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5 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The Orion Environmental Test Article photographed inside the Thermal Vacuum Chamber on April 11, 2024, in the Space Environments Complex at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. Credit: NASA/Quentin Schwinn Making the voyage 1.4 million miles around the Moon and back — the farthest a spacecraft built for humans has ever gone — the Orion spacecraft has faced a battery of tests over the years. Though Orion successfully proved its capabilities in the harsh environment of space during the Artemis I mission, Orion’s evaluation did not end at…
NASA/Kim Shiflett In this image from Dec. 11, 2024, the 212-foot-tall SLS (Space Launch System) core stage is lowered into High Bay 2 at the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. With the move to High Bay 2, NASA and Boeing technicians now have 360-degree access to the core stage both internally and externally. The Artemis II test flight, targeted for launch in 2026, will be NASA’s first mission with crew under the Artemis campaign. NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman, as well as CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will go…
Benchmarks for solidifying metal alloys Researchers report benchmark data for modeling the growth of specific types of microstructures that form during solidification of metal alloys under different conditions. These microstructures affect the properties of materials and products such as refrigeration devices and solar cells. The ESA (European Space Agency) Columnar-to-Equiaxed Transition in Solidification Processing (CETSOL) investigation studied the processes of metal alloy solidification and the crystal patterns that form as liquids transition to solids. Results could improve ground-based development of lightweight, high-performance structural materials for space and ground applications. Microgravity is key to this research because it eliminates influences of…
3 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A digital rendering of the Starlab, which includes a large habitation and laboratory module with a smaller service module for power and propulsion.Credits: Starlab A NASA-funded commercial space station, Starlab, recently completed four key developmental milestones, marking substantial progress in the station’s design and operational readiness.The four milestones are part of a NASA Space Act Agreement awarded in 2021 and focused on reviews of the habitat structural test article preliminary design, systems integration, integrated operations, and a habitat structural test plan.“These milestone achievements are great indicators to reflect Starlab’s commitment…
Caption: An artist’s concept of the International Space Station orbiting Earth. In the distance is the Moon, and a red star representing Mars.Credit: NASA As part of the agency’s efforts to enable broader use of space, NASA has released its final goals and objectives for low Earth orbit, defining the long-term approach toward advancing microgravity science, technology, and exploration for the benefit of all. Developed with input from a wide range of stakeholders, NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Microgravity Strategy will guide the agency toward the next generation of continuous human presence in orbit, enable greater economic growth, and maintain international…
4 Min Read Celebrating 20 Years: Night Sky Network 2023 Partial Solar Eclipse Viewing at Camino Real Marketplace with the View the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit. Credits: Photo by Chuck McPartlin by Vivan White & Kat Troche of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific NASA’s Night Sky Network is one of the most successful and longstanding grassroots initiatives for public engagement in astronomy education. Started in 2004 with the PlanetQuest program out of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and currently supported by NASA’s Science Activation, the Night Sky Network (NSN) plays a critical role in fostering science literacy through astronomy. By…
Curiosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio Mosaics More Resources Mars Missions Mars Sample Return Mars Perseverance Rover Mars Curiosity Rover MAVEN Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Odyssey More Mars Missions The Solar System The Sun Mercury Venus Earth The Moon Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto & Dwarf Planets Asteroids, Comets & Meteors The Kuiper Belt The Oort Cloud 2 min read Sols 4393-4395: Weekend Work at the Base of Texoli Butte Caption: NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image…
From left to right, Thailand’s Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Supamas Isarabhakdi, Executive Director of GISTDA Pakorn Apaphant, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Robert Godec, and Pol. Gen. Suwat Jangyodsuk, Chairman of GISTDA, pose for a photo after the signing of the Artemis Accords at a signing ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. Credit: U.S. State Department Following a signing ceremony Monday in Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok, NASA congratulates Thailand as the 51st nation to commit to the safe and responsible exploration of space that benefits humanity. “Thailand’s commitment to the Artemis Accords will enhance the country’s…
Portrait, Elaine Ho, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani) NASA Administrator Bill Nelson announced Monday Elaine P. Ho will serve as the next associate administrator of NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM), where she will lead the agency’s efforts to inspire Artemis Generation students and educators in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The role, based out of the agency’s headquarters in Washington, is effective immediately. Ho also will remain the associate administrator for the agency’s Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity while a permanent replacement is sought. She will succeed Mike Kincaid,…
5 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Seen at the center of this image, NASA’s retired InSight Mars lander was captured by the agency’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter using its High-Resolution Imagine Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on Oct. 23, 2024.NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona New images taken from space show how dust on and around InSight is changing over time — information that can help scientists learn more about the Red Planet. NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) caught a glimpse of the agency’s retired InSight lander recently, documenting the accumulation of dust on the spacecraft’s solar panels. In the new…