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This artist’s concept shows an isolated neutron star as an ultra-dense stellar remnant, packing more mass than the Sun into a city-sized sphere and radiating energy as it slowly cools in the depths of space. NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will search for, and could measure the mass of, isolated neutron stars using astrometric microlensing.NASA, STScI, Ralf Crawford (STScI) Astronomers have long known that neutron stars, the crushed cores left behind after massive stars explode, should be scattered throughout the Milky Way galaxy. However, most of them are effectively invisible. A new study published in Astronomy and Astrophysics suggests NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope could spot them anyway. Using detailed simulations of the Milky Way and Roman’s future observations, researchers showed the flagship observatory may be able to identify and characterize dozens of isolated neutron stars through a subtle effect called gravitational microlensing. “Most neutron stars are relatively dim and on their own,” said Zofia Kaczmarek of Heidelberg University in Germany, who led the study. “They are incredibly hard to spot without some sort of help.” Finding what’s invisible Neutron stars pack more mass than the Sun into a sphere about the size of a city. Studying them helps us understand how stars live, die, and spread heavy elements throughout the universe. They also provide a chance to study what happens under the most extreme conditions (pressures and densities) imaginable. Yet, unless they are pulsars that beam in radio wavelengths or glow in X-rays, they can remain hidden from even the most powerful telescopes. Roman can search for them in a different way. When a massive object like a neutron star moves in front of a distant background star, its intense gravity warps spacetime and deflects the background star’s light. This microlensing effect briefly makes the background star brighter and appear offset from its true position in the sky. While many telescopes can detect the temporary brightening, Roman can measure both the brightening (photometry) and the tiny positional shift (astrometry) of the lensed star with exceptional precision. Astrometric microlensing occurs when a foreground object, like a neutron star, passes in front of a more distant background star. The neutron star’s gravity bends the distant star’s light, splitting it into multiple paths that reach the telescope. Although these distorted images can’t be resolved, their combined light appears brighter and slightly shifted from the distant star’s true position. As the alignment between the two objects changes over time, this apparent shift traces a small elliptical pattern on the sky. The size of that ellipse depends on how strongly the light is bent, meaning more massive objects produce larger shifts, allowing astronomers to directly measure the mass of the otherwise invisible neutron star.NASA, STScI, Joyce Kang (STScI) Because neutron stars are relatively massive, they produce a larger astrometric signal than lighter objects, allowing missions like Roman to not only detect them, but also weigh them in some cases, something that is nearly impossible with photometry alone. “What’s really cool about using microlensing is that you can get direct mass measurements,” said paper co-author Peter McGill of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. “Photometry tells us that something passed in front of the star, but it’s the amount the star’s position shifts that tells us how massive that object is. By measuring that tiny deflection on the sky, we can directly weigh something that is otherwise unseen.” Roman’s measurements could help astronomers determine whether there is a true gap between the masses of neutron stars and ****** holes and how fast neutron stars are moving. Scientists are particularly interested in understanding the powerful “kicks” neutron stars receive when they are born in supernova explosions. These kicks can send them racing through the galaxy at hundreds of miles per second. Huge surveys, high chance of payoff The research team will utilize Roman’s future Galactic Bulge Time Domain Survey, which will monitor millions of stars at a time in vast images of the sky, taken at a high frequency. “We’re going to get to work as soon as the data start coming in,” said McGill. “Even in the first months after commissioning, we expect to start identifying promising events.” Even a relatively small number of confirmed detections could significantly improve models of stellar explosions and extreme matter. “We don’t know the mass distribution of neutron stars, ****** holes, or where one ends and the other begins with any certainty,” McGill said. “Roman will really be a breakthrough in that.” Although only a few thousand neutron stars have been detected so far, mostly as pulsars, scientists estimate there could be tens of millions to hundreds of millions in the Milky Way. Additionally, to date, researchers have only been able to measure the masses of neutron stars in binary pairings. “We’re seeing a small sample that’s not representative of the big picture,” Kaczmarek said. “Even a single mass measurement would be very powerful. If we found just one isolated neutron star, it would already be incredibly stimulating to our research.” Looking ahead The study also highlights a creative use of the mission’s capabilities. While Roman’s survey is designed primarily to find exoplanets using photometric microlensing, its powerful astrometric capabilities open the door to entirely new discoveries with astrometric microlensing. “This wasn’t part of the original plan,” said McGill. “But it turns out Roman’s astrometric capability is really good at detecting neutron stars and ****** holes, so we can add a whole new kind of science to Roman’s surveys.” If the predictions hold true, the mission could provide the first large sample of isolated neutron stars discovered through their gravity alone, revealing a hidden population that has remained out of reach until now. Roman is expected to transform the study of microlensing and the hidden populations of objects in our galaxy, from rogue exoplanets to stellar remnants like neutron stars. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, with participation by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California; Caltech/IPAC in Pasadena, California; the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore; and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are BAE Systems Inc. in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York; and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging in Thousand Oaks, California. To learn more about Roman visit: [Hidden Content] By Hannah Braun Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md. *****@*****.tld Media contacts: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 301-286-1940 Christine Pulliam Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md. *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated May 06, 2026 EditorAshley BalzerContactAshley Balzer*****@*****.tldLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related TermsNancy Grace Roman Space TelescopeGoddard Space Flight CenterNeutron StarsStarsThe Universe Explore More 7 min read One Survey by NASA’s Roman Could Unveil 100,000 Cosmic Explosions Article 10 months ago 7 min read Core Survey by NASA’s Roman Mission Will Unveil Universe’s Dark Side Article 3 months ago 7 min read NASA Announces Plan to Map Milky Way With Roman Space Telescope Article 5 months ago View the full article

