Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site
-
Similar Topics
-
By NASA
NASA astronaut Nick Hague with the International Space Station’s amateur or ham radio equipment during his current mission (right) and a previous flight five years ago (left)NASA How it started versus how it’s going for astronaut Nick Hague with ISS Ham Radio on the space station.
Since November 2000, crew members like Hague have used ham radio to communicate with people on Earth through this educational program, also known as Amateur Radio on the International Space Station or ARISS. So far, there have been more than 1,700 events, directly engaging students and listeners from 49 U.S. states, 63 countries, and all seven continents. Students study the space station, radio waves, amateur radio technology, and related topics before their call from space, which encourages interest in STEM.
Now through Nov 17, 2024, ARISS is accepting applications from formal and informal educational institutions and organizations that want to host events in summer or fall of 2025. There is no charge for these calls from space, although host locations may incur some equipment-related costs. Local amateur radio clubs help hosts prepare for their contacts.
Read about how ISS Ham Radio and other station programs inspire students.
Melissa Gaskill
International Space Station Research Communications Team
Johnson Space Center
View the full article
-
By NASA
4 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
NASA’s Perseverance rover captured the silhouette of the Martian moon Phobos as it passed in front of the Sun on Sept. 30, 2024. The video shows the transit speeded up by four times, followed by the eclipse in real time. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS/SSI The tiny, potato-shaped moon Phobos, one of two Martian moons, cast a silhouette as it passed in front of the Sun, creating an eye in Mars’ sky.
From its perch on the western wall of Mars’ Jezero Crater, NASA’s Perseverance rover recently spied a “googly eye” peering down from space. The pupil in this celestial gaze is the Martian moon Phobos, and the iris is our Sun.
Captured by the rover’s Mastcam-Z on Sept. 30, the 1,285th Martian day of Perseverance’s mission, the event took place when the potato-shaped moon passed directly between the Sun and a point on the surface of Mars, obscuring a large part of the Sun’s disc. At the same time that Phobos appeared as a large black disc rapidly moving across the face of the Sun, its shadow, or antumbra, moved across the planet’s surface.
Astronomer Asaph Hall named the potato-shaped moon in 1877, after the god of fear and panic in Greek mythology; the word “phobia” comes from Phobos. (And the word for fear of potatoes, and perhaps potato-shaped moons, is potnonomicaphobia.) He named Mars’ other moon Deimos, after Phobos’ mythological twin brother.
Roughly 157 times smaller in diameter than Earth’s Moon, Phobos is only about 17 miles (27 kilometers) at its widest point. Deimos is even smaller.
Rapid Transit
Because Phobos’ orbit is almost perfectly in line with the Martian equator and relatively close to the planet’s surface, transits of the moon occur on most days of the Martian year. Due to its quick orbit (about 7.6 hours to do a full loop around Mars), a transit of Phobos usually lasts only 30 seconds or so.
This is not the first time that a NASA rover has witnessed Phobos blocking the Sun’s rays. Perseverance has captured several Phobos transits since landing at Mars’ Jezero Crater in February 2021. Curiosity captured a video in 2019. And Opportunity captured an image in 2004.
By comparing the various images, scientists can refine their understanding of the moon’s orbit to learn how it’s changing. Phobos is getting closer to Mars and is predicted to collide with it in about 50 million years.
More About Perseverance
Arizona State University leads the operations of the Mastcam-Z instrument, working in collaboration with Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, on the design, fabrication, testing, and operation of the cameras, and in collaboration with the Niels Bohr Institute of the University of Copenhagen on the design, fabrication, and testing of the calibration targets.
A key objective for Perseverance’s mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).
Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples from the surface and return them to Earth for in-depth analysis.
The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.
Space Science Institute produced this video.
For more about Perseverance:
https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020
News Media Contacts
Karen Fox / Molly Wasser
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-9011
agle@jpl.nasa.gov
2024-150
Share
Details
Last Updated Oct 30, 2024 Related Terms
Perseverance (Rover) Astrobiology Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mars Mars 2020 Explore More
2 min read NASA Brings Drone and Space Rover to Air Show
Article 47 mins ago 3 min read La NASA lleva un dron y un rover espacial a un espectáculo aéreo
Article 48 mins ago 4 min read NASA Technologies Named Among TIME Inventions of 2024
Article 2 hours ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics
Missions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
View the full article
-
By NASA
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
About 20,000 guests visited NASA’s tent at the Miramar Air Show in San Diego, California, Sept. 27-29, 2024. NASA Lee esta historia en Español aquí.
In September, the three NASA centers in California came together to share aerospace innovations with thousands of guests at the Miramar Air Show in San Diego, California. Agency experts talked about the exciting work NASA does while exploring the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all.
Under a large tent near the airfield, guests perused exhibits from different centers and projects, like a model of the Innovator rover or the Alta-X drone, from Sept. 27 through 29. Agency employees from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California; Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California; and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California guided guests through tours and presentations and shared messages about NASA missions.
“The airshow is about the people just as much as it is about the aircraft and technology,” said Derek Abramson, chief engineer for the Subscale Flight Research Laboratory at NASA Armstrong. “I met many new people, worked with an amazing team, and developed a comradery with other NASA centers, talking about what we do here as a cohesive organization.”
