NASA

A member of the winning team of NASA’s 2023’s BIG Idea Challenge working on their Lunar Forge project, Production of Steel from Lunar Regolith through Carbonyl Iron Refining (CIR).University of Utah Through Artemis, NASA plans to conduct long-duration human and robotic missions on the lunar surface in preparation for future crewed exploration of Mars. Expanding exploration capabilities requires a robust lunar infrastructure, including practical and cost-effective ways to construct a lunar base. One method is employing in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) – or the ability to use naturally occurring resources – to produce consumables and build structures in the future, which will make explorers more Earth-independent. An ISRU process that NASA wants to learn more about is forging metals from lunar minerals to create structures and tools in the future. Through its 2023 Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-Changing (BIG) Idea Lunar Forge Challenge, NASA sought innovative concepts from university students to design an ISRU metal production pipeline on the Moon. The year-and-a-half-long challenge, funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) and Office of STEM Engagement, supports NASA’s Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative in developing new approaches and novel technologies to pave the way for successful exploration on the surface of the Moon. Finalist teams presented their research, designs, prototypes, and testing results to a panel of NASA and industry judges at a culminating forum on Nov. 16, in Cleveland, Ohio. The University of Utah team, partnering with Powder Metallurgy Research Laboratory, earned the Artemis Award, which represents top honors in the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge. Their lunar forge project, Production of Steel from Lunar Regolith through Carbonyl Iron Refining (CIR), represents a promising avenue to extract iron from reduced lunar regolith and refine it into a high purity powder product in a two-stage process. The Artemis Award is given to the team whose concept has the best potential to contribute to and be integrated into an Artemis mission. There were multiple times we came close to scrapping the concept, but each time we found the strength to go a little farther. Our small group was driven by a genuine belief in the concept and curiosity of what would happen. This honor has validated the perseverance, effort, and dedication of exploring an innovative and applied idea. Participating in this challenge has allowed us to gain a tremendous and unique experience in technical and collaboration skills. We are incredibly grateful for this opportunity and for the friends we made along the way! Collin Andersen, Team Lead University of Utah and Powder Metallurgy Research Laboratory The University of Utah team, partnering with Powder Metallurgy Research Laboratory, earned the Artemis Award, which represents top honors in the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge. Credit: National Institute of Aerospace Teams could select to address technologies needed along any point in the lunar metal production pipeline, including, but not limited to: Metal detecting Metal refining Forming materials for additive manufacturing Testing and qualifying 3D printed infrastructure for use on the Moon In January, teams submitted proposal packages, from which seven finalists were selected in March 2023 for funding of up to $180,000, totaling nearly $1.1 million across all teams. The finalists then worked for nine months designing, developing, and demonstrating their concepts. The 2023 BIG Idea program concluded at its annual forum, where teams presented their results and answered questions from judges, followed by an interactive poster session. Experts from NASA and other aerospace companies evaluated the student concepts based on technical innovation, credibility, management, and teams’ verification testing. In addition to the presentation, the teams provided a technical paper and technical poster detailing their proposed metal production pipeline. This was a fantastic experience for both the student and NASA participants. The university concepts for how to forge metal on the Moon were inspiring and resulted in diverse, novel approaches for the agency to consider, as well as an extensive learning experience for students. The BIG Idea Challenge proves time and time again that engaging the academic community in complex technology challenges is a worthwhile endeavor for everyone involved. Niki werkheiser Director of technology maturation within STMD In addition to the top spot, several teams were recognized in other categories, including: Edison Award: Missouri University of Science & Technology Path-to-Flight Award: University of North Texas with Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Processes Institute at UNT; Enabled Engineering Systems Engineering: Northwestern University with Wearifi, Inc. Best Verification Demonstration: Colorado School of Mines BIG Picture Award: Massachusetts Institute of Technology with Honeybee Robotics Innovation Award: Pennsylvania State University with RFHIC & Jacobs Space Exploration Group The 2023 BIG Idea Challenge is sponsored by NASA through a collaboration between STMD’s Game Changing Development program and the Office of STEM Engagement’s Space Grant project. The Challenge is managed by a partnership between the National Institute of Aerospace and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). Students from Northwestern University with Wearifi, Inc., winners of the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge System’s Engineering award.Credit: Northwestern University Colorado School of Mines team members are shown submerging the housing into a furnace holding simulated regolith melt > 1,300°C in the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge.Credit: Colorado School of Mines An image of MIT’s floating zone furnace set up for the unbeneficiated small-scale experiment. Credit: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Missouri University of Science & Technology’s team members are shown working on their lunar forge project in the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge.Credit: Missouri University of Science & Technology An image of furrowed soil created by ACRE’s plow in Northwestern’s BIG Idea Challenge project. Credit: Northwestern University Penn State University’s SMELT system is shown during experiments with 20-g samples during the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge. Credit: Penn State University Student from Missouri University of Science and Technology working on the team’s lunar forge project in the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge.Credit: Missouri University of Science and Technology An overview image depicts how University of North Texas’s SIMPLE project works, in the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge. Credit: University of North Texas Colorado School of Mines team members pouring regolith slag into tile sandcasting molds to review applicability for use as building products in the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge. Credit: Colorado School of Mines An image of one step in the process of reducing anorthite to alumina in Missouri University of Science & Technology’s BIG Idea Challenge project. Credit: Missouri University of Science and Technology Penn State University’s SMELT system is shown during experiments with 20-g samples during the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge. Credit: Penn State University The University of Utah team, partnering with Powder Metallurgy Research Laboratory, earned the Artemis Award, which represents top honors in the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge. Pictured here with Dave Moore, Program Manager for NASA’s Game Changing Development program. Credit: Amy McCluskey, National Institute of Aerospace BIG Idea Challenge winners of the Best Verification Demonstration, Colorado School of MinesAmy McCluskey, National Institute of Aerospace 2023 BIG Idea Challenge winners of the BIG Picture Award, Massachusetts Institute of Technology with Honeybee Robotics Amy McCluskey, National Institute of Aerospace 2023 BIG Idea Challenge winners of the Edison Award, Missouri University of Science & TechnologyAmy McCluskey, National Institute of Aerospace 2023 BIG Idea Challenge winners of the Innovation Award, Pennsylvania State University with RFHIC & Jacobs Space Exploration GroupAmy McCluskey, National Institute of Aerospace 2023 BIG Idea Challenge winners of the Path to Flight Award, University of North Texas with Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Processes Institute at UNT; Enabled EngineeringCredit: Amy McCluskey, National Institute of Aerospace 2023 BIG Idea Challenge winners of the Systems Engineering Award, Northwestern University with Wearifi, Inc.Credit: Amy McCluskey, National Institute of Aerospace NASA sponsors the 2023 BIG Idea Challenge through its Game Changing Development program and the Office of STEM Engagement’s Space Grant project. The National Institute of Aerospace and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland managed the challenge for NASA. Team presentations, technical papers, and digital posters are available on the BIG Idea website.     For full competition details, visit: https://bigidea.nianet.org/2023-challenge/      NASA’s 2023 annual Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-Changing (BIG) Idea Challenge asks college students to design technologies that will support a metal production pipeline on the Moon – from extracting metal from lunar minerals to creating structures and tools. NASA/Advanced Concepts Lab Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate NASA’s Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative Game Changing Development Projects NASA STEM Opportunities and Activities For Students   View the full article

7 Min Read Deformable Mirrors in Space: Key Technology toDirectly Image Earth Twins PROJECT: Deformable Mirror Technology development SNAPSHOT Deformable mirrors enable direct imaging of exoplanets by correcting imperfections or shape changes in a space telescope down to subatomic scales. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video d Finding and studying Earth-like planets orbiting nearby stars is critical to understand whether we are alone in the universe. To study such planets and assess if they can sustain life, it is necessary to directly image them. However, these planets are difficult to observe, since light from the host star hides them with its glare. A coronagraph instrument can be used to remove the glare light from the host star, enabling reflected light from the planet to be collected. A deformable mirror is an essential component of a coronagraph, as it can correct the tiniest of imperfections in the telescope and remove any remaining starlight contamination. Detecting an Earth-like planet poses significant challenges as the planet is approximately 10 billion times fainter than its parent star. The main challenge is to block nearly all of the star’s light so that the faint light reflected from the planet can be collected. A coronagraph can block the starlight, however, any instability in the telescope’s optics—such as misalignment between mirrors or a change in the mirror’s shape—can result in starlight leakage, causing glare that hides the planet. Therefore, detecting an Earth-like planet using a coronagraph requires precise control of both the telescope and the instrument’s optical quality, or wavefront, to an extraordinary level of 10s of picometers (pm), which is approximately on the order of the size of a hydrogen atom. Deformable mirrors will enable future space coronagraphs to achieve this level of control. These devices will be demonstrated in space on a coronagraph technology demonstration instrument on NASA’s Roman Space Telescope, which will launch by May 2027. This technology will also be critical to enable a future flagship mission after Roman recommended by the 2020 Decadal Survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics, provisionally called the “Habitable Worlds Observatory” (HWO). What is a deformable mirror and how do they work? Deformable Mirrors (DM) are devices that can adjust the optical path of incoming light by changing the shape of a reflective mirror using precisely controlled piston-like actuators. By adjusting the shape of the mirror, it is possible to correct the wavefront that is perturbated by optical aberrations upstream and downstream of the DM. These aberrations can be caused by external perturbations, like atmospheric turbulence, or by optical misalignments or defects internal to the telescope. DM technology originated to enable adaptive optics (AO) in ground-based telescopes, where the primary goal is to correct the aberrations caused by atmospheric turbulence. The main characteristics of a DM are: 1) the number of actuators, which is proportional to the correctable field of view; 2) the actuators’ maximum stroke – i.e., how far they can move; 3) the DM speed, or time required to modify the DM surface; 4) the surface height resolution that defines the smallest wavefront control step, and (5) the stability of the DM surface. Ground-based deformable mirrors have set the state-of-the-art in performance, but to lay the groundwork to eventually achieve ambitious goals like the Habitable Worlds Observatory, further development of DMs for use in space is underway. For a space telescope, DMs do not need to correct for the atmosphere, but instead must correct the very small optical perturbations that slowly occur as the space telescope and instrument heat up and cool down in orbit. Contrast goals (the brightness difference between the planet and the star) for DMs in space are on the order of 10-10 which is 1000 times deeper than the contrast goals of ground-based counterparts. For space applications total stroke requirements are usually less than a micrometer; however, DM surface height resolution of ~10 pm and DM surface stability of ~10 pm/hour are the key and driving requirements. Another key aspect is the increased number of actuators needed for both space- and ground-based applications. Each actuator requires a high voltage connection (on the order of 100V) and fabricating a large number of connections creates an additional challenge. Deformable Mirror State-of-the-Art Two main DM actuator technologies are currently being considered for space missions. The first is electrostrictive technology, in which an actuator is mechanically connected to the DM’s reflective surface. When a voltage is applied to the actuator, it contracts and modifies the mirror surface. The second technology is the electrostatically-forced Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) DM. In this case, the mirror surface is deformed by an electrostatic force between an electrode and the mirror. Several NASA-sponsored contractor teams are working on advancing the DM performance required to meet the requirements of future NASA missions, which are much more stringent than most commercial applications, and thus, have a limited market application. Some examples of those efforts include improving the mirror’s surface quality or developing more advanced DM electronics. MEMS DMs manufactured by Boston Micromachines Corporation (BMC) have been tested in vacuum conditions and have undergone launch vibration testing. The largest space-qualified BMC device is the 2k DM (shown in Fig. 2), which has 50 actuators across its diameter (2040 actuators in total). Each actuator is only 400 microns across. The largest MEMS DM produced by BMC is the 4k DM, which has 64 actuators across its diameter (4096 actuators in total) and is used in the coronagraph instrument for the Gemini ground-based observatory. However, the 4k DM has not been qualified for space flight. Fig. 2: The Boston Micromachines Corporation 2k DM that has 2040 actuators with 400 um pitch. Credit: Dr. Eduardo Bendek Electrostrictive DMs manufactured by AOA Xinetics (AOX) have also been validated in vacuum and qualified for space flight. The AOX 2k DM has a 48 x 48 actuator grid (2304 actuators) with a 1 mm pitch. Two of these AOX 2k DMs will be used in the Roman Space Telescope Coronagraph (Fig. 3) to demonstrate the DM technology for high-contrast imaging in space. AOX has also manufactured larger devices, including a 64 x 64 actuator unit tested at JPL. Fig. 3: The Roman Space Telescope Coronagraph during assembly of the static optics at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Credit: NASA Preparing the technology for the Habitable Worlds Observatory Deformable Mirror technology has advanced rapidly, and a version of this technology will be demonstrated in space on the Roman Space Telescope. However, it is anticipated that for wavefront control for missions like the HWO, even larger DMs with up to ~10,000 actuators would be required, such as 96 x 96 arrays. Providing a high-voltage connection to each of the actuators is a challenge that will require a new design. The HWO would also involve unprecedented wavefront control requirements, such as a resolution step size down to single-digit picometers, and a stability of ~10 pm/hr. These requirements will not only drive the DM design, but also the electronics that control the DMs, since the resolution and stability are largely defined by the command signals sent by the controller, which require the implementation of filters to remove any noise the electronics could introduce. NASA’s Astrophysics Division investments in DM technologies have advanced DMs for space flight onboard the Roman Space Telescope Coronagraph, and the Division is preparing a Technology Roadmap to further advance the DM performance to enable the HWO. Author: Eduardo Bendek, Ph.D. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. The research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NM0018D0004). ACTIVITY LEADS Dr. Eduardo Bendek (JPL) and Dr. Tyler Groff (GSFC), Co-chairs of DM Technology Roadmap working group; Paul Bierden (BMC); Kevin King (AOX). SPONSORING ORGANIZATION Astrophysics Division Strategic Astrophysics Technology (SAT) Program, and the NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Share Details Last Updated Nov 20, 2023 Related Terms Astrophysics Science-enabling Technology View the full article

