The forces of rotation caused red hot masses of stones to be torn away from the Earth and to be thrown into the ether, and this is the origin of the stars.

— Anaxagoras 428 BC

NASA

An Unrelenting Tule Fog

NASA News - Thu, 12/11/2025 - 12:01am
EO

  1. Science
  2. Earth Observatory
  3. An Unrelenting Tule Fog
 

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that
supports HTML5 video

November 24 – December 9, 2025

An atmospheric phenomenon occurring over much of California was unmistakable in satellite imagery in late autumn 2025. Fog stretching some 400 miles (640 kilometers) across the state’s Central Valley appeared day after day for more than two weeks in late November and early December. Known as tule (TOO-lee) fog, named after a sedge that grows in the area’s marshes, these low clouds tend to form in the valley in colder months when winds are light and soils are moist.  

This animation shows a sprawling blanket of white fog filling most or all of the valley from Redding to Bakersfield between November 24 and December 9, 2025. While the fog mostly remained hemmed in by the Coastal Range and the Sierra Nevada, it sometimes spilled through the Carquinez Strait toward San Francisco Bay. These images were acquired with the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument on NASA’s Terra satellite and the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the NOAA-20 and Suomi NPP satellites.

The Central Valley is fertile ground for the formation of tule fog, a persistent radiation fog, in late autumn and winter. It occurs when air near the surface, laden with moisture from evaporation, cools and the water saturates the air. If winds are calm, water droplets accumulate into fog clouds near the ground.

Plenty of water was present in the valley’s soils following a very wet autumn. Across nearly all of central and southern California, precipitation totals from September through November 2025 were among the top 10 percent on record, California Institute for Water Resources climate scientist Daniel Swain noted on his Weather West blog. In late November, a very stable high-pressure system developed over the state, which acted like a lid that trapped moist air and confined the fog layer to the valley. With no major storms moving through to disrupt the stratification, the tule fog endured.

Temperatures have been notably cooler in the valley under the fog layer, in sharp contrast to the rest of the state, which was mostly warmer than normal. Despite the contrast, however, the ambient air mass has been warmer overall, Swain wrote. This may be due in part to warm ocean water offshore and a low Sierra Nevada snowpack sending less cold air downslope, he added.

The warmer overall temperatures could explain why fog has lingered at a slightly higher level—more like stratus clouds—at certain times and locations, said Swain. Colder temperatures would be necessary to produce the densest fog near the surface. The somewhat higher cloud in 2025 has differed from past events, when low visibility at ground level has caused major traffic incidents.

Central California has seen long stretches of cold, socked-in days in the past. In 1985, for example, Fresno experienced 16 consecutive days of dense fog, and Sacramento endured 17, according to news reports. Researchers have found, however, that tule fog has been forming less often in California in recent decades. Foggy days are beneficial for the valley’s fruit and nut trees, which need sufficient rest between growing seasons to be most productive. The fog typically comes with chilly weather that brings on a dormant period; it also shields trees from direct sunlight that would otherwise warm the plant buds.

NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview, and VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership, and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). Story by Lindsey Doermann.

References & Resources You may also be interested in:

Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.

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Categories: NASA

An Unrelenting Tule Fog

NASA - Breaking News - Thu, 12/11/2025 - 12:01am
EO

  1. Science
  2. Earth Observatory
  3. An Unrelenting Tule Fog
 

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that
supports HTML5 video

November 24 – December 9, 2025

An atmospheric phenomenon occurring over much of California was unmistakable in satellite imagery in late autumn 2025. Fog stretching some 400 miles (640 kilometers) across the state’s Central Valley appeared day after day for more than two weeks in late November and early December. Known as tule (TOO-lee) fog, named after a sedge that grows in the area’s marshes, these low clouds tend to form in the valley in colder months when winds are light and soils are moist.  

This animation shows a sprawling blanket of white fog filling most or all of the valley from Redding to Bakersfield between November 24 and December 9, 2025. While the fog mostly remained hemmed in by the Coastal Range and the Sierra Nevada, it sometimes spilled through the Carquinez Strait toward San Francisco Bay. These images were acquired with the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument on NASA’s Terra satellite and the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the NOAA-20 and Suomi NPP satellites.

The Central Valley is fertile ground for the formation of tule fog, a persistent radiation fog, in late autumn and winter. It occurs when air near the surface, laden with moisture from evaporation, cools and the water saturates the air. If winds are calm, water droplets accumulate into fog clouds near the ground.

Plenty of water was present in the valley’s soils following a very wet autumn. Across nearly all of central and southern California, precipitation totals from September through November 2025 were among the top 10 percent on record, California Institute for Water Resources climate scientist Daniel Swain noted on his Weather West blog. In late November, a very stable high-pressure system developed over the state, which acted like a lid that trapped moist air and confined the fog layer to the valley. With no major storms moving through to disrupt the stratification, the tule fog endured.

Temperatures have been notably cooler in the valley under the fog layer, in sharp contrast to the rest of the state, which was mostly warmer than normal. Despite the contrast, however, the ambient air mass has been warmer overall, Swain wrote. This may be due in part to warm ocean water offshore and a low Sierra Nevada snowpack sending less cold air downslope, he added.

The warmer overall temperatures could explain why fog has lingered at a slightly higher level—more like stratus clouds—at certain times and locations, said Swain. Colder temperatures would be necessary to produce the densest fog near the surface. The somewhat higher cloud in 2025 has differed from past events, when low visibility at ground level has caused major traffic incidents.

Central California has seen long stretches of cold, socked-in days in the past. In 1985, for example, Fresno experienced 16 consecutive days of dense fog, and Sacramento endured 17, according to news reports. Researchers have found, however, that tule fog has been forming less often in California in recent decades. Foggy days are beneficial for the valley’s fruit and nut trees, which need sufficient rest between growing seasons to be most productive. The fog typically comes with chilly weather that brings on a dormant period; it also shields trees from direct sunlight that would otherwise warm the plant buds.

NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview, and VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership, and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). Story by Lindsey Doermann.

References & Resources You may also be interested in:

Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.

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Fleeting Glimpse of Rare Snow

3 min read

A short-lived storm dropped some of the largest accumulations in decades on Australia’s Northern Tablelands.

Article


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Keep Exploring Discover More from NASA Earth Science

Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters

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NASA JPL Unveils Rover Operations Center for Moon, Mars Missions

NASA News - Wed, 12/10/2025 - 7:47pm

5 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) This video highlights the Rover Operations Center at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. A center of excellence for current and future rover, aerial, and other surface missions, the ROC will support partnerships and technology transfer to catalyze the next generation of Moon and Mars surface missions. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The center leverages AI along with JPL’s unique infrastructure, unrivaled tools, and years of operations expertise to support industry partners developing future planetary surface missions.  

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on Wednesday inaugurated its Rover Operations Center (ROC), a center of excellence for current and future surface missions to the Moon and Mars. During the launch event, leaders from the commercial space and AI industries toured the facilities, participated in working sessions with JPL mission teams, and learned more about the first-ever use of generative AI by NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover team to create future routes for the robotic explorer. 

The center was established to integrate and innovate across JPL’s planetary surface missions while simultaneously forging strategic partnerships with industry and academia to advance U.S. interests in the burgeoning space economy. The center builds on JPL’s 30-plus years of experience developing and operating Mars surface missions, including humanity’s only helicopter to fly at Mars as well as the only two active planetary surface missions. 

“The Rover Operations Center is a force multiplier,” said JPL Director Dave Gallagher. “It integrates decades of specialized knowledge with powerful new tools, and exports that knowledge through partnerships to catalyze the next generation of Moon and Mars surface missions. As NASA’s federally funded research and development center, we are chartered to do exactly this type of work — to increase the cadence, the efficiency, and the impact for our transformative NASA missions and to support the commercial space market as they take their own giant leaps.” 

Rover prototype ERNEST (Exploration Rover for Navigating Extreme Sloped Terrain) demonstrates some of its advanced mobility and autonomy capabilities in JPL’s Mars Yard. NASA/JPL-Caltech Genesis of ROC 

Through decades of successful Mars rover missions, JPL has continuously improved the unique autonomy, robotic capabilities, and best practices that have been demanded by increasingly complex robotic explorers. The ROC offers an accessible centralized structure to facilitate future exploration efforts. 

“Our rovers are lasting longer and are more sophisticated than ever before. The scientific stakes are high, as we have just witnessed with the discovery of a potential biosignature in Jezero Crater by the Perseverance mission. We are starting down a decade of unprecedented civil and commercial exploration at the Moon, which will require robotic systems to assist astronauts and support lunar infrastructure,” said Matt Wallace, who heads JPL’s Exploration Systems Office. “Mobile vehicles like rovers, helicopters, and drones are the most dynamic and challenging assets we operate. It’s time to take our game up a notch and bring everybody we can with us.”  

