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This stellar landscape is reminiscent of a winter vista in a view from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (red, green, and blue). Chandra data (red, green and blue) punctuate the scene with bursts of colored lights representing high-energy activity from the active stars.Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Penn State/G. Garmire; Infrared: NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare and NSA/ESA/CSA/STScI/A. Pagan Data from Chandra adds red, green, and blue twinkling lights in this Dec. 22, 2025, image of Pismis 24 from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Pismis 24 is a young cluster of stars in the core of the nearby Lobster Nebula, approximately 5,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Scorpius. Home to a vibrant stellar nursery and one of the closest sites of massive star birth, Pismis 24 provides rare insight into large and massive stars. This region is one of the best places to explore the properties of hot young stars and how they evolve. Image credit: Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Penn State/G. Garmire; Infrared: NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare and NSA/ESA/CSA/STScI/A. Pagan View the full article

Share Details Last Updated Jan 28, 2026 Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Contact Media Laura Betz NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland laura.e*****@*****.tld Leah Ramsay Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland Christine Pulliam Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland Related Terms James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Astrophysics Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Origin & Evolution of the Universe Science & Research The Universe Related Links and Documents Video: The James Webb Space Telescope Reveals the Early Universe

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Snow Buries the U.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 Notes from the Field Blog Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search Natural Color False Color Much of the central, Midwest, and northeast United States is covered in a layer of white snow. NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin In this false-color satellite image, snow appears blue and covers much of the central, Midwest, and northeast United States. White clouds appear over parts of northeastern states, and the southeast is green with vegetation. NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin Natural ColorFalse Color Much of the central, Midwest, and northeast United States is covered in a layer of white snow. NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin In this false-color satellite image, snow appears blue and covers much of the central, Midwest, and northeast United States. White clouds appear over parts of northeastern states, and the southeast is green with vegetation. NASA Earth Observatory / Lauren Dauphin Natural Color False Color January 26, 2026 CurtainToggle2-Up Image Details A potent winter storm left a wide band of snow stretching from the U.S. Southwest to New England in late January 2026. The heavy snow, along with bitterly cold temperatures, sleet, and ice, created treacherous travel conditions, toppled power lines, and caused widespread school closures, according to news reports. On the afternoon of January 26, the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the Suomi NPP satellite observed new snow covering a large swath of the country. The left image is natural color, while the false-color image on the right uses a combination of visible and infrared light (bands M11-I2-I1) to distinguish snow (blue) from clouds (white). Preliminary National Weather Service data indicate snow accumulations of up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) in parts of Oklahoma between the mornings of January 23 and January 26, with higher accumulation across the Midwest and in New England. Totals of around 20 inches were reported in several Northeast states. Some locations were digging out from record daily accumulations, including 5.1 inches in St. Louis, Missouri, on January 24, and 11.2 inches in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on January 25. Several inches of snow and sleet also fell in parts of North Texas, a rare occurrence for the area. With temperatures remaining below freezing in many places, the snow and ice may stick around. NASA’s Disasters Response Coordination System has been activated to support federal partners responding to the winter storm. The team will be posting maps and data products on its open-access mapping portal as new information becomes available. NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin using VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership. Story by Lindsey Doermann. Downloads January 26, 2026 JPEG (4.32 MB) January 26, 2026 JPEG (6.14 MB) References & Resources CBS News (2026, January 27) Power out for hundreds of thousands, roadways snarled with ice and snow after deadly storm. Accessed January 27, 2026. NASA (2026) US Winter Storm January 2026. Accessed January 27, 2026. NWS National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (2026, January) National Gridded Snowfall Analysis. Accessed January 27, 2026. NWS Weather Prediction Center (2026, January 26) Storm Summary Message. Accessed January 27, 2026. The Washington Post (2026, January 27) See how much snow fell — and where it broke records. Accessed January 27, 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. Winter Grips the Michigan Mitten 3 min read A blanket of snow spanned Michigan and much of the Great Lakes region following a potent cold snap. Article Snow Buries Kamchatka 2 min read December and January brought a series of intense winter storms to the peninsula in far eastern Russia. Article Greenland Ice Sheet Gets a Refresh 3 min read A moderately intense season of surface melting left part of the ice sheet dirty gray in summer 2025, but snowfall… Article 1 2 3 4 Next Keep Exploring Discover More from NASA Earth Science Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox. Earth Observatory Image of the Day NASA’s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery. Explore Earth Science Earth Science Data View the full article

3 Min Read NASA Testing Advances Space Nuclear Propulsion Capabilities Written by Daniel Boyette Nuclear propulsion and power technologies could unlock new frontiers in missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. NASA has reached an important milestone advancing nuclear propulsion that could benefit future deep space missions by completing a cold-flow test campaign of the first flight reactor engineering development unit since the 1960s. April 8, 2025Crews at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, install a flight reactor engineering development unit into Test Stand 400 in preparation for cold-flow testing. The test campaign began in July and ran through September and marked the first testing on a light reactor engineering development unit since the 1960s.NASA/Adam Butt April 9, 2025Crews at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, install a flight reactor engineering development unit into Test Stand 400 in preparation for cold-flow testing. The test campaign began in July and ran through September and marked the first testing on a flight reactor engineering development unit since the 1960s. NASA/Adam Butt April 10, 2025Crews at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, install a flight reactor engineering development unit into Test Stand 400 in preparation for cold-flow testing. The test campaign began in July and ran through September and marked the first testing on a flight reactor engineering development unit since the 1960s. NASA/Adam Butt April 10, 2025A flight reactor engineering development unit is fully installed at Test Stand 400 in preparation for cold-flow testing. The test campaign began in July and ran through September, marking the first testing on a flight reactor engineering development unit since the 1960s. NASA/Adam Butt “Nuclear propulsion has multiple benefits including speed and endurance that could enable complex deep space missions,” said Greg Stover acting associate administrator of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “By shortening travel times and expanding mission capabilities, this technology will lay the foundation to explore farther into our solar system than ever before. Information from the cold-flow test series is instrumental in understanding the operational characteristics and fluid flow performance of nuclear reactors.” Teams at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, conducted more than 100 tests on the engineering development unit over several months in 2025. The 44-inch by 72-inch unit, built by BWX Technologies of Richmond, Virginia, is a full-scale, non-nuclear, flight-like development test article the size of a 100-gallon drum that simulates propellant flow throughout the reactor across a range of operational conditions. The cold-flow tests at NASA Marshall are the culmination of a multi-year activity for the agency and its industry partners. Key test objectives included simulating operational fluid-dynamic responses, gathering critical information for design of the flight instrumentation and control system, providing crucial validation of analytical tools, and serving as a pathfinder for manufacturing, assembly, and integration of near-term flight-capable nuclear propulsion systems. Other benefits to space travel include increasing the science payload capacity and higher power for instrumentation and communication. Test engineers were able to demonstrate that the reactor design is not susceptible to destructive flow-induced oscillations, vibrations or pressure waves that occur when a moving fluid interacts with a structure in a way that makes the system shake. “We’re doing more than proving a new technology,” said Jason Turpin, manager of the Space Nuclear Propulsion Office at NASA Marshall. “This test series generated some of the most detailed flow responses for a flight-like space reactor design in more than 50 years and is a key steppingstone toward developing a flight-capable system. Each milestone brings us closer to expanding what’s possible for the future of human spaceflight, exploration, and science.” The Space Nuclear Propulsion Office is part of NASA’s Technology Demonstration Missions Program within the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. Learn more about NASA’s technology advancements: [Hidden Content] News Media Contact Joel Wallace Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama 256-544-0034 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jan 27, 2026 EditorLee MohonContactJoel Wallace*****@*****.tldLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsSpace Nuclear Propulsion (SNP)Marshall Space Flight CenterSpace Technology Mission DirectorateTechnology Demonstration Missions Program View the full article

