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Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Cottonwood Fire Chars Utah Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search June 5 June 29 Mountainous landscapes appear green and untouched by fire in a satellite image acquired on June 5, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison An image of the same area shows a large brown patch spanning much of the image in an image acquired after the fire on June 29, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison June 5June 29 Mountainous landscapes appear green and untouched by fire in a satellite image acquired on June 5, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison An image of the same area shows a large brown patch spanning much of the image in an image acquired after the fire on June 29, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison June 5 June 29 CurtainToggle2-Up Image Details A burned landscape spans more than 150 square miles (390 square kilometers) of rugged terrain northwest of Junction, Utah, as seen in this pair of images captured by the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 on June 5, 2026 (left) and June 29, 2026 (right). NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison. After a winter of below-average snowpack and an unusually warm and dry start to summer, the National Interagency Fire Center warned that the Great Basin and parts of the Rockies faced an elevated risk of wildfires in July 2026. The warning proved accurate. By July 7, firefighters labored to contain nearly three dozen large, early-season wildland fires that raced through forests in several parts of the western U.S. Utah was among the most active states, with fires having charred 558 square miles (1,445 square kilometers) and four major fires that were not fully contained still burning. The Cottonwood fire ranked as one of Utah’s—and the country’s—largest and most destructive fires of the year so far. As of July 7, it had burned 150 square miles (390 square kilometers), just shy of the Babylon fire in eastern Utah. Landsat 9 captured the false-color image (bands 7-5-4) above (right) on June 29, 2026, when blackened vegetation spanned a large patch of rugged terrain along the Beaver River. The image on the left shows the same area on June 5, a few weeks before the fire ignited. In this band combination of shortwave infrared, near infrared, and visible light, unburned vegetation appears bright green, snow is blue, and clouds are white. Ponderosa pine, oak, sagebrush, and grasses were among the vegetation types that burned. Officials with the state’s forestry division told news media that the Cottonwood fire had destroyed up to 150 structures. Eagle Point Ski Resort, which lost more than 100 condos and 30 cabins, also reported damage to four of its five chairlifts. The damage to forests was extensive, though isolated patches survived largely unscathed, remaining as green oases within the broader burned area. Among them were the forests around Tushar Campground, the site of a 4-H summer camp. Beaver County officials credited years of forest treatments, such as clearing brush and trimming branches, with helping save the campground and surrounding forests. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The fire spreads especially rapidly on June 23 and June 26. The fire perimeters in this visualization are based on data from NASA’s Fire Events Data Suite. NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison As the fire spread, NASA’s Fire Events Data Suite (FEDS) tracked its progression and rate of growth. The visualization above, based on the FEDS system, shows the fire surging on June 23 and tripling in size over 12 hours that day as it spread to the north, east, and south. It also grew rapidly on June 26, when it made a run to the north. FEDS draws on data from the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) sensors aboard the Suomi NPP, NOAA-20, and NOAA-21 satellites, which detect active fires day and night by their thermal infrared signature. FEDS is one of several tools available to firefighters and emergency management officials when responding to fires. First responders often rely on higher-resolution airborne imagers or on firefighters walking fire edges to map perimeters. FEDS offers a different advantage: consistent, easily accessible data that do not need to be specially requested, according to Tempest McCabe, a University of Maryland scientist based at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center who helped develop the tool. As a result, FEDS often detects a fire’s start earlier than other sources and tracks blazes for their full duration. To capitalize on strengths like these, the FEDS team is working closely with operational fire behavior analysts, with support from NASA’s FireSense program, to better understand and anticipate periods of rapid fire spread. A total of 1,289 firefighters have been deployed to the Cottonwood fire, according to InciWeb, a website managed by the National Interagency Fire Center. As of July 7, the fire was 56 percent contained, but forecasters expect a hot, dry weather pattern to persist in the coming days, with fire behavior likely to be “very active to extreme” over the next 72 hours. Government satellite data are part of a global system of observations used to track fire behavior and analyze emerging trends. Among the real-time wildfire monitoring tools that NASA makes available are FIRMS (Fire Information for Resource Management System), the Worldview browser, and the Fire Event Explorer. As of July 7, 2026, fires had burned 5,265 square miles (13,636 square kilometers) across the United States, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. That’s 46 percent more than the 10-year average (2016-2025) for that point in the season. NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey and fire perimeter data from the Fire Events Data Suite. Story by Adam Voiland. Downloads June 5, 2026 JPEG (1.39 MB) June 29, 2026 JPEG (1.41 MB) FEDS fire perimeter (June 23-July 7) JPEG (1.80 MB) References & Resources 2KUTV (2026, July 6) Babylon Fire surpasses Cottonwood Fire as nation’s largest active wildfire. Accessed July 7, 2026. KSL.com (2026, July 2) Despite devastation, Cottonwood Fire leaves behind ‘islands of hope’ on Beaver Mountain. Accessed July 7, 2026. KUER (2026, July 6) Cottonwood Fire is yet another blow to ranchers in a tough year for rural Utah. Accessed July 7, 2026. NASA Earthdata (2026) Wildfires. Accessed July 7, 2026. National Interagency Fire Center (2026, July 6) National Fire News. Accessed July 7, 2026. National Interagency Fire Center (2026, July 6) Incident Management Situation Report Monday July 6. Accessed July 7, 2026. National Interagency Fire Center (2026, July 1) National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook. Accessed July 7, 2026. The Salt Lake Tribune (2026, June 30) Eagle Point owner shares photos of resort charred by Cottonwood Fire. Accessed July 7, 2026. The Salt Lake Tribune (2026, June 30) Utah wildfires rank 1 and 2 as largest in the nation. Here’s the latest on big blazes. Accessed July 7, 2026. U.S. Drought Monitor (2026, June 30) Utah. Accessed July 7, 2026. Utah Fire Info Home (2026, July 7) 2026 Season Summary. Accessed July 7, 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. Fires Tear Through Nebraska Grasslands 3 min read Dry, warm, and windy conditions across the U.S. Great Plains led to extreme fire activity in March 2026. Article Fire’s Footprint on Santa Rosa Island 3 min read A wildland fire charred grassland, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral across one-third of the island, the second largest of the… Article Smoke Rises Over Big Cypress National Preserve 2 min read The National fire has burned tens of thousands of acres within the Florida preserve, fueled by vegetation dried by prolonged… Article 1 2 3 4 Next Keep Exploring Discover More from NASA Earth Science Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox. Earth Observatory Image of the Day NASA’s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery. Explore Earth Science Earth Science Data Open access to NASA’s archive of Earth science data View the full article

NASA ceremonially transferred ownership of about 105 acres of wooded land at its Goddard Space Flight Center’s Greenbelt, Maryland, campus Tuesday to the adjoining Patuxent Research Refuge, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The property, formerly known as NASA Goddard’s Area 400, is now part of the largest block of unfragmented forest between Washington and Baltimore. The nearly 13,000-acre woodland is the nation’s only refuge specifically established to support wildlife research. The refuge also supports recreational uses, such as walking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, and hunting. At a ceremony on July 7, 2026, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik (left) and Jamie Dunn, center director, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., sign certificates that ceremonially transfer a 105-acre parcel of property known as “Area 400” from NASA Goddard to the Service.NASA “For over six decades, NASA Goddard has helped shape humanity’s understanding of Earth,” said Jamie Dunn, center director, NASA Goddard. “We’re glad to present this land to our colleagues in the Fish and Wildlife Service, whose conservation and research helps do the real legwork in preserving our Blue Marble for future generations.” NASA Goddard had used Area 400 for propellant research beginning in the 1960s. That work has largely since shifted to NASA facilities in other states or to commercial providers, and the property had long been a candidate for divestment. NASA and the Service began discussing a potential transfer in 2021. NASA Prior to the transfer, Area 400 was still almost entirely wooded aside from a two-and-a-half-acre clearing with 11 small structures. The interagency transfer was effective on Feb. 23, and NASA recently completed its final closeout activities at the property, deconstructing the buildings, roadway, and utility service. This aerial photograph shows Area 400’s appearance in 1984. The surrounding forest has remained largely unchanged since NASA Goddard occupied the property in the 1960s.NASA “Through working with partners on the best use of land, as exemplified with this land transfer, we can continue to conserve America’s natural beauty and expand outdoor recreation opportunities for future generations,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik. Media contacts: Rob Garner News Chief, Office of Communications NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Keith Shannon Regional Communications Lead – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region U.S. Department of the Interior View the full article

