NASA

Students from Alabama A&M University near Huntsville, Alabama, pilot their vehicle through the obstacle course at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center during NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge event on April 22, 2023. Credits: NASA NASA has selected 72 student teams to begin an engineering design challenge to build human-powered rovers that will compete next April at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, near the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2024, the Human Exploration Rover Challenge tasks high school, college, and university students to design, build, and test lightweight, human-powered rovers on an obstacle course simulating lunar and Martian terrain, all while completing mission-focused science tasks. Participating teams represent 42 colleges and universities and 30 high schools from 24 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 13 other nations from around the world. NASA’s handbook has complete proposal guidelines and task challenges. “Throughout this authentic learning challenge, NASA encourages students to improve their understanding of collaboration, inquiry, and problem-solving strategies,” said Vemitra Alexander, rover challenge activity lead, Office of STEM Engagement at NASA Marshall. “Improving these critical real-world skills will benefit our students throughout their academic and professional careers.” Throughout the nine-month challenge, students will complete design and safety reviews to mirror the process used by NASA engineers and scientists. The agency also incorporates vehicle weight and size requirements encouraging students to consider lightweight construction materials and stowage efficiency to be replicate similar payload restrictions of NASA launch operations. Teams earn points throughout the year by successfully completing design reviews and fabricating a rover capable of meeting all criteria while completing course obstacles and mission tasks. The teams with the highest number of points accumulated throughout the project year will win their respective divisions. The challenge will conclude with an event April 19 and April 20, 2024, at the U.S. Rocket and Space Center. This competition is one of nine Artemis Student Challenges and reflects the goals of NASA’s Artemis program, which includes landing the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. It is managed by NASA’s Southeast Regional Office of STEM Engagement at Marshall. NASA uses challenges and competitions to further the agency’s goal of encouraging students to pursue degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. For more information about the challenge, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/roverchallenge/home/index.html -end- Claire O’Shea Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 claire.a.oshea@nasa.gov Christopher Blair Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256-544-0034 christopher.e.blair@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Oct 12, 2023 Location Marshall Space Flight Center Related Terms Learning ResourcesMarshall Space Flight Center View the full article

3 min read NASA Targets 2024 for First Flight of X-59 Experimental Aircraft NASA’s X-59 research aircraft moved from its construction site to the flight line — or the space between the hangar and the runway — at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California on June 16, 2023. The move allowed the X-59 team to perform safety and structural testing, critical steps toward first flight.Lockheed-Martin NASA’s Quesst mission has adjusted the scheduled first flight of its X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft to 2024. A one-of-a-kind experimental aircraft, the X-59 has required complex engineering from NASA researchers working with prime contractor Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. In addition to the aircraft’s design, the X-59 also combines new technology with systems and components from multiple, established aircraft, such as its landing gear from an F-16 and its life-support system adapted from an F-15. As part of the demands of developing this unique aircraft, the Quesst team is working through several technical challenges identified over the course of 2023, when the X-59 had been scheduled to make its first flight. Extra time is needed to fully integrate systems into the aircraft and ensure they work together as expected. The team is also resolving intermittent issues with some of the safety-redundant computers that control the aircraft’s systems. Quesst made steady progress toward flight over the past year. The team installed the finishing touches to the X-59’s tail structure, which allowed them to finalize its electrical wiring and proceed to critical ground tests, and moved it from its assembly facility to the flight line to perform structural testing. The X-59 will demonstrate the ability to fly supersonic, or faster than the speed of sound, while reducing the normally loud sonic boom to a quiet sonic thump. NASA plans to fly the X-59 over several communities to gather data on how people perceive the sound it produces. The agency will provide that information to U.S. and international regulators to potentially adjust rules that currently prohibit commercial supersonic flight over land. NASA’s top priorities for any mission are safety and ensuring success. For Quesst, that means not only being sure that the X-59 is safe before it flies, but safe in the long term and reliable during the community test phase. The aircraft is currently undergoing integrated testing, which must be completed before it flies. Once that stage is complete, the aircraft will continue its journey with a flight readiness review, at which point NASA plans to release a more specific timeline for first flight. Quesst is a mission with the potential to revolutionize commercial aviation travel by dramatically reducing travel time. Safely and reliably flying the X-59 is critical for NASA to achieve those benefits. The agency is committed to a thorough review and testing process that results in the success of that mission. Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 1 min read NASA Ames Hosts Briefing on New Initiative, Congresswomen to Attend Article 24 hours ago 2 min read NASA Concludes Significant Technical Challenge: In-Time Terminal Area Risk Management Article 6 days ago 2 min read NASA’s Honey Astrobee Robot Returns to Space Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans In Space Solar System Exploration Overview Since 1998, NASA’s Solar System Exploration hub has served as a real-time, living encyclopedia of the scientific exploration of… Explore NASA’s History Share Details Last Updated Oct 12, 2023 Editor Lillian Gipson Contact Jim Bankejim.banke@nasa.gov Related Terms AeronauticsAeronautics Research Mission DirectorateAmes Research CenterArmstrong Flight Research CenterGlenn Research CenterLangley Research CenterLow Boom Flight DemonstratorQuesst (X-59)Quesst: The VehicleSupersonic Flight View the full article

NASA 65th Anniversary: A Journey Beyond the Stars

The month of October marks National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The NDEAM observance was declared in 1988 by the United States Congress in efforts to raise awareness of disability employment needs and to celebrate the many and varied contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. This year’s NDEAM theme, chosen by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, is “Advancing Access and Equity” to honor the 50th anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the first major legislation to prohibit disability discrimination by federal agencies. One such disability many people know about is depression. Promoting awareness, reducing stigma, and improving access to mental health support are crucial steps in advancing equity for this population. Over the years, there has been extensive knowledge shared about depression, but there are still many stereotypes today. The American Psychiatric Society defines depression as “a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think and how you act.” This disability will affect one in 15 adults in any given year and has been found to affect one to six people during their lifetime. Depression can happen to anyone, even those who appear to be happy who laugh and smile. As described in a medical article titled, Survey of Public Knowledge and Stigma Towards Depression,“some depressed persons hide their distress and might smile in public, which makes it difficult for others to notice that they are depressed.” Symptoms of depression vary from mild, to moderate, to severe and can include feeling sad, having a loss of energy, losing interest in things that used to be enjoyed, insomnia, feeling guilty or worthless, difficulty making decisions, and in severe cases suicide. One common misconception regarding depression is that it is the same as grief, however it is different than grief even though they may have common attributes. When someone grieves, (for example, over the loss of a loved one) they will feel sad but one’s self-esteem is typically not affected throughout the grieving process, whereas someone suffering from depression will often have feelings of worthlessness. Another misconception, or negative stigma regarding depression is that someone with depression is violent, weak, or lazy. These are also inaccurate, and negatively impact those with depression from seeking help. Untreated depression will often cause a decline in employee work performance as well as increase presenteeism (an employee is at work but not engaged) or absenteeism (employees missing days of work). In addition to this, employees often do not seek treatment out of fear of how it will affect their job or out of concern for their confidentiality. The best way to support a colleague or employee who is struggling with mental health is by being empathic and supportive. Employees who are experiencing depression are protected under the Rehabilitation Act and cannot be discriminated or harassed at work because of their condition. If an employee is experiencing depression, they may also request a Reasonable Accommodation from their supervisor or the Disability Program Manager. Reasonable Accommodations help to make the workplace more accessible (such as physical barriers that make facilities/equipment inaccessible) and equitable by making a modification or adjustment to a job, an employment practice, or the work environment that makes it possible for a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities. For information about NASA’s Reasonable Accommodations policy and process, please visit: nasa.gov/reasonable accommodations. For more information regarding NDEAM, Depression, or Reasonable Accommodations, please visit the following sites: National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2023 | U.S. Department of Labor (dol.gov) Disability IN: A Starting Guide on Disability Etiquette (disabilityin.org) American Psychiatric Association: What is Depression? Mental Health America: Depression in the Workplace Mental Health America: Supporting Employees/Colleagues with Mental Health Concerns NASA: Reasonable Accommodations Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Stennis Space Center NASA Shared Services Center Disability Employment Program NASA Careers: Individuals with Disabilities View the full article

iss070e001516 (Sept. 30, 2023) — A full Moon is pictured from the International Space Station. The Moon lingers to the left of the image, with a horizon of Earth’s blue glow splitting the image nearly in half, blending into the black of space.View the full article

iss070e001502 (Sept. 30, 2023) — September’s Harvest Moon can be seen from the International Space Station as it soared 260 miles above the Northwestern coast of Canada. A few scatters of clouds can be seen hovering over Earth, while the Moon centers itself above.NASAView the full article

iss070e002586 (Oct. 7, 2023) — Southern Italy (to the right of the image) meets Sicily (to the left), the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of 20 Italian regions. At its closest point, Sicily resides only 2 miles (~3.2km) from mainland, the two connected by the Strait of Messina. From 260 miles above, the International Space Station offers a unique vantage point of where the two regions meet.NASAView the full article

iss070e002597 (Oct. 1, 2023) — The Nile River, the longest in the world, is photographed as the International Space Station orbited 260 miles above Sudan. Land splits the historic course of the river in two channels before the body of water joins back together. To the right of the image, crop circles are visible. A result of center-pivot irrigation, these circular farming patterns create an efficient method for water conservation while growing crops such as sesame, peanuts, and sugarcane.NASAView the full article

iss070e002574 (Oct. 7, 2023) — Clouds hover around the coast of Tunisia as the International Space Station soars 260 miles above. Near the center peak where the coastline meets the Mediterranean Sea, the pink salt lake of Sebkha of Moknine is visible. With little inflow from rivers and streams, the lake is fed by rainfall which flushes vibrant colors into the basin, leaving behind remnants of a “salt pan,” the white crust of salt and minerals bordering the water.NASAView the full article

As space travel extends to greater duration and distance, missions may require a propellant refill in space. To achieve this, spacecraft may require larger tanks and efficient refueling along with tanks that have the capability of isolating propellant from ullage fluid (a gas and vapor mixture) during a vent. The goal of this Challenge is to develop a novel solution for the venting of ullage contents from a partially full propellant tank, in microgravity, with minimal loss of propellant. This ullage venting solution would help allow the adjustment of pressure in the receiving tank prior to, during, and/or after the liquid propellant transfer. This Challenge is seeking solutions to propellant tank venting in micro-gravity with minimal loss of propellant. Although all concepts will be considered, solutions that are external to the propellant tank are preferred as they could use existing (heritage) propellant tanks and avoid development costs related to designing and qualifying a new (or modified) tank. Award: $80,000 in total prizes Open Date: October 11, 2023 Close Date: February 22, 2024 For more information, visit: https://www.freelancer.com/contest/Who-Let-the-Gas-Out-NASA-Tank-Venting-Challenge-2319906/details View the full article

