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Sasha Weston, project support, Small Spacecraft and Distributed Systems program, with the Project and Engineering Support Services II contract with NASA, discusses the program with a participant, right, during Ames Partnership Days on April 29, 2025, at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. Through partnerships, the program advances technologies that enable small spacecraft to achieve NASA missions in faster and more affordable ways.NASA/Brandon Torres Navarrete On April 29, more than 90 representatives from industry, U.S. federal labs, government agencies, and academia gathered at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley to learn about the center’s groundbreaking research and development capabilities. The three-day event provided insight into the many ways to collaborate with NASA, including tapping into the agency’s singular subject matter expertise and gaining access to state-of-the-art facilities at NASA Ames and centers across the country. Partnerships help the agency to advance technological innovation, enable science, and foster the emerging space economy. Terry Fong, senior scientist for autonomous systems at NASA Ames, summed up the objective of the event when he noted, “I don’t believe anyone – government, academia, industry – has a monopoly on good ideas. It’s how you best combine forces to have the greatest effect.” Terry Fong, senior scientist at NASA Ames, center, discusses the center’s capabilities in intelligent adaptive systems and potential applications with Jessica Nowinski, chief of the Human Systems Integration division, left, and Alonso Vera, senior technologist, right, on April 29, 2025, at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.NASA/Brandon Torres Navarrete Author: Jeanne Neal Share Details Last Updated May 13, 2025 Related TermsAmes Research CenterGeneralGet InvolvedNASA Centers & FacilitiesPartner With UsSmall Business Innovation Research / Small Business Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA SmallSats and CubeSats These miniaturized spacecrafts are used to deliver small payloads into space. LTB (Lunar Trailblazer) is an example of a SmallSat… Technology and Innovation NASA innovates and tests new technology on satellites and planes, helping commercial and academic partners develop better ways to observe… Technology Workshops and Events SBIR/STTR News & Success Stories View the full article

Explore This Section Science Science Activation Take a Tour of the Cosmos with… Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Activation Stories Citizen Science 4 min read Take a Tour of the Cosmos with New Interactives from NASA’s Universe of Learning Ready for a tour of the cosmos? NASA’s Universe of Learning has released a new, dynamic way for lifelong learners to explore NASA’s breathtaking images of the universe—ViewSpace interactive Image Tours. ViewSpace has an established track record of providing museums, science centers, libraries, and other informal learning environments with free, web-based videos and digital interactives—like its interactive Image Sliders. These new Image Tours are another unique experience from NASA’s Universe of Learning, created through a collaboration between scientists that operate NASA telescopes and experts well-versed in the most modern methods of learning. Hands-on, self-directed learning resources like these have long been valued by informal learning sites as effective means for engaging and intriguing users with the latest discoveries from NASA’s space telescope missions—while encouraging lifelong learners to continue their passionate exploration of the stars, galaxies, and distant worlds. With these new ViewSpace Image Tours, visitors can take breathtaking journeys through space images that contain many exciting stories. The “Center of the Milky Way Galaxy” Tour, for example, uses breathtaking images from NASA’s Hubble, Spitzer, and Chandra X-ray telescopes and includes eleven Tour Stops, where users can interact with areas like “the Brick”—a dense, dark cloud of hydrogen molecules imaged by Spitzer. Another Tour Stop zooms toward the supermassive ****** hole, Sagittarius A*, offering a dramatic visual journey to the galaxy’s core. In other tours, like the “Herbig-Haro 46/47” Tour, learners can navigate through points of interest in an observation from a single telescope mission. In this case, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope provides the backdrop where lifelong learners can explore superheated jets of gas and dust being ejected at tremendous speeds from a pair of young, forming stars. The power of Webb turns up unexpected details in the background, like a noteworthy distant galaxy famous for its uncanny resemblance to a question mark. Each Interactive Image Tour allows people to examine unique features through videos, images, or graphical overlays to identify how those features have formed in ways that static images alone can’t convey. These tours, which include detailed visual descriptions for each Tour Stop, illuminate the science behind the beauty, allowing learners of all ages to develop a greater understanding of and excitement for space science, deepening their engagement with astronomy, regardless of their prior experience. Check out the About the Interactives page on the ViewSpace website for a detailed overview of how to use the Image Tours. ViewSpace currently offers three Image Tours, and the collection will continue growing: Center of the Milky Way Galaxy: Peer through cosmic dust and uncover areas of intense activity near the Milky Way’s core, featuring imagery from the Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Herbig-Haro 46/47: Witness how a tightly bound pair of young stars shapes their nebula through ejections of gas and dust in an image from the James Webb Space Telescope. The Whirlpool Galaxy: Explore the iconic swirling arms and glowing core of a stunning spiral galaxy, with insights into star formation, galaxy structure, and more in a Hubble Space Telescope image. “The Image Tours are beautiful, dramatic, informational, and easy to use,” explained Sari Custer, Chief of Science and Curiosity at Arizona Science Center. “I’m excited to implement them in my museum not only because of the incredible images and user-friendly features, but also for the opportunity to excite and ignite the public’s curiosity about space.” NASA’s Universe of Learning is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC65A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: [Hidden Content] Select views from various Image Tours. Clockwise from top left: The Whirlpool Galaxy, Center of the Milky Way Galaxy, Herbig-Haro 46/47, detail view in the Center of the Milky Way Galaxy. Share Details Last Updated May 13, 2025 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms Science Activation Astrophysics For Educators Explore More 5 min read NASA’s Webb Reveals New Details, Mysteries in Jupiter’s Aurora Article 1 day ago 2 min read Hubble Comes Face-to-Face with Spiral’s Arms Article 4 days ago 7 min read NASA’s Hubble Pinpoints Roaming Massive ****** Hole Article 5 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… Perseverance Rover This rover and its aerial sidekick were assigned to study the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient microbial… Parker Solar Probe On a mission to “touch the Sun,” NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to fly through the corona… Juno NASA’s Juno spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016, the first explorer to peer below the planet’s dense clouds to… View the full article

NASA/Don Pettit A flash of lightning shines brighter than the lights of nearby cities in this Oct. 29, 2024, image taken by astronaut Don Pettit while aboard the International Space Station. At the time of this photograph, little to no moonlight illuminated the scene. This allows astronauts to see and photograph a variety of light sources with a high degree of contrast against the dark land and water surfaces. Bright light associated with lightning is a common occurrence during the monsoon season across Southeast Asia. Read more about this photo. Text credit: NASA/Andrea Wenzel Image credit: NASA/Don Pettit View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) What is a ****** hole? Well, the name is actually a little misleading because ****** holes aren’t actually holes. They’re regions in space that have a gravitational pull that is so strong that nothing can escape, not even light. Scientists know about two different sizes of ****** holes — stellar-mass ****** holes and supermassive ****** holes. A stellar-mass ****** hole is born when a massive star dies. That’s a star that’s larger than our own Sun. These stars burn up all the nuclear fuel in their cores, and this causes them to collapse under their own gravity. This collapse causes an explosion that we call a supernova. The entire mass of the star is collapsing down into a tiny point, and the area of the ****** hole is just a few kilometers across. Supermassive ****** holes can have a mass of millions to tens of billions of stars. Scientists believe that every galaxy in the universe contains a supermassive ****** hole. That’s up to one trillion galaxies in the universe. But we don’t know how these supermassive ****** holes form. And this is an area of active research. What we do know is that supermassive ****** holes are playing a really important part in the formation and evolution of galaxies, and into our understanding of our place in the universe. [END VIDEO TRANSCRIPT] Full Episode List Full YouTube Playlist Share Details Last Updated May 13, 2025 Related TermsGeneral Explore More 1 min read NASA Ames Stars of the Month: May 2025 Article 1 day ago 3 min read NASA Earns Two Emmy Nominations for 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Coverage Article 5 days ago 2 min read NASA Expands Youth Engagement With New Scouting America Agreement Article 6 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) ICON’s next generation Vulcan construction system 3D printing a simulated Mars habitat for NASA’s Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) missions.ICON One of the keys to a sustainable human presence on distant worlds is using local, or in-situ, resources which includes building materials for infrastructure such as habitats, radiation shielding, roads, and rocket launch and landing pads. NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate is leveraging its portfolio of programs and industry opportunities to develop in-situ, resource capabilities to help future Moon and Mars explorers build what they need. These technologies have made exciting progress for space applications as well as some impacts right here on Earth. The Moon to Mars Planetary Autonomous Construction Technology (MMPACT) project, funded by NASA’s Game Changing Development program and managed at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, is exploring applications of large-scale, robotic 3D printing technology for construction on other planets. It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but demonstrations using simulated lunar and Martian surface material, known as regolith, show the concept could become reality. Lunar 3D printing prototype.Contour Crafting With its partners in industry and academic institutions, MMPACT is developing processing technologies for lunar and Martian construction materials. The binders for these materials, including water, could be extracted from the local regolith to reduce launch mass. The regolith itself is used as the aggregate, or granular material, for these concretes. NASA has evaluated these materials for decades, initially working with large-scale 3D printing pioneer, Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis, a professor of civil, environmental and astronautical engineering at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Khoshnevis developed techniques for large-scale extraterrestrial 3D printing under the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (*****) program. One