NASA

Operational modal analysis (OMA) techniques have been used to identify the modal characteristics of the Artemis I launch vehicle during the Dynamic Rollout Test (DRT) and Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) configuration prior to launch. Forces induced during rollout and on the launch pad are not directly measurable, thus necessitating a unique approach. NASA is developing the SLS to support lunar and deep space exploration. SLS is integrated inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on the mobile launcher (ML), which supports the integrated SLS launch vehicle during transport to the pad through lift-off. The ML also provides the fuel, power, and data umbilicals running to the SLS and Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), as well as crew access to the MPCV crew module. The ML weighs ~10.6 million pounds and is over 380 feet tall. In the spring of 2022, the SLS was transported on the ML from the VAB to Launch Pad 39B (Figure 1) using the NASA crawler transporter (CT) to make this 4.2 mile trek, which takes ~8 hours. The CT alone weighs ~6.3 million pounds. Figure 1. Artemis I Rollout to Launch Pad 39B. Although the rollout environment produces relatively small launch vehicle structural loads in comparison to launch and ascent loads for most structures, the induced loads are fully representative of all loading across the entire vehicle, which is not feasible to replicate using localized shakers as was done in the Integrated Modal Test. As mentioned, forces induced during rollout and on the launch pad are not directly measurable, and OMA techniques were used to identify the modal characteristics of Artemis I in the DRT and WDR configurations. WDR, which typically includes vehicle fueling and other operations to demonstrate launch readiness, included several days of on-pad operations. Data collected for the WDR configuration, with partially filled core fuel tanks and without the CT under the ML, provided engineers another model configuration to check (Figure 2). Figure 2. Artemis I at Launch Pad 39B. Acquisition and processing the data from over 300 accelerometers located on Artemis I, ML, and CT was accomplished by a cross-program team of engineers and technicians from across the Agency, including from SLS, Exploration Ground Systems, and the NESC. Using analytical techniques developed from previous rollout tests combined with new data-processing methodologies, the team processed data from preselected CT speed increments during rollout and on-pad during WDR. By making the necessary modifications to the integrated models to match both the DRT and WDR configurations, the team was able to use those results to help make sense of what was being seen in the test data. This proved to be required for OMA testing on this structure, given the type of complex excitation that was being observed. For information, contact Dexter Johnson dexter.johnson@nasa.gov and Teresa Kinney teresa.l.kinney@nasa.gov. View the full article

Interview with NESC Director, Tim Wilson NESC Director, Tim Wilson Upon reaching its 20th year of operations at NASA in 2023, the NESC is busier than it has ever been. With a portfolio of more than 160 in-progress requests from Agency programs, NESC Director Tim Wilson spends much of his day prioritizing, allocating funds from the organization’s fixed budget to NASA’s most pressing issues. Of late, the NESC has focused on priority-one requests—projects in the flight phase—such as the Artemis missions and those of NASA’s commercial partners, while lower priority requests like discipline-advancing activities have been placed on hold until the next fiscal year. For Mr. Wilson, each day is a new shuffle of requests, funding, and resources. When he joined the newly formed NESC in 2003, Mr. Wilson could not have predicted the impact the organization would have on Agency operations. “To be honest, I didn’t really think we’d still be here,” he said. “The NESC was an experiment.” Initiated by the results of the Columbia accident investigation, the idea behind it was that NASA programs would benefit from expert, unbiased perspectives on its tough engineering problems. The vision for the organization was straightforward, but the execution was far more challenging than Mr. Wilson expected. “When we started those first assessments with the CALIPSO satellite and Shuttle, we had to elbow our way to the table to be accepted. We were new, and no one knew who we were or what we were doing. Back then, programs were worried that we might slow them down or cause problems.” Though Agency leadership had given them the green light, it was up to Mr. Wilson and the NESC’s early members to prove they deserved a seat at those tables. “You have to produce some results before folks respect you,” he said. It was hard won, but with each assessment, the NESC gained that respect by bringing ideas and solutions programs could use. Two decades in, Mr. Wilson is happy to say the NESC is now invited to the table. “That’s part of why demand has grown as much as it has. Our team is respected, and we’re asked to participate. We’ve gone from being an unknown to an organization they reach out to as a trusted partner: someone who can help them be successful, bring expertise or resources they don’t have, or sometimes just bring another perspective to break a logjam and help them get things done. That’s the shift I have seen over the years. It’s been really encouraging to see it.” The NESC portfolio of work also has shifted from the early, hectic pace of Shuttle assessments where quick, real-time solutions were needed. In the years following the Shuttle’s retirement, the NESC had the luxury of time to invest in longer-term projects like the design and construction of a composite crew module that would be leveraged in the development of Orion and commercial spacecraft. Today, the pace has ramped up again as Artemis, Dragon, and Starliner head to the Moon and ISS. “These are real-time activities where you have to engage immediately and be able to add value out of the chute. You don’t have time to come up to speed on the system,” Mr. Wilson said. “We learned with Shuttle that it was important to move quickly and be pre-positioned to help.” Over the years the NESC has cultivated good relationships with programs—keeping people plugged in to their day-to-day activities so that when problems arose, they could engage right away. “The lesson we learned is you need people doing routine work for those programs all along so that they understand the subsystems and hardware and they’re ready to engage when there’s a real-time problem.” It’s been a balancing act to keep close ties yet remain independent, but Mr. Wilson said the NESC has found an equilibrium. Independent yet parallel modeling and simulation (M&S) is a good example of finding that balance, he said. “We build our own M&S tools in parallel with the programs’ tools to give them a second set of eyes to a problem.” Since 2012, for example, NESC-built M&S trajectory tools have help mitigate risks for Artemis missions’ ascent to orbit, and entry, descent, and landing simulations for CCP provider vehicles. With capped budgets, the NESC must adjust its scope continually to keep up with the increasing tempo of space exploration. For now, that means focusing on what is most critical and has the highest payback. “We’ll continue to focus on the heavy hitters, the programs that are flying and have a critical immediate need. There are a lot of those, and the pace is ramping up.” As for the future, Mr. Wilson said, “I have not seen very many Agency initiatives persist the way the NESC has, so I’m thrilled that we have met the needs that we were placed here to meet and that we continue to deliver value, because I think that’s what has kept us rolling and growing over all of this time.” View the full article

