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By NASA
4 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Note: The following article is part of a series highlighting propulsion testing at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. To access the entire series, please visit: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/propulsion-powering-space-dreams/.
Crews at NASA’s Stennis Space Center work Jan. 21-22, 2020, to install the first flight core stage of NASA’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on the B-2 side of the Thad Cochran Test Stand for a Green Run test series. Operations required crews to lift the massive core stage from a horizontal position into a vertical orientation, a procedure known as “break over.” Once the stage was oriented in a horizontal position on the night of Jan. 21, crews tied it in place to await favorable wind conditions. The following morning, crews began the process of raising, positioning, and securing the stage on the stand. NASA/Stennis The future is now at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi – at least when it comes to helping power the next great era of human space exploration.
NASA Stennis is contributing directly to the agency’s effort to land the first woman, the first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon – for the benefit of all humanity. Work at the nation’s largest – and premier – propulsion test site will help power SLS (Space Launch System) rockets on future Artemis missions to enable long-term lunar exploration and prepare for the next giant leap of sending the first astronauts to Mars.
“We play a critical role to ensure the safety of astronauts on future Artemis missions,” NASA Stennis Space Center Director John Bailey said. “Our dedicated workforce is excited and proud to be part of NASA’s return to the Moon.”
NASA Stennis achieved an RS-25 testing milestone in April at the Fred Haise Test Stand. Completion of the successful RS-25 certification series provided critical data for L3Harris (formerly known as Aerojet Rocketdyne) to produce new RS-25 engines, using modern processes and manufacturing techniques. The engines will help power SLS rockets beginning with Artemis V.
The first four Artemis missions are using modified space shuttle main engines also tested at NASA Stennis. For each Artemis mission, four RS-25 engines, along with a pair of solid rocket boosters, power the SLS rocket to produce more than 8.8 million pounds of total combined thrust at liftoff.
NASA’s powerful SLS rocket is the only rocket that can send the Orion spacecraft, astronauts, and cargo to the Moon on a single mission.
Following key test infrastructure upgrades near the Fred Haise Test Stand, NASA Stennis will be ready for more RS-25 engine testing. NASA has awarded L3Harris contracts to provide 24 new engines, supporting SLS launches for Artemis V through Artemis IX.
“Every RS-25 engine that launches Artemis to space will be tested at NASA Stennis,” said Joe Schuyler, director of the NASA Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate. “We take pride in helping to power this nation’s human space exploration program. We also take great care in testing these engines because they are launching astronauts to space. We always have safety in mind.”
NASA’s Stennis Space Center conducts a successful hot fire of the first flight core stage of NASA’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on the B-2 side of the Thad Cochran Test Stand on March 18, 2021. NASA employees, as well as NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Zena Cardman, watched the milestone moment. The hot fire of more than eight minutes marked the culmination of a Green Run series of tests on the stage and its integrated systems. NASA/Stennis In addition to RS-25 testing, preparations are ongoing at the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-2) for future testing of the agency’s new exploration upper stage. The more powerful SLS second stage, which will send astronauts and cargo to deep space aboard the Orion spacecraft, is being built at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans.
Before its first flight, the NASA Stennis test team will conduct a series of Green Run tests on the new stage’s integrated systems to demonstrate it is ready to fly. Crews completed installation of a key component for testing the upper stage in October. The lift and installation of the 103-ton interstage simulator component, measuring 31 feet in diameter and 33 feet tall, provided crews best practices for moving and handling the actual flight hardware when it arrives to NASA Stennis.
The exploration upper stage Green Run test series will culminate with a hot fire of the stage’s four RL10 engines, made by L3Harris, the lead SLS engines contractor.
“All of Mississippi shares in our return to the Moon with the next great era of human space exploration going through NASA Stennis,” Bailey said. “Together, we can be proud of the state’s contributions to NASA’s great mission.”
For information about NASA’s Stennis Space Center, visit:
Stennis Space Center – NASA
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Last Updated Nov 13, 2024 EditorNASA Stennis CommunicationsContactC. Lacy Thompsoncalvin.l.thompson@nasa.gov / (228) 688-3333LocationStennis Space Center Related Terms
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By NASA
5 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
NASA provides a variety of pathways for those outside the agency to contribute to authentic and meaningful research. Whether you’re a student pursuing a degree in STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics), an educator looking for new ways to engage your classroom, or a citizen scientist enthusiastic about sharing your observations, there’s a wide array of opportunities to get involved in NASA research.
Citizen scientists around the world participate in environmental observation and measurement efforts through GLOBE.NASA Everybody
People from all around the world can make contributions to NASA research through citizen science projects and other opportunities available to the public.