Explore the UniverseUniverse HomeBasicsCosmic HistoryBuilding BlocksForcesGalaxiesOverviewTypesEvolutionLarge Scale Structures****** HolesOverviewTypesAnatomy****** Hole WeekStarsOverviewTypesMultiple Star SystemsPlanetary SystemsExoplanetsExplorationSensing the UniverseTelescopes 101ObservatoriesMoreNewsDeep DivesQuick ReadsGraphicsGlossaryFun & Learning Artist’s concept of exoplanet candidate HD 137010 b, dubbed a “cold Earth” because it’s a possible rocky planet slightly larger than Earth, orbiting a Sun-like star about 146 light-years away.NASA/JPL-Caltech/Keith Miller (Caltech/IPAC) The Discovery A candidate planet that might be remarkably similar to Earth, HD 137010 b, has one potentially big difference: It could be colder than perpetually frozen Mars. Key Facts Scientists continue to mine data gathered by NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope, retired in 2018, and continue to turn up surprises. A new paper reveals the latest: a possible rocky planet slightly larger than Earth, orbiting a Sun-like star about 146 light-years away. The orbital ******* of the planet — listed as a “candidate” pending further confirmation — is likely to be similar to Earth’s, around one year. Planet HD 137010 b also might fall just within the outer edge of its star’s “habitable zone,” the orbital distance that could allow liquid water to form on the planet’s surface under a suitable atmosphere. Planets orbiting other stars are known as “exoplanets.” And this could turn out to be the first exoplanet with Earth-like properties that, from our vantage point, crosses the face of a Sun-like star that is near enough and bright enough for meaningful follow-up observations. Details Now the bad news. The amount of heat and light such a planet would receive from its star is less than a third of what Earth receives from the Sun. Although of a stellar type similar to our Sun, the star, HD 137010, is cooler and dimmer. That could mean a planetary surface temperature no higher than minus 90 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 68 degrees Celsius). By comparison, the average surface temperature on Mars runs about minus 85 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 65 degrees Celsius). Planet HD 137010 b also will need follow-up observations to be promoted from “candidate” to “confirmed.” Exoplanet scientists use a variety of techniques to identify planets, and this discovery comes from a single “transit” — only one instance of the planet crossing its star’s face in a kind of miniature eclipse — detected during Kepler’s second mission, known as K2. Even with just one transit, the study’s authors were able to estimate the candidate planet’s orbital *******. They tracked the time it took for the planet’s shadow to move across the star’s face — in this case 10 hours, while Earth takes about 13 — then compared it to orbital models of the system itself. Still, though the precision of that single detection is much higher than most transits captured by space-based telescopes, astronomers need to see these transits repeat regularly in order to confirm that they are caused by a real planet. And capturing more transits is going to be tricky. The planet’s orbital distance, so similar to Earth’s, means such transits happen far less often than for planets in tighter orbits around their stars (it’s a big reason why exoplanets with Earth-like orbits are so hard to detect in the first place). With luck, confirmation could come from further observation by the successor to Kepler/K2, NASA’s TESS (the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite), the still-functioning workhorse for planetary detection, or from the European Space Agency’s CHEOPS (CHaracterising ExOPlanets Satellite). Otherwise, gathering further data on planet HD 137010 b might have to wait for the next generation of space telescopes. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video An artist’s concept animation of exoplanet candidate HD 137010 b, which gives a view as if flying above this possible rocky planet slightly larger than Earth, thought to orbit a Sun-like star about 146 light-years away. This view also creates an effect similar to a transit, as the planet’s star disappears and then reappears from behind HD 137010 b.NASA/JPL-Caltech/Keith Miller (Caltech/IPAC) Fun Facts Despite the possibility of a frigid climate, HD 137010 b also could turn out to be a temperate or even a watery world, say the authors of the paper on this exoplanet. It would just need an atmosphere richer in carbon dioxide than our own. The science team, based on modeling of the planet’s possible atmospheres, gives it a 40% chance of falling within the “conservative” habitable zone around the star, and a 51% chance of falling within the broader “optimistic” habitable zone. On the other hand, the authors of the study say the planet has about a 50-50 chance of falling beyond the habitable zone entirely. The Discoverers An international science team published a paper on the discovery, “A Cool Earth-sized Planet Candidate Transiting a Tenth Magnitude K-dwarf From K2,” in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on Jan. 27, 2026. The team was led by astrophysics Ph.D. student Alexander Venner of the University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia, now a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Heidelberg, Germany. Explore More 3 min read NASA, Partners Advance LISA Prototype Hardware Article 8 hours ago 4 min read AI Unlocks Hundreds of Cosmic Anomalies in Hubble Archive Article 8 hours ago 4 min read TESS Status Updates Article 4 days ago Share Details Last Updated Jan 27, 2026 Related TermsExoplanetsEarth-like ExoplanetsExoplanet AtmosphereExoplanet DiscoveriesTerrestrial ExoplanetsThe Universe View the full article

4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A team of NASA scientists deployed on an international mission designed to better understand severe winter storms. The North American Upstream Feature-Resolving and Tropopause Uncertainty Reconnaissance Experiment, or NURTURE, is an airborne campaign that uses a suite of remote sensing instruments to collect atmospheric data on winter weather with a goal of improving the models that feed storm forecasts. This combination of instruments will also serve as a proxy to demonstrate the potential to collect similar observations from space. NASA’s G-III aircraft in the hangar at NASA’s Langley Research Center as science and flight crews install remote sensing instruments inside and onto the body of the plane.NASA/Ryan Hill On Jan. 24, the research team departed from NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, aboard the center’s Gulfstream III aircraft (G-III) en route to Goose Bay, Canada. For nearly a month, the plane will be making flights stretching from the Northern Atlantic Ocean over Canada through the Northeast United States, measuring moisture, clouds, and ozone as winter storms develop. The second phase of the campaign, scheduled to fly out of Langley next year, will serve as the inaugural mission of NASA’s new airborne science laboratory, a Boeing 777 These flights will cover a larger range of 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) and use a larger suite of instruments. Researchers will collect detailed observations of the atmosphere over Europe, Greenland, the North Atlantic Ocean, Canada, the majority of of the U.S., and much of the Arctic Ocean. “Part of NASA’s role is to leverage our expertise and resources for the benefit of humankind – with innovation always being at our core,” said Will McCarty, weather program manager and program scientist at NASA’s Headquarters in Washington. “The NURTURE campaign is doing exactly that by outfitting our aircraft with one-of-a-kind instruments designed to put our science data into action to understand dangerous weather events before, and as they form.” Research scientist and co-investigator for the NURTURE mission, Amin Nehrir, installing and testing the High Altitude and Lidar Observatory (HALO) instrument aboard the G-III aircraft before deploying.NASA/Ryan Hill As the NASA G-III flies over Canada, a parallel companion mission led by a team of international partners called the North Atlantic Waveguide, Dry Intrusion, and Downstream Impact Campaign (NAWDIC) will be operating out of Shannon, Ireland. Meanwhile, a third airborne mission led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will be studying how moisture is transported from the tropics to the Western U.S. By combining the data collected during these campaigns, scientists will be able to track weather systems as they interact and intersect globally to understand the large-scale flows and small-scale features that drive high-impact winter weather events. Software and instrument checks taking place pre-deployment on board the G-III aircraft. HALO and other instruments, like the CloudCube radar, combine to form a specialized suite of atmospheric sensors.NASA/Ryan Hill “These storms are not forecasted very accurately,” said Amin Nehrir, a research scientist at NASA Langley and co-investigator for the NURTURE mission. “Space observations of high latitudes in the Arctic lack the sensitivity needed to gather accurate data in such a dry, atmospheric environment. In lower latitudes, we benefit from observations from radiosondes, surface networks, and satellite observations. We are using cutting-edge technology beyond those that we have in space to get a better snapshot of atmospheric dynamics.” A map showing the two flight paths of the NURTURE mission phases – the G-III aircraft marked in green in 2026 and the NASA 777 aircraft in blue planned for 2027. Examples of severe winter weather events include cold air outbreaks, windstorms, hazardous seas, snow and ice storms, sea ice breakup, and extreme precipitation. Data from the NURTURE mission will be used to inform first responders, decision makers, and the public sooner while also demonstrating the potential for NASA’s remote weather sensor capabilities to be developed for use on future space-based missions. “Effects from severe weather have significant costs that threaten lives and national security by destabilizing supply chains and damaging infrastructure,” said Steven Cavallo, principal investigator for NURTURE and lead scientist at the University of Oklahoma, School of Meteorology. The NURTURE mission is funded by NASA’s Earth Science Division and managed by researchers at NASA Langley and NASA Ames in collaboration with the University of Oklahoma. To learn more about NURTURE, visit: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated Jan 27, 2026 Related TermsAirborne ScienceAmes Research CenterEarth Science DivisionGeneralGulfstream G-IIILangley Research CenterNASA AircraftRemote Sensing TechnologyScience Mission Directorate Explore More 3 min read NASA Launches Its Most Powerful, Efficient Supercomputer Article 5 hours ago 4 min read AI Unlocks Hundreds of Cosmic Anomalies in Hubble Archive A team of astronomers has employed a cutting-edge, artificial intelligence-assisted technique to uncover rare astronomical… Article 7 hours ago 5 min read NASA’s Chandra Releases Deep Cut From Catalog of Cosmic Recordings Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

3 Min Read Webb Data Reveals Dark Matter PIA26702 Credits: NASA/STScI/J. DePasquale/A. Pagan Photojournal Navigation Science Photojournal Webb Data Reveals Dark Matter Photojournal Home Photojournal Search Latest Content Galleries Feedback RSS About Downloads Webb Data Reveals Dark Matter PNG (42.87 MB) This image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, containing nearly 800,000 galaxies, is overlaid with a map of dark matter, represented in blue. Brighter blue areas indicate a higher density of dark matter. Researchers used Webb data to find the dark matter — which is invisible — via its gravitational influence on regular matter. The area of sky shown here is 0.54 square degrees (about 2½ times the size of the full Moon) and located in the constellation Sextans. Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) peered at this region for a total of about 255 hours. Dark matter doesn’t emit, reflect, absorb, or even block light, and is therefore not visible to the human eye or traditional telescopes. But it does interact with the universe through gravity, and large clumps or clusters of dark matter have enough mass to curve space itself. Light traveling to Earth from distant galaxies becomes slightly distorted as it passes through the curved fabric of spacetime. In some cases, the warping is significant enough that it is apparent to the naked eye, almost as if the galaxy were being viewed through a warped windowpane, an effect called strong gravitational lensing. In the case of the dark matter map shown here, scientists inferred dark matter’s distribution by relying instead on an effect called weak gravitational lensing, which leads to much more subtle distortions of the light from thousands of galaxies. The dark matter in this area of sky was also mapped in 2007 using data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The Webb map contains about 10 times more galaxies than do maps of the area made by ground-based observatories and twice as many as Hubble’s map. It reveals new clumps of dark matter and captures a higher-resolution view compared to the Hubble map. Both the Hubble and Webb dark matter maps are part of a project called the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS). The full COSMOS “field” is 2 square degrees (about 10 times the size of the full Moon) and has been imaged by at least 15 telescopes in space and on the ground. Observing the same region with many different telescopes allows scientists to combine complementary views to understand how galaxies grow and how dark matter influences their evolution. Only Webb and Hubble data have been used to map dark matter in the region. To refine measurements of the distance to many galaxies for the map, the team used Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), designed and managed through launch by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, along with other space- and ground-based telescopes. The wavelengths that MIRI detects also make it adept at detecting galaxies obscured by cosmic dust clouds. The James Webb Space Telescope is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (********* Space Agency). Webb’s MIRI was developed through a 50-50 partnership between NASA and ESA. A division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, JPL led the U.S. contribution to MIRI. JPL also led development of MIRI’s cryocooler, done in collaboration with Northrop Grumman in Redondo Beach, California, and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. To learn more about Webb, visit: [Hidden Content] Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Photojournal Photojournal Search Photojournal Photojournal’s Latest Content Feedback View the full article

