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The first United States commercial robotic landing on the Moon’s surface as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative and Artemis program are scheduled to occur in early 2024. Credit: NASA/LRO Media accreditation is open for the first United States commercial robotic flight to the Moon’s surface as part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis program. Carrying NASA and commercial payloads, Astrobotic will launch its Peregrine lander on United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan rocket no earlier than Sunday, Dec. 24, from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This is the inaugural launch of ULA’s new Vulcan rocket. Astrobotic’s Peregrine Mission One will land on the Moon in early 2024. The NASA payloads aboard the lunar lander aim to help the agency develop capabilities needed to explore the Moon under Artemis ahead of sending astronauts to the lunar surface. Media prelaunch and launch activities will take place at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Attendance for this launch is open to U.S. citizens and international media. U.S. media must apply by Friday, Dec. 8, and international media must apply by Thursday, Nov. 9. Media interested in participating in person must apply at: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov Credentialed media will receive a confirmation email upon approval. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For questions about accreditation or to request special logistical support such as space for satellite trucks, tents, or electrical connections, please email by Wednesday, Dec. 13, to: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other questions, please contact NASA Kennedy’s newsroom at: 321-867-2468. Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo o Messod Bendayan a: antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov o messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov. In May 2019, NASA awarded Astrobotic its first CLPS task order. The commercial flight is tracking to become the first launch of the eight delivery orders the agency has awarded to date. NASA is working with multiple vendors to establish a regular cadence of payload lunar deliveries to perform experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities. Robotically exploring the lunar surface through CLPS will help NASA collect relevant science data, ultimately advancing our lunar knowledge ahead of Artemis missions with crew on and around the Moon. For more information about the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative at: https://www.nasa.gov/clps -end- Karen Fox Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1275 karen.fox@nasa.gov Nilufar Ramji Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov Antonia Jaramillo Kennedy Space Center, Florida 321-501-8425 antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Nov 03, 2023 Location NASA Headquarters Related Terms ArtemisMissions View the full article

NASA/Michael DeMocker Link to full image Technicians at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans have completed a major portion of a weld confidence article for the advanced upper stage of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. The hardware was rotated to a horizontal position and moved to another part of the facility Oct. 24. The weld confidence article forms part of the liquid oxygen tank for the SLS rocket’s exploration upper stage and is the fifth of seven weld confidence articles engineers are manufacturing for the evolved SLS Block 1B configuration of the SLS rocket. Beginning with Artemis IV, SLS will evolve to its more powerful Block 1B configuration with the advanced upper stage that gives the rocket the capability to launch 40% more to the Moon along with Artemis astronauts inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft. Teams use weld confidence articles to verify welding procedures, interfaces between the tooling and hardware, and structural integrity of the welds. The dome of the liquid oxygen tank weld confidence article was first welded to its structural ring at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, using friction stir welding tooling. The hardware was transported to Michoud, where Michoud crews in the Liquid Oxygen Tank Assembly Center (LTAC) finished welding the hardware. Marshall and Michoud engineers simultaneously conducted testing and analysis on the hardware to validate welding parameters. In tandem, NASA and Boeing, the SLS lead contractor for the core stage and exploration upper stage, are producing structural test articles and flight hardware structures for the upper stage at Marshall and Michoud. NASA is working to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with Orion and the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single mission. For more on NASA SLS visit: https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/space-launch-system/ Corinne Beckinger Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256.544.0034 corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov View the full article

Space Out: New Series Coming Soon to NASA+

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope reveals an ultraviolet view of Jupiter.NASA, ESA, and M. Wong (University of California – Berkeley); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) This newly released image from the NASA Hubble Space Telescope shows the planet Jupiter in a color composite of ultraviolet wavelengths. Released in honor of Jupiter reaching opposition, which occurs when the planet and the Sun are in opposite sides of the sky, this view of the gas giant planet includes the iconic, massive storm called the “Great Red Spot.” Though the storm appears red to the human eye, in this ultraviolet image it appears darker because high altitude haze particles absorb light at these wavelengths. The reddish, wavy polar hazes are absorbing slightly less of this light due to differences in either particle size, composition, or altitude. The data used to create this ultraviolet image is part of a Hubble proposal that looked at Jupiter’s stealthy superstorm system. The researchers plan to map deep water clouds using the Hubble data to define 3D cloud structures in Jupiter’s atmosphere. Hubble has a long history of observing the outer planets. From the Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacts to studying Jupiter’s storms, Hubble’s decades-long career and unique vantage point provide astronomers with valuable data to chart the evolution of this dynamic planet. Hubble’s ultraviolet-observing capabilities allow astronomers to study the short, high-energy wavelengths of light beyond what the human eye can see. Ultraviolet light reveals fascinating cosmic phenomena, including light from the hottest and youngest stars embedded in local galaxies; the composition, densities, and temperatures of the material between stars; and the evolution of galaxies. This is a false-color image because the human eye cannot detect ultraviolet light. Therefore, colors in the visible light spectrum were assigned to the images, each taken with a different ultraviolet filter. In this case, the assigned colors for each filter are: Blue: F225W, Green: F275W, and Red: F343N. Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD claire.andreoli@nasa.gov View the full article

Ingenieros y técnicos ensamblan y ponen a prueba el primer vehículo lunar robótico de la NASA en una sala limpia del Centro Espacial Johnson de la NASA en Houston.NASA/Robert Markowitz El público tendrá un asiento de primera fila y en directo para ver cómo el primer rover lunar robótico de la NASA cobra forma en la sala limpia de la Instalación de Pruebas de Integración de Segmentos de Superficie en el Centro Espacial Johnson de la agencia en Houston. Los integrantes de la misión del Vehículo de Exploración Polar para Investigación de Volátiles (VIPER, por sus siglas en inglés), y la Oficina de Comunicaciones del Centro de Investigación Ames de la NASA en Silicon Valley, California, organizarán “watch parties” y responderán las preguntas del público sobre la misión, en inglés y español. Estas “watch parties” y chats en la web se llevarán a cabo a medida que el rover sea ensamblado y sometido a pruebas, aproximadamente una vez al mes desde noviembre de 2023 hasta enero de 2024. A finales de 2024, VIPER se embarcará en una misión al polo sur lunar para adentrarse en las regiones que están permanentemente en la sombra y desentrañar los misterios del agua en la Luna. “Estamos muy entusiasmados con que la gente vea cómo se se va montando el hardware del rover VIPER”, dijo Daniel Andrews, gerente de proyectos de la misión VIPER en el centro Ames de la NASA. “Toda nuestra planificación y nuestras ideas se están dedicando a la construcción de este rover lunar, el primero en su tipo”. Los componentes individuales —tales como los instrumentos científicos, las luces y las ruedas del rover— ya se han ensamblado y puesto a prueba. Una vez que sean entregados a la instalación de pruebas, otros componentes se integrarán entre sí para convertirse en el vehículo VIPER, que tendrá un peso de unos 454 kilogramos (1.000 libras). Quedan meses de ensamblaje final y pruebas antes de que VIPER esté listo para ser trasladado a la Instalación Astrobotic de Procesamiento de Carga Útil en Florida, a mediados de 2024. El aterrizaje lunar de VIPER en la cima de Mons Mouton está programado para finales de 2024, y desde allí tendrá una vista cercana de la superficie lunar y medirá la ubicación y concentración de hielo de agua y otros recursos. Utilizando su taladro y sus tres instrumentos científicos, los investigadores obtendrán una mejor comprensión de cómo se distribuyen el agua congelada y otros volátiles en la Luna, su origen cósmico y lo que los ha mantenido preservados en el suelo lunar durante miles de millones de años. VIPER también orientará las futuras misiones del programa Artemis al ayudar a caracterizar el entorno lunar y determinar los lugares donde se podría recolectar agua y otros recursos para mantener a los seres humanos durante misiones prolongadas. El centro Ames de la NASA gestiona la misión VIPER y también lidera la investigación científica de la misión, la ingeniería de sistemas, las operaciones de superficie del rover en tiempo real y su software de vuelo. Este vehículo explorador está siendo diseñado y construido por el Centro Espacial Johnson de la NASA en Houston, mientras que los instrumentos son proporcionados por el Centro de Investigación Ames, el Centro Espacial Kennedy en Florida y el socio comercial Honeybee Robotics de Altadena, California. La nave espacial, el módulo de aterrizaje y el vehículo de lanzamiento que llevarán a VIPER a la superficie de la se suministrarán mediante la iniciativa de Servicios Comerciales de Carga Útil Lunar de la NASA, que llevará las cargas útiles de ciencia y tecnología a la Luna y sus alrededores. Para obtener más información (en inglés) acerca de VIPER, visita el sitio web: http://www.nasa.gov/viper View the full article

