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Long before Apollo astronauts set foot upon the Moon, much remained unknown about the lunar surface. While most scientists believed the Moon had a solid surface that would support astronauts and their landing craft, some believed a deep layer of dust covered it that would ******** any visitors. Until 1964, no closeup photographs of the lunar surface existed, only those obtained by Earth-based telescopes and grainy low-resolution images of the Moon’s far side obtained in 1959 by the ******* Luna 3 robotic spacecraft. On July 28, 1964, Ranger 7 launched toward the Moon, and three days later returned not only the first images of the Moon taken by an ********* spacecraft but also the first high resolution close-up photographs of the lunar surface. The mission marked a turning point in America’s lunar exploration program, taking the country one step closer to a human Moon landing. Left: Block I Ranger 1 spacecraft under assembly at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. Middle: Block II Ranger spacecraft, showing the ******-and-white spherical landing capsule. Right: Block III Ranger 7 spacecraft under assembly at JPL. The Ranger program, initiated in 1960 and managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, sought to acquire the first high resolution close-up images of the lunar surface. The program consisted of three phases of increasing complexity. The first phase of the program, designated “Block I,” intended to test the Atlas-Agena launch vehicle by placing a Ranger spacecraft in a highly elliptical Earth orbit where its equipment could be tested. The second “Block II” phase built on the lessons of Block I to send three spacecraft to the Moon to collect images and data and transmit them back to Earth. Each Block II Ranger carried a television camera for collecting images, a gamma-ray spectrometer for studying the minerals in the lunar rocks and soil, and a radar altimeter for studying lunar topography. These spacecraft carried a capsule, encased in balsa wood to protect it from the impact of landing, containing a seismometer and transmitter that would be able to operate for up to 30 days after being dropped on the lunar surface. The final “Block III” phase consisted of four spacecraft that each carried a high-resolution imaging system consisting of six television cameras with wide- and narrow-angle capabilities. They could take 300 pictures per minute. The Block I and II Rangers met with limited success. Neither Ranger 1 nor 2 left low Earth orbit due to booster problems. Ranger 3, the first Block II spacecraft, missed the Moon by 22,000 miles and sailed on into solar orbit, returning no photographs but taking the first measurements of the interplanetary gamma ray flux. Ranger 4 has the distinction as the first ********* spacecraft to impact the Moon, and on its far side to boot, but due to a power ******** in its central computer could not return any images or data. Ranger 5 missed the Moon by 450 miles but also ******* to return images due to a power ******** and entered solar orbit. None of the Block II Rangers delivered their seismometer-carrying capsules to the Moon’s surface. Ranger 6, the first Block III spacecraft, successfully impacted on the Moon in January 1964, but its television system ******* to return any images due to a short circuit. NASA and JPL delayed the next mission until a thorough investigation identified the source of the problem and engineers completed corrective actions. All hopes rested on Ranger 7 to redeem the program. Left: Schematic diagram of a Block III Ranger, showing its major components. Middle: The television camera system aboard Ranger 7. Right: Launch of Ranger 7. On July 28, 1964, Ranger 7 launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Atlas-Agena rocket first placed the spacecraft into Earth orbit before sending it on a lunar trajectory. The next day, the spacecraft successfully carried out a mid-course correction, and on July 31, Ranger 7 reached the Moon. This time, the spacecraft’s cameras turned on as planned. During its final 17 minutes of flight, the spacecraft sent back 4,308 images of the lunar surface. The last image, taken 2.3 seconds before Ranger 7 impacted at 1.62 miles per second, had a resolution of just 15 inches. Scientists renamed the area where it crashed – between Mare Nubium and Oceanus Procellarum – as Mare Cognitum, ****** for “The Known Sea,” to commemorate the first spot on the Moon seen close-up. Left: Ranger 7’s first image from an altitude of 1,311 miles – the large crater at center right is the 67-mile-wide Alphonsus. Middle: Ranger 7 image from an altitude of 352 miles. Right: Ranger 7’s final image, taken at an altitude of 1,600 feet. Left: Impact sites of Rangers 7, 8, and 9. Middle: The Ranger 7 impact crater photographed during the Apollo 16 mission in 1972. Right: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter image of the Ranger 7 impact crater, taken in 2010 at a low sun angle. Two more Ranger missions followed. Ranger 8 returned more than 7,000 images of the Moon. NASA and JPL broadcast Ranger 9’s images of the Alphonsus crater and the surrounding area “live” as the spacecraft approached its ****** site in the crater – letting millions of Americans see the Moon up-close as it happened. Based on the photographs returned by the last three Rangers, scientists felt confident to move on to the next phase of robotic lunar exploration, the Surveyor series of soft landers. The Ranger photographs provided confidence that the lunar surface could support a soft-landing. Just under five years after Ranger 7 returned its historic images, Apollo 11 landed the first humans on the Moon. Enjoy a brief video about Ranger 7, or a more detailed video of the entire mission. Explore More 9 min read 25 Years Ago: STS-93, Launch of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory Article 5 days ago 11 min read 45 Years Ago: Space Shuttle Enterprise Completes Launch Pad Checkout Article 5 days ago 5 min read Eileen Collins Broke Barriers as America’s First Female Space Shuttle Commander Article 1 week ago View the full article

As part of its ongoing web and television modernization efforts, NASA is shifting its digital focus to its on-demand streaming service, NASA+, which has already gained four times more viewership than the agency’s traditional cable channel. To streamline how it brings the latest aeronautics, human spaceflight, science, and technology news to the universe, the agency also is preparing to phase out NASA Television, its over-the-air broadcast, in late August. Through NASA+, the agency is continuing its decades long tradition of sharing live events, original content, and the latest news while NASA works to improve life on Earth through innovation, exploration, and discovery for the benefit of all. The free, on-demand streaming service is available to download without a subscription on most major platforms via the NASA App on iOS and Android mobile and tablet devices, as well as streaming media players like Roku, Apple TV, and ***** TV. Users also may stream online at: [Hidden Content] “In a universe where the way we consume information is rapidly changing, NASA+ is helping us inspire and connect with our current generation of explorers: the Artemis Generation,” said Marc Etkind, associate administrator, Office of Communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Through NASA+, we are enhancing the user experience for our audiences in a way that reflects our commitment to reaching new heights, both in space exploration and in media.” Get Ready to Explore: New NASA+ Content Coming Soon NASA+ is set to release new content, including a lineup of new documentaries and behind-the-scenes footage of NASA missions and live events, including: “Planetary Defenders”– NASA’s documentary that delves into the high-stakes world of asteroid detection and planetary defense all for the benefit of humanity. “Our Alien Earth” – This series follows the field work taking place in extreme environments over the world by NASA scientists; work that directly informs NASA missions to discover extraterrestrial life in the universe. “An Ocean in Bloom” – A documentary about a NASA satellite that sheds light on a coastal Floridian community’s battle with souring ocean waters that threaten the town’s fishing industries. In addition, audiences can prepare to see their fan favorites return for more adventures in new series episodes, including: “Other Worlds” Episode 3 – A new addition to NASA’s award-winning series that follows scientists behind the scenes as they uncover new images from the agency’s James Webb Space Telescope. “The ****** of Space” Episode 3 – Follow the personal stories of current and former ****** astronauts, each selected to become part of NASA’s astronaut corps and train for space missions. “Space Out” Season 2 – Turn on, tune in, and space out to relaxing music and stunning ultra-high-definition visuals of our cosmic neighborhood. The streaming platform also includes live event coverage, where people everywhere can watch in real-time as the agency launches science experiments and astronauts to space, and ultimately, the first woman and person of ****** to the Moon under the Artemis campaign. The transition from cable TV to streaming is part of a larger effort to ensure NASA’s content is more accessible, discoverable, and secure for the public. Last year, in addition to NASA+, the agency launched its revamped nasa.gov and science.nasa.gov websites, creating a new homebase for research, climate data, Artemis information, and more. To keep up with the latest news from NASA and learn more about the agency, visit: [Hidden Content] View the full article

1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) GAVRT students visiting JPL’s Charles Elachi Mission Control CenterNASA Interested in having a NASA SCaN expert speak to your class or group? The SCaN program is accepting requests for visits (both virtual and in-person) during the coming calendar year. Request a virtual visit below. Request a visit with the SCaN team at: NASA Glenn NASA Goddard NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Social Media Stay connected with our program on social media. Facebook logo @NASASCaN @NASASCaN Linkedin logo @NASA Share Details Last Updated Jul 29, 2024 Related TermsGeneral View the full article

Learn Home PLACES team publishes blog… Earth Science Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Stories Science Activation Highlights Citizen Science 2 min read PLACES team publishes blog post on NextGenScience Blog The NASA Science Activation program’s PLACES (Broadening Data Fluency Through the Integration of NASA Assets and Place-Based Learning to Advance Connections, Education, and Stewardship) team – which focuses on supporting educators to implement Place-Based, Data-Rich (PBDR) instruction using NASA assets in their own contexts – recently published a blog post about the PLACES PBDR framework on the NextGenScience blog, On the Same Wavelength. PBDR instruction uses place, data, and science together to create contextually rich, rigorous, and meaningful learning experiences. This first-ever public share of the PLACES framework for PBDR instruction dives into instructional design, pedagogy, assessment, and other topics related to K-12 science education. In practice, PBDR can unfold in a variety of ways. The blog post outlines PBDR instruction from a pedagogical standpoint, shares some examples of what PBDR looks like in practice, shares perspectives of PBDR instruction from pilot study teachers, and details the next steps for the PLACES project. It also offers examples of ways the NASA Science Activation network can implement the framework in their own contexts. The PLACES team hopes that others within the Science Activation community will take up the PBDR framework and provide feedback about how using the framework unfolds. Next steps for the PLACES project will include (1) leading the 3rd professional learning summer institute at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in August, and (2) integrating materials from the pilot study and year 2 summer institute teachers, feedback from teachers and partners, and learning outcomes as they improve their professional learning experiences. The PLACES team would like to thank the NextGenScience team for their support in publishing the blog post. Please visit the PLACES team website for more information about the PBDR framework. PLACES is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC22M0005 and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: [Hidden Content] PLACES project team members collecting data on soil moisture using Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment Program protocols. Share Details Last Updated Jul 29, 2024 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms Earth Science Grades 5 – 8 for Educators Grades 9-12 for Educators Grades K – 4 for Educators Science Activation Explore More 5 min read NASA’s ICON Mission Ends with Several Ionospheric Breakthroughs Article 5 days ago 8 min read The Earth Observer Editor’s Corner: Summer 2024 NASA’s third EOS mission—AURA—marked 20 years in orbit on July 15, with two of its… Article 2 weeks ago 3 min read The Earth Observer’s 35th Anniversary Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… Perseverance Rover This rover and its aerial sidekick were assigned to study the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient microbial… Parker Solar Probe On a mission to “touch the Sun,” NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to fly through the corona… Juno NASA’s Juno spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016, the first explorer to peer below the planet’s dense clouds to… View the full article

NASA/Bill White In this image from May 4, 2017, a rabbit is nearly obscured by grass at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Kennedy shares a border with the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, which is home to over 31 mammal species and hundreds of bird, fish, amphibian, and reptile species. Kennedy is responsible for more protected species than any other federal property in the continental ******* States, and there are diverse and varied efforts to protect and preserve ecological systems at the center while simultaneously supporting the NASA mission. Image credit: NASA/Bill White View the full article

Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus space freighter is pictured attached to the Canadarm2 robotic arm ahead of its release from the International Space Station’s Unity module on Tuesday, July 12, 2024. Photo credit: NASA NASA invites the public to participate in virtual activities ahead of the launch of Northrop Grumman’s 21st commercial resupply services mission for the agency. Mission teams are targeting 11:28 a.m. EDT Saturday, Aug. 3, for the launch of the company’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Cygnus will deliver new scientific investigations, food, supplies, and equipment to the crew aboard the International Space Station. Members of the public can register to attend the launch virtually. As a virtual guest, you’ll gain access to curated resources, receive schedule changes, and mission-specific information delivered straight to your inbox. Following each activity, virtual guests will receive a commemorative stamp for their virtual guest passport. NASA’s live launch coverage will begin at 11:10 a.m. EDT on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms, including social media. Learn more about the commercial resupply mission at: View the full article

Daily global average temperature values from MERRA-2 for the years 1980-2022 are shown in white, values for the year 2023 are shown in pink, and values from 2024 through June are shown in red. Daily global temperature values from July 1-July 23, 2024, from GEOS-FP are shown in purple. NASA/Global Modeling and Assimilation Office/Peter Jacobs July 22, 2024, was the hottest day on record, according to a NASA analysis of global daily temperature data. July 21 and 23 of this year also exceeded the previous daily record, set in July 2023. These record-breaking temperatures are part of a long-term warming trend driven by human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases. As part of its mission to expand our understanding of Earth, NASA collects critical long-term observations of our changing planet. “In a year that has been the hottest on record to date, these past two weeks have been particularly brutal,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Through our over two dozen Earth-observing satellites and over 60 years of data, NASA is providing critical analyses of how our planet is changing and how local communities can prepare, adapt, and stay safe. We are proud to be part of the Biden-Harris Administration efforts to protect communities from extreme heat.” This preliminary finding comes from data analyses from Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) and Goddard Earth Observing System Forward Processing (GEOS-FP) systems, which combine millions of global observations from instruments on land, sea, air, and satellites using atmospheric models. GEOS-FP provides rapid, near-real time weather data, while the MERRA-2 climate reanalysis takes longer but ensures the use of best quality observations. These models are run by the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Daily global average temperature values from MERRA-2 for the years 1980-2022 are shown in white, values for the year 2023 are shown in pink, and values from 2024 through June are shown in red. Daily global temperature values from July 1 to 23, 2024, from GEOS-FP are shown in purple. The results agree with an independent analysis from the ********* Union’s Copernicus Earth Observation Programme. While the analyses have small differences, they show broad agreement in the change in temperature over time and hottest days. The latest daily temperature records follow 13 months of consecutive monthly temperature records, according to scientists from NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York. Their analysis was based on the GISTEMP record, which uses surface instrumental data alone and provides a longer-term view of changes in global temperatures at monthly and annual resolutions going back to the late 19th century. Media Contact: Liz Vlock NASA Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jul 29, 2024 EditorJennifer R. MarderLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related TermsEarthClimate ChangeGoddard Institute for Space StudiesGoddard Space Flight Center View the full article

4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Science in Space: July 2024 This time of year, managing heat is on everyone’s mind. Especially now, as May 2024 marked a full year of record-high monthly temperatures – an unprecedented streak, according to scientists from NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York. NASA experts analyze data from thousands of land-, sea-, and sky-based instruments to calculate Earth’s global temperature. Knowing how hot it is helps scientists, health care workers, and public officials plan for and respond to the heat’s effects on people and infrastructure. Crew members on the International Space Station deal with a different type of heat – that generated by electronics, life support systems, and other equipment. Managing this heat is essential to the operation of the spacecraft and the health and safety of its occupants. Taking out the heat Hardware for the packed bed water recovery reactor experiment. The packing media is visible in the long clear tube.NASA Packed bed reactors (PBRs) are structures packed with beads of different materials to increase contact between a liquid and a gas flowing through them. They are widely used for many applications, including thermal control or heat management, life support systems, and water filtration and offer low power consumption, compact size, and reliability. Packed Bed Reactor Experiment: Water Recovery Series (PBRE-WRS) continues evaluation of how microgravity affects the performance of different packing media. The material used and the shape and size of the beads all contribute to the effectiveness of heat exchange in a PBR. This investigation could inform the design and operation of these systems in microgravity and on the Moon and Mars and lead to improvements in this technology for applications on Earth such as water purification and cooling systems. Previous investigations, PBRE and PBRE-2, provided fundamental understanding of simultaneous gas and liquid flow through PBRs in microgravity. This improved understanding helps to support development of more efficient and lightweight thermal management and life support systems for future missions. Boiling heat away To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In this video from the FBCE, as liquid begins to boil, small bubbles form at the heated surface (top of the image) and grow larger over time.NASA As electronic devices add more features, they generate more heat, which becomes increasingly challenging to remove. Flow boiling is a method of thermal management that uses this heat to boil a moving liquid and generate vapor bubbles that lift the heat from the surface, then change back to a liquid via condensation. But using boiling for heat management is less efficient in microgravity because, in the absence of buoyancy, bubbles grow larger and remain near the surface. The Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE) tested a model for a flow boiling and condensation facility for the space station. Researchers identified important factors affecting this process in microgravity and how they differ from those on Earth. The findings could help researchers identify ways to improve the operation of these systems in microgravity. This research also led to development of an artificial neural network (ANN) trained on data from the FBCE experiment to predict heat flow and transfer for use in the design and analysis of thermal systems. ANNs are a type of artificial intelligence made of computational units similar to neurons in the nervous systems of living things. NASA astronaut Josh Cassada works on the PFMI-ASCENT investigation.NASA The PFMI-ASCENT investigation found that adding microscopic teeth or rachets to a surface caused more bubbles to form and increased the transfer of heat. This finding helps further improve flow boiling systems used to remove heat from electronics in space. Going with the flow Close-up view of the Capillary Flow Experiment-2 test chamber.NASA Liquids behave differently in space than they do on Earth. Capillary Flow Experiment-2 studied wetting, or a liquid’s ability to spread across a surface, in different container shapes in microgravity. Results showed that models adequately predict liquid flow for various container shapes. These predictions support improved design of systems that process liquids aboard spacecraft, including systems for thermal control. Melissa Gaskill International Space Station Research Communications Team NASA’s Johnson Space Center Search this database of scientific experiments to learn more about those mentioned in this article. Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Latest News from Space Station Research Humans in Space Space Station Technology Demonstration Station Benefits for Humanity View the full article

