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NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, right, and Administrator of the Small Business Administration Kelly Loeffler, left, pose for a photo after signing a Memorandum of Agreement Monday, June 29, 2026, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. This Memorandum of Agreement will provide the framework for NASA and the Small Business Administration Office of Investment and Innovation to support the growth of the Small Business Investment Company-NASA Initiative.Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber NASA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) launched the SBIC-NASA Initiative on Monday to increase investment in American manufacturers of industrial components and providers of technologies critical to space exploration to support a sustained presence on the Moon and Mars. Under the Memorandum of Agreement, NASA will identify technology priorities and connect businesses to funding opportunities through the agency’s new NASA Office of Strategic Capital. The initiative also will be a part of SBA’s Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Program, which provides leverage that matches private capital raised by investment funds and is designed to enhance fund-level investment returns. “To achieve President Trump’s National Space Policy, NASA needs a stronger industrial base capable of moving at the speed this new space race demands,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Through the NASA Office of Strategic Capital, this partnership with the SBA will help small businesses access the capital they need to scale, strengthen critical supply chains, rebuild America’s industrial might, and deliver the outcomes necessary to ensure the United States leads the next era of space exploration.” By augmenting the investable capital for investment funds licensed by the SBA under this SBIC-NASA Initiative, the new initiative expands access to capital for small businesses within the space industry. “To meet President Trump’s objective of securing American leadership on every frontier, the SBA and NASA are partnering to supercharge the industrial base behind our space program and connect the innovators building critical technologies with needed capital,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “Through this partnership with NASA, the SBA is mobilizing private sector investment to fuel the small businesses, manufacturers, and innovators that are driving American space dominance. By aligning capital with strategic national priorities, this exciting effort will help launch the next great era of space exploration.” Under the agreement, NASA will define strategic aerospace technology focus areas and identify supply chain needs. The SBA will use those priorities to attract and license qualified private investment funds that commit to invest at least 60% of their capital into NASA-identified focus areas, including: Energy production, infrastructure, and storage Nuclear power and propulsion Advanced software, avionics, and communications systems Specialized materials and components Inhospitable environment infrastructure Scaled launch infrastructure Biomedical and life support technology Through this partnership between NASA and SBA, capital will flow into space industry sectors and upstream supply chain component vital to the National Space Policy and critical to national and economic security. For details about the new initiative and NASA’s Office of Strategic Capital, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Camille Gallo / Cheryl Warner Headquarters, Washington  202-358-1600  *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jun 29, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNASA Headquarters View the full article

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The Flight Dynamics Research Facility, located at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, is the agency’s first major wind tunnel built in more than 40 years. NASA/Mark Knopp For more than 100 years, wind tunnels at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, have helped shape the future of flight.  Now, two of NASA’s longest-serving facilities — the 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel and the 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel — will pass the torch to the Flight Dynamics Research Facility (FDRF), the first major NASA wind tunnel built in more than 40 years.  “The FDRF has a combination of features found in no other single facility in the world,” said Mike Fremaux, retired chief engineer for the Intelligent Flight Systems division at NASA Langley. “It’s a high-performance vertical wind tunnel with a large test section capable of conducting all manner of tests to assess the dynamics of flight vehicles.” When the FDRF opens later this year, it will provide enhanced versions of the capabilities offered by the two legacy facilities. The FDRF’s test section will allow researchers to drop models into a rising vertical airflow. This will offer researchers the ability to conduct spin tests of aircraft and free-flight tests of vehicles designed to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere from space. The FDRF will play an integral role in conducting research that supports NASA’s aeronautics, science, and space exploration missions. Like many NASA facilities, the FDRF’s story is rooted in a history of innovation. A 1/12th scale model of the SBN-1 is tested in the 12-Foot Free-Flight Tunnel’s test section in 1940. NASA 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel  When the 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel began operations in 1939, aviation looked very different than it does today. It was built for NASA’s predecessor agency, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) to study the controllability of airplanes using free flight. Aircraft models flew unsupported in the wind it generated, instead of being mounted to supports. Multiple operators used rudimentary remote controls to operate the models in the tunnel. The facility that housed the tunnel boasted a unique design: a 60-foot diameter sphere. The configuration allowed the tunnel to move and adapt to the flight paths of free flying models. “Pilots” could use hydraulic actuators, pivoting the tunnel’s test section to match the models’ movements. The spherical design made it easy for air from the facility’s fan to recirculate through the tunnel, regardless of the pitch angle of the test section. In 1958, NASA moved the free-flight tests to another Langley tunnel. The agency deactivated the 12-Foot’s hydraulic actuators, fixing its test section into a horizontal position, and began using it for more conventional testing, looking at how aerodynamic force affected the stability and control of strut-mounted models. The 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel (left) and the 12-Foot Free-Flight Tunnel (later the 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel) in 1946.NASA The 12-Foot supported major projects throughout its 86 years of service, from the transition from ***-planes to monoplanes between two world wars, through the development of supersonic aircraft. Revolutionary designs saw testing in the 12-Foot, from the forward-swept-wing X-29 and the X-31 Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability Demonstrator, to the more recent X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft, and the aeroshell for NASA’s Dragonfly, a unique rotorcraft designed to explore Titan, Saturn’s largest moon.  The 12-Foot closed in 2025, but its legacy will be both felt and seen at the FDRF. Six wooden fan blades and the central metal fan hub from the 12-Foot are on display inside the FDRF’s control room.  Researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia test a Mercury capsule model in 1959.NASA 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel  While the 12-Foot tested new ideas for aircraft and components, the 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel played a critical role in aviation safety. Opened in 1941, the Vertical Spin Tunnel was designed to study aircraft stall and spin characteristics. Its aim was to prevent deadly accidents in which an aircraft enters an uncontrolled spin. The vertical design allowed models to fall into the rising airflow, simulating how aircraft behave during a spin. Researchers hand-launched models into the tunnel’s vertically rising airstream to evaluate those characteristics. The tunnel quickly became one of the most important spin-testing facilities in the world. Research supported commercial aviation, parachute design systems, NASA space missions, and the development of nearly every U.S. military aircraft designed since World War II. Models from many of those tests will be on display in the FDRF’s lobby, a testament to the Vertical Spin Tunnel’s rich history. “It is great to showcase the legacy of work that started in the NACA days and will continue going forward for decades to come,” Fremaux said. The lobby of the Flight Dynamics Research Facility, located at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, features a timeline that details the histories of the 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel and the 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel. NASA/Mark Knopp New era of flight research The FDRF will continue NASA’s commitment to world-class facilities and the unique expertise of the agency’s workforce. “That’s what kept those other facilities going,” Fremaux said. “Not just the buildings, the fans, and the motors, but also the expertise associated with those facilities. You can’t have one without the other.” The FDRF will build not only on the history of the 12-Foot tunnel and the Vertical Spin Tunnel, but on their equipment, including many of their major test rigs, instrumentation, and data systems, were repurposed for use in the FDRF, reducing costs and development time. As NASA returns astronauts to the Moon through the Artemis program, the FDRF will play a vital role in testing the technologies for entry, descent, and landing that will ensure a safe return to Earth. Research within the FDRF also will support science missions to planets and moons with atmospheres, such as Venus and Saturn’s moon, Titan. The 25,000-square-foot facility will play a major role in experimental research for NASA’s development of X-planes, autonomous flight vehicles, and drones. “For me, seeing FDRF come alive and being prepared to begin supporting important agency missions, after 30 years of working on the concept behind the scenes with formal and informal teams of motivated, innovative coworkers, is the most rewarding capstone I could have in my career,” Fremaux said. Just as the 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel and the 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel supported decades of aerospace innovation, the FDRF is ready to shape the future of flight. Kimiko Booker NASA Langley Research Center Share Details Last Updated Jun 29, 2026 Related TermsLangley Research CenterAeronauticsGeneral Explore More 6 min read Mapping Earth’s Observations, featuring Betsy Ford Article 5 hours ago 3 min read NASA Announces Winners for 2026 Human Lander Challenge Article 3 days ago 3 min read This is How NASA Flight Tests New Technology Article 6 days ago View the full article

X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI/AURA; IR:NASA/JPL/Caltech; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/N. Wolk Flight engineer Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) helps flight engineer Chris Williams of NASA as he tries on his spacesuit on June 23, 2026, testing its comfort and mobility as well as its communications and life support systems inside the International Space Station’s Quest airlock. Williams will go on a spacewalk on June 30 with fellow NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. They will replace a malfunctioning wrist joint on the Canadarm2 robotic arm. Image credit: NASA/Jessica Meir View the full article