Share your observations and take measurements in your part of the world through GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment), an international science and education initiative that engages students, teachers, and the public in collecting and analyzing environmental data. Do you have a relevant idea for human health science research that could be performed on the future Gateway lunar space station? Follow these steps to share your idea for consideration. The Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program through NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate invites citizen scientists to develop innovations in recycling material waste on deep space missions, develop aids/devices for navigating on the lunar surface during future Artemis missions, and more. Do you have the “right stuff” to participate in a simulated deep space mission? NASA’s HERA (the Human Exploration Research Analog) is seeking healthy subjects to participate in 45-day simulations to study the physiological and psychological effects of isolation and confinement on humans to help prepare for future missions to the Moon and Mars. Visit the NASA Citizen Science webpage for more opportunities to discover the secrets of the universe, search for life elsewhere, and improve life on Earth and in space. This collage features the winning designs in the 2024 Dream with Us Design Challenge, which asks students to dream of innovations for the future of aviation.NASA Middle and High School Students
Students can gain valuable experience while making a difference in the future of aeronautics and exploration.
Rising high school juniors and seniors are eligible to apply for the four-week Gene Lab for High School Students training program sponsored by NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California. The program focuses on collecting and analyzing complex biological data such as genetic codes, and computational biology. Through the annual TechRise Student Challenge offered by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, U.S. students in grades 6 to 12 form teams and design an experiment to fly on a suborbital flight platform such as a high-altitude balloon. Interested in aviation? The Dream With Us Design Challenge through NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate invites students in grades 6 to 12 to envision new innovations that will improve the safety, sustainability, and accessibility of aviation systems and technology. Through NASA internships, U.S. students ages 16 and up can boost their research experience and contribute to NASA’s work with the guidance of an agency mentor. This collage features the winning designs in the 2024 Dream with Us Design Challenge, which asks students to dream of innovations for the future of aviation.NASA Undergraduate and Graduate Students
NASA offers a variety of research opportunities for college students preparing to launch their own exciting careers in STEM.
NASA’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) grants competitive awards to enable college and university students within specific U.S. jurisdictions to participate in cutting-edge research projects that address NASA’s challenges and needs. The National Space Grant College and Fellowship Project (Space Grant), is a national network of colleges and universities comprising a total of 52 consortia across the U.S. These consortia fund several research opportunities for students attending member colleges and universities. Look up your state’s Space Grant consortium website to discover available opportunities. NASA internships are available in a wide range of opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, enabling meaningful contributions to NASA’s missions as well as authentic experience as a part of the agency’s world-class workforce. Through the University Student Research Challenge, students are invited to propose their ideas describing innovative new approaches to tackling one of six major research areas as outlined by NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. Students can take part in valuable studies of the ever-changing Earth system through NASA’s Earth Science Division’s Early Career Research (ECR) program. ECR includes the eight-week Student Airborne Research Program, the Climate Change Research Initiative, and more. College students at Minority Serving Institutions can contribute to the agency’s exploration goals through many opportunities offered by NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP). Educators of grades K-8 take part in a workshop hosted by NASA’s Next Gen STEM.NASA Educators
NASA provides opportunities for educators to participate in authentic aerospace research, as well as to engage their students in research in the classroom.
Space Grant offers a variety of opportunities for educators, from curriculum enhancement and faculty development to grants enabling teachers to bring NASA research into the classroom. Look up your state’s Space Grant consortium website to discover available opportunities. NASA welcomes interns with professional teaching experience to help foster the education and curiosity of students who will shape the future workforce. Visit NASA Internships to learn more and find current opportunities. Through NASA’s Climate Change Research Initiative, part of the agency’s Earth Science Division’s Early Career Research Program, high school STEM educators can join a research team led by NASA scientists to focus on a research area related to climate change. There’s More to Explore
Explore available NASA STEM learning experiences, such as internship roles, student competitions, or engagements with NASA researchers, through NASA’s STEM Gateway platform. Visit NASA’s Learning Resources webpage for the latest news and resources from the agency’s Office of STEM Engagement.
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By NASA
Learn Home Kites in the Classroom:… Earth Science Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Activation Stories Citizen Science 3 min read
Kites in the Classroom: Training Teachers to Conduct Remote Sensing Missions
The NASA Science Activation program’s AEROKATS and ROVER Education Network (AREN), led by Wayne Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) in Wayne County, MI, provides learners with hands-on opportunities to engage with science instruments & NASA technologies and practices in authentic, experiential learning environments. On July 25, 2024, the AREN team held a four-day virtual workshop: “Using Kites and Sensors to Collect Local Data for Science with the NASA AREN Project”. During this workshop, the team welcomed 35 K-12 educators and Science, Technology, Education, & Mathematics (STEM) enthusiasts from across the country to learn about the AREN project and how to safely conduct missions to gather remote sensing data in their classrooms.
