NASA

NASA is preparing space at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for upcoming assembly activities of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage for future Artemis missions, beginning with Artemis III. Teams are currently outfitting the assembly building’s High Bay 2 for future vertical assembly of the rocket stage that will help power NASA’s Artemis campaign to the Moon. During Apollo, High Bay 2, one of four high bays inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, was used to stack the Saturn V rocket. During the Space Shuttle Program, the high bay was used for external tank checkout and storage and as a contingency storage area for the shuttle. Technicians are building tooling in High Bay 2 at NASA Kennedy that will allow NASA and Boeing, the SLS core stage lead contractor, to vertically integrate the core stage. NASA Michigan-based Futuramic is constructing the tooling that will hold the core stage in a vertical position, allowing NASA and Boeing, the SLS core stage lead contractor, to integrate the SLS rocket’s engine section and four RS-25 engines to finish assembly of the rocket stage. Vertical integration will streamline final production efforts, offering technicians 360-degree access to the stage both internally and externally. “The High Bay 2 area at NASA Kennedy is critical for work as SLS transitions from a developmental to operational model,” said Chad Bryant, deputy manager of the SLS Stages Office. “While teams are stacking and preparing the SLS rocket for launch of one Artemis mission, the SLS core stage for another Artemis mission will be taking shape just across the aisleway.” Under the new assembly model beginning with Artemis III, all the major structures for the SLS core stage will continue to be fully produced and manufactured at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Upon completion of manufacturing and thermal protection system application, the engine section will be shipped to NASA Kennedy for final outfitting. Later, the top sections of the core stage – the forward skirt, intertank, liquid oxygen tank, and liquid hydrogen tank – will be outfitted and joined at NASA Michoud and shipped to NASA Kennedy for final assembly. The fully assembled core stage for Artemis II arrived at Kennedy on July 23. NASA’s Pegasus barge delivered the SLS engine section for Artemis III to Kennedy in December 2022. Teams at NASA Michoud are outfitting the remaining core stage elements and preparing to horizontally join them. The four RS-25 engines for the Artemis III mission are complete at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and will be transported to NASA Kennedy in 2025. Major core stage and exploration upper stage structures are in work at NASA Michoud for Artemis IV and beyond. NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft, supporting ground systems, advanced spacesuits and rovers, the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch. News Media Contact Jonathan Deal Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, Ala. 256-544-0034 View the full article

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s Europa Clipper is seen here on Aug. 21 at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Engineers and technicians deployed and tested the giant solar arrays to be sure they will operate in flight.NASA/Frank Michaux The largest spacecraft NASA has ever built for planetary exploration just got its ‘wings’ — massive solar arrays to power it on the journey to Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft recently got outfitted with a set of enormous solar arrays at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each measuring about 46½ feet (14.2 meters) long and about 13½ feet (4.1 meters) high, the arrays are the biggest NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission. They have to be large so they can soak up as much sunlight as possible during the spacecraft’s investigation of Jupiter’s moon Europa, which is five times farther from the Sun than Earth is. The arrays have been folded up and secured against the spacecraft’s main body for launch, but when they’re deployed in space, Europa Clipper will span more than 100 feet (30.5 meters) — a few feet longer than a professional basketball court. The “wings,” as the engineers call them, are so big that they could only be opened one at a time in the clean room of Kennedy’s Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, where teams are readying the spacecraft for its launch period, which opens Oct. 10. Watch as engineers and technicians deploy and test Europa Clipper’s massive solar arrays in a clean room at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/KSC/APL/Airbus Flying in Deep Space Meanwhile, engineers continue to assess tests conducted on the radiation hardiness of transistors on the spacecraft. Longevity is key, because the spacecraft will journey more than five years to arrive at the Jupiter system in 2030. As it orbits the gas giant, the probe will fly by Europa multiple times, using a suite of science instruments to find out whether the ocean underneath its ice shell has conditions that could support life. Powering those flybys in a region of the solar system that receives only 3% to 4% of the sunlight Earth gets, each solar array is composed of five panels. Designed and built at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, and Airbus in Leiden, Netherlands, they are much more sensitive than the type of solar arrays used on homes, and the highly efficient spacecraft will make the most of the power they generate. At Jupiter, Europa Clipper’s arrays will together provide roughly 700 watts of electricity, about what a small microwave oven or a coffee maker needs to operate. On the spacecraft, batteries will store the power to run all of the electronics, a full payload of science instruments, communications equipment, the computer, and an entire propulsion system that includes 24 engines. NASA’s Europa Clipper is seen here on Aug. 21 in a clean room at Kennedy Space Center after engineers and technicians tested and stowed the spacecraft’s giant solar arrays.NASA/Frank Michaux While doing all of that, the arrays must operate in extreme cold. The hardware’s temperature will plunge to minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 240 degrees Celsius) when in Jupiter’s shadow. To ensure that the panels can operate in those extremes, engineers tested them in a specialized cryogenic chamber at Liège Space Center in Belgium. “The spacecraft is cozy. It has heaters and an active thermal loop, which keep it in a much more normal temperature range,” said APL’s Taejoo Lee, the solar array product delivery manager. “But the solar arrays are exposed to the vacuum of space without any heaters. They’re completely passive, so whatever the environment is, those are the temperatures they get.” About 90 minutes after launch, the arrays will unfurl from their folded position over the course of about 40 minutes. About two weeks later, six antennas affixed to the arrays will also deploy to their full size. The antennas belong to the radar instrument, which will search for water within and beneath the moon’s thick ice shell, and they are enormous, unfolding to a length of 57.7 feet (17.6 meters), perpendicular to the arrays. This artist’s concept depicts NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter. The mission’s launch period opens Oct. 10. NASA/JPL-Caltech “At the beginning of the project, we really thought it would be nearly impossible to develop a solar array strong enough to hold these gigantic antennas,” Lee said. “It was difficult, but the team brought a lot of creativity to the challenge, and we figured it out.” More About the Mission Europa Clipper’s three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon’s icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission’s detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet. Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory leads the development of the Europa Clipper mission in partnership with APL for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. APL designed the main spacecraft body in collaboration with JPL and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The Planetary Missions Program Office at Marshall executes program management of the Europa Clipper mission. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, manages the launch service for the Europa Clipper spacecraft, which will launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy. Find more information about Europa here: europa.nasa.gov News Media Contacts Gretchen McCartney Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-393-6215 gretchen.p.mccartney@jpl.nasa.gov Karen Fox / Alana Johnson NASA Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 / 202-358-1501 karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alana.r.johnson@nasa.gov 2024-112 Share Details Last Updated Aug 27, 2024 Related TermsEuropa ClipperEuropaJet Propulsion LaboratoryJupiterJupiter MoonsThe Solar System Explore More 14 min read The Making of Our Alien Earth: The Undersea Volcanoes of Santorini, Greece The following expedition marks the third installment of NASA Astrobiology’s fieldwork series, the newly rebranded… Article 3 days ago 5 min read NASA Shares Asteroid Bennu Sample in Exchange with JAXA Article 4 days ago 2 min read Gateway: Energizing Exploration Discover the cutting-edge technology powering Gateway, humanity's first lunar space station. Article 5 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System /wp-content/plugins/nasa-blocks/assets/images/media/media-example-01.jpgThis landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals for the first time previously invisible areas of star birth.NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI /wp-content/plugins/nasa-blocks/assets/images/media/media-example-01.jpgThis landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals for the first time previously invisible areas of star birth.NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI /wp-content/plugins/nasa-blocks/assets/images/media/media-example-01.jpgThis landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals for the first time previously invisible areas of star birth.NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScIView the full article

