NASA
Eclipses, Science, NASA Firsts: Heliophysics Big Year Highlights
7 min read
Eclipses, Science, NASA Firsts: Heliophysics Big Year HighlightsOne year ago today, a total solar eclipse swept across the United States. The event was a cornerstone moment in the Heliophysics Big Year, a global celebration of the Sun’s influence on Earth and the entire solar system. From October 2023 to December 2024 — a period encompassing two solar eclipses across the U.S., two new NASA heliophysics missions, and one spacecraft’s history-making solar flyby — NASA celebrated the Sun’s widespread influence on our lives.
An infographic showing key numbers summarizing the activities and events of the Heliophysics Big Year, which spanned from Oct. 14, 2023 – Dec. 24, 2024. NASA/Miles Hatfield/Kristen Perrin Annular Solar EclipseAn annular (or “ring of fire”) solar eclipse occurred Oct. 14, 2023, and kicked off the Helio Big Year with a bang. Millions of people across North America witnessed the Moon crossing in front of the Sun, creating this brilliant celestial event. NASA’s live broadcast had more than 11 million views across different platforms.
On Oct. 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse crossed North, Central, and South America. Visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America, millions of people in the Western Hemisphere were able to experience this “ring of fire” eclipse. NASA’s official broadcast and outreach teams were located in Kerrville, TX, and Albuquerque, NM, to capture the event and celebrate with the communities in the path of annularity.Credit: NASA/Ryan Fitzgibbons
Before the eclipse, NASA introduced the 2023 Eclipse Explorer, an interactive map to explore eclipse details for any location in the United States. NASA shared tips on eclipse safety, including through a video with NSYNC’s Lance Bass and even with an augmented reality filter.
Scientists also studied conditions during the annular eclipse with sounding rockets, balloons, and amateur radio.
Total Solar EclipseOn April 8, 2024, millions of people across North America experienced a total solar eclipse that darkened parts of 15 U.S. states in the path of totality.
Ahead of the event, NASA hosted a widespread safety campaign, handed out over 2 million solar viewing glasses, and produced an interactive map to help viewers plan their viewing experience. On eclipse day, NASA also hosted a live broadcast from locations across the country, drawing over 38 million views.
Researchers studied the eclipse and its effects on Earth using a variety of techniques, including international radar networks, scientific rockets, weather balloons, and even high-altitude NASA WB-57 jets. Several NASA-funded citizen science projects also conducted experiments. These projects included more than 49,000 volunteers who contributed an astounding 53 million observations.
This infographic shares metrics from citizen science projects that occurred during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.NASA/Kristen Perrin“We have opened a window for all Americans to discover our connection to the Sun and ignited enthusiasm for engaging with groundbreaking NASA science, whether it’s through spacecraft, rockets, balloons, or planes,” said Kelly Korreck, a Heliophysics program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Sharing the excitement of NASA heliophysics with our fellow citizens has truly been amazing.”
Science Across the Solar SystemNASA’s heliophysics missions gather data on the Sun and its effects across the solar system.
The Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida Nov. 9, 2023, and was installed on the International Space Station nine days later. This mission studies atmospheric gravity waves, how they form and travel through Earth’s atmosphere, and their role in space weather.
Orbital footage from the International Space Station shows NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) as it was extracted from SpaceX’s Dragon cargo spacecraft.NASA/International Space StationOn Nov. 4, 2024, the Coronal Diagnostic Experiment (CODEX) mission also launched to the space station, where it studies the solar wind, with a focus on what heats it and propels it through space.
Pictured is the CODEX instrument inside the integration and testing facility at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.NASA/CODEX teamThe Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) mission ended after 16 years studying Earth’s highest clouds, called polar mesospheric clouds.
An artist’s concept shows the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) spacecraft orbiting Earth. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight/Center Conceptual Image LabNASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) also ended after three successful years studying the outermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere, called the ionosphere.
NASA’s ICON, shown in this artist’s concept, studied the frontiers of space, the dynamic zone high in our atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Conceptual Image LabVoyager has been operating for more than 47 years, continuing to study the heliosphere and interstellar space. In October 2024, the Voyager 1 probe stopped communicating. The mission team worked tirelessly to troubleshoot and ultimately reestablish communications, keeping the mission alive to continue its research.
In this artist’s conception, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft has a bird’s-eye view of the solar system. The circles represent the orbits of the major outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 visited the planets Jupiter and Saturn. The spacecraft is now 13 billion miles from Earth, making it the farthest and fastest-moving human-made object ever built. In fact, Voyager 1 is now zooming through interstellar space, the region between the stars that is filled with gas, dust, and material recycled from dying stars. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is observing the material along Voyager’s path through space.NASA/STSciWhile the goal of the NASA heliophysics fleet is to study the Sun and its influence, these missions often make surprising discoveries that they weren’t originally designed to. From finding 5,000 comets to studying the surface of Venus, NASA highlighted and celebrated these bonus science connections during the Helio Big Year.
Solar MaximumSimilar to Earth, the Sun has its own seasons of activity, with a solar minimum and solar maximum during a cycle that lasts about 11 years. The Helio Big Year happened to coincide with the Sun’s active period, with NASA and NOAA announcing in October 2024 that the Sun had reached solar maximum, the highest period of activity. Some of the largest solar storms on current record occurred in 2024, and the largest sunspot in nearly a decade was spotted in the spring of 2024, followed by a colossal X9.0 solar flare Oct. 3, 2024.
Sunspots are cooler, darker areas on the solar surface where the Sun’s magnetic field gets especially intense, often leading to explosive solar eruptions. This sunspot group was so big that nearly 14 Earths could fit inside it! The eruptions from this region resulted in the historic May 2024 geomagnetic storms, when the aurora borealis, or northern lights, were seen as far south as the Florida Keys.Credit: NASA/Beth Anthony
Viewers across the U.S. spotted auroras in their communities as a result of these storms, proving that you can capture amazing aurora photography without advanced equipment.
The Big Finale: Parker’s Close Approach to the SunNASA’s Parker Solar Probe holds the title as the closest human-made object to the Sun. On Dec. 24, 2024, Parker made history by traveling just 3.8 million miles from the Sun’s surface at a whopping 430,000 miles per hour.
“Flying this close to the Sun is a historic moment in humanity’s first mission to a star,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters.
Controllers have confirmed NASA’s mission to “touch” the Sun survived its record-breaking closest approach to the solar surface on Dec. 24, 2024.Credit: NASA/Joy Ng
Parker Solar Probe’s close approach capped off a momentous Heliophysics Big Year that allowed NASA scientists to gather unprecedented data and invited everyone to celebrate how the Sun impacts us all. In the growing field of heliophysics, the Helio Big Year reminded us all how the Sun touches everything and how important it is to continue studying our star’s incredible influence.
A Big Year AheadThough the Helio Big Year is over, heliophysics is only picking up its pace in 2025. We remain in the solar maximum phase, so heightened solar activity will continue into the near future. In addition, several new missions are expected to join the heliophysics fleet by year’s end.
The PUNCH mission, a set of four Sun-watching satellites imaging solar eruptions in three dimensions, and EZIE, a trio of Earth-orbiting satellites tracing the electrical currents powering Earth’s auroras, have already launched. The LEXI instrument, an X-ray telescope studying Earth’s magnetosphere from the Moon, also launched through NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative.