of these processes is Contour Crafting, in which molten regolith and a binding agent are extruded from a nozzle to create infrastructure layer by layer. The process can be used to autonomously build monolithic structures like radiation shielding and rocket landing pads. Continuing to work with the ***** program, Khoshnevis also developed a 3D printing method called selective separation sintering, in which heat and pressure are applied to layers of powder to produce metallic, ceramic, or composite objects which could produce small-scale, more-precise hardware. This energy-efficient technique can be used on planetary surfaces as well as in microgravity environments like space stations to produce items including interlocking tiles and replacement parts. While NASA’s efforts are ultimately aimed at developing technologies capable of building a sustainable human presence on other worlds, Khoshnevis is also setting his sights closer to home. He has created a company called Contour Crafting Corporation that will use 3D printing techniques advanced with ***** funding to fabricate housing and other infrastructure here on Earth. Another one of NASA’s partners in additive manufacturing, ICON of Austin, Texas, is doing the same, using 3D printing techniques for home construction on Earth, with robotics, software, and advanced material. Construction is complete on a 3D-printed, 1,700-square-foot habitat that will simulate the challenges of a mission to Mars at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The habitat will be home to four intrepid crew members for a one-year Crew Health and Performance Analog, or CHAPEA, mission. The first of three missions begins in the summer of 2023. The ICON company was among the participants in NASA’s 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge, which aimed to advance the technology needed to build housing in extraterrestrial environments. In 2021, ICON used its large-scale 3D printing system to build a 1,700 square-foot simulated Martian habitat that includes crew quarters, workstations and common lounge and food preparation areas. This habitat prototype, called Mars Dune Alpha, is part of NASA’s ongoing Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog, a series of Mars surface mission simulations scheduled through 2026 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. With support from NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research program, ICON is also developing an Olympus construction system, which is designed to use local resources on the Moon and Mars as building materials. The ICON company uses a robotic 3D printing technique called Laser Vitreous Multi-material Transformation, in which high-powered lasers melt local surface materials, or regolith, that then solidify to form strong, ceramic-like structures. Regolith can similarly be transformed to create infrastructure capable of withstanding environmental hazards like corrosive lunar dust, as well as radiation and temperature extremes. The company is also characterizing the gravity-dependent properties of simulated lunar regolith in an experiment called Duneflow, which flew aboard a Blue Origin reusable suborbital rocket system through NASA’s Flight Opportunities program in February 2025. During that flight test, the vehicle simulated lunar gravity for approximately two minutes, enabling ICON and researchers from NASA to compare the behavior of simulant against real regolith obtained from the Moon during an Apollo mission. Learn more: [Hidden Content] Facebook logo @NASATechnology @NASA_Technology Keep Exploring Discover More … Space Technology Mission Directorate NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts STMD Solicitations and Opportunities Technology Share Details Last Updated May 13, 2025 EditorLoura Hall Related TermsSpace Technology Mission DirectorateNASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (*****) ProgramTechnology View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

As NASA partners with American industry to deliver science and technology payloads to the Moon, a dedicated team behind the scenes ensures every mission is grounded in strategy, compliance, and innovation. Leading that effort is Aubrie Henspeter, who advises all aspects of procurement for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative—one of the cornerstone projects supporting the Artemis campaign. Official portrait of Aubrie Henspeter. NASA/Bill Stafford With 20 years at NASA, Henspeter brings multifaceted experience to her role as CLPS procurement team lead in the Lunar & Planetary Exploration Procurement Office at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Her job is equal parts problem-solving, mentoring, and strategizing—all focused on enabling commercial partners to deliver NASA payloads to the lunar surface faster, more affordably, and more efficient than ever before. “It’s been a great experience to see the full lifecycle of a project—from soliciting requirements to launching to the Moon,” said Henspeter. “We work to continuously adjust as the lunar industry grows and improve procurement terms and conditions by incorporating lessons learned.” Henspeter leads a team of six contracting officers and contract specialists, managing workload priorities and supporting the continuity of seven commercial missions currently on contract. She also helps shape upcoming contract opportunities for future lunar deliveries, constantly seeking creative procurement strategies within a commercial firm-fixed-price framework. NASA launched the CLPS initiative in 2018 to create a faster, more flexible way to partner with commercial companies for lunar deliveries. Thirteen vendors are participating as part of a multi-award contract, each eligible to compete for individual task orders to deliver NASA science and technology payloads to the Moon. These deliveries support Artemis goals by enabling new discoveries, testing key technologies, and preparing for long-term human exploration on the lunar surface. Aubrie Henspeter receives the 2023 JSC Director’s Commendation Award from NASA Acting Associate Administrator Vanessa Wyche, right, and Johnson Space Center’s Acting Director Steve Koerner, far left, joined by her sons Elijah and Malik Merrick.NASA/James Blair In May 2023, Henspeter received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal for her leadership on CLPS from 2018–2023. For her, the recognition reflects the team’s spirit and collaboration. “I genuinely enjoy working on this project because of its lean, adaptable approach and the amazing team involved,” she said. “When all of us across NASA work together we are the most successful and can achieve our mission.” That sense of collaboration and adaptability has shaped many of the insights Henspeter has gained throughout her career—lessons she now applies daily to help the team stay aligned and prepared. One of those key lessons: always keep the contract current. “It’s all good until it isn’t, and then everyone asks—what does the contract say?” she said. “Open communication and up-to-date documentation, no matter how minor the change, are essential.” Over the course of her career, Henspeter has learned to prioritize preparation, adaptability, and strong working relationships. “Preparation in procurement is conducting thorough market research, understanding the regulations, finding the gray areas, and developing a strategy that best meets the customer’s needs,” she said. “Adaptability means staying committed to the goal while remaining open and flexible on how to get there.” That philosophy has helped her navigate everything from yearlong international contract negotiations with foreign partners to pivoting a customer from a sole-source request to a competitive procurement that ultimately saved costs and expanded opportunity. “NASA is full of brilliant people, and it can be challenging to present alternatives. But through clear communication and data-driven recommendations, we find solutions that work,” Henspeter said. NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) team members at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the launch of Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 1, including Aubrie Henspeter (second from left) and teammates Joshua Smith, LaToya Eaglin, Catherine Staggs, Shayla Martin, Tasha Beasley, Jennifer Ariens, Derek Maggard, and guests. As she looks to the Artemis Generation, Henspeter hopes to pass along a deep respect for teamwork and shared purpose. “Every contribution matters. Whether it seems big or small, it makes a difference in achieving our mission,” she said. “I take pride in my role and in being part of the NASA team.” Explore More 2 min read NASA Expands Youth Engagement With New Scouting America Agreement Article 6 days ago 5 min read NASA Progresses Toward Crewed Moon Mission with Spacecraft, Rocket Milestones Article 7 days ago 5 min read Nilufar Ramji: Shaping Johnson’s Giant Leaps Forward Article 1 week ago View the full article

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) La clase de pasantía 2025 del Centro de Investigación de Vuelo Armstrong de la NASA en Edwards, California, frente al histórico avión X-1E expuesto en el centro. De izquierda a derecha, los estudiantes: Tyler Requa, Gokul Nookula, Madeleine Phillips, Oscar Keiloht Chavez Ramirez y Nicolas Marzocchetti. NASA/Steve Freeman Read this story in English here. ¿Sueñas **** trabajar para la NASA y contribuir a la exploración y la innovación en beneficio de la humanidad? Los programas de pasantías de la agencia ofrecen a los estudiantes de secundaria y universitarios la oportunidad de avanzar en la misión de la NASA en aeronáutica, ciencia, tecnología y espacio. Claudia Sales, Kassidy McLaughlin y Julio Treviño empezaron sus carreras como pasantes en el Centro de Investigación de Vuelo Armstrong de la NASA en Edwards, California, donde siguen explorando los secretos del universo. Sus experiencias ponen de ejemplo el impacto a largo plazo de los programas STEM de la NASA. STEM es un acrónimo en inglés que hace referencia a las materias de ciencia, tecnología, ingeniería y matemáticas. Claudia Sales, ingeniera jefa interina adjunta del X-59 de la NASA y líder de certificación de navegabilidad para la aeronave de investigación supersónica silenciosa, apoya las pruebas en tierra para los vuelos de Medidas de Investigación Acústica (ARM, por su acrónimo en inglés). La campaña de pruebas para evaluar las tecnologías que reducen el ruido de las aeronaves se llevó a ***** en el Centro de Investigación de Vuelo Armstrong de la NASA en Edwards, California, en 2018.NASA/Ken Ulbrich Claudia Sales “Desde niña supe que quería trabajar para la NASA,” dijo Claudia Sales, ingeniera jefa adjunta en funciones del X-59 y líder de certificación de navegabilidad del avión supersónico silencioso experimental de la agencia. La trayectoria de Sales en la NASA comenzó en 2005 como pasante de Pathways, un programa de trabajo y estudio (cooperativo) de la NASA. Ella trabajó en las ramas de propulsión y estructuras y proyectos como el avión de investigación hipersónico X-43A (Hyper-X) y el vehículo de lanzamiento orbital reutilizable X-37, donde tuvo la oportunidad de realizar cálculos para estimaciones térmicas y análisis de trayectorias. También realizó trabajos de diseño en el taller de Fabricación Experimental de la NASA Armstrong. “Mi sueño era formar parte de proyectos de investigación en vuelos únicos,” dijo Sales. “Mi mentor fue increíble al exponerme a una amplia variedad de experiencias y trabajar en algo singular que algún día se implementará en un vehículo aéreo para hacer del mundo un lugar mejor.” Claudia Sales, ingeniera jefe interina adjunta del X-59 de la NASA y líder de certificación de aeronavegabilidad para el avión de investigación supersónico silencioso, se encuentra frente a un Gulfstream G-III, también conocido como Pruebas de Aviones de Investigación Subsónicos (SCRAT, por su acrónimo inglés). Sales apoyó las pruebas en tierra como conductor de pruebas para los vuelos de Medidas de Investigación