On Aug. 27, 1984, President Ronald W. Reagan announced the Teacher in Space project as part of NASA’s Space Flight Participant Program to expand the space shuttle experience to a wider set of private citizens who would communicate the experience to the public. From 11,000 teacher applicants, each of the 50 states and territories selected two nominees for a total of 114. After meeting with each candidate, a review panel narrowed the field down to 10 finalists. These 10 underwent interviews and medical examinations. A senior review panel recommended S. Christa McAuliffe as the prime Teacher in Space to fly with the STS-51L crew, with Barbara R. Morgan as her backup. Tragically, the Jan. 28, 1986, Challenger accident prevented McAuliffe from realizing her dreams of teaching from space. Left: President Ronald W. Reagan announces the Teacher in Space project in 1984.Middle: NASA Administrator James M. Beggs. Right: Official emblem of the Teacher in Space project. During a ceremony at the Department of Education recognizing outstanding public secondary schools, President Reagan announced the Teacher in Space project, saying, It’s long been a goal of our space shuttle to someday carry private citizens in space. Until now, we hadn’t decided who the first citizen passenger would be. But today, I’m directing NASA to begin a search in all of our elementary and secondary schools, and to choose as the first citizen passenger in the history of our space program, one of America’s finest – a teacher. When that shuttle takes off, all of America will be reminded of the crucial role that teachers and education play in the life of our nation. Later that day, NASA Administrator James M. Beggs held a news conference at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and provided more details, saying that although a teacher would lead off the Space Flight Participant Program, future selections would include journalists, poets, and artists. NASA released an Announcement of Opportunity on Nov. 8 detailing the requirements for teacher applicants and setting the target launch date of early 1986. From the approximately 11,000 applications received by the Feb. 1, 1985, deadline, the Council of Chief State School Officers coordinated the selection process, working with state, territorial, and agency review panels. On May 3, they announced the 114 nominees, two from each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Departments of Defense and State overseas schools, and Bureau of Indian Affairs schools. The nominees attended a workshop in Washington, D.C., June 22-27 focused on space education, because even those not selected planned to serve as space ambassadors for NASA. Each nominee met with the National Review Panel that selected the 10 finalists, announced on July 1. Left: The 10 Teacher in Space finalists during their visit to NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston in July 1985. Middle: As part of their orientation, the 10 finalists toured JSC’s space shuttle mockups. Right: The 10 finalists experienced brief periods of weightlessness aboard NASA’s KC-135 aircraft. The 10 finalists spent the week of July 7 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston. During the week, the finalists underwent medical and psychological examinations, toured JSC’s facilities, and experienced episodes of weightlessness on the KC-135 aircraft. Following a brief stop at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, the finalists spent July 15-17 in Washington, D.C., undergoing a series of interviews with the NASA Space Flight Participant Committee, who recommended the Teacher in Space candidate and a backup to NASA Administrator Beggs. Left: Vice President George H.W. Bush announces the prime, S. Christa McAuliffe, and backup, Barbara R. Morgan, Teacher in Space candidates. Right: McAuliffe addresses the assembled crowd. On July 19, the 10 finalists assembled in the Roosevelt Room at the White House. Following Administrator Beggs’ introductory remarks, Vice President George H.W. Bush announced the Teacher in Space winners – S. Christa McAuliffe, a high school social studies teacher from Concord, New Hampshire, and her backup, Barbara R. Morgan, a second-grade teacher from McCall, Idaho. The other eight finalists continued to participate in the project by helping to develop McAuliffe’s lesson plans. Left: Barbara R. Morgan, second from left, and S. Christa McAuliffe, fourth from left, meet the STS-51L crew at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Middle: McAuliffe, left, and Morgan get their first taste of space food. Right: Morgan, left, and McAuliffe receive a briefing on the space shuttle galley. McAuliffe and Morgan reported to JSC on Sept. 9, 1985, to begin training for their space shuttle mission. Assigned to STS-51L scheduled for January 1986, they met their fellow crewmates Commander Francis R. “Dick” Scobee, Pilot Michael J. Smith, and Mission Specialists Ellison S. Onizuka, Judith A. Resnik, and Ronald E. McNair. Gregory B. Jarvis, a Hughes Aircraft engineer, joined the crew as a second payload specialist in October. Their first week, McAuliffe and Morgan received basic orientation, including fitting for their flight suits and tasting space food. For the next four months, they trained with the rest of the crew on shuttle systems, emergency evacuation drills, and completed flights aboard T-38 jets and the KC-135 weightless aircraft. Left: The STS-51L crew receives a briefing on crew escape procedures. Middle: The STS-51L crew receives a briefing on water evacuation. Right: Barbara R. Morgan, left, and S. Christa McAuliffe pose in front of the space shuttle crew compartment trainer. Left: At Houston’s Ellington Air Force Base, Barbara R. Morgan, Michael J. Smith, a photographer, S. Christa McAuliffe, and Francis R. “Dick” Scobee walk onto the tarmac toward T-38 jet trainers. Right: McAuliffe in the backseat of a T-38 prior to takeoff. Left: Teacher in Space designee S. Christa McAuliffe in the backseat of a T-38 jet trainer during a right turn, with part of Galveston Island visible at left. Right: Michael J. Smith, left, Barbara R. Morgan, McAuliffe, and Francis R. “Dick” Scobee following training flights aboard T-38 jets. Left: Backup Teacher in Space Barbara R. Morgan, left, prime Teacher in Space S. Christa McAuliffe, Payload Specialist Gregory B. Jarvis, and Mission Specialist Ronald E. McNair in the middeck of the Shuttle Mission Simulator. Right: Teacher in Space McAuliffe, second from left, and her backup Morgan, get a taste of weightlessness aboard NASA’s KC-135, along with STS-61C Payload Specialist Congressman C. William “Bill” Nelson, now serving as NASA’s 14th administrator. Training aboard the KC-135 for Teacher in Space demonstrations. Left: Hydroponics in Microgravity. Middle left: Molecular Mixing Experiment. Middle right: Magnetic Effects. Right: Leapfrog in Microgravity – not an actual experiment. During her flight, McAuliffe planned to conduct two live lessons from space and record film for six demonstrations. The first lesson, “The Ultimate Field Trip,” sought to allow students to compare daily life aboard the shuttle versus on Earth. The second lesson, “Where We’ve Been, Where We’re Going, Why?” would explain the reasons for exploring space and making use of its unique environment for manufacturing certain products. The six filmed demonstrations included topics such as magnetism, Newton’s Laws, effervescence, simple machines and tools, hydroponics, and chromatographic separation, and how each of these behaves in weightlessness. Since McAuliffe could not complete these activities, many years later astronauts aboard the space station completed her mission by filming the demonstrations and preparing classroom lessons. Left: At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Teacher in Space S. Christa McAuliffe watches the launch of space shuttle Challenger on the STS-61A Spacelab D1 mission. Middle: The STS-51L crew answer reporters’ questions following the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT). Right: During the TCDT, the crew practices emergency evacuation procedures. To prepare for the upcoming launch, McAuliffe and Morgan traveled to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida to witness the liftoff of the STS-61A Spacelab D1 mission, the last flight of space shuttle Challenger before STS-51L, on Oct. 30. The entire STS-51L crew returned to Florida for the Jan. 8, 1986, Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), essentially a dress rehearsal for the actual countdown to launch, planned for two weeks later. As part of the TCDT, the astronauts practiced evacuations drills from the shuttle in case of a fire or other emergency. After the test, they returned to Houston to complete last-minute training. Left: The STS-51L crew arrives at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida a few days before launch. Middle: The STS-51L crew at the traditional prelaunch breakfast. Right: The STS-51L astronauts leave crew quarters on their way to Launch Pad 39B. On Jan. 23, the STS-51L crew arrived at KSC for the launch set for Jan. 26. Bad weather caused a one-day delay, and the crew suited up, rode out to the pad, and boarded Challenger. A problem closing the hatch followed by poor weather caused a scrub of the launch attempt. On Jan. 28, the crew went back out to the pad in unusually cold weather for Florida and took their places aboard Challenger. This time, the launch took place on time. Left: The official photograph of the STS-51L crew. Right: The STS-51L crew patch, with an apple representing S. Christa McAuliffe and the Teacher in Space project. Following the Challenger accident, the Teacher in Space project remained active for a time as NASA reevaluated the entire Space Flight Participant Program. Morgan assumed the role of Teacher in Space designee for a few months, returning to Idaho in the fall of 1986 to resume her teaching duties, yet maintained her contact with NASA. In 1990, NASA canceled the Teacher in Space project. Left: Official portrait of Barbara R. Morgan following her selection as a NASA astronaut in 1998. Middle: In 2004, NASA selected Educator Astronauts Dorothy “Dottie” M. Metcalf-Lindenburger, left, Richard “Ricky” R. Arnold, and Joseph “Joe” M. Acaba as members of the Group 19 astronauts. Right: Emblem of the Year of Education on Station. In 1998, NASA invited Morgan to join the next astronaut selection group, not as a teacher but as a full-fledged mission specialist, eligible for multiple flights. That same year, NASA initiated its Educator Astronaut program, in which the agency selected qualified teachers as full-time astronauts instead of payload specialists. Morgan reported for training with the rest of the Group 17 astronauts in August 1998. In 2002, NASA assigned her to the STS-118 space station assembly mission that, following delays caused by the Columbia accident, flew in August 2007 aboard Endeavour, Challenger’s replacement. In 2004, NASA selected its first Educator Astronauts as part of Group 19 – Joseph “Joe” M. Acaba, Richard R. “Rickey” Arnold, and Dorothy “Dottie” M. Metcalf-Lindenburger. Metcalf-Lindenburger flew as a mission specialist aboard the STS-131 space station assembly flight in April 2010. Acaba and Arnold flew together on STS-119 in March 2009. Acaba went on to spend 125 days aboard the space station as an Expedition 31 and 32 flight engineer between May and September 2012, and another 168 days during Expedition 53 and 54 between September 2017 and February 2018. He has served as chief of the astronaut office since February 2023. Arnold made his second flight as a flight engineer during Expedition 55 and 56 from March to October 2018. Between their nearly back-to-back missions, Acaba and Arnold spent the 2017-18 school year aboard the space station for A Year of Education on Station. As a tribute to McAuliffe and her legacy, they completed her mission, filming her demonstrations and developing corresponding lessons for classrooms. Explore More 12 min read 55 Years Ago: Apollo 11 Astronauts End Quarantine, Feted from Coast to Coast Article 7 days ago 7 min read 55 Years Ago: NASA Group 7 Astronaut Selection Article 2 weeks ago 5 min read Celebrating NASA’s Coast Guard Astronauts on Coast Guard Day Article 4 weeks ago View the full article

For every NASA astronaut who serves as a public face of human spaceflight, there are thousands of people working behind the scenes to make the agency’s missions a success. Even the smallest tasks impact NASA’s ability to explore and innovate for the benefit of humanity. The team of administrative assistants and secretaries who work at the Johnson Space Center in Houston are acutely aware of this fact. Whether they are coordinating meetings, arranging travel, or preparing materials and information for Johnson’s leaders, this team of over 90 individuals takes pride in providing critical support for the agency’s programs and managers. “We work hand-in-hand with management to get them where they need to go and ensure they have what they need to continue doing their important work,” said Carla Burnett, an executive assistant in the Center Director’s Office who is also the lead for all of Johnson’s administrative staff. Carla Burnett participates in NASA’s celebration of the 60th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s historic Moon speech, held at Rice Stadium in Houston on Sept. 12, 2022. Image courtesy of Carla Burnett Burnett has turned her long-standing passion for administrative work into a 41-year career at Johnson. She was just a youngster when she started working in the Astronaut Office mailroom – an opportunity that came through her high school’s Office Education Program. “Being a meek and mild high school student, sitting there with the astronauts, going through all of their fan mail – I was in awe! It was an absolute honor,” she said. That experience and earning recognition as her high school’s Office Education Student of the Year confirmed for Burnett that administrative work was the right career path for her. She said that fidelity and perseverance launched her from the Astronaut Office mailroom to a position as a crew secretary for two space shuttle flights. “Being a servant and helping others is what I really love about administrative work,” she said. Today, Burnett supports Johnson’s senior executives and serves as a central resource for the rest of the administrative team. “They are all very self-sufficient and work within their own organizations,” she explained, but she may coordinate team-wide meetings, celebrations, or trainings, and she is always available to help answer questions. “We work consistently as a cohesive team. We are knowledgeable and, may I add, exceptional at what we do because we do it for the benefit and success of our Johnson family, NASA, and a plethora of communities!” Burnett’s dedication to service is reflected across the administrative team, as is a commitment to caring for others. Edwina Gaines, administrative assistant for the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program, said that being an instrument of team success and the opportunity to build long-lasting friendships are the most rewarding parts of her job. “That connection to people is important,” she said. “It’s important for me to know who I’m supporting or working with.” Edwina Gaines snaps a selfie during a professional development event for administrative professionals in 2023. Gaines joined the Johnson team as a contractor nearly 20 years ago thanks to an opportunity that arose from her volunteer work at church. A church partner, the Houston Area Urban League, was helping a NASA subcontractor fill a secretarial position through the Small Business Administration’s HUBZone Program. Gaines got the job. Since then, she has supported four programs and two institutional organizations, getting to know several agency leaders quite well. Gaines said she paid attention to little details – like which managers preferred printed materials over presentations, how they organized their offices, and when they typically stopped for coffee or something to eat – and worked to stay one step ahead of them. She recalled one occasion when she realized a manager had not taken a break in five hours and brought her something to drink. “It’s about taking care of the people who are doing the mission. If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t complete the mission,” she said. Rick Pettis, the administrative officer for the Center Operations Directorate, appreciates being part of a great team. Pettis has worked at Johnson since 2014, when he retired from the U.S. Navy after 23 years. “I enjoy helping people with problem solving,” he said. “Every day there will be someone who calls me to ask, ‘How do I get this done?’” Rick Pettis poses with a spacesuit display.Image courtesy of Rick Pettis The administrative team’s work involves other highlights, as well. “When I met my first astronaut, I was in awe,” said Dottie Workman, a secretary supporting Johnson’s External Relations Office. “I couldn’t believe that someone so important was walking around the campus just like everyone else. He was so nice – he shook my hand and took the time to talk to me.” Workman has been a civil servant for 52 years and 29 of those have been spent at Johnson. “My career has taken me all over the United States and Germany,” she said. “When my son was in the military and stationed at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio he said, ‘Mom, why don’t you move to Texas?’ I didn’t have a good reason to say no, so here I am!” Dottie Workman met J.J. Watt, former professional football player with the Houston Texans, during his visit to Johnson Space Center. Image courtesy of Dottie Workman. Outside of meeting and interacting with astronauts, Workman said being able to share NASA with her family and friends is her favorite part of working at Johnson. “It is always exciting to see their reaction,” she said. Burnett is thankful for a united team that understands the value of their work. “I’m grateful to work with a group of professionals who know the significance of propelling today’s men and women into the next generation of deep space for years to come,” she said. “We are Artemis proud!” View the full article

