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Hugo Costa, executive director for the Portuguese Space Agency, and U.S. Ambassador to Portugal John J. Arrigo pose for a photo on Jan. 12 during a ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal, to mark the country’s signing of the Artemis Accords.Credit: U.S. State Department Portugal is the latest nation to sign the Artemis Accords alongside 59 other countries in a commitment to advancing principles for the responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond with NASA. “Portugal joins a cadre of nations building the framework for safe, transparent, and prosperous activity in space,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman in recorded remarks. “This is our generation’s Golden Age of Exploration. Together, we are advancing innovation, driving international collaboration, and discovering the secrets of the universe.” Portugal’s Secretary of State for Science and Innovation Helena Canhão signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the country on Jan. 11. “2026 is the year in which humans will return to the Moon. It will mark the beginning of a new era of space exploration, reminiscent of the Portuguese explorers of the past, such as Magellan and his circumnavigation of our planet,” said Hugo Costa, executive director of the recently established Portuguese Space Agency, about the signing. “As a nation that approaches space sustainability with great care and responsibility, Portugal and the Portuguese Space Agency are proud to join the Artemis Accords and contribute to the sustainable, beneficial, and peaceful use of space for all humankind.” A ceremony to recognize the signing was held on Monday in the capital city Lisbon, during a semi-annual meeting between the United States and Portugal to discuss cooperation between the two governments. “This is a meaningful step forward for responsible space exploration,” said U.S. Ambassador to Portugal John J. Arrigo, who participated in the event. “Shared principles like those in the Artemis Accords are essential to ensuring that space remains a domain of stability, safety, and opportunity for all nations.” In 2020, during the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies. The accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety, transparency, and coordination of civil space exploration on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Signing the Artemis Accords means to explore peaceably and transparently, to render aid to those in need, to ensure unrestricted access to scientific data that all of humanity can learn from, to ensure activities do not interfere with those of others, to preserve historically significant sites and artifacts, and to develop best practices for how to conduct space exploration activities for the benefit of all. More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead. Learn more about the Artemis Accords at: [Hidden Content] -end- Bethany Stevens / Elizabeth Shaw Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jan 12, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsArtemis AccordsArtemisOffice of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR) View the full article

Richard Wear stands with the E Test Complex in the background at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, where he is acting chief of the Mechanical Engineering Branch. NASA/Danny Nowlin Richard Wear calls it an honor to be working at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, during a historic time as NASA prepares to send astronauts around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years on the Artemis II mission. “I have not stopped learning in the 15 years that I have been here,” Wear said. As acting chief of the Mechanical Engineering Branch, the Slidell, Louisiana, resident primarily supports testing at the E Test Complex, where NASA and commercial companies carry out propulsion test operations. The complex features four stands with 12 test cells capable of supporting a range of component and engine test activities. The versatility of the complex infrastructure and test team allows it to support projects for commercial aerospace companies, large and small. “The unique high pressure systems bring customers from all over the country,” Wear said. “I am proud to have been a part of testing for our commercial partners over the years, some of which have become successful and recognized across the world.” From Alabama to NASA Stennis Education was always a priority in Wear’s household. His mom taught math, and his dad majored in chemistry. It influenced the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, native’s decision to pursue engineering. After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Alabama, Wear began his career in 2006 at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans as a contractor for Lockheed Martin. He worked in the thermal analysis group to support the space shuttle external tank program. His role focused on studying how heat moved through the tank’s structure and its thermal protection systems. When NASA needed to fill a thermal analysis role at NASA Stennis in 2010, Wear applied and quickly embraced the challenge. Initially hired to focus on thermal analysis, he soon expanded his expertise to include fluid analysis and thermodynamics. Even in his current supervisory role, Wear continues to contribute technical analysis and support testing. Life at NASA Stennis Wear describes NASA Stennis as a “hands-on, get-it-done center” with a culture that is serious, yet fun. As a smaller NASA center, everyone has the chance to make a difference. Wear believes the work environment provides new employees the opportunity to meet developmental goals faster. “I think that is also true for our test customers and tenants,” Wear said. “Sometimes with our customers at the E Test Complex, they are just starting out, so we can guide them to a successful outcome by sharing our knowledge. We want all our employees and customers to be successful and I think that really shows.” The mission-focused culture has shaped Wear’s own career. Since joining NASA Stennis in 2010 as a junior analyst, he advanced to senior analyst, then lead project fluid systems analyst, before being named thermal-fluid subject matter expert in 2018. In 2022, he accepted the deputy chief position in the Mechanical Engineering Branch and has served as acting chief since March 2025. Even in a supervisor role, Wear continues to find inspiration in the teamwork around him. “The focus here is always on the mission, not on whose job it is,” he said. “That true team effort motivates me to do my best every day.” Advice for Future Engineers One part of Wear’s role he enjoys is training students. Inspiration came to him during recent interviews with students for the Pathways Internship. The conversations were with several students that have a passion for NASA, its mission, and for space exploration. “Working hard in school and getting good grades is part of it, but I think persistence and attitude plays a huge part,” Wear said. “For example, we have told our prospective Pathways Interns multiple times that attitude is one of the most important parts of getting a job at NASA Stennis after an internship.” Wear recommends all students do their research, figure out what he or she does not know, and then find someone who can help fill the gap. This approach of staying curious and persistent is what put Wear in the right place at the right time as NASA writes a new chapter of space history that will return America to the Moon and beyond. Learn More About Careers at NASA Stennis Explore More 5 min read A Look Back at NASA Stennis in 2025 Article 4 weeks ago 2 min read NASA Makes Webby 30s List of Most Iconic, Influential on Internet Article 4 months ago 5 min read Crossroads to the Future – NASA Stennis Grows into a Model Federal City Article 4 months ago View the full article

This artist’s concept depicts a smaller white dwarf star pulling material from a larger star, right, into an accretion disk. Scientists used NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarization Explorer) to study a white dwarf star and its X-ray polarization.MIT/Jose-Luis Olivares A smaller white dwarf star (left) pulls material from a larger star into a swirling accretion disk in this artist’s concept released Nov. 19, 2025, to illustrate the first use of NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarization Explorer) to study a white dwarf star. IXPE spent nearly one week focused on EX Hydrae, a white dwarf star system located in the constellation Hydra, approximately 200 light-years from Earth. Using IXPE’s unique X-ray polarization capability, astronomers examined the star, unlocking the geometry of energetic binary systems. Read more about EX Hydrae and IXPE. Image credit: MIT/Jose-Luis Olivares View the full article