18 Min Read The Marshall Star for October 11, 2023 Cyclists compete during the bicycle portion of “Racin’ the Station.” Credits: NASA/Mick Speer Marshall Presents Small Business Awards for 2023 NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center honored top contractors, subcontractors, teams, and individuals of fiscal year 2023 at the 36th meeting of the Marshall Small Business Alliance. David Brock, small business specialist at Marshall Space Flight Center, welcomes attendees of the 36th Marshall Small Business Alliance meeting and 17th Industry & Advocate Awards. NASA/Mick Speer The event took place Sept. 21 at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Davidson Center for Space Exploration. Around 600 participants from industry and government gathered to network, learn about business opportunities, and recognize outstanding achievements in support of NASA’s mission and the small business community. “Marshall is an engine of opportunity for its community and beyond,” said David Brock, small business specialist in Marshall’s Office of Procurement. Leah Fox, program specilaist for Marshall’s Center Operations talks with an attendee of the 36th Marshall Small Business Alliance Meeting.NASA/Mick Speer Marshall’s Industry & Advocate Awards are presented annually and reflect leadership in business community and sustained achievement in service to NASA’s mission. This year’s award recipients are: Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Victory Solutions Inc. Small Business Subcontractor of the Year Waterfront Technical Services Large Business Prime Contractor of the Year Jacobs Space Exploration Group Small Business Mentor-Protégé of the Year Award Jacobs/CH2M and K.S. Ware Procurement Person of the Year Dana Justice, Marshall Office of Procurement Program Team of the Year 2023 Small Business Action Team, Marshall Office of Procurement Michelle Anzalone, Ashley Cox, Stephanie Darnell, John David Eagan, Dana Justice, and Josh Wilbourn Small Business Technical Advisor of the Year Chip Jones, Marshall Science & Technology Office Small Business Technical Person of the Year Karen Lawler, Marshall Office of the Chief Financial Officer John Cannaday, director of Marshall’s Office of Procurement, gives opening remarks at the 36th Small Business Alliance Meeting and Industry & Advocacy Awards. NASA/Mick Speer NASA civil service employees nominate eligible individuals and organizations for awards. A panel of NASA procurement and technical officials evaluates each nominee’s business practices, innovative processes, adoption of new technologies and their overall contributions to NASA’s mission and the agency’s Small Business Program. Award recipients in the following categories become candidates for agency-level Small Business Industry and Advocate Awards: Large and Small Business Prime Contractors of the Year Small Business Subcontractor of the Year Procurement Team or Person Technical, Small Business Technical Coordinator/Technical Advisor Program Person or Team of the Year Learn more about Marshall’s small business initiatives. › Back to Top NASA Announces Teams for 2024 Student Launch Challenge NASA has announced the 70 teams representing 24 states and Puerto Rico selected to compete in the 2024 Student Launch Challenge. The annual competition – one of NASA’s nine Artemis Student Challenges – requires middle/high school and college/university students to design, build, and fly a high-powered amateur rocket and scientific payload. Students from the AIAA Orange Country Section team of Irvine, California, display their rocket to news media and the public during Rocket Fair – an annual showcase event of NASA’s Student Launch competition April 2023.NASA The nine-month-long challenge will culminate with on-site events April 10-14, 2024, with final launches April 13 at Bragg Farms in Toney, Alabama, just minutes north of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Teams are not required to travel for their final launch, having the option to launch from a qualified. Details are outlined in the Student Launch Handbook. Each year NASA implements a new payload challenge to reflect relevant missions. This year’s payload challenge is inspired by the Artemis missions, which seek to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. Students will design a SAIL (STEMnaut Atmosphere Independent Lander) payload. It must deploy mid-air, safely return to the ground without using a parachute, and be reusable to launch the same day without repairs or modifications. The payload will contain a crew of four STEMnauts, non-living objects representing astronauts. Students will choose metrics to determine the endurance of the lander, considering acceptable descent and landing parameters. University/college teams are required to meet the 2024 payload requirements set by NASA, but middle/high school teams have the option to tackle the same challenge or design their own payload experiment. Student teams and attendees of NASA’s 2023 Student Launch competition observe a rocket take flight near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.NASA Student teams will undergo detailed reviews by NASA personnel to ensure the safety and feasibility of their rocket and payload designs. All teams must declare their rocket’s targeted altitude for final launch day during a preliminary design review. The team closest to their target will win the Altitude Award, just one of multiple awards presented to deserving teams at the end of the competition. Other awards include overall winner, vehicle design, experiment design, social media presence, and more. In addition to the engineering and science side of the competition, students must also participate in outreach efforts such as engaging with local schools and maintaining effective social media accounts. Student Launch is an all-encompassing challenge and aims to prepare the next generation for the professional world of space exploration. The competition is managed by Marshall’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM). Additional funding and support are provided by NASA’s OSTEM via the Next Gen STEM project, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate, Northrup Grumman, National Space Club Huntsville, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Association of Rocketry, Relativity Space, and Bastion Technologies. › Back to Top Racers Run, Bike, Run to Beat the Space Station in Annual Duathlon On the morning of Sept. 30, 160 athletes ran and biked across NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Redstone Arsenal in a race to beat the International Space Station. The annual “Racin’ the Station” duathlon is a run-bike-run event where participants try to complete the course faster than it takes the space station to complete one Earth orbit, which is every 91 minutes, 12 seconds. Organizers track the starting location of the space station at the race start, and a costumed pacer keeps up with the station time on the course as a visual marker for participants to stay ahead of. Before the race, organizers drew a to-scale Space Launch System Block 1 rocket in chalk onto the Activities Building parking lot near the race transition area. The race began in 2012, and this year was the 11th running (the event did not occur in 2020 due to the pandemic). Racers competed to beat the International Space Station in the annual “Racin’ the Station” duathlon Sept. 30 at Marshall Space Flight Center. The goal of the race is to complete the course faster than the station takes to complete one Earth orbit, or just over 90 minutes. Credits: NASA/Mick Speer “Racin’ the Station” is not just an athletic event,” said race director and Marshall engineer Kent Criswell. “I try to also focus on educating the community about what Marshall is doing. For example, the water aid station on the run course – I call it the ECLSS (Environmental Control and Life Support System) station, but I also assure them that the water is not recycled urine from astronauts! It is a great event for any geek in the southeast — people drive all the way from Birmingham and Nashville to compete.” The event began at 7:50 a.m. with an opening ceremony in Marshall’s Activities Building, where racers got pumped up watching the Metallica/NASA “Fuel” video for Artemis II. With the weather slowly warming, the field took off at 8:15 a.m., with a model rocket launch as the starting signal. The “station pacer” this year was dressed as Star-Lord, a superhero character appearing in the comic book and film series “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Cyclists compete during the bicycle portion of “Racin’ the Station.” Credits: NASA/Mick Speer The course is three legs: a 3.14 km run, followed by a 23 km bicycle ride, and another 3.14 km run, with the start and finish line at Marshall’s Wellness Center. Race organizers arranged the distances to coincide with the number pi, approximately 3.14. Participants can complete the entire race as an individual, or as a relay team. Eighteen teams and 124 individual racers competed, and 92 of those beat the station this year. Runners compete in one of the two 3.14 km runs in “Racin’ the Station.” NASA/Mick Speer The event is organized by the Team Rocket Triathlon Club in Huntsville and by the Marshall Association, a professional employee service organization at the Marshall Center whose members include civil service employees, retirees, and contractors. For details on the race, including course maps and distances, visit the Racin’ the Station Duathlon website. Race results can be found here. › Back to Top Psyche Mission Highlighted on ‘This Week at NASA’ NASA is targeting no earlier than Oct. 12 for the launch of its Psyche spacecraft on a 2.2-billion-mile journey to study a metal-rich asteroid of the same name. The mission is featured in “This Week @ NASA,” a weekly video program broadcast on NASA-TV and posted online. The Psyche asteroid lies in the outer portion of the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and may be able to tell us more about the formation of rocky planets like Earth. This is NASA’s first mission to study an asteroid that has more metal than rock or ice. Watch live coverage of the Oct. 12 Psyche launch beginning at 8:30 a.m. on NASA TV. Psyche is the 14th planetary exploration mission in NASA’s Discovery program, which is managed for the agency by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Read more about Marshall’s role in the Psyche mission. View this and previous episodes at “This Week @NASA” on NASA’s YouTube page. › Back to Top Experience Solar Eclipse on Oct. 14 On Oct. 14, 2023, and April 8, 2024, the entire United States and millions around the world will be able to view a solar eclipse. A map showing where the Moon’s shadow will cross the U.S. during the 2023 annular solar eclipse and 2024 total solar eclipse.Credits: NASA SVS There are three different kinds of solar eclipses: total, annular, and partial. When the Moon is far from the Earth, its size is too small to completely cover the Sun, thus an annular eclipse is observed, like what is expected on Oct. 14. When the Moon is close to the Earth, its larger size completely covers the Sun, causing a total eclipse, which will occur on April 8, 2024. A partial eclipse occurs when the Earth, Moon, and Sun are not perfectly aligned so only a part of the Sun will appear to be covered, giving it a crescent shape. During a total or annular solar eclipse, people outside the totality/annularity paths will see a partial solar eclipse. From left to right, this image shows a total solar eclipse, annular solar eclipse, and partial solar eclipse. NASA Mitzi Adams, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center​ Heliophysics and Planetary Science branch assistant chief, shares her observations during the five total eclipses she has experienced. “It is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. It’s sort of like somebody puts a bowl on top of Earth right above where you’re standing. In the middle of the day, it gets darker, but you can still see light around the rim.” Adams explains. “You can essentially observe a sunrise or sunset. The temperatures cool. The wind picks up. The birds may go to roost, or the coyotes may howl.” During an annular eclipse like the one coming up on Oct. 14, even with the sun covered up to 90%, the sky remains fairly bright. Those in the path of annularity will have a chance to observe the famed “ring of fire” effect, but it is important to manage your expectations and to remember that solar viewing glasses will be needed during the event’s entirety. Bill Cooke, NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office lead and eclipse enthusiast, says he is most looking forward to the 2024 total eclipse because totality, when the sun is covered 100%, will last much longer than the last total eclipse in 2017 – up to nearly four and a half minutes. In any of the upcoming eclipse events, in our technology-fueled world, you may also experience some electronic changes as the moon moves across Earth and the ionosphere cools. The ionosphere forms the boundary between the Earth’s lower atmosphere – where we live and breathe – and the vacuum of space. It is formed when particles are charged, or ionized, by solar radiation. A total solar eclipse effectively “turns off” the ionosphere’s primary charging mechanism, mimicking nighttime conditions, so the many communications signals passing through the ionosphere could be disrupted. GPS signals could produce location errors. Radio waves could change, sometimes even allowing Ham Radio operators to send or receive transmissions over longer distances. The ionosphere is also home to many NASA satellites, including the International Space Station. Experiencing an eclipse is one way that everyone can participate in NASA Science. Depending on your access to different types of technology (phones, laptops, telescopes), there are several NASA Citizen Science projects you can participate in that relate to the Sun’s corona and the effects of the Moon’s shadow on Earth’s upper atmosphere. GLOBE Observer Help monitor the conditions of clouds, water (especially as a habitat for mosquitoes), plants (trees and other land cover), and see change over time. Solar Jet Hunter Join the hunt for solar jets – enigmatic bursts of energy from our own star – the Sun. Planet Hunters Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) Find planets that will help us understand how these extrasolar systems form and evolve over time Eclipse Soundscapes Provide multi-sensory observations and recorded sound data to study how solar eclipses affect life on Earth! HamSCI Advance scientific research and understanding through amateur radio activities. Radio JOVE Observe and analyze natural radio emissions of Jupiter, the Sun, and our galaxy using their own easy to construct radio telescopes. Sungrazer Project Become a “Comet Hunter”, and immediately begin looking for new comets in the spacecraft data. Regardless of how you plan to experience a solar eclipse, or any solar viewing for that matter, remember to always do so safely. › Back to Top NASA’s Bennu Asteroid Sample Contains Carbon, Water Initial studies of the 4.5-billion-year-old asteroid Bennu sample collected in space and brought to Earth by NASA show evidence of high-carbon content and water, which together could indicate the building blocks of life on Earth may be found in the rock. NASA made the news Oct. 11 from its Johnson Space Center where leadership and scientists showed off the asteroid material for the first time since it landed in September. This finding was part of a preliminary assessment of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security – Regolith Explorer) science team. A view of the outside of the OSIRIS-REx sample collector. Sample material from asteroid Bennu can be seen on the middle right. Scientists have found evidence of both carbon and water in initial analysis of this material. The bulk of the sample is located inside.Photo: NASA/Erika Blumenfeld & Joseph Aebersold “The OSIRIS-REx sample is the biggest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever delivered to Earth and will help scientists investigate the origins of life on our own planet for generations to come,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Almost everything we do at NASA seeks to answer questions about who we are and where we come from. NASA missions like OSIRIS-REx will improve our understanding of asteroids that could threaten Earth while giving us a glimpse into what lies beyond. The sample has made it back to Earth, but there is still so much science to come – science like we’ve never seen before.” Although more work is needed to understand the nature of the carbon compounds found, the initial discovery bodes well for future analyses of the asteroid sample. The secrets held within the rocks and dust from the asteroid will be studied for decades to come, offering insights into how our solar system was formed, how the precursor materials to life may have been seeded on Earth, and what precautions need to be taken to avoid asteroid collisions with our home planet. The goal of the OSIRIS-REx sample collection was 60 grams of asteroid material. Curation experts at NASA Johnson, working in new clean rooms built especially for the mission, have spent 10 days so far carefully disassembling the sample return hardware to obtain a glimpse at the bulk sample within. When the science canister lid was first opened, scientists discovered bonus asteroid material covering the outside of the collector head, canister lid, and base. There was so much extra material it slowed down the careful process of collecting and containing the primary sample. “Our labs were ready for whatever Bennu had in store for us,” said Vanessa Wyche, director, NASA Johnson. “We’ve had scientists and engineers working side-by-side for years to develop specialized gloveboxes and tools to keep the asteroid material pristine and to curate the samples so researchers now and decades from now can study this precious gift from the cosmos.” Within the first two weeks, scientists performed “quick-look” analyses of that initial material, collecting images from a scanning electron microscope, infrared measurements, X-ray diffraction, and chemical element analysis. X-ray computed tomography was also used to produce a 3D computer model of one of the particles, highlighting its diverse interior. This early glimpse provided the evidence of abundant carbon and water in the sample. “As we peer into the ancient secrets preserved within the dust and rocks of asteroid Bennu, we are unlocking a time capsule that offers us profound insights into the origins of our solar system,” said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator, University of Arizona, Tucson. “The bounty of carbon-rich material and the abundant presence of water-bearing clay minerals are just the tip of the cosmic iceberg. These discoveries, made possible through years of dedicated collaboration and cutting-edge science, propel us on a journey to understand not only our celestial neighborhood but also the potential for life’s beginnings. With each revelation from Bennu, we draw closer to unraveling the mysteries of our cosmic heritage.” For the next two years, the mission’s science team will continue characterizing the samples and conduct the analysis needed to meet the mission’s science goals. NASA will preserve at least 70% of the sample at Johnson for further research by scientists worldwide, including future generations of scientists. As part of OSIRIS-REx’s science program, a cohort of more than 200 scientists around the world will explore the regolith’s properties, including researchers from many U.S. institutions, NASA partners JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), CSA (Canadian Space Agency), and other scientists from around the world. Additional samples will also be loaned later this fall to the Smithsonian Institution, Space Center Houston, and the University of Arizona for public display. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center provides overall mission management, systems engineering, and the safety and mission assurance for OSIRIS-REx. Lauretta, the principal investigator, leads the science team and the mission’s science observation planning and data processing. Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, built the spacecraft, provided flight operations, and was responsible for capsule recovery. Goddard and KinetX Aerospace were responsible for navigating the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. Curation for OSIRIS-REx, including processing the sample when it arrived on Earth, is taking place at NASA Johnson. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. Read more about Marshall’s role in OSIRIS-REx. › Back to Top Webb Captures an Ethereal View of NGC 346 One of the greatest strengths of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is its ability to give astronomers detailed views of areas where new stars are being born. The latest example, showcased in a new image from Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), is NGC 346 – the brightest and largest star-forming region in the SMC (Small Magellanic Cloud). The SMC is a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, visible to the unaided eye in the southern constellation Tucana. This small companion galaxy is more primeval than the Milky Way in that it possesses fewer heavy elements, which are forged in stars through nuclear fusion and supernova explosions, compared to our own galaxy. This new infrared image of NGC 346 from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) traces emission from cool gas and dust. In this image blue represents silicates and sooty chemical molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs.NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, N. Habel (JPL). Image Processing: P. Kavanagh (Maynooth University). Since cosmic dust is formed from heavy elements like silicon and oxygen, scientists expected the SMC to lack significant amounts of dust. However the new MIRI image, as well as a previous image of NGC 346 from Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera released in January, show ample dust within this region. In this representative-color image, blue tendrils trace emission from material that includes dusty silicates and sooty chemical molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. More diffuse red emission shines from warm dust heated by the brightest and most massive stars in the heart of the region. An arc at the center left may be a reflection of light from the star near the arc’s center. (Similar, fainter arcs appear associated with stars at lower left and upper right.) Lastly, bright patches and filaments mark areas with abundant numbers of protostars. The research team looked for the reddest stars, and found 1,001 pinpoint sources of light, most of them young stars still embedded in their dusty cocoons. By combining Webb data in both the near-infrared and mid-infrared, astronomers are able to take a fuller census of the stars and protostars within this dynamic region. The results have implications for our understanding of galaxies that existed billions of years ago, during an era in the universe known as “cosmic noon,” when star formation was at its peak and heavy element concentrations were lower, as seen in the SMC. 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. Several NASA centers contributed to the project, including NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. › Back to Top View the full article

