NASA

Gwendolyn Wheatle is an Administrative Assistant in the Office of STEM Engagement at NASA Langley Research Center.NASA/David C. Bowman Gwendolyn Wheatle currently serves as the Administrative Assistant for the Office of STEM Engagement at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. What started as a temporary, three-week clerical position supporting the Office of the Chief Scientist has blossomed into a 38-year career at NASA. In 1986, Gwendolyn joined the Office of Education (now OSTEM). She says Dr. Michael Card, former Chief Scientist, Dr. Samuel E. Massenberg, former NASA Langley Director of Education, and Robert Yang, who was the University Affairs Officer, were all instrumental in her career. Gwendolyn also enjoyed working with Dr. Christine Darden, aerospace engineer and pioneer in supersonic aircraft noise research and sonic boom reduction, when Darden served as Director of Education. Gwendolyn formed a professional relationship with retired NASA astronauts Dr. Mae Jemison, Leland Melvin, and Roger Crouch. She also shared memorable experiences with renowned mathematician and “Hidden Figure” Katherine Johnson. Gwendolyn graduated from Walton High School in the Bronx, N.Y. and then furthered her education at Lehman College in the Bronx where she pursued a degree in early childhood education. She says working with the brilliant people of NASA Langley has been both rewarding and inspiring. Who or what inspired you to choose your career and why? Before joining NASA Langley, I worked for the Newport News Shipyard, which I loved. When I bought my first home my next-door neighbor was Frank Quinto, retired NASA Langley employee, and then directly across from me lived Robert Yang, who is now at NASA Headquarters. As neighbors, we had casual conversations, and they would tell me about their career here at NASA. I said to Bob Yang one day, “I would love to work for NASA!” One day we were talking, and he [Bob Yang] said, “Gwen, our admin is leaving for about three weeks, and we need somebody to fill in her position while she’s out. It’s only three weeks.” I said, “I’m not quitting my job for three weeks!” but something about it stuck with me. I couldn’t sleep that night thinking about it, and the next day I saw Bob and I said, “You know what? I’m going to apply for that three-week position at NASA.” I had to apply for the position through a temporary agency called Carol Maden Temporary Services. I was selected for the position and quit my job. They brought me in, and the three weeks has turned into 38 years! What do you find most rewarding about working with NASA? The people I’ve met and rubbed shoulders with throughout my career, as well as working with students and teachers have been the most rewarding aspects of working for NASA. Working in the Office of Education, I had to schedule presenters for our different workshops, including Mae Jemison, who was the first African American female astronaut. Speaking of astronauts, Roger Crouch and I traveled from Tulsa, Okla. to Oklahoma State University together, just the two of us. I’m driving and he says, “You better slow this vehicle down!” I said, “Wait a minute! You went faster than this up in space!” and he responded, “Yeah, but I didn’t worry about anybody pulling me over!” It was a joke! Just meeting him, being in his presence, and talking to him about his career was a wild moment. Others that I got to meet included Leland Melvin and Gamaliel Cherry, who became my directors. They were all students and interns in the co-op program. I remember when Leland became Associate Administrator for Education. When I think about it now, this has been an amazing journey. What do you enjoy doing outside of work? I do love singing, but my main hobby is helping senior citizens. My Mom recently moved into a senior citizen community, and I visit every Tuesday. I take the community members food, they play Bingo, and I take them out shopping at times. It is worth it just to see the smiles on their face. I want to encourage people and let them know there are people who care. What advice would you give to someone who might be interested in pursuing a career at NASA? There are a variety of opportunities at NASA. You don’t have to have a degree in engineering or science to hold a position at NASA. Using myself as an example, when I came to NASA, I wondered if I could do this because of my background in early childhood education. I quickly learned, no matter your degree, background, or experience, there is a place for you at NASA. How does your background and heritage contribute to your perspective and approach in your role at NASA? I am a people person and I’ll talk to anybody without even knowing who they are. I can just strike up a conversation! Because of that I feel it is important to form relationships with people and talk with them. Find out what they do. Listening to other people’s stories inspires me to continue to strive to do my best. Amazing things happen at NASA, and we work around some amazing people. Facebook logo @NASALaRC @NASA_Langley Instagram logo @NASA_Langley Linkedin logo @NASA-Langley-Research-Center Explore More 3 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Melanie Grande Article 10 mins ago 5 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Dr. Kanama Bivins Article 12 mins ago 3 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Anum Ashraf Article 13 mins ago View the full article

Dr. Kanama Bivins is Acting Associate Director at NASA Langley Research Center.NASA/David C. Bowman Dr. Kanama Bivins currently serves as the Acting Associate Director at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Prior to this role, Kanama was NASA Langley’s Chief Financial Officer. Kanama grew up in a military family and moved often but she considers the Hampton Roads area home. Following high school graduation, Kanama joined the United States Air Force where she served as a financial manager. She holds a doctorate degree in strategic leadership from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Kanama says her untraditional path to NASA highlights the many career opportunities the agency offers. Who or what inspired you to choose your career and why?  I didn’t choose a career. I chose the military. I chose service. In doing so, they [the U.S. Air Force] chose a career for me. Of course, they test you and they make determinations based on what they see as to what you should do. The Air Force chose financial management for me, and I really liked it. I earned my bachelor’s degree in accounting and continued along that career path. There were times that I considered doing something more hands on or operational [in the Air Force] and there were mentors along the way who said, “No, what we do is important and let me tell you why,” and that helped a lot. It was a non-traditional way of getting to do the work that I do now. What do you find most rewarding about working with NASA?   I think the opportunity to do this detail [as Acting Associate Director] is very unique to NASA. This has been great because I have been in financial management the balance of my career. I appreciate the opportunity to step away and do something different while still having a tie to that financial piece because I do manage the center budget primarily now. I think you can become very familiar with what you do so I enjoy being in a role that allows me to touch so many parts of the center. It gives me a very tangible connection to the center and that has proven invaluable to me. What do you enjoy doing outside of work?   I love spending time with my family. My daughter just turned 16. I know she’s going to go off in the world soon so I’m trying to maximize my time with her. My husband and I also love to travel. We are huge National Football League (NFL) fans and love following our team, the San Francisco 49ers. My daughter sails competitively so we travel the country following her for sailing. Personally, I try to become involved in activities that aren’t familiar to me. I sit on the Board [of Governors] of the Virginia Opera, which is not something I was familiar with or thought that I would do. The experience has been eye opening and amazing! I am also actively involved with my church and engage with my community through the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) and the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO). What advice would you give to someone who might be interested in pursuing a career at NASA? Find out what it is that you like to do and the thing about NASA is there is a place for you here. Whether it’s human resources, financial management, procurement, aerosciences, space technology and exploration, or engineering: all have a place here at NASA. Once you find the career that you want to pursue, look for opportunities to connect with people who do that work. There is a lot of information that you can only get from talking to somebody that actually does that work or has that experience, so be targeted as you network and intentional about connecting with people who are doing the type of work that you are interested in pursuing. Also be prepared and do your research to understand the different paths to your desired career opportunity. No matter what it is you choose to do, there are opportunities at NASA for any career field. How does your background and heritage contribute to your perspective and approach in your role at NASA?   My parents are both from overseas, so I am a first-generation American. I have a diverse family background and grew up surrounded by people who looked completely different [from me] but who shared the same values. We all came from the same place. That is also how I approach NASA. We are all very different. We all have very different experiences. But we all share the same mission and we are all focused on the good of NASA. I also came from a military family which means I was surrounded by very diverse people growing up because the military is that shared value and vision. I hope it has allowed me to approach everything in a very well-rounded fashion. Facebook logo @NASALaRC @NASA_Langley Instagram logo @NASA_Langley Linkedin logo @NASA-Langley-Research-Center Explore More 3 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Melanie Grande Article 10 mins ago 5 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Gwendolyn Wheatle Article 11 mins ago 3 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Anum Ashraf Article 13 mins ago View the full article