2 min read NASA One Step Closer to Fueling Space Missions with Plutonium-238 Close-up of NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover as it looks back at its wheel tracks on March 17, 2022, the 381st Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Credit: NASA The recent shipment of heat source plutonium-238 from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Oak Ridge National Laboratory to its Los Alamos National Laboratory is a critical step toward fueling planned NASA missions with radioisotope power systems. This shipment of 0.5 kilograms (a little over 1 pound) of new heat source plutonium oxide is the largest since the domestic restart of plutonium-238 production over a decade ago. It marks a significant milestone toward achieving the constant rate production average target of 1.5 kilograms per year by 2026. Radioisotope power systems, or RPS, enable exploration of some of the deepest, darkest, and most distant destinations in the solar system and beyond. RPS use the natural decay of the radioisotope plutonium-238 to provide heat to a spacecraft in the form of a Light Weight Radioisotope Heater Unit (LWRHU), or heat and electricity in the form of a system such as the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG). The DOE has produced the heat source plutonium oxide required to fuel the RPS for missions such as NASA’s Mars 2020. The first spacecraft to benefit from this restart, the Perseverance rover, carries some of the new plutonium produced by DOE. An MMRTG continuously provides the car-sized rover with heat and about 110 watts of electricity, enabling the exploration of the Martian surface and the gathering of soil samples for possible retrieval. “NASA’s Radioisotope Power Systems Program works in partnership with the Department of Energy to enable missions to operate in some of the most extreme environments in our solar system and interstellar space,” said Carl Sandifer, RPS program manager at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. For over sixty years, the United States has employed radioisotope-based electrical power systems and heater units in space. Three dozen missions have explored space for decades using the reliable electricity and heat provided by RPS. NASA and DOE are continuing their long-standing partnership to ensure the nation can enable future missions requiring radioisotopes for decades to come. Kristin Jansen NASA’s Glenn Research Center Explore More 5 min read Indigenous Student Brings Skills, Perspective to NASA Internship Article 1 week ago 1 min read NASA’s new streaming service is here. More space. More science. More NASA. Article 2 weeks ago 1 min read Purdue University Honors Dr. Kenyon Article 2 weeks ago View the full article

Teams with Astrobotic install the NASA meatball decal on Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, at the Astrotech Space Operations Facility near the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.NASA/Isaac Watson NASA will host a What’s on Board media teleconference at 2 p.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 29, to discuss the science payloads flying aboard the first commercial robotic flight to the lunar surface as part of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative under the Artemis program. Carrying NASA and commercial payloads to the Moon, Astrobotic Technologies will launch its Peregrine lander on ULA’s (United Launch Alliance) Vulcan rocket. Liftoff of the ULA Vulcan rocket is targeted no earlier than Sunday, Dec. 24, from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Peregrine lunar lander will touch down on the Moon in early 2024. Audio of the call will stream on the agency’s website at: https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv Briefing participants include: Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington Ryan Watkins, program scientist, Exploration Science Strategy and Integration Office, NASA Headquarters Chris Culbert, program manager, CLPS, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston John Thornton, CEO, Astrobotic, Pittsburgh To participate by telephone, media must RSVP no later than two hours before the briefing to: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. NASA awarded a task order for the delivery of scientific payloads to Astrobotic in May 2019. Among the items on its lander, the Peregrine Mission One will carry NASA payloads investigating the lunar exosphere, thermal properties of the lunar regolith, hydrogen abundances in the soil at the landing site, and magnetic fields, as well as radiation environment monitoring. Through Artemis, NASA is working with multiple CLPS vendors to establish a regular cadence of payload deliveries to the Moon to perform experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the lunar surface. This pool of companies may bid on task orders to deliver NASA payloads to the Moon. Task orders include payload integration and operations, launching from Earth, and landing on the surface of the Moon. The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity CLPS contracts have a cumulative maximum value of $2.6 billion through 2028. With CLPS, as well as with human exploration near the lunar South Pole, NASA will establish a long-term cadence of Moon missions in preparation for sending the first astronauts to Mars. For more Artemis updates, follow along at: https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/ -end- Karen Fox / Alise Fisher Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 / 202-358-2546 karen.fox@nasa.gov / alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov Nilufar Ramji Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov Antonia Jaramillo Kennedy Space Center, Florida 321-501-8425 antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Nov 20, 2023 Location NASA Headquarters Related Terms ArtemisCommercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS)Commercial SpaceHumans in Space View the full article

A team of engineers participate in simulation training for the Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 (PRIME-1) on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023, inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The purpose of the training is to get the integrated PRIME-1 team – engineers with PRIME-1’s MSOLO (Mass Spectrometer Observing Lunar Operations) and Honeybee Robotics’ TRIDENT (The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain) drill – prepared to operate the instrument on the lunar surface. The team commanded the PRIME-1 hardware, located at Intuitive Machines in Houston, to operate MSOLO and TRIDENT. “While the MSOLO and TRIDENT teams have been independently training extensively, it’s exciting to have both teams in the room together operating our hardware concurrently,” said Pri Johnson, one of the MSOLO systems engineers. “There’s a tangible energy in the room this week as we all work together for this mission simulation. It all started to feel very real!” PRIME-1 is scheduled to launch through NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Delivery Service) initiative and will be the first in-situ resource utilization demonstration on the Moon, with MSOLO and TRIDENT making up its two primary components. Through Artemis missions, CLPS deliveries will be used to perform science experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon and prepare for human deep space exploration missions. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux View the full article

The NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s reveals a portion of the Milky Way’s dense core in a new light. An estimated 500,000 stars shine in this image of the Sagittarius C (Sgr C) region, along with some as-yet unidentified features. A large region of ionized hydrogen, shown in cyan, contains intriguing needle-like structures that lack any uniform orientation.NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, and S. Crowe (University of Virginia) A star-forming region, named Sagittarius C (Sgr C), is seen in exceptional detail in this image from Nov. 20, 2023, thanks to the Near-Infrared Camera instrument on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. An estimated 500,000 stars shine in this image of the Sgr C region, along with some never-before-seen features astronomers have yet to explain. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, and S. Crowe (University of Virginia) View the full article

A Journey of Support and Community Impact Small Business Saturday is an annual holiday that encourages shoppers to support local businesses. Taking place on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, it stands as a dedicated day to celebrate and rally support for the contributions small businesses make to their communities. This year, amid the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the emphasis on supporting small businesses is more crucial than ever as they navigate and adapt to evolving circumstances. The History and Evolution: As of 2013, communities actively embraced the holiday, expressing solidarity by pledging support for their local businesses and organizations. The timeline of Small Business Saturday is marked by the following key milestones: 2010: Small Business Saturday was launched 2011: The U.S. Senate unanimously passes a resolution endorsing the day 2013: Over 1400 individuals become “Neighborhood Champions,” organizing local events 2015: The Small Business Administration (SBA) becomes a co-sponsor of Small Business Saturday 2020: Americans set a record by spending $19.8 billion on Small Business Saturday 2021: Shoppers surpass the previous year’s record, contributing over $20 billion Today, Small Business Saturday has the unwavering support from private sectors, the SBA, and Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), and NASA. For small business owners, their enterprises transcend mere commercial endeavors — they are extensions of their identities. Supporting local businesses in your community not only ensures their survival but also fosters thriving communities, establishing a symbiotic relationship between these businesses and the people they serve. This year, Small Business Saturday is on November 25, 2023. Historically, the NASA Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) has celebrated this annual holiday by launching a Small Business Saturday Campaign. Now, in 2023, NASA OSBP developed a comprehensive Small Business Saturday Digital Toolkit. This toolkit comprises of digital posters and a virtual background designed to serve as a call-to-action for small business program specialists to integrate it into meetings for a whole week. Our outreach extended beyond the toolkit, urging followers to embrace the theme of “Shop, Support and Sustain!” We invited everyone to display their support by shopping small and tagging us in their posts on social media. We continue to invite all individuals to help to make this movement a success! Keep an eye out for our upcoming social media posts, where we will be sharing informative strategy guides and an engaging Small Biz Bingo game. Your participation is key to amplifying the impact of this movement, and we look forward to having you on board for another year of supporting and celebrating local businesses. NASA OSBP is dedicated to championing and uplifting local businesses making an impact on Small Business Saturday and beyond! Editor: Maliya Malik, NASA Office of Small Business Programs Intern View the full article

3 min read NASA to Highlight Inclusion During Bayou Classic Event NASA Logo.NASA NASA is bringing a clear message to the 50th Annual Bayou Classic Friday, Nov. 24 and Saturday, Nov. 25 – while exploring the universe for the benefit of all, it is equally invested in ensuring the participation of all in the agency and its discovery work. The commitment will be on full display during NASA’s outreach and engagement activities at the Bayou Classic weekend in New Orleans. “Our message is simple – there’s space for everybody at NASA,” said Pamela Covington, Office of Communications director at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, which is leading the agency’s Bayou Classic planning. “We need everyone involved if we hope to accomplish our shared mission and truly benefit all humanity.” The annual Bayou Classic event, which features a football game and a spirited Battle of the Bands, typically attracts more than 200,000 students and supporters from two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) – Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Grambling State University in Grambling, Louisiana – to New Orleans. In addition to signage and social media messaging, NASA Stennis representatives will be on hand during Fan Fest activities Nov. 25 to interact and visit with event participants. Alumni and others will staff a NASA booth at Champions Square next to the Caesars Superdome from 9 a.m. CDT to 12 p.m., to talk about their career paths with the agency and to promote current internship and employment opportunities for minority students and others. The outreach and engagement effort is part of an agencywide commitment to advance equity and reach deeper into underrepresented and underserved segments of society and is in support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to advance racial equity in the federal government. NASA’s 2022 Equity Plan outlines the agency’s efforts to increase participation in areas such as procurements and contracts, as well as grants and cooperative agreements. The agency also is working to eliminate visible and invisible barriers to full participation, and to increase NASA outreach to underserved communities. The agency is scheduled to update the plan and its progress by year’s end. Frontline evidence of the agency’s commitment to inclusion also is seen in its plan to return humans, including the first woman and the first person of color, to the Moon through Artemis missions, powered by NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. That is just one aspect of the agency’s across-the-board diversity work. The NASA Minority University Research and Education Project is another example. Through the initiative, NASA provides financial awards to minority-serving institutions, including HBCUs, to assist faculty and students alike in STEM-related research efforts. The initiative also focuses on providing internship opportunities and career paths for minority members. NASA also has launched a Science Mission Directorate Bridge Program to develop partnerships with underserved institutions such as HBCUs and to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within the agency. The primary focus is to help transition science and engineering students from undergraduate studies into graduate schools and/or employment by NASA or related institutions. Along the same lines, a new NASA Space Tech Catalyst Prize seeks to recognize individuals and/or organizations that share effective best practices on ways to engage underrepresented and diverse space technology innovators, researchers, technologists, and entrepreneurs. The initiative is built on the premise that diversity leads to greater innovation, research, and mission success. Social Media Stay connected with the mission on social media, and let people know you’re following it on X, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtags #Artemis, #BayouClassic50, #NASA_HBCUs. Follow and tag these accounts: Facebook logo @NASAStennis @NASAStennis Instagram logo @NASAStennis Share Details Last Updated Nov 20, 2023 Editor Contact Location Stennis Space Center Related Terms Mission EquityStennis Space Center Explore More 9 min read Lagniappe Article 6 days ago 2 min read NASA Conducts 1st Hot Fire of New RS-25 Certification Test Series Article 1 month ago 7 min read Lagniappe Article 1 month ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics About NASA Stennis STEM Engagement at Stennis Space Center Minority University Research & Education Project SMD Bridge Program Planning Information Science Mission Directorate Bridge Program Call for ProposalsAnticipated ROSES-22 Amendment or ROSES-23 New Program This page contains Planning… View the full article

4 Min Read NASA’s Webb Reveals New Features in Heart of Milky Way Sagitarius C (NIRCam) Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, and S. Crowe (University of Virginia). The latest image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope shows a portion of the dense center of our galaxy in unprecedented detail, including never-before-seen features astronomers have yet to explain. The star-forming region, named Sagittarius C (Sgr C), is about 300 light-years from the Milky Way’s central supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*. Image: Sagitarius C (NIRCam) The NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s reveals a portion of the Milky Way’s dense core in a new light. An estimated 500,000 stars shine in this image of the Sagittarius C (Sgr C) region, along with some as-yet unidentified features. A large region of ionized hydrogen, shown in cyan, contains intriguing needle-like structures that lack any uniform orientation.NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, and S. Crowe (University of Virginia). “There’s never been any infrared data on this region with the level of resolution and sensitivity we get with Webb, so we are seeing lots of features here for the first time,” said the observation team’s principal investigator Samuel Crowe, an undergraduate student at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. “Webb reveals an incredible amount of detail, allowing us to study star formation in this sort of environment in a way that wasn’t possible previously.” “The galactic center is the most extreme environment in our Milky Way galaxy, where current theories of star formation can be put to their most rigorous test,” added professor Jonathan Tan, one of Crowe’s advisors at the University of Virginia. Protostars Amid the estimated 500,000 stars in the image is a cluster of protostars – stars that are still forming and gaining mass – producing outflows that glow like a bonfire in the midst of an infrared-dark cloud. At the heart of this young cluster is a previously known, massive protostar over 30 times the mass of our Sun. The cloud the protostars are emerging from is so dense that the light from stars behind it cannot reach Webb, making it appear less crowded when in fact it is one of the most densely packed areas of the image. Smaller infrared-dark clouds dot the image, looking like holes in the starfield. That’s where future stars are forming. Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument also captured large-scale emission from ionized hydrogen surrounding the lower side of the dark cloud, shown cyan-colored in the image. Typically, Crowe says, this is the result of energetic photons being emitted by young massive stars, but the vast extent of the region shown by Webb is something of a surprise that bears further investigation. Another feature of the region that Crowe plans to examine further is the needle-like structures in the ionized hydrogen, which appear oriented chaotically in many directions. “The galactic center is a crowded, tumultuous place. There are turbulent, magnetized gas clouds that are forming stars, which then impact the surrounding gas with their outflowing winds, jets, and radiation,” said Rubén Fedriani, a co-investigator of the project at the Instituto Astrofísica de Andalucía in Spain. “Webb has provided us with a ton of data on this extreme environment, and we are just starting to dig into it.” Image: Sagitarius C Features Approximate outlines help to define the features in the Sagittarius C (Sgr C) region. Astronomers are studying data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to understand the relationship between these features, as well as other influences in the chaotic galaxy center.NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Samuel Crowe (UVA) Around 25,000 light-years from Earth, the galactic center is close enough to study individual stars with the Webb telescope, allowing astronomers to gather unprecedented information on how stars form, and how this process may depend on the cosmic environment, especially compared to other regions of the galaxy. For example, are more massive stars formed in the center of the Milky Way, as opposed to the edges of its spiral arms? “The image from Webb is stunning, and the science we will get from it is even better,” Crowe said. “Massive stars are factories that produce heavy elements in their nuclear cores, so understanding them better is like learning the origin story of much of the universe.” 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 (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency. Media Contacts Laura Betz – laura.e.betz@nasa.gov, Rob Gutro– rob.gutro@nasa.gov NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, , Greenbelt, Md. Leah Ramsay lramsay@stsci.edu , Christine Pulliam cpulliam@stsci.edu Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md. Downloads Download full resolution images for this article from the Space Telescope Science Institute. Related Information Star Formation Piercing the Dark Birthplaces of Massive Stars with Webb Our Milky Way Webb Mission – https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/ Webb News – https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/latestnews/ Webb Images – https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/multimedia/images/ Related For Kids What Is a Nebula? What Is a Galaxy? What is the Webb Telescope? SpacePlace for Kids En Español 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… Stars Overview Stars are giant balls of hot gas – mostly hydrogen, with some helium and small amounts of other elements.… Galaxies Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is typical: it has hundreds of billions of stars, enough gas and dust to make… Galaxies Overview Galaxies consist of stars, planets, and vast clouds of gas and dust, all bound together by gravity. The largest… Share Details Last Updated Nov 20, 2023 Editor Steve Sabia Contact Related Terms GalaxiesGalaxies, Stars, & Black HolesGoddard Space Flight CenterJames Webb Space Telescope (JWST)ProtostarsStarsThe Milky WayThe Universe View the full article

