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By European Space Agency
Image: This image shows Webb’s recent observation of the asteroid 2024 YR4 using both its Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). Data from NIRCam shows reflected light, while the MIRI observations show thermal light.
On 8 March 2025, the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope turned its watchful eye toward asteroid 2024 YR4, which we now know poses no significant threat to Earth in 2032 and beyond.
This is the smallest object targeted by Webb to date, and one of the smallest objects to have its size directly measured.
Observations were taken to study the thermal properties of 2024 YR4, including how quickly it heats up and cools down and how hot it is at its current distance from the Sun. These measurements indicate that this asteroid does not share properties observed in larger asteroids. This is likely a combination of its fast spin and lack of fine-grained sand on its surface. Further research is needed, however this is considered consistent with a surface dominated by rocks that are roughly fist-sized or larger.
Asteroid 2024 YR4 was recently under close watch by the team at ESA's Near Earth Objects Coordination Centre, located in Italy. Planetary defence experts from the Agency's Space Safety programme worked with NASA and the international asteroid community to closely watch this object and refine its orbit, which was eventually determined to not pose a risk of Earth impact. Read details on this unusual campaign via ESA's Rocket Science blog and in news articles here and here.
Webb’s observations indicate that the asteroid measures roughly 60 meters (comparable to the height of a 15-story building).
The new observations from Webb not only provide unique information about 2024 YR4’s size, but can also complement ground-based observations of the object's position to help improve our understanding of the object’s orbit and future trajectory.
Note: This post highlights data from Webb science in progress, which has not yet been through the peer-review process.
[Image description: A collage of three images showing the black expanse of space. Two-thirds of the collage is taken up by the black background sprinkled with small, blurry galaxies in orange, blue, and white. There are two images in a column at the right side of the collage. On the right side of the main image, not far from the top, a very faint dot is outlined with a white square. At the right, there are two zoomed in views of this area. The top box is labeled NIRCam and shows a fuzzy dot at the center of the inset. The bottom box is labeled MIRI and shows a fuzzy pinkish dot.]
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By NASA
Explore This Section Earth Home Earth Observer Home Editor’s Corner Feature Articles Meeting Summaries News Science in the News Calendars In Memoriam More Archives 3 min read
NSTA Hyperwall Schedule
NASA Science at Commodity Classic Hyperwall Schedule, March 26-29, 2025
Join NASA in the Exhibit Hall (Booth #779) for Hyperwall Storytelling by NASA experts. Full Hyperwall Agenda below.
THURSDAY, MARCH 27
11:00 – 11:15 AM —— Do NASA Science in Your Classroom —— Marc Kuchner 11:15 – 11:30 AM —— My NASA Data Satellite Data for All —— Angie Rizzi 11:30 – 11:45 AM —— Lunar and Meteorite Sample Disk Program —— Suzanne Foxworth 11:45 – 12:00 PM —— DIY Digital Tools: Creating Smart Assets —— Jessica Swann 1:00 – 1:15 PM —— DIY: Immersive Virtual Field Trips —— Jessica Swann 1:15 – 1:30 PM —— Kahoot- Weather Terms —— Erin McKinley 1:30 – 1:45 PM —— Digital Plug and Play Lessons for Your Middle or High School Classroom —— Jessica Swann 1:45 – 2:00 PM —— Soar to New Heights with the NASA TechRise Student Challenge —— Marisa Cleghorn 2:00 – 2:15 PM —— GLOBE Clouds: Connecting Satellite Data to Your Classroom —— Jessica Taylor 2:15 – 2:30 PM —— Step Up to Remote