NASA

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Joseph Pelfrey, director, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.NASA NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center will host a media day at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15, in the first-floor lobby of Building 4221 on Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, to introduce new Center Director Joseph Pelfrey. Media are invited to meet and speak with Pelfrey about his role. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson named Pelfrey director of Marshall on Feb. 5. Pelfrey had served as acting center director since July 2023. Appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2016, Pelfrey served as the associate director for operations in Engineering, later becoming deputy manager and subsequently manager for Marshall’s Human Exploration Development and Operations Office. He was appointed as Marshall’s deputy center director in April 2022. Media members interested in participating must request credentials by 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13, to Lance Davis: 256-640-9065 or lance.d.davis@nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. Media must be escorted to this event and should report to the Redstone Arsenal Joint Visitor Control Center Gate 9, Interstate 565 interchange at Research Park Boulevard by 8 a.m. on Feb. 15. Vehicles are subject to a security search at the gate, so please allow extra time. All members of news media – drivers and passengers – will need photo identification. Drivers must be prepared to provide proof of car insurance if requested. NASA Marshall is one of the agency’s largest field centers, and manages NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, where some of the largest elements of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis campaign are manufactured. The center also is responsible for the oversight and execution of an approximately $5 billion portfolio comprised of human spaceflight, science, and technology development efforts. Its workforce consists of nearly 7,000 employees, both civil servants and contractors. Learn more about Pelfrey in his biography online at: https://www.nasa.gov/people/joseph-pelfrey/ Lance D. Davis Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., 256-640-9065 lance.d.davis@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Feb 12, 2024 LocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsMarshall Space Flight Center Explore More 17 min read The Marshall Star for February 7, 2024 Article 5 days ago 5 min read NASA to Demonstrate Autonomous Navigation System on Moon Article 5 days ago 4 min read NASA Taps Alabama A&M University to Host Break the Ice Lunar Challenge Article 2 weeks ago View the full article

Assistant Administrator for NASA’s Office of Small Business Programs, Dwight Deneal, poses for portrait, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, at the NASA Headquarters Mary W. Jackson Building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls) NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced Monday Dwight Deneal will serve as the new assistant administrator for the Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, effective immediately. In this role, Deneal provides executive leadership, policy direction, and management for programs that help ensure all small businesses are given a fair chance to work with NASA. He succeeds Glenn Delgado, who retired from the agency in December 2023. “Dwight brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to NASA’s Office of Small Business Programs,” said Nelson. “Small businesses play a critical role in propelling our country forward with new technologies and scientific discoveries to maintain American leadership in space and benefit all humanity. I am confident his leadership will help NASA continue to promote and integrate America’s small businesses into every aspect of our missions.” Prior to his NASA appointment, Deneal served as the director for the Defense Logistics Agency’s Office of Small Business Programs, supervising all small business programs and contracting activities that equated to more than $45 billion of annual contract spending and $18 billion in small business spending. He also was responsible for maintaining strategic partnerships that attract small businesses into the defense supply chain, helping grow the national defense industrial base. Deneal also previously served as the director for the Small Business and Industry Liaison Programs at the U.S. Coast Guard, part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In this capacity, he led all small business and socio-economic related guidelines, policies, regulations and was the authority for planning and carrying out acquisition activities in support of small business programs. From 2013 to 2017, Deneal served as a team lead small business specialist at the Department of Health and Human Services. His experience also includes supporting the Department of Education and U.S Department of Navy as a contract specialist. In addition to his NASA role, Deneal also serves as the vice chairman of the Federal Interagency Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization Directors Council. This organization of federal small business program officials that meets regularly to exchange and discuss information on small business methods, issues, and strategies. A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Deneal graduated from Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia, where he earned a bachelor’s in Business Management. He also is a graduate of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government Executive Education program. Deneal was the recipient of the 2018 U.S. Department of Homeland Security Chief Procurement Officer Excellence in Industry Engagement Award. He is married and has two children. Learn more about NASA’s Office of Small Business Programs at: https://www.nasa.gov/osbp -end- Faith McKie / Abbey Donaldson Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 faith.d.mckie@nasa.gov / abbey.a.donaldson@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Feb 12, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsOrganizationsOffice of Small Business Programs (OSBP) View the full article