iss070e001769 (Oct. 4, 2023) — The Roscosmos Progress 84 cargo craft is pictured docked to the International Space Station’s Poisk module.NASAView the full article

iss070e002205 (Oct. 5, 2023) — Four Expedition 70 crew members pose for a fun portrait inside their crew quarters aboard the International Space Station’s Harmony module. Clockwise from bottom are, NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli; ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen; JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa; and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara.NASAView the full article

iss070e002210 (Oct. 5, 2023) — Expedition 70 Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) stabilizes himself in the microgravity environment and practices chest compressions, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), inside the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory module. In back, Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) observes the regularly scheduled emergency training session.NASAView the full article

iss070e002303 (Oct. 6, 2023) — The Caspian Sea and cities and towns on the coast of northern Iran are pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 259 miles above.NASAView the full article

iss070e002420 (Oct. 4, 2023) — NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli (center) assists astronauts Andreas Mogensen (left) from ESA (European Space Agency) and Loral O’Hara (right) from NASA as they try on their spacesuits and test the suits’ components aboard the International Space Station’s Quest airlock in preparation for an upcoming spacewalk.NASAView the full article

iss070e002430 (Oct. 4, 2023) — NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli (center) assists astronauts Andreas Mogensen (left) from ESA (European Space Agency) and Loral O’Hara (right) from NASA as they try on their spacesuits and test the suits’ components aboard the International Space Station’s Quest airlock in preparation for an upcoming spacewalk.NASAView the full article

NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley will host a media briefing at 10 a.m. PDT on Monday, Oct. 16, announcing a new interdisciplinary initiative. The project will enable academia, private industry, and government to identify and develop innovative technologies across aeronautics, quantum computing, climate studies, social sciences, and more. Eugene Tu, NASA Ames center director, will speak at the briefing. U.S. Congresswomen Anna Eshoo and Zoe Lofgren also will give remarks. Media will have the opportunity to interview speakers directly following the event. Media interested in attending the briefing must RSVP by 4 p.m. PDT Friday, Oct. 13, to the NASA Ames Office of Communications by email at arc-dl-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov or by phone at 650-604-4789. A media resource reel is available upon request. Learn more about Ames’ world-class research and development in aeronautics, science, and exploration technology at: https://www.nasa.gov/ames -end- Hillary Smith Ames Research Center, Silicon Valley 650-604-4789 hillary.smith@nasa.gov View the full article

NASA, ESA, Space Telescope Science Institute/J. Lee; Processing: NASA/Catholic University of America/Gladys Kober It’s easy to get swept up in the swirling starry arms of this intermediate spiral galaxy, NGC 4654, in the constellation Virgo. The galaxy has a bright center and is labeled “intermediate” because it has characteristics of both unbarred and barred spirals. NGC 4654 is just north of the celestial equator, making it visible from the northern hemisphere and most of the southern hemisphere. The galaxy is around 55 million light-years from Earth. NGC 4654 is one of many Virgo Cluster galaxies that have an asymmetric distribution of stars and of neutral hydrogen gas. Astronomers reason that NGC 4654 may be experiencing a process called “ram pressure stripping,” where the gravitational pull of the Virgo galaxy cluster puts pressure on NGC 4654 as it moves through a superheated plasma made largely of hydrogen called the “intracluster medium.” This pressure feels like a gust of wind – think of a biker feeling wind even on a still day – that strips NGC 4654 of its gas. This process produced a long, thin tail of hydrogen gas on the galaxy’s southeastern side. Most galaxies that experienced ram pressure stripping hold very little cold gas, halting the galaxy’s ability to form new stars, since stars generate from dense gas. However, NGC 4654 has star formation rates consistent with other galaxies of its size. NGC 4654 also had an interaction with the companion galaxy NGC 4639 about 500 million years ago. The gravity of NGC 4639 stripped NGC 4654’s gas along its edge, limiting star formation in that region and causing the asymmetrical distribution of the galaxy’s stars. Scientists study galaxies like NGC 4654 to examine the connection between young stars and the cold gas from which they form. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope took this image in visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light. Hubble shared a brand-new galaxy image every day Oct. 2-7, 2023. See the new images and learn more about galaxies. Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD claire.andreoli@nasa.gov View the full article

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket with the Psyche spacecraft onboard is seen at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Psyche mission, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft will travel to a metal-rich asteroid by the same name orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter to study its composition. The spacecraft also carries the agency’s Deep Space Optical Communications technology demonstration, which will test laser communications beyond the Moon.NASA/Aubrey Gemignani The spacecraft is targeting an Oct. 12 liftoff atop a Falcon Heavy rocket. Its destination, a metal-rich asteroid, may tell us more about how planets form. In less than 24 hours, NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is slated to launch from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. With its sights set on a mysterious asteroid of the same name, Psyche is NASA’s first scientific mission to be launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. Launch is set for 10:16 a.m. EDT on Thursday, Oct. 12, with additional opportunities identified each day through Oct. 25. Each opportunity is instantaneous, meaning there is only one exact time per day when launch can occur. “The team has worked tirelessly to prepare the spacecraft for its journey to a one-of-a-kind asteroid,” said Henry Stone, Psyche’s project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “All spacecraft systems, science instruments, and software have been integrated and extensively tested, and the spacecraft is fully configured for flight. We look forward to the launch and – more importantly – to accomplishing the mission’s objectives, marking yet another historic voyage of scientific discovery.” The orbiter’s solar arrays are folded and stowed for launch. All systems have been tested and re-tested many times, along with the payload of three science instruments. Loaded with 2,392 pounds (1,085 kilograms) of the neutral gas xenon – the propellant that will get Psyche to the asteroid belt – the spacecraft sits inside the launch vehicle’s cone-shaped payload fairing, which protects it from aerodynamic pressure and heat during launch. The spacecraft and fairing have been mated to the SpaceX Falcon Heavy, which is poised for takeoff from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Launch Complex 39A. Integrated onto the spacecraft is a technology demonstration called Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC). DSOC will test high-data-rate laser communications – which could be used by future NASA missions – beyond the Moon for the first time. The tech demo will not relay Psyche mission data. Launch Sequences The rocket has two stages and two side boosters. After the side boosters separate and return to land, the core stage will be expended into the Atlantic Ocean. Then the second stage of the rocket, which will help Psyche escape Earth’s gravity, will fire its engine. Once the rocket is out of Earth’s atmosphere, about four minutes after launch, the fairing will separate from its ride and split into two halves, which are jettisoned back to Earth. The spacecraft will then separate from the upper stage about an hour after launch. Soon after, it will deploy its twin solar arrays, one at a time, and direct them at the Sun. At this point, the spacecraft is in a planned “safe mode” (a precautionary standby status), with the Sun illuminating the deployed solar panels, and will begin to direct the low-gain antenna toward Earth for communications. It could take up to two hours after separation from the rocket before the first signal is received. Once stable communications have been established, mission controllers will begin to reconfigure the spacecraft into its planned operating mode. The ensuing three months of initial checkout include a commissioning phase to confirm that all hardware and software is operating as expected, including the electric thrusters. Starting about five months after launch, the thrusters will fire, one at a time, during long stretches of the trajectory to get to the asteroid. Psyche’s efficient solar electric propulsion system works by accelerating and expelling charged atoms, or ions, of the neutral gas xenon – creating a thrust that will gently push the spacecraft on a journey of nearly six years and about 2.2 billion miles (3.6 billion kilometers) to the asteroid Psyche in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Along the way, in May 2026, the spacecraft will fly by Mars and use the Red Planet’s gravity to slingshot itself toward Psyche, saving propellant while gaining speed and changing direction. After the spacecraft reaches the asteroid in 2029, it will spend about 26 months in orbit, gathering images and other data. Scientists believe Psyche could be part of the core of a planetesimal – an early planetary building block – and composed of a mixture of rock and iron-nickel metal. The metal will not be mined; it will be studied to give researchers a better idea of what makes up Earth’s core and how rocky planets formed in our solar system. Humans can’t bore a path to our planet’s core – or the cores of the other rocky planets – so visiting Psyche could provide a one-of-a-kind window into the violent history of collisions and accumulation of matter that created planets like our own. More About the Mission Arizona State University leads the Psyche mission. A division of Caltech in Pasadena, JPL is responsible for the mission’s overall management, system engineering, integration and test, and mission operations. Maxar Technologies in Palo Alto, California, provided the high-power solar electric propulsion spacecraft chassis. JPL manages DSOC for the Technology Demonstration Missions program within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and the Space Communications and Navigation program within the Space Operations Mission Directorate. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy Space Center, is responsible for the insight and approval of the launch vehicle and manages the launch service for the Psyche mission. LSP certified the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket for use with the agency’s most complex and highest priority missions in early 2023 at the conclusion of a 2 ½-year effort. Psyche is the 14th mission selected as part of NASA’s Discovery Program, managed by the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. For more information about NASA’s Psyche mission go to: http://www.nasa.gov/psyche Get the Psyche press kit Teachable Moment: NASA’s Psyche Asteroid Mission Psyche classroom activities News Media Contacts Gretchen McCartney Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-287-4115 gretchen.p.mccartney@jpl.nasa.gov Alise Fisher / Alana Johnson NASA Headquarters, Washington 202-358-2546 / 202-358-1501 alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov / alana.r.johnson@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Oct 11, 2023 Related Terms AsteroidsJet Propulsion LaboratoryPsyche AsteroidPsyche MissionThe Solar System Explore More 6 min read 5 Things to Know About NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications Article 1 day ago 4 min read Five Tips for Photographing the Annular Solar Eclipse on Oct. 14 An annular solar eclipse is crossing the Americas on Oct. 14, 2023. This astronomical event… Article 1 day ago 6 min read 6 Things to Know About NASA’s Asteroid-Exploring Psyche Mission Article 6 days ago View the full article