El cohete Sistema de Lanzamiento Espacial (SLS, por sus siglas en inglés) de la NASA, visto en la nave High Bay 3 del Edificio de Ensamblaje de Vehículos mientras los equipos t esperan la llegada de los tripulantes de Artemis II para abordar su nave espacial Orion en la parte superior del cohete como parte de la prueba de demostración de la cuenta atrás de Artemis II, el sábado 20 de diciembre de 2025, en el Centro Espacial Kennedy de la NASA en Florida.NASA/Joel Kowsky Read this article in English here. Conforme la NASA se acerca al lanzamiento del vuelo de prueba Artemis II, la agencia pronto llevará por primera vez su cohete Sistema de Lanzamiento Espacial (SLS, por sus siglas en inglés) y la nave espacial Orion a la plataforma de lanzamiento en el Centro Espacial Kennedy de la agencia en Florida para comenzar la integración final, las pruebas y los ensayos para el lanzamiento. La NASA tiene como objetivo comenzar desde el sábado 17 de enero su traslado desde el Edificio de Ensamblaje de Vehículos hasta la Plataforma de Lanzamientos 39B, lo que tardará varias horas. El viaje de casi 6,5 kilómetros (cuatro millas) en el vehículo transportador oruga 2 podría durar hasta 12 horas. Los equipos técnicos están trabajando día y noche para dar por terminadas todas las tareas antes del transporte del cohete. Sin embargo, esta fecha objetivo está sujeta a cambios si fuera necesario tiempo adicional para los preparativos técnicos o debido a las condiciones meteorológicas. “Nos estamos acercando a la misión Artemis II, y tenemos su lanzamiento a la vuelta de la esquina”, dijo Lori Glaze, administradora asociada interina para la Dirección de Misiones de Desarrollo de Sistemas de Exploración de la NASA. “Nos quedan pasos importantes en nuestro camino hacia el lanzamiento, y la seguridad de la tripulación seguirá siendo nuestra principal prioridad en todo momento, a medida que nos acercamos al regreso de la humanidad a la Luna”. Al igual que **** todos los nuevos desarrollos de sistemas complejos, los ingenieros han estado solucionando varios problemas en los últimos días y semanas. Durante las comprobaciones finales antes del traslado, los técnicos detectaron que un cable relacionado **** el sistema de terminación de vuelo estaba doblado en contra de las especificaciones. El personal técnico lo está reemplazando y hará pruebas **** el nuevo cable durante el fin de semana. Además, una válvula relacionada **** la presurización de la escotilla de Orion presentó problemas que hicieron necesario llevar a ***** pruebas de demostración de la cuenta regresiva el 20 de diciembre pasado. El 5 de enero, el equipo reemplazó la válvula e hizo pruebas de su funcionamiento que resultaron exitosas. Los ingenieros también trabajaron para resolver fugas en el hardware de soporte en tierra que es necesario para cargar oxígeno gaseoso en Orion a fin de proporcionar aire respirable. Traslado Una vez que el cohete y la nave espacial integrados lleguen a la plataforma de lanzamiento, la NASA comenzará inmediatamente una larga lista de verificación para los preparativos en la plataforma de lanzamiento, incluyendo la conexión de equipos mecánicos de apoyo en tierra, como líneas eléctricas, conductos del sistema de control ambiental de combustible y tomas de surtido de combustible criogénico. Los equipos de personal técnico encenderán todos los sistemas integrados en la plataforma por primera vez para garantizar que los componentes del hardware de vuelo funcionen correctamente entre sí, **** el lanzador móvil y **** los sistemas de infraestructura terrestre. Una vez que esté todo completado, los astronautas de Artemis II, Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover y Christina Koch de la NASA, y el astronauta de la CSA (Agencia Espacial Canadiense) Jeremy Hansen, llevarán a ***** una caminata final en la plataforma. Ensayo general **** circulación de combustible y llenado de tanques A finales de enero, la NASA llevará a ***** un ensayo general **** circulación de combustible, el cual es una prueba previa al lanzamiento para llenar los tanques de combustible en el cohete. Durante este ensayo general, el personal técnico hace una demostración de la capacidad de cargar más de 700.000 galones de combustible criogénico en el cohete, lleva a ***** una cuenta regresiva para el lanzamiento y practica la extracción segura del combustible del cohete sin tripulación presente en el sitio. Durante el lanzamiento, el equipo de cierre, o de tareas finales, será responsable de asegurar a los astronautas en Orion y cerrar sus escotillas. El personal de cierre también utilizará este ensayo para practicar sus procedimientos de forma segura sin tener tripulación a bordo de la nave espacial. El ensayo general **** circulación de combustible incluirá varios “encendidos”, o pruebas de funcionamiento, para demostrar la capacidad del equipo de lanzamiento para detener, reanudar y reiniciar operaciones en varios momentos diferentes de los últimos 10 minutos de la cuenta regresiva, conocida como conteo terminal. La ejecución del primer encendido comenzará aproximadamente en las 49 horas antes del lanzamiento, cuando los equipos encargados de lanzamiento son llamados a sus estaciones, hasta 1 minuto y 30 segundos antes del lanzamiento, seguido de una pausa planificada de tres minutos y luego la reanudación de la cuenta regresiva hasta 33 segundos antes del lanzamiento, el punto en el que el secuenciador de lanzamiento automático del cohete controlará los últimos segundos de la cuenta regresiva. Luego, los equipos técnicos volverán a reiniciar a T-10 minutos y detendrán el conteo, y luego reanudarán los procedimientos hasta 30 segundos antes del lanzamiento como parte de una segunda ejecución. Si bien la NASA ha integrado las lecciones aprendidas **** Artemis I en los procedimientos de la cuenta regresiva para el lanzamiento, la agencia hará una pausa para abordar cualquier problema durante la prueba o en cualquier otro momento si surgen retos técnicos. Los ingenieros vigilarán de cerca la carga de combustible de hidrógeno líquido y oxígeno líquido en el cohete, después de los desafíos que se encontraron **** la carga de hidrógeno líquido durante los ensayos generales **** circulación de combustible de Artemis I. Los equipos técnicos también prestarán mucha atención a la efectividad de los procedimientos recientemente actualizados para limitar la cantidad de nitrógeno gaseoso que se acumula en el espacio que está entre el módulo de tripulación de Orion y las escotillas del sistema de cancelación de lanzamiento, lo que podría representar un problema para el personal de cierre. Es posible que se requieran ensayos generales **** circulación de combustible adicionales para garantizar que el vehículo esté completamente revisado y apto para el vuelo. De ser necesario, la NASA podría trasladar al cohete SLS y la nave Orion de vuelta al Edificio de Ensamblaje de Vehículos para realizar trabajos adicionales antes del lanzamiento después del ensayo general **** circulación de combustible. Próximos pasos para el lanzamiento Después de un exitoso ensayo general **** circulación de combustible, la NASA convocará una revisión de aptitud para el vuelo en la cual el equipo de gestión de la misión evaluará la aptitud de todos los sistemas, incluyendo el hardware de vuelo, la infraestructura y el personal de lanzamiento, vuelo y recuperación antes de comprometerse **** una fecha de lanzamiento. Aunque la ventana para el lanzamiento de Artemis II se podría iniciar tan pronto como el viernes 6 de febrero, el equipo de gestión de la misión evaluará la aptitud para el vuelo después del ensayo general **** toda la nave espacial, la infraestructura de lanzamiento, y la tripulación y el personal de operaciones antes de seleccionar una fecha para el lanzamiento. A fin de determinar las posibles fechas de lanzamiento, los ingenieros identificaron las restricciones clave necesarias para cumplir la misión y mantener a salvo a la tripulación dentro de Orion. Los períodos de lanzamiento resultantes son los días o las semanas en los que la nave espacial y el cohete pueden cumplir los objetivos de la misión. Estos períodos de lanzamiento explican la compleja mecánica orbital relacionada **** el lanzamiento en una trayectoria precisa hacia la Luna mientras la Tierra rota sobre su eje y la Luna orbita la Tierra cada mes en su ciclo lunar. Esto da como resultado un patrón de alrededor de una semana de oportunidades de lanzamiento, seguido de tres semanas sin oportunidades de lanzamiento. Existen varios parámetros principales que establecen la disponibilidad del lanzamiento dentro de estos períodos. Debido a su trayectoria única en relación **** las misiones de alunizaje posteriores, estas limitaciones clave son exclusivas del vuelo de prueba de la misión Artemis II. El día y la hora de lanzamiento deben permitir que SLS pueda llevar a Orion a una órbita terrestre alta, donde la tripulación y los equipos técnicos en tierra evaluarán los sistemas de soporte vital de la nave espacial antes de que la tripulación emprenda su viaje **** rumbo a la Luna. Orion también debe estar en la alineación adecuada **** la Tierra y la Luna en el momento del encendido de motores **** inyección translunar. El encendido de motores **** inyección translunar de Artemis II pone a Orion en rumbo de sobrevolar la Luna, y también lo pone en una trayectoria de retorno libre, en la cual la nave espacial utiliza la gravedad de la Luna para enviar la nave espacial de regreso a la Tierra sin maniobras adicionales importantes de propulsión. La trayectoria para un día determinado debe garantizar que Orion no esté en la oscuridad durante más de 90 minutos a la vez para que las alas de los paneles solares puedan recibir y convertir la luz solar en electricidad, y la nave espacial pueda mantener un rango de temperatura óptimo. Los planificadores de la misión eliminan las posibles fechas de lanzamiento que llevarían a Orion a eclipses prolongados durante el vuelo. La fecha de lanzamiento debe sustentar una trayectoria que permita el perfil de entrada adecuado planificado durante el regreso de Orion a la Tierra. Los períodos a continuación muestran la disponibilidad de llevar a ***** el lanzamiento hasta abril de 2026. Los planificadores de la misión mejoran estos períodos en función de un análisis actualizado más o menos dos meses antes de que estos comiencen, y ellos están sujetos a cambios. Período de lanzamiento del 31 de enero al 14 de febrero Oportunidades de lanzamiento los días 6, 7, 8, 10 y 11 de febrero Período de lanzamiento del 28 de febrero al 13 de marzo Oportunidades de lanzamiento los días 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 de marzo Período de lanzamiento del 27 de marzo al 10 de abril Oportunidades de lanzamiento los días 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 de abril Además de las oportunidades de lanzamiento basadas en la mecánica orbital y los requisitos de desempeño, también existen restricciones sobre qué días dentro de un período de lanzamiento pueden ser viables en función de la reposición de productos básicos, las condiciones meteorológicas y las operaciones de otros usuarios en el cronograma del Área Este. Como regla general, se pueden hacer hasta cuatro intentos de lanzamiento dentro de la semana aproximada de oportunidades que existen dentro de un período de lanzamiento. Mientras la agencia se prepara para su primera misión tripulada más allá de la órbita terrestre en más de 50 años, la NASA espera aprender durante los procesos, tanto en tierra como en vuelo, y dejará que la aptitud y el desempeño de sus sistemas indiquen el momento en que la agencia está lista para el lanzamiento. Como parte de una edad de oro de innovación y exploración, el vuelo de prueba de Artemis II, el cual tendrá una duración aproximada de 10 días, es el primer vuelo tripulado para la campaña Artemis de la NASA. Este es otro paso hacia nuevas misiones tripuladas de Estados Unidos en la superficie de la Luna, lo que llevará a una presencia sostenida en la Luna que ayudará a la agencia a prepararse para enviar a los primeros astronautas estadounidenses a Marte. Encuentra más información sobre la campaña Artemis de la NASA en el siguiente sitio web (en inglés): [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated Jan 12, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNASA en españolArtemisArtemis 2Humans in SpaceMissions View the full article

Recent technological advances have set the stage for a renewed focus on human-based solutions called new approach methodologies (NAMs) that can complement, and in some cases replace, animal models in research and regulatory testing. These NAMs generally span advanced cell-tissue-organoid (in vitro), computational modeling (in silico), and cell-free biochemical analysis (in chemico) techniques, with each type of NAM offering different advantages. A combination and integration of multiple NAMs elements into a synergistic approach that augments gaps and/or deficiencies in individual NAMs approaches is a “combinatorial NAM” and could ultimately allow for improved predictions of human clinical response. Although many combinatorial NAMs are still early in development, not validated and standardized, nor available to the market broadly, combinatorial NAMs can potentially transform the way biomedical research, drug development, and clinical trials are conducted. To accelerate development and validation of combinatorial NAMs for human-based scientific and regulatory purposes, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Common Fund’s Complement-Animal Research In Experimentation (Complement-ARIE) program in collaboration with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is launching the Reduction to Practice (RTP) Challenge. This challenge invites innovative combinatorial NAMs solutions from multidisciplinary teams who can successfully demonstrate implementation of their human-based solution in a practical and usable form within a 3-year *******. Solvers will have the chance to win up to $1,430,000 in cumulative cash prizes and have their solution provided validation and/or qualification support by the Complement-ARIE Validation and Qualification Network (VQN). This Challenge is open to the public. Award: $7,000,000 in total prizes Open Date: Phase 1 – September 30, 2025, Phase 2 – July 2, 2026; Phase 3 – August 1, 2027 Close Date: Phase 1 – March 1, 2026 For more information, visit: [Hidden Content] View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA As NASA prepares for long-duration missions to the Moon that will pave the way for human exploration on Mars, the agency is tapping into America’s expanding space economy to help guide its strategic technology investments. This initiative, led by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate invites collaboration from U.S. industry leaders, academic institutions, and other government agencies to help prioritize critical technology development needs – known as shortfalls – identified for future science and exploration missions. “NASA wants to hear directly from the nation’s brightest minds to drive solutions for our greatest technology needs as we lead America’s exploration through the solar system,” said Greg Stover, acting associate administrator for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “As we pursue collaboration with industry to support our most ambitious missions and increase agility, prioritizing NASA’s technology efforts ensures the most efficient and impactful progress for the agency and its stakeholders.” Until Friday, Feb. 20, NASA will collect input from the aerospace community on consolidated technology shortfalls, such as developing infrastructure and capabilities for long-term operations in the lunar and Martian environments. Technology stakeholders will participate in virtual meetings, provide feedback, and submit their shortfall ranking to the agency. This effort builds on NASA’s first shortfall ranking exercise in 2024 which asked participants to rank 187 civil space shortfalls, resulting in an integrated list of technology priorities. Based on the invaluable feedback provided by stakeholders in the first exercise, NASA has streamlined the process by consolidating the shortfalls into 32 broader, integrated categories, each addressing specific needs to provide further definition and context. This restructuring maintains the original content’s depth while creating a more efficient and accessible feedback mechanism for participants. NASA will analyze and aggregate the rankings to produce priority lists for each stakeholder group, which will be made publicly available for continued collaboration. This prioritization framework will guide NASA’s evaluation of current technology development efforts to identify necessary adjustments within its existing portfolios. The shortfall prioritization process may inspire new investments within NASA or spark innovative partnerships with external stakeholders. This initiative also has the potential to unlock emerging commercial opportunities and accelerate growth in the U.S. space economy. As NASA nears its next mission to the Moon, prioritizing the most important and impactful efforts helps NASA appropriately direct available resources to best support mission needs for the agency and the nation. To maintain this collaborative approach, STMD plans to conduct feedback sessions and workshops every three years with industry, academia, and other government agencies, creating a dynamic process that continuously incorporates stakeholder insights and end-user perspectives. The agency remains committed to refining this engagement framework, ensuring it delivers maximum value to all participants while advancing America’s leadership in space exploration and technology development. To review the list of technology shortfalls and add input to NASA Space Technology’s prioritization effort, visit: [Hidden Content] By: Jasmine Hopkins Facebook logo @NASATechnology @NASA_Technology Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate Civil Space Shortfalls Get Involved Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) / Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Share Details Last Updated Jan 12, 2026 Related TermsSpace Technology Mission DirectorateTechnology View the full article

Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Universe Uncovered Hubble’s Partners in Science Hubble & Citizen Science AI & Hubble Science Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Science Operations Astronaut Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities 3D Hubble Models Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources More 35th Anniversary Online Activities 2 min read Hubble Spies Stellar Blast Setting Clouds Ablaze Jets of ionized gas streak across a cosmic landscape from a newly forming star. NASA, ESA, and B. Reipurth (Planetary Science Institute); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) Download this image (54.2 MB) This new NASA Hubble Space Telescope image captures a jet of gas from a forming star shooting across the dark expanse. The bright pink and green patches running diagonally through the image are HH 80/81, a pair of Herbig-Haro (HH) objects previously observed by Hubble in 1995. The patch to the upper left is part of HH 81, and the bottom streak is part of HH 80. Herbig-Haro objects are bright, glowing regions that occur when jets of ionized gas ejected by a newly forming star collide with slower, previously ejected outflows of gas from that star. HH 80/81’s outflow stretches over 32 light-years, making it the largest protostellar outflow known. Protostars are fed by infalling gas from the surrounding environment, some of which can be seen in residual “accretion disks” orbiting the forming star. Ionized material within these disks can interact with the protostars’ strong magnetic fields, which channel some of the particles toward the pole and outward in the form of jets. As the jets eject material at high speeds, they can produce strong shock waves when the particles collide with previously ejected gas. These shocks heat the clouds of gas and excite the atoms, causing them to glow in what we see as HH objects. HH 80/81 are the brightest HH objects known to exist. The source powering these luminous objects is the protostar IRAS 18162-2048. It’s roughly 20 times the mass of the Sun, and it’s the most massive protostar in the entire L291 molecular cloud. From Hubble data, astronomers measured the speed of parts of HH 80/81 to be over 1,000 km/s, the fastest recorded outflow in both radio and visual wavelengths from a young stellar object. Unusually, this is the only HH jet found that is driven by a young, very massive star, rather than a type of young, low-mass star. The sensitivity and resolution of Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 was critical to astronomers, allowing them to study fine details, movements, and structural changes of these objects. The HH 80/81 pair lies 5,500 light-years away within the Sagittarius constellation. Explore More Exploring the Birth of Stars Hubble’s Star Clusters Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jan 12, 2026 Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Goddard Space Flight Center Protostars Stars The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble’s Cosmic Adventure Explore the Night Sky Hubble News View the full article

Susan Schuh has dedicated her career to helping humans adapt to life beyond Earth. As the Flight Crew Integration Operational Habitability (OpsHab) team lead in NASA’s Human Health and Performance Directorate at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Schuh leads efforts to understand what it is really like to live and work in space. She turns that information into progress by documenting astronauts’ feedback to improve current and future spaceflight missions. Official portrait of Susan Schuh. NASA/Josh Valcarcel Her work not only supports crews aboard the International Space Station, but also provides critical information for NASA’s preparations to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before through Artemis missions. Her team supports astronaut inflight and postflight debriefs, capturing and analyzing feedback to help NASA apply lessons learned. They also manage one of NASA’s most valuable habitability tools, the Crew Comments Database. With more than 115,000 entries spanning 25 years of International Space Station missions, it is the only comprehensive and searchable record of crew feedback in existence. Every comment, from how astronauts sleep to how they organize supplies, becomes part of NASA’s collective learning. “The Crew Comments Database is my work pride and joy,” Schuh said. “It’s been an invaluable resource for operations and development and continues to lend itself to future exploration.” Schuh’s path to NASA began with a mentor who saw her potential early on. While studying psychology at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, she was introduced to human factors research by Dr. Gerald Gamache, whose work on the effects of the Chernobyl reactor explosion helped shape her understanding of how people function in complex environments. While completing her master’s degree in human factors and systems at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, Schuh began her first internship at NASA in 2000. “Even from the first days of my internship at Johnson, I knew I was meant to be a part of this community supporting humans living and working in space,” she said. Schuh left Johnson briefly to support human systems integration for the Navy and Air Force but returned in 2006. Since then, she has continued to shape how astronauts experience living and working in space. NASA astronauts and panelists participate in the Parent Support Panel Discussion at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Johnson Employee Assistance Program counselor Anika Isaac, top left, moderated the event alongside Susan Schuh, second from left, top row. Author Emily Oster, front center, joined astronaut parents, from left, Christina Koch, Jessica Watkins, Jessica Meir, and Reid Wiseman. NASA/David DeHoyos Her mentor’s influence extended beyond Schuh’s technical work. “Dr. Gamache was also a community builder outside of his professional life, and I’d like to think some of that rubbed off on me,” she said. That inspiration led her to found the Johnson Parenting community in 2020, which now includes more than 600 members who share support and resources for working parents across the center. Schuh has learned that her work is about more than data—it is about people. “Being purposeful in taking time to listen and be willing to learn and collaborate has made all the difference for me,” she said. “Over time, I’ve learned a lot about perseverance. This work has required it, encouraging folks to utilize the Crew Comments Database and keeping the feedback process empowered and robust.” Susan Schuh is honored with a Space Flight Awareness Silver Snoopy award on March 24, 2022. She is pictured with her daughter, Lorelei.NASA/Robert Markowitz She is most proud of her family, known as Team Schuh—her husband, Scott, who works on the Orion Ascent Abort Mode Team, and their three daughters, Wilhelmina, Lorelei, and Franny. “They’re the reason I keep striving to balance work, family, and everything in between,” she said. Finding that balance has been an ongoing struggle for her. “One of my biggest professional challenges, especially in the last 14 years since my oldest daughter was born, has been finding work-life balance,” she said. “I often struggle with creating boundaries and calling it a day at a reasonable time. I won’t pretend I have the secret recipe, but I’m working on it for sure.” Schuh credits the Johnson Parenting community for helping her and others along the way. Susan Schuh with her husband, Scott, and their three daughters, Wilhelmina, Lorelei, and Franny. Outside of work, Schuh finds peace in the water and in nature. Her father, who worked in underwater engineering, taught her to scuba dive when she was 11. “We’ve taken some amazing multi-day trips together, including multiple visits to Cay Sal Bank,” she said. “He’s my favorite dive buddy, and I look forward to many more dive trips with him.” Looking ahead, Schuh hopes to pass on that same sense of purpose she has found at NASA to the next generation. “Make connections and nurture them. It’s always cool to be kind,” she said. “Stay true to yourself and your values. Tell the people you admire how and why they inspire you.” Explore More 1 min read NASA Starts Up Gateway’s Power System for First Time Article 3 days ago 4 min read NASA Celebrates Artemis II During Houston Texans Space City Day Article 4 days ago 4 min read 25 Years in Orbit: Science, Innovation, and the Future of Exploration Article 4 days ago View the full article

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, removed two of its historic test stands – the Propulsion and Structural Test Facility and the Dynamic Test Facility – with carefully coordinated implosions on Jan. 10, 2026. The demolition of these historic structures is part of a larger project at Marshall that began in spring 2022, targeting several inactive structures and building a dynamic, interconnected campus ready for the next era of space exploration. Crews began demolition in December 2025 at the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator. NASA NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, removed two of its historic test stands – the Propulsion and Structural Test Facility and the Dynamic Test Facility – with carefully coordinated implosions on Jan. 10, 2026. The demolition of these historic structures is part of a larger project at Marshall that began in spring 2022, targeting several inactive structures and building a dynamic, interconnected campus ready for the next era of space exploration. Crews began demolition in December 2025 at the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator. Learn more about these iconic facilities. Credits: NASA View the full article

NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket is seen inside High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building as teams await the arrival of Artemis II crewmembers to board their Orion spacecraft on top of the rocket as part of the Artemis II countdown demonstration test, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.NASA/Joel Kowsky As NASA moves closer to launch of the Artemis II test flight, the agency soon will roll its SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft to the launch pad for the first time at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to begin final integration, testing, and launch rehearsals. NASA is targeting no earlier than Saturday, Jan. 17, to begin the multi-hour trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B. The four-mile journey on the crawler-transporter-2 will take up to 12 hours. Teams are working around the clock to close out all tasks ahead of rollout. However, this target date is subject to change if additional time is needed for technical preparations or weather. “We are moving closer to Artemis II, with rollout just around the corner,” said Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. “We have important steps remaining on our path to launch and crew safety will remain our top priority at every turn, as we near humanity’s return to the Moon.” As with all new developments of complex systems, engineers have been troubleshooting several items in recent days and weeks. During final checkouts before rollout, technicians found a cable involved in the flight termination system was bent out of specifications. Teams are replacing it and will test the new cable over the weekend. Additionally, a valve associated with Orion’s hatch pressurization exhibited issues leading up to a Dec. 20 countdown demonstration test. On Jan. 5, the team successfully replaced and tested it. Engineers also worked to resolve leaky ground support hardware required to load gaseous oxygen into Orion for breathing air. Rollout Once the integrated rocket and spacecraft reach the launch pad, NASA will immediately begin a long checklist of launch pad preparations, including connecting ground support equipment such as electrical lines, fuel environmental control system ducts, and cryogenic propellant feeds. Teams will power up all integrated systems at the pad for the first time to ensure flight hardware components are functioning properly with each other, the mobile launcher, and ground infrastructure systems. Once complete, the Artemis II astronauts, NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (********* Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will conduct a final walkdown at the pad. Wet dress rehearsal, tanking At the end of January, NASA will conduct a wet dress rehearsal, which is a prelaunch test to fuel the rocket. During wet dress, teams demonstrate the ability to load more than 700,000 gallons of cryogenic propellants into the rocket, conduct a launch countdown, and practice safely removing propellant from the rocket without astronauts onsite. During launch, a closeout crew will be responsible for securing astronauts in Orion and closing its hatches. The closeout crew also will use this rehearsal to practice their procedures safely without astronauts aboard the spacecraft. The wet dress rehearsal will include several “runs” to demonstrate the launch team’s ability to hold, resume, and recycle to several different times in the final 10 minutes of the countdown, known as terminal count. The first run will begin approximately 49 hours before launch when launch teams are called to their stations, to 1 minute 30 seconds before launch, followed by a planned three-minute hold and then countdown resumption to 33 seconds before launch – the point at which the rocket’s automatic launch sequencer will control the final seconds of the countdown. Teams then will recycle back to T-10 minutes and hold, then resume down to 30 seconds before launch as part of a second run. While NASA has integrated lessons learned from Artemis I into the launch countdown procedures, the agency will pause to address any issues during the test or at any other point should technical challenges arise. Engineers will have a close eye on propellant loading of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen into the rocket, after challenges encountered with liquid hydrogen loading during Artemis I wet dress rehearsals. Teams also will pay close attention to the effectiveness of recently updated procedures to limit how much gaseous nitrogen accumulates in the space between Orion’s crew module and launch abort system hatches, which could pose an issue for the closeout crew. Additional wet dress rehearsals may be required to ensure the vehicle is completely checked out and ready for flight. If needed, NASA may rollback SLS and Orion to the Vehicle Assembly Building for additional work ahead of launch after the wet dress rehearsal. Next steps toward launch Following a successful wet dress rehearsal, NASA will convene a flight readiness review where the mission management team will assess the readiness of all systems, including flight hardware, infrastructure, and launch, flight, and recovery teams before committing to a launch date. While the Artemis II launch window opens as early as Friday, Feb. 6, the mission management team will assess flight readiness after the wet dress rehearsal across the spacecraft, launch infrastructure, and the crew and operations teams before selecting a launch date. To determine potential launch dates, engineers identified key constraints required to accomplish the mission and keep the crew inside Orion safe. The resulting launch periods are the days or weeks where the spacecraft and rocket can meet mission objectives. These launch periods account for the complex orbital mechanics involved in launching on a precise trajectory toward the Moon while the Earth is rotating on its axis and the Moon is orbiting Earth each month in its lunar cycle. This results in a pattern of approximately one week of launch opportunities, followed by three weeks without launch opportunities. There are several primary parameters that dictate launch availability within these periods. Because of its unique trajectory relative to subsequent lunar landing missions, these key constraints are unique to the Artemis II test flight. The launch day and time must allow SLS to be able to deliver Orion into a high Earth orbit where the crew and ground teams will evaluate the spacecraft’s life support systems before the crew ventures to the Moon. Orion also must be in the proper alignment with the Earth and Moon at the time of the trans-lunar injection burn. The Artemis II trans-lunar injection burn places Orion on course to flyby the Moon, and also sets it on a free return trajectory, in which the spacecraft uses the Moon’s gravity to send the spacecraft back to Earth without additional major propulsive maneuvers. The trajectory for a given day must ensure Orion is not in darkness for more than 90 minutes at a time so that the solar array wings can receive and convert sunlight to electricity, and the spacecraft can maintain an optimal temperature range. Mission planners eliminate potential launch dates that would send Orion into extended eclipses during the flight. The launch date must support a trajectory that allows for the proper entry profile planned during Orion’s return to Earth. The periods below show launch availability through April 2026. Mission planners refine the periods based on updated analysis approximately two months before they begin and are subject to change. Launch ******* Jan. 31 – Feb. 14 Launch opportunities February 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11 Launch ******* Feb. 28 – March 13 Launch opportunities March 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 Launch ******* March 27 – April 10 Launch opportunities April 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 In addition to the launch opportunities based on orbital mechanics and performance requirements, there are also limitations on which days within a launch ******* can be viable based on commodity replenishment, weather, and other users on the Eastern Range schedule. As a general rule, up to four launch attempts may be attempted within the approximate week of opportunities that exist within a launch *******. As the agency prepares for its first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit in more than 50 years, NASA expects to learn along the way, both on the ground and in flight, and will let the readiness and performance of its systems dictate when the agency is ready to launch. As part of a Golden Age of innovation and exploration, the approximately 10-day Artemis II test flight is the first crewed flight under NASA’s Artemis campaign. It is another step toward new U.S.-crewed missions Moon’s surface, leading to a sustained presence on the Moon thatwill help the agency prepare to send the first astronauts – Americans – to Mars. Learn more about NASA’s Artemis campaign: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated Jan 09, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsArtemis 2ArtemisAstronautsHumans in SpaceMissions View the full article

