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406 Day: celebrating Galileo saving lives
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By NASA
NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, is celebrating 85 years of cutting-edge research and development in space, life sciences, supercomputing, aeronautics, and more for the benefit of humanity. Ames was founded as an aeronautical laboratory in December 1939, and has since contributed to many of NASA’s flagship missions from Apollo to Artemis.
NASA Ames experts are available for interviews Thursday, Dec. 19, and Friday, Dec. 20. To request an interview about the center’s legacy in space, science, technology, and aeronautics, email the Ames newsroom at: arc-dl-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
NASA Ames experts include:
James Anderson, NASA Ames historian; Lynn Harper, lead of integrative studies in the NASA Space Portal, working to propel U.S. industry toward the development of a sustainable, scalable, and profitable non-NASA demand for services and products manufactured in the microgravity environment of low Earth orbit; Shivanjli Sharma, aerospace research engineer, working to enable advanced aviation technologies for new methods of air cargo and passenger transportation in urban, suburban, rural, and regional communities; Dave Alfano, chief of the Ames Intelligent Systems Division, working to produce ground and flight software systems and data architectures for data mining, analysis, integration, and management; integrated health management, and more for missions across the agency. Ames has established itself as a leader in the aeronautics industry, developing foundational technologies for advanced air vehicles, including air taxis and remotely piloted aircraft. On the International Space Station, Ames researchers have tested a method to develop nutrients off-Earth and on-demand. Cube-shaped robots have been delivered to the station to assist astronauts with routine duties. Ames engineers have developed and are testing a heat shield for the Orion crew capsule that will safely return astronauts home to Earth as part of the agency’s Artemis missions to the Moon.
For more information on Ames’ history and contributions, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/reference/ames-history
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Rachel Hoover
Ames Research Center, Silicon Valley, Calif.
650-604-4789
rachel.l.hoover@nasa.gov
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By NASA
4 Min Read Celebrating 20 Years: Night Sky Network
2023 Partial Solar Eclipse Viewing at Camino Real Marketplace with the View the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit. Credits:
Photo by Chuck McPartlin by Vivan White & Kat Troche of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
NASA’s Night Sky Network is one of the most successful and longstanding grassroots initiatives for public engagement in astronomy education. Started in 2004 with the PlanetQuest program out of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and currently supported by NASA’s Science Activation, the Night Sky Network (NSN) plays a critical role in fostering science literacy through astronomy. By connecting NASA science and missions to support amateur astronomy clubs, NSN leverages the expertise and enthusiasm of club members, who bring this knowledge to schools, museums, observatories, and other organizations, bridging the gap between NASA science and the public. Now in its 20th year, NSN supports over 400 astronomy clubs dedicated to bringing the wonder of the night sky to their communities across the US, connecting with 7.4 million people across the United States and its territories since its inception.
International Observe the Moon Night, September 2024 Credit: Oklahoma City Astronomy Club Humble Beginnings
It all started with an idea – astronomy clubs already do great outreach, and club members know a lot of astronomy (shown definitively by founder Marni Berendsen’s research), and they love to talk with the public – how could NASA support these astronomy clubs in sharing current research and ideas using informal activities designed for use in the places that amateur astronomers do outreach. Thanks to funding through NASA JPL’s PlanetQuest public engagement program, the Night Sky Network was born in 2004, with more than 100 clubs joining the first year.
Raynham Public Observing Night, February 2004 Credit: Astronomical Society of Southern New England/Mark Gibson As quoted from the first NSN news article, “NASA is very excited to be working closely with the amateur astronomy community,” said Michael Greene, current Director for Communications and Education and former head of public engagement for JPL’s Navigator Program and PlanetQuest initiatives, “Amateurs want more people to look at the sky and understand astronomy, and so do we. Connecting what we do with our missions to the sense of wonder that comes when you look up at the stars and the planets is one of our long-term objectives. We have a strong commitment to inspiring the next generation of explorers. Lending support to the energy that the amateur astronomy community brings to students and the public will allow NASA to reach many more people.”
Taking off like a rocket, Night Sky Network had over 100 clubs registered on their website within the first year.