Anum Ashraf is a Climate Scientist at NASA Langley Research Center.NASA/Angelique Herring Anum Ashraf is a Climate Scientist at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Originally set on pursuing a medical career, Anum found her calling in engineering and research. Now a “doctor for the planet” with a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, she uses her skills to study Earth’s radiation budget and develop instrumentation that can inform the future of our planet. Who or what inspired you to choose your career and why? I would have to say my parents and just my family. As a little girl, I didn’t grow up dreaming to be a scientist or an engineer at NASA. In fact, when I started my academics, I originally wanted to be a medical doctor, but my parents pushed me to have a backup plan, so I also pursued a degree in biomedical engineering. And that’s actually what’s worked out! What do you find most rewarding about working with NASA? What I find most rewarding is being part of a community and knowing that you are contributing to the greater good in some way—knowing that I am helping design instrumentation that is eventually going to go up in space to makes measurements of the climate, which will then help inform policymakers. And climate and weather instruments are important for our planet’s future, and I think being part of that is very rewarding, too. What do you enjoy doing outside of work? Lately, I have picked up knitting, and I enjoy knitting projects for my kids. Knitting is amazing! I enjoy it because, to some extent, there’s math involved—you count the stitches—and it’s very fulfilling at the end of the day. My daughter loves wearing her scarf that I knitted her. She goes to school, and she tells everybody “My momma knitted this,” and the teachers are so surprised. Like, your mom did that? Yeah, I’m talented like that! How does your background and heritage contribute to your perspective and approach in your role at NASA? I was born in Pakistan and moved to the states when I was ten years old. So, I’ve experienced and lived in different cultural backgrounds, and I think that’s really helped shape me. I am a principal investigator, so I lead a team of engineers and scientists who have very diverse backgrounds. It really takes a specific person with a specific set of qualities to morph all of those disciplines and really lead the team forward, and I think my upbringing has helped me excel in this role. Facebook logo @NASALaRC @NASA_Langley Instagram logo @NASA_Langley Linkedin logo @NASA-Langley-Research-Center Explore More 3 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Melanie Grande Article 10 mins ago 5 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Gwendolyn Wheatle Article 11 mins ago 5 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Dr. Kanama Bivins Article 12 mins ago View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Lisa Ziehmann is the Acting Deputy Center Director at NASA Langley Research Center.NASA/Angelique Herring Lisa Ziehmann is the Acting Deputy Center Director of NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Ziehmann’s lifelong love of numbers and problem solving led her to graduate from Christopher Newport College, now Christopher Newport University, with a degree in accounting. After spending time in the Mission Support Directorate at NASA’s Headquarters, she found her way back to Langley, where she now helps lead the center on its quest to innovate for the benefit of humanity. Who or what inspired you to choose your career and why?   My inspiration for my career path was my parents. They were both public servants; my father served in the Air Force for a number of years, and my mother volunteered for the Red Cross and worked in the public school system. So, I come from parents who were very much dedicated to public service. I feel like that’s been my guide in life. What do you find most rewarding about working with NASA?   It’s the people, not just here at NASA Langley, but across the entire agency. We just have the best workforce that I could ever imagine working with. They are so dedicated and passionate about the mission of NASA. It’s a varied mission, so there’s something for everyone. And we don’t hesitate to solve the tough problems, either. We work together. It’s like a family–we all rely on each other’s strengths. What do you enjoy doing outside of work?  I like to go on long walks with my dog, garden, and bake—all kinds of baking, but especially cakes and pies! I also like to travel to experience different cultures throughout the United States and around the world. And I enjoy being with family and friends, too. We’re all busy working, so finding the time to connect with family and friends is really important. How does your background and heritage contribute to your perspective and approach in your role at NASA?  My grandfather on my mother’s side worked in coal mines, and my grandfather on my dad’s side was a farmer. So, we came from a very humble upbringing. On my dad’s side, they immigrated to the United States when my dad was nine, and they really had to work hard. It’s just that hard work and can-do attitude that I think I experienced growing up and certainly has done me well in my career. I’m a collaborator and a problem solver, and in coal mines and farming, you have to do all that, too, right? You have to be flexible, and I think I learned that organically as I grew up. Facebook logo @NASALaRC @NASA_Langley Instagram logo @NASA_Langley Linkedin logo @NASA-Langley-Research-Center Explore More 3 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Melanie Grande Article 10 mins ago 5 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Gwendolyn Wheatle Article 11 mins ago 5 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Dr. Kanama Bivins Article 12 mins ago View the full article

“One of my proudest, happiest moments was watching an early-career researcher, who I met first when she was a graduate student conducting research and working on some new, innovative equipment. She was going to give a demonstration to a group of visitors, and as happened with me many times, everything works perfectly until the people show up – and the equipment wouldn’t do anything. So she took a few deep breaths and explained what we would have seen. “And then she actually became a NASA Postdoctoral Program fellow. And I watched her scientific growth and her confidence increase, and I watched her research transition through different areas until … she finished her postdoc and she got a fellowship to do some additional work in another institution. “And then we were both at a conference one time, and she pulled me over and she said, ‘Melissa, I just got a call,’ and she got this enormous grant … and I realized, ‘She has launched!’ … It was cool to watch the positive things. It was important for people to be there for her, to help her through the difficult times and tell her she could do it and [say], you know, ‘Just give it some more time.’ “She has become just like a force. She’s become one of the leaders in the astrobiology community, and I got to participate in all of that. And I’m so happy, and I know that there are going to be a ton more people who will follow in her footsteps, and I hope that I can interact with them also. “… I’ve just seen such tremendous things happen since I’ve been part of the Astrobiology Program, and that’s why I’m pretty confident we’re going to find life elsewhere, because there are just so many brilliant people working on this.” — Melissa Kirven-Brooks, Exobiology Deputy Branch Chief and Future Workforce Lead of the NASA Astrobiology Program, NASA’s Ames Research Center Image Credit: NASA / Brandon Torres Interviewer: NASA / Michelle Zajac Check out some of our other Faces of NASA. View the full article

6 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Kari AlvaradoNASA Graphics In honor of Women’s History Month, we recently sat down with Kari Alvarado, lead management analyst and Dryden Aeronautical Test Range (DATR) asset manager at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, to learn more about her role and working at NASA. What do you do at NASA and how do you help support Armstrong’s mission? I have had essentially 3 different careers. I began as an aircraft mechanic. After 11 years, I became a contracts specialist, and 17 years later a management analyst. What do you do at NASA and how do you help support Armstrong’s mission? I have had essentially 3 different careers. I began as an aircraft mechanic. After 11 years, I became a contracts specialist, and 17 years later a management analyst. Over the period I spent in maintenance, I supported multiple projects which advanced aero technology. I supported the F-18 flight platform to research fiber-optic smart actuator performance, a CV-990 to research space shuttle tire performance on different runways, and an F-104 to research air-flow over a fuselage mounted flight-test fixture. Towards the end of this career segment, I was a primary member of the team that transitioned the center aircraft fleet from paper maintenance records to electronic maintenance records. After 11 years in aircraft maintenance, I cross trained into the Office of Procurement, where I learned the art of federal contracting. At the perfect time, mentors helped me advance to the center’s largest procurement action, obtaining Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) platform project. I helped our center take in and administer the project contractually. After 17 years in procurement, I cross-trained to serve Armstrong in my current position in the Dryden Aeronautical Test Range (DATR), Mission Operations. I currently serve as a management analyst and range asset manager. I work with a team to manage the resources which enable aeronautical data transfer from aircraft to control centers, and data capture for the disciplined engineers in support of aeronautical research and technology advancement. Why did you choose to work at NASA and how long have you worked here? I did not know much about NASA when I applied. I was a young E-4 in the Air Force stationed at Edwards. I was going through a divorce and was about to be a single mother. I needed dependable employment. NASA was one of many places to which I applied and was the first to offer me work that was directly related to my Air Force training. I started at NASA on August 26, 1991. The center was called Ames Research Center, Dryden Flight Research Facility. The position was one of the best things that ever happened in my life, due to all the opportunities to excel at NASA. I am going into my 37th year of federal service; 33 years here at Armstrong. What has been your proudest accomplishment or highlight of your career? I feel proud that I have mentored others in their NASA careers. I am most proud of my own education and success as a female in a male-dominated environment of aircraft maintainers, and aeronautics professionals in general. After many years at NASA, I advanced to supervision of Armstrong’s Crew-Chiefs. This accomplishment reached to my core since civil rights was a significant part of my upbringing. It was especially unusual for a female to supervise in a predominantly male career field. As I served the center, the NASA environment allowed me to learn and thrive. The opportunities, up to that point, had included competing for and winning center training funds which helped me obtain a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. My proudest accomplishment in my second career, after obtaining the Deputy Procurement Officer supervision role in contracting, is that my team made significant contributions to the commercialization of sub-orbital space flight and payload integration. NASA’s investment in me allowed me to serve NASA while simultaneously excelling professionally and personally, and to further serve NASA. What is one piece of advice you’ve never forgotten? A critical mentor in my career advised me, I will never forget. I had earned my Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) license from the FAA. This had to do with another NASA provided opportunity. NASA had partnered with AV college to provide the access to fast-track A&P training for those who had aircraft experience. A fellow colleague was envious about my accomplishment of becoming licensed. When I expressed concern, my mentor advised me to never compare myself to others (as my colleague was doing). Only compare yourself to you, compare what I am doing to my own potential. My mentor’s advice has served me well. Do you have any advice for others like yourself who may be contemplating a career at NASA? Decide what you want and find a way to get there. You can always find a way. For those already at NASA, find opportunities. They are everywhere. Share your energy and wonder. Always ask questions. What is the most exciting aspect of your job? On a day-to-day, the camaraderie and teamwork that occur when working towards identified mission milestones. When looking overall at my career, being a part of the advancement of aeronautical history is most exciting. What did you want to be when you were growing up? A lawyer, and I got close by going into federal procurement. I got to hang out with the lawyers sometimes. Did you think you would ever work for NASA? Never. What’s the strangest tradition in your family? Or a unique family tradition? My family has had a strong military presence. Not an intentional tradition, but I come from people of discipline and who serve others. My entire immediate family served in 3 different services: my husband, self, and both sons. Military service extends to both our fathers, grandfathers, nephews, great aunts, and uncles. The services include Army Air Corp, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Air Force National Guard, Army Reserve, and Coast Guard. The commonality we all have is strong work ethic and commitment to service. If you could master a skill without any work, what would it be? Play guitar, violin, or the piano. Like anything good though, it takes work and dedication. Read More About Women at Armstrong Share Details Last Updated Mar 29, 2024 EditorDede DiniusContactAmber YarbroughLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related TermsArmstrong Flight Research CenterFeatured CareersLife at NASANASA Centers & FacilitiesPeople of NASAWhat We DoWomen's History Month Explore More 2 min read Collect Them All: NASA Center to Debut Postcards at Eclipse Event Article 6 hours ago 3 min read Hubble Finds a Field of Stars This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows a globular cluster called NGC 1651.… Article 6 hours ago 2 min read NASA, Salisbury U. Enact Agreement for Workforce Development Article 23 hours ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center People of NASA Armstrong People Women’s History Month View the full article

