SpaceMan

NASA’s University Innovation (UI) project funds university-led innovation to address the agency’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate’s system-level challenges via independent, NASA-alternate-path, multi-disciplinary awards. Strategic Goals The UI portfolio’s strategic goals in descending order of importance are: 1. Assist in achieving aviation outcomes defined in the ARMD Strategic Implementation Plan through NASA-complementary research. 2. Transition research results to an appropriate range of stakeholders that leads to a continuation of the research. 3. Provide broad opportunities for students at different levels, including graduate and undergraduate, to participate in aeronautics research. Portfolio Elements The UI project’s strategic goals are achieved through two opportunities that are available through NASA Research Announcement awards. University Leadership Initiative (ULI) ULI provides the opportunity for university teams to exercise technical and organizational leadership in proposing unique technical challenges, defining interdisciplinary solutions, establishing peer review mechanisms, and applying innovative teaming strategies to strengthen the research impact. By addressing the most complex challenges associated with ARMD’s strategic thrusts, universities will accelerate progress toward achievement of high impact outcomes while leveraging their capability to bring together the best and brightest minds across many disciplines. To transition their research, principal investigators are expected to actively explore transition opportunities and pursue follow-on funding from stakeholders and industrial partners during the course of the award. University Students Research Challenge (USRC) USRC seeks to develop novel concepts with the potential to create new capabilities in aeronautics by stimulating aeronautics research in the U.S. student community. USRC provides students, from accredited U.S. colleges or universities, with grants for aeronautics projects that also raise cost sharing funds using crowdfunding platforms. By including the process of creating and preparing a crowdfunding campaign, USRC can act as a teaching accelerator to help students develop entrepreneurial skills. Gateways To Blue Skies Gateways to Blue Skies expands engagement between universities and NASA’s University Innovation Project, industry, and government partners by providing an opportunity for multi-disciplinary teams of students from all academic levels (i.e., freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, and graduate) to tackle significant challenges and opportunities for the aviation industry through a new project theme each year. The competition is guided by a push toward new technologies as well as environmentally and socially conscious aviation. UI Project Page, University Innovation (UI) Tech Talks Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 3 min read Winners Announced in NASA’s 2025 Gateways to Blue Skies Competition Article 10 months ago 3 min read NASA Selects Student Teams for Drone Hurricane Response and Cybersecurity Research Article 10 months ago 14 min read University Student Research Challenge (USRC) Awards Article 11 months ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans In Space Solar System Exploration Eyes on the Solar System Explore NASA’s History Share Details Last Updated Mar 11, 2026 EditorLillian GipsonContactJim Banke*****@*****.tld Related TermsUniversity Innovation View the full article

ESA/Hubble & NASA, ESA Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/Q1-2025, J.-C. Cuillandre & E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay), Z. Tsvetanov This March 3, 2026, image combines views from ESA’s (European Space Agency) Euclid and NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope to feature one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star: the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula lies 4,400 light-years away in the constellation Draco and has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. See what this observation reveals about this planetary nebula. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, ESA Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/Q1-2025, J.-C. Cuillandre & E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay), Z. Tsvetanov View the full article

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 Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions Mars Home 3 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4825-4831: Exploring the Borderlands NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image of a pitted vertical rock face dubbed “Timboy Chaco,” using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), located on the turret at the end of the rover’s robotic arm. MAHLI uses an onboard process to merge multiple images of the same target, making a composite that brings as many features as possible into focus. Curiosity performed the merge on March 5, 2026 — Sol 4827, or Martian day 4,827 of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission — at 19:56:40 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Written by William Farrand, Senior Research Scientist, Space Science Institute Earth planning date: Friday, March 6, 2026 Curiosity is in the last stage of its exploration of the spiderweb-like boxwork unit. This stage consists of exploring the eastern and southern borders of this terrain. There were two multi-sol plans assembled this week. The previous plan put Curiosity at a site on the eastern extent of the boxwork unit with bedrock that allowed for brushing and in-place measurements with APXS and MAHLI of the bedrock target “Infiernillo.” The ChemCam also took a LIBS chemical measurement of this target as well as a nodular-rich piece of bedrock assigned the name “Humahuaca.” MAHLI was tasked to image a pitted vertical rock face which was dubbed “Timboy Chaco” (part of which is shown in the MAHLI color image accompanying this report). Mastcam color mosaics and ChemCam Remote Micro-Imager (RMI) mosaics were also collected to characterize nearby terrain including a butte to the south and the geologic contact between the boxwork terrain and the adjacent layered, light-toned unit. A midweek drive put the rover even closer to the eastern edge of the boxwork unit and set it up for two or more drives to the southern edge of the boxwork. The workspace present for Friday planning included bedrock exposures and a dark-toned float rock. The float rock was large enough for in-situ observation by APXS, and it was also targeted for up-close imaging by MAHLI and a measurement by ChemCam to observe its reflectance properties. Some other dark float rocks observed by Curiosity in the past year have been hypothesized as being stony meteorites (chondrites). Measuring the chemistry and reflectance of this dark rock, named “Thola,” will allow the team to determine if it is native to Mars or a meteorite from beyond. The Friday plan also included ChemCam remote chemistry measurements of the smooth bedrock target “Valle Fertil” and a nodular bedrock target “Norte Grande.” The plan also included Mastcam mosaics of light-toned bedrock across the eastern contact of the boxwork unit to assess sedimentary structures and determine stratigraphic relationships, observations of smaller troughs in the regolith, and other mosaics of nearby ridges as well as a two-frame mosaic of the dark float rock Thola and another dark-toned pebble. The plan concludes with a drive toward the southern border of the boxwork unit. Given that this southern contact is approximately 100 meters (about 109 yards) away, it will likely require two drives. 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 Mar 11, 2026 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 3 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4818-4824: Thinking Out of the Boxwork Article 1 week ago 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4812-4817: Back Into the Hollows Article 2 weeks ago 3 min read Curiosity Blog Sols 4804-4811: Kicking Off the Final Phase of Boxwork Exploration Article 3 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

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory A Most Unusual Lake 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 Notes from the Field Blog Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search February 16, 2026 Scientists estimate that Earth is home to more than 100 million lakes. Among the most unusual is Lake Unter-See, one of Antarctica’s largest and deepest surface lakes, known for its distinctive water chemistry. Its ice-covered waters have exceptionally high levels of dissolved oxygen, low dissolved carbon dioxide, and a strongly alkaline (basic) pH. The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 9 captured this image on February 16, 2026, during the Antarctic summer. Most of the lake’s water comes from seasonal meltwater draining from the margins of the nearby Anuchin Glacier, which flows south from the Gruber Mountains in Queen Maud Land. With mean annual temperatures of about minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit), Lake Unter-See remains frozen year-round, its waters sealed beneath several meters of ice. Sunlight penetrates the ice and warms the water below, but the cold surface and strong winds drive evaporation and sublimation, preventing significant surface melting. The lake’s maximum depth is thought to reach nearly 170 meters (558 feet). The lake’s water chemistry is unusual partly because it is one of the only perennially frozen lakes with a community of large, conical stromatolites. The layered microbial reef structures grow slowly upward as photosynthetic microbes—primarily cyanobacteria—trap sediment on their sticky surfaces and form calcium carbonate mineral crusts. These conical stromatolites—as well as pinnacle and flat forms of the microbial communities—release oxygen that becomes trapped under the ice, increasing its concentration in the lake. Lake Unter-See’s stromatolites, discovered by SETI geobiologist Dale Andersen and colleagues in 2011, offer a glimpse into a time more than 3 billion years ago, when microbes were the only form of life on Earth. The formations are thought to be modern, living examples of the organisms that likely produced some of Earth’s oldest fossils—stromatolites found in places such as southwestern Greenland and western Australia. The scientists noted that similar periodic flooding may provide “biological stimuli to other carbon dioxide-depleted Antarctic ecosystems and perhaps even icy lakes on early Mars.” Some Antarctic lakes, such as Lake Joyce in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, contain conical stromatolites, but they reach only a few centimeters tall. By contrast, the formations in Lake Unter-See tower up to half a meter. Scientists think Unter-See’s stromatolites grow unusually tall because they are sheltered from tides and waves beneath permanent ice, live in exceptionally clear waters with little sediment, grow toward limited light, and face little grazing. The lake’s largest creatures are tardigrades—microscopic “water bear” invertebrates known for their ability to survive in extreme environments. Astrobiologists also point to the lake as a possible analog for the type of environment where life might have formed or survived on icy moons with oceans such as Europa and Enceladus, or perhaps on Mars, which has ice caps and glaciers. Yet despite its seemingly stable conditions, Lake Unter-See occasionally experiences abrupt changes. During fieldwork in 2019, researchers observed an increase in the lake’s water levels. The team, led by scientists at the University of Ottawa, later analyzed elevation data from NASA’s ICESat-2 (Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2) and confirmed a 2-meter rise was caused by a glacial lake outburst flood from nearby Lake Ober-See. The University of Ottawa team also showed that the outburst flood had released 17.5 million cubic meters of meltwater, altering Unter-See’s pH and replenishing it with carbon dioxide-rich waters that likely enhanced the productivity of the lake’s microbial life. The scientists noted that similar periodic flooding may provide “biological stimuli to other carbon dioxide-depleted Antarctic ecosystems and perhaps even icy lakes on early Mars.” NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Adam Voiland. Downloads February 16, 2026 JPEG (8.91 MB) References & Resources Andersen, D.T., et al. (2011) Discovery of large conical stromatolites in Lake Untersee, Antarctica. Geobiology, 9(3), 280-293. Astrobiology (2026) Dale Andersen’s Field Reports. Accessed March 10, 2026. Austrian Polar Research Institute (2023, May 22) Glacier shapes unique Antarctic lake ecosystem. Accessed March 10, 2026. Extinct (2025, June 1) From Stromatolites to Martian Leopard Spots: Circumstantial Traces and the Reconstruction of Early Life. Accessed March 10, 2026. Faucher, B., et al. (2021) Glacial lake outburst floods enhance benthic microbial productivity in perennially ice-covered Lake Untersee (East Antarctica). Communications Earth & Environment, 2, 211. Greco, C. et al. (2020) Microbial Diversity of Pinnacle and Conical Microbial Mats in the Perennially Ice-Covered Lake Untersee, East Antarctica. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11(607251). NASA Earth Observatory (2006, June 18) Strelley Pool Chert and Early Life. Accessed March 10, 2026. SETI (2026, February 26) Dale Andersen’s Antarctic Field Season 18-19 February. Accessed March 10, 2026. Verpoorter, C., et al. (2014) A global inventory of lakes based on high-resolution satellite imagery. Geophysical Research Letters, 41(18), 6396-6402. Vimercati, L. Lake Untersee, Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. Accessed March 10, 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. Lake Eyre Blushes 3 min read Rounding out a remarkable year, the outback lake displayed distinct green and reddish water in its two main bays. Article Cooper Creek Replenishes Lake Eyre 3 min read Another major tributary reached the *********** outback lake in 2025, extending the months-long flood of the vast, ephemeral inland sea. Article Finding Freshwater in Great Salt Lake 4 min read Reed-covered mounds exposed by declining water levels reveal an unexpected network of freshwater springs that feed directly into the lake… 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