NASA Technical Memorandums (TM), NASA Technical Publications (TP), and NASA Contractor Reports (CR) NASA/TP-20220015152 Optimization Approach for Wind Tunnel Fan Blade Strain Gage Correlation with Test Fixture Unknowns. NASA/TM-20220015363 Technology Maturation Report for Dam- age Arresting Composites under the Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project. NASA/TM-20220017053 Unique Science from the Moon in the Artemis Era NASA/TM-20220018183 Recommendations on Use of Commercial- Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Guidance for all Mission Risk Classifications – Phase II NASA/CR-20230002635 Assessment of Coated Particle Fuels for Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion Systems; A Report for the NESC Nuclear Power & Propulsion Technical Discipline Team NASA/TM-20230004147 Ceramic Capacitor Grain Size Analysis Using Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) NASA/TM-20230004154 Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) Crew Module (CM) Side Hatch Dynamic Analysis NASA/TP-20230005922 Best Practices for the Design, Development, and Operation of Robust and Reliable Space Vehicle Guidance, Navigation, and Control Systems NASA/TM-20230006220 Metallurgical Factors that Govern ST Properties in Commercial 2219-T87 Thick Plate NASA/TP-20230006226 Evaluation of Through-thickness Microtextural Characteristics in 2219-T87 Thick Plate NASA/TM-20230006507 Flight Mechanics Analysis Tools Interoperability and Component Sharing NASA/TM-20230006648 Verification of Testing Standard for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Partial Pressure in Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Suits NASA/TM-20230007658 ISS Universal Waste Management System (UWMS) Optical Sensor: Phase 1-Feasibility NASA/CR-20230010099 NASCAP Surface Charging Tool Development; Nascap-2k Additional Examples NASA/TM-20230010624 Self Reacting-Friction Stir Weld (SR-FSW) Anomalies NASA/TM-20230010640 Space-Shielding Radiation Dosage Code Evaluation; Phase 1: SHIELDOSE-2 Radiation-Assessment Code NASA/TM-20230010680 Shock Prediction Advancement: Transient Finite Energy (TFE) Shock Predictor NASA/TM-20230011306 NASA Exploration Systems Maintainability Standards for Artemis and Beyond NASA/CR-20230012105 A Compilation of Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel Research (2015–2021) NASA/TP-20230012154 Software Error Incident Categorizations in Aerospace NASA/TM-20230013348 Unconservatism of Linear-Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM)Analysis Post Autofrettage NASA/TM-20230013386 Floating Potential Measurement Unit (FPMU) Data Processing Algorithm Development and Analysis Assessment Technical Papers, Conference Proceedings, and Technical Presentations Avionics Chen, Y.: Statistical Interpretation of Life Test – Comparison between MIL and JEDEC requirements. NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging Program’s Electronic Technology Workshop, June 12-15, 2023. Franconi, N., Cook, T., Wilson, C., and George, A.: Comparison of Multi-Phase Power Converters and Power Delivery Networks for Next- Generation Space Architectures. 2023 IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, MT. pp. 1-15, DOI: 10.1109/AERO55745.2023.10115579. Green, C.; Haghani, N.; Hernandez-Pellerano, A.; Gheen, B.; Lanham, A.; Fraction, J.: MUSTANG: A Workhorse for NASA Spaceflight Avionics. IEEE Space Mission Challenges for Information Technology – IEEE Space Computing Conference Caltech (SMC-IT/SCC), Pasadena, CA. Hodson, R., Chen, Y., and Douglas, S.: NESC Recommendations on Use of COTS Parts for NASA Missions (Phase II) & The ILPM Pathfinder. NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging Program’s Electronic Technology Workshop, June 12-15, 2023. Hodson, R., Chen, Y., and Douglas, S.: Recommendations on Use of COTS Parts for NASA Missions. 2023 Space Computing Conference (SCC) Closed Session, El Segundo, CA, July 21, 2023. Powell, W.: SpaceVPX Interoperability Study Briefing. SOSA Architecture Meeting, November 1, 2022. Powell, W. and Hodson, R.: Advancing SpaceVPX Interoperability – Embedded Tech Trends, Chandler, AZ, January 23, 2023. Powell, W.: NASA’s Vision for Spaceflight Avionics. 2023 Space Computing Conference (SCC) Closed Session, El Segundo, CA, July 21, 2023. Rutishauser, D.; Prothro, J.; and Fail, J.: A System to Provide Deterministic Flight Software Operation and Maximize Multicore Processing Performance: The Safe and Precise Landing – Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) Datapath. IEEE Space Mission Challenges for Information Technology – IEEE Space Computing Conference, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, July 18-21, 2023. Some, R.; Collier, P.; Hodson, R.; and Powell W.: SpaceVPX Interoperability. IEEE Space Computing Conference, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, USA – 18-21 July 2023. Flight Mechanics Restrepo, R. L.: Trajectory Reverse Engineering: A General Strategy for Transferring Trajectories Between Flight Mechanics Tools, AAS 23-312. 33rd AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting, Austin, TX, January 15-19, 2023. Loads and Dynamics Allgood, J. and Decker, A.: Space Launch System Day of Launch Loads for Artemis I. Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle (SCLV) Dynamic Environments Workshop, El Segundo, CA, June 27-29, 2023. Bell, J.; Armand, S.; and Samareh, J.: Structural Evaluation and Optimization of Aeroshell Design Properties for Launch and Reentry Load Cases for Future AI-Informed Design Leveraging Large Datasets. Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle Dynamic Environments Workshop, El Segundo, CA, June 27-29, 2023. Blelloch, P.: Efficient Calculation of Random Stress Results. Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle Dynamic Environments Workshop, El Segundo, CA, June 27-29, 2023. Gardner, B.; Parrinello, A.; and Musser, C.: An Isogrid Panel Model for SEA. Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle Dynamic Environments Workshop, El Segundo, CA, June 27-29, 2023. Griggs, L.; Allgood, J.; Swatzell, S.; Moseley, J.; Oliver, N.; and Decker, A.: Space Launch System Artemis 1 Ascent Loads Reconstruction. Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle (SCLV) Dynamic Environments Workshop, El Segundo, CA, June 27-29, 2023. Hahn, S.; Lunetta, N.; Weathers, J.; Zuo, K.; and Decker, A.: Space Launch System Artemis 1 Rollout Loads Monitoring and Reconstruction. Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle (SCLV) Dynamic Environments Workshop, El Segundo, CA, June 27-29, 2023. Kennedy, M. and Blough, J.: Shocksat Testing and Analysis Results. Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle Dynamic Environments Workshop, El Segundo, CA, June 27-29, 2023. Kolaini, A.; Kinney, T.; and Johnson, D.: Guidance on Shock Qualification and Acceptance Test Requirements. Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle Dynamic Environments Workshop, El Segundo, CA, June 27-29, 2023. Patel, H. and Parsons, D.: Pressure Transducer Shock Testing. Spacecraft and Launch Vehicle Dynamic Environments Workshop, El Segundo, CA, June 27-29, 2023. Software Prokop, L.: A Study of Historical Flight Software Error Incidents to Influence Fault-Tolerant Design. 2023 Flight Software Workshop, March 20-23, 2023, Pasadena, CA. Space Environments Barrie, J.; Gouzman, I.; Hoffman, R.; Tighe, A.; Tagawa, M.; Miller, S.K.R.; de Groh, K.K.; Minow, J.I.; and Lao, Y.Y.: In-Situ Sensors for Monitoring the Space Environment and Its Effect Upon Satellite Materials [White paper]. Space Materials Workshop, July 24-28, 2023, virtual. Davis, V.A.; and Mandell, M.J.: NASCAP Surface Charging Tool Development, Nascap-2k Additional Examples. NASA CR-20230010099, Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, July 2023. Dawkins, E.C.M.; Stober, G.; Janches, D.; Carrillo-Sánchez, J.D.; Lieberman, R.S.; Jacobi, C.; Moffat-Griffin, T.; Mitchell, N.J.; Cobbett, N.; Batista, P.P.; Andrioli, V.F.; Buriti, R.A.; Murphy, D.J.; Kero, J.; Gulbrandsen, N.; Tsutsumi, M.; Kozlovsky, A.; Kim, J.H.; Lee, C.; and Lester, M.: Solar Cycle and Long-term Trends in the Observed Peak of the Meteor Altitude Distributions by Meteor Radars. Geophysical Research Letters, 50, e2022GL101953. https://doi. org/10.1029/2022GL101953, 2023. Debchoudhury, S.; Lin, D.; Coffey, V.N.; Barjatya, A.; Minow, J.I.; and Parker, L.N.: Plasma Irregularities Observed by ISS FPMU: Multi- instrument Case-study and Modeling Results. Abstract SA52A-24, AGU Fall Meeting 2022, December 12-16, 2022, Chicago, IL. Debchoudhury, S.; Karan, D.; Barjatya, A.; Coffey, V.N.; and Minow, J.I.: Multi-layer Observations of Plasma Blobs and Bubbles using ICON, GOLD, and ISS FPMU. 2023 Coupling, Energetics, and Dynamics of Atmospheric Regions (CEDAR) Workshop, June 25-30, 2023, San Diego, CA. de Groh, K.; Stanton, J.S.; Minow, J.I.; Kimoto, Y.; Lord, E.M.; and Lao, Y.Y.: Space Materials Center [White paper]. Space Materials Workshop, July 24-28, 2023, virtual. Janches, D.; Bruzonne, J.S.; Weryk, R.J.; Hormaechea, J.L.; and Brunini, C.: Radar Observations of the Arid Meteor Shower Outburst from Comet 15P/Finlay. Planetary Science Journal, 4, 165, 2023, https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ace82a. Levine, J.S.: The Impact of Lunar Dust and Mars Dust on Human Exploration: Summary of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) Workshop. Lunar Science Innovation Consortium Dust Mitigation Focus Group Meeting, January 19, 2023, virtual. Mertens, C.J.; Gronoff, G.; Zheng, Y.; Buhler, J.; Willis, E.M.; Petrenko, M.; Phoenix, D.; Jun, I.; and Minow, J.I.: NAIRAS Model Updates and Improvements to the Prediction of the Ionizing Radiation Environment from the Earth’s Surface to Geospace. Abstract SM35C-1769, AGU Fall Meeting 2022, December 12-16, 2022, Chicago, IL. Mertens, C.J.; Gronoff, G.; Phoenix, D.; Paul, S.N.; Mehta, P.M.; Zheng, Y.; and Nunez, M.: NAIRAS Model Nowcasting and Forecasting of the Aviation Radiation Environment. 20th Conference on Space Weather, American Meteorological Society, 103rd Annual Meeting, January 8-12, 2023, Denver, CO. Mertens, C.J.; Gronoff, G.; Zheng, Y.; Buhler, J.; Willis, E.M.; Petrenko, M.; Phoenix, D.; Jun, I.; and Minow, J.: NAIRAS Model Updates and Improvements to the Prediction of Ionizing Radiation from Earth’s Surface to Cislunar Environment. NOAA Space Weather Workshop, April 17-21, 2023, Boulder, CO. Mertens, C.J.; Gronoff, G.P.; Phoenix, D.; Zheng, Y.; Petrenko, M.; Buhler, J.; Jun, I.; Minow, J.I.; and Willis E.: NAIRAS Ionizing Radiation Model: Extension from Atmosphere to Space. NASA/TP- 20230006306, May 2023. Mertens, C.J.; Gronoff, G.; Zheng, Y.; Buhler, J.; Willis, E.M.; Petrenko, M.; Phoenix, D.; Jun, I.; and Minow, J.I.: NAIRAS Atmospheric and Space Radiation Environment Model. IEEE Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference, July 24-28, 2023, Kansas City, MO. Mertens, C.J.; Gronoff, G.P.; Zheng, Y.; Petrenko, M.; Buhler, J.; Phoenix, D.; Willis, E.; Jun, I.; and Minow, J.: NAIRAS model run- on-request service at CCMC. Space Weather, 21, e2023SW003473. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023SW003473, 2023. Minow, J.I.; Meloy, R.; Parker, L.N.; and Collado-Vega, Y.: JWST Space Environments Launch Constraints. Fall 2022 Natural Environments Day- of-Launch Working Group, December 7, 2022, virtual. Minow, J.I.: Impacts of the Space Environment on Lunar Exploration. AIAA-2023-2467, AIAA SciTech Forum and Exposition, January 23-27, 2023, National Harbor, MD (invited). Minow, J.I.: Spacecraft Anomalies and Failures Workshop 2023: NASA Introductory Comments. Spacecraft Anomalies and Failures 2023 Workshop, March 29, 2023, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, and March 30, 2023, NRO HQ Westfields (invited). Minow, J.I.: SCAF Workshop 2023: Day 1 Final Comments and Wrap- up. Spacecraft Anomalies and Failures 2023 Workshop, March 29, 2023, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD and March 30, 2023, NRO HQ Westfields (invited). Minow, J.I.: Low Energy Ionizing Radiation and Plasma Contributions to Radiation Dose in Materials at Sun-Earth Lagrange Points. 2023 Materials Research Society Spring Meeting and Exhibit, Symposium SF02: Materials in Space—Design and Testing, April 10-14, 2023, San Francisco, CA (invited). Minow, J.I.; Debchoudhury, S.; Barjatya, A.; Coffey, V.; and Parker, L.N.: Floating Potential Measurement Unit (FPMU) Data Processing Algorithm and Analysis Assessment. NASA/TM-20230013386, NESC- RP-19-01434, September 2023. Minow, J.I.: Surface Charging to High Voltages in the Space Environment. High Voltage Aerospace Systems Workshop, Energy & Mobility Technology, Systems, and Value Chain Conference and Expo, September 12-15, 2023, Cleveland, OH (invited). Minow, J.I.; Diekmann, A.M.; Willis, E.M.; and Coffey, V.N.: L2-Charged Particle Environment (L2-CPE) Low Energy Radiation Fluence Model. Radiation and its Effects on Components and Systems Conference (RADECS) 2023, September 25-29, 2023, Toulouse, France. Newheart, A.M.; Sazykin, S.; Coffey, V.N.; Chandler, M.O.; Coster, A. J.; Fejer, B.G.; Minow, J.I.; and Swenson, C.M.: Observations of Night-Time Equatorial Ionosphere Structure with the FPMU on board the International Space Station. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 127, e2022JA030373. https://doi. org/10.1029/2022JA030373 2022. Parker, L.N.; Jun, I.; and Minow, J.I.: Introduction to the Virtual Collection on the Applied Space Environments Conference 2021. Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 60, No. 2, pp. 374-374, doi/ abs/10.2514/1.A35728, 2023. Schonberg, W. and Squire, M: Predicting High-speed Particle Impact Damage in Spacecraft Thermal Protection Systems. Journal of Space Safety Engineering. Accepted for publication. Schonberg, W. and Squire, M.: Toward a More Generalized Ballistic Limit Equation for Multi-Shock Shield. Acta Astronautica. Accepted for publication. Stober, G.; Weryk, R.; Janches, D.; Dawkins, E.C.M.; Günzkofer, F.; Hormaechea, J.L.; and Pokhotelov, D.: Polarization Dependency of Transverse Scattering and Collisional Coupling to the Ambient Atmosphere from Meteor Trails – Theory and Observations. Planetary and Space Science, 105768, ISSN 0032-0633, https://doi. org/10.1016/j.pss.2023.105768, 2023. Thomsen, D.L.; Jordan, T.M.; Milic, L.; and Girard, W.: Decreasing Proton Single Event Effects in CubeSats with Shielding. 2023 Single Event Effects (SEE) Symposium and Military and Aerospace Programmable Logic Devices (MAPLD) Workshop, May 15-19, 2023, La Jolla, CA. Valinia, A.; and Minow, J.: Required Space Weather Reconnaissance in the Artemis Era. 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, March 13-17, 2023, The Woodlands, TX. Zheng, Y.; Jun, I.; Tu, W.; Sprits, Y.; Kim, W.; Miyoshi, Y.; Meier, M.; and Minow, J.: Overview, Progress and Next Steps for Our Understanding of the Near-Earth Space Radiation and Plasma Environment: Science and Applications. 28th International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) General Assembly, July 8-18, 2023, Berlin, Germany. Structures Arndt, C. and TerMaath, S.: Characterization of the Damage Tolerance of Composite Overlays through Subspace Evaluation. ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA, June 6-9, 2023. Babuska, P.; Tai, W.; Goyal, V.; and Rodriguez, A.: Novel Test and Analysis Methodology for the Assessment of Joint under Re-entry Environment. AIAA Scitech 2023, National Harbor, MD, January 23-27, 2023. Bo, D.; Hwangbo, H.; Sharma, V.; Arndt, C.; and TerMaath, S.: A Randomized Subspace-based Approach for Dimensionality Reduction and Important Variable Selection. Journal of Machine Learning Research, 24: 1-3010.48550/arxiv.2106.01584, 2023. Bo, D.; Hwangbo, H.; and TerMaath, S.: Subspace Selection for High- Dimensional Experiments of Material Development Process. Institute of Industrial & Systems Engineers (IISE) Annual Conference and Expo, New Orleans, LA, May 20-23, 2023. Brust, F. W.; Punch, E.; Twombly, E.; and Wallace, J: Estimation Scheme for Weld Residual Stress Effect on Crack Opening Displacements. ASME Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference, Paper PVP2023-107396, Atlanta, GA, July 2023. Cardona, A.; Jegley, D.; and Lovejoy, A.: Manufacturing Trials of Integrally Stiffened Panels for Flight Applications. AIAA-2023-0781, SciTech 2023, National Harbor, MD, January 2023. Cline, J.; Dorsey, J.; Kang, D.; Doggett, W.; and Allen, D.: Ideas For Infusing In-Space Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing Concepts into Nuclear Electric Propulsion Architectures. Joint Army-Navy-NASA- Air Force (JANNAF) 12th Spacecraft Propulsion Joint Subcommittee Meeting, Huntsville, AL, December 2022. Doggett, W.; Heppler, J.; Mahlin, M.; Pappa, R.; Teter, J.; Song, K.; White, B.; Wong, I.; and Mikulas, M.: Towers: Critical Initial Infrastructure for the Moon. AIAA-2023-0383, SciTech 2023, National Harbor, MD, January 2023. Fleishel, R.; Ferrell, W.; and TerMaath, S.: Fatigue-Damage Initiation at Process Introduced Internal Defects in Electron-Beam-Melted Ti- 6Al-4V. 2023. Metals 13:2, 350. Special Issue: Deformation, Fracture and Microstructure of Metallic Materials, https://doi.org/10.3390/ met13020350. Fleishel, R. and TerMaath, S.: Modeling fatigue overload behavior in microstructurally short cracks: connecting initiation and long crack behavior. ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA, June 6-9, 2023. Goyal, V.; Tuck-Lee, J.; Babuska, P.; and Zeitunian, E.: Lessons Learned in the Buckling Assessments of Space Structures. AIAA Scitech 2023, National Harbor, MD, January 23-27, 2023. Goyal, V.; Sagrillo, C.; Fannon, J.; Forth, S.; and Kezirian, M.: Space Systems Technical Guide for Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels. AIAA Scitech 2023, National Harbor, MD, January 23-27, 2023. Hart, D.; Balsara, Martinez, and TerMaath, S.: Multi-Scale Multi- Physics Bondline Strength Prediction Research. NATO Science & Technology Organization, Applied Vehicle Technology Panel (AVT-361) Research Workshop on Certification of Bonded Repair on Composite Aircraft Structures, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Oct 18-20, 2022. Kaleel, I., Ricks, T.M., Gustafson, P.A., Pineda, E.J., Bednarcyk, B.A., and Arnold, S.M. (2023) “Massively Multiscale Modeling using NASA Multiscale Analysis Tool through Partitioned Task-Parallel Approach” 2023 AIAA SciTech Forum, 23-27 January 2023, National Harbor, MD. Lin, L.: Correlation Study of SWOT Payload Acoustic Prediction and Test. AIAA SciTech, January 2023. Ma, X. and TerMaath, S.: Microstructural Analysis of Intergranular Stress Corrosion Cracking in 5xxx Series Aluminum Reinforced with a Composite Patch. 2023. Advances in the Analysis and Design of Marine Structures. Ringsberg & Guedes Soares (Eds), CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-032-50636-4. Pak, C.: Linear and Geometrically Nonlinear Structural Shape Sensing from Strain Data. AIAA Journal, Vol. 61, No. 2, 2023, pp. 907-922. Pak, C.: Finite Element Model Tuning Using Analytical Sensitivity Values. Journal of Aircraft, Articles in Advance (Vol. 60, No. 2 or 3), 2023. Panda, J.; Nguyen, M.P.; Keil. D.R.; and Hamm, K.R.: A Microphone Phased Array for Launch Acoustics Application. AIAA SciTech Conference, National Harbor, MD, (2023), AIAA Paper 2023-0790. Qu, X.; Shimizu, L.; Rome J.; Nordendale, N.; and Goyal, V.: Reliability- based Damage Tolerance Analysis for Additive Manufacturing Part. NAFEMS World Congress 2023, Tampa, FL, May 2023. Ricks, T. M.; Pineda, E. J.; Bednarcyk, B. A.; McCorkle, L. S.; Miller, S. G.; Murthy, P. L.; and Segal, K. N.: Multiscale Progressive Failure Analysis of 3D Woven Composites. 2022, Polymers, 14(20), 4340. Rome, J. and Goyal, V.: Moving Towards a Print Then Use Framework for Additive Manufacturing. ASME SSDM 2023, June 2023, SSDM2023-111806, Accepted. Rudd, M.T.; Eberlein, D.J.; Waters, W.A.; Gardner, N.W.; Schultz, M.R.; and Bisagni, C.: Analysis and Validation of a Scaled, Launch- Vehicle-Like Composite Cylinder under Axial Compression. Composite Structures, Volume 304, Part 1, January 2023. Rudd, M.T.; Schultz, M.R.; Gardner, N.W.; and Bisagni, C.: Test and Analysis of a Composite Conical-Cylindrical Shell. AIAA SciTech 2023 Forum, AIAA paper no. AIAA 2023-1525, National Harbor, MD, January 2023. Soltz, B.; Goyal, V.; Rome, J.; and Qu, X.: Structural Requirements, Process Simulation, and Residual Stress Characterization for Additively Manufactured Spaceflight Parts. AIAA 2023-2078, https:// doi.org/10.2514/6.2023-2078, AIAA Scitech 2023, National Harbor, MD, January 23-27, 2023. Soltz, B.; Sivess, A.; Hickman, M.; Ghazari, A. and Shimizu, L.: Static Load Testing and Analysis Recommendations For Space Vehicles. OTR 2023-00653, 33rd Aerospace Testing Seminar, The Aerospace Corporation, May 16, 2023. Song, K.; Mikulas, M.; Mahlin, M.; and Cassady, J.: Sizing and Design Tool for Tall Lunar Tower. AIAA-2023-0382, SciTech 2023, National Harbor, MD, January 2023. Hammel, J.: Utilizing 3D-DIC on the Mars 2020 Rover Wheel Assembly: Test-Analysis Correlation. IEEE, March 2023. Song, K.; Stark, A.; Amundsen, R.; Mikulas, M.; Mahlin, M.; and Cassady, J.: Sizing, Buckling, and Thermal-Structural Analysis of Tall Lunar Tower. 2023 AIAA ASCEND, Las Vegas, NV, October 2023. TerMaath, S.: Multi-scale Computational Structural Mechanics. Turing- Oden Workshop on Data Science and Machine Learning. Alan Turing Institute, London, January 25-27, 2023. TerMaath, S.; Crusenberry, C.; and Arndt, C.: Reduced Order Modeling of Progressive Failure in Composite/Metal Structure. 6th International Conference on Protective Structures, Auburn University, May 14-17, 2023. TerMaath, S.: Probabilistic multi-scale characterization and prediction of bimaterial bondline structural reliability. Canadian National Research Council, Ottawa, June 1, 2023. TerMaath, S.; Ingling, B.; Noland, J.; and Hart, D.: Evaluation of low-velocity impact damage in metal/composite layered structure. 8th International Symposium on Life-Cycle Civil Engineering (IALCCE). Milano, Italy, July 2-6, 2023. Twombly, E.; Hill, L.; Wilkowski, G.; Brust, B.; Lin, B.; and Tregoning, R.: Evaluation of the Inherent LBB Behavior of Small-Diameter Class 1 and 2 Nuclear Piping Systems. ASME Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference, Paper PVP2023-107685, Atlanta, GA, July 2023. Ytuarte, E.; Ragheb, H.; Sobey, A.; and TerMaath, S.: Peridynamics with stochastic bond strengths for determination of final failure in composite laminates. ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA, June 6-9, 2023.2022, Park City, UT. Systems Engineering Driscoll, A. and Vining, G.: Debunking Stress Rupture Theories Using Weibull Regression Plots. Fall Technical Conference, October 12-14, 2022, Park City, UT Driscoll, A.: Advances in Stress Rupture Modeling: A Case Study for Predicting COPV Reliability. Joint Statistical Meetings, August 5-10, 2023, Toronto, Canada. Huang, Z. C.: Toward Closed Form Formulas for System Reliability and Confidence Quantification. 2023 Annual Reliability and Maintainability Symposium (RAMS), January 23-26, 2023, DOI: 10.1109/RAMS51473.2023.10088214. Parker, P. and Wilson, S.: Motivating Statistical Research for NASA Applications. Joint Statistical Meetings, August 5-10, 2023, Toronto, Canada. Thermal Control and Protection Rickman, S.: Re-Architecting the NASA Wire Derating Approach, Phase II, Wire and Wire Bundle Ampacity Testing and Analysis. Aerospace Electrical Interconnect Symposium, October 2022, Houston, TX. Rickman, S.: Space Mission Thermal Control and Protection Challenges – Past, Present, and Future. The Intersociety Conference on Thermal and Thermomechanical Phenomena in Electronic Systems (ITherm), June 2023, Orlando, FL. Rickman, S.: Introduction to Orbits. Rice/Envision Aerospace and Aviation Academy, June 2023, Houston, TX. Rickman, S.: Development and Application of a Novel Calorimetry Technique for the Study of Lithium-Ion Cell Thermal Runaway., International Conference on Environmental Systems (ICES), July 2023, Calgary, Canada. Rickman, S.: Introduction to On-Orbit Thermal Environments. Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop (TFAWS), August 2023, College Park, MD. Shafirovich, E. and Rickman, S.: A Warm Garage for a Lunar Rover, Commercial Lunar Payload Services. Survive the Night Technology Workshop, December 2022, Cleveland, OH. View the full article