Agency Leadership Talks NASA 2040, Artemis, Budget at Marshall Town Hall By Jessica Barnett From funding to historic achievements to the future of NASA, there was no shortage of topics for discussion during the latest Marshall Town Hall. Marshall team members joined in person and online as Acting Marshall Center Director Joseph Pelfrey, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, Associate Administrator Bob Cabana, and Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails shared their goals for Marshall and the agency’s future and answered questions from the audience in Activities Building 4316 on Sept. 18. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, far left, talks to Marshall team members during a Town Hall on Sept. 18 in Activities Building 4316. Joining him on the event stage, from left, are Marshall Acting Center Director Joseph Pelfrey, NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, NASA Associate Administrator Robert Cabana, and NASA Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails. NASA/Charles Beason Pelfrey kicked off the town hall by welcoming agency leaders and showering praise on the Marshall team. “It’s exciting to see the accomplishments of what we’re doing as an agency and see so many parts of that have a Marshall fingerprint,” Pelfrey said. “It’s an honor to have our leadership team here to share some of the things going on within our agency and how Marshall fits into those plans.” Nelson followed Pelfrey’s speech with another round of praise, calling Marshall team members “wizards who make the impossible possible.” “We’re going back to the Moon to learn, to live, to create, to invent, in order for us to go to Mars and beyond, to discover those far, distant cosmic shores,” Nelson said. “And Marshall is very much a part of this.” That work is being supported in part by NASA 2040, a strategic agency initiative aimed at driving meaningful changes that will allow the agency to realize its long-term vision for what leaders want the agency to be in 2040. “Personally, I think it’s NASA’s role to do really hard things that only NASA can do,” Swails said. “When we talk about 2040 and we talk about our mission strategy, how we do make sure we have an operating model that best sets us up for a future that aligns to mission goals? How do we make sure we have an institution that frankly reflects how amazing and incredible our mission is?” Cabana, right, responds to a question during the Q&A portion of the Marshall Town Hall. NASA/Charles Beason Swails then presented the plan to achieving those goals which included a seven-part list of workstreams with associated teams and leaders focused on supporting the workforce, infrastructure, and technologies critical to keeping NASA a leader in science, aeronautics, and space exploration. In addition to her speech, Swails held meetings Sept. 22 to further discuss NASA 2040. Cabana stressed the importance of such meetings and listening sessions during his portion of the town hall, encouraging Marshall team members to seize the opportunity to attend and offer feedback. Agency leaders also shared how Marshall is key to not just the initiative’s success but the success of NASA’s mission. “It’s important that we articulate and emphasize the science, technology, and impact we have,” Melroy said. “I’m personally excited, as I see the incredible science you work on here with ISS, what new discoveries we’re going to get with Artemis.” Melroy and Cabana noted Marshall’s work on nuclear propulsion, with Artemis, and with the International Space Station. “You’re not making a difference for Marshall Space Flight Center, the state of Alabama, or even the United States,” Cabana said. “You’re making a difference for humanity.” A Marshall team member poses a question to agency leaders during the Q&A portion of the Town Hall. NASA/Charles Beason Cabana provided an update on the Artemis program, telling audience members that Artemis II is still on track for its launch next year and work is underway to prepare for Artemis III’s launch in 2025. He encouraged Marshall team members to be active participants and promote an inclusive environment as the agency continues toward 2040. “What we are doing is too critical not to give it our very best and have that environment,” he said. Also critical, however, is ensuring NASA has the budget for its goals. Nelson, a former U.S. senator, said he isn’t sure what those currently in Congress will decide, but he remains confident that NASA will be just fine. He said there’s talk of NASA receiving level funding, which has caused angst among some, but that NASA’s international reach has made it favorable on both sides of the political aisle. “At the end of the day, it’s going to be all right,” Nelson said. “There will be some bumps along the way on this budget; it is a sign of the times. I wish it were not that way, but I can tell you that NASA brings people together, and NASA unites, not just in domestic politics but around the world as well.” Barnett, a Media Fusion employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications. › Back to Top Marshall Wins Award for Most Funds Raised During 2022 Combined Federal Campaign By Jessica Barnett NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center was recently awarded for raising more funds than any other large federal agency in the Greater Tennessee Valley Zone during the 2022 CFC (Combined Federal Campaign). The CFC serves as the federal government’s only sanctioned charity fundraiser event, with civilian, military, contract, and postal employees all encouraged to contribute to the charity of their choice during the annual campaign. Erin Richardson, center, chair of the 2022 Combined Federal Campaign at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, holds Marshall’s award for raising more funds than any other large federal agency in the Greater Tennessee Valley Zone during the campaign. Standing with her, from left, are Marshall Associate Director, Technical, Larry Leopard and Marshall Associate Director Rae Ann Meyer.NASA Marshall kicked off the 2022 campaign last October with a charity fair, giving potential donors a chance to learn about some of the charities that benefit from CFC donations. Erin Richardson, a materials science manager at Marshall who served as chair of the 2022 campaign, said the goal was more than just raising funds – it was about raising awareness of CFC and increasing participation in the campaign. “We ended up contributing the most out of any large agency in the Greater Tennessee Valley, which is our CFC zone,” Richardson said, adding the win came as a surprise given some of the obstacles they faced. Those obstacles included inflation and economic concerns among potential donors, balancing virtual and in-person campaigning after the pandemic, and it being the first time Richardson and many of her co-campaigners had served as CFC leaders at Marshall. Looking back on it now, she said, there were certainly some lessons learned. Richardson said she’s optimistic for the 2023 campaign, which will be chaired by Angela Lovelady, a lead budget analyst at Marshall. “Angela is a step above,” Richardson said. “She has an intense passion and heart for it, and I think she’ll be a great lead for CFC.” Marshall team members raised more funds than any other large federal agency in the Greater Tennessee Valley Zone during the 2022 Combined Federal Campaign. Overseen by the Office of Personnel Management, CFC is the official workplace giving campaign for federal employees, contractors, and retirees. NASA Marshall team members who wish to match that enthusiasm will have plenty of ways to do so when the 2023 campaign kicks off Oct. 17. Donors can contribute financially via credit or debit card payment or PayPal, with some team members able to donate a portion of their paycheck during the campaign period. Donors can also contribute their time at a participating charity, with each volunteer hour counted toward the overall fundraising goal. All campaigns start after Sept. 1 and end before mid-January of the following year. Each donation must be designated for a specific participating charity. In the Greater Tennessee Valley Zone, there are 69 charities currently listed as active CFC participants, from community health clinics and animal rescues to veteran and social justice groups. By participating in CFC each year, Marshall can show its support to the people all over the world, including the millions of U.S. taxpayers who make NASA’s mission possible, Richardson said. “We benefit so much as federal employees from taxpayers,” she said. “Some people will never get the opportunity to come through Gate 9 or see a launch or understand what we do, but we wouldn’t be able to do the job we are doing without them.” Learn more about CFC and see the list of participating charities in your community by visiting https://cfcgiving.opm.gov. Barnett, a Media Fusion employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications. › Back to Top Ceremony Marks Opening of NASA Educational Display at New Orleans Airport Representatives from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility joined elected officials and other community leaders for a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the opening of a NASA educational display Sept. 26 at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans. From left, New Orleans Airport Director Kevin Dolliole, New Orleans Director of Economic Development Jeff Schwartz, Space Launch System Stages Element Office Resident Management Office Manager Gregg Eldridge, Congressman Carter’s District Director Demetric Mercadel, Michoud Director Lonnie Dutreix, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, Judge Michael Bagneris, New Orleans & Co. Executive Vice-President Alice Glenn, New Orleans Business Alliance Interim President Louis David, and GNO Inc. Senior Vice-President of Business Development Josh Fleig cut the ribbon at the NASA educational display ribbon-cutting ceremony at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans.NASA/Michael DeMocker The exhibit is a collaboration between NASA, the city of New Orleans, and regional economic development organizations to educate visitors on the role Michoud has played in the production of manned spacecraft and Michoud’s impact on economic development for the region. The exhibit is located near the airport’s baggage claim on the first floor. Michoud serves as America’s “rocket factory,” manufacturing and assembling NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) core stages and Exploration Upper Stage, and the Orion crew module. Michoud is managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. › Back to Top Start Your Engines: NASA to Begin Critical Testing for Future Artemis Missions NASA will begin a new RS-25 test series Oct. 5, the final round of certification testing ahead of production of an updated set of the engines for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. The engines will help power future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. A series of 12 tests stretching into 2024 is scheduled to occur on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The tests are a key step for lead SLS engines contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, to produce engines that will help power the SLS rocket, beginning with Artemis V. Crews bring RS-25 developmental engine E0525 to the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Aug. 30 for the upcoming certification test series. The first test of the 12-test series is Oct. 5 at Stennis.NASA / Danny Nowlin “NASA and our industry partners continue to make steady progress toward restarting production of the RS-25 engines for the first time since the space shuttle era as we prepare for our more ambitious missions to deep space under Artemis with the SLS rocket,” said Johnny Heflin, liquid engines manager for SLS at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. “The upcoming fall test series builds off previous hot fire testing already conducted at NASA Stennis to help certify a new design that will make this storied spaceflight engine even more powerful.” For each Artemis mission, four RS-25 engines, along with a pair of solid rocket boosters, power the SLS rocket, producing more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. Following a “test like you fly” approach, all 12 tests in the new series are scheduled for at least 500 seconds, the same amount of time the engines must fire during an actual launch. The 12-test series will use developmental engine E0525 to collect data for the final RS-25 design certification review. The engine features a second set of new key components, including a nozzle, hydraulic actuators, flex ducts, and turbopumps. The components match design features of those used during the initial certification test series completed at the south Mississippi site in June. “Testing a second set of hardware during this next phase of our certification test series will give us repeatability to ensure we have sound processes for building our new engines,” said Mike Lauer, RS-25 deputy program manager at Aerojet Rocketdyne. “The successful testing of the brand-new certification engine proved our engineering was sound – that the new design is capable of meeting requirements at operating extremes and durations. This next test series will help confirm our manufacturing processes will reliably create production engines that will meet these same requirements.” Operators will fire the engine at power levels varying between 80% and 113% to test performance in multiple scenarios. The first four Artemis missions are using modified space shuttle main engines that can power up to 109% of their rated level. New RS-25 engines will power up to the 111% level to provide additional thrust. Testing up to the 113% power level provides a margin of operational safety. The longest test of the new series is planned for 650 seconds. Crews will conduct a gimbal test of the engine to ensure it can pivot as needed to help SLS maintain stability and trajectory during flight. The Oct. 5 test is scheduled for 550 seconds and will fire the RS-25 engine up to 111% power level. Overall, a total of 6,350 seconds of hot fire is planned for the series. With completion of the campaign, it is anticipated all systems will be “go” to produce 24 new RS-25 engines using the updated design for missions beginning with Artemis V. “Testing at the historic Fred Haise Test Stand is critical to ensure that our astronauts fly safely,” said Chip Ellis, project manager for RS-25 testing at NASA Stennis. “The test team takes great care to ensure these engines will operate as designed to launch NASA payloads and astronauts to the Moon and beyond.” Through Artemis, NASA will use innovative technologies and collaborate with commercial and international partners to explore more of the Moon than ever. The agency will use what is learned on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap of sending the first astronauts to Mars. Marshall manages the SLS Program. › Back to Top Chandra Rewinds Story of Great Eruption of the 1840s A new movie made from over two decades of data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory shows a famous star system changing with time. Eta Carinae contains two massive stars (one is about 90 times the mass of the Sun and the other is believed to be about 30 times the Sun’s mass). In the middle of the 19th century, skywatchers observed as Eta Carinae experienced a huge explosion that was dubbed the “Great Eruption.” During this event, Eta Carinae ejected between 10 and 45 times the mass of the Sun. This material became a dense pair of spherical clouds of gas, now called the Homunculus nebula, on opposite sides of the two stars. The Homunculus is clearly seen in a composite image of the Chandra data with optical light from the Hubble Space Telescope (blue, purple, and white). A summed image generated by adding data together reveal important hints about Eta Carinae’s volatile history. This includes the rapid expansion of the ring, and a previously unknown faint shell of X-rays outside it. The image on the left emphasizes the bright X-ray ring, and the image on the right shows the same data but emphasizing the faintest X-rays.(NASA/SAO/GSFC/M. Corcoran et al.) A new time-lapse sequence contains frames of Eta Carinae taken with Chandra from 1999, 2003, 2009, 2014, and 2020. Astronomers used the Chandra observations along with data from ESA’s XMM-Newton to watch as the stellar eruption from about 180 years ago continues to expand into space at speeds up to 4.5 million miles per hour. The two massive stars produce the blue, relatively high energy X-ray source in the center of the ring. They are too close to each other to be seen individually. A bright ring of X-rays (orange) around the Homunculus nebula was discovered about 50 years ago and studied in previous Chandra work. The new movie of Chandra, plus a deep, summed image generated by adding the data together, reveal important hints about Eta Carinae’s volatile history. This includes the rapid expansion of the ring, and a previously unknown faint shell of X-rays outside it. This faint X-ray shell is highlighted in an additional graphic showing the summed image. The image on the left emphasizes the bright X-ray ring, and the image on the right shows the same data but emphasizing the faintest X-rays. The shell is located in between the two contour levels, as labeled. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A time-lapse sequence of Eta Carinae allows astronomers to watch as the stellar eruption continues to expand into space at speeds up to 4.5 million miles per hour. Credits: Credits: X-ray: NASA/SAO/GSFC/M. Corcoran et al; HST: NASA/ESA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare, J. Major, N. Wolk) Because the newly discovered outer X-ray shell has a similar shape and orientation to the Homunculus nebula, researchers concluded both structures have a common origin. The idea is that material was blasted away from Eta Carinae well before the 1843 Great Eruption – sometime between 1200 and 1800, based on the motion of clumps of gas previously seen in Hubble Space Telescope data. Later this slower material was lit up in X-rays when the fast blast wave from the Great Eruption tore through space, colliding with and heating the material to millions of degrees to create the bright X-ray ring. The blast wave has now traveled beyond the bright ring. A paper describing these results appeared in The Astrophysical Journal. The authors of the paper are Michael Corcoran (NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center), Kenji Hamaguchi (GSFC), Nathan Smith (University of Arizona), Ian Stevens (University of Birmingham, UK), Anthony Moffat (University of Montreal), Noel Richardson (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University), Gerd Weigelt (Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy), David Espinoza-Galeas (The Catholic University of America), Augusto Damineli (University of Sao Paolo, Brazil), and Christopher Russell (Catholic University). NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts. Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. › Back to Top OSIRIS-REx Landing Highlighted on ‘This Week at NASA’ On Sept. 24, the OSIRIS-REx sample return capsule – with samples of rock and dust from asteroid Bennu – made its historic return to Earth, marking the end of NASA’s first sample return mission. The mission is featured in “This Week @ NASA,” a weekly video program broadcast on NASA-TV and posted online. The next day, the sample return capsule was flown to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where the sample material inside it will be cared for, stored, and shared with scientists around the world. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Read more about Marshall’s role in OSIRIS-REx. View this and previous episodes at “This Week @NASA” on NASA’s YouTube page. › Back to Top New Horizons to Continue Exploring Outer Solar System NASA has announced an updated plan to continue New Horizons’ mission of exploration of the outer solar system. Beginning in fiscal year 2025, New Horizons will focus on gathering unique heliophysics data, which can be readily obtained during an extended, low-activity mode of operations. While the science community is not currently aware of any reachable Kuiper Belt object, this new path allows for the possibility of using the spacecraft for a future close flyby of such an object, should one be identified. It also will enable the spacecraft to preserve fuel and reduce operational complexity while a search is conducted for a compelling flyby candidate. Launched on Jan. 18, 2006, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft has helped scientists understand worlds at the edge of our solar system by visiting the dwarf planet Pluto (its primary mission) and other observations.(NASA) “The New Horizons mission has a unique position in our solar system to answer important questions about our heliosphere and provide extraordinary opportunities for multidisciplinary science for NASA and the scientific community,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “The agency decided that it was best to extend operations for New Horizons until the spacecraft exits the Kuiper Belt, which is expected in 2028 through 2029.” This new, extended mission will be primarily funded by NASA’s Planetary Science Division and jointly managed by NASA’s Heliophysics and Planetary Science Divisions. NASA will assess the budget impact of continuing the New Horizons mission so far beyond its original plan of exploration. As a starting point, funding within the New Frontiers program (including science research and data analysis) will be rebalanced to accommodate extended New Horizons operations, and future projects may be impacted. Launched on Jan. 18, 2006, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft has helped scientists understand worlds at the edge of our solar system by visiting the dwarf planet Pluto (its primary mission) and then venturing farther out for a flyby of the Kuiper belt object Arrokoth, a double-lobed relic of the formation of our solar system, and other more remote observations of similar bodies. The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, designed, built, and operates the New Horizons spacecraft, and manages the mission for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center Planetary Management Office provides agency oversight for the New Horizons. Southwest Research Institute, based in San Antonio, directs the mission via Principal Investigator Stern, and leads the science team, payload operations and encounter science planning. New Horizons is part of the New Frontiers Program managed by Marshall. › Back to Top View the full article

