NASA
NASA Seeks Industry Input on Next Phase of Commercial Space Stations
NASA is requesting feedback from American companies on the next phase of its commercial space stations strategy to ensure a seamless transition of activities in low Earth orbit from the International Space Station.
The agency released a draft Phase 2 Announcement for Partnership Proposals (AFPP) Friday, asking for feedback from industry partners by 1 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 12. NASA will hold an informational industry briefing on Monday, Sept. 8, to provide a top-level summary of the documents and expectations.
Under the direction of acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, the agency reassessed the commercial space stations acquisition strategy to ensure mission continuity, affordability, and national alignment, and to reduce the potential for a gap of a crew-capable platform in low Earth orbit.
“NASA has led in low Earth orbit for 25 years and counting. Now, as we prepare for deorbiting the International Space Station in 2030, we’re calling on our commercial space partners to maintain this historic human presence,” Duffy said. “The American space industry is booming. Insight from these innovative companies will be invaluable as we work to chart the next phase of commercial space stations.”
In Phase 2, NASA intends to support industry’s design and demonstration of commercial stations through multiple funded Space Act Agreements, selected through a full and open competition.
“NASA is committed to continuing our partnership with industry to ensure a continuity in low Earth orbit,” said Angela Hart, manager, Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “The work done under our Phase 1 contracts and agreements have put us in a prime position to be successful for this next funded Space Act Agreement phase. By leveraging these agreements, we provide additional flexibility to our commercial partners to define the best path forward to provide NASA a safe and affordable crewed demonstration.”
The Phase 2 agreements are expected to include funded milestones leading to critical design review readiness and an in-space crewed demonstration of four crew members for a minimum of 30 days. Agreements are expected to include up to a five-year period of performance.
The agency’s phased approach will culminate in a follow-on Phase 3 using Federal Acquisition Regulation-based contract(s) to purchase station services through a full and open competition. This final phase will also provide formal design acceptance and certification, ensuring the commercial stations meet NASA’s safety requirements.
NASA remains committed to fostering innovation and collaboration within the American space industry.
The agency’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit will provide the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on the next step in humanity’s exploration of the solar system while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as an ideal environment for training and a proving ground for Artemis missions to the Moon and Mars.
Learn more about commercial space stations at:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialspacestations
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Commercial Space Stations
Commercial Space News
Humans In Space
NASA Seeks Industry Input on Next Phase of Commercial Space Stations
NASA is requesting feedback from American companies on the next phase of its commercial space stations strategy to ensure a seamless transition of activities in low Earth orbit from the International Space Station.
The agency released a draft Phase 2 Announcement for Partnership Proposals (AFPP) Friday, asking for feedback from industry partners by 1 p.m. EDT Friday, Sept. 12. NASA will hold an informational industry briefing on Monday, Sept. 8, to provide a top-level summary of the documents and expectations.
Under the direction of acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, the agency reassessed the commercial space stations acquisition strategy to ensure mission continuity, affordability, and national alignment, and to reduce the potential for a gap of a crew-capable platform in low Earth orbit.
“NASA has led in low Earth orbit for 25 years and counting. Now, as we prepare for deorbiting the International Space Station in 2030, we’re calling on our commercial space partners to maintain this historic human presence,” Duffy said. “The American space industry is booming. Insight from these innovative companies will be invaluable as we work to chart the next phase of commercial space stations.”
In Phase 2, NASA intends to support industry’s design and demonstration of commercial stations through multiple funded Space Act Agreements, selected through a full and open competition.
“NASA is committed to continuing our partnership with industry to ensure a continuity in low Earth orbit,” said Angela Hart, manager, Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “The work done under our Phase 1 contracts and agreements have put us in a prime position to be successful for this next funded Space Act Agreement phase. By leveraging these agreements, we provide additional flexibility to our commercial partners to define the best path forward to provide NASA a safe and affordable crewed demonstration.”
The Phase 2 agreements are expected to include funded milestones leading to critical design review readiness and an in-space crewed demonstration of four crew members for a minimum of 30 days. Agreements are expected to include up to a five-year period of performance.
The agency’s phased approach will culminate in a follow-on Phase 3 using Federal Acquisition Regulation-based contract(s) to purchase station services through a full and open competition. This final phase will also provide formal design acceptance and certification, ensuring the commercial stations meet NASA’s safety requirements.
NASA remains committed to fostering innovation and collaboration within the American space industry.