2 min read Hubble Pinpoints a Dim, Starry Mini-galaxy NASA, ESA, and D. Weisz (University of California – Berkeley); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) A glittering collection of stars shines against a background of much more distant galaxies in this view from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope of the Pegasus Dwarf spheroidal galaxy, also known as Andromeda VI. The Andromeda galaxy, also known as Messier 31, is the Milky Way’s closest grand spiral galaxy neighbor, and is host to at least 13 dwarf galaxies that orbit around it. The Pegasus Dwarf spheroidal galaxy is one of these mini-galaxies. Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are the dimmest and least massive galaxies known. They tend to have elliptical shapes and relatively smooth distributions of stars. Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are usually devoid of gas and dominated by old and intermediate-age stars, although some have experienced small amounts of recent star formation. The Pegasus Dwarf Spheroidal galaxy was discovered in 1998 and has been characterized as having a small amount of heavy elements and little of the gas needed to form another generation of stars ― though more than many of the dwarf spheroidal galaxies within our Local Group of galaxies. Researchers suspect that Andromeda’s gravitational field may have stripped the star-forming gases from it, leaving a dearth of material to build more than a few generations of stars. In comparison, some of the dwarf spheroidal companion galaxies of the Milky Way found at comparable distances do contain some intermediate-age stars, but this could be because Andromeda is so massive and extended that its gravitational effects extend farther. The jury is still out on how dwarf spheroidal galaxies form. Theories include collisions between galaxies that break off small fragments, the gravitational influence of larger galaxies on small disk-shaped dwarf galaxies, and processes associated with the birth of small systems among collections of dark matter. Andromeda and the Milky Way are the only galaxies close enough for astronomers to view these dim satellite galaxies, so clues to their formation will have to come from close neighbors like this one. Hubble studied this galaxy as part of an examination of the entire Andromeda system of satellites in order to investigate such critical matters as dark matter, reionization, and the growth of galactic ecosystems across cosmic time. Download Image Explore More Hubble’s Galaxies Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD claire.andreoli@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Aug 27, 2024 Editor Michelle Belleville Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Astrophysics Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Stars Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble Science Hubble’s Galaxies Stars View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) seeks applicants interested in six to twelve month reimbursable details with the Office of General Counsel (OGC). Applicants must be current Federal Employees. Applicants should receive the approval of their supervisor before applying. Consisting of a Headquarters Office and nine Center-level legal offices, NASA OGC provides advice and legal support on cutting edge issues in support of NASA’s mission of research and exploration on behalf of the United States. Ideal candidates will be experienced legal practitioners ready to make an immediate contribution in one of the following areas. Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity. Candidates for this detail area are prepared to offer insight in interpreting rapidly changing regulatory requirements, drafting guidance, anticipating future use cases, and working with various stakeholders and technical experts to define agency needs. Because of overlapping regulatory requirements and related governance schemes, familiarity with cyber-security requirements would also be highly valued in this detail. Employment Law. Candidates for this detail area have experience in providing high impact litigation services to the federal government. Experience with EEOC, MSPB, and federal court proceedings are highly desired. Ethics. Candidates for this detail area are experienced ethics attorneys capable of training and advising agency personnel on ethics matters in connection with NASA’s challenging mission and diverse ecosystem of partners and stakeholders. Procurement. Candidates for this detail area are experienced procurement attorneys interested in providing short term assistance for the coming fiscal year as NASA’s dynamic team of lawyers supports major acquisitions of technology and space capabilities. NASA prefers that these details be in person, with telework available consistent with Agency policy, but would consider a remote detail in some circumstances. In addition to Headquarters in Washington, D.C., NASA has locations in Alabama, California, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. All applicants must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or equivalent and be a member in good standing of a state bar (any jurisdiction). To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, and recent writing sample of no more than five (5) pages to hq-ogc-legalops@mail.nasa.gov. In your cover letter please indicate which detail area(s) interest you. Interested applicants may indicate more than one area of interest. Please submit your application by September 9, 2024. Apply via email Explore More 4 min read NASA Seeks Input for Astrobee Free-flying Space Robots Article 2 hours ago 3 min read Station Science Top News: August 23, 2024 Article 4 hours ago 4 min read August 2024 Transformer of the Month: Selina Salgado Article 3 days ago View the full article

4 Min Read NASA Seeks Input for Astrobee Free-flying Space Robots iss069e010815 (May 16, 2023) — UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut and Expedition 69 Flight Engineer Sultan Alneyadi observes a free-flying Astrobee robotic assistant during the testing of its operations for an upcoming student competition to control the robotic devices. Credits: NASA NASA is seeking input from American companies for the operation and use of a system of free-flying robots aboard the International Space Station as the agency continues to foster scientific, educational, and technological developments in low Earth orbit for the benefit of all. The colorful, cube-shaped robots – named “Bumble,” “Honey,” and “Queen” – are part of the Astrobee system helping astronauts and researchers perform technology demonstrations, scientific research, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities in the unique environment of space since 2018. “Dozens of institutions collaborate with NASA to use the Astrobee system to test new hardware and software technologies,” said Jose Benavides, project manager for the Astrobee facilities at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, where the system was designed and built. “I’m excited to hear how respondents think Astrobee can continue to advance robotics in space.” NASA issued a Request for Information to inform strategic planning, inviting industry to provide information to help shape the maturation of robotics in zero gravity to achieve the greatest scientific and exploration value. Responses are due Sept. 27, 2024. To learn more about the Request for Information, visit: https://sam.gov/opp/7893fe01e7bf4ae69029b5d8915e62c5/view iss065e389375 (9/20/2021) — NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough poses with the Astrobee robotic free-flyers in support of the Kibo Robot Programming Challenge (Robo-Pro Challenge). The Kibo-RPC, allows students to create programs to control Astrobee, a free-flying robot aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The battery-powered robots in the Astrobee system fly around the space station’s modules using electric fans for propulsion and “see” their surroundings using lights, cameras, and other sensors. They have interchangeable “arms” that provide ways for the robots to hold objects or keep steady for tasks requiring stability, and magnets to ensure they stay securely docked when recharging. Working autonomously, or via remote control by astronauts, flight controllers, or researchers on the ground, the robots can be used to off-load time-consuming tasks. For instance, the robots can work independently or collaboratively to assist with routine chores like space station monitoring, maintenance, inventory, experiment documentation, or moving cargo throughout the station. This allows astronauts more time to tackle complex work that only humans can perform. Astrobee’s versatile design has allowed thousands of hours of testing on hundreds of microgravity experiments. Many have involved astronauts, but the facility also is regularly used by researchers and student teams across the world competing for the opportunity to run their programs on the robots in space. Further developing human-robotic technology will pave the way for future crewed and uncrewed spacecraft maintenance and exploration tasks done by robots both off-planet and in deep space" Jonathan Barlow Astrobee Project Manager For example, NASA’s ISAAC (Integrated System for Autonomous and Adaptive Caretaking) project, used the Astrobees to study how robots could assist spacecraft, vehicle systems, and ground operators. The technology could help NASA use robot caretakers for critical spacecraft in the agency’s Moon-to-Mars plans, including the Gateway lunar space station and Mars transit habitat vehicle, especially during the months-long periods when these spacecraft will be uncrewed. “Our ISAAC work has proved out its technology in a high-fidelity space environment because of the ready availability of the capable Astrobee robots,” said Trey Smith, project manager for ISAAC at NASA Ames. The project demonstrated using multiple Astrobees to autonomously collect the first robot-generated survey of a spacecraft interior. Other ISAAC firsts include the first use of a robot to locate the source of a sound in space, in collaboration with the Bosch USA SoundSee payload team, and the first time robots navigated between modules of a space station. Future robots could use ISAAC technology to transfer cargo between space vehicles or respond to a time-critical fault like a leak due to a micrometeoroid impact, all without human assistance. “With Astrobee, we’ve learned about flying multiple robots in space alongside humans,” said Jonathan Barlow, project manager for Astrobee at NASA Ames. “Further developing human-robotic technology will pave the way for future crewed and uncrewed spacecraft maintenance and exploration tasks done by robots both off-planet and in deep space.” The Astrobee Facility, operated out of NASA’s Ames Research Center, provides a free-flying robotic system for space station research and STEM outreach. NASA’s Game Changing Development Program, part of the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, funded Astrobee. NASA’s International Space Station Utilization Office provides ongoing funding. iss071e464314 (Aug. 12, 2024) — NASA astronaut and Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Jeanette Epps monitors a pair of Astrobee robotic free-flying assistants as they demonstrate autonomous docking maneuvers inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module. The cube-shaped, toaster-sized devices were operating with a connecting interface system, called CLINGERS with an embedded navigation sensor, that may benefit construction in space.View the full article

The NASA Airborne Instrumentation for Real-world Video of Urban Environments (AIRVUE) sensor pod is attached to the base of a NASA helicopter at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida in April 2024 before a flight to test the pod’s cameras and sensors. The AIRVUE pod will be used to collect data for autonomous aircraft like air taxis, drones, or other Advanced Air Mobility aircraft.NASA/Isaac Watson For self-flying aircraft to take to the skies, they need to learn about their environments to avoid hazards. NASA aeronautics researchers recently developed a camera pod with sensors to help with this challenge by advancing computer vision for autonomous aviation. This pod is called the Airborne Instrumentation for Real-world Video of Urban Environments (AIRVUE). It was developed and built at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Researchers recently flew it on a piloted helicopter at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida for initial testing. The team hopes to use the pod to collect large, diverse, and accessible visual datasets of weather and other obstacles. They will then use that information to create a data cloud for manufacturers of self-flying air taxis or drones, or other similar aircraft, to access. Developers can use this data to evaluate how well their aircraft can “see” the complex world around them. NASA researchers Elizabeth Nail (foreground) and A.J. Jaffe (background) prepare the NASA Airborne Instrumentation for Real-world Video of Urban Environments (AIRVUE) sensor pod for testing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in April 2024.NASA/Isaac Watson “Data is the fuel for machine learning,” said Nelson Brown, lead NASA researcher for the AIRVUE project. “We hope to inspire innovation by providing the computer vision community with realistic flight scenarios. Accessible datasets have been essential to advances in driver aids and self-driving cars, but so far, we haven’t seen open datasets like this in aviation.” The computer algorithms that will enable the aircraft to sense the environment must be reliable and proven to work in many flight circumstances. NASA data promises that fidelity, making this an important resource for industry. When a company conducts data collection on their own, it’s unlikely they share it with other manufacturers. NASA’s role facilitates this accessible dataset for all companies in the Advanced Air Mobility industry, ensuring the United States stays at the forefront of innovation. Once the design is refined, through evaluation and additional testing, the team hopes to make more pods that ride along on various types of aircraft to collect more visuals and grow the digital repository of data. Share Details Last Updated Aug 26, 2024 EditorDede DiniusContactTeresa Whitingteresa.whiting@nasa.govLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related TermsArmstrong Flight Research CenterAdvanced Air MobilityAeronauticsAmes Research CenterDrones & YouGlenn Research CenterLangley Research CenterTransformational Tools Technologies Explore More 2 min read NASA Composite Manufacturing Initiative Gains Two New Members Article 4 days ago 3 min read Beyond the Textbook: DC-8 Aircraft Inspires Students in Retirement Article 4 days ago 2 min read Gateway: Energizing Exploration Discover the cutting-edge technology powering Gateway, humanity's first lunar space station. Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Armstrong Programs & Projects Armstrong Technologies Armstrong Flight Research Center History View the full article

Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream)

