NASA

NASA / Grace Weikert Flames burn orange through green conifers and golden aspen on the slopes of Monroe Mountain in Utah’s Fishlake National Forest, sending gray and brown smoke billowing into the sky in this image from Oct. 9, 2023. This fire was intentionally set with a fire-dripping device suspended from a helicopter. The burn aimed to reintroduce fire to the Monroe Mountain region. Fire promotes aspen regeneration and reduces accumulated brush and dead vegetation that could fuel a larger uncontrolled fire. Scientists from NASA’s FireSense project, along with dozens of others from the Forest Service and other organizations and universities, collected data from the ground and from the sky as part of the Forest Service’s Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation Experiment. Observing a prescribed high-intensity fire gave NASA an opportunity to test technologies and demonstrate their effectiveness in supporting wildland fire management across the life cycle of a fire. Read more about fire’s effect on this region and what we can learn from studying fires. Image Credit: NASA/Grace Weikert View the full article

Nov. 11, 2023 — Thrusters on the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft fire automatically while adjusting the vehicle’s slow, methodical approach toward the International Space Station for a docking to the Harmony module’s forward port.NASA NASA and its international partners are set to receive scientific research samples and hardware as a SpaceX Dragon cargo resupply spacecraft departs the International Space Station on Wednesday, Dec. 20. The agency will provide live coverage of Dragon’s undocking and departure starting at 8:45 p.m. EST on the NASA+ streaming service via the web or the NASA app. Coverage also will air live on NASA Television, YouTube, and on the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media. Dragon will undock from the station’s Harmony module at 9:05 p.m. and fire its thrusters to move a safe distance away from the station after receiving a command from ground controllers at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California. After re-entering Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft will splash down off the coast of Florida. NASA will not broadcast the splashdown, but updates will be posted on the agency’s space station blog. Dragon will carry back to Earth more than 4,300 pounds of supplies and scientific experiments designed to take advantage of the space station’s microgravity environment. Splashing down off the coast of Florida enables quick transportation of the experiments to NASA’s Space Station Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, allowing researchers to collect data with minimal sample exposure to Earth’s gravity. Scientific hardware and samples returning to Earth include Planet Habitat-03, which assesses whether genetic adaptations in one generation of plants grown in space can transfer to the next generation. This is one of the first multi-generation plant biology studies in orbit. Other studies include JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Cell Gravisensing, an investigation that looks at how cells sense and respond to the effects of gravity. Results could promote drug development for treating muscle atrophy and osteoporosis. Also returning on Dragon is Genes in Space-10, a student-led project that tests a method for in-orbit measurement of the length of telomeres, cap-like structures at the end of DNA strands that shorten with age, but have been found to lengthen in space. Additionally, samples from MaRVIn-PCIM (Microgravity Research for Versatile Investigations-Phase Change in Mixtures) and Neuronix (Innovative Paralysis Therapy Enabling Neuroregeneration) also are returning to Earth for scientific analysis. Dragon arrived at the station Nov. 11 as SpaceX’s 29th commercial resupply services mission for NASA, delivering about 6,500 pounds of research investigations, crew supplies, and station hardware. The spacecraft launched Nov. 9 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA Kennedy. These are just a few of the hundreds of investigations currently being conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory in the areas of biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, and Earth and space science. Advances in these areas will help keep astronauts healthy during long-duration space travel and demonstrate technologies for future human and robotic exploration beyond low Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars through NASA’s Artemis program. Get breaking news, images and features from the space station on Instagram, Facebook, and X. Learn more about SpaceX’s mission for NASA at: https://www.nasa.gov/spacex -end- Julian Coltre Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 julian.n.coltre@nasa.gov Sandra Jones Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Dec 20, 2023 EditorRoxana BardanLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsCommercial SpaceCommercial ResupplyInternational Space Station (ISS)SpaceX Commercial Resupply View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, conduct a successful, 251-second hot fire test of a full-scale Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine combustor in fall 2023, achieving more than 5,800 pounds of thrust. NASA NASA has achieved a new benchmark in developing an innovative propulsion system called the Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE). Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, successfully tested a novel, 3D-printed RDRE for 251 seconds (or longer than four minutes), producing more than 5,800 pounds of thrust. That kind of sustained burn emulates typical requirements for a lander touchdown or a deep-space burn that could set a spacecraft on course from the Moon to Mars, said Marshall combustion devices engineer Thomas Teasley, who leads the RDRE test effort at the center. RDRE’s first hot fire test was performed at Marshall in the summer of 2022 in partnership with In Space LLC and Purdue University, both of Lafayette, Indiana. That test produced more than 4,000 pounds of thrust for nearly a minute. The primary goal of the latest test, Teasley noted, is to better understand how to scale the combustor to different thrust classes, supporting engine systems of all types and maximizing the variety of missions it could serve, from landers to upper stage engines to supersonic retropropulsion, a deceleration technique that could land larger payloads – or even humans – on the surface of Mars. Test stand video captured at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, shows ignition of a full-scale Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine combustor, which was fired for a record 251 seconds and achieved more than 5,800 pounds of thrust. Click here for full video “The RDRE enables a huge leap in design efficiency,” he said. “It demonstrates we are closer to making lightweight propulsion systems that will allow us to send more mass and payload further into deep space, a critical component to NASA’s Moon to Mars vision.” Engineers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and researchers at Venus Aerospace of Houston, Texas, are working with NASA Marshall to identify how to scale the technology for higher performance. RDRE is managed and funded by the Game Changing Development Program within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. Ramon J. Osorio NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center ramon.j.osorio@nasa.gov 256-544-0034 Share Details Last Updated Dec 20, 2023 EditorBeth RidgewayLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsMarshall Space Flight CenterGame Changing Development Program Explore More 2 min read NASA Validates Revolutionary Propulsion Design for Deep Space Missions Article 11 months ago 4 min read Intern Contributes ‘Sizably’ to Marshall’s Advanced Propulsion Project Article 3 months ago 1 min read Hypergolic Rotating Detonation Rocket Propulsion with Low Pressure-loss Injection and Advanced Thermal Management Article 4 years ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

4 min read NASA’s Fermi Mission Creates 14-Year Time-Lapse of the Gamma-Ray Sky The cosmos comes alive in an all-sky time-lapse movie made from 14 years of data acquired by NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Our Sun, occasionally flaring into prominence, serenely traces a path though the sky against the backdrop of high-energy sources within our galaxy and beyond. From solar flares to black hole jets: NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope team has produced a unique time-lapse tour of the dynamic high-energy sky. Fermi Deputy Project Scientist Judy Racusin narrates the movie, which compresses 14 years of gamma-ray observations into 6 minutes. Download high-resolution video and images from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and NASA/DOE/LAT Collaboration “The bright, steady gamma-ray glow of the Milky Way is punctuated by intense, days-long flares of near-light-speed jets powered by supermassive black holes in the cores of distant galaxies,” said Seth Digel, a senior staff scientist at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, California, who created the images. “These dramatic eruptions, which can appear anywhere in the sky, occurred millions to billions of years ago, and their light is just reaching Fermi as we watch.” Gamma rays are the highest-energy form of light. The movie shows the intensity of gamma rays with energies above 200 million electron volts detected by Fermi’s Large Area Telescope (LAT) between August 2008 and August 2022. For comparison, visible light has energies between 2 and 3 electron volts. Brighter colors mark the locations of more intense gamma-ray sources. “One of the first things to strike your eye in the movie is a source that steadily arcs across the screen. That’s our Sun, whose apparent movement reflects Earth’s yearly orbital motion around it,” said Fermi Deputy Project Scientist Judy Racusin, who narrates a tour of the movie, at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Most of the time, the LAT detects the Sun faintly due to the impact of accelerated particles called cosmic rays – atomic nuclei traveling close to the speed of light. When they strike the Sun’s gas or even the light it emits, gamma rays result. At times, though, the Sun suddenly brightens with powerful eruptions called solar flares, which can briefly make our star one of the sky’s brightest gamma-ray sources. The movie shows the sky in two different views. The rectangular view shows the entire sky with the center of our galaxy in the middle. This highlights the central plane of the Milky Way, which glows in gamma rays produced from cosmic rays striking interstellar gas and starlight. It’s also flecked with many other sources, including neutron stars and supernova remnants. Above and below this central band, we’re looking out of our galaxy and into the wider universe, peppered with bright, rapidly changing sources. Most of these are actually distant galaxies, and they’re better seen in a different view centered on our galaxy’s north and south poles. Each of these galaxies, called blazars, hosts a central black hole with a mass of a million or more Suns. Somehow, the black holes produce extremely fast-moving jets of matter, and with blazars we’re looking almost directly down one of these jets, a view that enhances their brightness and variability. “The variations tell us that something about these jets has changed,” Racusin said. “We routinely watch these sources and alert other telescopes, in space and on the ground, when something interesting is going on. We have to be quick to catch these flares before they fade away, and the more observations we can collect, the better we’ll be able to understand these events.” Fermi plays a key role in the growing network of missions working together to capture these changes in the universe as they unfold. Many of these galaxies are extremely far away. For example, the light from a blazar known as 4C +21.35 has been traveling for 4.6 billion years, which means that a flare up we see today actually occurred as our Sun and solar system were beginning to form. Other bright blazars are more than twice as distant, and together provide striking snapshots of black hole activity throughout cosmic time. Not seen in the time-lapse are many short-duration events that Fermi studies, such as gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful cosmic explosions. This is a result of processing data across several days to sharpen the images. The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is an astrophysics and particle physics partnership managed by Goddard. Fermi was developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, with important contributions from academic institutions and partners in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden, and the United States. By Francis Reddy NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media contact: Claire Andreoli claire.andreoli@nasa.gov NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. (301) 286-1940 Share Details Last Updated Dec 20, 2023 Related Terms Astrophysics Black Holes Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope Galaxies, Stars, & Black Holes Goddard Space Flight Center Origin & Evolution of the Universe Supermassive Black Holes The Sun The Universe Explore More 2 min read NASA’s Hubble Presents a Holiday Globe of Stars Article 1 hour ago 2 min read Cosmic Companionship Quest Marks Major Milestone Article 2 days ago 3 min read NASA’s BurstCube Passes Milestones on Journey to Launch Article 2 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article

