NASA

Congratulations to the ACS3 Team on the Successful Unfurling of Solar Sail Ames and Langley just added another light to the night sky. Congratulations to the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) team on the successful test of our next-generation solar sail technology that will allow future small spacecraft to “sail on sunlight” as they explore the cosmos. On Aug. 29, the team saw the first images captured by the CubeSat cameras as the mission accomplished its primary objective – successfully deploying the reflective polymer solar sail and its four composite booms in space. We are eager to share high-resolution images from the spacecraft in the coming weeks. Artist’s conception of the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System fully opened. The solar sail employs the pressure of sunlight for propulsion, eliminating the need for conventional rocket propellant.Graphic credit: NASA As the team celebrates achieving this milestone and the exciting possibilities for future small spacecraft missions, it’s a bittersweet victory. As many of you know, the mission’s lead systems engineer, Alan Rhodes, passed away unexpectedly in June. He devoted more than three years to the mission and watched with enthusiasm as the CubeSat launched on April 23. He is in our thoughts as the mission celebrates this latest milestone. After sunset, the best opportunities to see the CubeSat’s sail that spans 33 x 33 feet or half a tennis court will be in the northern skies. Stay tuned to NASA.gov and @NASAAmes on social media for updates on how to see the spacecraft passing over your area. Look for details in an upcoming centerwide with instructions on how to use the NASA App to help you narrow your search for the most accurate viewing opportunities. This mission is another shining example of the inspiration, talent, and innovation that drives the work that we do to develop forward-thinking technologies. Our efforts are impactful and continue to create new possibilities for robotic spaceflight. We can’t wait to see what’s next for the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System. Ames Welcomes Agency Senior Leadership by Tara Friesen NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails, and Director of Cross Agency Strategy Integration John Keefe, visited Ames on Aug. 28 to meet with Ames leadership, tour the facilities, and meet with employees. This was Free’s first visit to Ames since he was appointed associate administrator in November 2023, and Keefe’s first visit since recently joining NASA. Terry Fong, right, explains the operation of the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) using a model of the rover. Left to right: Director of Cross Agency Strategy Integration John Keefe, Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails, and Ames Associate Center Director Amir Deylami in the Multi-Mission Operations Center (MMOC), building N240.Photo credit: NASA/Ames Donald Richey While spending the day at the center, Free, Swails, and Keefe heard from Ames subject matter experts across many center core competences and missions. They visited the Space Biosciences Research Lab, the Advanced Supercomputing Facility where they were able to see the Hyperwall and the Modular Supercomputer; the VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) Mission Control Center, and the Arc Jet Facility. They also visited Future Flight Central, the AOL (Airspace Operations Lab), and took part in a wildfire demonstration and discussion. They completed their tour in the NASA Research Park and then toured the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel drive system where they viewed a model of the X-66 demonstrator aircraft semi span currently in the test section. They also walked through the area where the proposed Berkeley Space Center will be built. Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails examines a sample of algae through a microscope in the Space Biosciences Research Laboratory, in building N288.Photo credit: NASA/Ames Donald Richey As we always say, there’s a little bit of Ames in every NASA mission. Thank you to all the members of the Ames community who supported this visit and shared updates on their work with agency senior leadership. NASA Celebrates Ames’ Legacy of Research on National Aviation Day by Tara Friesen NASA works every day to improve air travel – and has been doing so since its creation decades ago. On National Aviation Day, Aug. 19, NASA and all fans of aviation got the chance to celebrate the innovative research and development the agency has produced to improve capability and safety in flight. Early research at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley — then known as NACA Ames Aeronautical Laboratory – included ground tests of “hot wing” anti-icing systems on a Lockheed 12A aircraft.Photo credit: NASA NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley has a historic legacy in aeronautics research. When the center was founded in 1939 by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), its early research included working to reduce icing on aircraft wings. When ice coats the wings of an airplane, it reduces lift and increases drag, which can cause the aircraft to lose altitude and control. Ames researchers developed different approaches to solve the icing challenge, including a “hot wing” thermal anti-icing system. The system worked by running hot engine exhaust along the leading edges of aircraft wings, warming them and preventing ice buildup. Ames researchers modified aircraft and tested them before traveling to Minnesota, where they were flown in icy conditions. Today, many turbine-powered aircraft, like passenger jets, use “bleed air” anti-icing systems, which warm the leading edges of aircraft wings using compressed air from their engines. These systems are built upon the early research and testing done at Ames. The legacy of aviation innovation continues at Ames, through aeroscience research like wind tunnel testing, air traffic management, and advanced aircraft systems. Ames’ WIN, WiO and the USAF Host Inspiring Women’s Equality Day Event In 1973, Congress designated August 26 as Women’s Equality Day to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. Since then, the observance has grown to include focusing attention on women’s continued efforts toward gaining full equality. Voting is one of the primary ways we participate in the political process, express our opinions, and help shape the goals and values of our nation. Since 1973, we have celebrated Women’s Equality Day on Aug. 26 to commemorate the certification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, which granted women the right to vote. We honor the efforts of the suffragists who fought tirelessly for equality throughout the early 1900s and the work that continued after certification to ensure all women were able to exercise that right. The WIN/WiO panel included the following speakers, left to right: Dr. Meghan Saephan, computer engineer in the Intelligent Systems Division and chair of the Women’s Influence Network Employee Resource Group; Shaina Sethna, safety engineer in the Plant Engineering Branch, member of the Women in Operations group and Women’s Influence Network, and the Special Emphasis Program manager for Federal Women at Ames; Erin Cook, deputy center director of Center Operations and colonel in the Air Force Reserves, where she serves as the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the vice commander Air Logics Complex, in Oklahoma City, and the Ames Women in Operations group executive sponsor; and Bee Davis, a senior infrastructure engineer at Johnson Space Center in the Flight Operations Directorate, and member of the Women’s Influence Network Employee Resource Group. The moderator, far right, was Airman First Class Nicholas Mangrum. At the time of its founding in 1958, NASA was a male-dominated workforce. By the 1960s, women were making significant contributions to the Apollo mission. Today, the trend continues to head in the right direction. Five of NASA’s 10 centers have women directors in center leadership and women are engaged in every facet of science, discovery, and exploration. Ames’ Women’s Influence Network (WIN), Women in Operations (WiO), and the US Air Force National Guard hosted an inspiring Women’s Equality Day event on Aug. 26 at the RQW Airmen Resiliency Center in Mountain View. The Ames event included a panel featuring women from WIN and WiO, as well as presentations from NASA leaders, local elected officials, and other government agencies. Mayor Yan Zhao from the City of Saratoga attended. Mayor Pat Showalter from the City of Mountain View provided opening remarks, along with Deputy Center Director Dr. Dave Korsmeyer. A presentation by the 129th Rescue Wing, which consists of the entire Air National Guard unit at Moffett Field. This portion of the program highlighted airmen in the 129thRescue Wing that had gone above and beyond. A second panel discussion was then held by the San Francisco Federal Bureau of Investigation. NASA also hosted an agencywide event on Aug. 26, featuring Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, Armstrong Flight Research Center’s Deputy Center Director Laurie Grindle, and NASA Historian Jennifer Ross-Nazzal. Women’s Equality Day provides an opportunity to underscore the agency’s commitment to providing an inclusive and equitable workplace today and ensuring a welcoming future for the next generation of employees. It is not only the right thing to do; it is essential to NASA’s success. Family Members Tour VIPER Mission Center On Aug. 14, family members of the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) were invited to see demonstrations and participate in hands-on activities at Ames for a friends and family day Chris Provencher, center standing, explains the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission to his family in the Multi-Mission Operations Center (MMOC), in building N240, for VIPER Friends and Family Day. Dennis Heher is seated at the control console on the left. Photo credit: NASA/Ames Donald Richey Antoine Tardy, left, explains the operation of the Moon Gravity Representative Unit (MGRU3) at the Roverscape during Friends and Family Day for team members of the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER). MGRU3 is a weight equivalent mobility and navigation test platform for VIPER. It is used to test, develop, and validate the different mobility and navigation techniques and capabilities of the VIPER rover. Photo credit: NASA/Ames Donald Richey Arno Rogg explains the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) mission to visitors in the Multi-Mission Operations Center (MMOC), in building N240, during the VIPER Friends and Family Day. Photo credit: NASA/Ames Donald Richey Right to left: Jay Trimble, Rachel Hoover, and Kelsey Herrmann in the Multi-Mission Operations Center (MMOC), in building N240, during the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) Friends and Family Day. Photo credit: NASA/Ames Donald Richey National Full Scale Aerodynamic Complex (NFAC) Turns 80 National Full Scale Aerodynamic Complex (NFAC) 80th Anniversary commemorative group photo in the 40-foot-by-80-foot wind tunnel test section. Front row, kneeling, left to right, Jarvis Gross, Paul Gillis, Bartolome Aganon, Andrew Carrigan, Ana Chaverri, Matthew Nugyen, Kyle Lukacovic, Luisito Icari, Tristan Eberbach, Nili Gold, James Bailey, Sarah Sarra, Emily Sayles, Angela Carter, Janice Lim, and Brenda Fox. Second row, from left to right, Meliton Abenojar, Daniel Brookbank, Frank Pichay, Ryan Edwards, Dan Pruyn, Tyler Pearsall, Joseph Candaso, April Gage, Steve Nance, Doug Wardwell, Tim Naumowicz, Vick Corsiglia, Alfred Lizak, Kenneth Mort, Mike Herrick, Chutchai Chompupong, Emmanuel Nyangweso, Sandra Ruiz, Michelle Foster, Rick Shinoda, Brian Vazquez, and Derek Witman. Thrid Row, from left to right, , Pete Zell, Abiael Rivera Lopez, Cory Koehne, Shawn Abedajos, Chris Nykamp, Kevin Boyce, Jose Navarrete, Alex Shikman, Daniel Grieb, Nathan Noma, Patrick Goulding, David Wang, Dan Boyd, Bill Warmbroth, Wally Acree, Hank Schwoob, Joseph Sacco, Scott Jaffa, Rob Fong, Jim Ross, Tom Norman, Jeffrey Johnson, Tom Arledge, Arturo Zamora, Athena Chan, Craig Morrison, Jonathan Winegar, Samuel Huang, Johannes van Aken, and Todd Fuller.Photo credit: NASA/Ames Brandon Torres NASA Seeks Input on Safety for Future Commercial Drone Operations by Hillary Smith NASA recently gathered representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), police and fire departments, and commercial industry to figure out how to take an important step for public safety drones: allowing them to fly past where their operators can see them. Currently, most drone operations are limited to areas known as “visual line of sight” for safety purposes. However, engineers and researchers are developing the infrastructure to allow drones to operate beyond this point. As the FAA works to authorize these types of flights, NASA is helping ensure these operations are safe and efficient.  Drones in flight in downtown Reno, Nevada, during shakedown tests for NASA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management project, or UTM. The final phase of flight tests, known as Technical Capability Level 4, ran from May through August 2019 and studied how the UTM system can integrate drones into urban areas.Photo credit: NASA/Ames Dominic Hart This work from NASA and the FAA could have significant commercial applications – including drone deliveries – but at their June meeting, the agencies were focused on public safety drones used for search-and-rescue, accident scene reconstruction, and situational awareness during fires and other emergencies. Researchers need to figure out how drones on public safety missions can operate safely beyond visual line of sight – and do so in airspace shared with drones on commercial missions. Hosted by NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, the meeting took place in Arlington, Texas City Hall. Attendees included members of the FAA, the Department of Homeland Security, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Arlington local police and fire departments, and representatives of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The group’s discussion included the special considerations needed for public safety drone operations beyond visual line of sight. And they identified at least one significant challenge: how to ensure that public safety drones have priority when operating in the same airspace with commercial drones. NASA researchers provided feedback from this session to the FAA, commercial drone operators, and service providers. Input from the public safety meeting will support the FAA’s evaluation of commercial drone flights beyond visual line of sight, which the agency is currently conducting in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Data from these operations will inform FAA rulemaking. NASA’s work is led by its Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Traffic Management System Beyond Visual Line of Sight effort, which falls under the Air Traffic Management Exploration project. This subproject directly supports NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility mission. Advanced Air Mobility aims to transform our communities by bringing the movement of people and goods off the ground, on demand, and into the sky.  New Zealand Prime Minister Tours Ames, Celebrates Partnership On July 12, Ames welcomed the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Christopher Luxon. New Zealand was a pivotal partner in crafting the Artemis Accords and is a longstanding partner with NASA in commercial space and Earth science. At Ames, the prime minister was hosted in the Advanced Supercomputing Facility where he was briefed on Ames’ core competences and learned about NASA’s partnership with Rocket Lab to launch missions from New Zealand’s coast including the Advanced Composite Solar Sail,Starling, and CAPSTONE. Ames Center Director Eugene Tu, left, and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, right, in front of the HyperWall facility in building N258.Photo credit: NASA/Ames Brandon Torres He also met with two Ames interns from New Zealand’s Space Scholarship program, Alex McKendry, who is researching neuromorphic computing applications in small spacecraft autonomy, and Faun Watson, who is using the Low Density Shock Tube to simulate sustainable satellite de-orbiting technology. The students are here under the NASA International Internships Project. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, left, greets NASA interns Faun Watson and Alexandra McKendry before departing the lobby of N258.Photo credit: NASA/Ames Brandon Torres In addition, Ames experts briefed the prime minister on NASA’s and New Zealand’s collaborative efforts to study Earth’s interconnected systems. He also learned about SOFIA’s enduring connection to New Zealand, which hosted the aircraft seven times to observe objects visible in the southern hemisphere. Before leaving the center, the prime minister visited the Pleiades and Cabeus supercomputers and examined the capabilities of the facility’s upgraded hyperwall, which brings numerical data to life with over a billion pixels across 128 screens. Ames leadership spoke with the prime minister about a partnership between NASA’s Indigenous Peoples Initiative, the Society for Māori Astronomy Research and Traditions, and members of the Māori Working Group in Aerospace. This partnership will support the need for Māori-led initiatives to monitor environmental and ecological impacts in their communities and add diverse voices to Earth observations and research. It is a privilege to welcome our international partners to Ames and share our wealth of knowledge and technology. Collaboration is critical to NASA’s mission, particularly as we go back to the Moon and beyond, together. We value our continued partnership with New Zealand and their role in Earth science and the evolving commercial space industry. NASA’s Upgraded Hyperwall Offers Improved Data Visualization by Tara Friesen In May, the NASA Advanced Supercomputing (NAS) facility, located at Ames Research Center, celebrated the newest generation of its hyperwall system, a wall of LCD screens that display supercomputer-scale visualizations of the very large datasets produced by NASA supercomputers and instruments. NAS visualization and data sciences lead Chris Henze (far left) demonstrates the newly upgraded hyperwall visualization system to Ames Center Director Eugene Tu (second from left), deputy center director David Korsmeyer (second from right), and High-End Computing Capability manager William Thigpen (far right.)Photo credit: NASA/Ames Brandon Torres The upgrade is the fourth generation of hyperwall clusters at NAS. The LCD panels provide four times the resolution of the previous system, now spanning across a 300-square foot display with over a billion pixels. The hyperwall is one of the largest and most powerful visualization systems in the world. Systems like the NAS hyperwall can help researchers visualize their data at large scale, across different viewpoints or using different parameters for new ways of analysis. The improved resolution of the new system will help researchers “zoom in” with greater detail. The hyperwall is just one way researchers can utilize NASA’s high-end computing technology to better understand their data. The NAS facility offers world-class supercomputing resources and services customized to meet the needs of about 1,500 users from NASA centers, academia and industry. Liftoff! Redesigned NASA Ames Visitor Center Engages Kids, Families by Tara Friesen The San Francisco Bay Area has a new and interactive way to learn more about the innovative work of NASA’s Ames Research Center. A newly redesigned NASA Ames Visitor Center at Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, California, reopened to the public June 22 at the NASA Fest at Chabot celebration. The newly revitalized NASA Ames Visitor Center opened at the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, California on June 22, 2024.Photo credit: NASA/Ames Donald Richey Chabot Space & Science Center director Adam Tobin, right, welcomes NASA Ames center director Eugene Tu, left, and deputy center director David Korsmeyer, center, to the updated NASA Ames Visitor Center.Photo credit: NASA/Ames Donald Richey The two-day festival included hands-on activities, workshops, and conversations with NASA Ames experts, as well as presentations from local STEM organizations. “Curiosity and inspiration are the core of what we do at NASA,” said Eugene Tu, center director at Ames. “This new exhibit is a chance for us to share a bit of what happens behind the scenes that makes our work possible and inspire the next generation.” The NASA Ames Visitor Center includes exhibits and activities, sharing the work of NASA in Silicon Valley with the public.Photo credit: NASA/Ames Donald Richey The updated visitor center includes a fully reimagined 360-degree experience, featuring new exhibits, models, and more. An interactive exhibit puts visitors in the shoes of a NASA Ames scientist, designing and testing rovers, planes, and robots for space exploration. The NASA Ames Visitor Center first opened at Chabot in November 2021. The newly reimagined space is one way NASA seeks to engage and excite kids and families in science and technology. NASA Cloud-Based Platform Could Help Streamline, Improve Air Traffic by John Gould Just like your smartphone navigation app can instantly analyze information from many sources to suggest the best route to follow, a NASA-developed resource is now making data available to help the aviation industry do the same thing. To assist air traffic managers in keeping airplanes moving efficiently through the skies, information about weather, potential delays, and more is being gathered and processed to support decision making tools for a variety of aviation applications. Appropriately named the Digital Information Platform (DIP), this living database hosts key data gathered by flight participants such as airlines or drone operators. It will help power additional tools that, among other benefits, can save you travel time. This image shows an aviation version of a smartphone navigation app that makes suggestions for an aircraft to fly an alternate, more efficient route. The new trajectories are based on information available from NASA’s Digital Information Platform and processed by the Collaborative Departure Digital Rerouting tool.Photo credit: NASA “Through DIP we’re also demonstrating how to deliver digital services for aviation users via a modern cloud-based, service-oriented architecture,” said Swati Saxena, DIP project manager at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California. The intent is not to compete with others. Instead, the hope is that industry will see DIP as a reference they can use in developing and implementing their own platforms and digital services. “Ultimately, the aviation industry – the Federal Aviation Administration, commercial airlines, flight operators, and even the flying public – will benefit from what we develop,” Saxena said. The platform and digital services have even more benefits than just saving some time on a journey. For example, NASA recently collaborated with airlines to demonstrate a traffic management tool that improved traffic flow at select airports, saving thousands of pounds of jet fuel and significantly reducing carbon emissions. Now, much of the data gathered in collaboration with airlines and integrated on the platform is publicly available. Users who qualify can create a guest account and access DIP data at a new website created by the project. It’s all part of NASA’s vision for 21st century aviation involving revolutionary next-generation future airspace and safety tools. Managing Future Air Traffic During the 2030s and beyond, the skies above the United States are expected to become much busier. Facing this rising demand, the current National Airspace System – the network of U.S. aviation infrastructure including airports, air navigation facilities, and communications – will be challenged to keep up. DIP represents a key piece of solving that challenge. NASA’s vision for future airspace and safety involves new technology to create a highly automated, safe, and scalable environment. What this vision looks like is a flight environment where many types of vehicles and their pilots, as well as air traffic managers, use state-of-the-art automated tools and systems that provide highly detailed and curated information. These tools leverage new capabilities like machine learning and artificial intelligence to streamline efficiency and handle the increase in traffic expected in the coming decades. Digital Services Ecosystem in Action To begin implementing this new vision, our aeronautical innovators are evaluating their platform, DIP, and services at several airports in Texas. This initial stage is a building block for larger such demonstrations in the future. “These digital services are being used in the live operational environment by our airline partners to improve efficiency of the current airspace operations,” Saxena said. “The tools are currently in use in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and will be deployed in the Houston airspace in 2025.” The results from these digital tools are already making a difference. Proven Air Traffic Results During 2022, a NASA machine learning-based tool named Collaborative Digital Departure Rerouting, designed to improve the flow of air traffic and prevent flight delays, saved more than 24,000 lbs. (10,886 kg.) of fuel by streamlining air traffic in the Dallas area. If such tools were used across the entire country, the improvements made in efficiency, safety, and sustainability would make a notable difference to the flying public and industry. “Continued agreements with airlines and the aviation industry led to the creation and expansion of this partnership ecosystem,” Saxena said. “There have been benefits across the board.” DIP was developed under NASA’s Airspace Operations and Safety Program. Ames Selected Co-Winner 2024 NASA Software of the Year Award Ames Research Center is a co-winner for the 2024 NASA Software of the Year (SOY) award for “ProgPy -Prognostics Python” software, which was among five submissions competing this year. NASA Johnson Space Center also was selected as co-winner of the SOY award. Put simply, ProgPy helps predict how long a machine will work before it runs into challenges, essentially computing its remaining useful life (more information below). The agency-wide annual SOY competition rewards high-quality, innovative, and robust software using efficient software engineering processes that meet NASA’s stringent safety and reliability standards. Sponsors of the competition include the NASA Chief Engineer, the NASA Chief Information Officer, and the NASA Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. NASA’s Inventions and Contribution Board (ICB) reviewed and ranked the nominations, in coordination with the sponsors. Congratulations to the ProgPy team from Code TI: Christopher Teubert, Katelyn Griffith, Matteo Corbetta, Chetan Kulkarni, Jason Watkins, Matthew J. Daigle, Portia Banerjee, Adam Sweet and interns, Miryam Strautkalns, and Aditya Tummala for this recognition by the agency. The NASA Prognostic Package (ProgPy) is a python prognostics framework focused on building, using, and evaluating models and algorithms for prognostics (computation of remaining useful life). It also includes the health management of engineering systems and provides a set of prognostics models for select components and prognostics algorithms developed within this framework, suitable for use in prognostics for these components. In addition to algorithms for state estimation and prediction, including uncertainty propagation. ProgPy combines NASA’s prog_models and prog_algs packages into a single python package, for simplicity and clarity. Every new software developed or improved, helps advance the agency’s work. Employees are invited to submit disclosures on your software and technology development work at https://invention.nasa.gov to make these important benefits a reality. Special Thanks Appreciation and special thanks to Ames’ Technology Transfer Office, Inventions and Contributions Board (ICB) members, and 2024 NASA SOY selection panel members who reviewed and selected the technology that Ames put forward for the agencywide competition. They helped assemble, vet, and submit the nomination package and helped prepare the team for their final presentation delivered to the SOY Judging Panel. Congratulations to the ProgPY team for this recognition and for continuing the Ames tradition of leading the agency in software development! Former NASA Software of the Year Winners As a center, we have enjoyed great success in previous NASA Software of the Year (SOY) competitions. This achievement adds to our legacy, which includes: Unsteady Pressure-Sensitive Paint (uPSP), (Honorable Mention, 2023) Porous Microstructure Analysis (PuMA), (Software of the Year, 2022) Airspace Technology Demonstration 2 (ATD-2) (Runner-Up, 2021) Astrobee Robot and Ground Software (Runner-Up, 2020) UAS Traffic Management Services (UTM) (Software of the Year, 2019) NASA Task Load Index TLX, (Runner-Up, 2018) TSAS for Air Traffic Control (Software of the Year, 2017) Pegasus 5 CFD Tool (Software of the Year, 2016) NEQAIR v14.x Non-Equilibrium Radiative Transport and Spectra Program (Software of the Year, 2015) Configuration-Based Aerodynamics (CBAERO) with Marshall Space Flight Center (Software of the Year, 2014) NASA App with JPL (Software of the Year, 2012) Kepler Science Operations Center (SOC) (Software of the Year, 2010) World Wind Java (Software of the Year, 2009) Data Parallel Line Relaxation Code (DPLR) (Software of the Year, 2007) Future Air Traffic Management Concepts Evaluation Tool (FACET) (Software of the Year, 2006) Cart3D (Software of the Year, 2002) Remote Agent with JPL (Software of the Year, 1999) Center TRACON Automation System (Software of the Year, 1998) Flow Analysis Software Toolkit (FAST) (Software of the Year, 1995) Incompressible Navier-Stokes Flow Solver in Three Dimensions (INS3D) (Software of the Year, 1994) The ICB members included Leland Stone (Code TH) and Mary Livingston (Code AA). Leland also serves as chair of Ames’ Software of the Year selection panel. From the Ames Technology Transfer Office (Code DI): Kim Hines (Chief), Kimberly Minafra, Hong Vong, Jay Singh, and Katie Smyth. The 2024 Ames SoY Selection Panel members were Harry Partridge (Code D), Craig Pires (Code D), Robert Duffy (Code TI), Robert Windhorst (Code AFH), Estela Buchmann (Code AF), Sean Colgan (Code STA). Careers & disABLED Magazine names Nathaniel Smith 2024 Employee of the Year Nathanial (Neal) Smith, an aerospace engineer at Ames in the Experimental Aero-Physics Branch (Code AOX) was selected as Employee of the Year by Careers & the disABLED Magazine for his professional and advocacy efforts on behalf of people with disabilities in the workplace and in the community. His research is computer vision-based technique implementations for novel approaches to optical data reduction, and flow physics analysis. He is open to sharing about his disability to inspire others. Aerospace Engineer Nathanial (Neal) Smith has been selected as Employee of the Year by CAREERS & the disABLED Magazine. Congratulations Neal! As Administrator Nelson has said, ensuring NASA is inclusive and accessible is critical to the agency’s ability to innovate, achieve excellence, and advance the mission. We are fortunate to benefit from Neal’s commitment to this goal here at Ames. The NASA Ames family is proud of your contributions to the agency and your continuous involvement with the Ames Disability Advocates employee resource group. Find out more about Neal and his award in the Spring Awards issue of Careers & the disABLED. Awardees of the FY24 Ames Research Innovation Award Announced The Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) is pleased to announce the FY24 Ames Research Innovation Award (ARIA) awardees. ARIA promotes the vitality of Ames through strategic investments in scientific research, capabilities, and people. It encourages the development of new, high-risk/high-return investigations that stress innovation, exploration, and/or interdisciplinary work. ARIA focuses on innovative or basic scientific research in areas that are relevant to agency and center goals, without necessarily being tied to any specific future mission opportunity. ARIA proposals must be research oriented and are considered seedling funding for innovative/disruptive research that will enable next generation science and research. Image credit: NASA Please join us in congratulating the FY24 ARIA awardees: Don Banfield, “Ice Giant Watchdog Concept” Jared Broddrick, “Systems Biology Analysis of Biological Payload Telemetry Data” Egle Cekanaviciute, “Human Airway Model Responses to Airborne Stimuli” Michael Flynn, “Radio-catalytic Radiation Protection” Jessica Koehne, “Detection and Characterization of Single Mag-EC ELISA Constructs for Ultra-Low LOD Life Detection” Yasaman Shirazi, “Assessing miRNA Biomarkers Associated with Spaceflight Induced Bone Loss and Fracture Risk” Visit the OCS website for more information. Congratulations to the Awardees of the 2024 Internal Research and Development Ames Research Center is pleased to announce the awardees of the FY24 Internal Research and Development (IRAD).The IRAD develops strategic technical capabilities in support of the center competencies and thereby enables science, technology, and engineering efforts for future agency missions. The advances in science and technology through this program will provide potential opportunities for technical risk reduction and/or increased cost effectiveness and initiate potentially transformational solutions. Image credit: NASA Congratulations to the FY24 IRAD awardees: Walter Alvarado, Biomarkers in Radiation Exhalation Assessment Tool for Health Evaluation (BREATHE). Don Banfield, Mars Doppler Wind & Thermal Sounder Ozone Cell Maturation. Grace Belancik, Cryocooler-Deposited CO2 Purifier. Amanda Brecht, AIR (Ames Infrared Imager): Maturation of a Compact and Versatile Hyperspectral Imager. Anthony Colaprete, Moon3D and Dust Particle Suite: An Artemis IV Deployed Payload. Magnus Haw, IMPedance Analysis and Certification Technology (IMPACT). Tori Hoehler, Verification and Validation of ARC Enceladus Life Signatures and Habitability (ELSAH) Payload Elements for New Frontiers 5. Brian Kempa, DARTS: Distributed Autonomous Robotic Tomography