NASA
Perseverance Kicks off the Crater Rim Campaign!
- Perseverance Home
- Science
- News and Features
- Multimedia
- Mars Missions
- The Solar System
3 min read
Perseverance Kicks off the Crater Rim Campaign! Mastcam-Z mosaic made of 59 individual Mastcam-Z images showing the area Perseverance will climb in the coming weeks on its way to Dox Castle, the rover’s first stop on the crater rim. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSSPerseverance is officially headed into a new phase of scientific investigation on the Jezero Crater rim!
For the last 2 months, the Perseverance rover has been exploring the Neretva Vallis region of Jezero Crater, where rocks with interesting popcorn-like textures and “leopard spot” patterns have fascinated us all. Now, the rover has begun its long ascent up the crater rim, and is officially kicking off a new phase of exploration for the mission.
Strategic (longer-term) planning is particularly important for the Mars 2020 mission given the crucial role Perseverance plays in collecting samples for Mars Sample Return, and the Mars 2020 team undertakes this planning in the form of campaigns. Perseverance has now completed four such campaigns— the Crater Floor, Delta Front, Upper Fan and Margin Unit campaigns respectively— making the Crater Rim Campaign next in line. Given its broad scope and the wide diversity of rocks we expect to encounter and sample along the way, it may be the most ambitious campaign the team has attempted so far.
The team also has less information from orbiter data to go on compared to previous campaigns, because this area of the crater rim does not have the high-resolution, hyperspectral imaging of CRISM that helped inform much of our geological unit distinctions inside the crater. This means that Mastcam-Z multispectral and SuperCam long-distance imaging will be particularly useful for understanding broadscale mineralogical distinctions between rocks as we traverse the crater rim. Such imaging has already proved extremely useful in the Neretva Vallis area, where at Alsap Butte we observed rocks that appeared similar to each other in initial imaging, but actually display an Andy-Warhol-esque array of color in multispectral products, indicative of varied mineral signatures.
Our next stop is Dox Castle where Perseverance will investigate the contact between the Margin Unit and the Crater rim, as well as rubbly material that may be our first encounter with deposits generated during the impact that created Jezero crater itself. Later in the campaign, we will investigate other light-toned outcrops that may or may not be similar to those encountered at Bright Angel, as well as rocks thought to be part of the regionally extensive olivine-carbonate-bearing unit, and whose relationship to both Séítah and the Margin Unit remains an interesting story to unravel. Throughout this next phase of exploration, comparing and contrasting the rocks we see on the rim to both each other and those previously explored in the mission will be an important part of our scientific investigations.
The whole Mars 2020 science team is incredibly excited to be embarking on the next phase of Perseverance’s adventure, and we expect these results, and the samples we collect along the way, to inform our understanding of not just Jezero itself, but the planet Mars as a whole. We can’t wait to share what we find!
Written by Eleni Ravanis, PhD Candidate and Graduate Research Assistant at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Share Details Last Updated Aug 27, 2024 Related Terms Explore More 4 min read Sols 4284–4286: Environmental Science ExtravaganzaArticle
1 day ago
3 min read Sols 4282-4283: Bumping Away from Kings Canyon
Article
1 day ago
2 min read Sols 4280-4281: Last Call at Kings Canyon
Article
1 week ago
Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited…
All Mars Resources
Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,…
Rover Basics
Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a…
Mars Exploration: Science Goals
The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four…
Hubble Pinpoints a Dim, Starry Mini-galaxy
A glittering collection of stars shines against a background of much more distant galaxies in this view from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope of the Pegasus Dwarf spheroidal galaxy, also known as Andromeda VI.
The Andromeda galaxy, also known as Messier 31, is the Milky Way’s closest grand spiral galaxy neighbor, and is host to at least 13 dwarf galaxies that orbit around it. The Pegasus Dwarf spheroidal galaxy is one of these mini-galaxies. Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are the dimmest and least massive galaxies known. They tend to have elliptical shapes and relatively smooth distributions of stars. Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are usually devoid of gas and dominated by old and intermediate-age stars, although some have experienced small amounts of recent star formation.
The Pegasus Dwarf Spheroidal galaxy was discovered in 1998 and has been characterized as having a small amount of heavy elements and little of the gas needed to form another generation of stars ― though more than many of the dwarf spheroidal galaxies within our Local Group of galaxies. Researchers suspect that Andromeda’s gravitational field may have stripped the star-forming gases from it, leaving a dearth of material to build more than a few generations of stars. In comparison, some of the dwarf spheroidal companion galaxies of the Milky Way found at comparable distances do contain some intermediate-age stars, but this could be because Andromeda is so massive and extended that its gravitational effects extend farther.
The jury is still out on how dwarf spheroidal galaxies form. Theories include collisions between galaxies that break off small fragments, the gravitational influence of larger galaxies on small disk-shaped dwarf galaxies, and processes associated with the birth of small systems among collections of dark matter. Andromeda and the Milky Way are the only galaxies close enough for astronomers to view these dim satellite galaxies, so clues to their formation will have to come from close neighbors like this one.
Hubble studied this galaxy as part of an examination of the entire Andromeda system of satellites in order to investigate such critical matters as dark matter, reionization, and the growth of galactic ecosystems across cosmic time.
Media Contact:
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
Hubble Pinpoints a Dim, Starry Mini-galaxy
NASA, Boeing Optimizing Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay for Future SLS Stage Production
NASA is preparing space at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for upcoming assembly activities of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket core stage for future Artemis missions, beginning with Artemis III.
Teams are currently outfitting the assembly building’s High Bay 2 for future vertical assembly of the rocket stage that will help power NASA’s Artemis campaign to the Moon. During Apollo, High Bay 2, one of four high bays inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, was used to stack the Saturn V rocket. During the Space Shuttle Program, the high bay was used for external tank checkout and storage and as a contingency storage area for the shuttle.
Technicians are building tooling in High Bay 2 at NASA Kennedy that will allow NASA and Boeing, the SLS core stage lead contractor, to vertically integrate the core stage. NASAMichigan-based Futuramic is constructing the tooling that will hold the core stage in a vertical position, allowing NASA and Boeing, the SLS core stage lead contractor, to integrate the SLS rocket’s engine section and four RS-25 engines to finish assembly of the rocket stage. Vertical integration will streamline final production efforts, offering technicians 360-degree access to the stage both internally and externally.
“The High Bay 2 area at NASA Kennedy is critical for work as SLS transitions from a developmental to operational model,” said Chad Bryant, deputy manager of the SLS Stages Office. “While teams are stacking and preparing the SLS rocket for launch of one Artemis mission, the SLS core stage for another Artemis mission will be taking shape just across the aisleway.”
Under the new assembly model beginning with Artemis III, all the major structures for the SLS core stage will continue to be fully produced and manufactured at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Upon completion of manufacturing and thermal protection system application, the engine section will be shipped to NASA Kennedy for final outfitting. Later, the top sections of the core stage – the forward skirt, intertank, liquid oxygen tank, and liquid hydrogen tank – will be outfitted and joined at NASA Michoud and shipped to NASA Kennedy for final assembly.
The fully assembled core stage for Artemis II arrived at Kennedy on July 23. NASA’s Pegasus barge delivered the SLS engine section for Artemis III to Kennedy in December 2022. Teams at NASA Michoud are outfitting the remaining core stage elements and preparing to horizontally join them. The four RS-25 engines for the Artemis III mission are complete at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and will be transported to NASA Kennedy in 2025. Major core stage and exploration upper stage structures are in work at NASA Michoud for Artemis IV and beyond.
NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft, supporting ground systems, advanced spacesuits and rovers, the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.
News Media ContactJonathan Deal
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
256-544-0034
NASA’s Europa Clipper Gets Set of Super-Size Solar Arrays
5 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s Europa Clipper is seen here on Aug. 21 at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Engineers and technicians deployed and tested the giant solar arrays to be sure they will operate in flight.NASA/Frank MichauxThe largest spacecraft NASA has ever built for planetary exploration just got its ‘wings’ — massive solar arrays to power it on the journey to Jupiter’s icy moon Europa.
NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft recently got outfitted with a set of enormous solar arrays at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Each measuring about 46½ feet (14.2 meters) long and about 13½ feet (4.1 meters) high, the arrays are the biggest NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission. They have to be large so they can soak up as much sunlight as possible during the spacecraft’s investigation of Jupiter’s moon Europa, which is five times farther from the Sun than Earth is.
The arrays have been folded up and secured against the spacecraft’s main body for launch, but when they’re deployed in space, Europa Clipper will span more than 100 feet (30.5 meters) — a few feet longer than a professional basketball court. The “wings,” as the engineers call them, are so big that they could only be opened one at a time in the clean room of Kennedy’s Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, where teams are readying the spacecraft for its launch period, which opens Oct. 10.
Watch as engineers and technicians deploy and test Europa Clipper’s massive solar arrays in a clean room at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/KSC/APL/Airbus Flying in Deep Space
Meanwhile, engineers continue to assess tests conducted on the radiation hardiness of transistors on the spacecraft. Longevity is key, because the spacecraft will journey more than five years to arrive at the Jupiter system in 2030. As it orbits the gas giant, the probe will fly by Europa multiple times, using a suite of science instruments to find out whether the ocean underneath its ice shell has conditions that could support life.
Powering those flybys in a region of the solar system that receives only 3% to 4% of the sunlight Earth gets, each solar array is composed of five panels. Designed and built at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, and Airbus in Leiden, Netherlands, they are much more sensitive than the type of solar arrays used on homes, and the highly efficient spacecraft will make the most of the power they generate.
At Jupiter, Europa Clipper’s arrays will together provide roughly 700 watts of electricity, about what a small microwave oven or a coffee maker needs to operate. On the spacecraft, batteries will store the power to run all of the electronics, a full payload of science instruments, communications equipment, the computer, and an entire propulsion system that includes 24 engines.
NASA’s Europa Clipper is seen here on Aug. 21 in a clean room at Kennedy Space Center after engineers and technicians tested and stowed the spacecraft’s giant solar arrays.NASA/Frank MichauxWhile doing all of that, the arrays must operate in extreme cold. The hardware’s temperature will plunge to minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 240 degrees Celsius) when in Jupiter’s shadow. To ensure that the panels can operate in those extremes, engineers tested them in a specialized cryogenic chamber at Liège Space Center in Belgium.
“The spacecraft is cozy. It has heaters and an active thermal loop, which keep it in a much more normal temperature range,” said APL’s Taejoo Lee, the solar array product delivery manager. “But the solar arrays are exposed to the vacuum of space without any heaters. They’re completely passive, so whatever the environment is, those are the temperatures they get.”
About 90 minutes after launch, the arrays will unfurl from their folded position over the course of about 40 minutes. About two weeks later, six antennas affixed to the arrays will also deploy to their full size. The antennas belong to the radar instrument, which will search for water within and beneath the moon’s thick ice shell, and they are enormous, unfolding to a length of 57.7 feet (17.6 meters), perpendicular to the arrays.
This artist’s concept depicts NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter. The mission’s launch period opens Oct. 10. NASA/JPL-Caltech“At the beginning of the project, we really thought it would be nearly impossible to develop a solar array strong enough to hold these gigantic antennas,” Lee said. “It was difficult, but the team brought a lot of creativity to the challenge, and we figured it out.”
More About the Mission
Europa Clipper’s three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon’s icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission’s detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet.
Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory leads the development of the Europa Clipper mission in partnership with APL for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. APL designed the main spacecraft body in collaboration with JPL and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The Planetary Missions Program Office at Marshall executes program management of the Europa Clipper mission.
NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, manages the launch service for the Europa Clipper spacecraft, which will launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.
Find more information about Europa here:
News Media ContactsGretchen McCartney
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-6215
gretchen.p.mccartney@jpl.nasa.gov
Karen Fox / Alana Johnson
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600 / 202-358-1501
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alana.r.johnson@nasa.gov
2024-112
Share Details Last Updated Aug 27, 2024 Related Terms Explore More 14 min read The Making of Our Alien Earth: The Undersea Volcanoes of Santorini, GreeceThe following expedition marks the third installment of NASA Astrobiology’s fieldwork series, the newly rebranded…
Article 3 days ago 5 min read NASA Shares Asteroid Bennu Sample in Exchange with JAXA Article 4 days ago 2 min read Gateway: Energizing ExplorationDiscover the cutting-edge technology powering Gateway, humanity's first lunar space station.
Article 5 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related TopicsMissions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
This landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals for the first time previously invisible areas of star birth.NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI This landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals for the first time previously invisible areas of star birth.NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI This landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals for the first time previously invisible areas of star birth.NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI40 Years Ago: President Reagan Announces Teacher in Space Project
On Aug. 27, 1984, President Ronald W. Reagan announced the Teacher in Space project as part of NASA’s Space Flight Participant Program to expand the space shuttle experience to a wider set of private citizens who would communicate the experience to the public. From 11,000 teacher applicants, each of the 50 states and territories selected two nominees for a total of 114. After meeting with each candidate, a review panel narrowed the field down to 10 finalists. These 10 underwent interviews and medical examinations. A senior review panel recommended S. Christa McAuliffe as the prime Teacher in Space to fly with the STS-51L crew, with Barbara R. Morgan as her backup. Tragically, the Jan. 28, 1986, Challenger accident prevented McAuliffe from realizing her dreams of teaching from space.
Left: President Ronald W. Reagan announces the Teacher in Space project in 1984.Middle: NASA Administrator James M. Beggs. Right: Official emblem of the Teacher in Space project.
During a ceremony at the Department of Education recognizing outstanding public secondary schools, President Reagan announced the Teacher in Space project, saying,
It’s long been a goal of our space shuttle to someday carry private citizens in space. Until now, we hadn’t decided who the first citizen passenger would be. But today, I’m directing NASA to begin a search in all of our elementary and secondary schools, and to choose as the first citizen passenger in the history of our space program, one of America’s finest – a teacher. When that shuttle takes off, all of America will be reminded of the crucial role that teachers and education play in the life of our nation.
Later that day, NASA Administrator James M. Beggs held a news conference at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and provided more details, saying that although a teacher would lead off the Space Flight Participant Program, future selections would include journalists, poets, and artists. NASA released an Announcement of Opportunity on Nov. 8 detailing the requirements for teacher applicants and setting the target launch date of early 1986. From the approximately 11,000 applications received by the Feb. 1, 1985, deadline, the Council of Chief State School Officers coordinated the selection process, working with state, territorial, and agency review panels. On May 3, they announced the 114 nominees, two from each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Departments of Defense and State overseas schools, and Bureau of Indian Affairs schools. The nominees attended a workshop in Washington, D.C., June 22-27 focused on space education, because even those not selected planned to serve as space ambassadors for NASA. Each nominee met with the National Review Panel that selected the 10 finalists, announced on July 1.
Left: The 10 Teacher in Space finalists during their visit to NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston in July 1985. Middle: As part of their orientation, the 10 finalists toured JSC’s space shuttle mockups. Right: The 10 finalists experienced brief periods of weightlessness aboard NASA’s KC-135 aircraft.
The 10 finalists spent the week of July 7 at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston. During the week, the finalists underwent medical and psychological examinations, toured JSC’s facilities, and experienced episodes of weightlessness on the KC-135 aircraft. Following a brief stop at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, the finalists spent July 15-17 in Washington, D.C., undergoing a series of interviews with the NASA Space Flight Participant Committee, who recommended the Teacher in Space candidate and a backup to NASA Administrator Beggs.
Left: Vice President George H.W. Bush announces the prime, S. Christa McAuliffe, and backup, Barbara R. Morgan, Teacher in Space candidates. Right: McAuliffe addresses the assembled crowd.
