SpaceMan

On Sept. 18, 2024, five Congressional Gold Medals were awarded to women who contributed to the space race, including the NASA mathematicians who helped land the first astronauts on the Moon under the agency’s Apollo Program.Credit: NASA NASA Administrator Bill Nelson released his remarks as prepared for Wednesday’s Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal ceremony in Washington. The awards recognized the women who contributed to the space race, including the NASA mathematicians who helped land the first astronauts on the Moon under the agency’s Apollo Program. “Good afternoon. “The remarkable things that NASA achieves…and that America achieves…build on the pioneers who came before us. “People like the women of Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo. “People like Mary Jackson. Dr. Christine Darden. Dorothy Vaughan. Katherine Johnson. “Thanks to all the Members of Congress who made today possible. The late Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, who we miss, and who led the effort in 2019 alongside Senator Chris Coons to bring these medals to life. Thanks to the champions for the legislation, then-Senator Kamala Harris, Senators Lisa Murkowski and Shelley Moore Capito, and Congressman Frank Lucas. “The women we honor today made it possible for Earthlings to lift beyond the bounds of Earth, and for generations of trailblazers to follow. “We did not come this far only to come this far. “We continue this legacy, as one member of the audience here with us does every single day – the remarkable Andrea Mosie. “Andrea, who has worked at NASA for nearly 50 years, is the lead processor for the Apollo sample program. She oversees the Moon rocks and lunar samples NASA brought back from Apollo, 842 pounds of celestial science! These samples are national treasures. So is Andrea. “The pioneers we honor today, these Hidden Figures – their courage and imagination brought us to the Moon. And their lessons, their legacy, will send us back to the Moon… and then…imagine – just imagine – when we leave our footprints on the red sands of Mars. “Thanks to these people who are part of our NASA family, we will continue to sail on the cosmic sea to far off cosmic shores.” For more information about NASA missions, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Meira Bernstein / Cheryl Warner Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 meira.b*****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Sep 18, 2024 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsApollo View the full article

As the hub of human spaceflight, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston holds a variety of unique responsibilities and privileges. Those include being the home of NASA’s astronaut corps. One of those astronauts – Nick Hague – is now preparing to launch to the International Space Station along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov on the ninth rotational mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. This will be the third launch and second mission to the space station for Hague, who was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2013 and has spent 203 days in space. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Commander Nick Hague smiles and gives two thumbs up during the crew equipment interface test at SpaceX’s Dragon refurbishing facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.SpaceX Hague was born and raised in Kansas but has crisscrossed the country for college and career. He earned degrees from the ******* States Air Force Academy in Colorado and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, and he attended the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Hague’s military career has taken him to New Mexico, Colorado, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., and included a five-month deployment to Iraq. Hague transferred from the Air Force to the U.S. Space Force in 2020 after serving as the Space Force’s director of test and evaluation at the Pentagon. No stranger to new places, Hague vividly recalls making his first trip to Johnson when he was interviewing to join NASA’s astronaut corps. “I had no idea what to expect, and it was a bit overwhelming. I knew everyone was watching me and judging me,” he said. “Luckily, even though I wasn’t selected then, I got another chance a few years later. It’s a pretty magical place.” Hague completed his astronaut training in July 2015 as part of NASA’s 21st astronaut class. He was the first astronaut from that group to be assigned to a mission, which launched in October 2018 but was aborted shortly after takeoff. His next spaceflight occurred in 2019, when he joined three of his classmates – NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Christina Koch, and Andrew Morgan – aboard the International Space Station for Expeditions 59 and 60. NASA astronaut Nick Hague suits up for spacewalk training in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory. NASA/James Blair Hague has made many memories at Johnson, but one that stands out is his experience working onsite amid the 2013 government shutdown. “I’m active-duty military so I still came to work,” he explained. “I remember being onsite and the center being completely empty. Being able to ride around an empty campus on the free-range bikes – it was peaceful and surreal.” It was also a preview of what many Johnson employees experienced during the pandemic and how NASA maintains round-the-clock support for spaceflight operations regardless of extenuating circumstances. Hague now looks ahead to another journey to low Earth orbit. NASA and SpaceX officials currently plan to launch the Crew-9 mission no earlier than Wednesday, Sept. 25. The crew will lift off from Launch Complex 40 from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft. Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov (left) and NASA astronaut Nick Hague during a visit to Kennedy Space Center for training. SpaceX Hague and Gorbonov will become members of the Expedition 72 crew aboard the station. They will join NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams, and Don Pettit, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, and will spend about six months conducting scientific research in microgravity and completing a range of operational activities before returning home. More details about the mission and crew can be found by following the Crew-9 blog, @commercial_crew on X, or commercial crew on Facebook. You can also follow @astrohague on X and Instagram. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Koss, A, Barth This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the spiral galaxy IC 4709 located around 240 million light-years away in the southern constellation Telescopium. Hubble beautifully captures its faint halo and swirling disk filled with stars and dust bands. The compact region at its core might be the most remarkable sight. It holds an active galactic nucleus (AGN). If IC 4709’s core just held stars, it wouldn’t be nearly as bright. Instead, it hosts a gargantuan ****** *****, 65 million times more massive than our Sun. A disk of gas spirals around and eventually into this ****** *****, crashing together and heating up as it spins. It reaches such high temperatures that it emits vast quantities of electromagnetic radiation, from infrared to visible to ultraviolet light and X-rays. A lane of dark dust, just visible at the center of the galaxy in the image above, obscures the AGN in IC 4709. The dust lane blocks any visible light emission from the nucleus itself. Hubble’s spectacular resolution, however, gives astronomers a detailed view of the interaction between the quite small AGN and its host galaxy. This is essential to understanding supermassive ****** holes in galaxies much more distant than IC 4709, where resolving such fine details is not possible. This image incorporates data from two Hubble surveys of nearby AGNs originally identified by NASA’s Swift telescope. There are plans for Swift to collect new data on these galaxies. Swift houses three multiwavelength telescopes, collecting data in visible, ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma-ray light. Its X-ray component will allow SWIFT to directly see the X-rays from IC 4709’s AGN breaking through the obscuring dust. ESA’s Euclid telescope — currently surveying the dark universe in optical and infrared light — will also image IC 4709 and other local AGNs. Their data, along with Hubble’s, provides astronomers with complementary views across the electromagnetic spectrum. Such views are key to fully research and better understand ****** holes and their influence on their host galaxies. View the full article

Students are recognized for their hard work in STEM-related extended-day programs at their school through a partnership with NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.Credit: NASA Media are invited to the kickoff event of a collaboration between NASA and the U.S. Department of Education at 4 p.m. EDT Monday, Sept. 23, at the Wheatley Education Campus in Washington. The interagency project, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, aims to engage students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education during after-school hours. During the event, media will have the opportunity to learn about the STEM collaboration, hear remarks from leadership, and have one-on-one interviews with NASA and Education Department officials upon request. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to engage in educational activities, as well as participate in an engineering design challenge. Officials providing remarks at the event include: Kris Brown, deputy associate administrator, NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, Headquarters in Washington Cindy Marten, deputy secretary, U.S. Department of Education Media interested in covering the event must RSVP no later than Friday, Sept. 20, to Abbey Donaldson: *****@*****.tld. Through the project, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and the Education Department will align resources to provide STEM activities, professional development, and funding for after-school programs nationwide. NASA will offer staff training, continuous program support, and opportunities for students to engage with NASA scientists and engineers. The initiative also will include student activities that demonstrate practical applications of STEM concepts. In May 2023, NASA and the Education Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding, strengthening the collaboration between the two agencies, and expanding efforts to increase access to high-quality STEM and space education to students and schools across the nation. NASA Glenn signed a follow-on Space Act Agreement in 2024 to support the 21st Century Community Learning Centers. Learn more about how NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement is inspiring the next generation of explorers at: [Hidden Content] -end- Abbey Donaldson Headquarters, Washington 202-269-1600 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Sep 18, 2024 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsSTEM Engagement at NASALearning ResourcesOpportunities For Students to Get Involved View the full article

Rob Gutro has never been one to stay idle. From his start working at a paper factory as a teenager, Rob navigated his way to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center where he serves as the deputy news chief in the Office of Communications until he retires in October 2024. Rob Gutro serves as deputy news chief at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.Photo courtesy of Rob Gutro In this role, Rob manages all the media products, like news stories and videos, that come out of Goddard. He also edits content, creates detailed reports, and coordinates media requests, leaning on decades of experience in communications to help the Goddard newsroom run smoothly. But his path to NASA was neither paved nor linear. It took a strong will and unflagging passion to overcome obstacles along the way and rise to his current role. Weathering the Journey Rob began working at a young age, first at a paper factory, then a bank, and then a law office. But none of these jobs were ever his end goal. “I loved music as a teenager and always wanted to work on the radio,” Rob says. So he got a degree in radio and television from Northeast Broadcasting School in Boston. “I went straight into radio broadcasting and continued that part-time for 20 years.” He started out hosting a weekend radio show, but didn’t intend for it to be a career for financial reasons. So he completed another degree, this time in English and business at Suffolk University in Boston. “I knew that to do the type of broadcasting I wanted to do, I needed to learn how to write so I could explain things via stories and reporting,” Rob says. “And I was particularly fascinated by the weather, so I wanted to be able to communicate broadly about that.” He then worked for the USDA as a writer and editor for a year before joining NOAA as a writer in the 1990s. The highlight of his NOAA career was a work detail he did for the National Hurricane Center during hurricane season in 1993. He enjoyed it so much he eventually decided to go back to school again, earning a degree in meteorology from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. “I call it my third degree *****,” he jokes. During the program, he refined his broadcasting skills and immersed himself in the science behind the weather and forecasting. He was focusing on what he loved, though it wasn’t an easy journey. “When I went back to school for meteorology I was working two jobs and making minimum wage, living off of ramen noodles and tuna fish every day because that was all I could afford,” Rob says. “But I was determined!” Upon graduation, he began working for a private weather company doing marketing and writing. Rob balanced multiple jobs, including a part-time radio gig, while continually applying to The Weather Channel. After eight years of applications, he was finally hired as a radio broadcast meteorologist! “I loved being on the air with The Weather Channel and doing radio broadcasts,” Rob says. “I think the key to everything is persistence and patience,” Rob says. “My advice to everybody is no matter what your goal is, keep pursuing it because eventually it will happen!” Navigating NASA Rob’s ******* to understand climate change and return to Maryland brought him to NASA. He became an Earth science writer at NASA Goddard in 2000. By 2005, he was the manager of the Earth science news team, and in 2009 he began working with the James Webb Space Telescope team and also obtained his current role of deputy news chief. Rob and Lynn to the rescue! One of the highlights of Rob’s career at NASA was working with Lynn Jenner for more than 20 years. Together, the duo –– photographed here at a work party –– managed web pages about hurricanes and fires.Courtesy of Rob Gutro “My degrees have served me well at NASA because I work with the media, I write, and I have to understand science,” Rob says. His favorite NASA project was the now-retired NASA hurricane page, which he wrote content for and kept updated every single day for the 15 years it was active. The media frequently used NASA imagery shared on the hurricane page, and people worldwide used the information to make decisions about their safety during hurricanes. “I’ll never forget one experience, where a woman in the Philippines asked if she should evacuate her mother from a nursing home on the island of Visayas,” Rob says. “I said yes, because the island was going to be inundated by an eight-foot storm surge.” So she did, and two weeks later she emailed Rob again saying the entire nursing home was flooded to the roof — her mother would have likely drowned if she’d stayed. On to the Next Chapter As busy as his work life has been — Rob had three jobs at any given time until he was 40 years old — his off duty hours haven’t been idle either. In January 2025, he’s publishing his twelfth book, and has another six already mostly written. “I’m retiring from NASA soon and will focus on my books, continuing the fundraising lectures for animal rescues that I’ve done for the last decade, and teaching paranormal courses in night school for two ****** education programs,” Rob says. “And my husband and I have three dogs to keep us busy — they are the joy of my life!” Rob’s three dogs, as pictured on a 2023 Christmas card. Photo courtesy of Rob Gutro Reflecting on his career, Rob singles out blogging as one of the most effective tools he’s used over the years. “Whether you want to write a book or science articles, one of the easiest ways to begin is by starting a blog and writing about things you like,” he says. That’s one key to his productivity, as he says, “Whatever you write can always be repurposed, and if you’re constantly leaning into things you’re passionate about, you’ll eventually end up exactly where you’re meant to be.” By Ashley Balzer NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