NESC Honor Awards are given each year to NASA employees, industry representatives, and other stakeholders for their efforts and achievements in engineering, leadership, teamwork, and communication. These awards formally recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to the NESC mission, demonstrate engineering and technical excellence, and foster an open environment. 2022 Honorees from left to right: (Front Row) Tim Wilson (NESC Director); Yuan Chen (LaRC), Elspeth Peterson (KSC), Grace Belancik (ARC), Jing Pei (LaRC), Mark Vande Hei (NESC Chief Astronaut); (Second row) James Walker (MSFC), Carlton Faller (JSC), Jason Vaughn (MSFC), Shane Cravens (Syncom Space Services, SSC), Shawn Brechbill (MSFC), Kevin Dickens (GRC); (Third row) Christopher Johnston (LaRC). NESC Director’s Award Honors individuals for defending a technical position that conflicts with a program or organization’s initial or prevailing engineering perspectives and for taking personal initiative to foster clear and open communication and resolve controversial issues. DANIEL L. DIETRICH – In recognition of the development and advocacy of the technical rationale to assess the safety and effectiveness of breathing systems for pilots of tactical aircraft. NESC Leadership Award Honors individuals for sustained leadership excellence demonstrated by establishing a vision, developing and managing a plan, and building consensus to proactively resolve conflicts and achieve results. YUAN CHEN – In recognition of outstanding leadership in the electrical, electronic, electromechanical parts’ community and the development of recommendations on the use of commercial parts in NASA missions. NIKOLAUS GRAVENSTEIN – In recognition of outstanding technical leadership in support of Verification of Testing Standard for Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Partial Pressure in Extravehicular Activity Suits. ELSPETH M. PETERSEN – In recognition of outstanding leadership to the Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporator Assessment Team in negotiating creative solutions and facility challenges. PATRICK A. SIMPKINS – In recognition of outstanding technical leadership in support of numerous NESC assessments to reduce risk to NASA’s most critical human and robotic spaceflight programs. NESC Engineering Excellence Award Honors individuals for making significant engineering contributions, developing innovative approaches, and ensuring appropriate levels of engineering rigor are applied to the resolution of technical issues in support of the NESC mission. KEVIN W. DICKENS – In recognition of engineering excellence and sustained commitment to the NESC Propulsion Technical Discipline Team and NASA missions. View the full article