On July 19, the 10 finalists assembled in the Roosevelt Room at the White House. Following Administrator Beggs’ introductory remarks, Vice President George H.W. Bush announced the Teacher in Space winners – S. Christa McAuliffe, a high school social studies teacher from Concord, New Hampshire, and her backup, Barbara R. Morgan, a second-grade teacher from McCall, Idaho. The other eight finalists continued to participate in the project by helping to develop McAuliffe’s lesson plans.
Left: Barbara R. Morgan, second from left, and S. Christa McAuliffe, fourth from left, meet the STS-51L crew at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Middle: McAuliffe, left, and Morgan get their first taste of space food. Right: Morgan, left, and McAuliffe receive a briefing on the space shuttle galley.
McAuliffe and Morgan reported to JSC on Sept. 9, 1985, to begin training for their space shuttle mission. Assigned to STS-51L scheduled for January 1986, they met their fellow crewmates Commander Francis R. “Dick” Scobee, Pilot Michael J. Smith, and Mission Specialists Ellison S. Onizuka, Judith A. Resnik, and Ronald E. McNair. Gregory B. Jarvis, a Hughes Aircraft engineer, joined the crew as a second payload specialist in October. Their first week, McAuliffe and Morgan received basic orientation, including fitting for their flight suits and tasting space food. For the next four months, they trained with the rest of the crew on shuttle systems, emergency evacuation drills, and completed flights aboard T-38 jets and the KC-135 weightless aircraft.
Left: The STS-51L crew receives a briefing on crew escape procedures. Middle: The STS-51L crew receives a briefing on water evacuation. Right: Barbara R. Morgan, left, and S. Christa McAuliffe pose in front of the space shuttle crew compartment trainer.
Left: At Houston’s Ellington Air Force Base, Barbara R. Morgan, Michael J. Smith, a photographer, S. Christa McAuliffe, and Francis R. “Dick” Scobee walk onto the tarmac toward T-38 jet trainers. Right: McAuliffe in the backseat of a T-38 prior to takeoff.
Left: Teacher in Space designee S. Christa McAuliffe in the backseat of a T-38 jet trainer during a right turn, with part of Galveston Island visible at left. Right: Michael J. Smith, left, Barbara R. Morgan, McAuliffe, and Francis R. “Dick” Scobee following training flights aboard T-38 jets.
Left: Backup Teacher in Space Barbara R. Morgan, left, prime Teacher in Space S. Christa McAuliffe, Payload Specialist Gregory B. Jarvis, and Mission Specialist Ronald E. McNair in the middeck of the Shuttle Mission Simulator. Right: Teacher in Space McAuliffe, second from left, and her backup Morgan, get a taste of weightlessness aboard NASA’s KC-135, along with STS-61C Payload Specialist Congressman C. William “Bill” Nelson, now serving as NASA’s 14th administrator.
Training aboard the KC-135 for Teacher in Space demonstrations. Left: Hydroponics in Microgravity. Middle left: Molecular Mixing Experiment. Middle right: Magnetic Effects. Right: Leapfrog in Microgravity – not an actual experiment.
During her flight, McAuliffe planned to conduct two live lessons from space and record film for six demonstrations. The first lesson, “The Ultimate Field Trip,” sought to allow students to compare daily life aboard the shuttle versus on Earth. The second lesson, “Where We’ve Been, Where We’re Going, Why?” would explain the reasons for exploring space and making use of its unique environment for manufacturing certain products. The six filmed demonstrations included topics such as magnetism, Newton’s Laws, effervescence, simple machines and tools, hydroponics, and chromatographic separation, and how each of these behaves in weightlessness. Since McAuliffe could not complete these activities, many years later astronauts aboard the space station completed her mission by filming the demonstrations and preparing classroom lessons.
Left: At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Teacher in Space S. Christa McAuliffe watches the launch of space shuttle Challenger on the STS-61A Spacelab D1 mission. Middle: The STS-51L crew answer reporters’ questions following the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT). Right: During the TCDT, the crew practices emergency evacuation procedures.
To prepare for the upcoming launch, McAuliffe and Morgan traveled to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida to witness the liftoff of the STS-61A Spacelab D1 mission, the last flight of space shuttle Challenger before STS-51L, on Oct. 30. The entire STS-51L crew returned to Florida for the Jan. 8, 1986, Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), essentially a dress rehearsal for the actual countdown to launch, planned for two weeks later. As part of the TCDT, the astronauts practiced evacuations drills from the shuttle in case of a fire or other emergency. After the test, they returned to Houston to complete last-minute training.
Left: The STS-51L crew arrives at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida a few days before launch. Middle: The STS-51L crew at the traditional prelaunch breakfast. Right: The STS-51L astronauts leave crew quarters on their way to Launch Pad 39B.
On Jan. 23, the STS-51L crew arrived at KSC for the launch set for Jan. 26. Bad weather caused a one-day delay, and the crew suited up, rode out to the pad, and boarded Challenger. A problem closing the hatch followed by poor weather caused a scrub of the launch attempt. On Jan. 28, the crew went back out to the pad in unusually cold weather for Florida and took their places aboard Challenger. This time, the launch took place on time.
Left: The official photograph of the STS-51L crew. Right: The STS-51L crew patch, with an apple representing S. Christa McAuliffe and the Teacher in Space project.
Following the Challenger accident, the Teacher in Space project remained active for a time as NASA reevaluated the entire Space Flight Participant Program. Morgan assumed the role of Teacher in Space designee for a few months, returning to Idaho in the fall of 1986 to resume her teaching duties, yet maintained her contact with NASA. In 1990, NASA canceled the Teacher in Space project.
Left: Official portrait of Barbara R. Morgan following her selection as a NASA astronaut in 1998. Middle: In 2004, NASA selected Educator Astronauts Dorothy “Dottie” M. Metcalf-Lindenburger, left, Richard “Ricky” R. Arnold, and Joseph “Joe” M. Acaba as members of the Group 19 astronauts. Right: Emblem of the Year of Education on Station.
In 1998, NASA invited Morgan to join the next astronaut selection group, not as a teacher but as a full-fledged mission specialist, eligible for multiple flights. That same year, NASA initiated its Educator Astronaut program, in which the agency selected qualified teachers as full-time astronauts instead of payload specialists. Morgan reported for training with the rest of the Group 17 astronauts in August 1998. In 2002, NASA assigned her to the STS-118 space station assembly mission that, following delays caused by the Columbia accident, flew in August 2007 aboard Endeavour, Challenger’s replacement. In 2004, NASA selected its first Educator Astronauts as part of Group 19 – Joseph “Joe” M. Acaba, Richard R. “Rickey” Arnold, and Dorothy “Dottie” M. Metcalf-Lindenburger. Metcalf-Lindenburger flew as a mission specialist aboard the STS-131 space station assembly flight in April 2010. Acaba and Arnold flew together on STS-119 in March 2009. Acaba went on to spend 125 days aboard the space station as an Expedition 31 and 32 flight engineer between May and September 2012, and another 168 days during Expedition 53 and 54 between September 2017 and February 2018. He has served as chief of the astronaut office since February 2023. Arnold made his second flight as a flight engineer during Expedition 55 and 56 from March to October 2018. Between their nearly back-to-back missions, Acaba and Arnold spent the 2017-18 school year aboard the space station for A Year of Education on Station. As a tribute to McAuliffe and her legacy, they completed her mission, filming her demonstrations and developing corresponding lessons for classrooms.
Explore More 4 min read NASA Seeks Input for Astrobee Free-flying Space Robots Article 1 day ago 3 min read Beyond the Textbook: DC-8 Aircraft Inspires Students in Retirement Article 5 days ago 2 min read 2025 Gateways to Blue Skies Competition Article 1 week agoWizards Behind the Curtain: Johnson’s Administrative Team Makes Missions Possible
For every NASA astronaut who serves as a public face of human spaceflight, there are thousands of people working behind the scenes to make the agency’s missions a success. Even the smallest tasks impact NASA’s ability to explore and innovate for the benefit of humanity.
The team of administrative assistants and secretaries who work at the Johnson Space Center in Houston are acutely aware of this fact.