Michael Thelen of JPL’s Exploration Systems Office discusses the newly inaugurated Rover Operations Center in JPL’s historic Space Flight Operations Facility on Dec. 10.NASA/JPL-Caltech Future forward  

A key focus of the ROC is on the more rapid infusion of higher-level autonomy into surface missions through partnerships with the AI and commercial space industries. The objective is to catalyze change to deliver next-generation science and exploration capabilities for the nation and NASA. 

As NASA’s only federally funded research and development center, JPL has been evolving vehicle autonomy since the 1990s, when JPL began developing Sojourner, the first rover on another planet. Improvements to vehicle independence over the years have included the evolution of autonomy in sampling activities, driving, and science-target selection. Most recently, those improvements have extended to the development of Perseverance’s ability to autonomously schedule and execute many commanded energy-intensive activities, like keeping warm at night, as it sees fit. This capability allows the rover to conserve power, which it can reallocate in real time to perform more science or longer drives. 

With the explosion of AI capabilities, the ROC rover team is leaving no Mars stone unturned in the hunt for future efficiencies.  

“We had a small team complete a ‘three-week challenge,’ applying generative AI to a few of our operational use cases. During this challenge, it became clear there are many opportunities for AI infusion that can supercharge our capabilities,” said Jennifer Trosper, ROC program manager at JPL. “With these new partnerships, together we will infuse AI into operations to path-find the next generation of capabilities for science and exploration.”  

Håvard Grip, chief pilot of NASA’s Mars Ingenuity Helicopter — the only aircraft to fly on another planet — offers insights into aerial exploration of the Red Planet at the lab’s 25-Foot Space Simulator, which subjects spacecraft to the harsh conditions of space.

During the ROC’s inauguration, attendees toured JPL operations facilities, including where the rover drivers plan their next routes. They also visited JPL’s historic Mars Yard, which reproduces Martian terrain to test rover capabilities, and the massive 25-Foot Space Simulator that has tested spacecraft from Voyagers 1 and 2 to Perseverance to America’s next generation of lunar landers. A panel discussion explored the historical value of rovers and aerial systems like the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter in planetary surface exploration. Also discussed was the promise of a new public-private partnership opportunity across a virtual network of operational missions.  

Attendees were briefed on tiered engagement options for partners, from mission architecture support to autonomy integration, testing, and operations. These opportunities extend to science and human precursor robotic missions, as well as to human-robotic interaction and spacewalks for astronauts on the Moon and Mars. 

A highlight for event participants came when the Perseverance team showcased how the ROC’s generative AI can assist rover planners in creating future routes for the rover. The AI analyzed high-resolution orbital images of Jezero Crater and other relevant data and then generated waypoints that kept Perseverance away from hazardous terrain. 

Managed for NASA by Caltech, JPL is the home of the Rover Operations Center (ROC).  

To learn more about the ROC, visit:

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/roc

News Media Contact

DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-9011
agle@jpl.nasa.gov

2025-137

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NASA JPL Unveils Rover Operations Center for Moon, Mars Missions

NASA - Breaking News - Wed, 12/10/2025 - 7:47pm

5 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) This video highlights the Rover Operations Center at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. A center of excellence for current and future rover, aerial, and other surface missions, the ROC will support partnerships and technology transfer to catalyze the next generation of Moon and Mars surface missions. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The center leverages AI along with JPL’s unique infrastructure, unrivaled tools, and years of operations expertise to support industry partners developing future planetary surface missions.  

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California on Wednesday inaugurated its Rover Operations Center (ROC), a center of excellence for current and future surface missions to the Moon and Mars. During the launch event, leaders from the commercial space and AI industries toured the facilities, participated in working sessions with JPL mission teams, and learned more about the first-ever use of generative AI by NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover team to create future routes for the robotic explorer. 

The center was established to integrate and innovate across JPL’s planetary surface missions while simultaneously forging strategic partnerships with industry and academia to advance U.S. interests in the burgeoning space economy. The center builds on JPL’s 30-plus years of experience developing and operating Mars surface missions, including humanity’s only helicopter to fly at Mars as well as the only two active planetary surface missions. 

“The Rover Operations Center is a force multiplier,” said JPL Director Dave Gallagher. “It integrates decades of specialized knowledge with powerful new tools, and exports that knowledge through partnerships to catalyze the next generation of Moon and Mars surface missions. As NASA’s federally funded research and development center, we are chartered to do exactly this type of work — to increase the cadence, the efficiency, and the impact for our transformative NASA missions and to support the commercial space market as they take their own giant leaps.” 

Rover prototype ERNEST (Exploration Rover for Navigating Extreme Sloped Terrain) demonstrates some of its advanced mobility and autonomy capabilities in JPL’s Mars Yard. NASA/JPL-Caltech Genesis of ROC 

Through decades of successful Mars rover missions, JPL has continuously improved the unique autonomy, robotic capabilities, and best practices that have been demanded by increasingly complex robotic explorers. The ROC offers an accessible centralized structure to facilitate future exploration efforts. 

“Our rovers are lasting longer and are more sophisticated than ever before. The scientific stakes are high, as we have just witnessed with the discovery of a potential biosignature in Jezero Crater by the Perseverance mission. We are starting down a decade of unprecedented civil and commercial exploration at the Moon, which will require robotic systems to assist astronauts and support lunar infrastructure,” said Matt Wallace, who heads JPL’s Exploration Systems Office. “Mobile vehicles like rovers, helicopters, and drones are the most dynamic and challenging assets we operate. It’s time to take our game up a notch and bring everybody we can with us.”  

Michael Thelen of JPL’s Exploration Systems Office discusses the newly inaugurated Rover Operations Center in JPL’s historic Space Flight Operations Facility on Dec. 10.NASA/JPL-Caltech Future forward  

A key focus of the ROC is on the more rapid infusion of higher-level autonomy into surface missions through partnerships with the AI and commercial space industries. The objective is to catalyze change to deliver next-generation science and exploration capabilities for the nation and NASA. 

As NASA’s only federally funded research and development center, JPL has been evolving vehicle autonomy since the 1990s, when JPL began developing Sojourner, the first rover on another planet. Improvements to vehicle independence over the years have included the evolution of autonomy in sampling activities, driving, and science-target selection. Most recently, those improvements have extended to the development of Perseverance’s ability to autonomously schedule and execute many commanded energy-intensive activities, like keeping warm at night, as it sees fit. This capability allows the rover to conserve power, which it can reallocate in real time to perform more science or longer drives. 

With the explosion of AI capabilities, the ROC rover team is leaving no Mars stone unturned in the hunt for future efficiencies.  

“We had a small team complete a ‘three-week challenge,’ applying generative AI to a few of our operational use cases. During this challenge, it became clear there are many opportunities for AI infusion that can supercharge our capabilities,” said Jennifer Trosper, ROC program manager at JPL. “With these new partnerships, together we will infuse AI into operations to path-find the next generation of capabilities for science and exploration.”  

Håvard Grip, chief pilot of NASA’s Mars Ingenuity Helicopter — the only aircraft to fly on another planet — offers insights into aerial exploration of the Red Planet at the lab’s 25-Foot Space Simulator, which subjects spacecraft to the harsh conditions of space.

During the ROC’s inauguration, attendees toured JPL operations facilities, including where the rover drivers plan their next routes. They also visited JPL’s historic Mars Yard, which reproduces Martian terrain to test rover capabilities, and the massive 25-Foot Space Simulator that has tested spacecraft from Voyagers 1 and 2 to Perseverance to America’s next generation of lunar landers. A panel discussion explored the historical value of rovers and aerial systems like the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter in planetary surface exploration. Also discussed was the promise of a new public-private partnership opportunity across a virtual network of operational missions.  

Attendees were briefed on tiered engagement options for partners, from mission architecture support to autonomy integration, testing, and operations. These opportunities extend to science and human precursor robotic missions, as well as to human-robotic interaction and spacewalks for astronauts on the Moon and Mars. 

A highlight for event participants came when the Perseverance team showcased how the ROC’s generative AI can assist rover planners in creating future routes for the rover. The AI analyzed high-resolution orbital images of Jezero Crater and other relevant data and then generated waypoints that kept Perseverance away from hazardous terrain. 

Managed for NASA by Caltech, JPL is the home of the Rover Operations Center (ROC).  

To learn more about the ROC, visit:

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/roc

News Media Contact

DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-9011
agle@jpl.nasa.gov

2025-137

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25 Years of Space Station Technology Driving Exploration 

NASA News - Wed, 12/10/2025 - 3:50pm

NASA and its partners have supported humans continuously living and working in space since November 2000. After 25 years of habitation, the International Space Station continues to be a proving ground for technology that powers NASA’s Artemis campaign, future lunar missions, and human exploration of Mars.  