El administrador de la NASA, Bill Nelson, y altos directivos participan en una rueda de prensa en directo el sábado 24 de agosto de 2024, en el Centro Espacial Johnson de la agencia en Houston, donde ofrecieron una actualización sobre la prueba de vuelo de la tripulación Boeing de la NASA.Crédito: NASA Read this release in English here. La NASA traerá la nave espacial Starliner de Boeing de vuelta a la Tierra sin los astronautas Butch Wilmore y Suni Williams a bordo, según anunció la agencia el sábado. Este retorno sin tripulación permite a la NASA y a Boeing seguir recopilando datos de pruebas sobre Starliner durante su próximo vuelo de regreso a casa, al tiempo que no implica más riesgo del necesario para su tripulación. Wilmore y Williams, que viajaron a la Estación Espacial Internacional en junio a bordo de la prueba de vuelo tripulado Boeing de la NASA, han estado ocupados, entre otras actividades, prestando apoyo a la investigación y el mantenimiento de la estación, así como las pruebas de sistema y análisis de datos de Starliner. “Los vuelos espaciales son arriesgados, incluso en sus momentos más seguros y rutinarios. Un vuelo de prueba, por su propia naturaleza, no es ni seguro ni rutinario. La decisión de que Butch y Suni permanezcan a bordo de la Estación Espacial Internacional y de que la nave Starliner de Boeing regrese a casa sin tripulación es el resultado de nuestro compromiso con la seguridad, la cual es nuestro valor fundamental y nuestra estrella guía”, declaró Bill Nelson, Administrador de la NASA. “Estoy agradecido a los equipos de la NASA y de Boeing por todo su increíble y minucioso trabajo”. Wilmore y Williams continuarán su trabajo oficialmente como parte de la tripulación de la Expedición 71/72 hasta febrero de 2025. Volverán a casa a bordo de una nave espacial Dragon con otros dos miembros de la tripulación asignados a la misión SpaceX Crew-9 de la agencia. Se espera que Starliner parta de la estación espacial y lleve a cabo una reentrada y un aterrizaje autónomos, seguros y controlados a principios de septiembre. La NASA y Boeing detectaron fugas de helio y experimentaron problemas con los motores de control de actitud de la nave el 6 de junio, cuando Starliner se aproximaba a la estación espacial. Desde entonces, los equipos de ingeniería han completado una cantidad significativa de trabajo, incluyendo la revisión de una colección de datos, la realización de pruebas de vuelo y tierra, la organización de revisiones independientes con expertos en propulsión de la agencia, y el desarrollo de varios planes de contingencia de retorno. La incertidumbre y la falta de consenso entre los expertos no cumplen los requisitos de seguridad y rendimiento de la agencia para los vuelos espaciales tripulados, lo que ha llevado a la dirección de la NASA a transferir a los astronautas a la misión Crew-9. “Las decisiones de este tipo nunca son fáciles, pero quiero encomendar a nuestros equipos de la NASA y Boeing por su análisis exhaustivo, discusiones transparentes y enfoque en la seguridad durante la prueba de vuelo tripulado”, dijo Ken Bowersox, administrador asociado de la Dirección de Misiones de Operaciones Espaciales de la NASA. “Hemos aprendido mucho sobre la nave espacial durante su travesía hasta la estación y sus operaciones acopladas. También seguiremos recopilando más datos sobre Starliner durante su regreso sin tripulación, y mejoraremos el sistema para futuros vuelos a la estación espacial.” Starliner está diseñada para funcionar de manera autónoma y previamente completó dos vuelos sin tripulación. La NASA y Boeing trabajarán conjuntamente para ajustar la planificación del final de la misión y los sistemas de Starliner para prepararse para el regreso no tripulado en las próximas semanas. Starliner debe regresar a la Tierra antes del lanzamiento de la misión Crew-9 para garantizar la disponibilidad de un puerto de atraque en la estación. Los astronautas del vuelo de prueba tripulado Boeing de la NASA, Butch Wilmore (arriba) y Suni Williams (abajo), posan el 13 de junio de 2024 para un retrato dentro del vestíbulo entre el puerto delantero del módulo Harmony de la Estación Espacial Internacional y la nave espacial Starliner de Boeing.Crédito: NASA “Starliner es una nave espacial muy capaz y, en última instancia, esto se reduce a la necesidad de un mayor nivel de certeza para llevar a cabo un retorno con tripulación”, dijo Steve Stich, gerente del Programa de Tripulación Comercial de la NASA. “Los equipos de la NASA y Boeing han completado una enorme cantidad de pruebas y análisis, y esta prueba de vuelo está proporcionando información crítica sobre el rendimiento de Starliner en el espacio. Nuestros esfuerzos ayudarán a preparar el regreso sin tripulación y beneficiarán en gran medida a futuras acciones correctivas para la nave espacial.” El Programa de Tripulación Comercial de la NASA exige que las naves espaciales efectúen un vuelo de prueba con tripulación para demostrar que el sistema está preparado para vuelos regulares desde y hacia la estación espacial. Tras el regreso de Starliner, la agencia revisará todos los datos relacionados con la misión para determinar qué medidas adicionales son necesarias para cumplir los requisitos de certificación de la NASA. La misión SpaceX Crew-9 de la agencia, originalmente programada con cuatro tripulantes, despegará no antes del martes 24 de septiembre. La agencia proveerá más información sobre la tripulación Crew-9 cuando se ultimen los detalles. La NASA y SpaceX están ahora trabajando en varios aspectos antes del lanzamiento, como reconfigurar los asientos en la nave Crew-9 Dragon y ajustar el manifiesto para transportar carga adicional, efectos personales y trajes espaciales específicos de Dragon para Wilmore y Williams. Además, la NASA y SpaceX utilizarán nuevas instalaciones en el Complejo de Lanzamiento Espacial 40 en la Estación de la Fuerza Espacial de Cabo Cañaveral en Florida para lanzar Crew-9, lo que brindará mayor flexibilidad operativa en torno al lanzamiento planeado de Europa Clipper por parte de la NASA. La misión Crew-9 será la novena misión de rotación a la estación espacial en el marco del Programa de Tripulación Comercial de la NASA, que colabora con la industria aeroespacial estadounidense para lograr el objetivo de un servicio de transporte seguro, fiable y rentable hacia y desde el puesto orbital mediante cohetes y naves espaciales de fabricación estadounidense que despegan desde territorio de Estados Unidos. Durante más de dos décadas, la Estación Espacial Internacional ha tenido personas viviendo y trabajando a bordo, impulsando el conocimiento científico y poniendo a prueba nuevas tecnologías, logrando avances en la investigación que no son posibles en la Tierra. La estación es un banco de pruebas fundamental para que la NASA comprenda y supere los retos de los vuelos espaciales de larga duración, así como para expandir las oportunidades comerciales en la órbita terrestre baja. A medida que las empresas comerciales se centran en proporcionar servicios de transporte espacial humano y destinos como parte de una economía robusta de órbita terrestre baja, la campaña Artemis de la NASA está en marcha hacia la Luna, donde la agencia se preparará para la futura exploración con seres humanos de Marte. Para más información (en inglés) sobre el Programa de Tripulación Comercial de la NASA, visita: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew Meira Bernstein / Josh Finch Sede, Washington 202-358-1100 meira.b.bernstein@nasa.gov / joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov Steve Siceloff / Danielle Sempsrott / Stephanie Plucinsky Centro Espacial Kennedy, Florida 321-867-2468 steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov / danielle.c.sempsrott@nasa.gov / stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov Leah Cheshier / Sandra Jones Centro Espacial Johnson, Houston 281-483-5111 leah.d.cheshier@nasa.gov / sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov View the full article

Researchers successfully produced cellulose from bacteria cultured on the International Space Station for four weeks. The bacteria used in the experiment, K. hansenii, is known to produce the highest amount of cellulose and could be considered for large-scale production in microgravity to support the development of materials used in construction, clothing, and the supply of energy. Ice Cubes Experiment Cube #4, #5- Kirara, a temperature-controlled module typically used for protein crystallization, was used here to incubate the target bacteria. Researchers developed a customized methodology that consisted of adjusting gas and air in various culture vessels in low-temperature conditions. Future studies could help to promote large scale production of bacterial cellulose to support deep space exploration. Researchers studied two properties of oil-in-water emulsions in microgravity (i.e., drop size and drop displacement at a constant speed and direction), finding that while oil drops grow over time, drop displacement decreases. This was an unexpected observation in microgravity where neither sedimentation nor creaming occurs. These results could improve knowledge of fluid mechanics relevant to industrial processes on Earth and enable technologies for space exploration. Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL) Soft Matter Dynamics – Particle STAbilised Emulsions and Foams (PASTA) studies the dynamics of droplets to enhance understanding of coalescence and size evolution in emulsions. Emulsions are systems where two unmixable fluids are combined via small droplets inside the second liquid. Researchers explained that drop growth was the result of aggregation (or coalescence) between small drops colliding with each other. Enhanced understanding of coalescence, a property that is associated with the stability of surfactants such as oils, dyes, and detergents, can lead to a safer environment and sustainability of certain emulsion technologies in multiple arenas such as the food, pharmaceutical, paint, and lubrication industries. Documentation of a sample that was removed from the Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL) during operations to exchange samples inside the FSL Soft Matter Dynamics (SMD) experiment container. NASA/Samantha Cristoferetti Nystagmus, a condition associated with vestibular imbalance and cerebellar dysfunction characterized by rapid and uncontrollable eye movements, was detected in about 45% of crew members soon after landing. Correct diagnosis of this condition enables the development of strategies and countermeasures for a speedy recovery after spaceflight. In the Field Test investigation, researchers investigated the complexity, severity, and duration of physical changes that occurred in astronauts after spaceflight. Astronauts and cosmonauts that live in space for extended periods experience physical changes that have noticeable effects once they return to Earth’s gravity, including changes to vision, balance, coordination, blood pressure, and the ability to walk. Some crew members showed nystagmus in several gaze positions, with significant recovery identified 10 to 13 days postflight. These results expand researchers’ understanding of vestibular disorders, adaptations to spaceflight, and dynamics of recovery after prolonged microgravity exposure. NASA Human Health and Performance Directorate personnel assess hardware used in the Field Test investigation.NASA/Lauren HarnettView the full article

NASA Dr. Irene Duhart Long was the first female and the first minority to hold the position of chief medical officer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as well as the first African American female to serve in the Senior Executive Service at the center. These distinctions were only two of many firsts in her 31-year-long career at NASA. While she broke barriers in her own life, she also advocated for others to have more opportunities. She helped create the Spaceflight and Life Sciences Training Program at Kennedy, in partnership with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, a program that encouraged more women and minority college students to explore careers in science. She also motivated and mentored her coworkers, taking a strong interest in their trajectory at NASA. “One of the admirable qualities of Irene Long was her inclusion mentality regarding women in the workplace,” Kennedy Employee Assistance Counselor Patricia Bell said. “She was a front runner in advocating for women.” Long helped coordinate an educational women’s forum, focused on health, mental well-being and other topics of interest for women. Long died Aug. 4, 2020, at age 69. For Womens Equality Day, read more about Dr. Long’s legacy at NASA. Image Credit: NASA View the full article