4 Min Read NASA’s Webb Provides Another Look Into Galactic Collisions This composite image of Arp 107 reveals a wealth of information about the star-formation and how these two galaxies collided hundreds of million years ago (full image below). Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI Smile for the camera! An interaction between an elliptical galaxy and a spiral galaxy, collectively known as Arp 107, seems to have given the spiral a happier outlook thanks to the two bright “eyes” and the wide semicircular “smile.” The region has been observed before in infrared by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope in 2005, however NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope displays it in much higher resolution. This image is a composite, combining observations from Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) and NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera). Image A: Arp 107 (NIRCam and MIRI Image) This composite image of Arp 107, created with data from the James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), reveals a wealth of information about the star-formation and how these two galaxies collided hundreds of million years ago. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI NIRCam highlights the stars within both galaxies and reveals the connection between them: a transparent, white bridge of stars and gas pulled from both galaxies during their passage. MIRI data, represented in orange-red, shows star-forming regions and dust that is composed of soot-like organic molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. MIRI also provides a snapshot of the bright nucleus of the large spiral, home to a supermassive ****** *****. Image B: Arp 107 (MIRI Image) This image of Arp 107, shown by Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), reveals the supermassive ****** ***** that ***** in the center of the large spiral galaxy to the right. This ****** *****, which pulls much of the dust into lanes, also display’s Webb’s characteristic diffraction spikes, caused by the light that it emits interacting with the structure of the telescope itself. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI The spiral galaxy is classified as a Seyfert galaxy, one of the two largest groups of active galaxies, along with galaxies that host quasars. Seyfert galaxies aren’t as luminous and distant as quasars, making them a more convenient way to study similar phenomena in lower energy light, like infrared. This galaxy pair is similar to the Cartwheel Galaxy, one of the first interacting galaxies that Webb observed. Arp 107 may have turned out very similar in appearance to the Cartwheel, but since the smaller elliptical galaxy likely had an off-center collision instead of a direct hit, the spiral galaxy got away with only its spiral arms being **********. The collision isn’t as bad as it sounds. Although there was star formation occurring before, collisions between galaxies can compress gas, improving the conditions needed for more stars to form. On the other hand, as Webb reveals, collisions also disperse a lot of gas, potentially depriving new stars of the material they need to form. Webb has captured these galaxies in the process of merging, which will take hundreds of millions of years. As the two galaxies rebuild after the chaos of their collision, Arp 107 may lose its smile, but it will inevitably turn into something just as interesting for future astronomers to study. Arp 107 is located 465 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo Minor. Video: Tour the Arp 107 Image Video tour transcript Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Danielle Kirshenblat (STScI) The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (********* Space Agency) and CSA (********* Space Agency). Downloads Right click any image to save it or open a larger version in a new tab/window via the browser’s popup menu. View/Download all image products at all resolutions for this article from the Space Telescope Science Institute. Media Contacts Laura Betz – laura.e*****@*****.tld, Rob Gutro – *****@*****.tld NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Matthew Brown – *****@*****.tld, Christine Pulliam – *****@*****.tld Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md. Related Information Video: What happens when galaxies collide? Interactive: Explore “Interacting Galaxies: Future of the Milky Way” Other images: Hubble’s view of Arp 107 and Spitzer’s view of Arp 107 Video: Galaxy Collisions: Simulations vs. Observations Article: More about Galaxy Evolution Video: Learn more about galactic collisions More Webb News More Webb Images Webb Science Themes Webb Mission Page Related For Kids What is a galaxy? What is the Webb Telescope? SpacePlace for Kids En Español ¿Qué es una galaxia? Ciencia de la NASA NASA en español Space Place para niños Keep Exploring Related Topics James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… Galaxies Galaxies Stories Universe Share Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 Editor Marty McCoy Contact Laura Betz laura.e*****@*****.tld Related Terms Active Galaxies Astrophysics Galaxies Galaxies, Stars, & ****** Holes Goddard Space Flight Center James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Science & Research Seyfert Galaxies The Universe View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson smiles for a portrait in the vestibule between the Kibo laboratory module and the Harmony module aboard space station.NASA NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson is returning home after a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station. While on orbit, Dyson conducted an array of experiments and technology demonstrations that contribute to advancements for humanity on Earth and the agency’s trajectory to the Moon and Mars. Here is a look at some of the science Dyson conducted during her mission: Heart-Shaped Bioprints NASA NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson operates the BioFabrication Facility for the Redwire Cardiac Bioprinting Investigation, which 3D prints cardiovascular tissue samples. In microgravity, bio inks used for 3D printing are less likely to settle and retain their shape better than on Earth. Cardiovascular ******** is currently the number one cause of ****** in the ******* States, and findings from this space station investigation could one day lead to 3D-printed organs such as hearts for patients awaiting transplants. Wicking in Weightlessness NASA NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson handles hardware for the Wicking in Gel-Coated Tubes (Gaucho Lung) experiment. This study uses a tube lined with various gel thicknesses to simulate the human respiratory system. A fluid mass known as a liquid plug is then observed as it either blocks or flows through the tube. Data regarding the movement and trailing of the liquid plug allows researchers to design better ***** delivery methods to address respiratory ailments. Programming for Future Missions NASA NASA NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson runs student-designed software on the free-flying Astrobee ******. This technology demonstration is part of Zero Robotics, a worldwide competition that engages middle school students in writing computer code to address unique specifications. Winning participants get to run their software on an actual Astrobee aboard the space station. This educational opportunity helps inspire the next generation of technology innovators. Robo-Extensions NASA As we venture to the Moon and Mars, astronauts may rely more on robots to ensure safety and preserve resources. Through the Surface Avatar study, NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson controls a ****** on Earth’s surface from a computer aboard station. This technology demonstration aims to toggle between manipulating multiple robots and “diving inside” a specific **** to control as an avatar. This two-way demonstration also evaluates how ****** operators respond their robotic counterparts’ efficiency and general output. Applications for Earth use include exploration of inhospitable zones and search and rescue missions after disasters. Capturing Earth’s Essence NASA For Crew Earth Observations, astronauts take pictures of Earth from space for research purposes. NASA astronauts Suni Williams (left) and Tracy C. Dyson (right) contribute by aiming handheld cameras from the space station’s cupola to photograph our planet. Images help inform climate and environmental trends worldwide and provide real-time natural disaster assessments. More than four million photographs have been taken of Earth by astronauts from space. Multi-faceted Crystallization Processor NASA NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson holds a cassette for Pharmaceutical In-Space Laboratory – 04 (ADSEP-PIL-04), an experiment to crystallize the model proteins lysozyme and insulin. Up to three cassettes with samples can be processed simultaneously in the Advanced Space Experiment Processor (ADSEP), each at an independent temperature. Because lysozyme and insulin have well-documented crystal structures, they can be used to evaluate the hardware’s performance in space. Successful crystallization with ADSEP could lead to production and manufacturing of versatile crystals with pharmaceutical applications. Cryo Care NASA NASA astronauts Tracy C. Dyson and Matthew Dominick preserve research samples in freezers aboard the space station. Cryopreservation is essential for maintaining the integrity of samples for a variety of experiments, especially within the field of biology. The orbiting laboratory has multiple freezer options with varying subzero temperatures. Upon return, frozen samples are delivered back to their research teams for further analysis. Welcoming New Science NASA NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson is pictured between the Unity module and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft in preparation for depressurization and departure from the International Space Station. On long-duration missions, visiting vehicles provide necessities for crew daily living as well as new science experiments and supplies for ongoing research. This vehicle brought experiments to test water recovery technology, produce stem cells in microgravity, study the effects of spaceflight on microorganism DNA, and conduct science demonstrations for students. Diana Garcia International Space Station Research Communications Team NASA’s Johnson Space Center Keep Exploring Discover More Topics Latest News from Space Station Research Humans in Space Station Science 101 Expedition 71 Expedition 71 began on April 5, 2024 and ends in September 2024. This crew will explore neuro-degenerative ********* and therapies,… View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

5 Min Read Reinventing the Clock: NASA’s New Tech for Space Timekeeping The Optical Atomic Strontium Ion Clock is a higher-precision atomic clock that is small enough to fit on a spacecraft. Credits: NASA/Matthew Kaufman Here on Earth, it might not matter if your wristwatch runs a few seconds slow. But crucial spacecraft functions need accuracy down to one billionth of a second or less. Navigating with GPS, for example, relies on precise timing signals from satellites to pinpoint locations. Three teams at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, are at work to push timekeeping for space exploration to new levels of precision. One team develops highly precise quantum clock synchronization techniques to aid essential spacecraft communication and navigation. Another Goddard team is working to employ the technique of clock synchronization in space-based platforms to enable telescopes to function as one enormous observatory. The third team is developing an atomic clock for spacecraft based on strontium, a metallic chemical element, to enable scientific observations not possible with current technology. The need for increasingly accurate timekeeping is why these teams at NASA Goddard, supported by the center’s Internal Research and Development program, hone clock precision and synchronization with innovative technologies like quantum and optical communications. Syncing Up Across the Solar System “Society requires clock synchronization for many crucial functions like power grid management, stock market openings, financial transactions, and much more,” said Alejandro Rodriguez Perez, a NASA Goddard researcher. “NASA uses clock synchronization to determine the position of spacecraft and set navigation parameters.” If you line up two clocks and sync them together, you might expect that they will tick at the same rate forever. In reality, the more time passes, the more out of sync the clocks become, especially if those clocks are on spacecraft traveling at tens of thousands of miles per hour. Rodriguez Perez seeks to develop a new way of precisely synchronizing such clocks and keeping them synced using quantum technology. Work on the quantum clock synchronization protocol takes place in this lab at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.NASA/Matthew Kaufman In quantum physics, two particles are entangled when they behave like a single object and occupy two states at once. For clocks, applying quantum protocols to entangled photons could allow for a precise and secure way to sync clocks across long distances. The heart of the synchronization protocol is called spontaneous parametric down conversion, which is when one photon breaks apart and two new photons form. Two detectors will each analyze when the new photons appear, and the devices will apply mathematical functions to determine the offset in time between the two photons, thus synchronizing the clocks. While clock synchronization is currently done using GPS, this protocol could make it possible to precisely synchronize clocks in places where GPS access is limited, like the Moon or deep space. Syncing Clocks, Linking Telescopes to See More than Ever Before When it comes to astronomy, the usual rule of thumb is the ******* the telescope, the better its imagery. “If we could hypothetically have a telescope as big as Earth, we would have incredibly high-resolution images of space, but that’s obviously not practical,” said Guan Yang, an optical physicist at NASA Goddard. “What we can do, however, is have multiple telescopes in various locations and have each telescope record the signal with high time precision. Then we can stich their observations together and produce an ultra-high-res image.” The idea of linking together the observations of a network of smaller telescopes to affect the power of a larger one is called very long baseline interferometry, or VLBI. For VLBI to produce a whole greater than the sum of its parts, the telescopes need high-precision clocks. The telescopes record data alongside timestamps of when the data was recorded. High-powered computers assemble all the data together into one complete observation with greater detail than any one of the telescopes could achieve on its own. This technique is what allowed the Event Horizon Telescope’s network of observatories to produce the first image of a ****** ***** at the center of our galaxy. The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) — a planet-scale array of eight ground-based radio telescopes forged through international collaboration — was designed to capture images of a ****** *****. Although the telescopes making up the EHT are not physically connected, they are able to synchronize their recorded data with atomic clocks.EHT Collaboration Yang’s team is developing a clock technology that could be useful for missions looking to take the technique from Earth into space which could unlock many more discoveries. An Optical Atomic Clock Built for Space Travel Spacecraft navigation systems currently rely on onboard atomic clocks to obtain the most accurate time possible. Holly Leopardi, a physicist at NASA Goddard, is researching optical atomic clocks, a more precise type of atomic clock. While optical atomic clocks exist in laboratory settings, Leopardi and her team seek to develop a spacecraft-ready version that will provide more precision. The team works on OASIC, which stands for Optical Atomic Strontium Ion Clock. While current spacecraft utilize microwave frequencies, OASIC uses optical frequencies. The Optical Atomic Strontium Ion Clock is a higher-precision atomic clock that is small enough to fit on a spacecraft.NASA/Matthew Kaufman “Optical frequencies oscillate much faster than microwave frequencies, so we can have a much finer resolution of counts and more precise timekeeping,” Leopardi said. The OASIC technology is about 100 times more precise than the previous state-of-the-art in spacecraft atomic clocks. The enhanced accuracy could enable new types of science that were not previously possible. “When you use these ultra-high precision clocks, you can start looking at the fundamental physics changes that occur in space,” Leopardi said, “and that can help us better understand the mechanisms of our universe.” The timekeeping technologies unlocked by these teams, could enable new discoveries in our solar system and beyond. More on cutting-edge technology development at NASA Goddard By Matthew Kaufman, with additional contributions from Avery Truman NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Share Details Last Updated Sep 18, 2024 EditorRob GarnerContactRob Garner*****@*****.tldLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related TermsGoddard TechnologyCommunicating and Navigating with MissionsGoddard Space Flight CenterTechnology View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) While astronaut Gene Cernan was on the lunar surface during the Apollo 17 mission, his spacesuit collected loads of lunar dust. The gray, powdery substance stuck to the fabric and entered the capsule causing eye, nose, and throat irritation dubbed “lunar hay fever.” Credit: NASACredit: NASA Moon dust, or regolith, isn’t like the particles on Earth that collect on bookshelves or tabletops – it’s abrasive and it clings to everything. Throughout NASA’s Apollo missions to the Moon, regolith posed a challenge to astronauts and valuable space hardware. During the Apollo 17 mission, astronaut Harrison Schmitt described his reaction to breathing in the dust as “lunar hay fever,” experiencing sneezing, watery eyes, and a sore throat. The symptoms went away, but concern for human health is a driving force behind NASA’s extensive research into all forms of lunar soil. The need to manage the dust to protect astronaut health and critical technology is already beneficial on Earth in the ****** against air pollution. Working as a contributor on a habitat for NASA’s Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP) program, Lunar Outpost Inc. developed an air-quality sensor system to detect and measure the amount of lunar soil in the air that also detects pollutants on Earth. Originally based in Denver, the Golden, Colorado-based company developed an air-quality sensor called the Space Canary and offered the sensor to Lockheed Martin Space for its NextSTEP lunar orbit habitat prototype. After the device was integrated into the habitat’s environmental control system, it provided distinct advantages over traditional equipment. Rebranded as Canary-S (Solar), the sensor is now meeting a need for low-cost, wireless air-quality and meteorological monitoring on Earth. The self-contained unit, powered by solar energy and a battery, transmits data using cellular technology. It can measure a variety of pollutants, including particulate matter, carbon monoxide, methane, sulfur dioxide, and volatile organic compounds, among others. The device sends a message up to a secure cloud every minute, where it’s routed to either Lunar Outpost’s web-based dashboard or a customer’s database for viewing and analysis. The oil and gas industry uses the Canary-S sensors to provide continuous, real-time monitoring of fugitive gas emissions, and the U.S. Forest Service uses them to monitor forest-***** emissions. “Firefighters have been exhibiting symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning for decades. They thought it was just part of the job,” explained Julian Cyrus, chief operating officer of Lunar Outpost. “But the sensors revealed where and when carbon monoxide levels were sky high, making it possible to issue warnings for firefighters to take precautions.” The Canary-S sensors exemplify the life-saving technologies that can come from the collaboration of NASA and industry innovations. Read More Share Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 Related TermsTechnology Transfer & SpinoffsSpinoffsTechnology Transfer Explore More 2 min read Printed Engines Propel the Next Industrial Revolution Efforts to 3D print engines produce significant savings in rocketry and beyond Article 5 days ago 2 min read Tech Today: Flipping NASA Tech and Sticking the Landing NASA tech adds gecko grip to phone accessory Article 1 month ago 2 min read Tech Today: Space Age Swimsuit Reduces Drag, Breaks Records SpeedoUSA worked with Langley Research Center to design a swimsuit with reduced surface drag. Article 2 months ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Technology Transfer and Spinoffs News Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