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Jupiter’s moon Europa was captured by the JunoCam instrument aboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft during the mission’s close flyby on Sept. 29, 2022. The images show the fractures, ridges, and bands that crisscross the moon’s surface.Image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS Image processing: Björn Jónsson (CC BY 3.0) Results from the solar-powered spacecraft provide a new measurement of the thickness of the ice shell encasing the Jovian moon’s ocean. Data from NASA’s Juno mission has provided new insights into the thickness and subsurface structure of the icy shell encasing Jupiter’s moon Europa. Using the spacecraft’s Microwave Radiometer (MWR), mission scientists determined that the shell averages about 18 miles (29 kilometers) thick in the region observed during Juno’s 2022 flyby of Europa. The Juno measurement is the first to discriminate between thin and thick shell models that have suggested the ice shell is anywhere from less than half a mile to tens of miles thick. Slightly smaller than Earth’s moon, Europa is one of the solar system’s highest-priority science targets for investigating habitability. Evidence suggests that the ingredients for life may exist in the saltwater ocean that lies beneath its ice shell. Uncovering a variety of characteristics of the ice shell, including its thickness, provides crucial pieces of the puzzle for understanding the moon’s internal workings and the potential for the existence of a habitable environment. The new estimate on the ice thickness in the near-surface icy crust was published on Dec. 17 in the journal Nature Astronomy. This artist’s concept depicts a cutaway view showing Europa’s ice shell. Data used to generate a new result on the ice thickness and structure was collected by the microwave radiometer instrument on NASA’s Juno during a close flyby of the Jovian moon on Sept. 29, 2022.NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/Koji Kuramura/ Gerald Eichstädt (CC BY) Catching waves Although the MWR instrument was designed to investigate Jupiter’s atmosphere below the cloud tops, the novel instrument has proven valuable for studying the gas giant’s icy and volcanic moons as well. On Sept. 29, 2022, Juno came within about 220 miles (360 kilometers) of Europa’s frozen surface. During the flyby, MWR collected data on about half the moon’s surface, peering beneath the ice to measure its temperatures at various depths. “The 18-mile estimate relates to the cold, rigid, conductive outer-layer of a pure water ice shell,” said Steve Levin, Juno project scientist and co-investigator from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which manages the mission. “If an inner, slightly warmer convective layer also exists, which is possible, the total ice shell thickness would be even greater. If the ice shell contains a modest amount of dissolved salt, as suggested by some models, then our estimate of the shell thickness would be reduced by about 3 miles.” The thick shell, as suggested by the MWR data, implies a longer route that oxygen and nutrients would have to travel to connect Europa’s surface with its subsurface ocean. Understanding this process may be relevant to future studies of Europa’s habitability. Cracks, pores The MWR data also provides new insights into the makeup of the ice just below Europa’s surface. The instrument revealed the presence of “scatterers” — irregularities in the near-surface ice such as cracks, pores, and voids that scatter the instrument’s microwaves reflecting off the ice (similar to how visible light is scattered in ice cubes). These scatterers are estimated to be no ******* than a few inches in diameter and appear to extend to depths of hundreds of feet below Europa’s surface. The small size and shallow depth of these features, as modeled in this study, suggest they are unlikely to be a significant pathway for oxygen and nutrients to travel from Europa’s surface to its salty ocean. “How thick the ice shell is and the existence of cracks or pores within the ice shell are part of the complex puzzle for understanding Europa’s potential habitability,” said Scott Bolton, principal investigator of Juno from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. “They provide critical context for NASA’s Europa Clipper and the ESA (European Space Agency) Juice (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer) spacecraft — both of which are on their way to the Jovian system.” Europa Clipper will arrive there in 2030, while Juice will arrive the year after. Juno will carry out its 81st flyby of Jupiter on Feb. 25.  More about Juno A division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, JPL manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Juno is part of NASA’s New Frontiers Program, managed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. To learn more about Juno, go to: [Hidden Content] News Media Contacts DC Agle Jet Propulsion Laboratory 818-393-9011 *****@*****.tld Karen Fox / Molly Wasser NASA Headquarters, Washington 240-285-5155 / 240-419-1732 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Deb Schmid Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio 210-522-2254 *****@*****.tld 2026-004 Share Details Last Updated Jan 27, 2026 Related TermsJunoEuropaJet Propulsion Laboratory Explore More 6 min read NASA’s Pandora Satellite, CubeSats to Explore Exoplanets, Beyond Editor’s Note, Jan. 13, 2026: Mission controllers received full acquisition of signal from the Pandora… Article 3 weeks ago 6 min read NASA’s SPHEREx Observatory Completes First Cosmic Map Like No Other Article 1 month ago 6 min read NASA’s Perseverance Mars Rover Ready to Roll for Miles in Years Ahead Article 1 month ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Jupiter: Exploration Juno NASA’s Juno spacecraft has explored Jupiter, its moons, and rings since 2016, gathering breakthrough science and breathtaking imagery. Jupiter Moons Europa Eyes on the Solar System: Europa View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Athena, NASA’s newest supercomputer, is housed at the agency’s Modular Supercomputing Facility at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.NASA/Brandon Torres-Navarrete NASA is announcing the availability of its newest supercomputer, Athena, an advanced system designed to support a new generation of missions and research projects. The newest member of the agency’s High-End Computing Capability project expands the resources available to help scientists and engineers tackle some of the most complex challenges in space, aeronautics, and science. Housed in the agency’s Modular Supercomputing Facility at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, Athena delivers more computing power than any other NASA system, surpassing the capabilities of its predecessors, Aitken and Pleiades, in power and efficiency. The new system, which was rolled out in January to existing users after a beta testing *******, delivers over 20 petaflops of peak performance – a measurement of the number of calculations it can make per second – while reducing the agency’s supercomputing utility costs. “Exploration has always driven NASA to the edge of what’s computationally possible,” said Kevin Murphy, chief science data officer and lead for the agency’s High-End Computing Capability portfolio at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Now with Athena, NASA will expand its efforts to provide tailored computing resources that meet the evolving needs of its missions.” Supercomputers like Athena are critical to missions and research across the agency, providing the computational power necessary to simulate rocket launches, design next-generation aircraft, and train large-scale artificial intelligence foundation models capable of analyzing massive datasets to uncover new scientific insights. The supercomputer is available to NASA researchers and external scientist and researchers supporting NASA programs who can apply for time to use the system. The name Athena was selected through a contest held in March 2025 among the agency’s High-End Computing Capability workforce, which chose the name of the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare because she is the half-sister of Artemis. Managed by NASA’s Office of the Chief Science Data Officer, the High-End Computing Capability portfolio supports a flexible, hybrid computing approach that combines supercomputers with access to other tools, such as commercial cloud platforms. This strategy enables NASA teams to choose the most effective computing environment for their research, whether running complex simulations, developing and deploying AI models, or performing large-scale data analysis. The project’s capabilities will continue to expand as the agency invests in advanced supercomputing to meet the growing complexity of its missions. As exploration pushes further into the universe, the ability to compute quickly, efficiently, and intelligently will be more important than ever. With Athena, NASA is laying the digital foundation for the next era of discovery. To learn more about high-end computing at NASA, visit: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated Jan 27, 2026 Related TermsHigh-Tech ComputingAmes Research CenterGeneral Explore More 5 min read NASA’s Chandra Releases Deep Cut From Catalog of Cosmic Recordings Article 4 days ago 4 min read NASA AI Model That Found 370 Exoplanets Now Digs Into TESS Data Trained on data from NASA’s exoplanet-hunting missions, the open-source ExoMiner++ deep learning model uses an… Article 5 days ago 3 min read NASA Develops Blockchain Technology to Enhance Air Travel Safety and Security Through a drone flight test at NASA’s Ames Research Center, researchers tested a blockchain-based system… Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Office of the Chief Science Data Officer NASA’s groundbreaking science and exploration missions increasingly rely on the efficient use of large-scale data, advanced computing, and high-performance analytics.… Core Area of Expertise: Supercomputing Ames Research Center Computing View the full article

NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Klaus Pontoppidan (NASA-JPL), Joel Green (STScI); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI) The NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captured the actively forming protostar EC 53 (circled at left) in the Serpens Nebula in this image released on Jan. 21, 2026. Astronomers have long sought evidence to explain why comets at the outskirts of our own solar system contain crystalline silicates, since crystals require intense heat to form and these “dirty snowballs” spend most of their time in the ultracold Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud. Now, looking outside our solar system, Webb has returned the first conclusive evidence that links how those conditions are possible. The telescope clearly showed for the first time that the hot, inner part of the disk of gas and dust surrounding a very young, actively forming star is where crystalline silicates are forged. Webb also revealed a strong outflow that is capable of carrying the crystals to the outer edges of this disk. Compared to our own fully formed, mostly dust-cleared solar system, the crystals would be forming approximately between the Sun and Earth. Read more about this discovery. Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Klaus Pontoppidan (NASA-JPL), Joel Green (STScI); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI) View the full article

3 min read NASA, Partners Advance LISA Prototype Hardware Engineers and scientists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, completed tests this month on a second early version of a key element of the upcoming LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission. The LISA mission, a collaboration between ESA (the European Space Agency) and NASA, will use infrared lasers to detect gravitational waves, or ripples in the fabric of space-time. The tests involved the frequency reference system, delivered by BAE Systems, that will help control the lasers connecting LISA’s three spacecraft. The lasers must be finely tuned to make precise measurements — to within a trillionth of a meter, called a picometer. A prototype laser optical module for LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) rests on a table after testing at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, in May 2025. Xiaozhen Xu, an engineer with Miller Engineering and Research Corp., works in the background. The smaller box to the right is the laser electronics module. Each of the three LISA spacecraft will have a laser system with a frequency reference component and six laser heads. NASA/Sophia Roberts Download high-resolution images from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio The team tested the first version of the system in May 2025. “The extensive round of checkouts on the frequency reference system last year were very successful,” said Ira Thorpe, the project scientist for LISA at NASA Goddard. “This second unit is identical, so our assessments this time around were less intense and preface a future cross-check of the two, which is the gold-standard for checking the stability of the system overall.” In addition to the laser system, NASA is contributing the telescopes, devices to manage the buildup of onboard electrical charge, and the framework scientists will need to process the data the mission will generate. A prototype charge management device for LISA sits on a lab bench at NASA Goddard in May 2025. Each of the three LISA spacecraft will have a charge management device to reduce the buildup of electric charge on the gold-platinum proof masses that fly freely inside the spacecraft. The University of Florida in Gainesville and Fibertek Inc. in McNair, Va., are developing the devices. NASA/Dennis Henry NASA’s contributions are part of the agency’s efforts to innovate on ambitious science missions that will help us better understand how the universe works. LISA will also offer a major advancement in multimessenger astronomy, which is how scientists explore cosmic signals other than light. The three LISA spacecraft will fly in a vast triangular formation that follows Earth as it orbits the Sun. Each arm of the triangle will stretch 1.6 million miles (2.5 million kilometers). Each spacecraft will contain two free-floating cubes inside called proof masses. Arriving gravitational waves from throughout the universe will minutely change the lengths of the triangle’s arms. The lasers connecting the cubes will measure changes in their separation to within a distance smaller than a helium atom. In May 2024, technicians inspected the prototype LISA telescope in a darkened clean room at NASA Goddard. Illuminated by a flashlight, the telescope’s structure glows. The prototype is made from a translucent, amber-colored, glass-ceramic material called Zerodur, which is often used in high-precision applications because it resists changes in shape over a wide temperature range. The mirror, near center and coated in gold, reflects a magnified image of part of the telescope. NASA/Dennis Henry The enormous scale of the triangle will enable LISA to detect gravitational waves that cannot be found with ground-based facilities, such as those generated when massive ****** holes in the centers of galaxies merge. Scientists can use the data to learn about a source’s distance and physical properties. The LISA mission is slated to launch in the mid-2030s. By Jeanette Kazmierczak NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media Contact: Claire Andreoli 301-286-1940 NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Facebook logo @NASAUniverse @NASAUniverse Instagram logo @NASAUniverse Share Details Last Updated Jan 27, 2026 Editor Jeanette Kazmierczak Related Terms LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) Astrophysics ****** Holes Galaxies Galaxy Mergers Goddard Space Flight Center Gravitational Waves Supermassive ****** Holes The Universe View the full article

Share Details Last Updated Jan 27, 2026 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Contact Media Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland *****@*****.tld Bethany Downer ESA/Hubble Garching, Germany Ann Jenkins and Christine Pulliam Space Telescope Science Institute Baltimore, Maryland Related Terms Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Gravitational Lensing Irregular Galaxies Origin & Evolution of the Universe The Universe Related Links and Documents Science Paper: Identifying astrophysical anomalies in 99.6 million source cutouts from the Hubble legacy archive using AnomalyMatch, PDF (47.32 MB) Release on ESA/Hubble Website

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Floods Inundate Southern… Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Notes from the Field Blog Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search December 17, 2025 January 25, 2026 NASA Earth Observatory NASA Earth Observatory December 17, 2025January 25, 2026 NASA Earth Observatory NASA Earth Observatory December 17, 2025 January 25, 2026 CurtainToggle2-Up Image Details Residents of southern Mozambique who live or farm near rivers are accustomed to heading to higher ground during the wet season. But even by local standards, the deluge in January 2026 was remarkable for its scale and severity. In December and January, weeks of intense rain swelled rivers and overwhelmed key reservoirs, sending floodwaters spilling into heavily populated areas along the Limpopo and Incomati rivers. The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this false-color image (bands 7-2-1) of floodwaters coursing down the two rivers on January 25, 2026 (right). The image on the left, captured by the Terra satellite, shows the same area on December 17, 2025, before the flooding. A natural-color version of the image shows thick plumes of water rich in suspended sediment flowing down the rivers and into the Mozambique Channel. Flooding has affected at least 600,000 people, displaced hundreds of thousands, and destroyed or damaged at least 30,000 homes, according to Mozambique’s National Disasters Management Institute, though it’s likely the numbers will increase due to ongoing search and rescue operations. Some of the hardest-hit cities include Maputo, Xai-Xai, and Chókwè. Agriculture officials report the flooding of at least 180,000 hectares (440,000 acres) of crops and the loss of more than 150,000 head of livestock. Health experts are warning of elevated risk of cholera, diarrhea, and other waterborne diseases, and authorities from at least one city have reported crocodile attacks. NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Adam Voiland. Downloads December 17, 2025 JPEG (2.64 MB) January 25, 2026 JPEG (3.62 MB) References & Resources ABC News (2026, January 19) Floods in Mozambique displace more than 300,000 people in one province, governor says. Accessed January 26, 2026. Aimnews.org (2026) English. Accessed January 26, 2026. BBC (2026, January 25) People cling to treetops as ‘worst floods in a generation’ sweep Mozambique. Accessed January 26, 2026. Cima Foundation (2026, January 17) Mozambique, heavy rainfall in the South: cooperation and monitoring to manage flood risk. Accessed January 26, 2026. Club of Mozambique (2026, January 23) Mozambique: Floods destroy 180,000 hectares of crops and 150,000 livestock. Accessed January 26, 2026. The International Charter (2026, January 25) Flood in Mozambique. Accessed January 26, 2026. The International Organization for Migration (2026, January 22) IOM Scales Up Emergency Response as Floods Displace Over Half a Million People in Mozambique. Accessed January 26, 2026. NASA (2022, September 21) Monitoring and Modeling Floods using Earth Observations. Accessed January 26, 2026. PBS News (2026, January 23) Floods push crocodiles into Mozambican towns as health concerns rise. Accessed January 26, 2026. ReliefWeb (2026) Mozambique: Floods – Dec 2025. Accessed January 26, 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. Monsoon Rains Flood Pakistan 3 min read Heavy rains and flooding across the country since June 2025 have displaced millions of people, devastated infrastructure, and submerged farmland. Article Land of Many Waters and Much Sediment 4 min read The Guiana Shield’s rugged terrain shapes Guyana’s waterways, but mining has altered their clarity. Article Mozambique’s Rio Lúrio 3 min read Sediment from the riverbed, especially during periods of higher flow, helps shape the surrounding beaches and sandbars. Article 1 2 3 4 Next Keep Exploring Discover More from NASA Earth Science Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox. Earth Observatory Image of the Day NASA’s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery. Explore Earth Science Earth Science Data View the full article