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) An advanced vehicle concept.NASA Project Overview NASA’s Subsonic Vehicle Technologies and Tools (SVTT) project develops technologies and tools for various types of aircraft that fly in different speed regimes, including next-generation vertical take-off and landing and fixed-wing subsonic aircraft. The research advances knowledge, technologies, and concepts that enable major steps to lowering operating costs of the next-generation single-aisle aircraft. SVTT also develops computer modeling and simulation tools to study the noise and performance of multi-rotor urban air mobility vehicles. Purpose SVTT subsonic aircraft research enables revolutionary advancements in future aircraft performance to keep the nation ahead of global competitors. Next-Generation Fixed-Wing Aircraft SVTT works to advance the next-generation single-aisle aircraft through efficient airframes, reduced fuel consumption and noise, and propulsion-airframe integration. Project research benefits U.S. industrial competitiveness in the subsonic transport aircraft market and will open new markets for U.S. regional jets and smaller size aircraft. SVTT research includes new, efficient airframe designs, the emerging area of electrified aircraft propulsion, and the complementary gas turbine engine research needed to develop new engines to power the new vehicles. Urban Air Mobility SVTT develops modeling and simulation tools to explore the noise and performance of multi-rotor urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles. Vertical lift vehicles have the unique ability to operate in confined areas, as evidenced by the emerging UAM industry within the broader advanced air mobility industry. Additionally, advanced vertical lift capabilities support public good missions, such as disaster relief, emergency services, and medical transport. Timeline and Impact Although the SVTT project focuses on the long-term technology timeframe, it also contributes to both near-term and mid-term progress by demonstrating useful technology improvements along the way. Advanced Air Vehicles Program Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASAes @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 4 min read NASA, GE Aerospace Hybrid Engine System Marks Successful Test Article 1 month ago 5 min read NASA, Boeing Test How to Improve Performance of Longer, Narrower Aircraft Wings Article 3 months ago 4 min read NASA Software Raises Bar for Aircraft Icing Research Article 3 months ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans In Space Aeronautics STEM Explore NASA’s History Share Details Last Updated Mar 10, 2026 EditorLillian GipsonContactJim Banke*****@*****.tld Related TermsSubsonic Vehicle Technologies and Tools View the full article

Download PDF: Insights into Spallation Mechanisms of Thermal Protection System Materials from Mass Spectrometry and HyMETS Testing An effort was undertaken to investigate the mechanisms responsible for internal pressure build up within thermal protection system (TPS) materials subjected to high-enthalpy environments. Understanding how gases evolve, migrate, and interact with the microstructure of a TPS is essential for predicting degradation and failure modes such as spallation. To this end, complementary experimental approaches were employed that provided both chemical and mechanical insight into subsurface processes. Chemical evolution and internal pressure buildup were identified using the processes illustrated in Figure 1. In part A, in-depth pressure measurements obtained during testing in the Hypersonic Materials Environmental Test System (HyMETS) quantified the dynamic buildup of subsurface pressure as gases evolved. In part B, mass spectrometry was applied to characterize volatile species released as the TPS decomposed under heating. This analysis distinguished between species that desorb at lower temperatures, such as water release prior to significant changes in permeability, and those produced during the breakdown of the polymer backbone through high-temperature pyrolysis. Together, these data sets established a quantitative link between chemical decomposition and mechanical response, forming a foundation for interpreting how microscale chemical processes manifest as macroscale material instability. Lessons gleaned from mass spectrometry and HyMETS testing led to an enhanced understanding of the spallation mechanisms of TPS, as illustrated in Figure 1. Initial heating of the TPS induces the release of absorbed water from microballoons and the surrounding matrix before extensive pyrolysis (I). This early release of exiguous water can generate localized stresses when the material is in a state of low permeability and may result in localized crack formation before pyrolysis. As heating continues, the pyrolysis front advances, liberating a significant amount of gas and a rapid buildup of pressure occurs (II). If the internal pressure surpasses the local material strength, sudden ejection of fragments follows, marking a spallation event (III). This sequence highlights the probable interplay between early-stage volatile release, pyrolysis gas evolution, and stress generation, all of which govern the stability of TPS material under entry conditions. For information, contact Dr. Brody K. Bessire. brody.k*****@*****.tld Probable Sequence of Events Leading to SpallationView the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory March 2026 Satellite… 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 Notes from the Field Blog Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search Every month, NASA Earth Observatory features a puzzling satellite image. The March 2026 puzzler appears above. Your Challenge Identify the location shown in this satellite image. Share what clues you see, where you think it is, and what makes this place interesting or unique to you. How to Answer Submit your response using this form and select “Puzzler Answer” as the topic. Please include your preferred name or alias. You can keep it simple and just guess the location. Want to impress us? Tell us which satellite and instrument captured the image, which spectral bands were used, or point out a subtle detail about the geology or history of the area. If something catches your eye, or if this is your home or means something to you, we’d love to hear about it. The Prize We can’t offer prize money or a trip to space to see Earth like satellites and astronauts do. But we can offer something almost as rewarding: puzzler bragging rights. Within a week of the challenge, we’ll post the answer at the top of this page, along with a link to an Earth Observatory Image of the Day story that explains the image in more detail. We’ll give a shout-out to the first person who correctly guesses the location, and we may also highlight readers who share especially thoughtful or interesting answers on our blog. Until then, zoom in, look closely, and enjoy the challenge. See you at the reveal! View the full article