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Sunlight glints off patches of ice in the Chukchi Sea, a part of the Arctic Ocean. NASA’s PREFIRE mission to Earth’s polar regions will explore how a warming world will affect sea ice loss, ice sheet melt, and sea level rise.NASA/Kathryn Hansen Launching in spring 2024, the two small satellites of the agency’s PREFIRE mission will fill in missing data from Earth’s polar regions. Two new miniature NASA satellites will start crisscrossing Earth’s atmosphere in a few months, detecting heat lost to space. Their observations from the planet’s most bone-chilling regions will help predict how our ice, seas, and weather will change in the face of global warming. About the size of a shoebox, the cube satellites, or CubeSats, comprise a mission called PREFIRE, short for Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment. Equipped with technology proven at Mars, their objective is to reveal the full spectrum of heat loss from Earth’s polar regions for the first time, making climate models more accurate. PREFIRE has been jointly developed by NASA and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with team members from the universities of Michigan and Colorado. The mission starts with Earth’s energy budget. In a planetary balancing act, the amount of heat energy the planet receives from the Sun should ideally be offset by the amount it radiates out of the Earth system into space. The difference between incoming and outgoing energy determines Earth’s temperature and shapes our climate. The PREFIRE mission will send two CubeSats – depicted in an artist’s concept orbiting Earth – into space to study how much heat the planet absorbs and emits from its polar regions. These measurements will inform climate and ice models.NASA/JPL-Caltech Polar regions play a key role in the process, acting like Earth’s radiator fins. The stirring of air and water, through weather and ocean currents, moves heat energy received in the tropics toward the poles, where it is emitted as thermal infrared radiation – the same type of energy you feel from a heat lamp. Some 60% of that energy flows out to space in far-infrared wavelengths that have never been systematically measured. PREFIRE can close that gap. “We have the potential to discover some fundamental things about how our planet works,” said Brian Drouin, scientist and deputy principal investigator for the mission at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “In climate projections, a lot of the uncertainty comes in from what we don’t know about the North and South poles and how efficiently radiation is emitted into space,” he said. “The importance of that radiation wasn’t realized for much of the Space Age, but we know now and are aiming to measure it.” Launching from New Zealand two weeks apart in May, each satellite will carry a thermal infrared spectrometer. The JPL-designed instruments include specially shaped mirrors and detectors for splitting and measuring infrared light. Similar technology is used by the Mars Climate Sounder on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to explore the Red Planet’s atmosphere and weather. Miniaturizing the instruments to fit on CubeSats was a challenge for the PREFIRE engineering team. They developed a scaled-down design optimized for the comparatively warm conditions of our own planet. Weighing less than 6 pounds (3 kilograms), the instruments make readings using a device called a thermocouple, similar to the sensors found in many household thermostats. Ground Zero for Climate Change To maximize coverage, the PREFIRE twins will orbit Earth along different paths, overlapping every few hours near the poles. Since the 1970s, the Arctic has warmed at least three times faster than anywhere else on Earth. Winter sea ice there has shrunk by more than 15,900 square miles (41,200 square kilometers) per year, a loss of 2.6% per decade relative to the 1981-2010 average. A change is occurring on the opposite side of the planet, too: Antarctica’s ice sheets are losing mass at an average rate of about 150 billion tons per year. The implications of these changes are far reaching. Fluctuations in sea ice shape polar ecosystems and influence the temperature as well as circulation of the ocean. Meltwater from mile-thick ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica is responsible for about one-third of the rise in global mean sea level since 1993. “If you change the polar regions, you also fundamentally change the weather around the world,” said Tristan L’Ecuyer, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the mission’s principal investigator. “Extreme storms, flooding, coastal erosion – all of these things are influenced by what’s going on in the Arctic and Antarctic.” To understand and project such changes, scientists use climate models that take into account many physical processes. Running the models multiple times (each time under slightly different conditions and assumptions) results in an ensemble of climate projections. Assumptions about uncertain parameters, such as how efficiently the poles emit thermal radiation, can significantly impact the projections. PREFIRE will supply new data on a range of climate variables, including atmospheric temperature, surface properties, water vapor, and clouds. Ultimately, more information will yield a more accurate vision of a world in flux, said L’Ecuyer. “As our climate models converge, we’ll start to really understand what the future’s going to look like in the Arctic and Antarctic,” he added. News Media Contacts Jane J. Lee / Andrew Wang Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-354-0307 / 626-379-6874 Written by Sally Younger 2024-014 Share Details Last Updated Feb 12, 2024 Related TermsPREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment)Climate ChangeCryosphereEarthIce & GlaciersOceans Explore More 4 min read What’s Made in a Thunderstorm and Faster Than Lightning? Gamma Rays! Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has spotted gamma rays coming from thunderstorms. Article 7 days ago 5 min read OpenET Study Helps Water Managers and Farmers Put NASA Data to Work As the world looks for sustainable solutions, a system tapping into NASA satellite data for… Article 2 weeks ago 5 min read NASA Study: More Greenland Ice Lost Than Previously Estimated Article 4 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

4 min read Sense the Solar Eclipse with NASA’s Eclipse Soundscapes Project When darkness sweeps across the landscape during a total solar eclipse, unusual things start happening. Fooled by the false dusk, birds stop singing, crickets start chirping, and bees return to their hives. Reports of these atypical animal behaviors date back centuries, but the effects of an eclipse on plant and animal life are not fully understood. So, on April 8, 2024, the NASA-funded Eclipse Soundscapes Project will collect the sights and sounds of a total solar eclipse with help from interested members of the public to better understand how an eclipse affects different ecosystems. “Eclipses are often thought of as a visual event – something that you see,” said Kelsey Perrett, Communications Coordinator with the Eclipse Soundscapes Project. “We want to show that eclipses can be studied in a multi-sensory manner, through sound and feeling and other forms of observation.” A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun, blocking its light from reaching parts of the planet. In areas where the Sun’s light is completely blocked – known as the path of totality – it looks as if dusk has fallen, temperatures drop, and some stars become visible. These changes can trick animals into altering their usual daytime behaviors. A total solar eclipse will pass over the heads of over 30 million people in North America on April 8, 2024, providing the perfect opportunity for a large-scale citizen science project. In April 2024, volunteers can join the Eclipse Soundscapes project to help NASA scientists better understand how wildlife is impacted by solar eclipses. Volunteers will gather sound recordings, make observations using any of their senses, and even help with data analysis from across the path of the eclipse. This video features interviews from Eclipse Soundscapes experts MaryKay Severino, Dr. William “Trae” Winter III, and Dr. William Oestreich, and highlights natural resource manager Dr. Chace Holzhueser at Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, who will be conducting a similar study for the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Credits: Lacey Young/NASA The Eclipse Soundscapes Project aims to replicate a similar study conducted by American scientist William M. Wheeler following a 1932 total solar eclipse that passed over the northeast reaches of Canada and the United States. The near-century-old study captured almost 500 observations from the public. The Eclipse Soundscapes Project hopes modern tools will replicate and expand upon that study to better understand animal and insect behavior. This will be achieved through multisensory observations, such as audio recordings and written accounts of what is seen, heard, or felt during the eclipse. The project, which is particularly interested in learning about cricket behavior, aims to answer questions like do nocturnal and diurnal animals act differently or become more or less vocal during a solar eclipse? “The more audio data and observations we have, the better we can answer these questions,” Perrett said. “Contributions from participatory scientists will allow us to drill down into specific ecosystems and determine how the eclipse may have impacted each of them.” An Eastern Lubber Grasshopper on a leaf. Federico Acevedo/National Park Service The Eclipse Soundscape project invites people to become involved with the study at all levels – from learning about eclipses online, to collecting multisensory observations and audio data, to analyzing the data – and in all locations, whether they’re on the path of totality or not. The project is open to people of all backgrounds and abilities. All project roles have been designed with accessibility in mind to invite people who are blind or have low vision to participate alongside their sighted peers. People on or near the path of totality can participate as “Data Collectors” by using an AudioMoth device, a low-cost audio recording device called equipped with a micro-SD card, to capture the sounds of an eclipse. People can also participate as “Observers” by writing down their multisensory observations and submitting them to the project website after the eclipse. Anyone with an internet connection, can participate as an “Apprentice” by learning about eclipses or as a “Data Analyst” to help analyze the audio data after the eclipse. After completing an Eclipse Soundscapes role, a downloadable certificate will be available. An AudioMoth device hangs from a tree branch, ready to capture the sounds of an eclipse. Eclipse Soundscapes Project “When it comes down to it, answering our science questions about how eclipses impact life on Earth depends entirely on the data that people volunteer to contribute,” Perrett said. “Our participants, including our project partners and facilitators, allow us to span the entire eclipse path and collect way more data than would be possible for just one small team.” To learn more about the project and how to become involved, visit: https://eclipsesoundscapes.org/ By Mara Johnson-Groh NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Share Details Last Updated Feb 12, 2024 Related Terms 2024 Solar Eclipse Citizen Science Eclipses Get Involved Goddard Space Flight Center Heliophysics Heliophysics Division Science & Research Science Mission Directorate Skywatching Solar Eclipses Explore More 1 min read Do NASA Science LIVE on February 21! What’s it mean to be cool? Article 36 mins ago 2 min read Hubble Spots a Galaxy Shrouded by Stars Article 3 days ago 3 min read NASA’s Hubble Traces ‘String of Pearls’ Star Clusters in Galaxy Collisions Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA 2024 Total Eclipse Safety Types of Solar Eclipses Eclipses Stories View the full article