NASA’s StarBurst instrument outside a thermal vacuum chamber at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.NASA/Daniel Kocevski Heated, cooled, shaken, and settled – NASA’s StarBurst instrument is several steps closer to being ready for launch. The small satellite is now awaiting instrument calibration following a successful integration in Canada and rigorous testing by engineers at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. StarBurst is designed to detect the initial emission of short gamma-ray bursts, some of the most powerful explosions in the universe and a key indicator of neutron star mergers. This would provide valuable insight into such events, which are also detected through gravitational waves by observatories on Earth. These events are where most of the heavy metals in the universe, such as gold and platinum, are formed. To date, only one such event has been observed simultaneously in gravitational waves and gamma-rays; StarBurst is expected to find up to 10 per year. StarBurst arrived at NASA Marshall in March 2025. During its time at the center, the instrument underwent thermal testing in a vacuum chamber and flight vibration testing. The team held StarBurst’s nonstop thermal testing in a vacuum chamber, 24 hours a day for 18 days. Technicians placed radioactive material into the vacuum chamber, giving StarBurst the ability to detect gamma-ray signals during the tests. NASA Marshall test engineers fit test the multi-layer insulation blanket in early August at Marshall’s Stray Light Facility. The thermal blanket will insulate the crystal detector units. NASA/Michael Allen Test teams conducted thermal balance testing to simulate the hottest and coldest situations the instrument will operate under in space. Data from these tests improves thermal models used by NASA engineers, while also ensuring the satellite can handle these temperatures in orbit. NASA engineers also completed a 24-hour “bake-out,” a process that removes unwanted gas or vapor from the instrument using extreme heat in a vacuum. “NASA’s StarBurst mission is ready for its next stage of assembly and is one step closer to flight,” said Daniel Kocevski, principal investigator at NASA Marshall. “Testing at NASA Marshall has verified engineering models, adding our understanding of how StarBurst will operate in space as it observes gamma ray emission from merging neutron stars to help us better understand the building blocks of Earth—and the universe.” Outside of the vacuum chamber, a “vibe test” bolted the instrument to a special “shaker table” to simulate the vibrations and turbulence StarBurst will experience during launch. While at NASA Marshall, StarBurst underwent a series of tests in a vacuum chamberNASA The Marshall team shipped the StarBurst instrument to Space Flight Laboratory at the University of Toronto, which manufactured the spacecraft bus, in August. Prior to shipment, teams at Marshall’s Stray Light Facility fit-tested the multi-layer insulation blanket needed to insulate the crystal detector units from the harsh space environment. StarBurst is equipped with 12 of these detectors, which serve as the main gamma-ray detection system on the spacecraft. Marshall team members traveled to Toronto and were on hand to help integrate the instrument with the spacecraft bus in early September. Testing at Marshall set the stage for planned post-integration testing, which included functional testing and electromagnetic compatibility testing. StarBurst is scheduled to undergo additional calibration, vibration, and thermal vacuum testing in the spring. Integration teams intend to have StarBurst launch-ready by June 2026. NASA plans to launch the satellite as early as 2027 during the next run of the Laser-Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory to maximize the chance of detecting gamma-ray bursts that coincide with gravitational wave events. To date, such a joint gamma-ray and gravitational-wave detection has been observed only once. StarBurst was successfully integrated with the spacecraft bus Marshall team members were on hand to help integrate the instrument with the spacecraft bus at the Space Flight Laboratory at the University of Toronto in early September. NASA StarBurst is a collaborative effort led by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, with partnerships with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, the University of Alabama Huntsville, the Universities Space Research Association, and the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies Space Flight Laboratory. StarBurst was selected for development as part of the NASA Astrophysics Pioneers program, which supports lower-cost, smaller hardware missions to conduct compelling astrophysics science. To learn more about StarBurst visit: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated Jan 09, 2026 EditorLee MohonContactCorinne M. Beckinger*****@*****.tldJoel Wallace*****@*****.tldLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsGeneralAstrophysicsGamma RaysGamma-Ray Bursts View the full article

In sending a car-sized rotorcraft to explore Saturn’s moon Titan, NASA’s Dragonfly mission will undertake an unprecedented voyage of scientific discovery. And the work to ensure that this first-of-its-kind project can fulfill its ambitious exploration vision is underway in some of the nation’s most advanced space simulation and testing laboratories. From left, Johns Hopkins APL engineers Tyler Radomsky and Felipe Ruiz install a rotor on the Dragonfly test model at the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia. NASA Set for launch in in 2028, the Dragonfly rotorcraft is being designed and built at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, with contributions from organizations around the world. On arrival in 2034, Dragonfly will exploit Titan’s dense atmosphere and low gravity to fly to dozens of locations, exploring varied environments from organic equatorial dunes to an impact crater where liquid water and complex organic materials essential to life (at least as we know it) may have existed together. Aerodynamic testing When full rotorcraft integration and testing begins in February, the team will tap into a trove of data gathered through critical technical trials conducted over the past three years, including, most recently, two campaigns at the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) facility at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. From left, Charles Pheng, Ryan Miller, John Kayrouz, Kristen Carey and Josie Ward prepare for the first aeromechanical performance tests of the full-scale Dragonfly rotors in the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia.NASA The TDT is a versatile 16-foot-high, 16-foot-wide, 20-foot-long testing hub that has hosted studies for NASA, the Department of War, the aircraft industry and an array of universities. Over five weeks, from August into September, the team evaluated the performance of Dragonfly’s rotor system – which provides the lift for the lander to fly and enables it to maneuver – in Titan-like conditions, looking at aeromechanical performance factors such as stress on the rotor arms, and effects of vibration on the rotor blades and lander body. In late December, the team also wrapped up a set of aerodynamics tests on smaller-scale Dragonfly rotor models in the TDT. “When Dragonfly enters the atmosphere at Titan and parachutes deploy after the heat shield does its job, the rotors are going to have to work perfectly the first time,” said Dave Piatak, branch chief for aeroelasticity at NASA Langley. “There’s no room for error, so any concerns with vehicle structural dynamics or aerodynamics need to be known now and tested on the ground. With the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel here at Langley, NASA offers just the right capability for the Dragonfly team to gather this critical data.” Critical parts In his three years as an experimental machinist at APL, Cory Pennington has crafted parts for projects dispatched around the globe. But fashioning rotors for a drone to explore another world in our solar system? That was new – and a little daunting. “The rotors are some of the most important parts on Dragonfly,” Pennington said. “Without the rotors, it doesn’t fly – and it doesn’t meet its mission objectives at Titan.” Experimental machinist Cory Pennington examines a freshly milled, full-scale Dragonfly rotor in the machine shop at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL Pennington and team cut Dragonfly’s first rotors on Nov. 1, 2024. They refined the process as they went: starting with waterjet paring of 1,000-pound aluminum blocks, followed by rough machining, cover fitting, vent-hole drilling and hole-threading. After an inspection, the parts were cleaned, sent out for welding and returned for final finishing. “We didn’t have time or materials to make test parts or extras, so every cut had to be right the first time,” Pennington said, adding that the team also had to find special tools and equipment to accommodate some material changes and design tweaks. The team was able to deliver the parts a month early. Engineers set up and spin-tested the rotors at APL – attached to a full-scale model representing half of the Dragonfly lander – before transporting the entire package to the TDT at NASA Langley in late July. “On Titan, we’ll control the speeds of Dragonfly’s different rotors to induce forward flight, climbs, descents and turns,” said Felipe Ruiz, lead Dragonfly rotor engineer at APL. “It’s a complicated geometry going to a flight environment that we are still learning about. So the wind tunnel tests are one of the most important venues for us to demonstrate the design.” And the rotors passed the tests. “Not only did the tests validate the design team’s approach, we’ll use all that data to create high-fidelity representations of loads, forces and dynamics that help us predict Dragonfly’s performance on Titan with a high degree of confidence,” said Rick Heisler, wind tunnel test lead from APL. Next, the rotors will undergo fatigue and cryogenic trials under simulated Titan conditions, where the temperature is minus 290 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 178 degrees Celsius), before building the actual flight rotors. “We’re not just cutting metal — we’re fabricating something that’s going to another world,” Pennington said. “It’s incredible to know that what we build will fly on Titan.” Collaboration, innovation Elizabeth “Zibi” Turtle, Dragonfly principal investigator at APL, says the latest work in the TDT demonstrates the mission’s innovation, ingenuity and collaboration across government and industry. “The team worked well together, under time pressure, to develop solutions, assess design decisions, and execute fabrication and testing,” she said. “There’s still much to do between now and our launch in 2028, but everyone who worked on this should take tremendous pride in these accomplishments that make it possible for Dragonfly to fly on Titan.” To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video When NASA's Dragonfly begins full rotorcraft integration and testing in early 2026, the mission team will tap into a trove of data gathered through critical technical trials conducted over the past three years, including, most recently, a testing campaign in at the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) Facility at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL Dragonfly has been a collaborative effort from the start. Kenneth Hibbard, mission systems engineer from APL, cites the vertical-lift expertise of Penn State University on the initial rotor design, aero-related modeling and analysis, and testing support in the TDT, as well as NASA Langley’s 14-by-22-foot Subsonic Tunnel. Sikorsky Aircraft of Connecticut has also supported aeromechanics and aerodynamics testing and analysis, as well as flight hardware modeling and simulation. The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, leads the Dragonfly mission for NASA in collaboration with several NASA centers, industry partners, academic institutions and international space agencies. Elizabeth “Zibi” Turtle of APL is the principal investigator. Dragonfly is part of NASA’s New Frontiers Program, managed by the Planetary Missions Program Office at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. For more information on NASA’s Dragonfly mission, visit: [Hidden Content] by Mike Buckley Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory MEDIA CONTACTS: Karen Fox / Molly Wasser Headquarters, Washington 240-285-5155 / 240-419-1732 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Joe Atkinson NASA’s Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 757-755-5375 *****@*****.tld Mike Buckley Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 443-567-3145 *****@*****.tld View the full article