Sensing with STELLA (Science and Technology Education for Land/Life Assessment) —— Mike Taylor 2:30 – 2:45 PM —— My NASA Data’s New Earth System Data Explorer —— Angie Rizzi 2:45 – 3:00 PM —— Apollo to Artemis: Sample Collection and Curation —— Kim Willis 3:30 – 3:45 PM —— Interactive Ways for Learners to Explore NASA Content & Assets —— Astro Materials Docent 4:00 – 4:15 PM —— Soar to New Heights with the NASA TechRise Student Challenge —— Marisa Cleghorn 4:15 – 4:30 PM —— Lunar and Meteorite Sample Disk Program —— Suzanne Foxworth 4:30 – 4:45 PM —— Step Up to Remote Sensing with STELLA (Science and Technology Education for Land/Life Assessment) —— Mike Taylor FRIDAY, MARCH 28
9:15 – 9:30 AM —— Soar to New Heights with the NASA TechRise Student Challenge —— Marisa Cleghorn 9:45 – 10:00 AM —— Interactive Ways for Learners to Explore NASA Content & Assets —— Astro Materials Docent 10:00 – 10:15 AM —— Digital Plug and Play Lessons for Your Middle or High School Classroom —— Jessica Swann 10:15 – 10:30 AM —— GLOBE Clouds: Connecting Satellite Data to Your Classroom —— Jessica Taylor 10:30 – 10:45 AM —— Do NASA Science in Your Classroom —— Marc Kuchner 10:45 – 11:00 AM —— DIY: Immersive Virtual Field Trips —— Jessica Swann 11:00 – 11:15 AM —— Apollo to Artemis: Sample Collection and Curation —— Kim Willis 11:15 – 11:30 AM —— My NASA Data’s New Earth System Data Explorer —— Angie Rizzi 11:30 – 11:45 AM —— Step Up to Remote Sensing with STELLA —— Mike Taylor 11:45 – 12:00 PM —— DIY Digital Tools: Creating Smart Assets —— Jessica Swann 1:00 – 1:15 PM —— Lunar and Meteorite Sample Disk Program —— Suzanne Foxworth 1:15 – 1:30 PM —— Soar to New Heights with the NASA TechRise Student Challenge —— Marisa Cleghorn 1:30 – 1:45 PM —— Kahoot 1:45 – 2:00 PM —— Apollo to Artemis: Sample Collection and Curation —— Kim Willis 2:00 – 2:15 PM —— Step Up to Remote Sensing with STELLA —— Mike Taylor 2:15 – 2:30 PM —— SpacePhys Lab: A Heliophysics VR Experience for Education and Outreach —— Stephen Zaffke 2:30 – 2:45 PM —— Do NASA Science in Your Classroom —— Marc Kuchner 2:45 – 3:00 PM —— GLOBE Clouds: Connecting Satellite Data to Your Classroom —— Jessica Talyor 3:30 – 3:45 PM —— Interactive Ways for Learners to Explore NASA Content & Assets —— Astro Materials Docent 3:45 – 4:00 PM —— Lunar and Meteorite Sample Disk Program —— Suzanne Foxworth 4:00 – 4:15 PM —— My NASA Data Satellite Data for All —— Angie Rizzi 4:15 – 4:30 PM —— Kahoot SATURDAY, MARCH 29
9:15 – 9:30 AM —— Apollo to Artemis: Sample Collection and Curation —— Kim Willis 9:45 – 10:00 AM —— DIY: Immersive Virtual Field Trips —— Jessica Swann 10:00 – 10:15 AM —— Lunar and Meteorite Sample Disk Program —— Suzanne Foxworth 10:15 – 10:30 AM —— Do NASA Science in Your Classroom —— Marc Kuchner 10:30 – 10:45 AM —— Digital Plug and Play Lessons for Your Middle or High School Classroom —— Jessica Swann 10:45 – 11:00 AM —— Step Up to Remote Sensing with STELLA (Science and Technology Education for Land/Life Assessment) —— Mike Taylor 11:15 – 11:30 AM —— DIY Digital Tools: Creating Smart Assets —— Jessica Swann 11:30 – 11:45 AM —— Kahoot 11:45 – 12:00 PM —— My NASA Data’s New Earth System Data Explorer —— Angie Rizzi Share
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Last Updated Mar 26, 2025 Related Terms
Earth Science View the full article
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By NASA
The innovative team of engineers and scientists from NASA, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, and more than 40 other partner organizations across the country that created the Parker Solar Probe mission has been awarded the 2024 Robert J. Collier Trophy by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA). This annual award recognizes the most exceptional achievement in aeronautics and astronautics in America with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles in the previous year.