NASA’s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) has twice transmitted a laser pulse to a cookie-sized retroreflector aboard JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) SLIM lander on the Moon and received a return signal. As LRO passed 44 miles above SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) during two successive orbits on May 24, 2024, it pinged the lander with its laser altimeter instrument as it had done eight times before. But, on these two attempts, the signal bounced back to LRO’s detector. This was an important accomplishment for NASA because the device is not in an optimal position. Retroreflectors are typically secured to the top of landers, giving LRO a 120-degree range of angles to aim toward when sending laser pulses to the approximate location of a retroreflector. However, the SLIM lander had settled on the surface with its top facing sideways, limiting LRO’s range. To boost the chances of reaching their target, the LRO team worked with JAXA to determine the exact location and orientation of SLIM. Then, NASA engineers predicted when LRO’s orbit trajectory would bring it to coordinates that would give it the best chance of reaching SLIM’s retroreflector with the laser beams. SLIM on the lunar surface captured by the LEV-2 (SORA-Q) rover. “LRO’s altimeter wasn’t built for this type of application, so the chances of pinpointing a tiny retroreflector on the Moon’s surface are already low,” said Xiaoli Sun, who led the team that built SLIM’s retroreflector at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, as part of a partnership between NASA and JAXA. “For the LRO team to have reached a retroreflector that faces sideways, instead of the sky, shows that these little devices are incredibly resilient,” Sun said. SLIM touched down on the Moon’s surface on Jan. 20. The retroreflector that hitched a ride with the lander, called a Laser Retroreflector Array, is one of the six NASA has sent to the Moon aboard private and public landers, and the second to bounce signal back to LRO’s altimeter. The first time a laser beam was transmitted from LRO to a NASA retroreflector and back was on Dec. 12, 2023, when LRO pinged ISRO’s (Indian Space Research Organisation) Vikram lander. LRO has since exchanged laser pings with Vikram three more times. NASA’s retroreflector has eight quartz corner-cube prisms set into a dome-shaped aluminum frame that is 2 inches wide. With no power or maintenance required, retroreflectors can last on the Moon’s surface for decades and thus provide reliable beacons for future missions. NASA’s Laser Retroreflector Array installed on JAXA’s SLIM lander before launch. The retroreflectors could guide Artemis astronauts to the surface in the dark, for example, or mark the locations of spacecraft already on the surface to help astronauts and uncrewed spacecraft land near them. LRO’s laser altimeter, the only laser instrument orbiting the Moon for now, was designed to map the Moon’s topography to prepare for missions to the surface — not to point to within 1/100th of a degree of a retroreflector, which is what LRO engineers are trying to do with every ping. LRO is managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Launched on June 18, 2009, LRO has collected a treasure trove of data with its seven powerful instruments, making an invaluable contribution to our knowledge about the Moon. NASA is returning to the Moon with commercial and international partners to expand human presence in space and bring back new knowledge and opportunities. NASA’s LRO Spots Japan’s Moon Lander New Evidence Adds to Findings Hinting at Network of Caves on Moon NASA/JAXA’s XRISM Mission Captures Unmatched Data With Just 36 Pixels By Lonnie Shekhtman NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media Contact: Nancy Neal Jones NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Share Details Last Updated Jul 29, 2024 Related Terms Artemis Earth’s Moon Goddard Space Flight Center Lunar Discovery & Exploration Program Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Planetary Science Division Science Mission Directorate The Solar System View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) An artist’s rendering of NASA’s Gateway space station in lunar orbit, featuring the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) and Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO), left, and a photograph of an antenna undergoing testing in an anechoic chamber at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, right.NASA/Robert Markowitz Engineers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center recently began electric field testing on representative communications hardware for Gateway, humanity’s first space station to orbit the Moon. An orbiting laboratory for deep space science and a staging ground for lunar exploration, Gateway will help NASA and its international partners establish a sustained human presence on and around the Moon in preparation for the next giant leap – human exploration of Mars. High-gain antennas are an important component of Gateway’s communication and tracking system that connects operations across the vast distances of the lunar South Pole region, to Gateway in orbit around the Moon, to Earth, and back again. NASA is conducting rigorous testing on the electric field levels radiated by the antennas to ensure safe and efficient communication and to avoid any interference with Gateway’s crew and equipment. By validating simulation models to accurately predict electric field levels, NASA can establish precise safety zones around the K/Ka-band parabolic reflector antennas to protect astronauts and hardware without sacrificing high-rate communications. During the meticulous testing process, engineers use electric field and waveguide probes, which measure the strength and quality of electromagnetic signals, to scan the near fields of a representative high-gain antenna. Robotic arms and optical tracking systems provide the precise measurements needed for model validation. The testing is being conducted in an anechoic chamber, a specialized room that provides a controlled environment for measurements of electromagnetic waves. “We are sharpening our pencil in conducting model validation measurements – ensuring high accuracy in the analysis of electric fields radiated by the high-gain antennas on Gateway,” said Timothy Kennedy, one of the NASA engineers overseeing the tests. “This enables reduced margins on antenna masking needed to protect equipment and crew, while maximizing communication coverage.” Findings are expected to enhance NASA’s understanding of the electric field levels emitted by Gateway’s antennas and inform critical decisions for operating them safely during Artemis missions, ensuring that Gateway is a safe home for astronauts around the Moon. A probe held by a robotic arm measures electric field levels emitted by an antenna during a testing session in an anechoic chamber at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The test results will be used to define boundaries for Gateway’s communication system antennas.NASA/Robert Markowitz A probe held by a robotic arm measures electric field levels emitted by an antenna during a testing session in an anechoic chamber at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The test results will be used to define boundaries for Gateway’s communication system antennas.NASA/Robert Markowitz A probe held by a robotic arm measures electric field levels emitted by an antenna during a testing session in an anechoic chamber at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The test results will be used to define boundaries for Gateway’s communication system antennas.NASA/Robert Markowitz A probe held by a robotic arm measures electric field levels emitted by an antenna during a testing session in an anechoic chamber at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. The test results will be used to define boundaries for Gateway’s communication system antennas.NASA/Robert Markowitz Learn More About Gateway Facebook logo @NASAGateway @NASA_Gateway Instagram logo @nasaartemis Share Details Last Updated Jul 29, 2024 EditorBriana R. ZamoraContactBriana R. Zamorabriana.r*****@*****.tldLocationJohnson Space Center Related TermsGateway Space StationArtemisEarth's MoonGateway ProgramJohnson Space Center Explore More 3 min read Gateway: Up Close in Stunning Detail Witness Gateway in stunning detail with this video that brings the future of lunar exploration… Article 1 month ago 2 min read Through Astronaut Eyes, Virtual Reality Propels Gateway Forward NASA astronauts are using virtual reality to explore Gateway. When they slip on their headsets,… Article 4 months ago 6 min read NASA’s Artemis IV: Building First Lunar Space Station Article 4 months ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Artemis Orion Spacecraft Space Launch System (SLS) Moon to Mars Architecture View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) This summer, NASA welcomed interns with professional teaching experience to help make the agency’s data more interactive and accessible in the classroom. Their efforts are an important step in fostering the education and curiosity of the Artemis Generation of students who will shape the future workforce. Diane Ripollone: Making Activities Accessible for Low-Vision Students In the center, Diane Ripollone smiles in a blue jacket with the blue, white, and red NASA logo on the left and a SOFIA patch on the right. Behind Diane is the SOFIA aircraft and her arm rests on a railing beside her. Credit: Diane Ripollone A 35-year-veteran educator, Diane Ripollone teaches Earth science, astronomy, and physics to high school students in North Carolina. In her decades of experience, she’s seen firsthand how students with physical challenges can face difficulties in connecting with lessons. She decided to tackle the issue head-on with her internship. Ripollone supports the My NASA Data Program, which provides educational materials to interact with live data collected by NASA satellites, observatories, and sensors worldwide. As a NASA intern, she has worked to create physical materials with braille for students with- vision limitations. “It’s a start for teachers,” Ripollone said. “Although every classroom is different, this helps to provide teachers a jumpstart to make engaging lesson plans centered around real NASA data.” Her NASA internship has excited and inspired her students, according to Ripollone. “My students have been amazed! I see their eyes open wide,” she said. “They say, ‘My teacher is working for NASA!'” Felicia Haseleu: Improving Reading and Writing Skills North Dakota teacher Felicia Haseleu never imagined she’d be a NASA intern until a colleague forwarded the opportunity to her inbox. A teacher on her 11th year, she has seen how COVID-19 has affected students: “It’s caused a regression in reading and writing ability,” a shared impact that was seen in students nationwide. A science teacher passionate about reading and writing, Felicia set out to utilize these in the science curriculum. As an intern with My NASA Data, she’s prepared lesson plans that combine using the scientific method with creative writing, allowing students to strengthen their reading and writing skills while immersing themselves in science. Haseleu anticipates her NASA internship will provide benefits inside and outside the classroom. “It’s going to be awesome to return to the classroom with all of these materials,” she said. “Being a NASA intern has been a great experience! I’ve felt really supported and you can tell that NASA is all encompassing and supports one another. From the camaraderie to NASA investing in interns, it’s nice to feel valued by NASA.” Teri Minami: Hands-on Lesson for Neurodivergent and Artistic Students Teri Minami poses in a white lab coat, lilac gloves, glasses, and “Dexter” name tag. She is on the right of the image with a coworker on the left. Red school lockers line the wall behind them. Credit: Teri Minami “I’ve never been a data-*****; I’ve always connected with science hands-on or through art,” said NASA intern Teri Minami, a teacher of 10 years in coastal Virginia. She cites her personal experience in science to guide her to develop lessons using NASA data for neurodivergent students or those with a more artistic background. Through her NASA internship, she aims to create lesson plans which allow students to engage first-hand with science while outdoors, such as looking at water quality data, sea level ice, and CO2 emissions, taking their own measurements, and doing their own research on top of that. Although many people associate being an intern with being an undergraduate in college, NASA interns come from all ages and backgrounds. In 2024, the agency’s interns ranged in age from 16 to 61 and included high school students, undergraduates, graduate students, doctoral students, and teachers. Interested in joining NASA as an intern? Apply at intern.nasa.gov. Explore More 8 min read The Future is Bright: Johnson Space Center Interns Shine Throughout Summer Term Article 2 days ago 3 min read NASA to Host Panels, Forums, and More at Oshkosh 2024 Article 7 days ago 3 min read NASA Awards Launch Excitement for STEM Learning Nationwide NASA awards inspire the next generation of explorers by helping community institutions like museums, science… Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA NASA Internship Programs For Educators For Colleges and Universities Learning Resources View the full article

ESA/Hubble & NASA, C. Kilpatrick This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image treats viewers to a wonderfully detailed snapshot of the spiral galaxy NGC 3430 that ***** 100 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo Minor. Several other galaxies, located relatively nearby to this one, are just beyond the frame of this image; one is close enough that gravitational interaction is driving some star formation in NGC 3430 — visible as bright-blue patches near to but outside of the galaxy’s main spiral structure. This fine example of a galactic spiral holds a bright core from which a pinwheel array of arms appears to radiate outward. Dark dust lanes and bright star-forming regions help define these spiral arms. NGC 3430’s distinct shape may be one reason why astronomer Edwin Hubble used to it to help define his classification of galaxies. Namesake of the Hubble Space Telescope, Edwin Hubble authored a paper in 1926 that outlined the classification of some four hundred galaxies by their appearance — as either spiral, barred spiral, lenticular, elliptical, or irregular. This straightforward typology proved extremely influential, and the detailed schemes astronomers use today are still based on Edwin Hubble’s work. NGC 3430 itself is a spiral lacking a central bar with open, clearly defined arms — classified today as an SAc galaxy. Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, C. Kilpatrick View the full article

5 Min Read NASA Returns to Arctic Studying Summer Sea Ice Melt NASA's Gulfstream III aircraft taxis on the runway at Pituffik Space Base as it begins one of its daily science flights for the ARCSIX mission. Credits: NASA/Gary Banziger What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic, and a new NASA mission is helping improve data modeling and increasing our understanding of Earth’s rapidly changing climate. Changing ice, ocean, and atmospheric conditions in the northernmost part of Earth have a large impact on the entire planet. That’s because the Arctic region acts like Earth’s air conditioner. Much of the Sun’s energy is transported from tropical regions of our planet by winds and weather systems into the Arctic where it is then lost to space. This process helps cool the planet. The NASA-sponsored Arctic Radiation Cloud Aerosol Surface Interaction Experiment (ARCSIX) mission is flying three aircraft over the Arctic Ocean north of Greenland to study these processes. The aircraft are equipped with instruments to gather observations of surface sea ice, clouds, and aerosol particles, which affect the Arctic energy budget and cloud properties. The energy budget is the balance between the energy that Earth receives from the Sun and the energy the Earth loses to outer space. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This highlight video gives viewers a front row seat to a typical day on the ARCSIX mission from Pituffik Space Base as NASA's research scientists, instrument operators, and flight crews fly daily routes observing sea ice and clouds 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Greenland.NASA/Gary Banziger “More sea ice makes that air conditioning effect more efficient. Less sea ice lessens the Arctic’s cooling effect,” says Patrick Taylor, a climate scientist at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. “Over the last 40 years, The Arctic has lost a significant amount of sea ice making the Arctic warm faster. As the Arctic warms and sea ice melts, it can cause ripple effects that impact weather conditions thousands of miles away, how fast our seas are rising, and how much flooding we get in our neighborhoods.” As the Arctic warms and sea ice melts, it can cause ripple effects…thousands of miles away. Patrick Taylor NASA Climate Research Scientist The first series of flights took place in May and June as the seasonal melting of ice started. Flights began again on July 24 during the summer season, when sea ice melting is at its most intense. “We can’t do this kind of Arctic science without having two campaigns,” said Taylor, the deputy science lead for ARCSIX. “The sea ice surface in the spring was very bright white and snow covered. We saw some breaks in the ice. What we will see in the second campaign is less sea ice and sea ice that is bare, with no snow. It will be covered with all kinds of melt ponds – pooling water on top of the ice – that changes the way the ice interacts with sunlight and potentially changes how the ice interacts with the atmosphere and clouds above.” Sea ice and the snow on top of the ice insulate the ocean from the atmosphere, reflecting the Sun’s radiation back towards space, and helping to cool the planet. Less sea ice and darker surfaces result in more of the Sun’s radiation being absorbed at the surface or trapped between the surface and the clouds. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A pilot's view of Arctic sea ice from NASA's P-3 Orion aircraft during NASA's ARCSIX airborne science mission flights in June.NASA/Gary Banziger Understanding this relationship, and the role clouds play in the system, will help scientists improve satellite data and better predict future changes in the Arctic climate. “This unique team of pilots, engineers, scientists, and aircraft can only be done by leveraging expertise from multiple NASA centers and our partners,” said Linette Boisvert, cryosphere lead for the mission from NASA’s Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “We gathered great data of the snow and ice pre-melt and at the onset of melt. I can’t wait to see the changes at the height of melt as we measure the same areas covered with melt ponds.” NASA partnered with the University of Colorado Boulder for the ARCSIX mission, and the research team found some surprises in their early data analysis from the spring campaign. One potential discovery is something Taylor is calling a “sea ice sandwich”, when a younger layer of sea ice is caught in between two layers of older sea ice. Scientists also found more drizzle within the clouds than expected. Both observations will need further investigating once the data is fully processed. A research scientist monitors data measurements in-flight during the spring campaign of the ARCSIX mission.NASA/Gary Banziger “A volcano erupted in Iceland, and we believe the volcanic aerosol plume was indicated by our models four days later,” Taylor said. “Common scientific knowledge tells us volcanic particles, like ash and sulfate, would have already been removed from the atmosphere. More work needs to be done, but our initial results suggest these particles might live in the atmosphere much longer than previously thought.” Previous studies suggest that aerosol particles in clouds can influence sea ice melt. Data collected during ARCSIX’s spring flights showed the Arctic atmosphere had several aerosol particle layers, including wildfire smoke, pollution, and dust transported from Asia and North America. “We got everything we hoped for and more in the first campaign,” Taylor added. “The data from this summer will help us better understand how clouds and sea ice behave. We’ll be able to use these results to improve predictive models. In the coming years, scientists will be able to better predict how to mitigate and adapt to the rapid changes in climate we’re seeing in the Arctic.” Read More ESPO.NASA.gov AIR.LARC.NASA.gov NASA.gov/Earth Share Details Last Updated Jul 26, 2024 EditorCharles G. HatfieldContactCharles G. Hatfieldcharles.g*****@*****.tldLocationLangley Research Center Related TermsEarthAirborne ScienceGoddard Space Flight CenterIce & GlaciersLangley Research CenterSea IceWallops Flight Facility Explore More 4 min read NASA Mission Flies Over Arctic to Study Sea Ice Melt Causes Article 2 months ago 5 min read Antarctic Sea Ice Near Historic Lows; Arctic Ice Continues Decline Article 4 months ago 4 min read NASA Ice Scientists Take Flight from Greenland to Study Melting Arctic Ice Article 2 years ago View the full article