Download PDF: Computational Modeling of Failure at the Fabric Weave Level in Reentry Parachute Energy Modulators Energy modulators (EM) are textile mechanical devices designed to dissipate snatch loads that occur when parachutes are deployed. Although critical for mitigating shock loads, recent flight testing has shown increasing variability in EM behavior, raising concerns about their performance predictability and potential failure under dynamic loading conditions. In response, a novel approach was implemented to create a computational model of an EM at the fabric weave level using the simulation software, LS-DYNA. This work was organized into two primary objectives: (1) development of a per-unit stitch model capturing the geometry and material behavior of the EM stitching pattern, and (2) implementation of a Python script to duplicate the unit model along the full length of an EM ear, simplifying the process of generating complex, patterned geometries in LS-DYNA. Depiction of EM extension during ********* from a tensile force applied at the blue arrows with (a) an unextended EM, (b) a partially extended EM, and (c) a fully extended EM. EMs typically consist of a long strip of structural Kevlar webbing that is folded and stitched together with a nylon zigzag stitching pattern to form an EM “ear.” As an EM is pulled above a threshold load during deployment, the nylon stitching rips, unfolding the EM and dissipating shock forces. This process is illustrated in Figure 1, exemplifying stages of EM extension during *********. In nominal cases, the EM cleanly tears with little damage to the Kevlar webbing. However, anomalous cases have been observed where the nylon stitches along the ear are skipped during loading, i.e., when a row of stitches do not tear in sequence. This results in failure of the surrounding Kevlar webbing, referred to as EM shredding. The inherent unpredictability of the fabric behavior and the high variability of flight loading conditions make a root cause challenging to identify through mechanical testing. In this study, development of a computational model of an EM in LS-DYNA was used to gain deeper insight into the cause of EM shredding. While similar studies of fabric webbing have modeled fabrics at a global level, this approach represents each thread of the Kevlar weave and nylon stitching as individually modeled 3D solid elements. Modeling each thread individually within the weave is essential not only for analyzing the failure mechanisms of the nylon stitching as it rips, but also for understanding the Kevlar weave failure during the EM shredding events. The first phase of this work focused on modeling individual Kevlar and nylon threads within a representative stitch geometry. A 3D model of the Kevlar weave was first generated using TexGen, an open-source software developed at the University of Nottingham. Using computer-aided design (CAD) software, nylon stitching passing through two layers of the Kevlar fabric weave was added. The nylon stitching pattern consisted of a bobbin thread and a needle thread that looped through the top and bottom layers, respectively, of the Kevlar weave pattern and twisted together at the end of every stitch between the two layers. The unit model was meshed in Hypermesh with 3D tetrahedral solid elements. A three‑step digital workflow showing how a woven composite structure moves from CAD modeling in SOLIDWORKS, to meshing in HyperMesh, to a color‑coded simulation‑ready model in LS‑DYNA In LS-DYNA, the material properties, contact, failure conditions, and boundary conditions were defined to assess the dynamic response of a stitch during tensile loading. Material behavior for both fabric types was defined using *MAT_ELASTIC (*MAT_001), and two-way, surface-to-surface contact with erosion was implemented to capture progressive failure of the Kevlar weave and nylon threads. Boundary conditions were applied to replicate in-flight tensile loading scenarios. Additionally, several case studies were conducted to reduce computation time, including manual mass scaling, characteristic length analysis, and mesh quality optimization. Preliminary results from the EM per-unit model validated the use of solid elements to capture EM behavior, particularly the interaction between Kevlar and nylon threads. To streamline the construction of full-length EM models, the second phase of this work focused on developing a Python script to replicate the per-unit LS-DYNA model along the length of an EM ear. This eliminated the need for large CAD assemblies by generating the full model directly from duplicating the unit model. This model is applicable to both solid and shell 2D and 3D elements. Overall, these results will not only aid in identifying the root cause of EM shredding but also support the evaluation of new EM design variations. This modeling approach has broader implications for other work involving fabrics, enabling more accurate simulations and efficient design workflows in aerospace textile applications. View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA engineers Jonathan Davis, left, and Markus Perkins inspect a flight-like cryocooler developed by Creare LLC prior to its integration into the CryoFILL system NASA is testing. Engineers are working inside NASA Glenn Research Center’s Creek Road Cryogenics Complex on Sept. 24, 2025.Credit: NASA/Jef Janis The farther the destination, the more fuel a rocket needs. The more fuel the rocket carries, the heavier the spacecraft. The heavier the spacecraft, the more fuel it requires to launch. Experts at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland are testing technology that could solve this problem. The CryoFILL (Cryogenic Fluid In-Situ Liquefaction for Landers) project could transform the way NASA fuels future space exploration missions, reducing costs and extending the duration of planetary surface operations. “If you think about how much fuel your spacecraft would need to go to Mars and come home, it’s quite a lot,” said Evan Racine, CryoFILL project manager at NASA Glenn. “If we can produce and liquefy oxygen on the Moon or Mars, we can fuel landers on the surface where they land, reducing the amount of propellant needed to launch from Earth.” Through the Artemis program, NASA will send astronauts on increasingly ambitious missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build a foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. To sustain a long-term presence on the lunar surface, NASA aims to use the Moon’s resources to make products like propellant. Oxygen, a key ingredient of rocket fuel, can be extracted from water ice found in permanently shadowed regions of the Moon. This oxygen would be mined in a gas form, but to be used as a propellant, it must be cooled and condensed into liquid form. NASA Glenn experts are using a flight-like cryocooler, developed by Creare LLC through NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research program, to remove heat from the system that extracts the oxygen. This allows the oxygen to condense and remain at extremely cold temperatures below minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit. “We’re testing with flight-like hardware to see how oxygen liquefies and how the system responds to different scenarios,” said Wesley Johnson, CryoFILL lead engineer. “These are critical steps toward scaling up and automating future in-situ refueling.” Over the course of the next three months, NASA engineers will study how oxygen condenses under various conditions, use the data to validate temperature computer models, and demonstrate how NASA can scale the technology for larger applications. Once the test is complete, the data will inform designs of these technologies for use on the Moon, Mars, or other planetary surfaces. The Cryogenic Fluid Management Portfolio Project is a cross-agency team based at NASA Glenn and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The cryogenic portfolio’s work is part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and is comprised of more than 20 individual technology development activities. Inside NASA Glenn Research Center’s Creek Road Cryogenics Complex, NASA engineers Jonathan Davis, left, and Wesley Johnson prepare to integrate a flight-like cryocooler developed by Creare LLC with the CryoFILL system on Sept. 24, 2025. Credit: NASA/Jef Janis Share Details Last Updated Mar 10, 2026 Related TermsGeneralGlenn Research CenterHumans in SpaceMarshall Space Flight CenterSpace Technology Mission DirectorateTechnologyTechnology for Living in Space Explore More 6 min read NASA Discovers ****** of Extreme Stars in Unexpected Site Article 3 hours ago 3 min read Shades of a Lunar Eclipse A series of nighttime satellite images revealed how moonlight reaching Earth varied throughout a total… Article 15 hours ago 6 min read La NASA refuerza Artemis: añade una misión y perfecciona su arquitectura general Article 7 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

This article is from the 2025 Technical Update. The human factors TDT looks for and creates opportunities to influence design to leverage human strengths and to protect people and missions. The human factors team has experts with knowledge of human performance in all aspects of NASA missions as well as from other safety-critical industries. The goal is to ensure that science-based human factors knowledge and lessons learned are applied throughout the mission lifecycle. The strategy is to 1) modify existing and create new discipline tools that meet NASA’s needs and constraints, 2) build strategies to enhance the disciplines’ chances for success, 3) enhance simulation techniques to gain maximum information even when verification and validation opportunities are limited, 4) develop new analysis methods for human performance in NASA mission contexts, and 5) reframe understanding of human performance to emphasize the key role of human resilience in mission success. This article highlights a set of analytical models of crew workload, training, and expertise that can be used to aid decision makers in determining the size of a Mars crew adequate for crew safety and mission success. These tools are built on a Department of Defense (DoD) capability that has been used extensively to evaluate the success of specific designs. Unlike missions in low Earth orbit or even to the Moon, a crewed Mars mission will operate under extraordinary constraints, primarily a significant communication delay with Earth and prolonged communication blackout periods. This necessitates a radical rethinking of mission design, including the human elements of crew size, workload, expertise, and resilient performance. To address this gap, the NESC developed a systematic and quantitative methodology, along with an associated suite of modeling tools, to enable the development of an evidence-based trade space for guiding crew size decisions for human Mars missions. This work provides actionable analysis to programs and projects early in development, enabling simultaneous consideration of mission architecture, operational concepts, and the roles human will play throughout the mission. This analysis supports the development of mission designs that preserve and enable human resilient performance to ensure the success and safety of future Mars exploration. Historically, NASA’s human spaceflight programs have relied on real-time support from extensive ground control, composed of a collective intellect that acts as an extended crew to manage objectives and respond to anomalies. As depicted in Figure 1, the volume of ISS ground personnel highlights the vast support structure available for Earth-proximal missions. However, for Mars, communication delays of up to 22 minutes one-way and blackouts lasting up to three weeks during superior conjunctions will eliminate this real-time lifeline. This demands a new focus on the capabilities required of the onboard crew, who will face time-critical decisions and unforeseen failures with only their knowledge and onboard decision-support systems, often without pre-existing procedures. Current ground-support expertise for ISS missions The NESC’s methodology fills a longstanding gap, as past Mars crew size determinations often lacked detailed quantitative analysis of crew tasking, workload, and expertise. Extending DoD methodologies for manpower determination, the NESC human factors trade space methodology offers a repeatable and data-driven means to assess whether a given crew complement possesses the capability to accomplish mission objectives and respond successfully to unforeseen failures that have potential loss of crew or loss of mission (LOC/LOM) consequences. The core process involves gathering Mars mission concepts and information, determining use cases to model, creating a trade space evaluation framework, conducting human performance modeling, and performing trade space analyses. This iterative approach, conceptually represented by the Mars Crew Size Decision Process (see Figure 2), allows for adaptation as technologies and mission assumptions evolve. Central to this methodology are four human performance models, each revealing critical insights into the human factors of Mars mission design. 1. IV Operations for Planetary Surface EVA Model: This model examined the mental workload of intravehicular (IV) Mars crewmembers supporting a planetary surface extravehicular activity (EVA), simulating activities currently performed by Mission Control Center personnel for ISS EVAs. It predicted that during a Mars surface technical EVA conducted at the pace of an ISS EVA, the workload for an IV crewmember performing combined essential flight controller duties would be unacceptably high, indicating a severe negative impact on task performance. This finding underscores the necessity of reconsidering EVA pacing, task automation, or increasing IV support crew complement to ensure mission-critical EVAs are safely conducted independently of Earth-based support. 2. Robotic Arm Assisted EVA Operator Model: This model assessed the mental workload of a crewmember operating a robotic arm (see Figure 3) in both manual and automated control modes on a Mars transit vehicle. The model results indicate that two crewmembers may be necessary to mitigate unacceptably high workload during manual robotic arm operations. Furthermore, consistent with the scientific literature, the model predicted that stressors like sleep debt increase mental workload and degrade performance, extending task completion times. This highlights the importance of accounting for crew well-being in crew-size determinations. 3. Mars Transit Crew Model: This analysis focused on crew utilization and staffing requirements during a 9-month Mars transit mission, reallocating planned and unplanned tasks from ground control to the crew. The modeling, using ISS-equivalent task assumptions, predicted that more than six crewmembers (given average rates for unplanned events) would be needed to achieve the same number of work hours as a four-person ISS mission. This substantial increase emphasizes the critical impact of Earth-independence on daily crew workload and the imperative for adequate crew complement to manage ongoing responsibilities. 4. Personnel, Expertise, and Training Model: Given the communication delay/blackout with Mars, paired with no rapid return-to-Earth options, NASA will need to rely on the expertise of the crew to respond to unforeseen failures. A custom model was developed to quantify the crew expertise required to meet mission objectives and respond to unforeseen events with LOC/LOM potential and short time-to-effect. Based on analysis of ISS historical data, the probability of at least one occurrence of such a failure during Mars transit is greater than 99%. A sensitivity analysis of the relationship between a successful crew response and LOC/LOM outcome was conducted for cases in which the crew gave a successful response 90%, 95%, 98%, and 99.985% of the time. The estimated likelihood of a LOC/LOM consequence for all but the most conservative of these cases is greater than 1%, which is considered in the “very high” (red) range, per the Human System Risk Board risk matrix. The likelihood of LOC/LOM consequences only drops below 0.1% (yellow) for a successful response rate of 99.985%. When unforeseen failures occur on a mission to Mars, it will be critical that the crew have the necessary level of expertise to accurately diagnose problems and restore critical functionality. The Personnel, Expertise, and Training model is designed to provide the agency with the capability to consider the trade space The NESC’s proposed methodology to aid crew-size determinations. Trade-space parameters are input into any of four models, whose output characterizes the risk level associated with a given crew size. Astronaut Anne McClain using the Space Station Remote Manipulator System on ISS.View the full article