Whether they are coordinating meetings, arranging travel, or preparing materials and information for Johnson’s leaders, this team of over 90 individuals takes pride in providing critical support for the agency’s programs and managers. “We work hand-in-hand with management to get them where they need to go and ensure they have what they need to continue doing their important work,” said Carla Burnett, an executive assistant in the Center Director’s Office who is also the lead for all of Johnson’s administrative staff.
Carla Burnett participates in NASA’s celebration of the 60th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s historic Moon speech, held at Rice Stadium in Houston on Sept. 12, 2022. Image courtesy of Carla BurnettBurnett has turned her long-standing passion for administrative work into a 41-year career at Johnson. She was just a youngster when she started working in the Astronaut Office mailroom – an opportunity that came through her high school’s Office Education Program. “Being a meek and mild high school student, sitting there with the astronauts, going through all of their fan mail – I was in awe! It was an absolute honor,” she said. That experience and earning recognition as her high school’s Office Education Student of the Year confirmed for Burnett that administrative work was the right career path for her. She said that fidelity and perseverance launched her from the Astronaut Office mailroom to a position as a crew secretary for two space shuttle flights. “Being a servant and helping others is what I really love about administrative work,” she said.
Today, Burnett supports Johnson’s senior executives and serves as a central resource for the rest of the administrative team. “They are all very self-sufficient and work within their own organizations,” she explained, but she may coordinate team-wide meetings, celebrations, or trainings, and she is always available to help answer questions. “We work consistently as a cohesive team. We are knowledgeable and, may I add, exceptional at what we do because we do it for the benefit and success of our Johnson family, NASA, and a plethora of communities!”
Burnett’s dedication to service is reflected across the administrative team, as is a commitment to caring for others. Edwina Gaines, administrative assistant for the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program, said that being an instrument of team success and the opportunity to build long-lasting friendships are the most rewarding parts of her job. “That connection to people is important,” she said. “It’s important for me to know who I’m supporting or working with.”
Edwina Gaines snaps a selfie during a professional development event for administrative professionals in 2023.Gaines joined the Johnson team as a contractor nearly 20 years ago thanks to an opportunity that arose from her volunteer work at church. A church partner, the Houston Area Urban League, was helping a NASA subcontractor fill a secretarial position through the Small Business Administration’s HUBZone Program. Gaines got the job.
Since then, she has supported four programs and two institutional organizations, getting to know several agency leaders quite well. Gaines said she paid attention to little details – like which managers preferred printed materials over presentations, how they organized their offices, and when they typically stopped for coffee or something to eat – and worked to stay one step ahead of them. She recalled one occasion when she realized a manager had not taken a break in five hours and brought her something to drink. “It’s about taking care of the people who are doing the mission. If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t complete the mission,” she said.
Rick Pettis, the administrative officer for the Center Operations Directorate, appreciates being part of a great team. Pettis has worked at Johnson since 2014, when he retired from the U.S. Navy after 23 years. “I enjoy helping people with problem solving,” he said. “Every day there will be someone who calls me to ask, ‘How do I get this done?’”
Rick Pettis poses with a spacesuit display.Image courtesy of Rick PettisThe administrative team’s work involves other highlights, as well. “When I met my first astronaut, I was in awe,” said Dottie Workman, a secretary supporting Johnson’s External Relations Office. “I couldn’t believe that someone so important was walking around the campus just like everyone else. He was so nice – he shook my hand and took the time to talk to me.”
Workman has been a civil servant for 52 years and 29 of those have been spent at Johnson. “My career has taken me all over the United States and Germany,” she said. “When my son was in the military and stationed at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio he said, ‘Mom, why don’t you move to Texas?’ I didn’t have a good reason to say no, so here I am!”
Dottie Workman met J.J. Watt, former professional football player with the Houston Texans, during his visit to Johnson Space Center. Image courtesy of Dottie Workman.Outside of meeting and interacting with astronauts, Workman said being able to share NASA with her family and friends is her favorite part of working at Johnson. “It is always exciting to see their reaction,” she said.
Burnett is thankful for a united team that understands the value of their work. “I’m grateful to work with a group of professionals who know the significance of propelling today’s men and women into the next generation of deep space for years to come,” she said. “We are Artemis proud!”
Hubble Pinpoints a Dim, Starry Mini-galaxy
2 min read
Hubble Pinpoints a Dim, Starry Mini-galaxy NASA, ESA, and D. Weisz (University of California – Berkeley); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)A glittering collection of stars shines against a background of much more distant galaxies in this view from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope of the Pegasus Dwarf spheroidal galaxy, also known as Andromeda VI.
The Andromeda galaxy, also known as Messier 31, is the Milky Way’s closest grand spiral galaxy neighbor, and is host to at least 13 dwarf galaxies that orbit around it. The Pegasus Dwarf spheroidal galaxy is one of these mini-galaxies. Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are the dimmest and least massive galaxies known. They tend to have elliptical shapes and relatively smooth distributions of stars. Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are usually devoid of gas and dominated by old and intermediate-age stars, although some have experienced small amounts of recent star formation.
The Pegasus Dwarf Spheroidal galaxy was discovered in 1998 and has been characterized as having a small amount of heavy elements and little of the gas needed to form another generation of stars ― though more than many of the dwarf spheroidal galaxies within our Local Group of galaxies. Researchers suspect that Andromeda’s gravitational field may have stripped the star-forming gases from it, leaving a dearth of material to build more than a few generations of stars. In comparison, some of the dwarf spheroidal companion galaxies of the Milky Way found at comparable distances do contain some intermediate-age stars, but this could be because Andromeda is so massive and extended that its gravitational effects extend farther.
The jury is still out on how dwarf spheroidal galaxies form. Theories include collisions between galaxies that break off small fragments, the gravitational influence of larger galaxies on small disk-shaped dwarf galaxies, and processes associated with the birth of small systems among collections of dark matter. Andromeda and the Milky Way are the only galaxies close enough for astronomers to view these dim satellite galaxies, so clues to their formation will have to come from close neighbors like this one.
Hubble studied this galaxy as part of an examination of the entire Andromeda system of satellites in order to investigate such critical matters as dark matter, reionization, and the growth of galactic ecosystems across cosmic time.
Download Image
Explore More
Hubble’s Galaxies
Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble
Media Contact:
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.
Hubble Science
Hubble’s Galaxies
Stars
DETAIL OPPORTUNITY: NASA OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) seeks applicants interested in six to twelve month reimbursable details with the Office of General Counsel (OGC). Applicants must be current Federal Employees. Applicants should receive the approval of their supervisor before applying. Consisting of a Headquarters Office and nine Center-level legal offices, NASA OGC provides advice and legal support on cutting edge issues in support of NASA’s mission of research and exploration on behalf of the United States. Ideal candidates will be experienced legal practitioners ready to make an immediate contribution in one of the following areas.
- Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity. Candidates for this detail area are prepared to offer insight in interpreting rapidly changing regulatory requirements, drafting guidance, anticipating future use cases, and working with various stakeholders and technical experts to define agency needs. Because of overlapping regulatory requirements and related governance schemes, familiarity with cyber-security requirements would also be highly valued in this detail.
- Employment Law. Candidates for this detail area have experience in providing high impact litigation services to the federal government. Experience with EEOC, MSPB, and federal court proceedings are highly desired.
- Ethics. Candidates for this detail area are experienced ethics attorneys capable of training and advising agency personnel on ethics matters in connection with NASA’s challenging mission and diverse ecosystem of partners and stakeholders.
- Procurement. Candidates for this detail area are experienced procurement attorneys interested in providing short term assistance for the coming fiscal year as NASA’s dynamic team of lawyers supports major acquisitions of technology and space capabilities.
NASA prefers that these details be in person, with telework available consistent with Agency policy, but would consider a remote detail in some circumstances. In addition to Headquarters in Washington, D.C., NASA has locations in Alabama, California, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia.