Science and Supplies Delivered to the Space Station on This Week @NASA – November 17, 2023

4 min read Minority Serving Institution Partners Coppin State University Coppin State University (CSU) is a public, historically black university located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is part of the University System of Maryland. CSU is a model urban, residential liberal arts university located in the northwest section of the City of Baltimore that provides academic programs in the arts and sciences, teacher education, nursing, graduate studies, and continuing education. As an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), Coppin has a culturally rich history as an institution providing quality educational programs and community outreach services. Coppin offers 53 majors and nine graduate-degree programs. A fully accredited institution, Coppin serves Baltimore residents as well as students from around the world, with flexible course schedules that include convenient day, evening, and weekend classes and distance learning courses. Hampton University Hampton University (HU), a private, non-profit, non-sectarian, co-educational institution that was founded 1868 in Hampton, Virginia. It is a Historically Black College University (HBCU) dedicated to the promotion of learning, character building, and preparation of promising students for the positions of leadership and service. The HU Department of Atmospheric and Planetary Science (APS) provides a program in graduate education leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees with concentration either in Atmospheric Sciences or in Planetary Sciences. Howard University Howard University is a private, federally chartered, historically black university in Washington, D.C. The university has a highly productive and well-reputed graduate Program in Atmospheric Sciences (HUPAS) that has trained 50% of African Americans and 30% of Latinx with PhDs in Atmospheric Sciences in the US over the last decade. This interdisciplinary program was established in 1998 as a cooperative effort between the Departments of Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, and Mechanical Engineering. The University leads the NOAA Cooperative Science Center in Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology (NCAS-M), which is a 13-member academic and research consortium of international reputation that supports NOAA mission science in atmospheric sciences, weather, and climate. Morgan State University Morgan State University (MSU) is a public, historically black research university in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the largest of Maryland’s HBCUs. Morgan attracts students from each state and many foreign countries. It is one of the leading institutions nationally in the number of applications received from African-American high school graduates. The University awards more bachelor’s degrees to African-American students than any campus in Maryland. In many fields, but particularly in engineering and the sciences, Morgan accounts for large percentages of degrees received by African-Americans from Maryland institutions. An above-average percentage of Morgan graduates enter graduate and professional school. Historically, the university has ranked among the top public campuses nationally in the number of black graduates receiving doctorates. University of Maryland Baltimore County The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is a public research university in Baltimore County, Maryland. UMBC is a designated Minority Serving Institution: an AANAPISI (Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANPISI) with 59 baccalaureate, 24 post-baccalaureate certificate, 39 masters, and 24 doctoral degree programs. Student enrollment in 2018 was approximately 11260 undergraduate and 2507 are in graduate or professional programs. Demographically, 45% of the undergraduate students are minority (Asian American, African American, and Hispanic). UMBC’s vision is to redefine “… excellence in higher education through an inclusive culture that connects innovative teaching and learning, research across disciplines, and civic engagement.” (See: https://diversity.umbc.edu/) University of Maryland Eastern Shore The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) is a Historically Black 1890 Land-Grant Institution. UMES has five schools, one of which is the School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences (SANS). The Department of Natural Sciences (DNS) within the SANS offers M.S. degrees in Chemistry and Biology, Professional Science Master’s degree in Quantitative Fisheries and Resource Economics, and a five-year combined BS/MS degree in Marine Science. It also offers M.S./Ph.D. degrees in Marine, Estuarine and Environmental Science with specializations in Fisheries Science, Oceanography, Ecology, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, and Environmental Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, and M.S./Ph.D. degree in Toxicology. At the undergraduate level, DNS offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Environmental Science (with concentrations in marine science, and environmental chemistry), and minor programs in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. The University offers the only four year Aviation Science Bachelor’s degree program in the state of Maryland, with concentrations in Aviation Electronics, Aviation Management, Aviation Software, and Professional Pilot. Share Details Last Updated Nov 17, 2023 Related Terms General Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