5 Min Read Cassiopeia A, Then the Cosmos: 25 Years of Chandra X-ray Science By Rick Smith On Aug. 26, 1999, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory opened its powerful telescopic eye in orbit and captured its awe-inspiring “first light” images of Cassiopeia A, a supernova remnant roughly 11,000 light-years from Earth. That first observation was far more detailed than anything seen by previous X-ray telescopes, even revealing – for the first time ever – a neutron star left in the wake of the colossal stellar detonation. Those revelations came as no surprise to Chandra project scientist Martin Weisskopf, who led Chandra’s development at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “When you build instrumentation that’s 10 times more sensitive than anything that was done before, you’re bound to discover something new and exciting,” he said. “Every step forward was a giant step forward.” Twenty-five years later, Chandra has repeated that seminal moment of discovery again and again, delivering – to date – nearly 25,000 detailed observations of neutron stars, quasars, supernova remnants, black holes, galaxy clusters, and other highly energetic objects and events, some as far away as 13 billion light-years from Earth. Chandra has further helped scientists gain tangible evidence of dark matter and dark energy, documented the first electromagnetic events tied to gravitational waves in space, and most recently aided the search for habitable exoplanets – all vital tools for understanding the vast, interrelated mechanisms of the universe we live in. NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has observed Cassiopeia A for more than 2 million total seconds since its “first light ” images of the supernova remnant on Aug. 26, 1999. Cas A is some 11,000 light-years from Earth. Chandra X-rays are depicted in blue and composited with infrared images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope in orange and white.Credits: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/D. Milisavljevic (Purdue Univ.), I. De Looze (University of Ghent), T. Temim (Princeton Univ.); Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt, K. Arcand, and J. Major “Chandra’s first image of Cas A provided stunning demonstration of Chandra’s exquisite X-ray mirrors, but it simultaneously revealed things we had not known about young supernova remnants,” said Pat Slane, director of the CXC (Chandra X-ray Center) housed at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “In a blink, Chandra not only revealed the neutron star in Cas A; it also taught us that young neutron stars can be significantly more modest in their output than what previously had been understood. Throughout its 25 years in space, Chandra has deepened our understanding of fundamental astrophysics, while also greatly broadening our view of the universe.” To mark Chandra’s silver anniversary, NASA and CXC have shared 25 of its most breathtaking images and debuted a new video, “Eye on the Cosmos.” Chandra often is used in conjunction with other space telescopes that observe the cosmos in different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, and with other high-energy missions such as ESA’s (European Space Agency’s) XMM-Newton; NASA’s Swift, NuSTAR (Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array), and IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarization Explorer) imagers, and NASA’s NICER (Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer) X-ray observatory, which studies high-energy phenomena from its vantage point aboard the International Space Station. Chandra remains a unique, global science resource, with a robust data archive that will continue to serve the science community for many years. “NASA’s project science team has always strived to conduct Chandra science as equitably as possible by having the world science community collectively decide how best to use the observatory’s many tremendous capabilities,” said Douglas Swartz, a USRA (Universities Space Research Association) principal research scientist on the Chandra project science team. These images were released to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Chandra. They represent the wide range of objects that the telescope has observed over its quarter century of observations. X-rays are an especially penetrating type of light that reveals extremely hot objects and very energetic physical processes. The images range from supernova remnants, like Cassiopeia A, to star-formation regions like the Orion Nebula, to the region at the center of the Milky Way. This montage also contains objects beyond our own Galaxy including other galaxies and galaxy clusters.X-ray: NASA/CXC/UMass/Q.D. Wang; “Chandra will continue to serve the astrophysics community long after its mission ends,” said Andrew Schnell, acting Chandra program manager at Marshall. “Perhaps its greatest discovery hasn’t been discovered yet. It’s just sitting there in our data archive, waiting for someone to ask the right question and use the data to answer it. It could be somebody who hasn’t even been born yet.” That archive is impressive indeed. To date, Chandra has delivered more than 70 trillion bytes of raw data. More than 5,000 unique principal investigators and some 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students around the world have conducted research based on Chandra’s observations. Its findings have helped earn more than 700 PhDs and resulted in more than 11,000 published papers, with half a million total citations. Weisskopf is now an emeritus researcher who still keeps office hours every weekday despite having retired from NASA in 2022. He said the work remains as stimulating now as it was 25 years ago, waiting breathlessly for those “first light” images. NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory data, seen here in violet and white, is joined with that of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope (red, green, and blue) and Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (purple) to show off the eerie beauty of the Crab Nebula. The nebula is the result of a bright supernova explosion first witnessed and documented in 1054 A.D.X-ray: (Chandra) NASA/CXC/SAO, (IXPE) NASA/MSFC; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt, K. Arcand, and L. Frattare “We’re always trying to put ourselves out of business with the next bit of scientific understanding,” he said. “But these amazing discoveries have demonstrated how much NASA’s astrophysics missions still have to teach us.” The universe keeps turning – and Chandra’s watchful eye endures. More about Chandra Chandra, managed for NASA by Marshall in partnership with the CXC, is one of NASA’s Great Observatories, along with the Hubble Space Telescope and the now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope and Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. It was first proposed to NASA in 1976 by Riccardo Giacconi, recipient of the 2002 Nobel Prize for Physics based on his contributions to X-ray astronomy, and Harvey Tananbaum, who would later become the first director of the Chandra X-ray Center. Chandra was named in honor of the late Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who earned the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983 for his work explaining the structure and evolution of stars. Learn more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its mission here: https://www.nasa.gov/chandra https://cxc.harvard.edu News Media Contact Lane Figueroa Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama 256-544-0034 lane.e.figueroa@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Aug 26, 2024 Related TermsChandra X-Ray ObservatoryCrab NebulaGalaxiesMarshall Space Flight CenterNebulae Explore More 5 min read Webb Finds Early Galaxies Weren’t Too Big for Their Britches After All It got called the crisis in cosmology. But now astronomers can explain some surprising recent… Article 5 hours ago 2 min read Hubble Captures Unique Ultraviolet View of a Spectacular Star Cluster Roughly 210,000 light-years away, the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is one of our Milky Way… Article 5 hours ago 2 min read Hubble Reaches a Lonely Light in the Dark A splatter of stars glows faintly at almost 3 million light-years away in this new… Article 3 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

NASA’s ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) identical dual spacecraft are inspected and processed on dollies in a high bay of the Astrotech Space Operations Facility near the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Aug. 22. As the first multi-spacecraft orbital science mission to Mars, ESCAPADE’s twin orbiters will take simultaneous observations from different locations around the planet and reveal the real-time response to space weather and how the Martian magnetosphere changes over time.Credits: NASA/Kim Shiflett NASA and Blue Origin are preparing for the agency’s ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) mission, which begins on the inaugural launch of the company’s New Glenn rocket. The mission will study the solar wind’s interaction with the magnetosphere on Mars. Blue Origin is targeting no earlier than Sunday, Oct. 13, for the launch of New Glenn-1 from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Media interested in covering ESCAPADE launch activities for both NASA and Blue Origin must apply for media credentials. Deadlines for accreditation are as follows: U.S. media and U.S. citizens representing international media must apply by 5 p.m. EDT on Monday, Sept. 30. International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10. Media accreditation requests should be submitted online at: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For questions about accreditation, please email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other mission questions, please contact NASA Kennedy’s newsroom: 321-867-2468. The ESCAPADE mission will use two identical spacecraft to investigate how the solar wind interacts with the hybrid magnetosphere on Mars and how this interaction drives the planet’s atmospheric escape. The mission is funded by NASA’s Heliophysics Division and is part of the NASA Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration program. The ESCAPADE mission is led by the University of California, Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory, and the spacecraft is designed by Rocket Lab. The agency’s Launch Services Program, based at NASA Kennedy, secured the launch service under the VADR (Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare) contract. NASA will post updates on launch preparations for the twin Martian orbiters on the ESCAPADE blog. For more information about ESCAPADE, visit: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/escapade Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo at: antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov, 321-501-8425, o Messod Bendayan, 256-930-1371. -end- Karen Fox Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 karen.fox@nasa.gov Laura Aguiar / Leejay Lockhart Kennedy Space Center, Florida 321-867-2468 laura.aguiar@nasa.gov / leejay.lockhart@nasa.gov Sarah Frazier Goddard Space Flight Center 202-853-7191 sarah.frazier@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Aug 26, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsEscaPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers)Commercial SpaceGoddard Space Flight CenterKennedy Space CenterScience Mission Directorate View the full article

Live High-Definition Views from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream)

A waxing gibbous moon rises over the Indian Ocean as the International Space Station orbited 266 miles above.Credit: NASA As NASA and its partners continue to conduct groundbreaking research aboard the International Space Station, the agency announced Monday it is seeking U.S. industry, academia, international partners, and other stakeholders’ feedback on newly developed goals and objectives that will help guide the next generation of human presence in low Earth orbit. “From the very beginning, NASA’s flagship human spaceflight programs have built upon each other, expanding our knowledge and experience of humans living and working in space,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “As commercial industry is constructing new human-enabled platforms for low Earth orbit, NASA must answer the question: what should our goals and objectives be to advance our future science and exploration missions?” NASA published draft high-level goals and objectives outlining 42 key points in six main areas: science, exploration-enabling research and technology development, commercial low Earth orbit infrastructure, operations, international cooperation, and workforce and engagement. “Feedback is essential for shaping our long-term microgravity research and development activities,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “We are committed to refining our objectives with input from both within NASA and external partners, ensuring alignment with industry and international goals. After reviewing feedback, we will finalize our strategy later this year.” The agency will conduct two invite-only workshops in September to discuss feedback on the draft goals and objectives. The first workshop is with international partners, and the second will engage U.S. industry and academic representatives. NASA employees also are invited to provide input through internal agency channels. This approach reflects NASA’s commitment to harnessing diverse perspectives to navigate the rapidly evolving low Earth orbit environment. “Organizations are increasingly recognizing the transformative benefits of space, with both governments and commercial activities leveraging the International Space Station as a testbed,” said Robyn Gatens, International Space Station director and acting director of commercial spaceflight at NASA Headquarters. “By developing a comprehensive strategy, NASA is looking to the next chapter of U.S. human space exploration to help shape the agency’s future in microgravity for the benefit of all.” Stakeholders may submit comments by close of business on Friday, Sept. 27 to: https://www.leomicrogravitystrategy.org/ -end- Amber Jacobson Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 amber.c.jacobson@nasa.gov View the full article

Envisioning the Next Generation of Human Presence in Low Earth Orbit

Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions The Solar System The Sun Mercury Venus Earth The Moon Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto & Dwarf Planets Asteroids, Comets & Meteors The Kuiper Belt The Oort Cloud 4 min read Sols 4284–4286: Environmental Science Extravaganza This image was taken by Left Navigation Camera onboard NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 4282 (2024-08-22 23:39:35 UTC). NASA/JPL-Caltech Earth planning date: Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 One of the many challenges of operating a rover on another planet is that we don’t always know where we’re going to be located before planning starts each day. Although we do plan our drives in advance, Curiosity doesn’t blindly follow the orders that we deliver. If an unsafe situation is detected, such as if the wheels slip too much in the sand or if the rover tries to drive along too steep of a slope, it will end the drive early and wait for us back on Earth to assess the situation. Although we prefer for the rover to end up parked exactly where we told it to, safety is always the first priority. Coming into planning today, it looked like it was going to be smooth riding. Before planning began, we received an email from our localization team informing us that Monday’s short drive away from Kings Canyon appeared to have completed successfully, so everyone was ready to start poking around in our new workspace. It wasn’t long before we realized that we were facing a bit of an unusual situation. Although the drive completed, we were missing almost all of our post-drive imaging. When a drive completes, we take a set of Navcam, Mastcam, and Hazcam images of our new location that we then use to determine the targets that we want to perform contact science and remote sensing on and to plan our drives. Without those images, there are very few activities that we can plan. Fortunately, we did receive one Navcam image near our new workspace (which you can see in the cover image above), so the geology and mineralogy (GEO) team had something to work with, though their ability to select targets was still severely limited. For me, on the environmental science (ENV) team, this was great news. Almost all of our observations are completely untargeted, so we don’t really care where exactly the rover is located. As such, we were given an opportunity to make lemonade out of the lemons that the mission was handed today. In a reversal from our usual roles, GEO planned out their limited set of activities then passed the rest of the science time over to ENV. This was particularly exciting given that, as was noted on Wednesday [LINK HERE], we’ve initiated a dust storm watch. The dust storm developing on the other side of Mars is likely the annual “C” storm. The last time a dust storm went global this late in the year was during the Viking era, so we expect that this storm will stay regional rather than becoming global. Still, because global dust storms happen so infrequently, we’ve initiated a storm watch so that we’re ready just in case the unexpected happens. Although GEO’s activities are limited in this plan, the team did the best with what little data they had available. These activities include ChemCam LIBS and Mastcam observations of “Lembert Dome” (some nodular light-toned bedrock), “Wilts Col” (a dark-toned float block that we got ChemCam passive spectra of back on sol 4259), and “Return Creek” (another float block). We’re also taking ChemCam passive spectra and Mastcam images of a dark-toned float block “Matlock Lake.” In preparation for planning on Monday, we’re also taking a Mastcam survey of the workspace. Because we had to pull our arm activities and the drive we had planned, the CheMin team was also able to fit in an empty cell analysis activity that they had been looking for time to execute. ENV’s activities are nothing unusual, but they are numerous. We were able to fit in about three-and-a-half hours of dust devil movies over these three sols, as well as about an hour-and-a-half of cloud movies, including some shortly before sunset when we rarely are able to take movies. In addition, we have a handful of Navcam line-of-sight and Mastcam tau observations to monitor the developing dust storm. In classic just-too-late form, the missing data finally appeared right as we were finalizing the plan. Not of any use to us today (though the views from our new location are as stunning as ever), but we’re set up for a return to normal operations on Monday. Written by Remington Free, Operations Systems Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Share Details Last Updated Aug 26, 2024 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 3 min read Sols 4282-4283: Bumping Away from Kings Canyon Article 25 mins ago 2 min read Sols 4280-4281: Last Call at Kings Canyon Article 6 days ago 4 min read Sols 4277-4279: Getting Ready To Say Goodbye to the King! Article 7 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited… All Mars Resources Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,… Rover Basics Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a… Mars Exploration: Science Goals The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four… View the full article

Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions The Solar System The Sun Mercury Venus Earth The Moon Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto & Dwarf Planets Asteroids, Comets & Meteors The Kuiper Belt The Oort Cloud 3 min read Sols 4282-4283: Bumping Away from Kings Canyon NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), located on the turret at the end of the rover’s robotic arm, on August 21, 2024, Sol 4280 of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission, at 00:18:12 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Earth planning date: Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024 Having stayed in place for quite a few sols during our Kings Canyon drill campaign, we’re looking forward to doing a bump (ie: a short drive) and accomplishing some science in a new region. I’m on the SA-SPaH (ie: robotic arm) downlink team, which assess and reports on the success of robotic arm and drilling activities, including being closely involved in drilling campaigns. For awhile there was talk of doing a second Kings Canyon drill, but ultimately our planners decided against it. Though I always love getting involved with drill campaigns, we’re excited about our bump, which will take us near the “Fourth Recess Lake” area. On sol 4282, we have some arm activities scheduled before a ~10 meter drive. During our first arm backbone, the rover will perform contact science on our “Marck Lake” target, including a DRT brushing and APXS integration. “Marck Lake” is a target just to the left of our existing Kings Canyon drill hole and supports our science studies for continuing to investigate this area’s lithology. We’ll also be doing some LIBS measurements on our drill tailings. This is to get extra data for supporting CheMin and SAM measurements. After our arm activities, we’re taking advantage of a dust storm watch to do some extra environmental science. This watch comes because of a regional dust storm – visible even from the Earth – that has potential to evolve into a global dust storm. While it’s unusual to see global storms at this time of years, large planet encircling dust storms occur on Mars every three Mars years (about five and a half Earth years) on average. Even if they don’t turn into planet encircling events, regional dust storms on Mars can still grow quite large. The last regional dust storm on Mars occurred in early January of 2022 and had a surface area nearly twice the size of the United States. See this report from NASA for more information. Towards the end of 4282, we will execute a ~10 meter drive towards the “Fourth Recess Lake” region. This area has numerous bright-toned clasts we’re excited to investigate for evidence of excess sulfur. For sol 4283, we have planned a ChemCam AEGIS activity, allowing autonomous target selection for upcoming geochemical spectrometry. If you’re interested in learning more about ChemCam AEGIS, check out this article. Written by Remington Free, Operations Systems Engineer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Share Details Last Updated Aug 26, 2024 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 4 min read Sols 4284–4286: Environmental Science Extravaganza Article 17 mins ago 2 min read Sols 4280-4281: Last Call at Kings Canyon Article 6 days ago 4 min read Sols 4277-4279: Getting Ready To Say Goodbye to the King! Article 7 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited… All Mars Resources Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,… Rover Basics Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a… Mars Exploration: Science Goals The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four… View the full article

Both versions of the Solar Array Sun Shield for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope appear in this photo, taken in the largest clean room at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. The flight version lies flat in the foreground, while the qualification assembly stands upright in the background. The flight panels will shade the mission’s instruments and power the observatory. NASA/Chris Gunn NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s Solar Array Sun Shield has successfully completed recent tests, signaling that the assembly is on track to be completed on schedule. The panels are designed to power and shade the observatory, enabling all the mission’s observations and helping keep the instruments cool. The Roman team has two sets of these panels –– one that will fly aboard the observatory and another as a test structure, used specifically for preliminary assessments. Engineers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, evaluated the test version in a thermal vacuum chamber, which simulates the hot and cold temperatures and low-pressure environment the flight panels will experience in space. Since the panels will be stowed for launch, the team practiced deploying them in space-like conditions. The solar panels for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope are undergoing assessment in a test chamber at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in this photo.NASA/Chris Gunn Meanwhile, a vendor built up the flight version by fitting the panels with solar cells. After delivery to Goddard, technicians tested the solar cells by flashing the panels with a bright light that simulates the Sun. “We save a significant amount of time and money by using two versions of the panels, because we can do a lot of preliminary tests on a spare while moving further in the process with the flight version,” said Jack Marshall, the Solar Array Sun Shield lead at NASA Goddard. “It streamlines the process and also avoids risking damage to the panels that will go on the observatory, should testing reveal a flaw.” Next spring, the flight version of the Solar Array Sun Shield will be installed on the Roman spacecraft. Then, the whole spacecraft will go through thorough testing to ensure it will hold up during launch and perform as expected in space. To virtually tour an interactive version of the telescope, visit: https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/interactive By Ashley Balzer NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media contact: Claire Andreoli claire.andreoli@nasa.gov NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 301-286-1940 Explore More 5 min read NASA Tests Deployment of Roman Space Telescope’s ‘Visor’ Article 2 weeks ago 6 min read How NASA’s Roman Space Telescope Will Illuminate Cosmic Dawn Article 1 month ago 3 min read NASA’s Roman Space Telescope’s ‘Eyes’ Pass First Vision Test Article 4 months ago Share Details Last Updated Aug 26, 2024 EditorAshley BalzerContactAshley Balzerashley.m.balzer@nasa.govLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related TermsNancy Grace Roman Space TelescopeGoddard Space Flight CenterScience-enabling TechnologySpace Communications Technology View the full article

5 Min Read Webb Finds Early Galaxies Weren’t Too Big for Their Britches After All This image shows a small portion of the field observed by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) for the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) survey. The full image appears below. Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, S. Finkelstein (University of Texas) It got called the crisis in cosmology. But now astronomers can explain some surprising recent discoveries. When astronomers got their first glimpses of galaxies in the early universe from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, they were expecting to find galactic pipsqueaks, but instead they found what appeared to be a bevy of Olympic bodybuilders. Some galaxies appeared to have grown so massive, so quickly, that simulations couldn’t account for them. Some researchers suggested this meant that something might be wrong with the theory that explains what the universe is made of and how it has evolved since the big bang, known as the standard model of cosmology. According to a new study in the Astrophysical Journal led by University of Texas at Austin graduate student Katherine Chworowsky, some of those early galaxies are in fact much less massive than they first appeared. Black holes in some of these galaxies make them appear much brighter and bigger than they really are. “We are still seeing more galaxies than predicted, although none of them are so massive that they ‘break’ the universe,” Chworowsky said. The evidence was provided by Webb’s Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) Survey, led by Steven Finkelstein, a professor of astronomy at UT Austin and study co-author. Image A : CEERS Deep Field (NIRCam) This image shows a small portion of the field observed by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) for the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) survey. It is filled with galaxies. Some galaxies appear to have grown so massive, so quickly, that simulations couldn’t account for them. However, a new study finds that some of those early galaxies are in fact much less massive than they first appeared. Black holes in some of those galaxies make them appear much brighter and bigger than they really are. NASA, ESA, CSA, S. Finkelstein (University of Texas) View 8k pixel full resolution version of the image Black Holes Add to Brightness According to this latest study, the galaxies that appeared overly massive likely host black holes rapidly consuming gas. Friction in the fast-moving gas emits heat and light, making these galaxies much brighter than they would be if that light emanated just from stars. This extra light can make it appear that the galaxies contain many more stars, and hence are more massive, than we would otherwise estimate. When scientists remove these galaxies, dubbed “little red dots” (based on their red color and small size), from the analysis, the remaining early galaxies are not too massive to fit within predictions of the standard model. “So, the bottom line is there is no crisis in terms of the standard model of cosmology,” Finkelstein said. “Any time you have a theory that has stood the test of time for so long, you have to have overwhelming evidence to really throw it out. And that’s simply not the case.” Efficient Star Factories Although they’ve settled the main dilemma, a less thorny problem remains: There are still roughly twice as many massive galaxies in Webb’s data of the early universe than expected from the standard model. One possible reason might be that stars formed more quickly in the early universe than they do today. “Maybe in the early universe, galaxies were better at turning gas into stars,” Chworowsky said. Star formation happens when hot gas cools enough to succumb to gravity and condense into one or more stars. But as the gas contracts, it heats up, generating outward pressure. In our region of the universe, the balance of these opposing forces tends to make the star formation process very slow. But perhaps, according to some theories, because the early universe was denser than today, it was harder to blow gas out during star formation, allowing the process to go faster. More Evidence of Black Holes Concurrently, astronomers have been analyzing the spectra of “little red dots” discovered with Webb, with researchers in both the CEERS team and others finding evidence of fast-moving hydrogen gas, a signature of black hole accretion disks. This supports the idea that at least some of the light coming from these compact, red objects comes from gas swirling around black holes, rather than stars – reinforcing Chworowsky and their team’s conclusion that they are probably not as massive as astronomers initially thought. However, further observations of these intriguing objects are incoming, and should help solve the puzzle about how much light comes from stars versus gas around black holes. Often in science, when you answer one question, that leads to new questions. While Chworowsky and their colleagues have shown that the standard model of cosmology likely isn’t broken, their work points to the need for new ideas in star formation. “And so there is still that sense of intrigue,” Chworowsky said. “Not everything is fully understood. That’s what makes doing this kind of science fun, because it’d be a terribly boring field if one paper figured everything out, or there were no more questions to answer.”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 CSA (Canadian Space Agency). Downloads Right click any image to save it or open a larger version in a new tab/window via the browser’s popup menu. View/Download all image products at all resolutions for this article from the Space Telescope Science Institute. View/Download the research results from the Astrophysical Journal . Media Contacts Laura Betz – laura.e.betz@nasa.gov, Rob Gutro – rob.gutro@nasa.gov NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Marc Airhart – mairhart@austin.utexas.edu University of Texas at Austin Christine Pulliam – cpulliam@stsci.edu Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md. Related Information VIDEO: CEERS Fly-through data visualization ARTICLE: Webb Science – Galaxies Through Time INFOGRAPHIC: Learn More about black holes VIDEO: Webb Science Snippets Video: “The Early Universe” INFOGRAPHIC: What is Cosmological Redshift? More Webb News More Webb Images Webb Science Themes Webb Mission Page Related For Kids What is a galaxy? What is the Webb Telescope? SpacePlace for Kids En Español Para Niños : Qué es una galaxia? Ciencia de la NASA NASA en español Space Place para niños Keep Exploring Related Topics James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… Exoplanets Exoplanet Stories Universe Share Details Last Updated Aug 26, 2024 Editor Stephen Sabia Contact Laura Betz laura.e.betz@nasa.gov Related Terms Astrophysics Galaxies Galaxies, Stars, & Black Holes Galaxies, Stars, & Black Holes Research Goddard Space Flight Center James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Science & Research The Universe View the full article

