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Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio Mosaics More Resources Mars Missions Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions Mars Home 4 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4941-4947: (Pin)Stripes on the Fourth of July NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image of the “Cerro Castillo” bedrock outcrop with target “Hornillos” at the bottom center. Curiosity used its Left Navigation Camera on July 1, 2026 — Sol 4942, or Martian day 4,942 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — at 23:50:44 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech Written by Deborah Padgett, MSL Operations Product Ground System Task Lead at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Earth planning date: Thursday, July 2, 2026 Curiosity spent the week leading up to the Fourth of July holiday approaching a geologic boundary between a very smooth but somewhat sandy region and a rougher bedrock unit. Leaving the polygonal terrain behind, the rover arrived at the first location of the week on Sol 4939 and, on the following sol, 4940, looked for dust devils with Navcam and performed an AEGIS ChemCam laser-spectroscopy observation and Mastcam imaging of a target selected onboard the rover. Unfortunately, there were no large rocks appropriate for brushing with the DRT at this rover stop. On Sol 4941, the MAHLI camera imaged “Malpartida” and “Pico del Tunari,” which are both light-colored rock fragments, and APXS performed X-ray spectroscopy on them to determine their composition. ChemCam used active laser spectroscopy to zap the “Kunturiri” light-colored bedrock fragment, while “Mecoyita,” a dark-toned “float” rock, which appears to have been transported into this area from elsewhere, was observed passively. ChemCam also used its telescopic RMI camera to study sedimentary layers at the base of the Cordillera butte. Mastcam obtained several image mosaics on a ridge of sand and rock fragments dubbed “Sitajana.” On the following sol, 4942, Mastcam continued its study of “Sitajana,” and ChemCam RMI obtained more views of Cordillera butte. Navcam took a suprahorizon cloud movie and dust-****** movie. Finally, ChemCam obtained laser spectroscopy of the dark bedrock fragment “Toconce” with documentation imagery from Mastcam. Mastcam also imaged “Sierra Vicuña Mackenna” to study a partially uncovered rock shedding sand in an area of small dune ripples. On the afternoon of Sol 4942, Curiosity drove about 36 feet (about 11 meters) to the edge of the geologic contact and took post-drive panoramic mosaics with Navcam and Mastcam. These images revealed a field of exposed bedrock outcrops with beautiful pinstriped layers. A Navcam AEGIS observation was taken for onboard selection of a ChemCam laser spectroscopy target. This soil and rock target was observed by ChemCam with Mastcam documentation on Sol 4943. In addition, Navcam performed a dust-****** movie, and Mastcam took an atmospheric dust observation. For Sol 4944, two adjacent light bedrock targets “Laguna Fea” and “Laguna Lejia” were selected for DRT brushing, MAHLI imaging, and APXS X-ray spectroscopy to determine composition. ChemCam laser spectroscopy will target the darker ledge of bedrock “Hornillos,” with accompanying Mastcam documentation. The investigation of “Hornillos” will include detailed imaging by MAHLI, but it was determined to be too rough for DRT brushing. Mastcam will take a large mosaic of images on the field of striped bedrock outcrop “Cerro Castillo,” as well as a smaller mosaic of a nearby trough. The ChemCam telescopic RMI camera will target a dark layer on butte Cordillera, which appears to be shedding dark boulders. Navcam will take a dust-****** movie and suprahorizon cloud movie. On Sol 4945, ChemCham will do laser spectroscopy of “Laguna Lejia” with Mastcam image documentation, and the ChemCam RMI telescopic camera will study another area at the base of butte Cordillera where the location of large stones on the slope suggests that ice processes may have played a role. A Navcam dust-****** survey and Mastcam dust-imaging study will also be done. In the afternoon, there will be a Navcam dust-****** survey, zenith observation, and suprahorizon cloud movie, as well as a Mastcam dust observation and 20×4 mosaic image of butte Mishe Mokwa. Overnight, there will be an APXS atmospheric observation lasting many hours. During Sol 4945, ChemCam will perform laser spectroscopy of target “La Puntilla” with accompanying Mastcam imaging, followed by a ChemCam passive-sky observation. Curiosity will then drive about 56 feet (17 meters) towards a large, dark boulder in the distance, which may be a meteorite, and do post-drive imaging and Navcam sky flats. On the following morning, there will be an atmospheric observation including a Navcam zenith movie, suprahorizon cloud movie, and line-of-sight dust observation, as well as a Mastcam dust “tau” observation. Want to read more posts from the Curiosity team? Visit Mission Updates Want to learn more about Curiosity’s science instruments? Visit the Science Instruments page NASA’s Curiosity rover at the base of Mount Sharp NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Share Details Last Updated Jul 13, 2026 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4934-4940: In the Land of the Polygons Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4927–4933: Let’s Drive to That Smooth Area Article 3 weeks ago 3 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4920-4926: Surveying the Bands Article 4 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited… All Mars Resources Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,… Rover Basics Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a… Mars Exploration: Science Goals The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four… View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Matt Kamlet, an employee at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, sits atop the virtual reality passenger ride quality simulator during a study of air taxi motion Monday, Dec. 15, 2025. NASA recently completed a multi-year study to understand how large, sudden air taxi motion affects ride comfort.NASA/Christopher LC Clark No one wants to get into an uncomfortable aircraft. NASA research could help the emerging industry of air taxis —small, vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft meant for short trips — understand the relationship between comfort and willingness to fly. That’s where NASA comes in, with data that can help identify how to plan