Watch the stars and from them learn. To the Master's honor all must turn, Each in its track, without a sound, Forever tracing Newton's ground

— Albert Einstein

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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 to Support Health Studies for Deep Space Travel

NASA - Breaking News - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 10:00am
The crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission sit inside a Dragon training spacecraft at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California. Pictured from left: Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui (Credit: SpaceX).

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission is set to launch a four-person crew to the International Space Station later this summer. Some of the crew have volunteered to participate in a series of experiments to address health challenges astronauts may face on deep space missions during NASA’s Artemis campaign and future human expeditions to Mars.

The research during Crew-11 includes simulated lunar landings, tactics to safeguard vision, and other human physiology studies led by NASA’s Human Research Program.

Select crew members will participate in a series of simulated Moon landings, before, during, and after their flight. Using a handheld controller and multiple screens, the astronauts will fly through simulated scenarios created to resemble the lunar South Pole region that Artemis crews plan to visit. This experiment allows researchers to evaluate how different gravitational forces may disorient astronauts and affect their ability to pilot a spacecraft, like a lunar lander.

“Even though many landing tasks are automated, astronauts must still know how to monitor the controls and know when to take over to ensure a safe landing,” said Scott Wood, a neuroscientist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston coordinating the scientific investigation. “Our study assesses exactly how changes in gravity affect spatial awareness and piloting skills that are important for navigating these scenarios.”

A ground control group completing the same tasks over a similar timeframe will help scientists better understand gravitational effects on human performance. The experiment’s results could inform the pilot training needed for future Artemis crews.

“Experiencing weightlessness for months and then feeling greater levels of gravity on a planet like Mars, for example, may increase the risk of disorientation,” said Wood. “Our goal is to help astronauts adapt to any gravitational change, whether it’s to the Moon, a new planet, or landing back on Earth.”

Other studies during the mission will explore possible ways to treat or prevent a group of eye and brain changes that can occur during long-duration space travel, called spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS).  

Some researchers suspect the redistribution of bodily fluids in constant weightlessness may increase pressure in the head and contribute to SANS. One study will investigate fluid pressure on the brain while another will examine how the body processes B vitamins and whether supplements can affect how astronauts respond to bodily fluid shifts. Participating crew members will test whether a daily B vitamin supplement can eliminate or ease symptoms of SANS. Specific crew members also will wear thigh cuffs to keep bodily fluids from traveling headward.

Crew members also will complete another set of experiments, called CIPHER (Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research), which measures how multiple systems within the human body change in space. The study includes vision assessments, MRI scans, and other medical exams to provide a complete overview of the whole body’s response to long-duration spaceflight.

Several other studies involving human health and performance are also a part of Crew-11’s science portfolio. Crew members will contribute to a core set of measurements called Spaceflight Standard Measures, which collects physical data and biological samples from astronauts and stores them for other comparative studies. Participants will supply biological samples, such as blood and urine, for a study characterizing how spaceflight alters astronauts’ genetic makeup. In addition, volunteers will test different exercise regimens to help scientists explore what activities remain essential for long-duration journeys.

After landing, participating crew members will complete surveys to track any discomfort, such as scrapes or bruises, acquired from re-entry. The data will help clarify whether mission length increases injury risks and could help NASA design landing systems on future spacecraft as NASA prepares to travel to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

NASA’s Human Research Program pursues methods and technologies to support safe, productive human space travel. Through science conducted in laboratories, ground-based analogs, and aboard the International Space Station, the program investigates how spaceflight affects human bodies and behaviors. Such research drives NASA’s quest to innovate ways that keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready.

Explore More 2 min read NASA Announces Winners of 2025 Human Lander Challenge Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read NASA, Australia Team Up for Artemis II Lunar Laser Communications Test Article 2 weeks ago 3 min read NASA Engineers Simulate Lunar Lighting for Artemis III Moon Landing Article 4 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA

Living in Space

Artemis

Human Research Program

Space Station Research and Technology

Categories: NASA

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 to Support Health Studies for Deep Space Travel

NASA News - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 10:00am
The crew of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission sit inside a Dragon training spacecraft at SpaceX in Hawthorne, California. Pictured from left: Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui (Credit: SpaceX).

