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NASA has selected David Korth as deputy for Johnson Space Center’s Safety and Mission Assurance directorate. Korth previously served as deputy manager of the International Space Station Avionics and Software Office at Johnson Space Center prior to serving as acting deputy for Safety and Mission Assurance. I’m excited to embark on my new role as deputy […]

NASA has selected David Korth as deputy for Johnson Space Center’s Safety and Mission Assurance directorate. Korth previously served as deputy manager of the International Space Station Avionics and Software Office at Johnson Space Center prior to serving as acting deputy for Safety and Mission Assurance. I’m excited to embark on my new role as deputy for Johnson’s Safety and Mission Assurance directorate,” Korth said. “Safety has been a priority for me throughout my NASA career. It is at the forefront of every decision I make.” Korth brings more than 34 years’ experience to NASA human space flight programs. Prior to supporting the space station Avionics and Software Office, Mr. Korth served as deputy manager of the program’s Systems Engineering and Integration Office where he also led the agency Commercial Destination program’s procurement culminating in the selection of Axiom Space. Mr. Korth began his NASA career as an engineer in the space station program’s operations planning group where he helped develop initial operational concepts and planning system requirements for the orbiting laboratory. He converted to civil servant in 1998 and was among the first three individuals to achieve front room certification as a space station ‘OPS PLAN’ front room operator. Korth also served as the lead operations planner for Expedition 1 – the first space station crewed expedition, was awarded two NASA fellowships, served as the operations division technical assistant in the Mission Operations Directorate, and was selected as a flight director in May 2007and served as lead space station flight director for Expeditions 21, 22, and 37, lead flight director for Japanese cargo ship mission HTV3, and lead flight director for US EVAs 22, 23,and 27. “David did an excellent job supporting Johnson’s many programs and institutional safety needs while serving as acting deputy manager,” said Willie Lyles, director of the Safety and Mission Assurance directorate. “He successfully weighed in on several critical risk-based decisions with the technical authority community. David’s program and flight operations experience is unique and is an asset to this role.” Throughout his career, Korth has been recognized for outstanding technical achievements and leadership, receiving a Rotary National Award for Space Achievement, a Silver Snoopy award, two Superior Achievement awards, two NASA Outstanding Leadership medals, and a NASA Exceptional Achievement medal. “David is an outstanding leader and engineer who truly understands NASA’s safety environment and protocols,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “His leadership will ensure the center continues its ‘safety first’ ideology. I am extremely pleased to announce his selection for this position.” Mr. Korth earned his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University, and a master’s degree in statistics from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

NASA has selected Mary Beth Schwartz as director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center Center Operations directorate. Schwartz previously served as the directorate’s deputy director. “I’m excited to embark on my new role as director for Johnson’s Center Operations directorate,” Schwartz said. “It is an honor to lead an organization that is foundational to the center’s mission […]

NASA has selected Mary Beth Schwartz as director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center Center Operations directorate. Schwartz previously served as the directorate’s deputy director. “I’m excited to embark on my new role as director for Johnson’s Center Operations directorate,” Schwartz said. “It is an honor to lead an organization that is foundational to the center’s mission success.” Ms. Schwartz began her NASA career as a NASA intern and has since held a variety of key roles. These include serving as a space shuttle flight controller, chair of the PSRP (Payload Safety Review Panel) for both the International Space Station and Space Shuttle programs, where she led establishment of PSRP franchises with international partners. She also served as the manager of the Safety and Mission Assurance business office, leading efforts in consolidation and budget integration, and as the associate director of Johnson engineering responsible for budget and facility functions. Throughout her career, Schwartz has been recognized for her contributions to NASA, receiving the NASA Exceptional Service medal, as well as the NASA Honor and Silver Snoopy awards. “Mary Beth has a unique perspective of Center Operations, not only as a mission and customer-focused organization, but as an organization that is key to employee experience,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “I appreciate her vision for the organization, commitment to the mission, and overall genuine respect of the workforce. I am extremely pleased to announce her selection for this position.” Ms. Schwartz earned her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Houston.

This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the planet Jupiter in a color composite of ultraviolet wavelengths. Released on Nov. 3, 2023, in honor of Jupiter reaching opposition, which occurs when the planet and the Sun are in opposite sides of the sky, this view of the gas giant planet includes the iconic, massive storm called the […]

NASA, ESA, and M. Wong (University of California – Berkeley); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the planet Jupiter in a color composite of ultraviolet wavelengths. Released on Nov. 3, 2023, in honor of Jupiter reaching opposition, which occurs when the planet and the Sun are in opposite sides of the sky, this view of the gas giant planet includes the iconic, massive storm called the “Great Red Spot.” Though the storm appears red to the human eye, in this ultraviolet image it appears darker because high altitude haze particles absorb light at these wavelengths. The reddish, wavy polar hazes are absorbing slightly less of this light due to differences in either particle size, composition, or altitude. Learn more about Hubble and how this type of data can help us learn more about our universe. Image credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Wong (University of California – Berkeley); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image peers into the dusty recesses of the nearest massive star-forming region to Earth, the Orion Nebula (Messier 42, M42). Just 1,500 light-years away, the Orion Nebula is visible to the unaided eye below the three stars that form the ‘belt’ in the constellation Orion. The nebula is home to […]

Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts News Hubble News Hubble News Archive Social Media Media Resources Multimedia Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities Lithographs Fact Sheets Glossary Posters Hubble on the NASA App More 35th Anniversary 2 min read Hubble Captures Young Stars Changing Their Environments This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the nearest star-forming region to Earth, the Orion Nebula (Messier 42, M42), located some 1,500 light-years away. ESA/Hubble, NASA, and T. Megeath This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image peers into the dusty recesses of the nearest massive star-forming region to Earth, the Orion Nebula (Messier 42, M42). Just 1,500 light-years away, the Orion Nebula is visible to the unaided eye below the three stars that form the ‘belt’ in the constellation Orion. The nebula is home to hundreds of newborn stars including the subject of this image: the protostars HOPS 150 and HOPS 153. These protostars get their names from the Herschel Orion Protostar Survey, conducted with ESA’s Herschel Space Observatory. The object visible in the upper-right corner of this image is HOPS 150: it’s a binary star system where two young protostars orbit each other. Each star has a small, dusty disk of material surrounding it. These stars gather material from their respective dust disks, growing in the process. The dark line that cuts across the bright glow of these protostars is a cloud of gas and dust falling in on the pair of protostars. It is over 2,000 times wider than the distance between Earth and the Sun. Based on the amount of infrared light HOPS 150 is emitting, as compared to other wavelengths it emits, the protostars are mid-way down the path to becoming mature stars. Extending across the left side of the image is a narrow, colorful outflow called a jet. This jet comes from the nearby protostar HOPS 153, which is out of the frame. HOPS 153 is significantly younger than its neighbor. That stellar object is still deeply embedded in its birth nebula and enshrouded by a cloud of cold, dense gas. While Hubble cannot penetrate this gas to see the protostar, the jet HOPS 153 emitted is brightly and clearly visible as it plows into the surrounding gas and dust of the Orion Nebula. The transition from tightly swaddled protostar to fully fledged star will dramatically affect HOPS 153’s surroundings. As gas falls onto the protostar, its jets spew material and energy into interstellar space, carving out bubbles and heating the gas. By stirring up and warming nearby gas, HOPS 153 may regulate the formation of new stars in its neighborhood and even slow its own growth. Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Explore More Three-Year Study of Young Stars with NASA’s Hubble Enters New Chapter NASA’s Hubble Finds Sizzling Details About Young Star FU Orionis Bow Shock Near a Young Star Media Contact: Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov) NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Nebulae Protostars Stars The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Exploring the Birth of Stars Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge Hubble Focus: The Lives of Stars This e-book highlights the mission’s recent discoveries and observations related to the birth, evolution, and death of stars.

NASA will observe its annual Day of Remembrance on Thursday, Jan. 23, honoring the members of the NASA family who lost their lives in the pursuit of exploration and discovery for benefit of humanity. The event, traditionally held every year on the fourth Thursday of January, remembers the crews of Apollo 1 and the space […]

The Space Shuttle Columbia and Space Shuttle Challenger Memorials are seen after a wreath laying ceremony that was part of NASA’s Day of Remembrance, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. (Credit: NASA) NASA will observe its annual Day of Remembrance on Thursday, Jan. 23, honoring the members of the NASA family who lost their lives in the pursuit of exploration and discovery for benefit of humanity. The event, traditionally held every year on the fourth Thursday of January, remembers the crews of Apollo 1 and the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia. “On NASA’s Day of Remembrance, we pause to reflect on the bravery, dedication, and selflessness of the extraordinary individuals who pushed the boundaries of exploration and discovery,” said NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free. “Their legacies remind us of the profound responsibility we have to carry their dreams forward while ensuring safety remains our guiding principle.” Free will lead an observance at 1 p.m. EST at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, which will begin with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, followed by observances for the Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia crews. Several agency centers also will hold observances for NASA Day of Remembrance: Johnson Space Center in Houston NASA Johnson will hold a commemoration at 10 a.m. CST at the Astronaut Memorial Grove with remarks by Center Director Vanessa Wyche. The event will have a moment of silence, a NASA T-38 flyover, taps performed by the Texas A&M Squadron 17, and a procession placing flowers at Apollo I, Challenger, and Columbia memorial trees. Kennedy Space Center in Florida NASA Kennedy and the Astronauts Memorial Foundation will host a ceremony at the Space Mirror Memorial at Kennedy’s Visitor Complex at 10 a.m. EST. The event will include remarks from Tal Ramon, son of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, space shuttle Columbia. Kelvin Manning, deputy director at NASA Kennedy, also will provide remarks during the ceremony, which will livestream on the center’s Facebook page. Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley NASA Ames will hold a remembrance ceremony at 1 p.m. PST that includes remarks from Center Director Eugene Tu, a moment of silence, and bell ringing commemoration. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland NASA Glenn will observe Day of Remembrance at 1 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Jan. 28, with remarks from Center Director Jimmy Kenyon followed by wreath placement, moment of silence, and taps at Lewis Field. Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia NASA Langley will hold a remembrance ceremony with Acting Center Director Dawn Schaible followed by placing flags at the Langley Workers Memorial. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama NASA Marshall will hold a candle-lighting ceremony and wreath placement at 9:30 a.m. CST. The ceremony will include remarks from Larry Leopard, associate director, and Bill Hill, director of Marshall’s Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. Stennis Space Flight Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center will hold a wreath-laying ceremony at 9 a.m. CST with remarks from Center Director John Bailey and Anita Harrell, NASA Shared Services Center executive director. The agency also is paying tribute to its fallen astronauts with special online content, updated on NASA’s Day of Remembrance, at: https://www.nasa.gov/dor -end- Abbey Donaldson Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 Abbey.a.donaldson@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Location NASA Headquarters

This ARMD solicitations page compiles the opportunities to collaborate with NASA’s aeronautical innovators and/or contribute to their research to enable new and improved air transportation systems. A summary of available opportunities with key dates requiring action are listed first. More information about each opportunity is detailed lower on this page. University Student Research ChallengeQ&A: January […]