3 min read NASA’s New Horizons Spacecraft Wakes from Hibernation in Good Health Following its longest hibernation ******* ever of nearly a year, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft has emerged in good health and is ready to begin transmitting science data gathered in the distant Kuiper Belt far beyond Pluto. From left, flight controllers Mark Lahr and Josh Albers, and Mission Operations Manager Alice Bowman, monitor telemetry streaming from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft to the mission operations center at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, on June 24, 2026. Now approximately 5.9 billion miles (9.5 billion kilometers) from Earth, New Horizons is ready to begin transmitting science data after being awakened from its longest ever, nearly yearlong hibernation *******. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/SwRI/Justin Gladden On June 23, flight controllers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, confirmed New Horizons, acting on stored commands uplinked to its main computer last July, had safely awakened from a 321‑day hibernation ******* that began Aug. 7. With the spacecraft now approximately 5.9 billion miles (9.5 billion kilometers) from Earth, the radio signals carrying that confirmation took about 8 hours and 52 minutes to reach the APL Mission Operations Center via NASA’s Deep Space Network station near Madrid, Spain. The mission team typically places New Horizons in resource‑saving hibernation mode during long cruise periods. While the spacecraft is hibernating, operators do not send commands or retrieve data, but the spacecraft continues gathering and storing data around the clock from its heliospheric plasma sensors, Solar Wind at Pluto and the Pluto Energetic Particle Spectrometer Science Investigation, as well as its space dust detector, the Venetia Burney Student Dust Counter. Alice Bowman, the New Horizons mission operations manager at APL, said the spacecraft reported back to Earth, via the Deep Space Network, with a weekly status beacon. “Every status report through this hibernation ******* was ‘green,’ meaning all was well aboard New Horizons each and every week,” she said. As New Horizons resumes active operations, Bowman noted, the team will begin downlinking spacecraft health and safety data, followed by data from the three scientific instruments. In about three weeks, the spacecraft’s onboard Alice ultraviolet spectrograph will look at the hydrogen gas distribution in the outer heliosphere, while the Solar Wind at Pluto, the Pluto Energetic Particle Spectrometer Science Investigation, and the Venetia Burney Student Dust Counter instruments continue their measurements, and the ground team conducts a series of spacecraft and instrument checkouts. The team also is completing upgrades to the ground‑system software that will make it easier to maintain operations of the spacecraft. Tests are already underway and are expected to continue through the year. New Horizons is operating on updated autonomy logic designed for operations farther from the Sun and to accommodate the expected reduction in power and the naturally occurring increase in radio‑signal travel time. The NASA spacecraft’s exploration of this distant region of the solar system marks the latest step in a journey that began in January 2006 with the fastest launch on record; a flyby of Jupiter in February 2007 that included stunning views of the gas giant and its moons; the first exploration through the Pluto system in July 2015; the first exploration of a Kuiper Belt object, Arrokoth, in January 2019, and unique studies of the Sun’s outer heliosphere and dozens of additional Kuiper Belt objects since then. For more information on NASA’s New Horizons mission, visit: [Hidden Content] Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA New Horizons Kuiper Belt Asteroids, Comets & Meteors Our Solar System View the full article

NASA/James Blair In this photograph, the Artemis II crew participates in the dedication of the Apollo 14 Moon tree at the Lunar Receiving Park at NASA’s Johnson Space Center on June 25, 2026. This tree is a second-generation Apollo Moon tree of the loblolly pine species. The original Apollo Moon trees were grown from seeds carried aboard Apollo 14 by NASA astronaut Stuart Roosa, a former U.S. Forest Service smoke jumper. Upon return to Earth, the seeds were germinated by the Forest Service, and the resulting seedlings were planted throughout the United States and around the world. Image credit: NASA/James Blair View the full article

Earth Observatory Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search Every month, NASA Earth Observatory features a puzzling satellite image. The July 2026 puzzler appears above. Your Challenge Identify the location shown in this satellite image. Share what clues you see, where you think it is, and what makes this place interesting or unique to you. How to Answer Submit your response using this form and select “Puzzler Answer” as the topic. Please include your preferred name or alias. You can keep it simple and just guess the location. Want to impress us? Tell us which satellite and instrument captured the image, which spectral bands were used, or point out a subtle detail about the geology or history of the area. If something catches your eye, or if this is your home or means something to you, we’d love to hear about it. The Prize We can’t offer prize money or a trip to space to see Earth like satellites and astronauts do. But we can offer something almost as rewarding: puzzler bragging rights. About a week after the challenge, we’ll post the answer at the top of this page, along with a link to an Earth Observatory Image of the Day story that explains the image in more detail. We’ll recognize the first person who correctly guesses the location, and we may also highlight readers who share especially thoughtful or interesting answers. By submitting a response, you acknowledge that your comments may be edited, excerpted, and published on this page. Until then, zoom in, look closely, and enjoy the challenge. See you at the reveal! View the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory The World Cup From 250 Miles… Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search July 26, 2022 In summer 2026, sixteen stadiums across North America hosted matches as part of the FIFA World Cup. Over the years, astronauts aboard the International Space Station have captured a top-down view of the infrastructure, landscapes, and ecosystems surrounding many of these venues. Six of the matches were played at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, beginning on June 13 with a match-up between Qatar and Switzerland. This stadium (also called Levi’s Stadium) is located in Santa Clara, California, adjacent to San Jose and around 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of San Francisco. An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this photo (above) on July 26, 2022. The stadium, completed in 2014, is surrounded by a mix of recreational, housing, and business infrastructure. The scene includes the southern part of San Francisco Bay, which is 23 years into a 50-year effort to restore up to 90 percent of the region’s salt ponds to tidal wetlands and marshlands, while retaining some of its salt-making heritage. The Bay Area hosted its sixth and final World Cup match on July 1, when the U.S. faced off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a knockout match. The U.S. advanced to the round of 16 following a 2-0 win. April 17, 2022 The FIFA World Cup final is scheduled for July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium, part of the Meadowlands Sports Complex, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The stadium (also called MetLife Stadium) sits along the New Jersey Turnpike, west of Midtown Manhattan. Note that north is toward the bottom-right of this photo, captured by an astronaut on April 17, 2022. The area has seen centuries of human impact. Colonists cleared wetlands and cedar forest for settlements, and development for a range of economic and industrial uses followed. In the 20th century, it became an unregulated dumping ground. In recent decades, though, wetland restoration efforts have occurred alongside the development of the sports and entertainment complex. Other World Cup host cities have also appeared in astronaut photography and satellite imagery. Guadalajara Stadium (Estadio Akron), Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium), Houston Stadium (NRG Stadium/Reliant Stadium), and BC Place Vancouver (BC Place) are among the venues that have been observed from above. Astronaut photograph ISS067-E-202213 was acquired on July 26, 2022, with a Nikon D5 digital camera using a focal length of 400 millimeters, and astronaut photograph ISS067-E-18580 was acquired on April 17, 2022, with a Nikon D5 digital camera using a focal length of 1150 millimeters. They are provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit at NASA Johnson Space Center. The images were taken by a member of the Expedition 67 crew. The images have been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Story by Kathryn Hansen. Downloads July 26, 2022 JPEG (17.97 MB) April 17, 2022 JPEG (3.18 MB) References & Resources NASA (2026, July 1) NASA Data Helps CDC Track Air Quality During World Cup 2026. Accessed July 6, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2026, June 12) World Cup Fever in Guadalajara. Accessed July 6, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2023, March 5) New York and New Jersey. Accessed July 6, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2016, February 11) From Salt Production to Salt Marsh. Accessed July 6, 2026. New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (2023) History. Accessed July 6, 2026. U.S. Geological Survey (2023) Monitoring Nesting Waterbirds for the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project: 2022 Breeding Season. Accessed July 6, 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. Great ****** of Fire 4 min read An astronaut on the International Space Station was surprised to photograph a shower of light streaking through the darkness while… Article San Francisco’s Metropolitan Mosaic 3 min read Urban development, green spaces, and maritime activity converge in this Northern California city. Article A Moonlit Earth as Seen From Artemis II 4 min read An astronaut’s photo, taken en route to the Moon, reveals our planet and its place in space in a novel… Article 1 2 3 4 Next Keep Exploring Discover More from NASA Earth Science Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox. Earth Observatory Image of the Day NASA’s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery. Explore Earth Science Earth Science Data Open access to NASA’s archive of Earth science data View the full article

NASA/Keegan Barber NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman leads a flyover featuring his personally owned Northrop F-5 Tiger during the Great American State Fair on July 4, 2026, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. For 250 years, America has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. From the earliest days of exploration, to the first steps on the Moon and the missions shaping our future, NASA represents the spirit of discovery that defines our nation. As the United States celebrates its semiquincentennial, Freedom 250 highlights how innovation, courage, and scientific leadership have carried America forward — and how NASA continues to expand the frontier for the next generation. View the full article

Credit: NASA On Monday, NASA released a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking feedback from American companies on the next phase of its commercial space stations strategy, aimed at ensuring a seamless transition of activities in low Earth orbit from the International Space Station. “NASA’s review reflects what we’ve been hearing from industry throughout this process. Industry believes it can meet the timelines and that a viable commercial marketplace exists where NASA is one customer among many,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “We’re focused on supporting those efforts, enabling the capabilities that make this transition possible, and doing all we can to ensure the United States maintains a continuous human presence in low Earth orbit.” The draft RFP builds on the agency’s request for information released March 25. Based on industry’s input, NASA will proceed with its original plan to procure commercial services through FAR-based contract(s) awarded via full and open competition. Industry has indicated there is significant capital investment behind this approach and expressed high confidence in their ability to attract additional capital investment and expand future market opportunities after NASA makes an award. NASA intends to award firm-fixed-price, multi-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts supporting development, certification, and services. This approach would allow NASA to select two or more contractors through early development, followed by a competitive task order for final design, test, evaluation, as well as certification and services from one or more contractors. Industry feedback is due Monday, July 27. NASA also will hold an informational industry briefing on Thursday, July 9, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to provide a top-level summary of the documents and expectations. The draft RFP gives companies the opportunity to review and comment on the planned acquisition approach for future commercial space station services, helping shape the agency’s path forward as it proceeds with its original commercial strategy. This strategy will provide the government with reliable, safe, cost-effective services through commercial partners, enabling NASA to focus on the next step in humanity’s deep space exploration while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as an ideal training environment and proving ground for Artemis missions to the Moon and future human exploration of Mars. Learn more about commercial space stations at: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated Jul 06, 2026 Related TermsCommercial Space View the full article