V.P. Kamala Harris Chairs National Space Council Meeting in Washington (Official NASA Stream)

Science in Space: December 2023 Imagine someone needs a heart transplant and scientists take cells from that person to create an entire new heart for them. Research on the International Space Station is helping to bring that dream closer to reality. The process of 3D printing (also known as additive manufacturing) enables the design and production of one-of-a-kind items made of plastic, metal, and other materials, including tools, equipment, and even buildings. Biological printing or bioprinting uses living cells, proteins, and nutrients as raw materials and has the potential to produce human tissues for treating injury and disease and to create entire organs for transplants. In Earth’s gravity, bioprinting requires a scaffold or other type of structure to support tissues, but in the near-weightlessness of the space station’s orbit, tissues grow in three dimensions without such support. Redwire Corporation developed the BioFabrication Facility (BFF) as a part of the larger goal of using microgravity to bioprint human organs. Popular Science magazine recently awarded the BFF a 2023 Best of What’s New Award in the Health Category. These awards, handed out since 1988, recognize “groundbreaking innovations changing our world,” according to Popular Science, and “radical ideas that are improving our everyday lives and our futures.” NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli swaps components inside the BioFabrication Facility (BFF).NASA A current investigation, BFF-Cardiac, uses the BFF to evaluate the printing and processing of cardiac tissue samples. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. Adult heart tissue is unable to regenerate, so damaged heart tissue is mostly replaced with scar tissue, which can block electrical signals and prevent proper cardiac contractions. This investigation could support the development of patches to replace damaged tissue – and eventually the creation of replacement hearts. The work represents a big step toward addressing the significant gap between the number of transplant organs needed and available donors. The first human knee meniscus successfully 3D bioprinted in orbit using the BioFabrication Facility.NASA The BFF-Meniscus investigation and the follow-up BFF-Meniscus-2 investigation resulted in the first successful bioprinting of a human knee meniscus in orbit using the space station’s BioFabrication Facility, announced in September 2023. Musculoskeletal injuries, including tears in the meniscus, are one of the most common injuries for the U.S. military and this milestone is a step toward developing improved treatments on the ground and for crew members who experience musculoskeletal injuries on future space missions. After initial printing and a period of growth in microgravity, the tissues returned to Earth for additional analysis and testing. The Russian state space agency ROSCOSMOS launched equipment in 2018, 3D MBP, that included a magnetic printer called Organ.Aut. A series of experiments from 2018 through 2020 showed that this approach could create tissue constructs, helping to pave the way for additional research on producing artificial organs. Bioprinting technology also could create artificial retinas to help restore sight for the 30 million people worldwide who suffer from degenerative retinal diseases. One way to manufacture artificial retinas is a technique that alternates layers of a light-activated protein and a binder on a film. On Earth, gravity affects the quality of these films, but researchers suspected that films created in microgravity would be more stable and have higher optical clarity. Protein-Based Artificial Retina Manufacturing is one of several investigations by LambdaVision Inc. in partnership with developer Space Tango Inc. to develop and validate space-based manufacturing methods for artificial retinas. The company has consistently manufactured multiple 200-layer artificial retina films in microgravity and now is working to commercialize its hardware and strategies for development of other therapies and drugs. The Protein-Based Artificial Retina Manufacturing experiment hardware on the space station. NASA Bioprint FirstAid, a study from ESA (European Space Agency) and the German Space Agency (DLR), demonstrated the function of a prototype for a portable handheld bioprinter that creates a patch from a patient’s own skin cells. Space causes changes in the wound healing process, and such customized bandages could accelerate healing on future missions to the Moon and Mars. Using cultured cells from the patient reduces the risk of rejection by the immune system, and the device offers greater flexibility to address wound size and position. Because the device is small and portable, health care workers could take it almost anywhere on Earth. The investigation showed that the device works as intended in microgravity, and researchers are studying the space-printed patches and comparing them with samples printed on the ground before taking the next step. Sample patches printed using simulant inks and the hand-held tool for Bioprint FirstAid. NASA Bioprinting in microgravity also could make it possible to produce food and medicine on demand on future space missions. Such capabilities would reduce the mass and cost of materials needed at launch and help maintain the health and safety of crew members throughout a mission. The 3D Printing In Zero-G investigation, which started in 2014, demonstrated that the process of 3D printing with inorganic materials such as plastic worked normally in microgravity.1 3D printing could reduce the need to pack costly spare parts on future long-term missions and help solve the problem of trying to predict every tool or object that might be needed on a mission. With the addition of bioprinting capabilities, crews eventually may be able to 3D print almost anything they need – from a replacement screwdriver to a replacement knee. John Love, ISS Research Planning Integration Scientist Expedition 70 Search this database of scientific experiments to learn more about those mentioned above. Citations: 1 Prater TJ, Bean QA, Werkheiser N, Grguel R, Beshears RD, Rolin TD, Huff T, Ryan RM, Ledbetter III FE, Ordonez EA. Analysis of specimens from phase I of the 3D Printing in Zero G Technology demonstration mission. Rapid Prototyping Journal. 2017 October 6; 23(6): 1212-1225. DOI: 10.1108/RPJ-09-2016-0142. Keep Exploring Discover More Topics Latest News from Space Station Research Living in Space Station Science 101: Human Research Humans In Space View the full article

Vice President Kamala Harris delivers opening remarks at the first meeting of the National Space Council, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington. Chaired by Vice President Harris, the council’s role is to advise the President regarding national space policy and strategy, and ensuring the United States capitalizes on the opportunities presented by the country’s space activities. NASA/Joel Kowsky NASA is participating in a meeting of the National Space Council on Wednesday, Dec. 20, in Washington. The meeting, chaired by Vice President Kamala Harris, will focus on international partnerships and is the third council meeting held by the Biden-Harris Administration. NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy and Artemis II and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen will represent the agency at the meeting, which also includes other federal government agencies. NASA will provide coverage of the meeting at 2 p.m. EST on the NASA+ streaming service via the web or NASA app. Coverage also will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media. Deputy Administrator Melroy will provide remarks that will focus on the societal benefits of NASA’s space exploration, including the agency’s Earth science missions that provide open and transparent climate data for all people. Melroy also will discuss NASA’s space exploration with international partners to build a responsible and sustainable human presence in space. For more information on the National Space Council visit: https://www.whitehouse.gov/spacecouncil/ -end- Amber Jacobson / Jennifer Dooren Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 amber.c.jacobson@nasa.gov / jennifer.m.dooren@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Dec 20, 2023 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsPamela A. MelroyEarthNASA Headquarters View the full article

2 min read NASA’s Hubble Presents a Holiday Globe of Stars This image of the dwarf irregular galaxy, UGC 8091, was created using data from the Wide Field Camera 3 and the Advanced Camera for Surveys on NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. ESA/Hubble, NASA, ESA, Yumi Choi (NSF’s NOIRLab), Karoline Gilbert (STScI), Julianne Dalcanton (Center for Computational Astrophysics/Flatiron Inst., UWashington) The billion stars in galaxy UGC 8091 resemble a sparkling snow globe in this festive Hubble Space Telescope image from NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). The dwarf galaxy is approximately 7 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. It is considered an “irregular galaxy” because it does not have an orderly spiral or elliptical appearance. Instead, the stars that make up this celestial gathering look more like a brightly shining tangle of string lights than a galaxy. Some irregular galaxies may have become tangled by tumultuous internal activity, while others have formed by interactions with neighboring galaxies. The result is a class of galaxies with a diverse array of sizes and shapes, including the diffuse scatter of stars that is this galaxy. Twelve camera filters were combined to produce this image, with light from the mid-ultraviolet through to the red end of the visible spectrum. The red patches are likely interstellar hydrogen molecules that are glowing because they have been excited by the light from hot, energetic stars. The other sparkles on show in this image are a mix of older stars. An array of distant, diverse galaxies appear in the background, captured by Hubble’s sharp view. The data used in this image were taken by Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 and the Advanced Camera for Surveys from 2006 to 2021. Among other things, the observing programs involved in this image sought to investigate the role that dwarf galaxies many billions of years ago had in re-heating the hydrogen that had cooled as the universe expanded after the big bang. Astronomers are also investigating the composition of dwarf galaxies and their stars to uncover the evolutionary links between these ancient galaxies and more modern galaxies like our own. 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. Media Contacts: Claire Andreoli NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD claire.andreoli@nasa.gov Ray Villard Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD Bethany Downer ESA/Hubble Share Details Last Updated Dec 19, 2023 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Related Terms 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 James Webb Space Telescope Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the… View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A visitor operates the new exhibit at the NASA Glenn Visitor Center that features motion sensors, touch screens, and videos.Credit: NASA/Christopher Hartenstine The Fluids and Combustion Facility, or FCF, on the International Space Station was designed and built at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and has been supporting microgravity research for over a decade. A new exhibit at the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, located in the Great Lakes Science Center, brings that research down to Earth in a fun and user-friendly way. The exhibit replicates the FCF, which houses two research facilities—the Combustion Integrated Rack, or CIR, and the Fluids Integrated Rack, or FIR. Both were developed at NASA Glenn with prime contractor ZIN Technologies and are operated remotely from Glenn’s ISS Payloads Operation Center. The FCF supports physical and biological experiments to advance technology development while bringing many benefits back here to Earth. “Gravity on Earth affects everything from flames to fluids,” said Kelly Bailey, Physical Sciences Research Program manager at NASA Glenn. “Because gravity can mask other forces in play on Earth, it’s important to conduct science on the space station and remove gravity as a variable.” A new interactive exhibit at the NASA Glenn Visitor Center replicates the Fluids and Combustion Facility on the International Space Station, enabling users to see how microgravity experiments operate.Credit: NASA/Christopher Hartenstine Bailey worked with a design team to create an interactive educational tool for the new exhibit that features motion sensors, touch screens, and videos. Colorful graphic characters depicting fire and water guide users through many Glenn-developed experiments successfully operated within the FCF. Each rack on the exhibit contains an introduction along with two to three experiments for visitors to learn about. The CIR rack focuses on combustion (fire) research. Users can pick from Flames in Space (Flame Extinguishment Experiment) and Cool Flames (Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments) modules. The FIR focuses on fluids research and highlights the Light Microscopy Module, or LMM, a light imaging microscope facility that provides researchers with powerful diagnostic hardware and software. Within the FIR rack, users receive an introduction to LMM and can choose from Plants in Space (Advanced Plant Experiment), Bubbles in Space (Constrained Vapor Bubble), and Particles in Space (Advanced Colloids Experiments) modules. “People may not realize the volume of science performed daily in space, and the importance of that research truly impacts their lives,” Bailey said. “This interactive exhibit offers an immersive experience into the world of microgravity science research and the important work happening at NASA.” Explore More 2 min read NASA’s Artemis II Crew Meet with President, VP at White House Article 16 hours ago 1 min read Dream Chaser Undergoes Testing at NASA Test Facility in Ohio Article 4 days ago 5 min read Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser New Station Resupply Spacecraft for NASA Article 5 days ago View the full article