“Congratulations to the entire Parker Solar Probe team for this well-earned recognition,” said NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro. “This mission’s trailblazing research is rewriting the textbooks on solar science by going to a place no human-made object has ever been and advancing NASA’s efforts to better understand our solar system and the Sun’s influence, with lasting benefits for us all. As the first to touch the Sun and fastest human-made object ever built, Parker Solar Probe is a testament to human ingenuity and discovery.”
An artist’s concept of NASA’s Parker Solar Probe. NASA On Dec. 24, 2024, Parker Solar Probe made its closest approach to the Sun, passing deep within the Sun’s corona, just 3.8 million miles above the Sun’s surface and at a top speed of close to 430,000 mph, ushering in a new era of scientific discovery and space exploration.
“This award is a recognition of the unrelenting dedication and hard work of the Parker Solar Probe team. I am so proud of this team and honored to have been a part of it,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “By studying the Sun closer than ever before, we continue to advance our understanding of not only our closest star, but also stars across our universe. Parker Solar Probe’s historic close approaches to the Sun are a testament to the incredible engineering that made this record-breaking journey possible.”
Three novel aerospace technology advancements were critical to enabling this record performance: The first is the Thermal Protection System, or heat shield, that protects the spacecraft and is built to withstand brutal temperatures as high as 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. The Thermal Protection System allows Parker’s electronics and instruments to operate close to room temperature.
Additional Parker innovations included first-of-their-kind actively cooled solar arrays that protect themselves from overexposure to intense solar energy while powering the spacecraft, and a fully autonomous spacecraft system that can manage its own flight behavior, orientation, and configuration for months at a time. Parker has relied upon all of these vital technologies every day since its launch almost seven years ago, in August 2018.
“I am thrilled for the Parker Solar Probe team on receiving this well-deserved award,” said Joe Westlake, director of the Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. “The new information about the Sun made available through this mission will improve our ability to prepare for space weather events across the solar system, as well as better understand the very star that makes life possible for us on Earth.”
Parker’s close-up observations of solar events, such as coronal mass ejections and solar particle events, are critical to advancing our understanding of the science of our Sun and the phenomena that drive high-energy space weather events that pose risks to satellites, air travel, astronauts, and even power grids on Earth. Understanding the fundamental physics behind events which drive space weather will enable more reliable predictions and lower astronaut exposure to hazardous radiation during future deep space missions to the Moon and Mars.
“This amazing team brought to life an incredibly difficult space science mission that had been studied, and determined to be impossible, for more than 60 years. They did so by solving numerous long-standing technology challenges and dramatically advancing our nation’s spaceflight capabilities,” said APL Director Ralph Semmel. “The Collier Trophy is well-earned recognition for this phenomenal group of innovators from NASA, APL, and our industry and research partners from across the nation.”
First awarded in 1911, the Robert J. Collier Trophy winner is selected by a group of aviation leaders chosen by the NAA. The Collier Trophy is housed in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington.
“Traveling three times closer to the Sun and seven times faster than any spacecraft before, Parker’s technology innovations enabled humanity to reach inside the Sun’s atmosphere for the first time,” said Bobby Braun, head of APL’s Space Exploration Sector. “We are all immensely proud that the Parker Solar Probe team will join a long legacy of prestigious aerospace endeavors that redefined technology and changed history.”
“The Parker Solar Probe team’s achievement in earning the 2024 Collier is a shining example of determination, genius, and teamwork,” said NAA President and CEO Amy Spowart. “It’s a distinct honor for the NAA to acknowledge and celebrate the remarkable team that turned the impossible into reality.”