air taxi rides that can keep travelers feeling good. NASA was able to gather that data by putting its own employees through some rough virtual flights. At the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, volunteers have been strapping into a virtual reality motion simulator to experience the sudden shifts and tilts that tomorrow’s air taxis could encounter, showing researchers those moments feel from a passenger’s point of view. Their reactions are giving NASA new insight into how aircraft motion influences comfort and confidence in flight — for instance, that certain kinds of large, sudden motions can be especially bothersome. Using that data, the team developed new models linking those sudden motions to passengers’ willingness to fly. The models can help guide future aircraft design and flight operations, letting producers know what maneuvers will be too jarring for future air taxi riders. Large, sudden movements can also come from gusting winds or landings. The NASA data allows researchers to estimate when passengers may begin to feel uncomfortable as motion increases, giving them the ability to shape aircraft designs and operations to minimize the impact of those situations. “Through this study and others, we are starting to identify passenger comfort thresholds for aggressive flight motion,” said Curtis Hanson, NASA Armstrong lead researcher for this effort. “We can begin to make predictions about how air taxis should fly so that most passengers will find the experience enjoyable and want to ride again, which will benefit the public and the industry.” In the simulator, each participant experienced four levels of their aircraft pitching up and down, tilting from side-to-side, rotating, or accelerating quickly into a climb or a dive during flights from downtown San Francisco to Alcatraz Island in California. Even moderate changes in these motions reduced comfort for some participants, while others remained comfortable at higher levels. Participants rated each flight on a five-point scale and identified which motions felt uncomfortable. Participants were asked whether they would take a real air taxi flight with motion they find uncomfortable. Their answers suggested that today’s travelers may be less tolerant of rough motion than airline passengers 50 years ago, based on comparisons with earlier NASA ride-quality research. This latest feedback builds on a multiyear NASA study to better understand air taxi passenger comfort. The overall research effort found clear relationships between specific aircraft motions and how comfortable people feel during flight. This work is currently led under the Subsonic Vehicle Technologies and Tools project in NASA’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate and contributes to the agency’s advanced air mobility research. Share Details Last Updated Jul 13, 2026 EditorDede DiniusContactTeresa Whiting*****@*****.tldLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related TermsArmstrong Flight Research CenterAeronauticsDrones & YouFlight Innovation Explore More 3 min read A Day of Flight Testing at NASA Armstrong Article 2 weeks ago 5 min read NASA’s Newest Wind Tunnel Builds on Legacy of Innovation Article 2 weeks ago 3 min read This is How NASA Flight Tests New Technology Article 3 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Aeronautics Drones & You Flight Research Innovation View the full article

NASA/Robert Markowitz NASA astronaut Anil Menon poses in a spacesuit for a portrait at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas on Jan. 8, 2026. Menon will launch aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft to the International Space Station on Tuesday, July 14, accompanied by cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, where they will join the Expedition 74 crew advancing scientific research. During his stay on the station, Menon will conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations aimed at advancing human space exploration and benefiting life on Earth. Learn more about the launch, including where and when to watch. Image credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz View the full article

Share Details Last Updated Jul 13, 2026 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Contact Media Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland *****@*****.tld Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division ****** Holes Globular Clusters Goddard Space Flight Center James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Stars Related Links and Documents This release on the ESA/Hubble website.

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Wild, Scenic, and Increasingly… Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search Rusting rivers occur across the Brooks Range in northern Alaska, as shown in this map based on in situ and satellite observations from 2007-2024. NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison From declines in annual sea ice extent to the greening of the tundra, environmental change has been unfolding incrementally in the Arctic over decades. Some shifts, however, have come on more abruptly. Satellite, aerial, and ground-based surveys spanning more than 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) across Alaska’s Brooks Range have observed stream water changing from clear to orange in more than 200 watersheds. What’s more, scientists are finding that the switch has largely taken place within the past 10 to 12 years, coinciding with a pronounced increase in air and ground temperatures. Thawing permafrost soils, accelerated by warming air and ground temperatures, are the most likely cause of the “rusty” rivers, scientists say. They surmise that water is now encountering thawed ground and bedrock where it previously had not. Chemical weathering of minerals leaches iron, sulfuric acid, and trace metals into streams, akin to the process behind acid mine drainage, which similarly pollutes and discolors water near abandoned mines. Microbes may also contribute to the color change by producing a soluble form of iron as they digest plant and animal matter in thawing soils, which then becomes oxygenated, or “rusts,” in flowing streams. Researchers have only recently begun to comprehend the prevalence of rusting rivers in Arctic regions. In 2024, a team of National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and university scientists documented 75 northern Alaskan streams that recently changed from clear to orange. With subsequent exploration, mostly using high-resolution satellite imagery, they added 200 more observations. The