The April 8, 2024, solar eclipse will be visible in the entire contiguous United States, weather permitting. People along the path of totality stretching from Texas to Maine will have the chance to see a total solar eclipse; outside this path, a partial solar eclipse will be visible.Credits: NASA On Monday, April 8, most of North America will have the chance to see the Moon pass in front of the Sun during a solar eclipse. NASA is inviting the public to participate with in-person events, opportunities to do NASA science, and multiple ways to watch online. Millions of people along the path of totality – which stretches from Texas to Maine in the United States – will see a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely covers the Sun. Outside the path of totality, people across the contiguous United States will have a chance to see a partial solar eclipse, when the Moon covers part of the Sun. Learn how to safely view this celestial event. Watch Through Eyes of NASA NASA will host live coverage of the eclipse starting at 1 p.m. EDT. The agency’s eclipse coverage will include live views of the eclipse from across North America, special appearances by NASA experts, astronauts aboard the space station, and an inside look at NASA’s eclipse science experiments and watch parties across the country. NASA’s broadcast will last three hours, and features live locations from across the nation including the agency’s only center in the path of totality, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio, as well as: Carbondale, Illinois Dallas Houlton, Maine Indianapolis Kerrville, Texas Niagara Falls, New York Russellville, Arkansas The NASA broadcast will stream on NASA+, air on NASA TV, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media and the agency’s app. NASA also will host a watch party of the eclipse in Spanish starting at 1:30 p.m. on YouTube. NASA will provide a no-commentary, telescope-only feed of the eclipse on NASA Television’s media channel and YouTube, starting at 1 p.m. and running for three hours. The telescope feed will incorporate views from multiple locations, and will be switched based on weather, the eclipse’s progress, and feed availability. Locations may include: Carbondale, Illinois Cleveland Dallas Houlton, Maine Indianapolis Junction, Texas Kerrville, Texas Mazatlán, Mexico Niagara Falls, New York Russellville, Arkansas Torreón, Mexico Tupper Lake, New York NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia will provide a commentated livestream of three sounding rocket launches for the Atmospheric Perturbations around Eclipse Path mission. The livestream will begin at 2:30 p.m. on NASA Wallops’ YouTube channel and conclude after the last of the three sounding rocket launches. NASA’s interactive Eclipse Explorer Map will allow users to track the total solar eclipse in real time on April 8 as it moves across North America. Use the tool ahead of time to search by zip code or city for eclipse timing, get real-time weather updates, percent of eclipse coverage, and even a corona prediction for locations in the path of totality. Media Resources Media resources are available on NASA’s eclipse website. To request a remote or in-person eclipse interview with NASA, please contact agency-eclipsemedia@mail.nasa.gov. Details about in-person eclipse events and registration requirements for media are available online. NASA eclipse photos will be shared on the Flickr account. To learn more about the total solar eclipse, visit: go.nasa.gov/Eclipse2024 -end- Karen Fox Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 karen.c.fox@nasa.gov Sarah Frazier Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 202-853-7191 sarah.frazier@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Mar 29, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsEclipses2024 Solar EclipseSolar Eclipses View the full article

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) After arriving at Gediz Vallis channel, NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover captured this 360-degree panorama using one of its black-and-white navigation cameras on Feb. 3. The formation has scientists intrigued because of what it might tell them about the history of water on the Red Planet.NASA/JPL-Caltech The rover has arrived at an area that may show evidence liquid water flowed on this part of Mars for much longer than previously thought. NASA’s Curiosity rover has begun exploring a new region of Mars, one that could reveal more about when liquid water disappeared once and for all from the Red Planet’s surface. Billions of years ago, Mars was much wetter and probably warmer than it is today. Curiosity is getting a new look into that more Earth-like past as it drives along and eventually crosses the Gediz Vallis channel, a winding, snake-like feature that – from space, at least – appears to have been carved by an ancient river. That possibility has scientists intrigued. The rover team is searching for evidence that would confirm how the channel was carved into the underlying bedrock. The formation’s sides are steep enough that the team doesn’t think the channel was made by wind. However, debris flows (rapid, wet landslides) or a river carrying rocks and sediment could have had enough energy to chisel into the bedrock. After the channel formed, it was filled with boulders and other debris. Scientists are also eager to learn whether this material was transported by debris flows or dry avalanches. Pan around inside this 360-degree video to see Gediz Vallis channel from the point of view of NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Since 2014, Curiosity has been ascending the foothills of Mount Sharp, which stands 3 miles (5 kilometers) above the floor of Gale Crater. The layers in this lower part of the mountain formed over millions of years amid a changing Martian climate, providing scientists with a way to study how the presence of both water and the chemical ingredients required for life changed over time. For example, a lower part of those foothills included a layer rich in clay minerals where a lot of water once interacted with rock. Now the rover is exploring a layer enriched with sulfates – salty minerals that often form as water evaporates. Revising Mount Sharp’s Timeline It will take months to fully explore the channel, and what scientists learn could revise the timeline for the mountain’s formation. The steep path NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover took to reach Gediz Vallis channel is indicated in yellow in this visualization made with orbital data. At lower right is the point where the rover veered off to get an up-close look at a ridge formed long ago by debris flows from higher up on Mount Sharp.NASA/JPL-Caltech/UC Berkeley Once the sedimentary layers of lower Mount Sharp had been deposited by wind and water, erosion whittled them down to expose the layers visible today. Only after these lengthy processes – as well as intensely dry periods during which the surface of Mount Sharp was a sandy desert – could the Gediz Vallis channel have been carved. Scientists think the boulders and other debris that subsequently filled the channel came from high up on the mountain, where Curiosity will never go, giving the team a glimpse of what kinds of material may be up there. “If the channel or the debris pile were formed by liquid water, that’s really interesting. It would mean that fairly late in the story of Mount Sharp – after a long dry period – water came back, and in a big way,” said Curiosity’s project scientist, Ashwin Vasavada of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. That explanation would be consistent with one of the most surprising discoveries Curiosity has made while driving up Mount Sharp: Water seems to have come and gone in phases, rather than gradually disappearing as the planet grew drier. These cycles can be seen in evidence of mud cracks; shallow, salty lakes; and, directly below the channel, cataclysmic debris flows that piled up to create the sprawling Gediz Vallis ridge. Last year, Curiosity made a challenging ascent to study the ridge, which drapes across the slopes of Mount Sharp and seems to grow out of the end of the channel, suggesting both are part of one geologic system. Viewing the Channel Up Close Curiosity documented the channel with a 360-degree black-and-white panorama from the rover’s left navigation camera. Taken on Feb. 3 (the 4,086th Martian day, or sol, of the mission), the image shows the dark sand that fills one side of the channel and a debris pile rising just behind the sand. In the opposite direction is the steep slope that Curiosity climbed to reach this area. The rover takes these kinds of panoramas with its navigation cameras at the end of each drive. Now the science team is relying on the navcams even more while engineers try to resolve an issue that is limiting the use of one imager belonging to the color Mast Camera, or Mastcam. More About the Mission Curiosity was built by JPL, which is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California. JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. For more about Curiosity, visit: https://mars.nasa.gov/msl News Media Contacts Andrew Good Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-393-2433 andrew.c.good@jpl.nasa.gov Karen Fox / Alana Johnson NASA Headquarters, Washington 301-286-6284 / 202-358-1501 karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alana.r.johnson@nasa.gov 2024-034 Share Details Last Updated Mar 29, 2024 Related TermsMars Science Laboratory (MSL)Curiosity (Rover)MarsMars Exploration Program Explore More 4 min read NASA Delivers Science Instrument to JAXA’s Martian Moons Mission On March 14, NASA delivered its gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer instrument to JAXA (Japan Aerospace… Article 2 weeks ago 5 min read 20 Years After Landing: How NASA’s Twin Rovers Changed Mars Science Article 2 months ago 7 min read Michael Thorpe Studies Sediment from Source to Sink Sedimentary and planetary geologist Michael Thorpe finds the stories rocks have to tell, those on… Article 2 months ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is releasing six special edition postcards that feature custom retro art and fun facts about the center.Credit: NASA At Total Eclipse Fest 2024, a celestial celebration from April 6-8 at Great Lakes Science Center in downtown Cleveland, NASA’s Glenn Research Center will debut a set of six special edition postcards featuring retro artwork and fun facts about the center’s world-class facilities, capabilities, and work to explore and innovate for the benefit of all. NASA will distribute the collectible postcards free of charge to visitors at NASA Village, an immersive experience at the festival featuring hands-on activities and exhibits about the agency’s major missions and cutting-edge projects. NASA scientists, engineers, and even astronauts will also be at the event to meet the public and talk about their ground-breaking work. Did you know the iconic NASA “meatball” insignia was designed by an artist from NASA Glenn? Along with colorful illustrations, the postcards include information about the center’s legacies, one-of-a-kind Zero Gravity Research Facility and spacecraft testing complex, work to improve air travel, critical role in returning humans to the Moon through the agency’s Artemis missions, and more. The postcards are genuine; in addition to collecting or displaying the cards, people can write messages on their backs and mail them to friends and loved ones – no envelopes required. While they will make their debut at Total Eclipse Fest 2024, the Glenn special edition postcards will be available to collect at NASA events in the future. Explore More 3 min read NASA, Partners Select Universities for CubeSat Summer Program Article 19 hours ago 5 min read Don’t Make Me Wait for April 8! Can’t wait to see the Moon block the Sun on April 8? Neither can we.… Article 20 hours ago 4 min read Eclipse Citizen Science for Educators “Citizen” here refers to citizens of Planet Earth. These projects are open to everyone, regardless… Article 2 days ago View the full article