Parker Solar Probe was developed as part of NASA’s Living With a Star program to explore aspects of the Sun-Earth system that directly affect life and society. The Living With a Star program is managed by the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Applied Physics Laboratory designed, built, and operates the spacecraft and manages the mission for NASA.
By Geoff Brown
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
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Last Updated Mar 25, 2025 Editor Sarah Frazier Contact Abbey Interrante abbey.a.interrante@nasa.gov Location Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms
Heliophysics Goddard Space Flight Center Heliophysics Division Parker Solar Probe (PSP) The Sun Explore More
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By NASA
Explore This Section Earth Home Earth Observer Home Editor’s Corner Feature Articles Meeting Summaries News Science in the News Calendars In Memoriam More Archives 3 min read
Commodity Classic Hyperwall Schedule
NASA Science at AMS Hyperwall Schedule, January 13-16, 2025
Join NASA in the Exhibit Hall (Booth #401) for Hyperwall Storytelling by NASA experts. Full Hyperwall Agenda below.
MONDAY, JANUARY 13
6:10 – 6:25 PM The Golden Age of Ocean Science: How NASA’s Newest Missions Advance the Study of Oceans in our Earth System Dr. Karen St. Germain 6:25 – 6:40 PM Integration of Vantage Points and Approaches for Earth System Science Dr. Jack Kaye 6:45 – 7:00 PM Helio Big Year Wind-Down and a Look Ahead Dr. Joseph Westlake 7:00 – 7:15 PM Chasing Snowstorms with Airplanes: An Overview of the IMPACTS Field Campaign John Yorks
Lynn McMurdie 7:15 – 7:30 PM NASA Earth Action Empowering Health and Air Quality Communities Dr. John Haynes TUESDAY, JANUARY 14
10:00 – 10:15 AM Earthdata Applications Hannah Townley 10:15 – 10:30 AM Climate Adaptation Science Investigators (CASI): Enhancing Climate Resilience at NASA Cynthia Rosenzweig 10:30 – 10:45 AM From Orbit to Earth: Exploring the LEO Science Digest Jeremy Goldstein 12:00 – 12:15 PM Visualizaiton of the May 10-11 ‘Gannon’ Geospace Storm Michael Wiltberger 12:15 – 12:30 PM Explore Space Weather Through the Community Coordinated Modeling Center and OpenSpace Elana Resnick 12:30 – 12:45 PM Satellite Needs Working Group (SNWG): US Government Agencies’ Source of NASA ESD-wide Earth Observations solutions Natasha Sadoff 12:45 – 1:00 PM Connecting Satellite Data to the One Health Approach Helena Chapman 1:00 – 1:15 PM A Bird’s-Eye View of Pollution in Asian Megacities Laura Judd 1:15 – 1:30 PM Space Weather at Mars Gina DiBraccio
Jamie Favors 3:00 – 3:15 PM Open Science: Creating a Culture of Innovation and Collaboration Lauren Perkins 3:15 – 3:30 PM NASA’s Early Career Reseach Program Paving the Way Cynthia Hall
Yaítza Luna-Cruz 3:30 – 3:45 PM SciX: Accelerating Discovery of NASA’s Science through Open Science and Domain Integration Anna Kelbert 6:15 – 6:30 PM Using NASA IMERG to Detect Extreme Rainfall Within Data Deserts Owen Kelley
George Huffman 6:30 – 6:45 PM Satellite Remote Sensing of Aerosols Around the World Rob Levy 6:45 – 7:00 PM The Sun, Space Weather, and You Jim Spann
Erin Lynch 7:00 – 7:15 PM Eyes on the Stars: The Building of a 21st-century Solar Observatory Ame Fox
Dr. Elsayed Talaat 7:15 – 7:30 PM NASA ESTO: Launchpad for Novel Earth Science Technologies Michael Seablom WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15
10:00 – 10:15 AM Parker Solar Probe Outreach and the Power of Indigenous Thought Leaders Troy Cline 10:15 – 10:30 AM Forecasting Extreme Weather Events at Local Scales with NASA High-Resolution Models Gary Partyka 10:30 – 10:45 AM North American Land Data Assimilation System: Informing Water and Agricultural Management Applications with NASA Modeling and Remote Sensing Sujay Kumar 12:00 – 12:15 PM Life After Launch: A Snapshot of the First 9 Months of NASA’s PACE Mission Carina Poulin 12:15 – 12:30 PM Space Weather and the May 2024 Geomagnetic Storm Antti Pulkkinen 12:30 – 12:45 PM Geospace Dynamics Constellation: The Space Weather Rosetta Stone Dr. Katherine Garcia Gage 12:45 – 1:00 PM Monitoring Sea Level Change using ICESat-2 and other NASA EO Missions Aimee Neeley 1:00 – 1:15 PM Space Weather Center of Excellence CLEAR: All-CLEAR SEP Forecast Lulu Zhao 1:15 – 1:30 PM Harnessing the Power of NASA Earth Observations for a Resilient Water Future Stephanie Granger 3:00 – 3:15 PM From EARTHDATA to Action: Enabling Earth Science Data to Serve Society Jim O’Sullivan
