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Made with a telescope shaded from bright sunlight by an umbrella,

From a garden on planet Earth, 38 hours of exposure

What's at the tip of this interstellar jet?

Sometimes, the Moon visits the Pleiades.

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Why are there so many moonquakes?

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2 min read

Sols 4507-4508: “Just Keep Driving” NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), located on the turret at the end of the rover’s robotic arm, on April 9, 2025, Sol 4505 of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission, at 00:56:30 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Written by Natalie Moore, Mission Operations Specialist at Malin Space Science Systems

Earth planning date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Our drive from Monday’s plan was mostly successful, putting us ~22 meters down the “road” out of an expected 30 meters. A steering command halted the drive a little short when we tried to turn-in-place but instead turned into a rock, which also had the effect of making our position too unstable for arm activities. Oh well! APXS data has been showing the recent terrain as being pretty similar in composition, so the team isn’t complaining about trying again after another drive. Plus, keeping the arm stowed should give us a little more power to play with in the coming sols (an ongoing struggle this Martian winter).

Recently, my job on Mastcam has been to make sure our science imaging is as concurrent as possible with required rover activities. This strategy helps save rover awake time, AKA power consumption. Today we did a pretty good job with this, only increasing the total awake time by ~2 minutes even though we planned 52 images! Our imaging today included a mosaic of the “Devil’s Gate” ridge including some nodular bedrock and distant “Torote Bowl,” a mosaic of a close-by vein network named “Moonstone Beach,” and several sandy troughs surrounding the bedrock blocks we see here. 

ChemCam is planning a LIBS raster on a vertical vein in our workspace named “Jackrabbit Flat,” and a distant RMI mosaic of “Condor Peak” (a butte to the north we’re losing view of). Our drive will happen in the 1400 hour on the first sol, hopefully landing us successfully 53 meters further into this new valley on our way to the boxwork structures to the west! Post-drive, we’re including a test of a “Post Traverse Autonav Terrain Observation” AKA PoTATO – an easy drop-in activity for ground analysis of a rover-built navigation map of our new terrain. Plus we get to say PoTATO a lot.

Explore More

3 min read Sols 4505-4506: Up, up and onto the Devil’s Gate 

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3 days ago

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3 min read Sols 4500-4501: Bedrock With a Side of Sand

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4 days ago

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Mars Resources

Explore this page for a curated collection of Mars resources.

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…

Rover Basics

Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a…

Curiosity Rover (MSL)

Curiosity Navigation

• Curiosity Home
• Science
• News and Features
• Multimedia
• Mars Missions
• Mars Home

2 min read

Sols 4507-4508: “Just Keep Driving” NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), located on the turret at the end of the rover’s robotic arm, on April 9, 2025, Sol 4505 of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission, at 00:56:30 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Written by Natalie Moore, Mission Operations Specialist at Malin Space Science Systems

Earth planning date: Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Our drive from Monday’s plan was mostly successful, putting us ~22 meters down the “road” out of an expected 30 meters. A steering command halted the drive a little short when we tried to turn-in-place but instead turned into a rock, which also had the effect of making our position too unstable for arm activities. Oh well! APXS data has been showing the recent terrain as being pretty similar in composition, so the team isn’t complaining about trying again after another drive. Plus, keeping the arm stowed should give us a little more power to play with in the coming sols (an ongoing struggle this Martian winter).

Recently, my job on Mastcam has been to make sure our science imaging is as concurrent as possible with required rover activities. This strategy helps save rover awake time, AKA power consumption. Today we did a pretty good job with this, only increasing the total awake time by ~2 minutes even though we planned 52 images! Our imaging today included a mosaic of the “Devil’s Gate” ridge including some nodular bedrock and distant “Torote Bowl,” a mosaic of a close-by vein network named “Moonstone Beach,” and several sandy troughs surrounding the bedrock blocks we see here. 