Credit: NASA NASA has awarded a contract to Intuitive Machines, LLC of Houston, to support the agency’s lunar relay systems as part of the Near Space Network, operated by the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. This Subcategory 2.2 GEO to Cislunar Relay Services is a new firm-fixed-price, multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity task order contract. The contract has a base ******* of five years with an additional 5-year option *******, with a maximum potential value of $4.82 billion. The base ordering ******* begins Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2029, with the option ******* potentially extending the contract through Sept. 30, 2034. Lunar relays will play an essential role in NASA’s Artemis campaign to establish a long-term presence on the Moon. These relays will provide vital communication and navigation services for the exploration and scientific study of the Moon’s South Pole region. Without the extended coverage offered by lunar relays, landing opportunities at the Moon’s South Pole will be significantly limited due to the lack of direct communication between potential landing sites and ground stations on Earth. The lunar relay award also includes services to support position, navigation, and timing capabilities, which are crucial for ensuring the safety of navigation on and around the lunar surface. Under the contract, Intuitive Machines also will enable NASA to provide communication and navigation services to customer missions in the near space region. The initial task award will support the progressive validation of lunar relay capabilities/services for Artemis. NASA anticipates these lunar relay services will be used with human landing systems, the LTV (lunar terrain vehicle), and CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) flights. As lunar relay services become fully operational, they will be integrated into the Near Space Network’s expanding portfolio, enhancing communications and navigation support for future lunar missions. By implementing these new capabilities reliance on NASA’s Deep Space Network will be reduced. NASA’s goal is to provide users with communication and navigation services that are secure, reliable, and affordable, so that all NASA users receive the services required by their mission within their latency, accuracy, and availability requirements. This is another step in NASA partnering with U.S. industry to build commercial space partners to support NASA missions, including NASA’s long-term Moon to Mars objectives for interoperable communications and navigation capabilities. This award is part of the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program and will be ********* by the Near Space Network team at NASA Goddard. For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Joshua Finch Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 *****@*****.tld Tiernan Doyle Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNear Space NetworkCommunicating and Navigating with MissionsGoddard Space Flight CenterSpace Communications & Navigation ProgramSpace Operations Mission Directorate View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Back to ***** Science Landing Page FireSage San José State University (SJSU) and NASA Ames Research Center are offering the FireSage Program; a premier summer internship opportunity designed to equip students with expertise in ***** ecology and remote sensing technologies. This 10-week internship program offers a paid opportunity to work on-site at NASA Ames Earth Science Division and SJSU’s Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center (WIRC) Geofly Lab and FireEcology Lab. Here, interns will be introduced to cutting-edge technologies and methodologies for wildfire research and management and benefit from a comprehensive learning environment including a one-on-one setting with NASA Scientists and SJSU Faculty. Learn More About the FireSage Internship ***** & Air Ames Research Center and California State University, Stanislaus (CSUStan) are partnering together to offer the ***** & Air program: a yearlong internship for CSUStan undergraduates, with opportunities to work with both NASA Subject Matter Experts and CSUStan MSI Mentors. The program focuses on two main research areas: atmospheric effects and causes of wildfires, and the study of aerosols in biomass burning. Learn More About the ***** and Air Internship Back to ***** Science Landing Page Share Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 Related TermsGeneralEarth ScienceEarth Science Division Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Back to ***** Science Landing Page FireSense The FireSense project is focused on delivering NASA’s unique Earth science and technological capabilities to operational agencies, striving to address challenges in US wildland ***** management. The project concentrates on four use-cases to support decisions before, during, and after wildland fires. These include the measurement of pre-***** fuels conditions, active ***** dynamics, post ***** impacts and threats, as well as air quality forecasting, each co-developed with identified wildland ***** management agency stakeholders. Strategic Tac Radio and Tac Overwatch (STRATO) The Strategic Tac Radio and Tac Overwatch (STRATO) system is designed to provide real-time ***** observations and last-mile communications with firefighters from stratospheric platforms. By providing persistent communications to a wildfire response team for a week or longer, STRATO is expected to offer capabilities beyond the currently used tethered balloons, which have a limited range and coverage area. By achieving station-keeping at altitudes up to 70,000 feet above ground level—to be demonstrated in flight testing—the STRATO will be able to provide communications to incident response teams in areas with no cellphone coverage. Surface Biology and Geology (SBG) Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) Climate change in the Arctic and Boreal region is unfolding faster than anywhere else on Earth, resulting in reduced Arctic sea ice, thawing of permafrost soils, decomposition of long- frozen organic matter, widespread changes to lakes, rivers, coastlines, and alterations of ecosystem structure and function. NASA’s Terrestrial Ecology Program is conducting a major field campaign, the Arctic-Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE), in Alaska and western Canada, from 2015 – 2025. ABoVE seeks a better understanding of the vulnerability and resilience of ecosystems and society to this changing environment. Tactical ***** Remote Sensing Advisory Committee (TFRSAC) Embracing CSDA-Supported Spaceborne SAR Data in NASA FireSense Airborne Campaigns This project aims to determine the capability of Umbra X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data to characterize rapidly changing ***** landscapes during NASA’s FireSense airborne campaigns. Opti-SAR Opti-SAR is focused on accurate and timely mapping of forest structure and aboveground biomass (AGB) with integrated space-based optical and radar observations. This project will make a fundamental contribution to an integrated Earth System Observatory by using the mathematical foundation of RADAR-VSPI and VSPI to integrate SAR and optical data to achieve breakthroughs in forest monitoring and assessment. Tropospheric Regional Atmospheric Composition and Emissions Reanalysis – 1 (TRACER-1) TRACER-1 is a 20-year atmospheric composition re-analysis product that will enable researchers to answer questions about changes in wildfire emissions and the impact of extreme wildfire events on regional air quality. Active dates: 2005 – 2024 Cultural Burning The Indigenous People’s Initiative partners with indigenous groups in the US and across the world, many of whom practice a long history of cultural burning. Back to ***** Science Landing Page Share Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 Related TermsGeneral Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Credit: NASA NASA, on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has selected Lockheed Martin Corp. of Littleton, Colorado, to develop a lightning mapping instrument as part of NOAA’s Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) satellite program. This cost-plus-award-fee contract is valued at approximately $297.1 million. It includes the development of two flight instruments as well as options for two additional units. The anticipated ******* of performance for this contract includes support for 10 years of on-orbit operations and five years of on-orbit storage, for a total of 15 years for each flight model. The work will take place at Lockheed Martin’s facilities in Sunnyvale, California, and Littleton, Colorado, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The GeoXO Lightning Mapper will detect, locate, and measure the intensity, duration, and extent of lightning flashes. The instrument will continue critical observations provided by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites-R (GOES-R) Series Geostationary Lightning Mapper. Data from Lightning Mapper will be used to analyze severe storms, increase warning lead time for hazardous weather, and provide earlier indications of impending lightning strikes to the ground. The data will also be used for hurricane intensity prediction, wildfire detection and response, precipitation estimation, and to mitigate aviation hazards. Forecasters need lightning information from geostationary orbit because the data are available where other sources are more limited, especially over oceans and in mountainous and rural areas. The data are also available more frequently than local radar and fill in radar coverage gaps. The contract scope includes the tasks and deliverables necessary to design, analyze, develop, fabricate, integrate, test, verify, and evaluate the lightning mapper instrument in addition to supporting the launch; supplying and maintaining the instrument ground support equipment; and supporting mission operations at the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Maryland. The GeoXO Program is the follow-on to the GOES-R Series Program. The GeoXO satellite system will advance Earth observations from geostationary orbit. The mission will supply vital information to address major environmental challenges of the future in support of weather, ocean, and climate operations in the ******* States. The advanced capabilities from GeoXO will help address our changing planet and the evolving needs of the nation’s data users. Both NASA and NOAA are working to ensure these critical observations are in place by the early 2030s when the GOES-R Series nears the end of its operational lifetime. Together, NOAA and NASA oversee the development, launch, testing, and operation of all the satellites in the GeoXO Program. NOAA funds and manages the program, operations, and data products. On behalf of NOAA, NASA and commercial partners develop and build the instruments and spacecraft and launch the satellites. For more information on the GeoXO program, visit: [Hidden Content] -end- Liz Vlock Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld Jeremy Eggers Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 757-824-2958 *****@*****.tld John Leslie NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service 202-527-3504 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsGoddard Space Flight CenterGOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite)GOES-RKennedy Space Center View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Credit: NASA NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, invites media to its annual Small Business Industry and Advocate Awards ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 19. The awards recognize small businesses and small business champions from government and industry for their outstanding achievements in fiscal year 2024. The ceremony will take place during the 38th meeting of Marshall’s Small Business Alliance, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Davidson Center for Space Exploration. The event will also highlight new opportunities for small businesses to take part in NASA’s procurement processes. Afterward, attendees will have the open opportunity to network with NASA officials, prime contractors, and other members of Marshall’s small business community. Exhibitors will provide valuable information to support their business. NASA speakers include: Dwight Deneal, assistant administrator, Office of Small Business Programs, NASA Headquarters Joseph Pelfrey, center director, NASA Marshall John Cannaday, director, Office of Procurement, NASA Marshall Davey Jones, strategy lead, NASA Marshall David Brock, small business specialist, Office of Small Business Programs, NASA Marshall Media interested in covering the event should contact Molly Porter at *****@*****.tld or 256-424-5158 by 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18. About the Marshall Small Business Alliance For 17 years, the Marshall Small Business Alliance has aided small businesses in pursuit of NASA procurement and subcontracting opportunities. Its primary focus is to inform, educate, and advocate on behalf of the small business community. At each half day meeting, businesses will gain valuable insight to guide them in their marketing endeavors. To learn more about Marshall’s small business initiatives, visit: [Hidden Content] Molly Porter Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256-424-5158 *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 LocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsMarshall Space Flight Center Explore More 2 min read Printed Engines Propel the Next Industrial Revolution Efforts to 3D print engines produce significant savings in rocketry and beyond Article 5 days ago 22 min read The Marshall Star for September 11, 2024 Article 6 days ago 1 min read Gateway Space Station in 3D Article 6 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