35 min read SaSa Class of 2022 Annalyse Belton What is your current major and university? My name is Annalyse Belton and I am a 2nd-year Biology major at Coppin State University. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I applied to SaSa to gain more experience in the scientific field and build on my foundational knowledge. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? Over this summer I would like to gain hands-on experience in innovative research. I also want to collaborate with peers, graduates, and other staff to develop skills in teamwork and communication. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My three favorite things about myself would have to be my resilience, the ability to give perspective in situations, and my cheery personality. Who is someone you admire and why? Someone that I admire is my mother. One of the most important messages she has told me is to always have an inquisitive mind. To always expand my knowledge and research questions that I have on my own. She is a strong, educated woman in my life who has shaped me into the woman I am today. Shanell Bush What is your current major and university? I am currently completing my second year of my bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering at Hampton University. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I decided to apply to SASA because this opportunity will grant me the chance to engage with professional NASA engineers and scientists through interdisciplinary research in earth and geological sciences, and provide a networking opportunity for more internships similar to this one. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? Over the summer I hope to have advanced my understanding of geological science and skills on experimental instrumentation to allow me to master designing and conducting experiments while working with a team of future scientists and engineers. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My favorite attributes about myself are my witty personality, problem solving skills, and determination. Who is someone you admire and why? Someone I admire would be Vice President Kamala Harris. I admire her mainly due to her success as a black woman in American politics. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, also known as HBCUs, are overlooked by Ivy league colleges, they are stigmatized. And yet, HBCUs produce the most successful and intelligent people into society today. VP Harris attended Howard University in Washington D.C, also an HBCU, and has a successful political career in a white-male dominated field of profession. Throughout all struggles and doubts, she became the first VP lady of power in American history. I relate to her story because I am also attending an HBCU and I’m planning a career in a white-male dominated field. Stories similar to VP Harris motivates me to keep pushing through all odds; you never know what you can be unless you believe in yourself. Muyang Chunga What is your current major and university? I am Muyang Chunga, a Biology major with a Pre-PA concentration at Coppin State University. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I applied to SaSa as I am currently one of the lead researchers of my undergraduate university’s Laboratory of Environmental Containments, which has led to profound interests in the specialty of environmental sciences. This opportunity will provide first-hand experience in an area of study I am considering pursuing. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? Over the span of the summer I hope to solidify my educational studies in the area of environmental sciences, as well as develop the skills necessary to successfully complete my studies, build connections, and mentorship that I can carry for the rest of my journey. What are your three favorite things about yourself? Three things I can deeply admire about myself are: my compassion, my passion for knowledge, and my ability to keep myself grounded when challenging circumstances arise. Who is someone you admire and why? Someone I hold deep admiration for is my mom. From Cameroon, to where I am now, she has always been my number one supporter and the best role model. From repeating her bachelor’s education to be able to continue her education after moving to the United States — while caring for young children — to now having a high paying job with the government that was not in her original field of studies. My mom showed me a sliver of what I could achieve and how to get there. She deserves all my praise and more. Neima Dedefo What is your current major and university? My major is Aviation Science at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I enjoy learning new things by getting hands-on experience and engaging with others. SaSa was a great option for me because it provides participation in fundamental lectures in Earth, Atmospheric, and Airborne Sciences as well as engaging and hands-on research opportunities. I was also drawn to this program because it includes flying on-board a NASA research aircraft. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? I would like to learn and work alongside other students as well as professors and mentors. I hope to make lifelong connections and network with like-minded people. What are your three favorite things about yourself? Three things I admire about myself has to be my calmness, resilience, and kindness. Who is someone you admire and why? The person I admire most is my dad. I admire his work ethic, hard work, and dedication to every part of his life. He has passed many challenges in his life to get to where he is today. Hearing his childhood story makes me believe that hard work goes a long way. Isaiah Dornelus What is your current major and university? My major is Industrial Engineering and I go to Morgan State University. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I applied to to SaSa because I wanted to try something new. I enjoy using different kinds of equipment, so being part of SaSa is an opportunity to see what equipment NASA engineers use daily. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? I hope to find something I can see myself doing in the future. I also want to meet new people from NASA and other universities. What are your three favorite things about yourself? I enjoy opportunites to use diffferent equipment/tools such as woodworking. When I work onsomething, I stay organized because it’s easier to find what I need. Lastly, I learn things very quickly. Who is someone you admire and why? Someone I admire is George Washington Carver. He was born into slavery around Civil War. His father died in an accident before he was born. He lost both his mother and sister to slave raiders. Carver was also to frail to work in the fields. Despite all this, he became the first African-American with a Bachelor of Science degree and invented many agriculture products. Eric Ekey What is your current major and university? I am a rising sophomore pursuing a degree in Computer Engineering at University of Maryland: Baltimore County. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I heard about the SaSa opportunity through one of my university professors. I decided to apply because atmospheric and earth science is a field of study I haven’t looked much into. I see this as a unique chance to expose myself to the field and to explore new possibilities for what to do with my degree in the future. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? This summer, I want to get to know a lot of unique people in our SaSa cohort. I would like to spend this summer making meaningful connections with my peers and with the mentors and researchers I will work with. I’d also like to get to know the kind of work aligning myself with NASA in the future would entail. Finally, I’m looking forward to working on a research project for the first time. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My favorite things about myself are my craftiness, sense of humor, and calm temperament. Those three qualities often get me smoothly through tricky situations. Who is someone you admire and why? One of the people I admire most is my dad. Though he isn’t with us anymore, I can always look around and see the fruits of his many years of hard work to get through a really difficult life. I admire all he has done for me and the impact he had on many other people, and I aspire to be like him in that aspect. Trisha Joy Utulo Francisco What is your current major and university? I am majoring in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I decided to apply to SaSa because it is an amazing opportunity to immerse myself in the research world. I get to learn how engineering and the geoscience communities interact with one other. The opportunity to work with instruments, like satellites and disaster monitoring is exciting for me, because I get hands-on experience. I also loved that SaSa offers mentorship, because having guidance and wisdom of a mentor is valuable. I would be lucky to have that as I’m taking my first steps in forming my engineering career. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? Over the summer, I would like to learn how the Direct Broadcast System works and learn how to analyze and interpret the data from these instruments. I want to gain understanding of the research SaSa is doing and be able to present it in a way that excites others. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My three favorite things about myself are my optimism, my appreciation of the relationships I form with others, and my motivation — which stems from my curiosity for the future. I like being curious and optimistic because it encourages me to explore outside my comfort zone and grow as a person. I also enjoy meeting people because friendships creates a path to gain a new perspective of the world. Who is someone you admire and why? I admire my parents because they have sacrificed so much just to give me the opportunity to go to college. They taught me the value of education and how I can use it to navigate my way through the world. I admire my parents because despite the struggles we have faced, they remain optimistic for our future and have shown me that failures and struggles act as a catalyst for a great story. Michelle García What is your current major and university? I am a second year student at UC Davis as an Environmental Science and Management major and a Spanish minor. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I have always had a fascination with NASA and space exploration. As far back as I remember my dad and I would always watch Carl Sagan’s Cosmos together. A goal of mine is to work for NASA eventually. When I saw the SaSa program I knew I had to apply. As more of my interests have shifted to the realm of environmentalism, I am extremely excited to be collecting and analyzing measurements aboard the aircraft regarding climate data. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? Through this program I hope to familiarize myself with the advanced technology used to conduct Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric research. Additionally I would like to gain a deep understanding of the research process and am thrilled at the opportunity to create and research a subject of my own choosing. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My three favorite things about myself are that I am friendly, hardworking, and curious. Who is someone you admire and why? I admire my parents as they are very hardworking, supportive and compassionate. They have taught me to challenge myself and are always there for me. David Goba What is your current major and university? I am a Mechanical Engineering Major at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I decided to apply to SaSa because of how it stood out from other programs with their focus on hands-on research and individual mentorship. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? This summer I would like to learn skills that will prepare me for graduate research and what a career as a research engineer entails. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My three favourite things about myself are that I am a fast learner, I learn from my mistakes, and when I have a goal I am committed to achieving it. Who is someone you admire and why? One person I admire is my abuela because she believed in the power of education and she sacrificed so much so that I can have the opportunities that I have today. Jonathan Hale What is your current major and university? I am currently double majoring in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of California, Davis. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I decided to apply to SaSa because I was fascinated by the amazing opportunities that the program offered, such as working with NASA scientists and professors from prestigious universities. The research aspect drew me in as well because I have been wanting to get my hands on a research project and gain knowledge on what it’s like. SaSa’s mission to increase the number of STEM graduates from underrepresented backgrounds is also what gained my attention to the program, as I too believe that there is a need for a diverse group of people in the STEM field. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? Over the summer, I would like to make new connections with professors/researchers and my peers that will be working alongside me. Everyone will be coming from different backgrounds and has their own areas of interest, which would make for a great time getting to know everyone. Another thing I’d like to accomplish is presenting my research to a group of people. This is something I have never done and I am looking forward to the process of creating my presentations. Finally, I’d also like to explore some of the cities on the East Coast that we will be traveling to and see all that they have to offer. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My three favorite things about myself are my sense of humor, my willingness to help others, and my ability to communicate well with others. I like to laugh a lot and having a good sense of humor can brighten anyone’s day up, as laughter is contagious. I also like to help others. There are times when I need help, and there is always someone for me. Why not return the favor? Helping someone even just one time might just change their life forever. Moving on to communicating, laughter and helping can’t be done without communication. Communication is vital to everyday life. Without it, nothing will get done. By communicating well, I can make people laugh, help them, and even ask for help myself. Who is someone you admire and why? Someone who I admire would have to be Tanya Whitlow. I admire her because she gave me the best advice that I will never forget. Her advice was to “learn how to learn”. I heard this during my first year of college. Tanya was the Program Director for a UC Davis program called Leadership in Engineering Advancement, Diversity and Retention (LEADR). She was a mentor of mine and was always preparing me for what is to come as an engineering student. Unfortunately, Tanya passed away earlier this year due to cancer. Although Tanya is gone, her legacy will not be forgotten. I will continue to use her advice all throughout college and in life. Daniel Harrison What is your current major and university? I am currently at Morgan State University, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a minor in French. Simultaneously, I’m also pursuing a Private Pilot License at Middle River Flight Center. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I was looking for opportunities that will benefit my future and opportunities closely related to my passions – engineering and aviation. Working with NASA, no matter the position, is undoubtedly a dream for many, myself included. I could not let this opportunity pass. My career goal is to be both electrical engineer and a professional pilot. Applying to this internship puts me one step closer to achieving this goal. I have often heard the phrase: “Do something today that your future self will thank you for.” I can undoubtedly picture a future in which I will thank myself for applying to this internship. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? Throughout this program I hope to develop the necessary skills, knowledge, and experiences that will aid in my success as an electrical engineer and a professional pilot. Engineering is a skill that requires time and patience to master. As such, engaging in activities which revolves around the professional development of students, as well as focusing on NASA specific skills, is the best way to ensure that I am receiving the best training to prepare me to work with NASA in the future as an engineer. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My three favorite things about myself are: my determination to achieve my goals; my curiosity, as I always seek to learn new things and expand my horizon; and my ambition. Who is someone you admire and why? The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree, indeed. I owe all my accomplishments to my parents, the characteristics that define me the most I inherited from them. I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for the sacrifices of my parents, I have undying love and admiration for them. Vanessa Hua What is your current major and university? I am currently an Environmental Sciences major at the University of California, Riverside. I hope to declare a concentration in Atmospheric Sciences in my third year of university. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I decided to apply to SaSa because I was interested in conducting field research in the geosciences and learning about everything it entails. As an aspiring environmental scientist, my goal is to gain as much technical experience as possible as I prepare for graduate studies and, hopefully, mitigating environmental issues as a whole. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? I would like to work on a research project that I will be proud of and explore the different aspects of earth/atmospheric/oceanic sciences in depth. I also look forward to forming valuable connections with my peers and mentors throughout my journey at SaSa. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My three favorite things about myself are: my curiosity for understanding the universe we live in, my attention to detail, and my willingness to take initiative. Who is someone you admire and why? My parents are people who I greatly admire. Despite having immigrated to the United States during times of hardship, they were both able to accomplish many incredible things throughout their lives. They have shown me nothing but resilience and have inspired me to reach greater heights in all aspects of my life. Kailyn Hyman What is your current major and university? Aviation Management from Hampton University. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I love anything environmental, and I want to travel and be around like-minded individuals. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? I would like to develop professional skills such as public speaking and research skills. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My three favorite things about me are my personality, hair, and food choices. Who is someone you admire and why? My mom because she is working full time and getting her doctorates at the same time. Tochi Iwuji What is your current major and university? I am a biology major at Coppin State University. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I’m used to working in labs so data collection is nothing new to me. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone more. NASA seemed like an interesting opportunity to see if I could develop a new passion for something I had never tried before. Also getting to fly on a NASA aircraft is a huge plus! What would you like to accomplish over the summer? Aside from this internship, I want to accomplish relaxation. Working non-stop in school, even on the weekends, is stressful. I would appreciate a break. I want to see if I can start learning sign language again. What are your three favorite things about yourself? I like that even though I procrastinate at times I still never fail to get my work done by deadlines. I also like that I can look at things optimistically. Lastly, I like that I value my sleep. Who is someone you admire and why? I admire my parents for being able to come to a foreign country and make their own lives. I cannot imagine doing what they did at my age. Mya Johnson What is your current major and university? I am a sophomore majoring in Aerospace Engineering at The University of Maryland Eastern Shore. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I’ve decided to apply to SaSa because I believed it would be a good opportunity to get more exposure to the field of engineering. Plus, this is my first time applying for an internship. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? I would like to gain knowledge in the engineering field and I would like to accomplish personal goals for myself, such as getting a car. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My three favorite things about myself are I am caring, I make sure that everyone else around me is okay; my perseverance, I try to figure things out even if I get frustrated I never give up; lastly, my enthusiasm towards things I do. I believe I am a perfectionist which I am okay with because I like to do the best that I can. I love learning new things. Who is someone you admire and why? My mom is someone who I admire a lot because she is a hard worker. I witnessed her raise my siblings and myself as a single mother for a few years. We all are becoming successful as we continue our lives. She raised us well and taught us to love one another, as she didn’t grow up with any siblings. Daniel Khan What is your current major and university? University of California-Riverside in Statistics. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I applied to SaSa to build a portfolio that will hopefully land me into a fully-funded graduate program. I aspire to become part of the NASA Pathways Program and hope this program will help me in pursuit of a career at NASA. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? My hometown San Bernardino, in California, has a lot of pollution. I am curious about aerosol particles. I am not sure of what I’ll be working on this summer, but I hope to expand my knowledge in this field. What are your three favorite things about yourself? Three qualities I like about myself are: my interest in helping others find meaning, creativity in designing solutions, and my love for cats! Who is someone you admire and why? The person who I admire the most is my mother. After high school I went straight to work in my family’s restaurant. After a while I became miserable, having no free time for myself. I wanted to give up on school and dedicate more time at the shop, but my mother believed in me and encouraged me to strive for something greater. Camila Hernández Pedraza What is your current major and university? My current major is Natural Sciences with a Concentration in Biology at the University of Puerto Rico Cayey Campus. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I have always been interested in participating in all possible internships related to scientific exploration to gain knowledge and academic and professional preparation. It will help me acquire new skills and expertise in terms of research work. In addition, it will provide education and experiences that I will carry with me both professionally and personally. My stated goals entail much experience; therefore, ideally before pursuing a master’s degree and Ph.D. in science is for me to gain prior research knowledge. I do not doubt that this opportunity will open doors to achieve what I have longed for. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? What I would like to accomplish over the summer is to obtain different skills and abilities with scientific instrumentation, data analysis, communication, and teamwork. Furthermore, to connect, implement and work with what I have learned previously, putting into practice what I have studied and acquiring a more complete learning. Also, this would be a great chance to expand my curiosity and investigate NASA’s career opportunities for my future as a professional. What are your three favorite things about yourself? Persistent, Hard-Working, and Empathic. Who is someone you admire and why? I admire Marcos Gabriel Berríos, a 37-year-old Puerto Rican chosen as one of ten astronaut candidates to work on future missions in space. It is an honor to have a Puerto Rican representing the Latinos and demonstrating that persistence and hard work is capable of fulfilling every dream. Gabriel is a mentor and role model for anyone who has dreamed of making it to NASA, as I do. He demonstrates that persistence is the key to success. Sophia Ramirez What is your current major and university? I am currently a Biology major at Cal State Polytechnic University, Pomona. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? The wonderful Science Educational Enhancement Services at Cal Poly Pomona informed me of the SaSa program. After learning more about it, I knew a program like this that focused on young scientists from minority communities was perfect for me and I could not let the opportunity pass me by. The idea of spending the summer developing myself as a researcher beside students like myself and professionals that I aspire to be like intrigued me. Immersing myself in a hands-on research experience is exactly what I need after my first year of college. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? Over the summer I hope to learn more about myself and my abilities, develop long-lasting connections with those I meet through this program, and become a more confident scientist. I believe through the experience that this program will give me I will learn more about what I want to dedicate my career to and how to pursue it confidently. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My three favorite things about myself are my willingness to consider new ideas, my enthusiasm towards learning since I was young, and my creativity that I always try to find a way to convey. Who is someone you admire and why? I admire both of my parents immensely. They are hard workers that have faced and overcome all of the obstacles that life has put in their way. Establishing a life in a foreign country at a young age is extremely difficult but they were able to do so successfully and provide me with a comfortable and loving life. They teach me to seek out opportunities and to not let any setbacks be the end of my story. My parents inspire me to dream and to work to make those dreams come true. Stephanie Marie Ortiz Rosario What is your current major and university? I am a second-year Theoretical Physics major from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? What first caught my attention to apply to SaSa was the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fly onboard of a NASA aircraft to collect atmospheric measurements. Aviation interests me as well, and the ability to combine it with Meteorology is not an opportunity that is tended to be offered, especially to undergraduates. My decision was reaffirmed when I learned that I would receive lectures on topics such as data analysis, atmospheric dynamics, and scientific communication. Those are topics that during the first two years of college are not emphasized in depth yet, but I am eager to learn as early as I can in my professional career, as it will give me the confidence to succeed in the program. Finally, my decision persisted knowing about the commitment of SaSa to support and mentor students while embracing diversity, which is very important to me as a Latina. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? This summer is all about stepping out of my comfort zone. I would like to apply all that I have learned during the lectures into a project that I can be proud of, create meaningful connections with my mentors and peers, and communicate the science I have learned to my community. I know that all the experiences that I will gain during SaSa will further contribute to my interest and motivation to continue seeking opportunities in the research field, and, eventually, to apply to graduate school. What are your three favorite things about yourself? Some of my favorite things about myself are that I live independently, and enjoy my own company; that I strive to grow everyday as a person and student, despite all the mental challenges I may encounter; and, that I am determined to continue working towards my aspirations and dreams, one of them being to become an Atmospheric Scientist. Who is someone you admire and why? Someone who I admire is Ada Monzón. Her commitment as a meteorologist is not limited to her on-air forecasts; she elevates her commitment to contribute to the future of Puerto Rico, advocating for the importance of the education on the Island and its students. For instance, she leads the “EcoExploratorio, Museum of Puerto Rico”, as its founder, and continuously supports Puerto Rican meteorology students in the AMS Local Student Chapter as a mentor. Her definition of safeguarding lives is beyond admirable. Angelica Stewart What is your current major and university? I attend Howard University, my current major is Computer Science. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? Growing up, I have always looked towards the Earth’s resources to enhance the life I live. The first reason I applied to SaSa is because I believe that SaSa will provide me the opportunity to feed my desire and curiosity of utilizing the Earth’s resources for scientific advancement. The Earth’s resources are all we have and understanding the composition on a molecular level can further advance scientific insights to help the proliferation of the tech world. Second, the program is an opportunity to grow in a practical research environment. The SaSa program will provide practical experience to be prepared for PhD programs. And lastly, SaSa will provide the opportunity to bring what I have to the table. With my ongoing passion for research and innovation and using the Earth’s resources, I wanted to be a part of an environment where I can contribute to a cause greater than myself. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? Over the summer, I am looking forward to gaining hands-on research experience, learning more about geoscience and connecting the subject to computer science. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My three favorite things about myself is that I am creative, committed, and well-balanced. As a Computer Science major, I am often thought of as more logical. But behind that rationale, there is a foundational creativity that vitalizes my pursuits. “Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough” is a quote by Og Mandino that I live by. I have an pragmatic commitment making a positive impact on society. My favorite thing about myself is that I am well-balanced. With all my endeavors, I find that I am rarely drained because there is equal passion and energy with all my pursuits. Who is someone you admire and why? Someone I admire is Dr. Jamila Cocchiola, my high school Computer Science teacher. Dr. Cocchiola has accomplished so much in her life, especially in the STEM field. She is very passionate about what she does in Computer Science and is a very prodigious person overall. Her work ethic continues to invigorate me, even when I am away at college. Ananda Turner What is your current major and university? I am currently majoring in Biology on the cellular/molecular track at Hampton University. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I applied to SaSa because I heard about the hands-on activities and immersion around NASA professionals that could provide a well rounded experience where I could learn what it is like to work at NASA. Beforehand, I did internships that were completely virtual where I only worked on coding skills. I also applied because I wanted to branch out and do research in a different field outside of Biology, which could help me learn more about what I am interested in. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? By the end of the summer I want to improve my programming skills in R and learn new hands-on skills using remote sensing and other atmosphere data recording instruments. I also want to build relationships with members of the SaSa staff, including my mentor, so that we can possibly reconnect in the future. Lastly, I want to complete a research paper or poster that I will present at a symposium. What are your three favorite things about yourself? The three qualities I like the most about myself are my creativity, curiosity, and attention to detail. Who is someone you admire and why? I admire Paul Stamets. I have respect for the high level of curiosity he has for his research in fungi. Even after years of research and accomplishments he continues to think about the possibilities there are with using fungi to treat diseases and heal our ecosystems. I also admire his commitment to finding ways of keeping natural ecosystems healthy. Romina Cano Velasquez What is your current major and university? I am pursuing a major in Mechanical Engineering at the Honors College at Miami Dade College. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I am interested in the aerospace industry field and I hope to become part of the engineering team working at NASA. The SaSa program seemed to be an ideal opportunity to grant me first access to hands-on experiences, NASA procedures, and specialists in scientific research. Furthermore, as part of an underrepresented community, I was delighted to know about a program that would bring me closer to my goals. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? This summer, I would like to acquire fundamental knowledge for my professional growth as a researcher and engineer. I am also looking forward to establishing new connections with my peers and mentors and getting the most out of this unique experience. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My three favorite things about myself are my curiosity for learning new things, my willingness to constantly help others, and my decisiveness to focus on solutions to a problem. Who is someone you admire and why? I deeply admire my mom. After suffering an accident in her twenties, she struggled and overcame it to become a professional and build a family. I have always said that my mom’s resilience and courage made her succeed, and her fearlessness and determination made her live. She is my principal role model, and she has inspired me to become who I am now. Kennedi White What is your current major and university? I currently attend Howard University where I am a Mechanical Engineering major and Physics, Math, and English triple minor. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I’ve always been infatuated working with NASA and being a part of the driving force behind space, Earth, and atmospheric exploration. Coupling this with my childhood history and interest in marine science, marine exploration and the relationship it has with engineering, applying to SaSa became the culmination of all of my past and present interests. When I read up on it my interest in the program progressed. Applying to the program was a necessity! What would you like to accomplish over the summer? Over the summer I would like to build a better understanding of carrying out scientific research along with learning how to collect data and interpret it to make concrete conclusions on how the Earth is doing. What are your three favorite things about yourself? My three favorite things about myself are my curiosity, tenacity, and humor. Who is someone you admire and why? I admire Dr. Modibo Kadalie because Dr. Kadalie has been a powerful force that helped shape my view on the world and how African Americans, specifically, fit in it. The most notable contribution Dr. Kadalie has had in my life was this lesson: respect from anyone, regardless of age, is earned not given. Dr. Kadalie drove this lesson home by not requiring me to refer to him using honorifics; in most settings I referred to Dr. Kadalie as ‘Modibo’. Dr. Kadalie has consistently listened to what I had to say, not to respond, but for understanding and comprehension. He has shown me that influencing the younger generation doesn’t have to come at the expense of the knowledge from past generations and for that I’ll forever be grateful. Kiara Wilson What is your current major and university? My name is Kiara Wilson and I’m a Computer Science & Mathematics major with a minor in Biology attending Virginia State University. What made you decide to apply to SaSa? I decided to apply to the SaSa program for the experience and expansion on scientific knowledge. As a computer science major, my classes center around programming — lacking other sciences, especially Earth-related. I knew this would be a great opportunity to enjoy an experience in a relatively unfamiliar field. What would you like to accomplish over the summer? Over the summer I’d like to grow socially (I’m an introvert), and I would love to find some new interests as well. I believe this opportunity will improve my academic and professional engagement skills as well. What are your three favorite things about yourself? I like that I’m hardworking and I’m always willing to take on a challenge. I also enjoy the arts. I played two instruments throughout high school, and I participated in theater arts as well. I also am a loc enthusiast and am in love with locs overall. (I’ve had mine since my sophomore year of high school.) Who is someone you admire and why? While I admire many people, I look up to my father the most. He’s very hard-working and he manages to spend time with myself and all of my siblings. He’s also extremely kind-hearted and one of the most gentle people in my life. Share Details Last Updated Nov 17, 2023 Related Terms General View the full article