ChemCam is planning a LIBS raster on a vertical vein in our workspace named “Jackrabbit Flat,” and a distant RMI mosaic of “Condor Peak” (a butte to the north we’re losing view of). Our drive will happen in the 1400 hour on the first sol, hopefully landing us successfully 53 meters further into this new valley on our way to the boxwork structures to the west! Post-drive, we’re including a test of a “Post Traverse Autonav Terrain Observation” AKA PoTATO – an easy drop-in activity for ground analysis of a rover-built navigation map of our new terrain. Plus we get to say PoTATO a lot.

Explore More

3 min read Sols 4505-4506: Up, up and onto the Devil’s Gate 

Article


3 days ago

3 min read Sols 4502-4504: Sneaking Past Devil’s Gate

Article


4 days ago

3 min read Sols 4500-4501: Bedrock With a Side of Sand

Article


4 days ago

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Mars Resources

Explore this page for a curated collection of Mars resources.

Mars Exploration: Science Goals

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Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a…

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3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) From left, Ramon Pedoto, Nathan Walkenhorst, and Tyrell Jemison review information at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The three team members developed new automation tools at Marshall for flight controllers working with the International Space Station (Credit: NASA/Tyrell Jemison

Two new automation tools developed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, are geared toward improving operations for flight controllers working with the International Space Station from the Huntsville Operations Support Center.

The tools, called AutoDump and Permanently Missing Intervals Checker, will free the flight control team to focus on situational awareness, anomaly response, and real-time coordination.

The space station experiences routine loss-of-signal periods based on communication coverage as the space station orbits the Earth. When signal is lost, an onboard buffer records data that could not be downlinked during that period. Following acquisition of signal, flight controllers previously had to send a command to downlink, or “dump,” the stored data.

The AutoDump tool streamlines a repetitive data downlinking command from flight controllers by detecting a routine loss-of-signal, and then autonomously sending the command to downlink data stored in the onboard buffer when the signal is acquired again. Once the data has been downlinked, the tool will automatically make an entry in the console log to confirm the downlink took place.

“Reliably and quickly sending these dump commands is important to ensure that space station payload developers can operate from the most current data,” said Michael Zekoff, manager of Space Systems Operations at Marshall.

As a direct result of this tool, we have eliminated the need to manually perform routine data dump commands by as much as 40% for normal operations.

Michael Zekoff

Space Systems Operations Manager

AutoDump was successfully deployed on Feb. 4 in support of the orbiting laboratory.

The other tool, known as the Permanently Missing Intervals Checker, is another automated process coming online that will improve team efficiency.

Permanently missing intervals are gaps in the data stream where data can be lost due to a variety of reasons, including network fluctuations. The missing intervals are generally short but are documented so the scientific community and other users have confirmation that the missing data is unable to be recovered.

“The process of checking for and documenting permanently missing intervals is challenging and incredibly time-consuming to make sure we capture all the payload impacts,” said Nathan Walkenhorst, a NASA contractor with Bailey Collaborative Solutions who serves as a flight controller specialist.

The checker will allow NASA to quickly gather and assess payload impacts, reduce disruptions to operations, and allow researchers to get better returns on their science investigations. It is expected to be deployed later this year.

In addition to Walkenhorst, Zekoff also credited Ramon Pedoto, a software architect, and Tyrell Jemison, a NASA contractor and data management coordinator with Teledyne Brown Engineering Inc, for their work in developing the automation tools. The development of the tools also requires coordination between flight control and software teams at Marshall, followed by extensive testing in both simulated and flight environments, including spacecraft operations, communications coverage, onboard anomalies, and other unexpected conditions.

“The team solicited broad review to ensure that the tool would integrate correctly with other station systems,” Zekoff said. “Automated tools are evaluated carefully to prevent unintended commanding or other consequences. Analysis of the tools included thorough characterization of the impacts, risk mitigation strategies, and approval by stakeholders across the International Space Station program.”