2 min read Hubble Finds a Field of Stars This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows a globular cluster called NGC 1651. ESA/Hubble & NASA, L. Girardi, F. Niederhofer This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows a globular cluster called NGC 1651. Like another recent globular cluster image, NGC 1651 is about 162,000 light-years away in the largest and brightest of the Milky Way’s satellite galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). One notable feature of this image: the roughly 120-light-year diameter globular cluster nearly fills the entire frame. In contrast, other Hubble images feature entire galaxies – which can be tens or hundreds of millions of light-years in diameter – that also more or less fill the whole image. A common misconception is that Hubble and other large telescopes observe wildly differently sized celestial objects by zooming in on them, as one would with a specialized camera here on Earth. While small telescopes might have the option to zoom in and out to a certain extent, large telescopes do not. Each telescope’s instrument has a fixed ‘field of view’ (the size of the region of sky that it can observe in a single observation). For example, the ultraviolet/visible light channel of Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3), the channel and instrument that collected the data used in this image, has a field of view roughly one twelfth the diameter of the Moon as seen from Earth. When WFC3 makes an observation, its field of view is the size of the region of sky that it can observe. The reason that Hubble can observe objects of such wildly different sizes is two-fold. First, the distance to an object will determine how big it appears from Earth, so entire galaxies that are relatively far away might take up the same amount of space in the sky as a globular cluster like NGC 1651 that is relatively close by. In fact, there’s a distant spiral galaxy lurking in this image, directly left of the cluster – though undoubtedly much larger than this star cluster, it appears small enough here to blend in with foreground stars! Secondly, images processors can stitch together multiple images spanning different parts of the sky into a mosaic to create a single image of objects that are too big for Hubble’s field of view. Text credit: European Space Agency (ESA) Download this image Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD claire.andreoli@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Mar 29, 2024 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Related Terms Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Missions Star Clusters Stars The Universe 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. Galaxies Stories Stars Stories NASA Astrophysics View the full article

Mat Bevill, the associate chief engineer for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) Program, stands in front of a four-segment solid rocket booster that powered the space shuttle at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. NASA Significant events in history keep finding Mat Bevill. As the associate chief engineer for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) Program, Bevill assists the program chief engineer by interfacing with each of the element chief engineers and helping make critical decisions for the development and flight of the SLS mega rocket that will power NASA’s Artemis campaign. With the launch of Artemis II, the first crewed test flight of SLS and the Orion spacecraft, Bevill’s technical leadership and support for the SLS Chief Engineer’s Office will place him, once again, at a notable moment in time. “Think of me as the assistant coach. While the head coach is on the front line leading the team, I’m on the sidelines providing feedback and advising those efforts,” said Bevill. As a jack-of-all-trades, he enables progress in any way that he can, something he’s familiar with after 37 years with NASA. And, on Nov. 16, 2022, as the SLS rocket roared to life for the first time with the Artemis I test flight, Bevill couldn’t help but reflect on a lifetime of experiences and lessons that led to that moment. Bevill began his NASA career while he was still attending the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. During his sophomore year as a mechanical engineer student, he applied for the agency’s internship program at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Just a few months before Bevill began his journey with NASA, the Challenger accident occurred, taking the lives of all seven crewmembers in January 1986. Bevill joined the Solid Motor Branch at Marshall as teams across the agency worked to understand the cause of the accident. It was a fast-paced environment, and Bevill had to learn quickly about the solid rocket boosters. “It was a surreal experience, but I was privileged to work with those people. We were figuring out tough lessons together and working toward a common goal,” Bevill recalls. Those tough lessons provided Bevill with tremendous hands-on experience related to the solid rocket booster hardware that would not only shape his career, but, later, the SLS rocket. The five-segment solid rocket boosters that provide more than 75% of thrust for SLS to go to the Moon are based on the same four-segment design that powered 135 shuttle missions to low Earth orbit. His experience from his time with the shuttle led him to deputy chief engineer for the SLS Boosters Office. Just as for Artemis I, Bevill will be standing by and serving as the “assistant coach” for Artemis II as the SLS rocket, once again, takes flight and sends the first crewed Artemis mission around the Moon. “SLS has been the crowning jewel of my career, and I consider myself blessed to be a part of NASA’s history,” Bevill said. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft, advanced spacesuits and rovers, the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch. View the full article

Orlando Science Center brings STEM engagement to the community via a weekly after school series, culminating in an Engineering Design Challenge.Credits: Orlando Science Center NASA is awarding approximately $3.7 million to 17 museums, science centers, and other informal education institutions as part of an initiative to ignite STEM excitement. The money will go toward projects that inspire students and their learning support systems to take an active role in the wonder of science, technology, engineering, and math. “We’re excited to grow the community of informal education organizations through these awards,” said Torry Johnson, deputy associate administrator of STEM Engagement Programs at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “These organizations bring the excitement of STEM and spaceflight to students where they are, helping us inspire the Artemis Generation of future explorers and innovators. These awards are a real catalyst for partnerships that connect STEM education and NASA’s missions to communities across the nation.” Projects were selected for NASA’s Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II) program and TEAM II Community Anchor Awards. Both are funded through NASA’s Next Generation STEM project, which supports kindergarten to grade 12 students, caregivers, and formal and informal educators in engaging the Artemis Generation in the agency’s missions and discoveries. The selected projects will particularly engage students from underserved communities in a variety of STEM learning opportunities including exhibits, mentorship, educational content, and hands-on activities. TEAM II Awards NASA’s vision for TEAM II is to enhance the capability of informal education institutions to host NASA-based learning activities while increasing the institutions’ capacity to bring NASA resources to students. The agency has selected four institutions to receive approximately $3.2 million in cooperative agreements for projects they will implement during the next three to four years. The selected institutions and their proposed projects are: Franklin Institute, Philadelphia: NASA’s Next Advocates: Connecting Youth to NASA Through a Co-Created Near-Peer Mentorship Program WEX Foundation, San Antonio: New Worlds Await You – Next Generation Astrobotic Foundation, Pittsburgh: Cosmic Careers from the Earth to the Moon EcoExploratorio, Inc., San Juan, Puerto Rico – Innovative Space Learning Activities Center: Living On and Beyond Earth Community Anchor Awards The designation as a Community Anchor recognizes institutions as locations that will bring NASA STEM and space science to students and families in traditionally underserved areas. The agency has selected 13 institutions to receive approximately $510,000 in grants to help make these one-to-two-year projects a reality, enhancing the local impact and strengthening their ability to build sustainable connections between their communities and NASA. The selected institutions and their proposed projects are: Exploration Works, Helena, Montana: Moon to Mars to Montana Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, Vermont: Empowerment Through Climate Action Intrepid Museum Foundation, Inc., New York: NASA Explore Days Discovery Place, Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina: NASA Community Space Stations The Discovery Museum, Bridgeport, Connecticut: Using Community Science to Engage Underrepresented Youth in Authentic STEM Engagement and Research Museum of Discovery and Science, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Florida: Delivering NASA STEM Education Programs to Underserved Communities in Broward County GrowingGreat, Manhattan Beach, California: Food in Space and in the City: Teens Tackle Food Security in Their Los Angeles Community Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland: Expanding STEM/Astronomy Learning to Underserved Youth Communities Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, McMinnville, Oregon: Spaced Out! Fostering STEM Literacy in Students Grades 5 to 8: Through Immersive Space Science Learning Experiences Ocean County College, Toms River, New Jersey: Family on Campus Using Science San Diego Air & Space Museum, San Diego: Imagine the Future of Space FL Newspaper in Educ Coordinator, Deerfield Beach, Florida: Increasing STEM Engagement Among Underserved Youth in Tampa Bay, Florida STEM Advancement, Inc., Pinola, Mississippi: Equipping and Inspiring Rural Students with Space‐Related Experience Next Gen STEM is a project within NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, which develops unique resources and experiences to spark student interest in STEM and build a skilled and diverse next generation workforce. For the latest NASA STEM events, activities, and news, visit: https://stem.nasa.gov -end- Gerelle Dodson Headquarters, Washington 202-358-4637 gerelle.q.dodson@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Mar 28, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsGet InvolvedLearning ResourcesNASA HeadquartersOutside the ClassroomSTEM Engagement at NASA View the full article