locations of these discolored streams, published in NOAA’s 2025 Arctic Report Card, are shown in the map above. “I’m still surprised by the broad spatial scope of our observations,” said Brett Poulin, environmental toxicologist at the University of California, Davis. He and his collaborators have been monitoring the region’s streams since 2013—when many were still clear. “Now we’re seeing hundreds of streams that have changed color seemingly overnight, including in designated National Wild & Scenic River corridors,” he said. 2017 2020 NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison 20172020 NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison 2017 2020 CurtainToggle2-Up Image Details The Agashashok River in Noatak National Preserve is one of many streams in Alaska whose water has turned from clear to rusty orange. The change appears in these images, acquired on July 12, 2017 (left), and July 20, 2020 (right), by the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8. NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison. Observations from NASA/USGS Landsat satellites allowed the team to determine the timing of several of these changes. For the 2024 study led by ecologist Jon O’Donnell of the National Park Service, the team calculated a redness index based on red and blue spectral information sensitive to the color of iron hydroxides (i.e., rust) in water. After analyzing a subset of streams, they found that some turned rusty around 2018 and stayed that way, while others had periods of rusting and then returned to being clear. One stream that underwent a sudden change is the Agashashok River in Noatak National Preserve (above). In 2019, a jump in redness values appeared in Landsat data along this waterway. Ground and aerial surveys the same year found an orange section of the river several kilometers long, and vegetation around nearby groundwater seeps and springs appeared blackened. “The Landsat archive has proved uniquely useful for investigating the historical onset of rusting rivers where creeks and rivers are sufficiently large,” Poulin said. Having gained a better picture of the extent and timing of the phenomenon, the researchers want to focus on the conditions driving the orange color’s onset and the yearly and seasonal changes. A deep snowpack may play a role some years, for example, by insulating the soil from cold winter temperatures and enabling permafrost thaw earlier in the summer. In addition, periods of higher streamflow throughout the year can dilute the discoloration. The team is planning a geophysical survey along a hillslope where acidic groundwater is discharging to the surface to investigate the subsurface geology, hydrology, and permafrost. Further, they seek to quantify the effects on water quality and aquatic ecosystems. Communities rely on these river systems for drinking water and subsistence fisheries, and a decrease in stream biodiversity has already been documented in some locations coincident with water turning orange. The researchers now are looking deeper into the patterns of toxicity over time and space, such as where rusting rivers overlap with known spawning areas for migratory fish. “The rusting river phenomenon is a good example of an unforeseen consequence of permafrost thaw in the Arctic,” Poulin said. “Further, it’s consistent with the emergence of acid rock drainage following cryosphere loss across Earth.” NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using stream location data from O’Donnell, J.A., et al., and Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Lindsey Doermann. Downloads 2007-2024 JPEG (2.16 MB) July 12, 2017 JPEG (10.91 MB) July 20, 2020 JPEG (11.44 MB) References & Resources NASA Earth Observatory (2024, January 16) Rusting Rivers. Accessed July 9, 2026. O’Donnell, J. A., et al. (2025) Rusting Rivers: Assessing the Causes and Consequences in Alaska and Across the Arctic. Arctic Report Card 2025. O’Donnell, J. A., et al. (2024) Metal mobilization from thawing permafrost to aquatic ecosystems is driving rusting of Arctic streams. Communications Earth & Environment, 5, 268. U.S. Geological Survey (2026, February 27) The Rusting of Arctic Rivers: Freshwater Ecosystems Respond to Rapidly Uptaking Metals. Accessed July 9, 2026. You may also be interested in: Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet. Examining Algal Blooms in Blue Mesa 5 min read Using satellite data, researchers connected harmful algal blooms with warm water and low water levels at one of Colorado’s largest… Article Ice Moves Out of Aniak 3 min read Spring melt along Alaska’s Kuskokwim River caused ice jams and flooding. Article Signs of Thaw in the Bering Sea 3 min read Drifting sea ice fragments near Alaska’s Saint Lawrence and Nunivak islands and colorful water around the Yukon Delta heralded the… Article 1 2 3 4 Next Keep Exploring Discover More from NASA Earth Science Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox. Earth Observatory Image of the Day NASA’s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery. Explore Earth Science Earth Science Data Open access to NASA’s archive of Earth science data View the full article

1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Back to ECF Home Advanced Diagnostics for High-Enthalpy Test Facilities Simulating Spacecraft Atmospheric Entry Damiano Baccarella University of Tennessee, Knoxville Application of Resonance Enhanced Multi-Photon Ionization Diagnostics to the Characterization of Arcjet Flows​ Ciprian Dumitrache Colorado State University Ultrafast Laser Diagnostics for Nonequilibrium Flowfields Characterization in Atmospheric Entry Studies​ Dan Fries University of Kentucky, Lexington Multiplexed Polarization Spectroscopy for Single-Shot Multi-Species Diagnostics in High-Enthalpy Flows​ Yi Mazumdar Georgia Institute of Technology Simultaneous Temperature, Species, and Velocity Measurements using Ultrafast Laser Diagnostics for Ground Testing of Spacecraft Atmospheric Entry Systems​ Planning for Autonomous Spacecraft Using Machine Learning Methods to Enable Onboard Guidance, Navigation, and Control Glen Chou Colorado School of Mines Robust Real-Time Hierarchical Neural Planning and Control with System-Level Guarantees Roshan Eapen University of California, Berkeley Hamilton-Jacobi aided Planning and Reasoning for Intelligent Spacecraft Maneuvers (HJ-PRISM) Bin Hu Stanford University Safety-Enabled and Efficient Onboard Planning for Autonomous Spacecraft via Physics-Informed Reinforcement Learning View the full article