2 min read Hubble Captures Unique Ultraviolet View of a Spectacular Star Cluster NASA, ESA, and C. Murray (Space Telescope Science Institute); Image Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) Roughly 210,000 light-years away, the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is one of our Milky Way galaxy’s closest neighbors. In fact, this small galaxy is one of the Milky Way’s “satellite” galaxies, which orbit our home spiral galaxy. Nested within the SMC is this spectacular star cluster, known as NGC 346. Its hot stars unleash a torrent of radiation and energetic outflows, which erode the denser portions of gas and dust in the surrounding nebula, N66. Dozens of hot, blue, and high-mass stars shine within NGC 346, and astronomers believe this cluster contains more than half of the known high-mass stars in the whole SMC. This inset image shows the location of NGC 346 within the Small Magellanic Cloud. NASA, ESA, C. Murray (Space Telescope Science Institute), and ESO/VISTA VMC; Image Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has observed this cluster before, but its new view shows NGC 346 in ultraviolet light, along with some visible-light data. Ultraviolet light helps scientists understand more about star formation and evolution, and Hubble – with its combined sharp resolution and position above our UV-blocking atmosphere – is the only telescope with the ability to make sensitive, ultraviolet observations. These two Hubble images of NGC 346 show the star cluster in visible and ultraviolet wavelengths of light. NASA, ESA, A. James (STScI), and C. Murray (Space Telescope Science Institute); Image Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) These specific observations were gathered to learn more about how star formation shapes the interstellar medium, which is the gas distributed throughout seemingly empty space, in a low-metallicity galaxy like the SMC. Astronomers call elements heavier than hydrogen and helium “metals,” and the SMC contains fewer metals when compared to most parts of our Milky Way. This condition helps make it an excellent example of a galaxy similar to those that existed in our early universe, when very few heavy elements were around to incorporate. Download Image Explore More Hubble’s Galaxies Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD claire.andreoli@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Aug 26, 2024 Editor Michelle Belleville Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Astrophysics Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Stars Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble Science Hubble’s Galaxies Stars View the full article

14 Min Read The Making of Our Alien Earth: The Undersea Volcanoes of Santorini, Greece The expedition team and crew prepare to deploy Nereid Under Ice (NUI) into the sea. The following expedition marks the third installment of NASA Astrobiology’s fieldwork series, the newly rebranded Our Alien Earth, streaming on NASA+. Check out all three episodes following teams of astrobiologists from the lava fields of Holuhraun, Iceland, to the Isua Greenstone Belt of Greenland, and finally, the undersea volcanoes of Santorini, Greece. And stay tuned for the lava tubes of Mauna Loa, Hawaii in 2025. THE VOYAGE BEGINS My career at NASA has always felt like a mad scientist’s concoction of equal parts hard work, perseverance, absurd luck, and happenstance. It was due to this mad blend that I suddenly found myself on the deck of a massive tanker ship in the middle of the Mediterranean sea, watching a team of windburnt scientists, engineers, and sailors through my camera lens as they wrestled with a 5,000lb submersible hanging in the air. The expedition team and crew prepare to deploy Nereid Under Ice (NUI) into the sea. “Let it out, Molly, slack off a little bit…” shouts deck boss Mario Fernandez, as he coordinates the dozen people maneuvering the vehicle. It’s a delicate dance as the hybrid remotely operated vehicle (ROV), Nereid Under Ice (NUI), is hoisted off the ship and deployed into the sea. “Tagline slips, line breaks… you’ve got a 5,000lb wrecking ball,” recounts Mario in an interview later that day. How did I get here? A few years ago I found myself roaming the poster halls of the Astrobiology Science Conference in Bellevue, Washington, struggling to decipher the jargon of a dozen disciplines doing their best to share their discoveries; phrases like lipid biomarkers, anaerobic biospheres, and macromolecular emergence floated past me as I walked. I felt like a Peanuts character listening to an adult speak. Until I stumbled upon a poster by Dr. Richard Camilli entitled, Risk-Aware Adaptive Sampling for the Search for Life in Ocean Worlds. I was quickly enthralled in a whirlwind of icy moons, fleets of deep sea submersible vehicles, and life at sea. Dr. Richard Camilli, principal investigator of a research expedition to explore undersea volcanoes off the coast of Santorini. “Are you free in November?” “Absolutely,” I replied without checking a single calendar. Five months and three flights later, I arrived at the port of Lavrio, Greece, as Dr. Camilli and his team were unloading their suite of vehicles from gigantic shipping crates onto the even more massive research vessel. I stocked up on motion sickness tablets, said a silent farewell to land, and boarded the ship destined for the undersea Kolumbo volcano. Greece is a great place to study geology, because it’s a kind of supermarket of natural disasters. Dr. Paraskevi NomikoU University of Athens The expedition sets out to sea as the sun sets in the distance. LIFE AT SEA Documenting astrobiology fieldwork has taken me to some pretty remote and rough places. Sleeping in wooden shacks in Iceland without running water and electricity, or bundled up in a zero-degree sleeping bag in a tent while being buffeted by gale force winds in the wilderness of Greenland. But life at sea? Life at sea is GOOD. Filmmaker Mike Toillion takes a selfie, holding up a peace sign with members of the science team. From left to right: NASA Astrobiology/Mike Toillion Mike Toillion, creator of Our Alien Earth, taking a selfie with members of the glider team. From left to right: Matt Walter and Gideon Billings of the autonomous sampling team inside the ship’s control room. I was fortunate to have a personal cabin all to myself: a set of bunk beds, a small bathroom with a shower, and a small desk with plenty of outlets for charging my gear. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the mess hall. Aside from a freshly rotated menu of three hot meals a day, it was open 24/7 with a constant lineup of snacks to keep bellies full and morale high. This was luxury fieldwork. The ability to live, work, and socialize all in the same place would make this trip special in its own right, and allowed me to really get to know the team and capture every angle of this incredibly complex and multi-faceted expedition. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The ship in the port of Lavrio, Greece. The team will spend two full days docked here while preparing for the voyage ahead. NASA Astrobiology/Mike Toillion SEARCHING FOR LIFE ON OCEAN WORLDS “The goal of this program is cooperative exploration with under-actuated vehicles in hazardous environments,” explains Dr. Camilli as we stand on the bow of the ship, the sun beginning to set in the distance. “These vehicles work cooperatively in order to explore areas that are potentially too dangerous or too far away for humans to go.” This is the problem at hand with exploring icy ocean worlds like Jupiter’s moon, Europa. The tremendous distance between Earth and Europa means we will barely be able to communicate and control vehicles that we send to the surface, and will face even more difficulty once those vehicles dive below the ice. This makes Earth’s ocean a perfect testbed for developing autonomous, intelligent robotic explorers. “I’ve always been struck at how parallel ocean exploration and space exploration is,” says Brian Williams, professor from the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT. “Once you go through the surface, you can’t communicate. So, somehow you have to embody the key insights of a scientist, to be able to look and see: is that evidence of life?” One of the gliders, an autonomous scouting vehicle equipped with multple sensors to map the seafloor and report back to the ship. NASA Astrobiology/Mike Toillion MEET THE FLEET Exploring anywhere in space begins with a few simple steps: first, you need to get a general map of the area, which is typically done by deploying orbiters around a celestial body. The next step is to get a closer look, by launching lander and rover missions to the surface. Finally, in order to understand the location best, you need to bring samples back to Earth to study in greater detail. “So you can think of what we’re doing here as being very parallel, that the ship is like the orbiter and is giving us a broad view of the Kolumbo volcano, right? Once we do that map, then we need to be able to explore interesting places to collect samples. So, the gliders are navigating around places that look promising from what the ship told us. And then, it looks to identify places where we might want to send NUI. NUI is very capable in terms of doing the samples, but it can’t move around nearly as much. And so, we finally put NUI at the places where the gliders thought that they were interesting.” To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The expedition team works into the night preparing NUI for its upcoming mission to the Kolumbo volcano. NASA Astrobiology/Mike Toillion THE SCIENTIST’S ROBOTIC APPRENTICE As the espresso machine in the mess hall whirred away pouring out a much needed shot of caffeine, I sat with Eric Timmons, one of the expedition’s computer science engineers. Eric wears a few hats on the ship, but today we are discussing automated mission planning, the first step to true autonomy in robotic exploration. “In any sort of scientific mission, you’re going to have a list of goals, each with their own set of steps, and a limited amount of time to achieve them. And so, Kirk works on automating that.” Kirk is the nickname of one of the many algorithms involved in the team’s automated mission planning. It’s joined by other algorithms, all named after Star Trek characters, collectively known as Enterprise, each responsible for different aspects of planning a mission and actively adapting to new mission parameters. Dr. Richard Camilli explains further: “Basically, we have scientists onboard the ship that are feeding policies to these automated planners. [The planners] then take those policies plus historical information, the oceanographic context, and new information being transmitted by the vehicles here and now; they take all that information, and combine it to construct a mission that gets to the scientific deliverables, while also being safe.” These are areas that humans aren’t designed to go to. I guess the best analogy would be like hang gliding in Midtown Manhattan at night. Dr. richard camilli Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution OK, let’s recap the story so far: the ship’s sonar and other instruments create a general map of the Kolumbo volcano. That information, along with data from previous missions, is fed to Enterprise’s team of algorithms, which generates a mission for the gliders. The gliders are deployed, and using their sensors, provide higher-fidelity data about the area and transmit that knowledge back to the ship. The automated mission planners take in this new data, and revise their mission plan, ranking potential sites of scientific interest, which are then passed onto NUI, which will conduct its own mission to explore these sites, and potentially sample anything of interest. DIVE, DIVE, DIVE After a few days on the ship, the routine of donning my steel-toed boots and hard hat when walking around the deck has started to become second nature. My drone skills have greatly improved, as the magnetic field produced by the ship and its instruments forced me to take-off and land manually, carefully guiding the drone in and around the many hazards of the vessel. This morning, however, I’ve been invited to step off the ship for the first time to get a first-hand look at deploying the gliders. Angelos Mallios from the glider team leads me down into the bowels of the ship to the lower decks, as we arrive at a door that opens to the outside of the ship, waves lapping about six feet below. A zodiac pulls up to the door and we descend down a ladder into the small boat. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Riding in the zodiac with the glider team, led by Angelos Mallios. NASA Astrobiology/Mike Toillion Meanwhile, the rest of the glider team is on the main deck of the ship, lifting the gliders with a large, motorized crane, and lowering them onto the surface of the water. The zodiac team approached to detach the glider and safely set it out into the sea, while I dipped a monopod-mounted action camera in and out of the water to capture the process. Unbeknownst to me at the time, this would become some of my favorite footage of the trip, sunlight dancing off the surface of the waves, while the gliders floated and dove beneath. Angelos’ radio began to chatter. Eric Timmons was onboard the ship ready to command the gliders to begin their mission plan assigned by Enterprise. A moment passed and the yellow fin of the glider dipped below the water’s surface and disappeared. Angelos Mallios from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, leans out of a zodiac to deploy a glider, an autonomous vehicle and the forward scout for the expedition. NUI VERSUS THE VOLCANO The following day, it was time to see the star of the show in action; the expedition team was ready to deploy the aforementioned 5,000lb wrecking ball, NUI. The gliders had been exploring the surrounding area day and night, using their suite of sensors to detect areas of scientific interest. Since this mission is about searching for life, the gliders know that warmer areas could indicate hydrothermal vent activity; a literal hotspot for life in the deep ocean. Kirk, along with the science planner algorithm, Spock, determined a list of possible candidates that fit that exact description. “There’s always a bit of tension in the operations, where, do you go strike out in an area that is unstudied and potentially come back with nothing? Or do you go to a site that you know and try to understand it a little bit more, that kind of incremental advance?” Dr. Camilli pauses to take a quick swig of sparkling water after a long day of diving operations, as he recounts a moment in the control room earlier that day. All the scientists onboard this expedition are extremely skilled and knowledgable, and this mission is asking them to put aside their instincts, and follow the suggestions of computer algorithms; a hard pill to swallow for some. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Underwater footage from Nereid Under Ice, showing a thriving community on the sea floor, including a never before seen species. NASA Astrobiology/Mike Toillion and WHOI “We stuck with the Spock program, and it paid great dividends. And all of the scientists were amazed at what they saw. The first site that we went to was spectacular. The second site we went to was spectacular. Each of the five sites that it identified as interesting were interesting, and they were each interesting in a different way; totally different environments.” Interesting, in this case, was quite the understatement. As the expedition team and I crowded into the ship’s control room to look at the camera feeds transmitted by NUI, now fully deployed to the seafloor, audible gasps erupted from multiple people. Bubbles filled the monitor as live fumaroles, active vents from the volcano, were pouring out heat and chemical-rich fluid into the water. Thick, microbial mats covered the surrounding rock, and multicellular lifeforms dotted the landscape. The expedition team had found a live hydrothermal vent, and life thriving around it. SOUVENIRS FROM THE OCEAN FLOOR “I’ve never seen anything like that before,” recalls Casey Machado, expedition lead and the main pilot for Nereid Under Ice (NUI). Casey is sitting in an office chair surrounded by glowing monitors, a joystick in their left hand, and a gaming controller in their right. Since NUI is a hybrid ROV, it can be controlled manually from the ship by remote, or receive autonomous instructions from the Enterprise mission planners. Today, the team plans on manually controlling NUI to retrieve samples from the first site of interest. NUI is a strange looking vehicle. Only a small section of its body is watertight, where many of its critical components are housed. The remainder is fairly open, and upon arriving at the first site recommended by Spock, the front of the ROV opens up its front double doors to reveal a multi-jointed manipulator arm, stereo camera set, and other instruments. I’m instantly reminded of the space shuttle mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope, which had a similar mechanism. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Casey Machado, pilot of the hybrid ROV Nereid Under Ice (NUI), pilots the manipulator arm to take a rock sample. NASA Astrobiology/Mike Toillion Casey deftly maneuvers each joint of the arm to approach a rock covered in microbial mats. The end of NUI’s arm is equipped with two sampling instruments: a claw-like grabbing mechanism and a vacuum-like hose called the “slurp gun”. The end of the arm twists and turns as Machado aligns it with the rock, eventually opening and closing it around the target. With a gentle pull, the rock comes loose, and with a few more careful manipulations places it delicately into NUI’s sample cache. I offer a high-five, which Casey nonchalantly returns like the whole task was nothing. TEACHING A ROBOT TO FISH At this point, the expedition team has collected dozens of samples and achieved multiple engineering milestones, enough to fill years’ worth of scientific papers, but they are far from finished. A true mission to an ocean world will have to be pilotless, as Dr. Gideon Billings from MIT explains: “They need to operate without any human intervention. They need to be able to understand the scene through perception and then make a decision about how they want to manipulate to take a sample or achieve a task.” Gideon sits in the control room to the left of the piloting station, working alongside Casey as they prepare to demonstrate NUI’s automated sampling capabilities. His laptop screen shows a live 3D-model of the craft, its doors open, arm extended. Projected around the craft is a 3D reconstruction, or point cloud, of the seafloor created from the stereo camera pair mounted inside the vehicle. Similarly to how our brains take the two visual feeds from both of our eyes to see three-dimensionally, a stereo camera pair uses two cameras to achieve the same effect. By clicking on the model and moving its position in the software, NUI performs the same action thousands of meters under the ocean. Shared autonomy between the automated sampling team and the ROV Nereid Under Ice. “That is shared autonomy, where you could imagine a pilot indicating a desired pose for the arm to move to, but then a planner taking over and coming up with the path that the arm should move to reach that goal. And then, the pilot just essentially hitting a button and the arm following that path.” Over the course of multiple dives, Gideon tested various sampling techniques, directing the manipulator arm to use its claw-like device to grab different tools and perform a variety of tasks. “We were able to project the point cloud into that scene, and then command the arm to grab a push core and move it into a location within that 3D reconstruction. We verified that that location matched up. That showed the viability of an autonomous system.” This seemingly small victory is a huge step towards exploring planets beyond Earth. Since this expedition, the engineering team has not only improved this shared autonomy system, but has also implemented a natural language interface, allowing a user to use their normal speaking voice to give commands to the ROV, further blurring the lines between reality and science fiction. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The sun rises over the Mediterranean Sea on the final day of the research cruise. NASA Astrobiology/Mike Toillion SOMEWHERE BEYOND THE SEA I cannot help but envy the life of those who chose to make the ocean their place of work. The time I’ve spent with oceanographers has me questioning all my life choices; clearly they knew something I didn’t. Watching the sunrise every morning, peering through the murky depths of the deep sea, unlocking the secrets of Earth’s final frontier. All in a day’s work for Dr. Richard Camilli and his team of intrepid explorers. Watch Our Alien Earth and The Undersea Volcanoes of Santorini, Greece on NASA+ and follow the full story of this incredible expedition. Watch Our Alien Earth on NASA+ Panorama of a sunrise at sea. View the full article