3 min read 2022 SaSa Graduate Student Mentors Emily Faber Emily is an Atmospheric Physics Ph.D. student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is finishing her 3rd year and works in the Laboratory for Atmospheric Studies and Particle Light Interaction under the guidance of Dr. Adriana Rocha Lima. She is interested in improving the physical parameterization of climate models through a better understanding of physical processes that drive the climate. Her thesis work sits in the space between physical measurements and climate modeling and seeks to improve the physical parameterization of surface wind speed and aerosolized dust, which is part of the general goal of improving aerosol physics parameterization in global climate models. She also enjoys advocating for women and underrepresented students in STEM and in her free time, you’ll find her exploring everything Maryland and D.C. have to offer or learning new roller-skating tricks. Alicia Hoffman Alicia is a 3rd year Ph.D. student at the University of Wisconsin – Madison in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences department working with Dr. Tracey Holloway. In her research, she uses the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model to understand how nighttime N2O5 chemistry impacts daytime ozone concentration and particle composition. Both ozone and PM2.5 are important aspects of air quality to study because of their impacts on human health and the environment. Prior to attending UW Madison, she worked with Dr. Don Blake at University of California – Irvine studying landfill emissions for her Master of Science (M.S). She earned her Bachelor of Science (B.S) in Chemistry and Anthropology from Beloit College. Kylie Hoffman Kylie Hoffman is a fourth-year graduate student at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She earned her undergraduate degree in Meteorology in 2017 and is currently working towards her Ph.D. in Atmospheric Physics. Kylie’s current research interests include working with active and passive remote sensing observations to analyze the lowest layer of the atmosphere, the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL). Her thesis topic is investigating the influence of converging air masses on PBL dynamics and thermodynamics in the Southern Great Plains region to improve the prediction of thunderstorms. David Moore David is currently a first-year Ph.D. student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), with a concentration in tropical cyclogenesis on terrestrial and aqua-covered exoplanets. In Spring 2021, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Atmospheric Science at the University at Albany, SUNY. Fun Fact: Before he joined SaSa, he was previously a NASA Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) student during Summer 2020 (Go AeroSOULS!). Maurice Roots Maurice is pursuing a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Physics from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. His research focuses on using observational datasets to study air pollution in coastal regions. He works with remote sensing instruments, like LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and Spectrometers, as well as in-situ instruments, like Sondes and Air Samplers, to better understand how concentrations of pollutants like ozone and nitrogen dioxide change in location and time. He also uses Python for data analysis and tool development. Share Details Last Updated Nov 17, 2023 Related Terms General View the full article

Astronaut Alan B. Shepard Jr., attired in his Mercury pressure suit, poses for a photo on May 5, 1961, prior to his launch in a Mercury-Redstone 3 spacecraft from Cape Canaveral on a suborbital mission – the first U.S. manned spaceflight.NASA Born barely 20 years after the Wright Brothers’ first flight, Alan Shepard grew up to fly combat missions in World War II, test multiple new aircraft, become the first American in space, and ultimately hit the first golf shot on the Moon. Born on Nov. 18, 1923, Shepard lifted off in the Freedom 7 spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on May 5, 1961, beginning 62 years of Americans’ journeys into space. During the 15-minute suborbital flight, Shepard reached an altitude of 115 miles and traveled 302 miles. Grounded soon after by an inner-ear disorder, Shepard served as head of the astronaut office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Corrective surgery returned him to flight status, and in 1971, he commanded Apollo 14, the third lunar landing mission. Image Credit: NASA View the full article

NASA / Michael DeMocker Artemis II NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch of NASA, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen view the core stage for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket at the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans on Nov. 16. The three astronauts, along with NASA’s Victor Glover, will launch atop the rocket stage to venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed flight for Artemis. The SLS core stage, towering at 212 feet, is the backbone of the Moon rocket and includes two massive propellant tanks that collectively hold 733,000 gallons of propellant to help power the stage’s four RS-25 engines. NASA, Boeing, the core stage lead contractor, along with Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company and the RS-25 engines lead contractor, are in the midst of conducting final integrated testing on the fully assembled rocket stage. At launch and during ascent to space, the Artemis astronauts inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft will feel the power of the rocket’s four RS-25 engines producing more than 2 million pounds of thrust for a full eight minutes. The mega rocket’s twin solid rocket boosters, which flank either side of the core stage, will each add an additional 3.6 million pounds of thrust for two minutes. NASA / Michael DeMocker The astronauts’ visit to Michoud coincided with the first anniversary of the launch of Artemis I. The uncrewed flight test of SLS and Orion was the first in a series of increasingly complex missions for Artemis as the agency works to return humans to the lunar surface and develop a long-term presence there for discovery and exploration. NASA is working to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft, advanced spacesuits and rovers, the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single mission. News Media Contact Corinne Beckinger Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256.544.0034 corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov View the full article

5 min read NASA Mission Excels at Spotting Greenhouse Gas Emission Sources Flaring, in which excess natural gas is intentionally burned into the air, is one way methane is released from oil and gas facilities. NASA’s EMIT mission, in more than a year in operation, has shown a proficiency at spotting emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases from space.Adobe Stock/Ilya Glovatskiy Since launching 16 months ago, the EMIT imaging spectrometer aboard the International Space Station has shown an ability to detect more than just surface minerals. More than a year after first detecting methane plumes from its perch aboard the International Space Station, data from NASA’s EMIT instrument is now being used to identify point-source emissions of greenhouse gases with a proficiency that has surprised even its designers. Short for Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation, EMIT was launched in July 2022 to map 10 key minerals on the surface of the world’s arid regions. Those mineral-related observations, which are already available to researchers and the public, will help improve understanding of how dust that gets lofted into the atmosphere affects climate. Detecting methane was not part of EMIT’s primary mission, but the instrument’s designers did expect the imaging spectrometer to have the capability. Now, with more than 750 emissions sources identified since August 2022 – some small, others in remote locations, and others persistent in time – the instrument has more than delivered in that regard, according to a new study published in Science Advances. “We were a little cautious at first about what we could do with the instrument,” said Andrew Thorpe, a research technologist on the EMIT science team at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and the paper’s lead author. “It has exceeded our expectations.” EMIT identified a cluster of 12 methane plumes within a 150-square-mile (400-square-kilometer) area of southern Uzbekistan on Sept. 1, 2022. The instrument captured the cluster within a single shot, called a scene by researchers. NASA/JPL-Caltech By knowing where methane emissions are coming from, operators of landfills, agriculture sites, oil and gas facilities, and other methane producers have an opportunity to address them. Tracking human-caused emissions of methane is key to limiting climate change because it offers a comparatively low-cost, rapid approach to reducing greenhouse gases. Methane lingers in the atmosphere for about a decade, but during this span, it’s up to 80 times more powerful at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, which remains for centuries. Surprising Results EMIT has proven effective at spotting emission sources both big (tens of thousands of pounds of methane per hour) and surprisingly small (down to the hundreds of pounds of methane per hour). This is important because it permits identification of a greater number of “super-emitters” – sources that produce disproportionate shares of total emissions. The new study documents how EMIT, based on its first 30 days of greenhouse gas detection, can observe 60% to 85% of the methane plumes typically seen in airborne campaigns. In a remote corner of southeastern Libya, EMIT on Sept. 3, 2022, detected a methane plume that was emitting about 979 pounds (444 kilograms) per hour. It’s one of the smallest sources detected so far by the instrument.NASA/JPL-Caltech From several thousand feet above the ground, methane-detecting instruments on aircraft are more sensitive, but to warrant sending a plane, researchers need prior indication that they’ll detect methane. Many areas are not examined because they are considered too remote, too risky, or too costly. Additionally, the campaigns that do occur cover relatively limited areas for short periods. On the other hand, from about 250 miles (400 kilometers) altitude on the space station, EMIT collects data over a large swath of the planet – specifically the arid regions that fall between 51.6 degrees north and south latitude. The imaging spectrometer captures 50-mile-by-50-mile (80-kilometer-by-80-kilometer) images of the surface – researchers call them “scenes” – including many regions that have been beyond the reach of airborne instruments. This time-lapse video shows the Canadarm2 robotic arm of the International Space Station maneuvering NASA’s EMIT mission onto the exterior of the station. Extraction from the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft began around 5:15 p.m. PDT on July 22 and was completed at 10:15 a.m. PDT on July 24. Portions of the installation have been omitted, while others have been speeded up. Credit: NASA “The number and scale of methane plumes measured by EMIT around our planet is stunning,” said Robert O. Green, a JPL senior research scientist and EMIT’s principal investigator. Scene-by-Scene Detections To support source identification, the EMIT science team creates maps of methane plumes and releases them on a website, with underlying data available at the joint NASA-United States Geological Survey Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC). The mission’s data is available for use by the public, scientists, and organizations. Since EMIT began collecting observations in August 2022, it has documented over 50,000 scenes. The instrument spotted a cluster of emissions sources in a rarely studied region of southern Uzbekistan on Sept. 1, 2022, detecting 12 methane plumes totaling about 49,734 pounds (22,559 kilograms) per hour. In addition, the instrument has spotted plumes far smaller than expected. Captured in a remote corner of southeastern Libya on Sept. 3, 2022, one of the smallest sources so far was emitting 979 pounds (444 kilograms) per hour, based on estimates of local wind speed. More About the Mission EMIT was selected from the Earth Venture Instrument-4 solicitation under the Earth Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and was developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech in Pasadena, California. The instrument’s data is available at the NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center for use by other researchers and the public. To learn more about the mission, visit: https://earth.jpl.nasa.gov/emit/ See EMIT in 3D on the International Space Station with NASA's Eyes on the Earth News Media Contacts Andrew Wang / Jane J. Lee Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 626-379-6874 / 818-354-0307 andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov / jane.j.lee@jpl.nasa.gov 2023-172 Share Details Last Updated Nov 17, 2023 Related Terms Dust StormsEarthEarth Science DivisionEMIT (Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation)Greenhouse GasesJet Propulsion Laboratory Explore More 7 min read NASA’s Cold Atom Lab Sets Stage for Quantum Chemistry in Space Article 2 days ago 10 min read Satellite Data Can Help Limit the Dangers of Windblown Dust Dust storms present a growing threat to the health and safety of U.S. populations. Article 2 days ago 6 min read NASA Data Reveals Possible Reason Some Exoplanets Are Shrinking Article 2 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

Earth science researcher Dr. Antonia Gambacorta earned the 2023 Goddard IRAD Technology Leadership award for pioneering new ways to measure lower layers of Earth’s atmosphere from space. The award from the chief technologist of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, recognizes Gambacorta’s work demonstrating how hyperspectral microwave sounding, the measurement of hundreds of thousands of wavelengths of microwave light, could dissect Earth’s atmospheric planetary boundary layer (PBL). She also conceptualized a microwave photonics radiometer instrument to reveal these measurements. NASA / Christopher Gunn The part of Earth’s atmosphere people live in, and have the most experience studying, is the hardest to measure from space due to the volume and complex behavior of the air above it, Gambacorta said. Developing the ability to probe and measure the boundary layer on a global, routine basis is important to better understanding its connections to the rest of our atmosphere, the land surface, and the oceans. “The unique challenge of the PBL requires a novel path forward that will bring together traditionally disparate observing system components in order to enable transformative scientific advances in Earth system science,” said fellow researcher Joseph Santanello. “To that end, Dr. Gambacorta’s efforts extend beyond individual technology developments, and are represented in her aspirational vision of PBL sounding as ‘the tie that binds.’ Just as notably, Dr. Gambacorta’s passion, enthusiasm, and respect for her colleagues has been evident through each of stage of the project’s development.” In seeking solutions to measure the boundary layer, Gambacorta stepped up to lead Goddard’s hyperspectral microwave projects and became the face of the center’s Decadal Survey Incubation (DSI) efforts. Through multiple Internal Research and Development, or IRAD grants, she and her team performed fundamental research to show the effectiveness of hyperspectral microwave sounding, conceptualized a microwave photonics radiometer instrument, and more recently began developing a framework to integrate data from multiple sensors for boundary layer science observations. Photonics Integrated Chips like this one being tested in a Goddard Lab will be able to translate microwave signals into infrared light for more efficient processing of more wavelengths than current technology. This chip can process thousands of microwave bandwidths compared to existing, much larger processors. NASA / Christopher Gunn “Antonia’s innovation rises above her individual successes as a capable and creative innovator,” said Goddard Chief Technologist Peter Hughes. “She capitalized on multiple programs to incubate new technology while engaging expertise from across agencies and around the world to connect to other resources.” Her cutting-edge innovations and research earned support from NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office and from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Specifically, Gambacorta built on her IRAD successes to secure an Earth Science Technology Office Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) project award to further develop her team’s microwave photonics radiometer concept and DSI funding to advance the multi-sensor fusion framework. Additionally, her momentum enabled a DSI-funded airborne instrument project attempting to transform CoSMIR, Goddard’s Conical Scanning Millimeter-wave Radiometer, into a hyperspectral sensor. That project is led by up-and-coming instrument scientist Rachael Kroodsma. This entire portfolio that Gambacorta now manages also culminated in a successful NOAA Broad Agency Announcement proposal to demonstrate hyperspectral microwave radiometry. Through her engagement with colleagues in ESTO, NOAA, and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, Hughes said Goddard’s hyperspectral microwave and PBL initiatives are regarded globally as the trusted strategy for understanding the planetary boundary layer. Goddard is widely viewed as a pioneer in the use of integrated photonics for Earth remote sensing due to Gambacorta’s leadership, he added. “Antonia serves as a true inspiration to the technologists and scientists on her teams,” her colleague Santanello added. “Her innovation and contribution to Goddard and the larger community can also be measured in each of these ways.” By Karl B. Hille NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Share Details Last Updated Nov 17, 2023 Related Terms Goddard Space Flight CenterOffice of Technology, Policy and Strategy (OTPS)People of GoddardPeople of NASAScience & ResearchScience-enabling TechnologyTechnologyTechnology Research Explore More 3 min read Hubble Images Galaxy with an Explosive Past This image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope features the spiral galaxy NGC 941, which lies about 55… Article 6 hours ago 2 min read Backyard Worlds Volunteers Complete Ten Million Classifications in an Epic Search for New Objects Among the Nearest Stars The Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 and Backyard Worlds: Cool Neighbors projects invite members of the public to search images… Article 24 hours ago 4 min read NASA’s Hubble Measures the Size of the Nearest Transiting Earth-Sized Planet NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has measured the size of the nearest Earth-sized exoplanet that passes… Article 1 day ago View the full article

NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility supported the launch of two suborbital sounding rockets on Nov. 15, 2023, for Navy Strategic Systems Programs (SSP), and the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), in coordination with Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) and the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonic Test Bed (MACH TB). This subscale test was executed by Sandia National Laboratories. Data collected from this test will be used to inform the development of the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS), MDA’s hypersonic defensive capability, and to mature other hypersonic technologies. A 3 stage sounding rocket was launched from Wallops Island Nov. 2023Courtesy Photo Share Details Last Updated Nov 17, 2023 Editor Amy L. Barra Contact Amy L. Barraamy.l.barra@nasa.gov Location Wallops Flight Facility Related Terms Wallops Flight Facility Explore More 1 min read NASA Wallops to Support Sounding Rocket Launches Article 3 days ago 4 min read NASA C-130 Makes First-Ever Flight to Antarctica for GUSTO Balloon Mission Article 3 weeks ago 3 min read NASA Retires UHF SmallSat Tracking Site Ops at Wallops Article 3 weeks ago View the full article

5 Min Read The Heat is On! NASA’s “Flawless” Heat Shield Demo Passes the Test The Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator, or LOFTID, spacecraft is pictured after its atmospheric re-entry test in November 2022. Credits: NASA / Greg Swanson A little more than a year ago, a NASA flight test article came screaming back from space at more than 18,000 mph, reaching temperatures of nearly 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit before gently splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. At that moment, it became the largest blunt body — a type of reentry vehicle that creates a heat-deflecting shockwave — ever to reenter Earth’s atmosphere. The Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) launched on Nov. 10, 2022, aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket and successfully demonstrated an inflatable heat shield. Also known as a Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) aeroshell, this technology could allow larger spacecraft to safely descend through the atmospheres of celestial bodies like Mars, Venus, and even Saturn’s moon, Titan. “Large-diameter aeroshells allow us to deliver critical support hardware, and potentially even crew, to the surface of planets with atmospheres. This capability is crucial for the nation’s ambition of expanding human and robotic exploration across our solar system,” said Trudy Kortes, director of the Technology Demonstrations Missions (TDM) program within the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) at NASA Headquarters in Washington. NASA has been developing HIAD technologies for over a decade, including two smaller scale suborbital flight tests before LOFTID. In addition to this successful tech demo, NASA is investigating future applications, including partnering with commercial companies to develop technologies for small satellite reentry, aerocapture, and cislunar payloads. “This was a keystone event for us, and the short answer is: It was highly successful,” said LOFTID Project Manager Joe Del Corso. “Our assessment of LOFTID concluded with the promise of what this technology may do to empower the exploration of deep space.” Due to the success of the LOFTID tech demo, NASA announced under its Tipping Point program that it would partner with ULA to develop and deliver the “next size up,” a larger 12-meter HIAD aeroshell for recovering the company’s Vulcan engines from low Earth orbit for reuse. A Successful Test in the Books, A Video Recap The LOFTID team recently held a post-flight analysis assessment of the flight test at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Their verdict? Upon recovery, the team discovered LOFTID appeared pristine, with minimal damage, meaning its performance was, as Del Corso puts it, “Just flawless.” Here are some interesting visual highlights from LOFTID’s flight test. NASA To get to atmospheric reentry, LOFTID had to go through an intricate sequence of events. Del Corso compared it to a Rube Goldberg device, a complex machine designed to carry out simple tasks through a series of chain reactions. Video captured the moment LOFTID deployed the HIAD (on the left), compared to a preflight animation developed by NASA Langley’s Advanced Concepts Lab (on the right). Inflation happens at the bottom of the video as LOFTID flies over the African continent. NASA As it flew over the Mediterranean Sea, LOFTID separated from the ULA Centaur upper stage. On the left, LOFTID is seen from Centaur’s forward-facing camera. The composite image on the right is from cameras around LOFTID’s center body, looking forward and outboard at the orange inflatable HIAD structure. In the center, looking back at Centaur, LOFTID is seen from an aft-facing camera. NASA As LOFTID reentered Earth’s atmosphere and reached nearly 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit, the extreme heat caused gases around it to ionize and form plasma. On the right, the images from the center body cameras became extremely bright in the visible spectrum, while the Earth is visible on infrared cameras as the vehicle rotated. The camera captured footage of the plasma quickly changing colors from orange to purple. Why the color change? “We’re still investigating exactly what causes that,” said John DiNonno, LOFTID chief engineer. The animation on the left shows an artist’s concept of what the front side may have looked like. NASA This video, captured by NASA Langley’s Scientifically Calibrated In-Flight Imagery team, shows LOFTID during peak deceleration as the plasma recedes. On the left, LOFTID streaks through the night sky over the Pacific Ocean. On the right, the purple coloration flares up on the back side of LOFTID. In the second part of the video, the left shifts to one of the cameras looking at the back of the aeroshell, with the receding plasma streaking at its edge. NASA After slowing down from more than 18,000 mph to less than 80 mph, LOFTID deployed its parachutes. From an infrared camera aboard the recovery ship, this video shows the parachute deployment and splashdown just over the horizon. The preflight animation is provided on the right for comparison. NASA LOFTID splashed down in the Pacific Ocean several hundred miles off the east coast of Hawaii and only about eight miles from the recovery ship’s bow — almost exactly as modeled. A crew got on a small boat and retrieved and hoisted LOFTID onto the recovery ship. Here is an image from the first contact with LOFTID after it splashed down. “The LOFTID mission was important because it proved the cutting-edge HIAD design functioned successfully at an appropriate scale and in a relevant environment,” said Tawnya Laughinghouse, manager of the TDM program office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The LOFTID demonstration was a public private-partnership with ULA funded by STMD and managed by the Technology Demonstration Mission Program, executed by NASA Langley with contributions from across NASA centers. Multiple U.S. small businesses contributed to the hardware. NASA’s Launch Services Program was responsible for NASA’s oversight of launch operations. For more information on LOFTID, click here. Share Details Last Updated Nov 17, 2023 Related Terms Langley Research CenterLOFTID (Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator)Technology Demonstration Explore More 4 min read NASA Technologies Receive Multiple Nods in TIME Inventions of 2023 Article 3 weeks ago 4 min read Aviones de movilidad aérea avanzada: un viaje suave en el futuro Article 3 weeks ago 5 min read NASA’s First Two-way End-to-End Laser Communications Relay System Article 3 weeks ago View the full article

2 min read Hubble Images Galaxy with an Explosive Past A NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the spiral galaxy NGC 941. ESA/Hubble & NASA, C. Kilpatrick This image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope features the spiral galaxy NGC 941, which lies about 55 million light-years from Earth. Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) collected the data that created this image. Beautiful NGC 941 is undoubtedly the main attraction in this view; however, the hazy-looking galaxy was not the motivation for collecting the data. That distinction belongs to an astronomical event that took place in the galaxy years before: the supernova SN 2005ad. The location of this faded supernova was observed as part of a study of multiple hydrogen-rich supernovae, also known as type II supernovae, to better understand the environments in which certain types of supernovae take place. While the study was conducted by professional astronomers, SN 2005ad itself owes its discovery to a distinguished amateur astronomer named Kōichi Itagaki, who has discovered over 170 supernovae. This might raise the question of how an amateur astronomer could spot something like a supernova event before professional astronomers who have access to telescopes such as Hubble. The detection of supernovae is a mixture of skill, facilities, and luck. Most astronomical events happen over time spans that dwarf human lifetimes, but supernova explosions are extraordinarily fast, appearing very suddenly and then brightening and dimming over a period of days or weeks. Another aspect is time – data from a few hours of observations with telescopes like Hubble might take weeks, months, or sometimes even years to process and analyze. Amateur astronomers can spend much more time actively observing the skies, and sometimes have extremely impressive systems of telescopes, computers, and software they can use. Because amateurs like Itagaki spot so many supernovae, there is actually an online system set up to report them (the Transient Name Server). This system is a big help to professional astronomers, because time is truly of the essence with supernovae events. After the reported discovery of SN 2005ab, professional astronomers were able to follow up with spectroscopic studies and confirm it as a type II supernova, which eventually led to Hubble to study its location. Such a study wouldn’t be possible without a rich library of cataloged supernovae, built with the keen eyes of amateur astronomers. Text credit: European Space Agency Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD claire.andreoli@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Nov 16, 2023 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Missions Science & Research Science Mission Directorate Spiral Galaxies The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Hubble Space Telescope Galaxies Stories Stars Stories Exoplanets View the full article

6 min read NASA’s Deep Space Optical Comm Demo Sends, Receives First Data NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is shown in a clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations facility near the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 8, 2022. DSOC’s gold-capped flight laser transceiver can be seen, near center, attached to the spacecraft.NASA/Ben Smegelsky DSOC, an experiment that could transform how spacecraft communicate, has achieved ‘first light,’ sending data via laser to and from far beyond the Moon for the first time. NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment has beamed a near-infrared laser encoded with test data fromnearly 10 million miles (16 million kilometers) away – about 40 times farther than the Moon is from Earth – to the Hale Telescope at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California. This is the farthest-ever demonstration of optical communications. Riding aboard the recently launched Psyche spacecraft, DSOC is configured to send high-bandwidth test data to Earth during its two-year technology demonstration as Psyche travels to the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California manages both DSOC and Psyche. The tech demo achieved “first light” in the early hours of Nov. 14 after its flight laser transceiver – a cutting-edge instrument aboard Psyche capable of sending and receiving near-infrared signals – locked onto a powerful uplink laser beacon transmitted from the Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory at JPL’s Table Mountain Facility near Wrightwood, California. The uplink beacon helped the transceiver aim its downlink laser back to Palomar (which is 100 miles, or 130 kilometers, south of Table Mountain) while automated systems on the transceiver and ground stations fine-tuned its pointing. Learn more about how DSOC will be used to test high-bandwidth data transmission beyond the Moon for the first time – and how it could transform deep space exploration. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU “Achieving first light is one of many critical DSOC milestones in the coming months, paving the way toward higher-data-rate communications capable of sending scientific information, high-definition imagery, and streaming video in support of humanity’s next giant leap: sending humans to Mars,” said Trudy Kortes, director of Technology Demonstrations at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Test data also was sent simultaneously via the uplink and downlink lasers, a procedure known as “closing the link” that is a primary objective for the experiment. While the technology demonstration isn’t transmitting Psyche mission data, it works closely with the Psyche mission-support team to ensure DSOC operations don’t interfere with those of the spacecraft. “Tuesday morning’stest was the first to fully incorporate the ground assets and flight transceiver, requiring the DSOC and Psyche operations teams to work in tandem,” said Meera Srinivasan, operations lead for DSOC at JPL. “It was a formidable challenge, and we have a lot more work to do, but for a short time, we were able to transmit, receive, and decode some data.” Before this achievement, the project needed to check the boxes on several other milestones, from removing the protective cover for the flight laser transceiver to powering up the instrument. Meanwhile, the Psyche spacecraft is carrying out its own checkouts, including powering up its propulsion systems and testing instruments that will be used to study the asteroid Psyche when it arrives there in 2028. First Light and First Bits With successful first light, the DSOC team will now work on refining the systems that control the pointing of the downlink laser aboard the transceiver. Once achieved, the project can begin its demonstration of maintaining high-bandwidth data transmission from the transceiver to Palomar at various distances from Earth. This data takes the form of bits (the smallest units of data a computer can process) encoded in the laser’s photons – quantum particles of light. After a special superconducting high-efficiency detector array detects the photons, new signal-processing techniques are used to extract the data from the single photons that arrive at the Hale Telescope. The DSOC experiment aims to demonstrate data transmission rates 10 to 100 times greater than the state-of-the-art radio frequency systems used by spacecraft today. Both radio and near-infrared laser communications utilize electromagnetic waves to transmit data, but near-infrared light packs the data into significantly tighter waves, enabling ground stations to receive more data. This will help future human and robotic exploration missions and support higher-resolution science instruments. The flight laser transceiver operations team for NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) technology demonstration works in the Psyche mission support area at JPL in the early hours of Nov. 14, when the project achieved “first light.” NASA/JPL-Caltech DSOC ground laser transmitter operators pose for a photo at the Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory at JPL’s Table Mountain Facility near Wrightwood, California, shortly after the technology demonstration achieved “first light” on Nov. 14.NASA/JPL-Caltech “Optical communication is a boon for scientists and researchers who always want more from their space missions, and will enable human exploration of deep space,” said Dr. Jason Mitchell, director of the Advanced Communications and Navigation Technologies Division within NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program. “More data means more discoveries.” While optical communication has been demonstrated in low Earth orbit and out to the Moon, DSOC is the first test in deep space. Like using a laser pointer to track a moving dime from a mile away, aiming a laser beam over millions of miles requires extremely precise “pointing.” The demonstration also needs to compensate for the time it takes for light to travel from the spacecraft to Earth over vast distances: At Psyche’s farthest distance from our planet, DSOC’s near-infrared photons will take about 20 minutes to travel back (they took about 50 seconds to travel from Psyche to Earth during the Nov. 14 test). In that time, both spacecraft and planet will have moved, so the uplink and downlink lasers need to adjust for the change in location. “Achieving first light is a tremendous achievement. The ground systems successfully detected the deep space laser photons from DSOC’s flight transceiver aboard Psyche,” said Abi Biswas, project technologist for DSOC at JPL. “And we were also able to send some data, meaning we were able to exchange ‘bits of light’ from and to deep space.” More About the Mission DSOC is the latest in a series of optical communication demonstrations funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program within the agency’s Space Operations Mission Directorate. The Psyche mission is led by Arizona State University. JPL is responsible for the mission’s overall management, system engineering, integration and test, and mission operations. Psyche is the 14th mission selected as part of NASA’s Discovery Program under the Science Mission Directorate, managed by the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center, managed the launch service. Maxar Technologies in Palo Alto, California, provided the high-power solar electric propulsion spacecraft chassis. For more information about DSOC, visit: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/dsoc News Media Contact Ian J. O’Neill Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-354-2649 ian.j.oneill@jpl.nasa.gov 2023-171 Share Details Last Updated Nov 16, 2023 Related Terms Psyche MissionSpace Communications & Navigation ProgramSpace Operations Mission DirectorateSpace Technology Mission DirectorateTech Demo Missions Explore More 5 min read Cube Quest Concludes: Wins, Lessons Learned from Centennial Challenge Article 3 hours ago 2 min read Pale Blue Dot: Visualization Challenge Article 1 day ago 4 min read Volunteers Worldwide Successfully Tracked NASA’s Artemis I Mission Article 1 day ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