The agency’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit will provide the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost, enabling the agency to focus on the next step in humanity’s exploration of the solar system while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as an ideal environment for training and a proving ground for Artemis missions to the Moon and Mars.
Learn more about commercial space stations at:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialspacestations
Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASALow Earth Orbit Economy
Commercial Space Stations
Commercial Space News
Humans In Space
NASA Announces CHAPEA Crew for Year-Long Mars Mission Simulation
Four research volunteers will soon participate in NASA’s year-long simulation of a Mars mission inside a habitat at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. This mission will provide NASA with foundational data to inform human exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, Matthew Montgomery, and James Spicer enter into the 1,700-square-foot Mars Dune Alpha habitat on Sunday, Oct. 19, to begin their mission. The team will live and work like astronauts for 378 days, concluding their mission on Oct. 31, 2026. Emily Phillips and Laura Marie serve as the mission’s alternate crew members.
Through a series of Earth-based missions called CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog), carried out in the 3D-printed habitat, NASA aims to evaluate certain human health and performance factors ahead of future Mars missions. The crew will undergo realistic resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays, isolation and confinement, and other stressors, along with simulated high-tempo extravehicular activities. These scenarios allow NASA to make informed trades between risks and interventions for long-duration exploration missions.
“As NASA gears up for crewed Artemis missions, CHAPEA and other ground analogs are helping to determine which capabilities could best support future crews in overcoming the human health and performance challenges of living and operating beyond Earth’s resources – all before we send humans to Mars,” said Sara Whiting, project scientist with NASA’s Human Research Program at NASA Johnson.
Crew members will carry out scientific research and operational tasks, including simulated Mars walks, growing a vegetable garden, robotic operations, and more. Technologies specifically designed for Mars and deep space exploration will also be tested, including a potable water dispenser and diagnostic medical equipment.
“The simulation will allow us to collect cognitive and physical performance data to give us more insight into the potential impacts of the resource restrictions and long-duration missions to Mars on crew health and performance,” said Grace Douglas, CHAPEA principal investigator. “Ultimately, this information will help NASA make informed decisions to design and plan for a successful human mission to Mars.”
This mission, facilitated by NASA’s Human Research Program, is the second one-year Mars surface simulation conducted through CHAPEA. The first mission concluded on July 6, 2024.
The Human Research Program pursues methods and technologies to support safe, productive human space travel. Through applied research conducted in laboratories, simulations, and aboard the International Space Station, the program investigates the effects spaceflight has on human bodies and behaviors to keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready.
Primary CrewRoss Elder, Commander
Ross Elder, from Williamstown, West Virginia, is a major and experimental test pilot in the United States Air Force. At the time of his selection, he served as the director of operations of the 461st Flight Test Squadron. He has piloted over 35 military aircraft and accumulated more than 1,800 flying hours, including 200 combat hours, primarily in the F-35, F-15E/EX, F-16, and A-10C. His flight test experience focuses on envelope expansion, crewed-uncrewed teaming, artificial intelligence, autonomy, mission systems, and weapons modernization.
Elder earned a Bachelor of Science in astronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and commissioned as an Air Force officer upon graduation. He earned a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs and a master’s degree in flight test engineering from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Ellen Ellis, Medical Officer
Ellen Ellis, from North Kingstown, Rhode Island, is a colonel and an acquisitions officer in the United States Space Force. She currently serves as a senior materiel leader in the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Communications Systems Directorate. She is responsible for fielding commercial cloud and traditional information technology hosting solutions and building modernized data centers for the NRO. She previously served as an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations officer and GPS satellite engineer, and she also developed geospatial intelligence payloads and ground processing systems.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering at Syracuse University in New York and holds four master’s degrees, including a Master of Science in systems engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in California, and a Master of Science in emergency and disaster management from Georgetown University in Washington.
Matthew Montgomery, Science Officer
Matthew Montgomery, from Los Angeles, is a hardware engineering design consultant who works with technology startup companies to develop, commercialize, and scale their products. His focus areas include LED lighting, robotics, controlled environment agriculture, and embedded control systems.
Montgomery earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Central Florida. He is also a founder and co-owner of Floating Lava Studios, a film production company based in Los Angeles.
James Spicer, Flight Engineer
James Spicer is a technical director in the aerospace and defense industry. His experience includes building radio and optical satellite communications networks; space data relay networks for human spaceflight; position, navigation, and timing research; and hands-on spacecraft design, integration, and tests.