2 min read Hubble Images a Classic Spiral This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the majestic spiral galaxy NGC 3430. ESA/Hubble & NASA, C. Kilpatrick This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image treats viewers to a wonderfully detailed snapshot of the spiral galaxy NGC 3430 that ***** 100 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo Minor. Several other galaxies, located relatively nearby to this one, are just beyond the frame of this image; one is close enough that gravitational interaction is driving some star formation in NGC 3430 — visible as bright-blue patches near to but outside of the galaxy’s main spiral structure. This fine example of a galactic spiral holds a bright core from which a pinwheel array of arms appears to radiate outward. Dark dust lanes and bright star-forming regions help define these spiral arms. NGC 3430’s distinct shape may be one reason why astronomer Edwin Hubble used to it to help define his classification of galaxies. Namesake of the Hubble Space Telescope, Edwin Hubble authored a paper in 1926 that outlined the classification of some four hundred galaxies by their appearance — as either spiral, barred spiral, lenticular, elliptical, or irregular. This straightforward typology proved extremely influential, and the detailed schemes astronomers use today are still based on Edwin Hubble’s work. NGC 3430 itself is a spiral lacking a central bar with open, clearly defined arms — classified today as an SAc galaxy. Astronomer Edwin Hubble pioneered the study of galaxies based simply on their appearance. This “Field Guide” outlines Hubble’s classification scheme using images from his namesake telescope. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center; Lead Producer: Miranda Chabot; Lead Writer: Andrea Gianopoulos Download this image Explore More Hubble’s Galaxies Astronomer Edwin Hubble Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jul 25, 2024 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Missions Spiral Galaxies The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble’s Galaxies Hubble Design Hubble Science Highlights View the full article

Crane operator Rebekah Tolatovicz, a shift mechanical technician lead for Artic Slope Regional Corporation at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, operates a 30-ton crane to lift the agency’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft out of the recently renovated altitude chamber to the Final Assembly and Systems Testing, or FAST, cell inside NASA Kennedy’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27. During her most recent lift July 10, Tolatovicz helped transfer Orion back to the FAST cell following vacuum chamber qualification testing in the altitude chamber earlier this month. This lift is one of around 250 annual lifts performed at NASA Kennedy by seven operator/directors and 14 crane operators on the ASRC Orion team. “At the time of the spacecraft lift, I focus solely on what’s going on in the moment of the operation,” explains Tolatovicz. “Listening for the commands from the lift director, making sure everyone is safe, verifying the vehicle is clear, and ensuring the crane is moving correctly.” All Orion crane operators are certified after classroom and on-the-job training focusing on areas such as rigging, weight and center of gravity, mastering crane controls, crane securing, assessing safety issues, and emergency procedures. Once certified, they progress through a series of the different lifts required for Orion spacecraft operations, from simple moves to the complex full spacecraft lift. “It’s not until after the move is complete and the vehicle is secured that I have a moment to think about how awesome it is to be a part of history on the Orion Program and do what I get to do every day with a team of the most amazing people,” Tolatovicz said. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Stevenson View the full article

Credit: NASA NASA has awarded the MSFC Logistics Support Services II (MLSS II) contract to Akima Global Logistics, LLC to provide logistics support services at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The performance-based indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract has a maximum potential value of $96.3 million. The contract begins on Sunday, Sept. 1 with a one-year base *******, followed by one-year option periods that may be exercised at NASA’s discretion. Under the competitive 8(a) contract, the company will be responsible for providing logistics services supporting NASA Marshall’s institutional operational framework. The logistics support services provided through contractor support cover the areas of management, disposal operations, equipment, mail, transportation, life cycle logistics, supply chains, and other specialty services. For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Tiernan Doyle Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Jul 25, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsMarshall Space Flight Center View the full article

NASA/Steven Seipel On Sept. 2, 2022, NASA astronauts Anil Menon (left), Deniz Burnham (center), and Marcos Berrios (right) posed for a photograph in front of NASA’s Artemis I SLS (Space Launch System) and Orion spacecraft at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Burnham began her career as an intern at NASA’s Ames Research Center. She earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of California, San Diego, and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Burnham reported for duty in January 2022 to complete two years of initial astronaut training as a NASA astronaut candidate. Burnham, Menon, and Berrios astronaut candidates graduated in a ceremony on March 5, 2024. The graduates may be assigned to missions destined for the International Space Station, future commercial space stations, and Artemis campaign missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars. Applications to become a NASA intern are currently open. Apply for Spring 2025 internships by Aug. 23, 2024. Image credit: NASA/Steven Seipel View the full article

4 min read NASA’s Fermi Finds New Feature in Brightest Gamma-Ray Burst Yet Seen In October 2022, astronomers were stunned by what was quickly dubbed the BOAT — the brightest-of-all-time gamma-ray burst (GRB). Now an international science team reports that data from NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope reveals a feature never seen before. The brightest gamma-ray burst yet recorded gave scientists a new high-energy feature to study. Learn what NASA’s Fermi mission saw, and what this feature may be telling us about the burst’s light-speed jets. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Download high-resolution video and images from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio “A few minutes after the BOAT erupted, Fermi’s Gamma-ray Burst Monitor recorded an unusual energy peak that caught our attention,” said lead researcher Maria Edvige Ravasio at Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands, and affiliated with Brera Observatory, part of INAF (the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics) in Merate, Italy. “When I first saw that signal, it gave me goosebumps. Our analysis since then shows it to be the first high-confidence emission line ever seen in 50 years of studying GRBs.” A paper about the discovery appears in the July 26 edition of the journal Science. When matter interacts with light, the energy can be absorbed and reemitted in characteristic ways. These interactions can brighten or dim particular colors (or energies), producing key features visible when the light is spread out, rainbow-like, in a spectrum. These features can reveal a wealth of information, such as the chemical elements involved in the interaction. At higher energies, spectral features can uncover specific particle processes, such as matter and antimatter annihilating to produce gamma rays. “While some previous studies have reported possible evidence for absorption and emission features in other GRBs, subsequent scrutiny revealed that all of these could just be statistical fluctuations. What we see in the BOAT is different,” said coauthor Om Sharan Salafia at INAF-Brera Observatory in Milan, Italy. “We’ve determined that the odds this feature is just a noise fluctuation are less than one chance in half a billion.” A jet of particles moving at nearly light speed emerges from a massive star in this artist’s concept. The star’s core ran out of fuel and collapsed into a ****** *****. Some of the matter swirling toward the ****** ***** was redirected into dual jets ******* in opposite directions. We see a gamma-ray burst when one of these jets happens to point directly at Earth. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab GRBs are the most powerful explosions in the cosmos and emit copious amounts of gamma rays, the highest-energy form of light. The most common type occurs when the core of a massive star exhausts its fuel, collapses, and forms a rapidly spinning ****** *****. Matter falling into the ****** ***** powers oppositely directed particle jets that blast through the star’s outer layers at nearly the speed of light. We detect GRBs when one of these jets points almost directly toward Earth. The BOAT, formally known as GRB 221009A, erupted Oct. 9, 2022, and promptly saturated most of the gamma-ray detectors in orbit, including those on Fermi. This prevented them from measuring the most intense part of the blast. Reconstructed observations, coupled with statistical arguments, suggest the BOAT, if part of the same population as previously detected GRBs, was likely the brightest burst to appear in Earth’s skies in 10,000 years. The putative emission line appears almost 5 minutes after the burst was detected and well after it had dimmed enough to end saturation effects for Fermi. The line persisted for at least 40 seconds, and the emission reached a peak energy of about 12 MeV (million electron volts). For comparison, the energy of visible light ranges from 2 to 3 electron volts. So what produced this spectral feature? The team thinks the most likely source is the annihilation of electrons and their antimatter counterparts, positrons. “When an electron and a positron collide, they annihilate, producing a pair of gamma rays with an energy of 0.511 MeV,” said coauthor Gor Oganesyan at Gran Sasso Science Institute and Gran Sasso National Laboratory in L’Aquila, Italy. “Because we’re looking into the jet, where matter is moving at near light speed, this emission becomes greatly blueshifted and pushed toward much higher energies.” If this interpretation is correct, to produce an emission line peaking at 12 MeV, the annihilating particles had to have been moving toward us at about 99.9% the speed of light. “After decades of studying these incredible cosmic explosions, we still don’t understand the details of how these jets work,” noted Elizabeth Hays, the Fermi project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “Finding clues like this remarkable emission line will help scientists investigate this extreme environment more deeply.” The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is an astrophysics and particle physics partnership managed by Goddard. Fermi was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, with important contributions from academic institutions and partners in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden, and the ******* States. By Francis Reddy NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media Contact: Claire Andreoli 301-286-1940 *****@*****.tld NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Facebook logo @NASAUniverse @NASAUniverse Instagram logo @NASAUniverse Share Details Last Updated Jul 25, 2024 Related Terms ****** Holes Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Galaxies, Stars, & ****** Holes Gamma Rays Gamma-Ray Bursts Goddard Space Flight Center Marshall Space Flight Center Stellar-mass ****** Holes The Universe Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