4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Research from NASA and GE Aerospace led to the successful testing of a jet engine at the company’s Peebles Test Operation site in Ohio in December. The hybrid engine is a modified version of a GE Aerospace Passport.GE Aerospace To an untrained eye, the aircraft engine sitting outside of a Cincinnati facility in December might have looked like standard hardware. But NASA and GE Aerospace researchers watching the unit fire up for a demonstration knew what they were looking at: a hybrid engine performing at a level that could potentially power an airliner. It’s something new in the aviation world, and the result of years of research and development. NASA, GE Aerospace, and others working toward hybrid engine development had already tested components in the past — power system controls, electric motors, and more. What the demonstration at GE Aerospace’s Peebles Test Operation site in Ohio represented was the first test of an integrated system. “Turbines already exist. Compressors already exist. But there is no hybrid-electric engine flying today. And that’s what we were able to see,” said Anthony Nerone, who served as manager of the agency’s Hybrid Thermally Efficient Core (HyTEC) project at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland during the test engine’s development. The test involved a modified GE Aerospace’s Passport engine with the ability to extract energy from some of its operations and insert that supplementary power into other parts. The hybrid engine is result of research from GE Aerospace and NASA under a cost-sharing HyTEC contract. It runs on jet fuel with assistance from electric motors, a concept that seems simple in a world where hybrid cars are common. Yet the execution was complex, requiring researchers to invent, adapt, and integrate parts into a system that could deliver the requisite power needed for a single-aisle aircraft safely and reliably. As a result, the demonstration — known as a power extraction test — was one of the most complex GE Aerospace has staged to date. “They had to integrate equipment they’ve never needed for previous tests like this,” said Laura Evans, acting HyTEC project manager at Glenn. Despite the complexity, the team witnessed a successful demonstration. Not a balancing test or a preliminary exercise, but an engine on a mount doing many of the things it would need to do if installed in an aircraft. The test comes at a time when U.S. aviation is increasingly looking for power systems that can do more while also saving money on fuel. It’s a trend NASA was well ahead of. Hybrid aircraft engine technology began to emerge from Glenn roughly 20 years ago, when it seemed nearly impossible to realize, Nerone said. “Now,” he said. “When you go to a conference, hybrid technology is everywhere.” And NASA and GE now have real data for how the technology can be applied to flight. From that early start, NASA transitioned into HyTEC and its contract with GE Aerospace. HyTEC’s goal is to mature technology that will enable a hybrid engine that burns up to 10% less fuel compared to today’s best-in-class engines. NASA’s overall goal is to leverage its resources to bring the technology to market faster, meeting industry needs. The work is far from over. Both NASA and GE Aerospace are analyzing data from the demonstration and from previous work and are making progress toward a compact engine test this decade. Still, the demonstration was a chance to see the integration of technology that’s closer than ever to practical application. “We’re getting close to the payoff on work that’d been in progress for a long time,” Nerone said. Read More About NASA/GE Aerospace Work on HyTec Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 4 min read NASA Tests Technology Offering Potential Fuel Savings for Commercial Aviation Article 5 days ago 5 min read NASA Chase Aircraft Ensures X-59’s Safety in Flight Article 6 days ago 3 min read NASA Develops Blockchain Technology to Enhance Air Travel Safety and Security Through a drone flight test at NASA’s Ames Research Center, researchers tested a blockchain-based system… Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Artemis Aeronautics STEM Explore NASA’s History Share Details Last Updated Jan 26, 2026 EditorJim BankeContactRobert Margetta*****@*****.tldLocationGlenn Research Center Related TermsAeronauticsAdvanced Air Vehicles ProgramAeronautics Research Mission DirectorateElectrified Aircraft PropulsionGlenn Research CenterHybrid Thermally Efficient Core View the full article

Credit: NASA The Sultanate of Oman signed the Artemis Accords during a ceremony in Muscat attended by NASA on Monday, becoming the 61st nation to commit to responsible space exploration for the benefit of all humanity. “Oman’s accession to the Artemis Accords sets an important example about the value of responsible behavior and shared pursuit of discovery,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman in recorded remarks during the ceremony. “Oman joins the U.S. and our other partners on ensuring the peaceful exploration of space for generations to come. We are returning humans to the Moon and laying the groundwork for future missions. A community of like-minded nations will be the foundation of our success.” U.S. Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman Ana Escrogima and NASA’s Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails participated in the event held on the opening day of the Middle East Space Conference, an international forum on space and innovation in the region. Said al-Maawali, Oman’s minister of transportation, communication, and information technology signed on behalf of the country. In 2020, during the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies. The accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety, transparency, and coordination of civil space exploration on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Signing the Artemis Accords means to explore peaceably and transparently, to render aid to those in need, to enable access to scientific data that all of humanity can learn from, to ensure activities do not interfere with those of others, to preserve historically significant sites and artifacts, and to develop best practices for how to conduct space exploration activities for the benefit of all. More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as NASA continues its work to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space. Learn more about the Artemis Accords at: [Hidden Content] -end- Bethany Stevens / Elizabeth Shaw Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jan 26, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsArtemis AccordsOffice of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR) View the full article

Spinoff 2026 marks the publication’s 50th year documenting commercial uses of NASA technology. This edition’s cover features Astronaut Alan Bean holding an environmental sample container filled with lunar soil during the Apollo 12 mission of November 1969. Astronaut Charles Conrad Jr., who took this picture, is reflected in Bean’s helmet visor. Credit: NASA As NASA fosters technologies needed to live and work farther away from home than ever before, the agency’s Technology Transfer program has the sole mission of getting those innovations into the hands of companies, entrepreneurs, and, ultimately, everyday people. The agency’s Spinoff publication has captured this endeavor for half a century, sharing stories of space technologies improving our lives on Earth. “NASA’s work has always delivered returns well beyond the mission itself,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “As we develop the technologies needed for a sustained presence on the Moon and prepare for human exploration of Mars, those innovations will continue to unlock new capabilities across medicine, aviation, agriculture, and other critical sectors, delivering lasting benefits to Earth well beyond the mission.” Many technologies created to support deep space and lunar missions, including Artemis, are in use on Earth. Spinoff’s 50th edition tells the stories of two companies that developed equipment to 3D print habitats on planetary surfaces. On Earth, one of those companies is custom-building wall panels, cladding, and facades, while the other is additively manufacturing entire neighborhoods of affordable housing. NASA envisions a future where robots handle routine maintenance and mundane tasks to support astronauts during lunar missions. Two companies featured in Spinoff 2026 received the agency’s support to meet that need, and each has already found applications for their technology on Earth. One company is commercializing software to power robots that are cleaning bathrooms and building homes, and the other has created a humanoid robot capable of warehouse and assembly line tasks. “Incredible feats on distant worlds require incredible innovation,” said Dan Lockney, Technology Transfer program executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “We can’t wait to see what breakthroughs and advancements come from not just exploration on the lunar surface but missions to put a rotorcraft on Saturn’s moon Titan or study interstellar objects in deep space.” Any NASA work can result in spinoff technology, including lifesaving inventions. Technology developed by engineers trying to make life easier for astronauts on the International Space Station has evolved into an implantable heart monitor that’s helping keep heart failure patients out of the hospital. Companies also are improving personal locator beacons for search and rescue networks based on NASA’s satellite communication technology. Standout spinoffs Procedures NASA created to ensure food safety for Apollo astronauts traveling to the Moon formed the foundation for safety procedures and regulations governing food production globally. The memory foam found in mattresses today originated from NASA’s development of pressure-absorbing materials for aircraft seats in the 1970s. Miniaturized, energy-efficient camera technology, initially engineered by NASA to create compact, high-quality imaging systems for spacecraft, is now the basis for modern digital imagery, from smartphone cameras to cinema. Scratch-resistant lenses use diamond-hard coatings originally developed for aerospace applications, and wireless headsets are rooted in technology NASA pioneered to enable hands-free communication for astronauts. Readers of Spinoff 2026 are invited to contribute to the next “small step” in NASA’s history of “giant leaps” and bring space-inspired technology to Earth. In this edition’s Spinoffs of Tomorrow section, there are 20 technologies ready for commercialization, with information on how to license them or any of the other 1,300 inventions available in NASA’s Patent Portfolio. Spinoff is part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and its Technology Transfer program. Technology Transfer is charged with finding broad, innovative applications for NASA-developed technology through partnerships and licensing agreements, ensuring agency investments benefit the nation and the world. To read NASA’s 50th edition of Spinoff, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Jasmine Hopkins Headquarters, Washington 321-432-4624 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jan 26, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsSpinoffsSpace Technology Mission DirectorateTechnologyTechnology TransferTechnology Transfer & Spinoffs View the full article