Cryogenic engineer Adam Rice tests the Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland to simulate the thermal-vacuum conditions of the lunar night on Thursday, May 22, 2025.NASA/Jef Janis As NASA looks to explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond, researchers must develop materials capable of withstanding the extreme temperatures found in space and on other planets and their moons. In frigid conditions, rubber can shatter like glass, circuit boards may fail, and electrical connections can freeze and fracture. Gaining a deeper understanding of how materials respond to these temperature extremes is critical — especially as NASA looks to build its Moon Base at the lunar South Pole, where surface temperatures swing dramatically from blistering heat during the day to bitter cold at night. Researchers developed a ground-breaking method for testing how materials hold up in the extreme cold of space. Engineers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland invented the Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig (LESTR), a machine that can test materials, electronics, and other flight hardware at temperatures as low as 40 Kelvin, or about –388 degrees Fahrenheit. “Just as no building ever gets built without knowing exactly how the construction materials behave, no space mission is complete without a robust structural design that hinges on knowing how the materials used within it behave,” said Ariel Dimston, technical lead for LESTR at NASA Glenn. Traditionally, NASA has used a process that involves super-cold liquids — called liquid cryogens — to test how materials respond to extreme cold. These liquids, like nitrogen, hydrogen, and helium, are some of the coldest materials on Earth and are stored in specialized tanks. Engineers use them to chill materials during testing and collect data to see how they perform. “What makes LESTR special is that the entire rig operates in a completely dry vacuum: no liquid nitrogen, no liquid helium, no liquid anything,” Dimston said. “This is the first mechanical test rig that escapes from all of the challenges involved with cryogenic fluids.” LESTR takes a new approach by using a high-powered refrigerator, called a cryocooler, to remove heat without using any liquid at all. This creates the first “dry” cryogenic test environment within the mechanical testing industry. This new test rig is safer and more affordable than traditional methods and allows scientists to test materials at a much wider range of temperatures, Dimston said. “By leaving behind the liquid cryogen, you no longer need specialized handling equipment such as dewers, wet heaters, nor valves,” Dimston said. “You no longer require oxygen displacement sensors and other safety systems that add time, complexity, and cost to the process since without these cryogens they are no longer needed.” Dimston and his team are working with NASA programs and projects to put materials through their paces using the new apparatus. The team has been testing yarns that may someday be woven into fabrics used for next-generation spacesuits and is looking to develop advanced materials for rover tires, including a new metal that can return to its original shape after being bent, stretched, heated, and cooled. This shape memory alloy technology could help future rovers travel across the uneven, rocky surfaces of the Moon and Mars without the risk of flat tires. The Lunar Environment Structural Test Rig at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland simulates the intense cold of the lunar night on Friday, June 6, 2025.NASA/Steven Logan NASA researchers spent more than two years designing and building the first version of the technology — LESTR 1 — and are currently building its twin, LESTR 2. In a partnership with Fort Wayne Metals, NASA delivered LESTR 1 to the company’s facility in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where experts there will use it to test shape memory alloy material for the extreme temperatures present on the Moon. “We are working to develop a next-generation shape memory alloy that is capable of functioning at temperatures down to 40 Kelvin, one of the coldest regions we could go to with rover capability,” said Dr. Santo Padula II, principal investigator for LESTR at NASA Glenn. “With this rig, we can test how shape memory alloys will behave in the coldest areas of the Moon and Mars. That will be a very big day for us: to be able to see what its properties look like at such low temperatures — something we’ve never seen before.” Beyond LESTR, NASA Glenn has other world-class ground test facilities that mimic environments like the vacuum of space, the microgravity aboard the International Space Station, the sulfuric pressure cooker that is Venus, or the terrain of the Moon and Mars. Glenn leads the agency in both advanced materials testing and in-space cryogenic fluid management, playing a vital role in developing technologies for future space exploration. For more information on Glenn’s new test rig, visit LESTR’s web page. View the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Melting Snow Off Shivelyuch 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 Snow has melted from warm volcanic deposits of ash and soil on the flanks of Shivelyuch on April 23, 2026, in this image captured by the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 9. NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin Shivelyuch (also called Shiveluch), the most northerly active volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula, is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. On a near-daily basis, satellites detect new signs of activity within its horseshoe-shaped caldera, including thermal anomalies, hot avalanches and debris flows, and ash deposits that darken the surrounding landscape. The Landsat 9 satellite captured this image of the towering volcano—one of the largest and tallest on the peninsula—on April 23, 2026, a day when fresh activity left its mark on the snowy, late-spring landscape. A multi-lobed plug of viscous lava called a lava dome—appearing as a dark patch in the caldera—has been actively growing in recent months, according to reports from the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT). Dome-building lava is typically extruded slowly and piles up into lobed, sloped, or spine-like shapes akin to those that form when toothpaste is squeezed from a tube. The caldera contains a growing lava dome and signs of block-and-ash flows in channels radiating outward in this detailed image, acquired April 23, 2026, by the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 9. NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin On Shivelyuch, lava domes cycle through periods of growth and collapse, frequently producing explosive bursts of ash and launching avalanches of hot ash and soil called pyroclastic flows when they collapse. Debris slides through structures that Alina Shevchenko, a volcanologist with the GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, called “avalanche chutes” and “lahar channels” radiating outward from the caldera. Collapses can trigger events geologists call “block-and-ash flows,” which typically contain coarse, blocky chunks of cooled volcanic rock along with powdery volcanic ash and soil. Such flows often produce thick, insulating deposits that retain heat for long periods, sometimes even months or years, melting snow in the winter months. As seen in the Landsat images above, this activity leaves dark channels and exposed patches that contrast with the surrounding snow cover. Satellites have regularly detected thermal anomalies within the caldera and near the growing lava dome in recent months, as well as warm land surface temperatures along the network of channels. On the day the image was acquired, KVERT reported that the “explosive-extrusive eruption” of the volcano continued, accompanied by “powerful gas-steam activity.” An unusually large eruption and flank collapse in April 2023 sent massive pyroclastic flows barreling tens of kilometers down the mountain, destroying vast swaths of forest and leaving large deposits and flow channels near the foot of the mountain that are still visible today. “It’s quite possible that those deposits still retain some heat from that event,” said Janine Krippner, a geologist based in New Zealand. Krippner noted that when she did field research on Shivelyuch block-and-ash flows in 2015, she could still feel the heat within deposits that were five years old. “Shivelyuch is an incredible volcano that has collapsed over and over again, on several scales, ranging from enormous flank collapses to more modest dome-collapse events,” Krippner said. “It goes through cycles of collapse but then builds itself up again and again through constant volcanic activity,” she added. “It should really be on a motivational poster.” NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Adam Voiland. Downloads April 23, 2026 JPEG (7.84 MB) References & Resources Global Volcanism Program (2026) Sheveluch. Accessed May 5, 2026. Grishin, S.Y., et al. (2025) Impact of the Major Eruption of the Shiveluch Volcano (April 2023, Kamchatka) on Ecosystems: The Extent of Forest Burial and Damage Based on Satellite Data. Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics, 61, 1129–1136. Krippner, J.B., et al. (2018) Parametric analysis of lava dome-collapse events and pyroclastic deposits at Shiveluch volcano, Kamchatka, using visible and infrared satellite data. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 354, 115-129. Krippner, J.B., et al. (2018) Exceptionally large block-and-ash flows: a detailed study of the 2005 and 2010 eruption deposits of Shiveluch volcano. EarthArXiv preprint. NASA Earth Observatory (2023, April 12) Kamchatka Erupts. Accessed May 5, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2011, January 25) Activity at Shiveluch Volcano. Accessed May 5, 2026. Shevchenko, A., et al. (2021) Constructive and Destructive Processes During the 2018–2019 Eruption Episode at Shiveluch Volcano, Kamchatka, Studied From Satellite and Aerial Data. Frontiers in Earth Science Volcanology, 9, 680051. Zharinov, N.A. & Demyanchuk, Y.V. (2024) The April 11, 2023 Catastrophic Explosive Eruption of Sheveluch Volcano, Kamchatka. Journal of Volcanology and Seismology, 18, 1–9. 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. Eruption at Mayon 3 min read Activity at the volcano in the Philippines sent lava and pyroclastic flows down the volcano’s flanks and prompted evacuations in… Article Restless Kīlauea Launches Lava and Ash 3 min read Episode 43 of the Hawaiian volcano’s current eruption was marked by high lava fountains and widespread ash dispersal. Article Scoria Cones on Earth and Mars 7 min read The hill-shaped features are a sign of explosive volcanic activity—a rarity on the Red Planet. 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

Explore This Section Science Science Activation NASA eClips and GLOBE… Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Activation Stories Citizen Science Science Activation Opportunities 3 min read NASA eClips and GLOBE Educators Strengthen a Regional STEM Ecosystem in Coastal Virginia Jessica Taylor, Physical Scientist at NASA Langley Research Center and Principle Investigator for GLOBE Clouds and the My NASA Data project, explains calibration of an infrared thermometer. Thirty-eight science educators representing seven school districts across Virginia’s Tidewater region joined forces with community organizations, such as the Elizabeth River Project, to deepen their instructional practice through a dynamic collaboration between NASA eClips and the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment) Program. Together, these groups are cultivating a regional STEM ecosystem that connects classrooms, community science, and NASA resources in meaningful and lasting ways. As part of NASA’s Science Activation Program, NASA eClips engages educators and learners with standards-aligned resources grounded in authentic NASA science. Complementing this work, the GLOBE Program empowers participants to contribute to citizen science through environmental data collection and analysis. The partnership between these two programs creates a powerful bridge between content knowledge and real-world application – bringing Earth Systems science to life for both educators and learners. Educators gathered for a three-hour professional learning experience on March 7 or April 18, 2026 at the National Institute of Aerospace in Hampton, Virginia. Through hands-on investigations, participants explored how land cover influences surface temperature, how clouds impact atmospheric conditions, and how soil plays a critical role in environmental systems. These experiences were anchored in NASA eClips resources and GLOBE protocols, offering practical strategies for teaching key Virginia Science Standards of Learning related to weather, climate, land covering, and Earth’s energy budget. Participants calibrated and used scientific instruments such as infrared thermometers and multi-day minimum/maximum thermometers, gaining confidence in collecting accurate environmental data. They examined the urban heat island effect, engaged in interactive activities including an energetic cloud dance and a cloud opacity demonstration, and learned how to contribute observations through practice of using the GLOBE Observer app. These immersive experiences not only strengthened content knowledge but also modeled how authentic science practices can be integrated into classroom instruction. This initiative builds on two years of intentional collaboration among the NASA eClips Educators from the National Institute of Aerospace’s Center for Integrative STEM Education (NIA-CISE); GLOBE scientists from NASA Langley Research Center; and regional school divisions and community organizations that laid the foundation for a sustainable regional STEM ecosystem. Support from the Coastal Virginia STEM Hub, funded through the Virginia General Assembly, has been instrumental in expanding access to these opportunities. Grant funding provided educator stipends and enabled the purchase of essential equipment, including weather instrument shelters and soil kits. In a powerful example of cross-sector collaboration, the instrument shelters were constructed by Career and Technical Education (CTE) students in Hampton City Schools and Norfolk Public Schools using GLOBE specifications, further connecting students to the scientific process while supporting their peers’ learning. As participating school divisions and community organizations integrate NASA eClips and GLOBE resources into their curricula and outreach efforts, they are ensuring that all learners have access to authentic, data-driven science experiences. Together, this network of educators, students, and partners is not only enhancing science education, but also building a connected, collaborative STEM ecosystem where learning extends beyond the classroom and into the community. NASA eClips, led by NIA-CISE, is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AB91A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated May 05, 2026 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms Science Activation Opportunities For Educators to Get Involved Explore More 3 min read New NASA HEAT Coloring Book Blends Art, Science, and Cultural Perspectives A new Sun-centered and science-focused coloring book produced by NASA in partnership with the University… Article 7 hours ago 4 min read Breaking Barriers at 3rd Annual Findings from the Field Symposium This year’s Findings from the Field Student Research Symposium welcomed 106 students, grades four through… Article 1 day ago 4 min read Artemis Moon Tree Dedicated in Honor of Mary W. Jackson Article 1 month ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… Perseverance Rover This rover and its aerial sidekick were assigned to study the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient microbial… Parker Solar Probe On a mission to “touch the Sun,” NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to fly through the corona… Juno NASA’s Juno spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016, the first explorer to peer below the planet’s dense clouds to… View the full article