of Seismics. Jessica Lee, Fluorescence detection and optogenetic activation for microbial experimentation beyond LEO. Mike Padgen, SAMMS: Spaceflight Autonomous Multigenerational Microbial Sequencer. Keith Peterson, PICA-Flex: A Low-Cost Advanced Ablative TPS in NASA’s New MERINO Family of Materials (Materials Engineered for Re-entry using Innovative Needling Operations). Richard Quinn, Microfluidic Icy-World Chiral-Chemistry Analyzer (MICCA). Naseem Rangwala, Enabling a New Vacuum High-Contrast Imaging Testbed for NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory. Farid Salama, Developing a New Negative Ion Production System on the COSmIC Facility for Interstellar and Planetary applications. This year, the IRAD was highly competitive with more than 65 proposals submitted from across the center and represents an over 100% increase in the number of proposals submitted compared to last year. The 14 proposals selected represent an approximately $2.8 million center investment over two years and consists of 13 proposals by principal investigators not in the FY23 awards. We appreciate everyone’s interest in this important program and look forward to hearing about the results of these investigations. Congratulations to all the FY24 IRAD recipients! Visit the IRAD website for more information. Dr. Yvonne Cagle Receives Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, Gold Medal Congratulations to NASA astronaut and longtime Ames Management Astronaut Representative, Dr. Yvonne Cagle, currently assigned to the Partnerships Office, who was presented with the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, Gold Medal, on June 17. Dr. Yvonne Cagle recent recipient of the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, Gold Medal.Photo credit: NASA Cagle received the award during Black Space Week, following her participation on a panel with fellow astronauts Victor Glover, Jessica Watkins, Leland Melvin, and Joan Higginbotham at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The panel examined the past, present, and future of space exploration. At the event, Cagle shared her insight upon returning from a sailing research trip studying the geoscience and thermal chemical profiles of the oceans in anticipation of planetary soil sampling opportunities for future lunar and Mars missions. As NASA prepares to send humans back to the Moon and on to Mars, we need to consider, “The way the planet speaks, the way the soil speaks, the way the ocean can let us know when its coasts are under strain, and how that can be really disruptive to our planet and our lives… And I began to realize that the Earth is alive; it breathes. And I really want to use some of the discoveries I’ve made over my years as a medical doctor and overlay them on the face of the Earth, and then take that perspective to look back from the lens of space to see if we can all come together, work together to regenerate, thrive, and sustain ourselves both here on the planet and off.” This most recent award joins many others that recognize Cagle’s excellence, including the National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, United States Air Force Air Staff Exceptional Physician Commendation and National Technical Association Distinguished Scientist Award. A senior flight surgeon and a contributor to the study of astronaut health, Cagle is a valued colleague at Ames and an inspiration to the next generation of medical doctors, scientists, and space explorers. National Academies Study Selects Dr. Jen Heldmann as Geosciences Panel Chair Ames’ Planetary Scientist Dr. Jen Heldmann has been selected as Chair of the Geosciences Panel in a study led by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) entitled “A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars.” The Geosciences panel is one of four that will provide input to the steering committee to identify and prioritize Mars science objectives best conducted by humans. The panel’s report will also outline mission campaigns to achieve these prioritized science objectives. Dr. Jen Heldmann, recently selected as Chair of the Geosciences Panel in a study led by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. Aligning with NASA’s Moon to Mars Objectives According to the National Academies: “A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars will identify high priority science objectives (in all relevant disciplines) to be addressed by human explorers across multiple science campaigns on the surface of Mars. This includes identifying and prioritizing science objectives from the relevant decadal survey reports and discipline roadmaps and NASA’s Moon to Mars Objectives, determining types of samples to be collected and measurements to be taken, identifying science campaigns to address the objectives, and identifying preliminary criteria for the selection of appropriate landing sites. Research Interests Heldmann’s research interests focus on planetary volatiles, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and enabling human exploration of the Moon and Mars. Her expertise includes spacecraft data analysis, numerical modeling, and fieldwork in Mars-analog environments in locations such as Chile’s Atacama Desert, the Canadian High Arctic and Antarctica. She has contributed to space missions starting with the Ames-led LCROSS (Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite) mission to the Moon, and currently serves as a science team member for the VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) mission. Heldmann serves as principal investigator (PI) for both NASA’s FINESSE (Field Investigations to Enable Solar System Science & Exploration) and RESOURCE (Resource Exploration and Science of OUR Cosmic Environment) projects and has served as PI or co-I on a host of other projects and grants. She has supported the Artemis Program as a member of the Artemis III Science Definition Team, as co-lead of the Artemis III Geology Team, and as a crew trainer for Artemis Astronauts (among other duties). Congratulations to Dr. Heldmann in her new role helping to lead NASA into the coming decades of human Mars exploration! NASA Public Engagement Specialist Jonas Dino Loves to Inspire Kids with STEM by Gianine Figliozi Careers at NASA were not on his radar growing up. But Jonas Dino, public engagement specialist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, ended up with his perfect job that involves connecting people with NASA. Jonas Dino speaks to students at the Cezar Chavez Middle School in Union City, California, as part of a NASA-sponsored traveling space museum tour of Bay Area schools.Photo credit: NASA Ames/Dominic Hart One of the best parts of his job is to learn first-hand about NASA’s cutting-edge research and translate these concepts to the next generation. “I’m excited about what NASA does and where we are going,” said Dino, “As an extrovert, I love interacting with the public, especially little kids.” When speaking to younger children, Dino often kneels, to get to their level. With the future of aeronautics and space exploration in mind, he has a message for them: ‘NASA needs you.’ “They love space and think it is very cool, but many don’t think they could ever work at NASA,” said Dino. “I want to help them see: anything is possible.” NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley takes NASA’s message on the road to area schools and public events with its public engagement trailer. Jonas Dino is shown unloading the trailer for an event.Photo credit: NASA Ames/Dominic Hart A path to NASA he didn’t know existed A first-generation immigrant from the Philippines, Dino’s academic start focused on studying life sciences. “As a Filipino, you’re encouraged to go into the medical field as a career,” said Dino. After joining the Marine Corps, Reserve, he returned home to study biology at San Jose State University (SJSU). After doing poorly at organic chemistry, he took his next “logical” step and switched his major to nursing. After working in the field, he realized that was not for him either. Luckily, he had been taking psychology classes, following his interests, and could graduate with a psychology degree by only taking two more classes. After three changes in major and just getting ready to graduate, Dino was hit by a car. His injury and subsequent recovery gave him time to evaluate what he wanted to do with his life. “I was pretty good at talking to people and teaching,” said Dino. “Maybe I could do that as a job?” Dino started his teaching career at James Logan – the same high school he graduated from in 1985. He eventually ran for and was elected as a trustee for the New Haven Unified School District in the San Francisco Bay Area. Unfortunately, to take that seat, he could not be a teacher in the district – a conflict of interest. Suddenly needing a job, he found the internship book at SJSU where he was getting his master’s degree. Soon, he was evaluating opportunities: a high-tech company or NASA? “It was during the dotcom boom and my family strongly encouraged me to take the high-tech internship,” said Dino. “I took the internship at NASA Ames and have never regretted my decision.” Working as a communicator, Dino has covered the gamut of NASA projects from aeronautics to space missions, including a lunar mission, LCROSS, that helped confirm the presence of water on the Moon. His favorite part of his job is STEM engagement. “There is nothing like seeing a kid’s eyes get larger, or that proverbial light-bulb-turn-on-above-their-heads when you teach them something new,” said Dino. “When you see kids are hungry for science, you need to feed it.” He did serve his community on the school board for four terms – 16 years. Now, he serves as an advocate for the NASA Ames workforce as president of the Ames Federal Employees Union. “NASA is a great place to work, it has been a blast, for nearly 24 years.” Science data from NASA’s Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) mission’s 2009 lunar impact helped confirm the presence of water on the Moon. Here, LCROSS Project Manager Daniel Andrews (left), points to a model of the LCROSS spacecraft integrated with the Atlas V Centaur upper stage rocket. Jonas Dino (right) led public communications for the mission at NASA Ames.Photo credit: NASA Ames/Eric James Nudging an asteroid A little push in the right direction, even incidental, can have a huge effect on your trajectory – and thus where you end up – if it happens early on. This is true both for rogue rocks, on the loose in the solar system, and for people too. “When I was a kid, I took apart everything because I wanted to know what’s inside and how everything worked,” said Dino. “Looking back, I should have been an engineer.” “I have two children, a son and a daughter,” said Dino. “I’m encouraging my daughter to go into STEM; we need more young women in STEM careers but too many girls are pushed away from this choice by the time they are in middle school. I also want to encourage Filipino kids to make their own career choices and maybe even to come work for NASA.” To help pursue these goals, Dino started a memorial scholarship in honor of his father for Filipino students going into STEM fields. He handed out the inaugural scholarship for this last May. NASA never stops for Dino. Whether at work or on his free time, he’s always talking about NASA. While dishing out samples of his Filipino adobo recipe during a recent adobo-cooking contest – according to Dino, every Filipino family has their own recipe for this dish – he also handed out NASA knowledge. He won second place. Summer Interns Present at Poster Session Ames summer interns presented their research projects that they worked on during the summer to center leadership and mentors during a poster session event in Building 3 in the NASA Research Park. Interns at Ames explain their research project posters to interested parties at the recent summer intern poster session.Photo credit: NASA Ames/Donald Richey Photo credit: NASA Ames/Donald Richey Mountain View Tech Showcase and Panel Highlight Local Innovations Ames participated in a technology panel and exhibited at the two-day Mountain View Technology Showcase event July 24 and 25, held annually at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. This event was a testament to the collaborative spirit of companies and partners from within the city and surrounding areas, all coming together to highlight the latest technology innovations. Chetan Kulkarni, Code T, shared his work on algorithm development, and Donald Durston, Code A, shared his work on supersonic aircraft, sonic booms, and the X-59. The panel provided the general public with a better understanding of the current and future state of unmanned airspace use in Mountain View, particularly the long history of air and space research and development, the myriad of uses, the challenges of managing use at different altitudes, what aspects our local companies are focusing on, and how they all fit together to help our everyday lives. Speaking at the podium, Joseph Rios, Chief Technologist for the Aviation Systems Division at Ames, discusses Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and the current state of Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM). This was during the panel discussion about the future of airspace at the 9th Annual Technology Showcase in the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. Seated left to right: Robert Rose, Jim Tighe, and Alex Norman.Photo credit: NASA Ames/Donald Richey Chetan Kulkarni, right, sharing his work on technology maturation of Prognostics and Decision-Making (PDM) at the July 24 Technology Showcase.Photo credit: Mona Lisa Sharp Donald Durston, center, shares his work on supersonic aircraft, sonic boom, and the X-59 at the July 24 Technology Showcase.Photo credit: Mona Lisa Sharp Space Life Sciences Training Program (SLSTP) Interns Tour Ames The Space Life Sciences Training Program (SLSTP) interns investigate the 24-foot diameter centrifuge of the Space Biosciences Artificial Gravity Lab in N239A during the recent tour at Ames on July 26.Photo credit: NASA Ames/Donald Richey Joshua Alwood of the Space Biosciences Artificial Gravity Lab, right, explains the 1.22-meter radius (8-foot diameter) centrifuge to the Space Life Sciences Training Program (SLSTP) interns in N239A during their tour on July 26.Photo credit: NASA Ames/Donald Richey Surfing NASA’s Internet of Animals: Satellites Study Ocean Wildlife Anchoring the boat in a sandbar, research scientist Morgan Gilmour steps into the shallows and is immediately surrounded by sharks. The warm waters around the tropical island act as a reef shark nursery, and these baby biters are curious about the newcomer. They zoom close and veer away at the last minute, as Gilmour slowly makes her way toward the kaleidoscope of green sprouting from the island ahead. An aerial view of Palmyra Atoll, where animal tracking data now being studied by NASA’s Internet of Animals project was collected using wildlife tags by partners at The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and several universities.Photo credit: The Nature Conservancy/Kydd Pollock Gilmour, a scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, conducts marine ecology and conservation studies using data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from animals equipped with wildlife tags. Palmyra Atoll, a United States marine protected area, provides the perfect venue for this work. A collection of roughly 50 small islands in the tropical heart of the Pacific Ocean, the atoll is bursting with life of all kinds, from the reef sharks and manta rays circling the shoreline to the coconut crabs climbing palm branches and the thousands of seabirds swooping overhead. By analyzing the movements of dolphins, tuna, and other creatures, Gilmour and her collaborators can help assess whether the boundaries of the marine protected area surrounding the atoll actually protect the species they intend to, or if its limits need to shift. Launched in 2020 by The Nature Conservancy and its partners – USGS, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), and several universities – the project team deployed wildlife tags at Palmyra in 2022, when Gilmour was a scientist with USGS. Now with NASA, she is leveraging the data for a study under the agency’s Internet of Animals project. By combining information transmitted from wildlife tags with information about the planet collected by satellites – such as NASA’s Aqua, NOAA’s GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) satellites, and the U.S.-European Jason-3 – scientists can work with partners to draw conclusions that inform ecological management. The Palmyra Atoll is a haven for biodiversity, boasting thriving coral reef systems, shallow waters that act as a shark nursery, and rich vegetation for various land animals and seabirds. In the Landsat image above, a small white square marks the research station, where scientists from all over the world come to study the many species that call the atoll home.Photo credit: NASA/Earth Observatory Team “Internet of Animals is more than just an individual collection of movements or individual studies; it’s a way to understand the Earth at large,” said Ryan Pavlick, then Internet of Animals project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, during the project’s kickoff event. The Internet of Animals at Palmyra “Our work at Palmyra was remarkably comprehensive,” said Gilmour. “We tracked the movements of eight species at once, plus their environmental conditions, and we integrated climate projections to understand how their habitat may change. Where studies may typically track two or three types of birds, we added fish and marine mammals, plus air and water column data, for a 3D picture of the marine protected area.” Tagged Yellowfin Tuna, Grey Reef Sharks, and Great Frigatebirds move in and out of a marine protected area (blue square), which surrounds the Palmyra Atoll (blue circle) in the tropical heart of the Pacific. These species are three of many that rely on the atoll and its surrounding reefs for food and for nesting.Photo credit: NASA/Lauren Dauphin Now, the NASA team has put that data into a species distribution model, which combines the wildlife tracking information with environmental data from satellites, including sea surface temperature, chlorophyll concentration, and ocean current speed. The model can help researchers understand how animal populations use their habitats and how that might shift as the climate changes. Preliminary results from Internet of Animals team show that the animals tracked are moving beyond the confines of the Palmyra marine protected area. The model identified suitable habitats both in and around the protected zone – now and under predicted climate change scenarios – other researchers and decisionmakers can utilize that knowledge to inform marine policy and conservation. Research scientist Morgan Gilmour checks on a young great frigatebird in its nest. The marine protected area around Palmyra Atoll protects these birds’ breeding grounds.Photo credit: UC Santa Barbara/Devyn Orr Following a 2023 presidential memorandum, NOAA began studying and gathering input on whether to expand the protected areas around Palmyra and other parts of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. Analysis from NASA’s Internet of Animals could inform that and similar decisions, such as whether to create protected “corridors” in the ocean to allow for seasonal migrations of wildlife. The findings and models from the team’s habitat analysis at Palmyra also could help inform conservation at similar latitudes across the planet. Beyond the Sea: Other Internet of Animals Studies Research at Palmyra Atoll is just one example of work by Internet of Animals scientists. Claire Teitelbaum, a researcher with the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute based at NASA Ames, studies avian flu in wild waterfowl, investigating how their movement may contribute to transmission of the virus to poultry and other domestic livestock. Teams at Ames and JPL are also working with USGS to create next-generation wildlife tags and sensors. Low-power radar tags in development at JPL would be lightweight enough to track small birds. Ames researchers plan to develop long-range radio tags capable of maximizing coverage and transmission of data from high-flying birds. This could help researchers take measurements in hard-to-reach layers of the atmosphere. With the technology brought together by the Internet of Animals, even wildlife can take an active role in the study of Earth’s interacting systems, helping human experts learn more about our planet and how best to confront the challenges facing the natural world. To learn more about the Internet of Animals visit: https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-earth-exchange-nex/new-missions-support/internet-of-animals/ The Internet of Animals project is funded by NASA and managed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The team at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley is part of the NASA Earth Exchange, a Big Data initiative providing unique insights into Earth’s systems using the agency’s supercomputers at the center. Partners on the project include the U.S. Geological Survey, The Nature Conservancy, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Yale Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Stanford University, University of Hawaii, University of California Santa Barbara, San Jose State University, University of Washington, and the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior. NASA’s Speakers Bureau Unveils New “NASA Engages” Tool The NASA Speakers Bureau is excited to share a new online tool called NASA Engages! The tool matches the NASA workforce’s individual interests and expertise with internal and external engagement activities. The tool will allow us to engage learners and the public in NASA’s mission through sharing individual experiences, expertise, and content! This tool will help facilitate the teaching that our NASA Experts are eager to share with the public and we want to help expand learning for the public in the fields of math, science and space exploration. Photo credit: NASA You can join the more than 1,000 other NASA employees in sharing your passion for space exploration with communities and students. You’ll also be guided through registering your profile and a demonstration of the new tool’s functionalities. Thousands of students, employees, organizations and industry leaders have been connected with NASA subject matter experts. We have heard that our speakers have enriched lives and helped people of all ages to become interested in math, science and space exploration. We want to continue to be a positive influence in the world. Ames Coded Structures Lab demonstrates SOLL-E Robot at the Roverscape The Ames Coded Structures Lab demonstrates the operation of the Automated Reconfigurable Mission Adaptive Digital Assembly Systems (ARMADAS) at the Roverscape. This is a close-up view of the Scaling Omni-directional Lattice Locomoting Explorer (SOLL-E, pronounced “Sully”) robot that moves on the exterior of the structure, carries and places the building elements, called voxels. Photo credit: NASA/Ames Don Richey NASA Display Draws Comic-Con Attendee Fans and Space Enthusiasts Alike Ames’ Office of Communications, in collaboration with Johnson Space Center participated in the San Diego Comic-Con on July 26. Attendees were drawn to the NASA booth displays, eager to learn about NASA’s current and future missions. Comic-Con attendees visit the NASA booth and participate in NASA-led activities.Photo credit: photo by Swati Mohan Left to right: Jonas Dino, Code DO and Lara Lash, Sofia Tafolla, Avi Gileadi and Miranda Poltorak from Code AOX working in the NASA booth display area at the Comic-Con in San Diego.Photo credit: photo by Swati Mohan NASA display at San Diego Comic-ConPhoto credit: photo by Swati Mohan NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) Tour Ames William Warmbrodt gives an overview of the operation of the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex (NFAC) in the test section of the 80-by-120-foot wind tunnel, building N211B, to the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS).Photo credit: NASA/Ames Donald Richey Brian Barrientez II, right, at the tower control workstation, leads a presentation to the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) in FutureFlight Central’s (FFC) Tower, in building N262.Photo credit: NASA/Ames Donald Richey In Memoriam… NASA Science Instrument Development Manager Alan Rhodes Passes Away Alan Rhodes passed away on June 27 at his home in St. Louis, Missouri. Alan came to Ames in 2016 when he joined the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) program, our now retired flying telescope, and managed science instrument development efforts through 2020. He then joined the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) mission, a CubeSat that uses solar sails powered by the Sun, as the mission’s lead systems engineer. Manager, Alan Rhodes in the Instrument Lab for SOFIA’s EXES instrument, working with the Echelon-Cros-Echelle Spectrograph. Photos taken for the Partnership for Public Service “Best Places to Work in the Federal Government” Instagram site.Photo credit: NASA Alan served as a project manager for most of his career. After graduating college, he worked for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center as an acquisition management specialist from 2001-2003. From 2003-2005, he was a foreign comparative test project manager and from 2005-2006, he was a senior analyst in integrated warfare systems for Stanley Associates. His first position with NASA was as a test director and project manager at Johnson Space Center in Houston from 2006-2011. Between 2012-2016, Alan worked as project manager for the US Corps of Engineers, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Bonneville Power Administration. He rejoined NASA in 2016. Anyone who had the privilege of working with Alan can vouch for his enthusiasm. He believed in NASA’s mission and went out of his way to let colleagues know that he valued and appreciated them. He was genuinely excited to be involved in furthering our knowledge of space. He said at the time of the ACS3 launch in April 2024, “The hope is that the new technologies verified on this spacecraft will inspire others to use them in ways we haven’t even considered.” NASA Protective Services lower the NASA flag to honor the life of Alan Rhodes in front of the Ames Administration building, N200 on July 31. Colleagues and family members shared memories of him during the ceremony.Photo credit: NASA/Ames Donald Richey Although Alan witnessed the launch of the CubeSat and watched it meet its milestones, unfortunately, he did not get to see the final test. In the upcoming weeks, we can all watch in anticipation as ACS3 unfurls its sails in space and tests the novel lightweight flexible composite booms. Cameras mounted on the spacecraft will capture this spectacular feat to share with the world. Alan made a big impact in a relatively short time and his untimely death is a reminder that no one knows how much time we have on Earth. A flag ceremony was held at Ames to honor Alan on July 31, in front of the N200 flagpoles. Alan appreciated the importance of sharing NASA’s story so others can learn and build upon it. It’s important for us to never take one day for granted. Our work at NASA makes a difference to people today and the agency’s impact will benefit generations to come. Former Ames Deputy Director, Aeronautical Engineer Vic Peterson Passes Victor (Vic) Lowell Peterson, age 90, passed away at his home in Los Altos, California on July 10. Vic was active and engaged up until the very end. He learned of his extensive cancers days before his death. He lived an amazing, full, and rich life. Vic was born June 11, 1934 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada to Edwin and Ruth (McKeeby) Peterson. His father served as headmaster of several deaf and blind schools through Canada and Montana before the family moved to Portland, Oregon. Vic was the last surviving member of his family as his older and younger brothers predeceased him. Victor L. Peterson, former Ames deputy director and aeronautical engineer. Vic was an avid midget and IndyCar race fan from the age of 12. He met a midget car owner on his paper route and was soon working as a pit crew member—the beginning of his love for engineering. They always referred to him as their son and introduced him to legendary race car drivers. Throughout high school, Vic worked at the Davidson Bakery where the owner wanted to send him to baking school with the intent of taking over the business. He played trombone in the high school band, with a subset of the band playing dance gigs. His love, however, was aeronautical engineering. He attended Oregon State University (1952 -1956) where he was part of the inaugural Aeronautical Engineering class. Vic was a member of Acacia Fraternity while at Oregon State. He earned his B.S. Aeronautical Engineering and was commissioned 2nd Lt. USAF upon graduation in 1956. He was honorably discharged from the USAF with rank of Captain after, as he put it, only having a desk job. Vic also earned an M.S. Aeronautics and Astronautics Sciences from Stanford University and an M.S. Management as an Alfred P. Sloan Fellow from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He authored more than 50 technical publications and received numerous citations and awards, including the Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive at the White House from President George H. W. Bush. Vic was recruited to work at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), Ames Aeronautical Laboratory, at Moffett Field, right out of college. That was the beginning of his long and illustrious career at NASA. He began as an aeronautical research intern, was soon promoted to aeronautical research engineer, and aerospace research scientist before moving into managerial roles: assistant chief, Hypersonic Aerodynamics branch; chief, Aerodynamics branch; Chief, Thermo and Gas Dynamics division; director of Astronautics; director of Astrophysics; and finally deputy director. Vic retired in 1992. He always spoke fondly of the people and his time at Ames Research Center. He often remarked that he was fortunate to have his dream job at the place he most wanted to work for his entire career. Vic met Jacquie Hubbard at Oregon State. They married December 21, 1955. He is survived by his wife, Jacquie, of 68 years, his daughters Linda Fouquet and Janet Peterson, and son-in-law Sam Fouquet. His son, Victor Craig Peterson died in 2012. He had five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. His family brought immense joy to him. He designed and built the addition of their Los Altos home and completed an elaborate landscaping project after retirement. He enjoyed his home, gardening, investing, and staying connected with his fellow NASA retirees. When asked what he did at work, Vic inevitably replied, “My day was a day like all days, filled with the events that make history.” And indeed it was. Vic Peterson was brilliant, committed, humble, and loving. A Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving Celebrating the Life of Victor L. Peterson will be held on Oct. 8, 2024, at Noon at Sunnyvale United Methodist Church, located at 535 Old San Francisco Road, Sunnyvale, California, 94086. Former Chief Counsel at Ames Jack Glazer Passes Jack H. Glazer, S.J.D., died on May 24, at his home, a historical landmark on Nob Hill conveyed as his gift to the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Predeceasing him on August 30, 2001, was his beloved and adored wife, Zelda d’Angleterre Glazer, whose funeral urn was interred with him at Home of Peace Cemetery in Colma, California. Additionally, her name and accomplishments have been memorialized by Jack both in the creation of a Chair on Brain Tumor Research established at UCSF and in the identity of the historical property transferred by gift to that institution on his wife’s name. Distinguished career paths both in the U.S. Navy as a combat veteran and in his civilian pursuits as a lawyer were Jack’s lot in life. As to the Navy in 1945, at age 17, he left the South Bronx to enlist as an apprentice seaman, ultimately remaining through the years in the Ready Reserve and retiring from the Navy in 1988, after obtaining the rank of captain. Turning to his experiences as a member of the California and District of Columbia Bars, his more inviting assignments included service in Geneva Switzerland as legal counsel to the International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations specialized agency involved in the elaboration of the first multilateral treaties applicable to the legal regime of outer space. After returning to the United States, Jack embarked in 1965, upon an enviable legal career spanning some 23 years as Chief Counsel at Ames Research Center, an assignment capped by an award of NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal. On his academic side in the law, he was armed with degrees ranging from the baccalaureate to the doctorate from Duke University, Georgetown, and U.C. Berkeley. Jack also was a recognized writer and adjunct professor in the emerging field of Space Law, a subject he taught at the Hastings College of the Law and other universities in the Bay Area. Former Space Science & Astrobiology Division Manager Cora Millena Dies Corazon (Cora) Millena passed away on June 26. Cora began her career at NASA in 1985 and was a member of the Ames community for 39 years. Her life story had a memorable connection to NASA and you’re encouraged to take a moment to read her personal essay. Corazon (Cora) Millena Born in the Philippines, Cora was a fifth-grade student in 1960 when she learned about NASA’s Echo-1 communications satellite. Inspired by the launch, she hoped to one day immigrate to the United States and work for the space agency. Cora worked hard to overcome many challenges in her life. She studied business administration in college and graduated from the Mapua Institutes of Technology in the Philippines. She finally realized her dream when she moved to San Jose with her family in 1975. As a program manager in the Space Science and Astrobiology Division at Ames, Cora worked on the Cassini mission, the Mars Climate Modeling Center, and on the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) program. She was also a longtime member of the Ames Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander community. View the full article