All applicants must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or equivalent and be a member in good standing of a state bar (any jurisdiction). To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, and recent writing sample of no more than five (5) pages to hq-ogc-legalops@mail.nasa.gov. In your cover letter please indicate which detail area(s) interest you. Interested applicants may indicate more than one area of interest.
Please submit your application by September 9, 2024.
Apply via email Explore More 5 min read Wizards Behind the Curtain: Johnson’s Administrative Team Makes Missions Possible Article 9 hours ago 4 min read NASA Seeks Input for Astrobee Free-flying Space Robots Article 1 day ago 3 min read Station Science Top News: August 23, 2024 Article 1 day agoNASA Seeks Input for Astrobee Free-flying Space Robots
NASA is seeking input from American companies for the operation and use of a system of free-flying robots aboard the International Space Station as the agency continues to foster scientific, educational, and technological developments in low Earth orbit for the benefit of all.
The colorful, cube-shaped robots – named “Bumble,” “Honey,” and “Queen” – are part of the Astrobee system helping astronauts and researchers perform technology demonstrations, scientific research, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities in the unique environment of space since 2018.
“Dozens of institutions collaborate with NASA to use the Astrobee system to test new hardware and software technologies,” said Jose Benavides, project manager for the Astrobee facilities at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, where the system was designed and built. “I’m excited to hear how respondents think Astrobee can continue to advance robotics in space.”
NASA issued a Request for Information to inform strategic planning, inviting industry to provide information to help shape the maturation of robotics in zero gravity to achieve the greatest scientific and exploration value. Responses are due Sept. 27, 2024. To learn more about the Request for Information, visit:
https://sam.gov/opp/7893fe01e7bf4ae69029b5d8915e62c5/view
iss065e389375 (9/20/2021) — NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough poses with the Astrobee robotic free-flyers in support of the Kibo Robot Programming Challenge (Robo-Pro Challenge). The Kibo-RPC, allows students to create programs to control Astrobee, a free-flying robot aboard the International Space Station (ISS).The battery-powered robots in the Astrobee system fly around the space station’s modules using electric fans for propulsion and “see” their surroundings using lights, cameras, and other sensors. They have interchangeable “arms” that provide ways for the robots to hold objects or keep steady for tasks requiring stability, and magnets to ensure they stay securely docked when recharging.
Working autonomously, or via remote control by astronauts, flight controllers, or researchers on the ground, the robots can be used to off-load time-consuming tasks. For instance, the robots can work independently or collaboratively to assist with routine chores like space station monitoring, maintenance, inventory, experiment documentation, or moving cargo throughout the station. This allows astronauts more time to tackle complex work that only humans can perform.
Astrobee’s versatile design has allowed thousands of hours of testing on hundreds of microgravity experiments. Many have involved astronauts, but the facility also is regularly used by researchers and student teams across the world competing for the opportunity to run their programs on the robots in space.
Further developing human-robotic technology will pave the way for future crewed and uncrewed spacecraft maintenance and exploration tasks done by robots both off-planet and in deep space"Jonathan Barlow
Astrobee Project Manager
For example, NASA’s ISAAC (Integrated System for Autonomous and Adaptive Caretaking) project, used the Astrobees to study how robots could assist spacecraft, vehicle systems, and ground operators. The technology could help NASA use robot caretakers for critical spacecraft in the agency’s Moon-to-Mars plans, including the Gateway lunar space station and Mars transit habitat vehicle, especially during the months-long periods when these spacecraft will be uncrewed.
“Our ISAAC work has proved out its technology in a high-fidelity space environment because of the ready availability of the capable Astrobee robots,” said Trey Smith, project manager for ISAAC at NASA Ames.
The project demonstrated using multiple Astrobees to autonomously collect the first robot-generated survey of a spacecraft interior. Other ISAAC firsts include the first use of a robot to locate the source of a sound in space, in collaboration with the Bosch USA SoundSee payload team, and the first time robots navigated between modules of a space station. Future robots could use ISAAC technology to transfer cargo between space vehicles or respond to a time-critical fault like a leak due to a micrometeoroid impact, all without human assistance.
“With Astrobee, we’ve learned about flying multiple robots in space alongside humans,” said Jonathan Barlow, project manager for Astrobee at NASA Ames. “Further developing human-robotic technology will pave the way for future crewed and uncrewed spacecraft maintenance and exploration tasks done by robots both off-planet and in deep space.”
The Astrobee Facility, operated out of NASA’s Ames Research Center, provides a free-flying robotic system for space station research and STEM outreach. NASA’s Game Changing Development Program, part of the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, funded Astrobee. NASA’s International Space Station Utilization Office provides ongoing funding.
NASA Develops Pod to Help Autonomous Aircraft Operators
For self-flying aircraft to take to the skies, they need to learn about their environments to avoid hazards. NASA aeronautics researchers recently developed a camera pod with sensors to help with this challenge by advancing computer vision for autonomous aviation.
This pod is called the Airborne Instrumentation for Real-world Video of Urban Environments (AIRVUE). It was developed and built at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Researchers recently flew it on a piloted helicopter at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for initial testing.
The team hopes to use the pod to collect large, diverse, and accessible visual datasets of weather and other obstacles. They will then use that information to create a data cloud for manufacturers of self-flying air taxis or drones, or other similar aircraft, to access. Developers can use this data to evaluate how well their aircraft can “see” the complex world around them.
NASA researchers Elizabeth Nail (foreground) and A.J. Jaffe (background) prepare the NASA Airborne Instrumentation for Real-world Video of Urban Environments (AIRVUE) sensor pod for testing at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in April 2024.NASA/Isaac Watson“Data is the fuel for machine learning,” said Nelson Brown, lead NASA researcher for the AIRVUE project. “We hope to inspire innovation by providing the computer vision community with realistic flight scenarios. Accessible datasets have been essential to advances in driver aids and self-driving cars, but so far, we haven’t seen open datasets like this in aviation.”
The computer algorithms that will enable the aircraft to sense the environment must be reliable and proven to work in many flight circumstances. NASA data promises that fidelity, making this an important resource for industry. When a company conducts data collection on their own, it’s unlikely they share it with other manufacturers. NASA’s role facilitates this accessible dataset for all companies in the Advanced Air Mobility industry, ensuring the United States stays at the forefront of innovation.
Once the design is refined, through evaluation and additional testing, the team hopes to make more pods that ride along on various types of aircraft to collect more visuals and grow the digital repository of data.
Share Details Last Updated Aug 27, 2024 EditorDede DiniusContactTeresa Whitingteresa.whiting@nasa.govLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related Terms Explore More 3 min read NASA, Boeing Optimizing Vehicle Assembly Building High Bay for Future SLS Stage Production Article 6 hours ago 4 min read NASA Seeks Input for Astrobee Free-flying Space Robots Article 1 day ago 2 min read NASA Composite Manufacturing Initiative Gains Two New Members Article 5 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAArmstrong Flight Research Center
Armstrong Programs & Projects
Armstrong Technologies
Armstrong Flight Research Center History
La NASA decide traer de vuelta la nave Starliner a la Tierra sin tripulación
Read this release in English here.
La NASA traerá la nave espacial Starliner de Boeing de vuelta a la Tierra sin los astronautas Butch Wilmore y Suni Williams a bordo, según anunció la agencia el sábado. Este retorno sin tripulación permite a la NASA y a Boeing seguir recopilando datos de pruebas sobre Starliner durante su próximo vuelo de regreso a casa, al tiempo que no implica más riesgo del necesario para su tripulación.
Wilmore y Williams, que viajaron a la Estación Espacial Internacional en junio a bordo de la prueba de vuelo tripulado Boeing de la NASA, han estado ocupados, entre otras actividades, prestando apoyo a la investigación y el mantenimiento de la estación, así como las pruebas de sistema y análisis de datos de Starliner.