Join the next Do NASA Science LIVE event as we explore ways to participate in NASA’s winter-themed volunteer research projects. Register here for this event on February 21st at 7pm ET. Credit: SciStarter Snow and ice are everywhere this time of year—mountain tops, Alaska, and even outer space. Grab a cup of hot cocoa and join us for the next Do NASA Science LIVE event as we explore ways to participate in NASA’s winter-themed volunteer research projects. On this interactive Zoom call, you’ll chat with five scientists who will describe how you can participate in their NASA research. No previous experience is required—just access to a computer or smartphone. Registration is free, required, and now open. Discover how to fill important data gaps in understanding what “cold” means on Earth AND in space. Sometimes cold is relative and the coldest objects in space—still warmer than Jupiter– are vital for teaching us about how stars and planets form. Help us understand and protect our own planet too! We will hear from the researchers behind: Mountain Rain or Snow, Fresh Eyes on Ice, Backyard Worlds: Cool Neighbors, GLOBE Observer Land Cover, and the Sungrazer Project. Register here to join in the conversation, connect with scientists, and contribute to real science: February 21st at 7pm ET for “What’s it mean to be cool?”. Bring the whole family! Everyone is welcome. Share Details Last Updated Feb 12, 2024 Related Terms Astrophysics Biological & Physical Sciences Citizen Science Earth Science Heliophysics Planetary Science Explore More 4 min read Sense the Solar Eclipse with NASA’s Eclipse Soundscapes Project Article 22 mins ago 2 min read Hubble Spots a Galaxy Shrouded by Stars Article 3 days ago 3 min read NASA’s Hubble Traces ‘String of Pearls’ Star Clusters in Galaxy Collisions Article 4 days ago View the full article

NASA Astronauts Aboard Space Station Huddle Up for Super Bowl

Studying the Health of Our Oceans and Climate on This Week @NASA – February 9, 2024

(From left) Ioannis Daglis, president of the Hellenic Space Center, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, and U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, watch as Giorgos Gerapetritis, Greek foreign minister, signs the Artemis Accords on the margins of the U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue at the Department of State in Washington, Feb. 9, 2024.Credits: Official State Department photo by Chuck Kennedy NASA Administrator Bill Nelson participated in a signing ceremony Friday with Greece’s foreign minister, Giorgos Gerapetritis, as his country became the 35th country to sign the Artemis Accords. The accords establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations. Also participating in the event at the U.S. Department of State were NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Dr. Ioannis Daglis, president of the Hellenic Space Center. The signing occurred during the fifth United States-Greece Strategic Dialogue in Washington. “Congratulations to Greece on becoming the 35th country to join the Artemis Accords family,” said Nelson. “The U.S. and Greece are long-time partners and friends, and we are excited to expand this partnership in the cosmos. Together, we are shaping the future of cooperation in space for the Artemis Generation.” The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 by the United States together with seven other original signatories. Since then, the Accords signatories have held focused discussions on how best to implement the Artemis Accords principles. “As humanity embarks on a great adventure, returning to the Moon and preparing for traveling beyond the Moon, the Artemis Accords serve as a beacon of collaboration and cooperation among nations, paving the way for a sustainable and peaceful exploration of space,” said Gerapetritis. The Artemis Accords reinforce and implement key obligations in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty. They also strengthen the commitment by the United States and signatory nations to the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices NASA and its partners support, including the public release of scientific data. More countries are expected to sign the accords in the months and years ahead, which are advancing safe, peaceful, and prosperous activities in space. Learn more about the Artemis Accords at: https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords -end- Faith McKie / Roxana Bardan Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 faith.mckie@nasa.gov / roxana.bardan@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Feb 09, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsOffice of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR)Artemis AccordsBill Nelson View the full article

2024 Total Solar Eclipse: Through the Eyes of NASA (Official Trailer)

2024 Total Solar Eclipse: Through the Eyes of NASA (Telescope Feed)

2024 Total Solar Eclipse: Through the Eyes of NASA (Official Broadcast)

January 29, 2024 / Earth Science Rahul Ramachandran (ST11) wrote his American Geophysical Union (AGU) Leptoukh lecture as an essay titled “From petabytes to Insights: Tackling Earth Science’s Scaling Problem ”. While Ramachandran was unable to present at AGU, the essay was published on NASA EarthData website (https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/learn/articles/2023-leptoukh-lecture-essay). The essay addresses the challenge of scaling in Earth science due to increasing data volumes. Ramachandran discusses the integration of Artificial Intelligence into informatics as a potential solution to these challenges. He reflects on his journey in informatics and emphasizes the importance of managing the science data life cycle effectively in the face of ever-growing data volumes, advocating for innovative approaches to support the research life cycle. View the full article