A view of the outside of the OSIRIS-REx sample collector. Sample material from asteroid Bennu can be seen on the middle right. Scientists have found evidence of both carbon and water in initial analysis of this material. The bulk of the sample is located inside.Photo: NASA/Erika Blumenfeld & Joseph Aebersold Initial studies of the 4.5-billion-year-old asteroid Bennu sample collected in space and brought to Earth by NASA show evidence of water and high-carbon content, which together could indicate the building blocks of life on Earth may be found in the rock. NASA made the news Wednesday from its Johnson Space Center in Houston where leadership and scientists showed off the asteroid material for the first time since it landed in September. This finding was part of a preliminary assessment of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security – Regolith Explorer) science team. “The OSIRIS-REx sample is the biggest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever delivered to Earth and will help scientists investigate the origins of life on our own planet for generations to come,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Almost everything we do at NASA seeks to answer questions about who we are and where we come from. NASA missions like OSIRIS-REx will improve our understanding of asteroids that could threaten Earth while giving us a glimpse into what lies beyond. The sample has made it back to Earth, but there is still so much science to come – science like we’ve never seen before.” Although more work is needed to understand the nature of the carbon compounds found, the initial discovery bodes well for future analyses of the asteroid sample. The secrets held within the rocks and dust from the asteroid will be studied for decades to come, offering insights into how our solar system was formed, how the precursor materials to life may have been seeded on Earth, and what precautions need to be taken to avoid asteroid collisions with our home planet. Bonus sample material The goal of the OSIRIS-REx sample collection was 60 grams of asteroid material. Curation experts at NASA Johnson, working in new clean rooms built especially for the mission, have spent 10 days so far carefully disassembling the sample return hardware to obtain a glimpse at the bulk sample within. When the science canister lid was first opened, scientists discovered bonus asteroid material covering the outside of the collector head, canister lid, and base. There was so much extra material it slowed down the careful process of collecting and containing the primary sample. “Our labs were ready for whatever Bennu had in store for us,” said Vanessa Wyche, director, NASA Johnson. “We’ve had scientists and engineers working side-by-side for years to develop specialized gloveboxes and tools to keep the asteroid material pristine and to curate the samples so researchers now and decades from now can study this precious gift from the cosmos.” Within the first two weeks, scientists performed “quick-look” analyses of that initial material, collecting images from a scanning electron microscope, infrared measurements, X-ray diffraction, and chemical element analysis. X-ray computed tomography was also used to produce a 3D computer model of one of the particles, highlighting its diverse interior. This early glimpse provided the evidence of abundant carbon and water in the sample. “As we peer into the ancient secrets preserved within the dust and rocks of asteroid Bennu, we are unlocking a time capsule that offers us profound insights into the origins of our solar system,” said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator, University of Arizona, Tucson. “The bounty of carbon-rich material and the abundant presence of water-bearing clay minerals are just the tip of the cosmic iceberg. These discoveries, made possible through years of dedicated collaboration and cutting-edge science, propel us on a journey to understand not only our celestial neighborhood but also the potential for life’s beginnings. With each revelation from Bennu, we draw closer to unraveling the mysteries of our cosmic heritage.” For the next two years, the mission’s science team will continue characterizing the samples and conduct the analysis needed to meet the mission’s science goals. NASA will preserve at least 70% of the sample at Johnson for further research by scientists worldwide, including future generations of scientists. As part of OSIRIS-REx’s science program, a cohort of more than 200 scientists around the world will explore the regolith’s properties, including researchers from many U.S. institutions, NASA partners JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), CSA (Canadian Space Agency), and other scientists from around the world. Additional samples will also be loaned later this fall to the Smithsonian Institution, Space Center Houston, and the University of Arizona for public display. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, provides overall mission management, systems engineering, and the safety and mission assurance for OSIRIS-REx. Lauretta, the principal investigator, leads the science team and the mission’s science observation planning and data processing. Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, built the spacecraft, provided flight operations, and was responsible for capsule recovery. Goddard and KinetX Aerospace were responsible for navigating the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. Curation for OSIRIS-REx, including processing the sample when it arrived on Earth, is taking place at NASA Johnson. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Find more information about NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission at: https://www.nasa.gov/osiris-rex -end- Karen Fox / Erin Morton Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1275 / 202-805-9393 karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / erin.morton@nasa.gov Shaneequa Vereen Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 shaneequa.y.vereen@nasa.gov View the full article

