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Hubble Surveys Supernova-Rich Spiral
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Hubble Surveys Supernova-Rich Spiral This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the face-on spiral galaxy NGC 1309. ESA/Hubble & NASA, L. Galbany, S. Jha, K. Noll, A. RiessRich with detail, the spiral galaxy NGC 1309 shines in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image. NGC 1309 is about 100 million light-years away in the constellation Eridanus.
This stunning Hubble image encompasses NGC 1309’s bluish stars, dark brown gas clouds, and pearly-white core, as well as hundreds of distant background galaxies. Nearly every smudge, streak, and blob of light in this image is an individual galaxy, some shining through less dense regions of NGC 1309 itself. The only exception to this extragalactic ensemble is a star near the top of the frame identified by its diffraction spikes. The star is positively neighborly at just a few thousand light-years away in the Milky Way galaxy.
Hubble turned its attention toward NGC 1309 several times; previous Hubble images of this galaxy were released in 2006 and 2014. Much of NGC 1309’s scientific interest derives from two supernovae, SN 2002fk in 2002 and SN 2012Z in 2012. SN 2002fk was a perfect example of a Type Ia supernova, which happens when the stripped-down core of a dead star (a white dwarf) explodes.
SN 2012Z, on the other hand, was a bit of a renegade. It was classified as a Type Iax supernova: while its spectrum resembled that of a Type Ia supernova, the explosion wasn’t as bright as expected. Hubble observations showed that in this case, the supernova did not destroy the white dwarf completely, leaving behind a ‘zombie star’ that shone even brighter than it did before the explosion. Hubble observations of NGC 1309 taken across several years also made this the first time astronomers spotted a star system that later produced an unusual supernova explosion of a white dwarf.
Text Credit: ESA/Hubble
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Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
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Sunrise on Crew-11 Launch Attempt
The Sun rises on the morning of July 31, 2025, ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch was postponed due to an unfavorable weather forecast. Teams are now targeting 11:43 a.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 1.
NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov will launch to the International Space Station, where they will perform research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance activities.
Image credit: NASA/Cory S. Huston
Sunrise on Crew-11 Launch Attempt
The Sun rises on the morning of July 31, 2025, ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch was postponed due to an unfavorable weather forecast. Teams are now targeting 11:43 a.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 1.
NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov will launch to the International Space Station, where they will perform research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance activities.
Image credit: NASA/Cory S. Huston
Sunrise on Crew-11 Launch Attempt
NASA Installs Key ‘Sunblock’ Shield on Roman Space Telescope
Technicians have successfully installed two sunshields onto NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s inner segment. Along with the observatory’s Solar Array Sun Shield and Deployable Aperture Cover, the panels (together called the Lower Instrument Sun Shade), will play a critical role in keeping Roman’s instruments cool and stable as the mission explores the infrared universe.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
This video shows technicians installing two sunshields onto NASA's nearly complete Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on July 17. The large yet lightweight panels will block sunlight, keeping Roman’s instruments cool and stable as the mission explores the infrared universe.Credit: NASA/Sophia RobertsThe team is on track to join Roman’s outer and inner assemblies this fall to complete the full observatory, which can then undergo further prelaunch testing.
“This shield is like an extremely strong sunblock for Roman’s sensitive instruments, protecting them from heat and light from the Sun that would otherwise overwhelm our ability to detect faint signals from space,” said Matthew Stephens, an aerospace engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The sunshade, which was designed and engineered at NASA Goddard, is essentially an extension of Roman’s solar panels, except without solar cells. Each sunshade flap is roughly the size of a garage door — about 7 by 7 feet (2.1 by 2.1 meters) — and 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) thick.
“They’re basically giant aluminum sandwiches, with metal sheets as thin as a credit card on the top and bottom and the central portion made up of a honeycomb structure,” said Conrad Mason, an aerospace engineer at NASA Goddard.
This design makes the panels lightweight yet stiff, and the material helps limit heat transfer from the side facing the Sun to the back—no small feat considering the front will be hot enough to boil water (up to 216 degrees Fahrenheit, or 102 degrees Celsius) while the back will be much colder than Antarctica’s harshest winter (minus 211 Fahrenheit, or minus 135 Celsius). A specialized polymer film blanket will wrap around each panel to temper the heat, with 17 layers on the Sun side and one on the shaded side.