Acústica (ARM, por su acrónimo inglés) en el Centro de Vuelos de Investigación Armstrong de la NASA en Edwards, California, en 2018. NASA/Ken Ulbrich Ingeniera de sistemas de vuelo de la NASA, Kassidy Mclaughlin lleva a ***** pruebas ambientales en una paleta de instrumentación. La paleta se utilizó durante el proyecto Campaña Nacional 2020 de la NASA en el Centro de Investigación de Vuelo Armstrong de la NASA en Edwards, California. NASA/Lauren Hughes Kassidy McLaughlin Asimismo, Kassidy McLaughlin, ingeniera de sistemas de vuelo, descubrió que la mentoría y la experiencia práctica como pasante fueron clave para su desarrollo profesional. Actualmente ella dirige el desarrollo de una estación de control terrestre en la NASA Armstrong. En la secundaria y la universidad, McLaughlin se inscribió a clases STEM, sabiendo que quería seguir una carrera en ingeniería. Animada por su madre a solicitar una pasantía en la NASA, la carrera de McLaughlin comenzó en 2014 como pasante de la Oficina de Participación STEM de la NASA Armstrong. Más adelante hizo la transición al programa Pathways. “Mi mentor me dio las herramientas necesarias y me animó a hacer preguntas,” dijo McLaughlin. “Me ayudó a ver que era capaz de cualquier cosa si me lo proponía.” Durante cinco rotaciones como pasante, ella trabajó en el proyecto Sistemas de Aeronaves no tripulados integrados en el Sistema Nacional del Espacio Aéreo (UAS in the NAS, por su acrónimo inglés). “Es una sensación muy gratificante estar en una sala de control cuando algo en lo que has trabajado está volando,” dijo McLaughlin. Esa experiencia la inspiró a seguir la carrera de ingeniería mecánica. “La NASA Armstrong ofrecía algo especial en cuanto a la gente,” dijo McLaughlin. “La cultura en el centro es muy amable y todos son muy acogedores.” Julio Treviño, ingeniero jefe de operaciones del proyecto Global Hawk SkyRange de la NASA, se para en frente de un avión F/A-18 de apoyo a misiones en el Centro de Investigación de Vuelos Armstrong de la NASA en Edwards, California. NASA/Joshua Fisher Julio Treviño Julio Treviño, ingeniero jefe de operaciones del proyecto Global Hawk SkyRange de la NASA, garantiza la navegabilidad a lo largo de las fases de planificación, integración y vuelo de sistemas y vehículos singulares. También es controlador de misión certificado, director de misión e ingeniero de pruebas de vuelo para varias aeronaves de la agencia. Al igual que McLaughlin, Treviño comenzó su carrera en 2018 como pasante de Pathway en la rama de Dinámica y Controles en la NASA Armstrong. Esa experiencia le abrió el camino hacia el éxito tras graduarse en ingeniería mecánica. “Como pasante, tuve la oportunidad de trabajar en el diseño y la creación de un modelo de batería para un avión totalmente eléctrico,” dijo Treviño. “Se publicó oficialmente como modelo de software de la NASA para que lo utilice cualquier persona en la agencia.” Treviño también reconoce la cultura y la gente de la NASA como lo mejor de su pasantía. “Tuve mentores que me apoyaron mucho durante mi tiempo como pasante, y el hecho de que todos aqui realmente amen el trabajo que hacen es increíble,” él dijo. 2025 Application Deadlines Cada año, la NASA ofrece a más de 2,000 estudiantes la oportunidad de influir en la misión de la agencia a través de pasantías. Las fechas de solicitud para el otoño de 2025 es el 16 de mayo. Para obtener más información sobre los programas de pasantías de la NASA, las fechas límite de solicitud y elegibilidad, visite [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated May 12, 2025 EditorDede DiniusContactPriscila Valdez*****@*****.tldLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related TermsNASA en español Explore More 4 min read El X-59 de la NASA completa las pruebas electromagnéticas Article 2 months ago 11 min read La NASA identifica causa de pérdida de material del escudo térmico de Orion de Artemis I Article 5 months ago 10 min read Preguntas frecuentes: La verdadera historia del cuidado de la salud de los astronautas en el espacio Article 6 months ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The 2025 internship class at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, stand in front of the historic X-1E aircraft on display at the center. From left are interns: Tyler Requa, Gokul Nookula, Madeleine Phillips, Oscar Keiloht Chavez Ramirez, and Nicolas Marzocchetti.NASA/Steve Freeman Lee esta historia en español aquí. Do you dream of working for NASA and contributing to exploration and innovation for the benefit of humanity? The agency’s internship programs provide high school and college students opportunities to advance NASA’s mission in aeronautics, science, technology, and space. Claudia Sales, Kassidy McLaughlin, and Julio Treviño started their careers as interns at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, where they continue to explore the secrets of the universe. Their journeys highlight the long-term impact of the NASA’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs. Claudia Sales, NASA’s acting X-59 deputy chief engineer and airworthiness certification lead for the quiet supersonic research aircraft, supports ground testing for Acoustic Research Measurements (ARM) flights. The test campaign to evaluate technologies that reduce aircraft noise was conducted at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, in 2018.NASA/Ken Ulbrich Claudia Sales “I knew since I was a child that I wanted to work for NASA,” said Claudia Sales, acting X-59 deputy chief engineer X-59 deputy chief engineer and airworthiness certification lead for the agency’s quiet supersonic research aircraft. Sales’ journey at NASA started in 2005 as a Pathways intern, a NASA work-study (co-op) program. She worked in propulsion and structures branches and supported such projects as the X-43A hypersonic research aircraft (Hyper-X) and the X-37 reusable orbital launch vehicle, where she had the opportunity to perform calculations for thermal estimations and trajectory analyses. She also completed design work with NASA Armstrong’s Experimental Fabrication Shop. “It had been a dream of mine to be a part of unique, one-of-a-kind flight research projects,” Sales said. “My mentor was amazing at exposing me to a wide variety of experiences and working on something unique to one day be implemented on an air vehicle to make the world a better place.” Claudia Sales, NASA’s acting X-59 deputy chief engineer and airworthiness certification lead for the quiet supersonic research aircraft, stands in front of a Gulfstream G-III, also known as Subsonic Research Aircraft Testbed (SCRAT). Sales supported ground testing as test conductor for Acoustics Research Measurements (ARM) flights at NASA’s Armstrong Research Flight Center in Edwards, California, in 2018.NASA/Ken Ulbrich NASA’s flight systems engineer, Kassidy Mclaughlin conducts environmental testing on an instrumentation pallet. The pallet was used during NASA’s National Campaign project in 2020 at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA/Lauren Hughes Kassidy McLaughlin Similarly, flight systems engineer Kassidy McLaughlin discovered that mentorship and hands-on experience as an intern were key to her professional development. She currently leads the development of a ground control station at NASA Armstrong. In high school and college, McLaughlin enrolled in STEM classes, knowing she wanted to pursue a career in engineering. Encouraged by her mother to apply for a NASA internship, McLaughlin’s career began in 2014 as an intern for NASA Armstrong’s Office of STEM Engagement. She later transitioned to the Pathways program. “My mentor gave me the tools necessary, and encouraged me to ask questions,” McLaughlin said. “He helped show me that I was capable of anything if I set my mind to it.” During five rotations as an intern, she worked on the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace System (UAS in the NAS) project. “It is such a rewarding feeling to be in a control room when something you have worked on is flying,” McLaughlin said. That experience inspired her to pursue a career in mechanical engineering. “NASA Armstrong offered something special when it came to the people,” McLaughlin said. “The culture at the center is so friendly and everyone is so welcoming.” Julio Treviño, lead operations engineer for NASA’s Global Hawk SkyRange project, stands in front of an F/A-18 mission support aircraft at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA/Joshua Fisher Julio Treviño Julio Treviño, lead operations engineer for NASA’s Global Hawk SkyRange project, ensures airworthiness throughout the planning, integration, and flight phases of unique systems and vehicles. He is also a certified mission controller, mission director, and flight test engineer for various agency aircraft. Much like McLaughlin, Treviño began his journey in 2018 as a Pathway’s intern for the Dynamic and Controls branch at NASA Armstrong. That experience paved the way for success after graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering. “As an intern, I had the opportunity to work on designing and creating a battery model for an all-electric aircraft,” Treviño said. “It was officially published as a NASA software model for use by anyone throughout the agency.” Treviño also credits NASA’s culture and people as the best part of his internship. “I had very supportive mentors throughout my time as an intern and the fact that everyone here genuinely loves the work that they do is awesome,” he said. 2025 Application Deadlines Every year, NASA provides more than 2,000 students the opportunity to impact the agency’s mission through hands-on internships. The 2025 application for fall is May 16, 2025. To learn more about NASA’s internship programs, application deadlines, and eligibility, visit [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated May 12, 2025 EditorDede DiniusContactPriscila Valdez*****@*****.tldLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related TermsArmstrong Flight Research CenterInternshipsSTEM Engagement at NASA Explore More 3 min read 5 Tips to Craft a Standout NASA Internship Application Article 7 hours ago 3 min read NASA STEM Programs Ignite Curiosity Beyond the Classroom Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read Robots, Rovers, and Regolith: NASA Brings Exploration to FIRST Robotics 2025 Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS; Image processing: Jackie Branc (CC BY) JunoCam, the visible light imager aboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft, captured this view of Jupiter’s northern high latitudes during the spacecraft’s 69th flyby of the giant planet on Jan. 28, 2025. Jupiter’s belts and zones stand out in this enhanced color rendition, along with the turbulence along their edges caused by winds going in different directions. The original JunoCam data used to produce this view was taken from an altitude of about 36,000 miles (58,000 kilometers) above Jupiter’s cloud tops. JunoCam’s raw images are available for the public to peruse and process into image products. Citizen scientist Jackie Branc processed the image. Since Juno arrived at Jupiter in 2016, it has been probing beneath the dense, forbidding clouds encircling the giant planet – the first orbiter to peer so closely. It seeks answers to questions about the origin and evolution of Jupiter, our solar system, and giant planets across the cosmos. Learn more about NASA citizen science. Image credit: Image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS; Image processing: Jackie Branc (CC BY) View the full article