Spicer earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in aeronautics and astronautics, and holds a Notation in Science Communication from Stanford University in California. He also holds commercial pilot and glider pilot licenses.
Emily Phillips
Emily Phillips, from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, is a captain and pilot in the United States Marine Corps. She currently serves as a forward air controller and air officer attached to an infantry battalion stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California.
Phillips earned a Bachelor of Science in computer science from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis and commissioned as a Marine Corps officer upon graduation. She attended flight school, earning her Naval Aviator wings and qualifying as an F/A-18C Hornet pilot. Phillips has completed multiple deployments to Europe and Southeast Asia.
Laura Marie
Born in the United Kingdom, Laura Marie immigrated to the U.S. in 2016. She is a commercial airline pilot specializing in flight safety, currently operating passenger flights in Washington.
Marie began her aviation career in 2019 and has amassed over 2,800 flight hours. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and a Master of Science in aeronautics from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. In addition to her Airline Transport Pilot License, she also possesses flight instructor and advanced ground instructor licenses. Outside the flight deck, Marie dedicates her time to mentoring and supporting aspiring pilots as they navigate their careers.
Living in Space
Artemis
Human Research Program
CHAPEA
NASA Announces CHAPEA Crew for Year-Long Mars Mission Simulation
Four research volunteers will soon participate in NASA’s year-long simulation of a Mars mission inside a habitat at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. This mission will provide NASA with foundational data to inform human exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, Matthew Montgomery, and James Spicer enter into the 1,700-square-foot Mars Dune Alpha habitat on Sunday, Oct. 19, to begin their mission. The team will live and work like astronauts for 378 days, concluding their mission on Oct. 31, 2026. Emily Phillips and Laura Marie serve as the mission’s alternate crew members.
Through a series of Earth-based missions called CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog), carried out in the 3D-printed habitat, NASA aims to evaluate certain human health and performance factors ahead of future Mars missions. The crew will undergo realistic resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays, isolation and confinement, and other stressors, along with simulated high-tempo extravehicular activities. These scenarios allow NASA to make informed trades between risks and interventions for long-duration exploration missions.
“As NASA gears up for crewed Artemis missions, CHAPEA and other ground analogs are helping to determine which capabilities could best support future crews in overcoming the human health and performance challenges of living and operating beyond Earth’s resources – all before we send humans to Mars,” said Sara Whiting, project scientist with NASA’s Human Research Program at NASA Johnson.
Crew members will carry out scientific research and operational tasks, including simulated Mars walks, growing a vegetable garden, robotic operations, and more. Technologies specifically designed for Mars and deep space exploration will also be tested, including a potable water dispenser and diagnostic medical equipment.
“The simulation will allow us to collect cognitive and physical performance data to give us more insight into the potential impacts of the resource restrictions and long-duration missions to Mars on crew health and performance,” said Grace Douglas, CHAPEA principal investigator. “Ultimately, this information will help NASA make informed decisions to design and plan for a successful human mission to Mars.”
This mission, facilitated by NASA’s Human Research Program, is the second one-year Mars surface simulation conducted through CHAPEA. The first mission concluded on July 6, 2024.
The Human Research Program pursues methods and technologies to support safe, productive human space travel. Through applied research conducted in laboratories, simulations, and aboard the International Space Station, the program investigates the effects spaceflight has on human bodies and behaviors to keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready.
Primary CrewRoss Elder, Commander
Ross Elder, from Williamstown, West Virginia, is a major and experimental test pilot in the United States Air Force. At the time of his selection, he served as the director of operations of the 461st Flight Test Squadron. He has piloted over 35 military aircraft and accumulated more than 1,800 flying hours, including 200 combat hours, primarily in the F-35, F-15E/EX, F-16, and A-10C. His flight test experience focuses on envelope expansion, crewed-uncrewed teaming, artificial intelligence, autonomy, mission systems, and weapons modernization.
Elder earned a Bachelor of Science in astronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and commissioned as an Air Force officer upon graduation. He earned a Master of Science in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs and a master’s degree in flight test engineering from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Ellen Ellis, Medical Officer
Ellen Ellis, from North Kingstown, Rhode Island, is a colonel and an acquisitions officer in the United States Space Force. She currently serves as a senior materiel leader in the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Communications Systems Directorate. She is responsible for fielding commercial cloud and traditional information technology hosting solutions and building modernized data centers for the NRO. She previously served as an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile operations officer and GPS satellite engineer, and she also developed geospatial intelligence payloads and ground processing systems.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering at Syracuse University in New York and holds four master’s degrees, including a Master of Science in systems engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in California, and a Master of Science in emergency and disaster management from Georgetown University in Washington.