NASA has selected small business Firelake-Arrowhead NASA Services Joint Venture of Lawrence, Kansas, to acquire construction management, inspection, surveying, and testing services at NASA centers across the country. The Construction Management, Inspection, Surveying, and Testing (CMIST-II) contract was competed as a Small Business 8(a) set-aside, and the maximum contract value is approximately $38.8 million. This is a hybrid contract with firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee for base services plus a firm-fixed price indefinite-delivery/indefinite aspect performed at NASA’s Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland and Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. It also will have a firm-fixed price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity aspect, which can be performed at any NASA center. The performance period begins Monday, April 1, and includes a 30-day phase-in period, a two-year base period, a two-year option, a one-year option, and a six-month option, with the potential to extend services through Nov. 30, 2029. The contractor will manage construction projects and maintenance tasks from initial concepts through completion, including requirements development, design, construction, commissioning, activation, and turnover. Leidos, Inc., of Reston, Virginia, is a subcontractor. For information about NASA and other agency programs, visit: https://www.nasa.gov -end- Cheryl Warner Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov Jan Wittry Glenn Research Center, Cleveland 216-433-5466 jan.m.wittry-1@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Mar 28, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA and Salisbury University (SU) in Maryland signed a collaborative Space Act Agreement Thursday, March 28, 2024, opening new opportunities at the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia for students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Director Dr. Makenzie Lystrup (right) shakes hands with Salisbury University President Dr. Carolyn R. Lepre during the SU Space Act Agreement signing ceremony held in Salisbury, Md., Thursday, March 28, 2024. Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs for SU Dr. Laurie Couch (left) and NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility Director David Pierce stand behind them.NASA/Jamie Adkins The agreement forges a formal partnership to identify research and engineering projects and activities at Wallops designed to provide SU students and professors with experiential, hands-on activities. “Our success at NASA, now and in the future, depends on a dynamic network of partnerships focused on our mission operations and growing the next generation of innovators,” said Dr. Makenzie Lystrup, center director at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “NASA’s partnership with Salisbury University expands our workforce development ecosystem and provides students with real-world experience in critical aerospace career fields.” NASA Goddard manages Wallops Flight Facility for the agency. The agreement also lays a framework for expanding internship opportunities at Wallops, mentoring, technical expertise to faculty, and support for job fairs and other career development programs aimed to expand awareness of careers in the aerospace industry. “NASA Wallops has long been at the forefront of space exploration, pioneering breakthroughs that have expanded our understanding of the universe and inspired generations of scientists, engineers, and dreamers,” said Dr. Carolyn Ringer Lepre, SU president. “Together, we will leverage our collective expertise, resources, and ingenuity to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing our world today.” Dr. Makenzie Lystrup speaks during the Salisbury University Space Act Agreement signing ceremony held in Salisbury, Md., Thursday, March 28, 2024. The agreement will expand internship opportunities at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, mentoring, technical expertise to faculty, and support for job fairs and other career development programs aimed to expand awareness of careers in the aerospace industry. NASA/Jamie Adkins Wallops’ conducts upwards of 50 operational science and technology missions worldwide annually launching on orbital and suborbital rockets, scientific balloons, and flying on airborne science platforms. In addition, NASA’s commercial partners like Rocket Lab are increasing launch operations on the facility. “Our operations are growing at Wallops underscoring the need for an innovative, skilled workforce to advance our science and technology missions,” said Lystrup. “This agreement is helping us fill a critical workforce need to propel us into the future.” For more information on programs at Wallops, visit: www.nasa.gov/wallops Share Details Last Updated Mar 28, 2024 EditorJamie Adkins Related TermsWallops Flight FacilityPartner with NASA STEMSTEM Engagement at NASA View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA will host media to view a milestone RS-25 engine test at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Wednesday, April 3, to certify full production of new engines to help power the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. As NASA explores the universe for the benefit of all, NASA Stennis is testing engines and systems that will help launch the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft on future deep space missions. The April 3 test will mark completion of a 12-test series to certify production of RS-25 engines by lead contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, to help power missions beginning with Artemis V. In addition to the engine hot fire on the Fred Haise Test Stand, media will have an opportunity to tour the Aerojet Rocketdyne Engine Assembly Facility onsite, to receive a briefing at the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-2) about upcoming exploration upper stage testing, and to interview NASA officials and others. The RS-25 hot fire viewing is targeted for early- to mid-afternoon. Following the hot fire, media also will have a chance to gather onsite to view and participate in the NASA news conference announcing the company, or companies, selected to move forward in development of the lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) that will help Artemis astronauts explore more of the Moon’s surface on future missions. The news conference will be broadcast at 3 p.m. CDT from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Media members interested in attending should: Be a U.S. citizen. Contact Lacy Thompson at calvin.l.thompson@nasa.gov no later than 12 p.m. on Monday, April 1. Provide name as it appears on driver’s license. Identify state issuing the license. Provide a mobile contact number. Please note NASA’s media accreditation policy online. Media members must arrive from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 3, at INFINITY Science Center, the official visitors center for NASA Stennis, and produce valid driver’s license for transport on site. INFINITY is located at 1 Discovery Circle in Pearlington, Mississippi. Long pants and closed-toe shoes are required attire. Facebook logo @NASASTENNIS @NASASTENNIS Instagram logo @NASASTENNIS Share Details Last Updated Mar 28, 2024 EditorNASA Stennis CommunicationsContactC. Lacy Thompsoncalvin.l.thompson@nasa.gov / (228) 688-3333LocationStennis Space Center Related TermsStennis Space CenterSpace Launch System (SLS) Explore More 3 min read Payload Adapter Testing: A Key Step for Artemis IV Rocket’s Success Article 7 days ago 4 min read Key Test Drive of Orion on NASA’s Artemis II to Aid Future Missions Article 1 week ago 4 min read NASA Expanding Lunar Exploration with Upgraded SLS Mega Rocket Design Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics from NASA Stennis Doing Business with NASA Stennis About NASA Stennis Visit NASA Stennis NASA Stennis Media Resources View the full article

NASA 55 years ago, on March 27, 1969, an Atlas-Centaur rocket launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, sending Mariner 7 on its way to study Mars. Mariner 7 was the second Mars probe; Mariner 6 launched Feb. 24, 1969, to investigate Mars’ equator. Mariner 7 made a close flyby of Mars just five days after Mariner 6. Scientists were able to instruct it to take additional pictures of the south pole, which had piqued their interest during Mariner 6’s flyby. The Mariner program launched 10 missions to explore Mercury, Venus, and Mars through flybys or orbits. These missions proved that interplanetary exploration was workable with small, low-cost spacecraft, laying the groundwork for all the deep space exploration missions that followed. Image Credit: NASA View the full article