Future missions slated for launch include TRACERS, which will investigate the unusual magnetic environment near Earth’s poles, and ESCAPADE, venturing to Mars to measure the planet’s unique magnetic environment.
The last two missions will share a ride to space. The Carruthers Geocorona Observatory will look back at home, studying ultraviolet light emitted by the outermost boundaries of our planet’s atmosphere. The IMAP mission will instead look to the outermost edges of our heliosphere, mapping the boundaries where the domain of our Sun transitions into interstellar space.
By Desiree Apodaca
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Missions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
Eclipses, Science, NASA Firsts: Heliophysics Big Year Highlights
7 min read
Eclipses, Science, NASA Firsts: Heliophysics Big Year HighlightsOne year ago today, a total solar eclipse swept across the United States. The event was a cornerstone moment in the Heliophysics Big Year, a global celebration of the Sun’s influence on Earth and the entire solar system. From October 2023 to December 2024 — a period encompassing two solar eclipses across the U.S., two new NASA heliophysics missions, and one spacecraft’s history-making solar flyby — NASA celebrated the Sun’s widespread influence on our lives.
An infographic showing key numbers summarizing the activities and events of the Heliophysics Big Year, which spanned from Oct. 14, 2023 – Dec. 24, 2024. NASA/Miles Hatfield/Kristen Perrin Annular Solar EclipseAn annular (or “ring of fire”) solar eclipse occurred Oct. 14, 2023, and kicked off the Helio Big Year with a bang. Millions of people across North America witnessed the Moon crossing in front of the Sun, creating this brilliant celestial event. NASA’s live broadcast had more than 11 million views across different platforms.
On Oct. 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse crossed North, Central, and South America. Visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America, millions of people in the Western Hemisphere were able to experience this “ring of fire” eclipse. NASA’s official broadcast and outreach teams were located in Kerrville, TX, and Albuquerque, NM, to capture the event and celebrate with the communities in the path of annularity.Credit: NASA/Ryan Fitzgibbons
Before the eclipse, NASA introduced the 2023 Eclipse Explorer, an interactive map to explore eclipse details for any location in the United States. NASA shared tips on eclipse safety, including through a video with NSYNC’s Lance Bass and even with an augmented reality filter.
Scientists also studied conditions during the annular eclipse with sounding rockets, balloons, and amateur radio.
Total Solar EclipseOn April 8, 2024, millions of people across North America experienced a total solar eclipse that darkened parts of 15 U.S. states in the path of totality.
Ahead of the event, NASA hosted a widespread safety campaign, handed out over 2 million solar viewing glasses, and produced an interactive map to help viewers plan their viewing experience. On eclipse day, NASA also hosted a live broadcast from locations across the country, drawing over 38 million views.
Researchers studied the eclipse and its effects on Earth using a variety of techniques, including international radar networks, scientific rockets, weather balloons, and even high-altitude NASA WB-57 jets. Several NASA-funded citizen science projects also conducted experiments. These projects included more than 49,000 volunteers who contributed an astounding 53 million observations.
This infographic shares metrics from citizen science projects that occurred during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.NASA/Kristen Perrin“We have opened a window for all Americans to discover our connection to the Sun and ignited enthusiasm for engaging with groundbreaking NASA science, whether it’s through spacecraft, rockets, balloons, or planes,” said Kelly Korreck, a Heliophysics program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Sharing the excitement of NASA heliophysics with our fellow citizens has truly been amazing.”
Science Across the Solar SystemNASA’s heliophysics missions gather data on the Sun and its effects across the solar system.
The Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida Nov. 9, 2023, and was installed on the International Space Station nine days later. This mission studies atmospheric gravity waves, how they form and travel through Earth’s atmosphere, and their role in space weather.
Orbital footage from the International Space Station shows NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) as it was extracted from SpaceX’s Dragon cargo spacecraft.NASA/International Space StationOn Nov. 4, 2024, the Coronal Diagnostic Experiment (CODEX) mission also launched to the space station, where it studies the solar wind, with a focus on what heats it and propels it through space.
Pictured is the CODEX instrument inside the integration and testing facility at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.NASA/CODEX teamThe Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) mission ended after 16 years studying Earth’s highest clouds, called polar mesospheric clouds.
An artist’s concept shows the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) spacecraft orbiting Earth. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight/Center Conceptual Image LabNASA’s Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) also ended after three successful years studying the outermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere, called the ionosphere.
NASA’s ICON, shown in this artist’s concept, studied the frontiers of space, the dynamic zone high in our atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather above. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Conceptual Image LabVoyager has been operating for more than 47 years, continuing to study the heliosphere and interstellar space. In October 2024, the Voyager 1 probe stopped communicating. The mission team worked tirelessly to troubleshoot and ultimately reestablish communications, keeping the mission alive to continue its research.
In this artist’s conception, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft has a bird’s-eye view of the solar system. The circles represent the orbits of the major outer planets: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Launched in 1977, Voyager 1 visited the planets Jupiter and Saturn. The spacecraft is now 13 billion miles from Earth, making it the farthest and fastest-moving human-made object ever built. In fact, Voyager 1 is now zooming through interstellar space, the region between the stars that is filled with gas, dust, and material recycled from dying stars. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is observing the material along Voyager’s path through space.NASA/STSciWhile the goal of the NASA heliophysics fleet is to study the Sun and its influence, these missions often make surprising discoveries that they weren’t originally designed to. From finding 5,000 comets to studying the surface of Venus, NASA highlighted and celebrated these bonus science connections during the Helio Big Year.
Solar MaximumSimilar to Earth, the Sun has its own seasons of activity, with a solar minimum and solar maximum during a cycle that lasts about 11 years. The Helio Big Year happened to coincide with the Sun’s active period, with NASA and NOAA announcing in October 2024 that the Sun had reached solar maximum, the highest period of activity. Some of the largest solar storms on current record occurred in 2024, and the largest sunspot in nearly a decade was spotted in the spring of 2024, followed by a colossal X9.0 solar flare Oct. 3, 2024.
Sunspots are cooler, darker areas on the solar surface where the Sun’s magnetic field gets especially intense, often leading to explosive solar eruptions. This sunspot group was so big that nearly 14 Earths could fit inside it! The eruptions from this region resulted in the historic May 2024 geomagnetic storms, when the aurora borealis, or northern lights, were seen as far south as the Florida Keys.Credit: NASA/Beth Anthony
Viewers across the U.S. spotted auroras in their communities as a result of these storms, proving that you can capture amazing aurora photography without advanced equipment.
The Big Finale: Parker’s Close Approach to the SunNASA’s Parker Solar Probe holds the title as the closest human-made object to the Sun. On Dec. 24, 2024, Parker made history by traveling just 3.8 million miles from the Sun’s surface at a whopping 430,000 miles per hour.
“Flying this close to the Sun is a historic moment in humanity’s first mission to a star,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters.
Controllers have confirmed NASA’s mission to “touch” the Sun survived its record-breaking closest approach to the solar surface on Dec. 24, 2024.Credit: NASA/Joy Ng
Parker Solar Probe’s close approach capped off a momentous Heliophysics Big Year that allowed NASA scientists to gather unprecedented data and invited everyone to celebrate how the Sun impacts us all. In the growing field of heliophysics, the Helio Big Year reminded us all how the Sun touches everything and how important it is to continue studying our star’s incredible influence.