Lunar geologist Zachary Morse scrabbles over Earth’s rocky landscapes to test equipment for future missions to the Moon and Mars. Name: Zachary Morse Title: Assistant Research Scientist in Planetary Geology Organization: The Planetary Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Laboratory, Science Directorate (Code 698) Zachary Morse is an assistant research scientist in planetary geology at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Photo courtesy of Zachary Morse What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard? How do you help support Goddard’s mission? I work with teams that integrate field instrumentation into future lunar and Mars exploration missions. We go to analog field sites, places on Earth that are geologically similar to the Moon or Mars, to test field instruments. I also support the development of science operations for crewed exploration of the lunar surface. Why did you become a geologist? What is your educational background? I always knew that I wanted to study space. In college I started in engineering, but switched to geology because much of the science NASA does on the Moon or Mars involves studying the rocks. In 2013, I got a B.S. in geology from West Virginia University. In 2018, I got a Ph.D. in planetary science from Western University in London, Ontario. “I work with teams that integrate field instrumentation into future lunar and Mars exploration missions,” said Zachary. “We go to analog field sites, places on Earth that are geologically similar to the Moon or Mars, to test field instruments.”Photo courtesy of Zachary Morse What brought you to Goddard? In January 2020, I came to Goddard to do a post-doctoral fellowship because I wanted to work on the Remote, In Situ, and Synchrotron Studies for Science and Exploration 2 (Rise2) project. We go into the field to test handheld geologic instruments that could later be incorporated into missions. What have been some of your favorite trips into the field? Iceland, Hawaii, and the New Mexico desert, which is our primary field site for Rise2. These were organized as part of the Goddard Instrument Field Team, a group that hosts trips each year to different analog field sites. The Iceland trip was my favorite because the place we got to explore looked almost exactly like pictures of the Moon’s surface. It was beautiful and the right setting to learn about the Earth and the Moon. Our team was about 40 people. We were there for two weeks. We mostly camped. It was definitely a unique experience, one hard to put in words. On Earth, you would normally go camping in a lush forest. But there were no trees, just rock and dust. It was absolutely beautiful in its own way. The Hawaii trip was also unique. Our team of about 30 people spent almost the entire 10 days in the lava tubes. Not many people get to go into lava tubes. It was very exciting. The biggest part of the lava tube was about 20 feet high and about 10 feet wide. The smallest was so small we had to crawl through. How do you document field work? In addition to scientific data, we always take pictures of the rocks and outcrops. It is important to document what a site is like before people interact with it. Sometimes we collect rock samples to bring back to the lab, but we leave the place as we found it. “I always knew that I wanted to study space,” said Zachary. “In college I started in engineering, but switched to geology because much of the science NASA does on the Moon or Mars involves studying the rocks.”Photo courtesy of Zachary Morse Where do you see yourself in five years? I hope to remain at Goddard; I love it. The team is great and the science is fascinating and important. I want to keep pursuing opportunities for field work. My main goal is to get involved in a lunar mission and support Artemis lunar exploration. What do you do for fun? I love the outdoors. I love kayaking on lakes, rivers, and streams. My favorite place is in the Adirondacks. I also love hiking, which I do all over, especially in West Virginia. Who is your mentor and what did your mentor teach you? Kelsey Young is my supervisor and mentor. She has taught me so many things including how missions will function and how we can best test equipment in the field for future missions. She taught me how to be organized and focused. Kelsey Young Dives Into Fieldwork With Aplomb Who inspires you? Jack Schmitt is an Apollo 17 astronaut who inspired me because he is a geologist. He was the first and only professional geologist who walked on the surface of the Moon during the Apollo missions. I have heard him speak many times and have personally met him. I would jump at the chance to be the next geologist-astronaut! What rock formations in the world would you like to explore? Top of my list would be to explore Acadia National Park in Maine. There is a ton of diverse geology in a small area and the pictures all look stunning. I would also love to visit Glacier National Park to experience the glacier before it melts. What is your “six-word memoir”? A six-word memoir describes something in just six words. Exploring Earth to prepare lunar missions. By Elizabeth M. Jarrell NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage. Share Details Last Updated Sep 03, 2024 EditorMadison OlsonContactRob Garnerrob.garner@nasa.govLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related TermsPeople of GoddardGoddard Space Flight CenterPeople of NASA Explore More 5 min read Aaron Vigil Helps Give SASS to Roman Space Telescope Article 5 days ago 7 min read Tyler Parsotan Takes a Long Look at the Transient Universe with NASA’s Swift Article 2 weeks ago 7 min read Xiaoyi Li Engineers Instruments and the Teams that Get Them Done Instrument Systems Engineer Xiaoyi Li leads technical teams united by a common vision to achieve… Article 3 weeks ago View the full article