5 Min Read NASA’s CAPSTONE Completes Extended Mission Testing Lunar Technologies The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) has achieved all primary and extended mission objectives. Credits: NASA As NASA prepares for a sustained human presence on the Moon, missions will increasingly require spacecraft that can navigate and communicate without a direct connection to Earth. NASA’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, or CAPSTONE, validated and advanced these capabilities. Designed to test and validate technologies in lunar orbit, CAPSTONE launched in June 2022 and became the first U.S. commercial mission at the Moon. The spacecraft tested operations in three-body orbits around the Moon, using the combined gravity of Earth and the Moon to reduce the fuel needed to maintain a stable lunar path. It became the first spacecraft to fly and characterize this orbit for future exploration and science missions. Owned and operated by Advanced Space, the microwave-sized spacecraft then received a 15-month mission extension, becoming a testbed for advanced communications, networking, autonomous navigation, and software-defined satellite technologies. Dylan Schmidt, CAPSTONE assembly integration and test lead, right, and Lachlan Moore, systems integration engineer, left, install solar panels onto the CAPSTONE spacecraft at Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc., in Irvine, California.NASA/Dominic Hart Rather than launch a new satellite, NASA’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate demonstrated that CAPSTONE’s existing hardware could host new applications after launch, transforming the spacecraft into a cost-effective, flexible lunar technology demonstration platform. NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Division will now use the data to demonstrate innovative networking and navigation techniques on future experiments. “Operating multiple experiments simultaneously aboard the same spacecraft allows NASA to evaluate how these technologies perform together in a real lunar environment,” said Greg Stover, director of the Advanced Research and Technology Division within NASA’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Investments in autonomous operations and resilient communications infrastructure are essential to ensuring U.S. leadership as activity around the Moon continues to increase.” Two experiments aboard CAPSTONE used software-defined infrastructure to advance two future mission essentials: autonomous navigation and deep space communications. The autonomous Navigation, Guidance, and Control software, or autoNGC, is designed to allow a spacecraft to determine where it is, where it is going, and how to get where it needs to be without waiting for instructions from the ground. While portions of the software had previously flown in Earth orbit, CAPSTONE marked the first time autoNGC was tested at the Moon. “To really demonstrate that something works, you have to fly it,” said Sun Hur-Diaz, principal investigator for the autoNGC technology development project at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “The real environment is key.” To really demonstrate that something works you have to fly it. The real environment is key. Sun Hur-Diaz Principal Investigator for the autoNGC Project, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Researchers also evaluated how autoNGC performed with limited contact to Earth. While NASA’s Deep Space Network antennas were supporting the Artemis II crewed test flight around the Moon, CAPSTONE’s communications window dropped to just a few passes per week. Those gaps became one of the experiment’s most valuable tests. Without data from Earth, autoNGC determined CAPSTONE’s location using an onboard star tracker camera to image the Moon, Earth, and other celestial bodies. The camera-based system, known as optical navigation, at times outperformed ground-based methods for real-time onboard navigation, advancing technologies for future deep-space missions. Alongside autonomous navigation testing, CAPSTONE also tested delay/disruption tolerant networking (DTN), a communications architecture designed for deep space. Unlike Earth-based internet systems, deep space communications must function despite long delays and frequent signal gaps. The DTN system addresses those challenges by storing information on the spacecraft when no connection is available and automatically forwarding it once communications are restored. With these demonstrations, CAPSTONE became the first to fly the latest DTN protocols beyond Earth orbit and the first to run them in NASA’s core Flight System, an open-source framework that can be implemented on any spacecraft. In one demonstration, engineers began transmitting data from CAPSTONE to Earth, but the connection ended before the transfer was complete. The spacecraft stored the remaining data until the next communications opportunity, and transmission resumed automatically. Every piece of data made it home. Artist’s rendering depicting astronauts, habitats, rovers, power systems, and cargo operations supporting sustained human activities at the Moon Base near the lunar South Pole. The technologies CAPSTONE tested may be key to NASA’s growing lunar communications and navigation infrastructure.NASA “You can imagine an astronaut walking behind a lunar hill or descending into a crater and temporarily losing connectivity,” said Ben Anderson, a systems engineer for the Near Space Network at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “This technology allows that data to be automatically retransmitted once communications are restored.” In addition to its primary achievements, CAPSTONE’s second life as a software-defined testing platform demonstrated that new technologies can be affordably tested and proven directly in their operational environment. After nearly four years of technology maturation, NASA’s activities on CAPSTONE concluded in June 2026, while Advanced Space will continue to use the spacecraft as a technology development testbed. The CAPSTONE spacecraft was designed and built by Terran Orbital and is owned and operated by Advanced Space. NASA’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate managed the mission through the Small Spacecraft and Distributed Systems program, based at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. Elements of the CAPSTONE technology suite were supported by NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research program. The autoNGC and DTN demonstrations conducted during CAPSTONE’s extended mission were managed by NASA’s SCaN Division, based at NASA Headquarters in Washington. About the AuthorKorine PowersLead Writer and Communications StrategistKorine Powers, Ph.D. is a writer for NASA's SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program office and covers emerging technologies, commercialization efforts, exploration activities, and more. Share Details Last Updated Jul 06, 2026 EditorJimi RussellContactKorine Powers*****@*****.tldLocationAmes Research Center Related TermsCommunicating and Navigating with MissionsAmes Research CenterEarth's MoonGoddard Space Flight CenterSmall Business Innovation Research / Small BusinessSmall Spacecraft Technology ProgramSpace Communications Technology Explore More 6 min read NASA Webb Uncovers Unusual Galaxy Shaped by Cosmic Collision In new images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to celebrate its fourth science anniversary,… Article 1 hour ago 3 min read NASA’s Hubble Spies Stellar Sparkler for July 4th Red, white, and blue stars glitter like a sparkler being waved on a dark night… Article 2 days ago 3 min read NASA’s Hubble Captures Crimson Cloud Sparkling with White, Blue Stars Blue and white stars shine brightly against crimson gas in this image from NASA’s Hubble… Article 3 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA CAPSTONE Communicating with Missions SCaN & Moon to Mars Moon Base View the full article

Share Details Last Updated Jul 06, 2026 Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Contact Media Laura Betz NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland laura.e*****@*****.tld Hannah Braun Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland Christine Pulliam Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland Related Terms James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Astrophysics Elliptical Galaxies Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Interacting Galaxies Science & Research The Universe