A Big Year AheadThough the Helio Big Year is over, heliophysics is only picking up its pace in 2025. We remain in the solar maximum phase, so heightened solar activity will continue into the near future. In addition, several new missions are expected to join the heliophysics fleet by year’s end.
The PUNCH mission, a set of four Sun-watching satellites imaging solar eruptions in three dimensions, and EZIE, a trio of Earth-orbiting satellites tracing the electrical currents powering Earth’s auroras, have already launched. The LEXI instrument, an X-ray telescope studying Earth’s magnetosphere from the Moon, also launched through NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative.
Future missions slated for launch include TRACERS, which will investigate the unusual magnetic environment near Earth’s poles, and ESCAPADE, venturing to Mars to measure the planet’s unique magnetic environment.
The last two missions will share a ride to space. The Carruthers Geocorona Observatory will look back at home, studying ultraviolet light emitted by the outermost boundaries of our planet’s atmosphere. The IMAP mission will instead look to the outermost edges of our heliosphere, mapping the boundaries where the domain of our Sun transitions into interstellar space.
By Desiree Apodaca
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Missions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
Meet Alex Olley: Air Force Veteran Powering the Space Station
As an Air Force veteran from Spartanburg, South Carolina, Alex Olley now serves as a contract specialist in the International Space Station Procurement Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Olley joined NASA as a Pathways intern in January 2023 to turn his lifelong goal into a reality—bringing his unique experience in the defense and space industries to support one of humanity’s most ambitious endeavors.
Official portrait of Alex Olley.NASAOlley manages the procurement of supplies, services, and research for the International Space Station. His role requires sharp attention to federal regulations and a deep understanding of business practices, all while supporting the astronauts who live and work 250 miles above Earth.
“I take great pride in the opportunity that I get to contribute to NASA’s mission each day,” he said. “I’m incredibly grateful for my time here, and it feels like a significant achievement, especially because many of my friends and family have shared how inspired they are to pursue their own goals as a result.”
Alex Olley prepares for an Air Force training at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek City, South Korea. Image courtesy of Alex OlleyA quote shared by Johnson’s director of the Office of Procurement, Bradley Niese, became a guiding principle that has shaped Olley’s NASA experience: “People are the mission, and if we take care of the people, the mission will take care of itself.”
That mindset has taught him the value of building relationships within the office, which, he says, often leads to smoother operations and greater motivation.
“It’s much easier to be passionate about the mission when you know everyone around you shares the same dedication,” he said. “With such a strong support system, I’ve learned that I can achieve anything, no matter how challenging or confusing the task may seem at first.”
Early on, however, he struggled with imposter syndrome. “I felt like I didn’t belong or wasn’t good enough to contribute meaningfully toward our goals,” said Olley. “I overcame that feeling by taking a chance and sharing my thoughts on a work process.”
To his surprise, his team embraced the idea—and implemented it. That moment became a turning point, eventually leading to Olley becoming one of the office leaders for a wellness initiative called Better toGether—a creative nod to their office code, “BG.” The program was designed to promote physical and mental well-being in the workplace through activities like NASA Moves, an agencywide challenge that encourages employees to track their steps and commit to at least 20 minutes of physical activity each day. Twice a week, Olley leads brief team meetings focused on desk-friendly wellness tips such as stretches to prevent carpal tunnel and improve posture.
Alex Olley records a YouTube video at Rocket Park about how to become a NASA intern.Image courtesy of Alex OlleyAs NASA looks toward the Moon and Mars through Artemis, Olley is focused on uplifting the Artemis Generation.
“I want to pass on my perspective on Johnson’s mission: Dare, Unite, and Explore,” he said. “DARE to take on the challenge and face it head on, UNITE with your peers, and never be afraid to EXPLORE the unknown.”
Meet Alex Olley: Air Force Veteran Powering the Space Station
As an Air Force veteran from Spartanburg, South Carolina, Alex Olley now serves as a contract specialist in the International Space Station Procurement Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Olley joined NASA as a Pathways intern in January 2023 to turn his lifelong goal into a reality—bringing his unique experience in the defense and space industries to support one of humanity’s most ambitious endeavors.
Official portrait of Alex Olley.NASAOlley manages the procurement of supplies, services, and research for the International Space Station. His role requires sharp attention to federal regulations and a deep understanding of business practices, all while supporting the astronauts who live and work 250 miles above Earth.
“I take great pride in the opportunity that I get to contribute to NASA’s mission each day,” he said. “I’m incredibly grateful for my time here, and it feels like a significant achievement, especially because many of my friends and family have shared how inspired they are to pursue their own goals as a result.”
Alex Olley prepares for an Air Force training at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek City, South Korea. Image courtesy of Alex OlleyA quote shared by Johnson’s director of the Office of Procurement, Bradley Niese, became a guiding principle that has shaped Olley’s NASA experience: “People are the mission, and if we take care of the people, the mission will take care of itself.”
That mindset has taught him the value of building relationships within the office, which, he says, often leads to smoother operations and greater motivation.
“It’s much easier to be passionate about the mission when you know everyone around you shares the same dedication,” he said. “With such a strong support system, I’ve learned that I can achieve anything, no matter how challenging or confusing the task may seem at first.”
Early on, however, he struggled with imposter syndrome. “I felt like I didn’t belong or wasn’t good enough to contribute meaningfully toward our goals,” said Olley. “I overcame that feeling by taking a chance and sharing my thoughts on a work process.”
To his surprise, his team embraced the idea—and implemented it. That moment became a turning point, eventually leading to Olley becoming one of the office leaders for a wellness initiative called Better toGether—a creative nod to their office code, “BG.” The program was designed to promote physical and mental well-being in the workplace through activities like NASA Moves, an agencywide challenge that encourages employees to track their steps and commit to at least 20 minutes of physical activity each day. Twice a week, Olley leads brief team meetings focused on desk-friendly wellness tips such as stretches to prevent carpal tunnel and improve posture.
Alex Olley records a YouTube video at Rocket Park about how to become a NASA intern.Image courtesy of Alex OlleyAs NASA looks toward the Moon and Mars through Artemis, Olley is focused on uplifting the Artemis Generation.
“I want to pass on my perspective on Johnson’s mission: Dare, Unite, and Explore,” he said. “DARE to take on the challenge and face it head on, UNITE with your peers, and never be afraid to EXPLORE the unknown.”
NASA to Kick Off 31st Annual Rover Competition
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Students from Universidad Católica Boliviana “San Pablo” compete during NASA’s 2024 Human Exploration Rover Challenge. The 2025 competition takes place Friday and Saturday, April 11-12, 2025, at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Aviation Challenge course in Huntsville, Alabama. NASANASA’s annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge returns Friday, April 11, and Saturday, April 12, with student teams competing at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Aviation Challenge course near the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Media are invited to watch as hundreds of students from around the world attempt to navigate a complex obstacle course by piloting a vehicle of their own design and production. Media interested in attending or setting up interviews should contact Taylor Goodwin in the Marshall Office of Communications at 938-210-2891 no later than 2 p.m. Thursday, April 10.
In addition to the traditional human-powered rover division, this year’s competition expands the challenge to include a remote-control division. The 2025 HERC Handbook includes guidelines for the new remote-control division and updates for the human-powered division.
Participating teams represent 35 colleges and universities, 38 high schools, and two middle schools from 20 states, Puerto Rico, and 16 other nations.