Artemis II crew members, shown inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, stand in front of their Orion crew module on Aug. 8, 2023. Pictured from left are CSA (********* Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Christina Koch.Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett NASA will host a live Twitch event to highlight the ongoing Moon Mascot Challenge, which invites the public to design a zero gravity indicator for the agency’s Artemis II crewed test flight around the Moon. Viewers will have the opportunity to provide real-time input to an artist who will create an example of a zero gravity indicator during the livestream. Zero gravity indicators are small, plush items carried aboard spacecraft to provide a visual indication of when the crew reaches space. The event will begin at 3 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 13, on the agency’s official Twitch channel: [Hidden Content] The contest invites global creators of all ages to submit design ideas for a zero gravity indicator that will fly aboard the agency’s Artemis II test flight, the first crewed mission under NASA’s Artemis campaign. Up to 25 finalists, including entries from a K-12 student division, will be selected. The Artemis II crew will choose one design that NASA’s Thermal Blanket Lab will fabricate to fly alongside the crew in the Orion spacecraft. During this Twitch event, NASA experts will discuss the Moon Mascot Challenge while the artist incorporates live audience feedback into a sample design. Although the design example will not be eligible for the contest, it will demonstrate how challenge participants can develop their own zero gravity indicator designs. The example will be shared on the @NASAArtemis social media accounts following the Twitch event. The Artemis II test flight will take NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (********* Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back. The mission is another step toward missions on the lunar surface to help the agency prepare for future human missions to Mars. To learn more about NASA’s missions, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Rachel Kraft Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 rachel.h*****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated May 12, 2025 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsArtemis 2Earth's MoonExploration Systems Development Mission DirectorateSocial Media View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) This picture of Mars is a composite of several images captured by Europa Clipper’s thermal imager on March 1. Bright regions are relatively warm, with temperatures of about 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius). Darker areas are colder. The darkest region at the top is the northern polar cap and is about minus 190 F (minus 125 C).NASA/JPL-Caltech/**** Headed for Jupiter’s moon Europa, the spacecraft did some sightseeing, using a flyby of Mars to calibrate its infrared imaging instrument. On its recent swing by Mars, NASA’s Europa Clipper took the opportunity to capture infrared images of the Red Planet. The data will help mission scientists calibrate the spacecraft’s thermal imaging instrument so they can be sure it’s operating correctly when Europa Clipper arrives at the Jupiter system in 2030. The mission’s sights are set on Jupiter’s moon Europa and the global ocean hidden under its icy surface. A year after slipping into orbit around Jupiter, Europa Clipper will begin a series of 49 close flybys of the moon to investigate whether it holds conditions suitable for life. A key element of that investigation will be thermal imaging — global scans of Europa that map temperatures to shed light on how active the surface is. Infrared imaging will reveal how much heat is being emitted from the moon; warmer areas of the ice give off more energy and indicate recent activity. The imaging also will tell scientists where the ocean is closest to the surface. Europa is crisscrossed by dramatic ridges and fractures, which scientists believe are caused by ocean convection pulling apart the icy crust and water rising up to fill the gaps. This picture of Mars is a colorized composite of several images captured by Europa Clipper’s thermal imager. Warm colors represent relatively warm temperatures; red areas are about 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius), and purple regions are about minus 190 F (minus 125 C).NASA/JPL-Caltech/**** “We want to measure the temperature of those features,” said Arizona State University’s Phil Christensen, principal investigator of Europa Clipper’s infrared camera, called the Europa Thermal Imaging System (E-THEMIS). “If Europa is a really active place, those fractures will be warmer than the surrounding ice where the ocean comes close to the surface. Or if water erupted onto the surface hundreds to thousands of years ago, then those surfaces could still be relatively warm.” Why Mars On March 1, Europa Clipper flew just 550 miles (884 kilometers) above the surface of Mars in order to use the planet’s gravitational pull to reshape the spacecraft’s trajectory. Ultimately, the assist will get the mission to Jupiter faster than if it made a beeline for the gas giant, but the flyby also offered a critical opportunity for Europa Clipper to test E-THEMIS. For about 18 minutes on March 1, the instrument captured one image per second, yielding more than a thousand grayscale pictures that were transmitted to Earth starting on May 5. After compiling these images into a global snapshot of Mars, scientists applied color, using hues with familiar associations: Warm areas are depicted in red, while colder areas are shown as blue. By comparing E-THEMIS images with those made from established Mars data, scientists can judge how well the instrument is working. “We wanted no surprises in these new images,” Christensen said. “The goal was to capture imagery of a planetary body we know extraordinarily well and make sure the dataset looks exactly the way it should, based on 20 years of instruments documenting Mars.” NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter, launched in 2001, carries a sister instrument named THEMIS that has been capturing its own thermal images of the Red Planet for decades. To be extra thorough, the Odyssey team collected thermal images of Mars before, during, and after Europa Clipper’s flyby so that Europa scientists can compare the visuals as an additional gauge of how well E-THEMIS is calibrated. Europa Clipper also took advantage of the close proximity to Mars to test all the components of its radar instrument in unison for the first time. The radar antennas and the wavelengths they produce are so long that it wasn’t possible for engineers to can do that in a clean room before launch. The radar data will be returned and analyzed in the coming weeks and months, but preliminary assessments of the real-time telemetry indicate that the test went well. To leverage the flyby even further, the science team took the opportunity to ensure that the spacecraft’s telecommunication equipment will be able to conduct gravity experiments at Europa. By transmitting signals to Earth while passing through Mars’ gravity field, they were able to confirm that a similar operation is expected to work at Europa. Europa Clipper launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 14, 2024, via a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, embarking on a 1.8 billion-mile (2.9 billion-kilometer) journey to Jupiter, which is five times farther from the Sun than Earth is. Now that the probe has harnessed the gravity of Mars, its next gravity assist will be from Earth in 2026. More About Europa Clipper Europa Clipper’s three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon’s icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission’s detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet. Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California leads the development of the Europa Clipper mission in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. APL designed the main spacecraft body in collaboration with JPL and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The Planetary Missions Program Office at NASA Marshall executes program management of the Europa Clipper mission. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at NASA Kennedy, managed the launch service for the Europa Clipper spacecraft. Find more information about Europa Clipper here: Europa Clipper News Media Contacts Gretchen McCartney Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-287-4115 gretchen.p*****@*****.tld Karen Fox / Molly Wasser NASA Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld 2025-065 Share Details Last Updated May 12, 2025 Related TermsEuropa ClipperEuropaJet Propulsion LaboratoryMars Explore More 3 min read Dave Gallagher Named 11th Director of JPL as Laurie Leshin Steps Down Article 5 days ago 6 min read NASA’s SPHEREx Space Telescope Begins Capturing Entire Sky Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read Robots, Rovers, and Regolith: NASA Brings Exploration to FIRST Robotics 2025 Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

The NASA Ames Science Directorate recognizes the outstanding contributions of (pictured left to right) Dennis Leveson-Gower and Laura Iraci. Their commitment to the NASA mission represents the entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise, and collaborative disposition needed to explore this world and beyond. Space Biosciences Star: Dennis Leveson-Gower Dennis Leveson-Gower, Assistant Branch Chief of Bioengineering, has contributed to numerous projects and payloads within the Space Biosciences Division since 2012. He is recognized for exceptional leadership, operational excellence, and strategic collaboration that have advanced the Bioengineering Branch and strengthened partnerships with commercial spaceflight organizations. Earth Science Star: Laura Iraci Laura Iraci is a Senior Research Scientist in the Atmospheric Science Branch. She is recognized for her outstanding scientific leadership and her impactful role as a mentor. As head of the Trace Gas Group, Laura develops and deploys custom atmospheric sampling and remote sensing instrumentation for critical NASA suborbital and spaceflight missions, including major airborne science field campaigns. She is equally dedicated to mentoring early-career researchers, with many advancing into highly productive staff positions at NASA. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Four NASA interns pose in front of the NASA Pavilion at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, an annual airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.NASA A NASA internship provides a stellar opportunity to launch your future as part of America’s aerospace workforce. NASA interns take on meaningful work and contribute to exciting agency projects with the guidance of a supportive mentor. The internship program regularly ranks as the nation’s most prestigious and competition is steep: in fiscal year 2024, NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement selected nearly 1,800 interns out of 38,000 applicants. To give you the best shot at a NASA internship, we’ve compiled a list of tips mentors say can make an application stand out from the crowd. It is NASA’s mentors who create internship project descriptions, review applications, and take the lead in choosing candidates to work on their specific internship projects. Here’s what they had to say: 1. Your personal statement is your chance to make a lasting impression. Mentors pay close attention to personal statements to identify the best candidate for their project and team. A powerful personal statement combines core content, such as personal background and goals, with content tailored to the needs of the project. NASA mentors are looking for interns who will enjoy the work and fit in with the team culture. Beyond your academic background, grades, and interests, this is your chance to share your curiosity, enthusiasm, passion, or resilience. Show us who you are and what you can do! 2. Show off your academic achievements. Mentors love to see what academic expertise and hands-on experience you can bring to the internship project. Your resume, transcripts, grade point average, coursework, research, academic projects, awards, and accomplishments are valuable highlights in your application. 