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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Shades of a Lunar Eclipse Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Notes from the Field Blog Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search March 3, 2026 On March 3, 2026, Earth lined up directly between the Moon and the Sun, casting its shadow on the full Moon. The total lunar eclipse was visible throughout the Americas, East Asia, Australia, and the Pacific. Skygazers in those parts of the world may have witnessed a “Blood Moon,” when the dimmed lunar surface temporarily turned an orange-red color. Meanwhile, satellites observed the effect of the darkened Moon on Earth’s surface. Changes in the amount of moonlight reflected back to Earth as the eclipse progressed appear in this composite image, composed of nighttime observations made by the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the NOAA-21 satellite. The satellite collected these images of the Arctic about every 100 minutes, with earlier swaths toward the right and later swaths to the left. The VIIRS day-night band detects nighttime light in a range of wavelengths from green to near-infrared and uses filtering techniques to observe signals such as city lights, reflected moonlight, and auroras. The darkest swath was acquired at 11:20 Universal Time (2:20 a.m. Alaska Standard Time), about 15 minutes after the total phase had begun. With very little moonlight reaching Earth, ribbons of light from the aurora borealis shine through, along with specks of artificial light from settlements in the Yukon and eastern Alaska. When the satellite passed over western Alaska and the Bering Strait, at 13:00 Universal Time (4:00 a.m. Alaska Standard Time), the eclipse was in the partial phase. The scene is noticeably brighter than the earlier one, and light from the partially shaded Moon illuminates snow-covered topography and offshore clouds. The brightest swaths on the far right and left sides were acquired before and after the eclipse, respectively, with light from the full Moon. The next chance to view a total lunar eclipse will occur on December 31, 2028, when it will add a dash of astronomical flair to New Year’s Eve celebrations in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific. NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using VIIRS day-night band data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). Story by Lindsey Doermann. Downloads March 3, 2026 JPEG (1.52 MB) References & Resources CIMSS Satellite Blog (2026, March 3) VIIRS Day/Night Band imagery showing the effect of a total lunar eclipse. Accessed March 9, 2026. NASA The Moon & Eclipses. Accessed March 9, 2026. NASA (2026, January 29) March 2026 Total Lunar Eclipse: Your Questions Answered. Accessed March 9, 2026. NASA (2009, April 29) Total Lunar Eclipse of 2026 Mar 03. Accessed March 9, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2025, September 20) By the Warm Light of the Moon. Accessed March 9, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2008, March 13) Lunar Eclipse from Orbit. Accessed March 9, 2026. You may also be interested in: Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet. By the Warm Light of the Moon 3 min read Astronauts and much of Earth’s population had a chance to view a coppery “Blood Moon” during a total lunar eclipse… Article City Lights Glow Along Moonlit Waters 3 min read An astronaut photographed moonglint shimmering across the sea surface and the bright clusters of Florida’s cities at night. Article A Northwest Night Awash in Light 3 min read The glow of city lights, the aurora, and a rising Moon illuminate the night along the northwest coast of North… Article 1 2 3 4 Next Keep Exploring Discover More from NASA Earth Science Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox. Earth Observatory Image of the Day NASA’s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery. Explore Earth Science Earth Science Data Open access to NASA’s archive of Earth science data View the full article

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) partnered with Materials and Processes and Flammability subject matter experts from the Johnson Space Center, White Sands Test Facility, and the Marshall Space Flight Center to design and develop a test for evaluating the effectiveness of material assemblies to serve as a barrier between a potential cabin ignition source based on typical flammable materials in the habitable volume of spacecraft. Download PDF: Flammability Testing Configuration and Approach of Barrier Material Assemblies Designed for Space Flight Applications View the full article

NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) Nebula PMR 1 is a cloud of gas and dust that bears an uncanny resemblance to a brain in a transparent skull, inspiring its nickname, the “Exposed Cranium” nebula. Webb captured its unusual features in both near- and mid-infrared light. The nebula was first revealed in infrared light by a predecessor to Webb, NASA’s now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope, more than a decade ago. Webb’s advanced instruments show detail that enhances the nebula’s brain-like appearance. This image, released on Feb. 25, 2026, is in near-infrared light. The nebula appears to have distinct regions that capture different phases of its evolution — an outer shell of gas that was blown off first and consists mostly of hydrogen, and an inner cloud with more structure that contains a mix of different gases. Both Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) show a distinctive dark lane running vertically through the middle of the nebula that defines its brain-like look of left and right hemispheres. Webb’s resolution shows that this lane could be related to an outburst or outflow from the central star, which typically occurs as twin jets burst out in opposite directions. Read more about the Exposed Cranium nebula and see another view of it from Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Range Instrument). Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) View the full article