The event is free and open to the public, with rover excursions from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. CDT each day, or until the last rover completes the obstacle course.
Following the competition, NASA will host an in-person awards ceremony Saturday, April 12, at 5:30 p.m. inside the Space Camp Operations Center at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. NASA and industry sponsors will present multiple awards highlighting team successes throughout the past eight-months-long engineering design project, including awards for best rover design, best pit crew, best social media presence, and many other accomplishments.
About the Challenge
Recognized as NASA’s leading international student challenge, the Human Exploration Rover Challenge aims to put competitors in the mindset of NASA’s Artemis campaign. Teams pitch an engineering design for a lunar rover which simulates astronauts exploring the lunar surface while overcoming various obstacles. Eligible teams compete to be among the top three finishers in their divisions, and to win multiple awards, including best vehicle design, best rookie team, and more.
The annual challenge draws hundreds of students from around the world and reflects the goals of NASA’s Artemis campaign, which will establish the first long-term presence on the Moon and pave the way for eventual missions to Mars.
The event was launched in 1994 as the NASA Great Moonbuggy Race – a collegiate competition to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. It expanded in 1996 to include high school teams, evolving again in 2014 into the NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge. Since its inception, more than 15,000 students have participated – with many former students now working in the aerospace industry, including with NASA.
The Human Exploration Rover Challenge is managed by NASA Marshall’s Southeast Regional Office of STEM Engagement and is one of eight Artemis Student Challenges. NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement uses challenges and competitions to further the agency’s goal of encouraging students to pursue degrees and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
To learn more about the challenge, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/roverchallenge/
Taylor Goodwin
256-544-0034
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
taylor.goodwin@nasa.gov
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NASA Welcomes Bangladesh as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory
Following a signing ceremony Tuesday in Bangladesh’s capital city of Dhaka, NASA congratulates Bangladesh as the 54th nation to commit to the safe and responsible exploration of space that benefits humanity.
“We are thrilled by Bangladesh’s signature of the Accords,” said NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro. “Bangladesh affirms its role in shaping the future of space exploration. This is about ensuring that our journey to the Moon – and beyond – is peaceful, sustainable, and transparent. We look forward to working together, to learning from one another, and to seeing how Bangladesh’s incredible talent and vision contribute to humanity’s next great chapter in space.”
Ashraf Uddin, the secretary of defense for Bangladesh,signed the Artemis Accords on behalf of the country. Charge d’Affaires Tracey Jacobson for the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh, participated in the event, and Petro contributed remarks in a pre-recorded video message.
“Bangladesh’s commitment to the Artemis Accords will enhance the country’s engagement with NASA and the international community,” said Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus. “By signing the accords, Bangladesh builds upon an important foundation for the open, responsible and peaceful exploration of space.”
In 2020, the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, and seven other initial signatory nations established the Artemis Accords, a first-ever set of practical guidelines for nations to increase safety of operations and reduce risk and uncertainty in their civil exploration activities. That group of signatories has grown to more than 50 countries today.
The Artemis Accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements, including the Registration Convention and the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices for responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.
Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords
-end-
Amber Jacobson / Jennifer Dooren
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
amber.c.jacobson@nasa.gov / jennifer.m.dooren@nasa.gov
Caroline Cawthon: Supporting America’s Future in Low Earth Orbit
Since joining NASA in 2017 as a contractor supporting the International Space Station, Caroline Cawthon has held many roles supporting real-time operations as a certified flight controller, team lead, and lead systems engineer.
Caroline Cawthon’s official NASA portrait. NASA is one of the biggest most impressive networks of engineering, science, and space program expertise in the world and to not leverage that experience in mentorship would be a waste.Caroline Cawthon
CLDP Engineering and Integration Lead
Now, she is supporting America’s future in orbit as the systems engineering and integration lead for NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program engineering technical authority. Cawthon supports the program’s chief engineer office. In this position, she plays a key role in the oversight of phase 1 partner requirements and processes as part of the program’s two-phase approach to support the development of commercial space stations.
Growing up in military and NASA communities, Cawthon was fascinated with aviation and aerospace from a young age and aspired to become a fighter pilot and engineer. She first met an astronaut while attending Space Camp at the Euro Space Center in Belgium, sparking her interest in human spaceflight and solidifying her goals to work for NASA, make an impact, and be a part of making history. She later earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical and materials engineering and her master’s degree in aeronautics and space systems.
Cawthon attending Space Camp as a child at the Euro Space Center in Belgium. Image courtesy of Caroline CawthonCawthon describes the best part of her day as the people she works with, and her passionate and mission-driven team reminds her that the mission she’s working toward will make a difference in the future of human spaceflight.
“Between the program, engineering team, and our industry partners, there are thousands of years of experience with human spaceflight that I get to leverage every day to learn and grow in my role and to help NASA accomplish our mission,” shared Cawthon.
A recent example of this mission-driven teamwork was the development of the program’s technical standards design evaluation document. As the lead for this task, Cawthon was proud of how everyone’s hard work and contributions came together.
The biggest lesson Cawthon has learned while working with NASA is to continue being curious, learning, and growing both personally and professionally.
“NASA is one of the biggest most impressive networks of engineering, science, and space program expertise in the world and to not leverage that experience in mentorship would be a waste,” Cawthon said.
Cawthon pictured with her husband and daughter. Image courtesy of Caroline CawthonOutside of work, Cawthon enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and daughter. She and her family also like to be on the road, exploring new places and meeting new people. They enjoy international travel and small weekend adventures like the local zoo and aquarium.
Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at:
NASA Selects Goddard Safety and Mission Assurance Contractor
NASA has selected ARES Technical Services of McLean, Virginia, to provide safety and mission assurance services at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
The Safety and Mission Assurance Services III contract is a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with an estimated total value of $226 million. The contract will have a five-year effective ordering period starting on June 1, 2025, with an optional six-month extension period.
Under the contract, the vendor will provide support to the agency’s Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate at NASA Goddard. This includes performing independent surveillance, audits, reviews, and assessments of design, development, test, and mission operations activities on site at NASA and supplier facilities.
For information about NASA and other agency programs, visit:
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Tiernan Doyle
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
tiernan.doyle@nasa.gov
Jacob Richmond
Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland
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NASA Tech Developed for Home Health Monitoring
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA uses radio frequency (RF) for a variety of tasks in space, including communications. The Europa Clipper RF panel — the box with the copper wiring near the top — will send data carried by radio waves through the spacecraft between the electronics and eight antennas. Credit: NASAEven before we’re aware of heart trouble or related health issues, our bodies give off warning signs in the form of vibrations. Technology to detect these signals has ranged from electrodes and patches to watches. Now, an innovative wall-mounted technology is capable of monitoring vital signs. Advanced TeleSensors Inc. developed the Cardi/o Monitor with an exclusive license from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
Over the course of five years, NASA engineers created a small, inexpensive, contactless device to measure vital signs, a challenging task partly because monitoring heart rate requires picking out motions of about one three-thousandth of an inch, which are easily swamped by other movement in the environment.
By the late 1990s, hardware and computing technology could meet the challenge, and the NASA JPL team created a prototype the size of a thick textbook. It would emit a radio beam toward a stationary person, working similarly to a radar, and algorithms differentiated cardiac and respiratory activity from the “noise” of other movements.