2 min read Webinar 3/25: NASA CSDA Vendor Focus – Satellogic Satellogic satellite imagery of coastal Louisiana shows sediment plumes entering the Gulf of Mexico, illustrating how Earth observation data can monitor coastal and environmental dynamics. Image courtesy of Satellogic Join us on Wednesday, March 25 at 2:00 p.m. EDT (-04:00 UTC) to learn more about NASA Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA) program vendor Satellogic and how to discover, access, and work with their high-resolution commercial datasets. NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD) established the Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA) program to explore the potential of commercial satellite data in advancing the agency’s Earth science research and application objectives. The program aims to identify, assess, and acquire data from commercial providers, which may offer a cost-effective means of supplementing Earth observations collected by NASA, other U.S. Government agencies, and international collaborators. Satellogic delivers high-resolution Earth observation imagery at scale through its vertically integrated satellite constellation. During this NASA CSDA program webinar, speakers will introduce Satellogic and its constellation of commercial Earth Observation satellites. Representatives will highlight current and future capabilities, including service-level monitoring at scale, and plans for global daily remapping. They will also discuss how these data products complement NASA Earth science data holdings for research and applications. In addition, presenters will address the services and tools available to data users, including how they can get expert assistance when using Satellogic datasets. To Register Share Details Last Updated Mar 10, 2026 Related Terms Earth Science Uncategorized Explore More 6 min read Developing Robust Electronics That Can Withstand Harsh Conditions on Cold Planetary Bodies A NASA-sponsored team has developed electronics that can operate reliably in the harsh radiation and… Article 3 hours ago 3 min read Lake Coatepeque Set amid El Salvador’s modern, active volcanic landscape, tranquil blue waters fill a caldera formed… Article 2 days ago 6 min read Ailing “Megaberg” Sparks Surge of Microscopic Life As Iceberg A-23A disintegrated, it shed meltwater that helped fuel an extensive phytoplankton bloom in… Article 5 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

This article is from the 2025 Technical Update. The NESC has invested significant time and resources to better understand composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPV) performance and more importantly, how these complex, high-pressure storage systems can fail. These vessels, which store high pressure propulsion and life-support system fluids on launch vehicles and spacecraft, are ubiquitous at NASA, and failures have the potential to be catastrophic. This year the NESC finalized work on a set of guidelines intended for use by NASA civil servants and support contractors in their development or assessment of damage-tolerance demonstration data for COPVs. These guidelines are based on the NESC’s experience in assessing agency-wide COPV applications and compiling the best practices for complying with the damage-tolerance requirements of AIAA S-081, the standard for COPVs used in human and robotic spaceflight, and NASA-STD-5019, Fracture Control Requirements for Spaceflight Hardware. Previously referred to as “safe-life,” damage tolerance life assumes detectable cracks exist before service and demonstrates that such cracks, in worst-case locations and orientations, will not grow to failure over the service life. A 4x life factor is applied, requiring that cracks do not reach failure (leakage or unstable growth) within four times the expected service cycles. These guidelines are meant to support NASA personnel in applying S-081 requirements and also to clarify areas that historically have had varied interpretation. And by leveraging NESC assessments where approaches to damage tolerance were found to be unconservative, the guidelines offer best practices for minimizing risk based on supporting data—and do so without introducing new standards. The guidelines touch on numerous aspects of damage tolerance life including: COPV mechanics and model correlation, Identifying worst case locations for damage tolerance, Nondestructive evaluation (NDE), Addressing crack aspect ratios, Defining load spectra, Addressing autofrettage crack growth, Performing damage-tolerance life demonstration by analysis using a crack-growth analysis software like NASGRO, Performing damage-tolerance life by coupon or vessel testing, and Addressing sustained-load crack growth and environmentally assisted cracking. In determining the worst-case locations for damage tolerance evaluation, the guidelines offer a method for evaluating the contributing factors—stress/strain, material properties, thick-ness, and initial crack size. The identified regions show different liner material forms and welds, and within each form, the initial crack size based on the NDE method used, the minimum thickness, and the peak stress/strain level are determined for that form. The guidelines then provide best practices for addressing damage tolerance with each material form and worst-case location in the COPV. EXAMPLES OF MATERIAL FORMS IN COPV LINERView the full article

This article is from the 2025 Technical Update. The NESC’s Thermal Control & Protection Technical Discipline Team (TDT) is a resource providing subject matter expertise in active and passive thermal control as well as ascent and entry thermal protection across the spectrum of agency needs. TDT members led or supported a variety of key activities including the ongoing Artemis I heat shield char loss investigation, assessing viable thermal control fluids as replacements for those being phased out due to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), conducting Commercial Crew-related thermal control and thermal protection analysis peer reviews, and leading and providing expertise to the Dragonfly Thermal Advisory Board and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Standing Review Board. Enhancing the Thermal Community of Practice The TDT welcomed two new early-career engineers for a one-year rotation after the program’s successful inaugural year. This experience helps to train the next generation of engineers and leaders. Rotational engineers are responsible for formulating the TDT’s annual State of the Discipline presentation, an assessment of the overall health and needs of the thermal control and thermal protection disciplines. Additionally, the rotational engineers may be involved in a variety of other TDT activities including initial work on a thermal control standard and maintaining the thermal control and protection critical technologies list to broaden their experience and to become familiar with key thermal work across the agency. The TDT continued to embrace its responsibility to maintain and enhance the thermal control and protection community of practice through presentation of three webinars covering file plotting tools, two-phase flow, and Dragonfly thermal design. The TDT also developed a lesson on thermal louvers for inclusion into the NESC Academy. The TDT remains the lead cosponsor of the Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop (the other cosponsors are the Aerosciences and Cryogenics TDTs), an annual, longstanding NASA-owned event that provides training and is designed to encourage knowledge sharing, professional development, and networking throughout the NASA thermal and fluids engineering community and the aerospace community at large. The workshop features technical sessions and presentations, analysis software demonstrations and training, technical short courses, a student poster session, guest speakers, and speed mentoring. This year’s event was planned and presented by the Ames Research Center in partnership with San Jose State University and drew nearly 350 attendees. The NASA Technical Fellow for Thermal Control & Protection presented a theory-based short course titled “Introduction to Orbital Mechanics and Spacecraft Attitudes for Thermal Engineers.” The vision of TFAWS is to maintain continuity over time and between disciplines throughout the thermal and fluids engineering community. To inspire the next generation of engineers, the Technical Fellow also provided lectures and guidance to students at the Rice University Aerospace Academy reaching more than 300 students in the grades 9 through 12. Artist’s concept of Dragonfly on the surface of Titan. NASA/Johns Hopkins AP Artist’s concept of Roman Space Telescope. TFAWS attendees participating in one of the technical sessions offered during the workshop TFAWS attendees interact with students during the poster session event.View the full article

NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captures a detailed view of a relatively fresh crater in this image released on June 3, 2015. The crater has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta. The steep inner slopes are carved by gullies and include possible recurring slope lineae on the equator-facing slopes. This crater is monitored for changes over time. For 20 years, MRO has sought out the history of water on Mars with its science instruments. In that time, it has sent back important data that will help us when future astronauts land on the planet and explore it. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona View the full article

X-ray: NASA/CXC/Penn State Univ./S. Dichiara; IR: NASA/ESA/STScI; Illustration: ERC BHianca 2026 / Fortuna and Dichiara, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/P. Edmonds A fleet of NASA missions has likely uncovered a collision between two ultradense stars in a tiny galaxy buried in a huge stream of gas. Astronomers have never seen this type of explosive event in an environment like this before — and it may help solve two outstanding cosmic mysteries. A paper describing these results was published today in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Neutron stars are the cores left behind after a star much heavier than the Sun runs out of fuel, collapses on itself, and then explodes. They are small (only a dozen or so miles across) but slightly more massive than the Sun, making them amazingly dense. Astronomers consider them to be some of the most extreme objects in the universe. In recent years, astronomers have collected data on collisions, or mergers, of two neutron stars inside of moderately sized or large galaxies. This latest discovery, however, shows that a neutron star collision may take place inside a tiny galaxy. “Finding a neutron star collision where we did is game changing,” said Simone Dichiara of Penn State University, who led the study. “It may be the key to unlocking not one, but two important questions in astrophysics.” The first puzzle this unprecedented location for a neutron star collision may explain may explain is the fact that gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), which can be produced by the collapse of two neutron stars, sometimes do not appear within the core of a galaxy, or any galaxy at all.The other question this result could address is how elements like gold and platinum have been found in stars located at large distances from the centers of galaxies. This neutron star collision is unexpectedly located in a tiny galaxy, about 4.7 billion light-years away, embedded within a stream of gas that stretches some 600,000 light-years long. (For context, our Milky Way galaxy is about 100,000 light-years across.) This stream was likely created when a group of galaxies collided hundreds of millions of years ago, stripping gas and dust from the galaxies and leaving it in intergalactic space. “We found a collision within a collision,” said co-author Eleonora Troja of the University of Rome in Italy. “The galaxy collision triggered a wave of star formation that, over hundreds of millions of years, led to the birth and eventual collision of these neutron stars.” To discover the event dubbed GRB 230906A, which occurred on 2023 September 6th, astronomers needed several NASA telescopes including the Chandra X-ray Observatory, Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, and Hubble Space Telescope. Fermi discovered the neutron star collision by picking up the distinctive signal of a gamma-ray burst, or GRB, explosion. After using the InterPlanetary Network to derive a preliminary location for the Fermi source, astronomers then needed the sharp vision of Chandra, Swift, and Hubble to more precisely pinpoint the location of the object. NASA’s missions are part of a growing, worldwide network that watches for these changes, to solve mysteries of how the universe works. “Chandra’s pinpoint X-ray localization made this study possible,” said co-author Brendan O’Connor, a McWilliams Postdoctoral Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University. “Without it, we couldn’t have tied the burst to any specific source. And once Chandra told us exactly where to look, Hubble’s extraordinary sensitivity revealed the tiny, extremely faint galaxy at that position. We were only able to make this discovery after we put all the pieces together.” This finding may explain why some GRBs do not appear to have host galaxies. This result implies that some host galaxies are too small and faint to be seen in most optical light images from ground-based observatories. The unusual location of GRB 230906A may also help explain how astronomers have spotted elements like gold and platinum in stars at relatively large distances from galaxies. Such stars are generally expected to be older and to have formed from gas that had less time to be enriched in heavy elements from supernova explosions. Through a chain of nuclear reactions, a collision between two neutron stars can produce heavy elements like gold and platinum, which astronomers witnessed in a well-documented collision seen in 2017 . Events like GRB 230906A could generate elements like these and spread them throughout the outskirts of galaxies, eventually appearing in future generations of stars. An alternative explanation for the explosion is that it is located in a much more distant galaxy that is behind the galaxy group. The team considers this to be a less likely explanation than the tiny galaxy idea. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts. To learn more about Chandra, visit: [Hidden Content] Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory Learn more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its mission here: [Hidden Content] [Hidden Content] Visual Description This release features two artist’s concepts and a composite image depicting two cosmic collisions that began hundreds of millions of years ago. At the center of the large artist’s concept is a brilliant glowing ball with a nearly white core, and golden orange outer layers. This brilliant ball represents the brightest galaxy in a collision between two groups of galaxies, which began hundreds of millions of years ago. Gas and dust from that collision were tossed into intergalactic space in long tidal streams. In the illustration, the tidal streams resemble swooping blue streaks shooting off the brilliant ball. Near the end of each swooping tidal stream is a glowing orange streak, or ellipse. These glowing shapes are smaller individual galaxies, some of which are revealed to have spiraling arms when examined closely. One of the tidal streams shoots toward our upper left, then begins to hook back down, passing two glowing orange galaxies along its path. Near the end of this tidal stream is a tiny galaxy and an X-ray source presented in the middle of a close-up insert. In the center of the composite insert, Hubble observations in orange reveal the tiny, faint galaxy buried in the tidal stream. A pool of neon blue haze shows X-rays detected by Chandra from the collision of two ultra-dense neutron stars. Astronomers believe that the tiny galaxy was born from gas and dust along the 600,000 light-year-long tidal stream, created by the initial collision of the galaxy groups. Over hundreds of millions of years, that material contributed to the birth of many stars within the tiny galaxy. Two of those stars collapsed into neutron stars, and ultimately collided, producing important elements like gold and platinum, and gravitational waves that rippled across space. The artist’s concept in the other insert shows a close-up view from the side of what the aftermath of a neutron star collision might look like. A burst of gamma rays was originally detected by viewing it down the barrel of the jet, which triggered follow-up X-ray observations with Chandra and other X-ray telescopes. News Media Contact Megan Watzke Chandra X-ray Center Cambridge, Mass. 617-496-7998 *****@*****.tld Joel Wallace Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama 256-544-0034 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Mar 10, 2026 EditorLee MohonContactJoel Wallace*****@*****.tldLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsChandra X-Ray ObservatoryAstrophysicsFermi Gamma-Ray Space TelescopeGamma-Ray BurstsHubble Space TelescopeMarshall AstrophysicsMarshall Space Flight CenterNeil Gehrels Swift ObservatoryNeutron StarsThe Universe Explore More 4 min read NASA Strengthens Artemis: Adds Mission, Refines Overall Architecture Article 7 days ago 3 min read Two Observatories, One Cosmic Eye: Hubble and Euclid View Cat’s Eye Nebula This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features one of the most visually intricate remnants of… Article 1 week ago 6 min read Listen to This Month’s ‘Planetary Parade’ With NASA’s Chandra Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory The Chandra X-ray Observatory is the world’s most powerful X-ray telescope. Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Fermi Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (FGST), formerly called the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST), is a space observatory being… The Swift Spacecraft Swift launched into orbit on Nov. 20, 2004, as NASA’s Swift Gamma-ray Observatory. In 2018, NASA renamed the spacecraft in… View the full article