The Toolkits
Outreach Toolkits were developed to assist clubs with their endeavors. These kits included educational materials, hands-on activities, and guides to explaining topics in an accessible way. So far, 13 toolkits have been created with topics ranging from the scale of the universe to how telescopes work. To qualify for these free Toolkits, clubs must be active in their communities, hosting two outreach events every three months or five outreach events within a calendar year. Supplemental toolkits were also created based on special events, such as the solar eclipses and the 50th anniversary of Apollo’s Moon landing. A new toolkit is in development to teach audiences about solar science, and NSN is on track to support clubs well into the future.
Rye Science Day, October 2014 Credit: Southern Colorado Astronomical Society/Malissa Pacheco NSN also hosts archived video trainings on these toolkits and other topics via its YouTube channel and a monthly webinar series with scientists from various institutions worldwide. Lastly, a monthly segment called Night Sky Notes is produced for clubs to share with their audiences via newsletters and mailing lists.
Sharing the Universe
In 2007, a National Science Foundation grant provided funding for further research into astronomy club needs. From that came three resources for clubs – the Growing Your Astronomy Club and Getting Started with Outreach video series, as well as an updated website with a national calendar and club and event coordination. Now you can find hundreds of events each month across the country, including virtual events that you can join from anywhere.
Night Sky Network: Current and Future
Map of Night Sky Network clubs within the United States, as of November 2024 Credit: Night Sky Network/Google Maps View the full article
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By Space Force
In the intervening years since its creation, the USSF has built a space-focused cadre, pulling together ideas and expertise from sister services and promoting the transfer of enlisted and officers experienced in space operations, cyber, intelligence, acquisition and engineering.
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By NASA
8 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Virtual meetings feeling a little stale? NASA has just unveiled a suite of new Artemis backgrounds to elevate your digital workspace.
From the majesty of the Artemis I launch lighting up the night sky to the iconic image of the Orion spacecraft with the Moon and Earth in view, these virtual backgrounds allow viewers to relive the awe-inspiring moments of Artemis I and glimpse the bright future that lies ahead as the Artemis campaign enables humans to live and work at the Moon’s South Pole region.
Scroll through to download your next virtual background for work, school, or just for fun, and learn about all things Artemis as the agency and its partners cross off milestones leading up to Artemis II and missions beyond.
Artemis I Launch
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches on the Artemis I flight test on Nov. 16, 2022, from Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s Artemis I mission was the first integrated flight test of the agency’s deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and ground systems. SLS and Orion launched at 1:47 a.m. EST from Launch Pad 39B at Kennedy.
Artemis II Crew
Credit: NASA Meet the astronauts who will fly around the Moon during the Artemis II mission. From left are Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency.
Astronaut Regolith
Credit: NASA An artist’s concept of two suited Artemis crew members working on the lunar surface. The samples collected during future Artemis missions will continue to advance our knowledge of the solar system and help us understand the history and formation of Earth and the Moon, uncovering some of the mysteries that have long eluded scientists.
Exploration Ground Systems
Credit: NASA NASA’s mobile launcher, atop Crawler Transporter-2, is at the entrance to High Bay 3 at the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on Sept. 8, 2018, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This is the first time that the modified mobile launcher made the trip to the pad and the VAB. The mobile launcher is the structure that is used to assemble, process, and launch the SLS rocket.
Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky NASA’s SLS rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B on Nov. 4, 2022, as Crawler Transporter-2 departs the pad following rollout at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Credit: NASA After Orion splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, west of Baja California, the spacecraft was recovered by personnel on the USS Portland from the U.S. Department of Defense, including Navy amphibious specialists, Space Force weather specialists, and Air Force specialists, as well as engineers and technicians from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, and Lockheed Martin Space Operations. Personnel from NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems led the recovery efforts.
Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher as it rolls out to Launch Complex 39B for the first time on March 17, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At left is the Vehicle Assembly Building.
First Woman
Credit: NASA “First Woman” graphic novel virtual background featuring an illustration of the inside of a lunar space station outfitted with research racks and computer displays. To learn more about the graphic novel and interactive experiences, visit: nasa.gov/calliefirst/
Credit: NASA “First Woman” graphic novel virtual background featuring the illustration of the inside of a lunar space station outfitted with research racks and computer displays, along with zero-g indicator suited rubber duckies floating throughout. To learn more about the graphic novel and interactive experiences, visit: nasa.gov/calliefirst/
Credit: NASA This “First Woman” graphic novel virtual background features an illustrated scene from a lunar mission. At a lunar camp, one suited astronaut flashes the peace sign while RT, the robot sidekick, waves in the foreground. To learn more about the graphic novel and interactive experiences, visit: nasa.gov/calliefirst/
Gateway
Credit: NASA The Gateway space station hosts the Orion spacecraft and SpaceX’s deep space logistics spacecraft in a polar orbit around the Moon, supporting scientific discovery on the lunar surface during the Artemis IV mission.
