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Modernizing the IT backbone: the Air Force’s commitment to critical infrastructure
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By Space Force
The 2nd Space Launch Squadron at Vandenberg SFB is home to the Space Cowboys, which provide the Department of Defense’s only expeditionary space launch and transport capability.
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By NASA
NASA researchers are sending three air quality monitors to the International Space Station to test them for potential future use on the Moon.Credit: NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna As NASA prepares to return to the Moon, studying astronaut health and safety is a top priority. Scientists monitor and analyze every part of the International Space Station crew’s daily life—down to the air they breathe. These studies are helping NASA prepare for long-term human exploration of the Moon and, eventually, Mars.
As part of this effort, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is sending three air quality monitors to the space station to test them for potential future use on the Moon. The monitors are slated to launch on Monday, April 21, aboard the 32nd SpaceX commercial resupply services mission for NASA.
Like our homes here on Earth, the space station gets dusty from skin flakes, clothing fibers, and personal care products like deodorant. Because the station operates in microgravity, particles do not have an opportunity to settle and instead remain floating in the air. Filters aboard the orbiting laboratory collect these particles to ensure the air remains safe and breathable.
Astronauts will face another air quality risk when they work and live on the Moon—lunar dust.
“From Apollo, we know lunar dust can cause irritation when breathed into the lungs,” said Claire Fortenberry, principal investigator, Exploration Aerosol Monitors project, NASA Glenn. “Earth has weather to naturally smooth dust particles down, but there is no atmosphere on the Moon, so lunar dust particles are sharper and craggier than Earth dust. Lunar dust could potentially impact crew health and damage hardware.”
Future space stations and lunar habitats will need monitors capable of measuring lunar dust to ensure air filtration systems are functioning properly. Fortenberry and her team selected commercially available monitors for flight and ground demonstration to evaluate their performance in a spacecraft environment, with the goal of providing a dust monitor for future exploration systems.
NASA Glenn Research Center’s Claire Fortenberry holds a dust sample collected from International Space Station air filters.Credit: NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna Glenn is sending three commercial monitors to the space station to test onboard air quality for seven months. All three monitors are small: no bigger than a shoe box. Each one measures a specific property that provides a snapshot of the air quality aboard the station. Researchers will analyze the monitors based on weight, functionality, and ability to accurately measure and identify small concentrations of particles in the air.
The research team will receive data from the space station every two weeks. While those monitors are orbiting Earth, Fortenberry will have three matching monitors at Glenn. Engineers will compare functionality and results from the monitors used in space to those on the ground to verify they are working as expected in microgravity. Additional ground testing will involve dust simulants and smoke.
Air quality monitors like the ones NASA is testing also have Earth-based applications. The monitors are used to investigate smoke plumes from wildfires, haze from urban pollution, indoor pollution from activities like cooking and cleaning, and how virus-containing droplets spread within an enclosed space.
Results from the investigation will help NASA evaluate which monitors could accompany astronauts to the Moon and eventually Mars. NASA will allow the manufacturers to review results and ensure the monitors work as efficiently and effectively as possible. Testing aboard the space station could help companies investigate pollution problems here on Earth and pave the way for future missions to the Red Planet.
NASA Glenn Research Center’s Claire Fortenberry demonstrates how space aerosol monitors analyze the quality of the air.Credit: NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna “Going to the Moon gives us a chance to monitor for planetary dust and the lunar environment,” Fortenberry said. “We can then apply what we learn from lunar exploration to predict how humans can safely explore Mars.”
NASA commercial resupply missions to the International Space Station deliver scientific investigations in the areas of biology and biotechnology, Earth and space science, physical sciences, and technology development and demonstrations. Cargo resupply from U.S. companies ensures a national capability to deliver scientific research to the space station, significantly increasing NASA’s ability to conduct new investigations aboard humanity’s laboratory in space.
Learn more about NASA and SpaceX’s 32nd commercial resupply mission to the space station:
https://www.nasa.gov/nasas-spacex-crs-32/
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By Space Force
U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman spoke to hundreds of cadets and national leaders during the 2025 National Conclave for Arnold Air Society and Silver Wings, emphasizing the evolving role of the Space Force in the future fight.
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Lt. Gen. Schiess discusses critical role of CIC, JCO commercial capabilities at 40th Space SymposiumBy Space Force
During the Space Foundation’s 40th Space Symposium, U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. Douglas A. Schiess, U.S. Space Forces – Space commander and Combined Joint Force Space Component Commander, participated in a one-on-one discussion with U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. (Ret.) David Buck.
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By NASA
As an Air Force veteran from Spartanburg, South Carolina, Alex Olley now serves as a contract specialist in the International Space Station Procurement Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Olley joined NASA as a Pathways intern in January 2023 to turn his lifelong goal into a reality—bringing his unique experience in the defense and space industries to support one of humanity’s most ambitious endeavors.
Official portrait of Alex Olley.NASA Olley manages the procurement of supplies, services, and research for the International Space Station. His role requires sharp attention to federal regulations and a deep understanding of business practices, all while supporting the astronauts who live and work 250 miles above Earth.
“I take great pride in the opportunity that I get to contribute to NASA’s mission each day,” he said. “I’m incredibly grateful for my time here, and it feels like a significant achievement, especially because many of my friends and family have shared how inspired they are to pursue their own goals as a result.”
Alex Olley prepares for an Air Force training at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek City, South Korea. Image courtesy of Alex Olley A quote shared by Johnson’s director of the Office of Procurement, Bradley Niese, became a guiding principle that has shaped Olley’s NASA experience: “People are the mission, and if we take care of the people, the mission will take care of itself.”
That mindset has taught him the value of building relationships within the office, which, he says, often leads to smoother operations and greater motivation.
“It’s much easier to be passionate about the mission when you know everyone around you shares the same dedication,” he said. “With such a strong support system, I’ve learned that I can achieve anything, no matter how challenging or confusing the task may seem at first.”
Early on, however, he struggled with imposter syndrome. “I felt like I didn’t belong or wasn’t good enough to contribute meaningfully toward our goals,” said Olley. “I overcame that feeling by taking a chance and sharing my thoughts on a work process.”
To his surprise, his team embraced the idea—and implemented it. That moment became a turning point, eventually leading to Olley becoming one of the office leaders for a wellness initiative called Better toGether—a creative nod to their office code, “BG.” The program was designed to promote physical and mental well-being in the workplace through activities like NASA Moves, an agencywide challenge that encourages employees to track their steps and commit to at least 20 minutes of physical activity each day. Twice a week, Olley leads brief team meetings focused on desk-friendly wellness tips such as stretches to prevent carpal tunnel and improve posture.
Alex Olley records a YouTube video at Rocket Park about how to become a NASA intern.Image courtesy of Alex Olley As NASA looks toward the Moon and Mars through Artemis, Olley is focused on uplifting the Artemis Generation.
“I want to pass on my perspective on Johnson’s mission: Dare, Unite, and Explore,” he said. “DARE to take on the challenge and face it head on, UNITE with your peers, and never be afraid to EXPLORE the unknown.”
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