7 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA / Lillian Gipson/Getty Images This ARMD solicitations page compiles the opportunities to collaborate with NASA’s aeronautical innovators and/or contribute to their research to enable new and improved air transportation systems. A summary of available opportunities with key dates requiring action are listed first. More information about each opportunity is detailed lower on this page. University Student Research Challenge Q&A: January 27, 2025 at 2 p.m. ET Proposals for Cycle 2 Due: March 13, 2025 Proposals for Cycle 3 can also be submitted by June 26, 2025. Advanced Air Mobility Key date: Feb. 1, 2025, at 6 p.m. EST Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations is using this request for information to identify technologies that address current challenges facing the wildland firefighting community. NASA is seeking information on data collection, airborne connectivity and communications solutions, unmanned aircraft systems traffic management, aircraft operations and autonomy, and more. This will support development of a partnership strategy for future collaborative demonstrations. Interested parties were requested to respond to this notice with an information package no later than 4 pm ET, October 15, 2023, that shall be submitted via https://nari.arc.nasa.gov/acero-rfi. Any proprietary information must be clearly marked. Submissions will be accepted only from United States companies. View the full RFI Announcement here. Advanced Air Mobility Mission GENERAL ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY ANNOUNCEMENT OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION This request for information (RFI) is being used to gather market research for NASA to make informed decisions regarding potential partnership strategies and future research to enable Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). NASA is seeking information from public, private, and academic organizations to determine technical needs and community interests that may lead to future solicitations regarding AAM research and development. This particular RFI is just one avenue of multiple planned opportunities for formal feedback on or participation in NASA’s AAM Mission-related efforts to develop these requirements and help enable AAM. The current respond by date for this RFI is Feb. 1, 2025, at 6 p.m. EST. View the full RFI announcement here. NASA Research Opportunities in Aeronautics NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) uses the NASA Research Announcement (NRA) process to solicit proposals for foundational research in areas where ARMD seeks to enhance its core capabilities. Competition for NRA awards is open to both academia and industry. The current open solicitation for ARMD Research Opportunities is ROA-2023 and ROA-2024. Here is some general information to know about the NRA process. NRA solicitations are released by NASA Headquarters through the Web-based NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES). All NRA technical work is defined and managed by project teams within these four programs: Advanced Air Vehicles Program, Airspace Operations and Safety Program, Integrated Aviation Systems Program, and Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program. NRA awards originate from NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia, Ames Research Center in California, Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, and Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. Competition for NRA awards is full and open. Participation is open to all categories of organizations, including educational institutions, industry, and nonprofits. Any updates or amendments to an NRA is posted on the appropriate NSPIRES web pages as noted in the Amendments detailed below. ARMD sends notifications of NRA updates through the NSPIRES email system. In order to receive these email notifications, you must be a Registered User of NSPIRES. However, note that NASA is not responsible for inadvertently failing to provide notification of a future NRA. Parties are responsible for regularly checking the NSPIRES website for updated NRAs. ROA-2024 NRA Amendments Amendment 1 (Full text here.) Amendment 1 to the NASA ARMD Research Opportunities in Aeronautics (ROA) 2024 NRA has been posted on the NSPIRES web site at https://nspires.nasaprs.com. The announcement solicits proposals from accredited U.S. institutions for research training grants to begin the academic year. This NOFO is designed to support independently conceived research projects by highly qualified graduate students, in disciplines needed to help advance NASA’s mission, thus affording these students the opportunity to directly contribute to advancements in STEM-related areas of study. AAVP Fellowship Opportunities are focused on innovation and the generation of measurable research results that contribute to NASA’s current and future science and technology goals. Research proposals are sought to address key challenges provided in Elements of Appendix A.8. Notices of Intent (NOIs) are not required. A budget breakdown for each proposal is required, detailing the allocation of the award funds by year. The budget document may adhere to any format or template provided by the applicant’s institution. Proposals were due by April 30, 2024, at 5 PM ET. Amendment 2 (Full text here.) University Leadership Initiative (ULI) provides the opportunity for university teams to exercise technical and organizational leadership in proposing unique technical challenges in aeronautics, defining multi-disciplinary solutions, establishing peer review mechanisms, and applying innovative teaming strategies to strengthen the research impact. Research proposals are sought in six ULI topic areas in Appendix D.4. Topic 1: Safe, Efficient Growth in Global Operations (Strategic Thrust 1) Topic 2: Innovation in Commercial High-Speed Aircraft (Strategic Thrust 2) Topic 3: Ultra-Efficient Subsonic Transports (Strategic Thrust 3) Topic 4: Safe, Quiet, and Affordable Vertical Lift Air Vehicles (Strategic Thrust 4) Topic 5: In-Time System-Wide Safety Assurance (Strategic Thrust 5) Topic 6: Assured Autonomy for Aviation Transformation (Strategic Thrust 6) This NRA will utilize a two-step proposal submission and evaluation process. The initial step was a short mandatory Step-A proposal, which was due May 29, 2024. Those offerors submitting the most highly rated Step-A proposals will be invited to submit a Step-B proposal. All proposals must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES at https://nspires.nasaprs.com. An Applicant’s Workshop was held on Thursday April 3, 2024; 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET (https://uli.arc.nasa.gov/applicants-workshops/workshop8) Amendment 3 (Full text here) Commercial Supersonic Technology seeks proposals for a fuel injector design concept and fabrication for testing at NASA Glenn Research Center. The proposal for the fuel injector design aims to establish current state-of-the-art in low NOx supersonic cruise while meeting reasonable landing take-off NOx emissions. The technology application timeline is targeted for a supersonic aircraft with entry into service in the 2035+ timeframe. These efforts are in alignment with activities in the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate as outlined in the NASA Aeronautics Strategic Implementation Plan, specifically Strategic Thrust 2: Innovation in Commercial High-Speed Aircraft. Proposals were due by May 31, 2024 at 5 pm EDT. Amendment 4 UPDATED ON JANUARY 16, 2025 (Full text here) University Student Research Challenge seeks to challenge students to propose new ideas/concepts that are relevant to NASA Aeronautics. USRC will provide students, from accredited U.S. colleges or universities, with grants for their projects and with the challenge of raising cost share funds through a crowdfunding campaign. The process of creating and implementing a crowdfunding campaign acts as a teaching accelerator – requiring students to act like entrepreneurs and raise awareness about their research among the public. The solicitation goal can be accomplished through project ideas such as advancing the design, developing technology or capabilities in support of aviation, by demonstrating a novel concept, or enabling advancement of aeronautics-related technologies. Notices of Intent are not required for this solicitation. Proposals are due March 13, 2025. NOTE: Proposals can also be submitted now for Cycle 3, due June 26, 2025. Proposals can also be submitted later and evaluated in the second and third cycles. The USRC Q&A/Info Session and Proposal Workshop will be held on the days/times below. Please join us on TEAMS using the Meeting Link, or call in via +1 256-715-9946,,317928116#. USRC Cycle Information Session/Q&A Date Proposal Due Date Cycle 1 Sept. 20, 2024 at 2 pm ET Nov. 7, 2024 Cycle 2 Jan. 27, 2025 at 2 pm ET March 13, 2025 Cycle 3 May 12, 2024 at 2 pm ET June 26, 2025 ROA-2023 NRA Amendments Amendment 5 (Expired) (Full text here) Amendment 4 (Expired) (Full text here) Amendment 3 (Expired) (Full text here) Amendment 2 (Expired) (Full text here) Amendment 1 (Expired) (Full text here) Keep Exploring See More About NASA Aeronautics Aeronautics STEM Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Aeronáutica en español Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Editor Jim Banke Contact Jim Banke jim.banke@nasa.gov Related Terms Aeronautics Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate For Colleges & Universities Learning Resources

In the years following the launch of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have tallied over 1 trillion galaxies in the universe. But only one galaxy stands out as the most important nearby stellar island to our Milky Way — the magnificent Andromeda galaxy (Messier 31). It can be seen with the naked eye on a […]

Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts News Hubble News Hubble News Archive Social Media Media Resources Multimedia Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities Lithographs Fact Sheets Glossary Posters Hubble on the NASA App More 35th Anniversary 6 Min Read NASA’s Hubble Traces Hidden History of Andromeda Galaxy This photomosaic of the Andromeda galaxy is the largest ever assembled from Hubble observations. Credits: NASA, ESA, Benjamin F. Williams (UWashington), Zhuo Chen (UWashington), L. Clifton Johnson (Northwestern); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) In the years following the launch of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have tallied over 1 trillion galaxies in the universe. But only one galaxy stands out as the most important nearby stellar island to our Milky Way — the magnificent Andromeda galaxy (Messier 31). It can be seen with the naked eye on a very clear autumn night as a faint cigar-shaped object roughly the apparent angular diameter of our Moon. A century ago, Edwin Hubble first established that this so-called “spiral nebula” was actually very far outside our own Milky Way galaxy — at a distance of approximately 2.5 million light-years or roughly 25 Milky Way diameters. Prior to that, astronomers had long thought that the Milky way encompassed the entire universe. Overnight, Hubble’s discovery turned cosmology upside down by unveiling an infinitely grander universe. Now, a century later, the space telescope named for Hubble has accomplished the most comprehensive survey of this enticing empire of stars. The Hubble telescope is yielding new clues to the evolutionary history of Andromeda, and it looks markedly different from the Milky Way’s history. This is largest photomosaic ever assembled from Hubble Space Telescope observations. It is a panoramic view of the neighboring Andromeda galaxy, located 2.5 million light-years away. It took over 10 years to make this vast and colorful portrait of the galaxy, requiring over 600 Hubble overlapping snapshots that were challenging to stitch together. The galaxy is so close to us, that in angular size it is six times the apparent diameter of the full Moon, and can be seen with the unaided eye. For Hubble’s pinpoint view, that’s a lot of celestial real estate to cover. This stunning, colorful mosaic captures the glow of 200 million stars. That’s still a fraction of Andromeda’s population. And the stars are spread across about 2.5 billion pixels. The detailed look at the resolved stars will help astronomers piece together the galaxy’s past history that includes mergers with smaller satellite galaxies. NASA, ESA, Benjamin F. Williams (UWashington), Zhuo Chen (UWashington), L. Clifton Johnson (Northwestern); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) Download this image (10,552 x 2,468)(9 MB) Download this image (42,208 x 9,870)(203 MB) Without Andromeda as a proxy for spiral galaxies in the universe at large, astronomers would know much less about the structure and evolution of our own Milky Way. That’s because we are embedded inside the Milky Way. This is like trying to understand the layout of New York City by standing in the middle of Central Park. “With Hubble we can get into enormous detail about what’s happening on a holistic scale across the entire disk of the galaxy. You can’t do that with any other large galaxy,” said principal investigator Ben Williams of the University of Washington. Hubble’s sharp imaging capabilities can resolve more than 200 million stars in the Andromeda galaxy, detecting only stars brighter than our Sun. They look like grains of sand across the beach. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Andromeda’s total population is estimated to be 1 trillion stars, with many less massive stars falling below Hubble’s sensitivity limit. Photographing Andromeda was a herculean task because the galaxy is a much bigger target on the sky than the galaxies Hubble routinely observes, which are often billions of light-years away. The full mosaic was carried out under two Hubble programs. In total, it required over 1,000 Hubble orbits, spanning more than a decade. This panorama started with the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT) program about a decade ago. Images were obtained at near-ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths using the Advanced Camera for Surveys and the Wide Field Camera 3 aboard Hubble to photograph the northern half of Andromeda. This is the largest photomosaic ever made by the Hubble Space Telescope. The target is the vast Andromeda galaxy that is only 2.5 million light-years from Earth, making it the nearest galaxy to our own Milky Way. Andromeda is seen almost edge-on, tilted by 77 degrees relative to Earth’s view. The galaxy is so large that the mosaic is assembled from approximately 600 separate overlapping fields of view taken over 10 years of Hubble observing — a challenge to stitch together over such a large area. The mosaic image is made up of at least 2.5 billion pixels. Hubble resolves an estimated 200 million stars that are hotter than our Sun, but still a fraction of the galaxy’s total estimated stellar population. Interesting regions include: (a) Clusters of bright blue stars embedded within the galaxy, background galaxies seen much farther away, and photo-bombing by a couple bright foreground stars that are actually inside our Milky Way; (b) NGC 206 the most conspicuous star cloud in Andromeda; (c) A young cluster of blue newborn stars; (d) The satellite galaxy M32, that may be the residual core of a galaxy that once collided with Andromeda; (e) Dark dust lanes across myriad stars. NASA, ESA, Benjamin F. Williams (UWashington), Zhuo Chen (UWashington), L. Clifton Johnson (Northwestern); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) Download this image (2,000 x 1,125)(1.5 MB) Download this image (7,680 x 4,320)(16 MB) This program was followed up by the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Southern Treasury (PHAST), recently published in The Astrophysical Journal and led by Zhuo Chen at the University of Washington, which added images of approximately 100 million stars in the southern half of Andromeda. This region is structurally unique and more sensitive to the galaxy’s merger history than the northern disk mapped by the PHAT survey. The combined programs collectively cover the entire disk of Andromeda, which is seen almost edge-on — tilted by 77 degrees relative to Earth’s view. The galaxy is so large that the mosaic is assembled from approximately 600 separate fields of view. The mosaic image is made up of at least 2.5 billion pixels. The complementary Hubble survey programs provide information about the age, heavy-element abundance, and stellar masses inside Andromeda. This will allow astronomers to distinguish between competing scenarios where Andromeda merged with one or more galaxies. Hubble’s detailed measurements constrain models of Andromeda’s merger history and disk evolution. A Galactic ‘Train Wreck’ Though the Milky Way and Andromeda formed presumably around the same time many billions of years ago, observational evidence shows that they have very different evolutionary histories, despite growing up in the same cosmological neighborhood. Andromeda seems to be more highly populated with younger stars and unusual features like coherent streams of stars, say researchers. This implies it has a more active recent star-formation and interaction history than the Milky Way. “Andromeda’s a train wreck. It looks like it has been through some kind of event that caused it to form a lot of stars and then just shut down,” said Daniel Weisz at the University of California, Berkeley. “This was probably due to a collision with another galaxy in the neighborhood.” A possible culprit is the compact satellite galaxy Messier 32, which resembles the stripped-down core of a once-spiral galaxy that may have interacted with Andromeda in the past. Computer simulations suggest that when a close encounter with another galaxy uses up all the available interstellar gas, star formation subsides. The Andromeda galaxy, our galactic neighbor, holds over 1 trillion stars and has been a key to unlocking the secrets of the universe. Thanks to NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, we’re now seeing Andromeda in stunning new detail, revealing its dynamic history and unique structure. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center; Lead Producer: Paul Morris Download this video “Andromeda looks like a transitional type of galaxy that’s between a star-forming spiral and a sort of elliptical galaxy dominated by aging red stars,” said Weisz. “We can tell it’s got this big central bulge of older stars and a star-forming disk that’s not as active as you might expect given the galaxy’s mass.” “This detailed look at the resolved stars will help us to piece together the galaxy’s past merger and interaction history,” added Williams. Hubble’s new findings will support future observations by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Essentially a wide-angle version of Hubble (with the same sized mirror), Roman will capture the equivalent of at least 100 high-resolution Hubble images in a single exposure. These observations will complement and extend Hubble’s huge dataset. The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA. Explore More Explore the Night Sky: Messier 31 Hubble’s High-Definition Panoramic View of the Andromeda Galaxy NASA’s Hubble Finds Giant Halo Around the Andromeda Galaxy Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov) NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Ray Villard Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Andromeda Galaxy Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Spiral Galaxies The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble Science Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge Hubble Images

2025 Seminar Series Throughout 2025, the NASA History Office is presenting a seminar series on the topic of Aerospace Latin America. This series will explore the origins, evolution, and historical context of aerospace in the region since the dawn of the Space Age, touching on a broad range of topics including aerospace infrastructure development, space […]

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) 2025 Seminar Series Throughout 2025, the NASA History Office is presenting a seminar series on the topic of Aerospace Latin America. This series will explore the origins, evolution, and historical context of aerospace in the region since the dawn of the Space Age, touching on a broad range of topics including aerospace infrastructure development, space policy and law, Earth science applications, and much more. This seminar series is part of a collaborative effort to gather insights and research that will conclude in an anthology of essays to be published as a NASA History Special Publication. Individual presentations will be held virtually bi-weekly or monthly. During a gravity assist in 1992, the Galileo spacecraft took images of Earth and the Moon. Separate images were combined to generate this composite which features a view of the Pacific Ocean and Central and South America. NASA/JPL/USGS Upcoming Presentations “Governing the Moon: A History” Stephen Buono (University of Chicago) Thursday, February 6 at 1pm CST In this talk, Stephen Buono will provide a nuanced history of the unratified Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, more commonly known as the Moon Treaty. Buono will illuminate the treaty’s deep origins, the contributions of international space lawyers, the details of the negotiating process, the role played by the United States in shaping the final text, and the contributions of the treaty’s single most important author, Argentine lawyer, Aldo Armando Cocca. “A God’s Eye View: Aviators and the Re-Conquest of Latin America” Pete Soland(University of Houston—Downtown) Thursday, February 20 at 1pm CST This talk scrutinizes the aviator-conquistador metaphor. It examines airplane pilots as personifying high modernism and the technological sublime in Latin America from the turn of the century through the early Space Age, when spaceships and astronauts eclipsed airplanes and aviators. Repeated invocations of the conquistador as a metaphor for the aviator’s social role–and the conquest as an analogy for the goals of aviation programs–illustrate how elites promoted their modernization initiatives to national publics. How to Attend These presentations will be held via Microsoft Teams. For details on how to attend the meetings, join the NASA History mailing list to receive updates. Just send a blank email to history-join@lists.hq.nasa.gov to join. Alternatively, send us an email to receive a link for the next meeting. More News from the NASA History Office Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Related Terms NASA History Events

NASA Space Apps has named 10 global winners, recognizing teams from around the world for their exceptional innovation and collaboration during the 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge. As the largest annual global hackathon, this event invites participants to leverage open data from NASA and its space agency partners to tackle real-world challenges on Earth and […]