Experts like flight controls engineer Felipe Valdez shared the NASA mission with air show guests, and explained the novelty of airborne instruments like the Alta-X drone at the Miramar Air Show in San Diego, California, Sept. 27-29, 2024.NASA On Sept. 29, pilots from Armstrong joined the event to take photos with guests and answer questions from curious or enthusiastic patrons. One air show guest had a special moment with NASA pilot Jim Less.
“One of my favorite moments was connecting with a young man in his late teens who stopped by the exhibit tent numerous times, all in hopes of being able to meet Jim Less, our X-59 pilot,” said Kevin Rohrer, chief of Communications at NASA Armstrong. “It culminated with a great conversation with the two and Jim [Less] autographing a model of the X-59 aircraft the young man had been carrying around.”
“I look forward to this tradition continuing, if not at this venue, at some other event in California,” Rohrer continued. “We have a lot of minds hungry and passionate to learn more about all of NASA missions.”
The Miramar Air Show is an annual event that happens at the Miramar Air Base in San Diego, California.
Professionals like Leticha Hawkinson, center right, and Haig Arakelian, center left, shared learning and career opportunities for NASA enthusiasts visiting the Miramar Air Show in San Diego, California, Sept. 27-29, 2024.NASA Share
Details
Last Updated Oct 30, 2024 EditorDede DiniusContactErica HeimLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related Terms
Armstrong Flight Research Center Ames Research Center Careers Events Jet Propulsion Laboratory What We Do Explore More
3 min read La NASA lleva un dron y un rover espacial a un espectáculo aéreo
Article 18 mins ago 4 min read NASA Technologies Named Among TIME Inventions of 2024
Article 2 hours ago 10 min read Ken Iliff: Engineering 40 Years of Success
Article 21 hours ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
Armstrong Flight Research Center
Aircraft Flown at Armstrong
Armstrong People
Armstrong Capabilities & Facilities
View the full article
-
By NASA
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carried on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will launch from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the agency’s SpaceX 31st commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station.Credit: SpaceX NASA and SpaceX are targeting 9:29 p.m. EST, Monday, Nov. 4, for the next launch to deliver science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. This is the 31st SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the orbital laboratory for the agency.
Filled with nearly 6,000 pounds of supplies, a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Live launch coverage will begin at 9:10 p.m. on NASA+ and the agency’s website. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
NASA’s coverage of arrival will begin at 8:45 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, on NASA+ and the agency’s website. Dragon will dock autonomously to the forward port of the space station’s Harmony module.
In addition to food, supplies, and equipment for the crew, Dragon will deliver several new experiments, including the Coronal Diagnostic Experiment, to examine solar wind and how it forms. Dragon also delivers Antarctic moss to observe the combined effects of cosmic radiation and microgravity on plants. Other investigations aboard include a device to test cold welding of metals in microgravity, and an investigation that studies how space impacts different materials.
Media interested in speaking to a science subject matter expert should contact Leah Cheshier at: leah.d.cheshier@nasa.gov.
The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to remain at the space station until December when it will depart the orbiting laboratory and return to Earth with research and cargo, splashing down off the coast of Florida.
NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Monday, Nov. 4:
3:30 p.m. – Prelaunch media teleconference (no earlier than one hour after completion of the Launch Readiness Review) with the following participants:
Bill Spetch, operations and integration manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program Meghan Everett, deputy chief scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program Jared Metter, director, flight reliability, SpaceX
Media who wish to participate by phone must request dial-in information by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, by emailing Kennedy’s newsroom at: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.
Audio of the teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website.
9:10 p.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+ and the agency’s website.
9:29 p.m. – Launch
Tuesday, Nov. 5:
8:45 a.m. – Arrival coverage begins on NASA+ and the agency’s website.
10:15 a.m. – Docking
NASA website launch coverage
Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 9:10 p.m., Nov. 4, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video on NASA+ and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on our International Space Station blog for updates.
Attend Launch Virtually
Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following launch.
Watch, Engage on Social Media
Let people know you’re watching the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by following and tagging these accounts:
X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASASocial, @Space_Station, ISS_Research, @ISS National Lab
Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, ISS, ISS National Lab
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @ISS, @ISSNationalLab
Coverage en Espanol
Did you know NASA has a Spanish section called NASA en Espanol? Check out NASA en Espanol on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for additional mission coverage.
Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo o Messod Bendayan a: antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov o messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov.
Learn more about the commercial resupply mission at:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crs-31
-end-
Claire O’Shea / Josh Finch
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov / joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Stephanie Plucinsky / Steven Siceloff
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-876-2468
stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov / steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov
Share
Details
Last Updated Oct 30, 2024 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
SpaceX Commercial Resupply International Space Station (ISS) ISS Research Kennedy Space Center View the full article
-
By NASA
5 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Healing continues in the atmosphere over the Antarctic: a hole that opens annually in the ozone layer over Earth’s southern pole was relatively small in 2024 compared to other years. Scientists with NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) project the ozone layer could fully recover by 2066.