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we recognize Hispanic astronauts who have flown in space. The table below lists these individuals of various nationalities who have made significant contributions to their space programs. The first Hispanic astronauts completed short flights to a Soviet space station and aboard the space shuttle. In the past 23 years, many more have completed flights to the International Space Station and contributed to its assembly, operations, and research activities. Table of Hispanic astronauts who have flown in space. Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez of Cuba holds the title of the first person of Hispanic heritage to fly in space. He spent eight days aboard the Salyut-6 space station in September 1980 as part of the Soviet Union’s Interkosmos program to fly cosmonauts from friendly socialist countries. The first Hispanic to fly on the space shuttle, Payload Specialist Rodolfo Neri Vela of Mexico, also introduced tortillas to astronauts’ on board menus during his flight on STS-61B in November 1985. Tortillas continue to be a staple on the space station today, for everything from breakfast tacos, to burgers, sandwiches, and pizzas. Selected as an astronaut in 1980, Costa Rican-born Franklin R. Chang-Díaz holds the honor as the first Hispanic American in space. He flew in space a record-tying seven times, including one visit to the Russian space station Mir and one to the International Space Station. Left: Portrait of Cuban cosmonaut Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez. Middle: Mexican payload specialist Rodolfo Neri Vela enjoys a trend-setting tortilla during the STS-61B mission. Right: Portrait of NASA astronaut Franklin R. Chang-Díaz. Franklin R. Chang-Díaz Chang-Díaz’s first flight, STS-61C aboard space shuttle Columbia, took place in January 1986, a six-day flight to deploy a communications satellite and to remotely observe Halley’s comet. The crew included two future NASA administrators, NASA astronauts Charles F. Bolden and U.S. Senator (D-FL) C. William “Bill” Nelson. The flight landed just 10 days before the tragic loss of space shuttle Challenger. His next mission, STS 34 aboard Atlantis, in October 1989 saw the deployment of the Galileo spacecraft to explore Jupiter with an orbiter and an atmospheric probe. Chang-Díaz launched on his third mission, STS 46 in July 1992, an eight-day flight aboard Atlantis to test fly the first Tethered Satellite System (TSS-1). Left: Franklin R. Chang-Díaz, center, the first Hispanic American astronaut, with his fellow STS-61C crew members. Middle: Chang-Díaz, center, and the STS-34 crew. Right: Chang-Díaz, upper right, with the STS-46 crew. Chang-Díaz returned to space for his fourth mission in January 1994 aboard Discovery. The eight-day STS-60 flight comprised the first flight in the Shuttle-Mir program, with Russian cosmonaut Sergey K. Krikalev a member of the crew. Chang-Díaz launched on his fifth flight in February 1996, the 16-day STS-75 mission aboard Columbia to refly the TSS. On his sixth mission in June 1998, the STS-91 crew docked Discovery with the Russian space station Mir and returned astronaut Andrew S.W. Thomas to earth, the final Shuttle-Mir mission. Left: Franklin R. Chang-Díaz, lower left, with the STS-60 crew. Middle: Chang-Díaz, left, with his STS-75 crew mates. Right: Chang-Díaz, with the STS-91 and Mir 25 crews. During his record-tying seventh trip into space, Chang-Díaz made his only visit to the space station. The main goals of Endeavour’s STS-111 mission in June 2002, included the exchange of the Expedition 4 and 5 crews and the resupply of the station using the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM). Two new research facilities rode in the MPLM, the fifth Expedite the Processing of Experiments to the Space Station (EXPRESS) rack and the Microgravity Sciences Glovebox. Chang-Díaz completed three spacewalks with his fellow mission specialist, French astronaut Philippe Perrin, to install the Mobile Base System portion of the Canadarm2’s remote manipulator system and perform maintenance tasks on the station. Left: NASA astronaut Franklin R. Chang-Díaz, left of center, with his STS-111 crewmates and the Expedition 4 and 5 crews. Middle: Chang-Díaz during the first STS-111 spacewalk. Right: Chang-Díaz in Endeavour’s middeck following undocking from the space station. Sidney M. Gutierrez NASA selected New Mexico native Sidney M. Gutierrez as an astronaut in 1984. On his first mission in June 1991, he served as the pilot of Columbia on the STS-40 Spacelab Life Sciences-1 mission, a nine-day flight dedicated to investigating the responses of the human body to weightlessness. He also served as a test subject for several of the experiments. During his second mission in April 1994, Gutierrez served as the commander of STS-59, the Space Radar Laboratory-1 flight, an 11-day mission aboard Endeavour. The payload included a synthetic aperture imaging radar. Left: NASA astronaut Sidney M. Gutierrez, center, with his STS-40 crew mates. Right: Gutierrez, center, with the STS-59 crew. Ellen Ochoa Selected as the first female Hispanic astronaut in 1990, Ellen Ochoa completed four spaceflights and then served as the first Hispanic director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. On her first mission in April 1993, she served as a mission specialist on the nine-day STS-56 flight, the second Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS) mission aboard Discovery. An accomplished flautist, she played her flute during the flight. On her second flight, STS-66 in March 1994, Ochoa flew aboard Atlantis and operated the experiments of the ATLAS-3 payload during the 11-day mission. Left: Ellen Ochoa, top left, and the rest of the STS-56 crew. Middle: Ochoa plays the flute on Discovery’s flight deck. Right: Ochoa, top left, and the rest of the STS-66 crew. Ochoa holds the distinction as the first Hispanic astronaut to visit the space station, making her first visit in May 1999 as a mission specialist aboard Discovery’s 10-day STS-96 mission. The goals of the mission – only the second shuttle flight to the station that, at the time, comprised only two modules – included the transfer of two tons of logistics to the station, launched inside a Spacehab double module, and the delivery of the Russian Strela cargo crane. Left: The space station as seen from STS-96. Middle: NASA astronaut Ellen Ochoa, lower right, with the STS-96 crew in the Unity Node 1. Right: Ochoa, bottom, with fellow STS-96 crewmembers Julie Payette of the Canadian Space Agency in the Zarya module. Ochoa returned to a much-enlarged space station aboard space shuttle Atlantis in April 2002 during the STS-110 mission that delivered the 13-ton S0 truss – the center segment section to which future truss segments were later attached. Ochoa operated the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), also known as Canadarm2, to lift the S0 truss from the shuttle’s payload bay and attach it atop the Destiny module. The S0 truss also contained the Mobile Transporter to allow the SSRMS to translate up and down the trusses. Ochoa was named as JSC’s deputy director in 2007, then as JSC’s first Hispanic director in 2013. She served in that position until her retirement from NASA in 2018. Left: NASA astronaut Ellen Ochoa operating Canadarm2 in the Destiny module. Middle: The space station as seen from the departing STS-110, showing the S0 truss mounted on Destiny. Right: Portrait of Ochoa as director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Michael E. Lopez-Alegria NASA selected Michael E. “LA” Lopez-Alegria, born in Madrid, Spain, as an astronaut in 1992. On his first spaceflight, he served as a mission specialist on STS-73, the second flight of the United States Microgravity Laboratory. The 16-day mission aboard Columbia in October 1995 included 37 investigations supported by 11 facilities, with the seven-member crew working around the clock in two shifts in a Spacelab module. Left: Michael E. Lopez-Alegria, center, with the rest of the STS-73 crew inside the Spacelab module. Right: Lopez-Alegria working on biological experiment in the Spacelab module. Lopez-Alegria served as a mission specialist on STS-92 during his first visit to the space station. He and his six crewmates launched aboard Discovery in October 2000, the 100th launch of the program and the last to visit an unoccupied station. At the time, the station comprised just three modules. During the mission, the STS-92 crew installed the Z1 truss atop the Unity module, four Control Moment Gyros, and the third Pressurized Mating Adaptor. The Z1 truss enabled the addition of solar arrays and radiators on the subsequent assembly flight and also contained high-rate communications equipment including the first Space-to-Ground antenna. Lopez-Alegria participated in two of the mission’s four spacewalks with Peter J. “Jeff” Wisoff to complete the assembly tasks. During their last spacewalk, the two conducted the first flight evaluation at the station of the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER), a propulsive backpack to be used by astronauts should they become detached from the spacecraft. The STS-92 crew left the station ready for its first inhabitants, and indeed less than two weeks later, the first Expedition crew arrived to begin permanent residency in low Earth orbit. Left: NASA astronaut Michael E. Lopez-Alegria working outside the space station during STS-92. Middle: Lopez-Alegria, left, tests the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue as fellow NASA astronaut Peter J. “Jeff” Wisoff looks on. Right: The space station as seen from Discovery shortly after undocking, showing the Z1 Truss with the Space-to-Ground Antenna at top and the third Pressurized Mating Adaptor at bottom. For his third flight into space, Lopez-Alegria returned to the station in November 2002 during the STS-113 mission, the facility now permanently occupied and having grown significantly in the intervening two years. The primary tasks for the STS-113 crew included adding the P1 truss on the station’s port side, installing the Crew Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) cart, and assisting in the exchange between the Expedition 5 and 6 crews. Lopez-Alegria and fellow STS-113 mission specialist John B. Harrington conducted three spacewalks to complete the installation of the P1 truss and the CETA cart. After STS-113, assembly of the station came to a temporary halt following the Feb. 1, 2003, Columbia accident, and the subsequent grounding of the space shuttle fleet. Flights did not resume until September 2006. Left: NASA astronaut Michael E. Lopez-Alegria during the first STS-113 spacewalk. Middle: Lopez-Alegria, second from right in the middle row, posing in the Destiny module with his STS-113 crewmates, as well as the Expedition 5 and 6 crews. Right: The space station as seen by the departing STS-113 crew, with the newly installed P1 truss visible at right. Lopez-Alegria returned to the space station again shortly after assembly resumed. For his fourth spaceflight, he launched aboard Soyuz TMA9 in September 2006, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Mikhail V. Tyurin of Roscosmos accompanied him during the 215-day mission, to that time the longest space station expedition, was Mikhail V. Tyurin of Roscosmos. European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas A. Reiter, onboard the station since July 2006, became part of the Expedition 14 crew. As Commander of Expedition 14, Lopez-Alegria oversaw one of the most complex set of activities in the assembly of the station – the reconfiguration of its power and cooling systems. A week before his arrival, the STS-115 mission had delivered the second set of solar arrays to the station as part of the P3/P4 truss segment, positioning them outboard of the P1 segment. As part of the reconfiguration, the port side P6 array mounted atop the Z1 truss needed to be retracted to prevent interference with the rotation of the new arrays, a task that was completed during the visiting STS-116 mission in December that also added the P5 short spacer to the port side truss. That mission brought NASA astronaut Sunita L. “Suni” Williams to the station as a new addition to Expedition 14 and returned Reiter back to Earth. During Expedition 14, Lopez-Alegria took part in five spacewalks, two in Orlan spacesuits with Tyurin to conduct work on the outside of the Russian segment and three in American spacesuits, with Williams to reconfigure the cooling system of the U.S. segment. He accumulated a total of 67 hours and 40 minutes over 10 spacewalks – still the record among American astronauts. Lopez-Alegria also conducted a variety of scientific experiments. Left: Space station configuration when NASA astronaut Michael E. Lopez-Alegria arrived in September 2006. Middle: Lopez-Alegria, back row middle, with STS-116 and Expedition 14 crew members. Right: Celebrating the holidays aboard the space station. Left: NASA astronaut Michael E. Lopez-Alegria conducting a session of the Canadian TRAC experiment in the Destiny module. Middle: In an Orlan suit, Lopez-Alegria conducts maintenance on the exterior of the Russian segment. Right: The space station’s configuration at the end of Lopez-Alegria’s mission – note the retracted P6 solar array. Lopez-Alegria retired from NASA in 2012, joining Axiom Space shortly thereafter. In April 2022, he commanded the Ax-1 mission, the first commercial astronaut mission to the space station. He and his three crewmates spent 17 days aboard, conducting a variety of experiments. Across his five missions, Lopez-Alegria accumulated a total of 275 days in space. Left: Axiom astronaut Michael E. Lopez-Alegria floats into the space station during the Ax-1 mission. Middle: Lopez-Alegria, second from right, and the rest of the Ax-1 crew. Right: The 11 crew members aboard the space station during the Ax-1 mission, with Lopez-Alegria at far right. Carlos I. Noriega In 1994, NASA selected Carlos I. Noriega as the first Peruvian-born astronaut. On his first spaceflight in May 1997, he served as a mission specialist aboard STS-84, the sixth Shuttle-Mir docking mission. During the nine-day flight, the crew resupplied the Mir space station, brought NASA astronaut C. Michael Foale to the Russian outpost, and returned Jerry M. Linenger to Earth. Left: Carlos I. Noriega sets up an experiment during the STS-84 mission. Middle: Noriega working on an experiment in the Spacehab module. Right: The 10 members of the STS-84 and Mir resident crew, with Noriega at upper right. In December 2000, Noriega launched on his second mission, aboard Endeavour with his four crewmates on STS-97, their primary goal to install the P6 truss segment with the first set of solar arrays and radiators atop the Z1 truss. STS-97 marked the first time a shuttle visited the station after its occupancy began, but given the busy spacewalk schedule, the hatches between the two vehicles were only open for 24 hours. Noriega and fellow mission specialist Joseph R. Tanner conducted three spacewalks to complete the P6 installation and other assembly tasks. The new solar arrays generated enough power for the arrival of the U.S. laboratory module Destiny early in 2001 and the start of intensive research aboard the space station. Left: NASA astronaut Carlos I. Noriega waves to the camera as he installs the P6 truss and solar arrays. Middle: Noriega, center, with the STS-97 and Expedition 1 crews in the Zarya Service Module. Right: The space station as seen from the departing STS-97 showing the newly deployed P6 solar arrays. Pedro Duque The European Space Agency (ESA) selected Pedro Duque, born in Madrid, Spain, as an astronaut in 1992. Four years later, he joined NASA’s astronaut class of 1996 in training and two years later certified as a mission specialist. His first launch into space took place in October 1998 on Discovery’s STS-95 mission, the nine-day flight that saw astronaut John H. Glenn’s return to space. Duque returned to space in October 2003 aboard Soyuz TMA3, conducting experiments aboard the space station as part of his Cervantes visiting mission. He returned to Earth 10 days later aboard Soyuz TMA2. Left: Spanish astronaut Pedro Duque, lower left, representing the European Space Agency, with his STS-95 crewmates. Middle: Duque conducting an experiment in the Microgravity Science Glovebox aboard the space station. Right: Duque, center, with his Expedition 7 and 8 crewmates. Marcos C. Pontes The Brazilian Space Agency selected Marcos C. Pontes as an astronaut in 1998. He trained with NASA’s astronaut class of 1998 and certified as a mission specialist two years later. Pontes made his one and only spaceflight in March 2006 aboard Soyuz TMA8, carrying out eight experiments. He returned to Earth 10 days later aboard Soyuz TMA7. Left: Brazilian astronaut Marcos Pontes, center at rear, with his Expedition 12 and 13 crewmates. Middle: Pontes works on an experiment in the Destiny Laboratory Module. Right: Pontes at work on an experiment in the Russian Zvezda module. John D. “Danny” Olivas Selected as a member of NASA’s Astronaut Class of 1998, John D. “Danny” Olivas visited the space station on two occasions as a shuttle mission specialist. His first visit took place aboard Atlantis during the STS-117 mission in June 2007. During the flight, Olivas and fellow mission specialist James F. Reilly conducted two of the four spacewalks to install the S3/S4 truss segment that included the third set of solar arrays. To prevent interfering with the rotation of the new arrays, the crew retracted the starboard P6 array mounted atop the Z1 truss. The STS-117 mission also served as a crew exchange flight, with NASA astronaut Clayton C. Anderson replacing Suni Williams as a member of Expedition 15. Left: NASA astronaut John D. “Danny” Olivas during an STS-117 spacewalk working on the S3/S4 truss installation. Middle: Olivas, back row at right, with the STS-117 and Expedition 15 crews. Right: The space station as seen by the departing STS-117 crew, showing the new set of starboard solar arrays at right. On his return to the station, Olivas found it a bit more crowded – three months earlier, the permanent crew aboard the station had expanded from three to six. He and his crewmates launched aboard Discovery on the STS-128 mission in August 2009. The shuttle’s payload bay contained the Leonardo MPLM bringing supplies to help maintain a 6-person crew on the space station, including three systems racks: a crew quarters, an Air Revitalization System rack, and the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT) for crew exercise – as well as three research racks – the Fluid Integrated Rack , the Materials Science Research Rack, and the second Minus Eighty-degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). Olivas participated in three spacewalks to replace the Ammonia Tank Assembly on the P1 truss and to retrieve two experiments from the European Columbus module’s External Payload Facility. STS-128 also completed the final shuttle-based crew exchange, with NASA astronauts Nicole P. Stott and Timothy L. Kopra exchanging places as Expedition 20 crewmembers. Left: NASA astronaut John D. “Danny” Olivas poses during spacewalk work on the Ammonia Tank Assembly. Middle: Olivas eating a chocolate and peanut butter snack. Right: Olivas, at center, with the STS-128 and Expedition 20 crews. George D. Zamka Selected as a NASA astronaut in 1998, George D. Zamka completed his first space flight as pilot on Discovery’s STS-120 mission. Launching in October 2007, Zamka and his crewmates brought the Harmony Node 2 module to the station, temporarily berthing it on the Unity Node 1’s port side until the Expedition 16 crew relocated it to Destiny’s forward hatch. In its final location, Harmony enabled the later installation of the European and Japanese elements. The crew also relocated the P6 truss segment from atop Z1 to the outboard port truss. During the redeployment of the P6 solar arrays, one of the arrays developed a tear that required repair using a cufflink-like device to sew up the gap in the panel. STS-120 also conducted a crew exchange, with NASA astronauts Daniel M. Tani and Clay Anderson exchanging places as members of Expedition 16. As the STS-120 pilot, Zamka completed the undocking from the station and the departure fly-around maneuver. Left: NASA astronaut George D. Zamka holding the cufflink device used to repair the torn solar array. Middle: Zamka, lower right, with the STS-120 and Expedition 16 crews. Right: The space station as seen from STS-120 departing, showing the newly delivered Harmony Node 2 module temporarily berthed at the Unity Node 1 and the relocated and redeployed P6 truss segment and solar arrays at left. When he returned to the orbiting lab in February 2010, Zamka did so as commander of space shuttle Endeavour’s STS-130 mission. After guiding the shuttle to a successful docking with the station, Zamka and his crewmates, along with the Expedition 22 crew, installed the Tranquility Node 3 module to Unity’s port side and activated the new element. The new module provided accommodations for life support and habitation facilities for the station’s six-person crew. The crew removed the Cupola from its launch position at the end of Tranquility and relocated it to the module’s Earth-facing port. The Cupola’s six trapezoidal and one circular center window provide crews not only visibility for approaching visiting vehicles, but also spectacular views of their home planet passing by below. Left: NASA astronaut George D. Zamka peering through one of the Cupola’s windows. Middle: Zamka, front row second from right, with the STS-130 and Expedition 22 crews. Right: The space station as seem from the departing STS-130, showing the Tranquility Node 3 and Cupola berthed at the Unity Node 1, left of center. Joseph M. “Joe” Acaba Joseph M. “Joe” Acaba was selected in 2004 as part of NASA’s Educator Astronaut Program and qualified as a mission specialist. His first flight into space was aboard STS-119 in March 2009. Discovery brought up the S6 final truss segment with the fourth and final set of solar arrays, bringing the U.S. segment of the station’s useable power generating capability between 42 and 60 kilowatts. Acaba completed two of the mission’s three spacewalks, one with fellow mission specialist Steven R. Swanson and the other with fellow educator-astronaut and mission specialist Richard R. “Ricky” Arnold. During the STS-119 mission, Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) replaced NASA astronaut Sandra H. Magnus as a member of the Expedition 18 crew. Left: NASA astronaut Joseph M. Acaba during the third STS-119 spacewalk. Middle: Acaba, front row at right, with the STS-119 and Expedition 18 crews. Right: The space station as seen from the departing STS-119, with the newly added S6 truss segment and solar arrays, at right. For his second visit to the station, Acaba stayed for 125 days as part of Expeditions 31 and 32, launching in May 2012 from Kazakhstan aboard Soyuz TMA-04M. A week after arriving, Acaba and his crewmates welcomed the first commercial vehicle to dock with the space station, the SpaceX Dragon cargo resupply vehicle on its Demo-2 mission carrying food, water, scientific experiments and other supplies. The Expedition 31 crew loaded the Dragon spacecraft with cargo and experiment samples for return to Earth. The crew observed and photographed a rare celestial event, a transit of Venus across the Sun on June 5. In addition to conducting numerous science experiments, Acaba helped fire prevention icon Smokey the Bear celebrate his 68th birthday. Left: NASA astronaut Joseph M. Acaba, top right, with his Expedition 31 crewmates inside the SpaceX Dragon resupply vehicle. Middle: Acaba running on the COLBERT treadmill. Right: Acaba refracted in a globule of water. Left: NASA astronaut Joseph M. Acaba, right, drawing a blood sample from Akihiko Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Middle: Acaba with a toy Smokey the Bear in the Cupola to help celebrate the forest fire prevention icon’s 68th birthday. Right: Acaba, lower right, with this Expedition 32 crewmates. Acaba returned to the space station five years later as a member of Expedition 53 and 54, launching in September 2017, aboard Soyuz MS-06 Acaba joined NASA astronaut Randolph J. “Randy” Bresnik for a nearly seven-hour spacewalk to lubricate the newly installed replacement Latching End Effector on the SSRMS. Acaba continued with the research program and celebrated his Puerto Rican heritage with several events. He returned to Earth after a 168-day flight. Over his three missions, Acaba accumulated 306 days in space and nearly 20 hours in spacewalk time. Left: NASA astronaut Joseph M. Acaba conducting an experiment in the Microgravity Sciences Glovebox. Middle left: In the Cupola, Acaba showing Puerto Rico pride. Middle right: During a spacewalk, Acaba is lubricating the Candarm2 Latching End Effector. Right: Acaba, left, with his Expedition 53 crewmates. Left: NASA astronaut Joseph M. Acaba working with the Biological Research in Canisters experiment. Middle left: Acaba speaking with the Puerto Rico Institute of Robotics. Middle right: During the holidays, Acaba participating in a parranda by video. Right: Acaba, upper left, with his Expedition 54 crewmates. José M. Hernández Selected in 2004 as a NASA astronaut, José M. Hernández made his single visit to the space station during the STS-128 mission. Launched aboard space shuttle Discovery in August 2009, Hernández operated both the shuttle and station robotic arms to move the Leonardo MPLM back and forth and translate astronauts during the mission’s three spacewalks. He participated in the transfer and installation of the three systems racks and the three research racks aboard the orbiting laboratory. STS-128 also completed the final shuttle-based crew exchange, with Stott replacing Kopra as an Expedition 20 crew member. In collaboration with Amazon Studios, NASA is helping chronicle Hernández’ life and career through the film “A Million Miles Away,” telling the story of his journey from migrant farmer to NASA space explorer. Left: NASA astronaut José M. Hernández operating the shuttle’s robotic arm to transfer the Leonardo Multipurpose Logistics Module (MPLM) to the station. Middle: Hernández operating the station’s robotic arm to return the MPLM to the shuttle’s payload bay. Right: Hernández, front row center, with the STS-128 and Expedition 20 crews. Serena M. Auñón-Chancellor Serena M. Auñón-Chancellor was selected as a member of NASA’s Astronaut Class of 2009 and made her first spaceflight nine years later. She launched aboard Soyuz MS-09 in June 2018and began work on the more than 300 research investigations she carried out during her stay aboard the orbiting laboratory. Auñón-Chancellor returned to Earth after completing a 197-day flight. Left: NASA astronaut Serena M. Auñón-Chancellor conducting the AngieX Cancer Therapy experiment in the Microgravity Sciences Glovebox. Middle: Auñón-Chancellor completing a session of the Eye Exam – Fundoscope experiment to help understand vision changes in microgravity. Right: Auñón-Chancellor, top, posing with her Expedition 56 crewmates in the Harmony Node 2 module. Left: NASA astronaut Serena M. Auñón-Chancellor working on the BioServe Protein Crystalography-1 experiment. Middle: Expedition 57 crew members in their best Halloween outfits – Sergei V. Prokopiev of Roscosmos, left, as Elvis, ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst as Darth Vader, and Auñón-Chancellor as a mad scientist. Right: Auñón-Chancellor and her Expedition 57 crewmates in the Destiny module. Francisco “Frank” C. Rubio Selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2017, Dr. Francisco “Frank” C. Rubio began his first trip to space in September 2022, with Russian cosmonauts Sergei V. Prokopyev and Dmitri A. Petelin aboard Soyuz MS-22, for a planned six-month stay aboard the space station. A leak aboard their Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft in December resulted in the loss of its coolant, and they could no longer rely on it to return to Earth. Roscosmos sent the replacement Soyuz MS-23 to the station in February 2023. The incident extended their mission to over one year. On Sept. 11, Rubio broke the record of 355 days for the longest single flight by an American astronaut, set by Mark T. Vande Hei in March 2022. Prokopyev, Petelin, and Rubio landed on Sept. 27 after a 371-day flight, the longest aboard the space station. Left: Shortly after arriving at the space station, NASA astronaut Francisco “Frank” C. Rubio receives his gold astronaut pin from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut and fellow Expedition 68 crew member Koichi Wakata. Middle: Rubio during one of his two spacewalks. Right: Rubio, left, with Russian cosmonauts Sergey V. Prokopyev and Dmitri A. Petelin with a cake with “356” written on it to signify they surpassed the previous record of 355 days as the longest flight aboard the space station. To be continued… View the full article