6 Min Read NASA International Space Apps Challenge Announces 2024 Global Winners The 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge was hosted at 485 events in 163 countries and territories. Credits: NASA NASA Space Apps has named 10 global winners, recognizing teams from around the world for their exceptional innovation and collaboration during the 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge. As the largest annual global hackathon, this event invites participants to leverage open data from NASA and its space agency partners to tackle real-world challenges on Earth and in space. Last year’s hackathon welcomed 93,520 registered participants, including space, science, technology, and storytelling enthusiasts of all ages. Participants gathered at local events in 163 countries and territories, forming teams to address the challenges authored by NASA subject matter experts. These challenges included subjects/themes/questions in ocean ecosystems, exoplanet exploration, Earth observation, planetary seismology, and more. The 2024 Global Winners were determined out of 9,996 project submissions and judged by subject matter experts from NASA and space agency partners. “These 10 exceptional teams created projects that reflect our commitment to understanding our planet and exploring beyond, with the potential to transform Earth and space science for the benefit of all,” said Dr. Keith Gaddis, NASA Space Apps Challenge program scientistat NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The NASA Space Apps Challenge showcases the potential of every idea and individual. I am excited to see how these innovators will shape and inspire the future of science and exploration.” You can watch the Global Winners Announcement here to meet these winning teams and learn about the inspiration behind their projects. 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge Global Winners Best Use of Science Award: WMPGang Team Members: Dakota C., Ian C., Maximilian V., Simon S. Challenge: Create an Orrery Web App that Displays Near-Earth Objects Country/Territory: Waterloo,Canada Using their skills in programming, data analysis, and visualization, WMPGang created a web app that identifies satellite risk zones using real-time data on Near-Earth Objects and meteor streams. Learn more about WMPGang’s SkyShield: Protecting Earth and Satellites from Space Hazards project Best Use of Data Award: GaamaRamma Team Members: Aakash H., Arun G., Arthur A., Gabriel A., May K. Challenge: Leveraging Earth Observation Data for Informed Agricultural Decision-Making Country/Territory: Universal Event, United States GaamaRamma’s team of tech enthusiasts aimed to create a sustainable way to help farmers efficiently manage water availability in the face of drought, pests, and disease. Learn more about GaamaRamma’s Waterwise project Best Use of Technology Award: 42 QuakeHeroes Team Members: Alailton A., Ana B., Gabriel C., Gustavo M., Gustavo T., Larissa M. Challenge: Seismic Detection Across the Solar System Country/Territory: Maceió, Brazil Team 42 QuakeHeroes employed a deep neural network model to identify the precise locations of seismic events within time-series data. They used advanced signal processing techniques to isolate and analyze unique components of non-stationary signals. Learn more about 42 QuakeHeroes’ project Galactic Impact Award: NVS-knot Team Members: Oksana M., Oleksandra M., Prokipchyn Y., Val K. Challenge: Leveraging Earth Observation Data for Informed Agricultural Decision-Making Country/Territory: Kyiv, Ukraine The NVS-knot team assessed planting conditions using surface soil moisture and evapotranspiration data, then created an app that empowers farmers to manage planting risks. Learn more about NVS-knot’s 2plant | ! 2plant project Best Mission Concept Award: AsturExplorers Team Members: Coral M., Daniel C., Daniel V., Juan B., Samuel G., Vladimir C. Challenge: Landsat Reflectance Data: On the Fly and at Your Fingertips Country/Territory: Gijón, Spain AsturExplorers created Landsat Connect, a web app that provides a simple, intuitive way to track Landast satellites and access Landsat surface reflectance data. The app also allows users to set a target location and receive notifications when Landsat satellites pass over their area. Learn more about AsturExplorers’ Landsat Connect project Most Inspirational Award: Innovisionaries Team Members: Rikzah K., Samira K., Shafeeqa J., Umamah A. Challenge: SDGs in the Classroom Country/Territory: Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Innovisionaries developed Eco-Metropolis to inspire sustainability through gameplay. This city-building game engages players in making critical urban planning and resource management decisions based on real-world environmental data. Learn more about Innovisionaries’ Eco-Metropolis: Sustainable City Simulation project Best Storytelling Award: TerraTales Team Members: Ahmed R., Fatma E., Habiba A., Judy A., Maya M. Challenge: Tell Us a Climate Story! Country/Territory: Cairo, Egypt TerraTales shared stories of how Earth’s changing climate affects three unique regions: Egypt, Brazil, and Germany. The web app also features an artificial intelligence (AI) model for climate forecasting and an interactive game to encourage users to make eco-friendly choices. Learn more about TerraTale’s project Global Connection Award: Asteroid Destroyer Team Members: Kapeesh K., Khoi N., Sathyajit L., Satyam S. Challenge: Navigator for the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO): Mapping the Characterizable Exoplanets in our Galaxy Country/Territory: Saskatoon, Canada Team Asteroid Destroyer honed in on exoplanets, utilizing data processing and machine learning techniques to map exoplanets based on size, temperature, and distance. Learn more about Asteroid Destroyer’s project Art & Technology Award: Connected Earth Museum Team Members: Gabriel M., Luc R., Lucas R., Mattheus L., Pedro C., Riccardo S. Challenge: Imagine our Connected Earth Country/Territory: Campinas, Brazil Team Connected Earth Museum created an immersive virtual museum experience to raise awareness of Earth’s changing climate. An AI host guides users through an interactive gallery featuring 3D and 2D visualizations, including a time series on Earth and ocean temperatures, population density, wildfires, and more. Learn more about Connected Earth Museums’ project Local Impact Award: Team I.O. Team Members: Frank R., Jan K., Raphael R., Ryan Z., Victoria M. Challenge: Community Mapping Country/Territory: Florianópolis, Brazil Team I.O. bridges the gap between complex Geographic Information Systems data and user-friendly communication, making critical environmental information accessible to everyone, regardless of technical expertise. Learn more about Team I.O.’s G.R.O.W. (Global Recovery and Observation of Wildfires) project Want to take part in the 2025 NASA Space Apps Challenge? Mark your calendars for October 4 and 5! Registration will open in July. At that time, participants will be able to register for a local event hosted by NASA Space Apps leads from around the world. You can stay connected with NASA Space Apps on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Space Apps is funded by NASA’s Earth Science Division through a contract with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, and SecondMuse. Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Related Terms STEM Engagement at NASA Earth

In a recently published paper, NASA scientists use nearly 20 years of observations to show that the global water cycle is shifting in unprecedented ways. The majority of those shifts are driven by activities such as agriculture and could have impacts on ecosystems and water management, especially in certain regions. “We established with data assimilation […]

3 Min Read NASA Scientists Find New Human-Caused Shifts in Global Water Cycle Cracked mud and salt on the valley floor in Death Valley National Park in California can become a reflective pool after rains. (File photo) Credits: NPS/Kurt Moses In a recently published paper, NASA scientists use nearly 20 years of observations to show that the global water cycle is shifting in unprecedented ways. The majority of those shifts are driven by activities such as agriculture and could have impacts on ecosystems and water management, especially in certain regions. “We established with data assimilation that human intervention in the global water cycle is more significant than we thought,” said Sujay Kumar, a research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and a co-author of the paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The shifts have implications for people all over the world. Water management practices, such as designing infrastructure for floods or developing drought indicators for early warning systems, are often based on assumptions that the water cycle fluctuates only within a certain range, said Wanshu Nie, a research scientist at NASA Goddard and lead author of the paper. “This may no longer hold true for some regions,” Nie said. “We hope that this research will serve as a guide map for improving how we assess water resources variability and plan for sustainable resource management, especially in areas where these changes are most significant.” One example of the human impacts on the water cycle is in North China, which is experiencing an ongoing drought. But vegetation in many areas continues to thrive, partially because producers continue to irrigate their land by pumping more water from groundwater storage, Kumar said. Such interrelated human interventions often lead to complex effects on other water cycle variables, such as evapotranspiration and runoff. Nie and her colleagues focused on three different kinds of shifts or changes in the cycle: first, a trend, such as a decrease in water in a groundwater reservoir; second, a shift in seasonality, like the typical growing season starting earlier in the year, or an earlier snowmelt; and third a change in extreme events, like “100-year floods” happening more frequently. The scientists gathered remote sensing data from 2003 to 2020 from several different NASA satellite sources: the Global Precipitation Measurement mission satellite for precipitation data, a soil moisture dataset from the European Space Agency’s Climate Change Initiative, and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellites for terrestrial water storage data. They also used products from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite instrument to provide information on vegetation health. “This paper combines several years of our team’s effort in developing capabilities on satellite data analysis, allowing us to precisely simulate continental water fluxes and storages across the planet,” said Augusto Getirana, a research scientist at NASA Goddard and a co-author of the paper. The study results suggest that Earth system models used to simulate the future global water cycle should evolve to integrate the ongoing effects of human activities. With more data and improved models, producers and water resource managers could understand and effectively plan for what the “new normal” of their local water situation looks like, Nie said. By Erica McNamee NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Editor Kate D. Ramsayer Contact Kate D. Ramsayer kate.d.ramsayer@nasa.gov Related Terms Earth Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Goddard Space Flight Center Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Water & Energy Cycle Explore More 4 min read NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement Mission: 10 years, 10 stories From peering into hurricanes to tracking El Niño-related floods and droughts to aiding in disaster… Article 11 months ago 4 min read NASA Satellites Find Snow Didn’t Offset Southwest US Groundwater Loss Article 7 months ago 4 min read NASA Satellites Reveal Abrupt Drop in Global Freshwater Levels Earth’s total amount of freshwater dropped abruptly starting in May 2014 and has remained low… Article 2 months ago

The latest NASA "Image of the Day" image.

Released on Nov. 3, 2023, in honor of Jupiter reaching opposition, which occurs when the planet and the Sun are in opposite sides of the sky, this view of the gas giant planet includes the iconic, massive storm called the “Great Red Spot.”

Chief of aerodynamics Elton W. Miller ponders the future of the Sperry M-1 Messenger, the first full-scale airplane tested in the Propeller Research Tunnel. Miller was one of the designers of the Propeller Research Tunnel.

A visitor takes a picture of a sculpture of an adult Alamosaurus wearing solar glasses outside of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Indianapolis, Ind. On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the North American continent from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

A color enhancement of a far-ultraviolet photo of Earth taken by astronaut John W. Young, commander, with the ultraviolet camera on April 21, 1972. The original black-and-white photo was printed on Agfacontour film three times, each exposure recording only one light level. The three light levels were then colored blue (dimmest), green (next brightest), and red (brightest).

On Jan. 10, 2025, NASA astronaut Don Pettit posted two images of the Los Angeles fires from the International Space Station.

"As a young college student, it was the first time I ever faced [this situation], and it buckled me. It set me back until I realized that I could do it and that my worth wasn't based on what someone else thought of me or my abilities…If I had pulled myself out of that STEM major, I would never have been managing a technology demonstration program for NASA that launched ten technologies into space.” – Tawnya Plummer Laughinghouse, Director of the Materials and Processes Laboratory, Engineering Directorate, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

The New York-based artist team Geraluz, left, and WERC, right, and their son Amaru Alvarez, 5, pose for picture with the mural “To the Moon, and Back” by the artist team that was created as part of the reimagined NASA Art Program, Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at 350 Hudson Street in New York City. The murals use geometrical patterns to invite deeper reflection on the exploration, creativity, and connection with the cosmos.

A test subject being suited up for studies on the Reduced Gravity Walking Simulator located in the hangar at Langley Research Center. The initial version of this simulator was located inside the hangar. Later a larger version would be located at the Lunar Landing Facility.

From left, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jenni Gibbons, NASA astronaut Andre Douglas, CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman participate in a media day event on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

A total solar eclipse is seen from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the North American continent from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of Central America and Europe.

iss072e031823 (Oct. 7, 2024) -- Peering through the window of the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft, NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick captured this image of the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft as vivid green and pink aurora swirled through Earth's atmosphere while the International Space Station soared 273 miles above the Indian Ocean.

President Carter, wife Rosalynn and daughter Amy are shown a scale model of the crawler that transported the total Shuttle launch configuration to Pad 39 from the Vehicle Assembly Building by NASA's Kennedy Space Center Director, Lee Scherer.

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the spiral galaxy NGC 2566, which sits 76 million light-years away in the constellation Puppis. A prominent bar of stars stretches across the center of this galaxy, and spiral arms emerge from each end of the bar. Because NGC 2566 appears tilted from our perspective, its disk takes on an almond shape, giving the galaxy the appearance of a cosmic eye.

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft completed its first maximum afterburner test at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California. This full-power test, during which the engine generates additional thrust, validates the additional power needed for meeting the testing conditions of the aircraft. The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which aims to overcome a major barrier to supersonic flight over land by reducing the noise of sonic booms.

Here is a new version of the “Christmas tree cluster.” NGC 2264 is a cluster of young stars between one and five million years old. (For comparison, the Sun is a middle-aged star about 5 billion years old – about 1,000 times older.)

Through NASA’s Artemis campaign, astronauts will land on the lunar surface and use a new generation of spacesuits and rovers as they live, work, and conduct science in the Moon’s South Pole region, exploring more of the lunar surface than ever before. Recently, the agency completed the first round of testing on three commercially owned and developed LTVs (Lunar Terrain Vehicle) from Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

During the morning of March 20, 2015, a total solar eclipse was visible from parts of Europe, and a partial solar eclipse from northern Africa and northern Asia. NASA's Terra satellite passed over the Arctic Ocean on March 20 at 10:45 UTC (6:45 a.m. EDT) and captured the eclipse's shadow over the clouds in the Arctic Ocean.

A maze of cables and sensors snakes through a major piece of Gateway, humanity’s first space station around the Moon, during a key testing phase earlier this year to ensure the lunar-orbiting science lab can withstand the harsh conditions of deep space.

NGC 602 is a star cluster that lies on the outskirts of the Small Magellanic Cloud, one of the closest galaxies to the Milky Way. This image combines X-rays from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and infrared data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems transport lower the agency’s 212-foot-tall SLS (Space Launch System) core stage into High Bay 2 at the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. The one-of-a kind lifting beam is designed to lift the core stage from the transfer aisle to High Bay 2 where it will remain while teams stack the two solid rocket boosters on top of mobile launcher 1 for the SLS core stage.

An atmospheric probe model attached upside down to a quad rotor remotely piloted aircraft ascends with the Moon visible on Oct. 22, 2024. The quad rotor aircraft released the probe above Rogers Dry Lake, a flight area adjacent NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The probe was designed and built at the center.

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features a spiral galaxy, named UGC 10043. Located roughly 150 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Serpens, UGC 10043 is one of the somewhat rare spiral galaxies that we see edge-on.

NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara, left, and Jasmin Moghbeli, right, are seen during a tour of the Earth Information Center, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. O’Hara and Moghbeli spent six months in space as part of Expedition 70 aboard the International Space Station.

A portrait of Mary W. Jackson is seen after it was unveiled, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at the NASA Headquarters Mary W. Jackson Building in Washington. Mary W. Jackson was a pioneering aerospace engineer and mathematician at NASA’s Langley Research Center.