From Sept. 6-7, 2024, NASA’s Johnson Space Center brought the excitement of space exploration to the annual Japan Festival at Hermann Park in Houston. The lively cultural event featured traditional food, dance, martial arts, and more, while Johnson’s booth attracted attendees with interactive space exhibits and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities. Johnson Space Center volunteers share NASA’s mission and student opportunities at the annual Japan Festival in Houston. NASA Johnson employees passed along information about High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS), a NASA-unique program offering Texas high school juniors an opportunity to explore STEM fields. The program kicks off with an online course and, for top performers, culminates in an on-site summer experience at Johnson, where students can learn from NASA scientists and engineers. Program graduates may also apply for NASA internships and scholarships, including the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ and Rotary National Award for Space Achievement scholarships. Attendees enjoy Johnson Space Center’s exhibit booth at Hermann Park in Houston. NASA/Johnnie Joseph Festival attendees explored interactive displays, including models of the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft, space food samples, and a real spacesuit glove and helmet. Johnson volunteers distributed NASA meatball stickers, mission stickers, and Artemis bookmarks with QR codes, offering students and space enthusiasts opportunities to ***** deeper into STEM education and NASA’s missions. Johnson volunteers share NASA’s mission and student opportunities to festival attendees. NASA/Johnnie Joseph NASA’s long-standing partnership with Japan was front and center as JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) set up a neighboring booth. JAXA astronaut Satoshi Furukawa delighted festival-goers by posing for photos, signing autographs, and visiting NASA’s booth to greet Johnson employees. The event highlighted the collaborative spirit of space exploration between NASA and its international partners, who are working together on missions around the Moon and beyond as part of the Artemis campaign. Japan, alongside other global partners, has committed to supporting the International Space Station through 2030. Festival attendees explore NASA’s booth, captivated by the space exhibits.NASA/Johnnie Joseph View the full article

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Back to Ocean Science Landing Page Internet of Animals The Internet of Animals project combines animal tracking tags with remote sensing, to better understand habitat use and movement patterns. This kind of research enables more informed ecological management and conservation efforts, and broadens our understanding of how different ecosystems are reacting to a changing climate. [Hidden Content] FATE: dFAD Trajectory Tool FATE will quantify dFAD (drifting fish aggregating devices) activity in relation to ocean currents, fish biomass, and animal telemetry at Palmyra Atoll, which is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) National Wildlife Refuge and is part of the U.S. Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM) in the central Pacific Ocean. This innovative decision support tool will use NASA observations and numerical models to predict future dFAD trajectories and inform resource managers whether they should deploy tactical resources (boats, personnel) to monitor, intercept, or retrieve dFADs that have entered the MPA. SeaSTAR SeaSTAR aims to provide multi-spectral aerosol optical depth (AOD) and aerosol optical properties using a custom-built robotic sun/sky photometer. The instrument is designed to operate from a ship and is planned to deploy aboard the NOAA research vessel RV Shearwater in September 2024 to support the PACE-PAX airborne campaign. PACE Validation Science Team Project: AirSHARP Airborne asSessment of Hyperspectral Aerosol optical depth and water-leaving Reflectance Product Performance for PACE The goal of AirSHARP is to provide high fidelity spatial coverage and spectral data for ocean ****** and aerosol products for validation of the PACE Ocean ****** Instrument (OCI). Coastal influences on oceanic waters can produce high optical complexity for remote sensing especially in dynamic waters in both space and time. Dynamic coastal water features include riverine plumes (sediments and pollution), algal blooms, and kelp beds. Further, coastal California has a range of atmospheric conditions related to fires. We will accomplish validation of PACE products by combined airborne and field instrumentation for Monterey Bay, California. Water2Coasts Watersheds, Water Quality, and Coastal Communities in Puerto Rico Water2Coasts is an interdisciplinary island landscape to coastal ocean assessment with socioeconomic implications. The goal of Water2Coasts is to conduct a multi-scale, interdisciplinary (i.e., hydrologic, remote sensing, and social) study on how coastal waters of east, and south Puerto Rico are affected by watersheds of varying size, land use, and climate regimes, and how these may in turn induce a variety of still poorly understood effects on coastal and marine ecosystems such as coral reefs and seagrass beds. US Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) The USCRTF was established in 1998 by Presidential Executive Order to lead U.S. efforts to preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems. The USCRTF includes leaders of Federal agencies, U.S. States, territories, commonwealths, and Freely Associated States. The USCRTF helps build partnerships, strategies, and support for on-the-ground action to conserve coral reefs. NASA ARC scientists are members of the Steering Committee, Watershed Working Group, and ******** and Disturbance Working Group, and lead the Climate Change Working Group to assist in the use of NASA remote sensing data and tools for coastal studies, including coral reef ecosystems. Data from new and planned hyperspectral missions will advance research in heavily impacted coastal ecosystems. CyanoSCape Cyanobacteria and surface phytoplankton biodiversity of the Cape freshwater systems The diversity of phytoplankton is also found in freshwater systems. In Southern *******, land use change and agricultural practices has hindered hydrological processes and compromised freshwater ecosystems. These impacts are compounded by increasingly variable rainfall and temperature fluctuations associated with climate change posing risks to water quality, food security, and aquatic biodiversity and sustainability. The goal of CyanoSCape is to utilize airborne hyperspectral data and field spectral and water sample data to distinguish phytoplankton biodiversity, including the potentially toxic cyanobacteria. mCDR: Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal The goals of this effort are to conduct literature review, analysis, and ocean simulation to provide scientifically vetted estimates of the impacts, risks, and benefits of various potential mCDR methods. Ocean modeling Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) in a changing climate The goals of this project are to build scientific understanding of the AMOC physics and its implications for biogeochemical cycles and climate, to assess the representation of AMOC in historical global ocean state estimates, and evaluate future needs for AMOC systems in a changing climate. Elucidating the role of the ocean circulation in changing North Atlantic Ocean nutrients and biological productivity This project will conduct analysis of NASA’s ECCO-Darwin ocean biogeochemical state estimate and historical satellite ocean ****** observations in order to understand the underlying causes for the sharp decline in biological productivity observed in the North Atlantic Ocean. Integrated GEOS and ECCO Earth system modeling and data assimilation to advance seasonal-to-decadal prediction through improved understanding and representation of air-sea interactions This analysis will build understanding of upper ocean, air-sea interaction, and climate processes by using data from the SWOT mission and ultra-high-resolution GEOS-ECCO simulations. Back to Ocean Science Landing Page Share Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 Related TermsGeneralEarth ScienceOceans Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