Credit: Northrop Grumman and Thales Alenia Space The Gateway space station’s HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) module, one of two of Gateway’s habitation elements where astronauts will live, conduct science, and prepare for lunar surface missions, successfully completed welding in Turin, Italy. Following a series of tests to ensure its safety, the future home for astronauts will travel to Gilbert, Arizona, for final outfitting ahead of launch to lunar orbit. Gateway will be humanity’s first space station in lunar orbit and is an essential component of the Artemis campaign to return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for human missions to Mars.
Lunar Surface
Credit: SpaceX Artist’s concept of SpaceX Starship Human Landing System, or HLS, which is slated to transport astronauts to and from the lunar surface during Artemis III and IV.
Credit: Blue Origin Artist’s concept of Blue Origin’s Blue Moon MK-2 human lunar lander, which is slated to land astronauts on the Moon during Artemis V.
Credit: NASA The “Moon buggy” for NASA’s Artemis missions, the Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV), is seen here enabling a pair of astronauts to explore more of the Moon’s surface and conduct science research farther away from the landing site. NASA has selected Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab to advance capabilities for an LTV.
Credit: JAXA/Toyota An artist’s concept of the pressurized rover — which is being designed, developed, and operated by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) — is seen driving across the lunar terrain. The pressurized rover will serve as a mobile habitat and laboratory for the astronauts to live and work for extended periods of time on the Moon.
Logo
Credit: NASA The NASA “meatball” logo. The round red, white, and blue insignia was designed by employee James Modarelli in 1959, NASA’s second year. The design incorporates references to different aspects of NASA’s missions.
Credit: NASA The NASA meatball logo (left) and Artemis logo side by side.
Moon Phases
Credit: NASA The different phases of the Moon, shown in variations of shadowing, extend across this virtual background.
Orion
Credit: NASA On flight day 5 during Artemis I, the Orion spacecraft took a selfie while approaching the Moon ahead of the outbound powered flyby — a burn of Orion’s main engine that placed the spacecraft into lunar orbit. During this maneuver, Orion came within 81 miles of the lunar surface.
Credit: NASA On flight day 13 during Artemis I, Orion reached its maximum distance from Earth at 268,563 miles away from our home planet, traveling farther than any other spacecraft built for humans.
Credit: NASA This first high-resolution image, taken on the first day of the Artemis I mission, was captured by a camera on the tip of one of Orion’s solar arrays. The spacecraft was 57,000 miles from home and distancing itself from planet Earth as it approached the Moon and distant retrograde orbit.
Silhouettes
Credit: NASA In this virtual background, various scenes from Earth, Moon, and Mars are depicted within the silhouette outlines of three suited astronauts, artistically representing the interconnected nature of human space exploration from low Earth orbit to the Moon and, one day, human missions to Mars.
SLS (Space Launch System)
Credit: Joel Kowsky In this sunrise photo at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA’s SLS rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as preparations continued for the Artemis I launch.
Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky In this close-up image, NASA’s SLS rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B on Nov. 12, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky NASA’s SLS rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen at sunrise atop the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B on Nov. 7, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Earth, Moon, and Mars
Credit: NASA From left, an artist’s concept of the Moon, Earth, and Mars sharing space. NASA’s long-term goal is to send humans to Mars, and we will use what we learn at the Moon to help us get there. This is the agency’s Moon to Mars exploration approach.
Credit: NASA In this artist’s concept, the upper portion of a blended sphere represents the Earth, Moon, and Mars.
Credit: NASA An artist’s concept showing, from left, the Earth, Moon, and Mars in sequence. Mars remains our horizon goal for human exploration because it is a rich destination for scientific discovery and a driver of technologies that will enable humans to travel and explore far from Earth.
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Catherine E. Williams
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Last Updated Dec 02, 2024 Related Terms
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