A NASA-sponsored team has developed electronics that can operate reliably in the harsh radiation and temperature conditions found on distant planetary bodies like Europa, an ocean world orbiting Jupiter. Not only could this new technology enable autonomous sensors and robotic exploration of distant ocean worlds, it could also support NASA’s goal to establish human outposts on the Moon and Mars by enabling electronic systems to function in those cold regions with reduced heating requirements. Figure Overview: Artist’s conceptions of Europa, an ocean world (left), and its liquid water ocean and ice cap where life may exist (right). Image credit: NASA Numerous bodies in our solar system are believed to contain water in the form of ice, vapor, or liquid on or below the surface. These ocean worlds include planetary moons like Jupiter’s Europa and Ganymede, and Satern’s Enceladus and Titan; the dwarf planet Pluto; and even comets and Uranus. The liquid water beneath ice crusts on ocean worlds can offer insights about the origins of our solar system and provide clues that could enable us to discover life elsewhere in the universe. Unfortunately, exploring these locations is challenging. Ocean world environments are very harsh, with high radiation levels (5 Mrad of ionizing radiation, which is 50 times more than is lethal to humans) and extremely low temperatures (-180°C). Missions to explore these destinations require electronics for sensing, control, and communications that can function under such unforgiving conditions. It would be particularly advantageous if these electronic systems could operate not only on the surfaces of these worlds, but also underwater or in bores drilled through ice caps. In addition, such systems will need to meet very low size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) requirements to enable their accommodation in missions traveling to such distant locations. NASA is sponsoring a promising effort to develop the electronics infrastructure needed to explore distant ocean worlds. A team at Georgia Tech in Atlanta led by Professor John D. Cressler and assisted by personnel at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville is working to develop and demonstrate robust silicon-germanium (SiGe) electronics that can survive both the intense radiation and low temperatures found on ocean worlds. Previous missions to the Moon and Mars have necessarily enclosed their electronic systems in protective “warm boxes” to shield them from radiation exposure and maintain Earth-like temperatures to ensure robust operation, but this approach for ocean worlds is not viable due to the severe SWaP-C constraints imposed. For ocean world missions, the envisioned electronics should be commercially available; flexible, supporting various application needs like communications, instrumentation, and control; highly integrated, supporting digital, analog, and radio frequency (RF) functions in a small form factor; and low-cost. These electronic systems should also provide order-of-magnitude improved SWaP-C advantages without requiring a power-hungry, heavy, and bulky protective warm box. The Georgia Tech-led team has demonstrated that silicon-germanium (SiGe) technology can satisfy these needs, achieving robust operation down to -180ºC, with simultaneous radiation exposure as high as 5 Mrad. However, this SiGe technology requires additional development before it becomes commercially available. Transistors are the fundamental building blocks of electronics, enabling useful functionalities such as on/off switching and amplification. The ability of SiGe transistors to operate reliably and with higher speeds at extremely cold temperatures is a direct consequence of the internal physics of the device. SiGe transistors incorporate a nanoscale SiGe alloy, which acts to accelerate electrons moving through the transistor as it switches on and off, and this effect is amplified as the temperature drops, yielding faster operation when cold. Furthermore, since the transistor’s physical structure incorporates the SiGe alloy, the portions of the transistor that are typically made from radiation-soft oxides (materials that experience significant degradation when exposed to radiation) are dramatically minimized, improving overall radiation tolerance of the device. The result is a win-win for operating SiGe transistors at cold temperatures in a high-radiation environment, as is found on ocean worlds and in other extremely cold environments in the solar system. A Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) micrograph of a SiGe transistor for use on ocean worlds (left), and an example of a SiGe integrated circuit (IC) prototype for ocean worlds (right). This SiGe IC is built from large numbers of micron-sized (10^-6 m) SiGe transistors to enable electronic functionalities such as communications, sensing, and control. The entire SiGe IC is 5×5 mm^2 and the X-band (8-12 GHz) SiGe RF communications link is shown in the lower right. Image credit: John D. Cressler, Georgia Tech Cressler’s team developed ocean-worlds-ready transistor models for electronic circuit design and used them to create and test analog and RF electronic SiGe building blocks that would not require containment in a warm-box to operate on ocean worlds, thus reducing the system’s size, weight and power requirements. They used a component library (analog, digital, and RF circuit building blocks) to create an integrated circuit (IC) prototype as proof-of-concept, validating it to a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5/6 (i.e., validation and demonstration on Earth in an environment that simulates the conditions on an ocean world as closely as possible). A major milestone for the project was the conception, design, and demonstration of a power-efficient X-band (8-12 GHz) SiGe RF communications link that is less than 10 mm2 in size (see the above image on the lower right) and operates flawlessly, while pumping modulated RF data at -180ºC and being simultaneously exposed to 5 Mrad of radiation. Design and test of a system with these unique capabilities had never been accomplished before. This type of SiGe RF communications link could enable ocean worlds missions by serving as an electronic data interface to distributed sensor networks, a lander, an orbiter, or ice cap boring machinery and submersibles. Outputs of this project include design files for the SiGe component library and an associated electronic design ecosystem (transistor models, test results, documentation, best practices for design and testing, etc.). These products are available for NASA reuse and can be directly infused into future NASA missions. These new SiGe elements could support a wide variety of electronic needs for ocean world missions and other missions that need to function in cold temperatures, including communications systems, sensors, instruments, control systems, etc., each of which could operate without protection in an autonomous fashion. Given that ocean worlds represent the worst-case environmental conditions found in the solar system in terms of the combination of radiation and cold temperatures, SiGe components developed during this project also have direct and immediate applicability for use on the Moon, on Mars, and even in Earth orbit. For instance, to enable lunar exploration and eventual human settlement, SiGe electronics could operate autonomously on the lunar surface (which features modest radiation exposure, but very cold temperatures), boosting infrastructure and exploration capabilities. For example, SiGe radar sensors and communications links could operate unprotected on the ***** of a lunar rover during nighttime traverses near the equator and with reduced heating requirements when operating in the permanently shadowed craters of the Moon, thereby enhancing mission capabilities. For additional details, see the entry for this project on NASA TechPort. Project Lead(s): John D. Cressler (Georgia Tech) Sponsoring Organization(s): NASA Planetary Science Division’s COLDTech program. Share Details Last Updated Mar 10, 2026 Related Terms Technology Highlights Europa Clipper Uncategorized Explore More 2 min read Webinar 3/25: NASA CSDA Vendor Focus – Satellogic Join us March 25 at 2:00 p.m. EDT to learn more about the data offered… Article 2 hours ago 5 min read Technology Originally Developed for Space Missions Now Integral to Everyday Life Groundbreaking “camera-on-a-chip” technology that was originally developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for use… Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read Small But Mighty Lab Device Could Transform NASA Research A small but mighty piece of lab equipment, about the size of a cellphone, has… Article 3 weeks ago View the full article

Media are invited to attend the 63rd annual Goddard Space Science Symposium, taking place Thursday, March 12, and Friday, March 13, at the National Housing Center in Washington. The event also will be streamed online. Organized by the American Astronautical Society (AAS) in conjunction with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, the symposium gathers experts across NASA, other government agencies, industry, policy, and academia to discuss the latest breakthroughs in space science and space exploration at large while helping determine the collective path forward. This year’s theme, “Advancing an Integrated Space Enterprise,” explores the burgeoning capabilities in the public and private sectors and how they accelerate current priorities, including the exploration of the Moon and Mars. “The business of exploration is more integrated than ever,” said Stephanie Getty, co-chair of the symposium planning committee and NASA Goddard’s acting director of sciences and exploration. “Gathering the leading minds together in this setting is vital in our cooperative efforts to chart the course ahead and achieve our ambitious objectives.” On March 12, AAS President Ron Birk will deliver opening remarks, and NASA Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails will serve as opening speaker followed by a panel on advancing next-generation capabilities in space. Additional panels will discuss joint-use solutions across the space enterprise; navigation, communication, science, and exploration from the Moon to Mars; accelerating commercial space solutions; and space policy in 2026. Chris Scolese, director of the National Reconnaissance Office, is scheduled to be the day’s keynote speaker, and Steve Isakowitz, former president and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation, will be the luncheon speaker. NASA Goddard’s Kelsey Young, science flight operations lead for the Artemis Internal Science Team, will also provide remarks. On March 13, Cynthia Simmons, NASA Goddard acting center director, will deliver opening remarks. The day’s panels will focus on the latest developments on Capitol Hill, space weather, and space science as it relates to the economy and national security. Nicola Fox, associate administrator of the NASA Science Mission Directorate, will close out the symposium as the luncheon speaker. Media interested in arranging interviews with NASA speakers should contact Rob Garner, *****@*****.tld, 301-286-5687. For more information on the Goddard Space Science Symposium and the updated program, or to register as a media representative, visit [Hidden Content]. For more information about NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center: [Hidden Content] -end- Rob Garner 301-286-5687 NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Mar 10, 2026 EditorRob GarnerContactRob Garner*****@*****.tldLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related TermsGoddard Space Flight Center View the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Shades of a Lunar Eclipse 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 Notes from the Field Blog Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search March 3, 2026 On March 3, 2026, Earth lined up directly between the Moon and the Sun, casting its shadow on the full Moon. The total lunar eclipse was visible throughout the Americas, East Asia, Australia, and the Pacific. Skygazers in those parts of the world may have witnessed a “Blood Moon,” when the dimmed lunar surface temporarily turned an orange-red color. Meanwhile, satellites observed the effect of the darkened Moon on Earth’s surface. Changes in the amount of moonlight reflected back to Earth as the eclipse progressed appear in this composite image, composed of nighttime observations made by the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the NOAA-21 satellite. The satellite collected these images of the Arctic about every 100 minutes, with earlier swaths toward the right and later swaths to the left. The VIIRS day-night band detects nighttime light in a range of wavelengths from green to near-infrared and uses filtering techniques to observe signals such as city lights, reflected moonlight, and auroras. The darkest swath was acquired at 11:20 Universal Time (2:20 a.m. Alaska Standard Time), about 15 minutes after the total phase had begun. With very little moonlight reaching Earth, ribbons of light from the aurora borealis shine through, along with specks of artificial light from settlements in the Yukon and eastern Alaska. When the satellite passed over western Alaska and the Bering Strait, at 13:00 Universal Time (4:00 a.m. Alaska Standard Time), the eclipse was in the partial phase. The scene is noticeably brighter than the earlier one, and light from the partially shaded Moon illuminates snow-covered topography and offshore clouds. The brightest swaths on the far right and left sides were acquired before and after the eclipse, respectively, with light from the full Moon. The next chance to view a total lunar eclipse will occur on December 31, 2028, when it will add a dash of astronomical flair to New Year’s Eve celebrations in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific. NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using VIIRS day-night band data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). Story by Lindsey Doermann. Downloads March 3, 2026 JPEG (1.52 MB) References & Resources CIMSS Satellite Blog (2026, March 3) VIIRS Day/Night Band imagery showing the effect of a total lunar eclipse. Accessed March 9, 2026. NASA The Moon & Eclipses. Accessed March 9, 2026. NASA (2026, January 29) March 2026 Total Lunar Eclipse: Your Questions Answered. Accessed March 9, 2026. NASA (2009, April 29) Total Lunar Eclipse of 2026 Mar 03. Accessed March 9, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2025, September 20) By the Warm Light of the Moon. Accessed March 9, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2008, March 13) Lunar Eclipse from Orbit. Accessed March 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. By the Warm Light of the Moon 3 min read Astronauts and much of Earth’s population had a chance to view a coppery “Blood Moon” during a total lunar eclipse… Article City Lights Glow Along Moonlit Waters 3 min read An astronaut photographed moonglint shimmering across the sea surface and the bright clusters of Florida’s cities at night. Article A Northwest Night Awash in Light 3 min read The glow of city lights, the aurora, and a rising Moon illuminate the night along the northwest coast of North… 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