Yaitza Luna-Cruz 3:15 – 3:30 PM GMAO and GEOS Related Talk TBD Christine Bloecker 3:30 – 3:45 PM Live Heliophysics Kahoot! Quiz Bowl Jimmy Acevedo 3:45 – 4:00 PM Parker Solar Probe Nour Rawaf THURSDAY, JANUARY 16
10:00 – 10:15 AM Sounds of Space: Sonification with CDAWeb Alex Young 10:30 – 10:45 AM Developing the Future of Microwave Sounding Data: Benefits and Opportunities Ed Kim Share
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Last Updated Feb 27, 2025 Related Terms
Earth Science View the full article
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By NASA
Explore This Section Earth Home Earth Observer Home Editor’s Corner Feature Articles Meeting Summaries News Science in the News Calendars In Memoriam More Archives 8 min read
AGU 2024: NASA Science on Display in the Nation’s Capital
Introduction
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) returned to the nation’s capital in 2024, hosting its annual meeting at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC from December 9–14, 2024. NASA Science upheld its long-standing tradition as an AGU partner and exhibitor, leveraging the meeting as an opportunity to share NASA’s cutting-edge research, data, and technology with the largest collection of Earth and planetary science professionals in the world. Many of the estimated 25,000 students, scientists, and industry personnel who attended the conference visited the NASA Science exhibit, interacting with NASA subject matter experts as detailed in the essay that follows – see Photo 1. Visitors also watched live Hyperwall presentations and collected NASA Science outreach materials, such as the 2025 NASA Science Planning Guide.
Photo 1. Paulo Younse [NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Robotics Systems Group—Engineer,] poses with a model of the sample tube he designed for the caching architecture that was used on NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission. Photo credit: NASA Highlights from the NASA Science Exhibit
NASA Hyperwall Stories
The NASA Hyperwall has been a focal point of the agency’s outreach efforts for over two decades, serving as both a powerful storytelling platform and the primary vehicle through which the public engages with the award-winning visualizations published by NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS) – see Photo 2. Forty-nine NASA mission scientists and program representatives shared NASA science with the public from the Hyperwall stage during AGU24. NASA leadership shared mission news and outlined upcoming research across all five of the NASA Science divisions: Earth science, planetary science, heliophysics, astrophysics, and biological and physical sciences – see Photos 3–8. A catalog of NASA project scientists and mission representatives, who provided colorful overviews of everything from NASA’s Mars Sample Return to the Parker Solar Probe’s historic flyby of the Sun, delivered additional presentations.
Photo 2. Mark Subbarao [NASA GSFC—Director of NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio] highlighted key visualizations produced by NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio during 2024 and presented them as a countdown of the top 10 visualizations of the year. Photo credit: NASA The complete AGU24 Hyperwall schedule is available at this link. Readers can view YouTube videos of the presentations via links over the individual names in the photo captions below.
