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By NASA
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
NASA marked a key milestone Feb. 18 with installation of RS-25 engine No. E20001, the first new production engine to help power the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on future Artemis missions to the Moon.
The engine, built by lead SLS engines contractor L3Harris (formerly Aerojet Rocketdyne), was installed on the Fred Haise Test Stand in preparation for acceptance testing next month. It represents the first of 24 new flight engines being built for missions, beginning with Artemis V.
Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center deliver, lift, and install the first new production RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand on Feb. 18.NASA/Danny Nowlin Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center deliver, lift, and install the first new production RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand on Feb. 18.NASA/Danny Nowlin Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center deliver, lift, and install the first new production RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand on Feb. 18.NASA/Danny Nowlin Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center deliver, lift, and install the first new production RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand on Feb. 18.NASA/Danny Nowlin Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center deliver, lift, and install the first new production RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand on Feb. 18.NASA/Danny Nowlin Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center deliver, lift, and install the first new production RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand on Feb. 18.NASA/Danny Nowlin Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center deliver, lift, and install the first new production RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand on Feb. 18.NASA/Danny Nowlin Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center deliver, lift, and install the first new production RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand on Feb. 18.NASA/Danny Nowlin Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center deliver, lift, and install the first new production RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand on Feb. 18.NASA/Danny Nowlin Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center deliver, lift, and install the first new production RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand on Feb. 18.NASA/Danny Nowlin Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center deliver, lift, and install the first new production RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand on Feb. 18.NASA/Danny Nowlin Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center deliver, lift, and install the first new production RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand on Feb. 18.NASA/Danny Nowlin Teams at NASA’s Stennis Space Center deliver, lift, and install the first new production RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand on Feb. 18.NASA/Danny Nowlin The NASA Stennis test team will conduct a full-duration, 500-second hot fire, providing critical performance data to certify the engine for use on a future mission. During missions to the Moon, RS-25 engines fire for about 500 seconds and up to the 111% power level to help launch SLS, with the Orion spacecraft, into orbit.
The engine arrived at the test stand from the L3Harris Engine Assembly Facility on the engine transport trailer before being lifted onto the vertical engine installer (VEI) on the west side deck. After rolling the engine into the stand, the team used the VEI to raise and secure it in place.
The upcoming acceptance test follows two certification test series that helped verify the new engine production process and components meet all performance requirements. Four RS-25 engines help launch SLS, producing up to 2 million pounds of combined thrust.
All RS-25 engines for Artemis missions are tested and proven flightworthy at NASA Stennis prior to use. RS-25 tests are conducted by a team of operators from NASA, L3Harris, and Syncom Space Services, prime contractor for site facilities and operations.
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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
NASA / Getty Images NASA has selected two new university student teams to participate in real-world aviation research challenges meant to transform the skies above our communities.
The research awards were made through NASA’s University Student Research Challenge (USRC), which provides students with opportunities to contribute to NASA’s flight research goals.
This round is notable for including USRC’s first-ever award to a community college: Cerritos Community College.
We’re trying to tap into the community college talent pool to bring new students to the table for aeronautics.
steven holz
NASA Project Manager
“We’re trying to tap into the community college talent pool to bring new students to the table for aeronautics,” said Steven Holz, who manages the USRC award process. “Innovation comes from everywhere, and people with different viewpoints, educational backgrounds, and experiences like those in our community colleges are also interested in aeronautics and looking to make a difference.”
Real World Research Awards
Through USRC, students interact with real-world aspects of the research ecosystem both in and out of the laboratory. They will manage their own research projects, utilize state-of-the-art technology, and work alongside accomplished aeronautical researchers. Students are expected to make unique contributions to NASA’s research priorities.
USRC provides more than just experience in technical research.
Each team of students selected receives a USRC grant from NASA – and is tasked with the additional challenge of raising funds from the public through student-led crowdfunding. The process helps students develop skills in entrepreneurship and public communication.
The new university teams and research topics are:
Cerritos Community College
“Project F.I.R.E. (Fire Intervention Retardant Expeller)” will explore how to mitigate wildfires by using environmentally friendly fire-retardant pellets dropped from drones. Cerritos Community College’s team includes lead Angel Ortega Barrera as well as Larisa Mayoral, Paola Mayoral Jimenez, Jenny Rodriguez, Logan Stahl, and Juan Villa, with faculty mentor Janet McLarty-Schroeder. This team also successfully participated with the same research topic in in NASA’s Gateway to Blue Skies competition, which aims to expand engagement between the NASA’s University Innovation project and universities, industry, and government partners.
Colorado School of Mines
The project “Design and Prototyping of a 9-phase Dual-Rotor Motor for Supersonic Electric Turbofan” will work on a scaled-down prototype for an electric turbofan for supersonic aircraft. The Colorado School of Mines team includes lead Mahzad Gholamian as well as Garret Reader, Mykola Mazur, and Mirali Seyedrezaei, with faculty mentor Omid Beik.
Complete details on USRC awardees and solicitations, such as what to include in a proposal and how to submit it, are available on the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate solicitation page.
About the Author
John Gould
Aeronautics Research Mission DirectorateJohn Gould is a member of NASA Aeronautics' Strategic Communications team at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. He is dedicated to public service and NASA’s leading role in scientific exploration. Prior to working for NASA Aeronautics, he was a spaceflight historian and writer, having a lifelong passion for space and aviation.