“Los vuelos espaciales son arriesgados, incluso en sus momentos más seguros y rutinarios. Un vuelo de prueba, por su propia naturaleza, no es ni seguro ni rutinario. La decisión de que Butch y Suni permanezcan a bordo de la Estación Espacial Internacional y de que la nave Starliner de Boeing regrese a casa sin tripulación es el resultado de nuestro compromiso con la seguridad, la cual es nuestro valor fundamental y nuestra estrella guía”, declaró Bill Nelson, Administrador de la NASA. “Estoy agradecido a los equipos de la NASA y de Boeing por todo su increíble y minucioso trabajo”.
Wilmore y Williams continuarán su trabajo oficialmente como parte de la tripulación de la Expedición 71/72 hasta febrero de 2025. Volverán a casa a bordo de una nave espacial Dragon con otros dos miembros de la tripulación asignados a la misión SpaceX Crew-9 de la agencia. Se espera que Starliner parta de la estación espacial y lleve a cabo una reentrada y un aterrizaje autónomos, seguros y controlados a principios de septiembre.
La NASA y Boeing detectaron fugas de helio y experimentaron problemas con los motores de control de actitud de la nave el 6 de junio, cuando Starliner se aproximaba a la estación espacial. Desde entonces, los equipos de ingeniería han completado una cantidad significativa de trabajo, incluyendo la revisión de una colección de datos, la realización de pruebas de vuelo y tierra, la organización de revisiones independientes con expertos en propulsión de la agencia, y el desarrollo de varios planes de contingencia de retorno. La incertidumbre y la falta de consenso entre los expertos no cumplen los requisitos de seguridad y rendimiento de la agencia para los vuelos espaciales tripulados, lo que ha llevado a la dirección de la NASA a transferir a los astronautas a la misión Crew-9.
“Las decisiones de este tipo nunca son fáciles, pero quiero encomendar a nuestros equipos de la NASA y Boeing por su análisis exhaustivo, discusiones transparentes y enfoque en la seguridad durante la prueba de vuelo tripulado”, dijo Ken Bowersox, administrador asociado de la Dirección de Misiones de Operaciones Espaciales de la NASA. “Hemos aprendido mucho sobre la nave espacial durante su travesía hasta la estación y sus operaciones acopladas. También seguiremos recopilando más datos sobre Starliner durante su regreso sin tripulación, y mejoraremos el sistema para futuros vuelos a la estación espacial.”
Starliner está diseñada para funcionar de manera autónoma y previamente completó dos vuelos sin tripulación. La NASA y Boeing trabajarán conjuntamente para ajustar la planificación del final de la misión y los sistemas de Starliner para prepararse para el regreso no tripulado en las próximas semanas. Starliner debe regresar a la Tierra antes del lanzamiento de la misión Crew-9 para garantizar la disponibilidad de un puerto de atraque en la estación.
Los astronautas del vuelo de prueba tripulado Boeing de la NASA, Butch Wilmore (arriba) y Suni Williams (abajo), posan el 13 de junio de 2024 para un retrato dentro del vestíbulo entre el puerto delantero del módulo Harmony de la Estación Espacial Internacional y la nave espacial Starliner de Boeing.Crédito: NASA“Starliner es una nave espacial muy capaz y, en última instancia, esto se reduce a la necesidad de un mayor nivel de certeza para llevar a cabo un retorno con tripulación”, dijo Steve Stich, gerente del Programa de Tripulación Comercial de la NASA. “Los equipos de la NASA y Boeing han completado una enorme cantidad de pruebas y análisis, y esta prueba de vuelo está proporcionando información crítica sobre el rendimiento de Starliner en el espacio. Nuestros esfuerzos ayudarán a preparar el regreso sin tripulación y beneficiarán en gran medida a futuras acciones correctivas para la nave espacial.”
El Programa de Tripulación Comercial de la NASA exige que las naves espaciales efectúen un vuelo de prueba con tripulación para demostrar que el sistema está preparado para vuelos regulares desde y hacia la estación espacial. Tras el regreso de Starliner, la agencia revisará todos los datos relacionados con la misión para determinar qué medidas adicionales son necesarias para cumplir los requisitos de certificación de la NASA.
La misión SpaceX Crew-9 de la agencia, originalmente programada con cuatro tripulantes, despegará no antes del martes 24 de septiembre. La agencia proveerá más información sobre la tripulación Crew-9 cuando se ultimen los detalles.
La NASA y SpaceX están ahora trabajando en varios aspectos antes del lanzamiento, como reconfigurar los asientos en la nave Crew-9 Dragon y ajustar el manifiesto para transportar carga adicional, efectos personales y trajes espaciales específicos de Dragon para Wilmore y Williams. Además, la NASA y SpaceX utilizarán nuevas instalaciones en el Complejo de Lanzamiento Espacial 40 en la Estación de la Fuerza Espacial de Cabo Cañaveral en Florida para lanzar Crew-9, lo que brindará mayor flexibilidad operativa en torno al lanzamiento planeado de Europa Clipper por parte de la NASA.
La misión Crew-9 será la novena misión de rotación a la estación espacial en el marco del Programa de Tripulación Comercial de la NASA, que colabora con la industria aeroespacial estadounidense para lograr el objetivo de un servicio de transporte seguro, fiable y rentable hacia y desde el puesto orbital mediante cohetes y naves espaciales de fabricación estadounidense que despegan desde territorio de Estados Unidos.
Durante más de dos décadas, la Estación Espacial Internacional ha tenido personas viviendo y trabajando a bordo, impulsando el conocimiento científico y poniendo a prueba nuevas tecnologías, logrando avances en la investigación que no son posibles en la Tierra. La estación es un banco de pruebas fundamental para que la NASA comprenda y supere los retos de los vuelos espaciales de larga duración, así como para expandir las oportunidades comerciales en la órbita terrestre baja. A medida que las empresas comerciales se centran en proporcionar servicios de transporte espacial humano y destinos como parte de una economía robusta de órbita terrestre baja, la campaña Artemis de la NASA está en marcha hacia la Luna, donde la agencia se preparará para la futura exploración con seres humanos de Marte.
Para más información (en inglés) sobre el Programa de Tripulación Comercial de la NASA, visita:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
Meira Bernstein / Josh Finch
Sede, Washington
202-358-1100
meira.b.bernstein@nasa.gov / joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Steve Siceloff / Danielle Sempsrott / Stephanie Plucinsky
Centro Espacial Kennedy, Florida
321-867-2468
steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov / danielle.c.sempsrott@nasa.gov / stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov
Leah Cheshier / Sandra Jones
Centro Espacial Johnson, Houston
281-483-5111
leah.d.cheshier@nasa.gov / sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov
Station Science Top News: August 23, 2024
Researchers successfully produced cellulose from bacteria cultured on the International Space Station for four weeks. The bacteria used in the experiment, K. hansenii, is known to produce the highest amount of cellulose and could be considered for large-scale production in microgravity to support the development of materials used in construction, clothing, and the supply of energy.
Ice Cubes Experiment Cube #4, #5- Kirara, a temperature-controlled module typically used for protein crystallization, was used here to incubate the target bacteria. Researchers developed a customized methodology that consisted of adjusting gas and air in various culture vessels in low-temperature conditions. Future studies could help to promote large scale production of bacterial cellulose to support deep space exploration.
Researchers studied two properties of oil-in-water emulsions in microgravity (i.e., drop size and drop displacement at a constant speed and direction), finding that while oil drops grow over time, drop displacement decreases. This was an unexpected observation in microgravity where neither sedimentation nor creaming occurs. These results could improve knowledge of fluid mechanics relevant to industrial processes on Earth and enable technologies for space exploration.
Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL) Soft Matter Dynamics – Particle STAbilised Emulsions and Foams (PASTA) studies the dynamics of droplets to enhance understanding of coalescence and size evolution in emulsions. Emulsions are systems where two unmixable fluids are combined via small droplets inside the second liquid. Researchers explained that drop growth was the result of aggregation (or coalescence) between small drops colliding with each other. Enhanced understanding of coalescence, a property that is associated with the stability of surfactants such as oils, dyes, and detergents, can lead to a safer environment and sustainability of certain emulsion technologies in multiple arenas such as the food, pharmaceutical, paint, and lubrication industries.