Landsat 9 captured this image of lava coming from an eruptive fissure near Stóra Skógfell peak on Iceland's Reykjanes peninsula. Lava from the eruption flowed across major roads and closed in on the Blue Lagoon, a popular tourist destination. This natural color scene is overlaid with an infrared signal to help distinguish the lava’s heat signature.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams checks out the Astrobee robotic free-flyer in the Kibo laboratory module outfitted with tentacle-like arms containing gecko-like adhesive pads to demonstrate satellite capture techniques. Development of this robotic technology may increase the life span of satellites and enable the removal of space debris.

Technicians carefully install a piece of equipment to house Gateway’s xenon fuel tanks, part of its advanced electric propulsion system.

“I love my country. I love serving my country. I think that was ingrained in me in the military, where I grew to realize how lucky we are to live in America and have the freedoms that we have. When I returned from [my first duty station] in Germany, I separated from the Air Force for about nine months, but I missed it so much, I was like, 'Well, I guess I could join the reserves." I did want to get my education. I was ready by then. “So, I enrolled in school and went into the Reserves, and then 9/11 happened. That will change a person. I called my unit that afternoon and said, "Whatever you need, I'm ready." I was activated supporting the mission, but I didn't deploy like my husband. [9/11] is what touched my life more than anything: how quickly things can change in the blink of an eye. That's what strengthened my respect of the Air Force core values: service before self and integrity, and excellence in all we do. “Then, when I got pregnant, I thought I might want to be home, so I continued in civil service and just fell in love with my kids. That's when my relationship with loving the Air Force changed. It evolved. I still value all that time I had and served and the lessons I learned growing up [in the Air Force]. The biggest thing I have and will continue to pass on to my kids is respect for your country, even if you don't follow the route I did. Respect your country and the people who serve it.” – Tami Wisniewski, Management and Program Analyst, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

In this photograph astronaut and STS-113 mission specialist John B. Herrington, (center frame), participates in the mission's third spacewalk. The forward section of the Space Shuttle Endeavour is in right frame.

NASA astronaut Victor Glover (right) takes photos during a visit on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, with employees at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The employees support the agency’s Exploration Ground Systems Program to help NASA send astronauts, including Glover, to the Moon and back through the Artemis II launch.

This robot prototype was built at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California to demonstrate the feasibility of a mission concept called SWIM, short for Sensing With Independent Micro-swimmers. SWIM envisions a swarm of dozens of self-propelled, cellphone-size robots exploring the waters of icy moons like Jupiter's Europa and Saturn's Enceladus.

A cyclone is a low-pressure area of winds that spiral inwards. Although tropical storms most often come to mind, these spiraling storms can also form at mid- and high latitudes. Two such cyclones formed in tandem south of Iceland in November 2006.

This illustration depicts a hypothetical uneven ring of dust orbiting KIC 8462852, also known as Boyajian's Star or Tabby's Star. Astronomers have found the dimming of the star over long periods appears to be weaker at longer infrared wavelengths of light and stronger at shorter ultraviolet wavelengths.

The STS-129 crew members posed for a portrait following a joint news conference on Nov. 24, 2009, with the Expedition 21 crew members (out of frame) on the International Space Station. Pictured (clockwise) from bottom left are astronauts Charles O. Hobaugh, commander; Mike Foreman, Leland Melvin, Robert L. Satcher Jr. and Randy Bresnik, all mission specialists; along with Barry E. Wilmore, pilot; and Nicole Stott, mission specialist.

On Nov. 19, 1969, astronaut Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot for the Apollo 12 mission, begins to step off the ladder of the lunar module to join astronaut Charles Conrad Jr., mission commander, in a spacewalk. Conrad and Bean descended in the Apollo 12 lunar module to explore the moon while astronaut Richard F. Gordon Jr., command module pilot, remained with the command and service modules in lunar orbit.

Participants from the 14th First Nations Launch High-Power Rocket Competition watch NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 launch from the Banana Creek viewing site at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023. Students and advisors from University of Washington, University of Colorado-Boulder, and an international team from Queens University – this year’s First Nations Launch grand prize teams – traveled to Kennedy for a VIP tour, culminating in viewing the Crew-7 launch.

NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launched on the Artemis I flight test, Wednesday, 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 363-feet tall Apollo 12 space vehicle launches from Pad A, Launch Complex 39 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:22 a.m. EST, Nov. 14, 1969. Aboard the Apollo 12 spacecraft were astronauts Charles Conrad Jr., commander; Richard F. Gordon Jr., command module pilot; and Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot. Apollo 12 was the United States' second lunar landing mission.

With the Caribbean Sea and part of the Bahama Islands chain as a backdrop, two STS-51 crewmembers, NASA astronauts James H. Newman (left), and Carl E. Walz, evaluated procedures and gear to be used on an Hubble Space Telescope (HST)-servicing mission.

Five varieties of seeds provided by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma were pictured inside the cupola on Nov. 21, 2023, as the International Space Station orbited 260 miles above the Atlantic Ocean. The seeds were exposed to microgravity for several months then returned to Earth and planted next to the same seeds left on Earth for comparison. The space botany experiment is promoting STEM education among tribal members.

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image captures the spiral galaxy NGC 1672 with a supernova.

As the International Space Station soared 257 miles above northern Mexico, NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 flight engineer Don Pettit captured this long-exposure photograph of city lights streaking across Earth while a green atmospheric glow crowned the horizon.

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft sits in its run stall at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, firing up its engine for the first time. These engine-run tests start at low power and allow the X-59 team to verify the aircraft’s systems are working together while powered by its own engine. The X-59 is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission, which seeks to solve one of the major barriers to supersonic flight over land by making sonic booms quieter.

"[Now that I work for Safety and Mission Assurance,] it's really cool to read everything about the different types of the scenarios. I always get to see the task orders and the type of work that is going on to keep people safe on the ground and in the air.” — Miranda Meyer, Contract Specialist, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

The Space Shuttle Atlantis returned to work after a refurbishing and a two-year layoff, as liftoff for the mission occurred on Nov. 3, 1994. Five NASA astronauts and an ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut were aboard for the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS-3) mission.

A witch appears to be screaming out into space in this image from NASA's Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE. The infrared portrait shows the Witch Head nebula, named after its resemblance to the profile of a wicked witch.

NASA test pilot Joe Walker took the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) for its first spin 60 years ago today. NASA used the LLRV, also known as the flying bedstead, to train Apollo astronauts for the descent to the Moon's surface.

New Zealand’s stunning scenery has famously provided the backdrop for fictional worlds in fantasy films. A unique cloud that forms over the Otago region of the country’s South Island also evokes the otherworldly, while very much existing in reality.

Space science is fun! NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Don Pettit fills this sphere of water with food coloring creating a Jupiter-like effect in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station.

The spiral galaxy in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image is IC 3225. It looks remarkably as if it was launched from a cannon, speeding through space like a comet with a tail of gas streaming from its disk behind it.

A super blue moon rises above NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Aug. 18, 2024. Although not actually appearing blue, as the third full moon in a season with four full moons, this is called a “blue” moon.

The city lights of Melbourne, Australia are pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 271 miles above.

Nearly four decades ago, astronomers spotted one of the brightest exploding stars in more than 400 years. The titanic supernova, called Supernova 1987A (SN 1987A), blazed with the power of 100 million suns for several months following its discovery on Feb. 23, 1987.

A drone camera captures NASA’s mobile launcher 1 atop the agency’s crawler-transporter 2 moving from Launch Complex 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. The mobile launcher has been at the launch pad since August 2023 undergoing upgrades and tests in preparation for NASA’s Artemis II mission.

The Oort Cloud comet, called C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, passes over Southeast Louisiana near New Orleans, home of NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility, Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024. The comet is making its first appearance in documented human history; it was last seen in the night sky 80,000 years ago. The Tsuchinshan-ATLAS comet made its first close pass by Earth in mid-October and will remain visible to viewers in the Northern Hemisphere just between the star Arcturus and planet Venus through early November.

An unidentified illustration of NASA's space shuttle. The space shuttle fleet flew 135 missions and helped construct the International Space Station between the first launch on April 12, 1981 and the final landing on July 21, 2011. There were five orbiters: Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour.

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carrying NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:06 p.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. After launch, the spacecraft plans to fly by Mars in February 2025, then back by Earth in December 2026, using the gravity of each planet to increase its momentum. With help of these “gravity assists,” Europa Clipper will achieve the velocity needed to reach Jupiter in April 2030.

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) was about 44 million miles away from Earth in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 272 miles above the South Pacific Ocean southeast of New Zealand just before sunrise on Sept. 28, 2024.

On New Zealand’s North Island, a conical snow-capped volcano ringed by dark green forest rises above dairy pasture. The often-snowcapped peak of Mount Taranaki is the centerpiece of Egmont National Park. A circular piece of land—with a 9.6-kilometer (6-mile) radius from the volcano’s summit—was first formally protected as a forest reserve in 1881. With some subsequent additions, it became New Zealand’s second national park in 1900.

"It took years but it felt like all of the sudden, I was here and everything, the entire time, was preparing me for my role on the OSIRIS-REx mission. Now, I share a place in history next to a Curation team full of the most talented, intelligent and hard-working individuals in the world and all that we have accomplished is, and will be, a part of NASA forever." —Salvador Martinez III, Lead Astromaterial Curation Engineer, Jacobs Technology, NASA's Johnson Space Center

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NASA has selected David Korth as deputy for Johnson Space Center’s Safety and Mission Assurance directorate. Korth previously served as deputy manager of the International Space Station Avionics and Software Office at Johnson Space Center prior to serving as acting deputy for Safety and Mission Assurance. I’m excited to embark on my new role as deputy […]

NASA has selected David Korth as deputy for Johnson Space Center’s Safety and Mission Assurance directorate. Korth previously served as deputy manager of the International Space Station Avionics and Software Office at Johnson Space Center prior to serving as acting deputy for Safety and Mission Assurance. I’m excited to embark on my new role as deputy for Johnson’s Safety and Mission Assurance directorate,” Korth said. “Safety has been a priority for me throughout my NASA career. It is at the forefront of every decision I make.” Korth brings more than 34 years’ experience to NASA human space flight programs. Prior to supporting the space station Avionics and Software Office, Mr. Korth served as deputy manager of the program’s Systems Engineering and Integration Office where he also led the agency Commercial Destination program’s procurement culminating in the selection of Axiom Space. Mr. Korth began his NASA career as an engineer in the space station program’s operations planning group where he helped develop initial operational concepts and planning system requirements for the orbiting laboratory. He converted to civil servant in 1998 and was among the first three individuals to achieve front room certification as a space station ‘OPS PLAN’ front room operator. Korth also served as the lead operations planner for Expedition 1 – the first space station crewed expedition, was awarded two NASA fellowships, served as the operations division technical assistant in the Mission Operations Directorate, and was selected as a flight director in May 2007and served as lead space station flight director for Expeditions 21, 22, and 37, lead flight director for Japanese cargo ship mission HTV3, and lead flight director for US EVAs 22, 23,and 27. “David did an excellent job supporting Johnson’s many programs and institutional safety needs while serving as acting deputy manager,” said Willie Lyles, director of the Safety and Mission Assurance directorate. “He successfully weighed in on several critical risk-based decisions with the technical authority community. David’s program and flight operations experience is unique and is an asset to this role.” Throughout his career, Korth has been recognized for outstanding technical achievements and leadership, receiving a Rotary National Award for Space Achievement, a Silver Snoopy award, two Superior Achievement awards, two NASA Outstanding Leadership medals, and a NASA Exceptional Achievement medal. “David is an outstanding leader and engineer who truly understands NASA’s safety environment and protocols,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “His leadership will ensure the center continues its ‘safety first’ ideology. I am extremely pleased to announce his selection for this position.” Mr. Korth earned his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University, and a master’s degree in statistics from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

NASA has selected Mary Beth Schwartz as director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center Center Operations directorate. Schwartz previously served as the directorate’s deputy director. “I’m excited to embark on my new role as director for Johnson’s Center Operations directorate,” Schwartz said. “It is an honor to lead an organization that is foundational to the center’s mission […]

NASA has selected Mary Beth Schwartz as director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center Center Operations directorate. Schwartz previously served as the directorate’s deputy director. “I’m excited to embark on my new role as director for Johnson’s Center Operations directorate,” Schwartz said. “It is an honor to lead an organization that is foundational to the center’s mission success.” Ms. Schwartz began her NASA career as a NASA intern and has since held a variety of key roles. These include serving as a space shuttle flight controller, chair of the PSRP (Payload Safety Review Panel) for both the International Space Station and Space Shuttle programs, where she led establishment of PSRP franchises with international partners. She also served as the manager of the Safety and Mission Assurance business office, leading efforts in consolidation and budget integration, and as the associate director of Johnson engineering responsible for budget and facility functions. Throughout her career, Schwartz has been recognized for her contributions to NASA, receiving the NASA Exceptional Service medal, as well as the NASA Honor and Silver Snoopy awards. “Mary Beth has a unique perspective of Center Operations, not only as a mission and customer-focused organization, but as an organization that is key to employee experience,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “I appreciate her vision for the organization, commitment to the mission, and overall genuine respect of the workforce. I am extremely pleased to announce her selection for this position.” Ms. Schwartz earned her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Houston.