Photo 3. Nicola Fox [NASA HQ—Associate Administrator of Science Mission Directorate] kicked off the week’s Hyperwall storytelling series by sharing 12 images selected for the 2025 NASA Science Planning Guide. Each image underscores the beauty of the natural world and the inherent value of scientific endeavors undertaken not only at NASA but by citizens around the globe. Photo credit: NASA Photo 4. Karen St. Germain [NASA HQ—Director of the Earth Science Division] provided audience members with an overview of NASA’s Earth Science Division – including the latest science from the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and Ecosystems (PACE) mission. Photo credit: NASA Photo 5. Jack Kaye [NASA HQ—Director of the Airborne Science Program] highlighted key airborne science missions that flew in 2024 and demonstrated the broad list of airborne satellites and instruments and how their applications enable the advancement of Earth science research around the globe. Photo credit: NASA Photo 6. Joseph Westlake [NASA HQ—Director of the Heliophysics Division] delivered a talk in front of the NASA Hyperwall that captured the groundbreaking research that NASA has planned for the culmination of the Heliophysics Big Year, including mission news related to the Parker Solar Probe, Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), and Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites (TRACERS). Photo credit: NASA Photo 7. Mark Clampin [NASA HQ—Director of the Astrophysics Division] gave AGU attendees a glimpse of NASA missions that will help researchers around the globe observe distant worlds and answer profound questions about the physics of the universe beyond our solar system. His presentation centered around the impact of the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Telescope and Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). Photo credit: NASA Photo 8. Lisa Carnell [NASA HQ—Director of the Biological Sciences Division], who sits at the helm of NASA’s newest scientific division, gave an overview of the current and future NASA research that is enhancing our understanding of how humans can live and work in space. Photo credit: NASA During AGU, NASA also celebrated the winners of the 2024 AGU Michael Freilich Student Visualization Competition, an annual competition honoring former NASA Earth Science Division director Michael Freilich that inspires students to develop creative strategies for effectively communicating complex scientific problems – see Photo 9. See the summary of “Symposium on Earth Science and Applications from Space…” [The Earth Observer, Mar–Apr 2020, Volume 32 Issue 3, 4–18] to learn more about Freilich’s career at NASA and impact on Earth science. A list of the award’s past recipients, dating back to the 2016, is published on AGU’s website.
Photo 9a. In partnership with AGU, student winners of the 2024 AGU Michael Freilich Student Visualization Competition received prizes and presented their work at the NASA hyperwall stage. Steve Platnick [NASA GSFC—Research Scientist for Earth Science Division ] [left with back to camera] congratulates Caitlin Haedrich [NC State University—Ph.D. candidate, contest winner (CW)]. Photo credit: NASA Photo 9b. Standing on the NASA Hyperwall stage [left to right] are Erik Hankin [AGU—Assistant Director of Career and Student Programs], Barry Lefer [NASA HQ—Program Manager for the Tropospheric Composition Program (TCP)], Mya Thomas [University of Missouri-Kansas City—Undergraduate Student. CW], Mariliee Karinshak [Washington University in St. Louis—Undergraduate Student, CW], Swati Singh [Auburn University—PhD Candidate, CW], Crisel Suarez [Vanderbilt University—PhD Candidate, CW], and Steve Graham [GSFC/Global Science & Technology Inc.—NASA Science Support Office Task Leader]. Photo credit: NASA Photo 9c. Patrick Kerwin [University of Arizona—Graduate Student, CW] delivers his award-winning talk titled Earth Observation for Disaster Response: Highlighting Applied Products. Photo credit: NASA
Face-to-face With NASA Experts
AGU opened its exhibit hall to the public at 10:00 AM on December 9. Thousands of eager attendees poured into the space to engage with exhibit staff, representing a variety of universities, research institutions, and private organizations from around the world.