Engineers assemble and test NASA’s first robotic Moon rover in a clean room at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA/Robert Markowitz The public now has a live, front row seat to see NASA’s first robotic Moon rover take shape in the Surface Segment Integration and Testing Facility clean room at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Members of VIPER — short for the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover — and the Office of Communications at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, will host watch parties and answer questions from the public about the mission in both English and Spanish. These webchats and watch parties will occur as the rover is assembled and tested, approximately once a month from November 2023 through January 2024 . In late 2024, VIPER will embark on a mission to the lunar South Pole to trek into permanently shadowed areas and unravel the mysteries of the Moon’s water. “We’re really excited for people to see the VIPER rover hardware coming together,” said Daniel Andrews, the VIPER mission project manager at NASA Ames. “All of our planning and ideas are now going into building this first-of-its-kind Moon rover.” Individual components such as the rover’s science instruments, lights, and wheels, have already been assembled and tested. Once delivered to the testing facility, other components will be integrated together to become the approximately 1,000-pound VIPER. Months of final assembly and testing lie ahead before VIPER is ready to ship to the Astrobotic Payload Processing Facility in Florida in mid-2024. VIPER’s lunar landing atop Mons Mouton is scheduled for late-2024, where it will get a close-up view of the lunar surface and measure the location and concentration of water ice and other resources. Using its drill and three science instruments, researchers will gain a better understanding of how frozen water and other volatiles are distributed on the Moon, their cosmic origin, and what has kept them preserved in the lunar soil for billions of years. VIPER will also inform future Artemis missions by helping to characterize the lunar environment and help determine locations where water and other resources could be harvested to sustain humans for extended missions. NASA Ames manages the VIPER mission and also leads the mission’s science, systems engineering, real-time rover surface operations, and the rover’s flight software. The rover vehicle is being designed and built by NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, while the instruments are provided by Ames, Kennedy Space Center in Florida and commercial partner Honeybee Robotics in Altadena, California. The spacecraft, lander, and launch vehicle that will deliver VIPER to the surface of the Moon will be provided through NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, delivering science and technology payloads to and near the Moon. For more information about VIPER visit: http://www.nasa.gov/viper View the full article

2 min read Native Earth, Native Sky CRS-29 Payload Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) and NASA’s Science Activation Program, Native Earth | Native Sky at Oklahoma State University (OSU) have partnered with Boeing to send about 500 grams of heirloom seeds from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma to the International Space Station this November. With the initial launch attempt coming up on November 7th, the seeds will take flight into space and spend several months on the space station before being returned to CNO. Five different important seeds native to the Choctaw Nation will be sent, returned, and later planted within CNO. The seeds are Isito (Choctaw Sweet Potato Squash), Tvnishi (a spinach-like leafy green), Tobi (Smith Peas), Chukfi (Peas), and Tanchi Tohbi (Flour Corn). Native Earth | Native Sky (NENS) has worked alongside the Choctaw Nation to create STEM curriculum that interweaves Choctaw culture and stories over the past year. Once the seeds have flown in space, they will return to OK and be planted by students at Jones Academy, the Choctaw Nation boarding school. The seeds’ journey to space and the students’ experiences will be documented in a NENS curriculum piece. Through NASA’s SciAct funding, NENS’s overall goal is to engage middle school students in Native Nations with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and to increase their overall interest in STEM braided with Native culture. OSU’s 4-million-dollar cooperative agreement with NASA also includes curriculum development with the Chickasaw Nation and Cherokee Nation, which is in development now. NENS Principal Investigator (PI) is Dr. Kathryn Gardner-Vandy. She is a citizen of Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and an Assistant Professor of Aviation and Space at Oklahoma State University. PI Gardner-Vandy has been a driving force in partnering with CNO and Boeing to get Choctaw’s Heirloom Seeds to the space station. The entire NENS Team is looking forward to this historical launch and return of Choctaw’s Heirloom Seeds. The entire NENS Team is looking forward to this historical launch of Choctaw Heirloom Seeds. Share Details Last Updated Nov 03, 2023 Editor Andrew DOLLAR Related Terms Native American Heritage Month Science & Research Science Activation Explore More 2 min read New Patterns in Mars’s Clouds Revealed by Volunteers Article 2 days ago 2 min read Daily Minor Planet Volunteers Spot an Asteroid Passing Close to Earth Article 4 days ago 5 min read NASA Rocket to See Sizzling Edge of Star-Forming Supernova Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA James Webb Space Telescope Perseverance Rover Parker Solar Probe Juno View the full article

3 min read NASA ASTRO CAMP® Sets New Record While Providing STEM Opportunities Another year equals another record as NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® initiative reached across the nation and beyond to help a broad spectrum of students learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). A NASA ASTRO CAMP® participant engages with a NASA STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activity at the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Arizona Science Center The NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners (ACCP) program surpassed previous milestone marks during fiscal year 2023 by partnering with 331 community sites, including 31 outside the United States, to inspire youth, families, and educators. Participants included students from various population segments, focusing on students from underrepresented groups, accessibility for differently-abled students, and reaching under-resourced urban and rural settings. “We honor the schools and organizations that have created programs to inspire and encourage young people who may be interested in a future career in STEM,” said Kelly Martin-Rivers, principal investigator for NASA’s ACCP. “Many STEM programs are not recognized for their success, dedication, and mentorship for underrepresented students. ACCP partner sites provide a minimum of 30 hours of NASA STEM activities, and we are proud to honor these programs for bringing quality STEM programs and open access to students everywhere.” In addition to reaching communities across the country during the most-recent fiscal year, the NASA ACCP program partnered with international sites in Qatar, Ecuador, Mexico, India, Ukraine, and Spain. Overall, more than 115,000 students took part in the program, a more than 300% increase from the 35,000-plus who participated the previous year. A NASA ASTRO CAMP® participant shows his handmade satellite at the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Arizona Science Center A NASA ASTRO CAMP® participant looks at a model of NASA’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket at an event in Sugarland, Texas. STEM Pioneers An additional 74,454 students took part in special STEM activities, also an increase from the previous year’s total of almost 44,000. ACCP trained 1,160 facilitators during the fiscal year as well. As part of the NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Activation program, ACCP continues making strides to bridge disparities and break barriers in STEM. A breakdown of participants from the most-recent year includes 30,828 African American students, 24,285 Hispanic students, 6,928 Asian students, and 1,300 Native American students. Half (51%) of all participants were elementary students, with the remainder split among middle school (28%) and high school (21%) students. A bit more than half (53%) of participants were male. ACCP activities offer real-world opportunities for students to enhance scientific understanding and contribute to NASA science missions, while also inspiring lifelong learning. The ACCP theme was “2023 NASA Science…Discovering Our Future Together!” The program featured materials and activities related to NASA science missions, astrophysics, heliophysics, Earth science, and planetary science. The unique methodology teaches students to work collaboratively to complete missions and provides trained community educators to implement the themed NASA modules, developed by the ACCP team, seated at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. ASTRO CAMP began at NASA Stennis as a single one-week camp in the 1990s. Since then, it has developed into several adaptable models for schools, museums, universities, libraries, and youth service organizations, enabling a worldwide expansion. For more information about becoming a NASA ASTRO CAMP Collaborative Community Partner, contact: Kelly Martin-Rivers at kelly.e.martin-rivers@nasa.gov or 228-688-1500; or Maria Lott at maria.l.lott@nasa.gov or 228-688-1776. For more on the ASTRO CAMP Collaborative Community Partner Program, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/stennis/stem-engagement-at-stennis/nasa-accp/. Share Details Last Updated Nov 03, 2023 Editor Contact Location Stennis Space Center Related Terms Stennis Space Center Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Stennis Space Center NASA STEM Opportunities and Activities For Students About STEM Engagement at NASA Learning Resources View the full article