After reflecting on the more than 1,200 assessments completed by the NESC over the last 20 years, Director Tim Wilson selected these assessments as his top three. They were selected because they would likely have the greatest and most lasting impact on human life and the furtherance of the NESC mission. He shared why their effects were so far-reaching. 2013-2019 Assessing Risks of Frangible Joint Designs At the request of the Commercial Crew Program, the NESC took on an empirical test program of frangible joints to provide confidence in their use for human spaceflight. “Many programs use these joints, so understanding the margins and what drives their designs has helped us keep flight crews safe and make missions successful,” said Mr. Wilson. The joints provide a debris-free separation of launch vehicle stages and payload fairings. To determine the effects various design parameters and environmental factors have on jointseparation capability, the NESC conducted more than 140 tests on a variety of designs and generated more than 100 million lines of data that were used to anchor models, develop design sensitivities, and make reliability estimates. Their comprehensive work was foundational to later assessments for the Space Launch System, Orion, and Launch Services Programs. The NESC also started the FJ Working Group, which serves as the Agency’s technical community of practice. It ensures programs understand the risks associated with their use and is proactive in ensuring NASA is implementing safe and reliable FJ technologies. 2018-2021 Pilot Breathing Assessment When the U.S. Navy was experiencing an increase in pilot physiological episodes across their F/A-18 fleet that was leading to mission aborts, “No one really understood what was going on or why,” said Mr. Wilson. “It was a difficult problem, and our NESC team was able to come up with compelling answers.” Over the NESC’s three-year study, its Pilot Breathing Assessment (PBA) team designed novel instrumentation to measure pilot physiological states and interactions with aircraft life support systems. NASA test pilots flew instrumented NASA F/A-18 and F-15 aircraft through pre-specified flight profiles while wearing specialized breathing equipment augmented with an advanced sensor system. Aligned data streams identified pilot/aircraft interactions with the potential for negative cognitive and physiological impact. After more than 100 scripted flights and 250 million data points, the PBA team determined that breathing pressures and airflows were often mismatched, increasing a pilot’s efforts to maintain sufficient ventilation. The PBA team’s work has benefited the field of aviation and the advancement of human system integration in modern aircraft and has direct application for NASA vehicles such as the T-38, F-15, X-59, and the ISS. 2020-2023 Unconservatism of LEFM Analysis Post Autofrettage The NESC has invested significant time and resources to understanding the complex behavior of composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPV), which are used extensively in space-flight. Most recently, an NESC team found there was a lack of conservatism in the damage tolerance analyses conducted on COPV liners using linear-elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM), particularly in understanding the influence of autofrettage (AF). During AF, a COPV is subjected to high pressures to compress the inner surfaces, making them less susceptible to operational stresses later. In verifying damage tolerance life, the team found that separating the AF cycle from subsequent elastic cycles in LEFM analysis led to unconservative life predictions. Cracks remained open during compressive cycles after AF and allowed for a larger stress range to contribute to crack growth in each subsequent elastic cycle. The team provided corrections to NASGRO (programs that analyze fracture and fatigue crack growth) to make predictions less unconservative. “I’m convinced that someday crew will fly, come home, disembark, and never know that it was the improvements to those analytical tools made by this NESC team that kept them safe. I think it’s going to have wide-ranging impact.” View the full article

NASA NASA has selected Bastion Technologies Inc. of Houston to provide support services in four broad technical areas including environmental, institutional operational safety, occupational health, aeronautics and space systems, and ground support equipment mission assurance. The Environmental, Safety, Health, and Mission Assurance contract is cost-plus-fixed-fee with indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity task orders with a maximum value of approximately $125.4 million. The performance period is from May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2029. Services will be provided at NASA’s Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland and Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. Services also will be provided at the agency’s Headquarters in Washington and may be required at other NASA facilities, once approved, and placed on the contract. Major subcontractors for Bastion Technologies Inc. include Leidos Inc. of Reston, Virginia, and Herndon Solutions Group of Henderson, Nevada. For information about NASA and other agency programs, visit: https://www.nasa.gov -end- Rob Margetta Headquarters, Washington 202-358-0918 robert.j.margetta@nasa.gov Brian Newbacher Glenn Research Center, Cleveland 216-433-5644 brian.t.newbacher@nasa.gov View the full article

The Value of NASA (2024 State of NASA Highlights)