3 Min Read I am Artemis: Dave Reynolds Dave Reynolds, the booster manager for SLS (Space Launch System), works inside the Next Generation Booster Avionics Mockup at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Reynolds is responsible for the design, development, and flight of the boosters for the rocket that carry NASA’s Orion spacecraft and astronauts to the Moon as part of the Artemis II mission. Credits: NASA As booster manager for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System), Dave Reynolds’ path to NASA is embodied by his childhood poster of the space shuttle’s Return to Flight initiative, which hangs in his office, serving as a constant reminder that his journey to the agency began decades ago. Growing up in Roy, Utah, Reynolds remembers standing outside to watch the billowing smoke rise from booster tests at Northrop Grumman’s Promontory facility. Rockets were the backdrop of his childhood, and growing up during the shuttle missions sparked his fascination for space exploration. As the booster manager for the SLS, Dave is responsible for the design, development, and flight of the boosters—work that echoes the sense of significance that inspired him as a child to study spaceflight. “I couldn’t quite verbalize what I felt then, but as I’ve matured over time, I now realize I want to be a part of the team sending astronauts to the Moon, and I have a personal desire to ensure the safety of those individuals,” Reynolds said. Dave Reynolds, the booster manager for SLS (Space Launch System), works inside the Next Generation Booster Avionics Mockup at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Reynolds is responsible for the design, development, and flight of the boosters for the rocket that carry NASA’s Orion spacecraft and astronauts to the Moon as part of the Artemis II mission. NASA Early in his career at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, Reynolds worked on the J-2X — a liquid-cryogenic engine that was once slated as a candidate to power the SLS upper stage. In 2012, he made a jump to solid rocket motors when he became the subsystem manager for the SLS boosters office. Reynolds spent his days managing and testing motor cases, seals, igniters, and separation motors. He was promoted to deputy manager for the SLS office where he helped oversee development of the solid rocket boosters. He also was given the task of developing and managing the evolved composite boosters that would be used for future Artemis missions. With the launch of Artemis II on the horizon, Reynolds is thrilled to be part of the team preparing to send a crew of four astronauts around the Moon. Deep down, I’m really excited about Artemis II. The eight-year-old me is still in there, eager to watch the smoke rising from those booster tests at a distance. He wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen and what I’m about to see. Dave Reynolds Booster Manager for Space Launch System “Deep down, I’m really excited about Artemis II. The eight-year-old me is still in there, eager to watch the smoke rising from those booster tests at a distance. He wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen and what I’m about to see,” Reynolds said. Reynolds witnessed moments that would have stunned his eight-year-old self. In 2022, he watched as the SLS illuminated the morning sky during the launch of Artemis I. More recently, the evolved booster he helped develop performed its first full-scale test. Reynolds watched as the booster roared to life – just miles from his hometown in Utah. Reynolds, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s Vehicle Assembly Building in front of the SLS rocket that powered the Artemis I mission. Through Artemis, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. NASA From his driveway to the test site, Reynolds’ curiosity grew into a career shaped by purpose, responsibility, and respect for the work ahead. The poster hanging on Reynolds’ wall isn’t just a souvenir from the past – it’s a reminder of where his interest took root and how far that curiosity has carried him. As the team moves closer to the launch of Artemis II which will take astronauts around the Moon, Reynolds feels a familiar sense of exhilaration. The questions that once drew him toward space are still guiding him today, except this time he is one of the individuals helping to shape the answers. Learn more about NASA’s Space Launch System at: [Hidden Content] About the AuthorLee Mohon Share Details Last Updated Jan 09, 2026 EditorLee MohonLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsI Am ArtemisArtemisMarshall Space Flight CenterPeople of MarshallSpace Launch System (SLS) Explore More 4 min read NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Ready to Fly Crew Article 4 months ago 3 min read NASA Progresses Toward Artemis II Moon Mission Article 2 months ago 4 min read Artemis II Flight Crew, Teams Conduct Demonstration Ahead of Launch Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Artemis Space Launch System (SLS) Artemis II Four astronauts will fly around the Moon to test NASA's foundational human deep space exploration capabilities, the Space Launch System… Solar System View the full article

6 min read NASA’s Pandora Satellite, CubeSats to Explore Exoplanets, Beyond A new NASA spacecraft called Pandora is awaiting launch ahead of its journey to study the atmospheres of exoplanets, or worlds beyond our solar system, and their stars. Along for the ride are two shoebox-sized satellites called BlackCAT (****** Hole Coded Aperture Telescope) and SPARCS (Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat), as NASA innovates with ambitious science missions that take low-cost, creative approaches to answering questions like, “How does the universe work?” and “Are we alone?” All three missions are set to launch Jan. 11 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The launch window opens at 8:19 a.m. EST (5:19 a.m. PST). SpaceX will livestream the event. Artist’s concept of NASA’s Pandora mission, which will help scientists untangle the signals from the atmospheres of exoplanets — worlds beyond our solar system — and their stars. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Conceptual Image Lab Download high-resolution images from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio “Pandora’s goal is to disentangle the atmospheric signals of planets and stars using visible and near-infrared light,” said Elisa Quintana, Pandora’s principal investigator at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “This information can help astronomers determine if detected elements and compounds are coming from the star or the planet — an important step as we search for signs of life in the cosmos.” BlackCAT and SPARCS are small satellites that will study the transient, high-energy universe and the activity of low-mass stars, respectively. Pandora will observe planets as they pass in front of their stars as seen from our perspective, events called transits. As starlight passes through a planet’s atmosphere, it interacts with substances like water and oxygen that absorb characteristic wavelengths, adding their chemical fingerprints to the signal. But while only a small fraction of the star’s light grazes the planet, telescopes also collect the rest of the light emitted by the star’s facing side. Stellar surfaces can sport brighter and darker regions that grow, shrink, and change position over time, suppressing or magnifying signals from planetary atmospheres. Adding a further complication, some of these areas may contain the same chemicals that astronomers hope to find in the planet’s atmosphere, such as water vapor. All these factors make it difficult to be certain that important detected molecules come from the planet alone. Pandora will help address this problem by providing in-depth study of at least 20 exoplanets and their host stars during its initial year. The satellite will look at each planet and its star 10 times, with each observation lasting a total of 24 hours. Many of these worlds are among the over 6,000 discovered by missions like NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite). This view of the fully integrated Pandora spacecraft was taken May 19, 2025, following the mission’s successful environmental test campaign at Blue Canyon Technologies in Lafayette, Colorado. Visible are star trackers (center), multilayer insulation blankets (white), the end of the telescope (top), and the solar panel (right) in its launch configuration. NASA/BCT Pandora will collect visible and near-infrared light using a novel, all-aluminum 17-inch-wide (45-centimeter) telescope jointly developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California and Corning Specialty Materials in Keene, New Hampshire. Pandora’s near-infrared detector is a spare developed for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Each long observation ******* will capture a star’s light both before and during a transit and help determine how stellar surface features impact measurements. “These intense studies of individual systems are difficult to schedule on high-demand missions, like Webb,” said engineer Jordan Karburn, Pandora’s deputy project manager at Livermore. “You also need the simultaneous multiwavelength measurements to pick out the star’s signal from the planet’s. The long stares with both detectors are critical for tracing the exact origins of elements and compounds scientists consider indicators of potential habitability.” Pandora is the first satellite to launch in the agency’s Astrophysics Pioneers program, which seeks to do compelling astrophysics at a lower cost while training the next generation of leaders in space science. After launching into low Earth orbit, Pandora will undergo a month of commissioning before embarking on its one-year prime mission. All the mission’s data will be publicly available. “The Pandora mission is a bold new chapter in exoplanet exploration,” said Daniel Apai, an astronomy and planetary science professor at the University of Arizona in Tucson where the mission’s operations center resides. “It is the first space telescope built specifically to study, in detail, starlight filtered through exoplanet atmospheres. Pandora’s data will help scientists interpret observations from past and current missions like NASA’s Kepler and Webb space telescopes. And it will guide future projects in their search for habitable worlds.” Watch to learn more about NASA’s Pandora mission, which will revolutionize the study of exoplanet atmospheres. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Download high-resolution video and images from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio The BlackCAT and SPARCS missions will take off alongside Pandora through NASA’s Astrophysics CubeSat program, the latter supported by the Agency’s CubeSat Launch Initiative. CubeSats are a class of nanosatellites that come in sizes that are multiples of a standard cube measuring 3.9 inches (10 centimeters) across. Both BlackCAT and SPARCS are 11.8 by 7.8 by 3.9 inches (30 by 20 by 10 centimeters). CubeSats are designed to provide cost-effective access to space to test new technologies and educate early career scientists and engineers while delivering compelling science. The BlackCAT mission will use a wide-field telescope and a novel type of X-ray detector to study powerful cosmic explosions like gamma-ray bursts, particularly those from the early universe, and other fleeting cosmic events. It will join NASA’s network of missions that watch for these changes. Abe Falcone at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, where the satellite was designed and built, leads the mission with contributions from Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Kongsberg NanoAvionics US provided the spacecraft bus. The SPARCS CubeSat will monitor flares and other activity from low-mass stars using ultraviolet light to determine how they affect the space environment around orbiting planets. Evgenya Shkolnik at Arizona State University in Tempe leads the mission with participation from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. In addition to providing science support, JPL developed the ultraviolet detectors and the associated electronics. Blue Canyon Technologies fabricated the spacecraft bus. Pandora is led by NASA Goddard. Livermore provides the mission’s project management and engineering. Pandora’s telescope was manufactured by Corning and developed collaboratively with Livermore, which also developed the imaging detector assemblies, the mission’s control electronics, and all supporting thermal and mechanical subsystems. The near-infrared sensor was provided by NASA Goddard. Blue Canyon Technologies provided the bus and performed spacecraft assembly, integration, and environmental testing. NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley will perform the mission’s data processing. Pandora’s mission operations center is located at the University of Arizona, and a host of additional universities support the science team. By Jeanette Kazmierczak NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media Contact: Claire Andreoli 301-286-1940 NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Facebook logo @NASAUniverse @NASAUniverse Instagram logo @NASAUniverse Share Details Last Updated Jan 09, 2026 Related Terms Exoplanets Ames Research Center Astrophysics Astrophysics Pioneers CubeSats Exoplanet Science Exoplanet Transits Galaxies, Stars, & ****** Holes Research Goddard Space Flight Center Infrared Light James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Jet Propulsion Laboratory Kepler / K2 SmallSats Program Stars Studying Exoplanets TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) The Universe Visible / Optical Light View the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Ganges Delta Under a Winter… Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Search Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Notes from the Field Blog Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us January 6, 2026 Winter weather took hold across the Indo-Gangetic Plain in early January 2026, bringing dense fog and cold temperatures to much of the flat, fertile lands that span from Pakistan and northern India to Bangladesh. This image shows low-lying clouds over the delta on the morning of January 6, captured by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite. Dense fog, particularly radiation fog, is common this time of year, forming when ground temperatures are cool, winds are light, and moisture is abundant near the surface. The meteorological departments of both Bangladesh and India called for moderate to very dense fog over the region that day amid an ongoing cold wave. Other relatively low-level clouds extend from the land areas and over the Bay of Bengal. These long, parallel bands of clouds, known as cloud streets, can form when cold air passes over warmer open water, gaining heat and moisture. Rising thermals ascend until they reach a temperature inversion that acts like a lid, forcing the air to roll into long, parallel rotating cylinders. Clouds develop where the air rises, while clear skies appear where the air sinks. While it appears scenic from above, foggy conditions can pose hazards and snarl daily life for people on the ground. For instance, dense fog early in the month caused major disruptions at the international airport in Dhaka, according to local news reports. Similar disruptions, along with travel delays on roads and railways, were reported in parts of northern, central, and eastern India. NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Kathryn Hansen. References & Resources Bangladesh Meteorological Department (2026, January 5) Weather Forecast Valid For 120 Hours Commencing 06 PM of 05.01.2026. Accessed January 8, 2026. Dhaka Tribune (2026, January 2) Flights diverted one after another as dense fog disrupts Dhaka airport operations. Accessed January 8, 2026. India Meteorological Department (2026, January 5) Press Release. Accessed January 8, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2024, January 18) Fog Blankets the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Accessed January 8, 2026. The New Indian Express (2026, January 4) Cold wave persist in Delhi, northern India, flights disrupted amid dense fog. Accessed January 8, 2026. Downloads January 6, 2025 JPEG (3.57 MB) You may also be interested in: Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet. An Unrelenting Tule Fog 4 min read The right combination of conditions allowed this distinctive low cloud to form in California’s Central Valley for weeks. Article New Timing for Stubble Burning in India 5 min read Scientists say the seasonal crop fires are burning later in the day than in previous years. Article Summer Heat Lingers in the West 3 min read A prolonged high-pressure weather system brought unusually warm September temperatures to British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. Article 1 2 3 4 Next Keep Exploring Discover More from NASA Earth Science Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox. Earth Observatory Image of the Day NASA’s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery. Explore Earth Science Earth Science Data View the full article