“Some people [may say], ‘You have too many cooks in the kitchen,’ but I think there’s a line. It’s good to have a lot of input because people bring many different perspectives that you would never even consider if you just pushed an idea forward with one person. This is especially true in the area we work in with digital [communications], which is changing so frequently; you constantly have to innovate, so including diverse voices and thoughts is important. “I’m an older sister, and I don’t know if some of that [leadership style] comes from when we were kids, always making sure that I involved her and ensuring people could understand what she wanted or needed. And maybe that translated into who I am, making sure people have voices and are heard [at NASA]…I’ve achieved a lot that I didn’t even know I wanted to accomplish because I couldn’t have imagined this career progression for myself. “But now that I’m here, I would like to achieve more in terms of what NASA looks like internally, especially after getting involved with the NASA Science IDEA working group and diversity efforts. I would love to one, help people outside of NASA realize that they could work here and two, push people internally to the forefront so that they can be considered for higher-level things and progress.” – Emily Furfaro, Digital Manager, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Image Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber Interviewer: NASA/Tahira Allen Check out some of our other Faces of NASA. View the full article

Skywatching Skywatching Home Eclipses What’s Up Explore the Night Sky Night Sky Network More Tips and Guides FAQ A Harvest supermoon eclipse A partial lunar eclipse makes the full supermoon on Sept. 17th extra super. Also, chances to observe five planets this month, and a global night for observing. Highlights All month – Venus sits low in the west following sunset. Saturn’s visible all night. Jupiter and Mars rise in the couple of hours after midnight and are visible in the southeast before sunrise. September 1-7 – If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, you can spot Mercury this week during morning twilight if you can find an unobstructed view toward the east. It appears low in the east just before dawn. September 2 – New moon September 14 – Join fellow Moon enthusiasts around the world for International Observe the Moon Night tonight! Find an event or simply observe at home. Details at moon.nasa.gov/observe. September 16 – The Moon leads Saturn across the sky tonight. Find them in the southeastern sky following sunset. For the western U.S., the Moon will begin to occult, or cover, Saturn the following morning before sunrise. September 17 – Full moon – Harvest moon – Supermoon – Partial lunar eclipse. The eclipse is in the evening hours for U.S. observers (while the Moon is rising for the West Coast). The Moon looks ever so slightly bigger and brighter that the average full moon, though in practice it’s tough to tell the difference. The September full moon is often called the harvest moon, due to its association with harvest time in the Northern Hemisphere. September 22 – The Moon passes through the Pleiades star cluster tonight for U.S. observers. September 23 – Jupiter and the Moon glide across the sky together this evening. They rise late tonight and climb high into the southeast as dawn approaches. September 25 – The crescent moon appears near Mars this morning. See them with Jupiter and the bright stars of the winter constellations in the predawn sky. The Moon passes through the Pleiades star cluster tonight for U.S. observers. Transcript What’s Up for September? Five planets and a supermoon eclipse, a NASA solar sail that you can spot from the ground, and a global night for the Moon. And stick around until the end to view some highlights shared in last month’s video. Starting with the visibility of the planets this month, you’ll notice Venus sitting very low in the west in the hour following sunset. Over the next several months it will rise higher, increasingly becoming a fixture of the early evening sky for the rest of the year. Saturn’s in the southeastern sky early in the evening. From there it’ll be visible overhead all night, and you’ll find it setting in the west as dawn approaches. Sky chart showing The Moon near Jupiter in the morning sky before sunrise on September 24, along with some of the well-known (Northern Hemisphere) winter stars and constellations. NASA/JPL-Caltech As for the ongoing pair-up of Jupiter and Mars, Jupiter’s rising around midnight or soon after, with Mars rising an hour to an hour and a half behind it. So it’s best to look for them high in the south-southeastern sky in the early morning before sunrise. And in morning twilight during the first week of September, if you can find an unobstructed view toward the east, it’s a decent opportunity to spot Mercury for those in the Northern Hemisphere. Turning now to the Moon, the full moon on September 17th is a supermoon, meaning it’s just a little bit closer to Earth in its orbit than your average full moon. It looks ever so slightly bigger and brighter, though in practice, the difference is hard to see. It really is super though, as the September full moon is often called the “Harvest Moon” given its association with harvest time in the Northern Hemisphere, plus it’s also going to show us a partial lunar eclipse. You’ll see a little bite taken out of one side of the Moon over about an hour. Check the timing of the eclipse for your local area using your favorite skywatching app or website. In Europe, the eclipse takes place in the early morning hours; while in the U.S., it’s in the evening – and that’s while the Moon’s rising, for the West Coast. Sky chart showing the full moon very near Saturn in the morning sky for U.S. observers on September 17. The Moon occults, or passes in front of, Saturn as the pair get lower in the sky. NASA/JPL-Caltech As for Moon-planet pair-ups, the Moon leads Saturn across the sky on the 16th. Look for the pair in the southeastern sky following sunset. For those in the U.S., the pair will appear very close together early the next morning on the 17th, as they get lower in the western sky. In fact, those in the western half of the U.S. can actually watch the Moon start to occult, or pass in front of Saturn before they set. On the 22nd, the Moon rises a couple of hours after dark sitting super close to the Pleiades. And this is kind of a special pairing if you’re in the U.S., as the Moon will actually pass right through the Pleiades over the course of the night. So if you have binoculars or a small telescope, you can look periodically over the course of the night as the Moon crosses directly in front of the bright star cluster. On the 23rd, the Moon rises in the late evening hours with giant Jupiter. They climb high into the southeast sky as dawn approaches. And then on the morning of the 25th, the crescent Moon appears near Mars. This last full week of September is really lovely before the sky brightens, as you have the Moon and two bright planets together with the bright stars of the winter constellations. So don’t miss it! There’s a new opportunity to observe a bright NASA spacecraft sailing across the night sky. NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System, or “ACS3,” is a small satellite that’s testing new technologies in low Earth orbit. It recently deployed its 30-foot-wide solar sails. These are a means of propulsion that could allow small spacecraft to “sail on sunlight.” The ACS3 solar sails are highly reflective, and make the spacecraft appear nearly as bright as Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. You can find out when the solar sail spacecraft will pass over your location using the NASA app on your mobile device. International Observe the Moon Night is September 14th. It’s an annual event when fellow Moon enthusiasts come together worldwide to participate in events and, you guessed it, observe our nearby natural satellite. You can join from wherever you are. Attend or host a virtual or in-person event, or simply observe the Moon from home. 20. On the 14th, in addition to many lunar maria and all 6 of the Apollo landing sites, this year offers an opportunity to see the Marius Hills – volcanic domes and cones that are notoriously difficult to observe even with a telescope, unless sunlight is streaming across them nearly horizontally. Fortunately, that will be the case on International Observe the Moon Night 2024, when we’ll get to watch a lunar sunrise across this knobby terrain. So however you pronounce it, grab your telescope, or find an event near you, and join this annual celebration of observation. Here are a few views of the highlights in last month’s sky. And here are the phases of the Moon for September. The phases of the Moon for September 2024. NASA/JPL-Caltech Stay up to date on NASA’s missions exploring the solar system and beyond at science.nasa.gov. I’m Preston Dyches from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and that’s What’s Up for this month. Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Skywatching Skywatching FAQ Frequently asked questions about skywatching, answered by NASA. What’s Up Explore the Night Sky View the full article

3 min read NASA’s Mini BurstCube Mission Detects Mega Blast The shoebox-sized BurstCube satellite has observed its first gamma-ray burst, the most powerful kind of explosion in the universe, according to a recent analysis of observations collected over the last several months. “We’re excited to collect science data,” said Sean Semper, BurstCube’s lead engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “It’s an important milestone for the team and for the many early career engineers and scientists that have been part of the mission.” The event, called GRB 240629A, occurred on June 29 in the southern constellation Microscopium. The team announced the discovery in a GCN (General Coordinates Network) circular on August 29. BurstCube, trailed by another CubeSat named SNOOPI (Signals of Opportunity P-band Investigation), emerges from the International Space Station on April 18, 2024. NASA/Matthew Dominick BurstCube deployed into orbit April 18 from the International Space Station, following a March 21 launch. The mission was designed to detect, locate, and study short gamma-ray bursts, brief flashes of high-energy light created when superdense objects like neutron stars collide. These collisions also produce heavy elements like gold and iodine, an essential ingredient for life as we know it. BurstCube is the first CubeSat to use NASA’s TDRS (Tracking and Data Relay Satellite) system, a constellation of specialized communications spacecraft. Data relayed by TDRS (pronounced “tee-driss”) help coordinate rapid follow-up measurements by other observatories in space and on the ground through NASA’s GCN. BurstCube also regularly beams data back to Earth using the Direct to Earth system — both it and TDRS are part of NASA’s Near Space Network. After BurstCube deployed from the space station, the team discovered that one of the two solar panels failed to fully extend. It obscures the view of the mission’s star tracker, which hinders orienting the spacecraft in a way that minimizes drag. The team originally hoped to operate BurstCube for 12-18 months, but now estimates the increased drag will cause the satellite to re-enter the atmosphere in September. “I’m proud of how the team responded to the situation and is making the best use of the time we have in orbit,” said Jeremy Perkins, BurstCube’s principal investigator at Goddard. “Small missions like BurstCube not only provide an opportunity to do great science and test new technologies, like our mission’s gamma-ray detector, but also important learning opportunities for the up-and-coming members of the astrophysics community.” BurstCube is led by Goddard. It’s funded by the Science Mission Directorate’s Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. The BurstCube collaboration includes: the University of Alabama in Huntsville; the University of Maryland, College Park; the Universities Space Research Association in Washington; the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington; and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. Download high-resolution photos and videos of BurstCube By Jeanette Kazmierczak NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media Contact: Claire Andreoli 301-286-1940 claire.andreoli@nasa.gov NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Facebook logo @NASAUnvierse @NASAUniverse Instagram logo @NASAUniverse Share Details Last Updated Sep 03, 2024 Related Terms Astrophysics BurstCube CubeSats Gamma Rays Gamma-Ray Bursts Goddard Space Flight Center Small Satellite Missions The Universe View the full article