This map shows the size and shape of the ozone hole over the South Pole on Sept. 28, 2024, the day of its annual maximum extent, as calculated by the NASA Ozone Watch team. Scientists describe the ozone “hole” as the area in which ozone concentrations drop below the historical threshold of 220 Dobson units. During the peak of ozone depletion season from Sept. 7 through Oct. 13, the 2024 area of the ozone hole ranked the seventh smallest since recovery began in 1992, when the Montreal Protocol, a landmark international agreement to phase out ozone-depleting chemicals, began to take effect.
At almost 8 million square miles (20 million square kilometers), the monthly average ozone-depleted region in the Antarctic this year was nearly three times the size of the contiguous U.S. The hole reached its greatest one-day extent for the year on Sept. 28 at 8.5 million square miles (22.4 million square kilometers).
The improvement is due to a combination of continuing declines in harmful chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) chemicals, along with an unexpected infusion of ozone carried by air currents from north of the Antarctic, scientists said.
The ozone hole over Antarctica reached its annual maximum extent on Sept. 28, 2024, with an area of 8.5 million square miles (22.4 million square kilometers).
Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/ Kathleen Gaeta In previous years, NASA and NOAA have reported the ozone hole ranking using a time frame dating back to 1979, when scientists began tracking Antarctic ozone levels with satellite data. Using that longer record, this year’s hole ranked 20th smallest in area across the 45 years of observations.
“The 2024 Antarctic hole is smaller than ozone holes seen in the early 2000s,” said Paul Newman, leader of NASA’s ozone research team and chief scientist for Earth sciences at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “The gradual improvement we’ve seen in the past two decades shows that international efforts that curbed ozone-destroying chemicals are working.”
The ozone-rich layer high in the atmosphere acts as a planetary sunscreen that helps shield us from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun. Areas with depleted ozone allow more UV radiation, resulting in increased cases of skin cancer and cataracts. Excessive exposure to UV light can also reduce agricultural yields as well as damage aquatic plants and animals in vital ecosystems.
Scientists were alarmed in the 1970s at the prospect that CFCs could eat away at atmospheric ozone. By the mid-1980s, the ozone layer had been depleted so much that a broad swath of the Antarctic stratosphere was essentially devoid of ozone by early October each year. Sources of damaging CFCs included coolants in refrigerators and air conditioners, as well as aerosols in hairspray, antiperspirant, and spray paint. Harmful chemicals were also released in the manufacture of insulating foams and as components of industrial fire suppression systems.
The Montreal Protocol was signed in 1987 to phase out CFC-based products and processes. Countries worldwide agreed to replace the chemicals with more environmentally friendly alternatives by 2010. The release of CFC compounds has dramatically decreased following the Montreal Protocol. But CFCs already in the air will take many decades to break down. As existing CFC levels gradually decline, ozone in the upper atmosphere will rebound globally, and ozone holes will shrink.
Ozone 101 is the first in a series of explainer videos outlining the fundamentals of popular Earth science topics. Let’s back up to the basics and understand what caused the Ozone Hole, its effects on the planet, and what scientists predict will happen in future decades.
Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/ Kathleen Gaeta “For 2024, we can see that the ozone hole’s severity is below average compared to other years in the past three decades, but the ozone layer is still far from being fully healed,” said Stephen Montzka, senior scientist of the NOAA Global Monitoring Laboratory.
Researchers rely on a combination of systems to monitor the ozone layer. They include instruments on NASA’s Aura satellite, the NOAA-20 and NOAA-21 satellites, and the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite, jointly operated by NASA and NOAA.
NOAA scientists also release instrumented weather balloons from the South Pole Baseline Atmospheric Observatory to observe ozone concentrations directly overhead in a measurement called Dobson Units. The 2024 concentration reached its lowest value of 109 Dobson Units on October 5. The lowest value ever recorded over the South Pole was 92 Dobson Units in October 2006.
NASA and NOAA satellite observations of ozone concentrations cover the entire ozone hole, which can produce a slightly smaller value for the lowest Dobson Unit measurement.
“That is well below the 225 Dobson Units that was typical of the ozone cover above the Antarctic in 1979,” said NOAA research chemist Bryan Johnson. “So, there’s still a long way to go before atmospheric ozone is back to the levels before the advent of widespread CFC pollution.”
View the latest status of the ozone layer over the Antarctic with NASA’s ozone watch.
By James Riordon
NASA’s Earth Science News Team
Media Contact:
Jacob Richmond
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
jacob.richmond@nasa.gov
Share
Details
Last Updated Oct 30, 2024 LocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related Terms
Ozone Layer Climate Change Earth General Explore More
4 min read 2023 Ozone Hole Ranks 16th Largest, NASA and NOAA Researchers Find
Article 12 months ago 2 min read What’s Going on with the Hole in the Ozone Layer? We Asked a NASA Scientist: Episode 44
Article 1 year ago 4 min read NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP Satellite Analyzes Saharan Dust Aerosol Blanket
Article 4 years ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics
Missions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
View the full article
-
-
Check out these Videos
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.