Explore This Section Science Citizen Science NASA Volunteers Help… Overview Resources Opportunities Citizen Science Highlights About Science Activation The Zooniverse, a NASA grantee that runs the world’s largest platform for online people-powered research, has reached an extraordinary milestone: 1 billion classifications contributed by volunteers around the world. This milestone is a celebration of everyone who has marked a dip in a light curve, confirmed the presence of a moving object in a short video, or identified species in a camera trap image. Each of these small contributions collectively advances our understanding of the universe. A total of 31 NASA-sponsored citizen science projects have been hosted on Zooniverse, accounting for 120 million classifications by 324 thousand volunteers since 2020. Through projects like Planet Hunters TESS, Daily Minor Planet, Backyard Worlds: Planet 9, Space Umbrella, and Snapshot Wisconsin, volunteers help discover exoplanets, identify near-Earth objects and asteroids, search for brown dwarfs and planetary systems, analyze effects of the solar wind, and inform wildlife management decisions. These projects have led to 96 scientific publications, and 56 of these articles feature NASA citizen scientists as co-authors to recognize the significance of their research contributions. These efforts demonstrate how public participation can accelerate discovery by combining human curiosity and pattern recognition with data from NASA missions and observatories. Collaboration between volunteers, scientists, and computing technology will be even more important in the future as we tackle enormous and complex datasets, like those from NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. “One billion classifications represent far more than a number; it’s one billion moments of curiosity transformed into meaningful contributions to research,” said Laura Trouille, principal investigator of Zooniverse and vice president of Science Engagement at the Adler Planetarium. “Every classification on Zooniverse brings us one step closer to new discoveries and a deeper understanding of our universe, our world, and ourselves.” Zooniverse is the world’s largest platform for people-powered research. Co-founded by the Adler Planetarium and the University of Oxford, with the University of Minnesota serving as a key institutional partner, Zooniverse enables anyone, anywhere to contribute directly to real scientific research. Through its six-year collaboration with NASA, Zooniverse provides science-enabling infrastructure to NASA researchers through tools and a community of more than 3 million registered volunteers. Facebook logo @nasascience_ @nasascience_ Instagram logo @nasascience_ Linkedin logo @nasascience_ View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA photographer Jim Ross flies above the Washington Monument in Washington on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in an F-18 aircraft, as part of a flyover to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. This aircraft is from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, and it joined other NASA aircraft for the flyover.NASA/Jim Ross NASA flight photographers capture history from a perspective few ever experience, getting a rare bird’s-eye view of the agency’s missions in action. Their photos document key NASA research and give the public a front-row seat to the work happening behind the scenes. Jim Ross, a photographer at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, flew over Washington during the Fourth of July celebration to document a NASA flyover commemorating America’s 250th birthday. He’s captured some of the agency’s most exhilarating milestones, like early SR-71 flights, the delivery flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour to Los Angeles, and first flights of NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft. “I grew up in Bozeman, Montana, when it was still considered a small town, so if someone told that little kid that he would be flying in a F-18 over the National Mall, he would have never believed it,” Ross said. “I love documenting history, and having the opportunity to capture flights and launches has kept me doing it for almost 37 years.” Ross began his aviation photography career in 1989 when he joined the staff at NASA Armstrong (then Dryden). He became the photo lead in 1997, a title he retains. Check out his images from the flyover here: [Hidden Content] NASA photographer Jim Ross takes a selfie from the rear seat of a NASA F/A‑18 during a cross‑country flight from Spokane, Washington, to Washington, D.C., on Thursday, July 2, 2026. The agency’s F‑15, flying alongside the aircraft, is visible through the window. Both aircraft, from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, participated in the Freedom 250 flyover with other NASA and military aircraft on Saturday, July 4, 2026.NASA/Jim Ross NASA photographer Jim Ross flies above Washington on Saturday, July 4, 2026, in an F-18 aircraft, as part of a flyover to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. This aircraft is from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, and it joined other NASA aircraft for the flyover. A NASA F-15 is seen flying to the side of the NASA F-18.NASA/Jim Ross Share Details Last Updated Jul 10, 2026 EditorDede DiniusContactTeresa Whiting*****@*****.tld Related TermsAeronauticsArmstrong Flight Research CenterFlight InnovationNASA Aircraft Explore More 3 min read A Day of Flight Testing at NASA Armstrong Article 1 week ago 5 min read NASA’s Newest Wind Tunnel Builds on Legacy of Innovation Article 2 weeks ago 3 min read This is How NASA Flight Tests New Technology Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Aircraft Flown at Armstrong Aeronautics Armstrong Flight Operations View the full article