Documentation of a sample that was removed from the Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL) during operations to exchange samples inside the FSL Soft Matter Dynamics (SMD) experiment container. NASA/Samantha CristoferettiNystagmus, a condition associated with vestibular imbalance and cerebellar dysfunction characterized by rapid and uncontrollable eye movements, was detected in about 45% of crew members soon after landing. Correct diagnosis of this condition enables the development of strategies and countermeasures for a speedy recovery after spaceflight.
In the Field Test investigation, researchers investigated the complexity, severity, and duration of physical changes that occurred in astronauts after spaceflight. Astronauts and cosmonauts that live in space for extended periods experience physical changes that have noticeable effects once they return to Earth’s gravity, including changes to vision, balance, coordination, blood pressure, and the ability to walk. Some crew members showed nystagmus in several gaze positions, with significant recovery identified 10 to 13 days postflight. These results expand researchers’ understanding of vestibular disorders, adaptations to spaceflight, and dynamics of recovery after prolonged microgravity exposure.
NASA Human Health and Performance Directorate personnel assess hardware used in the Field Test investigation.NASA/Lauren HarnettDr. Irene Duhart Long
Dr. Irene Duhart Long
Dr. Irene Duhart Long was the first female and the first minority to hold the position of chief medical officer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, as well as the first African American female to serve in the Senior Executive Service at the center. These distinctions were only two of many firsts in her 31-year-long career at NASA.
While she broke barriers in her own life, she also advocated for others to have more opportunities. She helped create the Spaceflight and Life Sciences Training Program at Kennedy, in partnership with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, a program that encouraged more women and minority college students to explore careers in science. She also motivated and mentored her coworkers, taking a strong interest in their trajectory at NASA.
“One of the admirable qualities of Irene Long was her inclusion mentality regarding women in the workplace,” Kennedy Employee Assistance Counselor Patricia Bell said. “She was a front runner in advocating for women.” Long helped coordinate an educational women’s forum, focused on health, mental well-being and other topics of interest for women. Long died Aug. 4, 2020, at age 69.
For Womens Equality Day, read more about Dr. Long’s legacy at NASA.
Image Credit: NASA
Cassiopeia A, Then the Cosmos: 25 Years of Chandra X-ray Science
By Rick Smith
On Aug. 26, 1999, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory opened its powerful telescopic eye in orbit and captured its awe-inspiring “first light” images of Cassiopeia A, a supernova remnant roughly 11,000 light-years from Earth. That first observation was far more detailed than anything seen by previous X-ray telescopes, even revealing – for the first time ever – a neutron star left in the wake of the colossal stellar detonation.
Those revelations came as no surprise to Chandra project scientist Martin Weisskopf, who led Chandra’s development at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “When you build instrumentation that’s 10 times more sensitive than anything that was done before, you’re bound to discover something new and exciting,” he said. “Every step forward was a giant step forward.”
Twenty-five years later, Chandra has repeated that seminal moment of discovery again and again, delivering – to date – nearly 25,000 detailed observations of neutron stars, quasars, supernova remnants, black holes, galaxy clusters, and other highly energetic objects and events, some as far away as 13 billion light-years from Earth.
Chandra has further helped scientists gain tangible evidence of dark matter and dark energy, documented the first electromagnetic events tied to gravitational waves in space, and most recently aided the search for habitable exoplanets – all vital tools for understanding the vast, interrelated mechanisms of the universe we live in.
NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has observed Cassiopeia A for more than 2 million total seconds since its “first light ” images of the supernova remnant on Aug. 26, 1999. Cas A is some 11,000 light-years from Earth. Chandra X-rays are depicted in blue and composited with infrared images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope in orange and white.Credits: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/D. Milisavljevic (Purdue Univ.), I. De Looze (University of Ghent), T. Temim (Princeton Univ.); Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt, K. Arcand, and J. Major“Chandra’s first image of Cas A provided stunning demonstration of Chandra’s exquisite X-ray mirrors, but it simultaneously revealed things we had not known about young supernova remnants,” said Pat Slane, director of the CXC (Chandra X-ray Center) housed at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “In a blink, Chandra not only revealed the neutron star in Cas A; it also taught us that young neutron stars can be significantly more modest in their output than what previously had been understood. Throughout its 25 years in space, Chandra has deepened our understanding of fundamental astrophysics, while also greatly broadening our view of the universe.”
To mark Chandra’s silver anniversary, NASA and CXC have shared 25 of its most breathtaking images and debuted a new video, “Eye on the Cosmos.”
Chandra often is used in conjunction with other space telescopes that observe the cosmos in different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, and with other high-energy missions such as ESA’s (European Space Agency’s) XMM-Newton; NASA’s Swift, NuSTAR (Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array), and IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarization Explorer) imagers, and NASA’s NICER (Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer) X-ray observatory, which studies high-energy phenomena from its vantage point aboard the International Space Station.
Chandra remains a unique, global science resource, with a robust data archive that will continue to serve the science community for many years.
“NASA’s project science team has always strived to conduct Chandra science as equitably as possible by having the world science community collectively decide how best to use the observatory’s many tremendous capabilities,” said Douglas Swartz, a USRA (Universities Space Research Association) principal research scientist on the Chandra project science team.
These images were released to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Chandra. They represent the wide range of objects that the telescope has observed over its quarter century of observations. X-rays are an especially penetrating type of light that reveals extremely hot objects and very energetic physical processes. The images range from supernova remnants, like Cassiopeia A, to star-formation regions like the Orion Nebula, to the region at the center of the Milky Way. This montage also contains objects beyond our own Galaxy including other galaxies and galaxy clusters.Credits: X-ray: NASA/CXC/UMass/Q.D. Wang; Image processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/N. Wolk“Chandra will continue to serve the astrophysics community long after its mission ends,” said Andrew Schnell, acting Chandra program manager at Marshall. “Perhaps its greatest discovery hasn’t been discovered yet. It’s just sitting there in our data archive, waiting for someone to ask the right question and use the data to answer it. It could be somebody who hasn’t even been born yet.”
That archive is impressive indeed. To date, Chandra has delivered more than 70 trillion bytes of raw data. More than 5,000 unique principal investigators and some 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students around the world have conducted research based on Chandra’s observations. Its findings have helped earn more than 700 PhDs and resulted in more than 11,000 published papers, with half a million total citations.
Weisskopf is now an emeritus researcher who still keeps office hours every weekday despite having retired from NASA in 2022. He said the work remains as stimulating now as it was 25 years ago, waiting breathlessly for those “first light” images.
NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory data, seen here in violet and white, is joined with that of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope (red, green, and blue) and Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (purple) to show off the eerie beauty of the Crab Nebula. The nebula is the result of a bright supernova explosion first witnessed and documented in 1054 A.D.Credits: X-ray: (Chandra) NASA/CXC/SAO, (IXPE) NASA/MSFC; Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt, K. Arcand, and L. Frattare“We’re always trying to put ourselves out of business with the next bit of scientific understanding,” he said. “But these amazing discoveries have demonstrated how much NASA’s astrophysics missions still have to teach us.”
The universe keeps turning – and Chandra’s watchful eye endures.
More about ChandraChandra, managed for NASA by Marshall in partnership with the CXC, is one of NASA’s Great Observatories, along with the Hubble Space Telescope and the now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope and Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. It was first proposed to NASA in 1976 by Riccardo Giacconi, recipient of the 2002 Nobel Prize for Physics based on his contributions to X-ray astronomy, and Harvey Tananbaum, who would later become the first director of the Chandra X-ray Center. Chandra was named in honor of the late Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who earned the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983 for his work explaining the structure and evolution of stars.