Photojournal Navigation Science Photojournal NASA’s Perseverance Mars… Photojournal Home Photojournal Search Latest Content Galleries Feedback RSS About 2 Min Read NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover Surveys ‘Crocodile Bridge’ PIA26699 Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/****/MSSS Description NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z camera system to capture this 360-degree panorama of a region nicknamed “Crocodile Bridge” on Jezero Crater’s rim. The panorama is made up of 980 images, 971 of which were taken on Dec. 18, 2025, the 1,717th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. An additional nine were taken on Jan. 25, 2026, Sol 1,754. This natural-color view has been processed to show the landscape as the human eye would see it. Jezero Crater’s rim and the regions around it hold some of the oldest rocks anywhere in the solar system; they serve as time capsules of the Red Planet’s early history, when its crust and atmosphere were still forming. No terrain this ancient exists on Earth, where tectonic plates constantly recycle the surface. (Mars lacks tectonic plates, allowing some of this very old material to be preserved.) “Crocodile Bridge” represents a transition into an area nicknamed “Lac de Charmes,” which Perseverance will explore for several months later this year. [Full-resolution image versions of figures A through E can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.] Figure A (low resolution) Figure A is the natural-color view panorama. Figure B (low resolution) Figure B is the same panorama in an enhanced-color view, which brings out subtle details. Figure C (low resolution) Figure C is an anaglyph (3D) version of the natural-color view of the panorama. Figure D (low resolution) Figure D is an anaglyph red-color view of the enhanced version of the panorama. Figure E (low resolution) Figure E is an anaglyph blue-color view of the enhanced version of the panorama. Managed for NASA by Caltech, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover on behalf of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate as part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program portfolio. Arizona State University leads the operations of the Mastcam-Z instrument, working in collaboration with Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, on the design, fabrication, testing, and operation of the cameras, and in collaboration with the Niels Bohr Institute of the University of Copenhagen on the design, fabrication, and testing of the calibration targets. To learn more about Perseverance, visit: science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance Downloads PIA26699 Figure A TIFF (4.13 GB) PIA26699 Figure B TIFF (4.16 GB) PIA26699 Figure C TIFF (4.42 GB) PIA26699 Figure D TIFF (3.66 GB) PIA26699 Figure E TIFF (3.53 GB) Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Photojournal Photojournal Search Photojournal Photojournal’s Latest Content Feedback 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 4879-4885: Struggle at Atacama NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image, of its drill (above, now free of the Atacama block) and the stubborn stone block, again back on the surface (below), on May 2, 2026. Curiosity captured the image using its Mast Camera (Mastcam) on Sol 4883, or Martian day 4,883 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission, at 09:14:58 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Written by William Farrand, Senior Research Scientist, Space Science Institute Earth planning date: Friday, May 1, 2026 Chile’s Atacama desert is the driest mid-latitude desert in the world, receiving only 15 millimeters (0.59 inches) of precipitation per year. Only the dry valleys of Antarctica receive less precipitation. These environmental conditions have made the Atacama a challenging place to survive in. Like its namesake, the Atacama drill target on Mars presented a challenge to the Curiosity rover and to the rover team. The planning week began with the downlinked data indicating that a successful drill hole was made in the Atacama target, but the rock being drilled into was a detached block and as the arm was raised to extract the drill, the rock came along with it! Not being in the sample collection business, like her twin rover Perseverance, Curiosity’s rover planners went to work to develop a plan to extract the drill bit from the rock. These included efforts at changing the orientation of the drill bit, and attached block, as well as carrying out percussion to try to vibrate the rock off. Ultimately, as a result of activities like these in the Sol 4883-4885 plan, we freed the drill from the Atacama block. With in-situ science activities precluded due to the efforts to free the drill bit from the Atacama block, the science at that time instead focused on remote sensing. The Sol 4879-4880 plan included ChemCam LIBS measurements of a dark cobble, “Pichiacani,” and a dark pebble, “Poco a Poco.” ChemCam also attempted passive reflectance measurements of white blocks on the slope of the distant Paniri butte and RMI imaging of Valle Grande. Mastcam collected documentation images of the ChemCam targets and also carried out change detection imaging of the target “Playa los Metales.” The Sol 4881-4882 plan consisted of LIBS scanning of bedrock targets “El Plomo” and “El Turbio.” Mastcam change detection on the Playa los Metales regions continued. Mastcam also extended the previously collected “Kimsa Chata” mosaic. In the Sol 4883-4885 plan, the team was able to take advantage of the efforts to remove the Atacama block by carrying out ChemCam LIBS observations of the granular material below where the block had been. This included the target “Cuturipa,” below where the block had been, and a profile of the wall of the cavity where the block had been, which was given the target name “Chaitén.” ChemCam also observed a light-toned block, “Chiloé,” that had been covered by the Atacama block. ChemCam RMI imaging was planned for the layering of the Mishe Mokwa butte and of “Azul Pampa,” a rock with prominent polygonal patterns. The plan also included a Navcam dust-****** survey, ChemCam passive-sky measurements, and an APXS atmospheric observation. Future activities involve wrapping up the drill campaign on Atacama and, nominally, seeking a more firmly rooted drill target in order to collect drill tailings for analysis, which were lost from Atacama as part of the effort to dislodge the drill bit from the rock. Learn more, and watch as the Atacama target rock gets stuck and unstuck 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 May 05, 2026 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4873-4878: Welcome to the Atacama Drill Target Article 6 days ago 3 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4867-4872: Sand Fill In Antofagasta Crater and Finding Our Next Drill Target Article 2 weeks ago 3 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4859-4866: One Small Crater and Thousands of Polygons 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

After a recent count, NASA Citizen Science is proud to report that more than 650 people who have volunteered to participate in NASA citizen science projects have co-authored peer-reviewed research papers with scientists on those project teams. These volunteers made incredible contributions like: Spotting comets, gamma-ray bursts, and brown dwarfs in data collected by space telescopes. Observing auroras, sprites, and noctilucent clouds from here on Earth. Using their backyard telescopes to gather data on exoplanets or their cell phones to report mosquito breeding habitat. Using their ham radios to study Earth’s ionosphere. And all of them saw their passion and dedication translated into lasting contributions to the scientific literature that will inform generations of researchers to come. Explore these frequently asked questions and discover how you, too, can be a part of scientific discovery and become a co-author. Why do peer-reviewed research papers matter? When scientists make a discovery, they write up the details of their research and its results in a manuscript and submit it to a scientific journal. The journal’s editors subject the manuscript to the ‘peer-review’ process, in which they invite other scientists to verify and validate the methods used and the novelty and importance of the results. Peer-reviewed research papers are the primary way scientists document what they discover or learn and share it with each other and the world. Once a paper passes the peer-review process, it is published where other scientists can read it, criticize it, and build on it. Contributing to published scientific literature is an important and celebrated part of a scientific career – for PhD scientists and citizen scientists alike. A list of published papers is the core of any scientist’s resume, and any budding scientist’s first publication is widely considered a milestone worth celebrating. Three cheers for each and every one of the 650 published citizen science project volunteers! How can I get involved in writing a scientific paper through NASA citizen science? Sometimes, volunteers get lucky – they’re simply notified by the project science team that their contributions have made it into a scientific paper. However, if you are determined to become a published author, it helps to choose your project carefully and then to take initiative. First, find a project that interests you. In the words of citizen scientist Michael Primm, “pick one or more [projects that] appeal to you, and try them out for size. If you don’t like them, try other ones.” Once you have a project you like, do the task frequently enough to get comfortable and confident. Read all the project material you can, including any frequently asked questions and blog posts the team may have written. Many of the extraordinary breakthroughs in these projects come from participants noticing patterns in the data that are unusual – you can’t do this unless you’ve developed a good sense of what’s “normal.” “Find a project where you can communicate directly with the scientists involved,” said Marc Kuchner, citizen science officer, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “That way, you can get the coaching and mentorship you need to learn the paper-writing process.” A good place to start is with the projects listed on the publications by NASA citizen scientists webpage, since these projects have track records of involving volunteers in papers. “After you’ve followed the instructions and participated in a project, it’s all about asking questions!” said Kuchner. “Ask other participants first, and read the project’s FAQ and Research pages. Dig into scientific journal articles, if you can. Before long, you’ll find yourself with a novel and meaningful question nobody knows the answer to. Then you’ll have an excellent reason to start a conversation with the science team.” Second, look for ways to interact with project scientists and teams and stay informed and involved. Many NASA citizen science project teams have regular calls or meetings with participants. They also sometimes give participants the option to sign up for an email list, through which they share additional opportunities to interact with the scientists leading the projects. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help, either from your fellow citizen scientists or even the pros of the project you’re working on,” said citizen scientist Les Hamlet, co-author of three papers and counting. NASA partner SciStarter also hosts a series of Do NASA Science Live virtual events, which offer another way to meet scientists. These virtual events, held roughly once a month, feature experts from NASA citizen science projects who are eager to interact with volunteers. You can see the schedule and sign up here for the next Do NASA Science Live event. Many projects have virtual bulletin boards, like the “TALK” boards of Zooniverse-hosted projects, which can facilitate discussions with the science team. Or you can reach out by email to the science team by looking them up on the project’s team page. Just remember these science teams are busy, so do your homework first by reading all the project materials before you reach out. NASA volunteer Michiharu Hyogo offered some tips to help others get started on the journey toward becoming a published author. There are also numerous online resources and guides for anyone new to writing scientific papers. What if I’m still a student? Can I get involved in writing a paper? Yes, the same advice above applies to students. There’s no better way to explore whether or not you’d like to pursue a career in science or a new scientific field of study than to do the work of a scientist and get involved in the process of publishing your findings. If you become a published co-author, you’ll also have the added advantage of listing your publication on your resume for internship, undergraduate, or graduate school applications. Several high school students and many undergraduate or graduate students have written papers with NASA citizen science project teams, including Matteo Kimura, Emily Burns-Kaurin, Darcy Wenn, and Michaela B. Allen. A few NASA citizen scientists who have co-authored scientific papers present their findings. Clockwise from the upper left: Peter Jalowiczor, Michael Hunnekul, Danny Roylance, Michaela Allen, and Svetoslav Alexandrov. Ride the rollercoaster! Science can be unpredictable, which can make writing papers feel like a roller-coaster ride at times. “Don’t give up if your first try was not successful,” said published citizen scientist Michael Hunnekuhl. Most projects take years to produce results. Sometimes, nature doesn’t cooperate, and a science team must change directions instead of writing the paper they initially imagined. But with 42 citizen science projects online, NASA has plenty of room for your science ambitions. Go to [Hidden Content], pick a project, and start your science journey today. Facebook logo @nasascience_ @nasascience_ Instagram logo @nasascience_ Linkedin logo @nasascience_ Share Details Last Updated May 05, 2026 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms Citizen Science Science & Research Uncategorized Explore More 5 min read NASA Research Shows Early Life Relied on Rare Metal Article 3 hours ago 3 min read New NASA HEAT Coloring Book Blends Art, Science, and Cultural Perspectives A new Sun-centered and science-focused coloring book produced by NASA in partnership with the University… Article 4 hours ago 2 min read NASA Volunteers Double Known Population of Brown Dwarfs A new paper from NASA’s Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project announces that volunteers have essentially… Article 5 hours ago View the full article