NASA The waxing gibbous moon is nestled in the darkness of space in this June 26, 2026, image from the International Space Station. The space station was 264 miles above the Indian Ocean southeast of Madagascar at the time. The waxing gibbous phase comes before the full moon phase. During this time, the Moon appears brighter in the night sky to viewers on Earth. Image credit: NASA View the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Where Venezuela’s… Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search Ground displacement was especially intense near Caracas and La Guaira, Venezuela, after earthquakes struck the region on June 24, 2026. The map was derived from NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) data acquired on June 25 and June 30 (after the earthquakes) and June 13 and June 18 (before the earthquakes). NASA Earth Observatory/Lauren Dauphin On June 24, 2026, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck northern Venezuela, followed under a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 mainshock. Together, the quakes left immense damage and loss of life across the region. In the days that followed, satellite-based maps of ground displacement revealed how the land surface moved, providing insight into the forces behind the severe destruction in locations such as La Guaira and other coastal cities in La Guaira state. This map was produced using data from the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite and processed by the NISAR science team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Scientists used a technique called InSAR, which compares data from repeat passes to detect subtle changes in the distance between the satellite and the ground. Images acquired on June 25 and June 30, after the quakes, were compared with images from June 13 and June 18, before the quakes. NISAR views Earth at an angle, about 40 degrees from straight down, allowing it to capture a mix of horizontal and vertical displacement. In this map, red areas show where the ground moved east and up; blue areas moved west and down. Because the earthquake occurred on a strike-slip fault, however, most of the displacement shown in this map was horizontal (east and west). White areas indicate little to no land displacement, including a thin strip near the middle-left of the scene, close to Morón, marking roughly where the fault ruptured at depth. The fault is part of a network of fractures that lies along the boundary between the Caribbean plate to the north and the South American plate to the south. Scientists say faults along this plate boundary, including the San Sebastián fault system where these quakes likely occurred (and possibly part of the Boconó system), have long been accumulating strain. The fault rupture propagated offshore, toward the east, and then back onshore near the international airport north of Caracas, marked by the narrow white band visible between westward and eastward displacement. Just south of this fault section, the deep blue color indicates that the westward surface displacement along this part of the fault was far greater than elsewhere, reaching as much as 60 centimeters (24 inches). “These are reasons why the damage in Caracas and La Guaira was so extreme,” said Eric Fielding, a geophysicist at JPL who provided the maps. “InSAR tells us a lot about what happened during this earthquake.” Using the NISAR data, the U.S. Geological Survey refined its fault-slip model, or “finite fault model,” to better constrain how the fault slipped at depth, including along the rupture’s eastern section. “That is extremely helpful for the people who need to understand why damage was so severe in that area,” Fielding said. The displacement maps for this event were provided through NISAR’s Urgent Response (UR) system, a fast-track process that can deliver data within 12 to 24 hours to support disaster response. The rapid processing relies on predicted orbit information, so UR maps are preliminary until they are later reprocessed with precise orbit information, typically within a day or two. This marks the first time the NISAR UR system has been used to map surface displacement from a large earthquake. NASA Earth Observatory map by Lauren Dauphin, using data provided Eric Fielding and processed by the NISAR science team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Story by Kathryn Hansen. Downloads June 25 & June 30, 2026 JPEG (3.51 MB) References & Resources NASA (2025, July 23) Interferometry. Accessed July 9, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory, (2025, September 15) Mapping Kamchatka Earthquake Displacement. Accessed July 9, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory, (2025, April 15) Satellite Data Show Motion of Burma Earthquakes. Accessed July 9, 2026. NASA’s Disasters Mapping Portal (2026, July 9) Venezuela Earthquake June 2026. Accessed July 9, 2026. U.S. Geological Survey (2026, June 24) M 7.2 – 21 km ENE of San Felipe, Venezuela. Accessed July 9, 2026. U.S. Geological Survey (2026, June 24) M 7.5 – 20 km ESE of Yumare, Venezuela. Accessed July 9, 2026. You may also be interested in: Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet. A Moonlit Earth as Seen From Artemis II 4 min read An astronaut’s photo, taken en route to the Moon, reveals our planet and its place in space in a novel… Article Megaberg Ends Its Long Odyssey at Sea 5 min read Antarctic Iceberg A-23A’s journey ends in fragmentation in the South Atlantic Ocean, after a 40-year lifespan documented by satellites. Article The World Cup From 250 Miles Up 4 min read Over the years, astronauts aboard the International Space Station have photographed several of the cities hosting the 2026 FIFA World… Article 1 2 3 4 Next Keep Exploring Discover More from NASA Earth Science Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox. Earth Observatory Image of the Day NASA’s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery. Explore Earth Science Earth Science Data Open access to NASA’s archive of Earth science data View the full article

NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, Soyuz MS-29 prime crew members, pose for a portrait at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia. Credit: GCTC NASA astronaut Anil Menon will launch aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft to the International Space Station on Tuesday, July 14, accompanied by cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, where they will join the Expedition 74 crew advancing scientific research. Menon, Dubrov, and Kikina will lift off at 10:47 a.m. EDT (7:47 p.m. Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Live launch and docking coverage is available on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media. After a two-orbit, three-hour trip to the station, the spacecraft will automatically dock at 1:56 p.m. to the Prichal module. Shortly afterward, hatches will open between the Soyuz and the orbiting laboratory. Once aboard, the trio will join NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, and Chris Williams, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev, and Andrey Fedyaev. NASA’s coverage schedule is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations): Tuesday, July 14 9:45 a.