The Huntsville Operations Support Center provides payload, engineering, and mission operations support to the space station, the Commercial Crew Program, and Artemis missions, as well as science and technology demonstration missions. The Payload Operations Integration Center within the Huntsville Operations Support Center operates, plans, and coordinates the science experiments onboard the space station 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

For more information on the International Space Station, visit:

www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/

Share

Details Last Updated Apr 11, 2025 EditorBeth RidgewayLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms

• Marshall Space Flight Center

Explore More 3 min read NASA’s IMAP Arrives at NASA Marshall For Testing in XRCF   Article 20 hours ago 7 min read NASA’s First Flight With Crew Important Step on Long-term Return to the Moon, Missions to Mars Article 4 days ago 3 min read NASA Selects Finalist Teams for Student Human Lander Challenge Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics

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3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) From left, Ramon Pedoto, Nathan Walkenhorst, and Tyrell Jemison review information at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The three team members developed new automation tools at Marshall for flight controllers working with the International Space Station (Credit: NASA/Tyrell Jemison

Two new automation tools developed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, are geared toward improving operations for flight controllers working with the International Space Station from the Huntsville Operations Support Center.

The tools, called AutoDump and Permanently Missing Intervals Checker, will free the flight control team to focus on situational awareness, anomaly response, and real-time coordination.

The space station experiences routine loss-of-signal periods based on communication coverage as the space station orbits the Earth. When signal is lost, an onboard buffer records data that could not be downlinked during that period. Following acquisition of signal, flight controllers previously had to send a command to downlink, or “dump,” the stored data.

The AutoDump tool streamlines a repetitive data downlinking command from flight controllers by detecting a routine loss-of-signal, and then autonomously sending the command to downlink data stored in the onboard buffer when the signal is acquired again. Once the data has been downlinked, the tool will automatically make an entry in the console log to confirm the downlink took place.

“Reliably and quickly sending these dump commands is important to ensure that space station payload developers can operate from the most current data,” said Michael Zekoff, manager of Space Systems Operations at Marshall.

As a direct result of this tool, we have eliminated the need to manually perform routine data dump commands by as much as 40% for normal operations.

Michael Zekoff

Space Systems Operations Manager

AutoDump was successfully deployed on Feb. 4 in support of the orbiting laboratory.

The other tool, known as the Permanently Missing Intervals Checker, is another automated process coming online that will improve team efficiency.

Permanently missing intervals are gaps in the data stream where data can be lost due to a variety of reasons, including network fluctuations. The missing intervals are generally short but are documented so the scientific community and other users have confirmation that the missing data is unable to be recovered.

“The process of checking for and documenting permanently missing intervals is challenging and incredibly time-consuming to make sure we capture all the payload impacts,” said Nathan Walkenhorst, a NASA contractor with Bailey Collaborative Solutions who serves as a flight controller specialist.

The checker will allow NASA to quickly gather and assess payload impacts, reduce disruptions to operations, and allow researchers to get better returns on their science investigations. It is expected to be deployed later this year.

In addition to Walkenhorst, Zekoff also credited Ramon Pedoto, a software architect, and Tyrell Jemison, a NASA contractor and data management coordinator with Teledyne Brown Engineering Inc, for their work in developing the automation tools. The development of the tools also requires coordination between flight control and software teams at Marshall, followed by extensive testing in both simulated and flight environments, including spacecraft operations, communications coverage, onboard anomalies, and other unexpected conditions.

“The team solicited broad review to ensure that the tool would integrate correctly with other station systems,” Zekoff said. “Automated tools are evaluated carefully to prevent unintended commanding or other consequences. Analysis of the tools included thorough characterization of the impacts, risk mitigation strategies, and approval by stakeholders across the International Space Station program.”

The Huntsville Operations Support Center provides payload, engineering, and mission operations support to the space station, the Commercial Crew Program, and Artemis missions, as well as science and technology demonstration missions. The Payload Operations Integration Center within the Huntsville Operations Support Center operates, plans, and coordinates the science experiments onboard the space station 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.