3. Tell us about your extracurriculars, too! Who are you outside the classroom? Mentors like to see well-rounded candidates whose interests take them beyond their chosen academic and career path. Include any extracurricular activities you participate in, such as a club or team at school or an organization in your community. Whether you’re involved in a local rocketry club, a school athletic team, or a music ensemble, these pursuits may demonstrate academic skills or soft skills such as collaboration. Shared hobbies can also be a great point of personal connection with a future mentor. 4. Include as many of your skills as possible. You have valuable skills you can bring to an internship project! These could be technical skills, such as experience with specific tools or computer programming languages, and non-technical skills, which may include communications skills or leadership experience. Mentors search for skills that meet their project requirements, so the more of your skills you share on your application, the better your chances of matching with the role. 5. Give yourself a chance. Don’t count yourself out before you get started! If you have a passion for spaceflight or aviation, it’s worth applying for a NASA internship – even if you’re not a math, science, engineering, or technology major. That’s because NASA achieves its exploration goals with the support of a nationwide team with a wide variety of skills: communicators, creatives, business specialists, legal experts, and so many more. Take a look at NASA’s internship opportunities and you’ll find projects in many of these fields. Yes, competition is fierce. But someone is going to land that internship – and that person could be you. Learn More Check eligibility requirements, see current deadlines, and launch your internship journey at [Hidden Content]. Federal resumes don’t need to be limited to one page. Click here to find NASA resume tips. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Explore Webb Webb News Latest News Latest Images Webb’s Blog Awards X (offsite – login reqd) Instagram (offsite – login reqd) Facebook (offsite- login reqd) Youtube (offsite) Overview About Who is James Webb? Fact Sheet Impacts+Benefits FAQ Science Overview and Goals Early Universe Galaxies Over Time Star Lifecycle Other Worlds Observatory Overview Launch Deployment Orbit Mirrors Sunshield Instrument: NIRCam Instrument: MIRI Instrument: NIRSpec Instrument: FGS/NIRISS Optical Telescope Element Backplane Spacecraft Bus Instrument Module Multimedia About Webb Images Images Videos What is Webb Observing? 3d Webb in 3d Solar System Podcasts Webb Image Sonifications Team International Team People Of Webb More For the Media For Scientists For Educators For Fun/Learning 5 Min Read NASA’s Webb Reveals New Details, Mysteries in Jupiter’s Aurora NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured new details of the auroras on our solar system’s largest planet. The dancing lights observed on Jupiter are hundreds of times brighter than those seen on Earth. Full image below. Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, Jonathan Nichols (University of Leicester), Mahdi Zamani (ESA/Webb) NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured new details of the auroras on our solar system’s largest planet. The dancing lights observed on Jupiter are hundreds of times brighter than those seen on Earth. With Webb’s advanced sensitivity, astronomers have studied the phenomena to better understand Jupiter’s magnetosphere. Auroras are created when high-energy particles enter a planet’s atmosphere near its magnetic poles and collide with atoms or molecules of gas. On Earth these are known as the Northern and Southern Lights. Not only are the auroras on Jupiter huge in size, they are also hundreds of times more energetic than those in Earth’s atmosphere. Earth’s auroras are caused by solar storms — when charged particles from the Sun rain down on the upper atmosphere, energize gases, and cause them to glow in shades of red, green and purple. Image A: Close-up Observations of Auroras on Jupiter NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured new details of the auroras on our solar system’s largest planet. The dancing lights observed on Jupiter are hundreds of times brighter than those seen on Earth. These observations of Jupiter’s auroras, taken at a wavelength of 3.36 microns (F335M) were captured with Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) on Dec. 25, 2023. Scientists found that the emission from trihydrogen cation, known as H3+, is far more variable than previously believed. H3+ is created by the impact of high energy electrons on molecular hydrogen. Because this emission shines brightly in the infrared, Webb’s instruments are well equipped to observe it. NASA, ESA, CSA, Jonathan Nichols (University of Leicester), Mahdi Zamani (ESA/Webb) Jupiter has an additional source for its auroras: The strong magnetic field of the gas giant grabs charged particles from its surroundings. This includes not only the charged particles within the solar wind but also the particles thrown into space by its orbiting moon Io, known for its numerous and large volcanoes. Io’s volcanoes spew particles that escape the moon’s gravity and orbit Jupiter. A barrage of charged particles unleashed by the Sun also reaches the planet. Jupiter’s large and powerful magnetic field captures all of the charged particles and accelerates them to tremendous speeds. These speedy particles slam into the planet’s atmosphere at high energies, which excites the gas and causes it to glow. Image B: Pullout of Aurora Observations on Jupiter (NIRCam Image) These observations of Jupiter’s auroras (shown on the left of the above image) at 3.35 microns (F335M) were captured with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) on Dec. 25, 2023. Scientists found that the emission from trihydrogen cation, known as H3+, is far more variable than previously believed. H3+ is created by the impact of high energy electrons on molecular hydrogen. Because this emission shines brightly in the infrared, Webb’s instruments are well equipped to observe it. The image on the right shows the planet Jupiter to indicate the location of the observed auroras, which was originally published in 2023. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Ricardo Hueso (UPV), Imke de Pater (UC Berkeley), Thierry Fouchet (Observatory of Paris), Leigh Fletcher (University of Leicester), Michael H. Wong (UC Berkeley), Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Jonathan Nichols (University of Leicester), Mahdi Zamani (ESA/Webb) Now, Webb’s unique capabilities are providing new insights into the auroras on Jupiter. The telescope’s sensitivity allows astronomers to capture fast-varying auroral features. New data was captured with Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) Dec. 25, 2023, by a team of scientists led by Jonathan Nichols from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. “What a Christmas present it was – it just blew me away!” shared Nichols. “We wanted to see how quickly the auroras change, expecting them to fade in and out ponderously, perhaps over a quarter of an hour or so. Instead, we observed the whole auroral region fizzing and popping with light, sometimes varying by the second.” In particular, the team studied emission from the trihydrogen cation (H3+), which can be created in auroras. They found that this emission is far more variable than previously believed. The observations will help develop scientists’ understanding of how Jupiter’s upper atmosphere is heated and cooled. The team also uncovered some unexplained observations in their data. “What made these observations even more special is that we also took pictures simultaneously in the ultraviolet with NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope,” added Nichols. “Bizarrely, the brightest light observed by Webb had no real counterpart in Hubble’s pictures. This has left us scratching our heads. In order to cause the combination of brightness seen by both Webb and Hubble, we need to have a combination of high quantities of very low-energy particles hitting the atmosphere, which was previously thought to be impossible. We still don’t understand how this happens.” Video: Webb Captures Jupiter’s Aurora NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured a spectacular light show on Jupiter — an enormous display of auroras unlike anything seen on Earth. These infrared observations reveal unexpected activity in Jupiter’s atmosphere, challenging what scientists thought they knew about the planet’s magnetic field and particle interactions. Combined with ultraviolet data from Hubble, the results have raised surprising new questions about Jupiter’s extreme environment. Producer: Paul Morris. Writer: Thaddeus Cesari. Narrator: Professor Jonathan Nichols. Images: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI. Music Credit: “Zero Gravity” by Brice Davoli [SACEM] via Koka Media [SACEM], Universal Production Music France [SACEM], and Universal Production Music. The team now plans to study this discrepancy between the Hubble and Webb data and to explore the wider implications for Jupiter’s atmosphere and space environment. They also intend to follow up this research with more Webb observations, which they can compare with data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft to better explore the cause of the enigmatic bright emission. These results were published today in the journal Nature Communications. The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (********* Space Agency). To learn more about Webb, visit: [Hidden Content] Downloads Click any image to open a larger version. View/Download all image products at all resolutions for this article from the Space Telescope Science Institute. View/Download the research results from the journal Nature Communications. Media Contacts Laura Betz – laura.e*****@*****.tld NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Bethany Downer – *****@*****.tld ESA/Webb, Baltimore, Md. Christine Pulliam – *****@*****.tld Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md. Related Information Read more: NASA’s Webb Captures Neptune’s Auroras for the First Time More Webb News More Webb Images Webb Science Themes Webb Mission Page Related For Kids What is the Webb Telescope? SpacePlace for Kids En Español Ciencia de la NASA NASA en español Space Place para niños Keep Exploring Related Topics James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… Jupiter What Is the Solar Wind? Juno NASA’s Juno spacecraft has explored Jupiter, its moons, and rings since 2016, gathering breakthrough science and breathtaking imagery. Share Details Last Updated May 12, 2025 Editor Marty McCoy Contact Laura Betz laura.e*****@*****.tld Related Terms James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Astrophysics Goddard Space Flight Center Jupiter Planets Science & Research The Solar System View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

NASA/Charles Beason Students from the University of Massachusetts Amherst team carry their high-powered rocket toward the launch pad at NASA’s 2025 Student Launch launch day competition in Toney, Alabama, on April 4, 2025. More than 980 middle school, high school, and college students from across the nation launched more than 40 high-powered amateur rockets just north of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. This year marked the 25th anniversary of the competition. To compete, students follow the NASA engineering design lifecycle by going through a series of reviews for nine months leading up to launch day. Each year, a payload challenge is issued to the university teams, and this year’s task focused on communication. Teams were required to have “reports” from STEMnauts, non-living objects inside their rocket, that had to relay real-time data to the student team’s mission control. This Artemis Student Challenge took inspiration from the agency’s Artemis missions, where NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefit, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. See highlights from the 2025 Student Launch. Text credit: NASA/Janet Sudnik Image credit: NASA/Charles Beason View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