2 min read Hubble Tangos with a Dancer in Dorado This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image features the spiral galaxy NGC 1566. ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Calzetti and the LEGUS team, R. Chandar This vibrant Hubble Space Telescope image features the spiral galaxy NGC 1566, sometimes informally referred to as the ‘Spanish Dancer Galaxy’. Like the subject of another recent image, NGC 1566 is a weakly-barred or intermediate spiral galaxy. This means that it does not have a clearly present or a clearly absent bar-shaped structure at its center. The galaxy owes its nickname to the vivid and dramatic swirling lines of its spiral arms, which could evoke the shapes and colors of a dancer’s moving form. NGC 1566 lies around 60 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Dorado and is a member of the Dorado galaxy group. A galaxy group is a collection of gravitationally bound galaxies. They differ from galaxy clusters in size and mass: galaxy clusters may hold hundreds of galaxies, while galaxy groups might only hold several tens of galaxies. However, groups are the most common collection of galaxies in the universe, holding more than 50% of all galaxies. Although there is currently no precise number delineation between the definition of a galaxy group and a galaxy cluster, some astronomers have suggested that collections with less than 80 trillion Suns should be classified as galaxy groups. The Dorado group membership has fluctuated over the past few decades, as various scientific papers changed its list of constituent galaxies. This is one example of why it is so challenging for astronomers to pin down members of galaxy groups like the Dorado group. One way to better understand this problem is by imagining a photograph of an adult human and a large oak tree. We know the approximate size of the person and the tree, so if we see a photo where the person appears roughly the same size as the tree, then we would assume that, in reality, the person was much closer to the camera than the tree. When astronomers try to figure out which galaxies are members of a galaxy group, they do not necessarily know the size of the individual galaxies. Instead, they have to work out whether the galaxies really are relatively close together in space, or whether some of them are actually much closer or much further away. This process is easier with more sophisticated observation techniques, but it still can present a challenge. Text credit: European Space Agency Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD claire.andreoli@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Nov 03, 2023 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Related Terms Astrophysics Division Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Missions Science Mission Directorate Spiral Galaxies The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Stars Stories Galaxies Stories Exoplanets Our Solar System View the full article

NASA Explorers: New Series Coming Soon to NASA+

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Bill Nelson on the passing of former NASA astronaut Rear Adm. (ret.) Thomas K. (TK) Mattingly II. “We lost one of our country’s heroes on Oct. 31. NASA astronaut TK Mattingly was key to the success of our Apollo Program, and his shining personality will ensure he is remembered throughout history. “Beginning his career with the U.S. Navy, TK received his wings in 1960 and flew various aircraft across multiple assignments. Once he joined the Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School as a student, NASA chose him to be part of the astronaut class in 1966. Before flying in space, he aided the Apollo Program working as the astronaut support crew and took leadership in the development of the Apollo spacesuit and backpack. “His unparalleled skill as a pilot aided us when he took on the role of command module pilot for Apollo 16 and spacecraft commander for space shuttle missions STS-4 and STS 51-C. The commitment to innovation and resilience toward opposition made TK an excellent figure to embody our mission and our nation’s admiration. “Perhaps his most dramatic role at NASA was after exposure to rubella just before the launch of Apollo 13. He stayed behind and provided key real-time decisions to successfully bring home the wounded spacecraft and the crew of Apollo 13 – NASA astronauts James Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise. “TK’s contributions have allowed for advancements in our learning beyond that of space. He described his experience in orbit by saying, ‘I had this very palpable fear that if I saw too much, I couldn’t remember. It was just so impressive.’ He viewed the universe’s vastness as an unending forum of possibilities. As a leader in exploratory missions, TK will be remembered for braving the unknown for the sake of our country’s future.” For more information about Mattingly’s NASA career, and his agency biography, visit: https://go.nasa.gov/46X0zAY -end- Jackie McGuinness / Cheryl Warner Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 jackie.mcguinness@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov Courtney Beasley Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 courtney.m.beasley@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Nov 02, 2023 Location NASA Headquarters Related Terms AstronautsFormer AstronautsNASA History View the full article