5 min read Total Solar Eclipse 2024: The Moon’s Moment in the Sun Artist’s representation of a total solar eclipse, with a new moon in the foreground and the Sun’s corona visible in the background. Download the Poster NASA/Vi Nguyen On April 8, 2024, much of North America will experience a solar eclipse: a cosmic alignment of Sun, Moon, and Earth, in that order. The Moon’s shadow path will make landfall on Mexico’s Pacific coast, cross the United States from Texas to Maine, and exit North America via Newfoundland, Canada, continuing into the Atlantic Ocean. Learn how to safely observe the 2024 Solar Eclipse It’s All About Perspective Solar eclipses on Earth are a convenient coincidence. The Sun’s diameter is about 400 times larger than the Moon’s, and the Sun is almost 400 times farther away from us than the Moon is. This combination makes the Sun and Moon appear nearly the same size in our sky, setting up a spectacular show when they align. Try experimenting with apparent size for yourself by holding up a small item, like your thumb, and moving it closer and farther away to block different-sized objects from your view. The Moon’s distance from Earth varies, though only slightly. The Moon’s orbit is not a perfect circle, and it is not quite centered on our planet. At its closest, the Moon is about twenty-eight Earth diameters away; at its farthest, about thirty-two. As a result, the Moon’s apparent size changes over time, and eclipses are not all alike. A total solar eclipse is only possible when the Moon is closer to Earth than average. When the Moon is farther away, its apparent size is smaller than the Sun’s, so it does not completely block the Sun’s bright disk. In this configuration, when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, a “ring of fire” remains visible – that’s an annular solar eclipse. An Orbital Dance Video tutorial describing the 2024 total solar eclipse and explaining the Moon’s role in creating it. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Ever wonder why solar eclipses don’t happen more often? Earth, Moon, and Sun don’t line up perfectly every month because the Moon’s orbit is tilted by about 5 degrees compared to Earth’s orbit around the Sun. Most of the time, the Moon’s shadow misses our planet. When all three celestial bodies do align, views of the eclipse depend not just on our position in the solar system, but also on our location on Earth. The Moon’s shadow has two parts, the umbra and the penumbra. Observers in the umbra (or “path of totality”) will experience a total solar eclipse. For those in the penumbra, the eclipse will be partial. 2024 Total Solar Eclipse shadow path map, built using datasets from several NASA missions. For more information, visit NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio: The 2024 Total Solar Eclipse. NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio If you are planning to observe the eclipse, you’ve probably consulted a shadow path map like this one. But how do we know exactly where and when the Moon will cast its shadow? Eclipse prediction depends, first and foremost, on understanding the positions and movements of the Moon, Sun, and Earth. Modern maps build on a long human history of eclipse forecasting. And since 2009, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has been mapping the Moon in unprecedented detail. LRO’s lunar topography data enables us to make more accurate eclipse predictions than ever before. Moonshadow: The Making of a Map The Moon is a rugged world of peaks, craters, basins, and valleys. Since the lunar horizon is bumpy and jagged, the shadow it casts is not quite round. Knowing the precise shape of the Moon helps us understand exactly where its shadow will darken Earth’s surface. Of course, our own planet is not perfectly round, either. Today’s eclipse maps account not only for the lunar landscape, but also for the contours of Earth’s mountain ranges, lowlands, and other features. Uneven lunar terrain partially blocks the Sun in this composite image of a partial solar eclipse, showing the Moon (visualization based on Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter data) passing between Earth and the Sun (as imaged from space by the Solar Dynamics Observatory spacecraft on October 7, 2010). NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio Bursts of Light: Baily’s Beads and the Diamond Ring Effect Casual observers don’t usually notice that the Moon’s silhouette is rough around the edges. At a distance of 239,000 miles (that’s the average gap between Earth and the Moon), our nearest neighbor in space looks round – even mountains appear too small for the human eye to distinguish. But, for two brief moments during a solar eclipse, craggy lunar terrain commands the spotlight. On the brink of totality, as the Moon moves into full Sun-blocking position, the Sun’s edge doesn’t go dark all at once. Last rays of sunlight peek through valleys on the lunar horizon. These isolated areas of intense brightness can resemble a string of glowing beads or a single dramatic burst of light like the gem on a ring. The same phenomena, sometimes called Baily’s Beads and the Diamond Ring Effect, can also occur as the Moon edges out of totality (or annularity). Since we know the shape and position of the Moon so well, we can predict where the first and last bits of sunlight will appear. Baily’s Beads as seen during the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. NASA/Aubrey Gemignani NASA Eclipse Science and You NASA scientists take full advantage of the unusual atmospheric and environmental conditions the Moon’s passing shadow creates, and you can too. Here are just a few places to start. Join a community eclipse science project like Eclipse Soundscapes or GLOBE Eclipse. A solar eclipse is a rare opportunity to directly observe a new moon. Document your experience and kick off a month of Moon observations with our special edition Moon Observation Journal. Learn more about lunar and solar eclipses. Connect with observers around the world and keep celebrating the Moon’s place in science and culture on the next International Observe the Moon Night, Sept. 14, 2024. Science Advisor: Ernie Wright, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center About the Author Caela Barry Share Details Last Updated Mar 11, 2024 Editor Molly Wasser Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms 2024 Solar Eclipse Earth’s Moon Eclipses Solar Eclipses Uncategorized Explore More 2 min read NASA Launches Snap It! Computer Game to Learn About Eclipses Article 3 days ago 4 min read NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement Mission: 10 years, 10 stories Article 1 week ago 2 min read Eclipse Ambassadors off the Path: Reaching Underrepresented Audiences Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA NASA Eclipse Science Moon Phases International Observe the Moon Night Supermoons View the full article

NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro. NASA/Cory Huston “The rollout of the President’s 2025 budget offers the opportunity to highlight some of the exciting happenings that are helping launch humanity’s future at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Every dollar spent on the agency goes toward U.S. prosperity and improving life on Earth. In the state of Florida, more than 27,000 jobs can be attributed to work performed here. “Kennedy is proud to support the administration’s goals and priorities for NASA, including the Artemis campaign, an American presence in low Earth orbit, and the development of new space technologies. Through Artemis, NASA is returning to the Moon with its sights set on Mars. At Kennedy, we are updating the ground systems and processing the hardware to take us there. The Artemis II launch in 2025 will be the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establish a long-term presence on the lunar surface. “Kennedy also continues launching the science missions that study Earth and our solar system, as well as sending crews and cargo to the International Space Station. Research on the orbiting laboratory ranges from DNA studies to 3D printing, helping us solve problems here on Earth while serving as a proving ground for capabilities we will need during long-duration human space exploration. “Other innovative work at Kennedy in physics, dust mitigation, and space gardening will lead to the technologies humans will need to live and work in space – including the ability to maintain a commercial supply chain in deep space. “Along the way, NASA is helping grow the domestic market. Kennedy has led the way in developing relationships that are so instrumental to our nation’s future in space. Through more than 90 commercial partners and nearly 250 partnership agreements, our spaceport provides continuous access to space using the same creativity and innovation that have become the hallmark of our agency. Additionally, NASA programs at Kennedy create expanded opportunities for new and current launch providers and payload processors. “We do all of this thanks to our diverse and talented workforce. Our employees are second to none, and they are the reason that Kennedy has ranked among the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government for five years in a row. I hope you will join me in celebrating these accomplishments and looking forward to another exciting year of exploration, innovation, and inspiration at the world’s preeminent spaceport.” Read NASA Administrator Bill Nelson’s statement on the FY2025 budget request here. Images of Janet Petro are available from NASA’s image library in vertical and horizontal formats. For more information about Kennedy Space Center, visit: www.nasa.gov/kennedy -end- Patti Bielling Kennedy Space Center, Florida 321-501-7575 patricia.a.bielling@nasa.gov View the full article

NASA/Joel Kowsky The Moon passes in front of the Sun in this Aug. 21, 2017, image taken at the point of the maximum partial eclipse. This photo was taken near Banner, Wyoming, where a partial eclipse was visible. However, a narrow portion of the contiguous United States from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina saw a total solar eclipse. On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk. See the path of the eclipse and how to safely watch it. If you’re not in the path of the eclipse, watch with NASA from anywhere in the world. We will provide live broadcast coverage on April 8 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT (1700 to 2000 UTC). Image Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky View the full article

NASA The Biden-Harris Administration Monday released the President’s Budget for Fiscal Year 2025, which includes funding to invest in America and the American people and will allow NASA to continue advancing our understanding of Earth and space while inspiring the world through discovery. “As history has proven, as the present has shown, and as the future will continue to demonstrate, an investment in NASA is an investment in America for the benefit of humanity,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “President Biden’s budget will fund our nation’s abilities and leadership for the future of space exploration, scientific discovery, cutting-edge technology, climate data, the next generation of aeronautics, and inspiring our future leaders – the Artemis Generation.” The budget allows NASA to launch the Artemis II mission, which will send astronauts around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years, research Earth’s changing climate, grow commercial markets to serve America’s interests in space, and inspire the Artemis Generation of science, technology, engineering, and math professionals. “This budget shows NASA’s value in contributing to the global leadership of the United States,” said Nelson. “Every dollar supports our ability to continue exploring new cosmic shores and making the impossible possible, all while creating competitive and good-paying jobs in all 50 states.” At NASA, the budget request would: Invest in the U.S.-led Artemis campaign of lunar exploration: The budget includes $7.8 billion for the Artemis campaign, which will bring astronauts – including the first woman, first person of color, and first international astronaut –to the lunar surface starting this decade as part of a long-term journey of science and exploration. Enhance climate science and information: The budget invests $2.4 billion in the Earth science program for missions and activities that advance Earth systems science and increase accessibility to information to mitigate natural hazards, support climate action, and manage natural resources. Advance U.S. space industry technology development: The budget provides $1.2 billion for NASA’s space technology portfolio to foster innovative technology research and development to meet the needs of NASA, support the expanding U.S. space industry, which is creating a growing number of good jobs, and keep America ahead of competitors at the forefront of space innovation. Support highly efficient and greener commercial airliners: The budget invests $966 million in NASA’s aeronautics program, which will develop hybrid-electric jet engines, lightweight aircraft structures, and a major new flight demonstrator to pave the way for new commercial airliners that would be cheaper to operate and produce less pollution. Continue the transition to commercial space stations: The budget funds continued operation of the International Space Station, a vehicle to safely de-orbit the space station after it is retired in 2030, and the commercial space stations that NASA will use as soon as they become available. Increase STEM opportunities at minority-serving institutions: The budget provides $46 million to the Minority University Research and Education Project, to increase competitive awards to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, tribal colleges and universities, and other minority-serving institutions, and recruit and retain underrepresented and underserved students in STEM fields. Following historic progress made since the President took office – with nearly 15 million jobs created and inflation down two-thirds – the budget protects and builds on this progress by lowering costs for working families and reducing the deficit by cracking down on fraud, cutting wasteful spending, and making the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share. For more information on NASA’s fiscal year 2025 budget request, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/budget -end- Faith McKie / Abbey Donaldson Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 faith.d.mckie@nasa.gov / abbey.a.donaldson@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Mar 11, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsBudget & Annual ReportsNASA Headquarters View the full article