7 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s Perseverance rover discovered “leopard spots” on a reddish rock nicknamed “Cheyava Falls” in Mars’ Jezero Crater in July 2024. Scientists think the spots may indicate that, billions of years ago, the chemical reactions in this rock could have supported microbial life; other explanations are being considered.NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS An annotated version of the image of “Cheyava Falls” indicates the markings akin to leopard spots, which have particularly captivated scientists, and the olivine in the rock. The image was captured by the WATSON instrument on NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover on July 18.NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS The six-wheeled geologist found a fascinating rock that has some indications it may have hosted microbial life billions of years ago, but further research is needed. A vein-filled rock is catching the eye of the science team of NASA’s Perseverance rover. Nicknamed “Cheyava Falls” by the team, the arrowhead-shaped rock contains fascinating traits that may bear on the question of whether Mars was home to microscopic life in the distant past. Analysis by instruments aboard the rover indicates the rock possesses qualities that fit the definition of a possible indicator of ancient life. The rock exhibits chemical signatures and structures that could possibly have been formed by life billions of years ago when the area being explored by the rover contained running water. Other explanations for the observed features are being considered by the science team, and future research steps will be required to determine whether ancient life is a valid explanation. The rock — the rover’s 22nd rock core sample — was collected on July 21, as the rover explored the northern edge of Neretva Vallis, an ancient river valley measuring a quarter-mile (400 meters) wide that was carved by water rushing into Jezero Crater long ago. “Cheyava Falls” (left) shows the dark ***** where NASA’s Perseverance took a core sample; the white patch is where the rover abraded the rock to investigate its composition. A rock nicknamed “Steamboat Mountain” (right) also shows an abrasion patch. This image was taken by Mastcam-Z on July 23.NASA/JPL-Caltech/****/MSSS NASA’s Perseverance used its Mastcam-Z instrument to view the “Cheyava Falls” rock sample within the rover’s drill bit. Scientists believe markings on the rock contain fascinating traits that may bear on the question of whether Mars was home to microscopic life in the distant past.NASA/JPL-Caltech/****/MSSS “We have designed the route for Perseverance to ensure that it goes to areas with the potential for interesting scientific samples,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “This trip through the Neretva Vallis riverbed paid off as we found something we’ve never seen before, which will give our scientists so much to study.” Multiple scans of Cheyava Falls by the rover’s SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals) instrument indicate it contains organic compounds. While such carbon-based molecules are considered the building blocks of life, they also can be formed by non-biological processes. “Cheyava Falls is the most puzzling, complex, and potentially important rock yet investigated by Perseverance,” said Ken Farley,Perseverance project scientist of Caltech in Pasadena. “On the one hand, we have our first compelling detection of organic material, distinctive colorful spots indicative of chemical reactions that microbial life could use as an energy source, and clear evidence that water — necessary for life — once passed through the rock. On the other hand, we have been unable to determine exactly how the rock formed and to what extent nearby rocks may have heated Cheyava Falls and contributed to these features.” NASA’s Perseverance rover used its Mastcam-Z instrument to capture this 360-degree panorama of a region on Mars called “Bright Angel,” where an ancient river flowed billions of years ago. “Cheyava Falls” was discovered in the area slightly right of center, about 361 feet (110 meters) from the rover.NASA/JPL-Caltech/****/MSSS Other details about the rock, which measures 3.2 feet by 2 feet (1 meter by 0.6 meters) and was named after a Grand Canyon waterfall, have intrigued the team, as well. How Rocks Get Their Spots In its search for signs of ancient microbial life, the Perseverance mission has focused on rocks that may have been created or modified long ago by the presence of water. That’s why the team homed in on Cheyava Falls. “This is the kind of key observation that SHERLOC was built for — to seek organic matter as it is an essential component of a search for past life,” said SHERLOC’s principal investigator Kevin Hand of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which manages the mission. Running the length of the rock are large white calcium sulfate veins. Between those veins are bands of material whose reddish ****** suggests the presence of hematite, one of the minerals that gives Mars its distinctive rusty hue. When Perseverance took a closer look at these red regions, it found dozens of irregularly shaped, millimeter-size off-white splotches, each ringed with ****** material, akin to leopard spots. Perseverance’s PIXL (Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry) instrument has determined these ****** halos contain both iron and phosphate. As shown in this graphic, astrobiologists catalog a seven-step scale, called the CoLD (Confidence of Life Detection) scale, to research whether a sample could indicate life. This “Cheyava Falls” sample is an example of Step One: “Detect possible signal.” Much additional research must be conducted to learn more.NASA/Aaron Gronstal “These spots are a big surprise,” said David Flannery, an astrobiologist and member of the Perseverance science team from the Queensland University of Technology in Australia. “On Earth, these types of features in rocks are often associated with the fossilized record of microbes living in the subsurface.” Spotting of this type on sedimentary terrestrial rocks can occur when chemical reactions involving hematite turn the rock from red to white. Those reactions can also release iron and phosphate, possibly causing the ****** halos to form. Reactions of this type can be an energy source for microbes, explaining the association between such features and microbes in a terrestrial setting. In one scenario the Perseverance science team is considering, Cheyava Falls was initially deposited as mud with organic compounds mixed in that eventually cemented into rock. Later, a second episode of fluid flow penetrated fissures in the rock, enabling mineral deposits that created the large white calcium sulfate veins seen today and resulting in the spots. NASA’s Perseverance rover has made very compelling observations in a Martian rock that, with further study, could prove that life was present on Mars in the distant past — but how can we determine that from a rock, and what do we need to do to confirm it? Morgan Cable, a scientist on the Perseverance team, takes a closer look. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Another Puzzle Piece While both the organic matter and the leopard spots are of great interest, they aren’t the only aspects of the Cheyava Falls rock confounding the science team. They were surprised to find that these veins are filled with millimeter-size crystals of olivine, a mineral that forms from magma. The olivine might be related to rocks that were formed farther up the rim of the river valley and that may have been produced by crystallization of magma. If so, the team has another question to answer: Could the olivine and sulfate have been introduced to the rock at uninhabitably high temperatures, creating an abiotic chemical reaction that resulted in the leopard spots? “We have zapped that rock with lasers and X-rays and imaged it literally day and night from just about every angle imaginable,” said Farley. “Scientifically, Perseverance has nothing more to give. To fully understand what really happened in that Martian river valley at Jezero Crater billions of years ago, we’d want to bring the Cheyava Falls sample back to Earth, so it can be studied with the powerful instruments available in laboratories.” More Mission Information A key objective of Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including caching samples that may contain signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, to help pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet and as the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith. NASA’s Mars Sample Return Program, in cooperation with ESA (********* Space Agency), is designed to send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis. The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover. For more about Perseverance: science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance News Media Contacts DC Agle Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-393-9011 *****@*****.tld Karen Fox / Erin Morton Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 / 202-805-9393 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld 2024-103 Share Details Last Updated Jul 25, 2024 Related TermsPerseverance (Rover)AstrobiologyJet Propulsion LaboratoryMarsMars 2020Mars Sample Return (MSR)The Solar System Explore More 4 min read UPDATED: 10 Things for Mars 10 Scientists from around the world are gathering this week in California to take stock of… Article 2 days ago 6 min read NASA-Funded Studies Explain How Climate Is Changing Earth’s Rotation Article 6 days ago 3 min read New Evidence Adds to Findings Hinting at Network of Caves on Moon An international team of scientists using data from NASA’s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) has discovered… Article 7 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

3 min read Meet NASA Interns Shaping Future of Open Science Intern Lena Young, whose work revolves around DEIA and open science, stands next to a NASA sign at NASA’s Earth Information Center in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of Lena Young Students at NASA’s Office of the Chief Science Data Officer (OCSDO) are working to promote open science during the summer 2024 internship session. Their projects fall across a variety of areas, including user experience, policy, and DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility). Lena Young: Increasing DEIA Engagement Lena Young, a doctoral candidate in the Creative Leadership for Innovation and Change program at the University of the ******* Islands in St. Thomas, envisions equitable space societies 100 – 300 years in the future as part of her dissertation. Her NASA internship project involves researching ways to make science more accessible for different groups and interacting with NASA leadership to assess how well they are engaging historically underserved or excluded communities. Young also worked with her mentors to find overlap between her internship project and her PhD work as a futurist. “In 30 years, once NASA has achieved their goals, what would open science look like?” Young said. “I want to see what different futures I can create for open science and DEIA engagement.” Becca Michelson: Advancing Policy Becca Michelson has a passion for increasing the availability of scientific information. A soon-to-be-graduate in physics and astronomy from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, she was drawn to an internship role in researching the current state of open science policy for the OCSDO. By understanding the challenges and opportunities in this area, she’s helping NASA better support researchers in making their science accessible to all. “Open science makes this a more inclusive field, where if I’m an early career scientist, I can build on the science that other people who are experts in the field have done,” Michelson said. In the future, she hopes to implement open science principles into her own research in astronomy, drawing from the best practices she has learned at NASA. Salma Elsayed-Ali: Bridging Science, User Experience Salma Elsayed-Ali is on a mission to bridge the gap between science and usability. She recently completed her PhD in Information Science with a focus on Human-Computer Interaction from the University of Maryland, College Park. Her NASA internship project involves conducting UI/UX (User Interface/User Experience) research on some of the OCSDO’s scientific products, most notably the Open Science 101 online course. Elsayed-Ali became interested in open science during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when she conducted UI/UX research on open data sites that provided the public with real-time information about the spread of the virus. This experience sparked her interest in helping users reap the benefits of open science as part of an internship with NASA. In improving the OCSDO’s open science interfaces, Elsayed-Ali has acted as the product lead on a UI/UX research project for the first time. “I was drawn to this project as it was an opportunity to advocate for both end users and the advancement of open science,” Elsayed-Ali said. “I have really enjoyed brainstorming creative, practical solutions that enhance the user experience and simultaneously save the product team time and resources.” By helping open science at NASA to thrive, these interns are ushering in a future of greater access to data and scientific research. Learn more about NASA internships at the NASA Internship Programs page. Learn to navigate the principles and practices of open science with the Open Science 101 online course. By Lauren Leese Web Content Strategist for the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer Share Details Last Updated Jul 25, 2024 Related Terms Open Science Explore More 4 min read Mapping the Red Planet with the Power of Open Science Article 4 weeks ago 4 min read NASA-IBM Collaboration Develops INDUS Large Language Models for Advanced Science Research Article 1 month ago 4 min read Marshall Research Scientist Enables Large-Scale Open Science Article 1 month ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The LZR Racer reduces skin friction drag by covering more skin than traditional swimsuits. Multiple pieces of the water-resistant and extremely lightweight LZR Pulse fabric connect at ultrasonically welded seams and incorporate extremely low-profile zippers to keep viscous drag to a minimum.Credit: SpeedoUSA A supersonic airplane and a competitive swimmer have much more in common than people might realize; both have to contend with the slowing influence of drag. NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate focuses primarily on improving flight efficiency and fluid dynamics, especially the forces of pressure and drag, which are the same for bodies moving through air as for bodies moving through water. Shortly after the 2004 Olympics, Los Angeles-based SpeedoUSA, also known as Speedo, asked NASA’s Langley Research Center to help design a swimsuit with reduced surface drag. The manufacturer sought a partnership with NASA because of the agency’s expertise in fluid dynamics. In competitive swimming, where every hundredth of a second counts, achieving the best possible drag reduction is crucially important. Researchers at NASA began flat plate testing of fabrics, using a small wind tunnel developed for earlier research on low-speed viscous drag reduction and collaborated over the next few years with Speedo to design the LZR Racer swimsuit. Researcher Corey Diebler inspects a model of the supersonic X-59 after a test in Langley Research Center’s 12 foot wind tunnel. Wind tunnel testing at Langley enabled Speedo’s LZR Racer to achieve its excellent underwater performance.NASA/David C. Bowman. NASA and Speedo performed tests on traditionally sewn seams, ultrasonically welded seams, and the fabric alone, which gave Speedo a baseline for reducing drag caused by seams and helped identify problem areas. NASA wind tunnel results helped Speedo create a bonding system that eliminates seams and reduces drag. The results also showed that a low-profile zipper ultrasonically bonded into the fabric inside the suit generated eight percent less drag in wind tunnel tests than a standard zipper. Low-profile seams and zippers were a crucial component in the LZR Racer, because the suit consists of multiple connecting fabric pieces—instead of just a few sewn pieces such as found in traditional suits—that provide extra compression for maximum efficiency. In March 2008, the LZR Racer made its mark on the world of competitive swimming. Athletes donning this innovative swimsuit shattered 13 world records, a testament to the power of collaboration between NASA and Speedo. While the original LZR Racer is no longer used in competition because of the advantage it gave wearers, its legacy lives on in today’s swimsuits approved by World Aquatics, the governing body for international competitive swimming. Read More Share Details Last Updated Jul 25, 2024 Related TermsTechnology Transfer & SpinoffsLangley Research CenterSpinoffsTechnology Transfer Explore More 2 min read Tech Today: NASA’s Moonshot Launched Commercial Fuel Cell Industry Agency’s technology development prepared fuel cells for tomorrow’s renewable energy grids Article 1 week ago 2 min read NASA Prepares for Air Taxi Passenger Comfort Studies Article 4 weeks ago 5 min read Langley Celebrates Pride Month: Derek Bramble Article 4 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Technology Transfer & Spinoffs Langley Research Center Aeronautics Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory View the full article