Earth ObserverEarth HomeEarth Observer HomeEditor’s CornerFeature ArticlesMeeting SummariesNewsScience in the NewsCalendarsIn MemoriamMoreArchives 16 min read ICESat-2 Hosts Third Applications Workshop Introduction The NASA Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 mission (ICESat-2), launched September 15, 2018, continues the first ICESat mission, delivering invaluable global altimetry data. Notwithstanding its icy acronym, ICESat-2 can do more than measure ice – in fact, the expanded acronym hints at these wider applications. From vegetation to inland surface water to bathymetry, ICESat-2 has emerged as a more versatile mission than originally planned, thanks in part to the ingenuity of research scientists, the Science Team (ST), and users of the data – see Figure 1. Figure 1. A word cloud designed to highlight terms that occur most frequently in all ICESat-2 publications since 2018. The larger the word, the more often it is used.Figure credit: Aimee Neeley ICESat-2 was among the first NASA missions to develop an applications program that engages both scientists and potential users of the science data to accelerate user uptake. Throughout this program, ICESat-2 has demonstrated the value of Earth Observation data to end users, stakeholders, and decision makers. The ICESat-2 Early Adopter (EA; pre-launch) program, now the Applied User program (post-launch), was created to “promote applications research to provide a fundamental understanding of how ICESat-2 data products can be scaled and integrated into organizations, policy, business, and management activities to improve decision making efforts.” This article summarizes the workshop objectives met through plenary talks, lightning talks, an applied user panel, and a breakout session. The ICESat-2 Applications page contains more about the ICESat-2 Applications Program. Motivation and Objectives To meet Applications Program initiatives, the ICESat-2 Applications Team hosted its third Applications workshop June 3–4, 2024 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in a hybrid environment. A total of 113 participants registered for the workshop, representing multiple government agencies, including NASA Centers, non-profit organizations, and academic organizations – see Figure 2. Approximately 20 individuals attended the workshop in person with the majority participating online through the Webex platform. This workshop provided the space to foster collaboration and to encourage the conceptualization of applications not yet exploited. Figure 2. A ‘donut’ plot showing the proportion of ICESat-2 Applications Workshop attendees identified by institution. This information was provided during the online registration process.Figure credit: Aimee Neeley The objectives of the Applications workshop were to: provide an overview of the mission status, data products, and support services from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC); build partnerships among applied users, data producers, and end users; foster synergies with all participants, decision makers, and satellite operators; identify new potential applications or products from ICESat-2; review available tools for extracting ICESat-2 data; and understand the challenges faced by applied users, data users, and end users, and identify solutions. The remainder of this article will summarize the meeting highlights. Rather than give a strict chronological survey, the report is organized around the meeting objectives listed above. Readers interested in more details can find the full agenda and slide decks from individual presentations mentioned in this summary on the ICESat-2 Workshop website. Workshop Overview and Structure The agenda of the 2024 ICESat-2 Applications workshop was intended to bring together end-users, including ICESat-2 applications developers, satellite operators, and decision makers from government and nongovernmental entities to discuss the current state and future needs of the community – see Figure 3. On the morning of the first day, the workshop participants contributed to a plenary session and ICESat-2 data tool demonstrations. These presentations were intended to provide a broad overview of the ICESat-2 mission, data, science, and applications. Plenary talks during the afternoon session provided an overview of the Earth Science-to-Action initiative and measuring impacts of science. The afternoon also included lightning talks from participants and an Applied User Panel. The second day consisted of a plenary presentation and more lightning talks from participants. The workshop ended with a thematic breakout session with pre-constructed topics and a report out to create a forum for direct interaction between participants. Figure 3. Graphic showing the different levels of data available from the NASA Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) mission.Figure credit: NASA, adapted from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) Distributed Active Archive Center’s ICESat-2 page Objective 1: Provide an overview of the status of the mission and current data products and support services from the NSIDC. To fulfill the first meeting objective, the workshop included a series of overview presentations given by ICESat-2 team members about the status of the ICESat-2 mission and its data products, as well as a review of the NASA Applied Sciences Program. Aimee Neeley [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)/Science Systems and Applications Inc. (SSAI)—ICESat-2 Mission Applications Lead] and Molly Brown [GSFC/University of Maryland—ICESat-2 Mission Applications Scientist] served as cohosts for the event. Neeley opened the first day with a brief overview of workshop goals, logistics, and the agenda. On the second day she gave a brief overview of the agenda for the day and opened it up for questions. Thomas Neumann [GSFC—ICESat-2 Project Scientist and Deputy Director of Earth Sciences Division] provided an overview of the ICESat-2 measurement concepts, which includes activity of GPS positioning, pointing angle, altimetry measurements, and ground processing. He continued with an overview of the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS) instrument, the wavelength and spatial resolution of the lasers, and the distributed data products. Neumann presented the mission outlook, with an expected lifespan until December 2035. Walter Meier [University of Colorado, Boulder (UC, Boulder)—NSIDC DAAC Scientist] provided an overview of ICESat-2 data tools and services. He walked the audience through the ICESat-2 data website, as well as the instructional guides that are available for all the tools and services. Meier provided an overview of ICESat-2 standard data products – see Figure 3. Most of the products have a ~45-day latency while quick look data sets have an ~3-day latency. Future data sets include ATL24 and ATL25 and quick look data sets for ATL03, ATL20, and ATL25. Next, he described webinars and tutorials, access tools, and customization services for different users and workflows, including graphical user interfaces and programmatic tools in Earthaccess and the NSIDC website. Helen Amanda Fricker [Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California (UC), San Diego—ICESat-2 ST Leader and Professor] provided an overview of the ST members and ST goals. Fricker described the ST goals to: 1) provide coordination between the team, project science office, and NASA headquarters; 2) use science talks, posters, and social events to stimulate collaboration within the ST and across disciplines; and 3) maintain the visibility of the ICESat-2 mission through publications, press releases, white papers, open science, and synergies with other missions. Next, Fricker shared the list of ST members that can be found on the ICESat-2 website. She concluded with an overview of a recent publication by Lori Magruder [University of Texas, Austin] and coauthors published in Nature Reviews. Stephanie Schollaert Uz [NASA GSFC—Applied Sciences Manager] provided an overview of the NASA Applied Science Program, including the current NASA Earth Science Satellite missions that are monitoring Earth systems. The NASA Applied Science Programs “tackle challenges on our home planet in areas for which Earth science information can respond to the urgent needs of our time.” Earth science data products are used to “inform decisions and actions on management, policy and business.” Uz provided examples of applications using Earth science data, including economic activity, active ***** mapping, food security, and monitoring air quality – see Figure 4. Figure 4. Near real-time active ***** mapping as well as air quality monitoring and forecasting are available via NASA’s ***** Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS).Figure credit: FIRMS U.S./Canada Molly E. Brown [University of Maryland—ICESat-2 Mission Applications Scientist] began her presentation by defining the term application in the context of this workshop, which includes “innovative uses of mission data products in decision-making activities for societal benefit.” Brown stated that the ICESat-2 Mission Applications program “works to bring our data products into areas where they can help inform policy or decisions that benefit the public.” End users include the private sector, academia, and government agencies. Brown described the benefits of the program and strategies to extend ICESat-2 to new communities – see Figure 5. Brown concluded with an overview of recent publications and new research efforts to assess the impact of ICESat-2 data. Figure 5. Strategies to extend ICESat-2 to new communities through activities and trainings such as those hosted by the Applied Remote Sensing Training (ARSET) program.Figure credit: Molly Brown Mike Jasinski [NASA GSFC, Hydrological Sciences Laboratory—Assistant Chief for Science] provided an overview of ICESat-2 inland water standard and quick look data products, ATL13QL and ATL22QL. ICESat-2 covers approximately one million lakes each year. Jasinski also listed application areas for water resources decision support, including river elevation and discharge, lake and reservoir water balance and management, and validation of Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) data. He provided metrics for each data product and quick look product and the advantages and disadvantages of ATL13 and ATL22 data products. Mary D. Ari [Centers for ******** Control and Prevention, Office of Science—Senior Advisor for Science] provided an overview of the Science Impact Framework (SIF). Ari explained that our partners and public need “evidence to support practice or policy or decision making, accountability for public finds, and research focus to advocate for research priority.” A major goal is to translate findings into practice or action. Next, she presented ways by which impact can be measured, including bibliometrics (quantitative) and value (qualitative). Ari further explained the Science Impact Framework (SIF), which includes five domains of scientific influence: disseminating science, creating awareness, catalyzing action, effecting change, and shaping the future – see Figure 6. Figure 6. The Science Impact Framework, which allows the impact of scientific work to be quantified and to determine if the science we produce is being put into action.Figure credit: Mary Ari Woody Turner [NASA Headquarters—ICESat-2 Program Applications Lead] provided an overview of NASA’s Earth Science to Action Strategy. Turner explained that NASA’s Earth Science to Action strategy is integral to the Earth Science Division’s 2024–2034 strategic plan. The overall strategy has two objectives: 1) observe, monitor, and understand the Earth System and 2) deliver trusted information to drive Earth resilience activities. He also summarized the “three key pillars” for this new Earth Action paradigm to 1) be user centered, 2) build bridges between research, technology, flight, data, and Earth Action elements, and 3) scale up existing efforts to get NASA data into the hands of end users. Lastly, Turner listed NASA’s core values, including safety, integrity, inclusion, teamwork, excellence, trustworthiness, innovation, and collaboration. Objective 2: Review available tools for extracting ICESat-2 data for a diverse community. To achieve this objective, the meeting included a series of presentations in which each speaker described a different tool that is being used to download and analyze ICESat-2 data. Jessica Scheick [University of New Hampshire] provided an overview of a set of Python tools, named icepyx, that can be used to obtain and manipulate ICESat-2 data. Scheick, who developed icepyx, described how the tools address challenges with ICESat-2 data. Lastly, she performed a live demonstration of icepyx. Tyler Sutterley [Applied Physics Laboratory/University of Washington] presented a live demonstration of Sliderule, an ICESat-2 plugin module that uses an application programming interface (API) to “query a set of ATL03 input granules for photon heights and locations based on a set of photon-input parameters that select the geographic and temporal extent of the request.” Joanna D. Millstein [Colorado School of Mines] provided an overview of CryoCloud, which is a “JupyterHub built for NASA cryosphere communities in collaboration with 2i2c.” The goal of CryoCloud is to create a “simple and cost-effective managed cloud environment for training and transitioning new users to cloud workflows and determining community best practices.” CryoCloud makes it possible to “process data faster, minimize downloading and democratize science.” The CryoCloud GitHub provides access to a Slack channel, trainings and tutorials, and community office hours. Mikala Beig [UC, Boulder—NSIDC User Services] provided and overview of OpenAltimetry, a platform for visualizing and downloading surface elevation data from ICESat and ICESat-2. OpenAltimetry was developed to alleviate the challenges faced by researchers, including the “steep learning curves and heavy demands on computational resources” necessary to download and manipulate large volumes of data. The strengths of OpenAltimetry include fostering user engagement, lowering technical hurdles for visualizing data, and allowing deeper data exploration. Lastly, Beig demonstrated the platform for the audience – see Figure 7. Figure 7. Searching ICESat-2 tracks in OpenAltimetry, a map-based data visualization and discovery tool for altimetry data.Figure credit: Mikala Beig Objectives 3 and 4: Foster synergies between all participants; Identify new potential applications or products from ATLAS data not currently under investigation. To meet these two meeting objectives, workshop organizers scheduled a round of lightning talks, where a series of presenters gave five-minute presentations on their research or activities. The talks are distilled below. The reader is directed online to find formal presentation titles and additional information. There was also an applied user panel and a breakout session to facilitate synergies between participants and identify new applications. Younghyun Koo [Lehigh University/ Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science (CIRES)] described a method to filter landfast ice (or sea ice “fastened” to the coastline) for accurate examination of thermodynamic and dynamic sea ice features using the ICESat-2 ATL10 data product – see Figure 8. Chandana Gangodagamage [OeilSat—Principal Investigator] described the company’s efforts to track freshwater in the Congo River for the purposes of water resources management and other water-related applications that require river bathymetry data. Daniel Scherer [Technischen Universität München (TUM), Germany] provided an overview of the ICESat-2 River Surface Slope (IRIS), a global reach-scale water surface slope dataset that provides average and extreme water slopes from ICESat-2 observations. The data can be dowloaded from Zenodo. Louise Croneborg-Jones [Water In Sight—Chief Executive Officer] described her company’s effort to use satellite data and mobile and cloud technology to digitize river and rainfall observation at scale in Malawi. Water In Sight has emphasized getting local communities involved in monitoring water resources to increase observations of water levels for conservation. Ravindra Duddu [Vanderbilt University] provided an overview on a project called Modeling Antarctic Iceshelf Calving and Stability (MAGICS), which involves using computation, data, and machine learning to map the rift and crevasse configurations of ice shelves in Antarctica to better understand calving events. Shawn Serbin [GSFC] discussed use of harmonized above ground products from ICESat-2 and other earth observing platforms, including Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI), Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), for terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycle reanalysis and near-term, iterative forecasting for North America and the globe. Wengi Ni-Meister [Hunter College of the City University of New York—ICESat-2 Early Adopter] summarized an effort to retrieve canopy and background reflectivity ratio from ICESat-2 data and use it for the retrieval of vegetation cover and snow distribution in boreal forests. Morgaine McKibben [GSFC–Plankton, Aerosol, Clouds, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) Applications Lead] provided an overview of NASA’s PACE mission, suggesting possible synergies between ICESat-2 and PACE with the intent of opening the door for further discussion on collaboration between the two missions. (To learn more about planned applications for PACE, see Preparing for Launch and Assessing User Readiness: The 2023 PACE Applications Workshop. (Also published in The Earth Observer, Nov–Dec 2023, 35:6, 25–32.) Anthony Campbell [GSFC/ University of Maryland, Baltimore County] discussed his group’s research into using ICESat-2 data to monitor changes in coastal wetland migration, including coastal elevation and canopy height. Brian A Campbell [NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility (WFF)—ICESat-2 Mission Education Lead] described the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program’s network of citizen scientists who collect several different kinds of data using the GLOBE Observer app. He highlighted one data type with particular relevance to ICESat-2. GLOBE Trees – see Figure 8 – equips citizen scientists with the tools to take tree height measurements using their mobile devices. These observations could then be compared to data from NASA satellite missions. Figure 8. NASA’s Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) has developed an app called GLOBE Trees that allows users take measurements of tree height data using a mobile device. Those data can then be uploaded, and scientists can use them to validate satellite tree height measurement (e.g., from ICESat-2/ATLAS).Figure credit: Brian Campbell Caio Hamamura [University of Florida/School of Forest, Fisheries & Geomatics Sciences—Postdoctoral Associate] summarized a literature review his team had conducted of studies using ICESat-2 data for land and vegetation applications as well as results of an assessment of the current capability and limitations of ICESat-2 data for land and vegetation applications – see Figure 9. Figure 9. Illustration of the ATL18 canopy height product at 1 km (~0.6 mi) spatial resolution at the global scale. The height values represent the median of all ATL18 height estimates within a given grid size of 1 km.Figure credit: Jordan Borak and Ciao Hamamura Jacob Comer [Cultural Site Research and Management Foundation] summarized results from an evaluation of the use of ICESat-2 data for archaeological prospection and documentation of archaeological sites – particularly in the Federal States of Micronesia. Juradana M. Iqrah [University of Texas at San Antonio] described her group’s effort to obtain high resolution sea ice classification and freeboard information from ICESat-2 ATL03 observations to understand the impact of global warming on the melting and retreat of polar sea ice cover. Michael MacFerrin [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)—Coastal Digital Elevation (DEM) Model Team] provided an overview of the NOAA/CIRES ICESat-2 Validation of Elevations Reporting Tool (IVERT) tool, which is used to generate land-based validation statistics of digital elevation models (DEM) anywhere in the word using the ATL03 and ATL08 datasets – see Figure 10. Figure 10. Digital Elevation Model output before and after Hurricane Michael in Florida, October 2018.Figure credit: Michael MacFerrin Gretchen Imahori [NOAA National Geodetic Survey, Remote Sensing Division] presented an overview of satellite derived bathymetry using ICESat-2 data, including the new Level 3 (L3) bathymetry data product (ATL24) that will be available later in 2024 – see Figure 11. Figure 11. Bathymetry data from ICESat-2 have been used across a wide variety of morphologies [some of which are illustrated in the photos above] and disciplines. Figure credit: Gretchen Imahori and the ICESat-2 bathymetry working group Objectives 5 and 6: Understand the challenges faced by applied, data users, and end users and identify solutions. Build partnerships between applied users, data producers, and end users. To achieve these two objectives, planners organized an applied user panel and a breakout session as means to foster conversation among participants. The applied user panel consisted of five panelists– three participating virtually and two in-person. The presenters in the session shared their responses to three prepared discussion prompts: 1) an introduction of ICESat-2 data products; 2) use of ICESat-2 data products for their application; and 3) potential data latency impacts. The conversation was brief, but it provided a unique opportunity to hear from experienced applied users. A breakout session consisted of pre-planned discussion prompts through two virtual breakout groups and one in-person group. Group One discussed questions that covered examination of ice crevassing and rifting, community tools for shallow water mapping, and slope measurement bias and uncertainties. Group Two discussed a variety of current and potential surface water applications, identified challenges using ICEat-2 data, and developed suggestions to increase the accessibility and usability of ICESat-2 data products. Group Three covered a gamut of topics, including potential products for Alaskan and ********* communities, increased accessibility to products, and applications through central cloud storage systems, central repositories and detailed documentation, and the ******* for future topic-specific workshops and focus sessions. Conclusion The 2024 NASA ICESat-2 Applications Workshop was the third in a series of workshops – with the first workshop occurring in 2012, six years prior to launch. The EA program was transitioned to the Applied User program, which deployed a post-launch program per the NASA Early Adopter Handbook “that acts as a continuation of the Early Adopter program to engage with Communities of Practice and Potential.” This workshop provided the space to foster collaboration and conceptualization of applications not yet exploited that may be developed using ICESat-2 data products. The workshop met its objectives and created an environment that fostered collaboration between participants. The workshop was a success, and participants requested another one focused on a thematic topic. Updates, future workshops, and other events will be posted on the ICESat-2 ‘Get Involved’ page. Aimee Renee Neeley NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Science Systems and Applications, Inc. *****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 Related TermsEarth Science View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Diseño del pódcast Universo curioso de la NASA, el primer pódcast en español de la agencia, que vuelve **** una segunda temporada en septiembre de 2024. Créditos: NASA / Krystofer Kim Read this news release in English here. Para celebrar el Mes de la Herencia Hispana, la NASA publica nuevos contenidos para Universo curioso de la NASA, el primer pódcast en español de la agencia, que inicia ahora su segunda temporada. La temporada de cinco semanas comienza el martes, **** nuevos episodios disponibles semanalmente. Escucha el avance de la segunda temporada de Universo curioso de la NASA. En cada episodio, Universo curioso destaca las contribuciones de la fuerza laboral hispana y latina de la NASA al trabajo de la agencia en el ámbito de la exploración de la Tierra y el espacio en beneficio de todos. “Mediante el pódcast Universo curioso de la NASA, estamos entusiasmados de contar la historia de los esfuerzos de la NASA para que el espacio esté al alcance de más gente de todo el mundo”, dijo Tonya McNair, administradora asociada adjunta de la Dirección de Misiones de Operaciones Espaciales de la NASA en Washington. “En la segunda temporada, escucharán a trabajadores hispanos y latinos de la NASA, como la directora de vuelo Diana Trujillo y el astronauta Marcos Berríos, que ayudan a dirigir algunas de las misiones de exploración espacial más vitales de la agencia e inspiran al mundo a través del descubrimiento.” Los episodios se centran en algunas de las principales misiones de la NASA, acercando las maravillas de la exploración, la tecnología espacial y los descubrimientos científicos al público hispanohablante del mundo entero. “Este pódcast pone en relieve la dedicación de la NASA a hacer que el conocimiento esté a disposición de todos, independientemente de su lengua materna”, dijo Shahra Lambert, asesora principal de la NASA para la participación pública. “Al compartir la emoción de las misiones de la NASA en el segundo idioma más hablado en los EE.UU. y en todo el mundo, estamos amplificando nuestro alcance y posiblemente allanando el camino para una fuerza de trabajo en ciencia, tecnología, ingeniería y matemáticas más diversa en el futuro.” El primer episodio de Universo curioso se emitió en 2021, como parte de la cobertura en español del lanzamiento del telescopio espacial James Webb. En 2023, el programa fue seleccionado como “Programa que nos encanta” por Apple Podcasts Latinoamérica. Presentado por Noelia González, especialista en comunicaciones del Centro Goddard de Vuelo Espacial de la NASA en Greenbelt, Maryland, en el pódcast invitamos a los oyentes a emprender un viaje a una de las lunas heladas de Júpiter, a oír acerca de los dos primeros años de descubrimientos del telescopio espacial James Webb, así como a conocer la trayectoria de un astronauta de Puerto Rico y de una directora de vuelo colombiana para llegar a la NASA. Los episodios cubrirán el próximo lanzamiento de Europa Clipper en octubre de 2024, una misión que tiene como objetivo determinar si existen lugares bajo la superficie de la luna helada de Júpiter, Europa, que puedan albergar vida. A continuación figura la lista completa de los nuevos episodios, así como sus fechas de publicación: Martes, 17 de septiembre: Avance de la segunda temporada Martes, 24 de septiembre: Diana Trujillo: De Cali a la Luna y Marte Martes, 1 de octubre: Europa Clipper: Un viaje poético a la luna de Júpiter Martes, 8 de octubre: Marcos Berríos: Cómo convertirse en astronauta de la NASA Martes, 15 de octubre: Explorando el cosmos **** Webb Universo curioso de la NASA es una iniciativa conjunta de los programas de comunicación en español y de audio de la agencia. La nueva temporada, así como los episodios anteriores, están disponibles en Apple Podcasts, Spotify y el sitio web de la NASA. Escucha el pódcast en: [Hidden Content] -fin- María José Viñas / Cheryl Warner Sede, Washington 240-458-0248 / 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld View the full article