Summary In responding to Milestone 4.2 of the Digital Government Strategy, NASA heeded the Advisory Group’s encouragement to “build upon existing structures and processes as much as possible.” To locate the gaps in existing governance structures, NASA’s Digital Strategy response team identified all necessary decisions concerning digital services, using the three layers pointed out in the Digital Strategy-information, platform, presentation-as a guide. This decision matrix illustrated gaps in governance that need to be addressed in order for NASA’s Digital Services to align with the Digital Government Strategy. Going forward, these gaps will be addressed by the NASA Digital Services Governance Framework. This newly established framework, in conjunction with established Agency policy and procedural requirements, encompasses the requirements for overseeing the development and delivery of enterprise digital services. It proposes a new implementation body, the Digital Services Board, reporting to the established Mission Support Council, which will serve as the policymaking body. NASA expects to charter the Digital Services Board in early 2013. In all other ways, the framework relies on existing governance and organizational responsibilities. In the Digital Services Governance Recommendations, the discussion of an ideal digital services governance structure is set around six essential elements. The first three elements (Clearly Defined Scope of Authority, Core Principles to Guide Action, and Established Roles and Responsibilities) are addressed in this document. The next three (Stakeholder Input and Participation, Consistent Communications, and Performance Metrics) will be addressed in NASA’s follow-up in January 2013, along with reporting on performance and customer satisfaction measuring tools. Addressing the Elements Element A: Clearly Defined Scope of Authority The world is connected more now than ever before, and there is an exponential growth in the number of services available online. In carrying out our missions, NASA offers a number of services both to internal customers and to the public in the form of information delivery, transactional applications, and other mechanisms across a variety of platforms. At NASA, the governance of the Digital Strategy is shared among several key stakeholder groups, most prominently the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and the Office of Communications (OCOMM). These stakeholders realize the value and potential of embracing digital services to lower costs, increase citizen participation, and make it easier to collaborate and share information. With this distribution of ownership, the question of accountability and leadership becomes critical. The proposed Digital Services Board (DSB) will represent all stakeholders within NASA and carry the authority, responsibility, and resources to gather, prioritize, and direct the implementation of Agency-wide requirements. Element B: Core Principles to Guide Action NASA is dedicated to a number of principles by which we guide our delivery of digital services. The Agency’s primary customers are the American public. This presents a broad service concept that can be segmented into different audiences with needs for different digital services: information for the general public, educational materials for teachers and students, procurement opportunities for businesses, and research efforts for the scientific and engineering communities. Any of these individual audiences may be best served by different elements of NASA. Each aspect of our mission is dedicated to providing the maximum value and benefit to citizens, and every NASA employee and contractor is responsible for ensuring the success of that mission. The American public deserves nothing less than excellence in the digital services NASA offers both to the public and to its own operations. As such, the Agency is focused on creating a Digital Strategy that, much like our work in space, is bold, innovative, and lasting. We believe that the Digital Strategy is as much an exercise in quantitative measurements as it is a qualitative exercise in future-based policymaking. Thus, we have developed the following core principals that guide us: Every NASA service ought be created with a focus on its intended audience, which will lead to better user experience, expandability, and efficiency. Within the bounds of existing policies, NASA employees should be able to securely and seamlessly access and share information regardless of their location or preferred device. Digital Services should further NASA’s vision and purpose, including to “provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof”. Element C: Established Roles and Responsibilities Overall responsibilities of organizations with Digital Services roles can be found in NASA Policy Directive (NPD) 1000.3, “The NASA Organization.” The foundational layer of security, including roles and responsibilities, is governed under NASA Policy Directive (NPD) 2810.1, “NASA Information Security Policy,” and NASA Procedural Requirements (NPR) 2810.1, “Security of Information Technology.” Privacy is governed under NPD 1382.17, “NASA Privacy Policy,” and NPR 1382.1, “NASA Privacy Procedures.” The information layer is largely governed by the NASA Office of Communications at NASA Headquarters, with supporting offices at each of the NASA Centers ensuring appropriate dissemination of information, correctness of information, style, and NASA branding protection. Provisioning and governing the platform layer is largely the responsibility of the NASA Chief Information Officer, with support from the Service Executive for Web Services, the Web Services Board, the Enterprise Change Advisory Board, and Center Chief Information Officers at each of the NASA Centers. Currently, governance of the presentation layer falls under existing policies for style, privacy, records management, etc., while leaving the NASA Centers, mission directorates, and mission support offices the flexibility and authority to present content in the most effective manner in consideration of the data or information, targeted audience, and means of access (mobile devices, machine to machine interfaces, etc.). NASA Digital Services Governance Framework: Target State In reviewing current governance of digital services, NASA identified the gaps that the new governance framework will address. Existing governance structures are built with a clearly defined scope of authority, core principles, and established roles and responsibilities; going forward, gaps in governance will be addressed with these elements, as well as stakeholder input and participation, consistent communications, and performance metrics. Gap Proposed Process No group charged with working across NASA to develop Agency-wide requirements for digital services. The Mission Support Council will use input and recommendations from the proposed Digital Services Board to develop Agency-wide requirements for digital services and provide guidelines for their implementation. No cross-Agency group charged with policy development, implementation, and enforcement. The Mission Support Council will be the policymaking body for Digital Services, holding the Digital Services Board responsible for implementation and allocating resources for implementations. No repeatable process for the creation of new websites, the introduction of new free services to the Agency, taking successful pilot projects into Agency-wide operation, or spreading best practices across the agency. Based on policies established by the Mission Support Council, the Digital Services Board will work with stakeholders to develop and implement these processes. Last Updated: Aug. 7, 2017 Editor: Jason Duley View the full article

6 min read NASA’s Webb, Hubble Telescopes Affirm Universe’s Expansion Rate, Puzzle Persists When you are trying to solve one of the biggest conundrums in cosmology, you should triple check your homework. The puzzle, called the “Hubble Tension,” is that the current rate of the expansion of the universe is faster than what astronomers expect it to be, based on the universe’s initial conditions and our present understanding of the universe’s evolution. Scientists using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and many other telescopes consistently find a number that does not match predictions based on observations from ESA’s (European Space Agency’s) Planck mission. Does resolving this discrepancy require new physics? Or is it a result of measurement errors between the two different methods used to determine the rate of expansion of space? This image of NGC 5468, a galaxy located about 130 million light-years from Earth, combines data from the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes. This is the farthest galaxy in which Hubble has identified Cepheid variable stars. These are important milepost markers for measuring the expansion rate of the universe. The distance calculated from Cepheids has been cross-correlated with a type Ia supernova in the galaxy. Type Ia supernovae are so bright they are used to measure cosmic distances far beyond the range of the Cepheids, extending measurements of the universe’s expansion rate deeper into space. Download this Image Hubble has been measuring the current rate of the universe’s expansion for 30 years, and astronomers want to eliminate any lingering doubt about its accuracy. Now, Hubble and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have tag-teamed to produce definitive measurements, furthering the case that something else – not measurement errors – is influencing the expansion rate. “With measurement errors negated, what remains is the real and exciting possibility we have misunderstood the universe,” said Adam Riess, a physicist at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Riess holds a Nobel Prize for co-discovering the fact that the universe’s expansion is accelerating, due to a mysterious phenomenon now called “dark energy.” As a crosscheck, an initial Webb observation in 2023 confirmed that Hubble measurements of the expanding universe were accurate. However, hoping to relieve the Hubble Tension, some scientists speculated that unseen errors in the measurement may grow and become visible as we look deeper into the universe. In particular, stellar crowding could affect brightness measurements of more distant stars in a systematic way. The SH0ES (Supernova H0 for the Equation of State of Dark Energy) team, led by Riess, obtained additional observations with Webb of objects that are critical cosmic milepost markers, known as Cepheid variable stars, which now can be correlated with the Hubble data. “We’ve now spanned the whole range of what Hubble observed, and we can rule out a measurement error as the cause of the Hubble Tension with very high confidence,” Riess said. The team’s first few Webb observations in 2023 were successful in showing Hubble was on the right track in firmly establishing the fidelity of the first rungs of the so-called cosmic distance ladder. Astronomers use various methods to measure relative distances in the universe, depending upon the object being observed. Collectively these techniques are known as the cosmic distance ladder – each rung or measurement technique relies upon the previous step for calibration. But some astronomers suggested that, moving outward along the “second rung,” the cosmic distance ladder might get shaky if the Cepheid measurements become less accurate with distance. Such inaccuracies could occur because the light of a Cepheid could blend with that of an adjacent star – an effect that could become more pronounced with distance as stars crowd together and become harder to distinguish from one another. The observational challenge is that past Hubble images of these more distant Cepheid variables look more huddled and overlapping with neighboring stars at ever farther distances between us and their host galaxies, requiring careful accounting for this effect. Intervening dust further complicates the certainty of the measurements in visible light. Webb slices though the dust and naturally isolates the Cepheids from neighboring stars because its vision is sharper than Hubble’s at infrared wavelengths. At the center of these side-by-side images is a special class of star used as a milepost marker for measuring the universe’s rate of expansion – a Cepheid variable star. The two images are very pixelated because they are a very zoomed-in view of a distant galaxy. Each of the pixels represents one or more stars. The image from the James Webb Space Telescope is significantly sharper at near-infrared wavelengths than Hubble (which is primarily a visible-ultraviolet light telescope). By reducing the clutter with Webb’s crisper vision, the Cepheid stands out more clearly, eliminating any potential confusion. Webb was used to look at a sample of Cepheids and confirmed the accuracy of the previous Hubble observations that are fundamental to precisely measuring the universe’s expansion rate and age. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Adam G. Riess (JHU, STScI) Download this Image “Combining Webb and Hubble gives us the best of both worlds. We find that the Hubble measurements remain reliable as we climb farther along the cosmic distance ladder,” said Riess. The new Webb observations include five host galaxies of eight Type Ia supernovae containing a total of 1,000 Cepheids, and reach out to the farthest galaxy where Cepheids have been well measured – NGC 5468 – at a distance of 130 million light-years. “This spans the full range where we made measurements with Hubble. So, we’ve gone to the end of the second rung of the cosmic distance ladder,” said co-author Gagandeep Anand of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, which operates the Webb and Hubble telescopes for NASA. Hubble and Webb’s further confirmation of the Hubble Tension sets up other observatories to possibly settle the mystery. NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will do wide celestial surveys to study the influence of dark energy, the mysterious energy that is causing the expansion of the universe to accelerate. ESA’s Euclid observatory, with NASA contributions, is pursuing a similar task. At present it’s as though the distance ladder observed by Hubble and Webb has firmly set an anchor point on one shoreline of a river, and the afterglow of the big bang observed by Planck’s measurement from the beginning of the universe is set firmly on the other side. How the universe’s expansion was changing in the billions of years between these two endpoints has yet to be directly observed. “We need to find out if we are missing something on how to connect the beginning of the universe and the present day,” said Riess. These finding were published in the February 6, 2024 issue of The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope. Goddard also conducts mission operations with Lockheed Martin Space in Denver, Colorado. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, conducts Hubble and Webb science operations for NASA. 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. More Webb News: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/latestnews/ More Hubble News: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/hubble-news/ More Webb Images: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/multimedia/images/ More Hubble Images: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/multimedia/hubble-images/ Webb Mission Page: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/ Hubble Mission Page: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/ Learn More Hubble Reaches New Milestone in Mystery of Universe’s Expansion Rate Mystery of the Universe’s Expansion Rate Widens With New Hubble Data NASA’s Hubble Extends Stellar Tape Measure 10 Times Farther Into Space Discovering the Runaway Universe Media Contacts: Claire Andreoli – claire.andreoli@nasa.gov Laura Betz – laura.e.betz@nasa.gov NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Ray Villard, Christine Pulliam Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD Share Details Last Updated Mar 11, 2024 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Missions Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… Galaxies Stories NASA Astrophysics View the full article