When Sajol Ghoshal, now CEO of Austin, Texas-based Advanced TeleSensors, participated in a demonstration of the prototype, he saw the potential for in-home monitoring. By then, developing an affordable device was possible due to the miniaturization of sensors and computing technology.
The Cardi/o vital sign monitor uses NASA-developed technology to continually monitor vital signs. The data collected can be sent directly to medical care providers, cutting down on the number of home healthcare visits. Credit: Advanced TeleSensors Inc.The Cardi/o Monitor is 3 inches square and mounts to a ceiling or wall. It can detect vital signs from up to 10 feet. Multiple devices can be scattered throughout a house, with a smartphone app controlling settings and displaying all data on a single dashboard. The algorithms NASA developed detect heartbeat and respiration, and the company added heart rate variability detection that indicates stress and sleep apnea.
If there’s an anomaly, such as a dramatic heart rate increase, an alert in the app calls attention to the situation. Up to six months of data is stored in a secure cloud, making it accessible to healthcare providers. This limits the need for regular in-person visits, which is particularly important for conditions such as infectious diseases, which can put medical professionals and other patients at risk.
Through the commercialization of this life-preserving technology, NASA is at the heart of advancing health solutions.
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Sols 4502-4504: Sneaking Past Devil’s Gate
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Sols 4502-4504: Sneaking Past Devil’s Gate NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image of the terrain around it on April 3, 2025, showing a small ridgeline on the right side, “Devil’s Gate,” and the base of Texoli butte, visible on the left side of the image. Curiosity acquired the image using its Left Navigation Camera on Sol 4500, or Martian day 4,500 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission, at 23:08:35 UTC. NASA/JPL-CaltechWritten by Michelle Minitti, Planetary Geologist at Framework
Earth planning date: Friday, April 4, 2025
We continue to make progress driving up Mount Sharp, each day gaining new perspectives on the spectacular, towering buttes surrounding our path. To get to the next canyon we can ascend, we have to swing around the north end of a small ridgeline, “Devil’s Gate,” which is on the right side of the image above.
The blocks scattered around the base of Devil’s Gate are ripe with interesting structures, which motivated the acquisition of an RMI mosaic across the ridge. Those blocks are also inconvenient for driving and parking the rover with all six wheels firmly on the ground, the latter of which is needed to be able to unstow the arm for APXS and MAHLI observations. Our last drive ended with our front wheels not quite on solid ground, so we had to forego arm work this weekend. But as you can imagine with the view around us, Devil’s Gate was not the only feature that the team was excited to image. ChemCam added a second RMI mosaic along the base of “Texoli” butte, which you can see the flank of on the left side of the image above. Mastcam planned a mosaic across an expanse of bedrock that looks like rolling waves frozen in place at “Maidenhair Falls.”
The rocks right in front of the rover were also wonderfully complex in their textures and structures. ChemCam targeted two different textures expressed in the workspace — one across fine layers at “Arroyo Burro” and one across rough, platy, and gray material at “Arroyo Conejo.” Mastcam documented the block containing both these targets with a stereo mosaic that will give us a three-dimensional view of its structures.
We planned a drive to get us further around the base of Devil’s Gate, after which we will acquire an autonomously-targeted ChemCam LIBS raster and early morning Navcam and Mastcam mosaics looking back on the path we have recently traveled. DAN is scheduled for about seven hours of data collecting across the plan, both during science blocks and our drive. The sky gets a lot of attention in this plan with suites of observations taken at two different times — near midday and early morning — to assess variability across the day. Each window of time had Navcam dust-devil and cloud movies, and measurements of the amount of dust in the atmosphere. The early morning block of observations also had multiple cloud movies cover the full sky. REMS and RAD have regular measurements across the sols.
See you Monday, when we are a bit farther past Devil’s Gate!
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Connected Learning Ecosystems: Educators Gather to Empower Learners and Themselves
5 min read
Connected Learning Ecosystems: Educators Gather to Empower Learners and ThemselvesMany educators would agree that despite working and communicating with dozens, even hundreds, of people each year, the role can feel isolating. Learners come and go, leaving educators to question: Was anything retained? Will they take this knowledge home? Will they share it at their after-school activities? How will it ultimately impact their lives and perspectives? What some educators may not fully realize is that they are not alone in their efforts. Their classroom or alternate education space is but one step along a learning pathway that winds through an entire network of educators. Learning pathways take many forms, but are most effective when each stop along the path builds upon what a learner has experienced during previous stops. These networks of educators, known as Connected Learning Ecosystems (CLEs), exist wherever learning takes place. Simply put, CLEs are made up of all the people involved at any point in a youth’s learning journey.
With this in mind, the NASA Science Activation Program’s Learning Ecosystems Northeast (LENE) project has been working to connect and support the regional networks found throughout Maine and the Northeastern United States, with a shared focus on Science, Technology, Education, and Mathematics (STEM) education. This inspiring community includes classroom teachers, librarians, 4-H staff, and land trust educators, to name a few, all collaborating to advance education about our changing planet and improve data literacy across a variety of learning environments.
In support of these regional networks, LENE hosts a Connected Learning Ecosystems Gathering twice each year, a multi-day event designed to unite educators who have these shared STEM education goals. These gatherings provide opportunities to reflect on past successes and plan future projects, ultimately benefiting not just the educators, but every learner they reach. They also help strengthen and amplify the lasting and positive impact these educators have on the lives of the youth they support.
This year’s Gathering took place in late February in Orono, ME at the University of Maine (a LENE project partner). The event featured hands-on science activities adaptable to various learning spaces, dedicated reflection time for educators, and collaborative planning sessions to design cross-context learning opportunities for local youth. Participants engaged with NASA’s Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Program, supported by Jen Bourgeault (GLOBE US Country Coordinator) and Haley Wicklein (GLOBE Assistant US Country Coordinator), who facilitated field data collection and program exploration. NASA Subject Matter Expert Shawn Laatsch from UMaine’s Versant Planetarium led an immersive evening show on the molecular world inside the human body and also previewed other potential field trip shows for students. One highlight of the Gathering was a presentation on climate science and ice core collection by experts Sean Birkel and Daniel Dixon from UMaine’s Climate Change Institute. Educators also participated in a hands-on activity using model ice cores designed by project partner UMaine 4-H. Rounding out the two-day event were deep-dive sessions into various connected learning projects, where educators shared their insights, from idea formation to project execution and reflection.
One educator shared about their experience: “I just want the leadership team to know how grateful I am to be part of this community. As a veteran teacher of 28 years, this is by far the BEST workshop I have ever attended. The passion for evidence-based science among this group is incredible. I feel seen and connected in ways that other workshops have never made possible. I will definitely be a lifelong member and will be bringing more people to CLE workshops. Thank you for making this meaningful and valuable.”
Another educator shared, “During the gathering, I had the opportunity to strengthen existing relationships and make new connections within [my region]. I engaged in insightful conversations with several individuals, discussing shared interests in environmental education, science literacy, and place-based learning…. From these connections, I hope to foster new collaborations that enhance environmental literacy opportunities for students and communities. By working together, I believe we can create interdisciplinary programs that bridge science, sustainability, and civic engagement in meaningful ways.”
Despite the support of regional groups, feelings of isolation persist, particularly in rural areas. These biannual gatherings serve as powerful reminders that this work is happening statewide, and that Connected Learning Ecosystems help establish and strengthen a network to bridge the distance between educators.