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s Van Allen Probe A is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, almost 14 years after launch. From 2012 to 2019, the spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, flew through the Van Allen belts, rings of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field, to understand how particles were gained and lost. The belts shield Earth from cosmic radiation, solar storms, and the constantly streaming solar wind that are harmful to humans and can damage technology, so understanding them is important. As of March 9, 2026, the U.S. Space Force predicted that the roughly 1,323-pound spacecraft will re-enter the atmosphere at approximately 7:45 p.m. EDT on March 10, 2026, with an uncertainty of +/- 24 hours. NASA expects most of the spacecraft to burn up as it travels through the atmosphere, but some components are expected to survive re-entry. The risk of harm coming to anyone on Earth is low — approximately 1 in 4,200. NASA and Space Force will continue to monitor the re-entry and update predictions. Originally designed for a two-year mission, the Van Allen Probes A and B launched on Aug. 30, 2012, and gathered unprecedented data on Earth’s two permanent radiation belts — named for scientist James Van Allen — for almost seven years. NASA ended the mission after the two spacecraft ran out of fuel and were no longer able to orient themselves toward the Sun.  The Van Allen Probes were the first spacecraft designed to operate and gather scientific data for many years within the belts, a region around our planet where most spacecraft and astronaut missions minimize time in order to avoid damaging radiation.  The NASA mission, managed and operated by Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, made several major discoveries about how the radiation belts operate during its lifetime, including the first data showing the existence of a transient third radiation belt, which can form during times of intense solar activity.  When the mission ended in 2019, analysis found that the spacecraft would re-enter Earth’s atmosphere in 2034. However, those calculations were made before the current solar cycle, which has proven far more active than expected. In 2024, scientists confirmed the Sun had reached its solar maximum, triggering intense space weather events. These conditions increased atmospheric drag on the spacecraft beyond initial estimates, resulting in an earlier-than-expected re-entry. Data from NASA’s Van Allen Probes mission still plays an important role in understanding space weather and its effects. By reviewing archived data from the mission, scientists study the radiation belts surrounding Earth, which are key to predicting how solar activity impacts satellites, astronauts, and even systems on Earth such as communications, navigation, and power grids. By observing these dynamic regions, the Van Allen Probes contributed to improving forecasts of space weather events and their potential consequences. Van Allen Probe B, the twin of the re-entering spacecraft, is not expected to re-enter before 2030. Share Details Last Updated Mar 09, 2026 Related TermsVan Allen ProbesHeliophysicsThe Sun Explore More 6 min read NASA’s ESCAPADE Ready to Study Space Weather from Earth to Mars Mars is not what it used to be. Once warm, watery, and blanketed by a… Article 2 weeks ago 2 min read Map the Earth’s Magnetic Shield with the Space Umbrella Project Use data from NASA’s Magnetosphere Multiscale Mission to shed light on solar storms. For anyone… Article 3 weeks ago 3 min read Northern Glow Spans Iceland and Canada A vivid display of the aurora lit up skies over the Denmark Strait and eastern… Article 3 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA / Scott Anders / Lillian Gipson / Rich Wahls The purpose of the Subsonic Flight Demonstrator (SFD) project is to engage with industry and other government organizations to identify, select, and mature key airframe technologies, such as new wing designs, that have a high probability of transition to the next generation single-aisle seat class airliner. Moving technologies from a research environment to a production environment can be a real challenge for industry manufacturers and frequently these promising technologies do not get adopted due to a variety of technical and economic risks. NASA in partnership with industry plan to: Develop and flight test an advanced airframe configuration and related technologies to dramatically reduce aircraft fuel burn. Obtain ground data that will be used by the NASA/industry teams to validate the benefits of the new technologies. Use the research results to help industry make decisions associated with next generation single-aisle airliner. SFD Project Leadership Project Manager Sarah Waechter Deputy Project Manager Rich DeLoof Chief Engineer Dr. Renee Horton Technology Development Tony Washburn Program Planning and Control (PP&C) Lead Stephanie Hamrick IASP ARMD Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASAes @NASA@NASAaero@NASAes Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASAes Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 2 min read NASA, Boeing, Consider New Thin-Wing Aircraft Research Focus Article 11 months ago 2 min read Wind Over Its Wing: NASA’s X-66 Model Tests Airflow Article 1 year ago 4 min read 2024: NASA Armstrong Prepares for Future Innovative Research Efforts Article 1 year ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Artemis Aeronautics STEM Explore NASA’s History Share Details Last Updated Mar 09, 2026 EditorJim BankeContactSasha Ellis*****@*****.tld Related TermsSubsonic Flight Demonstrator View the full article

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft lifts off for its first flight Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, from U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. The aircraft’s first flight marks the start of flight testing for NASA’s Quesst mission, the result of years of design, integration, and ground testing and begins a new chapter in NASA’s aeronautics research legacy.NASA/Lori Losey The FDC project conducts complex integrated small-scale flight research to validate the benefits of new technologies. By modifying aircraft from FDC’s support fleet, the project enables aggressive, success-oriented flight campaign schedules. While many technologies are at mid-levels of technology readiness, the FDC project supports all phases of technology maturation. FDC’s support aircraft fleet enables safety chase and in-flight experimental measurements for a variety of NASA missions. The project collaborates with academia, industry, and government organizations to leverage flight opportunities, and engages with NASA researchers and university students to bring innovative concepts to flight. The FDC project operates, sustains, and enhances other national flight research capabilities that enable complex high-risk flight research for both NASA and the aviation industry. These capabilities are located at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards, California, and includes the Aeronautics Test Data Portal, Flight Loads Laboratory, the Dryden Aeronautical Test Range, and a suite of flight simulators. The project leverages collaborative opportunities for flight testing from across the aeronautical industry. Flight Research Facilities The FDC project validates benefits associated with critical technologies through focused flight experiments. Through the integration of appropriate flight test capabilities and assets — whether from NASA. other government agencies, or industry — FDC campaigns focus on aggressive, success-oriented schedules using the best collection of assets. The FDC project supports tests of technology at all phases of maturation. Flight Loads Laboratory Simulation Lab Research Aircraft Integration Facility Dryden Aeronautical Test Range Support Aircraft and Maintenance Operations FDC IASP Contact Information Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 4 min read NASA Tests Technology Offering Potential Fuel Savings for Commercial Aviation Article 2 months ago 12 min read NASA Armstrong Advances Flight Research and Innovation in 2025 Article 3 months ago 4 min read NASA Tests Research Aircraft to Improve Air Taxi Flight Controls Article 7 months ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Artemis Aeronautics STEM Explore NASA’s History Share Details Last Updated Mar 09, 2026 EditorJim BankeContactSasha Ellis*****@*****.tld Related TermsFlight Demonstrations and Capabilities View the full article