6 min read What NASA Is Learning from the Biggest Geomagnetic Storm in 20 Years One year on, NASA scientists are still making huge discoveries about the largest geomagnetic storm to hit Earth in two decades, the Gannon storm. The findings are helping us better understand and prepare for the ways in which the Sun’s activity can affect us. On May 10, 2024, the first G5 or “severe” geomagnetic storm in over two decades hit Earth. The event did not cause any catastrophic damages, but it did produce surprising effects on Earth. The storm, which has been called the best-documented geomagnetic storm in history, spread auroras to unusually low latitudes and produced effects spanning from the ground to near-Earth space. Data captured during this historic event will be analyzed for years to come, revealing new lessons about the nature of geomagnetic storms and how best to weather them. Credit: NASA/Joy Ng One year ago today, representatives from NASA and about 30 other U.S. government agencies gathered for a special meeting to simulate and address a threat looming in space. The threat was not an asteroid or aliens, but our very own life-giving Sun. The inaugural Space Weather Tabletop Exercise was supposed to be a training event, where experts could work through the real-time ramifications of a geomagnetic storm, a global disruption to Earth’s magnetic field. Driven by solar eruptions, geomagnetic storms can decimate satellites, overload electrical grids, and expose astronauts to dangerous radiation. Minimizing the impacts of such storms requires close coordination, and this meeting was their chance to practice. Then, their simulation turned into reality. “The plan was to run through a hypothetical scenario, finding where our existing processes worked and where they needed improvement,” said Jamie Favors, director of NASA’s Space Weather Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “But then our hypothetical scenario was interrupted by a very real one.” On May 10, 2024, the first G5 or “severe” geomagnetic storm in over two decades hit Earth. The event, named the Gannon storm in memory of leading space weather physicist Jennifer Gannon, did not cause any catastrophic damages. But a year on, key insights from the Gannon storm are helping us understand and prepare for future geomagnetic storms. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of the Sun on May 7, 2024, in extreme ultraviolet light (at a wavelength of 304 Ångstroms). At center, the active region that instigated the Gannon storm stretches approximately 17 times the size of Earth. (A scaled image of Earth is inset for size reference.) In early May 2024, the active region released a chain of powerful solar eruptions, including several coronal mass ejections, or CMEs — giant clouds of solar particles — that merged to form a superstorm that reached Earth on May 10. Ahead of the storm, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, issued its first severe geomagnetic storm watch in almost two decades. NASA/Helioviewer Storm Consequences The Gannon storm had effects on and off our planet. On the ground, some high-voltage lines tripped, transformers overheated, and GPS-guided tractors veered off-course in the Midwestern U.S., further disrupting planting that had already been delayed by heavy rains that spring. Some modern tractors use GPS to help farmers plant efficiently and maximize crop yields. During the Gannon storm in May 2024, however, certain GPS-guided tractor models veered off course or stopped working, disrupting or delaying planting for many U.S. farmers. Storyblocks “Not all farms were affected, but those that were lost on average about $17,000 per farm,” said Terry Griffin, a professor of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University. “It’s not catastrophic, but they’ll miss it.” In the air, the threat of higher radiation exposure, as well as communication and navigation losses, forced trans-Atlantic flights to change course. May 11, 2024 May 18, 2024 May 11, 2024May 18, 2024 May 11, 2024 May 18, 2024 Before and After Trans-Atlantic Flights Rerouted during Gannon Storm May 11, 2024 – May 18, 2024 CurtainToggle2-Up Image Details During the Gannon storm on May 10 and 11, 2024, many trans-Atlantic flights took more southerly routes across the ocean to avoid the risk of higher radiation for passengers and crew, as well as to avoid potential communication and navigation losses closer to the North Pole. The first image shows a snapshot of flight patterns on May 11, 2024, at 3:30 UTC (11:30 p.m. EDT on May 10) during the Gannon storm, when flights were redirected to more southern routes. The second image shows the flight patterns one week later, on May 18, 2024, at 3:30 UTC as flights followed their typical route. Credit: Flightradar24 During the storm, Earth’s upper atmospheric layer called the thermosphere heated to unusually high temperatures. At 100 miles altitude, the temperature typically peaks at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, but during the storm it surpassed 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. NASA’s GOLD (Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk) mission observed the atmosphere expanding from the heat to create a strong wind that lofted heavy nitrogen particles higher. The unique swirls in this image of GOLD data, show the ratio of lighter oxygen to nitrogen — a key atmospheric indicator — that exhibited a previously unseen structure in Earth’s thermosphere. Evans et al. 2024 In orbit, the expanded atmosphere increased drag on thousands of satellites. NASA’s ICESat-2 lost altitude and entered safe mode while NASA’s Colorado Inner Radiation Belt Experiment (CIRBE) CubeSat deorbited prematurely five months after the storm. Others, such as the European Space Agency’s Sentinel mission, required more power to maintain their orbits and perform maneuvers to avoid collisions with space debris. The storm also dramatically changed the structure of an atmospheric layer called the ionosphere. A dense zone of the ionosphere that normally covers the equator at night dipped toward the South Pole in a check mark shape, causing a temporary gap near the equator. The Gannon storm also rocked Earth’s magnetosphere, the magnetic bubble surrounding the planet. Data from NASA missions MMS (Magnetospheric Multiscale) and THEMIS-ARTEMIS — short for Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions-Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction with the Sun — saw giant, curling waves of particles and rolled-up magnetic fields along the edge of the CMEs. These waves were perfectly sized to periodically dump extra magnetic energy and mass into the magnetosphere upon impact, creating the largest electrical current seen in the magnetosphere in 20 years. Incoming energy and particles from the Sun also created two new temporary belts of energetic particles within the magnetosphere. Discovered by CIRBE, these belts formed between the Van Allen radiation belts that permanently surround Earth. The belt’s discovery is important to spacecraft and astronauts that can be imperiled by high-energy electrons and protons in the belts. The Gannon storm created two extra radiation belts, sandwiched between the two permanent Van Allen Belts. One of the new belts, shown in purple, included a population of protons, giving it a unique composition that hadn’t been seen before. The discovery of the new belts is particularly important for protecting spacecraft launching into geostationary orbits, since they travel through the Van Allen Belts several times before reaching their final orbit. NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/Kristen Perrin Unusual Auroras The storm also ignited auroras around the globe, including places where these celestial light shows are rare. NASA’s Aurorasaurus project was flooded with more than 6,000 observer reports from over 55 countries and all seven continents. Photographers helped scientists understand why auroras observed throughout Japan were magenta rather than the typical red. Researchers studied hundreds of photos and found the auroras were surprisingly high — around 600 miles above the ground (200 miles higher than red auroras typically appear). In Japan, where it’s typical to see red auroras, numerous skywatchers captured photos of unusual magenta auroras instead. With the help of hundreds of photos like this one shared via social media, researchers found the magenta auroras were exceptionally high — around 600 miles above the ground (compared to a typical maximum height of 400 miles for red auroras, which are usually the highest). KAGAYA In a paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, the research team says the peculiar color likely resulted from a mix of red and blue auroras, produced by oxygen and nitrogen molecules lofted higher than usual as the Gannon storm heated and expanded the upper atmosphere. “It typically needs some special circumstances, like we saw last May,” co-author Josh Pettit of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center said of Japan’s magenta auroras. “A very unique event indeed.” Learn how auroras form and why they have different colors Otherworldly Effects Impacts of the Sun’s amped-up solar activity didn’t end at Earth. The solar active region that sparked the Gannon storm eventually rotated away from our planet and redirected its outbursts toward Mars. As energetic particles from the Sun struck the Martian atmosphere, NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) orbiter watched auroras engulf the Red Planet from May 14 to 20. The purple color in this animated GIF shows auroras across Mars’ nightside as detected by the Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph instrument aboard NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) orbiter. The brighter the purple, the more auroras were present. MAVEN took these images between May 14 and 20, 2024, as energetic particles from a solar storm were arriving at Mars. The sequence pauses at the end, when the most energetic particles arrived and overwhelmed the instrument with noise. MAVEN made the observations as it orbited below Mars, looking up at the nightside of the planet. (Mars’ south pole can be seen on the right, in full sunlight.) NASA/University of Colorado/LASP Solar particles overwhelmed the star camera on NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter (which uses stars to orient the spacecraft), causing the camera to cut out for almost an hour. On the Martian surface, images from the navigation cameras on NASA’s Curiosity rover were freckled with “snow” — streaks and specks caused by charged particles. Meanwhile, Curiosity’s Radiation Assessment Detector recorded the biggest surge of radiation since the rover landed in 2012. If astronauts had been there, they would have received a radiation dose of 8,100 micrograys — equivalent to 30 chest X-rays. Read more about the effects on Mars The specks in this image sequence were caused by charged particles from the Sun hitting one of the navigation cameras aboard NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover on May 20, 2024. The sequence also shows the effects of a wind gust that happened to occur at the same time on the Martian surface. NASA/JPL-Caltech Still More to Come The Gannon storm spread auroras to unusually low latitudes and has been called the best-documented geomagnetic storm in history. A year on, we have just begun unraveling its story. Data captured during this historic event will be analyzed for years to come, revealing new lessons about the nature of geomagnetic storms and how best to weather them. By Mara Johnson-Groh, Miles Hatfield, and Vanessa Thomas NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Share Details Last Updated May 09, 2025 Related Terms Heliophysics Auroras Curiosity (Rover) Earth’s Magnetic Field Goddard Space Flight Center GOLD (Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk) Heliophysics Division Magnetosphere Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) Mars