December 1968 ended a year more turbulent than most. For the American space program, however, it brought the Moon landing one giant step closer. The successful first lunar orbital flight by Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, James A. Lovell, and William A. Anders proved the space worthiness of the Apollo Command and Service Modules (CSM) at lunar distances and demonstrated navigation beyond low Earth orbit. Preparations continued for the next two missions – Apollo 9 to test the Lunar Module (LM) in Earth orbit in February or March 1969, and Apollo 10 to repeat the test in lunar orbit in May. If those missions proved successful, NASA hoped to achieve the first Moon landing by the summer of 1969. Left: Apollo 8 astronauts James A. Lovell, left, Frank Borman, and William A. Anders during the preflight crew press conference. Middle: At the White House, Apollo 7 astronauts R. Walter Cunningham, left, Donn F. Eisele, and Walter M. Schirra, Apollo 8 astronauts Anders, Lovell, and Borman, standing at right, watch aviation pioneer Charles A. Lindberg sign a commemorative document, as First Lady “Lady Bird” Johnson, President Lyndon B. Johnson, former NASA Administrator James E. Webb, and Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey look on. Right: During the countdown demonstration test, Borman, standing left, Lovell, and Anders pose with their backups Neil A. Armstrong, kneeling left, Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, and Fred W. Haise. On Dec. 2, Borman, Lovell, and Anders held their preflight press conference at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC), now NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Borman summed up the crew’s readiness, “I think we can say we’re ready two weeks before” the flight. President Lyndon B. Johnson invited Apollo 7 astronauts Walter M. Schirra, Donn F. Eisele, and R. Walter Cunningham to a state dinner at the White House on Dec. 9, 1968. He also invited Apollo 8 astronauts Borman, Lovell, and Anders, just 12 days from their historic launch to the Moon, as well as aviation pioneer Charles A. Lindberg to sign a commemorative document to hang in the White House Treaty Room. Two days later, Borman, Lovell, and Anders and their backups Neil A. Armstrong, Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, and Fred W. Haise participated in the countdown demonstration test at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Left: The Apollo 8 launch vehicle at Launch Pad 39A during the countdown demonstration test. Middle: Apollo 8 crew of William A. Anders, left, Frank Borman, and James A. Lovell at the Command Module simulator at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Right: Lovell, left, Borman, and Anders enjoy some pre-holiday cheer on the eve of their launch to the Moon. Engineers at KSC’s Launch Complex 39 completed the Apollo 8 Countdown Demonstration Test (CDDT) between Dec. 5 and 11, consisting of “wet” and “dry” phases. In the first wet phase, they simulated the entire countdown including the loading of propellant in the rocket’s three stages, down to T minus 8.9 seconds, the time when the first stage’s five F-1 engines ignite. For safety reasons, the crew did not participate in the wet countdown. At the end of the wet phase on Dec. 10, workers drained the fuel from the rocket and recycled the countdown. The next day, the countdown again proceeded to the point of first stage ignition, but for this dry phase the astronauts suited up and strapped into the capsule as they would on launch day. The CDDT also tied in the Mission Control Center (MCC) at MSC, and the Manned Space Flight Network, a series of tracking stations around the world used to monitor the mission. With the CDDT completed, the countdown for Apollo 8 began on Dec. 15. Left: Liftoff of Apollo 8. Middle: A rapidly receding Earth shortly after Trans-Lunar Injection. Right: The spent S-IVB third stage with the Lunar Module (LM) Test Article-B (LTA-B) visible where a LM would normally reside. On Dec. 21, 1968, at precisely 7:51 a.m. EST, at Launch Pad 39A the five engines of the Saturn V’s first stage came to life, powering up to their full 7.5 million pounds of thrust. The brilliance of the flame rivaled the sunrise. At the top of the rocket, strapped inside their Command Module (CM), Borman, Lovell, and Anders experienced firsthand the power of a Saturn V launch. As soon as the rocket cleared the launch tower, control of the mission transferred from the Launch Control Center at Launch Complex 39 to MCC at MSC. From there, three teams of controllers, led by Lead Flight Director Clifford E. Charlesworth and Flight Directors Glynn S. Lunney and Milton L. Windler, working in eight-hour shifts, monitored the mission until splashdown. During the launch and early phases of the flight, Michael Collins served as the capsule communicator, or capcom, the astronaut in MCC who spoke directly with the crew. Within 11 and a half minutes, the three stages of the Saturn V placed Apollo 8 into Earth orbit. For the next 90 minutes, MCC and the astronauts thoroughly checked out the spacecraft’s systems, and capcom Collins informed the crew, “You are go for TLI,” or Trans-Lunar Injection, a less than dramatic way of saying “You’re off to the Moon!” Those words committed the mission to break the bonds of Earth’s gravity and set a course for the Moon. Near the end of the second revolution around the Earth, the rocket’s third stage engine fired for a second time, for more than five minutes, increasing Apollo 8’s speed from 17,400 miles per hour to 24,226 miles per hour, enough to overcome Earth’s gravity and send it on a Moonward trajectory. Soon after the burn ended, the astronauts separated their spacecraft from the spent stage and began their three-day cruise to the Moon. The famous Earthrise photograph from Apollo 8. During the journey, Borman, Lovell, and Anders passed through the Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts and crossed into the Moon’s gravitational sphere of influence. About 69 hours after launch, Apollo 8 passed the leading edge of the Moon and disappeared behind it, all communications with Earth cut off. While behind the Moon, the astronauts performed the Lunar Orbit Insertion maneuver, but for a few anxious minutes, only they knew that their spacecraft’s engine had performed as expected. As they emerged on the Moon’s other side precisely at the predicted time, MCC confirmed that Apollo 8 had achieved lunar orbit. The astronauts began to describe the Moon as no other humans had seen it before. Left: The Tsiolkovski Crater on the Moon’s farside, seen directly by human eyes for the first time during Apollo 8. Middle: Apollo 8 shortly after splashdown, with the astronauts in the life raft awaiting pick up by the recovery helicopter. Right: Apollo 8 astronauts arrive on the prime recovery ship U.S.S. Yorktown. For the next 20 hours, they orbited the Moon 10 times. On their ninth revolution, knowing that Christmas Eve had turned to Christmas Day, Borman, Lovell, and Anders read from The Bible’s Book of Genesis and wished everyone on “the good Earth” a Merry Christmas. On their final revolution, they disappeared behind the Moon one last time and fired their spacecraft’s engine to propel them out of lunar orbit to head back toward Earth. Once they reestablished contact at the predicted time, Lovell proclaimed, “Please be informed there is a Santa Claus,” his way of saying that the engine burned as expected. The astronauts spent the next three days coasting back toward Earth, ending their historic six-day mission with a predawn splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Teams from the prime recovery ship U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-10) recovered them from the water and brought them aboard the carrier. Left: Apollo 8 astronauts (wearing leis) William A. Anders, left, James A. Lovell, and Frank Borman listen to Hawaii Governor John A. Burns during their brief stopover at Hickam Air Force Base (AFB) in Honolulu. Middle: Anders, left, Borman, and Lovell give short speeches to the crowd gathered to welcome them home at Ellington AFB in Houston. Right: The Apollo 8 Command Module on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Image credit: courtesy Museum of Science and Industry. From the Yorktown, Borman, Lovell, and Anders flew to Hickam Air Force Base (AFB) in Honolulu. Following a brief welcome ceremony hosted by Hawaii Governor John A. Burns, their boarded a transport jet bound for Texas. Upon their arrival back in Houston on Dec. 29, more than 2,000 people greeted them at Ellington AFB despite the pre-dawn chill. Meanwhile, after the Yorktown arrived in Honolulu on Dec. 29, workers removed the CM to begin safing its systems. They flew it to Long Beach, California, and from there trucked it to its manufacturer, the North American Rockwell Space Division in Downey, California, where it arrived on Jan. 1, 1969, for a thorough postflight inspection. Since 1971, the Apollo 8 CM has been on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. TIME magazine named Borman, Lovell, and Anders Men of the Year for 1968. Apollo 8 brought the Moon landing one giant step closer. Apollo 9 astronauts James A. McDivitt, left, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart pose in front of the Apollo 8 Saturn V during its terminal countdown demonstration test at Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Due to delays in its development, the LM remained one component of the lunar mission architecture that Apollo 8 did not test. The task of conducting the first crewed evaluation of the LM fell to Apollo 9, scheduled for late February 1969. As the prime crew for the 10-day Earth orbital mission, NASA assigned James A. McDivitt, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart, with Charles “Pete” Conrad, Richard F. Gordon, and Alan L. Bean as their backups. McDivitt and Schweickart planned to enter the LM while Scott remained in the CM. Before the two spacecraft undocked, Schweickart planned to conduct a roughly 2-hour spacewalk, using prepositioned handholds to translate from the LM to the CM, where Scott awaited him in the open hatch. The dual spacewalk served to demonstrate a backup transfer capability should a problem arise with the internal transfer tunnel. The spacewalk would also serve as the only in-space test of the new Apollo A7L spacesuit before the Moon landing. Following the spacewalk, McDivitt and Schweickart planned to undock the LM and conduct an independent flight up to a distance of 100 miles, and test both the descent and ascent stage engines, before rejoining Scott in the CM. Apollo 9 prime and backup astronauts test the new Apollo A7L spacesuit in the Space Environment Simulation Laboratory at the Manned Spacecraft Center, now NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. David R. Scott, left, Russell L. Schweickart, and Alan L. Bean. International Latex Corporation (ILC) of Dover, Delaware, developed two versions of the Apollo A7L space suit for NASA – one for use exclusively inside the spacecraft, such as during launch, and the other that astronauts can also use during spacewalks, using the Portable Life Support System (PLSS) backpack. Both types of the suit could operate under vacuum conditions, but crew members wearing the inside version remained attached to the spacecraft via hoses that provided life support such as oxygen. The external version’s PLSS provided the required oxygen and communications during spacewalks outside the vehicle, for example on the lunar surface. For Apollo 9, McDivitt and Schweickart wore the external versions (even though McDivitt did not plan to do a spacewalk) while Scott wore the internal version. McDivitt, Scott, Schweickart, and Bean tested their A7L spacesuits with the PLSS under vacuum conditions in Chamber A of the Space Environment Simulation Laboratory at MSC. In the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Left: The assembled Apollo 9 spacecraft arrives from the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building, and shares space in the transfer aisle with the recently arrived Apollo 10 first stage. Middle: Workers hoist the Apollo 9 spacecraft in preparation for stacking onto the Saturn V rocket, with the Lunar Module’s landing gear visible. Right: Workers stack the Apollo 9 spacecraft onto its Saturn V rocket. On Nov. 30, workers in KSC’s Manned Spacecraft Operations Building (MSOB) installed the Apollo 9 LM in its Spacecraft LM Adapter (SLA) and then stacked the CSM on top. They transferred the assembled spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) three days later where engineers stacked it atop its Saturn V rocket in High Bay 3. Rollout to Launch Pad 39A occurred in early January 1969. Left: Workers ready the Apollo 10 S-IC first stage for stacking onto the Mobile Launcher in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Middle: Workers stack the Apollo 10 S-II second stage. Right: The S-IVB third stage for Apollo 10 arrives at KSC. Preparations continued for Apollo 10, the mission planned for May 1969 to test all the spacecraft components in lunar orbit as a possible dress rehearsal for the Moon landing. The Apollo 10 prime crew consisted of Thomas P. Stafford, John W. Young, and Eugene A. Cernan, the first all-veteran three-person crew, with L. Gordon Cooper, Donn F. Eisele, and Edgar D. Mitchell assigned as their backups. Stafford and Cernan planned to undock their LM and fly it to within nine miles of the lunar surface before rejoining Young in the CM. At KSC, in the VAB’s High Bay 2, by Dec. 7 workers had stacked the first two stages of the Apollo 10 Saturn V. The third stage arrived at KSC on Dec. 10 and workers stacked it atop the rocket on Dec. 29. Apollo 9 spacecraft testing in the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Left and middle: Simulated docking test between the Apollo 10 Lunar Module (LM), top, and Command Module. Right: Joining the LM’s ascent stage to the descent stage. In the nearby MSOB, engineers performed a docking test of the Apollo 10 CSM and LM on Dec. 11. Following the test, workers mated the LM’s ascent and descent stages in a vacuum chamber in preparation for altitude tests in January 1969. In parallel, engineers conducted altitude tests with the CM, with prime and backup crews participating. Left: Chief test pilot Joseph S. “Joe” Algranti ejects from the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle-1 (LLTV-1) with seconds to spare. Middle: The LLTV-1 explodes as it crashes to the ground. Right: Algranti floats safely to the ground under his parachute. Apollo commanders used the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle (LLTV) to simulate flying the LM, especially the final 200 feet of the descent. Following Armstrong’s May 6, 1968, crash in an earlier version of the training aircraft, NASA grounded the fleet until engineers could take corrective action. Flights with LLTV-1 resumed at Ellington on Oct. 3, 1968, with MSC chief test pilot Joseph S. “Joe” Algranti at the controls. During the next two months, Algranti and fellow MSC pilot H.E. “Bud” Ream completed 14 test flights with LLTV-1 to check out the vehicle. Ream also piloted LLTV-2’s first two flights beginning Dec. 5. During LLTV-1’s 15th flight on Dec. 8, the final certification flight before resuming astronaut training, Algranti took the vehicle to 680 feet altitude and began a lunar landing simulation run. The vehicle began to oscillate in all three axes, which Algranti tried to control. But unexpected wind gusts exceeded the craft’s aerodynamic control limits and it began a sudden descent. At 100 feet altitude, and with less than a second to spare, Algranti ejected and safely parachuted to the ground with only minor bruises, but LLTV-1 crashed and burned beyond repair. Left: At Houston’s Ellington Air Force Base, workers prepare the LLTV-3 for packing into the Super Guppy cargo plane. Right: Workers at Ellington load the LLTV-3 into the Super Guppy for shipping to NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, for wind tunnel tests. Once again, NASA grounded the LLTVs and MSC Director Robert R. Gilruth set up an investigation board, chaired by NASA astronaut Walter M. Schirra. To better understand the vehicle’s aerodynamic characteristics, in late December NASA shipped LLTV-3 to the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, where engineers tested it in the wind tunnel. Findings from the board and from the Langley tests indicated that a gust of wind that overwhelmed the vehicle’s control limits caused the LLTV-1 crash, unrelated to Armstrong’s accident. Recommendations included increasing the level of thrust in the craft’s thrusters by 50 percent to provide an additional margin of safety. News from around the world in December 1968: Dec. 6 – The Rolling Stones release their album “Beggars Banquet.” Dec. 7 – The United States launches the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory-2 space telescope. Dec. 11 – President-elect Richard M. Nixon introduces his 12 Cabinet nominees. Dec. 11 – The film “Oliver!” opens in the U.S. Dec. 16 – Musical-fantasy film “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” premieres in London and two days later in New York City. Dec. 16 – Led Zeppelin’s concert debut in Denver, as opener for Vanilla Fudge. Dec. 30 – Frank Sinatra first records “My Way.” Share Details Last Updated Dec 19, 2023 Related TermsNASA HistoryApollo Explore More 8 min read 50 Years Ago: Skylab 4 Astronauts Push Past the One-Month Mark Article 2 days ago 7 min read 120 Years Ago: The First Powered Flight at Kitty Hawk Article 6 days ago 3 min read Contributions of the DC-8 to Earth System Science at NASA: A Workshop Article 1 week ago View the full article