Sierra Space’s LIFE habitat following a full-scale ultimate burst pressure test at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AlabamaSierra Space An element of a NASA-funded commercial space station, Orbital Reef, under development by Blue Origin and Sierra Space, recently completed a full-scale ultimate burst pressure test as part of the agency’s efforts for new destinations in low Earth orbit. NASA, Sierra Space, and ILC Dover teams conducting a full-scale ultimate burst pressure test on Sierra Space’s LIFE habitat structure using testing capabilities at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Video Credits: Sierra Space This milestone is part of a NASA Space Act Agreement awarded to Blue Origin in 2021. Orbital Reef includes elements provided by Sierra Space, including the LIFE (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) habitat structure. A close-up view of Sierra Space’s LIFE habitat, which is fabricated from high-strength webbings and fabric, after the pressurization to ******** experienced during a burst test.Sierra Space Teams conducted the burst test on Sierra Space’s LIFE habitat structure using testing capabilities at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The inflatable habitat is fabricated from high-strength webbings and fabric that form a solid structure once pressurized. The multiple layers of soft goods materials that make up the shell are compactly stowed in a payload fairing and inflated when ready for use, enabling the habitat to launch on a single rocket. A close-up view of a detached blanking plate from the Sierra Space’s LIFE habitat structure following its full-scale ultimate burst pressure test at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The plate is used to test the concept of a habitat window.Sierra Space “This is an exciting test by Sierra Space for Orbital Reef, showing industry’s commitment and capability to develop innovative technologies and solutions for future commercial destinations,” said Angela Hart, manager of NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “Every successful development milestone by our partners is one more step to achieving our goal of enabling commercial low Earth orbit destinations and expanding the low Earth orbit marketplace.” Dr. Tom Marshburn, Sierra Space chief medical officer, speaks with members of the Sierra Space team following the burst test.Sierra Space The pressurization to ******** during the test demonstrated the habitat’s capabilities and provided the companies with critical data supporting NASA’s inflatable softgoods certification guidelines, which recommend a progression of tests to evaluate these materials in relevant operational environments and understand the ******** modes. Sierra Space’s LIFE habitat following a full-scale ultimate burst pressure test at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.Sierra Space Demonstrating the habitat’s ability to meet the recommended factor of safety through full-scale ultimate burst pressure testing is one of the primary structural requirements on a soft goods article, such as Sierra Space’s LIFE habitat, seeking flight certification. Prior to this recent test, Sierra Space conducted its first full-scale ultimate burst pressure test on the LIFE habitat at Marshall in December 2023. Additionally, Sierra Space previously completed subscale tests, first at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and then at Marshall as part of ongoing development and testing of inflatable habitation architecture. Sierra Space’s LIFE habitat on the test stand at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center ahead of a burst test. The LIFE habitat will be part of Blue Origin’s commercial destination, Orbital Reef.Sierra Space NASA supports the design and development of multiple commercial space stations, including Orbital Reef, through funded and unfunded agreements. The current design and development phase will be followed by the procurement of services from one or more companies. NASA’s goal is to achieve a strong economy in low Earth orbit where the agency can purchase services as one of many customers to meet its science and research objectives in microgravity. NASA’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit will provide the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions. Learn more about NASA’s commercial space strategy at: [Hidden Content] Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Commercial Destinations in Low Earth Orbit Low Earth Orbit Economy Latest News Humans In Space Marshall Space Flight Center View the full article

This artist’s concept shows how the universe might have looked when it was less than a billion years old, about 7 percent of its current age. Star formation voraciously consumed primordial hydrogen, churning out myriad stars at an unprecedented rate. NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will peer back to the universe’s early stages to understand how it transitioned from being opaque to the brilliant starscape we see today.NASA, ESA, and A. Schaller (for STScI) 0:00 / 0:00 Your browser does not support the audio element. Today, enormous stretches of space are crystal clear, but that wasn’t always the case. During its infancy, the universe was filled with a “fog” that made it opaque, cloaking the first stars and galaxies. NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will probe the universe’s subsequent transition to the brilliant starscape we see today –– an era known as cosmic dawn. “Something very fundamental about the nature of the universe changed during this time,” said Michelle Thaller, an astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “Thanks to Roman’s large, sharp infrared view, we may finally figure out what happened during a critical cosmic turning point.” Lights Out, Lights On Shortly after its birth, the cosmos was a blistering sea of particles and radiation. As the universe expanded and cooled, positively charged protons were able to capture negatively charged electrons to form neutral atoms (mostly hydrogen, plus some helium). That was great news for the stars and galaxies the atoms would ultimately become, but bad news for light! It likely took a long time for the gaseous hydrogen and helium to coalesce into stars, which then gravitated together to form the first galaxies. But even when stars began to shine, their light couldn’t travel very far before striking and being absorbed by neutral atoms. This *******, known as the cosmic dark ages, lasted from around 380,000 to 200 million years after the big bang. Then the fog slowly lifted as more and more neutral atoms broke apart over the next several hundred million years: a ******* called the cosmic dawn. “We’re very curious about how the process happened,” said Aaron Yung, a Giacconi Fellow at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, who is helping plan Roman’s early universe observations. “Roman’s large, crisp view of deep space will help us weigh different explanations.” 0:00 / 0:00 Your browser does not support the audio element. Prime Suspects It could be that early galaxies may be largely to blame for the energetic light that broke up the neutral atoms. The first ****** holes may have played a role, too. Roman will look far and wide to examine both possible culprits. “Roman will excel at finding the building blocks of cosmic structures like galaxy clusters that later form,” said Takahiro Morishita, an assistant scientist at Caltech/IPAC in Pasadena, California, who has studied cosmic dawn. “It will quickly identify the densest regions, where more ‘fog’ is being cleared, making Roman a key mission to probe early galaxy evolution and the cosmic dawn.” The earliest stars were likely starkly different from modern ones. When gravity began pulling material together, the universe was very dense. Stars probably grew hundreds or thousands of times more massive than the Sun and emitted lots of high-energy radiation. Gravity huddled up the young stars to form galaxies, and their cumulative blasting may have once again stripped electrons from protons in bubbles of space around them. “You could call it the party at the beginning of the universe,” Thaller said. “We’ve never seen the birth of the very first stars and galaxies, but it must have been spectacular!” But these heavyweight stars were short-lived. Scientists think they quickly collapsed, leaving behind ****** holes –– objects with such extreme gravity that not even light can escape their clutches. Since the young universe was also smaller because it hadn’t been expanding very long, hordes of those ****** holes could have merged to form even ******* ones –– up to millions or even billions of times the Sun’s mass. Supermassive ****** holes may have helped clear the hydrogen fog that permeated the early universe. Hot material swirling around ****** holes at the bright centers of active galaxies, called quasars, prior to falling in can generate extreme temperatures and send off huge, bright jets of intense radiation. The jets can extend for hundreds of thousands of light-years, ripping the electrons from any atom in their path. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is also exploring cosmic dawn, using its narrower but deeper view to study the early universe. By coupling Webb’s observations with Roman’s, scientists will generate a much more complete picture of this era. So far, Webb is finding more quasars than anticipated given their expected rarity and Webb’s small field of view. Roman’s zoomed-out view will help astronomers understand what’s going on by seeing how common quasars truly are, likely finding tens of thousands compared to the handful Webb may find. This view from the James Webb Space Telescope contains more than 20,000 galaxies. Researchers analyzed 117 galaxies that all existed approximately 900 million years after the big bang. They focused on 59 galaxies that lie in front of quasar J0100+2802, an active supermassive ****** ***** that acts like a beacon, located at the center of the image above appearing tiny and pink with six prominent diffraction spikes. The team studied both the galaxies themselves and the illuminated gas surrounding them, which was lit up by the quasar’s bright light. The observation sheds light on how early galaxies cleared the “fog” around them, eventually leading to today’s clear and expansive views.NASA, ESA, CSA, Simon Lilly (ETH Zürich), Daichi Kashino (Nagoya University), Jorryt Matthee (ETH Zürich), Christina Eilers (MIT), Rob Simcoe (MIT), Rongmon Bordoloi (NCSU), Ruari Mackenzie (ETH Zürich); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI), Ruari Macken “With a stronger statistical sample, astronomers will be able to test a wide range of theories inspired by Webb observations,” Yung said. Peering back into the universe’s first few hundred million years with Roman’s wide-eyed view will also help scientists determine whether a certain type of galaxy (such as more massive ones) played a larger role in clearing the fog. “It could be that young galaxies kicked off the process, and then quasars finished the job,” Yung said. Seeing the size of the bubbles carved out of the fog will give scientists a major clue. “Galaxies would create huge clusters of bubbles around them, while quasars would create large, spherical ones. We need a big field of view like Roman’s to measure their extent, since in either case they’re likely up to millions of light-years wide –– often larger than Webb’s field of view.” Roman will work hand-in-hand with Webb to offer clues about how galaxies formed from the primordial gas that once filled the universe, and how their central supermassive ****** holes influenced galaxy and star formation. The observations will help uncover the cosmic daybreakers that illuminated our universe and ultimately made life on Earth possible. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, with participation by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech/IPAC in Southern California, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are BAE Systems, Inc in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York; and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging in Thousand Oaks, California. Download high-resolution video and images from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio By Ashley Balzer NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media contact: Claire Andreoli *****@*****.tld NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 301-286-1940 Explore More 5 min read How NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Will Rewind the Universe Article 1 year ago 6 min read How NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Will Chronicle the Active Cosmos Article 8 months ago 5 min read How NASA’s Roman Mission Will Hunt for Primordial ****** Holes Article 3 months ago Share Details Last Updated Jul 25, 2024 ContactAshley Balzer*****@*****.tldLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related TermsNancy Grace Roman Space TelescopeActive GalaxiesAstrophysics****** HolesGalaxiesGalaxies, Stars, & ****** HolesGalaxies, Stars, & ****** Holes ResearchGoddard Space Flight CenterJames Webb Space Telescope (JWST)Origin & Evolution of the UniverseScience & ResearchStarsSupermassive ****** HolesThe Big BangThe Universe View the full article