This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the planet Jupiter in a color composite of ultraviolet wavelengths. Released on Nov. 3, 2023, in honor of Jupiter reaching opposition, which occurs when the planet and the Sun are in opposite sides of the sky, this view of the gas giant planet includes the iconic, massive storm called the […]

NASA, ESA, and M. Wong (University of California – Berkeley); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America) This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the planet Jupiter in a color composite of ultraviolet wavelengths. Released on Nov. 3, 2023, in honor of Jupiter reaching opposition, which occurs when the planet and the Sun are in opposite sides of the sky, this view of the gas giant planet includes the iconic, massive storm called the “Great Red Spot.” Though the storm appears red to the human eye, in this ultraviolet image it appears darker because high altitude haze particles absorb light at these wavelengths. The reddish, wavy polar hazes are absorbing slightly less of this light due to differences in either particle size, composition, or altitude. Learn more about Hubble and how this type of data can help us learn more about our universe. Image credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Wong (University of California – Berkeley); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image peers into the dusty recesses of the nearest massive star-forming region to Earth, the Orion Nebula (Messier 42, M42). Just 1,500 light-years away, the Orion Nebula is visible to the unaided eye below the three stars that form the ‘belt’ in the constellation Orion. The nebula is home to […]

Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts News Hubble News Hubble News Archive Social Media Media Resources Multimedia Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities Lithographs Fact Sheets Glossary Posters Hubble on the NASA App More 35th Anniversary 2 min read Hubble Captures Young Stars Changing Their Environments This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the nearest star-forming region to Earth, the Orion Nebula (Messier 42, M42), located some 1,500 light-years away. ESA/Hubble, NASA, and T. Megeath This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image peers into the dusty recesses of the nearest massive star-forming region to Earth, the Orion Nebula (Messier 42, M42). Just 1,500 light-years away, the Orion Nebula is visible to the unaided eye below the three stars that form the ‘belt’ in the constellation Orion. The nebula is home to hundreds of newborn stars including the subject of this image: the protostars HOPS 150 and HOPS 153. These protostars get their names from the Herschel Orion Protostar Survey, conducted with ESA’s Herschel Space Observatory. The object visible in the upper-right corner of this image is HOPS 150: it’s a binary star system where two young protostars orbit each other. Each star has a small, dusty disk of material surrounding it. These stars gather material from their respective dust disks, growing in the process. The dark line that cuts across the bright glow of these protostars is a cloud of gas and dust falling in on the pair of protostars. It is over 2,000 times wider than the distance between Earth and the Sun. Based on the amount of infrared light HOPS 150 is emitting, as compared to other wavelengths it emits, the protostars are mid-way down the path to becoming mature stars. Extending across the left side of the image is a narrow, colorful outflow called a jet. This jet comes from the nearby protostar HOPS 153, which is out of the frame. HOPS 153 is significantly younger than its neighbor. That stellar object is still deeply embedded in its birth nebula and enshrouded by a cloud of cold, dense gas. While Hubble cannot penetrate this gas to see the protostar, the jet HOPS 153 emitted is brightly and clearly visible as it plows into the surrounding gas and dust of the Orion Nebula. The transition from tightly swaddled protostar to fully fledged star will dramatically affect HOPS 153’s surroundings. As gas falls onto the protostar, its jets spew material and energy into interstellar space, carving out bubbles and heating the gas. By stirring up and warming nearby gas, HOPS 153 may regulate the formation of new stars in its neighborhood and even slow its own growth. Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Explore More Three-Year Study of Young Stars with NASA’s Hubble Enters New Chapter NASA’s Hubble Finds Sizzling Details About Young Star FU Orionis Bow Shock Near a Young Star Media Contact: Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov) NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Nebulae Protostars Stars The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Exploring the Birth of Stars Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge Hubble Focus: The Lives of Stars This e-book highlights the mission’s recent discoveries and observations related to the birth, evolution, and death of stars.

NASA will observe its annual Day of Remembrance on Thursday, Jan. 23, honoring the members of the NASA family who lost their lives in the pursuit of exploration and discovery for benefit of humanity. The event, traditionally held every year on the fourth Thursday of January, remembers the crews of Apollo 1 and the space […]

The Space Shuttle Columbia and Space Shuttle Challenger Memorials are seen after a wreath laying ceremony that was part of NASA’s Day of Remembrance, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. (Credit: NASA) NASA will observe its annual Day of Remembrance on Thursday, Jan. 23, honoring the members of the NASA family who lost their lives in the pursuit of exploration and discovery for benefit of humanity. The event, traditionally held every year on the fourth Thursday of January, remembers the crews of Apollo 1 and the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia. “On NASA’s Day of Remembrance, we pause to reflect on the bravery, dedication, and selflessness of the extraordinary individuals who pushed the boundaries of exploration and discovery,” said NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free. “Their legacies remind us of the profound responsibility we have to carry their dreams forward while ensuring safety remains our guiding principle.” Free will lead an observance at 1 p.m. EST at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, which will begin with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, followed by observances for the Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia crews. Several agency centers also will hold observances for NASA Day of Remembrance: Johnson Space Center in Houston NASA Johnson will hold a commemoration at 10 a.m. CST at the Astronaut Memorial Grove with remarks by Center Director Vanessa Wyche. The event will have a moment of silence, a NASA T-38 flyover, taps performed by the Texas A&M Squadron 17, and a procession placing flowers at Apollo I, Challenger, and Columbia memorial trees. Kennedy Space Center in Florida NASA Kennedy and the Astronauts Memorial Foundation will host a ceremony at the Space Mirror Memorial at Kennedy’s Visitor Complex at 10 a.m. EST. The event will include remarks from Tal Ramon, son of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, space shuttle Columbia. Kelvin Manning, deputy director at NASA Kennedy, also will provide remarks during the ceremony, which will livestream on the center’s Facebook page. Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley NASA Ames will hold a remembrance ceremony at 1 p.m. PST that includes remarks from Center Director Eugene Tu, a moment of silence, and bell ringing commemoration. Glenn Research Center in Cleveland NASA Glenn will observe Day of Remembrance at 1 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Jan. 28, with remarks from Center Director Jimmy Kenyon followed by wreath placement, moment of silence, and taps at Lewis Field. Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia NASA Langley will hold a remembrance ceremony with Acting Center Director Dawn Schaible followed by placing flags at the Langley Workers Memorial. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama NASA Marshall will hold a candle-lighting ceremony and wreath placement at 9:30 a.m. CST. The ceremony will include remarks from Larry Leopard, associate director, and Bill Hill, director of Marshall’s Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. Stennis Space Flight Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center will hold a wreath-laying ceremony at 9 a.m. CST with remarks from Center Director John Bailey and Anita Harrell, NASA Shared Services Center executive director. The agency also is paying tribute to its fallen astronauts with special online content, updated on NASA’s Day of Remembrance, at: https://www.nasa.gov/dor -end- Abbey Donaldson Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 Abbey.a.donaldson@nasa.gov Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Location NASA Headquarters

This ARMD solicitations page compiles the opportunities to collaborate with NASA’s aeronautical innovators and/or contribute to their research to enable new and improved air transportation systems. A summary of available opportunities with key dates requiring action are listed first. More information about each opportunity is detailed lower on this page. University Student Research ChallengeQ&A: January […]

7 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA / Lillian Gipson/Getty Images This ARMD solicitations page compiles the opportunities to collaborate with NASA’s aeronautical innovators and/or contribute to their research to enable new and improved air transportation systems. A summary of available opportunities with key dates requiring action are listed first. More information about each opportunity is detailed lower on this page. University Student Research Challenge Q&A: January 27, 2025 at 2 p.m. ET Proposals for Cycle 2 Due: March 13, 2025 Proposals for Cycle 3 can also be submitted by June 26, 2025. Advanced Air Mobility Key date: Feb. 1, 2025, at 6 p.m. EST Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations is using this request for information to identify technologies that address current challenges facing the wildland firefighting community. NASA is seeking information on data collection, airborne connectivity and communications solutions, unmanned aircraft systems traffic management, aircraft operations and autonomy, and more. This will support development of a partnership strategy for future collaborative demonstrations. Interested parties were requested to respond to this notice with an information package no later than 4 pm ET, October 15, 2023, that shall be submitted via https://nari.arc.nasa.gov/acero-rfi. Any proprietary information must be clearly marked. Submissions will be accepted only from United States companies. View the full RFI Announcement here. Advanced Air Mobility Mission GENERAL ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY ANNOUNCEMENT OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION This request for information (RFI) is being used to gather market research for NASA to make informed decisions regarding potential partnership strategies and future research to enable Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). NASA is seeking information from public, private, and academic organizations to determine technical needs and community interests that may lead to future solicitations regarding AAM research and development. This particular RFI is just one avenue of multiple planned opportunities for formal feedback on or participation in NASA’s AAM Mission-related efforts to develop these requirements and help enable AAM. The current respond by date for this RFI is Feb. 1, 2025, at 6 p.m. EST. View the full RFI announcement here. NASA Research Opportunities in Aeronautics NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) uses the NASA Research Announcement (NRA) process to solicit proposals for foundational research in areas where ARMD seeks to enhance its core capabilities. Competition for NRA awards is open to both academia and industry. The current open solicitation for ARMD Research Opportunities is ROA-2023 and ROA-2024. Here is some general information to know about the NRA process. NRA solicitations are released by NASA Headquarters through the Web-based NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES). All NRA technical work is defined and managed by project teams within these four programs: Advanced Air Vehicles Program, Airspace Operations and Safety Program, Integrated Aviation Systems Program, and Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program. NRA awards originate from NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia, Ames Research Center in California, Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, and Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. Competition for NRA awards is full and open. Participation is open to all categories of organizations, including educational institutions, industry, and nonprofits. Any updates or amendments to an NRA is posted on the appropriate NSPIRES web pages as noted in the Amendments detailed below. ARMD sends notifications of NRA updates through the NSPIRES email system. In order to receive these email notifications, you must be a Registered User of NSPIRES. However, note that NASA is not responsible for inadvertently failing to provide notification of a future NRA. Parties are responsible for regularly checking the NSPIRES website for updated NRAs. ROA-2024 NRA Amendments Amendment 1 (Full text here.) Amendment 1 to the NASA ARMD Research Opportunities in Aeronautics (ROA) 2024 NRA has been posted on the NSPIRES web site at https://nspires.nasaprs.com. The announcement solicits proposals from accredited U.S. institutions for research training grants to begin the academic year. This NOFO is designed to support independently conceived research projects by highly qualified graduate students, in disciplines needed to help advance NASA’s mission, thus affording these students the opportunity to directly contribute to advancements in STEM-related areas of study. AAVP Fellowship Opportunities are focused on innovation and the generation of measurable research results that contribute to NASA’s current and future science and technology goals. Research proposals are sought to address key challenges provided in Elements of Appendix A.8. Notices of Intent (NOIs) are not required. A budget breakdown for each proposal is required, detailing the allocation of the award funds by year. The budget document may adhere to any format or template provided by the applicant’s institution. Proposals were due by April 30, 2024, at 5 PM ET. Amendment 2 (Full text here.) University Leadership Initiative (ULI) provides the opportunity for university teams to exercise technical and organizational leadership in proposing unique technical challenges in aeronautics, defining multi-disciplinary solutions, establishing peer review mechanisms, and applying innovative teaming strategies to strengthen the research impact. Research proposals are sought in six ULI topic areas in Appendix D.4. Topic 1: Safe, Efficient Growth in Global Operations (Strategic Thrust 1) Topic 2: Innovation in Commercial High-Speed Aircraft (Strategic Thrust 2) Topic 3: Ultra-Efficient Subsonic Transports (Strategic Thrust 3) Topic 4: Safe, Quiet, and Affordable Vertical Lift Air Vehicles (Strategic Thrust 4) Topic 5: In-Time System-Wide Safety Assurance (Strategic Thrust 5) Topic 6: Assured Autonomy for Aviation Transformation (Strategic Thrust 6) This NRA will utilize a two-step proposal submission and evaluation process. The initial step was a short mandatory Step-A proposal, which was due May 29, 2024. Those offerors submitting the most highly rated Step-A proposals will be invited to submit a Step-B proposal. All proposals must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES at https://nspires.nasaprs.com. An Applicant’s Workshop was held on Thursday April 3, 2024; 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET (https://uli.arc.nasa.gov/applicants-workshops/workshop8) Amendment 3 (Full text here) Commercial Supersonic Technology seeks proposals for a fuel injector design concept and fabrication for testing at NASA Glenn Research Center. The proposal for the fuel injector design aims to establish current state-of-the-art in low NOx supersonic cruise while meeting reasonable landing take-off NOx emissions. The technology application timeline is targeted for a supersonic aircraft with entry into service in the 2035+ timeframe. These efforts are in alignment with activities in the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate as outlined in the NASA Aeronautics Strategic Implementation Plan, specifically Strategic Thrust 2: Innovation in Commercial High-Speed Aircraft. Proposals were due by May 31, 2024 at 5 pm EDT. Amendment 4 UPDATED ON JANUARY 16, 2025 (Full text here) University Student Research Challenge seeks to challenge students to propose new ideas/concepts that are relevant to NASA Aeronautics. USRC will provide students, from accredited U.S. colleges or universities, with grants for their projects and with the challenge of raising cost share funds through a crowdfunding campaign. The process of creating and implementing a crowdfunding campaign acts as a teaching accelerator – requiring students to act like entrepreneurs and raise awareness about their research among the public. The solicitation goal can be accomplished through project ideas such as advancing the design, developing technology or capabilities in support of aviation, by demonstrating a novel concept, or enabling advancement of aeronautics-related technologies. Notices of Intent are not required for this solicitation. Proposals are due March 13, 2025. NOTE: Proposals can also be submitted now for Cycle 3, due June 26, 2025. Proposals can also be submitted later and evaluated in the second and third cycles. The USRC Q&A/Info Session and Proposal Workshop will be held on the days/times below. Please join us on TEAMS using the Meeting Link, or call in via +1 256-715-9946,,317928116#. USRC Cycle Information Session/Q&A Date Proposal Due Date Cycle 1 Sept. 20, 2024 at 2 pm ET Nov. 7, 2024 Cycle 2 Jan. 27, 2025 at 2 pm ET March 13, 2025 Cycle 3 May 12, 2024 at 2 pm ET June 26, 2025 ROA-2023 NRA Amendments Amendment 5 (Expired) (Full text here) Amendment 4 (Expired) (Full text here) Amendment 3 (Expired) (Full text here) Amendment 2 (Expired) (Full text here) Amendment 1 (Expired) (Full text here) Keep Exploring See More About NASA Aeronautics Aeronautics STEM Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Aeronáutica en español Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Editor Jim Banke Contact Jim Banke jim.banke@nasa.gov Related Terms Aeronautics Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate For Colleges & Universities Learning Resources

In the years following the launch of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have tallied over 1 trillion galaxies in the universe. But only one galaxy stands out as the most important nearby stellar island to our Milky Way — the magnificent Andromeda galaxy (Messier 31). It can be seen with the naked eye on a […]