NASA’s Earth-observing satellites track an enormous range of phenomena: how aerosols move through the atmosphere, how moisture descends through soil, how land-cover shifts over decades. It’s some of the most consequential data NASA produces, informing science, policy, agriculture, and climate research around the world. As NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD) manages this vast portfolio, they operate within an environment marked by significant complexity. This system-of-systems is continually evolving as mission requirements develop, new capabilities come online while others are retired, and international partnerships shift over time. All of this happens against a backdrop of deep uncertainty in technology readiness, launch opportunities, and resource availability. Decision analyst Betsy FordCredit: NASA “It reaches more people than most realize. The farmers who are growing your food use the data from these satellites.” “ESD leadership is constantly navigating this complicated landscape,” says Betsy Ford, a decision analyst and Deputy Team Lead for the NASA Earth Science Strategic Integration Environment (NESSIE) team within the Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate (SACD) at NASA’s Langley Research Center. “Our work focuses on integrating information across the broad system-of-systems so that these decision-makers can visualize the current state, how things could evolve, and how all of it lines up against NASA’s long-term scientific priorities.” A Detour Through Detroit Ford’s path to this work runs through two vastly different worlds, and it all started before she could even drive. Both of her parents spent their careers at NASA Langley and recently retired from it. Growing up, Ford attended the center’s daycare and its summer picnics. “It always felt like a college campus and a big family,” she says. “I really loved that.” Betsy Ford (in blue gown) and family celebrate her kindergarten graduation at NASA Langley.Credit: Betsy Ford Still, when she graduated from Virginia Tech with a mechanical engineering degree, she chose to branch out first. She joined General Motors’ engineering rotation program in Michigan, spending time as a mass integration engineer for Corvette before moving to work as a vehicle occupant safety engineer performing ****** testing. She was also finishing a master’s in engineering management at the University of Nebraska, where she was introduced to risk analysis and strategic decision making. When a position opened in the Space Mission Analysis Branch (part of SACD), she applied, hoping her experience in systems engineering and master’s might offset the gap between the hardware testing of running vehicles into walls and the analytical work NASA needed. “Leadership saw potential in my background and gave me a chance to apply it in a new context,” she says. Betsy Ford (second from right) and family gather at NASA Langley’s front gate.Credit: Betsy Ford Finding the Story in the Data At its core, NESSIE addresses an information architecture problem. Hundreds of Earth-observing satellite missions, both NASA’s and its partners,’ each observing specific phenomena, from cloud cover to land use. That data has always existed. The challenge was making sense of it all in one place. NESSIE’s main web application page presents a heat map showing which missions are addressing 34 science observables alongside a mission timeline. Additional views drill down further, such as which specific instruments on which spacecraft cover a given measurement, and how international partner collaborations have evolved over the years. This graphic shows the fleet of NASA Earth Science missions, which provide hundreds of measurements and data products to understand the Earth system.Credit: NASA “We focus on continuous improvement,” Ford explains. “Each iteration aims to give our stakeholders a clearer, more useful product than they had the day before.” While supporting NASA headquarters in its strategic planning, the team is working toward making NESSIE available to the National Academies to help inform the next decadal survey, a document that will define national science priorities and guide government investments into the next decade. It’s a milestone that Ford describes as a significant step toward “using NESSIE to more fully support the scientific community through clearer data-driven planning of future missions.” Ground Truth Ford had always cared about Earth science in the abstract. It took a visit to her family’s farm in Nebraska to make it concrete. She was explaining her work with satellites, observables, and web applications, when her relatives pulled out their phones and showed her satellite data they use every day to monitor soil moisture across their fields. Then they showed her the tool it had once replaced: a metal rod they used to shove into the ground by hand to measure moisture levels. “That’s just one example of how impactful this work can be,” she says. “It reaches more people than most realize. The farmers who are growing your food use the data from these satellites.” When Ford wonders why the work matters, that moment is a powerful reminder for her. The satellites are the visible part of the story. The decisions about which ones to build, launch, and sustain, and the tools that make those decisions smarter, are what her work is about. Growing the Team Ford recently stepped into the deputy lead role on the NESSIE team, staffed primarily by early-career engineers. She credits mentors in her NASA tenure, particularly team lead Marie Ivanco, who modeled a method to looking at complex problems that shaped how Ford works now. “If you’re faced with a challenge, Marie asks, ‘What is your process?” Ford says. “She championed really decomposing a problem and approaching it systematically. That wasn’t natural to me at that point, but I really admired it.” Now Ford’s doing the same for others. “Finding that balance of providing the opportunities to grow along with some structure and guidance, that’s the job.” She also believes that NASA offers anyone entering engineering the freedom to define problems and solutions rather than to just execute known processes, and to exercise research instincts in ways that more prescriptive industry environments rarely allow. “It prompts a lot more creativity,” she says. “Getting to flex those research muscles is an opportunity I didn’t really have at other jobs.” On Ford’s Sci-Fi Shelf Star Wars — the film franchise Ford grew up in a Star Wars household: her father was a devoted fan, and she still remembers her first PG-13 movie in theaters, one of the newer films in the series. These days her husband keeps the tradition going, and with a 15-month-old son, Saturday morning Star Wars cartoons may already be on the calendar. “He’s very excited to get him started.” Learn more about our work by visiting our website. View the full article