Learn Home NASA Earth Science Education… Earth Science Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Stories Science Activation Highlights Citizen Science 2 min read NASA Earth Science Education Collaborative Member Co-Authors Award-Winning Paper in Insects On August 13, 2024, the publishers of the journal Insects notified authors of three papers selected to receive “Insects 2022 Best Paper Award” for research and review articles published in Insects from January 1 to December 31, 2022. One of the winning papers was co-authored by Russanne Low, PhD, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). Low is a member of the NASA Earth Science Education Collaborative (NESEC), a NASA Science Activation project, and science lead for the Global Learning & Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Mosquito Habitat Mapper. The paper – Integrating global citizen science platforms to enable next-generation surveillance of invasive and vector mosquitoes – was published as part of a special issue of Insects on Citizen Science Approaches to Vector Surveillance. It is in the top 5% of all research outputs scored by Altmetric, which is a high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. The scoring algorithm takes various factors into account, such as the relative reach of the different sources of attention. The paper has been cited 23 times. Papers were selected by the journal’s Award Committee according to the following criteria: – Scientific merit and broad impact; – Originality of the research objectives and/or the ideas presented; – Creativity of the study design or uniqueness of the approaches and concepts; – Clarity of presentation; – Citations and downloads. Each winner of the best paper award will receive CHF 500 and a chance to publish a paper free of charge in Insects in 2024 after peer review. The paper is a result of a collaboration by IGES with University of South Florida, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, and iNaturalist. Following is the full citation: Ryan M. Carney, Connor Mapes, Russanne D. Low, Alex Long, Anne Bowser, David Durieux, Karlene Rivera, Berj Dekramanjian, Frederic Bartumeus, Daniel Guerrero, Carrie E. Seltzer, Farhat Azam, Sriram Chellappan, John R. B. Palmer.Role of Insects in Human Society Citizen Science Approaches to Vector Surveillance. Insects 2022, 13(8), 675; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13080675 – 27 Jul 2022 NESEC is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AE28A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn Screenshot of the Global Mosquito Observations interactive dashboard that combines various types of observations from data streams into an interoperable visualization. Each color-coded dot represents a citizen scientist’s observation and can be clicked to access the associated photos and data. Share Details Last Updated Sep 03, 2024 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms Earth Science Science Activation Explore More 2 min read Co-creating authentic STEM learning experiences with Latino communities Article 4 days ago 6 min read NASA Discovers a Long-Sought Global Electric Field on Earth An international team of scientists has successfully measured a planet-wide electric field thought to be… Article 6 days ago 3 min read Eclipse Soundscapes AudioMoth Donations Will Study Nature at Night Article 6 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… Perseverance Rover This rover and its aerial sidekick were assigned to study the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient microbial… Parker Solar Probe On a mission to “touch the Sun,” NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to fly through the corona… Juno NASA’s Juno spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016, the first explorer to peer below the planet’s dense clouds to… View the full article

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Pollinators play a crucial role in both human agriculture and ecosystems by supporting thousands of plant species and crops which feed humans and livestock. Unfortunately, habitat loss, disease, and pesticides contribute to the decline in pollinator biodiversity worldwide, which has led to a substantial reduction in native bee species, impacts to honeybees, and the decline of the iconic Monarch Butterfly. In their efforts to integrate sustainable design, several NASA centers have implemented measures promoting preservation of pollinator habitats though gardens, meadows, and other initiatives. Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) In 2015, budget constraints resulted in the removal of plant beds to make way for low-maintenance turf grass. This prompted the Center’s Environmental Management team to propose a more sustainable landscape option resulting in the 0.1-acre Meadow Demonstration Project. With support from the University of Maryland Extension Service and Maryland Master Gardeners, the meadow became a certified Monarch Waystation. As the meadow flourished under the diligent efforts of staff and volunteers, an increasing number of pollinators were observed. Due to the success of the initial meadow, GSFC partnered with USDA/Natural Resources Conservation Service to convert additional areas around the center with the goal of perfecting restoration methods. GSFC’s grounds provided an ideal environment to test various approaches. The latest addition is a 1.3-acre plot cultivated this year. GSFC partnered with the NRCS to display this project and participate in the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge Festival in May and the Pollinator Day Festival in June at the USDA HQ to showcase their project. GSFC Natural Resources staff will be hosting a Monarch Workshop with the Monarch Joint Venture on September 25th. You may virtually attend the first part of the workshop on TEAMS, but afternoon sessions will be in-person only. You can learn more about ongoing and upcoming events at the Meadow Demonstration Project blog. Johnson Space Center (JSC) The Center is embedded in an urban landscape once dominated by Texas coastal prairies. To support resiliency of coastal prairie remnants on site, an altered mowing schedule promoting wildflower growth is implemented. JSC participates in a Houston Zoo program called the Prairie Pollinator Pathway to restore or recreate green pathways for pollinator movement through an otherwise highly fragmented urban environment. In 2012, a 30,000 square foot green roof was created on Building 12. Initially planted with non-native species that struggled in the Houston heat, the garden was replanted in 2022 with native grasses and flowers. To further protect pollinators, JSC employs alternative management techniques such as relocating honeybee swarms to minimize pesticide use wherever possible. Additionally, JSC continues to raise awareness about the importance of their prairies and pollinators. Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Several groups work to enhance pollinator habitat and the understanding of pollinator species around the center. Two pollinator focused project have been completed at MSFC: the pollinator garden and the pollinator meadow. The pollinator garden was constructed by the MSFC Green Team in collaboration with the Northern Alabama Master Gardeners. Garden consists of five beds located just behind the MSFC Wellness Center on the south end of the Walking Trail and is certified with the North American Butterfly Association and a registered Monarch Waystation.​​​​​​​ In the fall of 2023, maintenance of the pollinator garden was handed over to the Pollinator Club. In the spring of 2023, a roughly 2-acre pollinator meadow was planted. The meadow includes a mix of native flowering plants and is mowed once each year. In addition to the pollinator focused projects, MSFC also has a garden club, which maintains individual and club garden plots that attract pollinators to the Center. The MSFC Green Team and clubs hold regular education and outreach events to increase knowledge of pollinators, their importance, and threats to their survival. Langley Research Center (LaRC) In addition to a registered Monarch Waystation, Langley Research Center (LaRC) is home to beehive colonies following two rescue missions on center. The first occurred in April of 2023, when a swarm of honeybees was discovered under a picnic table near the cafeteria. To relocate this colony, the center enlisted the help of LaRC personnel Dr. Jeremy Pinier, a member of the Colonial Beekeepers Association, along with his 6-year-old daughter Olivia, his apprentice beekeeper. The bees were relocated to a habitat near the community garden, which hosts 16 year-round and 24 seasonal plots rented by active members of the LaRC Garden Club. The second hive was relocated in April 2024 from a service vehicle’s truck bed. The bees are flourishing and have earned the nickname “The Artemis Colony,” coined by Dr. Pinier. Center personnel have enjoyed the colony’s honey and remain committed to nurturing its bee population and preserving the garden for the future. White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) To enhance New Mexico’s natural beauty, four pollinator gardens were planted in 2022 on the south sides of B100 and B101 and at the main entrances to the cafeteria and rotunda. They were created to mitigate some function of the natural landscape that was offset to build the Center. These gardens also help to educate visitors on the beauty and names of surrounding desert flora and provide a peaceful place to sit and view the garden, the Jornada del Muerto, and mountains in the distance. The native plants are drought resistant, hardy, and attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. There are plans to install a trail camera at one of the garden sites to identify some of the visiting pollinator species. The Center also wants to register the gardens as wildlife habitats through the National Wildlife Federation and Monarch Waystations. Conclusion In addition to the great work already underway across NASA Centers, other sites such as Kennedy Space Center are developing plans for their own programs supporting local pollinators. Keep up to date with agency-wide education efforts and new developments in Pollinator Programs at EMD’s NRM Program EMD’s NRM Program Website. View the full article

Researchers used an interferometer that can precisely measure gravity, magnetic fields, and other forces to study the influence of International Space Station vibrations. Results revealed that matter-wave interference of rubidium gases is robust and repeatable over a period spanning months. Atom interferometry experiments could help create high-precision measurement capabilities for gravitational, Earth, and planetary sciences. Using ultracold rubidium atoms, Cold Atom Lab researchers examined a three-pulse Mach–Zehnder interferometer, a device that determines phase shift variations between two parallel beams, to understand the influence of space station vibrations. Researchers note that atom sensitivities and visibility degrade due to the vibration environment of the International Space Station. The Cold Atom Lab’s interferometer uses light pulses to create a readout of accelerations, rotations, gravity, and subtle forces that could signify new physics acting on matter. Cold Atom Lab experiments serve as pathfinders for proposed space missions relying on the sustained measurement of wave-matter interference, including gravitational wave detection, dark matter detection, seismology mapping, and advanced satellite navigation. Read more here. Researchers developed a novel method to categorize and assess the fitness of each gene in one species of bacteria, N. aromaticavorans. Results published in BMC Genomics state that core metabolic processes and growth-promoting genes have high fitness during spaceflight, likely as an adaptive response to stress in microgravity. Future comprehensive studies of the entire genome of other species could help guide the development of strategies to enhance or diminish microorganism resilience in space missions. The Bacterial Genome Fitness investigation grows multiple types of bacteria in space to learn more about important processes for their growth. Previous studies of microorganism communities have shown that spaceflight can induce resistance to antibiotics, lead to changes in biofilm formation, and boost cell growth in various species. N. aromaticivorans can degrade certain compounds, potentially providing benefits in composting and biofuel production during deep space missions. Read more here. Researchers burned large, isolated droplets of the hydrocarbon n-dodecane, a component of kerosene and some jet fuels, in microgravity and found that hot flames were followed by a prolonged period of cool flames at lower pressures. Results showed that hot flames were more likely to unpredictably reignite at higher pressures. Studying the burn behavior of hydrocarbons assists researchers in the development of more efficient engines and fuels that reduce fire hazards to ensure crew safety in future long-distance missions. The Cool Flames investigation studies the low-temperature combustion of various isolated fuel droplets. Cool flames happen in microgravity when certain fuel types burn very hot and then quickly drop to a much lower temperature with no visible flames. This investigation studies several fuels such as pure hydrocarbons, biofuels, and mixtures of pure hydrocarbons to enhance understanding of low-temperature chemistry. Improved knowledge of low-temperature burning could benefit next-generation fuels and engines. Read more here. NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough completing the Multi-user Droplet Combustion Apparatus reconfiguration to the Cool Flames Investigation setup.NASAView the full article

A NASA-developed material made of carbon nanotubes will enable our search for exoplanets—some of which might be capable of supporting life. Originally developed in 2007 by a team of researchers led by Innovators of the Year John Hagopian and Stephanie Getty at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, this carbon nanotube technology is being refined for potential use on NASA’s upcoming Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO)—the first telescope designed specifically to search for signs of life on planets orbiting other stars. As shown in the figure below, carbon nanotubes look like graphene (a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice) that is rolled into a tube. The super-dark material consists of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (i.e., nested nanotubes) that grow vertically into a “forest.” The carbon nanotubes are 99% empty space so the light entering the material doesn’t get reflected. Instead, the light enters the nanotube forest and jiggles electrons in the hexagonal lattice of carbon atoms, converting the light to heat. The ability of the carbon nanotubes to eliminate almost all light is enabling for NASA’s scientific instruments because stray light limits how sensitive the observations can be. When applied to instrument structures, this material can eliminate much of the stray light and enable new and better observations. Left: Artist’s conception of graphene, single and multiwalled carbon nanotube structures. Right: Scanning electron microscope image of vertically aligned multiwalled carbon nanotube forest with a section removed in the center. Credit: Delft University/Dr. Sten Vollebregt and NASA GSFC Viewing exoplanets is incredibly difficult; the exoplanets revolve around stars that are 10 billion times brighter than they are. It’s like looking at the Sun and trying to see a dim star next to it in the daytime. Specialized instruments called coronagraphs must be used to block the light from the star to enable these exoplanets to be viewed. The carbon nanotube material is employed in the coronagraph to block as much stray light as possible from entering the instrument’s detector. The image below depicts a notional telescope and coronagraph imaging an exoplanet. The telescope collects the light from the distant star and exoplanet. The light is then directed to a coronagraph that collimates the beam, making the light rays parallel, and then the beam is reflected off the apodizer mirror, which is used to precisely control the diffraction of light. Carbon nanotubes on the apodizer mirror absorb the stray light that is diffracted off edges of the telescope structures, so it does not contaminate the observations. The light is then focused on the focal plane mask, which blocks the light from the star but allows light from the exoplanet to pass. The light gets collimated again and is then reflected off a deformable mirror to correct distortion in the image. Finally, the light passes through the Lyot Stop, which is also coated with carbon nanotubes to remove the remaining stray light. The beam is then focused onto the detector array, which forms the image. Even with all these measures some stray light still reaches the detector, but the coronagraph creates a dark zone where only the light coming from the exoplanet can be seen. The final image on the right in the figure below shows the remaining light from the star in yellow and the light from the exoplanet in red in the dark zone. Schematic of a notional telescope and coronagraph imaging an exoplanet Credit: Advanced Nanophotonics/John Hagopian, LLC HWO will use a similar scheme to search for habitable exoplanets. Scientists will analyze the spectrum of light captured by HWO to determine the gases in the atmosphere of the exoplanet. The presence of water vapor, oxygen, and perhaps other gases can indicate if an exoplanet could potentially support life. But how do you make a carbon-nanotube-coated apodizer mirror that could be used on the HWO? Hagopian’s company Advanced Nanophotonics, LLC received Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding to address this challenge. Carbon nanotubes are grown by depositing catalyst seeds onto a substrate and then placing the substrate into a tube-shaped furnace and heating it to 1382 degrees F, which is red hot! Gases containing carbon are then flowed into the heated tube, and at these temperatures the gases are absorbed by the metal catalyst and transform into a solution, similar to how carbon dioxide in soda water fizzes. The carbon nanotubes literally grow out of the substrate into vertically aligned tubes to form a “forest” wherever the catalyst is located. Since the growth of carbon nanotubes on the apodizer mirror must occur only in designated areas where stray light is predicted, the catalyst must be applied only to those areas. The four main challenges that had to be overcome to develop this process were: 1) how to pattern the catalyst precisely, 2) how to get a mirror to survive high temperatures without distorting, 3) how to get a coating to survive high temperatures and still be shiny, and 4) how to get the carbon nanotubes to grow on top of a shiny coating. The Advanced Nanophotonics team refined a multi-step process (see figure below) to address these challenges. Making an Apodizer Mirror for use in a coronagraph Credit: Advanced Nanophotonics/John Hagopian, LLC First a silicon mirror substrate is fabricated to serve as the base for the mirror. This material has properties that allow it to survive very high temperatures and remain flat. These 2-inch mirrors are so flat that if one was scaled to the diameter of Earth, the highest mountain would only be 2.5 inches tall! Next, the mirror is coated with multiple layers of dielectric and metal, which are deposited by knocking atoms off a target and onto the mirror in a process called sputtering. This coating must be reflective to direct the desired photons, but still be able to survive in the hot environment with corrosive gases that is required to grow carbon nanotubes. Then a material called resist that is sensitive to light is applied to the mirror and a pattern is created in the resist with a laser. The image on the mirror is chemically developed to remove the resist only in the areas illuminated by the laser, creating a pattern where the mirror’s reflecting surface is exposed only where nanotube growth is desired. The catalyst is then deposited over the entire mirror surface using sputtering to provide the seeds for carbon nanotube growth. A process called liftoff is used to remove the catalyst and the resist that are located where nanotubes growth is not needed. The mirror is then put in a tube furnace and heated to 1380 degrees Fahrenheit while argon, hydrogen, and ethylene gases are flowed through the tube, which allows the chemical vapor deposition of carbon nanotubes where the catalyst has been patterned. The apodizer mirror is cooled and removed from the tube furnace and characterized to make sure it is still flat, reflective where desired, and very black everywhere else. The Habitable Worlds Observatory will need a coronagraph with an optimized apodizer mirror to effectively view exoplanets and gather their light for evaluation. To make sure NASA has the best chance to succeed in this search for life, the mirror design and nanotube technology are being refined in test beds across the country. Under the SBIR program, Advanced Nanophotonics, LLC has delivered apodizers and other coronagraph components to researchers including Remi Soummer at the Space Telescope Science Institute, Eduardo Bendek and Rus Belikov at NASA Ames, Tyler Groff at NASA Goddard, and Arielle Bertrou-Cantou and Dmitri Mawet at the California Institute of Technology. These researchers are testing these components and the results of these studies will inform new designs to eventually enable the goal of a telescope with a contrast ratio of 10 billion to 1. Reflective Apodizers delivered to Scientists across the country Credit: Advanced Nanophotonics/John Hagopian, LLC In addition, although the desired contrast ratio cannot be achieved using telescopes on Earth, testing apodizer mirror designs on ground-based telescopes not only facilitates technology development, but helps determine the objects HWO might observe. Using funding from the SBIR program, Advanced Nanophotonics also developed transmissive apodizers for the University of Notre Dame to employ on another instrument—the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) Upgrade. In this case the carbon nanotubes were patterned and grown on glass that transmits the light from the telescope into the coronagraph. The Gemini telescope is an 8.1-meter telescope located in Chile, high atop a mountain in thin air to allow for better viewing. Dr. Jeffrey Chilcote is leading the effort to upgrade the GPI and install the carbon nanotube patterned apodizers and Lyot Stops in the coronagraph to allow viewing of exoplanets starting next year. Discoveries enabled by GPI may also drive future apodizer designs. More recently, the company was awarded a Phase II SBIR contract to develop next-generation apodizers and other carbon nanotube-based components for the test beds of existing collaborators and new partners at the University of Arizona and the University of California Santa Clara. Tyler Groff (left) and John Hagopian (right) display a carbon nanotube patterned apodizer mirror used in the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center coronagraph test bed. Credit: Advanced Nanophotonics/John Hagopian, LLC As a result of this SBIR-funded technology effort, Advanced Nanophotonics has collaborated with NASA Scientists to develop a variety of other applications for this nanotube technology. A special carbon nanotube coating developed by Advanced Nanophotonics was used on the recently launched NASA Ocean Color Instrument onboard the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission that is observing both the atmosphere and phytoplankton in the ocean, which are key to the health of our planet. A carbon nanotube coating that is only a quarter of the thickness of a human hair was applied around the entrance slit of the instrument. This coating absorbs 99.5% of light in the visible to infrared and prevents stray light from reflecting into the instrument to enable more accurate measurements. Hagopian’s team is also collaborating with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) team to apply the technology to mitigate stray light in the European Space Agency’s space-based gravity wave mission. They are also working to develop carbon nanotubes for use as electron beam emitters for a project sponsored by the NASA Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO) Program. Led by Lucy Lim at NASA Goddard, this project aims to develop an instrument to probe asteroid and comet constituents in space. In addition, Advanced Nanophotonics worked with researcher Larry Hess at NASA Goddard’s Detector Systems Branch and Jing Li at the NASA Ames Research Center to develop a breathalyzer to screen for Covid-19 using carbon nanotube technology. The electron mobility in a carbon nanotube network enables high sensitivity to gases in exhaled breath that are associated with disease. This carbon nanotube-based technology is paying dividends both in space, as we continue our search for life, and here on Earth. For additional details, see the entry for this project on NASA TechPort. PROJECT LEAD John Hagopian (Advanced Nanophotonics, LLC) SPONSORING ORGANIZATION SMD-funded SBIR project Share Details Last Updated Sep 03, 2024 Related Terms Astrophysics Science-enabling Technology Technology Highlights Explore More 2 min read Hubble Zooms into the Rosy Tendrils of Andromeda Article 4 days ago 2 min read Hubble Observes An Oddly Organized Satellite Article 5 days ago 3 min read Eclipse Soundscapes AudioMoth Donations Will Study Nature at Night Article 6 days ago View the full article