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube. 10:47 a.m. – Launch 1:10 p.m. – Rendezvous and docking coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube. 1:56 p.m. – Docking 3:30 p.m. – Hatch opening and welcome coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube. 3:55 p.m. – Hatch opening Menon, Dubrov, and Kikina will spend about eight months aboard the orbital complex as International Space Station Expedition 74/75 crew members before returning to Earth in April 2027. This will be Menon’s first spaceflight and the second for both Dubrov and Kikina. During his stay on the station, Menon will conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations aimed at advancing human space exploration and benefiting life on Earth. He will continue research to refine in-space production of semiconductor crystals to enable the large-scale manufacturing of components needed for high-performance computers, artificial intelligence, and improved medical devices. Menon also will perform ultrasound using augmented reality and artificial intelligence methods that could eliminate the need for medical support from Earth on future space missions. He will be a test subject helping researchers understand how blood flow is affected in space to protect future astronauts. He also will test bioprinting vascular constructs in microgravity to improve understanding of the aging process to advance therapeutic developments. For more than 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The space station helps NASA understand and overcome the challenges of human spaceflight, expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit, and build on the foundation for long-duration missions to the Moon, as part of the Artemis program, and to Mars. To learn more about International Space Station research, operations, and its crews, visit: www.nasa.gov/station -end- Joshua Finch / Jimi Russell Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Sandra Jones Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 sandra.p*****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jul 09, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsHumans in SpaceInternational Space Station (ISS)ISS Research View the full article

4 Min Read NASA Space Telescope Maps Magnetic Fields of ‘Lighthouse’ Pulsar For the first time, scientists have used NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) to directly measure the magnetic fields of PSR J1101−6101, a pulsar located within what is often referred to as the Lighthouse Nebula. The results provide new insight into the structure of some of the most extreme objects in the cosmos, as NASA continues to explore the secrets of how the universe works. A paper describing the results published Thursday in the Astrophysical Journal. Scientists have successfully measured the magnetic field of the Lighthouse pulsar’s nebula using NASA’s IXPE. Their measurements confirm the theory that high-energy particles escape along the galaxy’s magnetic field lines. This composite image contains X-ray data from IXPE in blue (highlighted in the inset), the Chandra X-ray Observatory in purple, and radio data from CSIRO in green. The starfield is optical data from the 2MASS optical survey. X-ray: Chandra: NASA/CXC/Stanford Univ./J.T. Dinsmore et al.; IXPE: NASA/MSFC/J.T. Dinsmore et al., Radio: CSIRO/ATNF/ATCA; Optical: 2MASS/UMass/IPAC-Caltech/NASA/NSF; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare Fast facts A pulsar is a type of neutron star with a strong magnetic field that spins incredibly fast. The pulsar at the center of the Lighthouse Nebula is rotating 16 times per second. Neutron stars are the leftover cores of massive stars, formed at the end of their life cycles, that possess more mass than the Sun. They are condensed down to the size of a city, making them natural laboratories for studying extreme physics. Polarization is a property of light that describes the direction of its electric field vibrations. The polarization degree is a measurement of how aligned those vibrations are with each other. In June 2025, IXPE spent nearly 18 days focused on the Lighthouse Nebula. Astronomers studied two narrow X-ray offshoots extending from the pulsar to better understand how electrons at nearly the speed of light interact with this energetic system. The longer offshoot is known as the “filament,” and the shorter one is the “trail.” When high-energy particles from the pulsar collide with the gas of interstellar space, they form a bow shock, like the bow wave formed at the front of a speeding boat. Most particles become trapped behind this bow shock, forming the turbulent trail behind the pulsar. Researchers have suspected since 2008 that the highest-energy particles escape through this bow shock into interstellar space, flowing along the galaxy’s magnetic field lines to create the nebula’s long, thin filament. “We wanted to test that theory,” said Jack Dinsmore, undergraduate student at Stanford University, who led the study. “The ‘smoking gun’ would come by measuring the polarization of the light, which indicates the magnetic field direction. If the magnetic field points along the filament, that confirms that the filament’s particles are flowing along the field.” One challenge with these measurements is that the Lighthouse Nebula is relatively faint. To address this, IXPE scientists developed advanced analysis methods that use every bit of data, avoiding simplifying steps that could limit information. With these new tools and the new observations of the Lighthouse, the science team successfully measured the filament’s polarization. These techniques also gave a polarization measurement of the trail, and the pulsar’s emission signal. Their analysis confirmed with more than 99% confidence that the magnetic field does indeed align with the particles’ flow. While the parallel direction confirms models for the particle’s motion, the polarization degree was high enough to raise new questions. “Many of the models for filaments assume strong magnetic turbulence,” said Roger Romani, a Stanford University professor who co-authored this paper. “The high polarization degree we measured indicates lower turbulence than such models require.” The IXPE observations also showed that the magnetic field responsible for X-ray emission had to be parallel to the trail. However, the authors collected radio frequency observations showing a magnetic field pointing almost exactly perpendicular. “The striking divergence in magnetic field orientations observed between radio and X-ray wavelengths provides compelling evidence for the highly structured nature of these objects,” said Niccolò Bucciantini of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics and co-author of the study. “This marks the first clear indication