Take a look at key technology advancements made possible by research aboard the orbiting laboratory.  

Robots at work in orbit   NASA astronaut Suni Williams checks out the Astrobee robotic free-flyer inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module during a demonstration of satellite capture techniques. This technology could help extend the life of satellites and reduce space debris.NASA

Robots have been critical to the space station’s success. From the Canadian-built Canadarm2, which assembled large portions of the orbiting laboratory and continues to support ongoing operations, especially during spacewalks, robotic technology on station has evolved to include free-flying assistants and humanoid robots that have extended crew capabilities and opened new paths for exploration. 

The station’s first robotic helpers arrived in 2003. The SPHERES robots – short for Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellite – served on station for over a decade, supporting environmental monitoring, data collection and transfer, and materials testing in microgravity.  

NASA’s subsequent free-flying robotic system, Astrobee, built on the lessons learned from SPHERES. Known affectionately as Honey, Queen, and Bumble, the three Astrobees work autonomously or via remote control by astronauts, flight controllers, or researchers on the ground. They are designed to complete tasks such as inventory, documenting experiments conducted by astronauts, or moving cargo throughout the station, and they can be outfitted and programmed to carry out experiments. 

NASA and partners have also tested dexterous humanoid robots aboard the space station. Robonaut 1 and its more advanced successor, Robonaut 2, were designed to use the same tools as humans, so they could work safely with crew with the potential to take over routine tasks and high-risk activities.  

Advanced robotic technologies will play a significant role in NASA’s mission to return to the Moon and continue on to Mars and beyond. Robots like Astrobee and Robonaut 2 have the capacity to become caretakers for future spacecraft, complete precursor missions to new destinations, and support crew safety by tackling hazardous tasks. 

Closing the loop: recycling air and water in space  ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti works on a Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) recycle tank remove-and-replace task aboard the orbiting laboratory. ESA

Living and working in space for more than two decades requires technology that makes the most of limited resources. The space station’s life support systems recycle air and water to keep astronauts healthy and reduce the need for resupply from Earth. 

The station’s Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) removes carbon dioxide from the air, supplies oxygen for breathing, and recycles wastewater—turning yesterday’s coffee into tomorrow’s coffee. It is built around three key components: the Water Recovery System, Air Revitalization System, and Oxygen Generation System. The water processor reclaims wastewater from crew members’ urine, cabin humidity, and the hydration systems inside spacesuits for spacewalks, converting it into clean, drinkable water. 

NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren celebrates International Coffee Day aboard the orbital outpost with a hand-brewed cup of coffee in space, brewed using the Capillary Beverage Cup.NASA

The air revitalization system filters carbon dioxide and trace contaminants from the cabin atmosphere, ensuring the air stays safe to breathe. The oxygen generation system uses electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, providing a steady supply of breathable air. Today, these systems can recover around 98% of the water brought to the station, a vital step toward achieving long-duration missions where resupply will not be possible. 

The lessons learned aboard the space station will help keep Artemis crews healthy on the Moon and shape the closed-loop systems needed for future expeditions to Mars. 

Advancing 3D printing technology for deep space exploration  The first metal part 3D printed in space.ESA

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is regularly used on Earth to quickly produce a variety of devices. Adapting this process for space could let crew members create tools and parts for maintenance and repair as needed and save valuable cargo space. 

Research aboard the orbiting laboratory is helping to develop this capability.  

The space station’s first 3D printer was installed in November 2014. That device produced more than a dozen plastic tools and parts, demonstrating that the process could work in low Earth orbit. Subsequent devices tested different printer designs and functionality, including the production of parts from recycled materials and simulated lunar regolith. In August 2024, a device supplied by ESA produced the first metal 3D-printed product.    

The space station also has hosted studies of a form of 3D printing called biological printing or bioprinting. This process uses living cells, proteins, and nutrients as raw materials to potentially produce human tissues for treating injury and disease. So far, a knee meniscus and live human heart tissue have been printed onboard.

The ability to manufacture things in space is especially important in planning for future missions to the Moon and Mars because additional supplies cannot quickly be sent from Earth and cargo capacity is limited. 

We have the solar power  NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 flight engineer Anne McClain is pictured near one of the space station’s main solar arrays during a spacewalk to upgrade the orbital outpost’s power generation system and relocate a communications antenna.NASA/Nichole Ayers

As the space station orbits Earth, its four pairs of solar arrays soak up the sun’s energy to provide electrical power for the numerous research and science investigations conducted every day, as well as the continued operations of the orbiting laboratory. 

In addition to harnessing the Sun’s energy for its operations, the space station has provided a platform for innovative solar power research. At least two dozen investigations have tested advanced solar cell technology – evaluating the cells’ on-orbit performance and monitoring degradation caused by exposure to the extreme environment of space. These investigations have demonstrated technologies that could enable lighter, less expensive, and more efficient solar power that could improve the design of future spacecraft and support sustainable energy generation on Earth.  

One investigation – the Roll-Out Solar Array – has already led to improvements aboard the space station. The successful test of a new type of solar panel that rolls open like a party favor and is more compact than current rigid panel designs informed development of the ISS Roll-Out Solar Arrays (iROSAs). The six iROSAs were installed during a series of spacewalks between 2021 and 2023 and provided a 20% to 30% increase in space station power. 

Connecting students to station science  The Kibo-RPC students watch in real time as the free-flying robot Astrobee performs maneuvers aboard the space station, executing tasks based on their input to test its capabilities. NASA/Helen Arase Vargas

For 25 years, the orbital outpost has served as a global learning platform, advancing STEM education and connecting people on Earth to life in space. Every experiment, in-flight downlink, and student-designed payload helps students see science in action and share humanity’s pursuit of discovery. 

The first and longest-running education program on the space station is ISS Ham Radio, known as Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS), where students can ask questions directly to crew members aboard the space station. Since 2000, ARISS has connected more than 100 astronauts with over 1 million students across 49 U.S. states, 63 countries, and every continent. 

Through Learn with NASA, students and teachers can explore hands-on activities and astronaut-led experiments that demonstrate how physics, biology, and chemistry unfold in microgravity. 

Students worldwide also take part in research inspired by the space station. Programs like Genes in Space and Cubes in Space let learners design experiments for orbit, while coding and robotics competitions such as the Kibo Robot Programming Challenge allows students to program Astrobee free-flying robots aboard the orbiting laboratory. 

As NASA prepares for Artemis missions to the Moon, the space station continues to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation of explorers. 

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25 Years of Space Station Technology Driving Exploration 

NASA - Breaking News - Wed, 12/10/2025 - 3:50pm

NASA and its partners have supported humans continuously living and working in space since November 2000. After 25 years of habitation, the International Space Station continues to be a proving ground for technology that powers NASA’s Artemis campaign, future lunar missions, and human exploration of Mars.  

Take a look at key technology advancements made possible by research aboard the orbiting laboratory.  

Robots at work in orbit   NASA astronaut Suni Williams checks out the Astrobee robotic free-flyer inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module during a demonstration of satellite capture techniques. This technology could help extend the life of satellites and reduce space debris.NASA

Robots have been critical to the space station’s success. From the Canadian-built Canadarm2, which assembled large portions of the orbiting laboratory and continues to support ongoing operations, especially during spacewalks, robotic technology on station has evolved to include free-flying assistants and humanoid robots that have extended crew capabilities and opened new paths for exploration. 

The station’s first robotic helpers arrived in 2003. The SPHERES robots – short for Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellite – served on station for over a decade, supporting environmental monitoring, data collection and transfer, and materials testing in microgravity.  

NASA’s subsequent free-flying robotic system, Astrobee, built on the lessons learned from SPHERES. Known affectionately as Honey, Queen, and Bumble, the three Astrobees work autonomously or via remote control by astronauts, flight controllers, or researchers on the ground. They are designed to complete tasks such as inventory, documenting experiments conducted by astronauts, or moving cargo throughout the station, and they can be outfitted and programmed to carry out experiments. 

NASA and partners have also tested dexterous humanoid robots aboard the space station. Robonaut 1 and its more advanced successor, Robonaut 2, were designed to use the same tools as humans, so they could work safely with crew with the potential to take over routine tasks and high-risk activities.  

Advanced robotic technologies will play a significant role in NASA’s mission to return to the Moon and continue on to Mars and beyond. Robots like Astrobee and Robonaut 2 have the capacity to become caretakers for future spacecraft, complete precursor missions to new destinations, and support crew safety by tackling hazardous tasks. 

Closing the loop: recycling air and water in space  ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti works on a Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) recycle tank remove-and-replace task aboard the orbiting laboratory. ESA

Living and working in space for more than two decades requires technology that makes the most of limited resources. The space station’s life support systems recycle air and water to keep astronauts healthy and reduce the need for resupply from Earth. 