1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Artistic concept of lunar surface technologies and infrastructure capabilities, including in-situ resource utilization oxygen production systems, surface power systems, in‑space manufacturing tools, and advanced nanomaterials production.NASA NASA issued a draft Broad Agency Announcement under NextSTEP‑3, Appendix A, on June 29, 2026, to advance concepts that accelerate the technological readiness of critical systems for lunar surface and cislunar architecture. This solicitation seeks to close key technology gaps and mature capabilities in vertical solar arrays, ISRU oxygen production systems, Stirling radioisotope generators, in‑space manufacturing, and advanced nanomaterials production. It focuses on identifying technology areas that require further risk reduction and ground‑based testing to mature competing solutions to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5–6. Funded efforts will advance the technology objectives of NASA’s Moon Base by demonstrating critical systems and accelerating the development of transformative capabilities needed for near‑term mission success. For more information, read the Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator (LEIA) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) NextSTEP-3 Appendix A – Draft Solicitation on SAM.gov. Facebook logo @NASATechnology @NASA_Technology Share Details Last Updated Jun 29, 2026 EditorLoura Hall Related TermsSpace Technology Mission DirectorateGlenn Research CenterLunar Surface Innovation InitiativeLunar Surface Technology ResearchTechnology Explore More 6 min read NextSTEP-2 H: Human Landing System Article 7 years ago 2 min read NextSTEP-2 C: Power and Propulsion Element Studies Article 9 years ago 2 min read NextSTEP-2 A: Habitation Systems Article 9 years ago View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Artistic concept of lunar surface technologies and infrastructure capabilities, including in-situ resource utilization oxygen production systems, surface power systems, in‑space manufacturing tools, and advanced nanomaterials production.NASA Long-term lunar exploration requires technology, infrastructure, and operations that function together cohesively on the surface of the Moon. To accelerate the development of key lunar surface systems and reduce risk, NASA and industry must work together in the design, development, testing, and evaluation of innovative solutions that support U.S. space priorities. NASA is seeking feedback on a draft solicitation for the Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator, an effort to help develop emerging capabilities in surface power, in-situ resource utilization, advanced manufacturing, and innovative nanomaterials. The draft is available for review by U.S. organizations, including industry, educational institutions, and non-profits. Investments in space technology development unlock the near-impossible for NASA and the nation. A sustained human presence at the Moon requires breakthrough ideas from a competitive U.S industrial base, and we are proud to work toward that vision with our commercial partners. Greg Stover Director of the Advanced Research and Technology Division, Research and Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington This review ******* allows NASA an opportunity to gather feedback on the draft solicitation, including the requirements, schedules, proposal instructions, and evaluation approaches. NASA strongly encourages industry to carefully review the draft and identify any areas of ambiguity, or concerns. Industry input will help inform the solicitation’s final requirements, acquisition planning, and solicitation parameters. The Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator includes five topics that address gaps in technology needed for exploring the Moon and the cislunar region between Earth and the Moon as identified in NASA’s Civil Space Shortfalls. The topics focus on near-term mission priorities: Surface power: Access to continuous, localized, and scalable power generation throughout the lunar day and night is essential for initial phases of the Moon Base plan. NASA’s needs include power generation, power management and distribution, and energy storage. Radioisotope power: A type of nuclear energy technology that uses heat to produce electric power for operating spacecraft systems in the darkest, dustiest, and most remote places in our solar system. In-situ resource utilization: As a sustained presence grows at the Moon, opportunities to harvest lunar resources could lead to safer, more efficient operations with less dependence on Earth. Advancing in-situ resource utilization technologies could support production of fuel, water, and oxygen from local materials, expanding exploration capabilities. In-space advanced manufacturing: Long-term human presence beyond Earth orbit requires autonomous in-space production of essential tools and materials. Advancing in-space manufacturing will be critical to reducing reliance on Earth resupply, as well as optimizing mission flexibility and resilience at the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere in deep space. Innovative nanomaterials: U.S. objectives related to the commercialization of low Earth orbit, building a sustained presence on the lunar surface, and pursuing deeper space exploration will involve work in demanding operational environments and under stringent mission constraints. To meet the agency’s most ambitious space exploration goals, this topic seeks to advance the commercial availability, performance, quality, and uniformity of nanomaterials to address environmental, mass, and performance challenges. Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator awardees will be expected to design, develop, and demonstrate prototype systems and generate validated performance data, analytical models, and operational insights through testing and demonstration activities to mature technology and manufacturing applications. The solicitation, Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships-3 (NextSTEP-3) Appendix A Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator (Solicitation No: 80GRC026R0008), is available on SAM.gov and is open for comment through July 17, 2026. For more information about NASA’s space technology website as a reference for current technology strategy and priorities, visit: [Hidden Content] Facebook logo @NASATechnology @NASA_Technology Share Details Last Updated Jun 29, 2026 EditorLoura Hall Related TermsSpace Technology Mission DirectorateLunar Surface Innovation InitiativeMoon Base Explore More 1 min read NextSTEP-3 A: Lunar Enabling Technology Article 16 minutes ago 3 min read NASA Tests New Refuel Device for Future In-Space Refueling Missions Article 3 days ago 2 min read Department of Health and Human Services Digital Stockpile & Manufacturing Response Network Challenge Article 2 weeks ago View the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Star-Spangled City Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search April 24, 2014 Editor’s note: In honor of America’s 250th birthday, Earth Observatory is revisiting stories about the landscapes that helped shape U.S. history. The images and text on this page were originally published on September 14, 2014. Explore the full collection here. The song is familiar to every American, but the moment and place where it was composed are less so. On April 24, 2014, the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8 captured this view of Baltimore, Maryland, and its harbor. Fort McHenry and its star-shaped ramparts—the place where “that star-spangled banner yet wave[d],” on September 14, 1814—stand at the entrance to the city’s Inner Harbor. The area was a pivotal battleground in the War of 1812. In September 1814, British naval and ground forces advanced on the city of Baltimore, emboldened by the August 24 burning of the White House and the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. On September 12, British forces landed at North Point, 5 miles (8 kilometers) southeast of Baltimore (just off the lower right of this image), and engaged American troops in several small battles. By September 13, the land forces approached the city of Baltimore but were repelled by U.S. Army and Maryland militia forces assembled behind a mile of earthworks and trenches along Hampstead Hill—near what is now known as Patterson Park (image top center). On the morning of September 13, British naval vessels set up positions roughly at the point where this image is labeled Baltimore Harbor. They began a 25-hour bombardment of Fort McHenry, staying far enough offshore to hit the fort with rockets and cannonballs but out of the range of American artillery. Unable to subdue the fort, and hampered by several merchant vessels that were intentionally sunk in the harbor, the British forces ended their attack on the morning of September 14. The Battle of Baltimore moved a young American lawyer and negotiator to write a song entitled “Defense of Fort M’Henry.” Francis Scott Key had spent the night of September 13 on a British vessel in the Patapsco River, working to secure the release of American prisoners of war. Local legend in Maryland holds that the HMS Tonnant was anchored roughly where the Key Bridge is now located, giving Key a direct view toward Fort McHenry and “the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,” that “gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.” On September 14, a clean 30 by 42 foot American flag was raised over Fort McHenry “by the dawn’s early light.” Key’s four-verse song was published on September 20, 1814, in the Baltimore Patriot and the Advertiser. The battle hymn was eventually renamed “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and was declared the national anthem in 1931. Beyond its pivotal role in the War of 1812, Baltimore has long been an important seaport on the East Coast of the United States, particularly because of its proximity by road and rail to inland agricultural and industrial hubs in the Midwest. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay, the city is now home to more than 600,000 residents. According to some media reports, nearly one-quarter of the jobs in the Baltimore area are related to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. It is home to the Space Telescope Science Institute, the operations center for the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen, using Landsat data provided by the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Michael Carlowicz. Downloads April 24, 2014 JPEG (4.77 MB) April 24, 2014 TIFF (23.38 MB) References & Resources Baltimore Business Journal (2014, July 1) STEM workers in demand in Baltimore, Brookings report says. Accessed September 12, 2014. National Park Service Fort McHenry. Accessed September 12, 2014. Smithsonian National Museum of American History (2014) The Star-Spangled Banner. Accessed September 12, 2014. Star-Spangled 200 (2014) War of 1812 Interactive Map. Accessed September 12, 2014. 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. The Battle for Sullivan’s Island 5 min read Marshy, sandy terrain and an impassable inlet helped colonial forces repel British forces during a pivotal battle on the barrier… Article An Early “Decoration Day” Celebration 4 min read In a precursor to Memorial Day, people in Charleston, South Carolina, honored fallen Civil War troops with flowers, songs, and… Article Belts of Green in the Washington Suburbs 3 min read Along the northeast side of the Capital Beltway in Maryland, green spaces weave through the developed landscape. 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 NASA Announces Winners for 2026 Human Lander Challenge NASA has announced the top student-developed solutions for environmental control and life support systems in future crewed lunar landers from participants in the 2026 Human Lander Challenge. The announcement marks the culmination of months of research by university teams working to advance technologies supporting the agency’s Artemis program that will return American astronauts to the Moon in 2028. The challenge concluded June 25 following final technical presentations near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Since September 2025, student teams from across the nation have designed systems‑level approaches to enhance the performance and reliability of environmental control and life support technologies essential for astronauts during deep space missions. University students and advisors from 11 finalist teams gathered in Huntsville, home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, June 23-25 for the agency’s third annual Human Lander Challenge. This year’s competition challenged students to consider solutions for environmental control and life support systems for long duration spaceflight. These technologies are essential for maintaining breathable air, potable water, and thermal stability for astronauts during deep space missions. NASA/Charles Beason “As NASA continues preparing for sustained lunar exploration and future human missions to Mars, the development of robust, efficient, and reliable life support systems remains a critical focus area,” said Natalie Martinez-Vlasoff, mission capabilities and risk reduction advanced capabilities integration lead at NASA Marshall. “The 2026 student teams demonstrated a strong understanding of the range of design choices for these systems, and how well-considered, systems-level approaches can improve reliability and crew safety for astronauts using future human landing systems. It is encouraging to see students contributing ideas that help make long-duration lunar exploration more achievable.” The finalist teams gathered at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville on June 22 to present their research to a panel of NASA and aerospace industry experts, as well as to their peers, during a collaborative poster session. The annual competition concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing the top-performing teams out of the 12 finalists. NASA announced California Polytechnic State University as the overall winner and recipient of the $10,000 top prize award for their Peltier-based Hydration Accumulation Terminal project. Purdue University won second place and a $5,000 award for work on an Enhanced Potable Water Dispenser, followed by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, in third place with a $3,000 award for their Advanced Quality Orbital Rehydration Assembly project. The Human Lander Challenge is designed to inspire and engage the next generation of engineers and scientists as NASA and its partners prepare to send astronauts to the Moon in preparation for future missions to Mars. The human landing system is the mode of transportation that will take astronauts to the lunar surface and back to lunar orbit under Artemis. Through competitions like the Human Lander Challenge, NASA fosters the next generation of engineers and researchers while advancing the technologies needed for astronauts to explore deep space. These initiatives support the agency’s exploration goals while cultivating hands-on, problem-solving and systems thinking among future aerospace professionals. Student solutions from the Human Lander Challenge could be incorporated into current work for the next-generation Artemis landers. NASA’s Human Landing System Program, managed by NASA Marshall, sponsors the challenge, which is administered by the National Institute of Aerospace. Through the Artemis program, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars – for the benefit of all. For more information about the Artemis program, visit: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated Jun 26, 2026 EditorLee MohonContactCorinne Beckinger*****@*****.tldLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsHuman Landing System ProgramArtemisGeneralMarshall Space Flight Center Explore More 1 min read NASA 2026 Human Lander Challenge Article 10 months ago 3 min read NASA Opens 2026 Human Lander Challenge for Life Support Systems, More Article 9 months ago 3 min read NASA Challenge Seeks ‘Cooler’ Solutions for Deep Space Exploration Article 2 years ago 4 min read NASA Names Finalists to Help Deal with Dust in Human Lander Challenge Article 2 years ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Human Landing System Artemis Marshall Space Flight Center Space Launch System (SLS) View the full article

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Engineers from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and L3Harris ****-duct operational testing on a developmental cryocoupler, a vital technology for future in-orbit spacecraft refueling.NASA/Tyson Eason For NASA’s next generation of deep space exploration missions, spacecraft may need to refuel in Earth orbit before pushing farther into the solar system. Similar to how a gas pump needs a nozzle to fit your fuel tank, future spacecraft could require a special device in order to fill up prior to departure, known as a cryocoupler. Cryocouplers would allow spacecraft to connect to future orbital propellant depots, which would serve as the gas stations of space. The technology comes with the challenge of reliably transferring cryogenic, or super-cold, fluids without losing propellant or performance. Cryogenic propellants like liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen must stay chilled to hundreds of degrees below zero Fahrenheit, placing strict demands on the materials, seals, and mechanisms that move them. “In-orbit cryogenic refueling between two spacecraft has yet to be done and remains one of the toughest engineering challenges in spaceflight,” said Travis Belcher, cryocoupler project manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “These propellant transfers are essential for the kinds of missions NASA wants to fly in the future, so developing a coupler that can handle ultra-cold propellants is a critical step toward making that capability real.” Ground-based couplers like those used to fill the SLS (Space Launch System) for Artemis missions are not an option for orbiting propellant transfers. Those couplers release quickly while a rocket is launching and must be manually reconnected for the next flight. They also are not designed to operate in the harsh environment of space and are much larger than what would be used to refill an orbiting spacecraft’s fuel tank. To meet these challenges, NASA tested a cryocoupler developed by L3Harris. “The cryocouplers we’re working on can attach and detach multiple times and are fully automated, so astronauts won’t have to perform a spacewalk to transfer propellant,” said Belcher. “They’re rigorously designed to withstand space and sized for the expected tank designs.” A joint NASA and L3Harris team recently conducted two types of tests at NASA Marshall. To ensure the cryocoupler can handle the extremely cold temperatures it will be exposed to, they ran liquid nitrogen at minus 321 degrees Fahrenheit through multiple connected and disconnected configurations to observe how the coupler reacts to thermal contraction, flow, and significant temperature differences between propellant and materials. The team also put the cryocoupler through operational tests to determine its performance limits. In this setup, one coupler half was mounted to a robotic table that could move and rotate in any direction, allowing it to simulate misaligned docking with the other half, which remained stationary above the table. The cryocoupler is designed to accommodate some misalignment in case a spacecraft and depot are not perfectly aligned when docking. “These cryocouplers are very early in development, so the testing is mostly focused on basic functionality,” said Belcher. “Future test campaigns will design them for specific missions and assess them more meticulously based on that mission’s requirements.” The cryocoupler testing was done as part of a 2022 Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity, a partnership where NASA centers provide select companies with expertise, facilities, hardware, and software at no cost. The Cryogenic Fluid Management Portfolio project, a cross-agency team based at NASA Marshall and NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, oversees cryocoupler development. To learn more about cryogenic fluid management, visit: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated Jun 26, 2026 EditorLee MohonContactJoel Wallace*****@*****.tldLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsCryogenic Fluid Management (CFM)Marshall Space Flight CenterMissionsSpace Technology Mission DirectorateTechnology DemonstrationTechnology Demonstration Missions Program Explore More 1 min read Novel Recuperator Design for Cryogenic Fluid Management System Article 1 year ago 2 min read NASA, Industry Prepare Cryogenic Fuel Technology Demo Article 1 month ago 5 min read Brr, It’s Cold in Here! NASA’s Cryo Efforts Beyond the Atmosphere Article 2 years ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM) Technology Demonstration Missions (TDM) Space Technology Mission Directorate Space Nuclear Propulsion View the full article

