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By NASA
This image shows nine candidate landing regions for NASA’s Artemis III mission, with each region containing multiple potential sites for the first crewed landing on the Moon in more than 50 years. The background image of the lunar South Pole terrain within the nine regions is a mosaic of LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) WAC (Wide Angle Camera) images.Credit: NASA As NASA prepares for the first crewed Moon landing in more than five decades, the agency has identified an updated set of nine potential landing regions near the lunar South Pole for its Artemis III mission. These areas will be further investigated through scientific and engineering study. NASA will continue to survey potential areas for missions following Artemis III, including areas beyond these nine regions.
“Artemis will return humanity to the Moon and visit unexplored areas. NASA’s selection of these regions shows our commitment to landing crew safely near the lunar South Pole, where they will help uncover new scientific discoveries and learn to live on the lunar surface,” said Lakiesha Hawkins, assistant deputy associate administrator, Moon to Mars Program Office.
NASA’s Cross Agency Site Selection Analysis team, working closely with science and industry partners, added, and excluded potential landing regions, which were assessed for their science value and mission availability.
The refined candidate Artemis III lunar landing regions are, in no priority order:
Peak near Cabeus B Haworth Malapert Massif Mons Mouton Plateau Mons Mouton Nobile Rim 1 Nobile Rim 2 de Gerlache Rim 2 Slater Plain These regions contain diverse geological characteristics and offer flexibility for mission availability. The lunar South Pole has never been explored by a crewed mission and contains permanently shadowed areas that can preserve resources, including water.
“The Moon’s South Pole is a completely different environment than where we landed during the Apollo missions,” said Sarah Noble, Artemis lunar science lead at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “It offers access to some of the Moon’s oldest terrain, as well as cold, shadowed regions that may contain water and other compounds. Any of these landing regions will enable us to do amazing science and make new discoveries.”
To select these landing regions, a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers analyzed the lunar South Pole region using data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and a vast body of lunar science research. Factors in the selection process included science potential, launch window availability, terrain suitability, communication capabilities with Earth, and lighting conditions. Additionally, the team assessed the combined trajectory capabilities of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, the Orion spacecraft, and Starship HLS (Human Landing System) to ensure safe and accessible landing sites.
The Artemis III geology team evaluated the landing regions for their scientific promise. Sites within each of the nine identified regions have the potential to provide key new insights into our understanding of rocky planets, lunar resources, and the history of our solar system.
“Artemis III will be the first time that astronauts will land in the south polar region of the Moon. They will be flying on a new lander into a terrain that is unique from our past Apollo experience,” said Jacob Bleacher, NASA’s chief exploration scientist. “Finding the right locations for this historic moment begins with identifying safe places for this first landing, and then trying to match that with opportunities for science from this new place on the Moon.”
NASA’s site assessment team will engage the lunar science community through conferences and workshops to gather data, build geologic maps, and assess the regional geology of eventual landing sites. The team also will continue surveying the entire lunar South Pole region for science value and mission availability for future Artemis missions. This will include planning for expanded science opportunities during Artemis IV, and suitability for the LTV (Lunar Terrain Vehicle) as part of Artemis V.
The agency will select sites within regions for Artemis III after it identifies the mission’s target launch dates, which dictate transfer trajectories, or orbital paths, and surface environment conditions.
Under NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all.
For more information on Artemis, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis
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James Gannon / Molly Wasser
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
james.h.gannon@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Oct 28, 2024 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Artemis Artemis 3 Earth's Moon Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate Human Landing System Program Humans in Space Space Launch System (SLS) View the full article
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By European Space Agency
ESA Impact Council Edition: Your update on space achievements
An interactive publication covering captivating stories and stunning images since the last Council meeting.
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By NASA
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of an X9.0 solar flare – as seen in the bright flash in the center – on Oct. 3, 2024. This is the largest flare of Solar Cycle 25 to date.Credit: NASA NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will discuss the Sun’s activity and the progression of Solar Cycle 25 during a media teleconference at 2 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Oct. 15. Tracking the solar cycle is a key part of better understanding the Sun and mitigating its impacts on technology and infrastructure as humanity explores farther into space.