The station’s Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) removes carbon dioxide from the air, supplies oxygen for breathing, and recycles wastewater—turning yesterday’s coffee into tomorrow’s coffee. It is built around three key components: the Water Recovery System, Air Revitalization System, and Oxygen Generation System. The water processor reclaims wastewater from crew members’ urine, cabin humidity, and the hydration systems inside spacesuits for spacewalks, converting it into clean, drinkable water. 

NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren celebrates International Coffee Day aboard the orbital outpost with a hand-brewed cup of coffee in space, brewed using the Capillary Beverage Cup.NASA

The air revitalization system filters carbon dioxide and trace contaminants from the cabin atmosphere, ensuring the air stays safe to breathe. The oxygen generation system uses electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, providing a steady supply of breathable air. Today, these systems can recover around 98% of the water brought to the station, a vital step toward achieving long-duration missions where resupply will not be possible. 

The lessons learned aboard the space station will help keep Artemis crews healthy on the Moon and shape the closed-loop systems needed for future expeditions to Mars. 

Advancing 3D printing technology for deep space exploration  The first metal part 3D printed in space.ESA

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is regularly used on Earth to quickly produce a variety of devices. Adapting this process for space could let crew members create tools and parts for maintenance and repair as needed and save valuable cargo space. 

Research aboard the orbiting laboratory is helping to develop this capability.  

The space station’s first 3D printer was installed in November 2014. That device produced more than a dozen plastic tools and parts, demonstrating that the process could work in low Earth orbit. Subsequent devices tested different printer designs and functionality, including the production of parts from recycled materials and simulated lunar regolith. In August 2024, a device supplied by ESA produced the first metal 3D-printed product.    

The space station also has hosted studies of a form of 3D printing called biological printing or bioprinting. This process uses living cells, proteins, and nutrients as raw materials to potentially produce human tissues for treating injury and disease. So far, a knee meniscus and live human heart tissue have been printed onboard.

The ability to manufacture things in space is especially important in planning for future missions to the Moon and Mars because additional supplies cannot quickly be sent from Earth and cargo capacity is limited. 

We have the solar power  NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 flight engineer Anne McClain is pictured near one of the space station’s main solar arrays during a spacewalk to upgrade the orbital outpost’s power generation system and relocate a communications antenna.NASA/Nichole Ayers

As the space station orbits Earth, its four pairs of solar arrays soak up the sun’s energy to provide electrical power for the numerous research and science investigations conducted every day, as well as the continued operations of the orbiting laboratory. 

In addition to harnessing the Sun’s energy for its operations, the space station has provided a platform for innovative solar power research. At least two dozen investigations have tested advanced solar cell technology – evaluating the cells’ on-orbit performance and monitoring degradation caused by exposure to the extreme environment of space. These investigations have demonstrated technologies that could enable lighter, less expensive, and more efficient solar power that could improve the design of future spacecraft and support sustainable energy generation on Earth.  

One investigation – the Roll-Out Solar Array – has already led to improvements aboard the space station. The successful test of a new type of solar panel that rolls open like a party favor and is more compact than current rigid panel designs informed development of the ISS Roll-Out Solar Arrays (iROSAs). The six iROSAs were installed during a series of spacewalks between 2021 and 2023 and provided a 20% to 30% increase in space station power. 

Connecting students to station science  The Kibo-RPC students watch in real time as the free-flying robot Astrobee performs maneuvers aboard the space station, executing tasks based on their input to test its capabilities. NASA/Helen Arase Vargas

For 25 years, the orbital outpost has served as a global learning platform, advancing STEM education and connecting people on Earth to life in space. Every experiment, in-flight downlink, and student-designed payload helps students see science in action and share humanity’s pursuit of discovery. 

The first and longest-running education program on the space station is ISS Ham Radio, known as Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS), where students can ask questions directly to crew members aboard the space station. Since 2000, ARISS has connected more than 100 astronauts with over 1 million students across 49 U.S. states, 63 countries, and every continent. 

Through Learn with NASA, students and teachers can explore hands-on activities and astronaut-led experiments that demonstrate how physics, biology, and chemistry unfold in microgravity. 

Students worldwide also take part in research inspired by the space station. Programs like Genes in Space and Cubes in Space let learners design experiments for orbit, while coding and robotics competitions such as the Kibo Robot Programming Challenge allows students to program Astrobee free-flying robots aboard the orbiting laboratory. 

As NASA prepares for Artemis missions to the Moon, the space station continues to spark curiosity and inspire the next generation of explorers. 

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Categories: NASA

GLOBE Expands with Landsat Land Cover Comparisons

NASA - Breaking News - Wed, 12/10/2025 - 2:16pm
Landsat Navigation

The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program has launched a new feature that connects citizen scientists directly to Landsat observations. Through GLOBE, volunteers around the world collect environmental data in support of Earth system science, including land observations. GLOBE land cover observations may include photos of the landscape and a classification of the land cover, providing a valuable dataset of ground-truth observations.

GLOBE Land Cover is an app-based tool where users can document land cover through photographs. Users can classify their observations, compare them to a satellite image, and note any differences. GLOBE Observer

As of September, when volunteers submit land cover observations to GLOBE, they will receive an email comparing their findings to Landsat and Sentinel-2 satellite observations of the same location in the same timeframe. This direct comparison helps bridge the gap between space-based remote sensing and ground-based observations, building on the successful legacy of GLOBE cloud observations that have been matched with satellite data for years.

Why Is GLOBE Including Land Cover?

Land cover classification plays a crucial role in understanding and managing our environment. This information is essential for risk analysis related to natural disasters such as floods, wildfires, and landslides. It also enables scientists to track the impacts of land use changes over time and create detailed maps of wildlife habitats. Landsat is a key dataset in many national and global land cover classification products such as the National Land Cover Database (NLCD).

GLOBE land cover allows anyone, from a highschooler to a university professor, to contribute to our understanding of Earth’s changing surface.

For more information about Landsat’s new role in GLOBE, read GLOBE’s feature or explore GLOBE Land Cover.  

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Categories: NASA

Retirement

NASA News - Wed, 12/10/2025 - 11:11am
Retirement Information for NASA Employees

The NSSC provides general administrative, advisory, and transactional support for federal benefits programs to all NASA employees, calculates retirement estimates, and processes retirement packages.

In consideration of retiring employees on administrative leave, resources typically available only to NASA employees behind the NASA firewall are temporarily available below.  Most of your questions can be answered with one of these guides or the information below.

This information may help you resolve questions you would otherwise contact the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) about.

All other NASA employees can visit the NASA employee intranet for additional information.

Inquiry Response Times

NASA is experiencing a significant influx of inquiries due to the high number of upcoming retirements. Response times will be slower than normal. Please do not send repeated follow-ups, as that creates bottlenecks and further delays responses. All inquiries will be answered in the order received. Thank you for your patience.  

Retirement Annuity Start Dates and Processing Timelines 

FERS retirees with a retirement date on or before Dec. 31, 2025: 

  • Your annuity begins accruing Jan. 1, 2026. 
  • Your first payment is expected mid-February 2026. 
  • Because payments begin in February, your application is still considered timely even if it remains with the NSSC through late January. 
  • As long as your case reaches Payroll Review by February, there will be no delay in your annuity. 

CSRS retirees with a retirement date on or before Jan. 3, 2026: 

  • Your annuity will accrue starting in January 2026, with the first payment mid-February 2026. 
  • Processing is still considered on time if NSSC completes its portion by late January, and your case reaches Payroll Review by February. 

FERS employees retiring Jan. 1, 2026 or later and CSRS employees retiring Jan. 4, 2026, or later: 

  • Your annuity begins accruing Feb. 1, 2026. 
  • Your first payment is expected mid-March 2026. 
  • Applications can typically remain in HR review through February. 
  • As long as your package reaches Payroll Review by the end of February, your retirement payment will not be delayed.
VSIP Payments and Lump Sum Leave Payments 

VSIP payments will be issued with your final NASA paycheck. We do not expect any delays to VSIP payments. Even if your retirement application is not finalized by your retirement date it will not delay your VSIP. 

Lump sum annual leave payments for employees retiring Dec. 28, 2025, through Jan. 10, 2026, are expected to be paid around Feb. 13, 2026. Even if your retirement application is not finalized by your retirement date it will not delay your lump sum leave payment. 

All NASA issued payments, to include your last paycheck, VSIP, and lump sum leave, will be deposited into the same bank account used for your NASA payroll. Updates made in the Online Retirement Application (ORA) do not affect NASA payroll. ORA updates only apply to your future retirement annuity. 

Understanding Online Retirement Application Statuses

In Process/Not Started:

  • The application is with the employee for action. The NSSC cannot move it forward until the employee completes required steps. This is the only stage at which an employee can adjust or make changes to their application in ORA.