Photo 10. AGU attendees explore the NASA Science exhibit space shortly after the exhibit hall opened on December 9. Photo credit: NASA Photo 11a. AGU meeting participants anticipate the distribution of the NASA Science Planning Guide each year, which features artwork from Science Mission Directorate (SMD) art director Jenny Mottar and a collection of science images curated by SMD leadership. Photo credit: NASA Photo 11b. AGU meeting participants anticipate the distribution of the NASA Science Planning Guide each year, which features artwork from Science Mission Directorate (SMD) art director Jenny Mottar and a collection of science images curated by SMD leadership. Photo credit: NASA
NASA Science welcomed AGU attendees, who gathered within the perimeter of the exhibit shortly after opening – see Photo 10 – where NASA staff distributed the 2025 NASA Science Planning Guide – see Photo 11.
Attendees filtered through the NASA Science booth by the thousands, where more than 130 outreach specialists and subject matter experts from across the agency were available to share mission-specific science and interface directly with members of the public – see Photos 12–15.
Photo 12. The NASA Science booth included a collection of exhibit tables, where mission scientists and outreach specialists shared information and materials specific to various NASA missions and programs. Photo credit: NASA Photo 13. Outreach specialists from NASA’s Dragonfly mission, which plans to send a robotic aircraft to the surface of Saturn’s moon Titan, speak with attendees in front of a to-scale model of the aircraft. Photo credit: NASA Photo 14. Staff from NASA’s astrobiology program share a collection of graphic novels produced by graphic artist Aaron Gronstal, highlighting the research that the program conducts to answer important questions about the origin, evolution, and distribution of life in the universe. Photo credit: NASA Photo 15. Exhibit staff and AGU attendees interact with three-dimensional (3D) models of NASA spacecraft and technology in augmented reality. Photo credit: NASA AGU attendees met with project scientists and experts at a new exhibit, called “Ask Me Anything.” The discussions spanned a variety of NASA missions, including Mars Sample Return, James Webb Space Telescope, and Parker Solar Probe, with specialists from these and other missions who spoke during the sessions – see Photo 16. An installation of NASA’s Earth Information Center also made an appearance at AGU24, providing attendees with additional opportunities to speak with Earth scientists and learn more about NASA research – see Photo 17.
Photo 16. NASA Heliophysicists discuss solar science with AGU attendees at the “Ask Me About Heliophysics” table. Photo credit: NASA Photo 17. At the Earth Information Center, attendees spoke with NASA staff about the various ways that NASA keeps tabs on the health of Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and landmasses from space. Photo credit: NASA 2024 SMD Strategic Content and Integration Meeting
As they have done for many years now, staff and leadership from NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Engagement Branch convened in Washington, DC on December 8 (the day before the Fall AGU meeting began) to discuss agency communications and outreach priorities. This annual meeting provided personnel from each of SMD’s scientific divisions a valuable opportunity to highlight productive strategies and initiatives from the previous calendar year and chart a path for the year ahead. During the single-day event, team leaders shared information related to NASA’s web-modernization efforts, digital outreach strategies, and exhibit presence. Approximately 150 in-person and 50 online NASA staff joined the hybrid meeting.
After a welcome from Steve Graham [GSFC/GST—NASA Science Support Office Task Leader], who covered meeting logistics, the participants heard from NASA Headquarters’ SMD Engagement and Communication representatives throughout the day.
Amy Kaminski [Engagement Branch Chief], who recently replaced Kristen Erickson in this role, used this opportunity to more formally introduce herself to those who might not know her and share her visions for engagement. Karen Fox [Senior Science Communications Official] discussed the evolution of communication for SMD missions over the past decade – moving from siloed communications a decade ago that very much focused on “my mission,” to a much more cooperation between missions and focus on thematic communications. Following up on Kaminski’s remarks that gave an overall vision for engagement, and Fox’s remarks about how having a vision will help streamline our messaging, Alex Lockwood [Strategic Messaging and Engagement Lead] delved into the nuts and bolts of strategic planning, with focus on the use of work packages and memorandums of understanding for promoting upcoming missions.