6 Min Read Science in Space: Robotic Helpers NASA astronaut Steve Swanson and ESA astronaut Alex Gerst set up SPHERES satellites. Credits: NASA Crew time is a valuable resource on the International Space Station and its value only increases for future space missions. One way to make the most of crew time is using robotic technology either to assist crew members with various tasks and or to completely automate others. A current investigation on the space station, JEM Internal Ball Camera 2, is part of ongoing efforts to develop this technology. The free floating remote-controlled panoramic camera launched to the space station in 2018 and this investigation from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) demonstrates using the camera to autonomously capture video and photos of research activities. Currently, crew members are assigned time to take video and photos of scientific activities, which are important tools for researchers. Successful demonstration of the autonomous capture technology ultimately could free up that crew time. The investigation also serves as a test platform for other tasks robots might perform. NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson works with the JEM Internal Ball Camera.NASA Three free-flying robots on the space station, known as Astrobees, support multiple demonstrations of technology for various types of robotic assistance on space exploration missions and on Earth. Results from these investigations are contributing to improvements in robotic technology and its potential. The SoundSee Mission demonstrates using sound to monitor equipment on a spacecraft, with a sensor mounted on an Astrobee. The sensor detects anomalies in the sounds made by life support systems, exercise equipment, and other infrastructure. Sound anomalies can indicate potential malfunctions. Preliminary results from this investigation highlighted the difference between simulations and in-space experiments and noted that small changes in a simulated environment can approximate differences in expected and observed values in the target environment1. The investigation also helps characterize sound sources in the constantly changing acoustic landscape of the space station, which can inform future use of this technology. Designing robots to traverse the surface of the Moon or Mars presents specific challenges. The landscape may be rough and uneven, requiring a robot to make time-consuming detours, and thick regolith or dust can bog down a robot and burn up a lot of fuel. One possible solution is for robots to hop over such landscapes. The Astrobatics investigation uses the Astrobees to demonstrate propulsion via a hopping or self-toss maneuver using arm-like manipulators. This approach could expand the capabilities of robotic vehicles for tasks such as assisting crews on intra- or extravehicular activities, servicing equipment, removing orbital debris, conducting on-orbit assembly, and exploring. Results show that self-toss maneuvers have a greater range of motion and provide a greater displacement from a start position2. One of the Astrobee robots performs a self-toss or hopping maneuver for the Astrobatics investigation. NASA The Gecko-Inspired Adhesive Grasping investigation tested an adhesive for robotic grasping and manipulation using a special gripper on an Astrobee. Geckos are a type of lizard that can grasp a smooth surface without needing features such as nicks and knobs to hold on to. Adhesive grippers inspired by these reptiles, already proven to work in space, could allow robots to rapidly attach to and detach from surfaces, even on objects that are moving or spinning. Researchers report that the adhesives functioned as anticipated and suggested some considerations for their future use, including launching redundant adhesive tiles and ensuring complete adhesive contact in microgravity3. In addition, on robots used for intravehicular activities or spacewalks, the gecko grippers should be able to absorb kinetic energy and accommodate misalignment. The grippers also need sensors to determine when all the tiles are in contact with the surface so tension can be applied at the right moment. ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti monitors a pair of Astrobees performing autonomous maneuvers.NASA Space debris includes satellites that could be repaired or taken out of orbit. Many of these objects are tumbling, which makes rendezvous and docking with them a challenge. The ROAM investigation used Astrobees to demonstrate a technology to observe how a target tumbles and to use this information to plan ways to safely reach them. Simulation results validated the accuracy of the method prior to the experiment4. A previous robotic technology, SPHERES, used bowling-ball sized spherical satellites to test formation flying and algorithms for control of multiple spacecraft as well as to host physical and material science investigations. One of those investigations tested autonomous rendezvous and docking maneuvers. The technology was able to handle increasingly complex scenarios that added static and moving obstacles5. Expedition 60 Flight Engineer Andrew Morgan of NASA monitors a pair of free-floating satellites known as SPHERES.NASA The design of an earlier robot tested on the space station, Robonaut, resembled a human. It had a torso, arms with human-like hands, a head, and legs with end effectors that allowed it to move around inside the space station. While on the station, Robonaut flipped switches, removed dust covers, and cleaned handrails6. The ISAAC investigation combined Robonaut and the Astrobees to demonstrate a technology to track the health of exploration vehicles, transfer and unpack cargo, and respond to issues such as leaks and fires. A second phase of testing aboard the station focuses on managing multiple robots as they transport cargo between an uncrewed space station and visiting cargo craft. In the third and final phase of testing, the team will create more difficult fault scenarios for the robots and develop robust techniques to respond to anomalies. These and other robotics investigations contribute to the success of future missions, where robots could help crew members with a variety of tasks, freeing up their time and reducing the risks of working outside spacecraft and habitats. Robotic assistants have important applications in harsh and dangerous environments on Earth as well. Search this database of scientific experiments to learn more about those mentioned above. Citations: 1 Bondi L, Chuang G, Ick C, Dave A, Shelton C, Coltin B, Smith T, Das S. Acoustic imaging aboard the International Space Station (ISS): Challenges and preliminary results. ICASSP 2022 – 2022 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech and Signal Processing, Singapore, Singapore. 2022 May; 5108-5112. (https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9746256) 2 Kwok Choon ST, Romano M, Hudson J. Orbital hopping maneuvers with Astrobee on-board the International Space Station. Acta Astronautica. 2023 June; 20762-76 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094576523000991?via%3Dihub) 3 Chen TG, Cauligi A, Suresh SA, Pavone M, Cutkosky MR. Testing gecko-inspired adhesives with Astrobee aboard the International Space Station: Readying the technology for space. IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine. 2022 May 27; 2-11 (https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9783137) 4 Oestreich CE, Espinoza AT, Todd J, Albee KE, Linares R. On-orbit inspection of an unknown, tumbling target using NASA’s Astrobee robotic free-flyers. IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (CVPR) Workshops, 2021, Virtual Event. 2021 June 19-25; 2039–2047 (https://www.nasa.gov/mission/station/research-explorer/investigation/?#id=8324) 5 Chamitoff GE, Saenz-Otero A, Katz JG, Ulrich S, Morrell BJ, Gibbens PW. Real-time maneuver optimization of space-based robots in a dynamic environment: Theory and on-orbit experiments. Acta Astronautica. 2018 January 1; 142170-183 (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094576516300431?via%3Dihub) 6 Diftler MA, Ahlstrom TD, Ambrose RO, Radford NA, Joyce CA, De La Pena N, Parsons AH, Noblitt AL. Robonaut 2 – Initial Activities On-Board the ISS. 2012 IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, MT. 2012 pp.1-12. (https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6187268) Facebook logo @ISS @ISS_Research@ISS Instagram logo @ISS Linkedin logo @company/NASA Keep Exploring Discover More Topics Latest News from Space Station Research ISS National Laboratory Robotics International Space Station View the full article

4 min read NASA Completes Key Step in Aviation Safety Research NASA’s transformational vision for the skies above our communities includes enabling safer and more efficient air travel. Part of this goal involves using advanced new technology to prevent safety risks long before they have a chance to arise.MTSI / NASA NASA’s aeronautical innovators have completed a significant step in their pursuit of safer, more efficient aviation technologies that spot hazards before they occur. Through its System-Wide Safety project, NASA and its partners in government, industry, and academia are exploring new technologies and techniques to improve current aviation safety and potentially enable widespread use of new types of aircraft such as drones or air taxis. The project recently completed Technical Challenge 1 (TC-1), Terminal Area Risk Management, the first step towards achieving what is known as an In-Time Aviation Safety Management System. This new type of aviation safety technology can effectively address potential hazards expected with the rise in demand for the number and types of aircraft flying in the National Airspace System. As aviation operations continue to grow in scale and diversity, and with new modes of flight expected to rise in the near future, keeping the skies safe becomes increasingly complex and drives the need to transform the way order is maintained above our communities. “What we’ve accomplished with TC-1 is really just beginning to scratch the surface of what’s possible,” said Kyle Ellis, NASA’s project manager for System-Wide Safety. “Developing these systems enables a new economy for aviation uses that will benefit us all in the future.” Planning Ahead In a busy aviation environment, an In-Time Aviation Safety Management System can efficiently identify and predict safety issues a human would be hard tasked to keep up with. In today’s airspace safety system, let’s say an air traffic manager is looking at their screen and guiding 10 airplanes towards their destinations. This person would use a combination of established safety rules and pattern recognition to make sure those aircraft remain a safe distance apart. If this person saw a hazard that posed a safety risk, they would work with the pilots aboard the aircraft and resolve the issue. Now, let’s think about the airspace of tomorrow. Instead of 10 airplanes total, 10 air taxis, 10 ultra-efficient airliners, and 10 commercial supersonic jets might be sharing the same confined airspace. Preventing and addressing hazards would become a more complex issue nearly impossible for a person to identify in time to prevent an accident. An In-Time Aviation Safety Management System is designed to identify these events much more rapidly than human operators, then quickly deliver actionable safety procedures to prevent the dangerous situation long before it develops. Furthermore, preventing these situations from ever arising in the first place increases the efficiency of the airspace overall, since not as much time and effort would be spent by managers keeping things running smoothly. Laying the Foundation TC-1 contributed several important pieces of technology working towards the development of such a system. These contributions improve aviation safety not just for tomorrow – but also for today. For example, part of the research included using new machine learning algorithms to analyze data gathered from major airlines, which use existing aviation safety management systems, to discover potential safety risks that had previously been undefined – overall making things safer. Researchers also gathered information on exact ways human safety managers, pilots, air traffic controllers, and others interact with safety procedures. The team identified useful, efficient practices, as well as those that could potentially lead to safety risks. Their work contributes substantially to improving training and safety operations. Additionally, researchers studied human performance and fatigue, partnering with pilots to study how various factors such as flight scheduling, certain short-haul routes, and even the COVID-19 pandemic affect operations. Other results include prototype safety tools and surveys on human performance. With this more comprehensive understanding of the safety landscape, NASA and its partners can more effectively continue ushering in new safety technologies. “We focused on gathering data on current-day operations, but always have an eye for the near future,” said Nikunj Oza, subproject manager for TC-1. “We can use the lessons learned about current aviation safety to best inform new systems.” Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 4 min read NASA, Partners Explore Sustainable Fuel’s Effects on Aircraft Contrails Article 3 days ago 4 min read NASA C-130 Makes First-Ever Flight to Antarctica for GUSTO Balloon Mission Article 3 days ago 4 min read NASA Technologies Receive Multiple Nods in TIME Inventions of 2023 Article 6 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans In Space Solar System Exploration Solar System Overview Our solar system has one star, eight planets, five officially recognized dwarf planets, at least 290 moons,… Explore NASA’s History Share Details Last Updated Nov 02, 2023 Editor Lillian Gipson Contact Jim Bankejim.banke@nasa.gov Related Terms AeronauticsAeronautics Research Mission DirectorateAir Traffic SolutionsAirspace Operations and Safety ProgramDrones & YouSystem-Wide Safety View the full article