In HR Review:

  • Your application is actively being worked by the NSSC Retirement Services team. Thousands of retirements are in the queue, so please be patient. Once your application is in HR Review (or beyond) you cannot make any changes. If you have a change that needs to be made, submit a Web Inquiry to the NSSC.

In Applicant Review:

  • The application is back with the employee for final certification. Once completed, the status will update to In HR Finalized.

In HR Finalized:

  • The NSSC has completed its portion and will release the package to payroll.

In Payroll Review:

  • Your application is no longer with NASA. It is with the Department of the Interior, Interior Business Center (IBC), NASA’s payroll provider.
  • Applications typically remain in Payroll Review for about 30 days after your retirement date while payroll records close. IBC will then certify the package and submit it to OPM.

Email Address Changes in ORA

  • Do not change your email address once you begin your retirement application. ORA does not allow email updates mid-process. 
  • Changing your email requires deleting your application and starting over, which can significantly delay your place in the queue. 
  • You may update your preferred email later in OPM Services Online once your case transfers to OPM. 

Retirement Counseling and Training
  • The FERS group retirement counseling sessions have been extended to accommodate additional participants and are full. If you are not able to attend one of these sessions or may otherwise find the information helpful, you can watch a previously recorded session. To jump to a specific topic, see the recording time stamps.  
  • A final CSRS counseling session will be held Dec. 23. Eligible employees have already received a Teams meeting invitation via their personal email address. If you missed this invitation, you may submit a Web Inquiry to the NSSC to have it resent.

Resources

Forms

Retirement – Court Orders

Courts can issue orders that award benefits to legally separated spouses, former spouses, and children of current employees, former employees, and retirees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). NASA cannot advise an employee, an employee’s spouse, or an attorney on how to draft a court order to award CSRS or FERS benefits. This is the task of the attorneys involved.  

The NSSC cannot provide estimates that would require speculation about future promotions, program changes, or any other non-factual information and does not prepare estimates for employees who are not close to retirement. Official computations are made by OPM only at the time benefits become payable. 

If you are involved in a divorce, legal separation, or annulment, you should provide the NSSC with a copy of your court order to expedite the processing of your retirement in the future.

Action required: Mail a court-certified copy of the court order to the address below and upload a copy in your ORA account: 

  • Attention:  Retirement Services
    NSSC
    Bldg 1111, Jerry Hlass Rd
    Stennis Space Center, MS 35929 

Court Ordered Benefits Information

Categories: NASA

Retirement

NASA - Breaking News - Wed, 12/10/2025 - 11:11am
Retirement Information for NASA Employees

The NSSC provides general administrative, advisory, and transactional support for federal benefits programs to all NASA employees, calculates retirement estimates, and processes retirement packages.

In consideration of retiring employees on administrative leave, resources typically available only to NASA employees behind the NASA firewall are temporarily available below.  Most of your questions can be answered with one of these guides or the information below.

This information may help you resolve questions you would otherwise contact the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) about.

All other NASA employees can visit the NASA employee intranet for additional information.

Inquiry Response Times

NASA is experiencing a significant influx of inquiries due to the high number of upcoming retirements. Response times will be slower than normal. Please do not send repeated follow-ups, as that creates bottlenecks and further delays responses. All inquiries will be answered in the order received. Thank you for your patience.  

Retirement Annuity Start Dates and Processing Timelines 

FERS retirees with a retirement date on or before Dec. 31, 2025: 

  • Your annuity begins accruing Jan. 1, 2026. 
  • Your first payment is expected mid-February 2026. 
  • Because payments begin in February, your application is still considered timely even if it remains with the NSSC through late January. 
  • As long as your case reaches Payroll Review by February, there will be no delay in your annuity. 

CSRS retirees with a retirement date on or before Jan. 3, 2026: 

  • Your annuity will accrue starting in January 2026, with the first payment mid-February 2026. 
  • Processing is still considered on time if NSSC completes its portion by late January, and your case reaches Payroll Review by February. 

FERS employees retiring Jan. 1, 2026 or later and CSRS employees retiring Jan. 4, 2026, or later: 

  • Your annuity begins accruing Feb. 1, 2026. 
  • Your first payment is expected mid-March 2026. 
  • Applications can typically remain in HR review through February. 
  • As long as your package reaches Payroll Review by the end of February, your retirement payment will not be delayed.
VSIP Payments and Lump Sum Leave Payments 

VSIP payments will be issued with your final NASA paycheck. We do not expect any delays to VSIP payments. Even if your retirement application is not finalized by your retirement date it will not delay your VSIP. 

Lump sum annual leave payments for employees retiring Dec. 28, 2025, through Jan. 10, 2026, are expected to be paid around Feb. 13, 2026. Even if your retirement application is not finalized by your retirement date it will not delay your lump sum leave payment. 

All NASA issued payments, to include your last paycheck, VSIP, and lump sum leave, will be deposited into the same bank account used for your NASA payroll. Updates made in the Online Retirement Application (ORA) do not affect NASA payroll. ORA updates only apply to your future retirement annuity. 

Understanding Online Retirement Application Statuses

In Process/Not Started:

  • The application is with the employee for action. The NSSC cannot move it forward until the employee completes required steps. This is the only stage at which an employee can adjust or make changes to their application in ORA.

In HR Review:

  • Your application is actively being worked by the NSSC Retirement Services team. Thousands of retirements are in the queue, so please be patient. Once your application is in HR Review (or beyond) you cannot make any changes. If you have a change that needs to be made, submit a Web Inquiry to the NSSC.

In Applicant Review:

  • The application is back with the employee for final certification. Once completed, the status will update to In HR Finalized.

In HR Finalized:

  • The NSSC has completed its portion and will release the package to payroll.

In Payroll Review:

  • Your application is no longer with NASA. It is with the Department of the Interior, Interior Business Center (IBC), NASA’s payroll provider.
  • Applications typically remain in Payroll Review for about 30 days after your retirement date while payroll records close. IBC will then certify the package and submit it to OPM.

Email Address Changes in ORA

  • Do not change your email address once you begin your retirement application. ORA does not allow email updates mid-process. 
  • Changing your email requires deleting your application and starting over, which can significantly delay your place in the queue. 
  • You may update your preferred email later in OPM Services Online once your case transfers to OPM. 

Retirement Counseling and Training
  • The FERS group retirement counseling sessions have been extended to accommodate additional participants and are full. If you are not able to attend one of these sessions or may otherwise find the information helpful, you can watch a previously recorded session. To jump to a specific topic, see the recording time stamps.  
  • A final CSRS counseling session will be held Dec. 23. Eligible employees have already received a Teams meeting invitation via their personal email address. If you missed this invitation, you may submit a Web Inquiry to the NSSC to have it resent.

Resources

Forms

Retirement – Court Orders

Courts can issue orders that award benefits to legally separated spouses, former spouses, and children of current employees, former employees, and retirees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). NASA cannot advise an employee, an employee’s spouse, or an attorney on how to draft a court order to award CSRS or FERS benefits. This is the task of the attorneys involved.  

The NSSC cannot provide estimates that would require speculation about future promotions, program changes, or any other non-factual information and does not prepare estimates for employees who are not close to retirement. Official computations are made by OPM only at the time benefits become payable. 

If you are involved in a divorce, legal separation, or annulment, you should provide the NSSC with a copy of your court order to expedite the processing of your retirement in the future.

Action required: Mail a court-certified copy of the court order to the address below and upload a copy in your ORA account: 

  • Attention:  Retirement Services
    NSSC
    Bldg 1111, Jerry Hlass Rd
    Stennis Space Center, MS 35929 

Court Ordered Benefits Information

Categories: NASA

NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim Returns to Earth

NASA Image of the Day - Wed, 12/10/2025 - 11:03am
The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft is seen as it lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan with Expedition 73 NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky aboard, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025.
Categories: Astronomy, NASA

NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim Returns to Earth

NASA News - Wed, 12/10/2025 - 11:02am
NASA/Bill Ingalls

The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft is seen as it lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Dec. 9, 2025, with Expedition 73 NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky aboard.

The trio returned to Earth after logging 245 days in space as members of Expeditions 72 and 73 aboard the International Space Station. While aboard the orbiting laboratory, Kim contributed to a wide range of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations.

For more than 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs that are not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit.

See more photos from the landing.

Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Categories: NASA

NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim Returns to Earth

NASA - Breaking News - Wed, 12/10/2025 - 11:02am
NASA/Bill Ingalls

The Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft is seen as it lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Dec. 9, 2025, with Expedition 73 NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky aboard.

The trio returned to Earth after logging 245 days in space as members of Expeditions 72 and 73 aboard the International Space Station. While aboard the orbiting laboratory, Kim contributed to a wide range of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations.

For more than 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs that are not possible on Earth. The station is a critical testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight and to expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit.