5 min read Partners, NASA Ready for June Launch of Swift Boost Mission NASA is on a mission to lift its Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory along with partners Katalyst Space and Northrop Grumman. Watch to get a sneak peek. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Katalyst Space/Northrop Grumman A mission to raise the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is poised for launch no earlier than Tuesday, June 30, 6:23 a.m. EDT (10:23 p.m. UTC+12), from Kwajalein Atoll, part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. A robotic servicing satellite called LINK, built by Katalyst Space, will blast into orbit on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket. LINK will rendezvous with, grapple, and slowly raise Swift’s altitude over several months, preventing it from re-entering Earth’s atmosphere later this year. “Swift is NASA’s multitool when it comes to studying the cosmos,” said S. Bradley Cenko, principal investigator, Swift, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “It observes the sky using a wide range of light and rapidly points at short-lived outbursts, alerting other facilities in space and on the ground to help coordinate follow-up observations. For the last two decades, Swift has been a key player in NASA’s efforts to understand how the universe works, and we’re looking forward to getting back to that work after the boost is complete.” This mosaic of M31 merges 330 individual images taken by the Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope aboard Swift. It is the highest-resolution image of the galaxy ever recorded in the ultraviolet. The image shows a region 200,000 light-years wide and 100,000 light-years high. NASA/Swift/Stefan Immler (GSFC) and Erin Grand (UMCP) Download high-resolution images and videos related to Swift through NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio. Our planet’s atmosphere creates drag on all spacecraft in low Earth orbit, gradually reducing their altitudes if they don’t have propulsion systems to counteract the effect. A recent bout of increased solar activity magnified this impact on Swift, which launched in November 2004. Rather than allowing Swift to re-enter the atmosphere as many missions do, NASA is using the opportunity to advance the U.S. commercial satellite servicing industry. In September, the agency contracted Katalyst to attempt to boost the observatory. The company would have less than one year to design, build, test, and launch a satellite to meet, grab, and lift Swift to nearly its original orbit. “Swift wasn’t designed to be serviced,” said Ghonhee Lee, CEO of Katalyst. “By demonstrating we can quickly and cost-effectively extend its lifetime, we’re creating a blueprint for servicing spacecraft that were never designed for on-orbit maintenance. If we’re going to build an enduring presence beyond Earth, we need the capability to manipulate our environment in space. That means deploying robotic spacecraft that can reposition, repair, refuel, and refit satellites after launch.” Katalyst engineers attach LINK to a baseplate inside the Space Environment Simulator at NASA Goddard on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Once all the air was pumped out of the 27-foot-diameter chamber, the team practiced firing the satellite’s ion thrusters and operated one of the robotic arms while they cycled through space-like hot and cold temperatures. NASA/Sophia Roberts The LINK spacecraft weighs about 880 pounds and stands about 5 feet tall, about a third of Swift’s overall size. Nearly 20 feet of solar panels will power three ion thrusters and a trio of robotic arms. LINK completed environmental testing that mimicked launch and space-like conditions at NASA Goddard this spring, as well as additional preflight assessments at Katalyst’s facility in Broomfield, Colorado. For the boost to have its best chance of success, Swift needs to stay above an altitude of about 185 miles. By the end of last year, however, orbital predictions generated by NASA showed the observatory reaching that threshold as early as July. To slow Swift’s descent, the operations team at Penn State’s Eberly College of Science altered how they managed and oriented the spacecraft. Unlike during normal operating procedures, where Swift looks at spots on the sky that are scientifically interesting, the team now selects targets that steer Swift into the most streamlined position. They also reduced power consumption as much as possible to place the satellite’s large solar panels in a more aerodynamic orientation. Recent orbital predictions show these changes will keep Swift above critical altitude until this fall. Stargazer, Pegasus XL, and LINK await takeoff on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Engineers control the temperature and humidity inside the nose cone of the rocket to keep the satellite and avionics safe from weather and changing environmental conditions during flight. NASA/Ron Beard The satellite will launch aboard the Pegasus XL. “We can deploy Pegasus from almost anywhere in the world using our Stargazer, a modified L-1011 aircraft,” said Wes Collier, vice president of launch systems at Northrop Grumman. “That combination of flexibility and responsive access to space will help LINK quickly reach Swift, giving the teams time to complete the boost.” Earlier this month, engineers loaded LINK into the Pegasus XL and attached the rocket to Stargazer at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The aircraft and its payload departed for Kwajalein Atoll on Thursday, June 18, where it now awaits launch. Once in orbit, LINK will undergo several weeks of commissioning as Katalyst evaluates the spacecraft’s propulsion, navigation, and sensor systems. It then will slowly approach and survey Swift before grabbing the observatory with its robotic arms and slowly raising the orbit to nearly 370 miles. “This is a high-risk, high-reward mission,” said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, division director, Astrophysics, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Swift plays a notable role in our fleet. We have much to gain by attempting this boost, which is more affordable than trying to replace Swift’s capabilities and allows NASA to advance the nation’s satellite servicing industry, for the benefit of all.” Learn more about the Swift boost at: [Hidden Content] By Jeanette Kazmierczak Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media contacts: Alise Fisher Headquarters, Washington 202-358-2546 Claire Andreoli Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 301-286-1940 Facebook logo @NASAUniverse @NASAUniverse Instagram logo @NASAUniverse Share Details Last Updated Jun 26, 2026 Editor Jeanette Kazmierczak Location Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Swift Boost Mission Astrophysics Goddard Space Flight Center Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory Robotics The Universe Wallops Flight Facility View the full article

Credit: NASA NASA selected 41 proposals from 37 companies to advance technologies in support of the agency’s goals to establish a long-term presence on the Moon and enable human exploration of Mars. These American companies, picked from NASA’s 2025 Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity (ACO), will mature technologies creating solutions for space transportation, planetary surface operations, and lunar surface infrastructure. “We are empowering American industry to become active partners in NASA’s missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond,” said Greg Stover, director, Advanced Research and Technology Division in the agency’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “By tapping into commercial industry, NASA can rapidly develop key capabilities to support its most ambitious missions while fostering the nation’s robust space economy.” NASA’s ACO establishes mutually beneficial partnerships between the agency and industry without the exchange of funds. Through this opportunity, companies leverage NASA’s specialized facilities, software, hardware, and subject matter experts, allowing them to rapidly mature their technologies for both commercial markets and future government missions. Since launching the first ACO in 2015, NASA has supported more than 110 projects. The total estimated value of agency resources to support the agreements is approximately $30 million, which leverages an additional $32 million of industry contributions. The ******* of performance will be negotiated for each agreement, with an expected duration of 12 to 24 months. Industry proposers were tasked with responding to agency technology topics that would benefit from the rapid development enabled by a public-private partnership, including space transportation engine elements, guidance and navigation systems, landing systems, in-space servicing assembly and manufacturing, and energy management technologies. The complete list of selections can be found on the agency’s website and span cross-cutting capabilities, including: Power generation Lockheed Martin will mature a modular, compact energy solution that could support sustained power generation in the Moon’s permanently shadowed regions, helping future crew and resources survive the long lunar night. The company’s wireless power transfer system aims to advance power-beaming technology using fiber lasers and a space-based heat rejection system for durability. In-space logistics To enhance orbital missions, Kall Morris Inc. will develop Asteria, a supplemental payload attachment system. Asteria can attach to legacy, current, and next-generation orbital assets using a non-destructive, controlled-release adhesive without requiring pre-installed infrastructure. This technology enables advanced maneuvering, improved object tracking, asset protection, data collection, and satellite life extension. Dust mitigation technology Moonprint Solutions, a small business, is proposing flexible isolation covers to protect critical hardware and systems from abrasive dust in the harsh lunar environment. Flexible covers provide a strategic advantage by offering protection that conforms to complex shapes for a variety of hardware. These durable covers could be used on rovers, robotic joints, hoses, and other articulated equipment to support long-term operations on the Moon and Mars. Selected projects could make a significant impact on the commercial space sector, such as expanding existing or opening new markets, lowering price, increasing choice, or providing entirely new capabilities. Organizations interested in developing space technology with NASA can explore opportunities online. For more information about NASA’s space technology investments, visit: www.nasa.gov/spacetech -end- Jennifer Dooren / Rob Margetta Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jun 26, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsTechnologySpace Technology Mission Directorate View the full article

This image by ESA’s (European Space Agency) Euclid (with color added using ground-based images) provides an earlier snapshot of a region of our galaxy that NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will repeatedly observe during the upcoming years.ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, CFHT, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre and E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay) Euclid, an ESA (European Space Agency) mission with NASA contributions, took a new look at the heart of our Milky Way galaxy, seen in this image released on June 24, 2026. This observation overlaps with a region scientists will observe with NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, launching later this summer. This sneak peek gives astronomers a major jumpstart on a core Roman survey, helping scientists learn more than they could from either telescope alone. Read more about Euclid and what Roman will see. Image credit: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, CFHT, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre and E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay) View the full article

At Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, Eric Fernandez stands in front of Building 836, where he performs work as a telemetry engineer for NASA. NASA/Brandon Satterthwaite Growing up on the central California coast, watching rocket launches with his father was part of Eric Fernandez’s childhood routine. Fernandez had posters of rockets on the wall, but despite being fascinated by them, he never imagined one day this would be his career. Because both of his grandparents had served at Vandenberg Air Force Base (later renamed to Vandenberg Space Force Base), he assumed that the launches from there were for the military. NASA didn’t cross his mind. The space agency seemed very far away from a place like Orcutt, California, a small town situated among rolling hills covered with farms and vineyards. Fernandez had been part of a painting crew for several years after high school. While it paid the rent, it wasn’t what he wanted to do with his life. However, he found something he enjoyed. He had started at his future father-in-law’s appliance store, working as a technician, repairing and installing appliances. He excelled at the work and planned to stay there with the goal to eventually run the small business. Then he got a call. It was from a friend about an opening for something called telemetry. Fernandez wasn’t sure what that meant. He was happy with his current career path. He nearly declined the offer, but after some persuading, he decided to go for the interview at a NASA building on the military base. “I walked in the telemetry lab, and I see oscilloscopes, screens with squiggly lines, lots of blinking lights, and things I didn’t know about at the time,” Fernandez recounted. “I was very curious about it, so I was asking a million questions as we toured the lab, and they were asking about me. They really liked my background, especially my electronics experience, my troubleshooting skills, and my ability to solder.” He received an offer for a technician position from a company that provided support to NASA under the Expendable Launch Vehicle Integrated Support, or ELVIS, contract. Fernandez had to make an important decision about his future. “I prayed about it and met with my father-in-law,” said Fernandez. “I decided to change career paths and start a new career as a contractor working with NASA, supporting its Launch Services Program.” That was 17 years ago, and he has been working there ever since, advancing to telemetry engineer in 2019. He has contributed to 27 launches for NASA, supporting scientific and robotic exploration missions. He’s also supported hundreds of launches for the U.S. military and commercial sector, as part of the agency’s efforts to work with its partners to understand the capabilities of the commercial rocket fleet. At Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, NASA employee Eric Fernandez stands by a preserved concrete section from the Space Launch Complex2 Mobile Service Tower counterweight, saved during demolition to retain the NASA insignia. The artifact was part of Delta and Delta II launches for decades before demolition, with its last launch for the agency being NASA’s ICESat2 on Sept. 15, 2018.NASA/Brandon Satterthwaite While Fernandez wasn’t planning on making additional changes, a new opportunity presented itself earlier this year. The agency decided to strengthen its core capabilities by bringing mission-critical positions into the civil service. When he had the opportunity to join the civil service at NASA, Fernandez applied. On June 15, he swore in at Vandenberg bringing his knowledge and experience to the agency, ready to become an official part of a group he already considered family. “Telemetry is the collection of remote measurements that let us know the rocket is healthy when it’s fueling on the pad, when it’s in flight, and when it’s placing a spacecraft into the proper orbit,” said Fernandez. “It’s our job to make sure decision makers have all the right data to make the right calls in real time. We can’t afford to give them bad data.” Fernandez’s team has multiple ways of getting the data when a rocket is on the launch pad, including ground data streams and radio frequencies link. Each data path is carefully tested beforehand using tools like bit-error-rate tests, called BERTs, that send pseudo-random patterns to help determine the health of the networks. Once the data is received, the team verifies it using frame sync patterns and word counters, sequenced data embedded in the stream. During ascent, they rely on ground tracking stations and dedicated satellites to relay data. All of it is recorded for posterity and post-flight review. The entire process requires extensive planning, coordination, and constant learning as the industry continues to innovate. “You’re going to be humbled because the technology is always moving forward, and a new challenge is going to arise,” Fernandez said. “But there’s nothing we haven’t conquered, and there’s not a problem we haven’t figured out yet.” He credits his teammates. He described his team as “iron sharpening iron.” Today, Fernandez still lives in Orcutt, seven houses down from where he grew up. His children go to the same schools and play in the same parks he did. He still watches rocket launches, but now he does it with his children when he’s not supporting a launch for the agency. While he spends his days at work looking ahead to the future, as part of a team that explores the Moon, Mars, and beyond, he hasn’t forgotten where he came from. “I just wish I could go back and tell little boy Eric, you’re going to love every aspect of working here,” he said. “You’re never going to be bored, because you’ll always be learning new processes and technologies to deliver all these important missions to space.” View the full article

3 min read NASA’s PACE Mission Studies Smoke, Fires With the North American fire season underway, and a record number of acres already burned nationwide, NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite’s three instruments are observing vegetation precursors to fires, along with plumes of smoke and their movement. This data will help scientists piece together clues that deepen their understanding of wildfires. “The challenge that we have is to take those clues and use them in a meaningful way, so our models of Earth properly represent what’s happening,” said Kirk Knobelspiesse, a remote sensing scientist working on the PACE mission at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Wisps of smoke coming from fires in multiple provinces and territories in Canada travel over the Great Lakes. This image was taken by the Ocean Color Instrument aboard NASA’s PACE satellite on May 31, 2025. NASA While the satellite, which launched in February 2024, was designed to study Earth’s ocean and atmosphere, it has an unexpected capability: monitoring changes to vegetation. It can also tell us about burn scars, the charred area of land left behind after a wildfire. “The PACE satellite observes land too, and does it really well,” said Skye Caplan, terrestrial lead for the PACE mission at NASA Goddard. “There is so much to explore with a new hyperspectral data set.” The Ocean Color Instrument on board PACE is a hyperspectral instrument, observing the planet in several hundred different wavelengths of visible, near infrared, and ultraviolet light. This breadth of the spectrum allows it to gather data on the health of plants, such as their state of stress, dryness, and their relative pigment balance, all of which assist in identifying high fire-risk areas. Land managers can use this data to distribute resources to help mitigate fire risk. This instrument views the entire Earth daily, with more frequent coverage at high latitudes. With this frequency, on clear days, PACE scientists can quickly assess the aftermath of fires, determining the location and span of a burn scar. Areas that have been burned by wildfire often see increased flood and landslide risk. It’s important to identify these high-risk areas and monitor how they evolve through time, Caplan said. Using wavelengths in the ultraviolet range, the Ocean Color Instrument can also monitor the smoke after a fire, along with information on how high in the atmosphere these particles drift — height plays a role in how far the particles travel and the systems they impact. The instrument, with its ultraviolet data, expands on fire observations from other satellite instruments, such as the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer. Thick smoke plumes coming from fires raging in multiple provinces and territories in Canada is visible in this image and affecting a large part of the north of the country. This image was taken by the Ocean Color Instrument aboard NASA’s PACE satellite on Aug. 11, 2024. NASA The other two instruments on PACE, the Hyper-Angle Rainbow Polarimeter 2 and the Spectro-polarimeter for Planetary Exploration one, are rich with information about the composition of aerosols from vastly different regions, said Andrew Sayer, PACE project science lead for atmospheres from the Ocean Color Instrument at NASA Goddard. By measuring characteristics of light as it reflects off particles in the atmosphere, these two instruments can determine the quantity of these particles, along with their chemical properties, color, size, and shape. Scientists use this information to differentiate smoke from other particulates. Smoke particulates are typically light absorbing — appearing gray, ******, or brown in color — and are small in size compared to other aerosols PACE views, such as pollutants and dust. Data from PACE will help scientists create more accurate wildfire models and simulate future events, said Knobelspiesse, the satellite’s polarimeter lead. “We’ll be able to then look at different scenarios of emissions in the future and see how smoke that’s created in one location can impact other parts of the Earth system.” By Erica McNamee NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Share Details Last Updated Jun 26, 2026 Editor Jenny Marder Contact Erica McNamee *****@*****.tld Location Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Earth Aerosols Goddard Space Flight Center PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem) Wildfires Explore More 4 min read NASA’s PACE Mission Reveals a Year of Terrestrial Data on Plant Health A lot can change in a year for Earth’s forests and vegetation, as springtime and… Article 1 year ago 5 min read New NASA Satellite To Unravel Mysteries About Clouds, Aerosols Some of the same properties of light and optics that make the sky blue and… Article 3 years ago 5 min read NASA-Funded Study Shows Wildfire Smoke’s Hidden Ozone Toll Over the last decade, wildfires have worsened ground-level ozone pollution across much of the contiguous… Article 3 weeks ago View the full article

Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Universe Uncovered Hubble’s Partners in Science Hubble & Citizen Science AI & Hubble Science Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Science Operations Astronaut Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts Multimedia Images Videos Online Activities e-Books Sonifications Podcasts 3D Hubble Models Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources 35th Anniversary More Online Activities 3 min read Hubble Spies Starry Chandelier This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the globular cluster NGC 6723, sometimes called the Chandelier Cluster. ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Sarajedini, G. Piotto The subject of today’s NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image is an ancient inhabitant of our galaxy. This sparkling scene features a globular cluster: a collection of tens of thousands to millions of stars, all tightly bound together under the influence of gravity. There are more than 150 globular clusters in our galaxy, though there may be others still undiscovered, hidden from view by dust or densely packed fields of stars. This globular cluster, NGC 6723, sometimes called the Chandelier Cluster, is much like its namesake because it sparkles with countless lights. However, each ‘lightbulb’ in this chandelier is an individual star 27,000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius (the Archer). Globular clusters like NGC 6723 contain some of the oldest stars in our galaxy. These clusters have ages that often exceed 10 billion years old, and some are nearly as old as the universe itself. Astronomers think globular clusters are some of the first structures that formed in our galaxy, coalescing potentially billions of years before the thin disk of stars in which our Sun orbits. The details of how globular clusters formed, however, are not yet certain. Astronomers initially thought that all stars in a globular cluster formed at the same time in a single flourish of star formation. This would mean that all stars in a globular cluster would be the same age and made of the same mixture of chemical elements. Now, thanks to observations from telescopes like Hubble, researchers know that these seemingly simple stellar populations have more complex histories than originally thought. Hubble first observed NGC 6723 as part of an ambitious survey dedicated to demystifying the properties of globular clusters in our Milky Way galaxy. In this observing program (#10775, PI: Sarajedini), researchers used Hubble to study 65 globular clusters in our galaxy in visible and near-infrared light. That data allowed researchers to study everything from the ages of globular clusters to the process through which massive stars sink to the center of a star cluster and lower-mass stars drift toward the cluster outskirts. This survey has been immensely scientifically valuable, and these observations have inspired several hundred published research papers. In a later observing program (#13297, PI: Piotto), researchers set their sights again on many of these same clusters, including NGC 6723. This time, they used Hubble’s unique sensitivity to ultraviolet light to detect the subtle variations in chemical composition between the stars of globular clusters and determine the age spread among the clusters’ stars. For NGC 6723, researchers found evidence of two closely-spaced periods of star formation, the second occurring within 634 million years of the first. (‘Closely-spaced’ is relative; 634 million years is a blink of an eye for a star cluster that is more than 10 billion years old!) Thanks to these findings, astronomers are on the path to understanding how and when globular clusters formed — and Hubble observations of celestial chandeliers like NGC 6723 are lighting the way. Text Credit: ESA/Hubble Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jun 26, 2026 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Globular Clusters Goddard Space Flight Center Star Clusters Stars The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble’s Star Clusters Hubble e-Books Hubble’s Cosmic Adventure View the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory The Battle for Sullivan’s… Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search Signs of the marshy, sandy terrain that helped colonists repel invading British forces in a pivotal battle in June 1776 remain visible on Sullivan’s Island in this image acquired on June 3, 2026, by the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8. NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison As Thomas Jefferson and the Committee of Five presented their first draft of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia on June 28, 1776, several British warships and thousands of troops were massing around Sullivan’s Island in South Carolina. The pitched battle for the sandy barrier island at the mouth of Charleston Harbor that played out over the course of that June day was one of the most significant in the early stages of the Revolutionary War. By nightfall, largely untested colonial troops had decisively defeated the British, an outcome that helped save Charleston from occupation and buoyed American spirits at a critical stage of the war. The Landsat 8 satellite captured this image of the island on June 3, 2026. Two hundred fifty years earlier, the sandy beaches, salt marshes, and general shape of the island would have looked similar, though with less evidence of roads or other signs of human development. There certainly would have been some signs of human activity on the island, however. Quite noticeable would have been Fort Sullivan, a large square structure built from palmetto logs on the southern tip of the island, near the entrance to the harbor. Though one side of the fort, assembled largely by enslaved people, was still unfinished at the time of the battle, the other sides had 16-foot-wide walls packed with sand and containing planked gun platforms that mounted 31 cannons. Historical maps show at least one road extending from the southern to northern tip of Sullivan’s Island, where hundreds of colonial soldiers were also encamped to protect Breach Inlet from a force of roughly 3,000 British troops massing on nearby Long Island (now Isle of Palms). When the battle began, historians estimate that there were roughly 800 colonial troops, including dozens of Catawba warriors, defending the northeastern part of Sullivan’s Island, embedded within earthen defenses and manning two artillery pieces. June 3, 2026 When the British attack came on the morning of June 28, 1776, both military tactics and geography played critical roles in determining the outcome. Having been told the water at the inlet was less than 18 inches (46 centimeters) deep at low tide, the British commander had planned to have his forces walk across Breach Inlet on foot. But he was forced to pivot to a more dangerous amphibious assault using flatboats when he realized the shallowest part of the break was at least 7 feet (2 meters) deep at low tide. Traveling by flatboat limited the number of British troops who could cross the channel at once, making it easier for colonial defenders to repel them during fierce skirmishing throughout the day. On the other side of the island, British warships had dropped anchor near Fort Sullivan and begun launching thousands of cannonballs and exploding shells at the fort. However, the natural durability and pliability of the palmetto wood absorbed incoming fire “like sponges,” Colonel William Moultrie, the fort’s commanding officer, later noted in his memoirs. Most incoming shells that fell within the fort’s walls were neutralized. There was a marshy “morass” in the center of the fort, Moultrie wrote, that “swallowed” up incoming fire “instantly.” Shells that made it over the walls and “fell in the sand, in and about the fort, were immediately buried, so that few of them burst amongst us,” he wrote. With their limited powder, the colonists focused their fire on the ship carrying the British commander, Sir Peter Parker, severely damaging it and ultimately killing 40 people on board. By the evening, exhausted from the 10-hour battle and making little progress, the British forces retreated. “We never had such a drubbing in our lives,” one Royal Navy sailor wrote. After the battle, the fort became known as Fort Moultrie, and the palmetto tree began appearing on the state seal in what would prove to be an enduring symbol of colonial pride and resistance. Six days after the battle, the Declaration of Independence was adopted in Philadelphia. NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Adam Voiland. Downloads June 3, 2026: Detailed view JPEG (1.35 MB) June 3, 2026: Wide view JPEG (24.60 MB) References & Resources American Battlefield Trust, Sullivan’s Island. Accessed June 25, 2026. George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, Battle of Sullivan’s Island. Accessed June 25, 2026. The Island Packet (2024, April 20) Know why SC is nicknamed The Palmetto State? There’s more history to it than you may think. Accessed June 25, 2026. Journal of the American Revolution (2023, May 11) Danger at the Breach. Accessed June 25, 2026. Moultrie, W. (1802) Memoirs of the American Revolution. Accessed June 25, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2018, June 10) History and Seaports in Charleston. Accessed June 25, 2026. National Museum of the United States Army, The Royal Navy Assault on Sullivan’s Island. Accessed June 25, 2026. National Park Service Fort Moultrie. Accessed June 25, 2026. National Park Service (1968, June 30) The Battle of Sullivan’s Island. Accessed June 25, 2026. Princeton University Drafting the Declaration of Independence. Accessed June 25, 2026. Royal Collection Trust (1776) Map of Fort Sullivan and Charlestown, 1776 (Fort Moultrie, Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, USA). Accessed June 25, 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. America’s Emerald Isle 3 min read Beaver Island is one in a string of verdant and scenic jewels in a northern Lake Michigan archipelago. Article A Sea of Spinning Clouds 3 min read Icy, isolated Peter I Island stirred up a show in the atmosphere off the West Antarctic coast. Article Fire Chars Santa Rosa Island 2 min read The blaze spread across the southern side of the second-largest island in California’s Channel Islands National Park. 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

The Expedition 73 crew attends a debrief and awards ceremony at Space Center Houston’s IMAX theater on June 16, 2026. NASA/Luna Posadas Nava On June 16, astronauts and cosmonauts gathered at Space Center Houston to share stories from their missions aboard the International Space Station and recognize the teamwork and people on the ground that made their missions possible. The Expedition 73 Welcome Home Ceremony brought together members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10, Soyuz MS-27, and NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 missions. During the event, the crews reflected on the science, partnerships, and international collaboration that defined their time in orbit. Remarks were delivered by NASA’s Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche, Low Earth Orbit Program’s Deputy Manager for the International Space Station Dina Contella, Richard Jones with NASA’s commercial crew office, Flight Operations Director Norm Knight, Johnson Employee Relations Lead David Kelley, and Space Center Houston Chief Operating and Strategy Officer Keesha Bullock. Together, they recognized the accomplishments of the crews and the team members who helped make the expedition a success. NASA’s Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche gives opening remarks at the crew debrief and awards ceremony. NASA/Luna Posadas Nava Wyche welcomed the crews home and reflected on the accomplishments of Expedition 73. “Together, these crews exemplified professionalism, resilience, and the spirit of international cooperation,” Wyche said. “Their work ensured the continued success of the International Space Station Program and demonstrated the strength of our multi-vehicle crew transportation strategy.” During the expedition, all available docking ports were occupied simultaneously for the first time, with eight spacecraft attached to the station. The crew also supported visiting missions, including Axiom Mission 4, and multiple cargo deliveries while maintaining a full schedule of scientific investigations. Crew members completed three spacewalks, installing hardware that supports future solar array upgrades and maintenance activities critical to station operations. NASA astronaut Anne McClain is photographed near one of the International Space Station’s main solar arrays during a spacewalk to upgrade the orbital outpost’s power generation system and relocate a communications antenna on May 1, 2026. NASA The ceremony also recognized the workforce whose dedication supported every aspect of Expedition 73, from mission planning and operations to research, training, and crew safety. “You learned each other’s languages, and often, when we didn’t know the right answers, you partnered with us, and you would come up with the answers and help,” said International Space Station Program Deputy Manager Dina Contella. “You really helped make us successful.” She noted that collaboration extended well beyond the crew in orbit, with teams across the program matching that dedication throughout the expedition. Contella shared that Expedition 73 included six cargo missions, the inaugural flight of JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) HTV-X1 cargo spacecraft, and more than 37,000 pounds of supplies, equipment, and scientific investigations delivered to the space station. She also thanked the Commercial Crew Program and Flight Operations teams for helping safely transport crews to and from the station and support mission operations. More than 1,000 employees representing 40 teams received NASA Group Achievement Awards, while 23 individuals were honored with Superior Achievement Awards for their contributions to the mission. NASA astronaut Zena Cardman and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui receive the NASA Exceptional Bravery Honors at the crew debrief. From left: NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche, Commercial Crew Program Deputy Manager Richard Jones, International Space Station Program Deputy Manager Dina Contella, and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui. NASA/Luna Posadas Nava NASA astronaut Zena Cardman and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui received NASA Exceptional Bravery Honors for demonstrating exceptional courage, leadership, and composure during a medical event. NASA astronaut Chris Williams also received the honor but was unable to attend because he remains aboard the space station. Flight Operations Director Norm Knight thanked the teams that supported Expedition 73 from the ground while recognizing the crews’ contributions throughout their missions. “You represent an astronaut corps that is the best of the best, epitomizing courage and teamwork,” Knight told the crew. “Every opportunity or challenge that came your way, you met with confidence and creativity.” NASA astronaut Jonny Kim conducts an investigation to assess the effects of microgravity on bone marrow stem cells, including their ability to secrete proteins that form and dissolve bone.NASA Crew members reflected on the station’s legacy as a platform for discovery, innovation, and international partnership after more than 25 years of continuous human presence in orbit. Research conducted during Expedition 73 included investigations in human physiology, biology, materials science, pharmaceutical development, and technologies designed to benefit life on Earth and future exploration missions. The crews also discussed research aboard the station that will help prepare NASA for future missions to the Moon and Mars, including advanced life-support systems and water recovery technologies. NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers holds space botany hardware that supports the low Earth orbit Integrated Flori-culture Experiment (LIFE) investigation as she floats inside the space station’s cupola. The study examines how radiation and microgravity affect plant growth to support future exploration and improve crop production on Earth. NASA Beyond science and operations, the crew built strong bonds during their months in orbit. They marked birthdays, holidays, and mission milestones together, often creating elaborate cakes from the limited ingredients available aboard the station. NASA astronaut Anne McClain celebrates her birthday with a cake, gifts, and cards aboard the space station’s Unity module. NASA Many crew members said their strongest memories centered on the people around them, and that trust and teamwork remained essential to mission success. Viewing Earth from orbit provided the crew with a powerful reminder of humanity’s shared connection. “When you look back at Earth, what we have in common is so much more important than what makes us different,” said McClain. “We’re all on this one planet. We’re all on the same crew.” Awardees pose for a group photo from the Expedition 73 crew debrief and awards ceremony.NASA/Luna Posadas Nava The evening concluded with the crew expressing gratitude to all those who supported their missions from launch through landing. “It was overwhelming in the most wonderful way to step off that aircraft and see so many team members who had supported us and see family and friends for the first time,” said Cardman. “We are so grateful.” View the list of award recipients here. Watch the full Expedition 73 crew debrief and awards ceremony below. Explore More 3 min read A Turquoise Tint for the ****** Sea Phytoplankton added a milky blue hue to the waters of the ****** Sea and nearby… Article 18 hours ago 5 min read NASA at the Ion: Orion Lessons from Artemis II Shape NASA’s Moon to Mars Path Article 1 day ago 2 min read Astronaut Jessica Meir Assists With Hardware Updates for NASA’s Cold Atom Lab Description NASA astronaut Jessica Meir inspects optical fibers while installing hardware updates to the agency’s… Article 1 week ago View the full article