The Axiom Mission 3 crew aboard the International Space Station, pictured from left to right: Marcus Wandt, Michael López-Alegría, Alper Gezeravci, and Walter Villadei. Credits: Axiom Space The third private astronaut mission to the International Space Station successfully completed its journey as part of NASA efforts to create commercial opportunities in space. Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) and its four crew members safely returned to Earth Friday, splashing down off the coast of Daytona, Florida. Axiom Space astronauts, Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Marcus Wandt, and Alper Gezeravci returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft at 8:30 a.m. EST, completing their nearly 22-day mission that included 18 days aboard the space station. Teams aboard SpaceX recovery vessels retrieved the spacecraft and astronauts. “Low Earth orbit is now within humanity’s economic sphere of influence. It presents the best opportunities for the U.S. commercial space sector to capture new global and domestic markets and to provide critical capabilities to the nation’s space objectives,” said Phil McAlister, director of NASA’s commercial space division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “This ground-breaking Ax-3 mission is part of a larger effort, enabled by NASA, to open space to more people, more research, and more opportunities as the agency prepares for the transition to future private space stations at the end of this decade.” The Ax-3 mission launched at 4:49 p.m. Jan. 18 on a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Approximately 37 hours later, Dragon docked to the Harmony module’s forward port. The astronauts undocked from the same port at 9:20 a.m. Wednesday, to begin the trip home. The crew spent over two weeks conducting microgravity research, educational outreach, and commercial activities. The spacecraft returns to Florida for inspection and processing at SpaceX’s refurbishing facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, where teams will examine the spacecraft’s data and performance throughout the flight. Throughout their mission, the astronauts conducted over 30 science experiments, and returned science, including NASA cargo, back to Earth. Supporting private astronaut missions is part of NASA’s strategy to create a vibrant commercial economy in orbit where the agency will become just one of many customers. The Ax-3 mission embodies the culmination of NASA’s efforts to foster a commercial market in low Earth orbit and continue a new era of space exploration that enables more people and organizations to fly multiple mission objectives. This partnership expands the arc of human spaceflight history and opens access to low Earth orbit and the International Space Station to more people, science, and commercial opportunities. Learn more about how NASA is supporting a space economy in low-Earth orbit: https://www.nasa.gov/commercial-space -end- News Media Contacts: Joshua Finch /Julian Coltre Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / julian.n.coltre@nasa.gov Facebook logo @NASA @NASA Instagram logo @NASA Linkedin logo @NASA View the full article

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Studies of neurological organoids, plant growth, and shifts in body fluids are among the scientific investigations that NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Tracy C. Dyson will help support aboard the International Space Station as part of Expedition 71. The crew members are targeting launch to the space station in February and March. Here are details on some of the work scheduled during this upcoming expedition aboard the microgravity laboratory: Modeling Neuroinflammation Human Brain Organoid Models for Neurodegenerative Disease & Drug Discovery (HBOND) studies the mechanisms behind neuroinflammation, a common feature of neurodegenerative disorders. Researchers create organoids using patient-derived iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells) from patients who have Parkinson’s disease and primary progressive multiple sclerosis. The sixth space station organoid investigation funded by the National Stem Cell Foundation, HBond includes for the first time Alzheimer’s iPSCs and testing of the effects of drugs in development to treat neuroinflammation. Results could help improve diagnostics, provide insights into the effects of aging, accelerate drug discovery, and identify therapeutic targets for patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. The organoid models also could provide a way to anticipate how extended spaceflight affects the brain and support development of countermeasures. Brain organoid cells from the previous investigation Cosmic Brain Organoids are made of cells from people with Parkinson’s Disease and primary progressive multiple sclerosis. New York Stem Cell Research Institute Protecting Plants from Spaceflight Stressors Plants can serve as a source of food and provide other life-support services on long-term missions to the Moon and Mars. The Study on Plant Responses Against the Stresses of Microgravity and High Ultraviolet Radiation in Space (Plant UV-B) examines how stress from microgravity, UV radiation, and the combination of the two affect plants at the molecular, cellular, and whole organism levels. Results could increase understanding of plant growth in space and support improvements in plant cultivation technologies for future missions. This image shows the Plant Experiment Unit (PEU) hardware for the Plant UV-B investigation. NASA Positive Pressure Microgravity causes fluids in the body to move toward the head, which can cause changes in eye structure and vision known as Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS) and other health problems. Mitigating Headward Fluid Shifts with Veno-constrictive Thigh Cuffs During Spaceflight (Thigh Cuff) examines whether thigh pressure cuffs could provide a simple way to counter this shift of body fluids and help protect astronauts from SANS and other issues on future missions to the Moon and Mars. Thigh cuffs also could help treat or prevent problems for patients with conditions on Earth that can cause fluid accumulation in the body, such as long-term bedrest and diseases. A test subject wears the device for the Thigh Cuff investigation pre-flight.NASA Incredible Edible Algae Arthrospira-C (Art-C), an investigation from ESA (European Space Agency) analyzes how the cyanobacterium Limnospira responds to spaceflight conditions and whether it produces the same quantity and quality of oxygen and biomass in space as on Earth. These microalgae, also known as Spirulina, could be used to remove carbon dioxide exhaled by astronauts, which can become toxic in an enclosed spacecraft, and to produce oxygen and fresh food as part of life support systems on future missions. Correct predictions of oxygen and biomass yields are crucial for design of life support systems using bioprocesses. Spirulina also has been shown to have radioprotective properties and eating it could help protect space travelers from cosmic radiation, as well as conserve healthy tissue in patients undergoing radiation treatment on Earth. The container on the space station for Arthrospira-B, an investigation previous to Art-C. NASA Melissa Gaskill International Space Station Program Research Office Johnson Space Center Search this database of scientific experiments to learn more about those mentioned above. Facebook logo @ISS @ISS_Research@Space_Station Instagram logo @ISS Linkedin logo @NASA Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Latest News from Space Station Research International Space Station Gallery Station Benefits for Humanity Commercial Space View the full article

2 min read Hubble Spots a Galaxy Shrouded by Stars This Hubble image shows irregular galaxy, ESO 245-5, located some of 15 million light-years from Earth. ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Messa This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows a densely packed field of stars laid upon a background of dust, gas, and light from more distant celestial objects. There are so many stars in this image’s field of view that it may be a little tricky to discern that you are in fact looking at a galaxy. Known as ESO 245-5, this galaxy may be harder to recognize because of its apparent lack of structure, which contrasts sharply with Hubble’s spectacular images of spiral galaxies that hold seemingly ordered spiral arms of stars, gas, and dust. ESO 245-5 is an IB(s)m type of galaxy under the De Vaucouleurs galaxy classification system. This designation means that the galaxy is irregular (I) with no ordered structure. It is also barred (B) meaning it holds a dense bar of stars that crosses through its center. The third term ((s)) indicates that it has a slight spiral structure, while the last term (m) means it is a type of galaxy similar to the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds that are irregular satellite galaxies of the Milky Way. ESO 245-5 is a relatively close neighbor of the Milky Way. It is located some of 15 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Phoenix. Text credit: European Space Agency (ESA) Download this image Media Contact: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD claire.andreoli@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Feb 09, 2024 Related Terms Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Irregular Galaxies Missions The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Galaxies Stories Stars Stories NASA Astrophysics View the full article