For more information on the International Space Station, visit:

www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/

Share

Details Last Updated Apr 11, 2025 EditorBeth RidgewayLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms

• Marshall Space Flight Center

Explore More 3 min read NASA’s IMAP Arrives at NASA Marshall For Testing in XRCF   Article 13 hours ago 7 min read NASA’s First Flight With Crew Important Step on Long-term Return to the Moon, Missions to Mars Article 3 days ago 3 min read NASA Selects Finalist Teams for Student Human Lander Challenge Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics

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2. Science Activation
3. GLOBE Mission Earth Supports…

• Overview
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• SME Map
• Opportunities
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4 min read

GLOBE Mission Earth Supports Career Technical Education

The NASA Science Activation program’s GLOBE Mission EARTH (GME) project is forging powerful connections between career technical education (CTE) programs and real-world science, inspiring students across the United States to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

GME is a collaborative effort between NASA scientists, educators, and schools that brings NASA Earth science and the GLOBE Program into classrooms to support hands-on, inquiry-based learning. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) is an international science and education program that provides students and the public with the opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process, contributing meaningfully to our understanding of the Earth system.

By connecting students directly to environmental research and NASA data, GME helps make science more relevant, engaging, and applicable to students’ futures. In CTE programs—where project-based and work-based learning are key instructional strategies—GME’s integration of GLOBE protocols offers students the chance to develop not only technical skills, but also essential data literacy and professional competencies like collaboration, critical thinking, and communication. These cross-cutting skills are valuable across a wide range of industries, from agriculture and advanced manufacturing to natural resources and public safety.

The real-world, hands-on approach of CTE makes it an ideal setting for implementing GLOBE to support STEM learning across industries. At Skyline High School in Oakland, California, for example, GLOBE has been embedded in multiple courses within the school’s Green Energy Pathway, originally launched by GLOBE partner Tracy Ostrom. Over the past decade, nearly 1,000 students have participated in GLOBE activities at Skyline. Many of these students describe their experiences with environmental data collection and interactions with NASA scientists as inspiring and transformative. Similarly, at Toledo Technology Academy, GME is connecting students with NASA science and renewable energy projects—allowing them to study how solar panels impact their local environment and how weather conditions affect wind energy generation.

To expand awareness of how GLOBE can enhance CTE learning and career preparation, WestEd staff Svetlana Darche and Nico Janik presented at the Educating for Careers Conference on March 3, 2025, in Sacramento, California. This event, sponsored by the California chapter of the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), brought together over 2,600 educators dedicated to equipping students with the tools they need to succeed in an evolving job market. Darche and Janik’s session, titled “Developing STEM Skills While Contributing to Science,” showcased GLOBE’s role in work-based learning and introduced new federal definitions from the Carl D. Perkins Act (Perkins V) that emphasize:

• Interactions with industry professionals
• A direct link to curriculum and instruction
• First-hand engagement with real-world tasks in a given career field

GLOBE’s approach to scientific data collection aligns perfectly with these criteria. Janik led 40 educators through a hands-on experience using the GLOBE Surface Temperature Protocol, demonstrating how students investigate the Urban Heat Island Effect while learning critical technical and analytical skills. By collecting and analyzing real-world data, students gain firsthand experience with the tools and methods used by scientists, bridging the gap between classroom learning and future career opportunities.

Through GME’s work with CTE programs, students are not only learning science—they are doing science. These authentic experiences inspire, empower, and prepare students for careers where data literacy, scientific inquiry, and problem-solving are essential. With ongoing collaborations between GLOBE, NASA, and educators nationwide, the next generation of STEM professionals is already taking shape—one real-world investigation at a time.