Matthew Montgomery, Science Officer
Matthew Montgomery, from Los Angeles, is a hardware engineering design consultant who works with technology startup companies to develop, commercialize, and scale their products. His focus areas include LED lighting, robotics, controlled environment agriculture, and embedded control systems.
Montgomery earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Central Florida. He is also a founder and co-owner of Floating Lava Studios, a film production company based in Los Angeles.
James Spicer, Flight Engineer
James Spicer is a technical director in the aerospace and defense industry. His experience includes building radio and optical satellite communications networks; space data relay networks for human spaceflight; position, navigation, and timing research; and hands-on spacecraft design, integration, and tests.
Spicer earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in aeronautics and astronautics, and holds a Notation in Science Communication from Stanford University in California. He also holds commercial pilot and glider pilot licenses.
Emily Phillips
Emily Phillips, from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, is a captain and pilot in the United States Marine Corps. She currently serves as a forward air controller and air officer attached to an infantry battalion stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California.
Phillips earned a Bachelor of Science in computer science from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis and commissioned as a Marine Corps officer upon graduation. She attended flight school, earning her Naval Aviator wings and qualifying as an F/A-18C Hornet pilot. Phillips has completed multiple deployments to Europe and Southeast Asia.
Laura Marie
Born in the United Kingdom, Laura Marie immigrated to the U.S. in 2016. She is a commercial airline pilot specializing in flight safety, currently operating passenger flights in Washington.
Marie began her aviation career in 2019 and has amassed over 2,800 flight hours. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and a Master of Science in aeronautics from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. In addition to her Airline Transport Pilot License, she also possesses flight instructor and advanced ground instructor licenses. Outside the flight deck, Marie dedicates her time to mentoring and supporting aspiring pilots as they navigate their careers.
Living in Space
Artemis
Human Research Program
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Orion Mission Evaluation Room
Orion Mission Evaluation Room (MER) team member works during an Artemis II mission simulation on Aug. 19, 2025, from the new Orion MER inside the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
As NASA’s Orion spacecraft is carrying crew around the Moon on the Artemis II mission, a team of expert engineers in the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will be meticulously monitoring the spacecraft along its journey. They’ll be operating from a new space in the mission control complex built to host the Orion Mission Evaluation Room (MER). Through the success of Orion and the Artemis missions, NASA will return humanity to the Moon and prepare to land an American on the surface of Mars.
Orion Mission Evaluation Room
Orion Mission Evaluation Room (MER) team member works during an Artemis II mission simulation on Aug. 19, 2025, from the new Orion MER inside the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
As NASA’s Orion spacecraft is carrying crew around the Moon on the Artemis II mission, a team of expert engineers in the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will be meticulously monitoring the spacecraft along its journey. They’ll be operating from a new space in the mission control complex built to host the Orion Mission Evaluation Room (MER). Through the success of Orion and the Artemis missions, NASA will return humanity to the Moon and prepare to land an American on the surface of Mars.
Orion Mission Evaluation Room
NASA to Provide Coverage of Progress 93 Launch, Space Station Docking
NASA will provide live coverage of the launch and docking of a Roscosmos cargo spacecraft carrying about three tons of food, fuel, and supplies for the crew aboard the International Space Station.
The unpiloted Roscosmos Progress 93 resupply spacecraft is scheduled to launch at 11:54 a.m. EDT (8:54 p.m. Baikonur time), Thursday, Sept. 11, on a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Live coverage will begin at 11:30 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and more. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
After a two-day journey to the station, the spacecraft will dock autonomously to the aft port of the station’s Zvezda module at 1:27 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13. NASA’s rendezvous and docking coverage will begin at 12:30 p.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and more.
The Progress 93 spacecraft will remain docked to the space station for approximately six months before departing for re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere to dispose of trash loaded by the crew. Ahead of the spacecraft’s arrival, the Progress 91 spacecraft will undock from the Zvezda Service Module on Tuesday, Sept. 9. NASA will not stream the undocking.