Podcast art for Universo curioso de la NASA, the agency’s first podcast in Spanish, which returns for a second season in September 2024. Credits: NASA / Krystofer Kim Lee este comunicado de prensa en español aquí. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, NASA is releasing new content for Universo curioso de la NASA, the agency’s first Spanish-language podcast, now in its second season. A five-week season starts Tuesday with new episodes released weekly. Listen to the preview of the second season of Universo curioso de la NASA. In each episode, Universo curioso highlights the contributions of NASA’s Hispanic and Latino workforce to the agency’s work in Earth and space exploration for the benefit of all. “Through the Universo curioso de la NASA podcast, we are thrilled to tell the story of NASA’s efforts to open space to more people from across the world,” said Tonya McNair, deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate in Washington. “In the second season, you’ll hear from NASA’s Hispanic and Latino workforce, like flight director Diana Trujillo and astronaut Marcos Berríos, helping lead some of the agency’s most vital space exploration missions and inspiring the world through discovery.” Episodes focus on some of NASA’s top missions, bringing the wonder of exploration, space technology, and scientific discoveries to Spanish-speaking audiences around the world. “This podcast highlights NASA’s dedication to making knowledge available to all, regardless of their native language,” said Shahra Lambert, NASA senior advisor for engagement. “By sharing the excitement of NASA’s missions in the second most spoken language in the U.S. and around the world, we are amplifying our outreach and possibly paving the way for a more diverse STEM workforce in the future.” The first episode of Universo curioso ran in 2021, as part of the agency’s Spanish coverage of the launch of its James Webb Space Telescope. In 2023, the show was selected as a “Podcast We Love” by Apple Podcasts ****** America. Hosted by Noelia González, communications specialist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, listeners are invited to go on a journey to one of Jupiter’s icy moons, hear about the first two years of discoveries of the James Webb Space Telescope, as well as learn about an astronaut from Puerto Rico’s and a Colombian flight director’s path to NASA. Episodes will cover the upcoming launch of Europa Clipper in October 2024, a mission that aims to determine whether there are places below the surface of Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, that could support life. A complete list of the new episodes, as well as their release dates, is as follows: Tuesday, Sept. 17: Introducing the Second Season Tuesday, Sept. 24 Diana Trujillo: From Cali to the Moon and Mars Tuesday, Oct. 1 Europa Clipper: A Poetic Journey to Jupiter’s Moon Tuesday, Oct. 8 Marcos Berríos: How to Become a NASA Astronaut Tuesday, Oct. 15: Exploring Cosmos with Webb Universo curioso de la NASA is a ****** initiative of the agency’s Spanish-language communications and audio programs. The new season, as well as previous episodes, are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and NASA’s website. Listen to the podcast at: [Hidden Content] -end- María José Viñas / Cheryl Warner Headquarters, Washington 240-458-0248 / 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions The Solar System The Sun Mercury Venus Earth The Moon Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto & Dwarf Planets Asteroids, Comets & Meteors The Kuiper Belt The Oort Cloud 2 min read Sols 4307-4308: Bright Rocks Catch Our Eyes NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity captured this image while exploring a rock-strewn channel of Gediz Vallis on the Red Planet. Mission scientists were particularly intrigued to investigate several bright-toned rocks (at the middle-right, bottom-right and bottom-center of the image), similar to rocks that Curiosity had encountered previously that were unexpectedly rich in sulfur. This image was taken by Left Navigation Camera aboard Curiosity on Sol 4306 — Martian day 4,306 of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission — on Sept. 16, 2024 at 12:47:18 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech Earth planning date: Monday, Sept. 16, 2024 We made good progress through Gediz Vallis in the weekend drive, landing in a segment of the channel containing a mix of loose rubble and other channel-filling debris. Amongst the jumbled scene, though, particular objects of interest caught our eye: bright rocks. In past workspaces in Gediz Vallis, similar bright rocks have been associated with very high to almost pure sulfur contents. As all good geologists know, however, ****** is not diagnostic, so we cannot assume these are the same as sulfur-rich rocks we have encountered previously. The only way to know is to collect data, and that was a significant focus of today’s plan. We planned multiple mosaics across the examples of bright rocks visible in the image above. Mastcam and ChemCam RMI will cover “Bright Dot Lake” and “Sheep Creek” both in the right midfield of the image. Mastcam imaged the example in the bottom right corner of the image at “Marble Falls,” and ChemCam LIBS targeted one of the small bright fragments along the bottom of the image at “Blanc Lake.” There was also a small bit of bright material in the workspace, but unfortunately, it was not reachable by APXS. APXS analyzed a spot near the bright material, at target “Frog Lake,” and MAHLI was able to tack on a few extra images around that target that should capture the bright material. MAHLI also imaged a vuggy target in the workspace at “Grasshopper Flat.” The wider context of the channel was also of interest for imaging, so we captured the full expanse of the channel with one Mastcam mosaic, and focused another on mounds distributed through the channel at target “Copper Creek.” Even with all this rock imaging, we did not miss a beat with our environmental monitoring. We planned regular RAD, REMS, and DAN measurements, mid and late day atmospheric dust observations, a cloud movie, and dust ****** imaging. Our drive is planned to take us up onto one of the ridges in the channel. Will we find more bright rocks there? Or something new and unexpected that was delivered down Gediz Vallis by some past Martian flood or debris flow? Only the channel knows! Written by Michelle Minitti, Planetary Geologist at Framework Share Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 2 min read Reaching New Heights to Unravel Deep Martian History! Article 22 hours ago 5 min read Sols 4304-4006: 12 Years, 42 Drill Holes, and Now… 1 Million ChemCam Shots! Article 4 days ago 3 min read Sols 4302-4303: West Side of Upper Gediz Vallis, From Tungsten Hills to the Next Rocky Waypoint Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited… All Mars Resources Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,… Rover Basics Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a… Mars Exploration: Science Goals The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four… View the full article

Technicians work to complete operations before propellant load occurs ahead of launch for NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2024. NASA/Kim Shiflett NASA’s Europa Clipper mission moves closer to launch as technicians worked on Wednesday, Sept. 11, inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility to prepare the spacecraft for upcoming propellant loading at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The spacecraft will explore Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, which is considered one of the most promising habitable environments in the solar system. The mission will research whether Europa’s subsurface ocean could hold the conditions necessary for life. Europa could have all the “ingredients” for life as we know it: water, organics, and chemical energy. Europa Clipper’s launch ******* opens on Thursday, Oct. 10. It will lift off on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A. The spacecraft then will embark on a journey of nearly six years and 1.8 billion miles before reaching Jupiter’s orbit in 2030. The spacecraft is designed to study Europa’s icy shell, underlying ocean, and potential plumes of water vapor using a gravity science experiment alongside a suite of nine instruments including cameras, spectrometers, a magnetometer, and ice-penetrating radar. The data Europa Clipper collects could improve our understanding of the potential for life elsewhere in the solar system. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett View the full article