2 Min Read NASA’s Curiosity Rover Frees Its Drill From a Rock PIA26723 Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech Photojournal Navigation Science Photojournal NASA’s Curiosity Rover Frees… Photojournal Home Photojournal Search Latest Content Galleries Feedback RSS About Downloads NASA’s Curiosity Rover Frees Its Drill From a Rock GIF (50.56 MB) PIA26723 Figure A GIF (48.45 MB) PIA26723 Figure B GIF (50.24 MB) Description This series of images shows NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover as it got a rock stuck to the drill on the end of its robotic arm and, after waving the arm and running the drill a few times, finally detached the rock. The imagery showing the entire process was captured by the ******-and-white hazard cameras on the front of Curiosity’s chassis and by navigation cameras on its mast, or head. On April 25, 2026, Curiosity drilled a sample from a rock nicknamed “Atacama,” which is an estimated 1.5 feet in diameter at its base, 6 inches thick and weighs roughly 28.6 pounds (13 kilograms). When the rover retracted its arm, the entire rock lifted out of the ground, suspended by the fixed sleeve that surrounds the rotating drill bit. Drilling has fractured or separated the upper layers of rocks in the past, but a rock has never remained attached to the drill sleeve. The team initially tried vibrating the drill to shake off the rock, but saw no change. Then, on April 29, they tried reorienting Curiosity’s robotic arm and vibrating the drill again. Imagery in the GIF shows sand falling from Atacama, but the rock stayed attached to the rover. Finally, on May 1, Curiosity’s team tried again, tilting the drill more, rotating and vibrating the drill, and spinning the drill bit. The team planned to perform these actions multiple times but the rock came off on the first round, fracturing as it hit the ground. Figure A Figure A is the same GIF with yellow time stamps added in the upper left corner. Figure B Figure B is an alternate view of the same activities from the navigation cameras on Curiosity’s mast, or head. Curiosity was built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California. JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington as part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program portfolio. To learn more about Curiosity, visit: science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Photojournal Photojournal Search Photojournal Photojournal’s Latest Content Feedback View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA astronaut Chris Williams calls down to mission controllers during Crew Medical Officer training while inside the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory module.Credit: NASA/Jessica Meir Students in Florida will hear from NASA astronaut Chris Williams as he answers prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) questions while aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will begin at 11 a.m. EDT Friday, May 8, and will stream live on the agency’s Learn With NASA YouTube channel. This event is hosted by the Aurelia M. Cole Academy in Clermont, Florida, for students in grades K-12 and members of the community. This unique opportunity aims to deepen understanding of space exploration and enhance awareness of STEM careers. Media interested in covering the event must RSVP by 5 p.m., Thursday, May 7, to Sherri Owens at: 352-253-6522 or *****@*****.tld. For more than 25 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network. Research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and support other agency work, including missions at the Moon. As part of NASA’s Artemis program, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars, inspiring the world through discovery in a new Golden Age of innovation and exploration. See more information on NASA in-flight calls at: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated May 05, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsGeneralHumans in SpaceIn-flight Education DownlinksInternational Space Station (ISS)Learning Resources Explore More 3 min read New NASA HEAT Coloring Book Blends Art, Science, and Cultural Perspectives A new Sun-centered and science-focused coloring book produced by NASA in partnership with the University… Article 2 hours ago 4 min read Breaking Barriers at 3rd Annual Findings from the Field Symposium This year’s Findings from the Field Student Research Symposium welcomed 106 students, grades four through… Article 1 day ago 5 min read NASA’s STORIE Mission to Tell Tale of Earth’s Ring Current Earth’s magnetic field is like a powerful trap. It lures electrically charged particles in space,… Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

5 min read NASA Research Shows Early Life Relied on Rare Metal Timeline of Earth’s history in billions of years. The new study indicates that life used molybdenum as far back as 3.3 to 3.7 billion years ago, long before levels of molybdenum in the oceans increased to modern levels. Other events in Earth’s history are marked for context. NASA NASA-funded scientists have discovered that life on Earth over 3 billion years ago relied on the metal molybdenum, which was incredibly scarce in the environment at the time. The study, published in Nature Communications on Tuesday, is the first to show that molybdenum was used by ancient life this far back in our planet’s history. On Earth today, molybdenum helps speed up vital biochemical reactions in cells. The metal is a component of essential enzymes that drive several major biological reactions in organisms. This is not only important for the individual organisms, but also biogeochemical cycles, such as the nitrogen cycle, which affect our entire planet. Without molybdenum, those important reactions could still happen in nature, but they would be too slow to sustain life. “Molybdenum sits at the catalytic center of enzymes that run major carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur reactions,” explained Betül Kaçar, head of the Kaçar Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and senior author on the study. Kaçar leads MUSE, a NASA Interdisciplinary Consortia for Astrobiology Research (ICAR) at UW-Madison. “Asking when life began using molybdenum is really asking when some of the most consequential metabolic strategies became possible,” said Kaçar. Molybdenum through history Molybdenum is now relatively common in the environment, and its scarcity is no longer a problem for life. But that wasn’t always the case. Geological evidence shows that only trace amounts of molybdenum were present in Earth’s oceans billions of years ago. Levels increased around the time that microorganisms began to use photosynthesis, which eventually led to a dramatic boost in the amount of atmospheric oxygen (roughly 2.45 billion years ago). This is known as the Great Oxidation Event and had a profound effect on the evolution of life. A previous NASA study even suggested that the rise of molybdenum in the environment around this time may have been necessary for the evolution of complex life. But when did life first start using molybdenum? Because of its scarcity on ancient Earth, astrobiologists have wondered if life could have started by using other metals to speed along vital reactions. Tungsten, for instance, behaves similarly in cells and is used today by some organisms that live in extreme environments. Scientists previously theorized that life may have used tungsten first and then evolved to used molybdenum once it became more available. The new study shows this wasn’t necessarily the case. The team gathered available data on the prevalence of molybdenum through time and reconstructed the history of the metal’s use along the branches of the tree of life. They found that although molybdenum was scarce, ancient microbes on Earth still found a way to use it. The same is true for the use of the metal tungsten. “Our work shows that both molybdenum and tungsten-using enzyme systems have Archean roots, which suggests that early life likely worked with both metals rather than following a simple “tungsten first, molybdenum later” story,” said Kaçar. “We argue that molybdenum use is far older than many models assumed, with molecular dating placing molybdenum utilization back into the Eoarchean to Mesoarchean, roughly 3.7–3.1 billion years ago, well before the Great Oxidation Event.” Accessing molybdenum Previous work from the MUSE ICAR, published in 2024, identified certain niches where early life may have found supplies of molybdenum and other scarce metals deep below the oceans. Hydrothermal vents at the seafloor provide trace metals including iron, zinc, copper, nickel, manganese, vanadium, molybdenum, cobalt, and tungsten. “Even if Archean seawater held little dissolved molybdenum overall, localized systems such as hydrothermal vents could still have supplied usable amounts of molybdenum and other metals,” said Kaçar. The new study shows that, even amid an assortment of other useful metals, molybdenum was somehow one of life’s first choices as a metal catalyst. “Molybdenum may have been worth “choosing” because it enables catalysis across a broad range of substrates and redox conditions,” said Kaçar. “In other words, scarcity did not make molybdenum unimportant; its catalytic advantages may have made it worth evolving ways to acquire and use.” The study shows how life can find a way to use elements in the environment, even if they are scarce, and reminds us that in the search for life beyond Earth we must be prepared for possibilities that we haven’t yet considered. Bio-essential elements, search for life in universe Searching for life in the universe isn’t about building a checklist of conditions that look like modern-day Earth. Studying the history of our planet and the evolution of life allows astrobiologists to view periods of time when the Earth was a much different planet than it is today. In this way, we gain a better understanding of the breadth of planets in the universe that could be habitable for life as we know it. “Our NASA ICAR shows that mapping the evolutionary history of bio-essential elements on Earth can help us predict what life on other worlds might use, and that different abiotic inventories could lead to different biological element choices,” said Kaçar. “Life detection should be metal-aware, redox-aware, and evolution-aware. We should look not just for ‘Earth-like life now,’ but for biochemical strategies that would make sense on a planet with a different history of oxygenation and metal availability.” For more information on astrobiology at NASA, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Karen Fox / Molly Wasser Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld View the full article

America’s first human spaceflight begins as the Mercury-Redstone 3 (MR-3) space vehicle, with astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. aboard, launches from Cape Canaveral, Florida on May 5, 1961.NASA On the morning of May 5, 1961, the Mercury-Redstone 3 launch vehicle lifted into the sky from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr. Over the next 15 minutes, Shepard ascended to an altitude of 116 miles (187 kilometers) in his Freedom 7 spacecraft, becoming the first American to fly into space before splashing down in the Atlantic Ocean. This short flight marked the United States’ entry into human spaceflight and was a defining first step that would carry the nation to the Moon just eight years later. Sixty-five years later, as NASA accelerates the pace for the Artemis missions that will return astronauts to the surface of the Moon and lay the foundations for a Moon base, the anniversary of Shepard’s flight offers an opportunity to reflect on the pioneering spirit of NASA’s Project Mercury and Project Gemini missions. Image credit: NASA View the full article