The International Space Station is a convergence of science, technology, and human innovation enabling research not possible on Earth. For nearly 25 years, NASA has supported a continuous U.S. human presence aboard the orbiting laboratory, where astronauts have learned to live and work in space for extended periods of time. The space station is a springboard for developing a low Earth economy and NASA’s next great leaps in human exploration at the Moon and Mars.
Learn more about the International Space Station, its research, and crew, at:
-end-
Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
james.j.russell@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov
NASA to Provide Coverage of Progress 93 Launch, Space Station Docking
NASA will provide live coverage of the launch and docking of a Roscosmos cargo spacecraft carrying about three tons of food, fuel, and supplies for the crew aboard the International Space Station.
The unpiloted Roscosmos Progress 93 resupply spacecraft is scheduled to launch at 11:54 a.m. EDT (8:54 p.m. Baikonur time), Thursday, Sept. 11, on a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Live coverage will begin at 11:30 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and more. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
After a two-day journey to the station, the spacecraft will dock autonomously to the aft port of the station’s Zvezda module at 1:27 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13. NASA’s rendezvous and docking coverage will begin at 12:30 p.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and more.
The Progress 93 spacecraft will remain docked to the space station for approximately six months before departing for re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere to dispose of trash loaded by the crew. Ahead of the spacecraft’s arrival, the Progress 91 spacecraft will undock from the Zvezda Service Module on Tuesday, Sept. 9. NASA will not stream the undocking.
The International Space Station is a convergence of science, technology, and human innovation enabling research not possible on Earth. For nearly 25 years, NASA has supported a continuous U.S. human presence aboard the orbiting laboratory, where astronauts have learned to live and work in space for extended periods of time. The space station is a springboard for developing a low Earth economy and NASA’s next great leaps in human exploration at the Moon and Mars.
Learn more about the International Space Station, its research, and crew, at:
-end-
Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
james.j.russell@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov
Hubble Spies Galaxy with Lots to See
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Hubble Spies Galaxy with Lots to See This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope features the galaxy NGC 7456. ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. ThilkerWhile it may appear as just another spiral galaxy among billions in the universe, this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope reveals a galaxy with plenty to study. The galaxy, NGC 7456, is located over 51 million light-years away in the constellation Grus (the Crane).
This Hubble image reveals fine detail in the galaxy’s patchy spiral arms, followed by clumps of dark, obscuring dust. Blossoms of glowing pink are rich reservoirs of gas where new stars are forming, illuminating the clouds around them and causing the gas to emit this tell-tale red light. The Hubble observing program that collected this data focused on the galaxy’s stellar activity, tracking new stars, clouds of hydrogen, and star clusters to learn how the galaxy evolved through time.
Hubble, with its ability to capture visible, ultraviolet, and some infrared light, is not the only observatory focused on NGC 7456. ESA’s XMM-Newton satellite imaged X-rays from the galaxy on multiple occasions, discovering many so-called ultraluminous X-ray sources. These small, compact objects emit terrifically powerful X-rays, much more than researchers would expect, given their size. Astronomers are still trying to pin down what powers these extreme objects, and NGC 7456 contributes a few more examples.
The region around the galaxy’s supermassive black hole is also spectacularly bright and energetic, making NGC 7456 an active galaxy. Whether looking at its core or its outskirts, at visible light or X-rays, this galaxy has something interesting for astronomers to study!
Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubbleMedia Contact:
Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.
Science Behind the Discoveries
Hubble Design
Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge
Hubble Spies Galaxy with Lots to See
- Hubble Home
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- Impact & Benefits
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2 min read
Hubble Spies Galaxy with Lots to See This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope features the galaxy NGC 7456. ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. ThilkerWhile it may appear as just another spiral galaxy among billions in the universe, this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope reveals a galaxy with plenty to study. The galaxy, NGC 7456, is located over 51 million light-years away in the constellation Grus (the Crane).
This Hubble image reveals fine detail in the galaxy’s patchy spiral arms, followed by clumps of dark, obscuring dust. Blossoms of glowing pink are rich reservoirs of gas where new stars are forming, illuminating the clouds around them and causing the gas to emit this tell-tale red light. The Hubble observing program that collected this data focused on the galaxy’s stellar activity, tracking new stars, clouds of hydrogen, and star clusters to learn how the galaxy evolved through time.