During the teleconference, experts from NASA, NOAA, and the international Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel, which is co-sponsored by both agencies, will discuss recent solar cycle progress and the forecast for the rest of this cycle.
Audio of the teleconference will stream live on the agency’s website at:
https://www.nasa.gov/live
Participants include:
Jamie Favors, director, NASA’s Space Weather Program Kelly Korreck, program scientist, NASA’s Heliophysics Division Elsayed Talaat, director, Office of Space Weather Observations, NOAA Bill Murtagh, program coordinator, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center Lisa Upton, co-chair, Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel To participate in the media teleconference, media must RSVP no later than 12 p.m. on Oct. 15, to Abbey Interrante at: abbey.a.interrante@nasa.gov.
The Sun goes through regular cycles of activity lasting approximately 11 years. During the most active part of the cycle, known as solar maximum, the Sun can unleash immense explosions of light, energy, and solar radiation, all of which create conditions known as space weather. Space weather can affect satellites and astronauts in space, as well as communications systems such as radio and GPS — and power grids on Earth. When the Sun is most active, space weather events become more frequent. Solar activity, such as the storm in May 2024, has sparked displays of aurora and led to impacts on satellites and infrastructure in recent months.
NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center is the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts.
For more information on how NASA studies the Sun and space weather, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/sun
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Karen Fox
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
karen.fox@nasa.gov
Sarah Frazier
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
202-853-7191
sarah.frazier@nasa.gov
Erica Grow Cei
NOAA’s National Weather Service, College Park, Md.
202-853-6088
erica.grow.cei@noaa.gov
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Last Updated Oct 08, 2024 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
The Sun Heliophysics Space Weather View the full article
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By NASA
For some people, working for NASA is a lifelong dream. For others, it is an interesting and perhaps unexpected opportunity that comes up at just the right time and place.
Everything from family ties and influential teachers to witnessing human spaceflight history and enjoying sci-fi entertainment has helped bring people of all backgrounds together at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Several of them recently shared their inspiration to join the NASA team.
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“As a kid, I always had my head up looking at the stars. I loved astronomy and seeing videos of humans walking on the Moon fascinated me! I wanted to be the first female to walk on the Moon. When Star Wars came out, I wanted to build my own R2-D2 that could explore the galaxies. I was curious how things worked (so I could build a robot) and a cousin told me about engineering. That was the name for what I wanted to do! So, I went to the High School for Engineering Professions in Houston. The guidance counselor there told me about an opportunity to apply for a summer internship with NASA as a junior. I got in and I’ve worked with NASA as much as I could since I was 16 years old – internships and full-time positions. I may not get the chance to be an astronaut and walk on the Moon, but I know I will play a role in helping achieve that dream for another female and a person of color!”
– Alicia Baker, engineering project manager for Portable Life Support System test support, JSC Engineering, Technology, and Science (JETS) Contract
Alicia Baker in a spacesuit test chamber at Johnson Space Center.NASA/David DeHoyos “My dad was an aerospace engineer with Lockheed Martin. I went to take your kid to work day and got to stand in front of a booster engine. I’ve wanted to work in the space industry ever since. I almost didn’t enter the field after getting my aerospace degree, but I was fortunate to take an Intro to Human Spaceflight class during my last quarter of college. Without that class and the professor (who had worked at Johnson) I wouldn’t be here today. I’m so glad my path led me here. Johnson is such a great place to be, and I can look back and tell little Margaret that we did it!”
– Margaret Kennedy, aerospace systems engineer, Engineering Directorate Crew and Thermal Systems Division
Margaret Kennedy and her dad visited Space Center Houston when she started her job at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in October 2019.Image courtesy of Margaret Kennedy “In first grade, my teacher organized a ‘Space Week’ in which we learned about outer space. Her sons – who were studying engineering in college – came and launched model rockets for us. I knew from that point on that I wanted to work at NASA when I grew up.”