Hubble Space Telescope Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts News Hubble News Hubble News Archive Social Media Media Resources Multimedia Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities Lithographs Fact Sheets Glossary Posters Hubble on the NASA App More 35th Anniversary 6 Min Read NASA’s Hubble Traces Hidden History of Andromeda Galaxy This photomosaic of the Andromeda galaxy is the largest ever assembled from Hubble observations. Credits: NASA, ESA, Benjamin F. Williams (UWashington), Zhuo Chen (UWashington), L. Clifton Johnson (Northwestern); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) In the years following the launch of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have tallied over 1 trillion galaxies in the universe. But only one galaxy stands out as the most important nearby stellar island to our Milky Way — the magnificent Andromeda galaxy (Messier 31). It can be seen with the naked eye on a very clear autumn night as a faint cigar-shaped object roughly the apparent angular diameter of our Moon. A century ago, Edwin Hubble first established that this so-called “spiral nebula” was actually very far outside our own Milky Way galaxy — at a distance of approximately 2.5 million light-years or roughly 25 Milky Way diameters. Prior to that, astronomers had long thought that the Milky way encompassed the entire universe. Overnight, Hubble’s discovery turned cosmology upside down by unveiling an infinitely grander universe. Now, a century later, the space telescope named for Hubble has accomplished the most comprehensive survey of this enticing empire of stars. The Hubble telescope is yielding new clues to the evolutionary history of Andromeda, and it looks markedly different from the Milky Way’s history. This is largest photomosaic ever assembled from Hubble Space Telescope observations. It is a panoramic view of the neighboring Andromeda galaxy, located 2.5 million light-years away. It took over 10 years to make this vast and colorful portrait of the galaxy, requiring over 600 Hubble overlapping snapshots that were challenging to stitch together. The galaxy is so close to us, that in angular size it is six times the apparent diameter of the full Moon, and can be seen with the unaided eye. For Hubble’s pinpoint view, that’s a lot of celestial real estate to cover. This stunning, colorful mosaic captures the glow of 200 million stars. That’s still a fraction of Andromeda’s population. And the stars are spread across about 2.5 billion pixels. The detailed look at the resolved stars will help astronomers piece together the galaxy’s past history that includes mergers with smaller satellite galaxies. NASA, ESA, Benjamin F. Williams (UWashington), Zhuo Chen (UWashington), L. Clifton Johnson (Northwestern); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) Download this image (10,552 x 2,468)(9 MB) Download this image (42,208 x 9,870)(203 MB) Without Andromeda as a proxy for spiral galaxies in the universe at large, astronomers would know much less about the structure and evolution of our own Milky Way. That’s because we are embedded inside the Milky Way. This is like trying to understand the layout of New York City by standing in the middle of Central Park. “With Hubble we can get into enormous detail about what’s happening on a holistic scale across the entire disk of the galaxy. You can’t do that with any other large galaxy,” said principal investigator Ben Williams of the University of Washington. Hubble’s sharp imaging capabilities can resolve more than 200 million stars in the Andromeda galaxy, detecting only stars brighter than our Sun. They look like grains of sand across the beach. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Andromeda’s total population is estimated to be 1 trillion stars, with many less massive stars falling below Hubble’s sensitivity limit. Photographing Andromeda was a herculean task because the galaxy is a much bigger target on the sky than the galaxies Hubble routinely observes, which are often billions of light-years away. The full mosaic was carried out under two Hubble programs. In total, it required over 1,000 Hubble orbits, spanning more than a decade. This panorama started with the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT) program about a decade ago. Images were obtained at near-ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths using the Advanced Camera for Surveys and the Wide Field Camera 3 aboard Hubble to photograph the northern half of Andromeda. This is the largest photomosaic ever made by the Hubble Space Telescope. The target is the vast Andromeda galaxy that is only 2.5 million light-years from Earth, making it the nearest galaxy to our own Milky Way. Andromeda is seen almost edge-on, tilted by 77 degrees relative to Earth’s view. The galaxy is so large that the mosaic is assembled from approximately 600 separate overlapping fields of view taken over 10 years of Hubble observing — a challenge to stitch together over such a large area. The mosaic image is made up of at least 2.5 billion pixels. Hubble resolves an estimated 200 million stars that are hotter than our Sun, but still a fraction of the galaxy’s total estimated stellar population. Interesting regions include: (a) Clusters of bright blue stars embedded within the galaxy, background galaxies seen much farther away, and photo-bombing by a couple bright foreground stars that are actually inside our Milky Way; (b) NGC 206 the most conspicuous star cloud in Andromeda; (c) A young cluster of blue newborn stars; (d) The satellite galaxy M32, that may be the residual core of a galaxy that once collided with Andromeda; (e) Dark dust lanes across myriad stars. NASA, ESA, Benjamin F. Williams (UWashington), Zhuo Chen (UWashington), L. Clifton Johnson (Northwestern); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) Download this image (2,000 x 1,125)(1.5 MB) Download this image (7,680 x 4,320)(16 MB) This program was followed up by the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Southern Treasury (PHAST), recently published in The Astrophysical Journal and led by Zhuo Chen at the University of Washington, which added images of approximately 100 million stars in the southern half of Andromeda. This region is structurally unique and more sensitive to the galaxy’s merger history than the northern disk mapped by the PHAT survey. The combined programs collectively cover the entire disk of Andromeda, which is seen almost edge-on — tilted by 77 degrees relative to Earth’s view. The galaxy is so large that the mosaic is assembled from approximately 600 separate fields of view. The mosaic image is made up of at least 2.5 billion pixels. The complementary Hubble survey programs provide information about the age, heavy-element abundance, and stellar masses inside Andromeda. This will allow astronomers to distinguish between competing scenarios where Andromeda merged with one or more galaxies. Hubble’s detailed measurements constrain models of Andromeda’s merger history and disk evolution. A Galactic ‘Train Wreck’ Though the Milky Way and Andromeda formed presumably around the same time many billions of years ago, observational evidence shows that they have very different evolutionary histories, despite growing up in the same cosmological neighborhood. Andromeda seems to be more highly populated with younger stars and unusual features like coherent streams of stars, say researchers. This implies it has a more active recent star-formation and interaction history than the Milky Way. “Andromeda’s a train wreck. It looks like it has been through some kind of event that caused it to form a lot of stars and then just shut down,” said Daniel Weisz at the University of California, Berkeley. “This was probably due to a collision with another galaxy in the neighborhood.” A possible culprit is the compact satellite galaxy Messier 32, which resembles the stripped-down core of a once-spiral galaxy that may have interacted with Andromeda in the past. Computer simulations suggest that when a close encounter with another galaxy uses up all the available interstellar gas, star formation subsides. The Andromeda galaxy, our galactic neighbor, holds over 1 trillion stars and has been a key to unlocking the secrets of the universe. Thanks to NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, we’re now seeing Andromeda in stunning new detail, revealing its dynamic history and unique structure. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center; Lead Producer: Paul Morris Download this video “Andromeda looks like a transitional type of galaxy that’s between a star-forming spiral and a sort of elliptical galaxy dominated by aging red stars,” said Weisz. “We can tell it’s got this big central bulge of older stars and a star-forming disk that’s not as active as you might expect given the galaxy’s mass.” “This detailed look at the resolved stars will help us to piece together the galaxy’s past merger and interaction history,” added Williams. Hubble’s new findings will support future observations by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Essentially a wide-angle version of Hubble (with the same sized mirror), Roman will capture the equivalent of at least 100 high-resolution Hubble images in a single exposure. These observations will complement and extend Hubble’s huge dataset. The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA. Explore More Explore the Night Sky: Messier 31 Hubble’s High-Definition Panoramic View of the Andromeda Galaxy NASA’s Hubble Finds Giant Halo Around the Andromeda Galaxy Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact: Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov) NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Ray Villard Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Andromeda Galaxy Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Hubble Space Telescope Spiral Galaxies The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble Hubble Space Telescope Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble Science Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge Hubble Images

2025 Seminar Series Throughout 2025, the NASA History Office is presenting a seminar series on the topic of Aerospace Latin America. This series will explore the origins, evolution, and historical context of aerospace in the region since the dawn of the Space Age, touching on a broad range of topics including aerospace infrastructure development, space […]

2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) 2025 Seminar Series Throughout 2025, the NASA History Office is presenting a seminar series on the topic of Aerospace Latin America. This series will explore the origins, evolution, and historical context of aerospace in the region since the dawn of the Space Age, touching on a broad range of topics including aerospace infrastructure development, space policy and law, Earth science applications, and much more. This seminar series is part of a collaborative effort to gather insights and research that will conclude in an anthology of essays to be published as a NASA History Special Publication. Individual presentations will be held virtually bi-weekly or monthly. During a gravity assist in 1992, the Galileo spacecraft took images of Earth and the Moon. Separate images were combined to generate this composite which features a view of the Pacific Ocean and Central and South America. NASA/JPL/USGS Upcoming Presentations “Governing the Moon: A History” Stephen Buono (University of Chicago) Thursday, February 6 at 1pm CST In this talk, Stephen Buono will provide a nuanced history of the unratified Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, more commonly known as the Moon Treaty. Buono will illuminate the treaty’s deep origins, the contributions of international space lawyers, the details of the negotiating process, the role played by the United States in shaping the final text, and the contributions of the treaty’s single most important author, Argentine lawyer, Aldo Armando Cocca. “A God’s Eye View: Aviators and the Re-Conquest of Latin America” Pete Soland(University of Houston—Downtown) Thursday, February 20 at 1pm CST This talk scrutinizes the aviator-conquistador metaphor. It examines airplane pilots as personifying high modernism and the technological sublime in Latin America from the turn of the century through the early Space Age, when spaceships and astronauts eclipsed airplanes and aviators. Repeated invocations of the conquistador as a metaphor for the aviator’s social role–and the conquest as an analogy for the goals of aviation programs–illustrate how elites promoted their modernization initiatives to national publics. How to Attend These presentations will be held via Microsoft Teams. For details on how to attend the meetings, join the NASA History mailing list to receive updates. Just send a blank email to history-join@lists.hq.nasa.gov to join. Alternatively, send us an email to receive a link for the next meeting. More News from the NASA History Office Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Related Terms NASA History Events

NASA Space Apps has named 10 global winners, recognizing teams from around the world for their exceptional innovation and collaboration during the 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge. As the largest annual global hackathon, this event invites participants to leverage open data from NASA and its space agency partners to tackle real-world challenges on Earth and […]

6 Min Read NASA International Space Apps Challenge Announces 2024 Global Winners The 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge was hosted at 485 events in 163 countries and territories. Credits: NASA NASA Space Apps has named 10 global winners, recognizing teams from around the world for their exceptional innovation and collaboration during the 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge. As the largest annual global hackathon, this event invites participants to leverage open data from NASA and its space agency partners to tackle real-world challenges on Earth and in space. Last year’s hackathon welcomed 93,520 registered participants, including space, science, technology, and storytelling enthusiasts of all ages. Participants gathered at local events in 163 countries and territories, forming teams to address the challenges authored by NASA subject matter experts. These challenges included subjects/themes/questions in ocean ecosystems, exoplanet exploration, Earth observation, planetary seismology, and more. The 2024 Global Winners were determined out of 9,996 project submissions and judged by subject matter experts from NASA and space agency partners. “These 10 exceptional teams created projects that reflect our commitment to understanding our planet and exploring beyond, with the potential to transform Earth and space science for the benefit of all,” said Dr. Keith Gaddis, NASA Space Apps Challenge program scientistat NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The NASA Space Apps Challenge showcases the potential of every idea and individual. I am excited to see how these innovators will shape and inspire the future of science and exploration.” You can watch the Global Winners Announcement here to meet these winning teams and learn about the inspiration behind their projects. 2024 NASA Space Apps Challenge Global Winners Best Use of Science Award: WMPGang Team Members: Dakota C., Ian C., Maximilian V., Simon S. Challenge: Create an Orrery Web App that Displays Near-Earth Objects Country/Territory: Waterloo,Canada Using their skills in programming, data analysis, and visualization, WMPGang created a web app that identifies satellite risk zones using real-time data on Near-Earth Objects and meteor streams. Learn more about WMPGang’s SkyShield: Protecting Earth and Satellites from Space Hazards project Best Use of Data Award: GaamaRamma Team Members: Aakash H., Arun G., Arthur A., Gabriel A., May K. Challenge: Leveraging Earth Observation Data for Informed Agricultural Decision-Making Country/Territory: Universal Event, United States GaamaRamma’s team of tech enthusiasts aimed to create a sustainable way to help farmers efficiently manage water availability in the face of drought, pests, and disease. Learn more about GaamaRamma’s Waterwise project Best Use of Technology Award: 42 QuakeHeroes Team Members: Alailton A., Ana B., Gabriel C., Gustavo M., Gustavo T., Larissa M. Challenge: Seismic Detection Across the Solar System Country/Territory: Maceió, Brazil Team 42 QuakeHeroes employed a deep neural network model to identify the precise locations of seismic events within time-series data. They used advanced signal processing techniques to isolate and analyze unique components of non-stationary signals. Learn more about 42 QuakeHeroes’ project Galactic Impact Award: NVS-knot Team Members: Oksana M., Oleksandra M., Prokipchyn Y., Val K. Challenge: Leveraging Earth Observation Data for Informed Agricultural Decision-Making Country/Territory: Kyiv, Ukraine The NVS-knot team assessed planting conditions using surface soil moisture and evapotranspiration data, then created an app that empowers farmers to manage planting risks. Learn more about NVS-knot’s 2plant | ! 2plant project Best Mission Concept Award: AsturExplorers Team Members: Coral M., Daniel C., Daniel V., Juan B., Samuel G., Vladimir C. Challenge: Landsat Reflectance Data: On the Fly and at Your Fingertips Country/Territory: Gijón, Spain AsturExplorers created Landsat Connect, a web app that provides a simple, intuitive way to track Landast satellites and access Landsat surface reflectance data. The app also allows users to set a target location and receive notifications when Landsat satellites pass over their area. Learn more about AsturExplorers’ Landsat Connect project Most Inspirational Award: Innovisionaries Team Members: Rikzah K., Samira K., Shafeeqa J., Umamah A. Challenge: SDGs in the Classroom Country/Territory: Sharjah, United Arab Emirates Innovisionaries developed Eco-Metropolis to inspire sustainability through gameplay. This city-building game engages players in making critical urban planning and resource management decisions based on real-world environmental data. Learn more about Innovisionaries’ Eco-Metropolis: Sustainable City Simulation project Best Storytelling Award: TerraTales Team Members: Ahmed R., Fatma E., Habiba A., Judy A., Maya M. Challenge: Tell Us a Climate Story! Country/Territory: Cairo, Egypt TerraTales shared stories of how Earth’s changing climate affects three unique regions: Egypt, Brazil, and Germany. The web app also features an artificial intelligence (AI) model for climate forecasting and an interactive game to encourage users to make eco-friendly choices. Learn more about TerraTale’s project Global Connection Award: Asteroid Destroyer Team Members: Kapeesh K., Khoi N., Sathyajit L., Satyam S. Challenge: Navigator for the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO): Mapping the Characterizable Exoplanets in our Galaxy Country/Territory: Saskatoon, Canada Team Asteroid Destroyer honed in on exoplanets, utilizing data processing and machine learning techniques to map exoplanets based on size, temperature, and distance. Learn more about Asteroid Destroyer’s project Art & Technology Award: Connected Earth Museum Team Members: Gabriel M., Luc R., Lucas R., Mattheus L., Pedro C., Riccardo S. Challenge: Imagine our Connected Earth Country/Territory: Campinas, Brazil Team Connected Earth Museum created an immersive virtual museum experience to raise awareness of Earth’s changing climate. An AI host guides users through an interactive gallery featuring 3D and 2D visualizations, including a time series on Earth and ocean temperatures, population density, wildfires, and more. Learn more about Connected Earth Museums’ project Local Impact Award: Team I.O. Team Members: Frank R., Jan K., Raphael R., Ryan Z., Victoria M. Challenge: Community Mapping Country/Territory: Florianópolis, Brazil Team I.O. bridges the gap between complex Geographic Information Systems data and user-friendly communication, making critical environmental information accessible to everyone, regardless of technical expertise. Learn more about Team I.O.’s G.R.O.W. (Global Recovery and Observation of Wildfires) project Want to take part in the 2025 NASA Space Apps Challenge? Mark your calendars for October 4 and 5! Registration will open in July. At that time, participants will be able to register for a local event hosted by NASA Space Apps leads from around the world. You can stay connected with NASA Space Apps on Facebook, Instagram, and X. Space Apps is funded by NASA’s Earth Science Division through a contract with Booz Allen Hamilton, Mindgrub, and SecondMuse. Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Related Terms STEM Engagement at NASA Earth