Credit: NASA NASA and the U.S. Small Business Administration will sign a memorandum of agreement during a ceremony at 1 p.m. EDT, Monday, June 29, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The agreement will create a new interagency initiative that directly responds to President Donald J. Trump’s National Space Policy and supports the growth of the American space economy. Participants include: NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler This event is in person only. Media interested in attending must RSVP no later than 10 a.m. on June 29 to: *****@*****.tld. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For more information about NASA’s missions, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Camille Gallo / Cheryl Warner Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jun 25, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNASA Headquarters View the full article

From left to right, Senior Advisor on Space for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Greg Autry, NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson, Minister of Communications and Innovation David Tshere, and Acting Ambassador of the Republic of Botswana to the United States Mabedi Ngwenya pose for a photo following an Artemis Accords signing ceremony with the Republic of Botswana Thursday, June 25, 2026, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington.NASA/Keegan Barber The Republic of Botswana signed the Artemis Accords Thursday during a ceremony hosted by NASA at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, becoming the sixth African nation to join a growing community of nations committed to the peaceful, transparent, and responsible exploration of space. “It is my privilege to welcome Botswana as the newest signatory of the Artemis Accords,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson. “Today marks an important milestone in our international partnership and in the continued growth of the Artemis community. Botswana joins at an important moment. Earlier this month, we announced the crew of Artemis III and, as we speak, their spacecraft is being assembled as they prepare to play their part in mankind’s greatest adventure.” Botswana’s Minister of Communications and Innovation David Tshere signed on behalf of the country. U.S. Department of State Senior Advisor for Space Gregory Autry, and Mabedi Ngwenya, acting ambassador of the Republic of Botswana to the United States, also participated in the ceremony. “Botswana like many countries, we have interest in space exploration, found it important to become a signatory to the Artemis Accords to promote the safe, transparent, and sustainable civil space exploration, and to advance international cooperation, and a shared framework for responsible activities in the space,” said Tshere. This new chapter builds on Botswana’s long history of collaboration with the United States in space-based Earth observation. In the early 1970s, Botswana participated in the satellite program later known as Landsat, joining dozens of other nations in pioneering satellite-based environmental observation. Botswana marked another milestone with the launch of its first Earth observation satellite, Botswana Satellite 1, in March 2025, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9. In 2020, during the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the State Department, joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies. The Artemis Accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety and coordination between like-minded nations as they explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Signing the Artemis Accords means committing to explore peaceably and transparently, to render aid to those in need, to enable access to scientific data that all of humanity can learn from, to ensure activities do not interfere with those of others, and to preserve historically significant sites and artifacts by developing best practices for space exploration for the benefit of all. More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as NASA continues its work to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space. Learn more about the Artemis Accords at: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated Jun 25, 2026 Related TermsOffice of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR)ArtemisArtemis Accords View the full article

NASA has selected Rocket Lab to provide the launch service for both the agency’s PolSIR (Polarized Submillimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer) and Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor-2 (TSIS-2) missions. The two selections are part of NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract. This contract allows the agency to award fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity launch service task orders during VADR’s 10-year ordering *******, with a maximum total contract value of $300 million. The PoISIR mission will help provide a better understanding of ice clouds that form at high altitudes throughout tropical and subtropical regions. Rocket Lab will launch PolSIR aboard two of its dedicated Electron rockets no earlier than June 2027 from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. Consisting of two small satellites, both of PoISIR’s 16U CubeSats have a scientific instrument designed to measure a specific spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, which will determine how the amount of ice in tropical clouds rises and falls during the day, as well as how the ice changes connect to larger storms. The instruments also will help determine how ice clouds affect sunlight and heat radiation throughout the day. The pair of CubeSats will fly in orbits separated by several hours to observe the pattern of cloud ice content changes over a day. This information will help researchers make more accurate weather predictions. The PolSIR mission’s principal investigator is Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Science operations will be conducted by the Space Science and Engineering Center at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. The two spacecraft are being built by Blue Canyon Technologies. The TSIS-2 mission will measure the Sun’s energy input to Earth. The spacecraft will provide critical data for understanding our planet’s ocean currents, seasons, and weather. The mission will continue NASA’s work to study and protect our home planet by providing insights that can only be gathered from space. Rocket Lab will launch TSIS-2 aboard an Electron rocket in early 2027 from Launch Complex 1 in Mahia. The satellite measures Earth’s solar energy input, both the total irradiance, which is the Sun’s overall brightness at the top of Earth’s atmosphere, and the spectral irradiance, or how that energy is distributed across ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths. The satellite’s two instruments, the Total Irradiance Monitor and the Spectral Irradiance Monitor, are similar to those used for TSIS-1. Together, they cover a wavelength range that includes 96% of the energy in the solar spectrum. While TSIS‑1 works from the International Space Station, TSIS‑2 will operate from a free‑flying spacecraft. Managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, TSIS-2 includes instruments provided by the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the spacecraft is provided by General Atomics – Electromagnetic Systems. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, manages the VADR contract. Learn more about VADR online: [Hidden Content] View the full article

NASA, ESA, CSA, Adam Smercina (STScI, Tufts), Thomas Williams (University of Manchester); Image processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI) NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope recently observed edge-on starburst galaxy Messier 82 (M82), nicknamed the Cigar Galaxy. Webb’s new view of M82, added to archival data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, gives us a more complete picture of this starburst galaxy. Because Webb can see infrared light, it is able to peer through clouds of dust and gas to see the shape of this edge-on galaxy, as well as approximately 16.5 million of its stars. M82’s rapid star formation, thought to be the result of its merger with another galaxy, will only be a (relatively) brief ******* in its history. Ironically, the extreme star formation is causing plumes of material to be ejected above and below the disk of the galaxy – something that will disrupt future stellar birth. Read the full story. Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Adam Smercina (STScI, Tufts), Thomas Williams (University of Manchester); Image processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI) View the full article

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory A Turquoise Tint for the ******… Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search June 22, 2026 The ****** Sea sits at the boundary between Europe and Asia and connects to the Mediterranean Sea via a chain of waterways. Its surface often appears dark, but each spring and summer it transforms into a striking expanse of swirling turquoise. The OCI (Ocean Color Instrument) on NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) satellite captured this image (above) of the colorful waters on June 22, 2026. The turquoise color is likely caused by coccolithophores, a type of phytoplankton covered with calcium carbonate plates that can give surface waters a milky-blue appearance. These types of phytoplankton tend to dominate in late spring and early summer. Other times of the year, diatoms—a type of microscopic algae with silica shells—can become more prevalent, and they tend to darken the water rather than brighten it. The Bosphorus, the narrow strait running through Istanbul that connects the ****** Sea with the Sea of Marmara, also turned turquoise. An astronaut aboard the International Space Station photographed the strait on May 27, 2026 (below), about a month before the PACE image, capturing blooming phytoplankton as it traced currents on both sides of the waterway. (Note that north is oriented toward the bottom of the frame.) May 27, 2026 Though coccolithophores are microscopic, they become so abundant during a bloom that they become visible from space. This makes remote sensing a useful tool for researchers studying bloom dynamics in regions where direct sampling is limited. Beyond their visibility, these blooms also contribute to the ocean’s carbon cycle. When they die, some of the carbon they’ve taken up sinks to the seafloor, where it can remain stored for long periods of time. NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using PACE data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview and the NASA Ocean Biology Distributed Active Archive Center OB.DAAC. Astronaut photograph ISS074-E-619520 was acquired on May 27, 2026, with a Nikon Z9 digital camera using a focal length of 50 millimeters. It is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit at NASA Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by a member of the Expedition 74 crew. The image has 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 June 22, 2026 JPEG (2.85 MB) May 27, 2026 JPEG (15.91 MB) References & Resources NASA Earth Observatory (2022, June 28) Brilliant Color in the ****** Sea. Accessed June 24, 2026. NASA Earth Observatory (2012, July 15) Carbon Eaters on the ****** Sea. Accessed June 24, 2026. Silkin, V., et al. (2026) Prolonged Summer Coccolithophore Blooms in the Northeastern ****** Sea: Anomaly or Emerging Trend? Diversity, 18(1), 4. You may also be interested in: Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet. Great ****** of Fire 4 min read An astronaut on the International Space Station was surprised to photograph a shower of light streaking through the darkness while… Article Color Off the Mid-Atlantic Coast 4 min read Something is brewing in shallow waters offshore of Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia. Article A Moonlit Earth as Seen From Artemis II 4 min read An astronaut’s photo, taken en route to the Moon, reveals our planet and its place in space in a novel… Article 1 2 3 4 Next Keep Exploring Discover More from NASA Earth Science Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox. Earth Observatory Image of the Day NASA’s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery. Explore Earth Science Earth Science Data Open access to NASA’s archive of Earth science data View the full article