These Gatherings are part of ongoing programming organized by Learning Ecosystems Northeast, based at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, that fosters peer communities across the Northeast through which teachers, librarians, and out-of-school educators can collaborate to expand opportunities for youth to engage in data-driven climate investigations and integrate in- and out-of-school learning.
The Learning Ecosystems Northeast project is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AB94A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about Learning Ecosystems Northeast: https://www.learningecosystemsnortheast.org/
The whole group discussing their findings after a GLOBE fieldwork activity. Share Details Last Updated Apr 07, 2025 Editor NASA Science Editorial Team Related Terms Explore More 3 min read NSTA Hyperwall ScheduleArticle
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Sols 4500-4501: Bedrock With a Side of Sand
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Sols 4500-4501: Bedrock With a Side of Sand NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Left Navigation Camera on March 28, 2025 — Sol 4494, or Martian day 4,494 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — at 17:06:34 UTC. NASA/JPL-CaltechWritten by Sharon Wilson Purdy, Planetary Geologist at Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Earth planning date: Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Wow, sol 4500. What an impressive number of sols (Martian days) exploring the Red Planet! This delightfully even sol number made me wonder where the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Opportunity was at this point in her mission (Opportunity’s twin rover, Spirit, explored Gusev crater on Mars for roughly 2210 sols). As it turns out, Opportunity was driving over fairly smooth terrain on sol 4500 and was approaching a light-toned rounded hill named “Spirit Mound” on the western rim of Endeavour crater in Meridiani Planum.
I am always so impressed and proud when I stop to think about the incredible fleet of rovers we have safely landed and operated on Mars, and the amazing scientific discoveries that have resulted from these missions!
Today I served on science operations as the “keeper of the plan” for the geology and mineralogy theme group. In this role, I assembled the activities in our team planning software for this two-sol plan. Our small plan becomes part of a much larger set of instructions that will be relayed up to the rover later today. Currently, the Curiosity rover is driving up Mount Sharp over broken-up blocks of bedrock and sand through a small canyon en route to the boxwork structures ahead. This bumpy terrain can sometimes make it hard to pass the “Slip Risk Assessment Process” (SRAP) where all six wheels are required to be stable on the ground before we can unstow our robotic arm to use the contact science instruments. After our successful 8-meter drive (about 26 feet) from yestersol we passed SRAP and got to work selecting targets for contact and remote observations.
The team chose to characterize a bedrock target in front of us called “Chuckwalla” using the dust removal tool (DRT), APXS, and MAHLI. ChemCam used its LIBS instrument to analyze the chemistry of a nearby bedrock target with a knobby texture, “Pechacho,” and took a long distance RMI image to study the interesting layering in the “Devil’s Gate” butte. Mastcam assembled an impressive portfolio of observations in this two-sol plan. The team imaged variations in bedrock textures at “Jalama” and “Julian” and documented the nature of the “Mishe Mokwa” ridgeline. In addition, Mastcam imaged darker rocks within a previously acquired mosaic of Devil’s Gate and investigated narrow troughs (small depressions) within the sand in the workspace.
The environmental theme group, with their eye on the sky, included activities to measure the optical depth of the atmosphere, constrain aerosol scattering properties, and observe clouds. A very busy day of planning for sols 4500-4501, with many more to come!
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From FIRST Robotics to NASA Rockets: Angel Saenz’s Journey to White Sands
Long before joining NASA’s Test and Evaluation Support Team contract in October 2024, Angel Saenz was already an engineer at heart.
A STEM education program at his high school helped unlock that passion, setting him on a path that would eventually lead to NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Angel Saenz poses in front of a composite overwrap pressure vessel outside of his office at White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico. NASA/Anthony L. QuiterioThe program – FIRST Robotics Competition – is run by global nonprofit, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). It was the brainchild of prolific inventor Dean Kamen, best known for creating the Segway.
In what the organization calls “the ultimate sport for the mind,” teams of students spend six weeks working under adult mentors—and strict rules—to design, program, and build industrial-sized robots before facing off in a themed tournament. Teams earn points for accomplishing various engineering feats, launching, grappling, and climbing their way through the obstacles of a game that’s less football and more American Ninja Warrior.
Competing during the 2013 and 2014 seasons with the White Sands-sponsored Deming Thundercats, Saenz said FIRST was a link between abstract mathematical ideas and real-world applications.
“Before joining FIRST, equations were just something I was told to solve for a grade, but now I was applying them and seeing how they were actually useful,” he said.
By turning education into an extracurricular activity as compelling as video games and as competitive as any varsity sport, FIRST completely reshaped Saenz’s approach to learning.
“There are lots of other things kids can choose to do outside of school, but engineering was always that thing for me,” he said. “I associate it with being a fun activity, I see it more as a hobby.”
That kind of energy—as any engineer knows—cannot be destroyed. Today Saenz channels it into his work, tackling challenges with White Sand’s Composite Pressure group where he tests and analyzes pressure vessel systems, enabling their safe use in space programs.
“Having that foundation really helps ground me,” he said. “When I see a problem, I can look back and say, ‘That’s like what happened in FIRST Robotics and here’s how we solved it.’”
Deming High School teacher and robotics mentor David Wertz recognized Saenz’s aptitude for engineering, even when Saenz could not yet see it in himself.
“He wasn’t aware that we were using the engineering process as we built our robot,” Wertz said, “but he was always looking for ways to iterate and improve our designs.”
Saenz credits those early hands-on experiences for giving him a head start.
“It taught me a lot of concepts that weren’t supposed to be learned until college,” he said.
Armed with that knowledge, Saenz graduated from New Mexico State University in 2019 with a dual degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering.
Now 28 years old, Saenz is already an accomplished professional. He adds White Sands to an impressive resume that includes past experiences with Albuquerque-based global manufacturing company Jabil and Kirtland Airforce Base.
Though only five months into the job, Saenz’s future at White Sands was set into motion more than a decade ago when he took a field trip to the site with Wertz in 2013.
“The kind invitations to present at White Sands or to take a tour of the facility has inspired many of the students to pursue degrees in engineering and STEM,” Wertz said. “The partnership continues to allow students to see the opportunities that are available for them if they are willing to put in the work.”
In a full-circle moment, Saenz and Mr. Wertz recently found themselves together at White Sands once again for the 2024 Environmental, Innovation, Safety, and Health Day event. This time not as student and teacher, but as industry colleagues in a reunion that could not have been better engineered.
David Wertz and Angel Saenz attend White Sand’s Environmental, Innovation, Safety, and Health Day event on October 31, 2024.The 2025 FIRST Robotics World Competition will take place in Houston at the George R. Brown Convention Center from April 16 to April 19. NASA will host an exciting robotics exhibit at the event, showcasing the future of technology and spaceflight. As many as 60,000 energetic fans, students, and industry leaders are expected to attend. Read more about NASA’s involvement with FIRST Robotics here.
Gateway’s First Habitation Module Arrives Stateside
Gateway’s First Habitation Module Arrives Stateside
From the mountains of Turin to the deserts of Arizona, a core element of Gateway, humanity’s first lunar space station, is now one step closer to the Moon. As seen in this April 1, 2025, photo, HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost), Gateway’s first pressurized module and one of its foundational elements, recently arrived in Gilbert, Arizona, following its fabrication by Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy. Now on U.S. soil, the module will undergo final outfitting by primary contractor Northrop Grumman before it’s integrated with the Power and Propulsion Element at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Together, the two modules will launch to lunar orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket ahead of the Artemis IV mission.
