploration (ATM-X) at NASA Ames, and Mike Klein, autonomy technical leader in product development at Boeing discuss the digital taxi test in Ames’s FutureFlight Central facility.NASA/Brandon Torres Navarrete To test these new technologies, Boeing brought a custom single-engine test plane to the airfield. Working from FutureFlight Central, their researchers developed simulated taxiway instructions and deployed them to the test pilot’s digital tablet and the autonomous system.
Typically, taxiing requires verbal communication between an air traffic controller and a pilot. Boeing’s digital taxi release system displays visual turn-by-turn routes and directions directly on the pilot’s digital tablet.
“This project with Boeing lends credibility to the research being done across Ames,” said Adam Yingling, autonomy researcher for the Air Traffic Management-eXploration (ATM-X) program at NASA Ames. “We have a unique capability with our proximity to Moffett and the work Ames researchers are doing to advance air traffic capabilities and technologies to support the future of our national airspace that opens the door to work alongside commercial operators like Boeing.”
The team’s autonomous taxiing tests allowed its aircraft to follow the air traffic control’s digital instructions to transit to the runway without additional pilot inputs.
Estela Buchmann, David Shapiro, and Maxim Mounier, members of the NASA Ames ATM-X project team, analyze results of Boeing’s digital taxi test at Ames’s FutureFlight Central facility.NASA/Brandon Torres Navarrete As commercial air travel increases and airspace gets busier, pilots and air traffic controllers have to manage heavier workloads. NASA is working with commercial partners to address those challenges through initiatives like its Air Traffic Management-eXploration project, which aims to transform air traffic management to accommodate new vehicles and air transportation options.
“In order to increase the safety and efficiency of our airspace operations, NASA research in collaboration with industry can demonstrate how specific functions can be automated to chart the course for enhancing traffic management on the airport surface,” said Shivanjli Sharma, ATM-X project manager at Ames.
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Last Updated May 22, 2025 Related Terms
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By Space Force
On May 9, 2025, the Department of the Air Force (DAF) released the memorandum Implementing Policy on Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness for Executive Order 14183, ‘Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness
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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Gary Laier, center liaison for the Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, teaches students about aeronautics during Aero Fair at Tropico Middle School in Rosamond, California, on April 9, 2025.NASA/Genaro Vavuris When curiosity takes flight, learning knows no bounds. The impact of supporting STEM education extends far beyond the classroom, shaping the future of innovation and exploration. NASA Engages is the agency’s outreach website that connects NASA experts and resources with communities, educators, and students across the country. Led by NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, the platform fosters collaboration between educators, organizations, and NASA employees to inspire the next generation.
Giovanna Camacho, Pathways systems engineering intern from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, teaches students about aeronautics during Aero Fair at Tropico Middle School in Rosamond, California, on April 9, 2025.NASA/Genaro Vavuris Bringing NASA to the Classroom
NASA employees dedicate their time and expertise through NASA Engages, whether they’re passionate about robotics, flight research, or inspiring young minds to pursue STEM careers. One example of this is Aero Fair, a STEM program led by the California Office of STEM Engagement at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. This initiative brings aeronautics directly to students, with NASA Armstrong professionals visiting classrooms – both in person and virtually – to engage students during three-day experiences that allow them to learn about aeronautics, meet NASA professionals, and explore potential career paths they might not have previously considered.
“When volunteers step up to help inspire and facilitate learning in the classroom, they are benefiting not only the students they interact with, but our future generation as well,” says Giovanna Camacho, Pathways systems engineering intern at NASA Armstrong, who volunteered at the event.
Chloe Day, a student at Tropico Middle School in Rosamond, California, said Aero Fair inspired her to consider a STEM career. “When NASA employees were talking about what they do and how they help our world today, it made me feel like I want to do it too.”
Educators can request an Aero Fair experience through NASA’s STEM Gateway. These programs “give students a chance to see themselves as real problem-solvers and innovators,” said Shauna Tinich, a Tropico Middle School teacher. “The most beneficial part of Aero Fair is the real-world connection to STEM. The connection to NASA makes it real and exciting for the students.”
Students from Tropico Middle School in Rosamond, California, build their own paper planes as part of a project during NASA Aero Fair on April 9, 2025.NASA/Genaro Vavuris A Program for Impact
The NASA Engages website matches outreach opportunities to employee skills and interests, while educators and community organizations can use the website to request public speakers, classroom visits, and educational support at events.
For many volunteers, the experience is just as inspiring as it is for the students. “Every time I volunteer, I walk out inspired,” Camacho said. “It motivates me to continue my pursuit of making a difference.”
Gary Laier, center liaison for the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs at NASA Armstrong, and Aero Fair volunteer, agreed: “It’s a rewarding experience for students, teachers, and NASA volunteers alike. I enjoy the opportunity to inspire youth and get them excited about their futures.”
By participating in outreach activities like Aero Fair, career panels, or events, NASA employees not only help ignite curiosity and provide knowledge to students and the community but also strengthen NASA’s connection to the communities it serves.
Gary Laier, center liaison for the Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, teaches students about aeronautics during Aero Fair at Tropico Middle School in Rosamond, California, on April 9, 2025.NASA/Genaro Vavuris Explore NASA STEM Opportunities
Educators, organizations, and community groups can connect with NASA in two ways. Through NASA Engages, external groups can request NASA support for their own events – such as inviting a NASA speaker or arranging classroom visits and providing outreach materials. Meanwhile, NASA STEM Gateway provides opportunities for individuals to participate in NASA-developed STEM events, internships, and programs like Aero Fair. To request NASA participation in an event or to learn more about NASA STEM opportunities, visit https://stemgateway.nasa.gov/nasaengages/s/.
Giovanna Camacho, Pathways systems engineering intern at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, teaches students about aeronautics during Aero Fair at Tropico Middle School in Rosamond, California, on April 9, 2025.NASA/Genaro Vavuris Share
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Last Updated Apr 30, 2025 Related Terms
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