3 Min Read What Is Pi? (Grades 5-8) This article is for students grades 5-8. What is Pi? Pi is a number. You might know it as 3.14 or the symbol π. But it’s way more than that! What Makes Pi Special? Pi is an irrational number. That means it goes on forever and it never repeats its sequence of numbers. Pi has been calculated to more than one trillion digits! But NASA scientists and engineers use far fewer digits in their calculations. Usually, the approximation of 3.14 is precise enough. Pi is the circumference of a circle divided by the circle’s diameter. Pi is the same for any circle, no matter how big or small. It is a mathematical constant. ——————————————————————————————— Words to Know irrational number: a number that cannot be expressed as a simple fraction circumference: the distance around a circle diameter: the distance of a straight line across the center of a circle ——————————————————————————————— How Is Pi Used? Pi is used in lots of ways. It’s fundamental for calculating anything that involves circles, curves, or spheres. It’s used in geometry, physics, engineering, and even computer science. How Does NASA Use Pi? NASA missions depend on pi. Let’s look at a few examples. Astronauts returning home from the International Space Station use parachutes to slow their spacecraft down for a safe landing. But just how big do the parachutes need to be? NASA uses pi to calculate the circular area required to slow a spacecraft as it moves through the atmosphere. Planetary scientists use pi to learn about the materials inside a planet or asteroid. They use pi to determine the object’s volume. Combined with the object’s mass, they can determine the density of the object. Since we know the densities of planetary materials like rock, ice, and metal, scientists can make informed guesses about what the planet or asteroid might be made of. Did you know that spacecraft fuel tanks are usually sphere-shaped? Rocket scientists use pi to figure out how much fuel a spacecraft will need. They also use pi to compute how much fuel is available in spacecraft tanks and how quickly that fuel travels through their cylindrical fuel lines. To learn more ways pi helps NASA explore our home planet and beyond, check out 18 Ways NASA Uses Pi. Career Corner Are you interested in a career that uses pi? Many different occupations use this mathematical wonder. Here are a few examples: Manufacturing technician: Turning designs into reality takes skilled technicians. Fabrication and assembly of robotic equipment and spacecraft parts often involve curves that must be precisely calculated. Being able to follow intricate instructions is key. Trade school training and skills such as operating forklifts and heavy machinery may be required. Mars rover driver: Driving a rover on Mars is not like driving a car on Earth. There are no steering wheels on Mars rovers. Instead, operators on Earth send commands to the rovers. These might include turning wheels or moving a robotic arm, and those functions use degrees calculated using pi. College degrees in robotics and software engineering might lead to this career. Planetary scientist: What are objects in our solar system made of? And where did the planets, moons, asteroids, and comets come from? Planetary scientists use pi to answer these questions and more as they study our celestial neighborhood. A college degree is key to being an expert in this field, but subject areas can vary from physics to astronomy, or even geology. Explore More How Many Decimals of Pi Do We Need Anyway? The NASA Pi Day Challenge View the full article

Portrait of Brad FlickCredit: NASA On Monday, NASA announced Bradley Flick, director of NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, will retire Thursday, March 19, after a nearly 40-year career advancing aeronautics and flight research. Flick began his NASA journey in 1986 as a flight systems engineer and rose through the ranks to lead the center. His career spanned historic achievements by NASA, bookended by the groundbreaking X‑29 forward-swept wing aircraft and the first flight of the X‑59 quiet supersonic technology aircraft and including many other experimental flight research and airborne science projects in support of NASA and the nation. “Brad’s career reflects the kind of disciplined engineering and steady leadership NASA relies on to tackle difficult problems,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “For nearly four decades, he contributed to some of the agency’s most challenging flight research efforts—from the X-29 through the first flight of the X-59—and helped strengthen the team and capabilities at Armstrong along the way. NASA is grateful for his service and the example he’s set for the next generation of engineers and flight test professionals.” After earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering from Clarkson University, Flick joined NASA, working on the F/A-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle project. In 1988, he moved to the Operations Engineering branch, where he played a lead role in developing experimental systems including thrust vectoring control, emergency electrical and hydraulic systems, and the spin recovery parachute system. He also served as mission controller for about 100 HARV research flights. He later earned a master’s degree in engineering management from Rochester Institute of Technology, which supported his progression through increasingly responsible leadership roles. Before his appointment as center director on Dec. 5, 2022, following a ******* as acting director, Flick held leadership positions spanned engineering and operations, including Flight Systems branch chief, acting associate director for Flight Operations, center chief engineer (where he chaired the Airworthiness and Flight Safety Review Board), deputy director and director for Research and Engineering, and deputy center director. Flick’s leadership and technical expertise shaped flight research at NASA. His work advanced aeronautics and pushed the boundaries of aviation technology. As NASA continues to lead innovations in sustainable aviation and supersonic flight, his contributions will remain an integral part of that legacy. Troy Asher will serve as acting center director, effective Friday, March 20. Asher previously served as director, Flight Operations, at NASA Armstrong. For more about NASA’s missions, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Bethany Stevens / Cheryl Warner Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Dede Dinius Armstrong Flight Research Center, California 661-276-5701 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Mar 09, 2026 EditorJennifer M. DoorenLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsArmstrong Flight Research CenterNASA Centers & Facilities View the full article

El transportador oruga 2 de la NASA, que traslada el cohete Sistema de Lanzamiento Espacial **** la nave espacial Orion de la misión Artemis II de la agencia, llega el 25 de febrero de 2026 al interior del Edificio de Ensamblaje de Vehículos del Centro Espacial Kennedy de la NASA en Florida para solucionar el problema del flujo de helio a la etapa superior del cohete (la etapa de propulsión criogénica provisional). Una vez completado, el cohete regresará al Complejo de Lanzamiento 39B para prepararse para lanzar a cuatro astronautas en el vuelo de prueba Artemis II alrededor de la Luna y de vuelta.Crédito: NASA/Cory Huston Read this media advisory in English here. La NASA ofrecerá una rueda de prensa a las 3 p.m. EDT (hora del este) del jueves 12 de marzo para dar a conocer el progreso de la misión tripulada Artemis II alrededor de la Luna. La rueda de prensa tendrá lugar en el Centro Espacial Kennedy de la agencia en Florida, tras la conclusión de la evaluación de aptitud para el vuelo de Artemis II. La rueda de prensa se transmitirá en vivo en el canal de YouTube de la agencia. Aprenda a transmitir contenido de la NASA a través de diversas plataformas en línea, incluidas las redes sociales, según disponibilidad. Entre los participantes de la NASA se encuentran: Jared Isaacman, administrador Lori Glaze, administradora asociada interina, Dirección de Misiones de Sistemas de Exploración John Honeycutt, director del equipo de gestión de la misión Artemis II Shawn Quinn, director del Programa de Sistemas Terrestres de Exploración. Norm Knight, director, Dirección de Operaciones de Vuelo La asistencia en persona a este evento en el centro Kennedy está abierta a los medios de comunicación previamente acreditados para el lanzamiento de Artemis II. Para participar virtualmente, los medios de comunicación deben confirmar su asistencia y solicitar los detalles de la llamada al menos 30 minutos antes del inicio del evento a la sala de prensa del centro Kennedy: ksc*****@*****.tld. La política de acreditación de medios de la NASA está disponible en línea (en inglés). La NASA continúa su trabajo en el cohete Sistema de Lanzamiento Espacial y la nave espacial Orion en el Edificio de Ensamblaje de Vehículos del centro Kennedy antes de un segundo traslado a la plataforma de lanzamiento a finales de este mes, antes de un posible lanzamiento en abril. Como parte de una edad de oro de innovación y exploración, Artemis allanará el camino para nuevas misiones tripuladas estadounidenses en la superficie lunar, como preparación para enviar a los primeros astronautas a Marte. Para más información sobre el programa Artemis, visite: [Hidden Content] (inglés) [Hidden Content] (español) -fin- Bethany Stevens / Rachel Kraft / María José Viñas Sede central, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / rachel.h*****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Tiffany Fairley Centro Espacial Kennedy, Florida 321-747-8306 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Mar 09, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNASA en español View the full article

NASA’s crawler-transporter 2, carrying the agency’s Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with the Orion spacecraft, arrives Feb. 25, 2026, inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to troubleshoot the flow of helium to the rocket’s upper stage, the interim cryogenic propulsion stage. Once complete, the SLS rocket will roll back to Launch Complex 39B to prepare to launch four astronauts around the Moon and back for the Artemis II test flight.Credit: NASA/Cory Huston NASA will host a news conference at 3 p.m. EDT, Thursday, March 12, to highlight progress toward the Artemis II crewed mission around the Moon. The media briefing will take place from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida after the conclusion of an Artemis II Flight Readiness Review. The news conference will stream live on the agency’s YouTube channel. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media, as available. NASA participants include: Administrator Jared Isaacman Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate John Honeycutt, chair, Artemis II Mission Management Team Shawn Quinn, manager, Exploration Ground Systems Program Norm Knight, director, Flight Operations Directorate This event is open in-person for media previously credentialed at NASA Kennedy for the Artemis II launch. To participate virtually, media must RSVP for call details no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the event to the newsroom at NASA Kennedy: ksc*****@*****.tld. NASA’s media credentialing policy is online. NASA is continuing work on the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft in NASA Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building before a second rollout to the launch pad later this month ahead of a potential launch in April. As part of Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send Artemis astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. To learn more about the Artemis program, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Bethany Stevens / Rachel Kraft Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / rachel.h*****@*****.tld Tiffany Fairley Kennedy Space Center, Florida 321-747-8306 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Mar 09, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsArtemis 2ArtemisExploration Ground SystemsExploration Systems Development Mission DirectorateKennedy Space CenterSpace Launch System (SLS) View the full article