The Color of Space: The Series - Ep. 2, Victor Glover

NASA NASA has awarded $3.7 million to 11 teams to support new collaborations between the agency and United States institutions not historically part of the agency’s research enterprise. These are the first awards given through a new program from the agency’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the science and engineering communities, as well as NASA’s workforce. “As the agency continues to build relationships with under-resourced institutions through initiatives like the bridge program, we are intentionally increasing equitable access to NASA for the best and brightest talents in our nation,” said Shahra Lambert, NASA senior advisor for engagement. “These partnerships will help NASA develop a diverse and capable workforce to further our understanding of the cosmos.” NASA’s SMD Bridge Program provides seed funding for research projects that will build strong foundations for long-lasting relationships with the agency. The projects offer hands-on training and mentorship for students, as well as new research opportunities for faculty, to help science and engineering students transition into graduate schools, employment by NASA, or science, technology, engineering, and math careers generally. The teams are led by faculty at institutions that represent new collaborations for NASA. These include Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institutions, and primarily undergraduate institutions. The research projects connect these institutions to seven NASA centers and could impact more than 100 students. “We applaud this inaugural cohort of grant recipients for their innovative research projects, which will make important connections between students, faculty, and NASA,” said Michael New, Science Mission Directorate deputy associate administrator for research at NASA Headquarters. “These awards are a first and important step for the SMD Bridge Program in supporting long-term relationships toward creating a more diverse and robust STEM workforce.” There is an additional opportunity to apply for seed funding through the SMD Bridge Program. Applications are open until Friday, March 29. The following projects were selected as the first cohort to receive seed funding: “Diversifying Student Pipelines in STEM: Environmental Pollution Reduction Inspired by Planetary Science” This project, a collaboration that brings California State University, Los Angeles, together with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, draws from the field of planetary science to address environmental pollution. “FireSage: SJSU-NASA ARC Bridge Seed Program” FireSage is a collaboration between San Jose State University’s Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center and the Earth Science Division at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. It engages students in a computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning research project and training activities in wildfire science. “Hampton University STEM Experience with NASA Langley Research Center Doppler Aerosol Wind Lidar” This collaboration between Hampton University and NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, offers a foundation in the advancement of planetary boundary layer studies with Lidar remote sensing. “Development of Antireflection Coatings for Future NASA Missions” This project is a collaboration between Delaware State University and NASA Goddard, working with transparent, electrically conductive films to design and produce an environmentally durable anti-reflection coating for guidance, navigation, and control Lidar. “CUBES: Capacity Building Using CubeSats for Earth Science” This collaboration between Tuskegee University, the Laboratory for Atmospheric Science and Physics at University of Colorado, and NASA Ames uses CubeSats to provide faculty and students with experience designing and executing science mission flight projects. “Space Materials and Microbiome Research: A Bridge to Future JSC Workforce” In this project, the University of Houston-Clear Lake collaborates with NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The project’s Composite Materials track will develop a protective nanocomposite shield for spacecraft materials, while the Microbiome track will create a comprehensive library of draft bacterial genomes. “The HALOQUEST: Halobacterium Astrobiological Laboratory for Observing and Questioning Extraterrestrial Signatures and Traits Project” This collaboration between California State University, Northridge, and NASA JPL will study Halobacterium salinarum NRC-1 grown under simulated stressful environmental conditions, which could help understand possibilities for life on other planets. “Observations of Ice-Water and Isotopes Using Mid-Infrared Laser Heterodyne Radiometer LIDAR” In collaboration with NASA Goddard, Delaware State University will develop Earth science, planetary exploration, and sensing technologies, including a lunar rover payload with instruments to simultaneously detect and correlate water isotopes with other trace gas species. “Application of Remote Sensing for Predicting Mosquito-Borne Disease Outbreaks” This project is a collaboration between Southern Nazarene University and NASA JPL to identify areas at risk for mosquito-borne disease outbreaks using remote sensing data. “Building a Diverse, Sustainable, and Robust Undergraduate-to-Graduate STEM Network through Inter-Institutional, Interdisciplinary Research Collaborations in Complex Fluids/Soft Matter” This project is a collaboration between Colorado Mesa University and NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland to strengthen and grow a research, education, and training network centered around problems in complex fluids and soft matter, with initial emphasis on heat transfer and multiphase flows. “Additive Manufacturing of Electronics for NASA Applications” This project, a collaboration between Florida A&M University and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and NASA Goddard, will explore technology solutions through additive manufacturing approaches to manufacture strain and gas sensors. Learn more about the SMD Bridge Program at: https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/smd-bridge-program/ -end- Alise Fisher Headquarters, Washington 202-358-2546a alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Feb 08, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNASA DirectoratesNASA HeadquartersScience Mission Directorate View the full article

The crewmen of the third and final manned Skylab mission relax on the USS New Orleans, prime recovery ship for their mission, about an hour after their Command Module splashed down at 10:17 a.m. (CDT), Feb. 8, 1974. The splashdown, which occurred 176 statute miles from San Diego, ended 84 record-setting days of flight activity aboard the Skylab space station cluster in Earth orbit. View the full article