11 Min Read Former Space Communications, Navigation Interns Pioneer NASA’s Future Interns from the SCaN Internship Project visiting NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia. Credits: NASA For over a decade, NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Internship Project alumni have played important roles in extending the agency’s long-term vision for exploration. For National Intern Day on Thursday, July 25, previous program interns reflect on their journeys to and through NASA and offer advice for current and future interns. Every summer interns join NASA’s SIP (SCaN Internship Project) program to advance the capabilities of the agency’s Deep and Near Space Networks that enable missions to communicate and navigate. The SIP intern program develops the future workforce that will imagine, maintain, and operate the next generation of communications and navigation systems. In addition to interns’ main projects, which can range from network engineering and orbital mathematics to mission awareness campaigns and graphic design, SIP interns participate in programming that enhances their professional development and networking skills. Justin Long Justin Long was a SIP intern in 2017 while earning his degree in electrical engineering. Before he applied for an internship, Long was set on working in space communications at NASA and looked out for opportunities to deepen his aerospace experience. Long attributes his work at the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ CubeSat lab for his acceptance into the intern program, as well as his university’s unique partnership with NASA. “On my morning walks, I would pass by several of the Near Space Network ground stations operated by the Alaska Satellite Facility at the University of Alaska Fairbanks,” Long said. “At the time I was working on a ground station for our CubeSat program, so I went to intern.nasa.gov and searched anything space communications-related.” Long was selected for a project at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia focused on ground station improvements to the agency’s Near Space Network. In addition to looking at hardware upgrades for NASA-owned ground stations, Long also explored opportunities to expand the network by integrating commercial and university assets. Justin Long, 2017 SCaN Internship Project (SIP) Intern Courtesy of Justin Long Now, Long works as a telecommunications engineer at NASA Goddard, designing antennas and communication systems for spacecraft. His experience with ground stations at NASA Wallops influences his work on spacecraft today. “Working on communications systems means figuring out what the end-to-end system for a spacecraft looks like, from the radio to the antenna,” Long said. “The internship prepared me to answer questions about how we’re transmitting the data, how fast we can transmit it, and how much data we can receive in one day.” The major difference between his current role and his intern project is that the hardware he is developing will fly on a spacecraft rather than remain on Earth as part of a ground station antenna. Long will also test his hardware to ensure it functions as expected in orbit. The reward for this rigorous testing is the knowledge that the communications hardware he designed is a critical part of ensuring the spacecraft’s successful operation. “There is nothing more exciting than working hands-on with a spacecraft,” Long said. “Getting to see the hardware integrated onto the spacecraft — watching the whole thing come together — is my favorite part of the job.” While Long’s internship allowed him to come into his current position with a broader knowledge base than other engineers at his level of experience, he stresses that the networking opportunities he had with SIP were more important than the intern project itself. “Even if you have an internship that’s not directly in your field of expertise, the opportunity to network with NASA professionals and meet different groups can have impact on your career,” Long said. “I’m still in contact with people I met as an intern.” Thomas Montano Thomas Montano was completing his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering during his SIP internships in 2019 and 2020. In his current role as an electrical engineer in NASA’s Search and Rescue office at Goddard, Montano supports human spaceflight recovery efforts as well as the development of a lunar search and rescue system. Thomas Montano during Artemis II Underway Recovery Test 10.NASA Montano was initially interested in digital signal processing and communication systems, so he decided to apply for a SCaN internship. “It wasn’t really a contest between NASA and other internship programs,” Montano said. “I got to work on cool projects. I got to work with cool people. Goddard is just a place that makes you want to do better and learn things.” Montano’s first internship was rewriting a software tool for running link budgets, a log of signal gains and losses in a radio communications system. In his second internship, Montano developed a virtual model of the physical transmission environment for lunar communications systems that could combine with the link budget tool to create an end-to-end communication channel simulation. Both tools continue to be used at the agency today, though Montano’s current position has shifted his focus to the special realities of human spaceflight. Now, Montano is helping NASA test location beacons for the Artemis II astronauts. He describes meeting the Artemis crew while practicing capsule recovery on a U.S. Navy ship as an exciting and sobering reminder of the importance of his work. “Nothing can top putting boots on the ground,” Montano said. “Meeting the crew made the work all the more real. My work isn’t hypothetical or theoretical. These are real people going to the Moon. My system cannot fail. The search and rescue system cannot go down. ******** really is not an option.” Nothing can top putting boots on the ground. Meeting the Artemis crew **** the work all the more real. THomas Montano Electrical Engineer at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Montano advises new interns to explore the center, ask questions, and learn how the agency works. He encourages anyone considering an internship to apply. “The biggest reason that people don’t get NASA internships is because they don’t apply,” he said. “They count themselves out, and that’s nonsense. If you have good qualifications, go submit your résumé.” Katrina Lee Before becoming the engagement coordinator for NASA’s Commercialization, Innovation, and Synergies (CIS) office at Goddard, Katrina Lee was a communications intern with SIP. For her project, Lee wrote promotional materials highlighting NASA’s then-upcoming LCRD (Laser Communications Relay Demonstration), which launched Dec. 7, 2021. The role required her to research the science behind laser communications and understand the role the technology is playing in advancing communications at NASA. The following summer, Lee applied her experience to writing and producing promotional materials for Integrated LCRD Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) — LCRD’s first in-space user. When Lee first joined the program in 2021, she was planning to work in national security. Her internship experience shifted her attention to pursuing a degree in marketing and business. She also joined her student newspaper as a contributing writer. “The project I was covering resonated with me. I learned that I was really interested in writing and communications,” said Lee. “I homed in on my interest in public-facing opportunities to share very technical information in a digestible way.” Katrina Lee, SCaN Internship Project (SIP) Intern Summer 2021 and 2022.Courtesy of Katrina Lee In her current role, Lee applies the skills she developed as an intern to promote the Near Space Network’s commercialization opportunities. In addition to writing promotional and informational material, Lee manages event logistics, plans and guides center tours for the public and potential partners, attends conferences, and generates ideas for promoting the CIS office. Lee’s work gives her special insight into the continuing development of the Near Space Network. “I get to see the future of space exploration in real time,” Lee said. “There’s a greater emphasis on collaboration than we’ve seen in the past, and that collaboration is going to help space communications capabilities go further than ever before.” When Lee reflects on what aspects of her internship were most important, she returns to the value of her work and her mentor-mentee relationship. “I felt challenged here,” Lee said. “It was an opportunity to build confidence and learn from your mistakes beside someone who wants you to succeed. It really helped me grow as a professional.” Lee advises new interns and students considering an internship to remember that mistakes are a valuable part of the experience. “No one at NASA expects you to know everything right away,” Lee said. “They recognize that you’re an intern and you are here to learn. This is a place where you can learn something new every day.” Unsh Rawal Unsh Rawal joined SIP in 2022 as a rising high school senior. He came to the program with a passion for robotics and a ******* to expand his interests and try new things. Rawal’s project contributed to the development of an interface that allows students to control robots over local and remote wireless connections. The interface is part of an educational activity for ******** Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) exploring telerobotics, or the distant remote control of a ******. Unsh Rawal, SCaN Internship Project (SIP) Intern Summer 2022.Courtesy of Unsh Rawal Rawal continued to develop his project with ARISS beyond his internship. He spent the past winter porting the activity’s code to a Raspberry Pi, a palm-sized minicomputer, while broadening its functionality. His work is key to ARISS’s efforts to distribute accessible, interactive educational tools. Rawal hopes to return to the intern program to continue his NASA project alongside his educational pursuits. While Rawal came to the intern program planning to pursue a degree in robotics, his project ignited his passion for a new field. “I learned a lot about networking, gained UI and API experience, learned about sockets,” he said. “I learned I really enjoy computer science.” When asked to share his advice with interns new to the program, Rawal recommends scheduling regular meetings with your project mentor. “Having consistent meetings with the people supervising the project helps you stay on track and better understand the project requirements,” Rawal said. “They’re an opportunity to learn new things from someone willing to give you one-on-one guidance.” Lindsay White Lindsay White was a SIP intern in 2018 and 2019 before joining NASA’s Pathways program in 2020. She completed her internship while earning her master’s degree in electrical engineering, specifically applied electromagnetics. During her SIP internship, White programmed software-defined radios, a communication system where computer software is used to replace physical radio hardware like modulators and amplifiers, to create test benches for the development of novel signals. That internship evolved into learning more about Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) in her second summer, a customizable hardware that can be reconfigured into different digital circuits. White then applied her FPGA knowledge to laser communications missions. White’s first summer in the internship program confirmed that she wanted to work for NASA. “The environment is so welcoming and supportive,” she said. “People want to answer your questions and help you. I enjoyed the work I was doing and learned a ton.” White sees a direct relationship between the work she completed as an intern and her current role as a signal analysis engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “The work I do now is an evolution of all the work I did as an intern. I’m applying the skills I gained by working in laser communications to my current work in radio communications.” Lindsay White, SCaN Internship Project (SIP) Intern in 2018 and 2019.NASA White works on the digital signal processing inside the Mars Sample Return mission’s radio, as well as a research and development project called Universal Space Transponder Lite, a flexible, modular radio with a broad series of potential applications. Sometimes even she is surprised by the importance of her role to NASA’s commitment to space exploration. “The impact is astonishing,” White said. “My work is essential to a Mars mission. Something I’m touching is going to end up on Mars.” The impact is astonishing. My work is essential to a Mars mission. Something I'm touching is going to end up on Mars. Lindsay White Signal Analysis Engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory White advises incoming interns to use their time in the program to develop their understanding of the agency’s personnel and projects. “SIP provides an opportunity to talk with people you otherwise wouldn’t meet,” said White. “Learning the different things NASA is working on can be even more important than hitting stretch goals on your technical project.” White’s advice for students considering a SIP internship is straightforward: “Do it! Even if you don’t have a technical background, there’s a spot for you at NASA.” By Korine Powers NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Facebook logo @NASASCaN @NASASCaN@NearSpaceNet More about the SCaN Internship Program, including how to apply Explore More 6 min read Meet the NASA Interns Advancing Space Communications & Navigation NASA celebrates National Intern Day and all the interns who are shaping the future of… Article 12 months ago 6 min read From Quantum Optics to Increased Risk Posture: Student Innovations at NASA Article 6 years ago 6 min read NASA Celebrates World Quantum Day On today’s World Quantum Day, NASA celebrates its on-going quantum research being done across the… Article 1 year ago Share Details Last Updated Jul 25, 2024 EditorKatherine SchauerContactKatherine Schauer*****@*****.tldLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related TermsSpace Communications & Navigation ProgramCommunicating and Navigating with MissionsGoddard Space Flight CenterSpace Communications Technology View the full article