NASA astronaut Chris Williams calls mission controllers during Crew Medical Officer training while inside the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory module.NASA/Jessica Meir Students in New York will hear from NASA astronauts Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams as they answer prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) questions while aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space call will begin at 12:05 p.m. EDT Wednesday, March 11, and will stream live on the agency’s Learn With NASA YouTube channel. This event is hosted by the Queens Borough Public Library in Jamaica, New York, for students in grades K-12 and members of the community. This unique opportunity aims to deepen understanding of space exploration and inspire young people to pursue a future career in STEM. Media interested in covering the event must RSVP by 5 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, March 10, to Ewa Kern-Jedrychowska at: 917-702-0016 or *****@*****.tld; or to Elisabeth deBourbon at: 917-650-3815 or *****@*****.tld. For more than 25 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network. Research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and lay the groundwork for other agency deep space missions. As part of NASA’s Artemis program, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars, inspiring the world through discovery in a new Golden Age of innovation and exploration. See more information on NASA in-flight calls at: [Hidden Content] -end- Gerelle Dodson Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 gerelle.q*****@*****.tld Sandra Jones Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 sandra.p*****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Mar 09, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsLearning ResourcesHumans in SpaceIn-flight Education DownlinksInternational Space Station (ISS)Johnson Space CenterNASA Headquarters View the full article

3 Min Read From Cabbages to Countdowns: NASA Marks 100 Years of Modern Rocketry Photograph of Robert Goddard and his liquid-fueled rocket, prior to its first flight on March 16, 1926, from a farm at Auburn, Mass. Credits: Esther Goddard, Courtesy of Clark University Snow covered the ground that Tuesday morning 100 years ago, when a college professor and his wife took a morning drive to the family farm a few miles south in Auburn, Massachusetts. Along for the ride, the couple brought two work colleagues — and “Nell.” They may not have known it at the time, but thanks to Nell, the four New Englanders were about to attend an auspicious birth. Some eleven feet tall and weighing a mere 10 pounds, Nell was a contraption of the professor’s invention. He had devised, constructed, and tested Nell methodically, incrementally, over the course of many, many years. That snowy morning at Aunt Effie’s farm, the professor’s assistant took a blowtorch to Nell. Moments later Nell ascended. The gangly apparatus climbed 41 feet high and landed in a cabbage patch 60 yards away. The entire journey took less than three seconds, but March 16, 1926, had just become the date of the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket flight, and Dr. Robert Goddard had just become a father of modern rocketry. “It looked almost magical as it rose, without any appreciably greater noise or flame, as if it said, ‘I’ve been here long enough; I think I’ll be going somewhere else, if you don’t mind,’” Goddard wrote in his journal the next day. Robert Goddard’s assistant Henry Sachs (left), former student and fellow Clark University Physics professor Percy Roope (middle), and wife Esther Goddard who photographed and filmed much of her husband’s work. They stand with parts from the rocket — later named “Nell” — following the flight of March 16, 1926, at Aunt Effie’s (a distant relative of Robert Goddard’s) Ward Farm in Auburn, Mass. This test marked the world’s first successful launch of a liquid-propelled rocket.Courtesy of Clark University The idea of a liquid-fueled rocket was not new. Others around the world had been pondering theory and sketching designs for years: Liquid propellant would offer greater thrust control than solid fuel, but the benefit accompanies tricky challenges, like how to pressurize and control the rate of fuel mixture. Goddard, who filled Nell up with a blend of gasoline and liquid oxygen, became the first in the world to build and successfully launch such a rocket. Recognition was slow to arrive — ridicule came faster. In 1920, The New York Times opined that Goddard’s work in rocketry and his suggestion that such a device could reach the Moon was “a severe strain on credulity”: How could a rocket function in a vacuum with no air to push against, the newspaper accused. “Of course [Goddard] only seems to lack the knowledge ladled out daily in high schools.” It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today, and the reality of tomorrow. DR. ROBERT H. Goddard Rocketry Pioneer But Goddard pressed on, refining and retooling his rockets over the years. At the dawn of the Space Age and with Esther Goddard championing her late husband’s work (Robert Goddard died in 1945), the true significance of the Clark University professor’s work became clearer. NASA named its first new complex the Goddard Space Flight Center in his honor in 1959. Liquid-propelled rocketry has been the backbone of spaceflight ever since. A century after Goddard’s first launch, NASA’s Artemis II mission is poised to bring astronauts around the Moon for the first time since 1972. The SLS (Space Launch System) rocket that will take them there is 30 times taller and half a million times heavier than Nell — but still liquid-fueled, just as Goddard predicted and pioneered, 100 years ago in a snowy field next to a cabbage patch. By Rob Garner NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. References & Resources Goddard, Esther, “Figure 126: Robert Goddard standing next to rocket at Ward Farm, March 16, 1926” (1926). March 16, 1926: The First Liquid-Propellant Rocket Launch. 