5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) New Shepard, Blue Origin’s reusable suborbital rocket, rising from the company’s Launch Site One in West Texas, on a previous flight in 2021. The vehicle returned to flight on Dec. 19, 2023, carrying payloads supported by NASA’s Flight Opportunities, enabling researchers to test disruptive solutions for space applications.Blue Origin Living and working in space requires getting ready a bit closer to Earth. Through a suborbital flight test on Dec. 19, 2023 with industry provider Blue Origin, NASA’s Flight Opportunities program is helping 14 research payloads move one step toward future space missions and commercial applications. The flown technologies aim to address some of the opportunities and obstacles presented by humanity’s sustained presence in space. Launched aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard reusable suborbital rocket from the company’s Launch Site One in West Texas, the payloads reached an altitude of 351,248 feet. During the flight, those payloads experienced about three minutes of microgravity, providing insight into the effect of reduced gravity on both technologies and living things. “NASA relies on emerging commercial spaceflight capabilities to rapidly test disruptive solutions for space applications,” said Danielle McCulloch, program manager for Flight Opportunities at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. “Working with commercial flight providers like Blue Origin allows the agency to make space exploration and commerce more accessible to a broader range of researchers.” A strong commercial space industry also helps NASA move forward with scientific exploration of the moon, Mars, and beyond. In addition to the NASA supported research teams, this flight was also a significant milestone for Blue Origin, serving as the return to flight with their New Shepard rocket. NASA-Supported Technologies Aboard New Shepard Sometimes, everyday products can be the key to advancing space objectives. For example, paraffin and beeswax aren’t just for cosmetics and candles. Researchers are using this flight to evaluate these common materials to determine if they might be keys to safer and cheaper fuel for spacecraft. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are evaluating in-space manufacturing techniques to turn these wax-based products into alternative options for propelling small spacecraft. Also aboard the flight was a project from small business Ecoatoms Inc. in Reno, Nevada, designed to advance the production of biosensors in low Earth orbit. Earth’s gravity often causes the sensors to have rough and uneven layers that adversely affect performance. Fabrication in microgravity could allow for smoother and more uniform development, resulting in improved sensing. The startup expects the flight test with Blue Origin will be a step toward space-based manufacturing of health care tools for patients on Earth and astronauts on long-duration missions, improving crew safety while also leveraging the expanding space economy to benefit life on Earth. “We are excited to test at-scale manufacturing of biosensors in space. Coating hundreds of sensors in microgravity will provide us with extremely valuable information to advance our technology,” said Solange Massa, Ecoatoms founder and CEO. “Preparing for suborbital flight with Flight Opportunities gave us experience we will apply to future flights for our clients.” In another example of how a common substance can help pave the way to our understanding of space, researchers at Montana State University and the University of Colorado Boulder will use a yeast variant (Candida albicans) as a stepping stone to further understand how microgravity affects humans. Observations of how several minutes of microgravity affect this simple biological organism, made possible by the team’s unique sampling system, may provide a window into the cellular and physiological adaptations of the human body, which will be critical knowledge for planning extended human space missions. Other technologies benefiting from this flight testing include: An electrophysiological measurement system and lens-free imaging system from imec USA in Kissimmee, Florida as well as two student payloads managed by imec examining gravity’s effect on ultrasonic sound waves and on a variety of sensors An experiment from the University of Central Florida in Orlando to apply electric fields to a dust simulant A tool for evaluating the geophysical properties of soil on near-Earth asteroids developed by Honeybee Robotics Ltd., in Altadena, California A system from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California to assess multiphase reservoirs for sample mixing and bubble migration A system for propellant gauging during on-orbit refueling and transfer operations from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin A technology from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana for modeling propellant slosh in microgravity The DMEN multi-environment navigator from Draper in Cambridge, Massachusetts An experiment from the University of Alabama in Huntsville to collect thermal data of fluids in microgravity A sensor to measure the volume of water used to keep an astronaut cool in an exploration spacesuit, developed by Creare in Hanover, New Hampshire and funded by NASA’s STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) program A regenerative technology to provide energy storage for spaceflight applications, developed by Infinity Fuel Cell in Windsor, Connecticut and funded by a NASA Tipping Point award through NASA’s Game Changing Development program Flight Opportunities is managed at NASA Armstrong and funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. This program provides funding for flight tests and technology payload development as well as subject matter expertise to help researchers maximize the impact of their commercial flight tests. The program enables innovators to gather the data they need to advance their work ahead of larger, more expensive missions and applications. Share Details Last Updated Dec 19, 2023 EditorCody S. LydonContactSarah Mannsarah.mann@nasa.govLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related TermsFlight Opportunities ProgramArmstrong Flight Research CenterGame Changing Development ProgramSpace Technology Mission Directorate Explore More 5 min read NASA’s Tech Demo Streams First Video From Deep Space via Laser Article 1 day ago 4 min read Armstrong Flight Research Center: A Year in Review Article 5 days ago 1 min read NASA MSI Incubator: Wildfire Climate Tech Challenge Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Space Technology Mission Directorate STMD Flight Opportunities Game Changing Development View the full article