Hubble, with its ability to capture visible, ultraviolet, and some infrared light, is not the only observatory focused on NGC 7456. ESA’s XMM-Newton satellite imaged X-rays from the galaxy on multiple occasions, discovering many so-called ultraluminous X-ray sources. These small, compact objects emit terrifically powerful X-rays, much more than researchers would expect, given their size. Astronomers are still trying to pin down what powers these extreme objects, and NGC 7456 contributes a few more examples.
The region around the galaxy’s supermassive black hole is also spectacularly bright and energetic, making NGC 7456 an active galaxy. Whether looking at its core or its outskirts, at visible light or X-rays, this galaxy has something interesting for astronomers to study!
Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubbleMedia Contact:
Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.
Science Behind the Discoveries
Hubble Design
Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge
Curiosity Blog, Sols 4641-4648: Thinking Outside and Inside the ‘Boxwork’
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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4641-4648: Thinking Outside and Inside the ‘Boxwork’ NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Left Navigation Camera on Aug. 28, 2025 — Sol 4643, or Martian day 4,643 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — at 20:45:52 UTC. NASA/JPL-CaltechWritten by Ashley Stroupe, Mission Operations Engineer and Rover Planner at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Earth planning week: Aug. 25, 2025.
This week Curiosity has been exploring the boxwork unit, investigating both the ridges and the hollows to better characterize them and understand how they may have formed. We’ve been doing lots of remote science, contact science, and driving in each plan. In addition, we have our standard daily environmental observations to look at dust in the atmosphere. We can still see distant targets like the crater rim, but temperatures will soon begin to warm up as we start moving into a dustier part of the year. And after each drive, we also use AEGIS to do some autonomous target selection for ChemCam observations. I was the arm rover planner for the 4645-4648 plan on Friday.
For Monday’s plan (sols 4641-4642), after a successful weekend drive Curiosity began on the edge of a boxwork ridge. We did a lot of imaging, including Mastcam mosaics of “El Alto,” an upturned rock near a wheel, the ridge forming the south side of the Mojo hollow, “Sauces,” our contact science target, and “Navidad,” an extension of our current workspace. We also took ChemCam LIBS of Sauces and an RMI mosaic. The rover planners did not find any bedrock large enough to brush, but did MAHLI and APXS on Sauces. Ready to drive, Curiosity drove about 15 meters (about 49 feet) around the ridge to the south and into the next hollow, named “Mojo.”
In Wednesday’s plan (sols 4643-4644), Curiosity was successfully parked in the Mojo hollow. We started with a lot of imaging, including Mastcam mosaics of the ridges around the Mojo hollow, a nearby trough and the hollow floor to look for regolith movement. We also imaged a fractured float rock named “La Laguna Verde.” ChemCam planned a LIBS target on “Corani,” a thin resistant clast sticking out of the regolith, a RMI mosaic of a target on the north ridge named “Cocotoni,” and a long-distance RMI mosaic of “Babati Mons,” a mound about 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) away that we can see peeking over the rim of Gale crater! With no bedrock in the workspace, the rover planners did MAHLI and APXS observations on a regolith target named “Tarapacá.” The 12-meter drive in this plan (about 39 feet) was challenging; driving out of the hollow and up onto the ridge required the rover to overcome tilts above 20 degrees, where the rover can experience a lot of slip. Also, with the drive late in the day, it was challenging to determine where Curiosity should be looking to track her slip using Visual Odometry without getting blinded by the sun or losing features in shadows. Making sure VO works well is particularly important on drives like this when we expect a lot of slip.
Friday’s plan, like most weekend plans, was more complex — particularly because this four-sol plan also covers the Labor Day holiday on Monday. Fortunately, the Wednesday drive was successful, and we reached the desired parking location on the ridge south of Mojo for imaging and contact science. The included image looks back over the rover’s shoulder, where we can see the ridge and hollow. We took a lot of imaging looking at hollows and the associated ridges. We are taking a Mastcam mosaic of “Jorginho Cove,” a target covering the ridge we are parked on and the next hollow to the south, “Pica,” a float rock that is grayish in color, and a ridge/hollow pair named “Laguna Colorada.” We also take ChemCam LIBS observations of Pica and two light-toned pieces of bedrock named “Tin Tin” and ”Olca.” ChemCam takes RMI observations of “Briones,” which is a channel on the crater rim, “La Serena,” some linear features in the crater wall, and a channel that feeds into the Peace Vallis fan.