See more photos from the landing.

Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Categories: NASA

NASA Demonstrates Safer Skies for Future Urban Air Travel 

NASA - Breaking News - Tue, 12/09/2025 - 4:58pm

2 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA engineer Hanbong Lee demonstrates capabilities to manage busy urban airspace traffic during a recent simulation at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.NASA/Brandon Torres-Navarrete

NASA is helping shape the future of urban air travel with a new simulation that will manage how electric air taxis and drones can successfully operate within busy areas.  

The demonstration, held at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley earlier this year, focused on a system called the Strategic Deconfliction Simulation, which helps coordinate flight plans before takeoff, reducing the risk of conflicts in busy urban environments 

At the event, researchers demonstrated NASA’s Situational Viewer and Demand-Capacity Balancing Monitor, which visualizes air traffic and adjusts flight plans in real time. The simulation demonstrated traffic scenarios involving drone operations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, testing how preplanned flights could improve congestion and manage the demand and capacity of the airspace – ensuring that all aircraft can operate smoothly even in crowded conditions. 

Working with industry partners is critical to NASA’s efforts to develop and refine technologies needed for future air mobility. During the simulation, the company, ANRA Technologies, demonstrated its fleet and vertiport management systems, which are designed to support the coordination of multiple aircraft and ground operations. 

“Simulating these complex environments supports broader efforts to ensure safe integration of drones and other advanced vehicles into the US airspace,” said Hanbong Lee, engineer at NASA Ames. “By showcasing these capabilities, we’re delivering critical data and lessons learned to support efforts at NASA and industry.” 

This demonstration is another step toward the NASA team’s plan to hold a technical capability level simulation in 2026. This upcoming simulation would help shape the development of services aimed at managing aircraft flying in urban areas.  

The simulation was created through a NASA team from its Air Mobility Pathfinders project, part of the agency’s continuing work to find solutions for safely integrating innovative new aircraft such as air taxis into U.S. cities and the national airspace. By developing advanced evaluations and simulations, the project supports safe, scalable, and publicly trusted air travel in urban areas, paving the way for a future where air taxis and drones are a safe and reliable part of everyday life. 

The project falls under NASA’s Airspace Operations and Safety Program, which works to enable safe and efficient aviation transportation. 

Share Details Last Updated Dec 09, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 6 min read Retirement Article 9 hours ago 5 min read NASA Begins Moon Mission Plume-Surface Interaction Tests Article 1 day ago 5 min read Painting Galaxy Clusters by Numbers (and Physics) Article 1 day ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA

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Categories: NASA

NASA Demonstrates Safer Skies for Future Urban Air Travel 

NASA News - Tue, 12/09/2025 - 4:58pm

2 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA engineer Hanbong Lee demonstrates capabilities to manage busy urban airspace traffic during a recent simulation at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.NASA/Brandon Torres-Navarrete

NASA is helping shape the future of urban air travel with a new simulation that will manage how electric air taxis and drones can successfully operate within busy areas.  

The demonstration, held at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley earlier this year, focused on a system called the Strategic Deconfliction Simulation, which helps coordinate flight plans before takeoff, reducing the risk of conflicts in busy urban environments 

At the event, researchers demonstrated NASA’s Situational Viewer and Demand-Capacity Balancing Monitor, which visualizes air traffic and adjusts flight plans in real time. The simulation demonstrated traffic scenarios involving drone operations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, testing how preplanned flights could improve congestion and manage the demand and capacity of the airspace – ensuring that all aircraft can operate smoothly even in crowded conditions. 

Working with industry partners is critical to NASA’s efforts to develop and refine technologies needed for future air mobility. During the simulation, the company, ANRA Technologies, demonstrated its fleet and vertiport management systems, which are designed to support the coordination of multiple aircraft and ground operations. 

“Simulating these complex environments supports broader efforts to ensure safe integration of drones and other advanced vehicles into the US airspace,” said Hanbong Lee, engineer at NASA Ames. “By showcasing these capabilities, we’re delivering critical data and lessons learned to support efforts at NASA and industry.” 

This demonstration is another step toward the NASA team’s plan to hold a technical capability level simulation in 2026. This upcoming simulation would help shape the development of services aimed at managing aircraft flying in urban areas.  

The simulation was created through a NASA team from its Air Mobility Pathfinders project, part of the agency’s continuing work to find solutions for safely integrating innovative new aircraft such as air taxis into U.S. cities and the national airspace. By developing advanced evaluations and simulations, the project supports safe, scalable, and publicly trusted air travel in urban areas, paving the way for a future where air taxis and drones are a safe and reliable part of everyday life. 

The project falls under NASA’s Airspace Operations and Safety Program, which works to enable safe and efficient aviation transportation. 

Share Details Last Updated Dec 09, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 6 min read Retirement Article 13 hours ago 5 min read NASA Begins Moon Mission Plume-Surface Interaction Tests Article 1 day ago 5 min read Painting Galaxy Clusters by Numbers (and Physics) Article 1 day ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA

Missions

Humans in Space

Climate Change

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Categories: NASA

NASA Begins Moon Mission Plume-Surface Interaction Tests

NASA - Breaking News - Tue, 12/09/2025 - 4:54pm
5 Min Read NASA Begins Moon Mission Plume-Surface Interaction Tests Views of the 60-foot vacuum sphere in the which the plume-surface interaction testing is happening. Credits: NASA/Joe Atkinson

In March, NASA researchers employed a new camera system to capture data imagery of the interaction between Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost Mission-1 lander’s engine plumes and the lunar surface.

Through NASA’s Artemis campaign, this data will help researchers understand the hazards that may occur when a lander’s engine plumes blast away at the lunar dust, soil, and rocks.

The data also will be used by NASA’s commercial partners as they develop their human landing systems to safely transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon’s surface and back, beginning with Artemis III.

To better understand the science of lunar landings, a team at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, has initiated a series of plume-surface interaction tests inside a massive 60-foot spherical vacuum chamber.

This plume-surface interaction ground test is the most complex test of its kind to be undertaken in a vacuum chamber

Ashley Korzun

PSI Testing Lead at NASA Langley

“This plume-surface interaction ground test is the most complex test of its kind to be undertaken in a vacuum chamber,” said Ashley Korzun, testing lead at NASA Langley. “If I’m in a spacecraft and I’m going to move all that regolith while landing, some of that’s going to hit my lander. Some of it’s going to go out toward other things — payloads, science experiments, eventually rovers and other assets. Understanding those physics is pivotal to ensuring crew safety and mission success.”

The campaign, which will run through spring of 2026, should provide an absolute treasure trove of data that researchers will be able to use to improve predictive models and influence the design of space hardware. As Korzun mentioned, it’s a big undertaking, and it involves multiple NASA centers, academic institutions, and commercial entities both small and large.

Korzun’ s team will test two types of propulsion systems in the vacuum sphere. For the first round of tests this fall, they are using an ethane plume simulation system designed by NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and built and operated by Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. The ethane system generates a maximum of about 100 pounds of thrust — imagine the force necessary to lift or support a 100-pound person. It heats up but doesn’t burn.

A view of the ethane nozzle researchers are using during the first phase of testing.
NASA/Wesley Chambers

After completing the ethane tests, the second round of tests will involve a 14-inch, 3D-printed hybrid rocket motor developed at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, and recently tested at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. It produces around 35 pounds of thrust, igniting both solid propellant and a stream of gaseous oxygen to create a hot, powerful stream of rocket exhaust, simulating a real rocket engine but at smaller scale for this test series.

Researchers will test both propulsion systems at various heights, firing them into a roughly six-and-a-half-foot diameter, one-foot-deep bin of simulated lunar regolith, called Black Point-1 that has jagged, cohesive properties similar to lunar regolith.

“It gives us a huge range of test conditions,” Korzun said, “to be able to talk about spacecraft of all different kinds going to the Moon, and for us to understand what they’re going to do as they land or try to take back off from the surface.”

Researchers will use this 14-inch, 3D-printed hybrid rocket motor during the second phase of testing. The data from these tests at NASA Langley will be critical in developing and validating models to predict the effects of plume surface interaction for landing on the Moon and even Mars, ensuring mission success for the HLS landers and the safety of our astronauts

Daniel Stubbs

Engineer with HLS Plume and Aero Environments Team at NASA Marshall

A number of different instruments, including a version of the specialized camera system that imaged the plume-surface interaction during the Blue Ghost landing, will capture data and imagery from the tests, which will only last about six seconds each. The instruments will measure crater formation, the speed and angle of ejecta particles, and the shapes of the engine plumes.