Artemis II crew members: NASA astronauts Christina Koch, left, Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, right, pose for a group photograph with U.S. President Joe Biden, center, in the White House Oval Office in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023.Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz The first astronauts to fly around the Moon under NASA’s Artemis program visited the White House in Washington Thursday, and met with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office to thank him for his leadership and discuss their upcoming flight test. Artemis II crew members are NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The mission is currently targeted for late 2024. After launching on NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the crew will travel aboard the Orion spacecraft on a 10-day mission around the Moon, testing its systems for the first time with astronauts for long-term exploration and scientific discovery through Artemis. Driving both human and robotic exploration at the Moon and Mars, science is a key foundation of NASA’s work. The astronauts also discussed training and plans for their mission with the President, as well as lunar science, including a Moon rock on display in the Oval Office. That rock was collected in 1972 by Apollo astronauts Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan, the last humans to step foot on the lunar surface. Samples collected on future Artemis missions will continue to help humanity shed light on how the Moon formed and evolved, how it interacts with the Sun, and how water and other resources arrived at the Moon and are preserved. While at the White House, the astronauts also met separately with Vice President Kamala Harris, who serves as the chair of the National Space Council. They discussed how Artemis represents the power of technological innovation and international collaboration. Through Artemis, the U.S. is leading, innovating, discovering, and inspiring humanity for the benefit of all. For more information about NASA’s mission, visit: https://www.nasa.gov -end- View the full article

Credit: NASA/James Blair The four Artemis II astronauts practiced procedures to exit the Orion spacecraft in an emergency during training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on Dec. 15. NASA astronaut Christina Koch (foreground) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen were assisted by Bill Owens, Artemis II spacesuit technician. The training included exiting both the side and top hatches of the spacecraft to ensure the crew will be ready for potential emergency scenarios upon splashdown in the Pacific Ocean that would require them to leave the capsule before the recovery team arrives. The Artemis II mission will send the crew on an approximately 10-day flight test around the Moon. Under Artemis, NASA will return humans to the Moon for long-term exploration and scientific discovery. View the full article

1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Notice of Availability. The Draft Site-Wide Environmental Assessment (EA) for Marshall Space Flight Center is complete and NASA determined the project will not result in significant environmental impacts. Therefore, a Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) has been prepared. Both documents are available for public review and comment for the next thirty (30) days. Downloads Draft Site-Wide Environmental Assessment for Marshall Space Flight Center Dec 13, 2023 PDF (31.04 MB) Share Details Last Updated Dec 19, 2023 EditorMSFC Environmental Engineering and Occupational Health OfficeContactHannah McCartyLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsMarshall Space Flight Center Explore More 5 min read NASA Geologist Paves the Way for Building on the Moon Article 4 days ago 16 min read The Marshall Star for December 13, 2023 Article 6 days ago 3 min read NASA Stennis Continues Preparations for Future Artemis Testing Article 6 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System Read More Share Details Last Updated Dec 19, 2023 EditorMSFC Environmental Engineering and Occupational Health OfficeContactHannah McCartyLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related TermsMarshall Space Flight Center View the full article

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A NASA-developed wind tunnel research tool known as the Common Research Model is seen mounted in the 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel at the agency’s Langley Research Center in Virginia. NASA / Lee Pollard NASA will co-host the two-day Stability and Control Prediction Workshop II (S&CPW2) during the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ (AIAA) annual SciTech Forum in January 2025. A kickoff meeting for the 2025 gathering is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2024, during the AIAA SciTech 2024 Forum in Orlando, Fla. The Stability and Control Prediction Workshop series seeks to establish best practices for the prediction of stability and control derivatives with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The workshops provide an impartial forum for evaluating the effectiveness of existing CFD codes and modeling techniques, as well as identifying areas in need of additional research and development. The focus of S&CPW2 is prediction of static and dynamic stability derivatives for the NASA/Boeing Common Research Model (CRM). NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia collected static and force oscillation data for a 2.4-percent scale version of the CRM in the Langley 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel during the Fall of 2023. The wind tunnel data will be used to provide a blind comparison to CFD predictions. The data will not be publicly released until CFD predictions for the workshop have been completed. S&CPW2 will be open to participants worldwide, and representation from industry, academia, and government will be present. The workshop will consist of individual presentations, open discussions, and a subsequent paper by the planning committee to document workshop results. Participation in the prediction studies and AIAA membership are not required to attend the workshop. The Organizing Committee consists of the following members: Andrew Lofthouse – Air Force Lifecycle Management Center Dan Vicroy – Adaptive Aerospace Group, Inc. Benjamin Simmons – NASA Langley Research Center Norman Princen – The Boeing Company Matthew Prior – The Boeing Company Adam Clark – The Boeing Company Brett Johnson – The Boeing Company Steve Klausmeyer – Textron Aviation Kelly Laflin – Textron Aviation William Vogel – Air Force Lifecycle Management Center Charlie Harrison – Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation The workshop’s planning is affiliated with NASA’s Transformational Tools and Technologies project. For more information and to receive links to CFD geometry files in advance of the workshop, please contact Benjamin Simmons at benjamin.m.simmons@nasa.gov. About the AuthorJohn GouldAeronautics Research Misson Directorate Read More Facebook logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Instagram logo @NASA@NASAaero@NASA_es Linkedin logo @NASA Explore More 2 min read NASA Selects Awardees for New Aviation Maintenance Challenge Article 1 month ago 2 min read NASA Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month 2023: Azlin Biaggi-Labiosa Article 2 months ago 2 min read NASA Research Challenge Selects Two New Student-Led Teams Article 3 months ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans In Space Solar System Exploration Solar System Overview The solar system has one star, eight planets, five officially recognized dwarf planets, at least 290 moons,… Explore NASA’s History Share Details Last Updated Dec 19, 2023 EditorJim BankeContactJim Bankejim.banke@nasa.gov Related TermsTransformational Tools TechnologiesTransformative Aeronautics Concepts Program View the full article

X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: T.A. Rector (NRAO/AUI/NSF and NOIRLab/NSF/AURA) and B.A. Wolpa (NOIRLab/NSF/AURA); Infrared: NASA/NSF/IPAC/CalTech/Univ. of Massachusetts; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare & J.Major This new image of NGC 2264, also known as the “Christmas Tree Cluster,” shows the shape of a cosmic tree with the glow of stellar lights. NGC 2264 is, in fact, a cluster of young stars — with ages between about one and five million years old — in our Milky Way about 2,500 light-years away from Earth. The stars in NGC 2264 are both smaller and larger than the Sun, ranging from some with less than a tenth the mass of the Sun to others containing about seven solar masses. This new composite image enhances the resemblance to a Christmas tree through choices of color and rotation. The blue and white lights (which blink in the animated version of this image) are young stars that give off X-rays detected by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Optical data from the National Science Foundation’s WIYN 0.9-meter telescope on Kitt Peak shows gas in the nebula in green, corresponding to the “pine needles” of the tree, and infrared data from the Two Micron All Sky Survey shows foreground and background stars in white. This image has been rotated clockwise by about 160 degrees from the astronomer’s standard of North pointing upward, so that it appears like the top of the tree is toward the top of the image. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This composite image shows the Christmas Tree Cluster. The blue and white lights (which blink in the animated version of this image) are young stars that give off X-rays detected by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Optical data from the National Science Foundation’s WIYN 0.9-meter telescope on Kitt Peak shows gas in the nebula in green, corresponding to the “pine needles” of the tree, and infrared data from the Two Micron All Sky Survey shows foreground and background stars in white. This image has been rotated clockwise by about 160 degrees from the astronomer’s standard of North pointing upward, so that it appears like the top of the tree is toward the top of the image. Young stars, like those in NGC 2264, are volatile and undergo strong flares in X-rays and other types of variations seen in different types of light. The coordinated, blinking variations shown in this animation, however, are artificial, to emphasize the locations of the stars seen in X-rays and highlight the similarity of this object to a Christmas tree. In reality the variations of the stars are not synchronized. The variations observed by Chandra and other telescopes are caused by several different processes. Some of these are related to activity involving magnetic fields, including flares like those undergone by the Sun — but much more powerful — and hot spots and dark regions on the surfaces of the stars that go in and out of view as the stars rotate. There can also be changes in the thickness of gas obscuring the stars, and changes in the amount of material still falling onto the stars from disks of surrounding gas. 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 release features a composite image of a cluster of young stars looking decidedly like a cosmic Christmas tree! The cluster, known as NGC 2264, is in our Milky Way Galaxy, about 2,500 light-years from Earth. Some of the stars in the cluster are relatively small, and some are relatively large, ranging from one tenth to seven times the mass of our Sun. In this composite image, the cluster’s resemblance to a Christmas tree has been enhanced through image rotation and color choices. Optical data is represented by wispy green lines and shapes, which creates the boughs and needles of the tree shape. X-rays detected by Chandra are presented as blue and white lights, and resemble glowing dots of light on the tree. Infrared data show foreground and background stars as gleaming specks of white against the blackness of space. The image has been rotated by about 150 degrees from the astronomer’s standard of North pointing upwards. This puts the peak of the roughly conical tree shape near the top of the image, though it doesn’t address the slight bare patch in the tree’s branches, at our lower right, which should probably be turned to the corner. In this release, the festive cluster is presented as both a static image, and as a short animation. In the animation, blue and white X-ray dots from Chandra flicker and twinkle on the tree, like the lights on a Christmas tree. 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