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission is set to launch a four-person crew to the International Space Station later this summer. Some of the crew have volunteered to participate in a series of experiments to address health challenges astronauts may face on deep space missions during NASA’s Artemis campaign and future human expeditions to Mars.

The research during Crew-11 includes simulated lunar landings, tactics to safeguard vision, and other human physiology studies led by NASA’s Human Research Program.

Select crew members will participate in a series of simulated Moon landings, before, during, and after their flight. Using a handheld controller and multiple screens, the astronauts will fly through simulated scenarios created to resemble the lunar South Pole region that Artemis crews plan to visit. This experiment allows researchers to evaluate how different gravitational forces may disorient astronauts and affect their ability to pilot a spacecraft, like a lunar lander.

“Even though many landing tasks are automated, astronauts must still know how to monitor the controls and know when to take over to ensure a safe landing,” said Scott Wood, a neuroscientist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston coordinating the scientific investigation. “Our study assesses exactly how changes in gravity affect spatial awareness and piloting skills that are important for navigating these scenarios.”

A ground control group completing the same tasks over a similar timeframe will help scientists better understand gravitational effects on human performance. The experiment’s results could inform the pilot training needed for future Artemis crews.

“Experiencing weightlessness for months and then feeling greater levels of gravity on a planet like Mars, for example, may increase the risk of disorientation,” said Wood. “Our goal is to help astronauts adapt to any gravitational change, whether it’s to the Moon, a new planet, or landing back on Earth.”

Other studies during the mission will explore possible ways to treat or prevent a group of eye and brain changes that can occur during long-duration space travel, called spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS).  

Some researchers suspect the redistribution of bodily fluids in constant weightlessness may increase pressure in the head and contribute to SANS. One study will investigate fluid pressure on the brain while another will examine how the body processes B vitamins and whether supplements can affect how astronauts respond to bodily fluid shifts. Participating crew members will test whether a daily B vitamin supplement can eliminate or ease symptoms of SANS. Specific crew members also will wear thigh cuffs to keep bodily fluids from traveling headward.

Crew members also will complete another set of experiments, called CIPHER (Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research), which measures how multiple systems within the human body change in space. The study includes vision assessments, MRI scans, and other medical exams to provide a complete overview of the whole body’s response to long-duration spaceflight.

Several other studies involving human health and performance are also a part of Crew-11’s science portfolio. Crew members will contribute to a core set of measurements called Spaceflight Standard Measures, which collects physical data and biological samples from astronauts and stores them for other comparative studies. Participants will supply biological samples, such as blood and urine, for a study characterizing how spaceflight alters astronauts’ genetic makeup. In addition, volunteers will test different exercise regimens to help scientists explore what activities remain essential for long-duration journeys.

After landing, participating crew members will complete surveys to track any discomfort, such as scrapes or bruises, acquired from re-entry. The data will help clarify whether mission length increases injury risks and could help NASA design landing systems on future spacecraft as NASA prepares to travel to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

NASA’s Human Research Program pursues methods and technologies to support safe, productive human space travel. Through science conducted in laboratories, ground-based analogs, and aboard the International Space Station, the program investigates how spaceflight affects human bodies and behaviors. Such research drives NASA’s quest to innovate ways that keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready.