that particles of different energies occupy distinct regions within the system, hinting at the presence of multiple, and potentially very different, acceleration mechanisms at work.” More about IXPE The IXPE mission, which continues to provide unprecedented data enabling groundbreaking discoveries about celestial objects across the universe, is a joint NASA and Italian Space Agency mission with partners and science collaborators in 12 countries. It is led by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and BAE Systems, Inc. manages spacecraft operations together with the University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder. Learn more about IXPE’s ongoing mission here: [Hidden Content] About the Author Michael Allen Share Details Last Updated Jul 09, 2026 Editor Lee Mohon Contact Joel Wallace Location Marshall Space Flight Center Related Terms IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) Astrophysics Chandra X-Ray Observatory Marshall Astrophysics Marshall Space Flight Center Nebulae Pulsars The Universe Explore More 3 min read NASA’s IXPE Measures White Dwarf Star for First Time By Michael Allen For the first time, scientists have used NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry… Article 6 months ago 4 min read NASA’s IXPE Obtains First X-ray Polarization Measurement of Magnetar Outburst What happens when the universe’s most magnetic object shines with the power of 1,000 Suns… Article 1 year ago 8 min read NASA Telescopes Tune Into a ****** Hole Prelude, Fugue NASA released three new pieces of cosmic sound Thursday that are associated with the densest… Article 1 year ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA IXPE The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) is NASA’s first mission to study the polarization of X-rays. Chandra X-ray Observatory Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… View the full article

Two new reports from NASA’s Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA) program evaluate data from the Umbra X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite constellation for the NASA Earth science research and applications community. The results of these evaluations help to inform NASA program management and the user community about the quality of these commercial data for use in NASA science. NASA’s CSDA program released the Umbra SAR Principal Investigator Evaluation Summary and Umbra SAR Quality Assessment Reports in May 2026. (The cover of the Quality Assessment Report is shown at left.) The results of these evaluations help inform NASA program management about the quality of this commercial data for use in NASA science. At right, a collage of synthetic aperture radar images from Umbra. Credit: NASA CSDA program / © Umbra Lab Inc., 2026. All Rights Reserved The CSDA Umbra Synthetic Aperture Radar Umbra SAR Principal Investigator Evaluation Summary documents the findings of evaluation teams. The teams were given access to the Umbra archive as well as the ability to task the Umbra constellation for new acquisitions. The tasking capability allowed evaluation teams to test the utility of Umbra data in time-sensitive workflows and to monitor areas experiencing rapid change and/or emergent environmental conditions, such as harmful algal blooms. Although the Principal Investigator Evaluation Summary supports the use of Umbra SAR data for NASA Earth science research and applications overall, it noted several strengths and weaknesses of the Umbra X-band data. Strengths included access to a very high spatial resolution X-band SAR satellite constellation; taskable access to high temporal repeat opportunities with quick turnaround; imaging flexibility with a range of azimuth and incidence angles; and the company’s Open Data Program. Conversely, the PI teams reported weaknesses, including issues with Umbra geolocation (noting large and small geolocation errors), limited software compatibility, metadata, and some missing technical documentation. Additionally, the CSDA Umbra Synthetic Aperture Radar Umbra SAR Quality Assessment Report documents the results of radiometric and geometric analyses performed by NASA subject matter experts (SMEs) enlisted to evaluate the fundamental quality of the Umbra data following the Joint NASA/European Space Agency (ESA) assessment guidelines (ESA-NASA, 2024). Performed mainly on the single-look complex (SLC) Level 1 data products in Sensor Independent Complex Data (SICD) format, along with some additional Level 2 products used in science usability assessments by the evaluation team, the CSDA SMEs found the spatial resolution of the data agreed with Umbra’s specifications. However, the quality analysis results for geolocation accuracy did not universally align with the company’s specifications. Given these results, the SME’s concluded that “the overall positioning performance of the Umbra data did not meet the expected accuracy. Regarding the radiometric performance of the data, which was assessed in terms of absolute accuracy, stability, and sensitivity, the SMEs found the data “underperform[ed] relative to that of well-calibrated reference SAR systems.” About the CSDA Program The CSDA program was established to identify, evaluate, and acquire data from commercial sources that support the NASA Earth science research and application goals. NASA’s Earth Science Division recognizes the potential impact commercial satellite constellations may have in encouraging/enabling efficient approaches to advancing Earth System Science and applications development for societal benefit. Commercially acquired data may also provide a cost-effective means to augment and/or complement the suite of Earth observations acquired by NASA, other U.S. government agencies, and international partners. To read the reports in full, see the links under “Evaluation” heading on the CSDA’s Umbra commercial vendor webpage. View the full article

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS This close-up view shows fragments of sulfur crystals — the first ever seen on the Red Planet. The crystals were found after NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover happened to drive over a rock and crush it on May 30, 2024. Several days later, Curiosity used a camera on the end of its robotic arm to take this image. A recent paper in Science suggests that the sulfur formed when magma deep below the surface released fluids or gases that deposited sulfur on the Red Planet’s surface about 3 billion years ago. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS View the full article