Teams with Astrobotic install the NASA meatball decal on Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander on Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, at the Astrotech Space Operations Facility near the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.NASA/Isaac Watson NASA is inviting the public to take part in virtual activities ahead of Astrobotic’s Peregrine Mission One, launching on a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan rocket as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The mission is slated to be one of the first United States commercial robotic landers launching to the Moon’s surface as part of the agency’s Artemis program. Carrying NASA and commercial payloads, the Peregrine lander is scheduled to lift off no earlier than Monday, Jan. 8, from Space Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Members of the public can register to attend the launch virtually. As a virtual guest, you have access to curated resources, schedule changes, and mission-specific information delivered straight to your inbox. Following each activity, virtual guests will receive a commemorative stamp for their virtual guest passport. The live launch broadcast will air on Monday, Jan. 8, and will air on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media. For more information about CLPS activities, follow the CLPS blog. View the full article

7 Min Read Lagniappe Explore the December 2023 edition to learn about a major milestone NASA Stennis achieved, how two test conductors shared the stage on test day, along with the NASA Stennis Year-in-Review, and much more! Explore the December 2023 edition featuring: NASA Tests In-Flight Capability of Artemis Moon Rocket Engine NASA Delivers Inclusion Message to Annual Bayou Classic Participants Year-in-Review: NASA Stennis Celebrates 2023 Gator Speaks Gator Speaks When planning for the holiday season, it is critical to have one’s ducks in a row… or gators in a line. Among other things, having something to talk about when friends or family visit is crucial. The sentiment rings true whether you are a human, or a gator, and I have the perfect conversation activity this holiday season thanks to the final RS-25 engine test in November at NASA Stennis. The 650-second test is likely the longest of the 12-test series. It involved a technique known as gimbaling, where the engine is pivoted throughout the hot fire. When the four RS-25 engines gimbal during launch of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, gimbaling helps stabilize the rocket as it reaches orbit. To better understand how this works, think about hula hooping, which involves using body movements to twirl a plastic hoop that spins around one’s waist, neck, arm, or leg. Typically, younger folks participate in this activity, but I have learned you are never too old to give it a go. Maybe you cannot teach an old dog new tricks, but an old gator is another story. Ack! Much like gimbaling an RS-25 engine, hula hooping can involve technical motions, although it is more about freestyle movement. As one might expect, an RS-25 engine test has a detailed plan with a list of objectives. Test operators pivot the engine in precise motions, on a circular basis or back-and-forth in a sort of sawtooth manner. The focus is ensuring the engine can move as needed to direct and stabilize the rocket during flight. NASA is continuing the current RS-25 test series into 2024, which means more hot fires to come. I may bring my newly discovered hula hooping skills into the new year also. It will be perfect timing to shape up for a new, exciting year. I have practiced through and through, so I expect everyone to be very impressed. If nothing else, it will be about a great source of amusement and laughter. While I do not have footage of my hula hoop practice, I do have video of the engine gimbaling at NASA Stennis. When you watch it, imagine your favorite gator hula hooping. Happy holidays, all! NASA Stennis Top News NASA Tests In-Flight Capability of Artemis Moon Rocket Engine NASA conducted the third RS-25 engine hot fire in a critical 12-test certification series Nov. 29, demonstrating a key capability necessary for flight of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket during Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. Read More About the Third RS-25 Engine Hot Fire NASA Delivers Inclusion Message to Annual Bayou Classic Participants NASA was on full display during the 50th Annual Bayou Classic Fan Fest activity in New Orleans on Nov. 25, hosting an informational booth and interacting with event participants to deliver a clear message – There’s Space for Everybody at NASA. Read More About Bayou Classic NASA Stennis Engineers Share the Stage on Test Day The last Wednesday in November proved to be a full-circle moment for two engineers at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Read More About NASA engineers Josh Greiner and Peyton Pinson NASA Stennis Continues Preparations for Future Artemis Testing Crews at NASA’s Stennis Space Center cleared a milestone Dec. 11, installing a key component in preparation for future Green Run testing of NASA’s new Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) vehicle for use on the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. Read More About Upgrades to the Thad Cochran Test Stand Year-in-Review: NASA Stennis Celebrates 2023 NASA’s Stennis Space Center celebrated accomplishments in a number of areas in 2023, including propulsion testing, commercial aerospace activities, community engagement, autonomous systems, strategic planning, and more. Look Back Center Activities Year-in-Review Snapshots: 2023 “Year that Was” NASA’s Stennis Space Center steadily moved forward in 2023, while positioning itself to go even further in 2024. Check out the “year that was” by looking at 23 snapshots from 2023. View 2023 Snapshots People Behind the Work at NASA Stennis NASA’s Stennis Space Center brings together people from all backgrounds to support NASA’s mission to explore the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all and inspire the world through discovery. Read About NASA Stennis Employees NASA in the News Breaking Records, Returning Asteroid Samples Among NASA’s Big 2023 New Course from NASA Helps Build Open, Inclusive Science Community – NASA NASA Continues Progress on Artemis III Rocket Adapter with Key Joint Installation – NASA 25 Years Ago: NASA, Partners Begin Space Station Assembly – NASA Artemis II Crew’s SLS Visit – NASA Employee Profile NASA budget analyst Anita Wilson is pictured at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, where she supports commercial test projects, helping NASA inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Danny Nowlin Anita Wilson could not hold back the tears as she reflected on the journey from her earliest space memory to now working at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Read More About Anita Wilson Looking Back Jerry Hlass, the first manager and director at NASA Stennis, is accompanied by family during a visit to the south Mississippi NASA center on Nov. 22. NASA/Danny Nowlin Hlass Celebrates Birthday with Visit to NASA Stennis It was fitting that the first director of NASA’s Stennis Space Center chose to celebrate his 96th birthday by visiting the south Mississippi site with his family on Nov. 22. After all, Jerry Hlass had a lot to do with the “birth” of the modern propulsion test site. NASA built what was then called the Mississippi Test Facility in the early 1960s to test Saturn V rocket stages that would carry humans to the Moon for the first time. When the Apollo Program ended in the early 1970s, the future of the test site seemed bleak. Hlass was familiar with the south Mississippi facility. He had supervised facilities nationwide for NASA during the 1960s when the Mississippi site was under construction. In that capacity, Hlass made many trips to the site as he monitored the construction project. Now, the site was the focal point of Hlass’ master’s thesis, titled “Search for a Role for a Large Government Facility,” at George Washington University. At the time, NASA was seeking a location to test engines for its planned space shuttle vehicle, and Hlass saw it as a perfect use of the Mississippi Test Facility. When asked his opinion by the Site Evaluation Board, Hlass gave his case for the election of the Mississippi location for the test campaign. On March 1, 1971, the Mississippi Test Facility subsequently was selected for the sea-level testing of the rocket engines to power the space shuttle. Several years later, on Sept. 1, 1976, Hlass was named manager of the very same site, by then known as the National Space Technology Laboratories. Before Hlass accepted the assignment of taking over the reins of the NSTL in 1976, NASA Headquarters had considered withdrawing the NASA management team from the installation. The small NASA onsite management team was responsible for providing support services to about 18 federal and state agencies and providing technical support to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the space shuttle test program. The Earth Resources Laboratory (ERL) was at the site, but it answered to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, and the Space Shuttle Test Complex was under Marshall management. Hlass believed that NASA should be far more influential in the center’s management role. During his years as manager and director of the installation, Hlass was able to bring the ERL under site management and assume a much more direct and meaningful part in supporting the Space Shuttle Program. Through his efforts, Hlass gained the confidence of officials from NASA Headquarters and the respect of the Marshall test team and many other agencies in residence. As a result, the work accomplished by Hlass has been said to have resulted in the “reNASAfication” of the installation. Hlass retired as site leader in 1989. In honor of his leadership and significant contributions to NASA, the center unveiled a street sign designating Jerry Hlass Road onsite in 2015. Additional Resources Small Steps, Giant Leaps Podcast with Christine Powell Earth Now NASA+ Calliefirst – NASA Subscription Info Lagniappe is published monthly by the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The NASA Stennis office may be contacted by at 228-688-3333 (phone); ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov (email); or NASA OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Attn: LAGNIAPPE, Mail code IA00, Building 1111 Room 173, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (mail). The Lagniappe staff includes: Managing Editor Lacy Thompson, Editor Bo Black, and photographer Danny Nowlin. To subscribe to the monthly publication, please email the following to ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov – name, location (city/state), email address. View the full article