GME is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC54A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn

GreenEnergyPathway presenting the Green Energy Pathway CTE program. Share

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Details

Last Updated

Apr 11, 2025

Editor NASA Science Editorial Team

Related Terms

• Science Activation
• Earth Science
• For Kids and Students
• Opportunities For Educators to Get Involved

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2. Science Activation
3. GLOBE Mission Earth Supports…

• Overview
• Learning Resources
• Science Activation Teams
• SME Map
• Opportunities
• More

 

4 min read

GLOBE Mission Earth Supports Career Technical Education

The NASA Science Activation program’s GLOBE Mission EARTH (GME) project is forging powerful connections between career technical education (CTE) programs and real-world science, inspiring students across the United States to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

GME is a collaborative effort between NASA scientists, educators, and schools that brings NASA Earth science and the GLOBE Program into classrooms to support hands-on, inquiry-based learning. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) is an international science and education program that provides students and the public with the opportunity to participate in data collection and the scientific process, contributing meaningfully to our understanding of the Earth system.

By connecting students directly to environmental research and NASA data, GME helps make science more relevant, engaging, and applicable to students’ futures. In CTE programs—where project-based and work-based learning are key instructional strategies—GME’s integration of GLOBE protocols offers students the chance to develop not only technical skills, but also essential data literacy and professional competencies like collaboration, critical thinking, and communication. These cross-cutting skills are valuable across a wide range of industries, from agriculture and advanced manufacturing to natural resources and public safety.

The real-world, hands-on approach of CTE makes it an ideal setting for implementing GLOBE to support STEM learning across industries. At Skyline High School in Oakland, California, for example, GLOBE has been embedded in multiple courses within the school’s Green Energy Pathway, originally launched by GLOBE partner Tracy Ostrom. Over the past decade, nearly 1,000 students have participated in GLOBE activities at Skyline. Many of these students describe their experiences with environmental data collection and interactions with NASA scientists as inspiring and transformative. Similarly, at Toledo Technology Academy, GME is connecting students with NASA science and renewable energy projects—allowing them to study how solar panels impact their local environment and how weather conditions affect wind energy generation.

To expand awareness of how GLOBE can enhance CTE learning and career preparation, WestEd staff Svetlana Darche and Nico Janik presented at the Educating for Careers Conference on March 3, 2025, in Sacramento, California. This event, sponsored by the California chapter of the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), brought together over 2,600 educators dedicated to equipping students with the tools they need to succeed in an evolving job market. Darche and Janik’s session, titled “Developing STEM Skills While Contributing to Science,” showcased GLOBE’s role in work-based learning and introduced new federal definitions from the Carl D. Perkins Act (Perkins V) that emphasize:

• Interactions with industry professionals
• A direct link to curriculum and instruction
• First-hand engagement with real-world tasks in a given career field

GLOBE’s approach to scientific data collection aligns perfectly with these criteria. Janik led 40 educators through a hands-on experience using the GLOBE Surface Temperature Protocol, demonstrating how students investigate the Urban Heat Island Effect while learning critical technical and analytical skills. By collecting and analyzing real-world data, students gain firsthand experience with the tools and methods used by scientists, bridging the gap between classroom learning and future career opportunities.

Through GME’s work with CTE programs, students are not only learning science—they are doing science. These authentic experiences inspire, empower, and prepare students for careers where data literacy, scientific inquiry, and problem-solving are essential. With ongoing collaborations between GLOBE, NASA, and educators nationwide, the next generation of STEM professionals is already taking shape—one real-world investigation at a time.

GME is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AC54A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn

GreenEnergyPathway presenting the Green Energy Pathway CTE program. Share

• 
  
  
• 
  
  
• 
  
  
• 
  
  

Details

Last Updated

Apr 11, 2025

Editor NASA Science Editorial Team

Related Terms

• Science Activation
• Earth Science
• For Kids and Students
• Opportunities For Educators to Get Involved

Explore More

1 min read Kudos Test Article

Article


3 hours ago

4 min read New York Math Teacher Measures Trees & Grows Scientists with GLOBE

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24 hours ago

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2 days ago

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James Webb Space Telescope

Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It studies every phase in the…

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On a mission to “touch the Sun,” NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to fly through the corona…

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NASA’s Juno spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter in 2016, the first explorer to peer below the planet’s dense clouds to…

NASA astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert launch aboard the Apollo 13 spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 11, 1970.