Detergent bottles and other litter can travel thousands of miles across the ocean before washing up on the remote Island of Kaho’olawe in Hawaii. JPL remote-sensing technology recently showed that it can spot plastic pollution on land, but doing so in the sea presents challenges.NOAA Space-based technology could help track plastic and other flotsam by its ‘fingerprints.’ In late 2025, scientists reported that, for the first time, they were able to detect concentrations of plastic pollution on land using NASA’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) sensor aboard the International Space Station. The technology has inspired marine researchers to see whether it could also help track debris in our waters. Before future generations of sensors like EMIT can be called upon to detect ocean litter, scientists need to know what to look for. Working with collaborators, NASA intern Ashley Ohall has built a newly published reference library containing nearly 25,000 molecular “fingerprints” from all manner of flotsam and jetsam, including rope, tires, metal, bubble wrap, buoys, and bottle caps. Given the overwhelming presence of plastic in marine debris, the library includes some 19 types of polymer. NASA’s EMIT, shown in the red circle, was launched to the International Space Station in 2022 to map minerals. Its data is now advancing fields from agriculture to water science.NASA Most of the estimated 8 million tons or more of plastic that enter the ocean every year comes from land, so mapping pollution hot spots near coastlines could be a first step toward reducing what ends up on beaches and washed out to sea. That’s exactly what NASA’s sensor showed it could do, though detecting plastic wasn’t its first mission. Launched in 2022, EMIT maps minerals across desert regions to help determine how the dust can heat or cool the atmosphere. But the instrument has proved itself incredibly nimble. From its perch on the space station, it can identify hundreds of compounds on Earth via the unique spectral patterns they make in reflected sunlight. The technology behind EMIT, called imaging spectroscopy, was pioneered at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and is used on missions throughout the solar system. One of EMIT’s cousins discovered lunar water in 2009, and another is set to return to the Moon to help future astronauts identify scientifically valuable areas to sample. Marine scientist Ashley Ohall checked out aircraft at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, during her recent internship with the agency in which she led the creation of a spectral library containing nearly 25,000 molecular “fingerprints” from all manner of debris.Kelsey Bisson The same technology has now shown that it can find plastic compounds in landfills and large-scale structures like greenhouses, said JPL’s David Thompson, who coauthored the 2025 study. However, detecting plastic once it enters the ocean is more challenging: Seawater absorbs infrared light, masking many of plastic’s prominent spectral features. Litter library That’s where the work of Ohall and her collaborators comes in. Their open-source library compiles the work of many researchers over the years who’ve analyzed marine debris using handheld instruments in laboratories. Standardizing the various datasets into one searchable repository is crucial because different kinds of debris have slightly different spectra based on material, color, and condition. Weathered water bottles, for example, “look” different than washed-up hurricane detritus. Once the patterns are known, detection algorithms can be developed. Carried by ocean currents, debris can travel thousands of miles from the source, so a better understanding of where it is and where it’s headed could be a boon for public health and coastal tourism, said Ohall, a Florida native who recently graduated from the University of Georgia. “My biggest hope is that people see remote sensing as an important and useful tool for marine debris monitoring,” Ohall said. “Just because it hasn’t been done yet doesn’t mean it can’t be done.” Planet-scale challenge Conventional methods for quantifying plastic in the ocean — including dragging nets through garbage patches — can’t sample the millions of tons that flow in. With NASA’s support, scientists are learning more about the ability of existing sensors as well as what’s still needed to spot marine debris. Teams are also training AI tools to sift through satellite imagery. It remains a planet-scale endeavor, said Kelsey Bisson, a program manager at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The groundwork being done by Ohall and other scientists brings us a step closer to leveraging a powerful technology flying in air and space today. “Humans have a visceral connection to the ocean and its health,” Bisson said. “Detecting marine debris is the kind of incredible challenge that NASA can help solve.” To learn more about EMIT, visit: [Hidden Content] Media Contacts Andrew Wang / Andrew Good Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 626-379-6874 / 818-393-2433 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Written by Sally Younger 2026-003 Explore More 3 min read Winter Grips the Michigan Mitten A blanket of snow spanned Michigan and much of the Great Lakes region following a… Article 4 days ago 2 min read Snow Buries Kamchatka December and January brought a series of intense winter storms to the peninsula in far… Article 5 days ago 3 min read Students Across New England Contribute to Climate Science Through NASA’s GLOBE Green Down In fall 2025, more than 50 educators and over 1,500 young people across Maine and… Article 5 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA EMIT EMIT (Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation) measures the mineral composition of Earth’s dust source regions, to help scientists understand… Oceans | Earth Observatory Topic Life at NASA What We Do View the full article

A seemingly serene landscape of gas and dust is hopping with star formation behind the scenes.NASA, ESA, and K. Stapelfeldt (Jet Propulsion Laboratory); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) While this eerie NASA Hubble Space Telescope image may look ghostly, it’s actually full of new life. Lupus 3 is a star-forming cloud about 500 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. White wisps of gas swirl throughout the region, and in the lower-left corner resides a dark dust cloud. Bright T Tauri stars shine at the left, bottom right, and upper center, while other young stellar objects dot the image. T Tauri stars are actively forming stars in a specific stage of formation. In this stage, the enveloping gas and dust dissipates from radiation and stellar winds, or outflows of particles from the emerging star. T Tauri stars are typically less than 10 million years old and vary in brightness both randomly and periodically due to the environment and nature of a forming star. The random variations may be due to instabilities in the accretion disk of dust and gas around the star, material from that disk falling onto the star and being consumed, and flares on the star’s surface. The more regular, periodic changes may be caused by giant sunspots rotating in and out of view. T Tauri stars are in the process of contracting under the force of gravity as they become main sequence stars which fuse hydrogen to helium in their cores. Studying these stars can help astronomers better understand the star formation process. View the full article

Containing nearly 800,000 galaxies, this image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is overlaid with a map of dark matter, represented in blue. Researchers used Webb data to find the invisible substance via its gravitational influence on regular matter.NASA/STScI/J. DePasquale/A. Pagan With the Webb telescope’s unprecedented sensitivity, scientists are learning more about dark matter’s influence on stars, galaxies, and even planets like Earth. Scientists using data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have made one of the most detailed, high-resolution maps of dark matter ever produced. It shows how the invisible, ghostly material overlaps and intertwines with “regular” matter, the stuff that makes up stars, galaxies, and everything we can see. Published Monday, Jan. 26, in Nature Astronomy, the map builds on previous research to provide additional confirmation and new details about how dark matter has shaped the universe on the largest scales — galaxy clusters millions of light-years across — that ultimately give rise to galaxies, stars, and planets like Earth. “This is the largest dark matter map we’ve made with Webb, and it’s twice as sharp as any dark matter map made by other observatories,” said Diana Scognamiglio, lead author of the paper and an astrophysicist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “Previously, we were looking at a blurry picture of dark matter. Now we’re seeing the invisible scaffolding of the universe in stunning detail, thanks to Webb’s incredible resolution.” Created using data from NASA’s Webb telescope in 2026 (right) and from the Hubble Space Telescope in 2007 (left), these images show the presence of dark matter in the same region of sky. Webb’s higher resolution is providing new insights into how this invisible component influences the distribution of ordinary matter in the universe.NASA/STScI/A. Pagan Dense regions of dark matter are connected by lower-density filaments, forming a weblike structure known as the cosmic web. This pattern appears more clearly in the Webb data than in the earlier Hubble image. Ordinary matter, including galaxies, tends to trace this same underlying structure shaped by dark matter.NASA/STScI/A. Pagan Some dark matter structures appear smaller in the Webb data because they are coming into sharper focus. Webb’s higher resolution also makes it possible to better confine the size and location of the dark matter clusters in the lower left of the image.NASA/STScI/A. Pagan Dark matter doesn’t emit, reflect, absorb, or even block light, and it passes through regular matter like a ghost. But it does interact with the universe through gravity, something the map shows with a new level of clarity. Evidence for this interaction lies in the degree of overlap between dark matter and regular matter. According to the paper’s authors, Webb’s observations confirm that this close alignment can’t be a coincidence but, rather, is due to dark matter’s gravity pulling regular matter toward it throughout cosmic history. “Wherever we see a big cluster of thousands of galaxies, we also see an equally massive amount of dark matter in the same place. And when we see a thin string of regular matter connecting two of those clusters, we see a string of dark matter as well,” said Richard Massey, an astrophysicist at Durham University in the United Kingdom and a coauthor of the new study. “It’s not just that they have the same shapes. This map shows us that dark matter and regular matter have always been in the same place. They grew up together.” Closer look Found in the constellation Sextans, the area covered by the new map is a section of sky about 2.5 times larger than the full Moon. A global community of scientists have observed this region with at least 15 ground- and space-based telescopes for the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS). Their goal: to precisely measure the location of regular matter here and then compare it to the location of dark matter. The first dark matter map of the area was made in 2007 using data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, a project led by Massey and JPL astrophysicist Jason Rhodes, a coauthor of the paper. Webb peered at this region for a total of about 255 hours and identified nearly 800,000 galaxies, some of which were detected for the first time. Scognamiglio and her colleagues then looked for dark matter by observing how its mass curves space itself, which in turn bends the light traveling to Earth from distant galaxies. When observed by researchers, it’s as if the light of those galaxies has passed through a warped windowpane. The Webb map contains about 10 times more galaxies than maps of the area made by ground-based observatories and twice as many as Hubble’s. It reveals new clumps of dark matter and captures a higher-resolution view of the areas previously seen by Hubble. To refine measurements of the distance to many galaxies for the map, the team used Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), designed and managed through launch by JPL, along with other space- and ground-based telescopes. The wavelengths that MIRI detects also make it adept at detecting galaxies obscured by cosmic dust clouds. Why it matters When the universe began, regular matter and dark matter were probably sparsely distributed. Scientists think dark matter began to clump together first and that those dark matter clumps then pulled together regular matter, creating regions with enough material for stars and galaxies to begin to form. In this way, dark matter determined the large-scale distribution of galaxies in the universe. And by prompting galaxy and star formation to begin earlier than they would have otherwise, dark matter’s influence also played a role in creating the conditions for planets to eventually form. That’s because the first generations of stars were responsible for turning hydrogen and helium — which made up the vast majority of atoms in the early universe — into the rich array of elements that now compose planets like Earth. In other words, dark matter provided more time for complex planets to form. “This map provides stronger evidence that without dark matter, we might not have the elements in our galaxy that allowed life to appear,” said Rhodes. “Dark matter is not something we encounter in our everyday life on Earth, or even in our solar system, but it has definitely influenced us.” Scognamiglio and some of her coauthors will also map dark matter with NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope over an area 4,400 times ******* than the COSMOS region. Roman’s primary science goals include learning more about dark matter’s fundamental properties and how they may or may not have changed over cosmic history. But Roman’s maps won’t beat Webb’s spatial resolution. More detailed looks at dark matter will be possible only with a next-generation telescope like the Habitable Worlds Observatory, NASA’s next astrophysics flagship concept. More about Webb The James Webb Space Telescope is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (********* Space Agency). To learn more about Webb, visit: [Hidden Content] Media Contacts Calla Cofield / Ian O’Neill Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 626-808-2469 / 818-354-2649 calla.e*****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld 2026-002 Explore More 4 min read TESS Status Updates Jan. 23, 2026 NASA’s TESS Returns to Science Observations NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite)… Article 3 days ago 3 min read NASA’s Universe of Learning Unveils Fresh Facilitator Guides Inspired by Community Feedback The goal of NASA’s Universe of Learning (UoL) is to connect the public to the… Article 5 days ago 5 min read NASA Webb Finds Young Sun-Like Star Forging, Spewing Common Crystals Astronomers have long sought evidence to explain why comets at the outskirts of our own… Article 5 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… Dark Matter Scientists first suspected dark matter’s existence over 80 years ago when Swiss-American astronomer ****** Zwicky observed that galaxies in the… Stars Astronomers estimate that the universe could contain up to one septillion stars – that’s a one followed by 24 zeros.… Galaxies Galaxies consist of stars, planets, and vast clouds of gas and dust, all bound together by gravity. The largest contain… View the full article