Earth Observer Earth Home Earth Observer Home Editor’s Corner Feature Articles Meeting Summaries News Science in the News Calendars In Memoriam More Archives 4 min read Celebrating the First Earth Day Event at NASA Headquarters Photo. Young attendees pose in front of the NASA Worm at the Earth Day celebration at NASA HQ. Photo credit: NASA Introduction Organized by the Science Mission Directorate’s Science Support Office (SSO), NASA hosted its 12th annual Earth Day Celebration event from April 18–19, 2024. For the first time ever, the two-day event was held at NASA Headquarters (HQ) in Washington, DC. The in-person event, which was free and open to the public, featured the newly installed Earth Information Center (EIC) exhibit –­­ see Photos 1–4. The event featured 17 hands-on activities offered in NASA HQ’s East Lobby as well as two adjacent outdoor tents­. Event participants were given an activity passport called the “Passport to Fun” listing all the activities and encouraging attendees to visit the stations and interact with NASA staff – see Figure 1. After completing six or more activities, attendees were able to claim giveaway items, e.g., lenticulars, NASA bags, posters, and calendars. Photos 1–3. Student attendees at the Earth Information Center (EIC) interactive exhibit. Photo credits: NASA Photos 1–3. Student attendees at the Earth Information Center (EIC) interactive exhibit. Photo credits: NASA Photos 1–3. Student attendees at the Earth Information Center (EIC) interactive exhibit. Photo credits: NASA Photo 4. Mark Subbarao [GSFC—Scientific Visualization Studio Lead] engages attendees with NASA science in front of the EIC Hyperwall. Photo credit: NASA Figure 1. Earth Day Activity Passport. Figure credit: NASA Prior to the event, Trena Ferrell [GSFC—Earth Science Education and Public Outreach Lead] arranged for groups of students from several local schools to visit the NASA Earth Day event. This included over 300 students from DuVal High School, Morgan State University, Howard University, Prince George’s County Environmental Academy, Prince George’s County Virtual Academy, International Hispanic School, and homeschoolers. On April 19, all of the students who were present at that time gathered for a plenary in the Webb Auditorium. Ferrell welcomed the attendees and provided introductions to prepare them for a virtual presentation by former NASA astronaut Paul Richards, who interacted with attendees and answered questions for roughly 20 minutes. After Richard’s presentation, the attendees heard from Karen St. Germain [NASA HQ—Director of NASA’s Earth Science Division], whose in-person remarks emphasized to the students the crucial albeit less publicized studies that NASA does of our home planet. Related to this year’s Earth Day theme, “Water Touches Everything,” she discussed the ability of NASA’s Earth observing satellites to track water in all its forms as it circulates throughout the Earth system. St. Germain then answered questions from the audience for 15 minutes – see Photos 5–8. Photo 5.Trena Ferrell [GSFC—Earth Science Education and Public Outreach Lead] welcomed student attendees to the Earth Day event. Photo credit: NASA Photos 6–7. Former NASA astronaut Paul Richards takes audience questions at the NASA Earth Day event. Photo credit: NASA Photos 6–7. Former NASA astronaut Paul Richards takes audience questions at the NASA Earth Day event. Photo credit: NASA Photo 8. Karen St. Germain [NASA Headquarters—Director of NASA’s Earth Science Division] provided remarks and answered student questions in the Webb Auditorium. Photo credit: NASA NASA Administrator Bill Nelson visited the event on April 19, accompanied by Karen St. Germain and several NASA staff members who guided him as he explored the activities offered – see Photos 9–10. Photo 9. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson [center, rear] spent time circulating among the NASA Earth Day hands-on activities. Here, he visits the “Measuring Light the Landsat Way” activity station, where Mike Taylor [GSFC/Science Systems and Applications, Inc.—Landsat Outreach Team] [left] explains how Landsat utilizes the electromagnetic spectrum and spectral signatures to better understand Earth. Photo credit: NASA Photo 10. [Left to right] ****** McKie [Acting NASA Press Secretary], Bill Nelson, Karen St. Germain, and Tom Wagner [Associate Director for Earth Action in the Earth Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate] during the Earth Day media briefing. Photo credit: NASA Throughout the two-day event, it is estimated that as many as 1500 public participants attended along with the 300 students already discussed. While SSO staff distributed 500 activity passports, many small groups and families shared a single passport. SSO staff estimates that the true number of participants may be close to 1500 – see Photos 11–19. Photo 11. A young Earth Day participant interacts with Ellen Gray [NASA GSFC—Earth Science News Team]. Photo credit: NASA Photo 12. Jenny Mottar [NASA HQ—Art Director for the Science Mission Directorate] and Kevin Miller [GSFC—SSO Senior Graphic Designer] hand out “Water Touches Everything” NASA Earth Day posters to student attendees. Photo credit: NASA Photos 13. Ross Walter [GSFC—Data Visualizer and Animator, Landsat Outreach Team] engages with students at the “Viewing Earth From Above with Landsat” station. Photo credit: NASA Photos 14. Students explore the Chesapeake Bay as seen by Landsat 8 with a large, vinyl floor mat. Photo credit: NASA Photo 15. Students play a Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Jeopardy game at the “GEDI Knights Measure Forests from Space” table. Photo credit: NASA Photo 16. Student attendees make ultraviolet-bead bracelets and Helio Big Year buttons at the Heliophysics station. Photo credit: NASA Photo 17. Young attendees engage with Valerie Casasanto [GSFC—Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) Outreach Lead], who helps them work on a three-dimensional glacier puzzle at the “ICESat-2: Ice, Trees, and Earth Height, If You Please!” station. Photo credit: NASA Photo 18. Young attendees engage with the “Meteorite Map Challenge.” Photo credit: NASA Photo 19. Dorian Janney [GSFC—GPM Outreach Specialist] engages visitors at the “Connect the Drops” station, where visitors learn how and why measuring global precipitation helps us better understand our home planet. Photo credit: NASA Conclusion NASA’s first Earth Day Celebration at NASA Headquarters was quite successful. While attendance was lower than previous events held at the more heavily trafficked Union Station or the National Mall, there was a steady stream of people throughout the exhibit on both days. It was also a great opportunity to showcase the new EIC to the public. Earth Day is the largest event organized annually by the SSO. This event requires months of planning, cross-divisional coordination, and intensive design of the hands-on activities – all carried from conceptualization through numerous revisions to implementation by more than 100 individuals from across the agency. This combined effort of SSO staff and assisting organizations results in an event that brings together thousands of visitors from a broad spectrum of ages and backgrounds to enjoy NASA science. This event would not have been possible were it not for the incredible efforts and collaboration put forth by so many of NASA’s outreach professionals. The SSO is grateful for all who helped to make this year’s Earth Day event a success and looks forward to Earth Day 2025. Dalia Kirshenblat NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Global Science & Technology, Inc. (GSFC/GST) dalia.p*****@*****.tld Share Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 Related Terms Earth Science View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

This enormous piece of space hardware is NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s spacecraft bus, which will maneuver the observatory to its place in space and enable it to function while there. It is photographed here in the largest clean room at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, where engineers are inspecting it upon delivery. The bus rests atop an aluminum ring that will temporarily protect its underside. The two copper-******** flaps are Roman’s Lower Instrument Sun Shade –– deployable panels designed to help shield the observatory from sunlight.NASA/Chris Gunn The spacecraft bus that will deliver NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope to its orbit and enable it to function once there is now complete after years of construction, installation, and testing. Now that the spacecraft is assembled, engineers will begin working to integrate the observatory’s other major components, including the science instruments and the telescope itself. “They call it a spacecraft bus for a reason — it gets the telescope to where it needs to be in space,” said Jackie Townsend, the Roman deputy project manager at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “But it’s really more like an RV because it has a whole assortment of functions that enable Roman to accomplish its scientific goals while out there too.” Those goals include surveying wide swaths of the universe to study things like: dark energy, a mysterious cosmic pressure thought to accelerate the universe’s expansion; dark matter, invisible matter seen only via its gravitational influence; and exoplanets, worlds beyond our solar system. The mission’s science wouldn’t be possible without a spacecraft to transport the telescope, point the observatory toward different cosmic targets, provide power, communicate with Earth, control and store instrument data, and regulate Roman’s temperature. Nearly 50 miles of electrical cabling are laced throughout the assembly to enable different parts of the observatory to communicate with each other. The spacecraft will also deploy several major elements that will be stowed for launch, including the solar panels, deployable aperture cover, lower instrument Sun shade, and high-gain antenna. It’s also responsible for collecting and beaming down data, which is no small task for a space observatory that will survey the cosmos like Roman will. “Roman will send back 1.4 terabytes of data per day, compared to about 50 to 60 gigabytes from the James Webb Space Telescope and three gigabytes from the Hubble Space Telescope,” said Jason Hylan, the Roman observatory manager at NASA Goddard. “Webb’s daily downlink is roughly comparable to 13 hours of YouTube video at the highest quality while Roman’s would amount to about 2 weeks.” This top-down view shows NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s spacecraft bus from another angle. It rests atop an aluminum ring that will not be part of the observatory and is surrounded by an enclosure used in testing to ensure electromagnetic interference will not affect the bus’s sensitive electronics. The bus is covered in gray bagging material to prevent contamination –– even tiny stray particles could affect its performance.NASA/Chris Gunn A Goddard Grand Slam This milestone is the culmination of eight years of spacecraft design work, building, and testing by hundreds of people at Goddard. “Goddard employees were the brains, designers, and executors. And they worked with vendors who supplied all the right parts,” Townsend said. “We leaned on generations of expertise in the spacecraft arena to work around cost and schedule challenges that arose from supply chain issues and the pandemic.” One time- and money-saving technique the team came up with was building a spacecraft mockup, called the structural verification unit. That allowed them to do two things at once: complete strength testing on the mockup, designed specifically for that purpose, while also assembling the actual spacecraft. The spacecraft’s clever layout also allowed the team to adapt to changing schedules. It’s designed to be modular, “more like Trivial Pursuit pie pieces than a nesting egg, where interior components are ******* inside,” Townsend said. “That’s been a game-changer because you can’t always count on things arriving in the order you planned or working perfectly right away with no tweaks.” It also increased efficiency because people could work on different portions of the bus at the same time without interfering with each other. The slightly asymmetrical and hexagonal spacecraft bus is about 13 feet (4 meters) wide by 6.5 feet (2 meters) tall and weighs in at 8,400 pounds (3,800 kilograms). While it may look small in this photo, the spacecraft bus for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is 8 feet (2.5 meters) wide by 6.5 feet (2 meters) tall and weighs in at 8,400 pounds (3,800 kilograms). In this photo, it rests atop an aluminum ring that will not be part of the observatory. The bundles of wires on top are part of more than 50 miles of cabling laced throughout the assembly to enable different parts of the observatory to communicate with each other.NASA/Chris Gunn One reason it doesn’t weigh more is that some components have been partially hollowed out. If you could peel back some of the spacecraft’s panels, you’d find superthin metallic honeycomb sandwiched between two slim layers of metal. And many of the components, such as the antenna dish, are made of strong yet lightweight composite materials. When the spacecraft bus was fully assembled, engineers conducted a comprehensive performance test. Prior to this, each component had been tested individually, but just like with a sports team, the whole unit has to perform well together. “The spacecraft passed the test, and now we’re getting ready to install the payload –– Roman’s instruments and the telescope itself,” said Missie Vess, a spacecraft systems engineer for Roman at NASA Goddard. “Next year, we’ll test these systems together and begin integrating the final components of the observatory, including the deployable aperture cover, outer barrel assembly, and solar panels. Then we’ll finally have ourselves a complete observatory, on track for launch by May 2027.” To virtually tour an interactive version of the telescope, visit: [Hidden Content] 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. 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 2 min read Solar Panels for NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Pass Key Tests Article 3 weeks ago 6 min read Primary Instrument for Roman Space Telescope Arrives at NASA Goddard Article 1 month ago 6 min read How NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Will Illuminate Cosmic Dawn Article 2 months ago Share Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 EditorAshley BalzerContactAshley Balzer*****@*****.tldLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related TermsNancy Grace Roman Space TelescopeCommunicating and Navigating with MissionsDark EnergyDark MatterExoplanetsGoddard Space Flight CenterGoddard TechnologySpace Communications TechnologyTechnologyThe Universe View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