3 Min Read Mighty MURI brings the heat to test new longwave infrared radiometer – Credits: Leonardo Diagnostic/Retrieval Systems PROJECT Multiband Uncooled Radiometer Instrument (MURI) SNAPSHOT NASA’s new Multiband Uncooled Radiometer Instrument (MURI) features a novel bolometer that detects infrared radiation without a cryogenic cooler, greatly reducing the cost and complexity of dispatching infrared radiometers into low-Earth orbit. First-light data from NASA’s new Multiband Uncooled Radiometer Instrument (MURI) shows its novel, uncooled microbolometer is operational, setting the stage for future space missions dedicated to observing Earth’s surface temperature with a cost-effective instrument. MURI, which was launched into low-Earth orbit in January 2023, is not NASA’s first space-based infrared radiometer, but it is one of NASA’s smallest. MURI flies through space at roughly seven kilometers per second as a hosted payload on Loft Orbital’s YAM5 platform. During its technology validation mission, MURI will demonstrate a state-of-the-art microbolometer thermal imager that functions without a cryogenic cooler. This unique technology could become the foundation of future science missions dedicated to observing phenomena like volcanic activity. Bolometers detect infrared radiation in the form of heat and do not require cryogenic operation. These components are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature. Traditional space-based thermal sensors rely on bulky cryogenic coolers to remain at a constant temperature of about -300 degrees Fahrenheit. Cryogenic coolers add a lot of mass to space instruments. For example, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), a space-based infrared radiometer serving aboard NASA’s Aqua and Terra satellites, weighs more than 500 pounds. By contrast, MURI only weighs only about 12 pounds. While its microbolometer still needs to be held at a constant temperature to maintain accuracy in space, that temperature can be room temperature. In airborne and laboratory tests, MURI achieved an absolute radiometric accuracy of around 1%, which is considered world-class for longwave infrared radiometers of any size, and first-light data suggests the instrument performs just as well within the rigors of space. As depicted in this image, MURI underwent flight testing over the California coast in 2022, prior to its launch in into low-Earth orbit in January 2023. Weighing just 12 pounds, MURI will be capable of gathering infrared data with high precision. Credit: Leonardo Diagnostic/Retrieval Systems MURI’s initial observations suggest the instrument can measure the Earth surface temperature at a sensitivity as low as 123 millikelvin, which is comparable to existing Landsat instruments. Creating an instrument so accurate and yet so compact required some innovative engineering. Philip Ely, Senior Director of Engineering at Leonardo Diagnostic/Retrieval Systems (DRS) and Principal Investigator for MURI, was especially concerned with image smear, a common issue with space-based remote sensors that collect high-resolution data. “Our approach to solving this problem was to mount the bolometer focal plane array on a piezo stage, and then move the stage at the same velocity as the image to effectively stabilize the image on the focal plane array,” said Ely. Through its Earth Science Technology Office, NASA worked with Leonardo DRS to transform MURI from an airborne instrument prototype to a spaceborne instrument in just 18 months. Partnering with private companies to develop and demonstrate space-based instruments helps NASA reduce the amount of time and resources necessary to produce cutting-edge science. Ely and his team presented a more detailed report describing MURI’s initial test results at the 2023 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) conference in Pasadena, CA. PROJECT LEAD Philip Ely, Director of Engineering, Leonardo DRS SPONSORING ORGANIZATION Earth Science Division’s In-Space Validation of Earth Science Technologies (InVEST) Program; ESD’s Instrument Incubation Program (IIP) Share Details Last Updated Dec 19, 2023 Related Terms Earth Science Science-enabling Technology Technology Highlights View the full article

2 min read Approval to Exceed GSA Lodging for LPSC 2024 This letter from SARA is to issue a waiver for NASA grantees attending LPSC 2024 allowing them to be reimbursed out of their grants for their actual lodging, although it’s expected to be above the approved GSA amount. This waiver does not supersede the travel policy of your institution if it is more restrictive. Note: I have specified grants (including cooperative agreements). This may also apply to those traveling on NASA contracts, but they should communicate with their contracting officers. The host hotel for the 55th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference on March 11–15, 2024, is The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. Hotel information for this conference may be found at https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2024/plan/. The GSA-allowed daily lodging expense for March 2024 for zip code 77380 (for The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center) is $122 per night. Many of the hotels may be significantly higher than the GSA allowed $122. Grantee travelers may need a waiver to cover lodging in excess of the GSA value, depending on the travel policy of your organization. This waiver does not supersede the travel policy of your institution if it is more restrictive. By the power vested in me by the NSSC to issue approval of the actual lodging costs for a conference in “bulk” instead of individual approvals, I hereby affirm that for the 55th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference NASA, SMD grants may be charged up to $256/night plus tax, consistent with the average actual cost of the conference hotel, even though this exceeds the $122 allotted for lodging by GSA for The Woodlands for March 2024. Share Details Last Updated Dec 18, 2023 Editor Andrew DOLLAR Related Terms For Researchers Grants & Opportunities Lunar Science Planetary Science Science Mission Directorate Explore More 3 min read Hubble Looks at a Late-type Galaxy Article 3 days ago 3 min read NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope Returns to Science Operations Article 1 week ago 2 min read Hubble Captures a Cluster in the Cloud Article 1 week 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

1 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) From left to right: Samone Wilson, Bradley Tyree, Gina Ladner, Louis Thompson.NASA Stennis From left to right: Kris Mobbs, Amy Langdale, Ken Griffey, and Paula Hensarling.NASA Stennis From left to right: Anita Wilson, Katrina Emery, Tom Lipski, and Van Ward.NASA Stennis NASA’s Stennis Space Center brings together people from all backgrounds to support NASA’s mission to explore the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all and inspire the world through discovery. NASA Stennis also supports the agency’s core values of safety, integrity, teamwork, excellence, and inclusion – and in 2023, the south Mississippi site was recognized by Forbes Magazine as the Best Employer in Mississippi. However, one does not need to take the magazine’s word for it – NASA Stennis employees are quick to say the same. They say when you enjoy what you do, then you will never work a day in your life, and I believe that is true. I look forward to coming in every day because each day offers a new challenge, whether it’s building up a new system or meeting the ever-changing test requirements of the RS-25 or improving a system that has been installed for years by implementing a new technology and using existing alternate industry practices. Bradley Tyree NASA Stennis engineer Our focus is to ensure that we maintain a work environment where all employees feel welcomed, respected, connected, and engaged. I want to empower all employees to contribute their unique talents to ensure the success of NASA’s mission. Katrina Emery NASA Stennis Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity manager It is such an honor to share NASA’s story and the career possibilities with people from all walks of life, especially those that might not normally be exposed to such opportunities. It brings great joy to see their faces light up when they know that people just like them work for NASA. Representation truly matters. Samone wilson NASA Stennis public affairs specialist The center is not necessarily the infrastructure (test stands and buildings); it’s also the people, the community that makes things work and go. It is because of the community that is here that things go so well. Tom lipski NASA Stennis technical manager There are very exciting times ahead. Our agency and center are changing and adapting to our new commercial friends joining us in space. It requires us to change as well, and not all change is bad. I look to our future at NASA with optimism and to my opportunities with excitement and pride. Kris Mobbs NASA Stennis engineer As a member of the Office of Procurement at NASA Stennis, I have experienced a wonderfully inclusive workforce that always overcomes any obstacle to achieve the mission goals. It has been my experience that NASA Stennis seeks to ensure all individuals are valued for their ideas and unique perspectives. Amy Langdale NASA Stennis auditor The ability to flex into new paradigms and processes is more important to successful change than any other factor. These brilliant, diverse people at NASA Stennis are truly our greatest resource for the future. Ken Griffey Chief of staff for NASA Stennis Center Operations I knew working at NASA Stennis would be a great opportunity following my time as a college student intern, and it continues to exceed my expectations. Paula Hensarling Chief of NASA Stennis Mechanical Design Branch For 11 years in a row, NASA has been ranked as the Best Place to Work in the federal government, and it has been the thrill of my life to be part of NASA Office of STEM Engagement for more than seven years. I am grateful for all of the mentors and colleagues that have helped me along this amazing journey. Louis Thompson NASA Stennis education specialist The workplace culture at NASA Stennis is like working with family. Everyone knows each other and genuinely cares about one another. Whether you work for a contractor or are a civil servant, we treat everyone with respect. That is how we achieve cohesion in such a diverse workforce. Gina Ladner Deputy chief of NASA Stennis Facility Services Branch It is exciting, stimulating, utterly mind-blowing knowing years from now, we will be witnessing humans return to the Moon, then Mars, and maybe beyond. Just knowing I am part of a team of professionals enabling that historic feat is immeasurable. We are literally a part of something truly historic. Van Ward Chief of NASA Stennis Center Protective Services I just feel like (being hired by NASA), that’s my greatest achievement as far as my career goes. Anita Wilson NASA Stennis budget analyst Read More Share Details Last Updated Dec 18, 2023 EditorNASA Stennis CommunicationsContactC. Lacy Thompsoncalvin.l.thompson@nasa.gov / (228) 688-3333LocationStennis Space Center Related TermsStennis Space Center Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics About NASA Stennis Stennis People Profiles in Leadership NASA Stennis Media Resources View the full article