3 min read NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft Discovers 2nd Asteroid During Dinkinesh Flyby On Nov. 1, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft flew by not just its first asteroid, but its first two. The first images returned by Lucy reveal that the small main belt asteroid Dinkinesh is actually a binary pair. This image shows the “moonrise” of the satellite as it emerges from behind asteroid Dinkinesh as seen by the Lucy Long-Range Reconnaissance Imager (L’LORRI), one of the most detailed images returned by NASA’s Lucy spacecraft during its flyby of the asteroid binary. This image was taken at 12:55 p.m. EDT (1655 UTC) Nov. 1, 2023, within a minute of closest approach, from a range of approximately 270 miles (430 km). From this perspective, the satellite is behind the primary asteroid. The image has been sharpened and processed to enhance contrast.NASA/Goddard/SwRI/Johns Hopkins APL/NOAO “Dinkinesh really did live up to its name; this is marvelous,” said Hal Levison, referring to the meaning of Dinkinesh in the Amharic language, “marvelous.” Levison is principal investigator for Lucy from the Boulder, Colorado, branch of the San-Antonio-based Southwest Research Institute. “When Lucy was originally selected for flight, we planned to fly by seven asteroids. With the addition of Dinkinesh, two Trojan moons, and now this satellite, we’ve turned it up to 11.” In the weeks prior to the spacecraft’s encounter with Dinkinesh, the Lucy team had wondered if Dinkinesh might be a binary system, given how Lucy’s instruments were seeing the asteroid’s brightness changing with time. The first images from the encounter removed all doubt. Dinkinesh is a close binary. From a preliminary analysis of the first available images, the team estimates that the larger body is approximately 0.5 miles (790 m) at its widest, while the smaller is about 0.15 miles (220 m) in size. This encounter primarily served as an in-flight test of the spacecraft, specifically focusing on testing the system that allows Lucy to autonomously track an asteroid as it flies past at 10,000 mph, referred to as the terminal tracking system. A series of images of the binary asteroid pair, Dinkinesh, as seen by the terminal tracking camera (T2CAM) on NASA’s Lucy spacecraft during its closest approach on Nov. 1, 2023. The images were taken 13 seconds apart. The apparent motion of the two asteroids is due to the motion of the spacecraft as it flew past at 10,000 mph (4.5 km/s). These images have been sharpened and processed to enhance contrast.NASA/Goddard/SwRI/ASU “This is an awesome series of images. They indicate that the terminal tracking system worked as intended, even when the universe presented us with a more difficult target than we expected,” said Tom Kennedy, guidance and navigation engineer at Lockheed Martin in Littleton, Colorado. “It’s one thing to simulate, test, and practice. It’s another thing entirely to see it actually happen.” While this encounter was carried out as an engineering test, the team’s scientists are excitedly poring over the data to glean insights into the nature of small asteroids. “We knew this was going to be the smallest main belt asteroid ever seen up close,” said Keith Noll, Lucy project scientist from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “The fact that it is two makes it even more exciting. In some ways these asteroids look similar to the near-Earth asteroid binary Didymos and Dimorphos that DART saw, but there are some really interesting differences that we will be investigating.” It will take up to a week for the team to downlink the remainder of the encounter data from the spacecraft. The team will use this data to evaluate the spacecraft’s behavior during the encounter and to prepare for the next close-up look at an asteroid, the main belt asteroid Donaldjohanson, in 2025. Lucy will then be well-prepared to encounter the mission’s main targets, the Jupiter Trojan asteroids, starting in 2027. By Katherine Kretke Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio Media contact: Nancy N. Jones NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Share Details Last Updated Nov 02, 2023 Editor Jamie Adkins Contact Related Terms AsteroidsGoddard Space Flight CenterLucyThe Solar System Explore More 3 min read NASA Goddard’s ‘Spiky’ Antenna Chamber: Signaling Success for 50 Years Rows upon rows of cobalt-blue spires in Goddard’s antenna chamber evoke a soundproof room from… Article 1 hour ago 3 min read Hubble Provides Unique Ultraviolet View of Jupiter This newly released image from the NASA Hubble Space Telescope shows the planet Jupiter in… Article 3 hours ago 9 min read Rita Owens: Keeper of NASA’s Digital Knowledge Data Systems Engineer Rita Owens supports NASA’s Digital Transformation as part of the NASA Data… Article 23 hours ago View the full article