Credit: NASA NASA will host a live news conference at 5 p.m. EST on Thursday from the agency’s headquarters in Washington to discuss the International Space Station and its crew. On Jan. 7, the agency announced it was postponing a planned spacewalk originally scheduled for Jan. 8 while teams monitored a medical concern with a crew member currently living and working aboard the orbital laboratory. The matter involved a single crew member, who is stable. Due to medical privacy, it is not appropriate for NASA to share more details about the crew member. Participants in the news conference include: NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman Amit Kshatriya, associate administrator Dr. James Polk, chief health and medical officer, NASA Headquarters NASA will provide live coverage of the news conference on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media. To participate in the news conference virtually or in-person, media must RSVP for details no later than one hour before the start of the event to the NASA Newsroom at: *****@*****.tld. NASA’s media credentialing policy is online. To learn more about the International Space Station, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Bethany Stevens / Cheryl Warner Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jan 08, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsHumans in SpaceInternational Space Station (ISS)NASA HeadquartersSpace Operations Mission Directorate View the full article

NASA/Joel Kowsky Artemis II crewmembers (left to right) NASA astronauts Christina Koch, mission specialist; and Victor Glover, pilot; CSA (********* Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist; and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, commander are led by Bill Owens of the Closeout Crew from the elevator at the 275-foot level of the mobile launcher to the crew access arm as they prepare to board their Orion spacecraft atop NASA’s Space Launch System rocket during the Artemis II countdown demonstration test, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. For this operation, the Artemis II crew and launch teams are simulating the launch day timeline including suit-up, walkout, and spacecraft ingress and egress. Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars, for the benefit of all. This image was chosen by NASA’s Headquarters photo team as one of the best of 2025. Image credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky View the full article

1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The primary structure of Gateway’s Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) undergoing assembly, integration, and testing at Lanteris Space Systems in Palo Alto, California, on September 29, 2025. Lanteris Space Systems Development continues on NASA’s Power and Propulsion Element, a solar electric propulsion spacecraft designed to provide power for Gateway in lunar orbit. Able to generate 60 kilowatts of thrust, the element was successfully powered on earlier last year. The milestone demonstrates the element can provide the spacecraft with power, high-rate communications, attitude control, as well as the ability to maintain and maneuver between orbits. The Power and Propulsion Element is managed by NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and built by industry partner Lanteris Space Systems in Palo Alto, California, where teams have secured the element’s main electrical system inside protective exterior panels. On deck for installation at Lanteris Space Systems are three 12-kilowatt advanced electric propulsion system thrusters, manufactured by L3Harris, and four 6-kilowatt Busek-built BHT-6000 thrusters. The roll-out solar arrays for Gateway are complete and moving through testing at Redwire’s facility in Goleta, California. For more information about NASA’s lunar exploration missions, visit: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated Jan 08, 2026 ContactJacqueline Minerd*****@*****.tldLocationGlenn Research Center Related TermsGlenn Research CenterArtemisGateway ProgramGateway Space StationJohnson Space Center Explore More 3 min read Lunar Space Station Module for NASA’s Artemis Campaign to Begin Final Outfitting Article 9 months ago 2 min read Gateway Tops Off Gateway’s Power and Propulsion Element is now equipped with its xenon and liquid fuel tanks. Article 1 year ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

From left, NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, Johnson Space Center employees Tessa Rundle and Daniel Kolodziejcyk wearing Orion Crew Survival System suits, and Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche stand on the field during the Houston Texans’ Space City Day game Jan. 4, 2026. NASA/James Blair NASA’s Johnson Space Center was front and center Jan. 4, 2026, as the Houston Texans faced the Indianapolis Colts during Space City Day at NRG Stadium. Fans watched the Texans win while getting a close look at NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight of the Artemis campaign. The Artemis II mission will send four astronauts—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with CSA (********* Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen—around the Moon and back to Earth to test Orion spacecraft systems in deep space and help lay the groundwork for future lunar missions. NASA connected fans with the agency’s next giant leap, reinforcing Space City’s role in shaping the future of human exploration. NASA’s Johnson Space Center employees hold the American flag on the field during the national anthem at NRG Stadium in Houston.Image courtesy of the Houston Texans Before kickoff, 27 Johnson employees helped unfurl the U.S. flag for the national anthem, marking the start of an evening that blended football, exploration, and Houston pride. Johnson employees gather on the BULLevard to share the excitement of space exploration with football fans. On the BULLevard, Johnson employees engaged with fans at a NASA activation area, where visitors explored the agency’s Mobile Exhibit Trailer and learned more about Artemis II. Team members answered questions and shared how NASA is preparing to send humans back to the Moon. From left, Johnson Community Engagement Lead Jessica Cordero, NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche, NASA Flight Controller Jonathan Guthmiller wearing the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), Multimedia Developer Jessica Krenzel, and NASA Flight Controller Sarah Hill stand together during the outdoor engagement on the BULLevard outside NRG Stadium. Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche and NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins visited the exhibit and the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program booth, where they greeted team members and thanked volunteers supporting the event. The International Space Station Program joined the celebration with a prerecorded message from the Expedition 74 crew, marking over 25 years of continuous human presence in low Earth orbit. The Expedition 74 crew aboard the International Space Station deliver a prerecorded message to fans on the stadium jumbotron during the Houston Texans’ Space City Day game. “Even from 250 miles above the Earth, we’re proud to represent Houston and celebrate the mission of this incredible city on and off the field,” said NASA astronaut Mike Fincke. “Today’s game reminds us how connected Houston, NASA, and the Texans truly are,” said NASA astronaut Zena Cardman. Cardman highlighted how research aboard the International Space Station has led to innovations that benefit life on Earth, including applications now used in sports and athletic safety. Advances in materials developed for spacesuits and astronaut protection have influenced the design of modern helmets and padding, while cooling technologies originally created for extreme environments are used in training gear and protective equipment. “Space innovation doesn’t remain in orbit, sometimes it ends up on the 50-yard line.” NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, center, and Johnson employees Tessa Rundle and Daniel Kolodziejcyk, wearing Orion Crew Survival System spacesuits, take the field during the Texans’ “Reppin’ H-Town” appearance. Image courtesy of the Houston Texans Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche waves to fans after participating in the ceremonial coin toss.Image courtesy of the Houston Texans Jessica Watkins took the field for the Texans’ “Reppin’ H-Town” appearance, joined by Johnson employees Tessa Rundle and Daniel Kolodziejcyk wearing NASA’s Orion Crew Survival System spacesuits. The bright orange pressure suits are designed to protect astronauts during launch, flight, and reentry aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft. The pregame continued with Center Director Vanessa Wyche joining the festivities on the field and participating in the ceremonial coin toss, where she called heads. About 30 seconds into halftime, the Artemis Fueling the Fire video played on the stadium jumbotron, sharing NASA’s plans to return humans to the Moon and marking a major step in the agency’s Moon to Mars campaign. Center Director Vanessa Wyche and NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins are interviewed on the field during halftime. The video led into a live interview with Vanessa Wyche and Jessica Watkins, where Wyche discussed the Artemis II mission and Watkins highlighted similarities between astronaut training and football training. At the conclusion of the interview, the host invited fans to take part in NASA’s “Send Your Name with Artemis II” initiative, which allows the public to have their names stored on a small chip aboard the Orion spacecraft during the mission. Participants receive a digital boarding pass and virtual guest access to select NASA launches. While the names remain stored electronically inside the spacecraft, the effort symbolically gives participants a place on Orion’s journey around the Moon. Image courtesy of the Houston Texans Image courtesy of the Houston Texans NASA/James Blair Image courtesy of the Houston Texans NASA/James Blair Explore More 4 min read 25 Years in Orbit: Science, Innovation, and the Future of Exploration Article 2 hours ago 4 min read Diving Into Human Spaceflight Safety with NASA Johnson’s Craig Shannon Article 2 days ago 4 min read I Am Artemis: Jacki Mahaffey Article 2 days ago View the full article

NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli retrieves media bags inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module for Emory University’s Project EAGLE investigation.NASA NASA and its partners have supported humans continuously living and working in space since November 2000. A truly global endeavor, the International Space Station has been visited by more than 290 people from 26 countries and a variety of international and commercial spacecraft. The unique microgravity laboratory has hosted more than 4,000 experiments from over 5,000 researchers from 110 countries. The space station also is facilitating the growth of a commercial market in low Earth orbit for research, technology development, and crew and cargo transportation. After a quarter of century of human presence in orbit, the station remains a symbol of international cooperation and a proving ground for humanity’s next giant leaps to the Moon and, eventually, Mars. September’s full Moon, the Harvest Moon, is photographed from the space station, placed in between exterior station hardware.NASA The microgravity environments aboard the space station unlocks discoveries that benefit life on Earth and prepare humans for deep space missions. NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP) works to understand the changes astronauts face aboard the orbital outpost and to develop interventions to keep crews healthy before, during, and after flight. Astronauts aboard the station exercise for roughly two hours a day to protect bone density, muscle strength, and the cardiovascular system, but the longer they are in microgravity, the harder it can be for the brain and body to readapt to gravity’s pull. After months in orbit, returning astronauts often describe Earth as heavy, loud, and strangely still. Some reacclimate within days, while other astronauts take longer to fully recover. Through HRP-led studies, scientists track these changes and test solutions—from improved exercise regimens to medical monitoring and nutritional strategies. The results inspire new medical technologies, while teaching scientists how the human body adapts to long-duration spaceflights—knowledge that helps keep astronauts healthy on future missions. In the Tranquility node of the orbiting laboratory, NASA astronaut Jessica Meir exercises on the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT), technically named the Treadmill 2 and abbreviated as T2. NASA The space station continues to be a critical platform for sharpening skills, technology, and understanding that will prepare humanity to return to the Moon with NASA’s Artemis campaign and journey on to Mars and beyond. Since space presents an entirely new physical environment with a distinct set of challenges, the orbiting laboratory is uniquely positioned to support research and preparations not possible on Earth. That includes: Mastering techniques for basic tasks like drinking water, sleeping, exercising, and handling various materials. Developing solutions to microgravity-induced changes to and challenges for the human body. Testing reliable technologies and self-sustaining ecosystems necessary for deep space travel, from life support systems to in-orbit agriculture and 3D printing of materials. Refining techniques and procedures for data and imagery collection and analysis. Read more about how the space station has enabled significant strides in our journey farther into the final frontier. The first decade of the space station was the decade of construction. The second decade moved from initial studies to fully using the orbiting laboratory. Now we are in the decade of results. With nearly 25 years of experiments conducted aboard the station, more breakthroughs are materializing than ever before. These scientific discoveries and technological advancements are benefiting humanity on the ground, contributing to the growing low Earth orbit economy, and helping to prepare for future exploration of the Moon and Mars. Innovations include: Advances in X-ray technologies, developed to create a space station telescope, are helping unravel the mysteries of our universe while improving medical devices on Earth. Temperature-change data that has been employed in efforts to reduce heat absorbed by city surfaces, reduce fire risk, and help farmers efficiently water their fields. Demonstrations of robotic technologies with the potential to relieve repetitive movement and other workplace-related stressors. Development of a small ultrasound unit for crew health monitoring that has since been adapted to provide diagnostic care in remote areas on Earth. Find more information about the space station’s benefits for humanity here. Explore More 4 min read Supernova Remnant Video From NASA’s Chandra Is Decades in Making Article 24 hours ago 2 min read Space Station Research Informs New FDA-Approved ******* Therapy Article 1 day ago 4 min read Diving Into Human Spaceflight Safety with NASA Johnson’s Craig Shannon Article 1 day ago View the full article

NASA/Nichole Ayers NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers captured this image of lightning while orbiting aboard the International Space Station more than 250 miles above Milan, Italy on July 1, 2025. Storm observations from space station help scientists study Earth’s upper atmosphere, which can improve weather models and protect communication systems and aircraft. Space station crew take photographs of Earth that record how the planet changes over time due to human activity and natural events. This record allows scientists to monitor disasters and direct response on the ground and study phenomena. Image credit: NASA/Nichole Ayers View the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Algae Swirls Across a South… Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Search Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Notes from the Field Blog Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video June 2022-July 2023 NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin On clear days in Hartbeespoort, South Africa, satellite images often reveal a reservoir with shades of deep blue interrupted by drifting patches of vivid green. These shifting features indicate algae blooms, which can affect water quality, ecosystems, and nearby human communities. In this animation, from June 2022 to July 2023, an algal bloom grows, moves around the reservoir, and then fades. The animation is composed of images from Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 (HLS), a NASA product that combines imagery from the NASA/USGS Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 satellites and the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2A, 2B, and 2C satellites. Algae is an umbrella term for photosynthetic organisms that live in water, encompassing everything from single-celled cyanobacteria to seaweed. They play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. But when colonies of algae spread too widely or release harmful toxins, they can threaten the very environments they support. These colonies are known as harmful algal blooms, or HABs. Some HABs are toxic and often are part of a process called eutrophication. Eutrophication begins when there are too many nutrients in an ecosystem—because of agricultural runoff and other inputs—leading to a rapid growth of algae. “It’s like having a garden,” said Bridget Seegers, a NASA scientist who studies cyanobacteria in freshwater ecosystems. “If you add a lot of nutrients, you’re going to have a lot of growth.” Eventually, the algae die off. As decomposers break down the dead algae, they consume oxygen, which can lead to hypoxia and the formation of dead zones. August 10, 2022 Such conditions have been documented at the Hartbeespoortdam (Hartbeespoort Dam) reservoir, located about 25 kilometers (16 miles) west of Pretoria and used primarily for recreation and irrigation. The reservoir is home to regular harmful algal blooms containing cyanobacteria. It also hosts large mats of invasive water hyacinths. While hyacinths do not produce toxins, they do contribute to eutrophication when they die and decompose. Harmful algal blooms can affect ecosystem health and human lives and livelihoods. In April 2023, South African authorities linked a large fish kill in Hartbeespoort to low oxygen levels caused by excessive algal growth. More broadly, HABs in drinking water reservoirs can reduce water availability and raise water treatment costs, while swimming in HAB-infested waters can cause rashes, and pets or livestock that drink it may fall ill or die. One 2022 paper published in Remote Sensing examined algae in the reservoir from 1980 to 2020 using Landsat data. “This is a reservoir that has always been monitored heavily by the local department of water resources,” said Adam Ali, the lead author of the paper. The research used satellite data to provide a big-picture view of conditions across the entire reservoir over long time scales. Using 40 years of Landsat data, the researchers found that the biggest drivers of algal growth were total phosphorus content—a nutrient found in runoff—and water temperature, with blooms typically expanding in the warm summer months and subsiding in the winter. They also identified key trends over space and time. Algal productivity was higher near Krokodilrivier (Crocodile River) inflows and in the western part of the reservoir due to golf course runoff and restricted water circulation, demonstrating how HABs are influenced by runoff and river inputs. Large blooms occurred between 1982 and 1986, when total phosphorus levels were high. A bioremediation program in the late 1980s succeeded in limiting algae growth, but after funding ended in the late 1990s, harmful algal blooms spiked again in the early 2000s. To track algae from space, the researchers analyzed the water’s color by measuring different wavelengths of light. From this, they estimated the concentration of chlorophyll-a, a common pigment in algae, and used these values to approximate algae biomass over time. Although water samples remain necessary to confirm that a bloom is harmful, satellite data can help scientists understand the drivers of harmful algal blooms, especially in remote regions where regular ground monitoring is expensive and time intensive. New and forthcoming NASA missions promise to advance space-based water quality monitoring. The next Landsat satellite is expected to measure wavelengths specifically designed to detect HABs. NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission, launched in 2024, collects data in hundreds of precise wavelength bands in the visible spectrum, which can help scientists identify the type of algae that comprise a certain bloom—a key factor in determining toxicity. Given PACE’s spatial resolution, the data is most useful in coastal areas or larger inland water bodies. Ali is working with researchers at NASA Ames to integrate PACE into future studies. Animation by Ross Walter/Landsat Science Office Support, using data from the Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 (HLS) product. Still image by Lauren Dauphin/NASA Earth Observatory using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Madeleine Gregory/Landsat Science Office Support. References & Resources Ali, K., et al. (2022) Integrating In Situ and Current Generation Satellite Data for Temporal and Spatial Analysis of Harmful Algal Blooms in the Hartbeespoort Dam, Crocodile River Basin, South Africa. Remote Sensing, 14(17), 4277. NOAA (2016, April 27) What is a harmful algal bloom? Accessed January 6, 2026. South African Government (2023, April 26) Water and Sanitation releases investigation report on cause of fish-kill at Hartbeespoort Dam. Accessed January 6, 2026. Downloads August 10, 2022 JPEG (3.33 MB) You may also be interested in: Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet. Iraq Reservoirs Plunge to Low Levels 5 min read A multi-year drought has put extra strain on farmers and water managers in the Middle Eastern country. Article Lost Towns of the Quabbin 4 min read Forests play a key role in filtering the waters of a reservoir in central Massachusetts that’s home to submerged towns… Article Reservoirs Dwindle in South Texas 3 min read Drought in the Nueces River basin is reducing reservoir levels, leaving residents and industry in the Corpus Christi area facing… Article 1 2 3 4 Next Keep Exploring Discover More from NASA Earth Science Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox. Earth Observatory Image of the Day NASA’s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery. Explore Earth Science Earth Science Data View the full article

