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By NASA
In today’s crowded digital landscape, cutting through the noise is paramount for any organization trying to connect with its audience. Recognizing this, NASA has embarked on a significant initiative to streamline its extensive social media presence, aiming to create a more unified and impactful digital voice for its groundbreaking work.
The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 tasked NASA with providing the “widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof.” The 2025 social media consolidation project is designed to fulfill this mandate more effectively. By reducing the number of agency accounts, NASA seeks to make its work more accessible to the public, avoiding the potential for oversaturation or confusion that can arise from numerous social media accounts bearing the NASA name and insignia.
Over time, NASA’s social media footprint has expanded considerably, growing to over 400 individual accounts across 15 platforms. While this allowed for highly specialized updates, it also created a fragmented digital landscape that was challenging for both the public to navigate and for NASA to manage efficiently.
To ensure a more cohesive and impactful digital presence, the consolidation project involved a thorough evaluation of every existing account. Accounts were assessed based on several key considerations, including their compliance with federal and agency policies, their activity within the last year, their unique value proposition, their level of two-way engagement with the public, and their approach to publishing new, original content versus reposting existing material.
Based on this comprehensive evaluation, accounts will be handled in one of a few ways:
Deactivate/Sunset: Many accounts that publish content that can be effectively absorbed by broader channels will be sunset. This means they will cease active posting and eventually become inactive or removed from public view by the platform. Merge: Content and followers from some specialized accounts will be merged into larger, thematic accounts or NASA’s flagship channels. This ensures valuable information still reaches the intended audience, but through fewer, more prominent feeds. Rebrand: A small number of accounts may be rebranded to better align with the new strategic framework, reflecting a broader scope or a more direct connection to core NASA initiatives.
This initiative builds upon the success of previous digital transformation projects within the agency, such as the Science Mission Directorate’s social media consolidation project in 2019 and website modernization in 2023. Both efforts resulted in streamlined processes, modernized content, and more focused communications, and NASA anticipates similar positive outcomes from this current social media consolidation.
Ultimately, this strategic shift underscores a broader trend for NASA’s digital communication strategy: the move toward quality over quantity. For NASA, it’s about making vital information more accessible and digestible, ensuring the agency’s awe-inspiring work resonates deeply with a global audience. The future of space communication promises to be more focused, more powerful, and even more inspiring.
References:
Blog posted by Dr. Z
Statement on NASA’s social media directory
Web, app, and NASA+ transformation
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By NASA
Explore This Section Science Science Activation Eclipses, Auroras, and the… Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Activation Stories Citizen Science 4 min read
Eclipses, Auroras, and the Spark of Becoming: NASA Inspires Future Scientists
In the heart of Alaska’s winter, where the night sky stretches endlessly and the aurora dances across the sky in a display of ethereal beauty, nine undergraduate students from across the United States were about to embark on a transformative journey. These students had been active ‘NASA Partner Eclipse Ambassadors’ in their home communities, nine of more than 700 volunteers who shared the science and awe of the 2024 eclipse with hundreds of thousands of people across the country as part of the NASA Science Activation program’s Eclipse Ambassadors project. Now, these nine were chosen to participate in a once-in a lifetime experience as a part of the “Eclipses to Aurora” Winter Field School at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Organized by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific and NASA’s Aurorasaurus Citizen Science project, supported by NASA, this program offered more than just lectures—it was an immersive experience into the wonders of heliophysics and the profound connections between the Sun and Earth.
From January 4 to 11, 2025, the students explored the science behind the aurora through seminars on solar and space physics, hands-on experiments, and tours of cutting-edge research facilities like the Poker Flat Research Range. They also gained invaluable insight from Athabaskan elders, who shared local stories and star knowledge passed down through generations. As Feras recalled, “We attended multiple panels on solar and space physics, spoke to local elders on their connection to the auroras, and visited the Poker Flat Research Range to observe the stunning northern lights.”
For many students, witnessing the aurora was not only a scientific milestone, but a deeply personal and emotional experience. One participant, Andrea, described it vividly: “I looked to the darkest horizon I could find to see my only constant dream fulfilled before my eyes, so slowly dancing and bending to cradle the stars. All I could do, with my hands frozen and tears falling, I began to dream again with my eyes wide open.” Another student, Kalid, reflected on the shared human moment: “Standing there under the vast Alaskan sky… we were all just people, looking up, waiting for something magical. The auroras didn’t care about our majors or our knowledge—they brought us together under the same sky.”