In a recently published paper, NASA scientists use nearly 20 years of observations to show that the global water cycle is shifting in unprecedented ways. The majority of those shifts are driven by activities such as agriculture and could have impacts on ecosystems and water management, especially in certain regions. “We established with data assimilation […]

3 Min Read NASA Scientists Find New Human-Caused Shifts in Global Water Cycle Cracked mud and salt on the valley floor in Death Valley National Park in California can become a reflective pool after rains. (File photo) Credits: NPS/Kurt Moses In a recently published paper, NASA scientists use nearly 20 years of observations to show that the global water cycle is shifting in unprecedented ways. The majority of those shifts are driven by activities such as agriculture and could have impacts on ecosystems and water management, especially in certain regions. “We established with data assimilation that human intervention in the global water cycle is more significant than we thought,” said Sujay Kumar, a research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and a co-author of the paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The shifts have implications for people all over the world. Water management practices, such as designing infrastructure for floods or developing drought indicators for early warning systems, are often based on assumptions that the water cycle fluctuates only within a certain range, said Wanshu Nie, a research scientist at NASA Goddard and lead author of the paper. “This may no longer hold true for some regions,” Nie said. “We hope that this research will serve as a guide map for improving how we assess water resources variability and plan for sustainable resource management, especially in areas where these changes are most significant.” One example of the human impacts on the water cycle is in North China, which is experiencing an ongoing drought. But vegetation in many areas continues to thrive, partially because producers continue to irrigate their land by pumping more water from groundwater storage, Kumar said. Such interrelated human interventions often lead to complex effects on other water cycle variables, such as evapotranspiration and runoff. Nie and her colleagues focused on three different kinds of shifts or changes in the cycle: first, a trend, such as a decrease in water in a groundwater reservoir; second, a shift in seasonality, like the typical growing season starting earlier in the year, or an earlier snowmelt; and third a change in extreme events, like “100-year floods” happening more frequently. The scientists gathered remote sensing data from 2003 to 2020 from several different NASA satellite sources: the Global Precipitation Measurement mission satellite for precipitation data, a soil moisture dataset from the European Space Agency’s Climate Change Initiative, and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment satellites for terrestrial water storage data. They also used products from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite instrument to provide information on vegetation health. “This paper combines several years of our team’s effort in developing capabilities on satellite data analysis, allowing us to precisely simulate continental water fluxes and storages across the planet,” said Augusto Getirana, a research scientist at NASA Goddard and a co-author of the paper. The study results suggest that Earth system models used to simulate the future global water cycle should evolve to integrate the ongoing effects of human activities. With more data and improved models, producers and water resource managers could understand and effectively plan for what the “new normal” of their local water situation looks like, Nie said. By Erica McNamee NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland Share Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 Editor Kate D. Ramsayer Contact Kate D. Ramsayer kate.d.ramsayer@nasa.gov Related Terms Earth Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Goddard Space Flight Center Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Water & Energy Cycle Explore More 4 min read NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement Mission: 10 years, 10 stories From peering into hurricanes to tracking El Niño-related floods and droughts to aiding in disaster… Article 11 months ago 4 min read NASA Satellites Find Snow Didn’t Offset Southwest US Groundwater Loss Article 7 months ago 4 min read NASA Satellites Reveal Abrupt Drop in Global Freshwater Levels Earth’s total amount of freshwater dropped abruptly starting in May 2014 and has remained low… Article 2 months ago

New Scientist - Space

NASA's former chief scientist, Jim Green, explains how close we are to having humans on Mars

After delays and false starts, Jeff Bezos's firm Blue Origin has reached orbit with its first launch of the New Glenn rocket, though attempts to land the first stage at sea were unsuccessful

A newly discovered neutron star is behaving so strangely that it may alter our understanding of the dense remains left behind when stellar objects die

Two companies, Firefly Aerospace and ispace, are aiming to make the second and third successful private landings on the moon - and both are launching on the same Falcon 9 rocket

A new analysis of marsquakes measured by NASA’s InSight lander indicates Mars has a solid inner core – but other researchers say the evidence is thin

Suzie Imber is a co-investigator for the BepiColombo mission, currently on its way to Mercury. She explains how it will cast new light on the planet's many oddities, including its awful space weather and the fact it appears to have shrunk

Regular pulses of X-ray radiation emanating from a supermassive black hole could be explained by a white dwarf star on the verge of falling in

Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) should be visible from the southern hemisphere, and possibly also the northern hemisphere, over the next few days

The United Nations has 17 sustainable development goals that all member states have signed up to in an effort to balance economics and the environment - and now researchers say we need a new one to ensure we keep space junk under control

The BepiColombo spacecraft is due to start orbiting Mercury next year, but a recent flyby has captured breathtaking images of its pockmarked surface

SpaceX’s most ambitious Starship flight yet will see reused hardware, the deployment of 10 fake satellites and another attempt to catch the booster with “chopsticks”

Jeff Bezos’s space company is about to launch New Glenn, a reusable rocket intended to rival SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, for the first time

Simulations suggest Pluto and its largest moon may have gently stuck together for a few hours before Charon settled into a stable orbit around the dwarf planet

A map of 31 million galaxies created by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument will be released next year, and could shed light on the origins of this mysterious force

From auroras to partial eclipses of the sun, Leah Crane is planning out the astronomical events she will be watching next year

Around the middle of 2025, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will begin its mission to help us better understand the cosmos. There's a lot to look forward to, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

A Ken Liu, two Adrian Tchaikovsky novels, Succession-style drama (with added telepathy) and a Polish epic. Emily H. Wilson surveys 2025’s sci-fi

From Firefly’s Blue Ghost lander to SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System, around a dozen spacecraft teams have their sights on the moon

The Ingenuity autonomous helicopter surpassed all expectations to fly dozens of missions over several years on the Red Planet, only stopping this year when an accident damaged one of its rotors

This year has delivered some awe-inspiring imagery of space, from the James Webb Space Telescope’s stunning shots of faraway stars and galaxies to images of the skies taken from here on planet Earth

In 2024 the James Webb Space Telescope released stunning new images of the beauty of space, here are the best

From a fish with a tiny brain to the world’s oldest cheese, we have reported on plenty of strange and unusual science discoveries this year. Challenge yourself and see what you can remember in this fiendish set of questions from our quizmaster Bethan Ackerley

We challenge you to find the scientific terms in this monster of a puzzle – and we’re not even telling you exactly what they are

An asteroid orbiting near our planet that temporarily became our second moon seems to have come from the actual moon, hinting that a hidden population of lunar rocks is drifting in space

The age of the rings that encircle Saturn is under dispute thanks to calculations that show they could have been formed billions – rather than millions – of years ago

The northern lights, or aurora borealis, came strangely far south this year and there may be more of the same while the sun is experiencing a solar maximum

A survey of more than 56,000 sun-like stars reveals that “superflares” that are linked to bursts of radiation which play havoc with electronics on Earth may happen every 100 to 200 years and we may be overdue one

On 24 December, the Parker Solar Probe will be the closest human-made object ever to a star, taking unprecedented measurements of the sun

Rather than getting its water from impacts, our planet may have drawn in water vapour after the sun boiled it off early icy asteroids

From the first private moon landing to the first civilian spacewalk, Elon Musk’s SpaceX helped drive a big year for private space flight

Plate tectonics seems to be crucial for life on Earth, but we’ve never confirmed that it happens on other worlds - that may be about to change

A City on Mars authors Kelly and Zach Weinersmith on whether we can settle space, whether we should settle space, and have we really thought it through?

Our Future Chronicles column explores an imagined history of inventions and developments yet to come. We journey to 2055, when a space elevator from the moon’s surface to near-Earth orbit was completed, opening space travel to all

Astronomers spotted a 70-centimetre asteroid hours before it hit the atmosphere above northern Siberia, making a fireball in the sky

The Acidalia Planitia region of the Red Planet might have all the requirements for methane-burping bacteria to exist beneath the surface

Murder in space, a sexbot, a dystopian vision of the future: our science fiction columnist Emily H. Wilson picks her top five reads of 2024

Space-time may not be continuous but instead made up of many discrete bits – and we may be able to see their effects near the edges of unusually bright black holes

Enigmatic phenomena called fast radio bursts might be caused by interstellar objects colliding with highly magnetised neutron stars

A rock that formed around 4.5 billion years ago on Mars before being blasted into space by a meteor strike and making its way to Earth contains telltale evidence that it was formed in the presence of hot water

The unexpected discovery of microbial life in a piece of rock from an asteroid shows how hard it is to avoid contaminating samples brought back to Earth

We asked New Scientist staff to pick their favourite science fiction books. Here are the results, ranging from 19th-century classics to modern day offerings, and from Octavia E. Butler to Iain M. Banks

Using four telescopes linked together, astronomers have captured an astonishing image of a huge star more than 160,000 light years away

In Adam Roberts's Lake of Darkness, two spaceships meet to study a black hole. Their research comes to an abrupt halt, however, when crew members start dying horribly, says Emily H. Wilson

A large planet has been spotted orbiting a dwarf star that is just 3 million years old, offering possible clues to how the worlds in our solar system came into being

The best pictures we have of the sun yet have been delivered thanks to the Solar Orbiter spacecraft

The effects of being in space can worsen an astronaut's working memory, processing speed and attention - which could be a problem for future missions

Analysis of millions of galaxies upholds Albert Einstein’s ideas about gravity and also offers tantalising new hints of how dark energy may have evolved

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is preparing for the sixth test flight of Starship, the world's most powerful rocket. It aims to conduct the launch at 4pm Central Time (10pm UK). Here’s everything we know so far

The moon's glare can frustrate astronomers, but Leah Crane is a big fan of the jagged, cratered details of the lunar surface these days

You might have heard about plans to establish a self‑sustaining city on Mars. Here’s what life would really be like on the Red Planet

Two massive galaxies are bending light from the same distant quasar, creating a so-called Einstein zigzag lens that could help astronomers pin down how quickly the universe is expanding

The Proba-3 mission consists of two spacecraft that will fly in close formation to study the sun, with the shadow of one creating an artificial solar eclipse from the perspective of the other

Samantha Harvey has won the UK's top fiction prize for a novel that takes place over 24 hours on the International Space Station

Voyager 2 flew by Uranus in 1986, giving us our only up-close look at the planet – but unusual space weather just before the craft arrived has given us a misleading idea about the planet’s magnetic field

From nuclear strikes to giant spikes, discover the systems in place to prevent a collision and test your decision-making to see if you could avoid a catastrophic impact

In order to figure out how something came from nothing, we first need to explore the different types of nothing

Dangerous radiation reaches Mars at levels we aren't exposed to on Earth, which makes the Red Planet a particularly dangerous place to be during pregnancy

Data collected by the Zhurong rover and orbiting satellites suggests the existence of an ancient shoreline in the Utopia Planitia region of Mars

Averting an asteroid strike will need many of the same skills we must hone to tackle climate change and future pandemics

A small world in the outer solar system appears to have volcanic activity possibly spurred by liquid water

Asteroids that regularly fly between Earth, Venus and Mars could provide radiation shielding for human missions to explore neighbouring planets

Maggie Aderin-Pocock, who has worked on the JWST, catalogues the science behind its most stunning images in her new book, Webb's Universe. Here's her pick of the telescope’s best shots

The largest and most ambitious Martian drone yet could carry kilograms of scientific equipment over great distances and set itself down on the Red Planet unassisted

Complex carbon-based molecules crucial to life on Earth originated somewhere in space, but we didn't know where. Now, huge amounts of them have been spotted in a huge, cold cloud of gas

A nearby star that exploded some 3 million years ago could have removed all dust smaller than a millimetre from the outer solar system

Moin Hussain's debut feature film Sky Peals sees a man discover his father may be from outer space. Part sci-fi, part family drama, part coming-of-age tale, it is odd and otherworldly

The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week

General relativity teaches us that observing a black hole is all a question of perspective – and technique, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

The first “failed star” ever discovered has been a weird outlier since it was found nearly 30 years ago. New observations show that it is unusually massive because it isn’t a single star after all

The Euclid space telescope's massive “cosmic atlas” promises to shed light on fundamental questions in physics and cosmology

Meet NASA’s NEO Surveyor, the space telescope identifying hazardous asteroids and comets within 48 million kilometres of Earth’s orbit

A 6000-kilogram spacecraft will embark on a six-year journey to Jupiter to explore whether its icy moon Europa has the conditions to support life

My first sight of Saturn through a telescope inspired my love of space. Dig out your telescopes or visit your local astronomy club, and you may be lucky enough to spot our sixth planet's stunning thick band of rings, says Leah Crane

SpaceX claims the fifth test flight of its Starship rocket will happen “within days”, but the Federal Aviation Administration has not yet approved the launch

The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week

The ion tail of C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) could appear as a blue streak across the northern hemisphere sky during October, in a rare event thought to happen only every few decades

The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft must be thoroughly tested before being sent to investigate the aftermath of the collision of NASA's DART probe with Dimorphos

A detector on the International Space Station found signatures of unexpectedly abundant antimatter – which may have been created in clashes of dark matter particles

Bacteria grown from carbon compounds in asteroids could be turned into a kind of nutritionally balanced milkshake

The European Space Agency is sending a probe to get a closer look at the asteroid Dimorphos, which had its orbit altered by NASA’s DART mission in 2022

How did the supermassive black holes we’re now seeing in the early universe get so big so fast? Astrophysicist Sophie Koudmani is using sophisticated galaxy simulations to figure it out

Andrew McConnell's otherworldly photograph captures a Russian cosmonaut in front of the just-landed Soyuz MS spacecraft in Kazakhstan's remote grasslands

The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week

The first 18 satellites of a planned Chinese mega constellation are brighter than all but 500 stars in the sky, raising fears of a huge impact on astronomy

A computer simulation suggests that some collisions between exotic, hypothetical stars would make space-time ripple with detectable waves