Members of the DSOC team react to the first high-definition streaming video to be sent via laser from deep space on Dec. 11 at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Sent by the DSOC transceiver aboard the Psyche spacecraft, nearly 19 million miles from Earth, the video features a cat named Taters.NASA/JPL-Caltech A computer screen in the mission support area shows Taters the cat in a still from the first high-definition streaming video to be sent via laser from deep space, as well as the incoming data stream delivering the frames from the video.NASA/JPL-Caltech The video, featuring a cat named Taters, was sent back from nearly 19 million miles away by NASA’s laser communications demonstration, marking a historic milestone. NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communications experiment beamed an ultra-high definition streaming video on Dec. 11 from a record-setting 19 million miles away (31 million kilometers, or about 80 times the Earth-Moon distance). The milestone is part of a NASA technology demonstration aimed at streaming very high-bandwidth video and other data from deep space – enabling future human missions beyond Earth orbit. “This accomplishment underscores our commitment to advancing optical communications as a key element to meeting our future data transmission needs,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “Increasing our bandwidth is essential to achieving our future exploration and science goals, and we look forward to the continued advancement of this technology and the transformation of how we communicate during future interplanetary missions.” The demo transmitted the 15-second test video via a cutting-edge instrument called a flight laser transceiver. The video signal took 101 seconds to reach Earth, sent at the system’s maximum bit rate of 267 megabits per second (Mbps). Capable of sending and receiving near-infrared signals, the instrument beamed an encoded near-infrared laser to the Hale Telescope at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California, where it was downloaded. Each frame from the looping video was then sent “live” to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, where the video was played in real time. This 15-second clip shows the first ultra-high-definition video sent via laser from deep space, featuring a cat named Taters chasing a laser with test graphics overlayed. To see a “cheat sheet” explaining the components of the video, click here. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech The laser communications demo, which launched with NASA’s Psyche mission on Oct. 13, is designed to transmit data from deep space at rates 10 to 100 times greater than the state-of-the-art radio frequency systems used by deep space missions today. As Psyche travels to the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, the technology demonstration will send high-data-rate signals as far out as the Red Planet’s greatest distance from Earth. In doing so, it paves the way for higher-data-rate communications capable of sending complex scientific information, high-definition imagery, and video in support of humanity’s next giant leap: sending humans to Mars. “One of the goals is to demonstrate the ability to transmit broadband video across millions of miles. Nothing on Psyche generates video data, so we usually send packets of randomly generated test data,” said Bill Klipstein, the tech demo’s project manager at JPL. “But to make this significant event more memorable, we decided to work with designers at JPL to create a fun video, which captures the essence of the demo as part of the Psyche mission.” Feline Frequency Uploaded before launch, the short ultra-high definition video features an orange tabby cat named Taters, the pet of a JPL employee, chasing a laser pointer, with overlayed graphics. The graphics illustrate several features from the tech demo, such as Psyche’s orbital path, Palomar’s telescope dome, and technical information about the laser and its data bit rate. Tater’s heart rate, color, and breed are also on display. Members of the JPL team pose after the first streamed ultra-HD video was received from deep space. Remote team members (including Taters the cat) appear on the meeting screen. Standing, from left, are: Dan Goods, Abi Biswas, Ryan Rogalin, Meera Srinivasan, Bill Klipstein, Oliver Lay, and Christine Chen.NASA/JPL-Caltech “Despite transmitting from millions of miles away, it was able to send the video faster than most broadband internet connections,” said Ryan Rogalin, the project’s receiver electronics lead at JPL. “In fact, after receiving the video at Palomar, it was sent to JPL over the internet, and that connection was slower than the signal coming from deep space. JPL’s DesignLab did an amazing job helping us showcase this technology – everyone loves Taters.” There’s also a historical link: Beginning in 1928, a small statue of the popular cartoon character Felix the Cat was featured in television test broadcast transmissions. Today, cat videos and memes are some of the most popular content online. Milestone After Milestone This latest milestone comes after “first light” was achieved on Nov. 14. Since then, the system has demonstrated faster data downlink speeds and increased pointing accuracy during its weekly checkouts. On the night of Dec. 4, the project demonstrated downlink bit rates of 62.5 Mbps, 100 Mbps, and 267 Mbps, which is comparable to broadband internet download speeds. The team was able to download a total of 1.3 terabits of data during that time. As a comparison, NASA’s Magellan mission to Venus downlinked 1.2 terabits during its entire mission from 1990 to 1994. Media reel for DSOC ultra-HD video transmission “When we achieved first light, we were excited, but also cautious. This is a new technology, and we are experimenting with how it works,” said Ken Andrews, project flight operations lead at JPL. “But now, with the help of our Psyche colleagues, we are getting used to working with the system and can lock onto the spacecraft and ground terminals for longer than we could previously. We are learning something new during each checkout.” More About the Mission The Deep Space Optical Communications demonstration is the latest in a series of optical communication demonstrations funded by the Technology Demonstration Missions (TDM) program under NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and supported by NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) program within the agency’s Space Operations Mission Directorate. The Psyche mission is led by Arizona State University. JPL is responsible for the mission’s overall management, system engineering, integration and test, and mission operations. Psyche is the 14th mission selected as part of NASA’s Discovery Program under the Science Mission Directorate, managed by the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, managed the launch service. Maxar Technologies in Palo Alto, California, provided the high-power solar electric propulsion spacecraft chassis For more information about the laser communications demo, visit: https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/dsoc News Media Contact Ian J. O’Neill Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-354-2649 ian.j.oneill@jpl.nasa.gov 2023-184 Share Details Last Updated Dec 18, 2023 Related TermsDeep Space Optical Communications (DSOC)Jet Propulsion LaboratoryPsyche MissionSpace Communications & Navigation ProgramSpace Operations Mission DirectorateSpace Technology Mission DirectorateTech Demo Missions Explore More 4 min read Armstrong Flight Research Center: A Year in Review Article 4 days ago 6 min read NASA’s NEOWISE Celebrates 10 Years, Plans End of Mission Article 5 days ago 4 min read NASA Provides Update on Venture-Class Launch Services Article 5 days ago View the full article

2 min read Cosmic Companionship Quest Marks Major Milestone Are we alone in the universe? About 30,000 volunteers want to know! These volunteers visited arewealone.earth to sift through a huge data set from the 100 meter Green Bank Telescope—inspecting it for signals that might indicate intelligent extraterrestrial life. As of this week, this giant team has made ONE MILLION inspections! “We are thrilled that our volunteers have accomplished so much in the short 10-month period since our launch,” said project PI Jean-Luc Margot. The Science and Communications team of the “Are we alone in the universe?” project. From left to right: Ella, Jay, Megan, Jeremy, Priscella, Jean-Luc. Not pictured: Liam. It’s a major milestone to be sure. But does that mean this search is over? Not even close. The Green Bank Telescope collects millions of signals per hour! So UCLA graduate student Megan Li is building on the volunteer-submitted data to design and train a machine learning application that will help tackle that enormous data rate. She will present her preliminary results at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society this January. If you’ve been helping out—thank you! And please come help some more! The 10th batch of UCLA SETI data has now been uploaded to the platform. Moreover, thanks to volunteer translators, the project is now available in French (translated by Louis Verhaeghe) and in Portuguese (translated by Fernando Nogal). “Are we alone in the universe?” was built by UCLA SETI on the Zooniverse platform with funding from The Planetary Society and the NASA Citizen Science Seed Funding Program. Facebook logo @DoNASAScience @DoNASAScience Share Details Last Updated Dec 18, 2023 Related Terms Astrophysics Citizen Science View the full article

NASA / JPL-Caltech / University of Arizona On Aug. 18, 2023, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) captured ridged lines carved onto Mars’ landscape by the gradual movement of ice. While surface ice deposits are mostly limited to Mars’ polar caps, these patterns appear in many non-polar Martian regions. As ice flows downhill, rock and soil are plucked from the surrounding landscape and ferried along the flowing ice surface and within the icy subsurface. While this process takes perhaps thousands of years or longer, it creates a network of linear patterns that reveal the history of ice flow. The MRO has been studying Mars since 2006. Its instruments zoom in for extreme close-up photography of the Martian surface, analyze minerals, look for subsurface water, trace how much dust and water are distributed in the atmosphere, and monitor daily global weather. These studies are identifying deposits of minerals that may have formed in water over long periods of time, looking for evidence of shorelines of ancient seas and lakes, and analyzing deposits placed in layers over time by flowing water. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona View the full article

3 min read NASA’s BurstCube Passes Milestones on Journey to Launch Scientists and engineers at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, have completed testing for BurstCube, a shoebox-sized spacecraft designed to study the universe’s most powerful explosions. Members of the team have also delivered the satellite to their partner Nanoracks (part of Voyager Space) in Houston, Texas, where it will be packed for launch. The BurstCube satellite sits in its flight configuration in this photo. The shoebox-size spacecraft will launch aboard a resupply mission to the International Space Station, where it will be released into orbit and the solar panels on either side will deploy. Credit: NASA/Sophia Roberts “Even a satellite as tiny as BurstCube requires extensive verification before it can go to space,” said Goddard’s Lucia Tian, the mission’s science instrument lead. “We characterized its magnetic field, tested it at extreme temperatures, and recreated the shaking it will experience at launch – just to name a few assessments.” BurstCube will search the sky for short gamma-ray bursts, brief flashes of the highest-energy form of light. Dense stellar remnants called neutron stars create these bursts when they collide with other neutron stars or black holes. Small missions like BurstCube provide valuable opportunities for early career scientists and engineers to see all aspects of a project from start to finish. Jeremy Perkins BurstCube principal investigator Astronomers are interested in learning more about these collisions because they’re an important source of the universe’s heavy elements, like gold and platinum. BurstCube’s goal is to detect and locate bursts and alert other observatories to coordinate detailed follow-up studies. BurstCube will join a growing network of satellites and telescopes working together to witness changes in the universe as they unfold. The spacecraft is slated for takeoff in March 2024 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a resupply mission to the International Space Station. Interior components of the BurstCube satellite appear in this photograph. BurstCube, a shoebox-sized satellite that will study some of the universe’s most powerful explosions, was designed and built at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The four circular detectors make up the mission’s gamma-ray detector. Credit: NASA/Jeanette Kazmierczak NASA engineer Kate Gasaway goes through a checklist ahead of BurstCube’s magnetic calibration testing at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Credit: NASA/Sophia Roberts NASA engineers Julie Cox, Seth Abramczyk, and Franklin Robinson work to adjust the BurstCube spacecraft ahead of thermal vacuum testing at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Credit: NASA/Sophia Roberts Engineers Benjamin Nold (NASA) and Justin Clavette (SSAI) prepare the BurstCube satellite for testing on a rooftop at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Credit: NASA/Sophia Roberts To ensure it can withstand the rattling it will experience at launch, the mission team transported BurstCube to Washington Laboratories in Frederick, Maryland, for vibration testing. Engineers strapped the satellite to a plate, which then vibrated at frequencies ranging from 20 to 20,000 hertz. Translated into sound, that spans bass to the upper limit of human hearing. BurstCube will use Earth’s magnetic field to orientate itself as it scans the sky. To do so, the mission team had to map the spacecraft’s own magnetic field using a special facility at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. “The magnetic calibration chamber generates a known magnetic field that cancels out Earth’s,” said Goddard engineer Kate Gasaway. “Our measurements of BurstCube’s field in the chamber will help us figure out where the satellite is pointing once in space, so we can locate gamma-ray bursts and tell other observatories where to look.” As BurstCube orbits, it will experience major temperature swings every 90 minutes as it passes in and out of daylight. The team evaluated how the spacecraft will operate in these new conditions using a thermal vacuum chamber at Goddard, where temperatures ranged from minus 4 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 20 to 45 Celsius). In addition to these tests, the team ran many other assessments, like software and communications checks and ensuring the solar panels will open uninhibited after deployment from the space station. “Small missions like BurstCube provide valuable opportunities for early career scientists and engineers to see all aspects of a project from start to finish,” said Jeremy Perkins, BurstCube’s principal investigator at Goddard. “Now that we’ve completed testing, the team and BurstCube are gearing up for the next steps toward launch.” Download high-resolution video and images from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio. By Jeanette Kazmierczak NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Media Contact: Claire Andreoli claire.andreoli@nasa.gov NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. Share Details Last Updated Dec 18, 2023 Related Terms Astrophysics Black Holes BurstCube CubeSats Galaxies, Stars, & Black Holes Gamma-Ray Bursts Neutron Stars Small Satellite Missions The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Missions Humans in Space Climate Change Solar System View the full article