1 Min Read NASA’S Juno Misson Captures Jupiter Moon Thebe PIA26751 Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech Photojournal Navigation Science Photojournal NASA’S Juno Misson Captures… Photojournal Home Photojournal Search Latest Content Galleries Feedback RSS About Downloads NASA’S Juno Misson Captures Jupiter Moon Thebe JPEG (152.30 KB) Description NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured this view of Thebe, the second largest of Jupiter’s inner moons, during a close pass on May 1, 2026. The spacecraft’s Stellar Reference Unit (SRU) captured this image from a distance of approximately 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) at a resolution of about 1.9 miles (3 kilometers) per pixel. Thebe resides at the outer edge of Jupiter’s faint ring system and is believed to play a role in the formation of the planet’s “gossamer” ring through the shedding of dust. While the SRU’s primary function is to image star fields for navigation, its high sensitivity in low-light conditions makes it a powerful secondary science instrument. The SRU has previously been used to discover “shallow lightning” in Jupiter’s atmosphere and to image the planet’s ring system. A division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, JPL manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott J. Bolton, of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Juno is part of NASA’s New Frontiers Program, which is managed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. For more information about Juno, visit: [Hidden Content] Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Photojournal Photojournal Search Photojournal Photojournal’s Latest Content Feedback View the full article

A new Sun-centered and science-focused coloring book produced by NASA in partnership with the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) is now available for people to learn while showing their artistic side. The book, titled “Journey Through the Heliosphere: The Sun-Earth System in Color,” has twenty-eight, 11”x14” pages, and includes science facts and coloring pages for ten themes, including the Sun’s magnetic field, the solar wind, the aurora, eclipses, and how the Sun influences Earth. The book’s art and language is designed to engage with and educate students in grades 6-12 and adults. It includes a reference chart of solar terms in seven of Alaska’s many Indigenous languages and features a glossary of scientific terms relating to heliophysics on the last two pages. Staff from NASA, Oregon State University, the UAF International Arctic Research Center, and the Geophysical Institute’s outreach and design teams collaborated to bring Journey Through the Heliosphere to life over the course of two years. Lynda McGilvary, who leads the Geophysical Institute’s education outreach team, praises this group effort. “It leveraged the strengths of each organization in a way that resulted in something that will support the goal of increasing America’s heliophysics literacy one coloring page at time,” she said. “I think it was a labor of love for us.” NASA came up with the coloring book idea as part of its Heliophysics Education Activation Team, known as HEAT. HEAT members from NASA and UAF worked together to conceptualize the book and bring the space agency’s science expertise to learners at all levels of knowledge. The book aims to transform the complex system of heliophysics into something that everyone can see, touch and connect with by blending art, science, and cultural perspectives. The coloring book also had input from 13 Alaska Native language speakers, who shared their cultural knowledge about the Sun. Links within the book connect to the Cultural Connections online pronunciation guide, so users can hear fluent speakers correctly speaking each of the translated words. McGilvary hopes the coloring book will encourage classroom and community discussions about Alaska’s important linguistic diversity. “We hope that it will lead people to independently seek out and use other languages, especially the heritage languages of their friends and neighbors,” she said. She also noted the decades-long relationship NASA has with UAF, which brings together cutting-edge science, deep expertise in the Sun–Earth system, and strong connections to Alaska communities. “This coloring book is a tangible reflection of that relationship and the fact that it extends beyond the amazing science that NASA and UAF conduct together,” she said. “It was such a privilege to work with NASA’s heliophysics experts on this publication, and I personally learned so much more about the Sun and our solar system in the process.” Download the entire coloring book or individual sections of it: [Hidden Content] NASA HEAT is part of the NASA Science Activation program, which connects learners of all ages with authentic NASA science content, experts, and experiences. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: [Hidden Content] The title page of the new Coloring Book from NASA HEAT Credit: NASA/UAF View the full article

A new paper from NASA’s Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project announces that volunteers have essentially doubled the number of known brown dwarfs, with over 3,000 new discoveries made over the past 10 years since the project began. Brown dwarfs are ****** of gas the size of Jupiter, less massive than stars. There’s one for every three or four stars near the Sun. Although brown dwarfs are common, they can be hard to spot because they shine so faintly compared to stars. Having twice as many brown dwarfs to study allows astronomers a deeper understanding of these elusive objects. Already, this vital new list of brown dwarfs has revealed a new variety of objects – the extreme T subdwarfs and many other rarities, such as ultra-cool objects and a brown dwarf that appears to have aurorae. It has also helped us inventory the distribution of mass in our galaxy and map our cosmic neighborhood. The discoveries are published in a paper published in the Astronomical Journal, led by astronomer Adam Schneider from the U.S. Naval Observatory. They represent work done over the course of ten years aided by a team of roughly 200,000 volunteers. Of the paper’s 75 authors, 61 are volunteers. Two of the other authors began their work with the team as volunteers and then embarked on careers in astronomy. “I truly appreciate the recognition for all of us who collaborated, in some way, on this effort,” said Walter Ruben Robledo, an amateur astronomer and Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 volunteer from Cordoba, Argentina. “When I received the news about the co-authorship, I thought: Yes, dreams do come true,” said another volunteer, Mayahuel Torres Guerrero, from Mexico City. The volunteers discovered these brown dwarfs in images taken by NASA’s retired Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and Near-Earth-Object WISE Reactivation mission (NEOWISE-R). They examined the data using the Zooniverse citizen science platform, searching for moving objects by blinking images taken over a 16-year time *******. Some volunteers even contributed by building their own search tools and data analysis software. Want to help make the next brown dwarf discovery? The Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project is still sifting through more than 2 billion sources seen by WISE and NEOWISE-R. Join the search at backyardwords.org. Artist’s concept of a brown dwarf by Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 volunteer William Pendrill. The Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project announced the discovery of more than 3,000 of these objects over the past 10 years, doubling the number known. Join the search at backyardworlds.org! Credit: William Pendrill Learn More and Get Involved Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 Search the realm beyond Neptune for new planets, nearby stars and more. For anyone with a smartphone or laptop. Facebook logo @nasascience_ @nasascience_ Instagram logo @nasascience_ Linkedin logo @nasascience_ Share Details Last Updated May 05, 2026 Related Terms Citizen Science Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Explore More 4 min read For NASA’s TESS, Stellar Eclipses Shed Light on Possible New Worlds Article 1 day ago 3 min read Hubble Spots a Starry Spiral In this new picture from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, a spiral galaxy glittering with star… Article 4 days ago 4 min read NASA Connects Little Red Dots with Chandra, Webb Article 7 days ago View the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Ahuachapán and Its Restive… 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 The geologically active area around Ahuachapán, El Salvador, includes an arced line of volcanoes, visible in this image acquired on November 25, 2024, by the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8. NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison Volcanic activity takes on many forms in western El Salvador. The land near the city of Ahuachapán is pockmarked with craters and covered with recent lava flows. Meanwhile, a geothermal field feeds geysers, heats mineral pools, and powers a long-operating energy plant. The area is part of a volcanic landscape that stretches more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) along the Pacific coast from Guatemala to Panama, composing the Central American Volcanic Arc. On the right side of the image, Santa Ana stands at 2,381 meters (7,812 feet) above sea level as the country’s tallest volcano. Its summit features several crescent-shaped ridges surrounding a hot, acidic crater lake. The volcano remains active, with small to moderate explosive eruptions recorded since the 16th century. Its most recent significant eruption, in 2005, launched a dense gas and ash column high in the air and sent lahars down its slopes. In 1770, another volcano began forming on Santa Ana’s southern flank. Izalco grew into a steep-sided stratovolcano through frequent eruptions over the next two centuries. Its regular activity—including Strombolian eruptions and lava fountains—earned it the nickname “Lighthouse of the Pacific,” as people at sea were reported to witness its glowing emanations. The “lighthouse” has since powered down, with Izalco’s most recent activity occurring in 1966. A line of forested, dimpled stratovolcano peaks arcing across the scene forms the Apaneca Range. There are no recorded eruptions of these volcanoes in the Holocene (the past 11,700 years), but persistent geothermal activity along the range manifests in the form of fumaroles, hot springs, and steam vents. Sudden and deadly steam explosions occasionally occur in the area, including a blast in October 1990 near the range’s Laguna Verde volcano. More recently, a 2025 steam eruption near a popular hot springs facility spurred evacuations and damaged infrastructure. Though sometimes hazardous, the region’s heat source has also been tapped for geothermal power. The Ahuachapán Geothermal Power Plant has operated since 1975, leveraging groundwater naturally heated to around 250 degrees Celsius (480 degrees Fahrenheit) and local fault systems. By the early 1980s, the plant was producing 40 percent of El Salvador’s electricity. Some scholars note that this high level of production coincided with a ******* of civil unrest and population growth in the region. NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Lindsey Doermann. Downloads November 25, 2024 JPEG (32.61 MB) References & Resources Jiménez Majano, J.E. (2025) Fifty Years of Operation at the Ahuachapán Geothermal Field. Proceedings, 50th Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering. NASA Earth Observatory (2026, March 9) Lake Coatepeque. Accessed May 4, 2026. Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program, Santa Ana. Accessed May 4, 2026. Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program, Izalco. Accessed May 4, 2026. Volcano Live (2026, February) Apaneca Range. Accessed May 4, 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 Coatepeque 3 min read Set amid El Salvador’s modern, active volcanic landscape, tranquil blue waters fill a caldera formed by ancient eruptions. Article Eruption at Mayon 3 min read Activity at the volcano in the Philippines sent lava and pyroclastic flows down the volcano’s flanks and prompted evacuations in… Article A Hot and Fiery Decade for Kīlauea 6 min read The volcano in Hawaii is one of the most active in the world, and NASA tech makes it easier for… 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