Cracks running through samples of asteroid Ryugu were probably formed by the repeated thawing and freezing of water inside it, which could have helped asteroids like this carry the building blocks of life to early Earth

Astronomers have detected an exoplanet around Barnard’s star, one of the sun’s closest neighbours, but it is too hot for liquid water or life

Astronomer Jo Dunkley is planning to use the Simons Observatory to snare evidence for inflation, the theory that the universe expanded at incredible speed after its birth

These dazzling images taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope are from the upcoming book Cosmos: Explore the wonders of the universe, which has a foreword by astrophysicist Becky Smethurst

Astronomers listened for radio signals emanating from planets in the TRAPPIST-1 system, but found no evidence of any interplanetary communications

A distant planet should have been consumed when its star expanded to become a red giant, perhaps offering insights into planetary migration

Medically evacuating an astronaut from space is difficult and expensive, and a new model predicts that one in three long-duration moon missions may require it

Genetic analysis shows that microbes growing inside the International Space Station have adaptations for radiation and low gravity, and may pose a threat to astronauts

Nearly imperceptible quantum flickers used to limit how precisely we could detect the way space-time ripples, but squeezing the laser light used in detectors overcomes this and doubles the number of gravitational waves we can see

See the world's best space images from the Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2024 award

Exoplanets in binary star systems usually orbit both stars, but astronomers have now spotted three planets orbiting one or the other star in a pair

As the space industry evolves, we need a new set of international regulations to decide who is responsible for safety, the number of satellites in space, and more

Spanning 23 million light years, or 220 Milky Way galaxies, a set of giant, newly discovered black hole jets known as Porphyrion may change our understanding of black holes and the structure of the universe

The second-closest planet to the sun is more geologically active than we thought and could have more than 17,000 venusquakes a year

The long-standing mystery of how supermassive black holes grew so huge so quickly could be solved by decaying dark matter

Share & discuss informative content on: * Astrophysics * Cosmology * Space Exploration * Planetary Science * Astrobiology

Please sort comments by 'new' to find questions that would otherwise be buried. In this thread you can ask any space related question that you may have. Two examples of potential questions could be; "How do rockets work?", or "How do the phases of the Moon work?" If you see a space related question posted in another subreddit or in this subreddit, then please politely link them to this thread. Ask away! submitted by /u/AutoModerator [link] [comments]

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“Congrats to @SpaceX on Starship’s seventh test flight and the second successful booster catch. Spaceflight is not easy. It’s anything but routine. That’s why these tests are so important—each one bringing us closer on our path to the Moon and onward to Mars through #Artemis.” submitted by /u/Broccoli32 [link] [comments]

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This cool new perspective was leaked on Twitter by BocaBrain. OP claims it was flight 6, but the consensus of the community seems to be that it was flight 4. It’s super impressive that Starship can sustain this kind of damage and still land, but it also highlights how much work is left to do. For the new grads - “heat shields… there’s a great future in heat shields.” submitted by /u/helicopter-enjoyer [link] [comments]

The wacky hydrogen "space" balloon company seems to be dead. Didn't work out, but where's all that money ? submitted by /u/MrRollinUpDaily [link] [comments]

When this post is 1 hour and 40 minutes old, Starship is scheduled to launch. Edit: Launch pushed to ~5:35pm EST. submitted by /u/aker29 [link] [comments]

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On January 18, Saturn and Venus will be in conjunction. Venus will steal the show, glowing brilliantly at a magnitude of -4.5 (brightest speck of light in the sky), while Saturn will appear much dimmer at magnitude 1. Although the two planets will be too far apart to fit within a single telescopic view, they’ll form a stunning sight in the twilight sky. If you miss the Venus-Saturn conjunction on January 18, don’t worry—you’ll still have a chance to see them close together on January 20. These will also be some of the last opportunities to view Saturn before its solar conjunction on March 12, when it will disappear behind the Sun and become unobservable for several weeks. After its pairing with Venus, Saturn will sink lower toward the horizon each evening, gradually fading from view. Meanwhile, Venus will continue to dominate the western twilight sky, shining brilliantly as the “Evening Star.” 🧡 Happy skygazing! submitted by /u/NexGenNerd [link] [comments]

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When this post is ~10 minutes old Blue Origin will attempt to launch their New Glenn orbital rocket, including an attempted landing of the first stage. Please use this thread for any updates or discussions. Official Blue Origin live stream. NasaSpaceflight stream with commentry. submitted by /u/SpartanJack17 [link] [comments]

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This is a major milestone for isro submitted by /u/shallowgravedigger [link] [comments]

The mission called SpaDeX blasted off from Sriharikota launch pad in southern India on 30 December. The two spacecraft, launched on a single rocket, separated in space. The docking process, initially scheduled for 7 January, was rescheduled a number of times. On Thursday morning, the space agency announced that it had created history by becoming only the fourth country in the world with such technology after United States, Russia and China. In the next step, the two spacecraft were screwed on perfectly, creating an airtight passage for safe transfer of material or crew, completing space docking. An Isro official told the BBC that over the next two-three days, the mission will carry out what is being billed as one of its most important experiments - it will transfer electrical power from the Chaser to Target. This, Ms Mitra, says is to demonstrate that a spacecraft can be sent to service another in space. The experiment will then demonstrate "undocking and separation of the two satellites". Ms Mitra says the mission will also test India's capabilities for inter-satellite communication as during the docking and undocking, the spacecraft will have to communicate with the Earth station and also with each other so that they know each other's position and velocity. The spacecraft are also carrying scientific instruments and cameras which will then be deployed. Over the next two years, they will measure radiation in space and monitor natural resources on Earth. Isro, known for economising its missions, is also using a part of the rocket that carried SpaDeX to space - which in normal circumstances would become space debris - to conduct some important experiments in orbit for three months. Poem – short for PS4-Orbital Experiment Module - is carrying 24 payloads and has already carried out two successful experiments. The first demonstrated seed germination. Last week, Isro tweeted a video saying that "cowpea sprouts have unveiled their first leaves in space in micro-gravity". Micro-gravity is the near-weightless condition experienced aboard spacecraft. Scientists say it's great news as it means that future astronauts could produce food during long-duration missions. The second experiment involves the robotic arm which, Ms Mitra says, is among the rocket's most important payloads. A video on Isro's X account shows the robotic arm moving to grab a piece of space debris. Ms Mitra says this arm will play "a crucial role during the building of the space station as it could be used to capture and put things in place". It will also come in handy in Chandrayaan-4 - India's next mission to the Moon which will aim to collect and bring back lunar soil samples, she adds. submitted by /u/coinfanking [link] [comments]

submitted by /u/mikevr91 [link] [comments]

The upper stage of SpaceX's Starship megarocket exploded over the Atlantic Ocean during the vehicle's Flight 7 test today (Jan. 16), and lots of people saw the sky show.

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The sixth flight test of Starship launched from Starbase on November 19, 2024, seeking to expand the envelope on ship and booster capabilities and get closer to bringing reuse of the entire system online. The Super Heavy booster successfully lifted off at the start of the launch window, with all 33 Raptor engines powering it and Starship off the pad from Starbase. Following a nominal ascent and stage separation, the booster successfully transitioned to its boostback burn to begin the return to launch site. During this phase, automated health checks of critical hardware on the launch and catch tower triggered an abort of the catch attempt. The booster then executed a pre-planned divert maneuver, performing a landing burn and soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. Starship completed another successful ascent, placing it on the expected trajectory. The ship successfully reignited a single Raptor engine while in space, demonstrating the capabilities required to conduct a ship deorbit burn before starting fully orbital missions. With live views and telemetry being relayed by Starlink, the ship successfully made it through reentry and executed a flip, landing burn, and soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Data gathered from the multiple thermal protection experiments, as well as the successful flight through subsonic speeds at a more aggressive angle of attack, provides invaluable feedback on flight hardware performing in a flight environment as we aim for eventual ship return and catch. With data and flight learnings as our primary payload, Starship’s sixth flight test once again delivered. Lessons learned will directly make the entire Starship system more reliable as we close in on full and rapid reusability.

SpaceX was founded to increase access to space and help make life multiplanetary. In just this year, we’ve launched 114 successful Falcon missions and counting for our commercial and government customers, deployed ~1,700 @Starlink satellites to provide high-speed internet for millions of people all around the world, and made extraordinary strides developing Starship’s capability to return humanity to the Moon and ultimately send people to Mars. If you want to join the team and help build a more exciting future, check out the latest job openings across the company → https://www.spacex.com/careers

Starship’s fifth flight test lifted off on October 13, 2024, with our most ambitious test objectives yet as we work to demonstrate techniques fundamental to Starship and Super Heavy’s fully and rapidly reusable design. And on our first try, Mechazilla caught the booster. Following a successful liftoff, ascent, stage separation, boostback burn, and coast, the Super Heavy booster performed its landing burn and was caught by the chopstick arms of the launch and catch tower at Starbase. Thousands of distinct vehicle and pad criteria had to be met prior to the catch attempt, and thanks to the tireless work of SpaceX engineers, we succeeded with catch on our first attempt. Prior to catch, Starship executed another successful hot-staging separation, igniting its six Raptor engines and completing ascent into outer space. It coasted along its planned trajectory to the other side of the planet before executing a controlled reentry, passing through the phases of peak heating and maximum aerodynamic pressure, before executing a flip, landing burn, and splashdown at its target area in the Indian Ocean. The flight test concluded at splashdown 1 hour, 5 minutes and 40 seconds after launch.

On Tuesday, September 10, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launched the Polaris Dawn mission to orbit from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Polaris Dawn became the first crew to perform the first-ever spacewalk from Dragon, travel the farthest (1,408 km) within Earth’s orbit since the completion of the Apollo program in 1972, and test Starlink laser-based communications aboard Dragon. Additionally, the crew conducted approximately 36 experiments designed to better life on Earth and on future long-duration spaceflights, shared special moments with mission partners including reading Kisses from Space to patients at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, and inspired the world with a global music moment before safely returning to Earth on Sunday, September 15.

During its five day mission, Dragon and the Polaris Dawn crew completed 75 orbits around Earth.

A live webcast of the Polaris Dawn EVA will begin about one hour prior to the beginning of the spacewalk on Thursday, September 12, which you can watch on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app. The four-hour window opens at 3:23 a.m. ET. If needed, a backup opportunity is available on Friday, September 13 at the same time.

A live webcast of the Polaris Dawn EVA will begin about one hour prior to the beginning of the spacewalk on Thursday, September 12, which you can watch on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app. The four-hour window opens at 3:23 a.m. ET. If needed, a backup opportunity is available on Friday, September 13 at the same time.

Starship’s fourth flight test launched with ambitious goals, attempting to go farther than any previous test before and begin demonstrating capabilities central to return and reuse of Starship and Super Heavy. The payload for this test was the data. Starship delivered. On June 6, 2024, Starship successfully lifted off at 7:50 a.m. CT from Starbase in Texas and went on to deliver maximum excitement. The fourth flight of Starship made major strides to bring us closer to a rapidly reusable future. Its accomplishments will provide data to drive improvements as we continue rapidly developing Starship into a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond.

At ~700 km above Earth, the EVA suit will support the Polaris Dawn crew in the vacuum of space during the first-ever commercial astronaut spacewalk. Evolved from the Intravehicular Activity (IVA) suit, the EVA suit provides greater mobility, a state-of-the-art helmet Heads-Up Display (HUD) and camera, new thermal management textiles, and materials borrowed from Falcon’s interstage and Dragon’s trunk. Building a base on the Moon and a city on Mars will require millions of spacesuits. The development of this suit and the execution of the spacewalk will be important steps toward a scalable design for spacesuits on future long-duration missions as life becomes multiplanetary.

The goal of SpaceX is to build the technologies necessary to make life multiplanetary. This is the first time in the 4-billion-year history of Earth that it’s possible to realize that goal and protect the light of consciousness. At Starbase on Thursday, April 4, SpaceX Chief Engineer Elon Musk provided an update on the company’s plans to send humanity to Mars, the best destination to begin making life multiplanetary. Go to (https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1776669097490776563) for the full talk, which also includes the mechanics and challenges of traveling to Mars, along with what we’re building today to enable sending around a million people and several million tonnes to the Martian surface in the years to come.

On March 14, 2024, Starship successfully lifted off at 8:25 a.m. CT from Starbase in Texas and went on to accomplish several major milestones and firsts. Starship's six second stage Raptor engines all started successfully and powered the vehicle to its expected orbit, becoming the first Starship to complete its full-duration ascent burn. Starship went on to experience its first ever entry from space, providing valuable data on heating and vehicle control during hypersonic reentry. Live views of entry were made possible by Starlink terminals operating on Starship. This rapid iterative development approach has been the basis for all of SpaceX’s major innovative advancements, including Falcon, Dragon, and Starlink. Recursive improvement is essential as we work to build a fully reusable transportation system capable of carrying both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, help humanity return to the Moon, and ultimately travel to Mars and beyond.

The world's most powerful launch vehicle is ready for flight. The third flight test aims to build on what we’ve learned from previous flights while attempting a number of ambitious objectives. Recursive improvement is essential as we work to build a fully reusable transportation system capable of carrying both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, help humanity return to the Moon, and ultimately travel to Mars and beyond. Follow us on X.com/SpaceX for updates on the upcoming flight test.

On November 18, 2023, Starship successfully lifted off at 7:02 a.m. CT from Starbase on its second integrated flight test. While it didn’t happen in a lab or on a test stand, it was absolutely a test. What we did with this second flight will provide invaluable data to continue rapidly developing Starship. The test achieved a number of major milestones, helping us improve Starship’s reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary. The team at Starbase is already working final preparations on the vehicles slated for use in Starship’s third flight test. Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting second flight test of Starship! Follow us on X.com/SpaceX for continued updates on Starship's progress

Starship returned to integrated flight testing with its second launch from Starbase in Texas. While it didn’t happen in a lab or on a test stand, it was absolutely a test. What we did with this second flight will provide invaluable data to continue rapidly developing Starship. On November 18, 2023, Starship successfully lifted off at 7:02 a.m. CT from Starbase in Texas and achieved a number of major milestones, including all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy Booster starting up successfully and, for the first time, completed a full-duration burn during ascent. This 360-degree view comes from the top of the launch tower at Starbase in Texas, providing a front row seat to watch liftoff of the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed. Follow us on X.com/SpaceX and go to spacex.com for more on this exciting flight.

Starship is once more preparing for launch. The second flight test of a fully integrated Starship will debut several upgrades to the vehicle and ground infrastructure, some as a direct result of lessons learned from Starship’s first flight test. Recursive improvement is essential as we work to build a fully reusable transportation system capable of carrying both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, help humanity return to the Moon, and ultimately travel to Mars and beyond. Follow us on X.com/SpaceX for updates on the upcoming flight test.