Odyssey MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) NASA Centers & Facilities NASA Directorates Science & Research Science Mission Directorate Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) The Solar System The Sun THEMIS-ARTEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions During Substorms – Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of Moon’s Interaction with the Sun) Explore More 3 min read NASA Study Reveals Venus Crust Surprise New details about the crust on Venus include some surprises about the geology of Earth’s… Article 5 hours ago 2 min read Hubble Comes Face-to-Face with Spiral’s Arms Article 9 hours ago 7 min read NASA’s Hubble Pinpoints Roaming Massive ****** Hole Article 1 day ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio Mosaics More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions Mars Home 2 min read Sols 4534-4535: Last Call for the Layered Sulfates? (West of Texoli Butte, Headed West) NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Left Navigation Camera on May 6, 2025 — Sol 4532, Martian day 4,532 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — at 20:46:30 UTC. Written by Lucy Lim, Planetary Scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Earth planning date: Wednesday, May 7, 2025 The drive from the Monday plan brought Curiosity up next to a geomorphic contact visible in the orbital data (from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE imager). To the east of the contact are the layered sulfates that Curiosity has been driving through ever since climbing out of the Gediz Vallis channel, with a relatively rough surface texture; to the west this rougher texture gives way to a smoother-appearing surface cross-cut at a large scale with the rectilinear “boxwork” features. We are looking forward to seeing what this change looks like from a rover’s-eye view in the drives to come! For today’s science plan, the contact is not quite in reach of most of the rover’s instruments, so in the workspace we are focusing on collecting our last observations of the previous unit of layered sulfates. As we saw in the Sol 4532 workspace, many nearby blocks are honeycombed with polygonal fractures. However, this time the geochemical measurements from the APXS and ChemCam LIBS were co-targeted on a smooth brushable target, “Chumash,” which will also be documented in high-resolution imaging by MAHLI. The DRT brush will ensure that measurements of lighter elements such as sodium and magnesium by APXS are representative of the underlying bedrock, rather than the dusty layer on top. The brush will also give MAHLI a better view of the block and a chance to characterize the grain size of these sedimentary rocks. The long-distance ChemCam remote-imaging mosaic in this plan is targeting a scour feature on the Texoli butte behind us, likely representing ancient wind events that took place near the time these layers were being deposited. The sulfate/boxwork unit contact ahead of us will be imaged in a stereo mosaic by Mastcam. Smaller mosaics will cover some of the polygonal “honeycomb” features in nearby bedrock blocks and troughs in the regolith. After making all these observations, the rover will drive across the contact. The second, post-drive sol will include several untargeted and automatically targeted observations. The AEGIS algorithm will provide a LIBS geochemical observation by ChemCam and the modern Martian environment will be monitored with camera measurements of cloud altitudes and atmospheric opacity, as well as the usual passive sensing from REMS and DAN. Share Details Last Updated May 09, 2025 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 2 min read Sols 4532-4533: Polygon Heaven Article 1 day ago 4 min read Sols 4529-4531: Honeycombs and Waffles… on Mars! Article 4 days ago 2 min read Searching for Spherules to Sample Article 4 days 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 For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

NASA astronauts Anne McClain (bottom) and Nichole Ayers (top), both Expedition 73 Flight Engineers, checkout spacesuit hardware in the Quest airlock and review procedures for a May 1 spacewalk. Credit: NASA Johnson Space Center NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain will answer prerecorded questions about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics from students in Bethpage, New York. The two astronauts are currently aboard the International Space Station. Watch the 20-minute Earth-to-space call at 12:45 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 16, on the NASA STEM YouTube Channel. Media interested in covering the event must RSVP no later than 5 p.m., Tuesday, May 13, by contacting Francesca Russell at: *****@*****.tld or 516-644-4330. The event is hosted by Central Boulevard Elementary School. As part of the call, students will highlight their year-long reading program, “Reading is a Blast-Exploring a Universe of Stories.” For more than 24 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network. Important research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and lays the groundwork for other agency missions. As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars; inspiring Artemis Generation explorers and ensuring the United States continues to lead in space exploration and discovery. See videos of astronauts aboard the space station at: [Hidden Content] -end- Gerelle Dodson Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 gerelle.q*****@*****.tld Sandra Jones Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 sandra.p*****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated May 09, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNASA HeadquartersInternational Space Station (ISS)Johnson Space Center View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Students from Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne, Florida, visited the Prototype Development Laboratory at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, April 28, 2025. The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) participants are interested in technical trades and had the chance to hear from technicians at the Prototype Development Laboratory who design, fabricate, and evaluate protypes, test articles, and test support equipment. NASA Kennedy’s Office of STEM Engagement provides opportunities to attract, engage, and enable students seeking careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. “My technical training in high school plays a huge role in the work I do every day in the Prototype Laboratory,” said Spencer Wells, mechanical engineering technician at Prototype Development Laboratory. “If it weren’t for that training, I’m convinced I wouldn’t be here at NASA.” Some of the participants also have worked on a project to design and build a wheel for a lunar excavator demonstration mission as part of the NASA HUNCH program, an instructional partnership between NASA and educational institutions. Image credit: NASA/Frank Michaux View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) When most people think of NASA, they picture rockets, astronauts, and the Moon. But behind the scenes, a group of inventors is quietly rewriting the rules of what’s possible — on Earth, in orbit, and beyond. Their groundbreaking inventions eventually become technology available for industry, helping to shape new products and services that improve life around the globe. For their contributions to NASA technology, we welcome four new inductees into the 2024-2025 NASA Inventors Hall of Fame A robot for space and the workplace Myron (Ron) Diftler led the team behind Robonaut 2 (R2), a humanoid robot developed with General Motors. The goal was to create a robot that could help humans both in space and on the factory floor. The R2 robot became the first humanoid robot in space aboard the International Space Station, and part of its technology was licensed for use on Earth, leading to a grip-strengthening robotic glove to help humans with strenuous, repetitive tasks. From factories to space exploration, Diftler’s work has real-world impact. Some of the toughest electronic chips on and off Earth Technology developed to one day explore the surface of Venus has to be tough enough to survive the planet where temperatures hit 860°F and the atmosphere is akin to battery acid. Philip Neudeck’s silicon carbide integrated circuits don’t just work — they ran for over 60 days in simulated Venus-like conditions. On Earth, these chips can boost efficiency in wireless communication systems, help make drilling for oil safer, and enable more practical electric vehicles. From developing harder chip materials to unlocking new planetary missions, Neudeck is proving that the future of electronics isn’t just about speed — it’s about survival. Hydrogen sensors that could go the distance on other worlds Gary Hunter helped develop a hydrogen sensor so advanced it’s being considered for a future mission to Titan, Saturn’s icy moon. These and a range of other sensors he’s helped developed have applications that go beyond space exploration, such as factory floors here on Earth. With new missions on the horizon and smarter sensors in development, Hunter is still pushing the boundaries of what NASA technology can do. Whether it’s Titan, the surface of Venus, or somewhere we haven’t dreamed of yet, this work could help shape the way to get there. Advanced materials research to make travel safer Advanced materials, such as foams and composites, are key to unlocking the next generation of manufacturing. From space exploration to industry, Erik Weiser spent years contributing his expertise to the development of polymers, ceramics, metals, nanomaterials, and more. He is named on more than 20 patents. During this time, he provided his foam expertise to the Space Shuttle Columbia accident investigation, the Shuttle Discovery Return-to-Flight Investigation and numerous teams geared toward improving the safety of the shuttle. Today, Weiser serves as director of the Facilities and Real Estate Division at NASA Headquarters, overseeing the foundation of NASA’s missions. Whether it’s advancing research or optimizing real estate across the agency, he’s helping launch the future, one facility at a time. Want to learn more about NASA’s game changing innovations? Visit the NASA Inventors Hall of Fame. Read More Share Details Last Updated May 09, 2025 Related TermsTechnologyTechnology TransferTechnology Transfer & Spinoffs Explore More 3 min read Key Portion of NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Clears Thermal Vacuum Test Article 2 days ago 4 min read NASA Enables SPHEREx Data Return Through Commercial Partnership Article 3 days ago 6 min read NASA Data Helps Map Tiny Plankton That Feed Giant Right Whales In the waters off New England, one of Earth’s rarest mammals swims slowly, mouth agape.… Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