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 crew, from left to right, is NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.Credit: SpaceX NASA and its partners will discuss the upcoming crew rotation to the International Space Station during a pair of news conferences on Friday, Jan. 30, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. At 11 a.m. EST, mission leadership will discuss final launch and mission preparations in a news conference that will stream on the agency’s YouTube channel. Next, the crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission will participate in a virtual news conference from NASA Johnson crew quarters at 1 p.m., also on the agency’s YouTube channel. Individual streams for each of the events will be available on that page. This is the final media opportunity with Crew-12 before they travel to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch. Crew-12 will carry NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev to the orbiting laboratory. The crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The agency is working with SpaceX and its international partners to review options to advance the launch of Crew-12 from its original target date of Sunday, Feb. 15. United States-based media interested in attending in person must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom no later than 5 p.m. CST on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 281-483-5111 or *****@*****.tld. Media wishing to join the news conferences by phone must contact the Johnson newsroom by 9:45 a.m. on the day of the event. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. Briefing participants are as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations): 11 a.m.: Mission Overview News Conference Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate Representative Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy Dana Weigel, manager, International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson Andreas Mogensen, Human Exploration Group Leader, ESA SpaceX Representative 1 p.m.: Crew News Conference Jessica Meir, Crew-12 commander, NASA Jack Hathaway, Crew-12 pilot, NASA Sophie Adenot, Crew-12 mission specialist, ESA Andrey Fedyaev, Crew-12 mission specialist, Roscosmos This will be the second flight to the space station for Meir, who was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2013. The Caribou, Maine, native earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Brown University, a master’s degree in space studies from the International Space University, and a doctorate in marine biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. On her first spaceflight, Meir spent 205 days as a flight engineer during Expedition 61/62, and she completed the first three all-woman spacewalks with fellow NASA astronaut Christina Koch, totaling 21 hours and 44 minutes outside of the station. Since then, she has served in various roles, including assistant to the chief astronaut for commercial crew (SpaceX), deputy for the Flight Integration Division, and assistant to the chief astronaut for the human landing system. A commander in the United States Navy, Hathaway was selected as part of the 2021 astronaut candidate class. This will be Hathaway’s first spaceflight. The South Windsor, Connecticut, native holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and history from the U.S. Naval Academy and master’s degrees in flight dynamics from Cranfield University and national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College, respectively. Hathaway also is a graduate of the Empire Test Pilot’s School, Fixed Wing Class 70 in 2011. At the time of his selection, Hathaway was deployed aboard the USS Truman, serving as Strike Fighter Squadron 81’s prospective executive officer. He has accumulated more than 2,500 flight hours in 30 different aircraft, including more than 500 carrier arrested landings and 39 combat missions. The Crew-12 mission will be Adenot’s first spaceflight. Before her selection as an ESA astronaut in 2022, Adenot earned a degree in engineering from ISAE-SUPAERO in Toulouse, France, specializing in spacecraft and aircraft flight dynamics. She also earned a master’s degree in human factors engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. After earning her master’s degree, she became a helicopter cockpit design engineer at Airbus Helicopters and later served as a search and rescue pilot at Cazaux Air Base from 2008 to 2012. She then joined the High Authority Transport Squadron in Villacoublay, France, and served as a formation flight leader and mission captain from 2012 to 2017. Between 2019 and 2022, Adenot worked as a helicopter experimental test pilot in Cazaux Flight Test Center with DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement – the French Defence Procurement Agency). She has logged more than 3,000 hours flying 22 different helicopters. This will be Fedyaev’s second long-duration stay aboard the orbiting laboratory. He graduated from the Krasnodar Military Aviation Institute in 2004, specializing in aircraft operations and air traffic organization, and earned qualifications as a pilot engineer. Prior to his selection as a cosmonaut, he served as deputy commander of an Ilyushin-38 aircraft unit in the Kamchatka Region, logging more than 600 flight hours and achieving the rank of second-class military pilot. Fedyaev was selected for the Gagarin Research and Test Cosmonaut Training Center Cosmonaut Corps in 2012 and has served as a test cosmonaut since 2014. In 2023, he flew to the space station as a mission specialist during NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission, spending 186 days in orbit, as an Expedition 69 flight engineer. For his achievements, Fedyaev was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation and received the Yuri Gagarin Medal. For more information about the mission, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Joshua Finch / Jimi Russell Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 sandra.p*****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jan 23, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsHumans in SpaceCommercial CrewInternational Space Station (ISS)ISS Research View the full article

Credit: NASA NASA has selected ADNET Systems, Inc. of Bethesda, Maryland, to provide global modeling and data assimilation support at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The Global Modeling and Assimilation Support contract is a single-award, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum ordering value of approximately $84 million with a five-year ******* of performance beginning March 15, 2026. Under this contract, the contractor will be responsible for supporting and maintaining NASA Goddard’s Global Modeling and Assimilation Office’s Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) model and data assimilation system. Tasks include supporting the development and validation of individual model components within GEOS and the development and integration of external components like sea and land-ice models within the modeling and assimilation system. For information about NASA and other agency programs, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Tiernan Doyle Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld Rob Garner Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 301-286-5687 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jan 23, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsGoddard Space Flight CenterGoddard TechnologyNASA Centers & FacilitiesTechnology View the full article

4 Min Read NASA Selects Participants to Track Artemis II Mission A visual representation of NASA’s Artemis I mission. Credits: NASA NASA has selected 34 global volunteers to track the Orion spacecraft during the crewed Artemis II mission’s journey around the Moon. The Artemis II test flight will launch NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, carrying the Orion spacecraft and a crew of four astronauts, on a mission into deep space. The agency’s second mission in the Artemis campaign is a key step in NASA’s path toward establishing a long-term presence at the Moon and confirming the systems needed to support future lunar surface exploration and paving the way for the first crewed mission to Mars. While NASA’s Near Space Network and Deep Space Network, coordinated by the agency’s SCaN (Space Communication and Navigation) program , will provide primary communications and tracking services to support Orion’s launch, journey around the Moon, and return to Earth, participants selected from a request for proposals published in August 2025, comprised of established commercial service providers, members of academia, and individual amateur radio enthusiasts will use their respective equipment to passively track radio waves transmitted by Orion during its approximately 10-day journey. The Orion capsule viewing the Moon during Artemis I. NASA “The Artemis II tracking opportunity is a real step toward SCaN’s commercial-first vision. By inviting external organizations to demonstrate their capabilities during a human spaceflight mission, we’re strengthening the marketplace we’ll rely on as we explore farther into the solar system,” said Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator for SCaN at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “This isn’t about tracking one mission, but about building a resilient, public-private ecosystem that will support the Golden Age of innovation and exploration.” This isn’t about tracking one mission, but about building a resilient, public-private ecosystem that will support the Golden Age of innovation and exploration.” KEvin Coggins NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for SCaN These volunteers will submit their data to NASA for analysis, helping the agency better assess the broader aerospace community’s tracking capabilities and identify ways to augment future Moon and Mars mission support. There are no funds exchanged as a part of this collaborative effort. This initiative builds on a previous effort in which 10 volunteers successfully tracked the Orion spacecraft during Artemis I in 2022. That campaign produced valuable data and lessons learned, including implementation, formatting, and data quality variations for Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems, which develops communications and data standards for spaceflight. To address these findings, SCaN now requires that all tracking data submitted for Artemis II comply with its data system standards. Compared to the previous opportunity, public interest in tracking the Artemis II mission has increased. About 47 ground assets spanning 14 different countries will be used for to track the spacecraft during its journey around the Moon. Participants List: Government: ********* Space Agency (CSA), Canada The ******* Aerospace Center (DLR), Germany Commercial: Goonhilly Earth Station Ltd, United Kingdom GovSmart, Charlottesville, Virginia Integrasys + University of Seville, Spain Intuitive Machines, Houston Kongsberg Satellite Services, Norway Raven Defense Corporation, Albuquerque, New Mexico Reca Space Agency + University of Douala, Cameroon Rincon Research Corporation & the University of Arizona, Tucson Sky Perfect JSAT, Japan Space Operations New Zealand Limited, New Zealand Telespazio, Italy ViaSat, Carlsbad, California Von Storch Engineering, Netherlands Individual: Chris Swier, South Dakota Dan Slater, California Loretta A Smalls, California Scott Tilley, Canada Academia: American University, Washington Awara Space Center + Fukui University of Technology, Japan Morehead State University, Morehead, Kentucky Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, Rosman, North Carolina University of California Berkeley, Space Sciences Laboratory, California University of New Brunswick, ECE, Canada University of Pittsburgh, ECE, Pittsburgh University of Zurich – Physics Department, Switzerland Non-Profit & Amateur Radio Organizations: AMSAT Argentina, Argentina AMSAT Deutschland, Germany Amateur Radio Exploration Ground Station Consortium, Springfield, Illinois CAMRAS, Netherlands Deep Space Exploration Society, Kiowa County, Colorado Neu Golm Ground Station, Germany Observation Radio Pleumur-bodou, France Artemis II will fly around the Moon to test the systems which will carry astronauts to the lunar surface for economic benefits and scientific discovery in the Golden Age of exploration and innovation. The networks supporting Artemis receive programmatic oversight from NASA’s SCaN Program office. In addition to providing communications services to missions, SCaN develops the technologies and capabilities that will help propel NASA to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The Deep Space Network is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, and the Near Space Network is managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Learn more about NASA’s SCaN Program: [Hidden Content] Share Details Last Updated Jan 23, 2026 Related TermsCommunicating and Navigating with MissionsArtemisArtemis 2Commercial SpaceExploration Systems Development Mission DirectorateOrion Multi-Purpose Crew VehicleSpace Communications & Navigation ProgramThe Future of Commercial Space About the AuthorKatrina LeeKatrina Lee is a writer for the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program office and covers emerging technologies, commercialization efforts, exploration activities, and more. Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Artemis Communicating with Missions Deep Space Network Near Space Network View the full article