This illustration depicts the Sun-like star TOI-791 and two giant planets that NASA’s TESS space telescope discovered in its orbit. These planets, designated TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c, are roughly the size of Jupiter but a tiny fraction of its mass, meaning they have an extraordinarily low density. NASA / Daniel Rutter Data from NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) mission has revealed two new “super-puff” planets, giant worlds so light that their density is comparable to cotton candy. Scientists calculate that these Jupiter-sized planets—named TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c—are the “puffiest” worlds ever found. The planets orbit a Sun-like star named TOI-791 that is approximately 1,113 light years away from Earth. The TESS mission first detected the planets by watching for repeated dips in TOI-791’s brightness, a telltale sign that a planet is transiting, or passing in front of, a star. Further study revealed two large planets with unusual features. TOI-791 b is nearly the same size as Jupiter but contains just 3.0 percent of Jupiter’s mass. TOI-791 c is even larger than Jupiter but contains just 5.9 percent of Jupiter’s mass. “The main reason these planets are interesting to study is that we didn’t expect to see them at all,” said Jon Jenkins, the science lead for the Science Processing Operations Center at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, which provided the science-ready data from TESS analyzed in this study. “They represent a puzzle for us to solve about how giant planets like Jupiter and the super-puffs form.” This graphic depicts the two giant planets orbiting the Sun-like star TOI-791 as compared to some of the planets in our solar system. These planets are roughly the size of Jupiter but a very tiny fraction of its mass. NASA’s TESS mission detected the shadows of these planets as they passed in front of their star. There is no direct imaging. Therefore, the appearance of the TOI-79 planets in this illustration are an artist’s interpretation. NASA / Daniel Rutter The newly found super-puffs also have unusually long orbits, with TOI‑791 b taking 139 days and TOI‑791 c taking 232 days to circle the host star. Such long-orbit planets are rare to find, needing long durations of telescope observation to capture and confirm their attributes. From its vantage point in high Earth orbit, TESS was able to gather 1,122 days of data on this planetary system over the course of seven years, giving the research team a wealth of data about the planetary system. Further analysis found that TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c are locked in an orbital pattern that allows them to tug on each other gravitationally. As they orbit their host star, the planets alternate pulling on each other, affecting the timing of their transits across the host star. Scientists used that variation in orbital timing to calculate the planets’ masses, cementing their status as low density super-puffs. “Only a handful of these super-puffy planets are known, and it is even rarer to find two in the same system,” said lead author George Dansfield of Oxford University’s Department of Physics in Oxford, England. “Their extremely low densities make them fascinating targets for understanding how planetary systems form and evolve.” With further study, the super-puffs may have more to tell us about planetary evolution. “Large planet formation is believed to drive the evolution of a planetary system, so further study of these Jupiter-size, but far less than Jupiter-mass, planets is of high value,” said Steve Howell, a NASA Ames research scientist who was involved in this study. Scientists hope to learn more about the chemical makeup of the planets’ atmospheres, how their spin affects their shape, and how the tilt of their host star compares to their orbits. Deeper investigation could provide new insight into how TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c migrated through the planetary system during their development, whether their orbits were shaped by interactions with other planets, and how low-density super-puff planets form. The study, published today in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, was led by the University of Oxford, in collaboration with Université Côte d’Azur/Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur and the University of Birmingham. View the full article

Artemis II Orion Vehicle Manager Branelle Rodriguez speaks at the Ion in Houston on May 28, 2026. Seven weeks after the Orion spacecraft returned four astronauts from humanity’s first crewed journey around the Moon since Apollo, Artemis II Orion Vehicle Manager Branelle Rodriguez reflected on the mission’s achievements and how it is shaping NASA’s return to the lunar surface and future missions to Mars. Introduced by NASA’s Johnson Space Center Acting Director of Business Development and Technology Integration Monte Goforth, Rodriguez spoke at the Ion in Houston on May 28 as part of the NASA Stories at the Ion speaker series. Located in Houston’s Ion District, the innovation hub serves as a gathering place for entrepreneurs, researchers, and industry leaders working to advance technology and shape the future of industries ranging from aerospace to energy. She shared an inside look at the mission she helped guide — as the Orion vehicle manager for Artemis II, Rodriguez has overseen the life of the spacecraft from end-to-end, through its development, production, execution of the mission, and currently, the post-mission work underway now that Orion is back at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. “This mission was very near and dear to my heart,” Rodriguez said. “It has not sunk in what this mission and what this accomplishment all means to us and humanity.” From left: NASA’s Johnson Space Center Acting Director of Business Development and Technology Integration Monte Goforth, Artemis II Orion Vehicle Manager Branelle Rodriguez, and Director of the Rice Space Institute David Alexander. Launched April 1, Artemis II carried NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with CSA (********* Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day voyage around the Moon inside the Orion spacecraft. Using mission imagery and video, Rodriguez walked attendees through key milestones, including launch aboard NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, operations in high-Earth orbit, a lunar flyby, and Orion’s return to Earth. She also shared views from Orion captured by the crew, including Earthrise, detailed images of the lunar surface, and a solar eclipse observed from deep space. Artemis II successfully demonstrated Orion’s performance during its first crewed deep space mission. The mission tested Orion’s life support systems, crew interfaces, navigation, and reentry systems, providing data that will help teams prepare for upcoming Artemis missions. The crew also completed a manual piloting demonstration, evaluating Orion handling and proximity operations that will inform future rendezvous and docking activities. “I think it really hit me at T-minus 10 seconds,” Rodriguez said. “That’s when we go into ‘terminal count,’ meaning there’s just no turning back.” Rodriguez emphasized that Orion’s success on Artemis II was the result of global teamwork across NASA centers, industry partners, and international agencies. She highlighted the European Service Module, provided by ESA (European Space Agency), which supplies Orion with power, propulsion, oxygen, water, and other resources needed during flight. In the Orion Mission Evaluation Room at Johnson, more than 300 people supported the mission, monitoring spacecraft systems and standing ready to respond in real time. Among the mission’s more personal touches was Rise, Orion’s zero-gravity indicator. The plushie, created by a student through an Artemis II design competition, carried a memory card containing over 5.6 million names of space fans who signed up through NASA’s “Send Your Name with Artemis” effort. “It is what the crew wanted – to bring all of us with them on this mission,” Rodriguez said. The crew also designed the mission patch with a hidden detail: viewed from a distance, the artwork reads “all” – a deliberate tribute to everyone who made the mission a success. “It is a village that makes this possible, absolutely,” she said. Looking ahead, Rodriguez discussed preparations underway for upcoming Artemis missions. Artemis III will test critical rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and commercial human landing systems in low Earth orbit and advance plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface. On June 9, NASA announced the Artemis III crew at Johnson Space Center in Houston, while hardware for future missions is already in production at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. For Rodriguez, Artemis II demonstrated what is possible when thousands of people work toward a common goal, supporting NASA’s vision of a sustained presence at the Moon and, ultimately, human missions to Mars. “It’s going to take time to build this all up,” Rodriguez said. “But we are off and running.” Explore More 4 min read I Am Artemis: Jason Peterson Jason Peterson’s responsibilities for NASA’s Artemis II mission went beyond his usual role as the… Article 1 day ago 3 min read I Am Artemis: Elkin Norena Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read How NASA Science and Artemis Are Shaping the 2026 FIFA World Cup Article 2 weeks ago View the full article

Representación digital de la región del Polo Sur lunar. Los puntos de luz brillantes esparcidos por la superficie lunar representan los componentes en superficie que apoyan las operaciones sostenidas **** seres humanos y robots cerca del Polo Sur.Crédito: NASA Lea esta nota de prensa en inglés aquí. El administrador de la NASA, Jared Isaacman, ofrecerá una conversación virtual el martes 30 de junio a las 2:30 p.m. EDT (hora del este) para compartir las novedades más recientes sobre los planes de la agencia para construir una base en la superficie de la Luna. El administrador Isaacman y Carlos García-Galán, director del programa Base Lunar, hablarán sobre la próxima ronda de adjudicaciones para nuevas misiones de módulos de alunizaje y ofrecerán un avance de las próximas oportunidades a medida que la agencia avanza en la construcción de una presencia sostenida en la Luna. La rueda de prensa se transmitirá por el canal de YouTube de la NASA (en inglés). Una repetición instantánea estará disponible en línea. Infórmese sobre cómo ver el contenido de la NASA en distintas plataformas, incluidas las redes sociales (información en inglés). Para hacer preguntas de forma virtual durante el evento, los periodistas deberán confirmar su asistencia a más tardar a las 12:30 p.m. EDT (hora del este) del 30 de junio escribiendo a: l*****@*****.tld. La política de acreditación de medios de la NASA está disponible en línea (en inglés). La NASA avanza en el desarrollo de la Base Lunar, una iniciativa de exploración e infraestructura lunar a largo plazo diseñada para permitir una presencia humana sostenida y ampliar la actividad científica y comercial en la superficie de la Luna. Como parte de una edad de oro de innovación y exploración, la NASA enviará astronautas en misiones cada vez más difíciles para explorar más de la Luna **** fines de descubrimiento científico y beneficios económicos, y para continuar sentando las bases para las primeras misiones tripuladas a Marte. Para obtener más información (en inglés) sobre los planes de la NASA para la Base Lunar, visite: [Hidden Content] -fin- Bethany Stevens / Rachel Kraft / María José Viñas Sede central, Washington +1 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / rachel.h*****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jun 24, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters View the full article