NASA

NASA astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert launch aboard the Apollo 13 spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 11, 1970. The mission seemed to be going smoothly until 55 hours and 55 minutes in when an oxygen tank ruptured. The new mission plan involved abandoning the Moon landing, looping around the Moon and getting the crew home safely as quickly as possible. The crew needed to go into “lifeboat mode,” using the lunar module Aquarius to save the spacecraft and crew. On April 17, the crew returned to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean near Samoa.

Image credit: NASA

NASA

NASA astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert launch aboard the Apollo 13 spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 11, 1970. The mission seemed to be going smoothly until 55 hours and 55 minutes in when an oxygen tank ruptured. The new mission plan involved abandoning the Moon landing, looping around the Moon and getting the crew home safely as quickly as possible. The crew needed to go into “lifeboat mode,” using the lunar module Aquarius to save the spacecraft and crew. On April 17, the crew returned to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean near Samoa.

Image credit: NASA

3 Min Read NASA’s IMAP Arrives at NASA Marshall For Testing in XRCF  

On March 18, NASA’s IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) arrived at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for thermal vacuum testing at the X-ray and Cryogenic Facility, which simulates the harsh conditions of space.

The IMAP mission is a modern-day celestial cartographer that will map the solar system by studying the heliosphere, a giant bubble created by the Sun’s solar wind that surrounds our solar system and protects it from harmful interstellar radiation. 

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

NASA’s IMAP mission being loaded into the thermal vacuum chamber of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s X-Ray and Cryogenic Facility (XRCF) in Huntsville, Alabama. IMAP arrived at Marshall March 18 and was loaded into the chamber March 19.Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Princeton/Ed Whitman

Testing performed in the X-ray and Cryogenic Facility will help to assess the spacecraft before its journey toward the Sun. The IMAP mission will orbit the Sun at a location called Lagrange Point 1 (L1), which is about one million miles from Earth towards the Sun. From this location, IMAP can measure the local solar wind and scan the distant heliosphere without background from planets and their magnetic fields. The mission will use its suite of ten instruments to map the boundary of the heliosphere, analyze the composition of interstellar particles that make it through, and investigate how particles change as they move through the solar system. 

Furthermore, IMAP will maintain a continuous broadcast of near real-time space weather data from five instruments aboard IMAP that will be used to test new space weather prediction models and improve our understanding of effects impacting our human exploration of space. 

Team members from Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, install IMAP into the XRCF’s chamber dome before the start of the thermal vacuum test. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Princeton/Ed Whitman

While inside the Marshall facility, the spacecraft will undergo dramatic temperature changes to simulate the environment during launch, on the journey toward the Sun, and at its final orbiting point. The testing facility has multiple capabilities including a large thermal vacuum chamber which simulates the harsh conditions of space such as extreme temperatures and the near-total absence of an atmosphere. Simulating these conditions before launch allow scientists and engineers to identify successes and potential failures in the design of the spacecraft. 

Team members from Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama work to close the chamber door of the XRCF for IMAP testing. The chamber is 20 feet in diameter and 60 feet long making it one of the largest across NASA. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Princeton/Ed Whitman

“The X-ray and Cryogenic Facility was an ideal testing location for IMAP given the chamber’s size, availability, and ability to meet or exceed the required test parameters including strict contamination control, shroud temperature, and vacuum level,” said Jeff Kegley, chief of Marshall’s Science Test Branch. 

The facility’s main chamber is 20 feet in diameter and 60 feet long, making it the 5th largest thermal vacuum chamber at NASA. It’s the only chamber that is adjoined to an ISO 6 cleanroom — a controlled environment that limits the number and size of airborne particles to minimize contamination. 

The IMAP mission will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, no earlier than September. 