After the leadership set the tone for the meeting, Emily Furfaro [NASA Science Digital Manager] gave a rapid tour of many of NASA’s digital assets intended to give participants an idea of the vast resources available for use. Diana Logreira [NASA Science Public Web Manager] then laid out some principles to be followed in developing unified vision for the NASA Science public web experience.
In the afternoon, there were individual breakout sessions for the Earth Science, Planetary Science, and Heliophysics divisions. These sub-meetings were led by Ellen Gray, Erin Mahoney, and Deb Hernandez, Engagement Leads for Earth Science, Heliophysics, and Planetary Sciences respectively. These breakout sessions afforded participants with an opportunity to focus on ideas and goals specific to their own divisions for 2025. In the Earth Science breakout session, participants heard from other several other speakers who discussed the beats, or content focus areas, that had been chosen for Earth Science Communications in 2024 – including oceans and Earth Action (formerly known as Applied Sciences) – and those that have been identified for 2025: technology, land science, and continued focus on Earth Action.
Photo 18a. NASA Science Mission Directorate staff gathers in Washington, DC ahead of AGU for the annual meeting, where in-person attendees hear from leadership and work collaboratively to refine communications strategies for 2025. Photo credit: NASA Photo 18b. Joseph Westlake [NASA HQ—Heliophysics Division Director] discusses division-specific goals with Heliophysics communication leads during the division’s “breakout session.” Photo credit: NASA Photo 18c. Science Mission Directorate leadership fields questions from SMD staff during the end-of-meeting panel discussion. Photo credit: NASA
After participants reconvened from the breakouts, Nicola Fox [Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate] gave a mid-afternoon presentation in which she presented her perspective on integrated NASA science, which led into a one-hour “Ask Us” panel with Division Directors to conclude the meeting. Participants included: Mark Clampin [Astrophysics], Lisa Carnell [Biological], Julie Robinson [Earth Science, Deputy], Joe Westlake [Heliophysics], John Gagosian [Joint Agency Satellite], Charles Webb [Planetary Science, Acting].
Based on this meeting, and other communications guidance from NASA HQ, a few general SMD/Earth Science content and engagement priorities for 2025 have emerged. They include:
continuing to develop stories and products related to the three primary beats for 2025: technology, land, and Earth action; emphasizing the value of SMD science as a whole or system of connected divisions, promoting cross-divisional science; increasing the use of social media as a vehicle to share NASA missions and programs with diverse audiences; focusing on critical – and high-profile – ongoing missions [e.g., Parker Solar Probe, Europa Clipper, Plankton Aerosols, Cloud and ocean Ecosystem (PACE)] and upcoming launches [ARTEMIS and NASA–Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR)]; fostering collaborations and partnerships with agencies and institutions, e.g. instillation of the Earth Information Center at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History; and improving the visitor and guest experience at NASA centers, including Kennedy Space Center launches. Conclusion
The NASA exhibit is an important component of the agency’s presence at AGU, and NASA leverages its large cohort of scientists who participate in the exchange of information and ideas outside of the exhibit hall – in plenary meetings, workshops, poster sessions, panels, and informal discussions. AGU sessions and events that featured NASA resources, scientists, and program directors included the Living with a Star Town Hall, NASA’s Early Career Research Program, NASA’s Sea Level Change Team: Turning Research into Action, and many more. Click here for the complete list of NASA-related events at AGU24.
As the final event in a busy calendar of annual scientific conferences, AGU is often an opportunity for NASA scientists to publish findings from the previous year and set goals for the year ahead. Just as they did in 2024, the agency’s robust portfolio of missions and programs will continue to set new records, such as NASA’s Parker Solar Probe pass of the Sun, and conduct fundamental research in the fields of Earth and space science.
The 2025 AGU annual meeting will be held at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, in New Orleans, LA, from December 15–19, 2025. See you there.
Nathan Marder
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Global Science & Technology Inc.
nathan.marder@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Feb 25, 2025 Related Terms
Earth Science View the full article
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