Explore More 2 min read NASA Announces Winners of 2025 Human Lander Challenge Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read NASA, Australia Team Up for Artemis II Lunar Laser Communications Test Article 2 weeks ago 3 min read NASA Engineers Simulate Lunar Lighting for Artemis III Moon Landing Article 4 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA

Living in Space

Artemis

Human Research Program

Space Station Research and Technology

Categories: NASA

As NASA's budget shrinks, Europe doubles down on Earth science: 'Climate change is the defining challenge of our generation'

Space.com - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 10:00am
If NASA must pull back, Europe is ready to step up — and do so with open arms.
Categories: Astronomy

NASA SLS rocket booster spews fire | Space photo of the day for July 11, 2025

Space.com - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 9:24am
The test encountered an anomaly.
Categories: Astronomy

Week in images: 07-11 July 2025

ESO Top News - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 9:10am

Week in images: 07-11 July 2025

Discover our week through the lens

Categories: Astronomy

Artificial cooling 'urgent' for Great Barrier Reef after warming spike

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 9:00am
A drop in shipping emissions has caused a surge in warming at the Great Barrier Reef, fuelling calls for drastic actions such as marine cloud brightening to lower the risk of coral bleaching
Categories: Astronomy

Artificial cooling 'urgent' for Great Barrier Reef after warming spike

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 9:00am
A drop in shipping emissions has caused a surge in warming at the Great Barrier Reef, fuelling calls for drastic actions such as marine cloud brightening to lower the risk of coral bleaching
Categories: Astronomy

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

APOD - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 8:00am


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

Waste Wars Tracks the 'Wild Afterlife' of Garbage on an International Black Market

Scientific American.com - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 8:00am

Alexander Clapp, author of new nonfiction book 'Waste Wars,' tracks the world-wide blackmarket trade of our garbage

Categories: Astronomy

US Space Force practices 'orbital warfare' in largest-ever training event

Space.com - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 8:00am
The United States Space Force is undertaking its largest training exercise ever, in order to demonstrate that it is "prepared to fight and win in space."
Categories: Astronomy

Never lose your tech or skywatching gear again as the Apple AirTag is 31% off on the final day or Amazon Prime Day

Space.com - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 7:43am
It's the final day of Prime Day and the Perseid meteor shower starts shortly, so now is the perfect time to save big on the Apple AirTag.
Categories: Astronomy

Climate could warm another 0.5°C if we fail to capture far more CO2

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 7:00am
Models suggest that meeting climate targets will be virtually impossible without steep emissions cuts paired with a huge expansion of carbon management technologies
Categories: Astronomy

Climate could warm another 0.5°C if we fail to capture far more CO2

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 7:00am
Models suggest that meeting climate targets will be virtually impossible without steep emissions cuts paired with a huge expansion of carbon management technologies
Categories: Astronomy

Trees on city streets cope with drought by drinking from leaky pipes

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 7:00am
Urban trees lining streets fare better in dry spells than those in parks – now it seems that leaky water pipes are the reason for their endurance
Categories: Astronomy

Trees on city streets cope with drought by drinking from leaky pipes

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 7:00am
Urban trees lining streets fare better in dry spells than those in parks – now it seems that leaky water pipes are the reason for their endurance
Categories: Astronomy

Hubble Snaps Galaxy Cluster’s Portrait

NASA News - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 7:00am
Explore Hubble

2 min read

Hubble Snaps Galaxy Cluster’s Portrait This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the galaxy cluster Abell 209. ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Postman, P. Kelly

A massive, spacetime-warping cluster of galaxies is the setting of today’s NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image. The galaxy cluster in question is Abell 209, located 2.8 billion light-years away in the constellation Cetus (the Whale).

This Hubble image of Abell 209 shows more than a hundred galaxies, but there’s more to this cluster than even Hubble’s discerning eye can see. Abell 209’s galaxies are separated by millions of light-years, and the seemingly empty space between the galaxies is filled with hot, diffuse gas that is visible only at X-ray wavelengths. An even more elusive occupant of this galaxy cluster is dark matter: a form of matter that does not interact with light. Dark matter does not absorb, reflect, or emit light, effectively making it invisible to us. Astronomers detect dark matter by its gravitational influence on normal matter. Astronomers surmise that the universe is comprised of 5% normal matter, 25% dark matter, and 70% dark energy.

Hubble observations, like the ones used to create this image, can help astronomers answer fundamental questions about our universe, including mysteries surrounding dark matter and dark energy. These investigations leverage the immense mass of a galaxy cluster, which can bend the fabric of spacetime itself and create warped and magnified images of background galaxies and stars in a process called gravitational lensing.