These moments of wonder were mirrored by a deeper sense of purpose and transformation. “Over the course of the week, I had the incredible opportunity to explore auroras through lectures on solar physics, planetary auroras, and Indigenous star knowledge… and to reflect on these experiences through essays and presentations,” said Sophia. The Winter Field School was more than an academic endeavor—it was a celebration of science, culture, and shared human experience. It fostered not only understanding but unity and awe, reminding everyone involved of the profound interconnectedness of our universe.
The impact of the program continues to resonate. For many students, that one aurora-lit week in Alaska became a turning point in the focus of their careers. Sophia has since been accepted into graduate school to pursue heliophysics. Vishvi, inspired by the intersection of science and society, will begin a program in medical physics at the University of Pennsylvania this fall. And Christy, moved by her time at the epicenter of aurora research, has applied to the Ph.D. program in Space Physics at the University of Alaska Fairbanks—the very institution that helped spark her journey. Their stories are powerful proof that the Winter Field School didn’t just teach—it awakened purpose, lit new paths, and left footprints on futures still unfolding.
Eclipse Ambassadors is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSS22M0007 and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/
Participants at the Winter Field School are enjoying the trip to Anchorage, AK. Andy Witteman Share
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Last Updated May 14, 2025 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms
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By NASA
NASA logo. (Credit: NASA) NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro announced Monday Vanessa Wyche will serve as the acting associate administrator for the agency at NASA Headquarters in Washington, effective immediately. Wyche, who had been the director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, is detailed as Petro’s senior advisor leading the agency’s center directors and mission directorate associate administrators. She will act as the agency’s chief operating officer for about 18,000 civil servant employees and an annual budget of more than $25 billion. Stephen Koerner will become the acting center director of NASA Johnson.
The agency also named Jackie Jester as associate administrator for the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs and announced Catherine Koerner, associate administrator for the agency’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate will retire effective Friday, Feb. 28. Lori Glaze, currently the deputy associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development will become the mission directorate’s acting associate administrator.
“As we continue to advance our mission, it’s crucial that we have strong, experienced leaders in place,” Petro said. “Vanessa will bring exceptional leadership to NASA’s senior ranks, helping guide our workforce toward the opportunities that lie ahead, while Steve will continue to provide steadfast leadership at NASA Johnson. Jackie’s return to the agency will ensure we remain closely aligned with national priorities as we work with Congress. Cathy’s legacy is one of unwavering dedication to human spaceflight, and we are grateful for her years of service. Lori’s leadership will continue to build on that legacy as we push forward in our exploration efforts. These appointments reflect NASA’s unwavering commitment to excellence, and I have full confidence that each of these leaders will carry our vision forward with purpose, integrity, and a relentless drive to succeed.”
Prior to her new role, Wyche was the director NASA Johnson – home to America’s astronaut corps, Mission Control Center, International Space Station, Orion and Gateway Programs, and its more than 11,000 civil service and contractor employees. Her responsibilities included a broad range of human spaceflight activities, including development and operation of human spacecraft, NASA astronaut selection and training, mission control, commercialization of low Earth orbit, and leading NASA Johnson in exploring the Moon and Mars.
During her 35-year career, Wyche has served in several leadership roles, including Johnson’s deputy center director, director of Exploration Integration and Science Directorate, flight manager of several Space Shuttle Program missions, and executive officer in the Office of the Administrator. A native of South Carolina, Wyche earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Master of Science in Bioengineering from Clemson University.
As deputy director of NASA Johnson, Stephen Koerner, oversaw strategic workforce planning, serves as the Designated Agency Safety Health Officer, and supported the Johnson center director in mission reviews. Before his appointment in July 2021, Koerner held various leadership roles at NASA Johnson, including director of the Flight Operations Directorate, associate director, chief financial officer, deputy director of flight operations, and deputy director of mission operations.
In her new role as the associate administrator for the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, Jester will direct a staff responsible for managing and coordinating all communication with the U.S. Congress, as well as serve as a senior advisor to agency leaders on legislative matters.
Jester rejoins the agency after serving as the senior director for government affairs at Relativity Space’s Washington office where she led policy engagement for the company. Prior to her time with Relativity, she served as a policy advisor at NASA and at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. She has served as a professional staff member for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. She has spent time in state government as the Chief Legislative Aide to a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Jester has significant experience advising on space policy issues, aviation operations and safety policy, and has helped develop numerous pieces of legislation.
With a 34-year career at NASA, Catherine Koerner has been instrumental in leading NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, overseeing the development of the agency’s deep space exploration approach. Previously, she was the deputy associate administrator for the mission directorate. Her extensive career at NASA includes roles such as the Orion program manager, director of the Human Health and Performance Directorate, former NASA flight director, several leadership positions within the International Space Station Program during its assembly phase and helping to foster a commercial space industry in low Earth orbit.