November 1968 proved pivotal to achieving the goal of landing a man on the Moon before the end of the decade. The highly successful Apollo 7 mission that returned American astronauts to space provided the confidence for NASA to decide to send the next flight, Apollo 8, on a trip to orbit the Moon in December. At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, the Saturn V rocket and the Apollo spacecraft for that mission sat on Launch Pad 39A undergoing tests for its upcoming launch. In the nearby Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), the three stages of the Saturn V for the Apollo 9 mission sat stacked awaiting the addition of its spacecraft undergoing final testing. Also in the VAB, workers had begun stacking the Apollo 10 Saturn V, while the Apollo 10 spacecraft arrived for testing. As the Apollo 8 and 9 crews continued their training, NASA named the crew for Apollo 10 and announced the science experiments that the first Moon landing astronauts would deploy. Left: President Lyndon B. Johnson, second from left, presents Apollo 7 astronauts Walter M. Schirra, left, Donn F. Eisele, and R. Walter Cunningham with Exceptional Service Medals at the LBJ Ranch. Middle: Entertainer Bob Hope, second from right, taped an episode of his show at the Manned Spacecraft Center, now NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, with guests the “Voice of Mission Control” Paul P. Haney, left, Apollo 7 astronauts Schirra, Cunningham, and Eisele, and television star Barbara Eden. Right: The Apollo 7 Command Module on display at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Dallas Love Field. Following their highly successful flight, Apollo 7 astronauts Walter M. Schirra, Donn F. Eisele, and R. Walter Cunningham returned to Houston’s Ellington Air Force Base on Oct. 26. On Nov. 2, President Lyndon B. Johnson presented the astronauts with Exceptional Service Medals at the LBJ Ranch in Johnson City, Texas. Four days later, comedian Bob Hope filmed an episode of his weekly television variety show in the auditorium of the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC), now the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Hope saluted the Apollo 7 astronauts in a skit that included actress Barbara Eden, star of the television series “I Dream of Jeannie” that featured fictional astronauts. Paul P. Haney, MSC Director of Public Affairs and the “Voice of Mission Control,” also participated in the skit. Following the recovery of Apollo 7, the prime recovery ship U.S.S. Essex sailed for Norfolk Naval Air Station in Virginia, where on Oct. 27 workers offloaded the Command Module (CM), and placed it aboard a cargo plane to fly it to California for return to its manufacturer, North American Rockwell Space Division in Downey, for postflight inspection. On Jan. 20, 1969, the Apollo 7 astronauts as well as their spacecraft took part in President Richard M. Nixon’s first inauguration parade. In 1970, NASA transferred the Apollo 7 spacecraft to the Smithsonian Institution that loaned it to the National Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa, Canada, for display. Following its return to the United States in 2004, it went on display at the Frontiers of Flight Museum at Love Field in Dallas. Left: The circumlunar trajectory of Apollo 8. Middle: Apollo 8 astronauts William A. Anders, left, James A. Lovell, and Frank Borman during a press conference shortly after the announcement of their mission to orbit the Moon. Right: Anders, left, Lovell, and Borman in the Command Module simulator. On Nov. 12, 1968, NASA Headquarters put out the following statement: “The National Aeronautics and Space Administration today announced that the Apollo 8 mission would be prepared for an orbital flight around the Moon.” That momentous statement ended weeks of intense internal agency deliberations and public speculation about Apollo 8’s targeted mission. The original mission plan called for Apollo 8 to conduct the first test of the Lunar Module (LM) in Earth orbit, but when the LM fell behind schedule, NASA managers in August began contemplating sending the Apollo 8 crew on a lunar orbital test of the Command Module (CM). The decision hinged partly on a successful Apollo 7 mission, and with that milestone passed, NASA Administrator James E. Webb approved the daring plan. On only the second crewed Apollo mission, the first crew to launch on the Saturn V, and only the third launch of the mighty Moon rocket, with the second of those experiencing some serious anomalies, the decision weighed the risks against the benefits of achieving the Moon landing goal before the end of the decade. With the Dec. 21 launch date fast approaching, the Apollo 8 crew of Frank Borman, James A. Lovell, and William A. Anders and their backups Neil A. Armstrong, Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, and Fred W. Haise had begun training for the lunar mission even before the official announcement. During a Nov. 16 press conference, Borman, Lovell, and Anders discussed their preparations for the historic mission. On Nov. 19, at KSC’s Launch Complex 39, engineers completed the Flight Readiness Test to validate the launch vehicle, spacecraft, and ground systems. Left: The Apollo 9 prime crew of James A. McDivitt, left, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart, not pictured, prepares for an altitude chamber test of their Command Module (CM) in the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Middle: McDivitt, emerging from the CM, Schweickart, at left in the raft, and Scott complete water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico. Right: The Apollo 9 backup crew of Charles “Pete” Conrad, left, Richard F. Gordon, and Alan L. Bean prepares for their water egress training. The LM formed a critical component to the Moon landing effort. Delays in preparing LM-3 for flight resulted in the crewed test to slip to Apollo 9 in early 1969. The three stages of the Apollo 9 Saturn V stood stacked on Mobile Launcher 2 in High Bay 3 of the VAB. The Apollo 9 spacecraft components, CSM-104 and LM-3, continued testing in the KSC’s Manned Spacecraft Operations Building (MSOB). The prime crew of James A. McDivitt, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart, as well as their backups Charles “Pete” Conrad, Richard F. Gordon, and Alan L. Bean completed several altitude chamber tests with CSM-104 during the month of November. On Nov. 30, workers placed LM-3 inside its Spacecraft LM Adapter, topping it with CSM-104 to complete the spacecraft for its Dec. 3 rollover to the VAB for mating with the Saturn V. McDivitt, Scott, and Schweickart conducted water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico near Galveston, Texas. On Nov. 25, workers aboard the Motor Vessel M/V Retriever lowered a mockup CM with the crew inside into the water in a nose-down position. Flotation bags inflated to right the spacecraft to a nose-up position. The astronauts then exited the capsule onto life rafts and recovery personnel hoisted them aboard a helicopter. Backups Conrad, Gordon, and Bean completed the test on Dec. 6. Left: The Apollo 10 prime crew of Eugene A. Cernan, left, John W. Young, and Thomas P. Stafford. Right: The Apollo 10 backup crew of L. Gordon Cooper, Edgar D. Mitchell, and Donn F. Eisele. On Nov. 13, NASA announced the crew for the Apollo 10 mission planned for the spring of 1969. The fourth crewed Apollo mission would involve the launch of a CM and LM on a Saturn V rocket. Depending on the success of earlier missions, Apollo 10 planned to test the CM and LM either in Earth orbit or in lunar orbit, the latter a dress rehearsal for the actual Moon landing likely to follow on Apollo 11. NASA designated Thomas P. Stafford, John W. Young, and Eugene A. Cernan as the prime crew, the first all-veteran three person crew. The trio had served as the backup crew on Apollo 7 and had flight experience in the Gemini program. As backups, NASA assigned L. Gordon Cooper, Donn F. Eisele, and Edgar D. Mitchell. Cooper had flown previously on Mercury 9 and Gemini VIII, Eisele had just returned from Apollo 7, while this marked the first crew assignment for Mitchell. As support crew members, NASA named Joe H. Engle, James B. Irwin, and Charles M. Duke. Left: The Apollo 10 Command Module, left, and Service Module arrive at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Middle: The Apollo 10 S-IC first stage arrives at KSC’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). Right: Workers in the VAB stack the Apollo 10 first stage on its Mobile Launcher. Flight hardware in support of Apollo 10 continued to arrive at KSC. Following delivery of LM-4 in October, on Nov. 2 workers mated its two stages and placed the vehicle in one of the MSOB’s altitude chambers. Stafford and Cernan carried out a sea level run on Nov. 22. The CM-106 and SM-106 for Apollo 10 arrived at KSC on Nov. 23 and workers trucked them to the MSOB where they mated the two modules three days later. In the VAB, the Saturn V’s S-IC first stage arrived on Nov. 27 and workers erected it on Mobile Launcher 3 in High Bay 2, awaiting the arrival of the upper stages. Left: A mockup of the laser ranging retroreflector (LRRR) experiment. Middle left: A mockup of the passive seismic experiment package (PSEP). Middle right: A mockup of the solar wind composition (SWC) experiment. Right: A suited technician deploys mockups of the Apollo 11 experiments – the SWC, far left, the PSEP, and the LRRR, during a test session. On Nov. 19, NASA announced that when Apollo astronauts first land on the Moon, possibly as early as during the Apollo 11 mission in the summer of 1969, they would deploy three scientific experiments – a passive seismometer experiment package (PSEP), a laser ranging retro-reflector (LRRR), and a solar wind composition (SWC) experiment – during their 2.5-hour excursion on the lunar surface. The PSEP will provide information about the Moon’s interior by recording any seismic activity. The passive LRRR consists of an array of precision optical reflectors that serve as a target for Earth-based lasers for highly precise measurements of the Earth-Moon distance. The SWC consists of a sheet of aluminum foil that the astronauts deploy at the beginning of their spacewalk and retrieve at the end for postflight analysis. During the exposure, the foil traps particles of the solar wind, especially noble gases. Left: The Lunar Module Test Article-8 (LTA-8) inside Chamber B of the Space Environment Simulation Laboratory (SESL) at the Manned Spacecraft Center, now NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Middle: Astronaut James B. Irwin inside LTA-8 during one of the altitude runs. Right: Workers remove LTA-8 from SESL’s Chamber B at the conclusion of the altitude tests. On Nov. 14, engineers in MSC’s Space Environment Simulation Laboratory (SESL) completed a series of altitude tests with LM Test Article-8 (LTA-8) to certify the vehicle for lunar missions. Astronaut Irwin and Grumman Aircraft Corporation consulting pilot Gerald P. Gibbons completed the final test, the last in a series of five that started on Oct. 14. Grumman pilot Glennon M. Kingsley paired up with Gibbons for three of the tests. During the tests that simulated various portions of the LM’s flight profile, the chamber maintained a vacuum simulating an altitude of about 150 miles and temperatures as low as -300o F. Strip heaters attached to the LTA’s surface provided the simulated solar heat. NASA transferred the LTA-8 to the Smithsonian Institution in 1978 and it is now on public display at Space Center Houston. Depiction of Zond 6’s circumlunar trajectory. Image credit: courtesy RKK Energia. Left: A Proton rocket with a Zond spacecraft on the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Right: Zond 6 photographed the Earth as it looped around the Moon. Image credits: courtesy RKK Energia. Depiction of Zond 6’s skip reentry trajectory flown. Image credit: courtesy RKK Energia. In another reminder that the race to the Moon still existed, on Nov. 10 the Soviet Union launched the Zond 6 spacecraft. Although it launched uncrewed, the Zond spacecraft, essentially a Soyuz without the forward orbital compartment and modified for flights to lunar distances, could carry a crew of two cosmonauts. A cadre of cosmonauts trained for such missions. Similar to the Zond 5 mission in September, Zond 6 entered a trajectory that looped it around the Moon on Nov. 13, passing within 1,500 miles of the lunar surface. The spacecraft took photographs of the Moon’s near and far sides and of the distant Earth. As it neared Earth during its return journey, trouble developed aboard the spacecraft as a faulty hatch seal caused a slow leak and it began to lose atmospheric pressure. Ground controllers initially steadied the pressure loss and performed a final midcourse maneuver that allowed Zond 6 to perform a skip reentry to land in Soviet territory on Nov. 17. However, the spacecraft continued to lose pressure and a buildup of static electricity created a coronal discharge that triggered the spacecraft’s soft landing rockets to fire and cut the parachute lines while it was still descending through 5,300 meters altitude. Although the capsule hit the ground at a high velocity, rescue forces were able to recover the film containers. The Soviets at the time did not reveal either the depressurization or the crash but claimed the flight was a successful circumlunar mission. With two apparently successful uncrewed circumlunar flights and the resumption of crewed missions with Soyuz 3 in October, these Soviet activities perhaps played a part in the decision to send Apollo 8 to the Moon. News from around the world in November 1968: Nov. 5 – Richard M. Nixon elected as the 37th U.S. President. Nov. 5 – Shirley A. Chisolm of Brooklyn, New York, becomes the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Congress. Nov 8 – The United States launches Pioneer 9 into solar orbit to monitor solar storms that could be harmful to Apollo astronauts traveling to the Moon. Nov. 13 – The HL-10 lifting body aircraft with NASA pilot John A. Manke at the controls made its first successful powered flight after being dropped from a B-52 bomber at Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert. Nov. 14 – Yale University announces it is going co-ed beginning in the 1969-1970 academic year. Nov. 22 – The Beatles release the “The Beatles” (better known as the White Album), the band’s only double album. Explore More 12 min read 50 Years Ago: Launch of Skylab 4, The Final Mission to Skylab Article 19 mins ago 7 min read 65 Years Ago: NASA Formally Establishes The Space Task Group Article 1 week ago 3 min read Halloween on the International Space Station Article 2 weeks ago View the full article