Korzun sees this test campaign as more than a one-shot, Moon-specific thing. The entire operation is modular by design and can also prepare NASA for missions to Mars. The lunar regolith simulant can be replaced with a Mars simulant that’s more like sand. Pieces of hardware and instrumentation can be unbolted and replaced to represent future Mars landers. Rather than take the vacuum sphere down to really low pressure like on the Moon, it can be adjusted to a pressure that simulates the atmosphere on the Red Planet. “Mars has always been in our road maps,” Korzun said.

But for now, the Moon looms large.

A number of instruments, including SCALPSS cameras similar to the ones that captured imagery of the plume-surface interaction between Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander and the Moon in March, will capture data on the sphere tests.NASA/Ryan Hill

“This test campaign is one of the most flight-relevant and highly instrumented plume-surface interaction test series NASA has ever conducted,” said Daniel Stubbs, an engineer with the human landing systems plume and aero environments team at NASA Marshall. “The data from these tests at NASA Langley will be critical in developing and validating models to predict the effects of plume-surface interaction for landing on the Moon and even Mars, ensuring mission success for the human landing systems and the safety of our astronauts.”

Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build upon our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars – for the benefit of all.

For more information about Artemis, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis

The testing platform is engineered to accommodate the engine nozzles, simulated lunar soil and instrumentation.
NASA/Wesley Chambers

Joe Atkinson
NASA Langley Research Center

Share Details Last Updated Dec 09, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 6 min read Retirement Article 9 hours ago 2 min read NASA Demonstrates Safer Skies for Future Urban Air Travel  Article 1 day ago 5 min read Painting Galaxy Clusters by Numbers (and Physics) Article 1 day ago

Categories: NASA

NASA Begins Moon Mission Plume-Surface Interaction Tests

NASA News - Tue, 12/09/2025 - 4:54pm
5 Min Read NASA Begins Moon Mission Plume-Surface Interaction Tests Views of the 60-foot vacuum sphere in the which the plume-surface interaction testing is happening. Credits: NASA/Joe Atkinson

In March, NASA researchers employed a new camera system to capture data imagery of the interaction between Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost Mission-1 lander’s engine plumes and the lunar surface.

Through NASA’s Artemis campaign, this data will help researchers understand the hazards that may occur when a lander’s engine plumes blast away at the lunar dust, soil, and rocks.

The data also will be used by NASA’s commercial partners as they develop their human landing systems to safely transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon’s surface and back, beginning with Artemis III.

To better understand the science of lunar landings, a team at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, has initiated a series of plume-surface interaction tests inside a massive 60-foot spherical vacuum chamber.

This plume-surface interaction ground test is the most complex test of its kind to be undertaken in a vacuum chamber

Ashley Korzun

PSI Testing Lead at NASA Langley

“This plume-surface interaction ground test is the most complex test of its kind to be undertaken in a vacuum chamber,” said Ashley Korzun, testing lead at NASA Langley. “If I’m in a spacecraft and I’m going to move all that regolith while landing, some of that’s going to hit my lander. Some of it’s going to go out toward other things — payloads, science experiments, eventually rovers and other assets. Understanding those physics is pivotal to ensuring crew safety and mission success.”

The campaign, which will run through spring of 2026, should provide an absolute treasure trove of data that researchers will be able to use to improve predictive models and influence the design of space hardware. As Korzun mentioned, it’s a big undertaking, and it involves multiple NASA centers, academic institutions, and commercial entities both small and large.

Korzun’ s team will test two types of propulsion systems in the vacuum sphere. For the first round of tests this fall, they are using an ethane plume simulation system designed by NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and built and operated by Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. The ethane system generates a maximum of about 100 pounds of thrust — imagine the force necessary to lift or support a 100-pound person. It heats up but doesn’t burn.

A view of the ethane nozzle researchers are using during the first phase of testing.
NASA/Wesley Chambers

After completing the ethane tests, the second round of tests will involve a 14-inch, 3D-printed hybrid rocket motor developed at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, and recently tested at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. It produces around 35 pounds of thrust, igniting both solid propellant and a stream of gaseous oxygen to create a hot, powerful stream of rocket exhaust, simulating a real rocket engine but at smaller scale for this test series.

Researchers will test both propulsion systems at various heights, firing them into a roughly six-and-a-half-foot diameter, one-foot-deep bin of simulated lunar regolith, called Black Point-1 that has jagged, cohesive properties similar to lunar regolith.

“It gives us a huge range of test conditions,” Korzun said, “to be able to talk about spacecraft of all different kinds going to the Moon, and for us to understand what they’re going to do as they land or try to take back off from the surface.”

Researchers will use this 14-inch, 3D-printed hybrid rocket motor during the second phase of testing. The data from these tests at NASA Langley will be critical in developing and validating models to predict the effects of plume surface interaction for landing on the Moon and even Mars, ensuring mission success for the HLS landers and the safety of our astronauts

Daniel Stubbs

Engineer with HLS Plume and Aero Environments Team at NASA Marshall

A number of different instruments, including a version of the specialized camera system that imaged the plume-surface interaction during the Blue Ghost landing, will capture data and imagery from the tests, which will only last about six seconds each. The instruments will measure crater formation, the speed and angle of ejecta particles, and the shapes of the engine plumes.

Korzun sees this test campaign as more than a one-shot, Moon-specific thing. The entire operation is modular by design and can also prepare NASA for missions to Mars. The lunar regolith simulant can be replaced with a Mars simulant that’s more like sand. Pieces of hardware and instrumentation can be unbolted and replaced to represent future Mars landers. Rather than take the vacuum sphere down to really low pressure like on the Moon, it can be adjusted to a pressure that simulates the atmosphere on the Red Planet. “Mars has always been in our road maps,” Korzun said.

But for now, the Moon looms large.

A number of instruments, including SCALPSS cameras similar to the ones that captured imagery of the plume-surface interaction between Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander and the Moon in March, will capture data on the sphere tests.NASA/Ryan Hill

“This test campaign is one of the most flight-relevant and highly instrumented plume-surface interaction test series NASA has ever conducted,” said Daniel Stubbs, an engineer with the human landing systems plume and aero environments team at NASA Marshall. “The data from these tests at NASA Langley will be critical in developing and validating models to predict the effects of plume-surface interaction for landing on the Moon and even Mars, ensuring mission success for the human landing systems and the safety of our astronauts.”

Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build upon our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars – for the benefit of all.

For more information about Artemis, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis

The testing platform is engineered to accommodate the engine nozzles, simulated lunar soil and instrumentation.
NASA/Wesley Chambers

Joe Atkinson
NASA Langley Research Center

Share Details Last Updated Dec 09, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 6 min read Retirement Article 13 hours ago 2 min read NASA Demonstrates Safer Skies for Future Urban Air Travel  Article 1 day ago 5 min read Painting Galaxy Clusters by Numbers (and Physics) Article 1 day ago

Categories: NASA

Painting Galaxy Clusters by Numbers (and Physics)

NASA - Breaking News - Tue, 12/09/2025 - 4:07pm
X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Chicago/H. McCall

Galaxy clusters are the most massive objects in the universe held together by gravity, containing up to several thousand individual galaxies and huge reservoirs of superheated, X-ray-emitting gas. The mass of this hot gas is typically about five times higher than the total mass of all the galaxies in galaxy clusters. In addition to these visible components, 80% of the mass of galaxy clusters is supplied by dark matter. These cosmic giants are bellwethers not only for the galaxies, stars and black holes within them, but also for the evolution and growth of the universe itself.

It is no surprise then that NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has observed many galaxy clusters over the lifetime of the mission. Chandra’s X-ray vision allows it to see the enormous stockpiles of hot cluster gas, with temperatures as high as 100 million degrees, with exquisite clarity. This blazing gas tells stories about past and present activity within galaxy clusters.

X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Chicago/H. McCall; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/N. Wolk

Many of these galaxy clusters host supermassive black holes at their centers, which periodically erupt in powerful outbursts. These explosions generate jets that are visible in radio wavelengths, which inflate bubbles full of energetic particles; these bubbles carry energy out into the surrounding gas. Chandra’s images have revealed a wealth of other structures formed during these black hole outbursts, including hooks, rings, arcs, and wings. However, appearances alone don’t tell us what these structures are or how they formed.

To tackle this problem, a team of astronomers developed a novel image-processing technique to analyze X-ray data, allowing them to identify features in the gas of galaxy clusters like never before, classifying them by their nature rather than just their appearance. Prior to this technique, which they call “X-arithmetic,” scientists could only identify the nature of some of the features and in a much less efficient way, via studies of the amounts of X-ray energy dispersed at different wavelengths. The authors applied X-arithmetic to 15 galaxy clusters and galaxy groups (these are similar to galaxy clusters but with fewer member galaxies). By comparing the outcome from the X-arithmetic technique to computer simulations, researchers now have a new tool that will help in understanding the physical processes inside these important titans of the universe.