23. Goddard, Robert H., “Figure 128: Henry Sachs, Percy Roope, and Esther Goddard with parts of first liquid-propellant rocket after flight, March 16, 1926” (1926). March 16, 1926: The First Liquid-Propellant Rocket Launch. 24. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (1982). Dr. Robert H. Godard — 100th Anniversary October 5, 1882 – 1982. Greenbelt, Md. Rosenthal, Alfred (1968). Venture Into Space: Early Years of Goddard Space Flight Center. Washington, D.C.: NASA. Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Dr. Robert H. Goddard, American Rocketry Pioneer Goddard Space Flight Center History About Goddard Explore NASA’s History Share Details Last Updated Mar 06, 2026 EditorRob GarnerContactRob Garner*****@*****.tldLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related TermsGoddard Space Flight CenterNASA History View the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Lake Coatepeque Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Notes from the Field Blog Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search February 10, 2026 Just inland from the Pacific coast of El Salvador, the striking blue waters of Lake Coatepeque fill part of a caldera of the same name. An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this photo of the lake and surrounding terrain on February 10, 2026, as the station passed over Central America. The caldera formed during a series of explosive eruptions between 72,000 and 51,000 years ago. After the caldera’s formation, additional eruptions produced several lava domes along its western side, including one that became Isla del Cerro (Isla Teopán). According to the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program, there have been no reported eruptions from the caldera during the Holocene (the past 11,700 years). Today, homes, restaurants, boathouses, and other structures line the lakeshore. This human footprint extends westward toward the caldera’s steep rim, which abuts the eastern flank of Santa Ana—El Salvador’s tallest volcano. Unlike Coatepeque, Santa Ana remains active, with small to moderate explosive eruptions recorded since the 16th century. Its most recent severe eruption occurred in 2005. Although the lake appears its usual blue in this photo, it can occasionally take on a strikingly different hue. At times, the water temporarily shifts to bright turquoise, prompting questions about its cause. In 2024, scientists reported that while pigments from microalgae and cyanobacteria can affect the lake’s color, the turquoise episodes are likely the result of natural mineralization. The broader landscape around the lake and Santa Ana Volcano is a mosaic of urban areas, agricultural fields, and even more volcanic terrain. The city of Santa Ana lies about 15 kilometers (9 miles) to the north, while San Salvador, also nestled amid volcanoes, lies 40 kilometers (25 miles) to the east. The volcanic landscape stretches more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) along Central America’s Pacific coast, from Guatemala to Panama, composing the Central American Volcanic Arc. Astronaut photograph ISS074-E-312810 was acquired on February 10, 2026, with a Nikon Z9 digital camera using a focal length of 400 millimeters. It was provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit at NASA Johnson Space Center. The images were taken by a member of the Expedition 74 crew. The images have been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Story by Kathryn Hansen. Downloads February 10, 2026 JPEG (25.38 MB) References & Resources Atlas Obscura (2024, November 12) Lago Coatepeque. Accessed March 5, 2026. La Prensa Grafica (2022, August 24) The turquoise color once again takes over Lake Coatepeque. Accessed March 5, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2023, October 14) San Salvador: A City Among Volcanoes. Accessed March 5, 2026. Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program Coatepeque Caldera. Accessed March 5, 2026. Universidad de El Salvador (2024, October 3) Marine Toxins Laboratory presents study results on the turquoise coloration phenomenon of Lake Coatepeque. Accessed March 5, 2026. You may also be interested in: Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet. A Northwest Night Awash in Light 3 min read The glow of city lights, the aurora, and a rising Moon illuminate the night along the northwest coast of North… Article The Galaxy Next Door 3 min read The Large Magellanic Cloud—one of our closest neighboring galaxies—is a hotbed of star formation that is visible to both astronauts… Article Lake Eyre Blushes 3 min read Rounding out a remarkable year, the outback lake displayed distinct green and reddish water in its two main bays. Article 1 2 3 4 Next Keep Exploring Discover More from NASA Earth Science Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox. Earth Observatory Image of the Day NASA’s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery. Explore Earth Science Earth Science Data Open access to NASA’s archive of Earth science data View the full article

Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo craft, carrying over 11,000 pounds of new science and supplies for the Expedition 73 crew, is pictured moments before its capture with the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm. Both spacecraft were orbiting 257 miles above Namibia. Cygnus XL is Northrop Grumman’s expanded version of its previous Cygnus cargo craft increasing its payload capacity and pressurized cargo volume.NASA Media accreditation is open for the next launch to deliver NASA science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. A Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL spacecraft will launch in April to the orbital laboratory on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for NASA. The mission is known as NASA’s Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply Services 24 (NASA’s Northrop Grumman CRS-24). Liftoff is targeted for no earlier than Wednesday, April 8, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Following launch, astronauts aboard the space station will use the Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture Cygnus and install the spacecraft to the Unity module’s Earth-facing port for cargo unloading. The spacecraft will remain at the space station until October. This is the company’s 24th spacecraft built to deliver supplies to the International Space Station under contract with NASA. Credentialing to cover prelaunch and launch activities is open to U.S. media. The application deadline for U.S. citizens is 11:59 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, March 18. All accreditation requests must be submitted online at: [Hidden Content] Credentialed media will receive a confirmation email following approval. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For questions about accreditation, or to request special logistical support, email: ksc*****@*****.tld. For other questions, please contact NASA’s Kennedy Space Center newsroom at: 321-867-2468. In addition to food, supplies, and equipment for the crew, Cygnus will deliver research to the space station, including a new module to advance quantum science that could improve computing technology and aid in the search for dark matter and hardware to produce a greater number of therapeutic stem cells for blood diseases and *******. Cygnus also will carry model organisms to study the gut microbiome and a receiver that could enhance space weather models that protect critical space infrastructure, such as GPS and radar. Each resupply mission to the station delivers scientific investigations in the areas of biology and biotechnology, Earth and space science, physical sciences, and technology development and demonstrations. Cargo resupply from U.S. companies ensures a national capability to deliver scientific research to the space station, increasing NASA’s ability to conduct new investigations aboard humanity’s laboratory in space. For more than 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs that are not possible on Earth. The station is an important testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. As commercial companies concentrate on providing human space transportation services and destinations as part of a strong low Earth orbit economy, NASA is focusing its resources on deep space missions to the Moon as part of the Artemis program to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars. Learn more about International Space Station research and operations at: [Hidden Content] -end- Josh Finch / Jimi Russell Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Steven Siceloff Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-876-2468 steven.p*****@*****.tld Sandra Jones / Leah Cheshier Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 sandra.p*****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Mar 06, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNorthrop Grumman Commercial ResupplyCommercial ResupplyInternational Space Station (ISS)Johnson Space CenterKennedy Space CenterNASA Headquarters View the full article

The Italian Space Agency’s LICIACube traveled alongside NASA’s DART to capture the spacecraft’s collision with Dimorphos. In this LICIACube image, taken moments after impact on Sept. 26, 2022, rocky debris can be seen fanning out from the smaller asteroid below its larger binary partner, Didymos.ASI/NASA This image of asteroids Didymos, left, and Dimorphos was captured by NASA’s DART mission a few seconds before the spacecraft smashed into Dimorphos on Sept. 26, 2022. The impact on the smaller asteroid had a measurable effect on the orbit of its larger partner.NASA/Johns Hopkins APL New research reveals that when NASA’s DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft intentionally impacted the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos in September 2022, it didn’t just change the motion of Dimorphos around its larger companion, Didymos; the ****** also shifted the orbit of both asteroids around the Sun. Linked together by gravity, Didymos and Dimorphos orbit each other around a shared center of mass in a configuration known as a binary system, so changes to one asteroid affect the other. As detailed in a study published on Friday in the journal Science Advances, observations of the pair’s motion revealed that the 770-day orbital ******* around the Sun changed by a fraction of a second after the DART spacecraft’s impact on Dimorphos. That change marks the first time a human-made object has measurably altered the path of a celestial body around the Sun. The Hubble Space Telescope observed two tails of dust ejected from the Didymos-Dimorphos asteroid system several days after NASA’s DART spacecraft impacted the smaller asteroid.NASA, ESA, Jian-Yang Li (PSI), Joe Depasquale (STScI) “This is a tiny change to the orbit, but given enough time, even a tiny change can grow to a significant deflection,” said Thomas Statler, lead scientist for solar system small bodies at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The team’s amazingly precise