While this image lacks the dramatic rings that gravitational lensing can sometimes create, Abell 209 still shows subtle signs of lensing at work, in the form of streaky, slightly curved galaxies within the cluster’s golden glow. By measuring the distortion of these galaxies, astronomers can map the distribution of mass within the cluster, illuminating the underlying cloud of dark matter. This information, which Hubble’s fine resolution and sensitive instruments help to provide, is critical for testing theories of how our universe evolved.

Text Credit: ESA/Hubble

Facebook logo @NASAHubble

@NASAHubble

Instagram logo @NASAHubble

Media Contact:

Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt, MD

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Details

Last Updated

Jul 11, 2025

Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Related Terms Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble

Hubble Space Telescope

Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.


Hubble Gravitational Lenses


Focusing in on Gravitational Lenses


Shining a Light on Dark Matter

Categories: NASA

ChatGPT Is Changing the Words We Use in Conversation

Scientific American.com - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 7:00am

Words frequently used by ChatGPT, including “delve” and “meticulous,” are getting more common in spoken language, according to an analysis of more than 700,000 hours of videos and podcasts

Categories: Astronomy

We’re Light-Years Away from True Artificial Intelligence, Says Murderbot Author Martha Wells

Scientific American.com - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 7:00am

Today’s large language models are hardly related to the kinds of machine intelligence we see in science fiction, according to Martha Wells, author of the Murderbot Diaries series

Categories: Astronomy

Hubble Snaps Galaxy Cluster’s Portrait

NASA - Breaking News - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 7:00am
Explore Hubble

2 min read

Hubble Snaps Galaxy Cluster’s Portrait This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the galaxy cluster Abell 209. ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Postman, P. Kelly

A massive, spacetime-warping cluster of galaxies is the setting of today’s NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image. The galaxy cluster in question is Abell 209, located 2.8 billion light-years away in the constellation Cetus (the Whale).

This Hubble image of Abell 209 shows more than a hundred galaxies, but there’s more to this cluster than even Hubble’s discerning eye can see. Abell 209’s galaxies are separated by millions of light-years, and the seemingly empty space between the galaxies is filled with hot, diffuse gas that is visible only at X-ray wavelengths. An even more elusive occupant of this galaxy cluster is dark matter: a form of matter that does not interact with light. Dark matter does not absorb, reflect, or emit light, effectively making it invisible to us. Astronomers detect dark matter by its gravitational influence on normal matter. Astronomers surmise that the universe is comprised of 5% normal matter, 25% dark matter, and 70% dark energy.

Hubble observations, like the ones used to create this image, can help astronomers answer fundamental questions about our universe, including mysteries surrounding dark matter and dark energy. These investigations leverage the immense mass of a galaxy cluster, which can bend the fabric of spacetime itself and create warped and magnified images of background galaxies and stars in a process called gravitational lensing.

While this image lacks the dramatic rings that gravitational lensing can sometimes create, Abell 209 still shows subtle signs of lensing at work, in the form of streaky, slightly curved galaxies within the cluster’s golden glow. By measuring the distortion of these galaxies, astronomers can map the distribution of mass within the cluster, illuminating the underlying cloud of dark matter. This information, which Hubble’s fine resolution and sensitive instruments help to provide, is critical for testing theories of how our universe evolved.

Text Credit: ESA/Hubble

Facebook logo @NASAHubble

@NASAHubble

Instagram logo @NASAHubble

Media Contact:

Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt, MD

Share

Details

Last Updated

Jul 11, 2025

Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Related Terms Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble

Hubble Space Telescope

Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.


Hubble Gravitational Lenses


Focusing in on Gravitational Lenses


Shining a Light on Dark Matter

Categories: NASA

Love Fujifilm? These are the best prices on the last day of Amazon Prime Day

Space.com - Fri, 07/11/2025 - 6:58am
These are the best prices for Fujifilm cameras on the last day of Amazon Prime Day — prices could jump up at any moment!
Categories: Astronomy