After a week of fairly simple arm targets, the rover planners had a real challenge with this workspace. The rocks were mostly too small and too rough to brush, but we did find one spot after a lot of looking. We did DRT, APXS, and MAHLI on this spot, named “San Jose,” and also did MAHLI and APXS on another rock named “Malla Qullu.” This last drive of the week is about 15 meters (about 49 feet) following along a ridge and then driving onto a nearby one.
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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4641-4648: Thinking Outside and Inside the ‘Boxwork’
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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4641-4648: Thinking Outside and Inside the ‘Boxwork’ NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image using its Left Navigation Camera on Aug. 28, 2025 — Sol 4643, or Martian day 4,643 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — at 20:45:52 UTC. NASA/JPL-CaltechWritten by Ashley Stroupe, Mission Operations Engineer and Rover Planner at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Earth planning week: Aug. 25, 2025.
This week Curiosity has been exploring the boxwork unit, investigating both the ridges and the hollows to better characterize them and understand how they may have formed. We’ve been doing lots of remote science, contact science, and driving in each plan. In addition, we have our standard daily environmental observations to look at dust in the atmosphere. We can still see distant targets like the crater rim, but temperatures will soon begin to warm up as we start moving into a dustier part of the year. And after each drive, we also use AEGIS to do some autonomous target selection for ChemCam observations. I was the arm rover planner for the 4645-4648 plan on Friday.
For Monday’s plan (sols 4641-4642), after a successful weekend drive Curiosity began on the edge of a boxwork ridge. We did a lot of imaging, including Mastcam mosaics of “El Alto,” an upturned rock near a wheel, the ridge forming the south side of the Mojo hollow, “Sauces,” our contact science target, and “Navidad,” an extension of our current workspace. We also took ChemCam LIBS of Sauces and an RMI mosaic. The rover planners did not find any bedrock large enough to brush, but did MAHLI and APXS on Sauces. Ready to drive, Curiosity drove about 15 meters (about 49 feet) around the ridge to the south and into the next hollow, named “Mojo.”
In Wednesday’s plan (sols 4643-4644), Curiosity was successfully parked in the Mojo hollow. We started with a lot of imaging, including Mastcam mosaics of the ridges around the Mojo hollow, a nearby trough and the hollow floor to look for regolith movement. We also imaged a fractured float rock named “La Laguna Verde.” ChemCam planned a LIBS target on “Corani,” a thin resistant clast sticking out of the regolith, a RMI mosaic of a target on the north ridge named “Cocotoni,” and a long-distance RMI mosaic of “Babati Mons,” a mound about 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) away that we can see peeking over the rim of Gale crater! With no bedrock in the workspace, the rover planners did MAHLI and APXS observations on a regolith target named “Tarapacá.” The 12-meter drive in this plan (about 39 feet) was challenging; driving out of the hollow and up onto the ridge required the rover to overcome tilts above 20 degrees, where the rover can experience a lot of slip. Also, with the drive late in the day, it was challenging to determine where Curiosity should be looking to track her slip using Visual Odometry without getting blinded by the sun or losing features in shadows. Making sure VO works well is particularly important on drives like this when we expect a lot of slip.
Friday’s plan, like most weekend plans, was more complex — particularly because this four-sol plan also covers the Labor Day holiday on Monday. Fortunately, the Wednesday drive was successful, and we reached the desired parking location on the ridge south of Mojo for imaging and contact science. The included image looks back over the rover’s shoulder, where we can see the ridge and hollow. We took a lot of imaging looking at hollows and the associated ridges. We are taking a Mastcam mosaic of “Jorginho Cove,” a target covering the ridge we are parked on and the next hollow to the south, “Pica,” a float rock that is grayish in color, and a ridge/hollow pair named “Laguna Colorada.” We also take ChemCam LIBS observations of Pica and two light-toned pieces of bedrock named “Tin Tin” and ”Olca.” ChemCam takes RMI observations of “Briones,” which is a channel on the crater rim, “La Serena,” some linear features in the crater wall, and a channel that feeds into the Peace Vallis fan.
After a week of fairly simple arm targets, the rover planners had a real challenge with this workspace. The rocks were mostly too small and too rough to brush, but we did find one spot after a lot of looking. We did DRT, APXS, and MAHLI on this spot, named “San Jose,” and also did MAHLI and APXS on another rock named “Malla Qullu.” This last drive of the week is about 15 meters (about 49 feet) following along a ridge and then driving onto a nearby one.
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