HALO will support astronauts visiting Gateway and function as a command and control hub for the space station. It will feature docking ports for spacecraft such as NASA’s Orion, logistics vehicles and lunar landers, and provide data handling, energy storage, power distribution, thermal regulation, and communications and tracking capabilities.
HALO’s arrival marks a major milestone in the construction of Gateway, a cornerstone of NASA’s Artemis campaign to advance science and exploration on and around the Moon in preparation for the next giant leap: the first human missions to Mars.
Image credit: NASA/Josh Valcarcel
NASA+ to Stream Nomination Hearing for Next Agency Administrator
Jared Isaacman is set to participate in a hearing to become the next NASA administrator at 10 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 9, before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The nomination hearing will take place at Russell Senate Office Building in Washington.
The agency will stream the hearing on NASA+, and the committee will stream it on its website and YouTube channel. Learn how to watch NASA content on a variety of agency platforms, including social media.
President Trump formally nominated Isaacman for NASA administrator on Jan. 20. The following is a statement from acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro on the nomination hearing:
“I’m glad the Senate has scheduled a hearing to consider Jared Isaacman’s nomination as NASA administrator. Isaacman’s experience in commercial spaceflight and his commitment to advancing space capabilities align with NASA’s ongoing efforts to enhance America’s position as the global leader in space exploration. Upon confirmation, his leadership will support our work to drive American innovation, strengthen partnerships, and further the essential mission of the agency for the benefit of all.”
Media interested in participating in the event must contact Bethany Stevens and their respective Senate media gallery to RSVP. Contact details are available on the committee’s website.
For more information about NASA missions, visit:
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Bethany Stevens / Cheryl Warner
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
bethany.c.stevens@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov
NASA+ to Stream Nomination Hearing for Next Agency Administrator
Jared Isaacman is set to participate in a hearing to become the next NASA administrator at 10 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 9, before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The nomination hearing will take place at Russell Senate Office Building in Washington.
The agency will stream the hearing on NASA+, and the committee will stream it on its website and YouTube channel. Learn how to watch NASA content on a variety of agency platforms, including social media.
President Trump formally nominated Isaacman for NASA administrator on Jan. 20. The following is a statement from acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro on the nomination hearing:
“I’m glad the Senate has scheduled a hearing to consider Jared Isaacman’s nomination as NASA administrator. Isaacman’s experience in commercial spaceflight and his commitment to advancing space capabilities align with NASA’s ongoing efforts to enhance America’s position as the global leader in space exploration. Upon confirmation, his leadership will support our work to drive American innovation, strengthen partnerships, and further the essential mission of the agency for the benefit of all.”
Media interested in participating in the event must contact Bethany Stevens and their respective Senate media gallery to RSVP. Contact details are available on the committee’s website.
For more information about NASA missions, visit:
-end-
Bethany Stevens / Cheryl Warner
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
bethany.c.stevens@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov
Back to Earth, Forward to the Future: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Returns
After months of groundbreaking research, exploration, and teamwork aboard the International Space Station, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 has returned to Earth.
NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, splashed down safely on March 18, 2025, as a pod of dolphins circled the Dragon spacecraft near Tallahassee, Florida.
NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in the water off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, March 18, 2025.NASA/Keegan BarberWilliams and Wilmore made history as the first humans to fly aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft during NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT). Launched June 5, 2024, aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the CFT mission was Boeing’s first crewed flight.
Hague and Gorbunov launched to the space station on Sept. 28, 2024, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait inside the International Space Station’s Unity module. From left, are NASA astronaut Suni Williams, Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, and NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Butch Wilmore.NASADuring their long-duration mission, the American crew members conducted more than 150 unique experiments and logged over 900 hours of research aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Their work included studying plant growth and development, testing stem cell technology for patient care on Earth, and examining how spaceflight affects materials—insights vital for future deep space missions.
The crew kicked off 2025 with two spacewalks that included removing an antenna assembly from the station’s truss, collecting microbial samples from the orbital outpost’s exterior for analysis by Johnson’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science division, installing patches to cover damaged areas of light filters on an X-ray telescope, and more.
Williams now holds the record for the most cumulative spacewalking time by a woman — 62 hours and 6 minutes — placing her fourth among the most experienced spacewalkers in history.
While in orbit, the crew also engaged the next generation through 30 ham radio events with students around the world and supported a student-led genetic experiment.
As part of the CFT, Williams and Wilmore commanded Starliner during in-flight testing and were the first to see the spacecraft integrated in simulations and operate it hands-on in space, evaluating systems like maneuvering, docking, and emergency protocols.
“We’ve learned a lot about systems integrated testing that will pay benefits going forward and lay the groundwork for future missions,” said Wilmore.
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore participate in an emergency operations simulation in the Boeing Starliner simulator at Johnson Space Center in Houston.NASA/Robert MarkowitzFollowing the test flight, NASA and Boeing are continuing work toward crew certification of the company’s CST-100 Starliner system. Joint teams are addressing in-flight anomalies and preparing for propulsion system testing ahead of the next mission.
Despite the unexpected challenges, including technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft that extended their mission, both Wilmore and Williams said they would do it all over again. Wilmore emphasized his gratitude in being part of testing Starliner’s capabilities, stating, “I’d get on it in a heartbeat.”
After returning to Earth, the crew received a warm welcome from family, colleagues, and fellow astronauts at Johnson Space Center’s Ellington Field. They were greeted by Johnson Acting Director Steve Koerner, who applauded their dedication and resilience.
Suni Williams is greeted by Johnson Acting Director Steve Koerner at Ellington Field in Houston after completing a long-duration science mission aboard the International Space Station.NASA/Robert MarkowitzWilliams shared a heartfelt embrace with astronaut Zena Cardman, thanking her for “taking one for the team.” Cardman had originally been assigned to Crew-9, but in August, NASA announced the uncrewed return of Starliner to Earth and integrated Wilmore and Williams into Expedition 71/72 for a return on Crew-9. This adjustment meant Cardman and astronaut Stephanie Wilson would no longer fly the mission—a decision that underscored the flexibility and teamwork essential to human spaceflight.
Cardman is now assigned as commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, set to launch in the coming months to the International Space Station for a long-duration science expedition.
Butch Wilmore receives a warm welcome from NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Woody Hoburg at Ellington Field.NASA/Robert MarkowitzWilliams and Wilmore each brought decades of experience to the mission. Wilmore, a retired U.S. Navy captain and veteran fighter pilot, has logged 464 days in space over three flights. Outside of NASA, he serves as a pastor, leads Bible studies, and participates in mission trips across Central and South America. A skilled craftsman, he also builds furniture and other pieces for his local church.
Growing up in Tennessee, Wilmore says his faith continues to guide him, especially when navigating the uncertainties of flight.
Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore works inside the International Space Station’s Columbus laboratory module to install the European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device.NASAWilmore encourages the next generation with a call to action: “Strap on your work hat and let’s go at it!” He emphasizes that tenacity and perseverance are essential for achieving anything of value. Motivated by a sense of patriotic duty and a desire to help those in need, Wilmore sees his astronaut role as a commitment to both his country and humanity at large.
Wilmore believes he’s challenged every day at NASA. “Doing the right things for the right reasons is what motivates me,” he said.
Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams monitors an Astrobee robotic free-flyer outfitted with tentacle-like arms containing gecko-like adhesive pads preparing to grapple a “capture cube.”NASAA retired U.S. Navy captain and veteran of three spaceflights, Williams is a helicopter pilot, basic diving officer, and the first person to run the Boston Marathon in space—once in 2007, and again aboard the station in 2025. Originally from Needham, Massachusetts, she brings a lifelong spirit of adventure and service to everything she does.
“There are no limits,” said Williams. “Your imagination can make something happen, but it’s not always easy. There are so many cool things we can invent to solve problems—and that’s one of the joys of working in the space program. It makes you ask questions.”
Hague, a Kansas native, has logged a total of 374 days in space across three missions. A U.S. Space Force colonel and test pilot, he’s served in roles across the country and abroad, including a deployment to Iraq.
“When we’re up there operating in space, it’s focused strictly on mission,” said Hague. “We are part of an international team that spans the globe and works with half a dozen mission control centers that are talking in multiple languages — and we figure out how to make it happen. That’s the magic of human spaceflight: it brings people together.”
Expedition 72 Pilot Nick Hague inside the cupola with space botany hardware that supports the Rhodium Plant LIFE investigation.NASAFor Williams, Wilmore, Hague, Gorbunov, and the team supporting them, Crew-9 marks the beginning of a new era of space exploration — one driven by innovation, perseverance, and the unyielding dream of reaching beyond the stars.
Watch the full press conference following the crew’s return to Earth here.
Back to Earth, Forward to the Future: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Returns
After months of groundbreaking research, exploration, and teamwork aboard the International Space Station, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 has returned to Earth.
NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, splashed down safely on March 18, 2025, as a pod of dolphins circled the Dragon spacecraft near Tallahassee, Florida.
NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in the water off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, March 18, 2025.NASA/Keegan BarberWilliams and Wilmore made history as the first humans to fly aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft during NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT). Launched June 5, 2024, aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the CFT mission was Boeing’s first crewed flight.
Hague and Gorbunov launched to the space station on Sept. 28, 2024, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait inside the International Space Station’s Unity module. From left, are NASA astronaut Suni Williams, Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, and NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Butch Wilmore.NASADuring their long-duration mission, the American crew members conducted more than 150 unique experiments and logged over 900 hours of research aboard the orbiting laboratory.
Their work included studying plant growth and development, testing stem cell technology for patient care on Earth, and examining how spaceflight affects materials—insights vital for future deep space missions.
The crew kicked off 2025 with two spacewalks that included removing an antenna assembly from the station’s truss, collecting microbial samples from the orbital outpost’s exterior for analysis by Johnson’s Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science division, installing patches to cover damaged areas of light filters on an X-ray telescope, and more.
Williams now holds the record for the most cumulative spacewalking time by a woman — 62 hours and 6 minutes — placing her fourth among the most experienced spacewalkers in history.
While in orbit, the crew also engaged the next generation through 30 ham radio events with students around the world and supported a student-led genetic experiment.
As part of the CFT, Williams and Wilmore commanded Starliner during in-flight testing and were the first to see the spacecraft integrated in simulations and operate it hands-on in space, evaluating systems like maneuvering, docking, and emergency protocols.
“We’ve learned a lot about systems integrated testing that will pay benefits going forward and lay the groundwork for future missions,” said Wilmore.
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore participate in an emergency operations simulation in the Boeing Starliner simulator at Johnson Space Center in Houston.NASA/Robert MarkowitzFollowing the test flight, NASA and Boeing are continuing work toward crew certification of the company’s CST-100 Starliner system. Joint teams are addressing in-flight anomalies and preparing for propulsion system testing ahead of the next mission.
Despite the unexpected challenges, including technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft that extended their mission, both Wilmore and Williams said they would do it all over again. Wilmore emphasized his gratitude in being part of testing Starliner’s capabilities, stating, “I’d get on it in a heartbeat.”
After returning to Earth, the crew received a warm welcome from family, colleagues, and fellow astronauts at Johnson Space Center’s Ellington Field. They were greeted by Johnson Acting Director Steve Koerner, who applauded their dedication and resilience.
Suni Williams is greeted by Johnson Acting Director Steve Koerner at Ellington Field in Houston after completing a long-duration science mission aboard the International Space Station.NASA/Robert MarkowitzWilliams shared a heartfelt embrace with astronaut Zena Cardman, thanking her for “taking one for the team.” Cardman had originally been assigned to Crew-9, but in August, NASA announced the uncrewed return of Starliner to Earth and integrated Wilmore and Williams into Expedition 71/72 for a return on Crew-9. This adjustment meant Cardman and astronaut Stephanie Wilson would no longer fly the mission—a decision that underscored the flexibility and teamwork essential to human spaceflight.
Cardman is now assigned as commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission, set to launch in the coming months to the International Space Station for a long-duration science expedition.
Butch Wilmore receives a warm welcome from NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Woody Hoburg at Ellington Field.NASA/Robert MarkowitzWilliams and Wilmore each brought decades of experience to the mission. Wilmore, a retired U.S. Navy captain and veteran fighter pilot, has logged 464 days in space over three flights. Outside of NASA, he serves as a pastor, leads Bible studies, and participates in mission trips across Central and South America. A skilled craftsman, he also builds furniture and other pieces for his local church.
Growing up in Tennessee, Wilmore says his faith continues to guide him, especially when navigating the uncertainties of flight.
Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore works inside the International Space Station’s Columbus laboratory module to install the European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device.NASAWilmore encourages the next generation with a call to action: “Strap on your work hat and let’s go at it!” He emphasizes that tenacity and perseverance are essential for achieving anything of value. Motivated by a sense of patriotic duty and a desire to help those in need, Wilmore sees his astronaut role as a commitment to both his country and humanity at large.
Wilmore believes he’s challenged every day at NASA. “Doing the right things for the right reasons is what motivates me,” he said.
Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams monitors an Astrobee robotic free-flyer outfitted with tentacle-like arms containing gecko-like adhesive pads preparing to grapple a “capture cube.”NASAA retired U.S. Navy captain and veteran of three spaceflights, Williams is a helicopter pilot, basic diving officer, and the first person to run the Boston Marathon in space—once in 2007, and again aboard the station in 2025. Originally from Needham, Massachusetts, she brings a lifelong spirit of adventure and service to everything she does.
“There are no limits,” said Williams. “Your imagination can make something happen, but it’s not always easy. There are so many cool things we can invent to solve problems—and that’s one of the joys of working in the space program. It makes you ask questions.”
Hague, a Kansas native, has logged a total of 374 days in space across three missions. A U.S. Space Force colonel and test pilot, he’s served in roles across the country and abroad, including a deployment to Iraq.
“When we’re up there operating in space, it’s focused strictly on mission,” said Hague. “We are part of an international team that spans the globe and works with half a dozen mission control centers that are talking in multiple languages — and we figure out how to make it happen. That’s the magic of human spaceflight: it brings people together.”
Expedition 72 Pilot Nick Hague inside the cupola with space botany hardware that supports the Rhodium Plant LIFE investigation.NASAFor Williams, Wilmore, Hague, Gorbunov, and the team supporting them, Crew-9 marks the beginning of a new era of space exploration — one driven by innovation, perseverance, and the unyielding dream of reaching beyond the stars.
Watch the full press conference following the crew’s return to Earth here.