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Last Updated Feb 18, 2025 EditorJim BankeContactSteven Holzsteven.m.holz@nasa.gov Related Terms
Aeronautics Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate Flight Innovation Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program University Innovation University Student Research Challenge View the full article
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By NASA
2 min read
NASA Science: Being Responsive to Executive Orders
February 18, 2025
To the NASA Science Community –
As the nation’s leader in Earth and space science, NASA Science operates within the broader context of the federal government and its priorities. As part of the Executive Branch, we are always responsive to the direction set by the Administration, including executive orders and policy guidance that relate to our programs and activities.
We are working as quickly as possible to implement these Executive Orders and related policies. We understand that these priorities can have tangible effects on our community, from potential changes in solicitations and mission planning to impacts on grants and research programs. We recognize that uncertainty can be challenging but we are committed to keeping you as informed as possible as we comply with these changes.
Our goal remains steadfast: to support groundbreaking science that advances knowledge and benefits society. As we work through these transitions, we are engaging with stakeholders, assessing implications, and ensuring that we continue to deliver on NASA’s science mission.
We appreciate your patience and dedication, and we will share more details as they become available. Thank you for your continued partnership in advancing NASA Science for the benefit of the nation.
-Nicky Fox
Associate Administrator, NASA Science Mission Directorate
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Last Updated Feb 18, 2025 Related Terms
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By NASA
The 2024 Annual Highlights of Results from the International Space Station is now available. This new edition contains updated bibliometric analyses, a list of all the publications documented in fiscal year 2024, and synopses of the most recent and recognized scientific findings from investigations conducted on the space station. These investigations are sponsored by NASA and all international partners – CSA (Canadian Space Agency), ESA (European Space Agency), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and the State Space Corporation Roscosmos (Roscosmos) – for the advancement of science, technology, and education.
Dr. Dmitry Oleynikov remotely operates a surgical robot aboard the Space Station using controls at the Virtual Incision offices in Lincoln, Nebraska. Robotic Surgery Tech Demo tests techniques for performing a simulated surgical procedure in microgravity using a miniature surgical robot that can be remotely controlled from Earth. Credits: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2024, more than 350 publications were reported. With approximately 40% of the research produced in collaboration between more than two countries and almost 80% of the high-impact studies published in the past seven years, station has continued to generate compelling and influential science above national and global standards since 2010.
The results achieved from station research provide insights that advance the commercialization of space and benefit humankind.
Some of the findings presented in this edition include:
Improved machine learning algorithms to detect space debris (Italian Space Agency, Roscosmos, ESA) Visuospatial processing before and after spaceflight (CSA) Metabolic changes during fasting intervals in astronauts (ESA) Vapor bubble production for the improvement of thermal systems (NASA) Immobilization of particles for the development of optical materials (JAXA) Maintained function of cardiac 3D stem cells after weeks of exposure to space (NASA) The content in the Annual Highlights of Results from the International Space Station has been reviewed and approved by the International Space Station Program Science Forum, a team of scientists and administrators representing NASA and international partners that are dedicated to planning, improving, and communicating the research operated on the space station.
[See the list of Station Research Results publications here and find the current edition of the Annual Highlights of Results here.]
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By NASA
Modeling properties of thunderstorm discharges
Researchers report detailed physical properties of different types of corona discharges, including single- and multi-pulse blue discharges linked to powerful but short-lived electrical bursts near the tops of clouds. These details provide a reference for further investigation into the physical mechanisms behind these discharges and their role in the initiation of lightning, an important problem in lightning physics.
An ESA (European Space Agency) instrument used to study thunderstorms, Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) provides insights into their role in Earth’s atmosphere and climate, including mechanisms behind the creation of lightning. Understanding how thunderstorms and lightning disturb the upper atmosphere could improve atmospheric models along with climate and weather predictions. These high-altitude discharges also affect aircraft and spacecraft safety.
An artist’s impression of a blue jet as observed from the International Space Station.Mount Visual/University of Bergen/DTU Space Evaluating effects of climate change on oceans
Researchers conclude that the space station’s ECOSTRESS instrument yields highly accurate sea surface temperature data. Given the instrument’s global coverage and high spatial resolution, these data have potential use in studies of biological and physical oceanography to evaluate regional and local effects of climate change.
ECOSTRESS resolves oceanographic features not detectable in imagery from NOAA’s Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite satellite, and has open-ocean coverage, unlike Landsat. Satellites are a fundamental tool to measure sea surface temperatures, which are rising across all oceans due to atmospheric warming induced by climate change.
The ECOSTRESS instrument, the white box in the center, is visible on the outside of the station.NASA Describing a gamma ray burst
Researchers report detailed observations and analysis of emissions from an exceptionally bright gamma ray burst (GRB), 210619B, detected by the station’s ASIM and other satellite and ground-based instruments. These observations could be useful in determining various properties of GRBs and how they change during different phases.
Believed to be generated by the collapse of massive stars, GRBs are the brightest, most explosive transient electromagnetic events in the universe. ASIM can observe thunderstorm discharges difficult to observe from the ground. It has a mode where a detected event triggers observation and onboard storage of data.
A view of ASIM mounted on the outside of the space station. NASAView the full article
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