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

The American flag pictured inside the window of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft at the International Space Station.Credit: NASA NASA will provide live coverage of the upcoming activities for Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft departure from the International Space Station and return to Earth. The uncrewed spacecraft will depart from the orbiting laboratory for a landing at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico. Starliner is scheduled to autonomously undock from the space station at approximately 6:04 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 6, to begin the journey home, weather conditions permitting. NASA and Boeing are targeting approximately 12:03 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 7, for the landing and conclusion of the flight test. NASA’s live coverage of return and related activities will stream on NASA+, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA programming through a variety of platforms including social media. Ahead of Starliner’s return, NASA will host a pre-departure news conference at 12 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 4, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA’s Commercial Crew and International Space Station Program managers and a flight director will participate. To attend the pre-departure news conference in person, U.S. media must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom by 5 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 3, at jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov or 281-483-5111. To join the pre-departure news conference by phone, media must contact the NASA newsroom no later than two hours prior to the start of the call. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5 for its first crewed flight, arriving at the space station on June 6. As Starliner approached the orbiting laboratory, NASA and Boeing identified helium leaks and experienced issues with the spacecraft reaction control thrusters. For the safety of the astronauts, NASA announced on Aug. 24 that Starliner will return to Earth from the station without a crew. Wilmore and Williams will remain aboard the station and return home in February 2025 aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members assigned to NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission. NASA’s coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations): Wednesday, Sept. 4 12 p.m. – Starliner pre-departure news conference from NASA’s Johnson Space Center on NASA+, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Friday, Sept. 6 5:45 p.m. – Undocking coverage begins on NASA+, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. 6:04 p.m. – Undocking 10:50 p.m. – Coverage resumes for deorbit burn, entry, and landing on NASA+, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Saturday, Sept. 7 12:03 a.m. – Targeted landing 1:30 a.m. – Post-landing news conference with the following participants: Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida Dana Weigel, manager, International Space Station, NASA Johnson John Shannon, vice president, Boeing Exploration Systems Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Boeing Commercial Crew Program Coverage of the post-landing news conference will stream live on NASA+, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. To attend the post-landing news conference in person, U.S. media must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom by 12 p.m., Sept. 6. To join the post-landing news conference by phone, media must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom no later than one hour prior to the start of the event. See full mission coverage, NASA’s commercial crew blog, and more information about the mission at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew -end- Joshua Finch / Jimi Russell Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov Leah Cheshier Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 leah.d.cheshier@nasa.gov Steve Siceloff Kennedy Space Center, Florida 321-867-2468 steven.p.sieceloff@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Aug 30, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsHumans in SpaceCommercial CrewCommercial SpaceInternational Space Station (ISS)ISS ResearchJohnson Space Center View the full article

Learn Home Co-creating authentic STEM… Community Partners Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Stories Science Activation Highlights Citizen Science 2 min read Co-creating authentic STEM learning experiences with Latino communities Led by Arizona State University, the NASA Science Activation Program’s “Engaging Hispanic Communities in Authentic NASA Science” project advances NASA’s vision for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education by co-creating learning experiences with Latino communities in six locations in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Partners at each site – including educational organizations, community groups, and subject matter experts – are collaborating to offer culturally sustaining learning experiences that reflect the people, priorities, and assets of each community. In the San Francisco Bay area, the University of California Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science is working with Bay Area Community Resources to offer hands-on Earth and space activities at hundreds of out-of-school-time programs. In San Diego, the Fleet Science Center and the San Ysidro STEM Committee are planning an annual STEM festival. In the Phoenix/Mesa metro area, Arizona State University and RAIL Community Development Corporation are working with community members and local artists to create STEAM (STEM + art) experiences that will be embedded in Hispanic neighborhoods. In Albuquerque, Explora and Horizons Albuquerque are hosting a teen summit to co-create a new futures-oriented exhibition for the science center. The Brownsville Children’s Museum in Texas is working with a variety of partners to engage families in STEM learning at community events across the area. Finally, in Houston, the Children’s Museum of Houston and Community Family Centers are offering STEM summer camp experiences in underserved Hispanic neighborhoods. These activities have spanned across Spring and Summer 2024 and engaged over 10,000 learners in authentic STEM learning experiences. Looking ahead to the future, team members will continue to deepen their relationships among organizations and broaden participation across their local communities. The six sites also convene regularly as a community of practice, sharing insights, strategies, and practices. Learnings from the project and professional resources will also be shared widely across the STEM engagement and education professionals. The Engaging Hispanic Communities in Authentic NASA Science project is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC22M0122 and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn Family doing a hands-on activity at a science center. NISE Network/Guillermo Delgado Share Details Last Updated Aug 30, 2024 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms Community Partners Opportunities For Educators to Get Involved Science Activation Explore More 3 min read Eclipse Soundscapes AudioMoth Donations Will Study Nature at Night Article 2 days ago 2 min read Solar Eclipse Data Story Helps the Public Visualize the April 2024 Total Eclipse Article 2 weeks ago 3 min read New TEMPO Cosmic Data Story Makes Air Quality Data Publicly Available Article 2 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… Perseverance Rover This rover and its aerial sidekick were assigned to study the geology of Mars and seek signs of ancient microbial… Parker Solar Probe On a mission to “touch the Sun,” NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to fly through the corona… Juno NASA’s Juno spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016, the first explorer to peer below the planet’s dense clouds to… View the full article

NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov (Credit: NASA) Editor’s note: This release was updated on Aug. 30, 2024, to correct Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov’s role to mission specialist. NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will launch no earlier than Tuesday, Sept. 24, on the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, previously announced as crewmates, are eligible for reassignment on a future mission. Hague and Gorbunov will fly to the space station as commander and mission specialist, respectively, as part of a two-crew member flight aboard a SpaceX Dragon. The updated crew complement follows NASA’s decision to return the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test uncrewed and launch Crew-9 with two unoccupied seats. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who launched aboard the Starliner spacecraft in June, will fly home with Hague and Gorbunov in February 2025. The decision to fly Hague was made by NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Acaba had to balance flying a NASA crew member with previous spaceflight experience to command the flight, while ensuring NASA maintains an integrated crew with a Roscosmos cosmonaut who can operate their critical systems for continued, safe station operations. “While we’ve changed crew before for a variety of reasons, downsizing crew for this flight was another tough decision to adjust to given that the crew has trained as a crew of four,” said Acaba. “I have the utmost confidence in all our crew, who have been excellent throughout training for the mission. Zena and Stephanie will continue to assist their crewmates ahead of launch, and they exemplify what it means to be a professional astronaut.” The agency will share reassignment details for Cardman and Wilson when available. “I am deeply proud of our entire crew,” said Cardman, “and I am confident Nick and Alex will step into their roles with excellence. All four of us remain dedicated to the success of this mission, and Stephanie and I look forward to flying when the time is right.” Wilson added, “I know Nick and Alex will do a great job with their work aboard the International Space Station as part of Expedition 72.” With 203 days logged in space, this will be Hague’s third launch and second mission to the orbiting laboratory. During his first launch in March 2018, Hague and his crewmate, Roscosmos’ Alexey Ovchinin, experienced a rocket booster failure, resulting in an in-flight, post-launch abort, ballistic re-entry, and safe landing in their Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft. Five months later, Hague launched aboard Soyuz MS-12 and served as a flight engineer aboard the space station during Expeditions 59 and 60. Hague conducted three spacewalks to upgrade space station power systems and install a docking adapter for commercial spacecraft. An active-duty colonel in the U.S. Space Force, Hague completed a developmental rotation at the Defense Department, and served as the Space Force’s director of test and evaluation from 2020 to 2022. In August 2022, Hague resumed duties at NASA, working on the Boeing Starliner Program until this flight assignment. Follow @astrohague on X and Instagram. This will be Gorbunov’s first trip to space and the station. Born in Zheleznogorsk, Kursk region, Russia, he studied engineering with qualifications in spacecraft and upper stages from the Moscow Aviation Institute. Gorbunov graduated from the military department with a specialty in operating and repairing aircraft, helicopters, and aircraft engines. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, he worked as an engineer for Rocket Space Corp. Energia and supported cargo spacecraft launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Hague and Gorbonov will become members of the Expedition 72 crew aboard the station. They will join Wilmore, Williams, fellow NASA astronaut Don Pettit, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner conducting scientific research and maintenance activities into the station’s 24th year of continuous human presence. Learn more about International Space Station research and operations at: https://www.nasa.gov/station -end- Josh Finch / Jimi Russell Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov Courtney Beasley Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 courtney.m.beasley@nasa.gov View the full article

Mars: Perseverance (Mars 2020) Perseverance Home Mission Overview Rover Components Mars Rock Samples Where is Perseverance? Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Mission Updates Science Overview Objectives Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Perseverance Raw Images Images Videos Audio More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions The Solar System The Sun Mercury Venus Earth The Moon Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto & Dwarf Planets Asteroids, Comets & Meteors The Kuiper Belt The Oort Cloud 3 min read Behind the Scenes at the 2024 Mars 2020 Science Team Meeting The Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Science Team meets in person and online during the July 2024 team meeting in Pasadena, CA. Credits: R. Hogg and J. Maki. The Mars 2020 Science Team meets in Pasadena for 3 days of science synthesis It has become a fun tradition for me to write a summary of our yearly in-person Science Team Meetings (2022 meeting and 2023 meeting). I’ve been particularly looking forward to this year’s update given the recent excitement on the team and in the public about Perseverance’s discovery of a potential biosignature, a feature that may have a biological origin but needs more data or further study before reaching a conclusion about the absence or presence of life. This past July, ~160 members of the Mars 2020 Science Team met in-person in Pasadena—with another ~50 team members dialed in on-line—for three days of presentations, meetings, and team discussion. For a team that spends most of the year working remotely from around the world, we make the most of these rare opportunities for in-person discussion and synthesis of the rover’s latest science results. We spent time discussing Perseverance’s most recent science campaign in the Margin unit, an exposure of carbonate-bearing rocks that occurs along the inner rim of Jezero crater. As part of an effort to synthesize what we’ve learned about the Margin unit over the past year, we heard presentations describing surface and subsurface observations collected from the rover’s entire payload. This was followed by a thought-provoking series of presentations that tackled the three hypotheses we’re carrying for the origin of this unit: sedimentary, volcanic (pyroclastic), or crystalline igneous. Some of our liveliest discussion occurred during presentations about Neretva Vallis, Jezero’s inlet valley that once fed the sedimentary fan and lake system within the crater. Data from the RIMFAX instrument took center stage as we debated the origin and age relationship of the Bright Angel outcrop to other units we’ve studied in the crater. This context is especially important because the Bright Angel outcrop is home to the Cheyava Falls rock, which contains intriguing features we’ve been calling “leopard spots,” small white spots with dark rims observed in red bedrock of Bright Angel. On the last day of the team meeting, data from our recent “Apollo Temple” abrasion at Cheyava Falls was just starting to arrive on Earth, and team members from the PIXL and SHERLOC teams were huddled in the hallway and at the back of the conference room trying to digest these new results in real time. We had special “pop-up” presentations during which SHERLOC reported compelling evidence for organics in the new abrasion, and PIXL showed interesting new data about the light-toned veins that crosscut this rock. Between debates about the Margin unit, updates on recently published studies of the Jezero sedimentary fan sequence, and discussion of the newest rocks at Bright Angel, this team meeting was one of our most exciting yet. It also marked an important transition for the Mars 2020 science mission as we prepare to ascend the Jezero crater rim, leaving behind—at least for now—the rocks inside the crater. I can only imagine the interesting new discoveries we’ll make during the upcoming year, and I can’t wait to report back next summer! Written by Katie Stack Morgan, Mars 2020 Deputy Project Scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Share Details Last Updated Aug 30, 2024 Related Terms Blogs Explore More 4 min read Sols 4289-4290: From Discovery Pinnacle to Kings Canyon and Back Again Article 1 day ago 3 min read Sols 4287-4288: Back on the Road Article 2 days ago 3 min read Perseverance Kicks off the Crater Rim Campaign! Perseverance is officially headed into a new phase of scientific investigation on the Jezero Crater… Article 3 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited… All Mars Resources Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,… Rover Basics Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a… Mars Exploration: Science Goals The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four… View the full article

5 min read NASA, ESA Missions Help Scientists Uncover How Solar Wind Gets Energy Since the 1960s, astronomers have wondered how the Sun’s supersonic “solar wind,” a stream of energetic particles that flows out into the solar system, continues to receive energy once it leaves the Sun. Now, thanks to a lucky lineup of a NASA and an ESA (European Space Agency)/NASA spacecraft both currently studying the Sun, they may have discovered the answer — knowledge that is a crucial piece of the puzzle to help scientists better forecast solar activity between the Sun and Earth. A paper published in the Aug. 30, 2024, issue of the journal Science provides persuasive evidence that the fastest solar winds are powered by magnetic “switchbacks,” or large kinks in the magnetic field, near the Sun. “Our study addresses a huge open question about how the solar wind is energized and helps us understand how the Sun affects its environment and, ultimately, the Earth,” said Yeimy Rivera, co-leader of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, part of Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. “If this process happens in our local star, it’s highly likely that this powers winds from other stars across the Milky Way galaxy and beyond and could have implications for the habitability of exoplanets.” This artist’s concept shows switchbacks, or large kinks in the Sun’s magnetic field. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Conceptual Image Lab/Adriana Manrique Gutierrez Previously, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe found that these switchbacks were common throughout the solar wind. Parker, which became the first craft to enter the Sun’s magnetic atmosphere in 2021, allowed scientists to determine that switchbacks become more distinct and more powerful close to the Sun. Up to now, however, scientists lacked experimental evidence that this interesting phenomenon actually deposits enough energy to be important in the solar wind. “About three years ago, I was giving a talk about how fascinating these waves are,” said co-author Mike Stevens, astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics. “At the end, an astronomy professor stood up and said, ‘that’s neat, but do they actually matter?’” To answer this, the team of scientists had to use two different spacecraft. Parker is built to fly through the Sun’s atmosphere, or “corona.” ESA’s and NASA’s Solar Orbiter mission is also on an orbit that takes it relatively close to the Sun, and it measures solar wind at larger distances. The discovery was made possible because of a coincidental alignment in February 2022 that allowed both Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter to measure the same solar wind stream within two days of each other. Solar Orbiter was almost halfway to the Sun while Parker was skirting the edge of the Sun’s magnetic atmosphere. This conceptual image shows Parker Solar Probe about to enter the solar corona. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ben Smith An artist’s concept shows Solar Orbiter near the Sun. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab “We didn’t initially realize that Parker and Solar Orbiter were measuring the same thing at all. Parker saw this slower plasma near the Sun that was full of switchback waves, and then Solar Orbiter recorded a fast stream which had received heat and with very little wave activity,” said Samuel Badman, astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics and the other co-lead of the study. “When we connected the two, that was a real eureka moment.” Scientists have long known that energy is moved throughout the Sun‘s corona and the solar wind, at least in part, through what are known as “Alfvén waves.” These waves transport energy through a plasma, the superheated state of matter that makes up the solar wind. However, how much the Alfvén waves evolve and interact with the solar wind between the Sun and Earth couldn’t be measured — until these two missions were sent closer to the Sun than ever before, at the same time. Now, scientists can directly determine how much energy is stored in the magnetic and velocity fluctuations of these waves near the corona, and how much less energy is carried by the waves farther from the Sun. The new research shows that the Alfvén waves in the form of switchbacks provide enough energy to account for the heating and acceleration documented in the faster stream of the solar wind as it flows away from the Sun. “It took over half a century to confirm that Alfvenic wave acceleration and heating are important processes, and they happen in approximately the way we think they do,” said John Belcher, emeritus professor from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who co-discovered Alfvén waves in the solar wind but was not involved in this study. In addition to helping scientists better forecast solar activity and space weather, such information helps us understand mysteries of the universe elsewhere and how Sun-like stars and stellar winds operate everywhere. “This discovery is one of the key puzzle pieces to answer the 50-year-old question of how the solar wind is accelerated and heated in the innermost portions of the heliosphere, bringing us closer to closure to one of the main science objectives of the Parker Solar Probe mission,” said Adam Szabo, Parker Solar Probe mission science lead at NASA. By Megan Watzke Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian Share Details Last Updated Aug 30, 2024 Related Terms Goddard Space Flight Center Heliophysics Heliophysics Division Parker Solar Probe (PSP) Science & Research Science Mission Directorate Solar Flares Solar Orbiter Solar Science Solar Wind Space Weather The Sun The Sun & Solar Physics Explore More 2 min read Hubble Zooms into the Rosy Tendrils of Andromeda Article 2 hours ago 2 min read Hubble Observes An Oddly Organized Satellite Article 1 day ago 6 min read NASA Discovers a Long-Sought Global Electric Field on Earth An international team of scientists has successfully measured a planet-wide electric field thought to be… Article 2 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