College students attend the 2023 Mission Concept kickoff event at Kennedy Space Center in Florida in May 2023. At the event students work with officials from NASA and branches of the U.S. military to learn more about creating CubeSat mission launch proposals.NASA EDGE Eight university teams have been selected to work with NASA and the U.S. military to improve their small satellite proposals, ultimately increasing the possibility of flying their technology in space, and potentially launching their own careers in the space industry. NASA’s CSLI (CubeSat Launch Initiative) is partnering with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force for the 2024 Mission Concept Program. Running from May through August, the program will provide students with systems engineering training for spacecraft development. The partnership aims to prepare students to work in the space industry while simultaneously enhancing small satellite expertise among faculty at U.S. universities. A total of 34 universities applied for the 2024 session. A mix of NASA, Air Force, and contractor personnel reviewed the proposals, selecting universities based on the educational impact, university program impact and development, minority outreach and support, and relevance to NASA or the Department of Defense. Three of this year’s awardees – University of Central Florida, Florida Atlantic University, and Tarleton State University – are Minority Serving Institutions. This year’s selections are: University of Central Florida, Orlando University of Mississippi, Oxford Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton University of North Dakota, Grand Forks Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana Northeastern University, Boston West Virginia University, Morgantown Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Texas The teams will meet at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a four-day kickoff meeting in May, followed by seven weeks at the Air Force’s University Nanosatellite Program facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where three students will serve as interns with the Space Dynamics Laboratory. During the program, the students will work with small satellite experts for continuous feedback and guidance to help improve university proposals and increase those teams’ potential of being selected to fly to space as part of NASA’s CSLI or the Air Force’s nanosatellite opportunities. Final presentations will take place in Albuquerque and, although not required, participants are encouraged to attend the Small Satellite Conference in Logan, Utah, in August. Both programs will make final selections for future flights in 2025. The 2024 Mission Concept Program provides funding for all travel, including kickoff, final event, and in-person reviews, allowing faculty and students to formulate teams without straining university resources. NASA uses CSLI as one if its ways to attract retain students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. This strengthens NASA’s and the nation’s future workforce. The initiative promotes and develops innovative technology partnerships among NASA, U.S. industry, and other sectors for the benefit of all. Visit NASA’s CSLI website for more information: https://go.nasa.gov/3PEP2Q6 View the full article

4 min read Don’t Make Me Wait for April 8! Can’t wait to see the Moon block the Sun on April 8? Neither can we. But we have good news – if you want to see an incredible cosmic alignment, you can catch one right now! Exoplanets, asteroids, and other objects regularly pass in front of stars and block their light. Observing these events is easier than you might think – and it can be a fantastic way to contribute to NASA science. The Baily’s Beads – the bright spots of light on the lower left of the Moon – seen here are the last rays of sunlight that shone through the low spots or valleys on the Moon’s rugged surface as the Moon made its final move over the Sun during the total solar eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017, above Madras, Oregon. Baily’s Beads will appear on the opposite side of the Moon as it begins to move away from the Sun following totality. NASA/Aubrey Gemignani There are three main kinds of cosmic alignments that temporarily block our view of a star. Each one can help us pick out fine details about astronomical objects that can’t be observed any other way. Eclipse – when one object blocks another that’s apparently similar in size. Occultation – when a relatively big object completely blocks an apparently smaller object. Transit – when an apparently small object passes in front of a larger star, blocking some but not all of its light. You’ll notice that we use the word “apparently” in each of those definitions. That’s because what matters is how big the object looks from our perspective, not how big it actually is. Now let’s look at some science projects you can get involved in that observe these phenomena. Eclipses help scientists see faint objects next to bright objects. Just like you might raise your hand to block light from your car’s headlight while you search the ground for your keys, eclipses block the overpowering light from a star so objects around it can be viewed more easily. This is what the Eclipse Megamovie project, the Dynamic Eclipse Broadcast Initiative, and Citizen CATE 2024 are doing: taking advantage of the Moon blocking the fierce sunlight so they can see what’s happening right around the Sun. These projects invite you to help them use this method to study the Sun’s faint corona. Eclipses and occultations can also tell us about the relative sizes and shapes of objects. This is how Sunsketcher will harness the April 8 eclipse. With your help, they will use our precise knowledge of the size and topography of the Moon to vastly improve estimates of the shape of the Sun. At the very beginning and end of totality, viewers will see Baily’s Beads – bright spots of light around the Moon’s edge where rays of sunlight slip through the valleys between the mountains on the Moon’s surface just before and after totality. The SunSketcher app will capture images of these beads along with precise time and location data of each observation. Following the eclipse, the SunSketcher team will use the collected observations to calculate the shape of the Sun. When a planet passes directly between a star and its observer – what astronomers call a transit – the planet dims the star’s light by a measurable amount. The graph in the lower left shows a real time visualization of the strength of the light signal from the star. NASA When an object transits – or passes in front of – a star, the star’s light dims. Measuring changes in starlight to search for these transits has revealed thousands of exoplanets (planets orbiting other stars) in recent years. You can join the search today! Three NASA citizen science projects are focused on investigating exoplanets using transits. Planet Hunters TESS invites everyone to look for traces of transiting planets in the changing light of distant stars. The most promising of these signals indicate “exoplanet candidates” to be confirmed through additional observations. This project, hosted on the Zooniverse platform, can be done on a smartphone or a computer. Exoplanet Watch is a community of people who use their own telescopes or a shared community robotic telescope to observe exoplanet candidates to better predict the next time the objects will transit. This project requires an internet-connected computer. UNITE, like Exoplanet Watch, is a community of folks using their telescopes to observe exoplanet candidates. This community uses Unistellar telescopes, which operate on a standard, user-friendly system. The UNITE and Exoplanet Watch teams often share data and collaborate! Whichever events you observe, or whichever projects you choose to contribute to, we’re sure you’ll find yourself marveling at our presence on this wonderful planet in this mysterious universe. You don’t have to wait until April 8! by Sarah Kirn and Marc J. Kuchner NASA Citizen Science Share Details Last Updated Mar 28, 2024 Related Terms 2024 Solar Eclipse Citizen Science Eclipses Skywatching Solar Eclipses Explore More 3 min read Eclipse Citizen Science for Educators Article 22 hours ago 4 min read Contribute to NASA Research on Eclipse Day – and Every Day Article 22 hours ago 4 min read ESA, NASA Solar Observatory Discovers Its 5,000th Comet Article 1 day ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA will host media to view a milestone RS-25 engine test at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Wednesday, April 3, to certify full production of new engines to help power the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. As NASA explores the universe for the benefit of all, NASA Stennis is testing engines and systems that will help launch the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft on future deep space missions. The April 3 test will mark completion of a 12-test series to certify production of RS-25 engines by lead contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, to help power missions beginning with Artemis V. In addition to the engine hot fire on the Fred Haise Test Stand, media will have an opportunity to tour the Aerojet Rocketdyne Engine Assembly Facility onsite, to receive a briefing at the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-2) about upcoming exploration upper stage testing, and to interview NASA officials and others. The RS-25 hot fire viewing is targeted for early- to mid-afternoon. Following the hot fire, media also will have a chance to gather onsite to view and participate in the NASA news conference announcing the company, or companies, selected to move forward in development of the lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) that will help Artemis astronauts explore more of the Moon’s surface on future missions. The news conference will be broadcast at 3 p.m. CDT from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Media members interested in attending should: Be a U.S. citizen. Contact Lacy Thompson at calvin.l.thompson@nasa.gov no later than 12 p.m. on Monday, April 1. Provide name as it appears on driver’s license. Identify state issuing the license. Provide a mobile contact number. Please note NASA’s media accreditation policy online. Media members must arrive from 9 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 3, at INFINITY Science Center, the official visitors center for NASA Stennis, and produce valid driver’s license for transport on site. INFINITY is located at 1 Discovery Circle in Pearlington, Mississippi. Long pants and closed-toe shoes are required attire. Facebook logo @NASASTENNIS @NASASTENNIS Instagram logo @NASASTENNIS Share Details Last Updated Mar 28, 2024 EditorNASA Stennis CommunicationsContactC. Lacy Thompsoncalvin.l.thompson@nasa.gov / (228) 688-3333LocationStennis Space Center Related TermsStennis Space Center Explore More 6 min read Lagniappe for March 2024 Article 3 weeks ago 3 min read NASA to Continue Testing for New Artemis Moon Rocket Engines Article 1 month ago 5 min read Lagniappe for February 2024 Article 2 months ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics from NASA Stennis Doing Business with NASA Stennis About NASA Stennis Visit NASA Stennis NASA Stennis Media Resources View the full article

