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Throwing a Cosmic Kiss – Matthias Maurer's journey to the International Space Station
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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
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By NASA
5 min read
NASA to Launch Innovative Solar Coronagraph to Space Station
NASA’s Coronal Diagnostic Experiment (CODEX) is ready to launch to the International Space Station to reveal new details about the solar wind including its origin and its evolution.
Launching in November 2024 aboard SpaceX’s 31st commercial resupply services mission, CODEX will be robotically installed on the exterior of the space station. As a solar coronagraph, CODEX will block out the bright light from the Sun’s surface to better see details in the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona.
In this animation, the CODEX instrument can be seen mounted on the exterior of the International Space Station. For more CODEX imagery, visit https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14647. CODEX Team/NASA “The CODEX instrument is a new generation solar coronagraph,” said Jeffrey Newmark, principal investigator for the instrument and scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “It has a dual use — it’s both a technology demonstration and will conduct science.”
This coronagraph is different from prior coronagraphs that NASA has used because it has special filters that can provide details of the temperature and speed of the solar wind. Typically, a solar coronagraph captures images of the density of the plasma flowing away from the Sun. By combining the temperature and speed of the solar wind with the traditional density measurement, CODEX can give scientists a fuller picture of the wind itself.
“This isn’t just a snapshot,” said Nicholeen Viall, co-investigator of CODEX and heliophysicist at NASA Goddard. “You’re going to get to see the evolution of structures in the solar wind, from when they form from the Sun’s corona until they flow outwards and become the solar wind.”
The CODEX instrument will give scientists more information to understand what heats the solar wind to around 1.8 million degrees Fahrenheit — around 175 times hotter than the Sun’s surface — and sends it streaming out from the Sun at almost a million miles per hour.
Team members for CODEX pose with the instrument in a clean facility during initial integration of the coronagraph with the pointing system. CODEX Team/NASA This launch is just the latest step in a long history for the instrument. In the early 2000s and in August 2017, NASA scientists ran ground-based experiments similar to CODEX during total solar eclipses. A coronagraph mimics what happens during a total solar eclipse, so this naturally occurring phenomena provided a good opportunity to test instruments that measure the temperature and speed of the solar wind.
In 2019, NASA scientists launched the Balloon-borne Investigation of Temperature and Speed of Electrons in the corona (BITSE) experiment. A balloon the size of a football field carried the CODEX prototype 22 miles above Earth’s surface, where the atmosphere is much thinner and the sky is dimmer than it is from the ground, enabling better observations. However, this region of Earth’s atmosphere is still brighter than outer space itself.
“We saw enough from BITSE to see that the technique worked, but not enough to achieve the long-term science objectives,” said Newmark.
Now, by installing CODEX on the space station, scientists will be able to view the Sun’s corona without fighting the brightness of Earth’s atmosphere. This is also a beneficial time for the instrument to launch because the Sun has reached its solar maximum phase, a period of high activity during its 11-year cycle.
“The types of solar wind that we get during solar maximum are different than some of the types of wind we get during solar minimum,” said Viall. “There are different coronal structures during this time that lead to different types of solar wind.”
The CODEX coronagraph is shown during optical alignment and assembly. CODEX Team//NASA This coronagraph will be looking at two types of solar wind. In one, the solar wind travels directly outward from our star, pulling the magnetic field from the Sun into the heliosphere, the bubble that surrounds our solar system. The other type of solar wind forms from magnetic field lines that are initially closed, like a loop, but then open up.
These closed field lines contain hot, dense plasma. When the loops open, this hot plasma gets propelled into the solar wind. While these “blobs” of plasma are present throughout all of the solar cycle, scientists expect their location to change because of the magnetic complexity of the corona during solar maximum. The CODEX instrument is designed to see how hot these blobs are for the first time.
The coronagraph will also build upon research from ongoing space missions, such as the joint ESA (European Space Agency) and NASA mission Solar Orbiter, which also carries a coronagraph, and NASA’s Parker Solar Probe. For example, CODEX will look at the solar wind much closer to the solar surface, while Parker Solar Probe samples it a little farther out. Launching in 2025, NASA’s Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission will make 3D observations of the Sun’s corona to learn how the mass and energy there become solar wind.
By comparing these findings, scientists can better understand how the solar wind is formed and how the solar wind changes as it travels farther from the Sun. This research advances our understanding of space weather, the conditions in space that may interact with Earth and spacecraft.
“Just like understanding hurricanes, you want to understand the atmosphere the storm is flowing through,” said Newmark. “CODEX’s observations will contribute to our understanding of the region that space weather travels through, helping improve predictions.”
The CODEX instrument is a collaboration between NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute with additional contribution from Italy’s National Institute for Astrophysics.
By Abbey Interrante
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
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Last Updated Oct 30, 2024 Related Terms
Coronal Diagnostic Experiment (CODEX) Goddard Space Flight Center Heliophysics Heliophysics Division International Space Station (ISS) Science Mission Directorate Solar Wind Space Weather The Sun The Sun & Solar Physics Explore More
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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
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Last Updated Oct 30, 2024 EditorDede DiniusContactErica HeimLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related Terms
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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
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Last Updated Oct 30, 2024 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
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By NASA
Better Monitoring of the Air Astronauts Breathe
Ten weeks of operations showed that a second version of the Spacecraft Atmosphere Monitor is sensitive enough to determine variations in the composition of cabin air inside the International Space Station. Volatile organic compounds and particulates in cabin air could pose a health risk for crew members, and this device increases the speed and accuracy of assessing such risk.
Spacecraft Atmosphere Monitor is a miniaturized gas chromatograph mass spectrometer used to analyze the air inside the space station and ensure that it is safe for the crew and equipment. The device automatically reports results to the ground, eliminating the need to return samples to Earth. This version has several other technological advances, including that it can be relocated, is smaller, and uses less power.
The first Spacecraft Atmosphere Monitor device on the International Space Station. NASA/Chris Cassidy Digging Deeper into Microgravity Effects on Muscle
Prolonged exposure to microgravity affects human muscle precursor cells known as satellite cells and causes changes in the expression of specific genes involved in muscle structure and nerves. Exercise regimens on the space station do not adequately prevent or counteract muscle loss in astronauts, which can affect their motor function during missions and after return to Earth. Results could inform design of nutritional and pharmacological countermeasures to muscle changes during spaceflight.
Muscle loss represents a major obstacle to human long-term spaceflight. Myogravity, an investigation developed with the Italian space agency ASI, looked at microgravity-induced changes in adult stem cells involved in the growth, maintenance, and repair of skeletal muscle tissue, known as satellite cells. These cells may play a major role in muscle loss during spaceflight.
European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli sets up the Myogravity experiment. NASA Validating Next-Generation Earth Measurements
Researchers completed a preliminary evaluation of the station’s Hyperspectral Imager Suite (HISUI) and report that the difference between model-corrected and actual measurements is small. Validation of spaceborne optical sensors like HISUI is important to demonstrate they provide the accuracy needed for scientific research.
The JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) HISUI investigation tests a next-generation spaceborne hyperspectral Earth imaging system for gathering data on reflection of light from Earth’s surface, which reveals characteristics and physical properties of a target area. This technology has potential applications such as monitoring vegetation and identifying natural resources.
The Hyperspectral Imager Suite is visible on the far left in this image outside the space station. NASAView the full article
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