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Re-entry and Splashdown

4 Min Read Peering Into the Tendrils of NGC 604 with NASA’s Webb Star-forming region NGC 604. Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI The formation of stars and the chaotic environments they inhabit is one of the most well-studied, but also mystery-shrouded, areas of cosmic investigation. The intricacies of these processes are now being unveiled like never before by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Two new images from Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) showcase star-forming region NGC 604, located in the Triangulum galaxy (M33), 2.73 million light-years away from Earth. In these images, cavernous bubbles and stretched-out filaments of gas etch a more detailed and complete tapestry of star birth than seen in the past. Sheltered among NGC 604’s dusty envelopes of gas are more than 200 of the hottest, most massive kinds of stars, all in the early stages of their lives. These types of stars are B-types and O-types, the latter of which can be more than 100 times the mass of our own Sun. It’s quite rare to find this concentration of them in the nearby universe. In fact, there’s no similar region within our own Milky Way galaxy. This concentration of massive stars, combined with its relatively close distance, means NGC 604 gives astronomers an opportunity to study these objects at a fascinating time early in their life. Image: NIRCam View NGC 604 This image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) of star-forming region NGC 604 shows how stellar winds from bright, hot, young stars carve out cavities in surrounding gas and dust. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI In Webb’s near-infrared NIRCam image, the most noticeable features are tendrils and clumps of emission that appear bright red, extending out from areas that look like clearings, or large bubbles in the nebula. Stellar winds from the brightest and hottest young stars have carved out these cavities, while ultraviolet radiation ionizes the surrounding gas. This ionized hydrogen appears as a white and blue ghostly glow. The bright orange-colored streaks in the Webb near-infrared image signify the presence of carbon-based molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. This material plays an important role in the interstellar medium and the formation of stars and planets, but its origin is a mystery. As you travel farther from the immediate clearings of dust, the deeper red signifies molecular hydrogen. This cooler gas is a prime environment for star formation. Webb’s exquisite resolution also provides insights into features that previously appeared unrelated to the main cloud. For example, in Webb’s image, there are two bright, young stars carving out holes in dust above the central nebula, connected through diffuse red gas. In visible-light imaging from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, these appeared as separate splotches. Image: MIRI View NGC 604 This image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) of star-forming region NGC 604 shows how large clouds of cooler gas and dust glow in mid-infrared wavelengths. This region is home to more than 200 of the hottest, most massive kinds of stars, all in the early stages of their lives. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI Webb’s view in mid-infrared wavelengths also illustrates a new perspective into the diverse and dynamic activity of this region. In the MIRI view of NGC 604, there are noticeably fewer stars. This is because hot stars emit much less light at these wavelengths, while the larger clouds of cooler gas and dust glow. Some of the stars seen in this image, belonging to the surrounding galaxy, are red supergiants – stars that are cool but very large, hundreds of times the diameter of our Sun. Additionally, some of the background galaxies that appeared in the NIRCam image also fade. In the MIRI image, the blue tendrils of material signify the presence of PAHs. NGC 604 is estimated to be around 3.5 million years old. The cloud of glowing gases extends to some 1,300 light-years across. Video: Explore the Images Explore Webb’s images of NGC 604 with Dr Jane Rigby (Webb Senior Project Scientist). Credit: NASA 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. Downloads Right click the images in this article to open a larger version in a new tab/window. Download full resolution images for this article from the Space Telescope Science Institute. Media Contacts Laura Betz – laura.e.betz@nasa.gov, Rob Gutro – rob.gutro@nasa.gov NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Christine Pulliam – cpulliam@stsci.edu Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md. Related Information Hubble’s view of NGC 604 Hubble’s view of NGC 604 host galaxy Triangulum (M33) Star Lifecycle More Webb News – https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/latestnews/ More Webb Images – https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/multimedia/images/ Webb Mission Page – https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/ Related For Kids What is a galaxy? What is a Nebula? 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 Stars Stories Universe Share Details Last Updated Mar 09, 2024 Editor Stephen Sabia Contact Laura Betz laura.e.betz@nasa.gov Related Terms Astrophysics Galaxies, Stars, & Black Holes James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Missions Nebulae Science & Research Star-forming Nebulae The Universe View the full article

A New Crew Launches to the Space Station on This Week @NASA – March 8, 2024

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 poses for a photo before their mission to the International Space Station. From left to right: Mission Specialist Konstantin Borisov, Pilot Andreas Mogensen, Commander Jasmin Moghbeli, and Mission Specialist Satoshi Furukawa.Credits: SpaceX NASA will provide live coverage of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-7 return to Earth from the International Space Station, beginning with a change-of-command ceremony at 11:55 a.m. EDT on Sunday, March 10. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov are preparing to wrap up their nearly six-month science mission, and bring home time-sensitive research to Earth. Pending weather conditions off the coast of Florida, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to undock from the space station at 11:05 a.m. Monday, March 11, to begin the journey home, with NASA coverage beginning at 10:45 a.m. NASA and SpaceX are targeting as early as 5:35 a.m. Tuesday, March 12, for splashdown off the Florida coast. The return and related activities will air live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media. NASA’s coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations): Sunday, March 10 11:55 a.m.: Crew-7 farewell remarks and change of command ceremony aboard the space station Monday, March 11 9 a.m.: Hatch closure coverage begins 9:15 a.m.: Hatch closing 10:45 a.m.: Undocking coverage begins 11:05 a.m.: Undocking Following conclusion of Dragon departure from station, NASA coverage will continue with audio only, with full coverage resuming ahead of the deorbit burn and splashdown. Tuesday, March 12 4:30 a.m.: Coverage begins as the spacecraft leaves low Earth orbit, completes re-entry, and prepares for splashdown 5:35 a.m.: Splashdown 7 a.m.: Return to Earth media teleconference call with the following participants: Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Jeff Arend, manager for systems engineering and integration, NASA’s International Space Station Office SpaceX representative Eric Van Der Wal, Houston office team leader, ESA Hiroshi Sasaki, vice president for human space flight and space exploration, JAXA Media may ask questions via phone. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 6 a.m. Tuesday, March 11, at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. See full mission coverage, NASA’s commercial crew blog, and more information about the mission at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew -end- Joshua Finch Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov Steve Siceloff Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 steven.p.sieceloff@nasa.gov Leah Cheshier Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 leah.d.cheshier@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Mar 08, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsInternational Space Station (ISS)Commercial CrewCommercial SpaceHumans in SpaceSpace Operations Mission Directorate View the full article

Using the Lunar Lab and Regolith Testbeds at NASA’s Ames Research Center, a team created this simulated lunar environment to study lighting conditions experienced at the unexplored poles of the Moon. NASA/Uland Wong The challenges of working on the surface of the Moon are at the center of a facility at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. The Lunar Lab and Regolith Testbeds help scientists and engineers – from NASA and industry alike – study how well science instruments, robots, and people might be able to safely work, manipulate, navigate, and traverse the tough lunar terrain. On March 7, three visitors from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg – Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Minister of the Economy Lex Delles, and Ambassador to the United States Nicole Bintner – learned more about the work happening here. During the visit, lunar rock and crater features crafted from lunar soil, or regolith, simulant were lit by harsh, low-angle illumination to simulate sunlight conditions at the Moon’s poles. Members of the VIPER mission (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) discussed their work testing optical sensors at the lab for NASA’s water-hunting Moon rover. Engineering versions of VIPER’s hazard-avoidance cameras and lighting system, tested in the facility, were also on display. The lab is managed by NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI). Acting Deputy Center Director David Korsmeyer, left, Ames Center Director Eugene Tu, Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg Minister of Economy Lex Delles, and Ambassador Nicole Bintner, right, meet at Ames on March 7, 2024.NASA/Brandon Torres The Regolith Testbeds enable research applicable to places beyond our Moon as well, including Mercury, asteroids, and regolith-covered moons like Mars’ Phobos. Luxembourg was one of the first nations to sign the Artemis Accords and has taken steps to enable commercial space exploration. At Ames, the visitors learned about the center’s support of NASA’s Artemis exploration goals, including with VIPER, agency supercomputing resources, and the development of advanced tools for lunar operations. View the full article

Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT) astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams in T-38 pre-flight activities at Ellington Field. Photo Date: August 16, 2022. Location: Ellington Field, Hangar 276/Flight Line. Credits: NASA/Robert Markowitz NASA will preview the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT) mission to the International Space Station by hosting media tours Thursday, March 21, and with news conferences Friday, March 22, at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA and Boeing officials will discuss flight test readiness, objectives, and priorities at 10 a.m. EDT March 22, and mission managers will discuss the flight plan, timeline, and details at 11:30 a.m. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will answer questions at 2 p.m. and will be available for individual interviews. All three news conferences will air live on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media. Media will have opportunities the afternoon of March 21 to learn more about the flight test, while visiting the Boeing Starliner mockup, experience training in the Starliner simulator, and meet members of the flight control teams who will support the spacecraft’s first crewed flight. The flight test, currently scheduled to launch early May due to space station scheduling, will transport Wilmore and Williams to the orbiting laboratory for a planned stay of up to two weeks. A United Launch Alliance rocket and the Boeing Starliner spacecraft will launch from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This will be the final media opportunity to speak to the astronauts before they travel to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch. International media wishing to participate in person or seeking a remote interview with the astronauts must request credentials by 5 p.m. Monday, March 11, by contacting the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. U.S. media interested in attending must request credentials by 6 p.m. Monday, March 18, from the Johnson newsroom. NASA’s media accreditation policy is online. All media interested in participating in the news conference by phone must contact the Johnson newsroom by 9:45 a.m. March 22. Those wishing to submit questions on social media may do so using #AskNASA. Thursday, March 21: 11:30 CDT (12:30 p.m. EDT) Media arrival at Johnson Space Center Briefing participants include (all times Eastern and subject to change based on operations): Friday, March 22: 10 a.m. Program Overview News Conference NASA Administrator Bill Nelson Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Dana Weigel, deputy manager, International Space Station Program, NASA Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Boeing Starliner Program 11:30 a.m. Mission Overview News Conference Mike Lammers, flight director, Starliner ascent, NASA Vincent LaCourt, flight director, International Space Station Program, NASA Ed Van Cise, flight director, Starliner rendezvous, NASA 2 p.m. Crew News Conference Butch Wilmore, NASA astronaut, mission commander Suni Williams, NASA astronaut, mission pilot Wilmore, a U.S. Navy captain, is a veteran of two spaceflights and has accumulated 178 days in space. Selected as an astronaut in 2000, he served as a flight engineer for Expedition 41 from September to November 2014, then assumed command of Expedition 42 until his return to Earth in March 2015. During this mission, he logged 167 days in space and performed four spacewalks. In 2009, Wilmore served as a pilot aboard space shuttle Atlantis for STS-129. From Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, Wilmore earned degrees from Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Williams, a retired Navy captain, is a veteran of two space station missions, Expedition 14/15 and 32/33, and served as commander of Expedition 33. Selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998, she has logged 322 days in space, first launching on the space shuttle Discovery with the crew of STS-116, then on a Roscosmos Soyuz spacecraft. Williams has completed seven spacewalks, totaling 50 hours and 40 minutes. Williams considers Needham, Massachusetts, to be her hometown and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1987 and Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, in 1995. Learn more about how NASA innovates for the benefit of humanity through NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew -end- Joshua Finch / Claire O’Shea Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / claire.a.oshea@nasa.gov Leah Cheshier / Anna Schneider Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 leah.d.cheshier@nasa.gov / anna.c.schneider@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Mar 08, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNASA HeadquartersInternational Space Station (ISS)Johnson Space CenterMissions View the full article