NASA’s IMAP mission was loaded into NASA Marshall’s XRCF thermal vacuum chamber where the spacecraft will undergo testing such as dramatic temperature changes to simulate the harsh environment of space. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Princeton/Ed Whitman Learn More about IMAP

Media Contact:

Lane Figueroa
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama
256.544.0034
lane.e.figueroa@nasa.gov

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Details Last Updated Apr 11, 2025 EditorBeth RidgewayLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms

• Marshall Space Flight Center
• Goddard Space Flight Center
• Heliophysics
• Marshall Heliophysics & Planetary Science
• Marshall Science Research & Projects
• Marshall X-Ray & Cryogenic Facility
• The Sun
• The Sun & Solar Physics

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3 Min Read NASA’s IMAP Arrives at NASA Marshall For Testing in XRCF  

On March 18, NASA’s IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) arrived at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for thermal vacuum testing at the X-ray and Cryogenic Facility, which simulates the harsh conditions of space.

The IMAP mission is a modern-day celestial cartographer that will map the solar system by studying the heliosphere, a giant bubble created by the Sun’s solar wind that surrounds our solar system and protects it from harmful interstellar radiation. 

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

NASA’s IMAP mission being loaded into the thermal vacuum chamber of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s X-Ray and Cryogenic Facility (XRCF) in Huntsville, Alabama. IMAP arrived at Marshall March 18 and was loaded into the chamber March 19.Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Princeton/Ed Whitman

Testing performed in the X-ray and Cryogenic Facility will help to assess the spacecraft before its journey toward the Sun. The IMAP mission will orbit the Sun at a location called Lagrange Point 1 (L1), which is about one million miles from Earth towards the Sun. From this location, IMAP can measure the local solar wind and scan the distant heliosphere without background from planets and their magnetic fields. The mission will use its suite of ten instruments to map the boundary of the heliosphere, analyze the composition of interstellar particles that make it through, and investigate how particles change as they move through the solar system. 

Furthermore, IMAP will maintain a continuous broadcast of near real-time space weather data from five instruments aboard IMAP that will be used to test new space weather prediction models and improve our understanding of effects impacting our human exploration of space. 

Team members from Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, install IMAP into the XRCF’s chamber dome before the start of the thermal vacuum test. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Princeton/Ed Whitman

While inside the Marshall facility, the spacecraft will undergo dramatic temperature changes to simulate the environment during launch, on the journey toward the Sun, and at its final orbiting point. The testing facility has multiple capabilities including a large thermal vacuum chamber which simulates the harsh conditions of space such as extreme temperatures and the near-total absence of an atmosphere. Simulating these conditions before launch allow scientists and engineers to identify successes and potential failures in the design of the spacecraft. 

Team members from Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama work to close the chamber door of the XRCF for IMAP testing. The chamber is 20 feet in diameter and 60 feet long making it one of the largest across NASA. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Princeton/Ed Whitman

“The X-ray and Cryogenic Facility was an ideal testing location for IMAP given the chamber’s size, availability, and ability to meet or exceed the required test parameters including strict contamination control, shroud temperature, and vacuum level,” said Jeff Kegley, chief of Marshall’s Science Test Branch. 

The facility’s main chamber is 20 feet in diameter and 60 feet long, making it the 5th largest thermal vacuum chamber at NASA. It’s the only chamber that is adjoined to an ISO 6 cleanroom — a controlled environment that limits the number and size of airborne particles to minimize contamination. 

The IMAP mission will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, no earlier than September. 

NASA’s IMAP mission was loaded into NASA Marshall’s XRCF thermal vacuum chamber where the spacecraft will undergo testing such as dramatic temperature changes to simulate the harsh environment of space. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Princeton/Ed Whitman Learn More about IMAP

Media Contact:

Lane Figueroa
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama
256.544.0034
lane.e.figueroa@nasa.gov

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Details Last Updated Apr 11, 2025 EditorBeth RidgewayLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms

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• Goddard Space Flight Center
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• Marshall Heliophysics & Planetary Science
• Marshall Science Research & Projects
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