4 min read Three-Year Study of Young Stars with NASA’s Hubble Enters New Chapter In the largest and one of the most ambitious Hubble Space Telescope programs ever executed, a team of scientists and engineers collected information on almost 500 stars over a three-year period. This effort offers new insights into the stars’ formation, evolution, and impact on their surroundings. This comprehensive survey, called ULLYSES (Ultraviolet Legacy Library of Young Stars as Essential Standards), was completed in December 2023, and provides a rich spectroscopic dataset obtained in ultraviolet light that astronomers will be mining for decades to come. Because ultraviolet light can only be observed from space, Hubble is the only active telescope that can accomplish this research. The ULLYSES program studied two types of young stars: super-hot, massive, blue stars and cooler, redder, less massive stars than our Sun. The top panel is a Hubble Space Telescope image of a star-forming region containing massive, young, blue stars in 30 Doradus, the Tarantula Nebula. Located within the Large Magellanic Cloud, this is one of the regions observed by ULLYSES. The bottom panel shows an artist’s concept of a cooler, redder, young star that less massive than our Sun. This type of star is still gathering material from its surrounding, planet-forming disk. NASA, ESA, STScI, Francesco Paresce (INAF-IASF Bologna), Robert O’Connell (UVA), SOC-WFC3, ESO Download this image “I believe the ULLYSES project will be transformative, impacting overall astrophysics – from exoplanets, to the effects of massive stars on galaxy evolution, to understanding the earliest stages of the evolving universe,” said Julia Roman-Duval, Implementation Team Lead for ULLYSES at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland. “Aside from the specific goals of the program, the stellar data can also be used in fields of astrophysics in ways we can’t yet imagine.” The ULLYSES team studied 220 stars, then combined those observations with information from the Hubble archive on 275 additional stars. The program also included data from some of the world’s largest, most powerful ground-based telescopes and X-ray space telescopes. The ULLYSES dataset is made up of stellar spectra, which carry information about each star’s temperature, chemical composition, and rotation. One type of stars studied under ULLYSES is super-hot, massive, blue stars. They are a million times brighter than the Sun and glow fiercely in ultraviolet light that can easily be detected by Hubble. Their spectra include key diagnostics of the speed of their powerful winds. The winds drive galaxy evolution and seed galaxies with the elements needed for life. Those elements are cooked up inside the stars’ nuclear fusion ovens and then injected into space as a star dies. ULLYSES targeted blue stars in nearby galaxies that are deficient in elements heavier than helium and hydrogen. This type of galaxy was common in the very early universe. “ULLYSES observations are a stepping stone to understanding those first stars and their winds in the universe, and how they impact the evolution of their young host galaxy,” said Roman-Duval. The other star category in the ULLYSES program is young stars less massive than our Sun. Though cooler and redder than our Sun, in their formative years they unleash a torrent of high-energy radiation, including blasts of ultraviolet light and X-rays. Because they are still growing, they are gathering material from their surrounding planet-forming disks of dust and gas. The Hubble spectra include key diagnostics of the process by which they acquire their mass, including how much energy this process releases into the surrounding planet-forming disk and nearby environment. The blistering ultraviolet light from young stars affects the evolution of these disks as they form planets, as well as the chances of habitability for newborn planets. The target stars are located in nearby star-forming regions in our Milky Way galaxy. The ULLYSES concept was designed by a committee of experts with the goal of using Hubble to provide a legacy set of stellar observations. “ULLYSES was originally conceived as an observing program utilizing Hubble’s sensitive spectrographs. However, the program was tremendously enhanced by community-led coordinated and ancillary observations with other ground- and space-based observatories,” said Roman-Duval. “Such broad coverage allows astronomers to investigate the lives of stars in unprecedented detail and paint a more comprehensive picture of the properties of these stars and how they impact their environment.” To that end, STScI hosted a ULLYSES workshop March 11–14 to celebrate the beginning of a new era of research on young stars. The goal was to allow members of the astronomical community to collaborate on the data, so that they could gain momentum in the ongoing analyses, or kickstart new ideas for analysis. The workshop was one important step in exploiting this legacy spectral library to its fullest potential, fulfilling the promise of ULLYSES. The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, Colorado, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA. Media Contacts: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD claire.andreoli@nasa.gov Ann Jenkins / Ray Villard Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD Science Contact: Julia Roman-Duval Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD Share Details Last Updated Mar 28, 2024 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Related Terms Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Missions Stars The Universe 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. Stars Stories Galaxies Stories Universe View the full article

4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara is returning home after six months aboard the International Space Station. During her time on the orbiting laboratory, O’Hara contributed to dozens of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to prepare for future space exploration missions and generate innovations and benefits for humanity on Earth. Here is a look at some of the scientific activities O’Hara conducted during her mission: Biking for Better Health NASA NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara is among the first astronauts participating in the CIPHER (Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research on Varying Mission Durations) investigation. CIPHER examines physiological and psychological changes that humans undergo during spaceflight. One of the protocols measures changes in cardiorespiratory and muscle fitness during exercise. Collecting data from crew members on missions of different durations supports development of ways to protect crew member health on a long mission such as a trip to Mars. Tending the Space Garden NASA NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara works with tomato plants grown for Plant Habitat-06, an investigation using genetic analysis to examine how spaceflight affects plant immune function and production. Results could support development of crops to provide food and other services on future space missions. On Earth, pathogens are responsible for up to 40% of global crop loss, and insight into the interaction between gravity and how plants respond to pathogens could inform strategies to enhance crop growth and productivity. Reading Radiation Exposure NASA Crew members pose with active dosimeters: left to right, Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency), NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli, and Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). These devices monitor individual radiation exposure for the International Space Station Internal Radiation Monitoring investigation, which aims to keep ionizing radiation exposure at levels acceptable for maintaining crew member health and safety and ensuring the success of their missions. Understanding Bone Loss NASA Bone loss is a major problem of aging on Earth and a serious health concern for astronauts. MABL-A (Microgravity Associated Bone Loss-A) examines the effect of microgravity on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, which produce bone-forming cells and play a role in making and repairing skeletal tissues. NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara works inside the Life Science Glovebox for the investigation, which could improve understanding of the mechanisms behind bone loss and support development of ways to better protect crew members and people on Earth from its effects. Bringing in the Cold NASA NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara pose in front of the Cold Atom Lab. The lab produces clouds of atoms so cold that they have almost no motion, allowing researchers to observe their fundamental behaviors and quantum characteristics. Physicists have long pursued ever colder temperatures, and microgravity may make it possible to achieve those temperatures for longer periods of time. The Cold Atom Lab research could facilitate the development of new quantum technology. Taking Out the Heat NASA NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara works on MaRVIn-PCIM (Microgravity Research for Versatile Investigations-Phase Change in Mixtures), which examines the dynamics of liquid and vapor flow inside a wickless heat pipe. These devices, used to dissipate heat to cool satellites and electronics, operate differently in microgravity than on Earth. Results could support development of lighter and more efficient cooling devices for future space exploration. Preparing for a Walk in Space NASA NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara tests components of her spacesuit in preparation for a spacewalk. O’Hara and NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli conducted a spacewalk together on Nov 1, 2023. It took the duo six hours and 42 minutes to complete tasks that included working on hardware that enables the space station’s solar arrays to track the Sun, helping to provide power for scientific operations on the orbiting lab. Creating Cardiac Tissues NASA NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara works on the Redwire Cardiac Bioprinting Investigation (BFF Cardiac), which studies bio-printed cardiac tissues. Higher-quality 3D tissues can be printed in microgravity, where density layers, settling, and other effects of gravity are absent. This technology supports development of ways to print food and medicine on demand on future missions, reducing mass and cost at launch and improving crew health and safety. Results also could advance technologies to create replacement organs and tissues for transplant on Earth, helping to alleviate shortages. Melissa Gaskill International Space Station Research Communications Team Johnson Space Center Search this database of scientific experiments to learn more about those mentioned above. Download full-resolution versions of all photos in this article. Keep Exploring Discover More Topics Latest News from Space Station Research ISS National Laboratory Station Science 101 Opportunities and Information for Researchers View the full article

The ULLYSES program studied two types of young stars: super-hot, massive, blue stars and cooler, redder, less massive stars than our Sun. The top panel is a Hubble Space Telescope image of a star-forming region containing massive, young, blue stars in 30 Doradus, the Tarantula Nebula. Located within the Large Magellanic Cloud, this is one of the regions observed by ULLYSES. The bottom panel shows an artist’s concept of a cooler, redder, young star that less massive than our Sun. This type of star is still gathering material from its surrounding, planet-forming disk. NASA, ESA, STScI, Francesco Paresce (INAF-IASF Bologna), Robert O’Connell (UVA), SOC-WFC3, ESO View the full article