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke, T.D., 3rd from left, signs the Artemis Accords during a ceremony with Chief of Staff in the Office of the Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs William Cappelletti, left, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, and Ambassador of Ireland to the United States of America Geraldine Byrne Nason, right, Monday, May 4, 2026, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. NASA/Bill Ingalls Ireland signed the Artemis Accords Monday during a signing ceremony hosted by NASA, becoming the latest nation to commit to the responsible exploration of space for all humanity. Ireland, a longstanding member of ESA (European Space Agency) and a valued international partner for NASA, now joins all 23 ESA member states as a signatory of the Artemis Accords. “It is my privilege to welcome Ireland as the 66th and newest signatory to the Artemis Accords,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman during remarks. “The Emerald Isle is now part of a growing community of like-minded nations committed to the peaceful, transparent, and responsible exploration of space. Ireland joins at a pivotal moment. Artemis II was the opening act in humanity’s return to the Moon. What comes next is a sustained campaign of missions that will take us back to the lunar surface, not just for flags and footprints, but to build a base and stay.” Underscoring the longstanding cultural ties and shared heritage between the United States and Ireland, the signing was celebrated during a ceremony at NASA Headquarters in Washington attended by U.S. Congressional staffers and interagency representatives. Ireland’s Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke, T.D., signed on behalf of the country. “From an island shaped by the sea, whose people have always looked beyond the horizon and journeyed across the world, forging connections far beyond our shores, Ireland is proud to bring that same spirit to a new frontier and to join a global community committed to the peaceful exploration of space,” said Burke. Ambassador of Ireland to the United States of America Geraldine Byrne Nason and Chief of Staff in the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs William Cappelletti, U.S. Department of State, participated in the event. U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Edward Walsh also attended. In 2020, during the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies. The Artemis Accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety and coordination between like-minded nations as they explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Signing the Artemis Accords means committing to explore peaceably and transparently, to render aid to those in need, to enable access to scientific data that all of humanity can learn from, to ensure activities do not interfere with those of others, and to preserve historically significant sites and artifacts by developing best practices for space exploration for the benefit of all. More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as NASA continues its work to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space. Learn more about the Artemis Accords at: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated May 04, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsArtemisArtemis AccordsOffice of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR) View the full article

4 Min Read NASA Fosters Development of Lunar Resource-Seeking Technologies Earth sets at 6:41 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2026, over the Moon’s curved limb in this photo captured by the Artemis II crew during their journey around the far side of the Moon. Credits: NASA To support long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars, NASA and industry are developing technologies that can extract resources such as hydrogen and helium-3 from lunar soil, known as regolith. This capability, known as in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), allows explorers to use what is already available on other planetary bodies, from water ice to minerals. These resources could eventually support propulsion, energy production, life support systems, and other needs for astronauts living and working in deep space. To advance ISRU technologies, NASA has awarded a firm‑fixed‑price contract of $6.9 million over the next year and a half to Interlune of Seattle, a company focused on developing natural resources beyond Earth. Funded through a Phase III NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award, a contracting mechanism focused on transitioning technology into NASA missions or the private sector, the company will pursue validation of critical resource‑prospecting tools to make future lunar missions more self‑sufficient, reducing the need to transport supplies from Earth. This effort builds on prior work with NASA’s Flight Opportunities program, in which Interlune built and tested payload prototypes on parabolic flights that replicated lunar gravity. Under the SBIR Phase III contract, Interlune will design, build, and test engineering development units and flight hardware. The payload is designed to collect lunar regolith samples, sort particles by size, extract solar wind volatile gases, and measure their quantities. The company’s design includes a mass spectrometer inspired by NASA’s Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations (MSOLO) technology to measure the concentration of gases released from lunar soil. Developed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, MSOLO is a compact, rugged mass spectrometer designed to analyze gases and the chemical makeup of landing sites on the Moon. The MSOLO technology, developed by NASA’s Game Changing Development program, demonstrated its hardware in lunar conditions during the Intuitive Machines 2 mission to the lunar South Pole in 2025. “A major goal of NASA is to mature transformative technologies so they can be confidently adopted by industry,” said Michael Johansen, Deputy Program Manager for NASA’s Game Changing Development Program. “The evolution of MSOLO into a robust, flight-ready instrument is a perfect example of that success. We are thrilled to see this proven technology leveraged by an industry effort, marking a significant step forward in commercial resource prospecting.” NASA’s MSOLO technology is available for commercial use and adaptable for ground tests and variable flight configurations. The instrument’s internal architecture includes a hybrid computer for onboard processing and a calibration gas system that allows the device to check and adjust its readings directly on the lunar surface. This data can benefit both commercial developers and NASA’s Artemis program. Its software has already been adapted to interface with four different CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) lander designs, reflecting its flexibility and increasing applicability to commercial lunar missions. Investments by the agency in lunar surface technology from commercial partners represents an important step toward establishing a sustainable presence on the lunar surface. By advancing resource‑prospecting instruments and maturing technologies that enable the use of lunar materials, these efforts will help reduce the cost and complexity of future exploration missions. NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program is managed by the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. Through this program, entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses with fewer than 500 employees can receive funding and non-monetary support to build, mature, and commercialize their technologies, advancing NASA missions and helping solve important challenges facing our nation. This year, NASA’s SBIR/STTR program is adopting a Broad Agency Announcement framework to increase opportunities for small businesses while enhancing agility for the agency. The 2026-2027 BAA appendices, outlining topics and subtopics for desired technology proposals, closes May 21. Interested businesses and institutions are encouraged to visit the information hub for helpful details on applying. To learn more about working with NASA Technology, visit [Hidden Content] Explore More 4 min read Liquid Lifeline: NASA Tech Could Create IV Fluid In Space Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read NASA Space Tech’s Favorite Place to Travel in 2025: The Moon! Article 1 year ago 3 min read The Robotics of Sampling Regolith The Perseverance rover recently collected its first two samples of Martian regolith! Article 3 years ago Share Details Last Updated May 04, 2026 EditorLoura HallLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsTechnologyAmes Research CenterArmstrong Flight Research CenterFlight Opportunities ProgramGame Changing Development ProgramLangley Research CenterSpace Technology Mission Directorate View the full article

Credit: NASA The Republic of Malta became the 65th signatory to the Artemis Accords on Monday during a ceremony in the town of Kalkara with NASA and U.S. Department of State officials present. “Today, it’s my pleasure to welcome the Republic of Malta to the Artemis Accords community,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said in recorded remarks. “By joining this growing coalition, Malta affirms shared commitments to peaceful, transparent, and responsible space exploration. These commitments safeguard against chaos and confusion, and they chart a responsible path forward for every nation that dares to accomplish the near-impossible in space.” Malta’s Minister for Education, Youth, Sports, Research and Innovation Clifton Grima signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the country. “Malta is taking a deliberate step to position itself within a high-value, innovation-driven global sector,” said Grima. “This initiative strengthens our governance framework, enhances Malta’s international credibility and creates new opportunities to attract investment, build expertise and generate quality employment within the space economy.” U.S. Ambassador to Malta Somers W. Farkas and NASA Europe Representative Gregory Mann witnessed the signing together with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism Ian Borg. The United States and Malta have a long history of shared values and common interests, dating back to the American Revolution. NASA looks forward to future engagement on the Artemis Accords and recently outlined new opportunities for signatory countries to deepen their participation in NASA’s Artemis program. In 2020, during the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies. The Artemis Accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety and coordination between like-minded nations as they explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Signing the Artemis Accords means committing to explore peaceably and transparently, to render aid to those in need, to enable access to scientific data that all of humanity can learn from, to ensure activities do not interfere with those of others, and to preserve historically significant sites and artifacts by developing best practices for space exploration for the benefit of all. More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as NASA continues its work to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space. Learn more about the Artemis Accords at: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated May 04, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsArtemisArtemis AccordsOffice of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR) View the full article