Teachers were trained to use an AeroPod, an aerodynamically stabilized platform suspended from a kite line, in order to collect aerial imagery and introduce their students to topics like resolution, pixels, temporal and seasonal changes to landscape, and image classification of land cover types. Educators were also familiarized with safe operation practices borrowed from broader NASA mission procedures to ensure students in the field can enjoy experiential education safely. The AREN team will also meet with workshop participants during follow-up sessions to highlight next steps and new instrumentation that can be used to gather different data, help broaden the educators depth of understanding, and increase successful implementation in the classroom.
“This session has been very helpful and informative of the program and the possible investigations that we can conduct. The fact that it can connect hands on experiments, data analysis, and draw conclusions from the process is going to be a fantastic learning experience.” ~AREN Workshop Participant
The AREN project continually strives to provide low cost, user-friendly opportunities to engage in hands-on experiential education and increase scientific literacy. The versatility of the NASA patented AeroPod platform allows learners to investigate scientific questions that are meaningful to their community and local environment. Learn more about AREN and how to implement AREN technologies in the classroom: https://science.nasa.gov/sciact-team/resa/
AREN is supported by NASA under NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Education Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) Solicitation NNH15ZDA004C Award Number NNX16AB95A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn
Kite with Aeropod for Collecting Data
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Last Updated Oct 25, 2024 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms
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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Francisco Rodriguez (aircraft mechanic) services liquid oxygen or LOX on the ER-2 during the Geological Earth Mapping Experiment (GEMx) research project. Experts like Rodriguez sustain a high standard of safety on airborne science aircraft like the ER-2 and science missions like GEMx. The ER-2 is based out of NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA/Steve Freeman Operating at altitudes above 99% of the Earth’s atmosphere, NASA’s ER-2 aircraft is the agency’s highest-flying airborne science platform. With its unique ability to observe from as high as 65,000 feet, the ER-2 aircraft is often a platform for Earth science that facilitates new and crucial information about our planet, especially when the plane is part of collaborative and multidisciplinary projects.
“We’re deploying instruments and people everywhere from dry lakebeds in the desert to coastal oceans and from the stratosphere to marine layer clouds just above the surface,” said Kirk Knobelspiesse, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. “We live on a changing planet, and it is through collaborative projects that we can observe and understand those changes.”
One mission that recently benefitted from the ER-2’s unique capabilities is the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem Postlaunch Airborne eXperiment (PACE-PAX) project. The PACE-PAX mission uses the ER-2’s capabilities to confirm data collected from the PACE satellite, which launched in February 2024.
The PACE observatory is making novel measurements of the ocean, atmosphere, and land surfaces, noted Knobelspiesse, the mission scientist for PACE-PAX. This mission is all about checking the accuracy of those new satellite measurements.
Sam Habbal (quality inspector), Darick Alvarez (aircraft mechanic), and Juan Alvarez (crew chief) work on the network “canoe” on top of the ER-2 aircraft, which provides network communication with the pilot onboard. Experts like these sustain a high standard of safety while outfitting instruments onboard science aircraft like the ER-2 and science missions like the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem Postlaunch Airborne eXperiment (PACE-PAX) mission. The ER-2 is based out of NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA/Genaro Vavuris “The ER-2 is the ideal platform for PACE-PAX because it’s about the closest we can get to putting instruments in orbit without actually doing so,” Knobelspiesse said.
The collaborative project includes a diverse team of researchers from across NASA, plus the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON), the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, the Naval Postgraduate School, and other institutions.
Similarly, the Geological Earth Mapping eXperiment (GEMx) science mission is using the ER-2 over multiple years to collect observations of critical mineral resources across the Western United States.
“Flying at this altitude means the GEMx mission can acquire wide swaths of data with every overflight,” said Kevin Reath, NASA’s associate project manager for the GEMx mission, a collaboration between the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA.
The ER-2 conducted over 80 flight hours in service of the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem Postlaunch Airborne eXperiment (PACE-PAX) mission. The ER-2 is uniquely qualified to conduct the high-altitude scientific flights that this project required, and is based at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA/Genaro Vavuris The GEMx team collects visible, shortwave infrared, and thermal infrared data using instruments installed onboard the ER-2. Combining these instruments with the aircraft’s capability to fly at high altitudes bears promising results.
“The dataset being produced is the largest airborne surface mineralogy dataset captured in a single NASA campaign,” Reath said. “These data could help inform federal, tribal, state, and community leaders to make decisions that protect or develop our environment.”
Learn more about the ER-2 aircraft.
Learn more about the PACE-PAX mission.
Learn more about the GEMx mission.
Learn more about NASA’s Airborne Science Program.
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Last Updated Oct 24, 2024 EditorDede DiniusContactErica HeimLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related Terms
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By European Space Agency
The Copernicus Sentinel Expansion Missions are a major leap forward in Europe’s Earth observation capabilities. With the United Kingdom’s re-entry to the EU’s Copernicus programme, funding has been confirmed to complete the development of all six Copernicus Sentinel Expansion Missions, as discussed this week during the International Astronautical Congress taking place in Milan, Italy.
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