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Examining Algal Blooms in Blue… Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search November 15, 2017 November 17, 2021 Cyanobacteria blooms turned Blue Mesa Reservoir green from September through November 2021, when water levels were among the lowest on record. The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 captured this image (right) of a bloom on November 17, 2021, when the water was near its lowest level; the left image shows the same area on November 15, 2017, when water levels were closer to normal. NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin Cyanobacteria blooms turned Blue Mesa Reservoir green from September through November 2021, when water levels were among the lowest on record. The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 captured this image (right) of a bloom on November 17, 2021, when the water was near its lowest level; the left image shows the same area on November 15, 2017, when water levels were closer to normal. NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin November 15, 2017November 17, 2021 Cyanobacteria blooms turned Blue Mesa Reservoir green from September through November 2021, when water levels were among the lowest on record. The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 captured this image (right) of a bloom on November 17, 2021, when the water was near its lowest level; the left image shows the same area on November 15, 2017, when water levels were closer to normal. NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin Cyanobacteria blooms turned Blue Mesa Reservoir green from September through November 2021, when water levels were among the lowest on record. The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 captured this image (right) of a bloom on November 17, 2021, when the water was near its lowest level; the left image shows the same area on November 15, 2017, when water levels were closer to normal. NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin November 15, 2017 November 17, 2021 CurtainToggle2-Up Image Details Cyanobacteria blooms turned Blue Mesa Reservoir green from September through November 2021, when water levels were among the lowest on record. The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 captured this image (right) of a bloom on November 17, 2021, when the water was near its lowest level; the left image shows the same area on November 15, 2017, when water levels were closer to normal. The summers of 2021 and 2022 were tough seasons for Colorado’s Blue Mesa Reservoir. A severe drought gripped much of the western U.S., prompting emergency water releases that brought the reservoir to its lowest level since 1984. Marinas and boat ramps closed, remnants of a ghost town emerged from the muck, and parts of the reservoir turned greenish and swirled with toxic cyanobacteria blooms. Research conducted by scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service analyzed decades of Blue Mesa Reservoir data and found a connection between low water levels, warm water temperatures, and harmful blooms. “Algal blooms were more common when water levels were below 7,470 feet and water temperatures were above approximately 19.5 degrees Celsius (67.1 degrees Fahrenheit),” said Tyler King, a research hydrologist with U.S. Geological Survey. Water levels that low are relatively common and have occurred every few years in recent decades. While some cyanobacteria, also called blue-green algae, are always present in the reservoir in small numbers, problems occur when certain types proliferate. Aphanizomenon, Dolichospermum, and Woronichinia, for instance, thrive when the reservoir’s waters become warm and stagnant, releasing a toxin called microcystin that can cause skin and eye irritation, respiratory problems, and liver damage. Children and pets are particularly vulnerable to microcystin poisoning because of their size and tendency to ingest more water than adults. King and colleagues analyzed in situ water samples and satellite observations from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 mission and the NASA/U.S. Geological Survey Landsat satellites. A Sentinel-2 sensor that detects the light-harvesting pigment chlorophyll was particularly useful for mapping the blooms, while Landsat sensors were used to map water temperatures over time. The National Park Service and U.S. Geological Survey launched the project in 2021 after anecdotal reports and water sampling suggested elevated cyanobacteria concentrations, King said. The scientists collected water samples but also turned to historical records and satellite data—”like a time machine,” he said—to examine conditions before regular water sampling had begun. Their analysis included satellite records of chlorophyll levels that extended back to 2016 and temperature records that reached back to 2000. The research team also studied in situ data on water levels dating to the 1970s. A cyanobacteria bloom turned the water surface of Iola Basin green on September 8, 2021. Photo by Nicole Gibney/National Park Service. The satellite data showed that blooms typically start in the eastern end of the reservoir, an area known as Iola Basin. The basin, where the Gunnison River flows into the reservoir, is the shallowest part of the reservoir. Occasionally, the satellite data showed, blooms spread westward into other parts of the reservoir, sometimes moving about two-thirds of the way across. However, concentrations of toxins rarely reached levels that posed health concerns beyond Iola Basin. The same dynamics that caused challenges for Blue Mesa in 2021 and 2022 are present in 2026, said King. Drought again plagues much of the western U.S., the mountains hold little snow, and water levels in Blue Mesa are low. On June 27, 2026, the reservoir stored about 43 percent of the water it typically does on that date, the lowest value observed for that day in the past 30 years. Water levels are expected to continue dropping until October, according to U.S. Bureau of Reclamation projections. If cyanobacteria blooms emerge in 2026, the researchers expect that satellites will help scientists track them. The researchers use the U.S. Geological Survey’s WaterMAP (Water Monitoring Above the Planet) tool to monitor for potential bloom conditions within hours of satellite overpasses. NASA’s STREAM (Satellite-based Tool for Rapid Evaluation of Aquatic Environments) project also uses data from Landsat and Sentinel-2 to map potential blooms within hours of a satellite overpass, and the multi-agency CyAN (Cyanobacteria Assessment Network) project collects daily data from other satellites to map blooms in larger water bodies. “It’s amazing that we can use satellites to map the impacts of microscopic organisms from almost 500 miles away,” King said. Yet it will still be crucial to get people out on the water taking samples and directly testing for toxins, he emphasized. “The satellites aren’t definitive,” he added. “They can tell us where there might be a problem, but toxins often aren’t present until the later stages of a bloom.” Satellite observations can help managers decide where to send personnel to collect water samples for more detailed analysis of bloom toxicity. Photo by Katie Walton-Day/USGS. NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Photos by Katie Walton-Day (USGS) and Nicole Gibney (NPS). Story by Adam Voiland. Downloads November 15, 2017 JPEG (8.98 MB) November 17, 2021 JPEG (8.46 MB) References & Resources Aspen Journalism (2026, January 9) Low reservoir levels main cause of toxic algae in Blue Mesa. Accessed July 1, 2026. Aspen Journalism (2021, September 4) Blue Mesa Reservoir releases to prop up Lake Powell impacting recreation. Accessed July 1, 2026. CPR News (2021, September 3) Drought-Hit Blue Mesa Reservoir Losing 8 Feet Of Water To Save Lake Powell. Accessed July 1, 2026. The Colorado Sun (2023, June 16) Side-by-side photos show how much Blue Mesa Reservoir’s water levels have risen thanks to this winter’s snow. Accessed July 1, 2026. The Colorado Sun (2022, September 22) At Colorado’s largest reservoir, one national park scientist shifts her focus to toxic algae. Accessed July 1, 2026. Environmental Protection Agency (2026, January 5) Cyanotoxins (microcystin). Accessed May 28, 2026. King, T. V., et al. (2025) Remote Sensing of Chlorophyll a and Temperature to Support Algal Bloom Monitoring in Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 61(4), e70038. National Park Service (2026) Reservoir Levels. Accessed July 1, 2026. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (2026) Blue Mesa Reservoir. Accessed July 1, 2026. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (2026) Reservoir Storage Dashboard. Accessed July 1, 2026. University of Colorado Boulder (2026, January 26) Low reservoir levels main cause of toxic algae in Blue Mesa. Accessed May 28, 2026. U.S. Drought Monitor (2026, May 28) Colorado. Accessed July 1, 2026. Walton-Day, K., et al. (2025) Environmental Characterization of Blue Mesa Reservoir and Potential Causes of and Management Strategies for Harmful Algal Blooms, 1970 through 2023, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report, 2025–5109. 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. Low Water at San Carlos Reservoir 4 min read Drought and water releases drained the Arizona reservoir to levels that have led to widespread fish deaths. Article Rising Waters Swamp Lake Naivasha 6 min read Relentless rains are threatening a lake in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley that has become a key hub in the global… Article Snow Is Scarce in the Upper Colorado Basin 5 min read The mountains of Utah and Colorado are among the areas of the western U.S. that are low on snow and… 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 Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Universe Uncovered Hubble’s Partners in Science Hubble & Citizen Science AI & Hubble Science Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Science Operations Astronaut Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts Multimedia Images Videos Online Activities e-Books Sonifications Podcasts 3D Hubble Models Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources 35th Anniversary More Online Activities 3 min read NASA’s Hubble Spies Stellar Sparkler for July 4th Ancient stars shine in red, white and blue from a globular cluster almost as old as the universe itself in this image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. NASA, ESA, and A. Dotter (Dartmouth College); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) Red, white, and blue stars glitter like a sparkler being waved on a dark night in this new image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. NASA released this image to celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary, as the agency carries forward America’s legacy of exploration. Located in the outer halo of our Milky Way galaxy, globular cluster NGC 6426 is a spherical collection of stars bound together by their mutual gravity, one of 150 known globular clusters in our galaxy. These groups of stars are thought to form as a unit from the same collapsing cloud of gas, and thus the stars in them typically have similar ages. The stars in globular clusters tend to be ancient. At approximately 13 billion years old, NGC 6426 is one of the Milky Way’s oldest globular clusters and almost as old as the universe itself (13.7 billion years). In this image, blue indicates the shorter wavelengths that are visible light, while red depicts the longer wavelengths of visible light, as well as some near-infrared light. Colors in Hubble images are chosen based on standard image processing techniques to best represent the wavelengths of light that pass through the filters used in the observation. Because the color and temperature of stars are directly related, we know that the blue stars in this image are hotter and the red stars are cooler. The stars of NGC 6426 have low metallicity, which means they have fewer elements that are heavier than hydrogen and helium. These conditions resemble those of the early universe, when matter was mostly helium and hydrogen and heavier elements were just beginning to form via nuclear fusion within massive stars. Researchers have found evidence for two chemically distinct populations of stars in NGC 6426, indicating that the slightly younger and more metallic stars were enriched with material from the explosive deaths of the cluster’s earlier stars. Massive stars that explode as supernovae fling elements heavier than hydrogen and helium into the universe, seeding it with materials to build new stars and planets. Hubble took this image as part of a study of globular clusters in the Milky Way’s halo intended to determine their ages and shed light on the formation and evolution of the galaxy. Over the past three decades in orbit, Hubble has fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe. Its discoveries are expanded upon and complemented by observations from other NASA missions like the infrared-detecting James Webb Space Telescope and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, scheduled to launch in late summer. Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Explore More Hubble’s Star Clusters Exploring the Birth of Stars Hubble’s Nebulae Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jul 04, 2026 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Globular Clusters Goddard Space Flight Center Star Clusters Stars The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble Celebrates Nation’s 250th Birthday Commemorating the United States’ 250th anniversary with new images and more! What Did Hubble See on Your Birthday? Take a look at what cosmic wonders Hubble observed on your special day! Hubble’s Star Clusters These jewels of the night sky offer us a glimpse at the lifecycle of stars. View the full article

Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Universe Uncovered Hubble’s Partners in Science Hubble & Citizen Science AI & Hubble Science Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Science Operations Astronaut Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts Multimedia Images Videos Online Activities e-Books Sonifications Podcasts 3D Hubble Models Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources 35th Anniversary More Online Activities 3 min read NASA’s Hubble Captures Crimson Cloud Sparkling with White, Blue Stars A glowing landscape of gas and dust revealed by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is heated and illuminated by a thriving population of young stars in the LH 95 region of the Large Magellanic Cloud. NASA, ESA, and N. Da Rio (The University of Virginia), G. De Marchi (European Space Agency – ESTEC), and D. Gouliermis (Universitat Heidelberg); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) Like fresh fireworks launched against a background of dissipating smoke, blue and white stars shine brilliantly against a crimson background of glowing gas in this image of stellar nursery LH 95 from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. LH 95 is a region in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that orbits the Milky Way. Low-mass infant stars live alongside massive blue giant stars in what is known as a stellar association, one of many in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The LH 95 region’s most massive stars, possessing at least three times the mass of the Sun and visible here as the largest and brightest blue stars, expel ultraviolet radiation and stellar winds that both heat and shape the surrounding hydrogen gas. Dark filaments stand out in sharp contrast against the glowing hydrogen where denser dust lanes resist erosion. In this image, blue indicates the shorter wavelengths that are visible light, while red depicts the longer wavelengths of visible light, as well as some near-infrared light. Colors in Hubble images are chosen based on standard image processing techniques to best represent the wavelengths of light that pass through the filters used in the observation. The gas of the nebula glows crimson due to hydrogen-alpha emissions. Hydrogen-alpha is an excellent indicator of star formation, allowing astronomers to identify very young stars embedded in this glowing gas. Researchers found developing stars still gathering material from the disks of gas and dust around them. In fact, LH 95 is home to an extraordinary 2,500 stars that have accumulated almost all of their critical mass but have not yet “turned on” by beginning fusion reactions. These stars, called “pre-main-sequence stars,” have formed from collapsing clouds of gas and are still contracting. They will soon begin burning hydrogen in their cores to become full stars. By studying these forming stars, researchers confirmed that the stars’ accretion rate ― the rate at which they accumulate matter ― decreased with age, as expected. However, they also learned that accretion can persist for several million years, longer than sometimes assumed. This information helps refine our understanding of how young stars keep growing and how their disks evolve. Researchers noted that distinct generations of stars in LH 95 exist side-by-side, indicating that rather than forming stars in a single event, the region produces multiple stellar generations over an extended *******. The most massive star in LH 95 (above center, slightly left) has about 60-70 times the mass of the Sun and is about a million years younger than the rest of stars in the system, which appear to be around 4 million years old. Massive stars like these burn through their fuel quickly and die in supernova explosions. With its rich stellar population, LH 95 is valued by astronomers for providing a way to observe forming stars at relatively close range in an environment with less obscuring dust than similar regions of the Milky Way. As one of NASA’s flagship observatories, Hubble has produced a wealth of scientific discoveries over more than 30 years in orbit. Its observations are expanded upon and enhanced by observations with other NASA missions, including the infrared-detecting Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is scheduled to launch in late summer. Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Explore More Hubble’s Nebulae Exploring the Birth of Stars Hubble’s Star Clusters Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jul 03, 2026 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Goddard Space Flight Center Magellanic Clouds Nebulae Stars The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. What Did Hubble See on Your Birthday? Take a look at what cosmic wonders Hubble observed on your special day! Fourth of July Through Hubble’s Eyes To commemorate the nation’s 250th birthday, Hubble shares 13 images for the nation’s 13 original colonies. Hubble’s Cultural Impact View the full article

Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Universe Uncovered Hubble’s Partners in Science Hubble & Citizen Science AI & Hubble Science Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Science Operations Astronaut Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts Multimedia Images Videos Online Activities e-Books Sonifications Podcasts 3D Hubble Models Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources 35th Anniversary More Online Activities 3 min read NASA’s Hubble Spots Star-Spangled Cosmic Scene This image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope shows Messier 3, a densely packed cluster of stars whose origins may be a merger between globular clusters in the early universe. NASA, ESA, and A. Sarajedini (Florida Atlantic University); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) More than 500,000 stars blaze red, white, and blue in this image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, released in celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary. The image showcases Messier 3 (M3), one of the Milky Way galaxy’s most massive globular clusters, or spherical collections of gravitationally bound stars. Globular clusters are made up of ancient stars that formed at roughly the same time from the same cloud of gas, giving those stars similar ages. Around 150 known globular clusters are sprinkled around the outer regions of the Milky Way. In addition to its significant mass, M3 is unusual because it lies relatively far from the galactic center and has more than 240 RR Lyrae variable stars, the most of any globular cluster in our galaxy. RR Lyrae variables are some of the galaxy’s oldest stars and are of special interest to astronomers, due to their age and because their light fluctuates over time in a way that tells us their intrinsic brightness. This true brightness can be used to measure distances in the cosmos, just as knowing the brightness of car *********** on a dark road can help estimate the distance to an oncoming vehicle. The M3 globular cluster also contains around 70 identified “blue straggler” candidates, which are stars that shine with a bright, blue light that makes them look like younger stars than the typical, redder residents of globular clusters. This was the first cluster in which these oddball stars were located. These stars are thought to have gravitationally pulled mass from companion stars, rejuvenating them and making them appear bluer and younger despite their true age. The unusual characteristics of M3 may arise from its origins. The globular cluster, which contains two distinct populations of stars, may be the result of a merger of two globular clusters. These two clusters were members of the same dwarf galaxy, which was later swallowed up by the Milky Way. Hubble has taken several images of M3, also known as NGC 5272, documenting its complicated and intriguing characteristics. In this image, blue indicates the shorter wavelengths that are visible light, while red depicts the longer wavelengths of visible light, as well as some near-infrared light. Colors in Hubble images are chosen based on standard image processing techniques to best represent the wavelengths of light that pass through the filters used in the observation. Because the color and temperature of stars are directly related, we know that the blue stars in this image are hotter and the red stars are cooler. This image is part of a Hubble Treasury program survey designed to observe approximately half of the Milky Way’s globular clusters to construct a detailed chronology of how the Milky Way galaxy formed. With over 30 years of observations, Hubble is one of NASA’s flagship observatories and works in complement with its sibling space missions, including the infrared-detecting Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, to weave together a comprehensive picture of our vast universe. Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Explore More Exploring the Birth of Stars Hubble’s Star Clusters Hubble’s Nebulae Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jul 03, 2026 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Globular Clusters Goddard Space Flight Center Star Clusters Stars Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Explore the Night Sky Break out your telescope or binoculars and compare your view with Hubble’s observations. What Did Hubble See on Your Birthday? Take a look at what cosmic wonders Hubble observed on your special day! Fourth of July Through Hubble’s Eyes To commemorate the nation’s 250th birthday, Hubble shares 13 images for the nation’s 13 original colonies. View the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory The Birthplace of the United… Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search June 1, 2013 Editor’s note: In honor of America’s 250th birthday, Earth Observatory is revisiting stories about the landscapes that helped shape U.S. history. The images and text on this page were originally published on July 4, 2017. Explore the full collection here. Situated between the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers, Philadelphia was founded in 1682 by William Penn as the seat of a Quaker colony. Later, its location just upstream of the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean made it an industrial, commercial, and cultural hub of the American colonies. When the area’s original inhabitants, the Lenni Lenape (Delaware) Indians, lived here, much of the land was forested. Swedish and Dutch settlers had already traveled in the area when Penn finally came to it and signed a treaty with the Lenape to establish a city. He called his colony—now the state of Pennsylvania—Sylvania, after its sylvan, wooded appearance. Current-day Philadelphia had “a high and dry land next to the water, with a shore ornamented with a fine view of pine trees growing upon it,” according to a historical account. More than 300 years after Penn’s arrival, this landscape remains verdant, despite its urban development. The natural-color image above shows Philadelphia and the surrounding area as it appeared on June 1, 2013, when the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on the Landsat 8 satellite passed overhead. Nearly a hundred years after Philadelphia was established, the Founding Fathers of the United States met in this thriving city roughly at the geographic center of the 13 colonies. It was here that they debated, composed, and signed the documents that would become the blueprints of the American government. In 1776, they signed the Declaration of Independence in Carpenter’s Hall, not far from the red-brick building that then housed Pennsylvania’s colonial government; in 1787, they signed the Constitution in the same place. (Carpenter’s is now known as Independence Hall.) Between 1781 and 1788, it was also the seat of the U.S. government. Today, Philadelphia is the fifth largest city in the U.S., with more than 6 million people living in its metropolitan area. The city saw its heyday as a manufacturing hub in the 1800s. Currently, its largest sectors include education and health services. Traces of the city’s history remain embedded in its landscape. A belt of large, tall buildings makes up Center City, the area around Independence Hall. To the south lies a dense grid of smaller houses—South Philadelphia, home to the city’s Italian Market. At one point, this was a satellite town to the city; the two merged in 1854, when the area’s population surged. It remains a diverse area today, home to a large African American community, as well as the remnants of once sizable Italian, Irish, and Jewish immigrant populations. NASA Earth Observatory images by Jesse Allen, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Pola Lem. Downloads June 1, 2013 JPEG (7.42 MB) June 1, 2013 TIFF (57.54 MB) References & Resources National League of Cities, The 30 Most Populous Cities. Accessed June 30, 2017. Penn Treaty Museum, Introduction to the Lenni Lenape, or Delaware Indians. Accessed June 30, 2017. 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. An Early “Decoration Day” Celebration 4 min read In a precursor to Memorial Day, people in Charleston, South Carolina, honored fallen Civil War troops with flowers, songs, and… Article Star-Spangled City 4 min read Two hundred years ago, a battle in the port city of Baltimore inspired the writing of America’s national anthem. Article Colonial National Historical Park 2 min read The colonial communities of “America’s historic triangle” played defining roles in the road to American independence. 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