3 min read NASA Goddard’s ‘Spiky’ Antenna Chamber: Signaling Success for 50 Years The ElectroMagnetic Anechoic Chamber, GEMAC for short, at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, has been a critical proving ground for antenna technology for more than half-a-century.NASA On any given day, NASA’s networks may communicate with over 100 space missions. Whether the mission keeps the lines of communication open with orbiting astronauts or peers deep into the cosmos, those dozens of satellites all have one thing in common: each needs an antenna. Without one, NASA missions and their discoveries simply would not be possible. To ensure those antennas are up to the challenges of spaceflight, for most that means rigorous testing on the ground in a simulated space environment. The Goddard ElectroMagnetic Anechoic Chamber (GEMAC) at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, has been an integral antenna proving ground for more than 50 years. ‘Sound Booth’ for Space Signals Rows upon rows of cobalt-blue spires in Goddard’s antenna chamber evoke a soundproof room or isolation booth from a recording studio. In some ways the chamber is similar, but instead of dampening sound waves, this facility blocks out radio signals and eliminates radio wave reflections inside the chamber – “anechoic” means no echoes. Much like laying down tracks on a hit album, errant ambient noise picked up by the microphone can ruin an otherwise perfect take. The same is true with radio waves when engineers want to test a spacecraft antenna. The radio environment on Earth is “noisy”: AM and FM broadcasts, television signals, cell phones, even microwave ovens, all produce radio frequencies – RF. To simulate the relatively tranquil RF environment of space, engineers need a way to isolate antennas from all these other Earth-based radio waves when they run their tests. Engineers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, have finished testing the high-gain antenna for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The antenna, shown here in Goddard’s ElectroMagnetic Anechoic Chamber in January 2023, will provide the primary communication link between the Roman spacecraft and the ground.NASA / Chris Gunn That’s the job of those tightly packed columns of spikes lining the floors and walls. These polyurethane foam cones are microwave absorbers. They block outside interference and noise, and within the chamber’s “quiet zone” as engineers call it, they provide a reflection-free environment like the antenna will experience in space. Antennas Put to the Test With this radio-proof environment, engineers at Goddard can accurately measure how efficiently antennas broadcast and receive signals. If an antenna’s signal were to go in unexpected or undesired directions during flight, it could mean the loss of mission data, or even the entire spacecraft itself if a critical command were missed. Trying to do antenna design and testing work without a chamber like this “would be like taking a calculator away from an accountant,” said Goddard engineer Ken Hersey. As NASA’s missions (and their antennas) have increased in sophistication over time, Goddard engineers have upgraded the anechoic chamber to follow suit. Hersey was a lead designer on the most recent major overhaul, which in 1997 expanded the range of antenna frequencies that could be accommodated in tests. The chamber can even help calibrate scientific instruments, like radars and microwave radiation sensors. The Earth Coverage Antenna for NASA’s PACE – the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem missionRadio frequency testing of the PACE Earth Coverage Antenna in the ElectroMagnetic Anechoic Chamber at Goddard Space Flight Center.NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center / Denny Henry Most recently, the anechoic chamber certified both the Roman Space Telescope high-gain antenna and the Earth coverage antenna for PACE – the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem mission. Launching by May 2027, Roman will have a field of view at least 100 times greater than Hubble’s and help settle essential questions about dark matter and dark energy. PACE launches in January 2024 on a mission to study Earth’s air quality, ocean health, and climate change. Once these missions take flight, their groundbreaking observations will become the latest in an ongoing legacy of discoveries made possible with help from a battery of polyurethane cones and Goddard’s anechoic antenna chamber. By Lauren Saloio NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media Contact: Rob Garner NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Facebook logo @NASAGoddard @NASAGoddard Instagram logo @NASAGoddard Share Details Last Updated Nov 02, 2023 Editor Rob Garner Contact Rob Garnerrob.garner@nasa.gov Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Goddard Space Flight CenterSpace Communications TechnologyTechnology Explore More 5 min read NASA’s First Two-way End-to-End Laser Communications Relay System Article 1 week ago 5 min read PACE Off: NASA Goddard Acoustics Chamber and U.S. Marine Band Turn Up the Volume NASA's upcoming PACE Earth science mission recently passed its acoustic test – a blast of… Article 4 months ago 4 min read NASA Tech Breathes Life Into Potentially Game-Changing Antenna Design Article 1 week ago View the full article

September’s full Moon, the Harvest Moon, is photographed from the International Space Station, perfectly placed in between exterior station hardware. NASA leadership, including Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, will participate in a workshop on space mobility and in-space servicing on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the University of Maryland in College Park. Beginning at 8:30 a.m. EST, the Consortium for Space Mobility and ISAM Capabilities (COSMIC) workshop runs through Wednesday, Nov. 8. NASA announced the consortium in April, aiming to create a nationwide aerospace community alliance that provides global leadership in space mobility and in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) for use in Earth orbit, lunar orbit, deep space, and on planetary surfaces. Following welcome remarks from Prasun Desai, acting associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, Melroy will provide a keynote on NASA’s support for ISAM. Other leaders from The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the U.S. Department of Defense, the defense and aerospace industry, and academia, also will participate. The conference features panel discussions and breakout workshops for COSMIC’s three caucuses ­– U.S. government, industry, and academia ­– and the Consortium’s five focus areas. Media interested in attending the opening day, either in person or virtually, should RSVP by 12 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 6, to Parker Wishik at 708-391-7806 or parker.wishik@aero.org. NASA and COSMIC experts will be available for interview opportunities upon request. Other COSMIC plenary sessions will be recorded and later published to the COSMIC YouTube channel. NASA funds COSMIC, creating a nationwide alliance around the capability areas, and it will support the ISAM National Strategy and National ISAM Implementation Plan, released in 2022, which define a national approach to build on existing investments and emerging capabilities to realize future opportunities enabled by ISAM. The Consortium aims to accelerate ISAM’s universal adoption and support its utilization as a routine part of space architectures and mission lifecycles. The Aerospace Corporation leads COSMIC as the management entity contracted by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate to ensure coordination among members, caucuses, and focus areas and to execute COSMIC initiative-focused events. For information on the COSMIC kickoff meeting, including the full agenda, visit: https://cosmicspace.org/2023/08/cosmics-kickoff-meeting -end- Jimi Russell Headquarters, Washington 216-704-2412 james.j.russell@nasa.gov Parker Wishik COSMIC 708-391-7806 parker.wishik@aero.org View the full article

NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, T. Temim (Princeton University) The James Webb Space Telescope captures new details of the Crab Nebula, 6,500 light-years away, in this image released on Oct. 30, 2023. The Crab Nebula, the well-studied. While these remains of an exploded star have been well-studied by multiple observatories, including the Hubble Space Telescope, Webb’s infrared sensitivity and resolution offer new clues into the makeup and origins of this scene. Thanks to Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), scientists were able to determine the composition of the material ejected from the explosion. The supernova remnant is comprised of several different components, including doubly ionized sulfur (represented in red-orange), ionized iron (blue), dust (yellow-white and green), and synchrotron emission (white). In this image, colors were assigned to different filters from Webb’s NIRCam and MIRI: blue (F162M), light blue (F480M), cyan (F560W), green (F1130W), orange (F1800W), and red (F2100W). Take a video tour of this image. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, T. Temim (Princeton University) View the full article

Artist’s concept showing two of the seven planets discovered orbiting a Sun-like star. The system, called Kepler-385, was identified using data from NASA’s Kepler mission.NASA/Daniel Rutter A system of seven sweltering planets has been revealed by continued study of data from NASA’s retired Kepler space telescope: Each one is bathed in more radiant heat from their host star per area than any planet in our solar system. Also unlike any of our immediate neighbors, all seven planets in this system, named Kepler-385, are larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. It is one of only a few planetary systems known to contain more than six verified planets or planet candidates. The Kepler-385 system is among the highlights of a new Kepler catalog that contains almost 4,400 planet candidates, including more than 700 multi-planet systems. “We’ve assembled the most accurate list of Kepler planet candidates and their properties to date,” said Jack Lissauer, a research scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley and lead author on the paper presenting the new catalog. “NASA’s Kepler mission has discovered the majority of known exoplanets, and this new catalog will enable astronomers to learn more about their characteristics.” At the center of the Kepler-385 system is a Sun-like star about 10% larger and 5% hotter than the Sun. The two inner planets, both slightly larger than Earth, are probably rocky and may have thin atmospheres. The other five planets are larger – each with a radius about twice the size of Earth’s – and expected to be enshrouded in thick atmospheres. Artist’s concept of Kepler-385, the seven-planet system revealed in a new catalog of planet candidates discovered by NASA’s Kepler space telescope.NASA/Daniel Rutter The ability to describe the properties of the Kepler-385 system in such detail is testament to the quality of this latest catalog of exoplanets. While the Kepler mission’s final catalogs focused on producing lists optimized to measure how common planets are around other stars, this study focuses on producing a comprehensive list that provides accurate information about each of the systems, making discoveries like Kepler-385 possible. The new catalog uses improved measurements of stellar properties and calculates more accurately the path of each transiting planet across its host star. This combination illustrates that when a star hosts several transiting planets, they typically have more circular orbits than when a star hosts only one or two. Kepler’s primary observations ceased in 2013 and were followed by the telescope’s extended mission, called K2, which continued until 2018. The data Kepler collected continues to reveal new discoveries about our galaxy. After the mission already showed us there are more planets than stars, this new study paints a more detailed picture of what each of those planets and their home systems look like, giving us a better view of the many worlds beyond our solar system. The research article, “Updated Catalog of Kepler Planet Candidates: Focus on Accuracy and Orbital Periods” is forthcoming in The Journal of Planetary Science. Learn more: Listen to a sonification of the orbit data of the seven planets in the Kepler-385 system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BCiOTJjcQQ For news media: Members of the news media interested in covering this topic should reach out to the NASA Ames newsroom. View the full article