Students had the opportunity to practice their science communication skills during the poster session portion of the Findings from the Field Symposium, held in Portland Maine. On March 30, 2026, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) and the NASA Science Activation program’s Learning Ecosystems Northeast (LENE) project hosted the third installment of the Findings from the Field Student Research Symposium. This annual event and associated Findings from the Field journal are where students are the experts and the usual “white coat” barriers associated with science communication come down. This year’s event welcomed 106 students, grades four through eight, 29 educators, and 15 Subject Matter Experts, and it featured 68 research posters, 14 lightning talks, and 5 discussion sessions. To continue to foster a sense of belonging, the 2026 symposium introduced several shifts in how students interacted with science experts, data, and each other. In a move that subverted the traditional “look but don’t touch” rule of science, the first part of the day had students engaging in an activity inspired by the Data Vandals art group. They marked up visuals and treated data as a living, breathing conversation rather than a static fact. Another shift occurred within small discussion groups – the physical layout helped position the student scientists as the professionals. Students sat at the main table, while adults and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) sat behind them. This put the youth, and their findings, at the center of the room. A keynote speech given by Dr. Dave Reidmiller, Chief Impact Officer at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, delivered what became the day’s unofficial mantra – “Science is a team sport”. This idea was reinforced in discussion groups with youth where they realized that scientific inquiry isn’t isolated. Students from different schools discovered they were essentially colleagues working on the same problems. In the “Ash and Hemlock” groups, students who had only read about invasive pests found themselves swapping notes with students who had actually identified them in the field. Guiding questions posed by facilitators helped bridge any gaps in their knowledge and move the conversation forward: What happened? How do we know? Why does it matter? These three questions allowed youth and adults to speak the same language, connecting the dots between their local data and the broader community issues they impact. A new addition to the “Team Sport” this year was the increased presence of undergraduate students. Serving as a middle ground between the younger students and the career scientists, these mentors made the path to a scientific career feel reachable. The second part of the day featured the students’ poster presentations. Here, they practiced communicating their work to an audience of peers and professional scientists, including leaders from the Maine Forest Service and NASA-affiliated researchers. Perhaps the most defining moment of the symposium didn’t come from a keynote or a professional scientist. It happened in a breakout room during a discussion about environmental data. When a question was posed by another student toward a SME, a student leaned forward and jumped in to answer instead. This wasn’t just confidence; it was the manifestation of the symposium’s primary goal. Youth are experts too. In the two previous iterations, the Symposium was hosted throughout the entire GMRI building, with posters lining the hallways and every conference room booked with lightning talks. When planning began for 2026, it quickly became clear that we had outgrown the space. Community supporters at GMRI corporate partner, Unum, graciously offered their office to host the growing number of students interested in participating. With the immediate feedback received, 2027 should be even *******: “I really enjoyed being able to connect with others on the cool science topics, and being able to share what I’ve learned.” “I’ve never done something like this before… I might want to research more.” “Hopefully, I get to do this next year.” The 3rd Annual Findings Symposium proved that when you give young people a platform, and a sense of agency, they don’t just participate in science, they lead it. After all, they are the experts in the room. The Learning Ecosystems Northeast project is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AB94A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Environmental testing of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 (MK1) lunar lander has been completed inside Thermal Vacuum Chamber A at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Also known as Endurance, MK1 is an uncrewed cargo lander funded by Blue Origin as a commercial demonstration mission to advance Human Landing System capabilities in support of NASA’s Artemis program. The tests in in Chamber A represent a public-private partnership model, with Blue Origin conducting work through a reimbursable Space Act Agreement. Endurance will demonstrate precision landing, cryogenic propulsion, and autonomous guidance, navigation, and control capabilities in support of future lunar surface operations. In addition to its primary objectives, MK1 will carry two NASA science and technology payloads under the CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative to the lunar South Pole region this year: the Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies, an array of high-resolution cameras that will collect imagery of the interaction between the lander’s engine plume and the lunar surface during descent and landing, and the Laser Retroreflective Array, which helps orbiting spacecraft determine a more precise location using reflected laser light. Through CLPS, NASA partners with American companies to deliver science investigations and technology demonstrations to the Moon, advancing understanding of the lunar environment and supporting future crewed missions as part of the agency’s Artemis campaign. Testing in NASA Johnson’s Chamber A, one of the world’s largest thermal vacuum test facilities, enabled engineers to model the vacuum of space and the extreme temperature conditions the spacecraft would experience during flight. By recreating these conditions on the ground, teams evaluated system performance and verified structural and thermal integrity prior to launch. NASA and Blue Origin will incorporate lessons learned from MK1’s design, integration, and testing to support NASA’s future Artemis missions that will return American astronauts to the Moon. MK1’s development contributes to technology maturation and risk reduction for future human-class systems, including Blue Moon Mark 2 (MK2), a larger crewed landing system designed to safely transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface and back, enabling sustained human exploration at the Moon’s South Pole region. Testing of MK1 at NASA Johnson is enabled through the agency’s “front door” approach — a coordinated process that provides commercial partners access to NASA facilities and technical expertise while maintaining safety, mission assurance, and alignment with agency objectives. More information about Thermal Vacuum Chamber A is available at [Hidden Content] View the full article

ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker and the PHANGS-HST Team In this new picture from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, a spiral galaxy glittering with star clusters is the center of attention. NGC 3137 is located 53 million light-years away in the constellation Antlia (the Air Pump). As a nearby spiral galaxy, this target offers astronomers an excellent opportunity to study the cycle of stellar birth and death, as well as giving researchers a glimpse of a galactic system similar to our own. NGC 3137 is of particular interest to astronomers because it travels through space with a group of galaxies that is thought to be similar to the Local Group, the galaxy group that contains our Milky Way. Similar to the Local Group, the NGC 3175 group contains two large spiral galaxies: NGC 3137 and NGC 3175, which Hubble has also observed. In the Local Group, the largest members are the Milky Way galaxy and Andromeda, another spiral galaxy. In addition to two large spiral galaxies, both groups also contain a number of smaller dwarf galaxies, although it’s not yet known how many of these tiny companions the NGC 3175 group has; researchers have found more than 500 dwarf galaxy candidates. By studying this nearby galaxy group, astronomers can learn about the dynamics of our own galactic home. Read more about NGC 3137. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker and the PHANGS-HST Team View the full article