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Deep Space Station 13 at NASA’s Goldstone complex in California – part of the agency’s Deep Space Network – is an experimental antenna that has been retrofitted with an optical terminal. In a first, this proof of concept received both radio frequency and laser signals from deep space at the same time.NASA/JPL-Caltech Capable of receiving both radio frequency and optical signals, the DSN’s hybrid antenna has tracked and decoded the downlink laser from DSOC, aboard NASA’s Psyche mission. An experimental antenna has received both radio frequency and near-infrared laser signals from NASA’s Psyche spacecraft as it travels through deep space. This shows it’s possible for the giant dish antennas of NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN), which communicate with spacecraft via radio waves, to be retrofitted for optical, or laser, communications. By packing more data into transmissions, optical communication will enable new space exploration capabilities while supporting the DSN as demand on the network grows. A close-up of the optical terminal on Deep Space Station 13 shows seven hexagonal mirrors that collect signals from DSOC’s downlink laser. The mirrors reflect the light into a camera directly above, and the signal is then sent to a detector via a system of optical fiber.NASA/JPL-Caltech The 34-meter (112-foot) radio-frequency-optical-hybrid antenna, called Deep Space Station 13, has tracked the downlink laser from NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) technology demonstration since November 2023. The tech demo’s flight laser transceiver is riding with the agency’s Psyche spacecraft, which launched on Oct. 13, 2023. The hybrid antenna is located at the DSN’s Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex, near Barstow, California, and isn’t part of the DSOC experiment. The DSN, DSOC, and Psyche are managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “Our hybrid antenna has been able to successfully and reliably lock onto and track the DSOC downlink since shortly after the tech demo launched,” said Amy Smith, DSN deputy manager at JPL. “It also received Psyche’s radio frequency signal, so we have demonstrated synchronous radio and optical frequency deep space communications for the first time.” Now that Goldstone’s experimental hybrid antenna has proved that both radio and laser signals can be received synchronously by the same antenna, purpose-built hybrid antennas (like the one depicted here in an artist’s concept) could one day become a reality.NASA/JPL-Caltech During a test of the experimental antenna, this photo of the project team at JPL was downlinked by the DSOC transceiver aboard Psyche. NASA/JPL-Caltech In late 2023, the hybrid antenna downlinked data from 20 million miles (32 million kilometers) away at a rate of 15.63 megabits per second – about 40 times faster than radio frequency communications at that distance. On Jan. 1, 2024, the antenna downlinked a team photograph that had been uploaded to DSOC before Psyche’s launch. Two for One In order to detect the laser’s photons (quantum particles of light), seven ultra-precise segmented mirrors were attached to the inside of the hybrid antenna’s curved surface. Resembling the hexagonal mirrors of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, these segments mimic the light-collecting aperture of a 3.3-foot (1-meter) aperture telescope. As the laser photons arrive at the antenna, each mirror reflects the photons and precisely redirects them into a high-exposure camera attached to the antenna’s subreflector suspended above the center of the dish. The laser signal collected by the camera is then transmitted through optical fiber that feeds into a cryogenically cooled semiconducting nanowire single photon detector. Designed and built by JPL’s Microdevices Laboratory, the detector is identical to the one used at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory, in San Diego County, California, which acts as DSOC’s downlink ground station. “It’s a high-tolerance optical system built on a 34-meter flexible structure,” said Barzia Tehrani, communications ground systems deputy manager and delivery manager for the hybrid antenna at JPL. “We use a system of mirrors, precise sensors, and cameras to actively align and direct laser from deep space into a fiber reaching the detector.” Tehrani hopes the antenna will be sensitive enough to detect the laser signal sent from Mars at its farthest point from Earth (2 ½ times the distance from the Sun to Earth). Psyche will be at that distance in June on its way to the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter to investigate the metal-rich asteroid Psyche. The seven-segment reflector on the antenna is a proof of concept for a scaled-up and more powerful version with 64 segments – the equivalent of a 26-foot (8-meter) aperture telescope – that could be used in the future. An Infrastructure Solution DSOC is paving the way for higher-data-rate communications capable of transmitting complex scientific information, video, and high-definition imagery in support of humanity’s next giant leap: sending humans to Mars. The tech demo recently streamed the first ultra-high-definition video from deep space at record-setting bitrates. Retrofitting radio frequency antennas with optical terminals and constructing purpose-built hybrid antennas could be a solution to the current lack of a dedicated optical ground infrastructure. The DSN has 14 dishes distributed across facilities in California, Madrid, and Canberra, Australia. Hybrid antennas could rely on optical communications to receive high volumes of data and use radio frequencies for less bandwidth-intensive data, such as telemetry (health and positional information). “For decades, we have been adding new radio frequencies to the DSN’s giant antennas located around the globe, so the most feasible next step is to include optical frequencies,” said Tehrani. “We can have one asset doing two things at the same time; converting our communication roads into highways and saving time, money, and resources.” More About the Mission DSOC is the latest in a series of optical communication demonstrations funded by NASA’s Technology Demonstration Missions (TDM) program and the agency’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) program. JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages DSOC for TDM within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and SCaN within the agency’s Space Operations Mission Directorate. For more about NASA’s optical communications projects, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/lasercomms/ NASA’s Deep Space Network Turns 60 and Prepares for the Future NASA’s Tech Demo Streams First Video From Deep Space via Laser Teachable Moment: NASA Cat Video Explained News Media Contact Ian J. O’Neill Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-354-2649 ian.j.oneill@jpl.nasa.gov 2024-012 Share Details Last Updated Feb 08, 2024 Related TermsDeep Space NetworkSpace Communications & Navigation ProgramSpace Communications TechnologySpace Operations Mission DirectorateSpace Technology Mission DirectorateTechnology DemonstrationTechnology Demonstration Missions Program Explore More 3 min read NASA Tests New Spacecraft Propellant Gauge on Lunar Lander Article 2 days ago 4 min read NASA Taps Alabama A&M University to Host Break the Ice Lunar Challenge Article 1 week ago 4 min read NASA’s Fission Surface Power Project Energizes Lunar Exploration Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

This content is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: View the full article

NASA/CXC/M.Weiss This artist’s illustration depicts the findings of a new study about the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy called Sagittarius A* (abbreviated as Sgr A*). As reported in our latest press release, this result found that Sgr A* is spinning so quickly that it is warping spacetime — that is, time and the three dimensions of space — so that it can look more like a football. These results were made with NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the NSF’s Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA). A team of researchers applied a new method that uses X-ray and radio data to determine how quickly Sgr A* is spinning based on how material is flowing towards and away from the black hole. They found Sgr A* is spinning with an angular velocity that is about 60% of the maximum possible value, and with an angular momentum of about 90% of the maximum possible value. Black holes have two fundamental properties: their mass (how much they weigh) and their spin (how quickly they rotate). Determining either of these two values tells scientists a great deal about any black hole and how it behaves. In the past, astronomers made several other estimates of Sgr A*’s rotation speed using different techniques, with results ranging from Sgr A* not spinning at all to it spinning at almost the maximum rate. The new study suggests that Sgr A* is, in fact, spinning very rapidly, which causes the spacetime around it to be squashed down. The illustration shows a cross-section of Sgr A* and material swirling around it in a disk. The black sphere in the center represents the so-called event horizon of the black hole, the point of no return from which nothing, not even light, can escape. Looking at the spinning black hole from the side, as depicted in this illustration, the surrounding spacetime is shaped like a football. The faster the spin the flatter the football. The yellow-orange material to either side represents gas swirling around Sgr A*. This material inevitably plunges towards the black hole and crosses the event horizon once it falls inside the football shape. The area inside the football shape but outside the event horizon is therefore depicted as a cavity. The blue blobs show jets firing away from the poles of the spinning black hole. Looking down on the black hole from the top, along the barrel of the jet, spacetime is a circular shape. A black hole’s spin can act as an important source of energy. Spinning supermassive black holes produce collimated outflows such as jets when their spin energy is extracted, which requires that there is at least some matter in the vicinity of the black hole. Because of limited fuel around Sgr A*, this black hole has been relatively quiet in recent millennia with relatively weak jets. This work, however, shows that this could change if the amount of material in the vicinity of Sgr A* increases. Chandra X-ray image of Sagittarius A* and the surrounding region.NASA/CXC/Univ. of Wisconsin/Y.Bai, et al. To determine the spin of Sgr A*, the authors used an empirically based technique referred to as the “outflow method” that details the relationship between the spin of the black hole and its mass, the properties of the matter near the black hole, and the outflow properties. The collimated outflow produces the radio waves, while the disk of gas surrounding the black hole is responsible for the X-ray emission. Using this method, the researchers combined data from Chandra and the VLA with an independent estimate of the black hole’s mass from other telescopes to constrain the black hole’s spin. The paper describing these results led by Ruth Daly (Penn State University) is published in the January 2024 issue of the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society and appears online at https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024MNRAS.527..428D/abstract. The other authors are Biny Sebastian (University of Manitoba, Canada), Megan Donahue (Michigan State University), Christopher O’Dea (University of Manitoba), Daryl Haggard (McGill University) and Anan Lu (McGill University). NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts. Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. For more Chandra images, multimedia and related materials, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/mission/chandra-x-ray-observatory/ Visual Description: This artist’s illustration shows a cross-section of Sagittarius A*, pronounced as “SAJ-ee-TARE-ee-us A-star”, the supermassive black hole near the center of our Milky Way galaxy. In the middle of the image, the spinning, circular black hole is presented from the side in black. The shape of the surrounding spacetime, pictured in shades of dark yellow, looks as though it has been squashed down, thus resembling the shape of an American football. The swirling gas that surrounds Sagittarius A* is presented on either side of the black hole, within a rectangular-shaped dotted line, indicating the representation is a cross-section view. The background of the image contains a multitude of faint stars, peeking out from within brooding, dark red, indistinct clouds. News Media Contact Megan Watzke Chandra X-ray Center Cambridge, Mass. 617-496-7998 Jonathan Deal Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, Ala. 256-544-0034 View the full article