A new paper looks at how these structures appear in different parts of the X-ray spectrum. By splitting Chandra data into lower-energy and higher-energy X-rays and comparing the strengths of each structure in both, researchers can classify them into three distinct types, which they have colored differently. A pink color is given to sound waves and weak shock fronts, which arise from pressure disturbances traveling at close to the speed of sound, compressing the hot gas into thin layers. The bubbles inflated by jets are colored yellow, and cooling or slower-moving gas is blue. The resulting images, “painted” to reflect the nature of each structure, offer a new way to interpret the complex aftermath of black hole activity using only X-ray imaging data. This method works not only on Chandra (and other X-ray) observations, but also on simulations of galaxy clusters, providing a tool to bridge data and theory.

The images in this new collection show the central regions of five galaxy clusters in the sample: MS 0735+7421, the Perseus Cluster, and M87 in the Virgo Cluster in the top row and Abell 2052 and Cygnus A on the bottom row. All of these objects have been released to the public before by the Chandra X-ray Center, but this is the first time this special technique has been applied. The new treatment highlights important differences between the galaxy clusters and galaxy groups in the study.

The galaxy clusters in the study often have large regions of cooling or slow-moving gas near their centers, and only some show evidence for shock fronts. The galaxy groups, on the other hand, are different. They show multiple shock fronts in their central regions and smaller amounts of cooling and slow-moving gas compared to the sample of galaxy clusters.

This contrast between galaxy clusters and galaxy groups suggests that black hole feedback — that is, the interdependent relationship between outbursts from a black hole and its environment — appears stronger in galaxy groups. This may be because feedback is more violent in the groups than in the clusters, or because a galaxy group has weaker gravity holding the structure together than a galaxy cluster. The same outburst from a black hole, with the same power level, can therefore more easily affect a galaxy group than a galaxy cluster.

There are still many open questions about these black hole outbursts. For example, scientists would like to know how much energy they put into the gas around them and how often they occur. These violent events play a key role in regulating the cooling of the hot gas and controlling the formation of stars in clusters. By revealing the physics underlying the structures they leave behind, the X-arithmetic technique brings us closer to understanding the influence of black holes on the largest scales.

A paper describing this new technique and its results has been published in The Astrophysical Journal and is led by Hannah McCall from the University of Chicago. The other authors are Irina Zhuravleva (University of Chicago), Eugene Churazov (Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Germany), Congyao Zhang (University of Chicago), Bill Forman and Christine Jones (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian), and Yuan Li (University of Massachusetts at Amherst).

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.

To learn more about Chandra, visit:

https://science.nasa.gov/chandra


Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory

Learn more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its mission here:

https://www.nasa.gov/chandra

https://chandra.si.edu

News Media Contact

Megan Watzke
Chandra X-ray Center
Cambridge, Mass.
617-496-7998
mwatzke@cfa.harvard.edu

Corinne Beckinger
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
256-544-0034
corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov

Share Details Last Updated Dec 09, 2025 EditorLee MohonContactCorinne M. Beckingercorinne.m.beckinger@nasa.govLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms Explore More 4 min read NASA-JAXA XRISM Finds Elemental Bounty in Supernova Remnant

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Categories: NASA

Painting Galaxy Clusters by Numbers (and Physics)

NASA News - Tue, 12/09/2025 - 4:07pm
X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Chicago/H. McCall

Galaxy clusters are the most massive objects in the universe held together by gravity, containing up to several thousand individual galaxies and huge reservoirs of superheated, X-ray-emitting gas. The mass of this hot gas is typically about five times higher than the total mass of all the galaxies in galaxy clusters. In addition to these visible components, 80% of the mass of galaxy clusters is supplied by dark matter. These cosmic giants are bellwethers not only for the galaxies, stars and black holes within them, but also for the evolution and growth of the universe itself.

It is no surprise then that NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has observed many galaxy clusters over the lifetime of the mission. Chandra’s X-ray vision allows it to see the enormous stockpiles of hot cluster gas, with temperatures as high as 100 million degrees, with exquisite clarity. This blazing gas tells stories about past and present activity within galaxy clusters.

X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Chicago/H. McCall; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/N. Wolk

Many of these galaxy clusters host supermassive black holes at their centers, which periodically erupt in powerful outbursts. These explosions generate jets that are visible in radio wavelengths, which inflate bubbles full of energetic particles; these bubbles carry energy out into the surrounding gas. Chandra’s images have revealed a wealth of other structures formed during these black hole outbursts, including hooks, rings, arcs, and wings. However, appearances alone don’t tell us what these structures are or how they formed.

To tackle this problem, a team of astronomers developed a novel image-processing technique to analyze X-ray data, allowing them to identify features in the gas of galaxy clusters like never before, classifying them by their nature rather than just their appearance. Prior to this technique, which they call “X-arithmetic,” scientists could only identify the nature of some of the features and in a much less efficient way, via studies of the amounts of X-ray energy dispersed at different wavelengths. The authors applied X-arithmetic to 15 galaxy clusters and galaxy groups (these are similar to galaxy clusters but with fewer member galaxies). By comparing the outcome from the X-arithmetic technique to computer simulations, researchers now have a new tool that will help in understanding the physical processes inside these important titans of the universe.

A new paper looks at how these structures appear in different parts of the X-ray spectrum. By splitting Chandra data into lower-energy and higher-energy X-rays and comparing the strengths of each structure in both, researchers can classify them into three distinct types, which they have colored differently. A pink color is given to sound waves and weak shock fronts, which arise from pressure disturbances traveling at close to the speed of sound, compressing the hot gas into thin layers. The bubbles inflated by jets are colored yellow, and cooling or slower-moving gas is blue. The resulting images, “painted” to reflect the nature of each structure, offer a new way to interpret the complex aftermath of black hole activity using only X-ray imaging data. This method works not only on Chandra (and other X-ray) observations, but also on simulations of galaxy clusters, providing a tool to bridge data and theory.

The images in this new collection show the central regions of five galaxy clusters in the sample: MS 0735+7421, the Perseus Cluster, and M87 in the Virgo Cluster in the top row and Abell 2052 and Cygnus A on the bottom row. All of these objects have been released to the public before by the Chandra X-ray Center, but this is the first time this special technique has been applied. The new treatment highlights important differences between the galaxy clusters and galaxy groups in the study.

The galaxy clusters in the study often have large regions of cooling or slow-moving gas near their centers, and only some show evidence for shock fronts. The galaxy groups, on the other hand, are different. They show multiple shock fronts in their central regions and smaller amounts of cooling and slow-moving gas compared to the sample of galaxy clusters.

This contrast between galaxy clusters and galaxy groups suggests that black hole feedback — that is, the interdependent relationship between outbursts from a black hole and its environment — appears stronger in galaxy groups. This may be because feedback is more violent in the groups than in the clusters, or because a galaxy group has weaker gravity holding the structure together than a galaxy cluster. The same outburst from a black hole, with the same power level, can therefore more easily affect a galaxy group than a galaxy cluster.

There are still many open questions about these black hole outbursts. For example, scientists would like to know how much energy they put into the gas around them and how often they occur. These violent events play a key role in regulating the cooling of the hot gas and controlling the formation of stars in clusters. By revealing the physics underlying the structures they leave behind, the X-arithmetic technique brings us closer to understanding the influence of black holes on the largest scales.

A paper describing this new technique and its results has been published in The Astrophysical Journal and is led by Hannah McCall from the University of Chicago. The other authors are Irina Zhuravleva (University of Chicago), Eugene Churazov (Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, Germany), Congyao Zhang (University of Chicago), Bill Forman and Christine Jones (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian), and Yuan Li (University of Massachusetts at Amherst).

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.

To learn more about Chandra, visit:

https://science.nasa.gov/chandra


Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory

Learn more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its mission here:

https://www.nasa.gov/chandra

https://chandra.si.edu

News Media Contact

Megan Watzke
Chandra X-ray Center
Cambridge, Mass.
617-496-7998
mwatzke@cfa.harvard.edu

Corinne Beckinger
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
256-544-0034
corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov

Share Details Last Updated Dec 09, 2025 EditorLee MohonContactCorinne M. Beckingercorinne.m.beckinger@nasa.govLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms Explore More 4 min read NASA-JAXA XRISM Finds Elemental Bounty in Supernova Remnant

For the first time, scientists have made a clear X-ray detection of chlorine and potassium…

Article 7 days ago 6 min read NASA’s Chandra Finds Black Hole With Tremendous Growth Article 3 months ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Galaxies

Galaxies consist of stars, planets, and vast clouds of gas and dust, all bound together by gravity. The largest contain…

Humans in Space

Climate Change

Solar System

Categories: NASA

<p><a href="https://apod.nasa.gov/apod

APOD - Tue, 12/09/2025 - 4:00pm

What would it look like to plunge into a monster black hole?


Categories: Astronomy, NASA