4 min read Una nueva aplicación de la NASA ayuda a avistar la estación espacial NASA Read this release in English here. La NASA está haciendo más fácil para el público avistar Estación Espacial Internacional, el hogar de la humanidad en el espacio, mientras esta sobrevuela la Tierra, así como ampliando el acceso a noticias y recursos sobre este laboratorio en microgravedad con una nueva aplicación para teléfonos móviles, o celulares, llamada Spot the Station (Avista la estación). La aplicación para celulares ya está disponible para descargar en iOS y Android. La aplicación se basa en el sitio web Spot the Station de la agencia y proporciona información y capacidades adicionales para mejorar la experiencia del público en el avistamiento de la estación espacial. Una interfaz de realidad aumentada facilita a los usuarios ubicar la estación y ofrece opciones para capturar y compartir imágenes y vídeos de sus avistamientos en tiempo real. Con el poder de la realidad aumentada, la brújula incorporada en la aplicación le mostrará al espectador dónde se encuentra la estación espacial, incluso si se está al otro lado del planeta. Los usuarios también pueden registrarse para recibir notificaciones de las próximas oportunidades de avistamiento en sus teléfonos móviles en función de su ubicación exacta. “Incluso después de 23 años de presencia humana continua a bordo de la Estación Espacial Internacional, es increíblemente emocionante ver la estación cuando miras hacia arriba en el momento justo”, dijo Robyn Gatens, directora de la Estación Espacial Internacional en la sede de la NASA en Washington. “Este laboratorio orbital, que continúa proporcionando tantos beneficios únicos y tangibles para la humanidad, realmente no está tan lejos de nuestro alcance”. La estación espacial es visible porque refleja la luz del Sol, que es la misma razón por la que podemos ver la Luna. Pero a diferencia de la Luna, la estación espacial no es lo suficientemente brillante como para poder observarla durante el día. Solo es posible verla cuando amanece o anochece en la localidad del espectador. Por lo tanto, la oportunidad de avistamiento varía de una vez al mes a varias a la semana, ya que es necesario que haya oscuridad en la localidad del espectador, y la estación espacial tiene que pasar por encima de su cabeza. Con la aplicación Spot the Station para móviles, los usuarios sabrán cuándo la estación está sobrevolando su área y cómo localizarla. La aplicación fue desarrollada por el Programa de la Estación Espacial Internacional en la Dirección de Misiones de Operaciones Espaciales de la NASA y el Centro de Excelencia para la Innovación Colaborativa, el cual es parte del programa de Premios, Desafíos y Crowdsourcing de la Dirección de Misiones de Tecnología Espacial de la agencia. El código de la aplicación está abierto para que cualquiera pueda acceder a ella, modificarla y utilizarla en sus propios proyectos, así como ofrecer comentarios opcionales para los programadores. La NASA continuará actualizando y mejorando la aplicación para móviles de forma continua a medida que reciba los comentarios de los usuarios. El lanzamiento de esta aplicación también se produce justo antes del 25.o aniversario del inicio de operaciones de la Estación Espacial Internacional, el cual marca la unión de los módulos Zarya y Unity, los primeros elementos de lo que hoy es un enorme complejo orbital, el 6 de diciembre de 1998. La estación espacial permite el avance del conocimiento científico en las ciencias de la Tierra, del espacio, físicas y biológicas para el beneficio de los habitantes de nuestro planeta natal. Además, la estación espacial sirve como el laboratorio líder mundial para las investigaciones de vanguardia y el desarrollo de la tecnología que respalda la exploración humana y robótica de destinos más allá de la órbita baja de la Tierra, incluyendo la Luna y Marte. Aprende más sobre la estación espacial, sus investigaciones y su tripulación en el sitio web (en inglés): https://www.nasa.gov/station -end- News Media Contacts: Julian Coltre / María José Viñas Sede, Washington 202-358-1100 / 240-458-0248 julian.n.coltre@nasa.gov / maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov Leah Cheshier / Kenna Pell Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 leah.d.cheshier@nasa.gov / kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov Read More Share Details Last Updated Nov 02, 2023 Location NASA Headquarters Related Terms International Space Station (ISS)NASA en españolSpot the International Space Station Explore More 4 min read Progress Continues Toward NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to Station Article 6 days ago 3 min read NASA Updates Commercial Crew Planning Manifest Article 6 days ago 4 min read Aviones de movilidad aérea avanzada: un viaje suave en el futuro Article 7 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

3 min read Look Up: New NASA App Helps Stargazers Spot Space Station An augmented reality interface makes it easier for users to locate the station and provides options for capturing and sharing pictures and videos of their sightings in real-time. The app’s built-in compass will show you where the space station is – even if you’re on the other side of the globe.NASA NASA is making it easier for the public to spot the International Space Station, humanity’s home in space, as it passes over Earth and expanding access to news and resources about the microgravity laboratory with a new Spot the Station mobile app. The mobile app is available to download now on iOS and Android. The app builds on the agency’s Spot the Station website by providing additional capabilities and information to enhance the station sighting experience for the public. An augmented reality interface makes it easier for users to locate the station and provides options for capturing and sharing pictures and videos of their sightings in real-time. With the power of augmented reality, the app’s built-in compass will show you where the space station is – even if you’re on the other side of the globe. Users also can sign up for mobile notifications of upcoming viewing opportunities based on their exact location. “Even after 23 years of continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station, it’s incredibly exciting to see the station when you look up at just the right moment,” said Robyn Gatens, International Space Station director at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The orbiting laboratory that continues to provide so many unique, tangible benefits for humanity really isn’t that far out of reach.” The space station is visible because it reflects the light of the Sun – the same reason we can see the Moon. Unlike the Moon, the space station isn’t bright enough to see during the day. It can only be seen when it is dawn or dusk at your location. As such, it can range from one sighting opportunity a month to several a week, since it has to be both dark where you are, and the space station has to happen to be going overhead. With the Spot the Station mobile app, users will know when the station is overhead and how to locate it. The application was developed by the International Space Station Program in NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate and the Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation, part of the Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program in the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. The app’s code is open source for anyone to access, modify, and use in their own projects and to provide optional feedback to the developers. NASA will continue to update and improve the mobile application on a rolling basis as it receives feedback from users. Timing of this app’s release also comes just ahead of the 25th anniversary of International Space Station operations, which marks the joining of the Zarya and Unity modules on Dec. 6, 1998 – the first elements of what today is an enormous orbital complex. The space station advances scientific knowledge in Earth, space, physical, and biological sciences for the benefits of people living on our home planet. In addition, the station serves as the world’s leading laboratory for cutting-edge research and technology development that supports human and robotic exploration of destinations beyond low Earth orbit, including the Moon and Mars. Learn more about the space station, its research, and crew, at: https://www.nasa.gov/station -end- News Media Contacts: Julian Coltre Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 julian.n.coltre@nasa.gov Leah Cheshier / Kenna Pell Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 leah.d.cheshier@nasa.gov / kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov Read More Share Details Last Updated Nov 02, 2023 Editor Claire A. O'Shea Location NASA Headquarters Related Terms International Space Station (ISS)Spot the International Space Station Explore More 4 min read Progress Continues Toward NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to Station Article 6 days ago 3 min read NASA Updates Commercial Crew Planning Manifest Article 6 days ago 5 min read AWE Launching to Space Station to Study Atmospheric Waves via Airglow NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment, or AWE, mission is scheduled to launch to the International Space… Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