3 min read NASA’s Hubble Traces ‘String of Pearls’ Star Clusters in Galaxy Collisions Galaxy AM 1054-325 has been distorted into an S-shape from a normal pancake-like spiral shape by the gravitational pull of a neighboring galaxy, seen in this NASA Hubble Space Telescope image. A consequence of this is that newborn clusters of stars form along a stretched-out tidal tail for thousands of light-years, resembling a string of pearls. They form when knots of gas gravitationally collapse to create about 1 million newborn stars per cluster. NASA, ESA, STScI, Jayanne English (University of Manitoba) Contrary to what you might think, galaxy collisions do not destroy stars. In fact, the rough-and-tumble dynamics trigger new generations of stars, and presumably accompanying planets. Now NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has homed in on 12 interacting galaxies that have long, tadpole-like tidal tails of gas, dust, and a plethora of stars. Hubble’s exquisite sharpness and sensitivity to ultraviolet light have uncovered 425 clusters of newborn stars along these tails, looking like strings of holiday lights. Each cluster contains as many as 1 million blue, newborn stars. Clusters in tidal tails have been known about for decades. When galaxies interact, gravitational tidal forces pull out long streamers of gas and dust. Two popular examples are the Antennae and Mice galaxies with their long, narrow, finger-like projections. A team of astronomers used a combination of new observations and archival data to get ages and masses of tidal tail star clusters. They found that these clusters are very young – only 10 million years old. And they seem to be forming at the same rate along tails stretching for thousands of light-years. “It’s a surprise to see lots of the young objects in the tails. It tells us a lot about cluster formation efficiency,” said lead author Michael Rodruck of Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. “With tidal tails, you will build up new generations of stars that otherwise might not have existed.” The tails look like they are taking a galaxy’s spiral arm and stretching it out into space. The exterior part of the arm gets pulled like taffy from the gravitational tug-of-war between a pair of interacting galaxies. Before the mergers, the galaxies were rich in dusty clouds of molecular hydrogen that simply may have remained inert. But the clouds got jostled and bumped into each other during the encounters. This compressed the hydrogen to the point where it precipitated a firestorm of star birth. The fate of these strung-out star clusters is uncertain. They may stay gravitationally intact and evolve into globular star clusters – like those that orbit outside the plane of our Milky Way galaxy. Or they may disperse to form a halo of stars around their host galaxy, or get cast off to become wandering intergalactic stars. This string-of-pearls star formation may have been more common in the early universe when galaxies collided with each other more frequently. These nearby galaxies observed by Hubble are a proxy for what happened long ago, and therefore are laboratories for looking into the distant past. The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, conducts Hubble and Webb science operations. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, in Washington, D.C. LEARN MORE: Download this image Scientific Paper: Star Clusters in Tidal Debris Hubble Science: Galaxy Details and Mergers Hubble’s Cosmic Collisions Media Contacts: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD claire.andreoli@nasa.gov Ray Villard Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD Science Contact: Michael Rodruck Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, VA Share Details Last Updated Feb 08, 2024 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Missions The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Galaxies Stories Stars Stories Dark Energy, Dark Matter View the full article

NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Climate, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 1:33 a.m. EST, Feb. 8, 2024, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. From its orbit hundreds of miles above Earth, PACE will study microscopic life in the oceans and microscopic particles in the atmosphere to investigate key mysteries of our planet’s interconnected systems. NASA NASA’s satellite mission to study ocean health, air quality, and the effects of a changing climate for the benefit of humanity launched successfully into orbit at 1:33 a.m. EST Thursday. Known as PACE, the Plankton, Aerosol, Climate, ocean Ecosystem satellite, launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. NASA confirmed signal acquisition from the satellite about five minutes after launch, and the spacecraft is performing as expected. “Congratulations to the PACE team on a successful launch. With this new addition to NASA’s fleet of Earth-observing satellites, PACE will help us learn, like never before, how particles in our atmosphere and our oceans can identify key factors impacting global warming,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Missions like this are supporting the Biden-Harris Administration’s climate agenda and helping us answer urgent questions about our changing climate.” From hundreds of miles above Earth, the PACE mission will study the impact of tiny, often invisible things: microscopic life in water and microscopic particles in the air. The satellite’s hyperspectral ocean color instrument will allow researchers to measure oceans and other waterbodies across a spectrum of ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light. This will enable scientists to track the distribution of phytoplankton and – for the first time from space – identify which communities of these organisms are present on daily, global scales. Scientists and coastal resource managers can use the data to help forecast the health of fisheries, track harmful algal blooms, and identify changes in the marine environment. The spacecraft also carries two polarimeter instruments, Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter #2 and Spectro-polarimeter for Planetary Exploration. These will detect how sunlight interacts with particles in the atmosphere, giving researchers new information on atmospheric aerosols and cloud properties, as well as air quality at local, regional, and global scales. With the combination of the instrument and the polarimeters, PACE will provide insights into the interactions of the ocean and atmosphere, and how a changing climate affects these interactions. “Observations and scientific research from PACE will profoundly advance our knowledge of the ocean’s role in the climate cycle,” said Karen St. Germain, director, Earth Science Division, Science Mission Directorate, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The value of PACE data skyrockets when we combine it with data and science from our Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission – ushering in a new era of ocean science. As an open-source science mission with early adopters ready to use its research and data, PACE will accelerate our understanding of the Earth system and help NASA deliver actionable science, data, and practical applications to help our coastal communities and industries address rapidly evolving challenges.” “It’s been an honor to work with the PACE team and witness firsthand their dedication and tenacity in overcoming challenges, including the global pandemic, to make this observatory a reality,” said Marjorie Haskell, PACE program executive at NASA Headquarters. “The passion and teamwork are matched only by the excitement of the science community for the data this new satellite will provide.” Earth’s oceans are responding in many ways to climate change – from sea level rise to marine heat waves to a loss of biodiversity. With PACE, researchers will be able to study climate change’s effects on phytoplankton, which play a key role in the global carbon cycle by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and converting it into their cellular material. These tiny organisms drive larger aquatic and global ecosystems that provide critical resources for food security, recreation, and the economy. “After 20 years of thinking about this mission, it’s exhilarating to watch it finally realized and to witness its launch. I couldn’t be prouder or more appreciative of our PACE team,” said Jeremy Werdell, PACE project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “The opportunities PACE will offer are so exciting, and we’re going to be able to use these incredible technologies in ways we haven’t yet anticipated. It’s truly a mission of discovery.” NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, managed the launch services for the mission. The PACE mission is managed by NASA Goddard, which also built and tested the spacecraft and the ocean color instrument. The Hyper-Angular Rainbow Polarimeter #2 was designed and built by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and the Spectro-polarimeter for Planetary Exploration was developed and built by a Dutch consortium led by Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Airbus Defence, and Space Netherlands. For more information on PACE, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/pace -end- Faith McKie / Karen Fox Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 / 240-285-5155 faith.d.mckie@nasa.gov / karen.c.fox@nasa.gov Jake Richmond Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. 240-713-1618 jacob.a.richmond@nasa.gov View the full article

Launch of Mission to Study Earth's Atmosphere and Oceans (Official NASA Broadcast)

The Nova-C lunar lander is encapsulated within the fairing of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in preparation for launch, as part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign.SpaceX As part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, SpaceX is targeting no earlier than Wednesday, Feb. 14, for a Falcon 9 launch of Intuitive Machines’ first lunar lander to the Moon’s surface. Liftoff will be from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Live launch coverage will air on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website, with prelaunch events starting Monday, Feb. 12. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms, including social media. Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander is expected to land on the Moon Thursday, Feb. 22. Among the items on its lander, the IM-1 mission will carry NASA science and technology instruments focusing on plume-surface interactions, space weather/lunar surface interactions, radio astronomy, precision landing technologies, and a communication and navigation node for future autonomous navigation technologies. Full coverage of this mission is as follows (all times Eastern): Monday, Feb. 12 11 a.m. – Science media teleconference with the following participants: Susan Lederer, CLPS project scientist, NASA’s Johnson Space Center Farzin Amzajerdian, principal investigator, Navigation Doppler Lidar, NASA’s Langley Research Center Tamara Statham, co-principal investigator, Lunar Node-1, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center Daniel Cremons, deputy principal investigator, Laser Retro-Reflector Array, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Nat Gopalswamy, principal investigator, Radio Observations of the Lunar Surface Photoelectron Sheath, NASA Goddard Michelle Munk, principal investigator, Stereo Camera for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies, NASA Langley Lauren Ameen, deputy project manager, Radio Frequency Mass Gauge, NASA’s Glenn Research Center Audio of the teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website: https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, media must contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 10 a.m. Feb. 12, at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. The public can submit questions on social media using #AskNASA. 4:30 p.m. – Lunar delivery readiness media teleconference with the following participants: Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for Exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters Debra Needham, program scientist, Exploration Science Strategy and Integration Office, NASA Headquarters Trent Martin, vice president, Space Systems, Intuitive Machines William Gerstenmaier, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX Arlena Moses, launch weather officer, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron Audio of the teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website: https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, media must contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 3:30 p.m. Feb. 12, at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. Wednesday, Feb. 14 12:15 a.m. – NASA TV launch coverage begins 12:57 a.m. – Launch Coverage is subject to change based on real-time operational activities. Follow the Artemis blog for updates. NASA launch coverage Audio only of the launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, or -7135. On launch day, the full mission broadcast can be heard on -1220 and -1240, while the countdown net only can be heard on -7135 beginning approximately one hour before the launch broadcast begins. On launch day, a “tech feed” of the launch without NASA TV commentary will be carried on the NASA TV media channel. NASA website launch coverage Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 12:15 a.m. Feb. 14, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on the Artemis blog for updates. Attend launch virtually Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. Registrants will receive mission updates and activities by email. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities, and a virtual guest passport stamp following a successful launch. Watch, engage on social media Let people know you’re following the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtag #Artemis. You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts: X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAArtemis, @NASAMoon Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, NASAArtemis Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAArtemis In May 2019, the agency awarded a task order for scientific payload delivery to Intuitive Machines. Through Artemis, commercial robotic deliveries will perform science experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon in advance of Artemis Generation astronaut missions to the lunar surface, in preparation for future missions to Mars. NASA is working with several U.S. companies to deliver science and technology to the lunar surface through the agency’s CLPS initiative. This pool of companies may bid on task orders. A task order award includes payload integration and operations, as well as launching from Earth and landing on the surface of the Moon. CLPS contracts are indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a cumulative maximum contract value of $2.6 billion through 2028. For more information about the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, see: https://www.nasa.gov/clps Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo o Messod Bendayan a: antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov o messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov. -end- Karen Fox / Alise Fisher Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1275 karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov Nilufar Ramji Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov Antonia Jaramillo Kennedy Space Center, Florida 321-501-8425 antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Feb 07, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNASA HeadquartersArtemisCommercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS)Johnson Space CenterKennedy Space CenterMissions View the full article