4 min read NASA’s Modern History Makers: Carlos Garcia-Galan Carlos Garcia-Galan poses in front of the American flag in the Electric Propulsion and Power Laboratory at NASA’s Glenn Research Center.Credit: NASA/Bridget Caswell <back to gallery As a little boy in Málaga, Spain, Carlos Garcia-Galan had his sights set on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. “It’s something that called to me from the very beginning. I remember listening to the space shuttle countdowns and watching the launches on television,” said Garcia-Galan, European Service Module (ESM) Integration Office manager for NASA’s Orion program. “The entire sky would light up at night.” Garcia-Galan wanted to be part of the team working behind the scenes to send astronauts on challenging missions to distant destinations. But there were few opportunities to work in space exploration from his home country, he said. To pursue his dreams, he’d first have to cross the Atlantic Ocean. “Working for NASA was my only objective,” Garcia-Galan said. “My dad was a pilot, and my mom was a flight attendant. So, I had this adventure thing already, and I traveled a lot growing up because of them.” Garcia-Galan came to America his senior year of high school as an exchange student in New Jersey, later attending the Florida Institute of Technology’s space science program. He graduated with degrees in space science and electrical engineering. “As I was graduating with my second degree, all of my friends from the space science program had already graduated and started working in Mission Operations at NASA’s Johnson Space Center,” Garcia-Galan said. “NASA was just about to fly the first module of the International Space Station, so I was able to get a job before I finished my degree. It was great timing.” At Johnson, Garcia-Galan worked as a flight controller for the space station, managing electrical power systems. He left NASA to broaden his knowledge by working in industry but eventually returned. Now, he works on the European Service Module — the powerhouse that provides electricity, water, oxygen, nitrogen, and propulsion to the Orion spacecraft. Proven during Artemis I, Orion will carry astronauts to the Moon and back during future Artemis missions. The Orion crew module’s European Service Module is the spacecraft’s powerhouse, supplying it with electricity, propulsion, thermal control, air, and water in space.Credit: NASA/Amanda Stevenson Garcia-Galan manages the ESM and the team working with European counterparts to design, build, and fully integrate the mission-specific modules with their Orion spacecraft. “It’s hard enough to build spacecraft across the United States with all the contractors; imagine doing this across different continents,” he said. “I want to make sure we’re one team.” When the modules arrive from Europe, his team ensures that they are ready for pre-flight tests and, ultimately, the mission. “On my team, I have engineers who represent different disciplines,” Garcia-Galan said. “The ESM is like its own spacecraft, so we have everything from propulsion to mechanisms to thermal systems. I keep the whole team synchronized and working to our full potential.” Garcia-Galan encourages others interested in space exploration to pursue their interests, no matter where they are from. “If you want to be part of something bigger than yourself — something that takes an entire team of people across different countries — space exploration is a great place to exercise that,” Garcia-Galan said. “We have engineers, communicators, teachers, and astronauts, and everybody is working toward the same goal. You can be part of that. Just be persistent, have a goal in mind, don’t get turned away by adversities, and you may end up here at NASA.” NASA is in a Golden Era of aeronautics and space exploration. In partnership with commercial and private businesses, NASA is currently making history with significant missions such as Artemis, Quesst, and electrified aviation. The NASA’s Modern History Makers series highlights members of NASA Glenn’s workforce who make these remarkable missions possible. Jacqueline Minerd NASA’s Glenn Research Center View the full article