From left: The Artemis II crew—NASA astronaut Christina Koch; CSA (********* Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen; and NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover—take time out for a group hug inside the Orion spacecraft on April 6, 2026.NASA NASA’s live coverage of the Artemis II mission mission drew unprecedented public interest – including more than 149.4 million views of the launch, lunar flyby, splashdown on NASA-owned platforms, including the 24/7 streams covering the mission and the Orion spacecraft views – demonstrating strong, sustained global engagement throughout the mission. Around the Clock Live Broadcast NASA’s Artemis II Crew Launches to the Moon broadcast set unprecedented viewership records across the agency’s streaming platforms, drawing a combined peak of 3,662,554 viewers—rising to 3.66 million when including more than 411,130 concurrent viewers on X and Twitch—surpassing previous milestones, including the launches of Artemis I (2022) and the James Webb Space Telescope (2021–2022). The launch generated 23.9 million total views across NASA platforms, with 16.6 million people watching live, underscoring the mission’s broad national and global appeal from liftoff onward. NASA en español’s dedicated broadcast also reached a landmark peak of 458,366 concurrent viewers and has since amassed 2.8 million total views, highlighting the mission’s strong resonance with Spanish‑speaking audiences and expanding the global reach of Artemis communications. NASA’s Artemis II Lunar Flyby broadcast delivered one of the largest peak audiences ever recorded across the agency’s streaming platforms, reaching 1,471,069 total concurrent viewers – driven largely by 897,789 on YouTube, one of NASA’s strongest single platform performances – along with an additional 190,221 viewers on X and Twitch, underscoring the mission’s broad global reach and sustained excitement. Together, the Artemis II launch and Moon flyby broadcasts have redefined NASA’s livestreaming benchmarks, demonstrating record-breaking public interest in humanity’s return to the Moon. As of April 13, the flyby broadcast has accumulated 40 million views across NASA+, YouTube, X, and Twitch, highlighting the intense and enduring engagement surrounding Artemis II. Pre‑splashdown coverage across major outlets emphasized the “riskiest moments” still ahead—particularly Orion’s reentry and heat‑shield performance—framing the return as the mission’s climax and driving heightened public attention. As anticipation grew, audience interest that had already surged during the record‑setting launch only intensified: Artemis II’s liftoff drew 3,662,554 peak viewers, but global curiosity about the crew’s safe return pushed splashdown viewership even higher to 3,838,418, a 4.8% increase that reflected widespread investment in the mission’s outcome as viewers tuned in to witness the critical reentry sequence, confirm crew safety, and celebrate humanity’s first journey around the Moon in more than 50 years. NASA’s Artemis II Crew Comes Home generated 29.5 million total views across NASA-owned platforms, with an estimated 24.1 million occurring during the live return sequence—an exceptional level of engagement that underscores the deep public interest carried through the mission’s final and most critical moments. Major entertainment platforms including HBO Max, Netflix, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video exponentially expanded NASA’s global footprint by placing Artemis II in front of hundreds of millions of potential viewers worldwide, with HBO Max reaching 120–150 million global subscribers; Netflix reaching 325 million paid subscribers and covering 54% of global households; Peacock contributing 36–41 million U.S. subscribers; and Amazon Prime Video reaching up to 275 million global subscribers. Together, these partners enabled NASA to reach mainstream, international, and non-traditional audiences at a scale unattainable through NASA-owned channels alone. Four astronauts aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft atop the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket launched on the agency’s Artemis II test flight on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.NASA/Michael DeMocker Websites NASA’s Artemis II mission drove a major surge in traffic across the agency’s websites, with NASA.gov recording 125.1 million pageviews between April 1 and 10 – more than double the roughly 50 million logged in all of March – reflecting intense public interest in following the mission in real time. On launch day alone, NASA sites saw 17.6 million pageviews from 8.3 million visitors, with the Artemis Real-Time Orbit Website (AROW) drawing 797,796 pageviews, Interest spiked again during the April 6 lunar flyby, generating 16.5 million pageviews from 6.2 million visitors; AROW registered 1.9 million pageviews – boosted by more than 440,000 Google referrals – while the NASA homepage reached 2.3 million. Splashdown day brought another surge to NASA-owned websites, with more than 16 million pageviews from 6.1 million visitors as audiences followed the Artemis II crew’s return; AROW drew over 1 million pageviews and surpassed 11 million cumulative views since launch. Together, these metrics show sustained, high-volume engagement across all mission milestones, with live hubs, broadcast pages, and real-time tracking consistently ranking among the most-visited content throughout launch, flyby, and splashdown. Social Media Public reaction to NASA’s Artemis II mission remained largely steady across launch week, with neutral and positive posts dominating the online conversation. Neutral sentiment consistently led daily discussion, ranging from 47 to 60 percent, while positive reactions accounted for 30 to 42 percent, fueled by excitement over the crew’s historic lunar journey, striking mission imagery, and renewed interest in deep space exploration. Engagement spiked around major mission milestones, with NASA accounts generating 35 million engagements on splashdown day content alone and 261 million from March 27 to April 13, underscoring how closely audiences followed each phase. Strong amplification from major news outlets, brands, and international partners, further boosted visibility and cemented Artemis II as a global cultural moment. NASA’s Artemis II mission drove major social media growth across the agency’s flagship and mission‑specific accounts, with follower numbers climbing steadily from rollout through the lunar flyby and splashdown. Internal tracking shows NASA’s flagship Instagram account added more than 4.6 million followers, while the Artemis‑dedicated Instagram account grew by 2 million—a 66% increase over the course of the mission. Significant gains were also recorded across X, Facebook, and YouTube, including a 2 million increase in YouTube subscribers and NASA’s flagship Facebook page climbing by 1.7 million. Collectively, these gains highlight how Artemis II’s human‑spaceflight narrative, real‑time crew updates, and highly visual moments drew millions of new followers across platforms. From left: The Artemis II crew—NASA astronaut Christina Koch, CSA (********* Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover—pause for a group photo with their zero-gravity indicator “Rise” inside the Orion spacecraft on April 7, 2026.NASA Mission Images NASA has long shaped its legacy through unforgettable imagery—pictures that don’t just document history but become part of it. Artemis II carries that tradition forward with a growing collection of images capturing every phase of the mission, from the anticipation of launch to the sweep of a lunar flyby and splashdown. For those eager to explore more, the mission’s dedicated image galleries offer a rich visual journey, complemented by additional photos on the NASA Headquarters official Flickr account and the NASA Image and Video Library. NASA Campaigns Moon Mascot: NASA Artemis II ZGI Design Challenge Last year, the Moon mascot design contest received thousands of submissions from more than fifty countries for the Artemis II mission’s zero‑gravity indicator. This plush item serves a special purpose — it begins to float once the astronauts reach space, signaling the onset of zero gravity. It also provides a comforting reminder of Earth when the crew is far from home. Ultimately, the Artemis II astronauts selected “Rise”—inspired by the iconic Earthrise photograph captured during the Apollo 8 mission and designed by Lucas Ye of Mountain View, California—as the zero‑gravity indicator that will accompany them around the Moon. “Rise” also features a small pouch that will carry an SD card containing all 5.6 million names submitted through the Send Your Name with Artemis campaign. Send Your Name with Artemis II NASA invited the public to join the agency’s Artemis II test flight as four astronauts ventured around the Moon and back to test the systems and hardware needed for deep space exploration. As part of the agency’s “Send Your Name with Artemis II” effort, anyone could claim their spot by signing up before Jan. 21, 2026. Participants launched their names aboard the Orion spacecraft and SLS (Space Launch System) rocket alongside NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA (********* Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen. Online Collaborations Google Doodle The April 1, 2026, Google Doodle celebrated the launch of Artemis II, the NASA mission that sent astronauts around the Moon and back for the first time in more than 50 years. During the approximately 10‑day voyage, the crew tested the spacecraft’s systems while traveling farther into deep space than any human had gone since the Apollo program. This critical test flight brought us one step closer to a long‑term return to the Moon and future missions to Mars. Spotify Playlist: The Artemis II Crew’s Wake-up Songs NASA’s official playlist for the Artemis II mission featuring songs selected by the crew for their historic 10-day journey around the Moon. Merriam-Webster Dictionary Merriam-Webster highlighted the Artemis II mission on their official Facebook page, engaging with astronauts in deep space to discuss the experience of traveling farther than any human before. In New York, a digital display on the Nasdaq Marquee and special lights on the Empire State Building marked successful Artemis II mission milestones. In London, Piccadilly Lights celebrated the mission with a digital display following a successful lunar flyby. Offline Collaborations NASDAQ, New York Nasdaq celebrated the successful launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission, marking humanity’s return to the Moon after more than 50 years. Empire State Building, New York Red, white, and blue for the Artemis II crew. Welcome back to Earth. Sphere, Las Vegas As the astronauts on Orion reached their closest approach to the Moon, the sphere celebrated this milestone here on Earth. NASA provided the Sphere with a 3D model of the Orion spacecraft and unique soundbites from the April 1, 2026, launch to help design the moon, spacecraft, and flight path to match the real-life version. Piccadilly Lights, London London’s Piccadilly Lights celebrated the lunar flyby of Artemis II, where the four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft went deeper into space than ever before. NASA’s Artemis Program The Artemis II mission launched April 1, 2026, on NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During the nearly 10‑day test flight, the crew achieved the mission’s primary objectives, including testing its life support systems; manually piloting the Orion spacecraft; performing maneuvers to propel Orion to the Moon and adjust its course; conducting a lunar flyby with unprecedented views of the Moon’s far side; and completing a safe re-entry and recovery. The astronauts also set a record for the farthest distance traveled by humans away from Earth. As part of a Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send Artemis astronauts on increasingly challenging missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface, and lay the groundwork for sending the first astronauts – American astronauts – to Mars. Keep Exploring Discover More Artemis Humans In Space Astronauts Destinations View the full article

From June 3 to 13, aircraft at Ellington Field in Houston gave students a firsthand look at how scientists study Earth from the air. NASA Student Airborne Research Program students, researchers, and pilots gather with NASA aircraft at Ellington Field in Houston on June 9, 2026. NASA/Bill Stafford Through NASA’s Student Airborne Research Program, or SARP, students learned how airborne field campaigns collect data used in atmospheric science, ecology, air quality research, and climate modeling. This year’s activity took place alongside an air quality campaign led by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), giving students a chance to see how federal agencies work together to study Earth’s atmosphere. From left: Kelly Griffin, Elizabeth Lockerby, and Vidal Salazar from NASA Ames Research Center’s Earth Science Project Office stand in front of NASA aircraft at Ellington Field. NASA/Bill Stafford “Every SARP flight is more than a mission; it’s a classroom in the sky, where students learn how science is planned, executed, and transformed into discovery,” said NASA’s Ames Research Center Earth Science Project Specialist Vidal Salazar. The NOAA effort allowed NASA to build on active atmospheric research already underway in Texas. By integrating additional aircraft into the campaign, students gained access to a real-world research environment and saw how scientists collect data from the air. Students attend daily lectures, take coding classes, work with instrument teams, and use campaign data and NASA’s extensive archive to design, implement, and present independent research projects. “SARP is full of passionate individuals who work together to inspire the next generation of Earth scientists,” said SARP Project Manager Joelle Hopkins. Students work with NASA subject matter experts throughout the program, giving them exposure to a range of career paths in airborne science. “It is great seeing different students with very diverse backgrounds exploring the next step in their academic journey,” said NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Lead Forecaster Joe Finlon. NASA Student Airborne Research Program students and team members stand near research equipment aboard a NASA aircraft at Ellington Field. NASA/Bill Stafford The operations involved the agency’s Gulfstream V (N95NA); Gulfstream C-20A (N802NA); and Gulfstream III (N520NA), as well as NOAA’s WP-3D Orion (N43RF), and a King Air B200 aircraft (N46L), owned by Dynamic Aviation and contracted by NASA. The WP-3D Orion conducted maneuvers as low as 1,000 feet above ground level. Owned and operated by NOAA, the aircraft is used as a hurricane hunter and has supported several airborne science missions for NASA. NASA aircraft also carried instruments that support atmospheric science and ecology research. One instrument – the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer, or AVIRIS – was used to characterize Earth’s surface and atmosphere. Additional atmosphere and air quality measurements were collected by instruments including the High Spectral Resolution Lidar 2, GeoCAPE Airborne Spectrometer, Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar, and Aerosol Wind Profiler. Low-altitude flights are important for this type of work because aircraft must fly close enough to Earth’s surface for instruments to collect data at the needed resolution. NASA Student Airborne Research Program team members examine aircraft equipment. NASA/Bill Stafford For NOAA’s campaign, aircraft measurements can help researchers study air quality conditions and feed data into numerical models. Since similar measurements are collected over time, researchers can compare conditions from year to year and better understand changes in pollution and atmospheric chemistry. Explore More 2 min read NextSTEP-3 B: Moon Base Demonstrations Article 2 days ago 2 min read Ames Science Stars of the Month July 2026 Article 2 days ago 5 min read NASA’s Newest Wind Tunnel Builds on Legacy of Innovation Article 3 days ago View the full article