In July 1968, much work still remained to meet the goal President John F. Kennedy set in May 1961, to land a man on the Moon and return him safely to the Earth before the end of the decade. No ********* astronaut had flown in space since the November 1966 flight of Gemini XII, the delay largely a result of the tragic Apollo 1 *****. Although the Apollo spacecraft had successfully completed several uncrewed test flights, the first crewed mission still lay three months in the future. The delays in getting the Lunar Module (LM) ready for its first flight caused schedule concerns, but also presented an opportunity for a bold step to send the second crewed Apollo mission, the first crewed flight of the Saturn V, on a trip to orbit the Moon. Using an incremental approach, three flights later NASA accomplished President Kennedy’s goal. Left: The charred ******** of the Apollo 1 spacecraft following the tragic ***** that claimed the lives of astronauts Virgil I. “Gus” Grissom, Edward H. White, and Roger B. Chaffee. Middle left: The first launch of the Saturn V rocket on the Apollo 4 mission. Middle right: The first Lunar Module in preparation for the Apollo 5 mission. Right: Splashdown of Apollo 6, the final uncrewed Apollo mission. The ********* human spaceflight program suffered a jarring setback on Jan. 27, 1967, with the deaths of astronauts Virgil I. Grissom, Edward H. White, and Roger B. Chaffee in the Apollo 1 *****. The ***** and subsequent Investigation led to wholesale changes to the spacecraft, such as the use of fireproof materials and redesign of the hatch to make it easy to open. The early Block I spacecraft, such as Apollo 1, would now only be used for uncrewed missions, with crews flying only aboard the more advanced Block II spacecraft. The ***** and its aftermath also led to management changes. For example, George M. Low replaced Joseph F. Shea as Apollo Spacecraft Program Manager. The first Apollo mission after the *****, the uncrewed Apollo 4 in November 1967, included the first launch of the Saturn V Moon rocket as well as a 9-hour flight of a Block I Command and Service Module (CSM). Apollo 5 in January 1968 conducted the first uncrewed test of the LM, and despite a few anomalies, managers considered it successful enough that they canceled a second uncrewed flight. The April 1968 flight of Apollo 6, planned as a near-repeat of Apollo 4, encountered several significant anomalies such as first stage POGO, or severe vibrations, and the ******** of the third stage to restart, leading to an alternate mission scenario. Engineers devised a solution to the POGO problem and managers decided that the third flight of the Saturn V would carry a crew. Left: Apollo 7 astronauts R. Walter Cunningham, left, Donn F. Eisele, and Walter M. Schirra participate in water egress training. Middle: Workers stack the Apollo 7 spacecraft on its Saturn IB rocket at Launch Pad 34. Right: Schirra, left, Cunningham, and Eisele stand outside the spacecraft simulator. As of July 1968, NASA’s plan called for two crewed Apollo flights in 1968 and up to five in 1969 to achieve the first lunar landing to meet President Kennedy’s deadline, with each mission incrementally building on the success of the previous ones. The first mission, Apollo 7, would return ********* astronauts to space following a 23-month hiatus. Planned for October 1968, the crew of Walter M. Schirra, Donn F. Eisele, and R. Walter Cunningham would launch atop a Saturn IB rocket and conduct a shakedown flight of the Block II CSM in Earth orbit, including testing the Service Propulsion System engine, critical on later lunar missions for getting into and out of lunar orbit. The flight plan remained open-ended, but managers expected to complete a full-duration 11-day mission, ending with a splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. Preparations for Apollo 7 proceeded well during the summer of 1968. Workers had stacked the two-stage Saturn IB rocket on Launch Pad 34 back in April. In KSC’s Manned Spacecraft Operations Building (MSOB), Schirra, Eisele, and Cunningham completed altitude chamber tests of their spacecraft, CSM-101, on July 26 followed by their backups three days later. Workers trucked the spacecraft to the launch pad on Aug. 9 for mating with the rocket. Among major milestones, Schirra, Eisele, and Cunningham completed water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico on Aug. 5, in addition to spending time in the spacecraft simulators at KSC and at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC), now NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Left: The original Apollo 8 crew of Russell L. Schweickart, left, David R. Scott, and James A. McDivitt during training in June 1968. Middle: Lunar Module-3 arrives at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida in June 1968. Right: In July 1968, workers in KSC’s Vehicle Assembly Building stack the Saturn V rocket for the Apollo 8 mission. The second flight, targeting a December 1968 launch, would feature the first crewed launch of the Saturn V rocket. The Apollo 8 crew of James A. McDivitt, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart would conduct the first crewed test of the LM in the relative safety of low Earth orbit. McDivitt and Schweickart would fly the LM on its independent mission, including separating the ascent stage from the descent stage to simulate a takeoff from the Moon, while Scott remained in the CSM. After redocking, Schweickart would conduct a spacewalk to practice an external transfer between the two vehicles. Workers completed stacking the three-stage Saturn V rocket (SA-503) in KSC’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on Aug. 14. The first component of the spacecraft, LM-3, arrived at KSC on June 9, while CSM-103, arrived on Aug. 12. Workers in the MSOB began to prepare both spacecraft for flight. Left: The original Apollo 9 crew of William A. Anders, left, Michael Collins, and Frank Borman during training in March 1968. Middle: Lunar Module-3 during preflight processing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida in August 1968. Right: Following the revision of the mission plans for Apollo 8 and 9 and crew changes, the Apollo 8 crew of James A. Lovell, Anders, and Borman stand before their Saturn V rocket as it rolls out of KSC’s Vehicle Assembly Building in October 1968. The third flight, planned for early 1969, and flown by Frank Borman, Michael Collins, and William A. Anders, would essentially repeat the Apollo 8 mission, but at the end would ***** the SPS engine to raise the high point of their orbit to 4,600 miles and then simulate a reentry at lunar return velocity to test the spacecraft’s heat shield. On July 23, Collins underwent surgery for a bone spur in his neck, and on August 8, NASA announced that James A. Lovell from the backup crew would take his place. Later missions in 1969 would progress to sending the CSM and LM combination to lunar orbit, leading to the first landing before the end of the year. Construction of the rocket and spacecraft components for these future missions continued at various contractor facilities around the country. Left: In Mission Control during the Apollo 6 mission, Director of Flight Crew Operations Christopher C. Kraft, left, Director of the Manned Spacecraft Center, now NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston Robert R. Gilruth, and Apollo Spacecraft Program Manager George M. Low. Middle left: Chief of Flight Crew Operations Donald K. “Deke” Slayton. Middle right: Director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida Kurt H. Debus. Right: Director of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Challenges to this plan began to arise in June 1968. Managers’ biggest concern centered around the readiness of LM-3. After its delivery to KSC on June 9, managers realized the vehicle needed much more work than anticipated and it would not meet the planned December Apollo 8 launch date. Best estimates put its flight readiness no earlier than February 1969. That kind of delay would jeopardize meeting President Kennedy’s fast-approaching deadline. To complicate matters, intelligence reports indicated that the Soviets were close to sending cosmonauts on a trip around the Moon, possibly before the end of the year, and also preparing to test a Saturn V-class rocket for a Moon landing mission. Apollo Spacecraft Program Manager Low formulated a plan both audacious and risky. Without a LM, an Earth orbital Apollo 8 mission would simply repeat Apollo 7’s and not advance the program very much. By sending the CSM on a mission around the Moon, or even to orbit the Moon, NASA would gain valuable experience in navigation and communications at lunar distances. To seek management support for his plan, on Aug. 9 Low met with MSC Director Robert R. Gilruth, who supported the proposal. They called in Christopher C. Kraft, director of flight operations, for his opinion. Two days earlier, Low had asked Kraft to assess the feasibility of a lunar orbit mission for Apollo 8, and Kraft deemed it achievable from a ground control and spacecraft computer standpoint. Chief of Flight Crew Operations Donald K. “Deke” Slayton joined the discussion, and all agreed to seek support for the plan from the directors of KSC and of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama, as well as NASA Headquarters (HQ) in Washington, D.C. That afternoon, the four flew to Huntsville and met with MSFC Director Wernher von Braun, KSC Director Kurt H. Debus, and HQ Apollo Program Director Samuel C. Phillips. By the end of the meeting, the group identified no insurmountable technical obstacles to the lunar mission plan, with the qualification that the Apollo 7 mission in October concluded successfully. Von Braun had confidence that the Saturn V would perform safely, and Debus believed KSC could support a December launch. Slayton called Borman, who was with Lovell and Anders conducting tests with their spacecraft in Downey, California. He ordered Borman to immediately fly to Houston, where he offered him command of the new circumlunar Apollo 8 mission, which Borman accepted. His crew would swap missions with McDivitt’s, who agreed to fly an Earth orbital test of the LM in February 1969, putting that crew’s greater experience with the LM to good use. The training challenge fell on Borman’s crew, who now had just four months to train for a flight around the Moon. Left: Apollo Program Director Samuel C. Phillips. Middle left: Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight George E. Mueller. Middle right: Deputy Administrator Thomas O. Paine. Right: Administrator James E. Webb. On Aug. 14, representatives from MSC, MSFC, and KSC attended a meeting in Washington with NASA Deputy Administrator Thomas O. Paine and Apollo Program Director Phillips, the senior Headquarters officials present as NASA Administrator James E. Webb and Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight George E. Mueller attended a conference in Vienna. The group discussed Low’s proposal and agreed on the technical feasibility of accomplishing a circumlunar flight with Apollo 8 in December. During the discussion, Mueller happened to call from Vienna and when they presented him with the proposal, he was at first reticent, especially since NASA had yet to fly Apollo 7. He requested more information and more time to consider the proposal so he could properly brief Webb. Paine then polled each center director for his overall assessment. Von Braun, who designed the Saturn V rocket, stated that whether it went to the Moon or stayed in Earth orbit didn’t matter too much. Debus stated that KSC could support a Saturn V launch in December – as noted above, his team was already processing both the rocket and the spacecraft. Gilruth agreed that the proposal represented a key step in achieving President Kennedy’s goal, and emphasized that the mission should not just loop around the Moon but actually enter orbit. Following additional discussions after Webb’s return from Vienna, he agreed to the plan, but would not make a formal decision until after a successful Apollo 7 flight in October. NASA kept the lunar orbit plan quiet even as the crews began training for their respective new missions. An announcement on Aug. 19 merely stated that Apollo 8 would not carry a LM, as the agency continued to assess various mission objectives. Ultimately, the plan required President Lyndon B. Johnson’s approval. Left: Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong ejects just moments before his Lunar Landing Research Vehicle crashed. Middle left: Pilot Gerald P. Gibbons, left, and astronaut James B. Irwin prepare to enter an altitude chamber for one of the Lunar Module Test Article-8 (LTA-8) vacuum tests. Middle right: Astronauts Joe H. Engle, left, Vance D. Brand, and Joseph P. Kerwin preparing for the 2TV-1 altitude test. Right: One of the final Apollo parachute tests. As those discussions took place, work around the country continued to prepare for the first lunar landing, not without some setbacks. On May 8, astronaut Neil A. Armstrongejected just in the nick of time as the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) he was piloting went out of control and crashed. Managers suspended flights of the LLRV and its successor, the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle (LLTV), until Oct. 3. Astronauts used the LLRV and LLTV to train for the final few hundred feet of the descent to the Moon’s surface. On May 27, astronaut James B. Irwin and pilot Gerald P. Gibbons began a series of altitude tests in Chamber B of the Space Environment Simulation Laboratory (SESL) at MSC. The tests, using the LM Test Article-8 (LTA-8), evaluated the pressure integrity of the LM as well as the new spacesuits designed for the Apollo program. The first series of LTA-8 tests supported the Earth-orbital flight of LM-3 on Apollo 9 while a second series in October and November supported the LM-5 flight of Apollo 11, the first lunar landing mission. In June, using SESL’s Chamber A, astronauts Joseph P. Kerwin, Vance D. Brand, and Joe H. Engle completed an eight-day thermal vacuum test using the Apollo 2TV-1 spacecraft to certify the vehicle for Apollo 7. A second test in September certified the vehicle for lunar missions. July 3 marked the final qualification drop test of the Apollo parachute system, a series begun five years earlier. The tests qualified the parachutes for Apollo 7. History records that Apollo 11 accomplished the first human landing on the Moon in July 1969. It is remarkable to think that just one year earlier, with the agency still recovering from the Apollo 1 *****, NASA had not yet flown any astronauts aboard an Apollo spacecraft. And further, the agency took the bold step to plan for a lunar orbital mission on just the second crewed mission. With a cadence of a crewed Apollo flight every two months between October 1968 and July 1969, NASA accomplished President Kennedy’s goal of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. John Uri NASA Johnson Space Center View the full article