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) These four views were captured from a World War II-era aircraft in April 2026, when scientists used instruments aboard the plane to study Arctic sea ice. Their flights were timed to coincide with satellites passing overhead so the airborne and orbital data could be combined.NASA/JPL-Caltech This month, engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California are testing a spacecraft sensor that will help measure how quickly Arctic sea ice is disappearing. And while that instrument won’t launch for another year, scientists started preparing for its use during a recent field campaign in the ********* wilderness. Researchers spent two weeks in April flying above the Arctic Ocean, often watching sunrise from an altitude of 1,500 feet (457 meters) in a World War II-era plane. A variety of cutting-edge sensors used to measure the thickness of sea ice and snow were aboard the plane, including a stand-in for the microwave radiometer now undergoing testing at JPL. Measuring sea ice thickness is tricky, requiring a number of precise figures, including how high the sea ice rises above water, the depth of snow on top of that ice, and microwave emissions from the surface. Flights were timed to the passage of satellites overhead so coordinated observations could be taken of the same features. Combining the airborne and satellite data will improve scientists’ ability to measure sea ice and understand how climate conditions are evolving across the Arctic. In recent decades, the extent and thickness of Arctic sea ice have changed. Improving measurements of those changes helps scientists better understand the Arctic system while supporting navigation, weather and ocean research, and future satellite observations. As Arctic shipping activity increases, the region is also becoming strategically and economically more significant. According to Sahra Kacimi of JPL, who served as the field campaign’s science lead, ongoing warming in the Arctic could potentially impact public safety and economic interests. Find out what Arctic sea ice looked like as scientists studied it from the air — and using space-based instruments — during a field campaign this past April. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Frequent flyers Kacimi has spent years studying sea ice using satellite data, but the top-down view she gets from space is different than peering out a plane’s window. The bewildering diversity of sea ice creates otherworldly landscapes. The ice can be attached to land or adrift in the ocean; it can be rough or smooth. Driven by winds and ocean currents, the ice is constantly shifting, breaking apart, and deforming. Cracks can open into long stretches of exposed ocean, and collisions between floes can push ice rubble into massive ridges that extend for miles. Some sea ice lasts only one season, while thicker ice can survive for several years (though multiyear sea ice is becoming less common in many parts of the Arctic). Entire ecosystems are affected by these changes, down to the arctic foxes and hares the scientists spotted throughout the trip. Improving estimates of sea ice thickness helps scientists better understand how the region is changing and supports long-term observations of the Arctic environment. The NASA team logged about 50 hours in the air over the two-week campaign, conducting flights over drifting ice near the town of Inuvik before studying ice fixed to the shore of another location, a hamlet called Cambridge Bay. For the Inuvik portion of the campaign, the team coordinated with the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, a satellite jointly developed by NASA and the French space agency, CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales), with JPL leading the United States component of the mission. Though it was designed to map the height of the globe’s sea and fresh water, SWOT can also measure the amount of sea ice above the waterline. In Cambridge Bay, the NASA team joined researchers from ESA (European Space Agency), Germany’s Alfred Wegener Institute, and Canada’s University of Calgary. During this part of the campaign, coordinated flights soared over a field camp and under the tracks of satellite missions such as NASA’s Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) and ESA’s CryoSat-2. To improve sea ice thickness estimates, ESA is developing, with cooperation from NASA, a new polar mission called Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter (CRISTAL). During the April airborne campaign, scientists flew instruments similar to what CRISTAL will carry, including the microwave radiometer now being tested at JPL. “Combining observations from space, air, and ground surface instruments is essential for developing and validating algorithms for current and future missions,” Kacimi said. For the scientists, it was also a chance to meet locals who see the Arctic’s changes up close. Kacimi spoke to community leaders and students at a STEM camp about how disappearing ice is affecting their communities. “I’m used to looking at sea ice from space and thinking about its role in the global climate, but for people living in the Arctic, it carries a much deeper meaning,” Kacimi said. Media Contacts Andrew Good Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-393-2433 *****@*****.tld Liz Vlock NASA Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld 2026-043 Share Details Last Updated Jul 09, 2026 Related TermsAirborne ScienceICESat-2 (Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2)SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) Explore More 3 min read NASA’s 777 Aircraft Returns Home with Science Flights on the Horizon Article 3 months ago 3 min read Arctic Winter Sea Ice Ties Record Low, NASA, NSIDC Scientists Find For the second consecutive year, winter sea ice in the Arctic reached a level that… Article 3 months ago 1 min read SWOT Mission Unlocks a New View of Our Waterways Explore how rivers move, change, and sustain life across the planet with SWOT data. Article 4 months ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Explore Earth Science From its origins, NASA has studied our planet in novel ways, using a fleet of satellites and ambitious airborne and ground-based… Earth Science at Work NASA Earth Science helps Americans respond to challenges and societal needs — such as wildland fires, hurricanes, and water supplies… Earth Science Data Open access to NASA’s archive of Earth science data Earth Science Missions In order to study the Earth as a whole system and understand how it is changing, NASA develops and supports… View the full article