Learn more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its mission here:
News Media ContactLane Figueroa
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
256-544-0034
lane.e.figueroa@nasa.gov
It got called the crisis in cosmology. But now astronomers can explain some surprising recent…
Article 10 hours ago 2 min read Hubble Captures Unique Ultraviolet View of a Spectacular Star ClusterRoughly 210,000 light-years away, the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is one of our Milky Way…
Article 10 hours ago 2 min read Hubble Reaches a Lonely Light in the DarkA splatter of stars glows faintly at almost 3 million light-years away in this new…
Article 3 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAMissions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
NASA, Blue Origin Invite Media to New Glenn Launch of Mars Mission
NASA and Blue Origin are preparing for the agency’s ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) mission, which begins on the inaugural launch of the company’s New Glenn rocket. The mission will study the solar wind’s interaction with the magnetosphere on Mars.
Blue Origin is targeting no earlier than Sunday, Oct. 13, for the launch of New Glenn-1 from Space Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Media interested in covering ESCAPADE launch activities for both NASA and Blue Origin must apply for media credentials. Deadlines for accreditation are as follows:
- U.S. media and U.S. citizens representing international media must apply by 5 p.m. EDT on Monday, Sept. 30.
- International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
Media accreditation requests should be submitted online at:
A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For questions about accreditation, please email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other mission questions, please contact NASA Kennedy’s newsroom: 321-867-2468.
The ESCAPADE mission will use two identical spacecraft to investigate how the solar wind interacts with the hybrid magnetosphere on Mars and how this interaction drives the planet’s atmospheric escape. The mission is funded by NASA’s Heliophysics Division and is part of the NASA Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration program. The ESCAPADE mission is led by the University of California, Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory, and the spacecraft is designed by Rocket Lab. The agency’s Launch Services Program, based at NASA Kennedy, secured the launch service under the VADR (Venture-class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare) contract.
NASA will post updates on launch preparations for the twin Martian orbiters on the ESCAPADE blog.
For more information about ESCAPADE, visit:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/escapade
Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo at: antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov, 321-501-8425, o Messod Bendayan, 256-930-1371.
-end-
Karen Fox
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
karen.fox@nasa.gov
Laura Aguiar / Leejay Lockhart
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-867-2468
laura.aguiar@nasa.gov / leejay.lockhart@nasa.gov
Sarah Frazier
Goddard Space Flight Center
202-853-7191
sarah.frazier@nasa.gov
NASA Invites Public Input on Low Earth Orbit Microgravity Strategy
As NASA and its partners continue to conduct groundbreaking research aboard the International Space Station, the agency announced Monday it is seeking U.S. industry, academia, international partners, and other stakeholders’ feedback on newly developed goals and objectives that will help guide the next generation of human presence in low Earth orbit.
“From the very beginning, NASA’s flagship human spaceflight programs have built upon each other, expanding our knowledge and experience of humans living and working in space,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “As commercial industry is constructing new human-enabled platforms for low Earth orbit, NASA must answer the question: what should our goals and objectives be to advance our future science and exploration missions?”
NASA published draft high-level goals and objectives outlining 42 key points in six main areas: science, exploration-enabling research and technology development, commercial low Earth orbit infrastructure, operations, international cooperation, and workforce and engagement.
“Feedback is essential for shaping our long-term microgravity research and development activities,” said Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “We are committed to refining our objectives with input from both within NASA and external partners, ensuring alignment with industry and international goals. After reviewing feedback, we will finalize our strategy later this year.”
The agency will conduct two invite-only workshops in September to discuss feedback on the draft goals and objectives. The first workshop is with international partners, and the second will engage U.S. industry and academic representatives.
NASA employees also are invited to provide input through internal agency channels. This approach reflects NASA’s commitment to harnessing diverse perspectives to navigate the rapidly evolving low Earth orbit environment.
“Organizations are increasingly recognizing the transformative benefits of space, with both governments and commercial activities leveraging the International Space Station as a testbed,” said Robyn Gatens, International Space Station director and acting director of commercial spaceflight at NASA Headquarters. “By developing a comprehensive strategy, NASA is looking to the next chapter of U.S. human space exploration to help shape the agency’s future in microgravity for the benefit of all.”
Stakeholders may submit comments by close of business on Friday, Sept. 27 to:
https://www.leomicrogravitystrategy.org/
-end-
Amber Jacobson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
amber.c.jacobson@nasa.gov
Sols 4284–4286: Environmental Science Extravaganza
- Curiosity Home
- Science
- News and Features
- Multimedia
- Mars Missions
- The Solar System
4 min read
Sols 4284–4286: Environmental Science Extravaganza This image was taken by Left Navigation Camera onboard NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity on Sol 4282 (2024-08-22 23:39:35 UTC). NASA/JPL-CaltechEarth planning date: Friday, Aug. 23, 2024
One of the many challenges of operating a rover on another planet is that we don’t always know where we’re going to be located before planning starts each day. Although we do plan our drives in advance, Curiosity doesn’t blindly follow the orders that we deliver. If an unsafe situation is detected, such as if the wheels slip too much in the sand or if the rover tries to drive along too steep of a slope, it will end the drive early and wait for us back on Earth to assess the situation. Although we prefer for the rover to end up parked exactly where we told it to, safety is always the first priority.
Coming into planning today, it looked like it was going to be smooth riding. Before planning began, we received an email from our localization team informing us that Monday’s short drive away from Kings Canyon appeared to have completed successfully, so everyone was ready to start poking around in our new workspace. It wasn’t long before we realized that we were facing a bit of an unusual situation. Although the drive completed, we were missing almost all of our post-drive imaging. When a drive completes, we take a set of Navcam, Mastcam, and Hazcam images of our new location that we then use to determine the targets that we want to perform contact science and remote sensing on and to plan our drives. Without those images, there are very few activities that we can plan. Fortunately, we did receive one Navcam image near our new workspace (which you can see in the cover image above), so the geology and mineralogy (GEO) team had something to work with, though their ability to select targets was still severely limited.
For me, on the environmental science (ENV) team, this was great news. Almost all of our observations are completely untargeted, so we don’t really care where exactly the rover is located. As such, we were given an opportunity to make lemonade out of the lemons that the mission was handed today. In a reversal from our usual roles, GEO planned out their limited set of activities then passed the rest of the science time over to ENV. This was particularly exciting given that, as was noted on Wednesday, we’ve initiated a dust storm watch. The dust storm developing on the other side of Mars is likely the annual “C” storm. The last time a dust storm went global this late in the year was during the Viking era, so we expect that this storm will stay regional rather than becoming global. Still, because global dust storms happen so infrequently, we’ve initiated a storm watch so that we’re ready just in case the unexpected happens.
Although GEO’s activities are limited in this plan, the team did the best with what little data they had available. These activities include ChemCam LIBS and Mastcam observations of “Lembert Dome” (some nodular light-toned bedrock), “Wilts Col” (a dark-toned float block that we got ChemCam passive spectra of back on sol 4259), and “Return Creek” (another float block). We’re also taking ChemCam passive spectra and Mastcam images of a dark-toned float block “Matlock Lake.” In preparation for planning on Monday, we’re also taking a Mastcam survey of the workspace. Because we had to pull our arm activities and the drive we had planned, the CheMin team was also able to fit in an empty cell analysis activity that they had been looking for time to execute.
ENV’s activities are nothing unusual, but they are numerous. We were able to fit in about three-and-a-half hours of dust devil movies over these three sols, as well as about an hour-and-a-half of cloud movies, including some shortly before sunset when we rarely are able to take movies. In addition, we have a handful of Navcam line-of-sight and Mastcam tau observations to monitor the developing dust storm.
In classic just-too-late form, the missing data finally appeared right as we were finalizing the plan. Not of any use to us today (though the views from our new location are as stunning as ever), but we’re set up for a return to normal operations on Monday.
Written by Conor Hayes, Graduate Student at York University
Share Details Last Updated Aug 26, 2024 Related Terms Explore More 3 min read Sols 4282-4283: Bumping Away from Kings CanyonArticle
1 hour ago
2 min read Sols 4280-4281: Last Call at Kings Canyon
Article
6 days ago
4 min read Sols 4277-4279: Getting Ready To Say Goodbye to the King!
Article
7 days ago
Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited…
All Mars Resources
Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,…
Rover Basics
Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a…
Mars Exploration: Science Goals
The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four…