The third and final crewed mission to the Skylab space station, Skylab 4, got underway on Nov. 16, 1973, with a thunderous launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Docking eight hours later, astronauts Gerald P. Carr, Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue began a planned 56-day mission that program managers extended to a record-breaking 84 days. During their first month, as they adjusted to weightlessness and their new surroundings, they completed the first of four spacewalks. They began an extensive science program, investigating the effects of long-duration spaceflight on human physiology, examining the Sun, conducting observations of the Earth, as well as technology and student-led experiments. They began their systematic observations of recently discovered Comet Kohoutek as it approached the Sun. Left: Crew patch of the third and final crewed mission to Skylab. Middle: Official photo of the Skylab 4 crew of Gerald P. Carr, left, Edward G. Gibson, and William R. Pogue. Right: The Skylab 4 backup crew of Vance D. Brand, left, William B. Lenoir, and Don L. Lind. In January 1972, NASA announced the astronauts it had selected for the Skylab program. For Skylab 4, the third crewed mission and at the time planned to last 56 days, NASA named Carr as commander, Gibson as science pilot, and Pogue as pilot to serve as the prime crew, the first all-rookie prime crew since Gemini VIII in 1966. For the backup crew, NASA designated Vance D. Brand, William B. Lenoir, and Don L. Lind, who also served as the backup crew for Skylab 3. Brand and Lind would serve as the two-person crew for a possible rescue mission. Left: The S-IB first stage for the Skylab 4 mission’s SA-208 Saturn IB rocket arrives at the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Middle: The two S-IVB second stages for the Skylab 4 SA-208 rocket, right, and the SA-209 Skylab rescue rocket sit side by side in the VAB. Right: Workers in the VAB stack the second stage onto the first stage for the Skylab 4 Saturn IB. Preparations at KSC for the Skylab 4 mission began on Nov. 4, 1971, with the arrival of the S-IVB second stage of the SA-208 Saturn IB rocket. Workers placed it in long-term storage in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The rocket’s S-IB first stage arrived on June 20, 1973. Workers in the VAB mounted it on Mobile Launcher 1 on July 31, adding the second stage later that same day. Left: The arrival of the Skylab 4 Command Module (CM), front, and Service Module, partly hidden at left, in the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building (MSOB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Middle left: The Skylab 4 astronauts conduct an altitude test aboard their CM in the MSOB. Middle right: Rollout of the Skylab 4 vehicle from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B. Right: Workers at Launch Pad 39B replace the eight stabilization fins on the Saturn IB rocket’s first stage. Meanwhile, Command and Service Module-118 (CSM-118) for the mission arrived in KSC’s Manned Spacecraft and Operations Building (MSOB) on Feb. 10, 1973, where engineers placed it inside a vacuum chamber. The prime and backup crews conducted altitude tests of the CSM in early August. With the thruster problems aboard the Skylab 3 spacecraft docked to the space station, managers accelerated the processing flow for the Skylab 4 vehicle to enable a launch as early as Sept. 9 in case they had to implement a rescue mission. Workers mated CSM-118 to the Saturn rocket on Aug. 10 and rolled the stack to Launch Pad 39B four days later. By this time, the need for a rescue had diminished and the processing flow readjusted to enable a launch on need within nine days until the Skylab 3 splashdown on Sept. 25. Normal processing then resumed for a planned Nov. 9 launch, later adjusted to Nov. 11. Carr, Gibson, and Pogue entered their preflight health stabilization plan quarantine on Oct. 20. On Nov. 6, workers found hairline cracks in the mounting brackets of the Saturn IB’s stabilizing fins, requiring a slip of the launch date to Nov. 16 to complete their replacement at the pad. The Skylab 4 countdown began on Nov. 14, the day after the astronauts arrived at KSC. Left: Skylab 4 astronauts William R. Pogue, left, Edward G. Gibson, and Gerald P. Carr training in the Skylab training mockup. Middle: Gibson, left, Carr, and Pogue display a model of the Skylab space station at the conclusion of their preflight press conference. Right: Gibson, left, Carr, and Pogue pose in front of a T-38 Talon aircraft at Ellington Air Force Base in Houston prior to their departure for NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the launch. Left: Skylab 4 astronauts William R. Pogue, left, Edward G. Gibson, and Gerald P. Carr enjoy the traditional prelaunch breakfast. Middle: Carr, front, Gibson, and Pogue test the pressure integrity of their spacesuits before launch. Right: Carr, front, Gibson, and Pogue exit crew quarters to board the transfer van for the ride to Launch Pad 39B. Liftoff of Skylab 4! The third and final mission to the Skylab space station got underway on Nov. 16, 1973, with a thunderous liftoff from KSC’s Launch Pad 39B. Although officially planned as a 56-day mission for several years, mission managers had confidence of an extension to 84 days and planned accordingly, with the astronauts bringing additional food, supplies, and science experiments. Left: Skylab during the rendezvous and docking. Right: Left by the Skylab 3 crew before their departure from the station, three astronaut manikins wear the Skylab 4 crew’s flight overalls. Eight hours after launch, and following two unsuccessful attempts, Carr hard docked the spacecraft to the space station. Pogue, who on Earth appeared resistant to all forms of motion sickness, developed a case of space motion sickness during the crew’s first evening, requiring several days to fully recover. This incident along with an overly packed timeline caused the astronauts to fall behind in accomplishing their tasks as they adjusted to weightlessness and learned their way around the large space station. The astronauts spent their first night in space aboard the Command Module, opening the hatch the next morning to begin reactivating Skylab. To their surprise, the station appeared to already have three occupants. As a joke, before they left the station in September, the Skylab 3 crew stuffed their successors’ flight suits with used clothing and left them in strategic places throughout the workshop. Carr, Gibson, and Pogue began settling into the routine aboard Skylab, preparing meals, exercising, and starting the large number of experiments. They continued the science program begun by the previous two Skylab crews, including biomedical investigations on the effects of long-duration space flight on the human body, Earth observations using the Earth Resources Experiment Package (EREP), and solar observations with instruments mounted on the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM). With the prediction earlier in the year that newly discovered Comet Kohoutek would make its closest approach to the Sun in late December, scientists added cometary observations to the crew’s already busy schedule. The astronauts brought a Far Ultraviolet Electronographic Camera, the backup to the instrument deployed on the Moon during Apollo 16, to Skylab especially for observations of the comet, and used it for cometary photography during two spacewalks added to the mission. Left: Edward G. Gibson, left, William R. Pogue, and Gerald P. Carr prepare a meal in the Skylab wardroom. Middle: Carr uses the Thornton treadmill to exercise. Right: Carr “weighs” himself in weightlessness using the body mass measurement device. One of the lessons learned from the first two Skylab missions indicated that the onboard bicycle ergometer alone did not provide enough exercise to maintain leg and back muscle mass and strength. To remedy this problem, physician and Skylab support astronaut Dr. William E. Thornton designed a makeshift treadmill that the third crew brought with them to the station. The treadmill device consisted of a teflon-coated aluminum plate bolted to the floor of the workshop. Bungee cords attached to the floor and to the ergometer harness supplied the downward force for the back and leg muscles with the astronauts sliding over the teflon-coated plate while walking or jogging in stocking feet. Because the exercise provided quite a strenuous workout, the crew dubbed it “Thornton’s revenge.” They also increased the overall amount of time they spent exercising. Left: William R. Pogue replaces film in the Apollo Telescope Mount during the mission’s first spacewalk. Middle: Gerald P. Carr flies the Astronaut Maneuvering Unit. Right: Overall view showing the large volume of the Skylab Orbital Workshop. In addition to the heavy science experiment load, the astronauts spent the first week in orbit preparing for the first spacewalk of the mission. On Nov. 22, their seventh day in space and also Thanksgiving Day, Gibson and Pogue suited up and stepped outside the space station with Gibson exclaiming, “Boy, if this isn’t the great outdoors.” During this six-hour 33-minute spacewalk, they replaced film canisters in the ATM and deployed an experiment package on the ATM truss. They took photographs with a camera that had originally been intended for the airlock now blocked by the sunshade that the first crew deployed in May to help cool the station. Gibson and Pogue accomplished all the tasks planned for this first spacewalk. Back inside the station, the astronauts settled in for the first Thanksgiving meal in space. For their dinner, Carr selected prime rib, Gibson went with traditional turkey, and Pogue chose chicken. Left: The S-IB first stage for Saturn-IB SA-209, the Skylab 4 rescue mission, arrives at the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Middle left: The S-IVB second stage for SA-209 inside the VAB. Middle right: Workers stack the Command and Service Module CSM-119, the Skylab 4 rescue spacecraft, atop SA-209. Right: The Skylab 4 rescue vehicle at Launch Pad 39B. The inclusion of two docking ports on the Skylab space station enabled an in-flight rescue capability for the first time in human spaceflight history. In case a failure of the docked CSM stranded the onboard three-person crew, a two-person crew would launch in a second Apollo spacecraft specially configured with two extra couches to return all five astronauts. For the first two Skylab missions, the rocket and spacecraft for the subsequent mission served as the potential rescue vehicle. The failure of two Service Module thruster groups during Skylab 3 nearly required the rescue capability. Since Skylab 4 was the final mission, NASA procured an additional Saturn IB rocket, SA-209, and Apollo spacecraft, CSM-119, for the rescue role. The spacecraft arrived at KSC on May 2, 1973, and workers placed it in storage in the MSOB. In September, the backup crew of Brand, Lenoir, and Lind completed altitude chamber tests with the CSM, although only Brand and Lenoir would fly any the rescue mission. The S-IVB second stage for Saturn IB SA-209 arrived at KSC on Jan. 12, 1972, and workers placed it in storage in the VAB. The S-IB first stage arrived on Aug. 20, 1973. Because only one Mobile Launcher included the milkstool to launch a Saturn IB, assembly of the rescue vehicle had to await its return from the launch pad the day after the Skylab 4 liftoff. Assembly of the rocket in the VAB began on Nov. 26, and workers topped the rocket off with the spacecraft four days later. The stacked vehicle rolled out to Launch Pad 39B on Dec. 3 where engineers prepared the vehicle so that after Dec. 20, it could support a launch within nine days, should the need arise. The vehicle remained at the pad until Feb. 14, 1974, six days after the Skylab 4 splashdown. Left: Gerald P. Carr monitors Edward G. Gibson during a lower body negative pressure test of his cardiovascular system. Middle: Gibson works out on the bicycle ergometer during a test of his cardiopulmonary function. Right: Gibson in the rotating chair to test his vestibular system. To add to their packed timeline, one of the station’s three control moment gyros (CMGs) failed the day after the first spacewalk. Skylab used CMGs to control the station’s attitude without expending precious attitude control gas, a non-renewable resource heavily depleted early in the station’s life. Engineers on the ground worked out a plan to control the station’s attitude using only the two working CMGs, thereby enabling completion of the remaining science, especially the Earth resource passes and comet Kohoutek observations. Pogue made the first measurements of Comet Kohoutek on Nov. 23 from inside the station using a photometric camera brought to Skylab especially to observe the comet. The astronauts practiced flying the Astronaut Maneuvering Unit, a precursor of the Manned Maneuvering Unit used during the space shuttle program to retrieve satellites, inside the large dome of the workshop. Left: Edward G. Gibson at the controls of the Apollo Telescope Mount. Right: William R. Pogue, left, and Gerald P. Carr at the control panel for the Earth Resources Experiment package inside the Multiple Docking Adapter. Left: Image of a massive solar flare taken by one of the Apollo Telescope Mount instruments. Middle: Earth Resources Experiment Package photograph of the San Francisco Bay area. Right: Crew handheld photograph of a cyclone in the South Pacific. On Dec. 13, the mission’s 28th day, program officials assessed the astronauts’ performance and the status of the station and fully expected that they could complete the nominal 56-day mission and most likely the full 84 days. Despite being overworked and often behind the timeline, Carr, Gibson, and Pogue had already accomplished 84 hours of solar observations, 12 Earth resources passes, 80 photographic and visual Earth observations, all of the scheduled medical experiments, as well as numerous other activities such as student experiments, and science demonstrations. The astronaut’s major concern centered around the timelining process that had not given them time to adjust to their new environment and did not take into account their on-orbit daily routine. Despite the crew sending taped verbal messages to the ground asking for help in fixing these issues, the problem persisted. Skylab 4 Lead Flight Director Neil B. Hutchinson later admitted that the ground team learned many lessons about timelining long duration missions during the first few weeks of Skylab 4. For more insight into the Skylab 4 mission, read Carr’s, Gibson’s, and Pogue’s oral histories with the JSC History Office. To be continued … With special thanks to Ed Hengeveld for his expert contributions on Skylab imagery. Explore More 12 min read 55 Years Ago: Eight Months Before the Moon Landing Article 18 mins ago 7 min read 65 Years Ago: NASA Formally Establishes The Space Task Group Article 1 week ago 3 min read Halloween on the International Space Station Article 2 weeks ago View the full article

NASA Explorers Season 6, Episode 2: Bennu’s Surprises

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and Gateway Program will hold a Utilization Town Hall for the international science community at 3 p.m., Jan. 31, 2024. Members of the global science community, academia, and public are invited to participate in this virtual Webex event by registering below. The purpose of this event is to provide all interested international science communities with an opportunity to learn about anticipated Gateway capabilities and opportunities during the Artemis era. Participants will be invited to attend informal presentations from participating agencies, panel discussions and breakout sessions. Registration to the Webex is free but required for event information and communication. Date: Jan. 31, 2024 Time: 3 p.m.ET Location (WebEx): Agenda and Link to Webex Forthcoming Registration: Gateway Utilization Town Hall Deadline to Register: Open until Jan. 24, 2024, 11:59 p.m. ET. The Heliophysics Environmental and Radiation Measurement Experiment Suite (HERMES), one of three science payloads selected to fly on Gateway. The European Radiation Sensors Array (ERSA), one of three science payloads selected to fly on Gateway.View the full article