News Chief Rob Garner shares NASA Goddard’s story with the public, supporting writers and creators in the Office of Communications. Name: Rob Garner Title: News Chief Formal Job Classification: Senior public affairs specialist Organization: Office of Communications (Code 130) Rob Garner has worked in the Office of Communications at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., since 2007.NASA/Jamie Adkins What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? I am responsible for helping take the great work going on at our center and sharing it with as many people as we can. My job is sort of like being an editor in chief. I try to set the tone for our storytelling and manage our publication schedule. Mostly I try to give our writers and other communicators the support they need to do their jobs — and then I try to get out of their way so they can do what they do best. What is your educational background? I have a B.A. in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a minor in astronomy, as well as a Master of Library Science degree focusing on archives, also from UMD. Why did you want to be a journalist? I sort of fell into the work that I am doing. In high school, I thought I would be a band director. I realized very quickly after high school that my enthusiasm for music did not align with my proficiency in it. Music ******** an important hobby, but I needed to make a living doing something else. I did not really enjoy writing until I got to college and had the opportunity to experience journalism. Tight writing, going straight to the source to get answers, accurate researching, it all appealed to me. I think journalism as a profession plays a critical role in ensuring an informed and functional society. How did you come to work for Goddard? After I graduated college, I worked weekends for a few months on the digital desk at WTOP radio, editing copy and updating their website. I was still looking for a fulltime gig, and I happened upon a newspaper classified for a position at Goddard. It called for a little bit of newswriting, a little bit of web editing, a little bit of science. Until that moment, I never imagined NASA could have a place for someone like me. Goddard offered me a one-year fellowship in the Office of Communication (back then called Public Affairs) to do website editing for our Earth science team. The fellowship was renewed a few times, and eventually I became a general web editor, then also a social media editor, and eventually leader of the digital media team. In 2022, I became the news chief. As news chief, what is your vision? I take very seriously the part of NASA’s 1958 charter that charges the agency not just with conducting cutting-edge research, but also with sharing our work with the broadest possible audience. We must also drive home why what we do matters. The first thing I look for when reviewing copy is how well the piece addresses the “why.” What makes a good science communicator? Goddard has some 10,000 people, mostly researchers and engineers. Here, a successful science communicator is one who develops relationships among these different people and a deep understanding of their many projects. As communicators, we cannot do our jobs if we do not also have the trust of the people actually doing the science. As a mentor, what is the one big piece of advice you give? I tell our interns to jump in with both feet. So much of what we do and what we know cannot be found in any handbook or manual. So much of it is the institutional knowledge that each of us carries based on our own experiences. Grab hold of the people who have the experience and take in as much as you can from them. Immersing in and embracing that Goddard culture is what will set apart a good colleague from a great one. Everyone in the newsroom here knows that you are quite fond of the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook and the NASA Stylebook and Communications Manual. Can you please explain what they and why you are so fond of them? One can think of AP style as an appendix or addendum to the dictionary, and the NASA style manual as an appendix or addendum to AP. The aim in having all of these mechanics standardized is to make it easier for the reader to read what you are writing. Even if one doesn’t know the rules governing serial comma usage, most of us can tell when what we’re reading is sloppy. Any time you force the reader to pause and review, there is a chance you will lose them. They may tune out and take their attention elsewhere. These manuals lay out more than the mechanics of which states get abbreviated in what way, when to use semicolons, and when to use em dashes. They also give us guidelines about how to do our jobs, covering things like ethics, chain of command, and conflict resolution. What do you enjoy best about your job? My job is not just editing copy, fielding questions from reporters, or escorting groups for tours or documentary filming. I do enjoy all of that, but what I like most is that every day is different, and every day I learn something new. I love the variety of tasks and tactics that we use get our message out to the world. NASA plays a critical role in benefitting all of humanity by broadening our knowledge about the universe and our place in it. It’s personally very meaningful to me to have even a small role in that mission. And I enjoy working with a really great group of people. You said in high school you thought you would become a band director. Have you kept up with playing? In my free time, I do still play trumpet. For almost 20 years, I have played in community orchestras that draw repertoire from video game soundtracks. The past 10 years, I’ve been with the Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra (WMGSO), along with my wife, who plays the violin. This group — well over 100 of us — originated when we were all in college, and we have continued together since then. What makes our group special is that we still do a lot of the orchestration ourselves, meaning that you cannot hear our music anywhere else. We meet once a week and perform three or four times a year throughout the D.C. area. We even have an album out, with another on the way soon. Can you please tell us about your dog rescue volunteer work? Since 2018, my wife and I have been involved with a couple area animal rescues. We typically take in newly weaned puppies and keep them for the weeks or months it takes for them to find their forever homes. While they are in our care, we keep them safe, fed, warm, and loved. We also socialize them as much as possible. The organizations take care of finding them homes through weekly adoption events. My wife and I have three dogs of our own, two of which are rescues from this group. We have fostered hundreds over the years. I lost count somewhere north of 250 — and counting. I think it is important for everyone to find a way to make the world a better place. This is our way of doing that. Garner and then-Goddard News Chief Ed Campion celebrating the latter’s retirement in 2018. Aloha shirt Fridays were a mainstay of Campion’s tenure.NASA/Bill Hrybyk Who would you like to thank for helping you? That’s a long list! I’m forever grateful to Goddard’s executive producer, Wade Sisler, who saw something in babyface Rob Garner, nearly fresh out of school, and gave me a chance at a toehold in NASA. I definitely want to thank Ed Campion, our retired former news chief and “minister of truth,” for all he did for me. When I first got to Goddard in 2007, Ed was one of the first people to take me under his wing and teach me about Goddard and NASA culture. Ed came through the agency during some very hard times, both shuttle accidents, and some very important highs, like the successful Hubble telescope repair missions. He worked at NASA Headquarters in Washington and also at Johnson Space Center in Houston. I learned a lot about how to do this job, and how to treat your teammates, from him. I also want to thank my wife Katie. She’s challenged me and encouraged me to grow into a better person. Raising a family together has been a wild ride, and it’s only just getting started. What is your “six-word memoir”? A six-word memoir describes something in just six words. “Omit needless words. Assume positive intent.” The first half was the rule hammered into us in journalism school. The second half is the mantra I learned from Michelle Jones, former head of Goddard communications, about treating others with kindness and compassion. Michelle — now the deputy associate administrator for communications at NASA — is another mentor I could never thank enough for helping me get where I am. By Elizabeth M. Jarrell NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage. Share Details Last Updated Sep 16, 2024 EditorMadison OlsonContactJamie Adkins*****@*****.tldLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related TermsPeople of GoddardGoddard Space Flight CenterPeople of NASA Explore More 6 min read Childhood Snow Days Transformed Linette Boisvert into a Sea Ice Scientist Article 7 days ago 7 min read Kyle Helson Finds EXCITE-ment in Exoplanet Exploration Article 7 days ago 5 min read Zachary Morse Hikes Hilltops, Caves Lava Tubes to Ready Moon Missions Article 2 weeks ago View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

6 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) This artist’s concept depicts NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter. The mission is targeting an Oct. 10, 2024, launch.NASA/JPL-Caltech The first NASA spacecraft dedicated to studying an ocean world beyond Earth, Europa Clipper aims to find out if the ice-encased moon Europa could be habitable. NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft, the largest the agency has ever built for a planetary mission, will travel 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to Europa, an intriguing icy moon of Jupiter. The spacecraft’s launch ******* opens Thursday, Oct. 10. Learn more about how NASA’s Europa Clipper came together – and how it will explore an ocean moon of Jupiter. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Data from previous NASA missions has provided scientists with strong evidence that an enormous salty ocean ***** underneath the frozen surface of the moon. Europa Clipper will orbit Jupiter and conduct 49 close flybys of the moon to gather data needed to determine whether there are places below its thick frozen crust that could support life. Here are eight things to know about the mission: 1. Europa is one of the most promising places to look for currently habitable conditions beyond Earth. There’s scientific evidence that the ingredients for life — water, the right chemistry, and energy — may exist at Europa right now. This mission will gather the information scientists need to find out for sure. The moon may hold an internal ocean with twice the water of Earth’s oceans combined, and it may also host organic compounds and energy sources under its surface. If the mission determines that Europa is habitable, it would mean there may be more habitable worlds in our solar system and beyond than we have imagined. 2. The spacecraft will fly through one of the most punishing radiation environments in our solar system — second only to the Sun’s. Jupiter is surrounded by a gigantic magnetic field 20,000 times stronger than Earth’s. As the field spins, it captures and accelerates charged particles, creating radiation that can damage spacecraft. Mission engineers designed a spacecraft vault to shield sensitive electronics from radiation, and they plotted orbits that will limit the time Europa Clipper spends in most radiation-heavy areas around Jupiter. 3. Europa Clipper will orbit Jupiter, studying Europa while flying by the moon dozens of times. The spacecraft will make looping orbits around Jupiter that bring it close to Europa for 49 science-dedicated flybys. On each orbit, the spacecraft will spend less than a day in Jupiter’s dangerous radiation zone near Europa before zipping back out. Two to three weeks later, it will repeat the process, making another flyby. 4. Europa Clipper features NASA’s most sophisticated suite of science instruments yet. To determine if Europa is habitable, Europa Clipper must assess the moon’s interior, composition, and geology. The spacecraft carries nine science instruments and a gravity experiment that uses the telecommunications system. In order to obtain the best science during each flyby, all the science instruments will operate simultaneously on every pass. Scientists will then layer the data together to paint a full picture of the moon. 5. With antennas and solar arrays fully deployed, Europa Clipper is the largest spacecraft NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission. The spacecraft extends 100 feet (30.5 meters) from one end to the other and about 58 feet (17.6 meters) across. That’s ******* than a basketball court, thanks in large part to the solar arrays, which need to be huge so they can collect enough sunlight while near Jupiter to power the instruments, electronics, and other subsystems. 6. It’s a long journey to Jupiter. Jupiter is on average some 480 million miles (about 770 million kilometers) from Earth; both planets are in motion, and a spacecraft can carry only a limited amount of fuel. Mission planners are sending Europa Clipper past Mars and then Earth, using the planets’ gravity as a slingshot to add speed to the spacecraft’s trek. After journeying about 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) over 5½ years, the spacecraft will ***** its engines to enter orbit around Jupiter in 2030. 7. Institutions across the U.S. and Europe have contributed to Europa Clipper. Currently, about a thousand people work on the mission, including more than 220 scientists from both the U.S. and Europe. Since the mission was officially approved in 2015, more than 4,000 people have contributed to Europa Clipper, including teams who work for contractors and subcontractors. 8. More than 2.6 million of us are riding along with the spacecraft, bringing greetings from one water world to another. As part of a mission campaign called “Message in a Bottle,” the spacecraft is carrying a poem by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, cosigned by millions of people from nearly every country in the world. Their names have been stenciled onto a microchip attached to a tantalum metal plate that seals the spacecraft’s electronics vault. The plate also features waveforms of people saying the word “water” in over 100 spoken languages. More About Europa Clipper Europa Clipper’s three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon’s icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission’s detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet. Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory leads the development of the Europa Clipper mission in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The main spacecraft body was designed by APL in collaboration with JPL and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The Planetary Missions Program Office at Marshall executes program management of the Europa Clipper mission. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, manages the launch service for the Europa Clipper spacecraft, which will launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy. Find more information about Europa here: [Hidden Content] Europa Clipper Teachable Moment See Europa’s Chaos Terrain in Crisp Detail Europa Clipper Gets Its Super-Size Solar Arrays News Media Contacts Gretchen McCartney Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-393-6215 gretchen.p*****@*****.tld Karen Fox / Molly Wasser NASA Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 *****@*****.tld / *****@*****.tld 2024-125 Share Details Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 Related TermsEuropa ClipperJet Propulsion LaboratoryJupiterThe Solar System Explore More 4 min read NASA’s Artemis II Crew Uses Iceland Terrain for Lunar Training At first glance, it seems like a scene from an excursion on the Moon’s surface…except… Article 4 days ago 3 min read NASA to Develop Lunar Time Standard for Exploration Initiatives Article 5 days ago 23 min read The Next Full Moon is a Partial Lunar Eclipse; a Supermoon; the Corn Moon; and the Harvest Moon The next full Moon will be Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at 10:35 PM EDT. The… Article 6 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]