Glaze has a distinguished background in planetary science, previously serving as the director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division before joining Explorations Systems Development. Prior to her tenure at NASA Headquarters in Washington, she was the chief of the Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Laboratory at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the Deputy Director of Goddard’s Solar System Exploration Division. She has been a leading advocate for Venus exploration, serving as the principal investigator for the Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging mission. Glaze earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees in Physics from the University of Texas at Arlington and a doctorate in Environmental Science from Lancaster University in the United Kingdom. Her prior experience includes roles at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and at Proxemy Research as Vice President and Senior Research Scientist.
For more about NASA’s missions, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov
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Amber Jacobson / Kathryn Hambleton
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
amber.c.jacobson@nasa.gov / kathryn.a.hambleton@nasa.gov
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By NASA
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2 Min Read More Than 400 Lives Saved with NASA’s Search and Rescue Tech in 2024
NASA Artemis II crew members are assisted by U.S. Navy personnel as they exit a mockup of the Orion spacecraft in the Pacific Ocean during Underway Recovery Test 11 (URT-11) on Feb. 25, 2024. Credits: NASA/Kenny Allen NASA’s Search and Rescue technologies enabled hundreds of lives saved in 2024.NASA/Dave Ryan Did you know that the same search and rescue technologies developed by NASA for astronaut missions to space help locate and rescue people across the United States and around the world?
NASA’s collaboration with the international satellite-aided search and rescue effort known as Cospas-Sarsat has enabled the development of multiple emergency location beacons for explorers on land, sea, and air.
Of the 407 lives saved in 2024 through search and rescue efforts in the United States, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) reports that 52 rescues were the result of activated personal locator beacons, 314 from emergency position-indicating radio beacons, and 41 from emergency locator transmitters. Since 1982, more than 50,000 lives have been saved across the world.
Using GPS satellites, these beacons transmit their location to the Cospas-Sarsat network once activated. The beacons then provide the activation coordinates to the network, allowing first responders to rescue lost or distressed explorers.
NASA Artemis II crew members are assisted by U.S. Navy personnel as they exit a mockup of the Orion spacecraft in the Pacific Ocean during Underway Recovery Test 11 (URT-11) on Feb. 25, 2024, while his crewmates look on. URT-11 is the eleventh in a series of Artemis recovery tests, and the first time NASA and its partners put their Artemis II recovery procedures to the test with the astronauts.NASA/Kenny Allen The Search and Rescue Office, part of NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program, has assisted in search and rescue services since its formation in 1979 Now, the office is building on their long legacy of Earth-based beacon development to support crewed missions to space.
The beacons also are used for emergency location, if needed, as part of NASA’s crew launches to and from the International Space Station, and will support NASA’s Artemis campaign crew recovery preparations during future missions returning from deep space. Systems being tested, like the ANGEL (Advanced Next-Generation Emergency Locator) beacon, are benefitting life on Earth and missions to the Moon and Mars. Most recently, NASA partnered with the Department of Defense to practice Artemis II recovery procedures – including ANGEL beacon activation – during URT-11 (Underway Recovery Test 11).
Miniaturized Advanced Next-Generation Emergency Locator (ANGEL) beacons will be attached to the astronauts’ life preserver units. When astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hanse splash back down to Earth — or in the unlikely event of a launch abort scenario — these beacons will allow them to be found if they need to egress from the Orion capsule.NASA The SCaN program at NASA Headquarters in Washington provides strategic oversight to the Search and Rescue office. NOAA manages the U.S. network region for Cospas-Sarsat, which relies on flight and ground technologies originally developed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. U.S. region rescue efforts are led by the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Air Force, and many other local rescue authorities.
About the Author
Kendall Murphy
Technical WriterKendall Murphy is a technical writer for the Space Communications and Navigation program office. She specializes in internal and external engagement, educating readers about space communications and navigation technology.
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Last Updated Feb 06, 2025 EditorGoddard Digital TeamContactKatherine Schauerkatherine.s.schauer@nasa.govLocationNASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms
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By European Space Agency
Global warming is driving the rapid melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet, contributing to global sea level rise and disrupting weather patterns worldwide. Because of this, precise measurements of its changing shape are of critical importance for adapting to climate change.
Now, scientists have delivered the first measurements of the Greenland Ice Sheet’s changing shape using data from ESA's CryoSat and NASA's ICESat-2 ice missions.
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