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and leadership host a live news conference on Saturday, Aug. 24 at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to give a status update about NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test.Credit: NASA NASA will return Boeing’s Starliner to Earth without astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams aboard the spacecraft, the agency announced Saturday. The uncrewed return allows NASA and Boeing to continue gathering testing data on Starliner during its upcoming flight home, while also not accepting more risk than necessary for its crew. Wilmore and Williams, who flew to the International Space Station in June aboard NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, have been busy supporting station research, maintenance, and Starliner system testing and data analysis, among other activities. “Spaceflight is risky, even at its safest and most routine. A test flight, by nature, is neither safe, nor routine. The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing’s Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “I’m grateful to both the NASA and Boeing teams for all their incredible and detailed work.” Wilmore and Williams will continue their work formally as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew through February 2025. They will fly home aboard a Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members assigned to the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission. Starliner is expected to depart from the space station and make a safe, controlled autonomous re-entry and landing in early September. NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and experienced issues with the spacecraft reaction control thrusters on June 6 as Starliner approached the space station. Since then, engineering teams have completed a significant amount of work, including reviewing a collection of data, conducting flight and ground testing, hosting independent reviews with agency propulsion experts, and developing various return contingency plans. The uncertainty and lack of expert concurrence does not meet the agency’s safety and performance requirements for human spaceflight, thus prompting NASA leadership to move the astronauts to the Crew-9 mission. “Decisions like this are never easy, but I want to commend our NASA and Boeing teams for their thorough analysis, transparent discussions, and focus on safety during the Crew Flight Test,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate. “We’ve learned a lot about the spacecraft during its journey to the station and its docked operations. We also will continue to gather more data about Starliner during the uncrewed return and improve the system for future flights to the space station.” NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts (from top) Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams pose on June 13, 2024 for a portrait inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station’s Harmony module and Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.Credit: NASA Starliner is designed to operate autonomously and previously completed two uncrewed flights. NASA and Boeing will work together to adjust end-of-mission planning and Starliner’s systems to set up for the uncrewed return in the coming weeks. Starliner must return to Earth before the Crew-9 mission launches to ensure a docking port is available on station. “Starliner is a very capable spacecraft and, ultimately, this comes down to needing a higher level of certainty to perform a crewed return,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “The NASA and Boeing teams have completed a tremendous amount of testing and analysis, and this flight test is providing critical information on Starliner’s performance in space. Our efforts will help prepare for the uncrewed return and will greatly benefit future corrective actions for the spacecraft.” NASA’s Commercial Crew Program requires spacecraft fly a crewed test flight to prove the system is ready for regular flights to and from the space station. Following Starliner’s return, the agency will review all mission-related data to inform what additional actions are required to meet NASA’s certification requirements. The agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, originally slated with four crew members, will launch no earlier than Tuesday, Sept. 24. The agency will share more information about the Crew-9 complement when details are finalized. NASA and SpaceX currently are working several items before launch, including reconfiguring seats on the Crew-9 Dragon, and adjusting the manifest to carry additional cargo, personal effects, and Dragon-specific spacesuits for Wilmore and Williams. In addition, NASA and SpaceX now will use new facilities at Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to launch Crew-9, which provides increased operational flexibility around NASA’s planned Europa Clipper launch. The Crew-9 mission will be the ninth rotational mission to the space station under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which works with the American aerospace industry to meet the goal of safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the orbital outpost on American-made rockets and spacecraft launching from American soil. For more than two decades, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. As commercial companies focus on providing human space transportation services and destinations as part of a robust low Earth orbit economy, NASA’s Artemis campaign is underway at the Moon where the agency is preparing for future human exploration of Mars. Find more information on NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew -end- Meira Bernstein / Josh Finch Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 meira.b.bernstein@nasa.gov / joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov Steve Siceloff / Danielle Sempsrott / Stephanie Plucinsky Kennedy Space Center, Florida 321-867-2468 steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov / danielle.c.sempsrott@nasa.gov / stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov Leah Cheshier / Sandra Jones Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 leah.d.cheshier@nasa.gov / sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Aug 24, 2024 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsCommercial CrewInternational Space Station (ISS) View the full article

As a Human Resource Business Partner at NASA Headquarters, Selina Salgado describes her job as helping with “all things people” for the enterprise. By facilitating technological solutions to human resources (HR) challenges and needs, she excels at an often-underestimated aspect of Digital Transformation (DT): the interpersonal side. As a champion of community building, knowledge sharing, and digital upskilling, Selina was an easy selection for this month’s Digital Transformer award. Selina started at NASA in 2019 as a Pathways intern and previously worked as a mentoring coordinator for Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), which is where her Digital Transformation journey began. At MSFC, she created an all-in-one, automated system for open job postings, which decreased the agency’s time to hire and increased visibility for available positions. She has aspirations for further leveraging these types of systems to improve inclusive teaming across NASA by making HR tools available and interoperable across centers. Her current team under the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) operates with an 80-20 mentality, working to create common tools and solutions that are 80% interoperable and 20% customizable to the specific organization or scenario. In addition to her technical work on digital HR tools like the automated job board, Selina takes initiative to help people understand what transformation means to them and how to practice transformation in their daily lives. In collaboration with Jess Deibert, DT Digital Academy Lead, Selina created the new Transformation Tips (TxTips) series, which features NASA employees’ tech-related tips for doing their work. The instant popularity of the community-led series led to speaker requests for TxTip presentations from several other offices at NASA, including the Office of STEM Engagement. Most recently, Selina has become a key contributor and partner in NASA’s Summer of AI upskilling campaign to help employees maximize the benefits of AI while managing risks. As a self-taught developer, Selina has created several tools and apps to streamline agency-wide collaboration and data collection. She leveraged PowerApps, Power Automate, and Power BI, integrated with SharePoint, to feed data to a dashboard used by the Agency Chief AI Officer to brief the Administrator on impact metrics from the Summer of AI campaign. Selina also developed and executed several events to engage and excite the workforce around this campaign, including conceiving the agency’s first “Battle of the Bots” event. Her Reddit-style “Ask Me Anything” event helped employees understand the differences in large language models by pitting ChatGPT against Microsoft CoPilot to respond to participant-submitted prompts and questions. The Battle of the Bots saw the highest engagement of any asynchronous Summer of AI event. Selina’s educational background aligns with her focus on the connective and collaborative aspects of Digital Transformation. She received her bachelor’s degree in business management with a focus in human resource management and her master’s degree in education and student affairs, which led to her interest in NASA’s internship and mentorship programs. The connection piece, she says, is what she enjoys most about collaborating with DT. “If you run into an issue, there’s a community of practice out there for you to reach out to and engage with…to build that network with other employees that are interested in and passionate about transformation.” The other influence Selina points to along her Digital Transformation journey is her military background. “I grew up in a military household, and then I joined the Navy right out of high school. There’s a culture there of how to get things done,” says Selina. “What drives my passion for processes and systems is that it’s transferrable to somebody else…I need to be able to pass that on to the next person.” She gets energized by learning new tools and finding solutions to roadblocks, especially when she can establish procedures for others to leverage and build on her work. “That’s something that I love about transformation and just change in general—that you get to develop and learn and connect with new people.” If there’s one message Selina hopes to spread at NASA through her achievements as a Digital Transformer, it’s that Digital Transformation is for everyone. “You don’t have to be in IT, you don’t have to have that background or technical [ability],” she says. “I mean, I’m in HR. Any field at NASA can utilize the digital landscape and digital transformation. Those principles and resources are available for everybody.” View the full article