X-ray: (Chandra) NASA/CXC/U. Manitoba/C. Treturik, (XMM-Newton) ESA/C. Treturik; Optical: (Pan-STARRS) NOIRLab/MDM/Dartmouth/R. Fesen; Infrared: (WISE) NASA/JPL/Caltech/; Image Processing: Univ. of Manitoba/Gilles Ferrand and Jayanne English In the year 1181 a rare supernova explosion appeared in the night sky, staying visible for 185 consecutive days. Historical records show that the supernova looked like a temporary ‘star’ in the constellation Cassiopeia shining as bright as Saturn. Ever since, scientists have tried to find the supernova’s remnant. At first it was thought that this could be the nebula around the pulsar — the dense core of a collapse star — named 3C 58. However closer investigations revealed that the pulsar is older than supernova 1181. In the last decade, another contender was discovered; Pa 30 is a nearly circular nebula with a central star in the constellation Cassiopeia. It is pictured here combining images from several telescopes. This composite image uses data across the electromagnetic spectrum and shows a spectacular new view of the supernova remnant. This allows us to marvel at the same object that appeared in our ancestors’ night sky more than 800 years ago. X-ray observations by ESA’s XMM-Newton (blue) show the full extent of the nebula and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory (cyan) pinpoints its central source. The nebula is barely visible in optical light but shines bright in infrared light, collected by NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Space Explorer (red and pink). Interestingly, the radial structure in the image consists of heated sulfur that glows in visible light, observed with the ground-based Hiltner 2.4 m telescope at the MDM Observatory (green) in Arizona, USA, as do the stars in the background by Pan-STARRS (white) in Hawaii, USA. Studies of the composition of the different parts of the remnant have led scientists to believe that it was formed in a thermonuclear explosion, and more precisely a special kind of supernova called a sub-luminous Type Iax event. During this event two white dwarf stars merged, and typically no remnant is expected for this kind of explosion. But incomplete explosions can leave a kind of ‘zombie’ star, such as the massive white dwarf star in this system. This very hot star, one of the hottest stars in the Milky Way (about 200 000 degrees Celsius), has a fast stellar wind with speeds up to 16,000 km/h. The combination of the star and the nebula makes it a unique opportunity for studying such rare explosions. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts. Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. For more Chandra images, multimedia and related materials, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/mission/chandra-x-ray-observatory/ Visual Description: This is a composite image of SNR 1181, the remains of an explosion hundreds of years ago caused by the merger of two stars. A bright, multi-colored, spherical nebula sits in the middle of the canvas surrounded by a field of stars that appear as white dots. In the center of the nebula is a small point of aqua-colored light. This is the hot white dwarf star that was left behind after the likely merger of two smaller white dwarfs caused an explosion. From this single point of aqua light, several spectacular rays expand outward, resembling a single firework bursting in celebration in the night sky. News Media Contact Megan Watzke Chandra X-ray Center Cambridge, Mass. 617-496-7998 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) House Representative Statements The following are some of the statements made by Representatives regarding the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia. February 1, 2003: Representative Sherwood Boehlert PRESS RELEASE Date Released: Saturday, February 01, 2003 House Science Committee Boehlert Statement on Space Shuttle Columbia Tragedy WASHINGTON, D.C. —House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) today released the following statement on the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy: “We are in a period of national mourning. Our prayers are dedicated to the heroic crew of the Columbia and their families. We are reminded again that our nation’s astronauts volunteer to put themselves in situations of inherent risk and that we take their efforts too much for granted. “At the same time, in the wake of this horrible event, NASA and the Congress must work together immediately to initiate the most complete and thorough investigation possible in search of all the facts.” February 1, 2003: Representative Dana Rohrabacher PRESS RELEASE Date Released: Saturday, February 01, 2003 Rep. Rohrabacher Rohrabacher Reacts to Loss of Space Shuttle Columbia WASHINGTON, D.C.—Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) mourns the loss of Columbia’s crew. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the Columbia Space Shuttle crew. This is a horrific loss for the nation as well as the world, but we should not forget the ultimate sacrifice sometime space exploration requires of men and women who are dedicated to pushing the boundaries. We must not lose sight of the fact that our continued drive to the stars serves as a tribute to those who make that sacrifice in the name of humanity. Earlier today, NASA officials reported that the families of Columbia’s crew’s have a simple request of our space program: find out what happened, fix it, and move on. No one could say it any better. Now is the time for the Administration and Congress to support the efforts of Sean O’Keefe and the good people of NASA to investigate the events that led up to today’s tragedy. Once the problem is identified, we need to get moving on this great adventure as quickly as possible. We must continue to find new ways to improving our space program by discovering new innovative technologies. We must do this for our nation, our children, and for the families of Columbia’s crew. February 2, 2003: Representative Dave Weldon PRESS RELEASE Date Released: Sunday, February 02, 2003 Rep. Dave Weldon Rep. Weldon Statement on the Space Shuttle Columbia Accident Kennedy Space Center, FL —U.S. Congressman Dave Weldon (FL-15) released the following statement in the wake of the Space Shuttle Columbia accident. I mourn the loss of 7 brave men and women today. These dedicated pioneers — Commander -Rick Husband, Pilot-William McCool, Payload Commander – Michael Anderson, Specialist – Kalpana Chawla, Specialist – David Brown, Specialist – Laurel Clark and Specialist – Ilan Ramon — gave their lives in the name of science and exploration. This is a tragic day for America, for Israel, and for the world and we will forever be in their debt. While we must learn the cause of this tragedy, and I know NASA will be working diligently to do so, we must not let this deter our exploration efforts. We should never retreat from our progress in space exploration. We will reevaluate, however, how we conduct our human space flight operations, we will reexamine our processes, and we will learn how to make space flight safer. Then we will return to space. I believe the crew of Columbia would expect nothing less. “I would ask all Americans, and, indeed, everyone around the world, to keep the families, friends, and colleagues of these heroic astronauts in your thoughts and prayers. Their contribution to opening the frontier will not be forgotten,” said Rep. Weldon. House Committee on Science Hearings The following are some of the hearing charters, hearing transcripts, and opening statements for some of the various House Committee on Science hearings regarding Columbia. February 12, 2003 House Committee on Science Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics and Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation—Joint Hearing on Space Shuttle Columbia This information was originally located on the House Committee on Science Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, 108th Congress – 1st Session Web site and on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s website. Hearing Charter Hearing Transcript Senator McCain’s Opening Statement Representative Boehlert’s Opening Statement Representative Rohrabacher’s Opening Statement NASA Administrator O’Keefe’s Opening Statement February 27, 2003 Full Committee Hearing on NASA’s FY 2004 Budget Request This information was originally located on the House Committee on Science Full Committee Hearing 108th Congress – 1st Session website. Hearing Charter Representative Boehlert’s Opening Statement Representative Hall’s Opening Statement NASA Administrator O’Keefe’s Opening Statement September 4, 2003 Full Committee Hearing on The Columbia Accident Investigation Board Report This information was originally located on the House Committee on Science Full Committee Hearing 108th Congress – 1st Session website. Hearing Charter Excerpts from the CAIB Report Executive Summary Representative Boehlert’s Opening Statement NASA Administrator O’Keefe’s Opening Statement September 10, 2023 Full Committee Hearing on NASA’s Response to the Columbia Report This information was originally located on the House Committee on Science Full Committee Hearing 108th Congress – 1st Session website. Hearing Charter Representative Boehlert’s Opening Statement NASA Administrator O’Keefe’s Opening Statement October 29, 2003 Full Committee Hearing on NASA’s Organizational and Management Challenges in the Wake of the Columbia Disaster This information was originally located on the House Committee on Science Full Committee Hearing 108th Congress – 1st Session website. Hearing Charter Representative Boehlert’s Opening Statement Opening Statement of Admiral Bowman, Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion (Naval Reactors) Program Opening Statement of Admiral Sullivan, Deputy Commander for Ship Design Integration and Engineering for the Naval Sea Systems Command Opening Statement of Mr. Johnson, Vice President for Space Launch Operations for the Aerospace Corporation Opening Statement of Ms. Grubbe, Corporate Director for Safety and Health at Dupont More STS-107 Historical Resources Share Details Last Updated Mar 27, 2024 Related TermsNASA HistorySTS-107 Explore More 6 min read 45 Years Ago: Space Shuttle Columbia Arrives at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Article 6 days ago 21 min read 55 Years Ago: Four Months Until the Moon Landing Article 1 week ago 11 min read 20 Years Ago: First Image of Earth from Mars and Other Postcards of Home Article 3 weeks ago View the full article

NASA astronaut Don Pettit poses for a crew portrait at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.NASA During his fourth mission to the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Don Pettit will serve as a flight engineer and member of the Expedition 71/72 crew. After blasting off to space, Pettit will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare crew for future space missions. Pettit will launch on the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft in September 2024, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. The trio will spend approximately six months aboard the orbital laboratory. NASA selected Pettit as an astronaut in 1996. A veteran of three spaceflights, he made integral advancements in technology and demonstrations for human exploration. He served as a science officer for Expedition 6 in 2003, operated the robotic arm for STS-126 space shuttle Endeavour in 2008, and served as a flight engineer for Expedition 30/31 in 2012. Pettit has logged 370 days in space and conducted two spacewalks totaling 13 hours and 17 minutes. The Expedition 6 crew launched on STS-113 space shuttle Endeavour expecting to return on STS-114 space shuttle Discovery after a two and a half month mission. Following the space shuttle Columbia accident that grounded the shuttle fleet, the crew returned on the Soyuz TMA-1 spacecraft after five and a half months, landing in Kazakhstan. On his next 16-day mission, STS-126, Pettit helped expand the living quarters of the space station and installed a regenerative life support system to reclaim potable water from urine. During Expedition 30/31, Pettit also captured the first commercial cargo spacecraft, the SpaceX Dragon, using the robotic arm. A native from Silverton, Oregon, Pettit holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Oregon State University, Corvallis, and a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Arizona, Tucson. Prior to his career with NASA, Pettit worked as a staff scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. For more than two decades, humans have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs that are 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 is able to focus more of its resources on deep space missions to the Moon and Mars. Get breaking news, images and features from the space station on the station blog, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Learn more about International Space Station research and operations at: https://www.nasa.gov/station -end- Julian Coltre / Claire O’Shea Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 julian.n.coltre@nasa.gov / claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov Courtney Beasley Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 courtney.m.beasley@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Mar 27, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsInternational Space Station (ISS)Humans in SpaceISS ResearchMissions View the full article