The sunshade will be stowed and gently deploy around an hour after launch.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
In this time-lapse video, technicians manually deploy the Lower Instrument Sun Shield for NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The test helps verify the panels will operate as designed in space.NASA/Sophia Roberts“The deploying mechanisms have dampers that work like soft-close hinges for drawers or cabinets, so the panels won’t slam open and rattle the observatory,” Stephens said. “They each take about two minutes to move into their final positions. This is the very first system that Roman will deploy in space after the spacecraft separates from the launch vehicle.”
Now completely assembled, Roman’s inner segment is slated to undergo a 70-day thermal vacuum test next. Engineers and scientists will test the full functionality of the spacecraft, telescope, and instruments under simulated space conditions. Following the test, the sunshade will be temporarily removed while the team joins Roman’s outer and inner assemblies, and then reattached to complete the observatory. The mission remains on track for launch no later than May 2027 with the team aiming for as early as fall 2026.
Click here to virtually tour an interactive version of the telescopeDownload high-resolution video and images from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, with participation by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California; Caltech/IPAC in Pasadena, California; the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore; and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are BAE Systems Inc. in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York; and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging in Thousand Oaks, California.
By Ashley Balzer
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
NASA Installs Key ‘Sunblock’ Shield on Roman Space Telescope
Technicians have successfully installed two sunshields onto NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s inner segment. Along with the observatory’s Solar Array Sun Shield and Deployable Aperture Cover, the panels (together called the Lower Instrument Sun Shade), will play a critical role in keeping Roman’s instruments cool and stable as the mission explores the infrared universe.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
This video shows technicians installing two sunshields onto NASA's nearly complete Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on July 17. The large yet lightweight panels will block sunlight, keeping Roman’s instruments cool and stable as the mission explores the infrared universe.Credit: NASA/Sophia RobertsThe team is on track to join Roman’s outer and inner assemblies this fall to complete the full observatory, which can then undergo further prelaunch testing.
“This shield is like an extremely strong sunblock for Roman’s sensitive instruments, protecting them from heat and light from the Sun that would otherwise overwhelm our ability to detect faint signals from space,” said Matthew Stephens, an aerospace engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The sunshade, which was designed and engineered at NASA Goddard, is essentially an extension of Roman’s solar panels, except without solar cells. Each sunshade flap is roughly the size of a garage door — about 7 by 7 feet (2.1 by 2.1 meters) — and 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) thick.
“They’re basically giant aluminum sandwiches, with metal sheets as thin as a credit card on the top and bottom and the central portion made up of a honeycomb structure,” said Conrad Mason, an aerospace engineer at NASA Goddard.
This design makes the panels lightweight yet stiff, and the material helps limit heat transfer from the side facing the Sun to the back—no small feat considering the front will be hot enough to boil water (up to 216 degrees Fahrenheit, or 102 degrees Celsius) while the back will be much colder than Antarctica’s harshest winter (minus 211 Fahrenheit, or minus 135 Celsius). A specialized polymer film blanket will wrap around each panel to temper the heat, with 17 layers on the Sun side and one on the shaded side.
The sunshade will be stowed and gently deploy around an hour after launch.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
In this time-lapse video, technicians manually deploy the Lower Instrument Sun Shield for NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The test helps verify the panels will operate as designed in space.NASA/Sophia Roberts“The deploying mechanisms have dampers that work like soft-close hinges for drawers or cabinets, so the panels won’t slam open and rattle the observatory,” Stephens said. “They each take about two minutes to move into their final positions. This is the very first system that Roman will deploy in space after the spacecraft separates from the launch vehicle.”
Now completely assembled, Roman’s inner segment is slated to undergo a 70-day thermal vacuum test next. Engineers and scientists will test the full functionality of the spacecraft, telescope, and instruments under simulated space conditions. Following the test, the sunshade will be temporarily removed while the team joins Roman’s outer and inner assemblies, and then reattached to complete the observatory. The mission remains on track for launch no later than May 2027 with the team aiming for as early as fall 2026.
Click here to virtually tour an interactive version of the telescopeDownload high-resolution video and images from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, with participation by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California; Caltech/IPAC in Pasadena, California; the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore; and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are BAE Systems Inc. in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York; and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging in Thousand Oaks, California.