NASA’s T-38 jets fly in formation above the Space Launch System rocket on Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Aircraft designations and passengers: 901: Chris Condon / Astronaut Zena Cardman. 902: Astronaut Candidate Nicole Ayers / Astronaut Christina Koch. 903: Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Jeremy Hansen / Astronaut Drew Morgan. 904: Chief Astronaut Reid Wiseman / Astronaut Joe Acaba. 905 (Photo Chase): Astronaut Candidate Jack Hathaway / Josh Valcarcel Image Credit: NASA/Josh Valcarcel View the full article

Portraits of NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. (Credit: NASA) NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will launch no earlier than Tuesday, Sept. 24, on the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, previously announced as crewmates, are eligible for reassignment on a future mission. Hague and Gorbunov will fly to the space station as commander and pilot, respectively, as part of a two-crew member flight aboard a SpaceX Dragon. The updated crew complement follows NASA’s decision to return the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test uncrewed and launch Crew-9 with two unoccupied seats. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who launched aboard the Starliner spacecraft in June, will fly home with Hague and Gorbunov in February 2025. The decision to fly Hague was made by NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Acaba had to balance flying a NASA crew member with previous spaceflight experience to command the flight, while ensuring NASA maintains an integrated crew with a Roscosmos cosmonaut who can operate their critical systems for continued, safe station operations. “While we’ve changed crew before for a variety of reasons, downsizing crew for this flight was another tough decision to adjust to given that the crew has trained as a crew of four,” said Acaba. “I have the utmost confidence in all our crew, who have been excellent throughout training for the mission. Zena and Stephanie will continue to assist their crewmates ahead of launch, and they exemplify what it means to be a professional astronaut.” The agency will share reassignment details for Cardman and Wilson when available. “I am deeply proud of our entire crew,” said Cardman, “and I am confident Nick and Alex will step into their roles with excellence. All four of us remain dedicated to the success of this mission, and Stephanie and I look forward to flying when the time is right.” Wilson added, “I know Nick and Alex will do a great job with their work aboard the International Space Station as part of Expedition 72.” With 203 days logged in space, this will be Hague’s third launch and second mission to the orbiting laboratory. During his first launch in March 2018, Hague and his crewmate, Roscosmos’ Alexey Ovchinin, experienced a rocket booster failure, resulting in an in-flight, post-launch abort, ballistic re-entry, and safe landing in their Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft. Five months later, Hague launched aboard Soyuz MS-12 and served as a flight engineer aboard the space station during Expeditions 59 and 60. Hague conducted three spacewalks to upgrade space station power systems and install a docking adapter for commercial spacecraft. An active-duty colonel in the U.S. Space Force, Hague completed a developmental rotation at the Defense Department, and served as the Space Force’s director of test and evaluation from 2020 to 2022. In August 2022, Hague resumed duties at NASA, working on the Boeing Starliner Program until this flight assignment. Follow @astrohague on X and Instagram. This will be Gorbunov’s first trip to space and the station. Born in Zheleznogorsk, Kursk region, Russia, he studied engineering with qualifications in spacecraft and upper stages from the Moscow Aviation Institute. Gorbunov graduated from the military department with a specialty in operating and repairing aircraft, helicopters, and aircraft engines. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, he worked as an engineer for Rocket Space Corp. Energia and supported cargo spacecraft launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Hague and Gorbonov will become members of the Expedition 72 crew aboard the station. They will join Wilmore, Williams, fellow NASA astronaut Don Pettit, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner conducting scientific research and maintenance activities into the station’s 24th year of continuous human presence. Learn more about International Space Station research and operations at: https://www.nasa.gov/station -end- Josh Finch / Jimi Russell Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov Courtney Beasley Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 courtney.m.beasley@nasa.gov View the full article

2 min read Hubble Zooms into the Rosy Tendrils of Andromeda NASA, ESA, M. Boyer (Space Telescope Science Institute), and J. Dalcanton (University of Washington); Image Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) Clusters of stars set the interstellar medium ablaze in the Andromeda Galaxy about 2.5 million light-years away. Also known as M31, Andromeda is the Milky Way’s closest major galaxy. It measures approximately 152,000 light-years across and, with almost the same mass as our home galaxy, is headed for a collision with the Milky Way in 2-4 billion years. In the meantime, Andromeda remains an object of study for many astronomers. As a spiral galaxy, Andromeda’s winding arms are one of its most remarkable features. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope zoomed in to get a close look at one of its tendrils in the northeast, revealing swathes of ionized gas. These regions — which are common in spiral and irregular galaxies — often indicate the presence of recent star formation. The combination of stellar nurseries and supernovae create a dynamic environment that excites the surrounding hydrogen gas, flourishing it into a garden of star-studded roses. NASA, ESA, M. Boyer (Space Telescope Science Institute), and J. Dalcanton (University of Washington); Image Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) Scientists probed Andromeda’s spiral arms using Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) to analyze the collection of stars buried in its cosmic bouquets. With ACS and WFC3’s wide spectral coverage, Hubble could peer through the hedges of gas and observe a valuable sample of these stars. The extent of the study spanned a vast range of stars, providing not just a clear view of Andromeda’s stellar history and diversity, but also more insight on stellar formation and evolution overall. By examining these stars in our local cosmic neighborhood, scientists can better understand those within galaxies in the distant universe. Download First Image Download Second Image This inset image shows the location of Hubble’s view within the Andromeda galaxy. NASA, ESA, M. Boyer (Space Telescope Science Institute), J. Dalcanton (University of Washington), and KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Adam Block; Image Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) This inset image shows the location of Hubble’s view within the Andromeda galaxy. NASA, ESA, M. Boyer (Space Telescope Science Institute), J. Dalcanton (University of Washington), and KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Adam Block; Image Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) Explore More Hubble’s Galaxies Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD claire.andreoli@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Aug 30, 2024 Editor Michelle Belleville Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Astrophysics Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Stars Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble Science Hubble’s Galaxies Stars View the full article

4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s Student Launch, a STEM competition, officially kicks off its 25th anniversary with the 2025 handbook. By Wayne Smith NASA’s Student Launch competition kicks off its 25th year with the release of the 2025 handbook, detailing how teams can submit proposals by Wednesday, Sept. 11, for the event scheduled next spring near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Student Launch is an annual competition challenging middle school, high school, and college students to design, build, test, and launch a high-powered amateur rocket with a scientific or engineering payload. After a team is selected, they must meet documentation milestones and undergo detailed reviews throughout the school year. Each year, NASA updates the university payload challenge to reflect current scientific and exploration missions. For the 2025 season, the payload challenge will again take inspiration from the Artemis missions, which seek to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon. As Student Launch celebrates its 25th anniversary, the payload challenge will include “reports” from STEMnauts, non-living objects representing astronauts. The 2024 challenge tasked teams with safely deploying a lander mid-air for a group of four STEMnauts using metrics to support a survivable landing. The lander had to be deployed without a parachute and had a minimum weight limit of five pounds. “This year, we’re shifting the focus to communications for the payload challenge,” said John Eckhart, technical coordinator for Student Launch at Marshall. “The STEMnaut ‘crew’ must relay real-time data to the student team’s mission control. This helps connect Student Launch with the Artemis missions when NASA lands astronauts on the Moon.” Thousands of students participated in the 2024 Student Launch competition – making up 70 teams representing 24 states and Puerto Rico. Teams launched their rockets to an altitude between 4,000 and 6,000 feet, while attempting to make a successful landing and executing the payload mission. The University of Notre Dame was the overall winner of the 2024 event, which culminated with a launch day open to the public. Student Launch began in 2000 when former Marshall Director Art Stephenson started a student rocket competition at the center. It started with just two universities in Huntsville competing – Alabama A&M University and the University of Alabama in Huntsville – but has continued to soar. Since its inception, thousands of students have participated in the agency’s STEM competition, with many going on to a career with NASA. “This remarkable journey, spanning a quarter of a century, has been a testament to the dedication, ingenuity, and passion of countless students, educators, and mentors who have contributed to the program’s success,” Eckhart said. “NASA Student Launch has been at the forefront of experiential education, providing students from middle school through university with unparalleled opportunities to engage in real-world engineering and scientific research. The program’s core mission – to inspire and cultivate the next generation of aerospace professionals and space explorers – has not only been met but exceeded in ways we could have only dreamed of.” To encourage students to pursue degrees and careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), Marshall’s Office of STEM Engagement hosts Student Launch, providing them with real-world experiences. Student Launch is one of NASA’s nine Artemis Student Challenges – a variety of activities that expose students to the knowledge and technology required to achieve the goals of Artemis. In addition to the NASA Office of STEM Engagement’s Next Generation STEM project, NASA Space Operations Mission Directorate, Northrup Grumman, National Space Club Huntsville, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Association of Rocketry, Relativity Space and Bastion Technologies provide funding and leadership for the competition. “These bright students rise to a nine-month challenge for Student Launch that tests their skills in engineering, design, and teamwork,” said Kevin McGhaw, director of NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement Southeast Region. “They are the Artemis Generation, the future scientists, engineers, and innovators who will lead us into the future of space exploration.” For more information about Student Launch, please visit: https://www.nasa.gov/studentlaunch Taylor Goodwin Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256.544.0034 taylor.goodwin@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Aug 29, 2024 LocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsMarshall Space Flight Center Explore More 27 min read The Marshall Star for August 28, 2024 Article 2 days ago 4 min read NASA Expands Human Exploration Rover Challenge to Middle Schools Article 2 days ago 3 min read NASA, Boeing Optimizing Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay for Future SLS Stage Production Article 3 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

3 Min Read September’s Night Sky Notes: Marvelous Moons Jupiter’s largest moons, from left to right: Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto. Credits: NASA by Kat Troche of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific September brings the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn back into view, along with their satellites. And while we organize celebrations to observe our own Moon this month, be sure to grab a telescope or binoculars to see other moons within our Solar System! We recommend observing these moons (and planets!) when they are at their highest in the night sky, to get the best possible unobstructed views. The More the Merrier As of September 2024, the ringed planet Saturn has 146 identified moons in its orbit. These celestial bodies range in size; the smallest being a few hundred feet across, to Titan, the second largest moon in our solar system. The Saturnian system along with various moons around the planet Saturn: Iapetus, Titan, Enceladus, Rhea, Tethys, and Dione. Stellarium Web Even at nearly 900 million miles away, Titan can be easily spotted next to Saturn with a 4-inch telescope, under urban and suburban skies, due to its sheer size. With an atmosphere of mostly nitrogen with traces of hydrogen and methane, Titan was briefly explored in 2005 with the Huygens probe as part of the Cassini-Huygens mission, providing more information about the surface of Titan. NASA’s mission Dragonfly is set to explore the surface of Titan in the 2030s. Enceladus is an icy world much like Hoth, except that it has an ocean under its frozen crust. Astronomers believe this moon of Saturn may be a good candidate for having extraterrestrial life beneath its surface. NASA/ESA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute Saturn’s moon Enceladus was also explored by the Cassini mission, revealing plumes of ice that erupt from below the surface, adding to the brilliance of Saturn’s rings. Much like our own Moon, Enceladus remains tidally locked with Saturn, presenting the same side towards its host planet at all times. The Galilean Gang The King of the Planets might not have the most moons, but four of Jupiter’s 95 moons are definitely the easiest to see with a small pair of binoculars or a small telescope because they form a clear line. The Galilean Moons – Ganymede, Callisto, Io, and Europa – were first discovered in 1610 and they continue to amaze stargazers across the globe. The Jovian system: Europa, Io, Ganymede, and Callisto. Stellarium Web Ganymede: largest moon in our solar system, and larger than the planet Mercury, Ganymede has its own magnetic field and a possible saltwater ocean beneath the surface. Callisto: this heavily cratered moon is the third largest in our solar system. Although Callisto is the furthest away of the Galilean moons, it only takes 17 days to complete an orbit around Jupiter. Io: the closest moon and third largest in this system, Io is an extremely active world, due to the push and pull of Jupiter’s gravity. The volcanic activity of this rocky world is so intense that it can be seen from some of the largest telescopes here on Earth. Europa: Jupiter’s smallest moon also happens to be the strongest candidate for a liquid ocean beneath the surface. NASA’s Europa Clipper is set to launch October 2024 and will determine if this moon has conditions suitable to support life. Want to learn more? Rewatch the July 2023 Night Sky Network webinar about Europa Clipper here. Be sure to celebrate International Observe the Moon Night here on Earth September 14, 2024, leading up to the super full moon on September 17th! You can learn more about supermoons in our mid-month article on the Night Sky Network page! View the full article