measurement again validates kinetic impact as a technique for defending Earth against asteroid hazards and shows how a binary asteroid might be deflected by impacting just one member of the pair.” High impact When DART struck Dimorphos, the impact blasted a huge cloud of rocky debris into space, altering the shape of the asteroid, which measures 560 feet (170 meters) wide. Because the debris carried its own momentum away from the asteroid, it gave Dimorphos an explosive thrust — what scientists call the momentum enhancement factor. More debris being kicked out means more oomph. According to the new research, the momentum enhancement factor for DART’s impact was about two, meaning that the debris loss doubled the punch created by the spacecraft alone. Earlier research showed that the smaller asteroid’s 12-hour orbital ******* around the nearly half-mile-wide (805-meter-wide) Didymos shortened by 33 minutes. The new study shows the impact ejected so much material from the binary system that it also changed the binary’s orbital ******* around the Sun by 0.15 seconds. “The change in the binary system’s orbital speed was about 11.7 microns per second, or 1.7 inches per hour,” said Rahil Makadia, the study’s lead author at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “Over time, such a small change in an asteroid’s motion can make the difference between a hazardous object hitting or missing our planet.” Although Didymos was not on an impact trajectory with Earth and it was impossible for the DART mission to put it on one, that change in orbital speed underscores the role spacecraft — aka kinetic impactors in this context — could play if a potentially hazardous asteroid is found to be on a collision course in the future. The key is detecting near-Earth objects far enough in advance to send a kinetic impactor. To that end, NASA is building the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor mission. Managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, this next-generation space survey telescope is the first to be built for planetary defense. The mission will seek out some of the hardest-to-find near-Earth objects, such as dark asteroids and comets that don’t reflect much visible light. How they did it To prove DART had a detectable influence on both asteroids — not just on the smaller Dimorphos — the researchers needed to measure Didymos’ orbit around the Sun to exquisite precision. So, in addition to making radar and other ground-based observations of the asteroid, they tracked stellar occultations, which occur when the asteroid passes exactly in front of a star, causing the pinpoint of light to blink out for a fraction of a second. This technique provides extremely precise measurements of the asteroid’s speed, shape, and position. Measuring stellar occultations is challenging: Astronomers have to be in the right place at the right time with several observing stations, sometimes miles apart, to track the predicted path of the asteroid in front of a specific star. The team relied on volunteer astronomers around the globe who recorded 22 stellar occultations between October 2022 and March 2025. “When combined with years of existing ground-based observations, these stellar occultation observations became key in helping us calculate how DART had changed Didymos’ orbit,” said study co-lead Steve Chesley, a senior research scientist at JPL. “This work is highly weather dependent and often requires travel to remote regions with no guarantee of success. This result would not have been possible without the dedication of dozens of volunteer occultation observers around the world.” Studying changes in Didymos’ motion also helped the researchers calculate the densities of both asteroids. Dimorphos is slightly less dense than previously thought, supporting the theory that it formed from rocky debris shed by a rapidly spinning Didymos. This loose material eventually clumped together to form Dimorphos, a “rubble pile” asteroid. More about DART The DART spacecraft was designed, built, and operated by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, for NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which oversees the agency’s ongoing efforts in planetary defense. It was humanity’s first mission to intentionally move a celestial object. For more information about the DART mission visit: [Hidden Content] Media Contacts Ian J. O’Neill Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-354-2649 *****@*****.tld Karen Fox / Molly Wasser NASA Headquarters, Washington 240-285-5155 / 240-419-1732 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld 2025-015 Explore More 1 min read Near-Earth Asteroids as of December 2025 Each month, NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office releases a monthly update featuring the most recent… Article 3 months ago 8 min read Sugars, ‘Gum,’ Stardust Found in NASA’s Asteroid Bennu Samples Article 3 months ago 3 min read Regions on Asteroid Explored by NASA’s Lucy Mission Get Official Names The IAU (International Astronomical Union), a global naming authority for celestial objects, has approved official… Article 6 months ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Planetary Defense – DART NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), built and managed by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) for NASA’s Planetary… Asteroids Introduction Asteroids, sometimes called minor planets, are rocky, airless remnants left over from the early formation of our solar system… Didymos & Dimorphos Overview Asteroid Didymos and its small moonlet Dimorphos make up what’s called a binary asteroid system – meaning the small… NEO Surveyor Overview Building on the success of NASA’s NEOWISE space telescope, the agency’s NEO Surveyor will be the first spacecraft built… View the full article