2 min read Hubble Provides Unique Ultraviolet View of Jupiter NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope reveals an ultraviolet view of Jupiter. NASA, ESA, and M. Wong (University of California – Berkeley); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) This newly released image from the NASA Hubble Space Telescope shows the planet Jupiter in a color composite of ultraviolet wavelengths. Released in honor of Jupiter reaching opposition, which occurs when the planet and the Sun are in opposite sides of the sky, this view of the gas giant planet includes the iconic, massive storm called the “Great Red Spot.” Though the storm appears red to the human eye, in this ultraviolet image it appears darker because high altitude haze particles absorb light at these wavelengths. The reddish, wavy polar hazes are absorbing slightly less of this light due to differences in either particle size, composition, or altitude. The data used to create this ultraviolet image is part of a Hubble proposal that looked at Jupiter’s stealthy superstorm system. The researchers plan to map deep water clouds using the Hubble data to define 3D cloud structures in Jupiter’s atmosphere. Hubble has a long history of observing the outer planets. From the Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacts to studying Jupiter’s storms, Hubble’s decades-long career and unique vantage point provide astronomers with valuable data to chart the evolution of this dynamic planet. Hubble’s ultraviolet-observing capabilities allow astronomers to study the short, high-energy wavelengths of light beyond what the human eye can see. Ultraviolet light reveals fascinating cosmic phenomena, including light from the hottest and youngest stars embedded in local galaxies; the composition, densities, and temperatures of the material between stars; and the evolution of galaxies. This is a false-color image because the human eye cannot detect ultraviolet light. Therefore, colors in the visible light spectrum were assigned to the images, each taken with a different ultraviolet filter. In this case, the assigned colors for each filter are: Blue: F225W, Green: F275W, and Red: F343N. Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD claire.andreoli@nasa.gov Learn More Hubble Science: Studying the Outer Planets and Moons Hubble Shows Winds in Jupiter’s Great Red Spot Are Speeding Up Hubble Monitors Changing Weather and Seasons at Jupiter and Uranus Telescopes and Spacecraft Join Forces to Probe Deep into Jupiter’s Atmosphere Hubble’s Grand Tour of the Outer Solar System Share Details Last Updated Nov 02, 2023 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Related Terms Astrophysics Division Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Jupiter Missions Planets Science Mission Directorate The Solar System Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Stars Stories Galaxies Stories Exoplanets Our Solar System View the full article

Watch SpaceX's 29th Cargo Launch to the International Space Station (Official NASA Broadcast)

2 min read True Blue: High-Power Propulsion for Gateway Credit: NASA/Jef Janis. The blue hue of the Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS) is seen inside a vacuum chamber at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland during recent thruster qualification testing. This 12-kilowatt Hall thruster is the most powerful electric propulsion thruster in production, and it will be critical to future science and exploration missions at the Moon and beyond. The blue plume is a steady stream of ionized xenon gas ejected to produce low, highly efficient thrust. These electric propulsion systems accelerate spacecraft to extremely high speeds over time using only a fraction of the fuel chemical propulsion systems require, making electric propulsion an excellent choice for deep-space exploration and science missions. Three AEPS thrusters will be mounted on the Power and Propulsion Element, a foundational component of Gateway. The small lunar space station is critical to the agency’s Artemis missions that will help prepare for human missions to Mars. The Power and Propulsion Element will provide Gateway with power, high-rate communications, and allow it to maintain its unique orbit around the Moon. The AEPS thruster recently returned to NASA Glenn to continue qualification testing to certify the thrusters for flight. The Solar Electric Propulsion project is led at NASA Glenn and managed by NASA’s Technology Demonstration Missions program under the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, which oversees a portfolio of technology demonstration projects across NASA centers and American industry partners. Jimi Russell NASA’s Glenn Research Center Explore More 4 min read NASA, JAXA Benefit from Collaborative Fellowship Experience Article 6 days ago 4 min read Aviones de movilidad aérea avanzada: un viaje suave en el futuro Article 7 days ago 4 min read Submit Your 2024 Event Proposal to NASA Glenn Article 7 days ago View the full article

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, left, NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, Harm van de Wetering, director of the Netherlands Space Office, Ambassador of the Netherlands to the United States Birgitta Tazelaar, and Chiragh Parikh, executive secretary of the National Space Council, pose for a picture after the signing of the Artemis Accords, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, at the Dutch Ambassador’s Residence in Washington. Netherlands is the 31st country to sign the Artemis Accords, which establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations participating in NASA’s Artemis program. Photo Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky During a ceremony at the Dutch Ambassador’s Residence in Washington on Wednesday, the Netherlands became the 31st country to sign the Artemis Accords. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson participated in the signing ceremony for the agency, and Netherlands Space Office (NSO) director Harm van de Wetering signed on behalf of the Netherlands. NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy and the following also were in attendance: Chirag Parikh, executive secretary of the U.S. National Space Council Birgitta Tazelaar, ambassador of the Netherlands to the United States “NASA welcomes the Netherlands as the newest and 31st member of the Artemis Accords family,” said Nelson. “It takes global leadership and cooperation to ensure the peaceful, transparent exploration of space for the Artemis Generation and beyond. As one of America’s oldest allies, NASA is proud to expand our partnership with the Netherlands and build a future defined by limitless opportunity and discovery.” The Artemis Accords establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations, including those participating in NASA’s Artemis program. “NASA and the Netherlands have been strong partners in space from the early days of spaceflight. Pushing boundaries by technology brings new responsibilities. By signing the Artemis Accords, we underline the values we share in space, and we acknowledge we have a common responsibility,” said van de Wetering. NASA, in coordination with the U.S. Department of State, established the Artemis Accords in 2020 together with seven other original signatories. Iceland became the 30th country to sign the Artemis Accords in October. The Artemis Accords reinforce and implement key obligations in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. They also strengthen the commitment by the United States and signatory nations to the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data. Signatories are also discussing implementation of key Accords principles, including how best to avoid unintended interference on the lunar surface. More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as NASA continues to work with its international partners to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space. Working with both new and existing partners adds new energy and capabilities to ensure the entire world can benefit from our journey of exploration and discovery. Learn more about the Artemis Accords at: https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords -end- Share Details Last Updated Nov 01, 2023 Location NASA Headquarters Related Terms Artemis View the full article