A bright orange sunburst illuminates Earth’s atmosphere during an orbital sunrise in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 264 miles above the Caucasus Mountains.NASA/Chris Williams NASA astronaut Chris Williams took this photo of an orbital sunrise from the International Space Station on June 26, 2026. In 24 hours, the space station makes 16 orbits of Earth, traveling through 16 sunrises and sunsets. Learn more about the orbiting laboratory. Image credit: NASA/Chris Williams View the full article

Share Details Last Updated Jul 02, 2026 Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Contact Media Laura Betz NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland laura.e*****@*****.tld Matthew Brown Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland Abigail Major Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland Related Terms James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Astrophysics Goddard Space Flight Center Protostars Science & Research Stars The Universe

Skywatching Skywatching Home What’s Up Meteor Showers Eclipses Daily Moon Guide More Tips & Guides Skywatching FAQ Night Sky Network A predawn Moon-and-planets meetup, a returning comet, a great chance to see the Milky Way, and Saturn’s rings at a new angle. Skywatching Highlights July 7: Last Quarter Moon July 11 + 12: Dawn alignment of the Moon, Mars, Saturn, and Uranus July 14: New Moon; best dark-sky window for Comet 10P/Tempel 2 and the Milky Way Later in July: Saturn’s unusually thin rings are a rewarding telescope target July 21: First Quarter Moon July 29: Full Moon Transcript An early morning hangout with the Moon and planets, a comet swings by, prime time for the Milky Way, and Saturn’s rings shine at a new angle. That’s What’s Up for July. Before sunrise on July 11 and 12, look toward the eastern sky for a lineup of the Moon and planets. On these mornings, the waning crescent Moon helps point the way to Mars, with Saturn shining nearby in the morning sky. Uranus is in the same general part of the sky, too, but it is much fainter, so you will need binoculars or a telescope to see it. Mars will look like a small reddish point of light, Saturn is brighter and easier to spot, and the Moon makes the whole scene easy to locate. Before sunrise on July 11 and 12, the Moon, Mars, Saturn, and Uranus will parade in the eastern sky. NASA Around the New Moon on July 14, Comet 10P/Tempel 2 swings by. This is a short-******* comet, meaning it returns to the inner solar system on a regular orbit. In this case, it comes back about every 5½ years. It is not a dramatic comet that you see just by looking up at the sky, though. Through binoculars or a telescope, find the constellation Capricornus and look for a small fuzzy glow nearby, possibly with a brighter central knot and a short, broad, fan-shaped tail. For the best chance to view the comet, head somewhere dark, away from city lights. Start looking once the sky is fully dark, ideally about 45 to 60 minutes after sunset. NASA/JPL-Caltech Those same dark nights around the July 14 New Moon are also the best time this month to look for the Milky Way. From a dark location, away from city lights, the Milky Way appears as a pale, cloudy band across the summer sky. The bright, cloudy region of the Milky Way marks the direction of the galactic center. It looks so dense because we’re looking toward one of the most crowded parts of our galaxy, where countless stars glow behind dark clouds of cosmic dust. Late in the evening, look low in the southern sky for a group of stars shaped like a big hook or scorpion tail. That’s Scorpius. The bright, cloudy part of the Milky Way is nearby, close to another group of stars called Sagittarius. For the best chance to see the Milky Way, go somewhere dark, give your eyes time to adjust, and try not to look at your phone. NASA/JPL-Caltech Later in July, Saturn is a rewarding target for telescope users. Saturn’s rings are still tilted at a very shallow angle from our point of view, making them look unusually thin. The rings aren’t disappearing, but how they appear from Earth is changing. It’s a great reminder that our view of the solar system is always in motion. Saturn is famous for the intriguing rings that encircle it. As Saturn orbits the Sun, though, our view of its rings changes. Roughly every 15 years (halfway through Saturn’s almost-30-year orbit), Saturn’s rings appear edge-on, sometimes seeming to disappear altogether. On Feb. 24, 2009, when Saturn’s rings were nearly edge-on, Hubble tracked four of Saturn’s moons as they passed across the face of the giant ringed planet. NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Here are the phases of the Moon for July. NASA/JPL-Caltech You can stay up to date on all of NASA’s missions exploring the solar system and beyond at science.nasa.gov. I’m Raquel Villanueva from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and that’s What’s Up for this month. Find skywatching events and clubs with NASA’s Night Sky Network More skywatching resources from NASA Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA What’s Up Skywatching Galaxies Stars View the full article

5 min read NASA’s Chandra Examines Milky Way at Arms’ Length To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This sequence begins with an artist’s concept showing the Milky Way galaxy as seen from above, with the estimated positions of spiral arms based on previous data. Next is an updated artist’s concept of the Milky Way, where the positions of the two spiral arms most distant from the center of the galaxy have been adjusted based on newly processed X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA’s XMM-Newton. Both arms may be more distant than previously thought. NASA/CXC/A. Hobart A new result using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory shows that the outer spiral arms in the Milky Way galaxy may reach wider than previously thought. This finding may lead astronomers to adjust their understanding of our home galaxy’s structure. A team of astronomers made this discovery by making precise measurements of distances to dust clouds in the Milky Way’s spiral arms using data from both NASA’s Chandra and XMM-Newton, an ESA (European Space Agency) mission with NASA contributions. The results are described in a new paper published Wednesday in the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal. The researchers determined the distances by studying rings around gamma-ray bursts, some of the brightest bursts of light in the universe, which arise from the collapse of massive stars or the merger of neutron stars. They are located at enormous distances, well beyond the confines of our galaxy. An artist’s concept showing the Milky Way galaxy as seen from above, with the estimated positions of spiral arms based on previous data, in blue. Overlaid on this is an updated view of the Milky Way showing different positions for the two outermost spiral arms, shown in red and bordered by dashed lines. Both arms may be more distant than previously thought, based on newly processed X-ray data from Chandra and XMM. NASA/CXC/SAO/M.Weiss This distance measurement technique capitalized on the phenomenon of light echoes, where the light from the gamma-ray burst bounced off dust clouds in the spiral arms. The diameters of the rings in X-rays give the distances to Earth, with larger rings being generated by dust clouds closer to us. “This is a very direct way – relying only on geometry – to precisely measure distances to the Milky Way’s spiral arms,” said Beatrice Vaia, who led the study while a PhD student in a joint program between Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia and University of Trento in Italy. “Most other methods rely on assumptions about how the Milky Way rotates, which become increasingly uncertain in the outer regions of our galaxy.” Despite a century of awareness of the Milky Way’s spiral arms, astronomers are still working toward precise characterization of its arms because of Earth’s position within one. Dust and gas also block the view to other arms. The researchers used three different gamma-ray bursts to determine the distances to three spiral arms in the Milky Way. In order of increasing distances from the Galactic Center, they are the Perseus, the Outer, and the Outer Scutum-Centaurus arms. Along the direction of one of the bursts, they found that both the Outer and Outer Scutum-Centaurus arms are about 10% more distant than astronomers previously thought. “The differences are small, but any revision of these distances is important because they are so fundamental for understanding our galaxy,” said co-author Ilaria Fornasiero, who was a PhD student in the same program as the leading author. “For example, this could mean that astronomers have to revise estimates of the mass of the galaxy, because that affects how wide the arms stretch.” The images include X-ray data from Chandra and optical data from Pan-STARRS. The composite image shows X-ray rings generated by a gamma-ray burst (GRB), a bright X-ray source located outside our galaxy. In a phenomenon called light echoes, the X-rays from the GRB bounced off dust clouds in the spiral arms of our galaxy. The diameters of the rings in the Chandra data give the distances of the dust clouds to Earth, with larger rings being generated by dust clouds closer to us. The GRB is located at the center of the circles defining the rings, to the left of the X-ray data outlined by the white square. X-ray: NASA/CXC/INAF/B. Vaia et al.; Optical: Pan-STARRS; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/N.Wolk & P.Edmonds The team also used their data to estimate that the dust cloud in the most distant arm is about 3,500 light-years wide. These findings show that their measurements apply to the full thickness of the spiral arm, rather than a random, isolated dust cloud that may not fully be representative of the arm’s location. While this technique provided major improvements in accuracy according to the researchers, it may be difficult to use it for further measurements because bright gamma-ray bursts that are visible through the plane of the galaxy are rare. “We’re relying on the universe to provide us with these events, and so far, over 25 years, we’ve only found a handful that we can use,” said co-author Andrea Tiengo of Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia. “That said, we will continue to be on the lookout for more.” NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts. Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory To learn more about Chandra, visit: [Hidden Content] To learn more about NASA’s Chandra mission, visit: [Hidden Content] Visual Description This release features a short video and a series of images, all related to an updated understanding of our home galaxy’s structure. By studying rings of X-ray light echoes, researchers now believe that two of the Milky Way’s spiral arms may be more distant from the center of the galaxy than previously thought. The updated understanding of the structure of the Milky Way is highlighted in a short video, which compares two artist concept images. In both images, our spiral Milky Way galaxy is shown face-on. It has a bright white core with several arms that spiral out from the center, like long thin clouds corkscrewing counterclockwise. The two longest arms make a full rotation of the spiral galaxy, and curve all the way around to the upper right of the images. The first image in the video shows the previous understanding of the Milky Way. Here, the two longest arms are curled around the core in a fairly tight spiral. In the second image, which represents the updated understanding, the two longest arms are more loosely spiraled. Visually, this means there is more open space between the curving arms, which are further away from the bright galaxy core. The video fades back and forth between the two artist concept images to illustrate the structural differences between the two understandings. These findings are further shown by a static image which overlays the new understanding on top of the earlier understanding. In this artist’s concept illustration, dotted lines and different colors are used to differentiate between the two. A team of astronomers made this discovery by studying gamma-ray bursts that bounce off of dust clouds in the galaxy’s spiral arms. The resulting rings of X-rays, known as light echoes, were detected and mapped by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA’s XMM-Newton. In a supplemental data image, the light echoes resemble concentric arches of neon blue dots trailing across a speckled sky. Identifying the position of the Milky Way’s spiral arms through X-ray light echoes has allowed astronomers to use geometry, rather than assumptions about galaxy rotation, to better understand the structure of our galaxy. Share Details Last Updated Jul 01, 2026 Editor Lee Mohon Contact Joel Wallace Megan Watzke Location Marshall Space Flight Center Related Terms Chandra X-Ray Observatory Astrophysics Galaxies Marshall Astrophysics Marshall Space Flight Center The Milky Way The Universe Share Details Last Updated Jul 01, 2026 Editor Lee Mohon Contact Joel Wallace Megan Watzke Location Marshall Space Flight Center Related Terms Chandra X-Ray Observatory Astrophysics Galaxies Marshall Astrophysics Marshall Space Flight Center The Milky Way The Universe Explore More 7 min read NASA’s Chandra Reveals ‘Red, White, Blue’ Universe for US 250th Article 1 day ago 5 min read NASA’s Chandra Discovers Possible Supernova Remnant in Galactic Center Article 3 weeks ago 5 min read NASA Finds Young Stars Dim in X-rays Surprisingly Quickly Article 3 months ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Solar System View the full article