– Krista Farrell, International Space Station attitude determination and control officer and motion control systems instructor; Boeing Starliner guidance, navigation, and control instructor
Krista Farrell (center) stands with members of the Expedition 71 crew. From left: NASA astronauts Jeannette Epps, Matt Dominick, and Mike Barratt; Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin; and NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson. NASA/Josh Valcarcel “I didn’t think I would ever work for NASA. But multiple professors in college encouraged me to challenge myself and do some space research. I realized that it was something that I was very passionate about. Thanks to my research work for the Europa Clipper as an undergraduate student, I got my first internship at NASA and subsequently an offer to join the Pathways Program. Now I am part of a small group of engineers that solve entry, descent, and landing problems for multiple missions on Earth, the Moon, and Mars.”
– Sergio Sandoval, guidance engineer, Engineering Directorate Flight Mechanics and Trajectory Design Branch
Sergio Sandoval helps staff a NASA table during a Johnson Space Center community engagement event.Image courtesy of Sergio Sandoval
“Dad would take me to the viewing room of the original Mission Operations Control Room (MOCR) during the Apollo era. He was one of the people supporting MOCR in the Staff Support Room. I have worked at Johnson for 27 years [as a contractor] for Lockheed Martin, Hamilton Sundstrand, and Jacobs Technology.”
– David Fanelli, software engineer, Energy Systems Test Area
“In early 1969, when I was a boy, my uncle visited the Johnson Space Center and brought back astronaut and mission photos of the recently completed Apollo 8 lunar orbiting mission. Those photos, coupled with a Saturn V rocket model I assembled, and the Time Life records and books about the Apollo space program my parents purchased for me, sparked my imagination. I knew I wanted to work for NASA one day. It wasn’t until many years later that that dream became a reality, when I joined NASA’s co-op program for college students during my second attempt to become an aeronautical engineer. After I graduated college, I began working full time as a civil servant engineer at Johnson.”
– David Fletcher, NASA lead, Gateway-Ready Avionics Integration Lab
David Fletcher (center) with his daughters Jessica (left) and Erica (right). Image courtesy of David Fletcher
“I remember watching Star Trek and Star Wars as a kid with my dad. I found some of his college notes in a box one day and thought the small, neat print on graph paper pads was really pretty. He went to the University of Texas at Austin to study astrophysics and engineering, but he never got to finish. Fast forward to 2022 and I find myself in Houston for an unknown amount of time, so I decided to go out and make some friends. I met a woman at a Geeky Game Night, and I learned that she was a food scientist at NASA! After talking some more, she told me to send her my resume. Later that week I received a call to set up an interview. I’m still in awe of how that one chance connection led me to my childhood dream of working at NASA.”
– Kristin Dillon, document/IT specialist, Space Food Systems Laboratory
“I grew up in a small agricultural village in India. My first introduction to spaceflight was reading Russian cosmonauts’ translated accounts of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project as a young girl. I am still not sure whether my father picked that book for me on a whim or with a grand dream for his daughter, but it certainly had me hooked. However, I found my true calling to make human spaceflight safer and more efficient after witnessing the Columbia mishap. India, at the time, did not have a human spaceflight program. Thus started a 20-year-long grand adventure of seeking opportunities, pursuing them, immigrating to the United States, and finding my path to NASA, which culminated in a Pathways internship at Johnson.”
– Poonampreet Kaur Josan, three-time Pathways intern, currently supporting the Human Health and Performance Directorate Habitability and Human Factors Branch
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By NASA
5 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Artist David Bowen works on “tele-present wind,” featuring grass stalks that move in response to Martian wind data previously collected by NASA’s Perseverance rover mission. Behind him sits JPL data systems architect Rishi Verma.NASA/JPL-Caltech Works in ‘Blended Worlds: Experiments in Interplanetary Imagination,’ an exhibit in Glendale, California, help shrink the universe into something tangible.
The universe is vast and filled with countless worlds, but a new exhibit at the Brand Library & Art Center in Glendale, California, aims to shrink time and space. For “Blended Worlds: Experiments in Interplanetary Imagination,” artists collaborated with scientists and engineers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to create cross-disciplinary works that help illuminate the universe by bringing art and science together.