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A new video shows changes in Kepler’s Supernova Remnant using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory captured over more than two and a half decades with observations taken in 2000, 2004, 2006, 2014, and 2025. In this video, which is the longest-spanning one ever released by Chandra, X-rays (blue) from the telescope have been combined with an optical image (red, green, and blue) from Pan-STARRS. X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: Pan-STARRS A new video shows the evolution of Kepler’s Supernova Remnant using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory captured over more than two and a half decades. Kepler’s Supernova Remnant, named after the ******* astronomer Johannes Kepler, was first spotted in the night sky in 1604. Today, astronomers know that a white dwarf star exploded when it exceeded a critical mass, after pulling material from a companion star, or merging with another white dwarf. This kind of supernova is known as a Type Ia, and scientists use it to measure the expansion of the universe. Supernova remnants, the debris fields left behind after a stellar explosion, often glow strongly in X-ray light because the material has been heated to millions of degrees from the blast. The remnant is located in our galaxy, about 17,000 light-years from Earth, allowing Chandra to make detailed images of the debris and how it changes with time. This latest video includes its X-ray data from 2000, 2004, 2006, 2014, and 2025. This makes it the longest-spanning video that Chandra has ever released, enabled by Chandra’s longevity. “The plot of Kepler’s story is just now beginning to unfold,” said Jessye Gassel, a graduate student at George Mason University in Virginia, who led the work. “It’s remarkable that we can watch as these remains from this shattered star ****** into material already thrown out into space.” Gassel presented the new Chandra video and the associated research at the 247th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Phoenix. The researchers used the video to show that the fastest parts of the remnant are traveling at about 13.8 million miles per hour (2% of the speed of light), moving toward the bottom of the image. Meanwhile, the slowest parts are traveling toward the top at about 4 million miles per hour (0.5% of the speed of light). This large difference in speed is because the gas that the remnant is plowing into toward the top of the image is denser than the gas toward the bottom. This gives scientists information about the environments into which this star exploded. “Supernova explosions and the elements they hurl into space are the lifeblood of new stars and planets,” said Brian Williams of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and principal investigator of the new Chandra observations of Kepler. “Understanding exactly how they behave is crucial to knowing our cosmic history.” The team also examined the widths of the rims forming the blast wave of the explosion. The blast wave is the leading edge of the explosion and the first to encounter material outside of the star. By measuring how wide it is and how fast it is traveling, astronomers glean more information about both the explosion of the star and its surroundings. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts. To learn more about Chandra, visit: [Hidden Content] Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory Learn more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its mission here: [Hidden Content] [Hidden Content] Visual Description This release features a ten second silent video of Kepler’s expanding Supernova Remnant, located in our own galaxy, about 17,000 light-years from Earth. The video was created using X-ray data gathered in 2000, 2004, 2006, 2014, and 2025. Those distinct datasets were turned into highly-detailed visuals, creating a 25-year timelapse-style video of the growing remnant. Kepler’s Supernova Remnant was once a white dwarf star that exploded when it exceeded its critical mass. Here, in X-ray light, the remnant resembles a cloudy neon blue ring with a diagonal cross line stretching from our upper right down to our lower left. The ring appears thinner and wispier at the bottom, with a band of white arching across the top. As the video plays, cycling through the 5 datasets, the ring subtly, but clearly, expands, like a slowly inflating balloon. In the video, this sequence is replayed several times with dates included at our lower right, to give sighted learners time to absorb the visual information. Upon close inspection, researchers have determined that the bottom of the remnant is expanding fastest; about 13.8 million miles per hour, or 2% of the speed of light. The top of the ring appears to be expanding the slowest; about 4 million miles per hour, or 0.5% of the speed of light. The large difference in speed is because the gas that the remnant is plowing into towards the top of the image is denser than the gas towards the bottom. Collecting and interpreting this data over decades has provided information about the environment into which the white dwarf star exploded, and has helped scientists understand how remnants change with time. Share Details Last Updated Jan 06, 2026 EditorLee MohonContactJoel WallaceLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsChandra X-Ray ObservatoryGeneralMarshall Space Flight CenterSupernova RemnantsThe Universe Explore More 6 min read NASA Marshall Prepares for Demolition of Historic Test, Simulation Facilities Article 3 hours ago 5 min read Scientists Identify ‘Astronomy’s Platypus’ with NASA’s Webb Telescope After combing through NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s archive of sweeping extragalactic cosmic fields, a… Article 4 hours ago 6 min read NASA Webb Finds Early-Universe Analog’s Unexpected Talent for Making Dust Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have spotted two rare kinds of dust in… Article 4 hours ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Chandra Space Telescope Hubble Space Telescope Hubble, the observatory, is the first major optical telescope to be placed in space, the ultimate mountaintop. 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Credit: NASA NASA has selected ARES Technical Services Corporation of McLean, Virginia, to provide launch range operations support at the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The Wallops Range Contract has a total potential value of $339.8 million with a one-year base ******* expected to begin Tuesday, Feb. 10, and four one-year option periods that if exercised would extend it to 2031. The contract includes a cost-plus-fixed-fee core with an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity component and the ability to issue cost-plus-fixed-fee or firm-fixed-price task orders. The scope of the work includes launch range operations support such as radar, telemetry, logistics, tracking, and communications services for flight vehicles including orbital and suborbital rockets, aircraft, satellites, balloons, and unmanned aerial systems. Additional responsibilities include information and computer systems services; testing, modifying, and installing communications and electronic systems at launch facilities, launch control centers, and test facilities; and range technology sustainment engineering services. Work will primarily occur at NASA Wallops with additional support at sites such as the agency’s Bermuda Tracking Station, Poker Flat Research Range in Alaska, and other temporary duty locations. For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Tiernan Doyle Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld Robert Garner Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 301-286-5687 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jan 06, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsWallops Flight FacilityNASA Centers & FacilitiesTechnology View the full article

6 Min Read NASA Marshall Prepares for Demolition of Historic Test, Simulation Facilities Engineers and technicians hoist the first flight version of the Saturn IB rocket's first stage into the T-tower for static testing at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, on March 15, 1965. Credits: NASA NASA is preparing for the demolition of three iconic structures at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Crews began demolition in mid-December at the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator, a facility built in the late 1960s that once enabled NASA astronauts and researchers to experience near-weightlessness. The facility was also used to conduct underwater testing of space hardware and practice runs for servicing the Hubble Space Telescope. The simulator was closed in 1997. Two test stands – the Propulsion and Structural Test Facility and Dynamic Test Facility – are also slated for demolition, one after the other, by carefully coordinated implosion no earlier than sunrise on Jan. 10, 2026. NASA Marshall tests fires the first stage of the Saturn I rocket at its historic Propulsion and Structural Test Facility, better known as the “T-tower.” The demolition of these historic structures is part of a larger project that began in spring 2022, targeting several inactive structures no longer needed for the agency’s missions. All three towering fixtures played crucial roles in getting humans to the Moon, into low-Earth orbit, and beyond. These structures have reached the end of their safe, operational life, and their removal has been long-planned as part of a broader effort to modernize Marshall’s footprint. This demolition is the first phase of an initiative that will ultimately remove 25 outdated structures, reduce maintenance burdens, and position Marshall to take full advantage of a guaranteed NASA center infrastructure investment authorized under the Working Families Tax Credit Act. “This work reflects smart stewardship of taxpayer resources,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Clearing outdated infrastructure allows NASA to safely modernize, streamline operations, and fully leverage the infrastructure investments signed into law by President Trump to keep Marshall positioned at the forefront of aerospace innovation.” Built in 1964, the Dynamic Test Stand initially was used to test fully assembled Saturn V rockets. In 1978, engineers integrated all space shuttle elements for the first time, including the orbiter, external fuel tank, and solid rocket boosters. It was last used in the early 2000s for microgravity testing. The space shuttle orbiter Enterprise lifted by crane into the Structural Dynamic Test Facility at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for vibration testing in July 1978.NASA The Propulsion and Structural Test Facility – better known at Marshall as the “T-tower” due to its unique shape – was built in 1957 by the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency and transferred to NASA when Marshall was founded in 1960. There, engineers tested components of the Saturn launch vehicles, the Army’s Redstone Rocket, and shuttle solid rocket boosters. It was last used for space shuttle solid rocket motor tests in the 1990s. “Each one of these structures helped NASA make history,” said Rae Ann Meyer, acting center director at Marshall. “While it is hard to let them go, they’ve earned their retirement. The people who built and managed these facilities and empowered our mission of space exploration are the most important part of their legacy.” “These structures are not safe,” continued Meyer. “Strategic demolition is a necessary step in shaping the future of NASA’s mission to explore, innovate, and inspire. By removing these structures that we have not used in decades, we are saving money on upkeep of facilities we can’t use. We also are making these areas safe to use for future NASA exploration endeavors and investments.” A legacy worth remembering When NASA opened the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator in 1968, it was one of few places on Earth that could recreate the weightlessness of microgravity. The facility provided a simulated zero-gravity environment in which engineers and astronauts could find out how their designs might handle in orbit. The tank has been central to planning and problem-solving for Skylab missions, repairs to NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, and more. The tank is 75 feet in diameter, 40 feet deep, and designed to hold up to nearly 1.5 million gallons of water. It was replaced in 1997 by a new, larger facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Astronaut Kathryn Thornton practices maneuvers planned for the STS-61 mission in the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, on August 9, 1963.NASA The Propulsion and Structural Test Facility is one of the oldest test stands at Marshall. The dual-position test stand, sometimes called the T-tower, was built for static testing large rockets and launch systems – like launching a rocket while keeping it restrained and wired to instruments that collect data. The tests and data played a role in the development of the Saturn family of rockets, including the F-1 engine and S-IC. The Dynamic Test Stand, a 360-foot tower topped by a 64-foot derrick, was once the tallest human-made structure in North Alabama. Engineers there conducted full-scale tests of Saturn V rockets – the same powerful vehicles that carried Apollo astronauts to the Moon. Later, the stand served as the first location where all space shuttle elements were integrated. Preserving history for future generations The irreplaceable historical value of these landmarks has prompted NASA to undertake extensive efforts to preserve their stories for future generations. The three facilities were made national landmarks in 1985 for their part in human spaceflight. In keeping with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, master planners and engineers at Marshall completed a rigorous consultation and mitigation process for each landmark, working closely with Alabama’s State Historic Preservation Office to preserve their history for future generations. Detailed architectural documentation, written histories, and large-format photographs are permanently archived in the Library of Congress’ Historic American Engineering Record collection, making this history accessible to researchers and the public for generations. Additionally, NASA has partnered with Auburn University to create high-resolution digital models of each facility. The project used technologies like LiDAR and 360-photography of the structures in detail before demolition. Their goal is to preserve not just the appearance, but the sense of scale and engineering achievement they represent. The models are still in work, but they’ll eventually be publicly available. Select artifacts from the facilities have also been identified and transferred to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center through NASA’s Artifact Program, ensuring tangible pieces of this history remain available for educational purposes. Honoring the past, building the future For the employees, retirees, and community members who remember these facilities over the decades, their removal marks the end of an era. But their contributions live on in every NASA mission, from the International Space Station to the upcoming Artemis II lunar missions and more. “NASA’s vision of space exploration remains vibrant, and as we look to an exciting future, we honor the past, especially the dedication of the men and women who built these structures and tested hardware that has launched into space, made unprecedented scientific discoveries, and inspired generations of Americans to reach for the stars,” said Meyer. The demolitions represent more than removing obsolete infrastructure. They’re part of NASA’s commitment to building a dynamic, interconnected campus ready for the next era of space exploration while honoring the bold spirit that has always driven the agency forward. Virtual tours and preserved documentation will be made available on Marshall’s digital channels. Marshall will also share video of the test stand demolitions after the event. For communities near Redstone Arsenal, there could be a loud noise associated with the demolition on the morning of Jan. 10. Share Details Last Updated Jan 06, 2026 EditorLee MohonContactLance Davis*****@*****.tldMolly Porter*****@*****.tldLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsMarshall Space Flight CenterMarshall Test Facility and Support InfrastructureNASA History Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Marshall Space Flight Center About Marshall Space Flight Center Marshall Space Flight Center History NASA History View the full article