3 min read NASA Study Reveals Venus Crust Surprise This global view of the surface of Venus is centered at 180 degrees east longitude. Magellan synthetic aperture radar mosaics from the first cycle of Magellan mapping are mapped onto a computer-simulated globe to create this image. Data gaps are filled with Pioneer Venus Orbiter data, or a constant mid-range value. Simulated color is used to enhance small-scale structure. The simulated hues are based on color images recorded by the Soviet Venera 13 and 14 spacecraft. NASA/JPL-Caltech New details about the crust on Venus include some surprises about the geology of Earth’s hotter twin, according to new NASA-funded research that describes movements of the planet’s crust. Scientists expected the outermost layer of Venus’ crust would grow thicker and thicker over time given its apparent lack of forces that would drive the crust back into the planet’s interior. But the paper, published in Nature Communications, proposes a crust metamorphism process based on rock density and melting cycles. Earth’s rocky crust is made up of massive plates that slowly move, forming folds and faults in a process known as plate tectonics. For example, when two plates collide, the lighter plate slides on top of the denser one, forcing it downward into the layer beneath it, the mantle. This process, known as subduction, helps control the thickness of Earth’s crust. The rocks making up the bottom plate experience changes caused by increasing temperature and pressure as it sinks deeper into the interior of the planet. Those changes are known as metamorphism, which is one cause of volcanic activity. In contrast, Venus has a crust that is all one piece, with no evidence for subduction caused by plate tectonics like on Earth, explained Justin Filiberto, deputy chief of NASA’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and a co-author on the paper. The paper used modeling to determine that its crust is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) thick on average and at most 40 miles (65 kilometers) thick. “That is surprisingly thin, given conditions on the planet,” said Filiberto. “It turns out that, according to our models, as the crust grows thicker, the bottom of it becomes so dense that it either breaks off and becomes part of the mantle or gets hot enough to melt.” So, while Venus has no moving plates, its crust does experience metamorphism. This finding is an important step toward understanding geological processes and evolution of the planet. “This breaking off or melting can put water and elements back into the planet’s interior and help drive volcanic activity,” added Filiberto. “This gives us a new model for how material returns to the interior of the planet and another way to make lava and spur volcanic eruptions. It resets the playing field for how the geology, crust, and atmosphere on Venus work together.” The next step, he added, is to gather direct data about Venus’ crust to test and refine these models. Several upcoming missions, including NASA’s DAVINCI (Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging) and VERITAS (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy) and, in partnership with ESA (European Space Agency), Envision, aim to study the planet’s surface and atmosphere in greater detail. These efforts could help confirm whether processes like metamorphism and recycling are actively shaping the Venusian crust today—and reveal how such activity may be tied to volcanic and atmospheric evolution. “We don’t actually know how much volcanic activity is on Venus,” Filiberto said. “We assume there is a lot, and research says there should be, but we’d need more data to know for sure.” Melissa Gaskill NASA Johnson Space Center Media Contacts: Karen Fox / Molly Wasser Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Victoria Segovia NASA’s Johnson Space Center 281-483-5111 *****@*****.tld Read More About Venus Share Details Last Updated May 09, 2025 Related Terms Astromaterials Venus Explore More 5 min read How NASA is Using Virtual Reality to Prepare for Science on Moon Article 2 months ago 5 min read NASA DAVINCI Mission’s Many ‘Firsts’ to Unlock Venus’ Hidden Secrets NASA’s DAVINCI probe will be first in the 21st century to brave Venus’ atmosphere as… Article 5 months ago 5 min read 5 Surprising NASA Heliophysics Discoveries Not Related to the Sun Article 6 months ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Venus Astromaterials Planetary Science Solar System View the full article

NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland provides ground test facilities to industry, government, and academia specializing in the following: Acoustics Engine Components Testing Full-Scale Engine Testing Flight Research Icing Research Materials and Structures Microgravity Space Power and Propulsion Wind Tunnels Electromagnetic Interference Laboratory Our unique facilities offer superior customer service, flexible scheduling, and state-of-the-art testing capabilities. Facility Request Process Customer contacts the facility manager and/or submits a test request form. See below for the Facility Request Form. The facility manager will contact the customer to discuss the request and obtain detailed test requirements. After test requirements and schedule are finalized, the facility manager will provide a high-fidelity cost estimate for review and prepare a formal agreement for signature. Once the agreement is signed by both NASA Glenn and the customer, and the work is funded, the test execution may begin per the agreement. If you need further information about our facility capabilities or the general testing process, please complete the form below to have your inquiry answered or contact Michael McVetta at 216-433-2832. Facility Request FormIf you are considering testing in one of our facilities or would like further information about a specific facility or capability, please let us know: * indicates a required field Name* First Last Organization*Work Phone*Work Email* Facility*If you are not sure of the facility you need, simply indicate that below. I'm not sure10×10 Supersonic Wind Tunnel1×1 Supersonic Wind Tunnel8×6 Wind Tunnel9×16 Wind Tunnel2.2 Second Drop TowerAero-Acoustic Propulsion LaboratoryAdvanced Subsonic Combustion RigCombined Effects ChamberElectric Propulsion LaboratoryElectric Propulsion Research BuildingElectromagnetic Interference LaboratoryEngine Research Building and Related FacilitiesFlight Research BuildingHypersonic Tunnel FacilityIcing Research TunnelIn-Space Propulsion FacilityPropulsion Systems LaboratoryStructural Dynamics LaboratoryStructural Static LaboratoryZero Gravity Research FacilityAdditional CommentsEmailThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

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 Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources Multimedia Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary More 35th Anniversary Online Activities 2 min read Hubble Comes Face-to-Face with Spiral’s Arms This Hubble Space Telescope image showcases the spiral galaxy NGC 3596. ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker The spiral galaxy NGC 3596 is on display in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image that incorporates six different wavelengths of light. NGC 3596 is situated 90 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo, the Lion. British astronomer Sir William Herschel first documented the galaxy in 1784. NGC 3596 appears almost perfectly face-on when viewed from Earth, showcasing the galaxy’s neatly wound spiral arms. These bright arms hold concentrations of stars, gas, and dust that mark the area where star formation is most active, illustrated by the brilliant pink star-forming regions and young blue stars tracing NGC 3596’s arms. What causes these spiral arms to form? It’s a surprisingly difficult question to answer, partly because spiral galaxies are so diverse. Some have clear spiral arms, while others have patchy, feathery arms. Some have prominent bars across their centers, while others have compact, circular nuclei. Some have close neighbors, while others are isolated. Early ideas of how spiral arms formed stumped astronomers with the ‘winding problem’. If a galaxy’s spiral arms are coherent structures, its arms would wind tighter and tighter as the galaxy spins, until the arms are no longer visible. Now, researchers believe that spiral arms represent a pattern of high-density and low-density areas rather than a physical structure. As stars, gas, and dust orbit within a galaxy’s disk, they pass in and out of the spiral arms. Much like cars moving through a traffic jam, these materials slow down and bunch up as they enter a spiral arm, before emerging and continuing their journey through the galaxy. Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire Andreoli (*****@*****.tld) NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Share Details Last Updated May 09, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Spiral Galaxies 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 Science Highlights Hubble’s 35th Anniversary Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 flight engineer Anne McClain is pictured near one of the International Space Station’s main solar arrays during a spacewalk.NASA/Nichole Ayers In this May 1, 2025, photo taken by fellow NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain works near one of the International Space Station’s main solar arrays during a spacewalk. During the May 1 spacewalk – McClain’s third and Ayers’ first – the astronaut pair relocated a space station communications antenna and completed the initial mounting bracket installation steps for an International Space Station Rollout Solar Array, or IROSA, that will arrive on a future SpaceX commercial resupply services mission, in addition to some get ahead tasks. Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog. Image credit: NASA/Nichole Ayers View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s coverage of the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse has earned two nominations for the 46th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the nominations on May 1, recognizing NASA’s outstanding work in sharing this rare celestial event with audiences around the world. The winners are set to be unveiled at a ceremony in late June. “Total solar eclipses demonstrate the special connection between our Earth, Moon, and Sun by impacting our senses during the breathtaking moments of total alignment that only occur at this time on Earth,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator for science at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “NASA’s Eclipse coverage team perfectly encapsulated the awe-inspiring experience from start to finish for viewers around the world in this once-in-a-lifetime moment in American history. Congratulations to the entire NASA Eclipse coverage team for their two much-deserved Emmy award nominations!” The two nominations include: Outstanding Live News Special for the agency’s live broadcast coverage of the 2024 total solar eclipse. NASA’s live broadcast coverage of the 2024 total solar eclipse was the most ambitious live project ever attempted by the agency. The broadcast spanned three hours as the eclipse traveled 3,000 miles across seven states and two countries. From cities, parks, and stadiums, 11 hosts and correspondents provided on air commentary, interviews, and live coverage. Viewers tuned in from all over the world, including at watch parties in 9 locations, from the Austin Public Library to New York’s Times Square. An interactive “Eclipse Board” provided real time data analysis as the Moon’s shadow crossed North America. Live feeds from astronauts aboard the International Space Station and NASA’s WB-57 high-altitude research aircraft were brought in to provide rare and unique perspectives of the solar event. In total, NASA received almost 40 million views across its own distribution. Externally, the main broadcast was picked up in 2,208 hits on 568 channels in 25 countries. Outstanding Show Open or Title Sequence – News for the agency’s show open for the 2024 total solar eclipse. NASA’s show open for the 2024 total solar eclipse live broadcast explores the powerful connections between the Sun, humanity, and the rare moment when day turns to night. From witnessing the Sun’s atmosphere to feeling the dramatic drop in temperature, the video captures the psychological, emotional, and cultural impact of this celestial phenomenon. For more information about NASA missions, visit: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated May 08, 2025 Related TermsGeneral2024 Solar EclipseEclipsesHeliophysicsHeliophysics DivisionScience Mission DirectorateSolar EclipsesThe Solar System Explore More 7 min read NASA’s Hubble Pinpoints Roaming Massive ****** Hole Like a scene out of a sci-fi movie, astronomers using NASA telescopes have found “Space… Article 3 hours ago 2 min read NASA Expands Youth Engagement With New Scouting America Agreement Article 1 day ago 5 min read NASA Progresses Toward Crewed Moon Mission with Spacecraft, Rocket Milestones Article 2 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]