NASA’s DSOC is composed of a flight laser transceiver attached to Psyche and a ground system that will send and receive laser signals. Clockwise from top left: the Psyche spacecraft with DSOC attached, flight laser transceiver, downlink ground station at Palomar, and downlink detector.NASA/JPL-Caltech Slated to launch on Oct. 12 with the Psyche mission, DSOC will demonstrate technologies enabling the agency to transmit higher data rates from deep space. NASA’s pioneering Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment will be the first demonstration of laser, or optical, communications from as far away as Mars. Launching with NASA’s Psyche mission to a metal-rich asteroid of the same name on Thursday, Oct. 12, DSOC will test key technologies designed to enable future missions to transmit denser science data and even stream video from the Red Planet. Here are five things to know about this cutting-edge technology demonstration: 1. DSOC is the first time NASA will test how lasers could increase data transmission from deep space. Until now, NASA has used only radio waves to communicate with missions that travel beyond the Moon. Much like fiber optics replacing old telephone lines on Earth as demand for data grows, going from radio communications to optical communications will allow increased data rates throughout the solar system, with 10 to 100 times the capacity of state-of-the-art systems currently used by spacecraft. This will better enable future human and robotic exploration missions, along with supporting higher-resolution science instruments. Learn more about how DSOC will be used to test high-bandwidth data transmission beyond the Moon for the first time – and how it could transform deep space exploration. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech 2. The tech demo involves equipment both in space and on Earth. The DSOC flight laser transceiver is an experiment attached to NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, but Psyche relies on traditional radio communications for mission operations. The laser transceiver features both a near-infrared laser transmitter to send high-rate data to Earth and a sensitive photon-counting camera to receive a laser beam sent from Earth. But the transceiver is just one part of the technology demonstration. There is no dedicated infrastructure on Earth for deep space optical communications, so for the purposes of DSOC, two ground telescopes have been updated to communicate with the flight laser transceiver. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California will host the operations team, and a high-power near-infrared laser transmitter has been integrated with the Optical Communications Telescope Laboratory at JPL’s Table Mountain facility near Wrightwood, California. The transmitter will deliver a modulated laser signal to DSOC’s flight transceiver and serve as a beacon, or pointing reference, so that the returned laser beam can be accurately aimed back to Earth. Data sent from the flight transceiver will be collected by the 200-inch (5.1-meter) Hale Telescope at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California, which has been equipped with a special superconducting high-efficiency detector array. 3. DSOC will encounter unique challenges. DSOC is intended to demonstrate high-rate transmission of data of distances up to 240 million miles (390 million kilometers) – more than twice the distance between the Sun and Earth – during the first two years of Psyche’s six-year journey to the asteroid belt. The farther Psyche travels from our planet, the fainter the laser photon signal will become, making it increasingly challenging to decode the data. As an additional challenge, the photons will take longer to reach their destination, creating a lag of over 20 minutes at the tech demo’s farthest distance. Because the positions of Earth and the spacecraft will be constantly changing as the photons travel, the DSOC ground and flight systems will need to compensate, pointing to where the ground receiver (at Palomar) and flight transceiver (on Psyche) will be when the photons arrive. 4. Cutting-edge technologies will work together to make sure the lasers are on target and high-bandwidth data is received from deep space. The flight laser transceiver and ground-based laser transmitter will need to point with great precision. Reaching their targets will be akin to hitting a dime from a mile away while the dime is moving. So the transceiver needs to be isolated from the spacecraft vibrations, which would otherwise nudge the laser beam off target. Initially, Psyche will aim the flight transceiver in the direction of Earth while autonomous systems on the flight transceiver assisted by the Table Mountain uplink beacon laser will control the pointing of the downlink laser signal to Palomar Observatory. Integrated onto the Hale Telescope is a cryogenically cooled superconducting nanowire photon-counting array receiver, developed by JPL. The instrument is equipped with high-speed electronics for recording the time of arrival of single photons so that the signal can be decoded. The DSOC team even developed new signal-processing techniques to squeeze information out of the weak laser signals that will have been transmitted over tens to hundreds of millions of miles. This is a close-up of the downlink detector prototype that was used to develop the detector attached to DSOC’s receiving ground station at Palomar. The active area – at the center of the dark square – measures about 0.0126 inches (0.32 millimeters) across. It can detect a billion photons per second.NASA/JPL-Caltech 5. This is NASA’s latest optical communications project. In 2013, NASA’s Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration tested record-breaking uplink and downlink data rates between Earth and the Moon. In 2021, NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration launched to test high-bandwidth optical communications relay capabilities from geostationary orbit so that spacecraft don’t require a direct line of sight with Earth to communicate. And last year, NASA’s TeraByte InfraRed Delivery system downlinked the highest-ever data rate from a satellite in low-Earth orbit to a ground-based receiver. DSOC is taking optical communications into deep space, paving the way for high-bandwidth communications beyond the Moon and 1,000 times farther than any optical communications test to date. If it succeeds, the technology could lead to high-data rate communications with streaming, high-definition imagery that will help support humanity’s next giant leap: when NASA sends astronauts to Mars. More About the Mission DSOC is the latest in a series of optical communication demonstrations funded by NASA’s Technology Demonstration Missions (TDM) program and the agency’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program. JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages DSOC for TDM within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and SCaN within the agency’s Space Operations Mission Directorate. The Psyche mission is led by Arizona State University. JPL is responsible for the mission’s overall management, system engineering, integration and test, and mission operations. Psyche is the 14th mission selected as part of NASA’s Discovery Program, managed by the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center, is managing the launch service. Maxar Technologies in Palo Alto, California, provided the high-power solar electric propulsion spacecraft chassis. For more information about DSOC, go to: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/dsoc News Media Contacts Ian J. O’Neill Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-354-2649 ian.j.oneill@jpl.nasa.gov Alise Fisher NASA Headquarters, Washington 202-358-2546 alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Oct 10, 2023 Related Terms Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC)Jet Propulsion LaboratorySpace Technology Mission DirectorateTechnology Demonstration Missions Program Explore More 2 min read NASA’s Honey Astrobee Robot Returns to Space Article 5 days ago 6 min read 6 Things to Know About NASA’s Asteroid-Exploring Psyche Mission Article 5 days ago 3 min read NASA’s Modern History Makers: Abigail Rodriguez Article 6 days ago View the full article