2024 State of NASA Address from Administrator Bill Nelson

NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona On Jan. 16, 2020, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured this image of two types of sand dunes on Mars: barchan and linear dunes. The small dots are called barchan dunes, and from their shape we can tell that they are upwind. The downwind dunes are long and linear. These two types of dune each show the wind direction in different ways: the barchans have a steep slope and crescent-shaped “horns” that point downwind, while the linear dunes are stretched out along the primary wind direction. Linear dunes, however, typically indicate at least two different prevailing winds, which stretch out the sand along their average direction. Barchan and linear dunes aren’t just a Martian phenomenon – we can also see them on Earth. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have snapped photos of them occurring in Brazil and Saudi Arabia. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona View the full article

Credit: NASA NASA Administrator Bill Nelson will discuss the agency’s goals for the benefit of humanity during the annual State of NASA address on Monday, March 11. The event will coincide with the release of the Biden-Harris Administration’s fiscal year 2025 budget proposal. The event will air live at 1 p.m. EDT on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. NASA TV can be streamed on a variety of platforms, including social media. During State of NASA, Nelson will speak about the agency’s plans for promoting U.S. leadership in space exploration, improving life on Earth through innovation, humanity’s return to the Moon under the Artemis campaign, and more. Senior leaders from each of NASA’s mission directorates also will discuss advancements in their areas ranging from aeronautics and science research to space operations. At 2:30 p.m., Nelson will kick off a media teleconference with Chief Financial Officer Margaret Vo Schaus, who will present information about the fiscal year 2025 funding request for the agency. Media interested in participating in the teleconference must RSVP no later than two hours prior to the start of the call to: hq-media@mail.nasa.gov. The schedule of activities is based on the president’s budget release on Monday and is subject to change. The budget proposal for NASA and supporting information will be available online that afternoon at: https://www.nasa.gov/budget -end- Abbey Donaldson Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 abbey.a.donaldson@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Mar 08, 2024 EditorTiernan DoyleLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNASA HeadquartersAeronautics Research Mission DirectorateArtemisBudget & Annual ReportsExploration Systems Development Mission DirectorateMission Support DirectorateNASA DirectoratesScience Mission DirectorateSpace Operations Mission Directorate View the full article

2024 Astronaut Graduating Class, "The Flies," Superlatives

This side of a commemorative plate mounted on NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft features U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón’s handwritten “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa.” It will be affixed with a silicon microchip stenciled with names submitted by the public. NASA/JPL-Caltech When it launches in October, the agency’s Europa Clipper spacecraft will carry a richly layered dispatch that includes more than 2.6 million names submitted by the public. Following in NASA’s storied tradition of sending inspirational messages into space, the agency has special plans for Europa Clipper, which later this year will launch toward Jupiter’s moon Europa. The moon shows strong evidence of an ocean under its icy crust, with more than twice the amount of water of all of Earth’s oceans combined. A triangular metal plate on the spacecraft will honor that connection to Earth in several ways. At the heart of the artifact is an engraving of U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón’s handwritten “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa,” along with a silicon microchip stenciled with more than 2.6 million names submitted by the public. The microchip will be the centerpiece of an illustration of a bottle amid the Jovian system – a reference to NASA’s “Message in a Bottle” campaign, which invited the public to send their names with the spacecraft. A ‘Golden Record’ for Europa Made of the metal tantalum and about 7 by 11 inches (18 by 28 centimeters), the plate features graphic elements on both sides. The outward-facing panel features art that highlights Earth’s connection to Europa. Linguists collected recordings of the word “water” spoken in 103 languages, from families of languages around the world. The audio files were converted into waveforms (visual representations of sound waves) and etched into the plate. The waveforms radiate out from a symbol representing the American Sign Language sign for “water.” To hear audio of the spoken languages and see the sign, go to: go.nasa.gov/MakeWaves. In the spirit of the Voyager spacecraft’s Golden Record, which carries sounds and images to convey the richness and diversity of life on Earth, the layered message on Europa Clipper aims to spark the imagination and offer a unifying vision. The art on this side of the plate, which will seal an opening of the vault on NASA’s Europa Clipper, features waveforms that are visual representations of the sound waves formed by the word “water” in 103 languages. At center is a symbol representing the American Sign Language sign for “water.”NASA/JPL-Caltech “The content and design of Europa Clipper’s vault plate are swimming with meaning,” said Lori Glaze, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The plate combines the best humanity has to offer across the universe – science, technology, education, art, and math. The message of connection through water, essential for all forms of life as we know it, perfectly illustrates Earth’s tie to this mysterious ocean world we are setting out to explore.” Reaching Out to the Cosmos In 2030, after a 1.6-billion-mile (2.6-billion-kilometer) journey, Europa Clipper will begin orbiting Jupiter, making 49 close flybys of Europa. To determine if there are conditions that could support life, the spacecraft’s powerful suite of science instruments will gather data about the moon’s subsurface ocean, icy crust, thin atmosphere, and space environment. The electronics for those instruments are housed in a massive metal vault designed to protect them from Jupiter’s punishing radiation. The commemorative plate will seal an opening in the vault. Because searching for habitable conditions is central to the mission, the Drake Equation is etched onto the plate as well – on the inward-facing side. Astronomer Frank Drake developed the mathematical formulation in 1961 to estimate the possibility of finding advanced civilizations beyond Earth. The equation has inspired and guided research in astrobiology and related fields ever since. Learn more about how Europa Clipper’s vault plate engravings were designed and the inspiration for the plate’s multilayered message. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech In addition, artwork on the inward-facing side of the plate will include a reference to the radio frequencies considered plausible for interstellar communication, symbolizing how humanity uses this radio band to listen for messages from the cosmos. These particular frequencies match the radio waves emitted in space by the components of water and are known by astronomers as the “water hole.” On the plate, they are depicted as radio emission lines. Finally, the plate includes a portrait of one of the founders of planetary science, Ron Greeley, whose early efforts to develop a Europa mission two decades ago laid the foundation for Europa Clipper. “We’ve packed a lot of thought and inspiration into this plate design, as we have into this mission itself,” says Project Scientist Robert Pappalardo of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “It’s been a decades-long journey, and we can’t wait to see what Europa Clipper shows us at this water world.” Once assembly of Europa Clipper has been completed at JPL, the spacecraft will be shipped to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for its October launch. More About the Mission Europa Clipper’s main science goal is to determine whether there are places below Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, that could support life. The mission’s three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon’s icy shell and its surface interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission’s detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet. Find more information about Europa here: europa.nasa.gov News Media Contacts Gretchen McCartney Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-393-6215 gretchen.p.mccartney@jpl.nasa.gov Karen Fox / Alana Johnson NASA Headquarters, Washington 301-286-6284 / 202-358-1501 karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alana.r.johnson@nasa.gov 2024-024 Share Details Last Updated Mar 08, 2024 Related TermsEuropa ClipperEuropaJet Propulsion LaboratoryJupiter MoonsThe Solar System Explore More 2 min read NASA Launches Snap It! Computer Game to Learn About Eclipses On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will be visible to over 30 million… Article 1 hour ago 5 min read NASA’s Network of Small Moon-Bound Rovers Is Ready to Roll Article 23 hours ago 4 min read SWOT Satellite Catches Coastal Flooding During California Storms Article 3 days ago View the full article

NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy welcomes 2024 Moon to Mars Architecture Workshop attendees from the stage of the Fred Kavli at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington.NASA/Keegan Barber NASA held two workshops in mid-February to share the latest progress on the agency’s Moon to Mars architecture and solicit feedback from industry, academia, and the international community. Representatives from 18 countries, 85 aerospace companies, and 25 academic institutions shared their perspectives on NASA’s roadmap for long-term lunar exploration and humanity’s journey to the Red Planet. 50 attendees representing 18 countries attended the Moon to Mars Architecture Workshop on Feb. 20. In this photo, attendees and NASA personnel gather for a photo in the great hall of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington. NASA/Greg Mercer NASA’s Moon to Mars architecture is derived from the agency’s Moon to Mars Objectives, a set of overarching guideposts for exploration. NASA evolves and refines the architecture as part of its annual Architecture Concept Review process, which includes workshops to gather feedback on NASA’s process and results, and produces a yearly Architecture Definition Document, which details the architecture and overall approach. The 2023 Architecture Concept Review cycle resulted in a first revision of the Architecture Definition Document, 13 white papers on relevant topics, and studies critical to understanding NASA’s needs and capability gaps. The agency also identified seven key decisions that will need to be made early in the process of developing a human Mars exploration architecture. The latest workshops, hosted by the Space Studies Board of the National Academy of Sciences, encouraged the agency’s partners from industry, academia, and around the world to provide feedback on these latest updates and discuss how they can contribute to the architecture. Through feedback sessions, attendees suggested areas for improvement and offered recommendations for future focus areas. 140 attendees representing 110 industry and academic organizations attended the Moon to Mars Architecture Workshop on Feb. 22. In this photo, attendees and NASA personnel gather for a photo in the great hall of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington.NASA/Greg Mercer These opportunities to hear from the broader aerospace community also help NASA identify partnerships that can overcome capability gaps or enhance the fulfillment of the Moon to Mars Objectives. Under NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon; land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface; and prepare for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all. View the full article