By Ashley Balzer
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
NASA Invites Proposals to Lease Aircraft Hangar in Cleveland
NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is seeking proposals for the use of its historic aircraft hangar, along with a parking lot, tarmac, and a small neighboring office building. Proposals are due by 1 p.m. EDT on Nov. 28.
The hangar, formally known as the Flight Research Building, is available for lease by signing a National Historic Preservation Act agreement for a 10-year base period and two optional five-year extensions.
NASA first announced plans to lease the Flight Research Building and other facilities in May 2024 under the government’s Enhanced Use Lease authority. These lease agreements allow space, aeronautics, and other related industries to use agency land and facilities, reducing NASA’s maintenance costs while fostering strategic partnerships that spur innovation.
“Glenn is making great progress as we modernize our Cleveland and Sandusky campuses to support NASA’s future missions,” said Dr. Jimmy Kenyon, Glenn’s center director. “Through Enhanced Use Leases, we’re ensuring full use of land and facilities while preserving an iconic, historic building and creating regional economic opportunities.”
The property available for lease includes up to 6.7 acres of land, which contains the heated aircraft hangar, Operations and Integration Building, parking lot, and tarmac. The hangar is 160 feet by 280 feet, and the Operations and Integration Building is 5,947 square feet. Proceeds from this lease will be used to maintain Glenn facilities and infrastructure.
Visible from Brookpark Road and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Glenn’s hangar was the first building completed after the center was established in 1941. It has sheltered many unique aircraft used to perform vital research. From studying ice accumulation on aircraft wings to the first use of laser communications to stream 4K video from an aircraft to the International Space Station, Glenn flight research has contributed to aviation safety, atmospheric studies, and cutting-edge technology development.
Interested parties should contact both Carlos Flores at carlos.a.flores-1@nasa.gov and Diana Munro at diana.c.munro@nasa.gov to sign up for a walk-through from Monday, Sept. 8, to Friday, Sept. 12, or the week of Oct. 6.
For a 360-degree virtual tour of the Flight Research Building, visit:
https://www3.nasa.gov/specials/hangar360/
-end-
Jan Wittry
Glenn Research Center, Cleveland
216-433-5466
jan.m.wittry-1@nasa.gov
Missions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
NASA Invites Proposals to Lease Aircraft Hangar in Cleveland
NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is seeking proposals for the use of its historic aircraft hangar, along with a parking lot, tarmac, and a small neighboring office building. Proposals are due by 1 p.m. EDT on Nov. 28.
The hangar, formally known as the Flight Research Building, is available for lease by signing a National Historic Preservation Act agreement for a 10-year base period and two optional five-year extensions.
NASA first announced plans to lease the Flight Research Building and other facilities in May 2024 under the government’s Enhanced Use Lease authority. These lease agreements allow space, aeronautics, and other related industries to use agency land and facilities, reducing NASA’s maintenance costs while fostering strategic partnerships that spur innovation.
“Glenn is making great progress as we modernize our Cleveland and Sandusky campuses to support NASA’s future missions,” said Dr. Jimmy Kenyon, Glenn’s center director. “Through Enhanced Use Leases, we’re ensuring full use of land and facilities while preserving an iconic, historic building and creating regional economic opportunities.”
The property available for lease includes up to 6.7 acres of land, which contains the heated aircraft hangar, Operations and Integration Building, parking lot, and tarmac. The hangar is 160 feet by 280 feet, and the Operations and Integration Building is 5,947 square feet. Proceeds from this lease will be used to maintain Glenn facilities and infrastructure.
Visible from Brookpark Road and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Glenn’s hangar was the first building completed after the center was established in 1941. It has sheltered many unique aircraft used to perform vital research. From studying ice accumulation on aircraft wings to the first use of laser communications to stream 4K video from an aircraft to the International Space Station, Glenn flight research has contributed to aviation safety, atmospheric studies, and cutting-edge technology development.
Interested parties should contact both Carlos Flores at carlos.a.flores-1@nasa.gov and Diana Munro at diana.c.munro@nasa.gov to sign up for a walk-through from Monday, Sept. 8, to Friday, Sept. 12, or the week of Oct. 6.
For a 360-degree virtual tour of the Flight Research Building, visit:
https://www3.nasa.gov/specials/hangar360/
-end-
Jan Wittry
Glenn Research Center, Cleveland
216-433-5466
jan.m.wittry-1@nasa.gov
Missions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