4 min read For NASA’s TESS, Stellar Eclipses Shed Light on Possible New Worlds A study of NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) data on stellar pairs undergoing mutual eclipses has uncovered more than two dozen candidate exoplanets, or worlds beyond our solar system. This method allows the mission to locate planets it couldn’t otherwise detect. A gas giant planet looms in the foreground at right, illuminated by a pair of stars, in this artist’s concept of a world in a binary system. NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) has found planets in two binary star systems by looking for stellar dimming as the planets cross in front of one of the stars. Astronomers have now demonstrated a new method of finding planets in these systems by focusing on the timing of the stars’ mutual eclipses. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Chris Smith (USRA) To date, TESS has discovered 885 confirmed exoplanets and identified more than 7,900 candidates, nearly all found because the planets pass in front of their stars from our perspective. These events, called transits, produce a small, regular dip in the brightness of the planet’s host star. TESS also observes tens of thousands of eclipsing binary stars — two orbiting stars that alternately eclipse each other from our vantage point. Astronomers can detect the gravitational tug of exoplanets in these systems by carefully measuring the exact timing of many eclipses. Prior to the new study, discoveries by NASA’s retired Kepler mission and other facilities had recorded 16 transiting worlds around binary stars, while TESS had found an additional two. “Identifying transits in binary systems clearly is challenging, but we’d like to know more about the range of planets that can form around two gravitationally bound stars,” said study lead Margo Thornton, a doctoral candidate at UNSW (University of New South Wales) in Sydney. “So we developed a survey to search for planets using stellar eclipses that is not limited to the orientation of the planet’s orbit.” A paper describing the findings published May 4 in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. For planets located in binary systems, the orientation of the planet’s orbit can tell us about how that system formed. Some models of planet formation in binary systems suggest planets mainly form near the plane formed by the two orbiting stars, increasing the likelihood of binaries hosting transiting worlds. But other models indicate a much more disorderly formation process, with the stellar pair stirring its young planets into wider and more tilted paths much less likely to undergo transits. The timing of stellar eclipses can gradually change through tidal and rotational interactions between the stars, the effects of general relativity, and the presence of other unseen masses, such as planets, in the system. All of these forces cause the entire orbital plane of the binary to rotate, or precess, and this in turn alters the eclipse timing. “The key to calculating all of these different influences is the long, rich set of observations available from TESS,” said co-author Benjamin Montet, a Scientia associate professor at UNSW Sydney. “After analyzing 1,590 binaries with at least two years of TESS data, we found 27 with candidate planets that now await confirmation.” Explore how observations of stellar eclipses can expand the capabilities of NASA’s TESS, leading to the discovery of new candidate planets it couldn’t otherwise detect. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Francis Reddy Since science operations began in 2018, TESS has tiled the sky by observing large swaths, called sectors, for nearly a month. Currently, the mission’s cameras capture a single image of the entire sector, measuring 24 by 96 degrees, about every 3 minutes, with even faster observations of selected targets. The masses of the new candidates remain uncertain, but the team estimates the smallest world may hold as little 12 Earth masses, with the largest topping out around 3,200 Earths, or about 10 times Jupiter’s mass. Confirming these planets will require future ground-based observations that precisely measure the velocities of the host stars, which will reveal the slight gravitational tugs of any possible planets. “The TESS mission was built to find transiting planets, and it’s great to see how the same measurements are driving discoveries far beyond its original mission,” said Allison Youngblood, the TESS project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “The mission’s continuing data collection is a treasure trove that enables new findings across a wide range of astronomical topics, from asteroids in the solar system to active galaxies powered by ****** holes in the distant universe.” You could discover the next exoplanet! Join the Planet Hunters TESS citizen science project, and you’ll learn how to read light curves — plots of light data from distant stars — to find telltale signals from orbiting exoplanets. By Francis Reddy NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media Contact: Claire Andreoli 301-286-1940 *****@*****.tld NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Facebook logo @NASAUniverse @NASAUniverse Instagram logo @NASAUniverse Additional releases UNSW Sydney: New Star Wars-like planet candidates with two suns discovered Share Details Last Updated May 04, 2026 Related Terms TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) Binary Stars Exoplanet Detection Methods Exoplanet Science Exoplanets Goddard Space Flight Center The Universe View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Technicians at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center helped complete prelaunch testing of the Laser Geodynamic Satellite (LAGEOS). LAGEOS was the first satellite devoted exclusively to laser ranging studies.NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center On May 4, 1976, a spacecraft resembling a disco ball entered orbit almost 3,700 miles (6,000 kilometers) above Earth. This shiny, two‑foot‑wide (60‑centimeter) sphere called the Laser Geodynamics Satellite, or LAGEOS, is covered with 426 retroreflectors—small mirrored prisms designed to bounce laser light directly back to where it came from. Beneath its aluminum exterior sits a dense brass core that makes LAGEOS incredibly heavy (900 pounds or 400 kilograms) for its size. That weight was intentional. The satellite’s high mass and compact, spherical design allow it to follow an exceptionally stable orbit, perfect for satellite laser ranging. From stations around the world, scientists fire pulses of laser light at LAGEOS and measure how long the light takes to return. Because the speed of light is known so precisely, researchers can calculate the distance to the satellite within just a few millimeters. Historic concept art illustrating how the LAGEOS satellite reflects laser light emitted from a ground station on Earth.NASA Over these last 50 years, these ultra‑precise measurements have helped track the slow movements of Earth’s tectonic plates, monitor tiny shifts in the planet’s crust, and measure motion along major fault lines. LAGEOS’s data have sharpened our understanding of Earth’s shape and refined models of the planet’s gravity field. LAGEOS has even contributed to tests of Einstein’s theory of general relativity by helping confirm predicted effects on the orbits of massive bodies around Earth. In 1992, the Italian Space Agency–built LAGEOS II, a near‑twin of the original LAGEOS satellite, was launched aboard space shuttle Columbia. With two satellites to compare, scientists could make even more accurate measurements. Together, they have become long-term benchmarks for Earth science. Despite being among the oldest scientific satellites still in service, LAGEOS is still going strong. Its simple, maintenance-free design, along with minimal drag in its high orbit, means that it will likely continue to circle the globe for millions of years. Get details of the history, design, and scientific results of LAGEOS See Carl Sagan's message to the future hidden inside LAGEOS Explore More 6 min read Now 40, NASA’s LAGEOS Set the Bar for Studies of Earth Article 10 years ago 19 min read Every Flight is a Mission to Planet Earth Observing Earth from space is one of the NASA’s longest-standing science experiments. This photo essay… Article 15 years ago 5 min read The Legacy of NASA’s Voyager Mission Article 9 years ago View the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Record-Setting Retreat of… 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 October 30, 2022 March 25, 2024 NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin October 30, 2022March 25, 2024 NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin October 30, 2022 March 25, 2024 CurtainToggle2-Up Image Details The rapid loss of Hektoria Glacier’s grounded ice is visible in these images acquired in October 2022 (left) and March 2024 (right) with the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8. The glacier retreated 8 kilometers in November-December 2022, after having lost a 16-kilometer-long section of floating ice earlier that year. To say something moves at a glacial pace is to imply sluggish, unhurried change. But what transpired over the course of 15 months at Antarctica’s Hektoria Glacier was uncharacteristically quick. Between January 2022 and March 2023, the glacier lost about 25 kilometers (15 miles) in length. That included a two-month ******* in which the terminus retreated more than 8 kilometers (5 miles)—the highest rate of grounded glacial ice loss observed in modern history. A team of scientists published an analysis of Hektoria’s collapse based on a suite of remote-sensing data, finding that its particular geometry enabled the rapid change. Like many glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula, Hektoria starts on land and extends to the sea, with the last section being a thick, floating plate of ice, or “ice tongue.” The researchers determined Hektoria lost both its ice tongue and an area of grounded ice spread over a flat plain—the latter directly contributing to sea level rise. Although Hektoria is relatively small as Antarctic glaciers go, scientists say that similar events at larger glaciers could be much more consequential. The images above capture the scale of the loss of Hektoria’s grounded ice on the eastern Antarctic Peninsula. Note that the right image was acquired about one year after the remarkable loss of grounded ice; a cloud-free Landsat image showing the whole area was not available from the previous March. Hektoria’s terminus remained relatively stable after the sudden loss, the study reported, though the neighboring Green Glacier continued to retreat. The chain of events culminating in Hektoria’s breakup goes back to early 2002. At that time, the Larsen B ice shelf, which served as a backstop for Hektoria and neighboring glaciers, splintered and collapsed in short order. The glaciers then thinned and retreated for several years. In 2011, landfast sea ice in the Larsen B embayment near Hektoria’s terminus filled in enough to allow the glacier to start advancing. But after several years, the new support for the glacier front was suddenly removed. Landfast ice in the embayment broke up in January 2022, likely due to large, destabilizing ocean swells. From that point, rapid change at Hektoria was again underway. Throughout the rest of the austral summer, the floating ice tongue disaggregated in a series of calvings, resulting in a loss of 16 kilometers. The glacier’s terminus stabilized during the 2022 austral winter. However, satellite-based laser altimetry data, including ice elevation measurements from NASA’s ICESat-2 (Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2) mission, revealed that the ice continued to thin during that winter. The thinner remaining ice was still grounded during the 2022 austral spring (left image, above), the study authors concluded, based on the detection of earthquakes occurring beneath the glacier. They determined the ice was spread out over a relatively flat area of bedrock, forming an ice plain. This geometry allows seawater to infiltrate the glacier’s bed during high tide and intermittently lift ice off the ground. When ice is thin enough, large areas can lift and break away at once. The process, called buoyancy-driven calving, is believed to have caused the second stage of Hektoria’s rapid retreat, resulting in an additional loss of 8 kilometers in length. New platforms, such as the NISAR and SWOT satellites developed by NASA and partners, may aid in understanding rapid changes in glaciers. Naomi Ochwat, a glaciologist at the University of Innsbruck and the study’s lead author, is now looking into other glaciers that may be at risk of destabilizing in a similar way. As the Antarctic Peninsula responds to warming, more of its glaciers are losing their ice tongues, and their termini are now resting on the seabed, as Hektoria’s does. (Called tidewater glaciers, this type is common in Alaska and Greenland.) New technologies developed by NASA and partners can aid in understanding rapid glacial retreat, said Ochwat and study co-author Ted Scambos, a senior research scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder. The NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite, for example, can detect the movement of land and ice surfaces down to the centimeter. Its data will be “very useful for structural evaluations of Hektoria and other glaciers in the region,” Scambos said. “In addition to NISAR,” Ochwat added, “I’m particularly interested in learning what SWOT can tell us about rapid glacier changes.” The SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) satellite’s primary mission is to observe the fine details of Earth’s surface water height. But scientists are also exploring its applications to the cryosphere, such as measuring surfaces of ice shelves and sea ice. At Hektoria Glacier, the days of dramatic change are likely past, now to be replaced by slow retreat. Scambos said he would not be surprised to see the ice slowing down. “The glacier has lost so much elevation and mass that it simply can’t continue to maintain the same output,” he said. “It’s on its way to being a fjord, not a glacier.” NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Lindsey Doermann. Downloads October 30, 2022 JPEG (3.62 MB) March 25, 2024 JPEG (4.21 MB) References & Resources AntarcticGlaciers.org (2022, July 2) Tidewater Glaciers. Accessed April 30, 2026. CIRES (2025, November 3) Antarctic glacier retreated faster than any other in modern history. Accessed April 30, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2022, February 2) Larsen B Embayment Breaks Up. Accessed April 30, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2002) World of Change: Collapse of the Larsen-B Ice Shelf. Accessed April 30, 2026. Ochwat, N., et al. (2025) Record grounded glacier retreat caused by an ice plain calving process. Nature Geoscience, 18, 1117–1124. Ochwat, N.E., et al. (2024) Triggers of the 2022 Larsen B multi-year landfast sea ice breakout and initial glacier response. The Cryosphere, 18, 1709–1731. 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. Stonebreen’s Beating Heart 3 min read The glacier in southeastern Svalbard pulses with the changing seasons, speeding up and slowing its flow toward the sea. Article Seeing Blue During Schirmacher’s Summer Melt Season 5 min read A network of meltwater lakes and drainage channels made an Antarctic ice shelf known for its blue ice areas even… Article Chesapeake Bay Locked in Ice 3 min read Nearly 50 years ago, the first Landsat satellite captured the rare sight of Mid-Atlantic waterways frozen over. 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

Portrait of Janet Petro, center director for NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Credit: NASA NASA announced Friday Janet Petro, center director for the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is retiring. Prior to joining NASA, Petro worked in a variety of military and industry positions, ultimately beginning her career at the agency in 2007 and working her way up to center director, as well as serving as acting administrator from January to July 2025. “From the outset of her distinguished tenure at NASA, Janet has served as a profoundly influential leader, guiding both the agency and our Kennedy Space Center through some of the most significant transitions in our shared history, including playing a central role in reshaping NASA Kennedy into the nation’s premier multiuser spaceport,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “As NASA has been charged, once again, with accomplishing the near impossible, I’m grateful for Janet for always embracing the challenge of discovering what could be and for pushing the boundaries to deliver the missions that enable NASA to lead the way into a new era of space.” As NASA Kennedy’s 11th director, Petro manages a team of civil service and contractor employees, determining and implementing center policy and managing and executing the spaceport’s missions and agency program responsibilities. Previously, Petro served as acting director and NASA Kennedy’s deputy director. During her time as deputy director, she helped the center transition into a multi-user spaceport, leading cross-agency initiatives with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and U.S. Air Force to streamline government processes and support commercial space operations to increase government efficiency and limit redundancy. Petro also has served numerous roles at Kennedy and NASA Headquarters in Washington, including as the program executive on an agencywide initiative to restructure mission support functions, helping NASA become more efficient and effective in its work. Outside of the agency, Petro has served in various management positions for Science Applications International Corporation, or SAIC, and McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Corporation, interfacing with NASA, U.S. military, and commercial entities on numerous aerospace and military programs. Petro began her professional career as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army after graduating in 1981 from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, with a bachelor of science degree in engineering. She was in the second class of West Point graduates to include women. Petro also holds a master of science degree in business administration from Boston University’s Metropolitan College. Petro is the recipient of numerous service and performance awards, including a President’s Distinguished executive award, and has received the astronaut-selected Silver Snoopy award for outstanding performance, contributing to flight safety and mission success. In 2018, Petro was selected by Florida Governor Rick Scott for induction in the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame, and she helped lead the senior management team awarded the 2019 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Sammies Management Excellence Medal. She received the 2022 Dr. Kurt H. Debus Award by the National Space Club Florida Committee for her contributions to America’s aerospace efforts within the state of Florida. Effective Friday, Kelvin Manning now is stepping into the role of acting center director, bringing more than 32 years of leadership and technical expertise. He has previously served as deputy center director. For more about NASA’s missions, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Bethany Stevens / Cheryl Warner Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Amanda Griffin Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-593-6244 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated May 01, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsPeople of NASAKennedy Space Center View the full article