A research volunteer uses augmented reality goggles to perform astronaut-like tasks during a simulated space mission. Participants selected for NASA’s first Moon and Mars Exploration Analog mission also will perform tasks in immersive, interactive environments while living inside habitats that simulate traveling to and living on the Moon and Mars. Credit: NASA NASA is recruiting research participants for the agency’s next simulated deep space mission. Beginning no earlier than August 2027, research volunteers will spend one year living and working in interplanetary environments at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, operating under isolated conditions expected during crewed missions to the Moon or Red Planet. Insights from this new, yearlong experience, called the Moon and Mars Exploration Analog, can be used to help keep astronauts safe and mission-ready during future planetary surface operations. The results also could inform plans for a sustained lunar presence through the agency’s Moon Base and future Artemis missions. NASA is looking for applicants for the approximately year-long mission simulation, which will take place in two confined habitats. In addition to specific physical and education requirements, volunteers must be willing to take part in a multi-day selection process and pass NASA’s physical and psychological assessments, found on the Moon and Mars Exploration Analog web page. Candidates also should have a strong desire for unique, rewarding experiences, and interest in contributing to NASA’s work to prepare for extended stays on the lunar surface and the first crewed mission to Mars. The Moon and Mars Exploration Analog evolves elements of the agency’s HERA (Human Exploration Research Analog) and CHAPEA (Crew Health And Performance Exploration Analog) missions into a single, integrated mission to streamline how researchers evaluate astronaut adaptation across the full range of potential mission scenarios. Using the HERA habitat as a spacecraft and the CHAPEA habitat as a base, the volunteers will live and work in confined, isolated environments that simulate months-long flights to and from other planetary surfaces. They also will mimic surface operations, including mock Mars walks and using a rover to travel to exploration sites located beyond the main habitat. Throughout the Moon and Mars Exploration Analog mission, researchers will study crew health and performance under resource limitations and mission demands. These missions also help NASA assess and validate hardware, technologies, protocols, requirements, and other systems designed to support crew health and performance on long-duration deep space missions, all without leaving Earth. The effort will provide valuable data for NASA’s Human Research Program, which innovates ways to keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready. To apply, visit: NASA Analogs Recruiting As part of the Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface, and to build on the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. For more about NASA’s Human Research Program, visit: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated Jul 01, 2026 Related TermsHumans in SpaceHuman Research ProgramJohnson Space CenterMissions View the full article

A Katalyst engineer runs tests on LINK while the satellite is inside the Pegasus XL rocket attached to the Stargazer aircraft at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.NASA/Ron Beard A first-of-its-kind mission to raise the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is poised for launch no earlier than Thursday, July 2, 5:09 a.m. EDT (9:09 p.m. UTC+12), from Kwajalein Atoll, part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. A robotic servicing spacecraft called LINK, built by Katalyst Space, will blast into orbit on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket attached to the belly of the company’s Stargazer aircraft, shown here in this photograph from the evening of Tuesday, June 16, 2026. After launch, LINK will attempt to rendezvous with, grapple, and slowly raise Swift’s altitude over several months, preventing it from re-entering Earth’s atmosphere later this year. If this daring mission is successful, it will be the first time a commercial robotic mission has captured a NASA spacecraft that is both uncrewed and not originally designed to be serviced in space. Follow the Swift blog to learn more about the mission. Image credit: NASA/Ron Beard View the full article

Share Details Last Updated Jul 01, 2026 Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Contact Media Laura Betz NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland laura.e*****@*****.tld Bethany Downer ESA/Webb Baltimore, Maryland Christine Pulliam Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland Related Terms James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Astrophysics Exoplanet Atmosphere Exoplanets Goddard Space Flight Center Planetary Environments & Atmospheres Science & Research The Universe White Dwarfs Related Links and Documents ESA Press Release

Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio Mosaics More Resources Mars Missions Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions Mars Home 2 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4934-4940: In the Land of the Polygons NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image of polygonal structures using its Mast Camera (Mastcam) on June 21, 2026 — Sol 4932, or Martian day 4,932 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — at 14:57:55 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Written by William Farrand, Senior Research Scientist, Space Science Institute Earth planning date: Friday, June 26, 2026 There were two planning cycles over this span of sols. The Monday planning took place with Curiosity situated within a unit that from orbital imagery appeared light-toned, and from earlier rover positions appeared smooth. Reaching this unit, the rover team was surprised to see the unit covered with polygonal structures like the top of a giant Martian honeycomb. Driving further into the unit, the polygonal ridges were more eroded. Littered about this unit are pebble to cobble-sized dark-toned rocks. A still-to-be-resolved question is whether these are bits of Mars that “floated” down from higher in the stratigraphy, were ejected from distant impacts outside of Gale crater, or are meteorites from beyond Mars altogether. Examination of some previous dark “float” rocks indicated the presence of nickel, common in meteorites but less so in Martian rocks, but are all of the dark-toned pebbles and cobbles meteorites? Further investigations should help in answering this question. Monday’s four-sol plan had APXS and MAHLI investigations looking at the ridges and centers of the polygons. The plan also included ChemCam Remote Micro-Imager (RMI) views of the “Miraflores” small knob and of the “Cordillera” mesa. Similar to the contact science activities, ChemCam LIBS measurements were focused on the polygons, with two measurements on different ridges and one on a polygon center. A ChemCam passive reflectance measurement of one of the aforementioned dark cobbles was also carried out. Environmental activities included a Navcam dust-****** search and atmospheric opacity (“tau”) measurements. After driving further towards the upper boundary of the light-toned, polygon-covered unit, the three-sol Friday plan included APXS and MAHLI measurements of another polygon ridge and one of the dark-toned cobbles, “Cortadera.” ChemCam LIBS was also targeted on “Cortadera” and on a polygon ridge. ChemCam RMI was targeted on the top and base of the “Cordillera” mesa. Mastcam mosaics were planned of “Cordillera,” nearby troughs, part of the nearby “Valle Grande” channel, and documentation of LIBS targets and the Mastcam calibration target. In the coming week, Curiosity will cross over into another band of materials which appear darker-toned in orbital images and rougher-textured, as viewed currently by the rover. Want to read more posts from the Curiosity team? Visit Mission Updates Want to learn more about Curiosity’s science instruments? Visit the Science Instruments page NASA’s Curiosity rover at the base of Mount Sharp NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Share Details Last Updated Jul 01, 2026 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 4 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4927–4933: Let’s Drive to That Smooth Area Article 1 week ago 3 min read Curiosity Blog, Sols 4920-4926: Surveying the Bands Article 2 weeks ago 3 min read Curiosity Blog: Sols 4913-4919: Planetary Explorers, Freewheeling to the Yardang Unit! 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