3 Min Read I Am Artemis: Dustin Gohmert Dustin Gohmert, Orion Crew Survival System (OCSS) manager, sits in the OCSS Lab at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Credits: NASA/Rad Sinyak Listen to this audio excerpt from Dustin Gohmert, Orion Crew Survival System (OCSS) manager: 0:00 / 0:00 Your browser does not support the audio element. During NASA’s Artemis II mission around the Moon, the astronauts inside the Orion spacecraft will be wearing specialized pressure suits designed to protect them throughout their journey. At NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Dustin Gohmert leads the team responsible for these suits, known as the Orion Crew Survival System (OCSS). “We work with the crew to say, ‘Here’s this design concept we have. How does this really work in the spaceflight environment?’” Gohmert said. “As we evolve the design, we take the crew’s input and we adapt the suit over time to take into account not only the desire we have for safety, but the real-world impacts that it has.” The suits will protect astronauts on launch day, throughout high-risk parts of missions near the Moon, during the high-speed return to Earth, and in emergency situations if such events arise. The OCSS suits are engineered to sustain life for up to six days in the event of an emergency, and can provide the astronauts oxygen, hydration, food, and waste management needed on their way back to Earth. Dustin Gohmert, Orion Crew Survival System (OCSS) manager, sits in the OCSS Lab at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.Credits: NASA/Rad Sinyak “In an emergency, you’re essentially living in a personal spacecraft that’s only an inch ******* than your body,” Gohmert said. “That’s the reality of survival in space.” Gohmert’s team in the Orion Crew Survival Systems Lab manages every phase of the suits, including processing, designing, qualifying, and testing them for the mission, as well as integrating them with the Orion spacecraft. Their work addresses engineering challenges, such as how much internal pressure the suit can safely maintain and for how long. The team custom-builds each suit to fit the anatomy of the astronauts. Crew members undergo detailed sizing and multiple fit checks to ensure precision, and their feedback is a key part of the design evolution and refinement of the suit. Orion Crew Survival System (OCSS) Manager Dustin Gohmert and his team perform a flight suit long duration fit check with Artemis II crew member Christina Koch in the OCSS Lab at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Credit: NASA/Josh Valcarcel After earning his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at San Antonio and his master’s in engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, Gohmert joined United Space Alliance before becoming a NASA civil servant. He worked through the end of the Space Shuttle Program and later transitioned to Orion. Working on the suit throughout his career has been both technically challenging and a deeply personal responsibility. The weight of it is incredible; knowing the ultimate responsibility you and the team share in the safety of the crew and the mission. Every thought we have, every piece of paper we write — crew is the number one priority. dustin Gohmert Orion Crew Survival Systems (OCSS) Manager As NASA prepares to explore deep space with Artemis II, Gohmert’s role will play a part in safely sending crew members around the Moon and returning them home. “I was born after the last Moon landing,” he said. “To actually be a part of the next round is kind of overwhelming. It’s awe-inspiring in every possible way.” About the AuthorErika Peters Share Details Last Updated Jan 23, 2026 Related TermsI Am ArtemisArtemis 2Orion Multi-Purpose Crew VehicleOrion Program Explore More 5 min read NASA’s Artemis II Mission to Fly Legacy Keepsakes with Astronaut Crew Article 2 days ago 11 min read Últimos preparativos para la primera misión tripulada a la Luna **** la campaña Artemis de la NASA Article 2 weeks ago 7 min read Final Steps Underway for NASA’s First Crewed Artemis Moon Mission Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

NASA/Chris Williams A green and red aurora streams across Earth’s horizon above the city lights of Europe in this Jan. 19, 2026, photograph, which looks north across Italy toward Germany. The International Space Station was orbiting 262 miles above the Mediterranean Sea at approximately 10:02 p.m. local time when the image was captured. Also known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), auroras are colorful, dynamic, and often visually delicate displays of an intricate dance of particles and magnetism between the Sun and Earth called space weather. When energetic particles from space collide with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, they can cause the colorful glow that we call auroras. Image credit: NASA/Chris Williams View the full article

4 min read NASA Finds Lunar Regolith Limits Meteorites as Source of Earth’s Water A close-up view of a portion of a “relatively fresh” crater, looking southeast, as photographed during the third Apollo 15 lunar surface moonwalk. Credit: NASA A new NASA study of its Apollo lunar soils clarifies the Moon’s record of meteorite impacts and timing of water delivery. These findings place upper bounds on how much water meteorites could have supplied later in Earth’s history. Research has previously shown that meteorites may have been a significant source of Earth’s water as they bombarded our planet early in the solar system’s development. In a paper published Tuesday in the Proceedings to the National Academy of Sciences, researchers led by Tony Gargano, a postdoctoral fellow at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), both in Houston, used a novel method for analyzing the dusty debris that covers the Moon’s surface called regolith. They learned that even under generous assumptions, meteorite delivery since about four billion years ago could only have supplied a small fraction of Earth’s water. The Moon serves as an ancient archive of the impact history the Earth-Moon system has experienced over billions of years. Where Earth’s dynamic crust and weather erase such records, lunar samples preserve them. The records don’t come without challenge, though. Traditional methods of studying regolith have relied on analyzing metal-loving elements. These elements can get muddied by repeated impacts on the Moon, making it harder to untangle and reconstruct what the original meteoroids contained. Enter triple oxygen isotopes, high precision “fingerprints” that take advantage of the fact that oxygen, the dominant element by mass in rocks, is unaffected by impact or other external forces. The isotopes offer a clearer understanding of the composition of meteorites that impacted the Earth-Moon system. The oxygen-isotope measurements revealed that at least ~1% by mass of the regolith contained material from carbon-rich meteorites that were partially vaporized when they hit the Moon. Using the known properties of such meteorites allowed the team to calculate the amount of water that would have been carried within. “The lunar regolith is one of the rare places we can still interpret a time-integrated record of what was hitting Earth’s neighborhood for billions of years,” said Gargano. “The oxygen-isotope fingerprint lets us pull an impactor signal out of a mixture that’s been melted, vaporized, and reworked countless times.” The findings have implications for our understanding of water sources on Earth and the Moon. When scaled up by roughly 20 times to account for the substantially higher rate of impacts on Earth, the cumulative water shown in the model made up only a small percent of the water in Earth’s oceans. That makes it difficult to reconcile the hypothesis that late delivery of water-rich meteorites was the dominant source of Earth’s water. “Our results don’t say meteorites delivered no water,” added co-author Justin Simon, a planetary scientist at NASA Johnson’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division. “They say the Moon’s long-term record makes it very hard for late meteorite delivery to be the dominant source of Earth’s oceans.” For the Moon, the implied delivery since about 4 billion years ago is tiny on an Earth-ocean scale but is not insignificant for the Moon. The Moon’s accessible water inventory is concentrated in small, permanently shadowed regions at the North and South Poles. These are some of the coldest spots in the solar system and introduce unique opportunities for scientific discovery and potential resources for lunar exploration when NASA lands astronauts on the Moon through Artemis III and beyond. The samples analyzed for this study came from parts of the Moon near the equator on the side of the Moon facing Earth, where all six Apollo missions landed. The rocks and dust collected more than 50 years ago continue to reveal new insights but are constrained to a small portion of the Moon. Samples delivered through Artemis will open the door for a new generation of discoveries for decades to come. “I’m part of the next generation of Apollo scientists —people who didn’t fly the missions, but who were trained on the samples and the questions Apollo made possible,” said Gargano. “The value of the Moon is that it gives us ground truth: real, physical material we can measure in the lab and use to anchor what we infer from orbital data and telescopes. I can’t wait to see what the Artemis samples have to teach us and the next generation about our place in the solar system.” For more information on NASA’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, visit: [Hidden Content] Karen Fox / Molly Wasser Headquarters, Washington 240-285-5155 / 240-419-1732 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Victoria Segovia NASA’s Johnson Space Center 281-483-5111 *****@*****.tld Read More Facebook logo @NASASolarSystem @NASASolarSystem Instagram logo @NASASolarSystem Share Details Last Updated Jan 23, 2026 Related Terms Astromaterials Earth’s Moon Johnson Space Center Explore More 4 min read NASA Selects 2 Instruments for Artemis IV Lunar Surface Science Article 2 months ago 2 min read Join NASA on Oct. 4 in Looking Up, Celebrating Moon Article 4 months ago 1 min read Help Map the Moon’s Molten Flows! Article 4 months ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article