On view from Sept. 21, 2024, to Jan. 4, 2025, the exhibition is part of “PST ART: Art & Science Collide,” an event presented by the Getty and involving more than 70 exhibitions from museums and institutions across Southern California exploring the intersection of art and science.
“The magic of art is that it enhances our experiences and interactions with the world — and in this case, our universe,” said Dr. Laurie Leshin, director of JPL in Southern California. “We’re honored to work with great artists to bring the wonders of space to our community through this exhibition, which invites us all to be part of a grand journey of exploration and discovery.”
The 126 grass stalks of “tele-present wind” are attached to mechanical tilting devices that move in response to Martian wind data.NASA/JPL-Caltech David Bowen’s installation “tele-present wind” features grass stalks attached to tilting mechanical devices that move in response to Martian wind data previously collected by NASA’s Perseverance rover mission. Helping make the effort possible were Rishi Verma, a data systems architect at JPL, and José Antonio Rodríguez-Manfredi, the principal investigator of the Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA) system on Perseverance.
For “Seismic Percussion,” artist Moon Ribas creates an interplanetary drum score by translating seismic data from Earth, the Moon, and Mars. For Mars data, JPL’s Verma worked with Nobuaki Fuji of the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, who collaborated on NASA’s now-retired InSight lander. Ceri Nunn, a JPL planetary scientist, assisted with moonquake data.
Also featured is a handwritten version of U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón’s “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa,” the poem she dedicated to NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, which is targeting an October launch and will make multiple flybys of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. The poem has been etched onto a metal plate on the spacecraft and will ride with the orbiter on its long journey.
Additional works allow visitors to experience Earth’s wonders through scents, use sound to convey the vast distances between our planet and those beyond our solar system, and blend heartbeats and other Earthly sounds with sonified data from Europa’s magnetic field.
“We were looking to create imaginative opportunities for people to connect with each other as they connect with the awe-inspiring science being conducted today,” said David Delgado, a cultural strategist and the project lead at JPL. “I know this experience has really opened the eyes of everyone collaborating on the project, and we hope it does the same for people who come to see ‘Blended Worlds.’”
As part of PST ART, a number of public programs and community events will also accompany the “Blended Worlds” gallery exhibition, including “Blended Worlds: An Evening of Art, Theater, and Science” hosted by Reggie Watts at the Alex Theatre in Glendale on Oct. 5, and “Earth Data: The Musical,” an original musical developed by Theater Arts at Caltech exploring the challenges of climate research and science as a human pursuit at Caltech’s Ramo Auditorium Nov. 1 to 3.
Artists’ collaborations with JPL and the display of their works at Glendale’s Brand Library were made possible by the generous support of the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission and the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture Trust.
More About JPL
A division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, JPL began in 1936 and ultimately built and helped launch America’s first satellite, Explorer 1, in 1958. By the end of that year, Congress established NASA and JPL became a part of the agency. Since then, JPL has managed such historic missions as Voyager, Galileo, Cassini, the Mars Exploration Rover program, the Perseverance Mars rover, and many more.
More About Glendale Library, Arts & Culture
Founded in 1907, the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture Department includes eight neighborhood libraries including the Brand Library & Art Center, a regional visual arts and music library and performance venue housed in the historic 1904 mansion of Glendale pioneer Leslie C. Brand, and the Central Library, a 93,000-square-foot center for individuals and groups to convene, collaborate, and create. The department also serves as the chief liaison to the Glendale Arts and Culture Commission which works to continually transform Glendale into an ever-evolving arts destination. Glendale Library Arts & Culture is supported in part through the efforts of the Glendale Library Arts & Culture Trust (GLACT). For more information visit GlendaleLAC.org, or contact Library, Arts & Culture at 818-548-2021 or via email at LibraryInfo@GlendaleCA.gov. Follow on Instagram, Facebook, and X at @MyGlendaleLAC.
For more information about PST ART: Art & Science Collide, visit: pst.art
News Media Contact
Matthew Segal / Melissa Pamer
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-8307 / 626-314-4928
matthew.j.segal@jpl.nasa.gov / melissa.pamer@jpl.nasa.gov
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Last Updated Sep 09, 2024 Related Terms
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