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

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

Home ASSURE 2018 has successfully concluded. UPDATES New! 2018-07-30: The ASSURE 2018 program has been announced. The final program is contingent on registration. If you haven’t already done so, please register for ASSURE 2018 via SAFECOMP 2018. 2018-06-21: ASSURE 2018 will be held on Tuesday, Sep. 18, 2018. The accepted papers and program will be posted here soon. 2018-06-12: Authors of accepted papers have been notified. The final, camera-ready version and a signed copyright release form are due on June 21, 2018. Instructions on submitting both the final version and the copyright form also have been posted. 2018-05-30: Paper submission deadlines have passed. Submission is now closed. 2018-05-18: ASSURE deadlines have been extended by a week, to May 29, 2018. 2018-04-09: The deadline to submit papers to ASSURE 2018 is May 22, 2018. Submit a paper now! 2018-03-28: See the call for papers or download the PDF call for papers. 2018-03-26: The ASSURE 2018 website is live! Introduction The 6th International Workshop on Assurance Cases for Software-intensive Systems (ASSURE 2018) is being collocated this year with SAFECOMP 2018, and aims to provide an international forum for high-quality contributions on the application of assurance case principles and techniques to provide assurance that the dependability properties of critical, software-intensive systems have been met. The main goals of the workshop are to: Explore techniques for the creation and assessment of assurance cases for software-intensive systems Examine the role of assurance cases in the engineering lifecycle of critical systems Identify the dimension of effective practice in the development and evaluation of assurance cases Investigate the relationship between dependability techniques and assurance cases Identify critical research challenges and define a roadmap for future development We invite original, high-quality research, practice, tools and position papers that have not been published/submitted elsewhere. See the full Call for Papers, for more details on topics. Also view the submission deadlines, and guidelines. Program September 18, 2017, from 08:00 – 17:30 08:00 – 09:00 Registration 09:00 – 11:00 Session 1. Welcome, Introduction, Keynote and Confidence Assessment 09:00 – 09:05 Welcome and Introduction, ASSURE 2018 Organizers 09:05 – 10:00 Keynote Talk. Assurance Cases: Mindsets, Methodologies and Convergence, Robin Bloomfield 10:00 – 10:30 Research on the Classification of the Relationships Among the Same Layer Elements in Assurance Case Structure for Evaluation, B. Xu, M. Lu, T. Gu, and D. Zhang 10:30 – 11:00 Morning Coffee/Tea Break 11:00 – 12:30 Session 2. Patterns and Processes 11:00 – 11:30 The Assurance Recipe: Facilitating Assurance Patterns, J. Firestone and M. Cohen 11:30 – 12:00 Incorporating Attacks Modeling into Safety Process, A. Surkovic, D. Hanic, E. Lisova, A. Causevic, K. Lundqvist, D. Wenslandt, and C. Falk 12:00 – 12:30 Assurance Case Considerations for Interoperable Medical Systems, Y. Zhang, B. Larson, and J. Hatcliff 12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break 13:30 – 15:30 Session 3. Tools and Automation 13:30 – 14:00 Two Decades of Assurance Case Tools: A Survey, M. Maksimov, N. Fung, S. Kokaly, and M. Chechik 14:00 – 14:30 MMINT–A: A Tool for Automated Change Impact Assessment on Assurance Cases, N. Fung, S. Kokaly, A. Di Sandro, R. Salay, and M. Chechik 14:30 – 15:00 D–Case Steps: New Steps for Writing Assurance Cases, Y. Onuma, T. Takai, T. Koshiyama, and Y. Matsuno 15:00 – 15:30 Continuous Argument Engineering: Tackling Uncertainty in Machine Learning based Systems, F. Ishikawa, and Y. Matsuno 15:30 – 16:00 Afternoon Coffee/Tea Break 16:00 – 17:20 Session 4. Panel Session. What are Assurance Case Tools For? 17:20 – 17:30 ASSURE 2018 Conclusion and Wrap-Up Important Dates EVENTDEADLINEWorkshop Papers Due29 May 2018Notification of Acceptance11 June 2018Camera-ready Copies Due21 June 2018ASSURE 2018 WorkshopSeptember 18, 2018SAFECOMP 2018September 19 – 21, 2018 Call for Papers Software plays a key role in high-risk systems, e.g., safety-, and security-critical systems. Several certification standards/guidelines now recommend and/or mandate the development of assurance cases for software-intensive systems, e.g., defense (UK MoD DS-0056), aviation (CAP 670, FAA’s operational approval guidance for unmanned aircraft systems), automotive (ISO 26262), and healthcare (FDA infusion pumps total product lifecycle guidance). As such, there is a need to develop models, techniques and tools that target the development of assurance arguments for software. The goals of the 2018 Workshop on Assurance Cases for Software-intensive Systems (ASSURE 2018) are to: explore techniques for creating/assessing assurance cases for software-intensive systems; examine the role of assurance cases in the engineering lifecycle of critical systems; identify the dimensions of effective practice in the development and evaluation of assurance cases; investigate the relationship between dependability techniques and assurance cases; and, identify critical research challenges and define a roadmap for future development. We solicit high-quality contributions: research, practice, tools and position papers on the application of assurance case principles and techniques to assure that the dependability properties of critical software-intensive systems have been met. Papers should attempt to address the workshop goals in general. Topics Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: Assurance issues in emerging paradigms, e.g., adaptive and autonomous systems, including self-driving cars, unmanned aircraft systems, complex health care and decision making systems, etc. Standards: Industry guidelines and standards are increasingly requiring the development of assurance cases, e.g., the automotive standard ISO 26262 and the FDA guidance on the total product lifecycle for infusion pumps. Certification and Regulations: The role and usage of assurance cases in the certification of critical systems, as well as to show compliance to regulations. Empiricism: Empirical assessment of the applicability of assurance cases in different domains and certification regimes. Dependable architectures: How do fault-tolerant architectures and design measures such as diversity and partitioning relate to assurance cases? Dependability analysis: What are the relationships between dependability analysis techniques and the assurance case paradigm? Safety and security co-engineering: What are the impacts of security on safety, particularly safety cases, and how can safety and security cases (e.g., as proposed in ISO 26262 and SAE J 3061 respectively) be reconciled? Tools: Using the output from software engineering tools (testing, formal verification, code generators) as evidence in assurance cases / using tools for the modeling, analysis and management of assurance cases. Application of formal techniques for the creation, analysis, reuse, and modularization of arguments. Exploration of relevant techniques for assurance cases for real-time, concurrent, and distributed systems. Assurance of software quality attributes, e.g., safety, security and maintainability, as well as dependability in general, including tradeoffs, and exploring notions of the quality of assurance cases themselves. Domain-specific assurance issues, in domains such as aerospace, automotive, healthcare, defense and power. Reuse and Modularization: Contracts and patterns for improving the reuse of assurance case structures. Relations between different formalisms and paradigms of assurance and argumentation, such as Goal Structuring Notation, STAMP, IBIS, and goal-oriented formalisms such as KAOS. Submit Submission Instructions for Accepted Papers If your paper has been accepted for the ASSURE 2018 Program, please follow ALL the instructions below, when preparing your final, camera-ready paper for the proceedings. Deadline The final paper and the signed copyright form are due on June 21, 2018. This is a firm deadline for the production of the proceedings. Acknowledgements Include acknowledgements of the support your work/project has received, as appropriate and if applicable, at the end of the paper. Final Paper Submission Submit your final, camera-ready paper using your EasyChair author account, for inclusion into the Workshop Proceedings. After you have logged in, select the Proceedings Author role to be directed to the submission page. Springer reserves the right to reformat your paper to meet their print and digital publication requirements. Consequently, you will need to submit all the source files associated with your paper. Follow the instructions after logging in, to upload two files: either a zipped file containing all your LaTeX sources or a Word file in the RTF format, and a PDF version of your camera-ready paper. Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and publication in multiple venues are not permitted. Copyright Release Your paper will not be published in the proceedings unless a completed and signed copyright transfer form has been received. Authors must fill and sign the Springer “Consent to Publish” copyright release form using the following information: Title of the Book or Conference Name: Computer Safety, Reliability and Security – SAFECOMP 2018 Workshops – ASSURE, DECSoS, SASSUR, STRIVE, and WAISE. Volume Editor(s): Barbara Gallina, Amund Skavhaug, Erwin Schoitsch, and Friedemann Bitsch. One author may sign on behalf of all authors. Springer does not accept digital signatures. Please physically sign the form, scan, and email it in PDF or any standard acceptable image format, to the SAFECOMP 2018 Publication Chair by the deadline above. Alternatively, upload the signed, and completed form via EasyChair using your author account. Corresponding Authors Please nominate a corresponding author, whose name and email address must be included in the copyright release form. If sending the copyright release form by email, please include the corresponding author’s name and email address in the email. This author will be responsible for checking the pre-print proof of the final version of your paper that Springer will prepare. Pre-print Checking The publisher has recently introduced an extra control loop: once data processing is finished, they will contact all corresponding authors and ask them to check their papers within 72 hours. We expect this to happen shortly before the printing of the proceedings. At that time your quick interaction with Springer-Verlag will be greatly appreciated. Formatting and Page Limits Papers should strictly conform to the LNCS paper formatting guidelines. Please do not change the spacing and dimensions associated with the paper template files. Please ensure that your paper meets the page limits for your paper type. Page limits are strict. Regular research/practice papers: Up to 10 pages including figures, references, and appendices. Tools papers: Up to 10 pages, including figures, references, and appendices. Position papers: 6 pages including figures, references, and any appendices. Committees Workshop Chairs Ewen Denney, SGT / NASA Ames, USA Ibrahim Habli, University of York, UK Richard Hawkins ,University of York, UK Ganesh, Pai, SGT / NASA Ames, USA Program Committee Simon Burton, Bosch Research, Germany Isabelle Conway, ESA/ESTEC, Netherlands Martin Feather, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA Alwyn Goodloe, NASA Langley Research Center, USA Jérémie Guiochet, LAAS-CNRS, France Joshua Kaizer, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, USA Tim Kelly, University of York, UK Yoshiki Kinoshita, Kanagawa University, Japan Andrew Rae, Griffith University, Australia Philippa Ryan, Adelard, UK Mark-Alexander Sujan, University of Warwick, UK Kenji Taguchi, CAV Technologies Co. Ltd., Japan Sean White, NHS Digital, UK Past Workshops Previous ASSURE Workshops ASSURE 2017, Trento, Italy ASSURE 2016, Trondheim, Norway ASSURE 2015, Delft, The Netherlands ASSURE 2014, Naples, Italy ASSURE 2013, San Francisco, USA Contact Us Contact the Organizers If you have questions about paper topics, submission and/or about ASSURE 2018 in general, please contact the Workshop Organizers. View the full article

Home ASSURE 2017 has successfully concluded. UPDATES 2017-10-01: ASSURE 2017 concluded successfully. The accepted papers appear in the SAFECOMP 2017 Workshop Proceedings. Thank you for attending! See you in 2018. 2017-08-28: The ASSURE 2017 Program has been announced. The final program is contingent on registration. If you haven’t already done so, please register for ASSURE 2017 via SAFECOMP 2017. 2017-08-27: ASSURE 2017 will be held on Tuesday, Sep. 12, 2017. The accepted papers and program will be posted here soon. 2017-06-02: Authors of accepted papers have been notified. The final, camera-ready version and a signed copyright release form are due on June 12, 2017. Instructions on submitting both the final version and the copyright form also have been posted. 2017-05-24: Paper submission deadlines have passed. Submission is now closed. 2016-05-16: ASSURE deadlines have been extended by a week, to May 24, 2017. 2017-03-27: Dr. Simon Burton, Chief Expert Safety, Reliability and Availability at Robert Bosch GmbH Central Research Division, Germany, has generously accepted to give an invited keynote talk! Watch this space for the topic and abstract for the talk. 2017-03-22: The deadline to submit papers to ASSURE 2017 is May 17, 2017. Submit a paper now! 2017-03-01: The ASSURE 2017 website is live! Introduction The 5th International Workshop on Assurance Cases for Software-intensive Systems (ASSURE 2017) is being collocated this year with SAFECOMP 2017, and aims to provide an international forum for high-quality contributions on the application of assurance case principles and techniques to provide assurance that the dependability properties of critical, software-intensive systems have been met. The main goals of the workshop are to: Explore techniques for the creation and assessment of assurance cases for software-intensive systems Examine the role of assurance cases in the engineering lifecycle of critical systems Identify the dimension of effective practice in the development and evaluation of assurance cases Investigate the relationship between dependability techniques and assurance cases Identify critical research challenges and define a roadmap for future development We invite original, high-quality research, practice, tools and position papers that have not been published/submitted elsewhere. See the full Call for Papers, for more details on topics. Also view the submission deadlines, and guidelines. Program ASSURE 2017 Program September 12, 2017, from 08:00 – 17:30 08:00 – 09:00 Registration 09:00 – 11:00 Session 1. Welcome, Introduction, Keynote and Assurance Case Frameworks 09:00 – 09:05 Welcome and Introduction, ASSURE 2017 Organizers 09:05 – 10:00 Keynote Talk: Making the Case for Safety of Machine Learning in Highly Automated Driving, Simon Burton (with Lydia Gauerhof and Christian Heinzemann) 10:00 – 10:30 A Thought Experiment on Evolution of Assurance Cases – from a Logical Aspect, Y. Kinoshita and S. Kinoshita 10:30 – 11:00 Morning Coffee/Tea Break 11:00 – 12:30 Session 2. Assurance Case Tool Support 11:00 – 11:30 Uniform Model Interface for Assurance Case Integration with System Models, A. Wardziński and P. Jones 11:30 – 12:00 ExplicitCase: Integrated Model-based Development of System and Safety Cases, C. Cârlan, S. Barner, A. Diewald, A. Tsalidis and S. Voss 12:00 – 12:30 D-Case Communicator: A Web-Based GSN Editor for Multiple Stakeholders, Y. Matsuno 12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break 13:30 – 15:30 Session 3. Assurance Cases for Security 13:30 – 14:00 Reconciling Systems-Theoretic and Component-Centric Methods for Safety and Security Co-Analysis, W. Temple, Y. Wu, B. Chen and Z. Kalbarczyk 14:00 – 14:30 Towards combined safety and security constraints analysis, D. Pereira, C. Hirata, R. Pagliares and S. Nadjm-Tehrani 14:30 – 15:00 Attack Modeling for System Security Analysis and Assurance Case, A. Altawairqi and M. Maarek 15:00 – 15:30 Using an Assurance Case Framework to Develop Security Strategy and Policies, R. Bloomfield, P. Bishop, E. Butler and K. Netkachova 15:30 – 16:00 Afternoon Coffee/Tea Break 16:00 – 17:25 Session 4. Guided Discussion 17:25 – 17:30 ASSURE 2017 Conclusion and Wrap-Up Important Dates EVENTDEADLINEWorkshop Papers Due24 May 2017Notification of Acceptance31 May 2017Camera-ready Copies Due12 June 2017ASSURE 2017 WorkshopSeptember 12, 2017SAFECOMP 2017September 13 – 15, 2017 Call for Papers Software plays a key role in high-risk systems, e.g., safety-, and security-critical systems. Several certification standards/guidelines now recommend and/or mandate the development of assurance cases for software-intensive systems, e.g., defense (UK MoD DS-0056), aviation (CAP 670, FAA’s operational approval guidance for unmanned aircraft systems), automotive (ISO 26262), and healthcare (FDA infusion pumps total product lifecycle guidance). As such, there is a need to develop models, techniques and tools that target the development of assurance arguments for software. The goals of the 2017 Workshop on Assurance Cases for Software-intensive Systems (ASSURE 2017) are to: explore techniques for creating/assessing assurance cases for software-intensive systems; examine the role of assurance cases in the engineering lifecycle of critical systems; identify the dimensions of effective practice in the development and evaluation of assurance cases; investigate the relationship between dependability techniques and assurance cases; and, identify critical research challenges and define a roadmap for future development. We solicit high-quality contributions: research, practice, tools and position papers on the application of assurance case principles and techniques to assure that the dependability properties of critical software-intensive systems have been met. Papers should attempt to address the workshop goals in general. Topics Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: Assurance issues in emerging paradigms, e.g., adaptive and autonomous systems, including self-driving cars, unmanned aircraft systems, complex health care and decision making systems, etc. Standards: Industry guidelines and standards are increasingly requiring the development of assurance cases, e.g., the automotive standard ISO 26262 and the FDA guidance on the total product lifecycle for infusion pumps. Certification and Regulations: The role and usage of assurance cases in the certification of critical systems, as well as to show compliance to regulations. Empiricism: Empirical assessment of the applicability of assurance cases in different domains and certification regimes. Dependable architectures: How do fault-tolerant architectures and design measures such as diversity and partitioning relate to assurance cases? Dependability analysis: What are the relationships between dependability analysis techniques and the assurance case paradigm? Safety and security co-engineering: What are the impacts of security on safety, particularly safety cases, and how can safety and security cases (e.g., as proposed in ISO 26262 and SAE J 3061 respectively) be reconciled? Tools: Using the output from software engineering tools (testing, formal verification, code generators) as evidence in assurance cases / using tools for the modeling, analysis and management of assurance cases. Application of formal techniques for the creation, analysis, reuse, and modularization of arguments. Exploration of relevant techniques for assurance cases for real-time, concurrent, and distributed systems. Assurance of software quality attributes, e.g., safety, security and maintainability, as well as dependability in general, including tradeoffs, and exploring notions of the quality of assurance cases themselves. Domain-specific assurance issues, in domains such as aerospace, automotive, healthcare, defense and power. Reuse and Modularization: Contracts and patterns for improving the reuse of assurance case structures. Relations between different formalisms and paradigms of assurance and argumentation, such as Goal Structuring Notation, STAMP, IBIS, and goal-oriented formalisms such as KAOS. Submit Submission Instructions for Accepted Papers If your paper has been accepted for the ASSURE 2017 Program, please follow the instructions below, when preparing your final, camera-ready paper for the proceedings. 1. Deadline The final paper and the signed copyright form are due on June 12, 2017. This is a firm deadline for the production of the proceedings. 2. Copyright Release Authors must fill and sign the Springer “Consent to Publish” copyright release form using the following information: Title of the Book or Conference Name: Computer Safety, Reliability, and Security – SAFECOMP 2017 Workshops – ASSURE, DECSoS, SASSUR, TELERISE, and TIPS Volume Editor(s): Stefano Tonetta, Erwin Schoitsch, Friedemann Bitsch One author may sign on behalf of all authors. Springer does not accept digital signatures, unfortunately. Please physically sign the form, scan, and email it in PDF or any acceptable image format, to the SAFECOMP 2017 Publication Chair by the deadline above. Alternatively, upload the signed, and completed form via EasyChair using your author account. 3. Corresponding Authors Please nominate a corresponding author, whose name and email address must be included in the email containing the copyright release form. This author will be responsible for checking the pre-print proof of your paper prepared by Springer. 4. Pre-print Checking The publisher has recently introduced an extra control loop: once data processing is finished, they will contact all corresponding authors and ask them to check their papers. We expect this to happen shortly before the printing of the proceedings. At that time your quick interaction with Springer-Verlag will be greatly appreciated. 5. Formatting and Page Limits Please do not change the spacing and dimensions associated with the paper template files. Please ensure that your paper meets the page limits for your paper type. Page limits are strict. Regular research/practice papers: 12 pages including figures, references, and appendices. Tools papers: 10 pages, including figures, references, and appendices. Position papers: 4 – 6 pages including figures, references, and any appendices. 6. Final Paper Submission Submit your camera ready paper using your EasyChair author account, for inclusion into the Workshop Proceedings. After you have logged in, select the Proceedings Author role to be directed to the submission page. Springer reserves the right to reformat your paper to meet their print and digital publication requirements. Consequently, you will need to submit all the source files associated with your paper. Follow the instructions after the login for uploading two files: either a zipped file containing all your LaTeX sources or a Word file in the RTF format, and a PDF version of your camera-ready paper. Please follow the LNCS paper formatting guidelines when preparing the final version. Committees Workshop Chairs Ewen Denney, SGT / NASA Ames, USA Ibrahim Habli, University of York, UK Ganesh Pai, SGT / NASA Ames, USA Kenji Taguchi, AIST, Japan Program Committee Robin Bloomfield, City University, and Adelard, UK Simon Burton, Bosch Research, Germany Isabelle Conway, ESA/ESTEC, Netherlands Martin Feather, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, USA Jérémie Guiochet, LAAS-CNRS, France Richard Hawkins, University of York, UK Joshua Kaizer, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, USA Tim Kelly, University of York, UK Yoshiki Kinoshita, Kanagawa University, Japan Terrence Martin, Queensland University of Technology, Australia Andrew Rae, Griffith University, Australia Philippa Ryan, Adelard, UK Roger Rivett, Jaguar Land Rover, UK Mark-Alexander Sujan, University of Warwick, UK Sean White, NHS Digital, UK Previous ASSURE Workshops ASSURE 2016, Trondheim, Norway ASSURE 2015, Delft, The Netherlands ASSURE 2014, Naples, Italy ASSURE 2013, San Francisco, USA Contact the Organizers If you have questions about paper topics, submission and/or about ASSURE 2016 in general, please contact the Workshop Organizers. 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1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA astronaut Steve Swanson harvests a crop of red romaine lettuce plants aboard the International Space Station. Grown from seeds in the Veggie facility, this crop is part of the Veg-01 study to help researchers test and validate the Veggie hardware.NASA NASA Life Sciences Portal (NLSP) The NASA Life Sciences Portal (NLSP) is the gateway to discovering and accessing all archive data from investigations sponsored by NASA’s Human Research Program (HRP). The HRP conducts research and develops technologies that allow humans to travel safely and productively in space. The Program uses evidence from data collected from astronauts, animals, and plants over many decades, and stored in several repositories accessible via the NLSP, including the Life Sciences Data Archive (LSDA) and Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health and Standard Measures repositories. Life Sciences Data Archive (LSDA) NASA’s Life Sciences Data Archive (LSDA) is an archive that provides information and data from 1961 (Mercury Project) through current flight and flight analog studies (International Space Station) involving human, plant and animal subjects. ​ Much of the information and data are publicly available on this site. Some data are potentially attributable to individual human subjects, and thus restricted by the Privacy Act, but can be requested for research. Human Health and Performance Products Share Details Last Updated Aug 29, 2024 EditorRobert E. LewisLocationJohnson Space Center Related TermsHuman Health and Performance Explore More 1 min read Participate in the Mission – Be a Human Test Subject! Article 1 year ago 1 min read Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH) Article 1 year ago 1 min read Human Health and Performance Data Sharing Article 1 year ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Humans In Space Missions International Space Station Solar System View the full article