NASA
NASA Astronaut Chris Williams to Discuss Upcoming Launch, Mission
NASA will host a news conference at 2 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Oct. 1, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to highlight the upcoming mission of astronaut Chris Williams to the International Space Station.
The news conference will stream live on NASA’s website and YouTube channel. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
The Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft, targeted to launch Nov. 27 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, will carry Williams on his first flight, as well as Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev of Roscosmos, to the space station for an eight-month mission as part of Expeditions 73/74.
Media interested in participating must contact the newsroom at NASA Johnson no later than 5 p.m., Monday, Sept. 29, at 281-483-5111 or jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is online. Media interested in participating by phone must contact the Johnson newsroom by 10 a.m. the day of the event.
Selected as a candidate in 2021, Williams graduated with the 23rd astronaut class in 2024. He began training for his first space station flight assignment immediately after completing initial astronaut candidate training.
Williams was born in New York City, and considers Potomac, Maryland, his hometown. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Stanford University in California and a doctorate in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, where his research focused on astrophysics. Williams completed medical physics residency training at Harvard Medical School in Boston. He was working as a clinical physicist and researcher at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston when he was selected as an astronaut candidate.
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 under the Artemis campaign and Mars.
Learn more about the International Space Station:
https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station
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Jimi Russell / Joshua Finch
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
james.j.russell@nasa.gov / joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Shaneequa Vereen
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
shaneequa.y.vereen@nasa.gov
NASA Astronaut Chris Williams to Discuss Upcoming Launch, Mission
NASA will host a news conference at 2 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Oct. 1, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to highlight the upcoming mission of astronaut Chris Williams to the International Space Station.
The news conference will stream live on NASA’s website and YouTube channel. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
The Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft, targeted to launch Nov. 27 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, will carry Williams on his first flight, as well as Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Mikaev of Roscosmos, to the space station for an eight-month mission as part of Expeditions 73/74.
Media interested in participating must contact the newsroom at NASA Johnson no later than 5 p.m., Monday, Sept. 29, at 281-483-5111 or jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is online. Media interested in participating by phone must contact the Johnson newsroom by 10 a.m. the day of the event.
Selected as a candidate in 2021, Williams graduated with the 23rd astronaut class in 2024. He began training for his first space station flight assignment immediately after completing initial astronaut candidate training.
Williams was born in New York City, and considers Potomac, Maryland, his hometown. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Stanford University in California and a doctorate in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, where his research focused on astrophysics. Williams completed medical physics residency training at Harvard Medical School in Boston. He was working as a clinical physicist and researcher at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston when he was selected as an astronaut candidate.
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 under the Artemis campaign and Mars.
Learn more about the International Space Station:
https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station
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Jimi Russell / Joshua Finch
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
james.j.russell@nasa.gov / joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Shaneequa Vereen
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
shaneequa.y.vereen@nasa.gov
NASA Glenn Reinforces Role in Aerospace Innovation During Ohio Space Week
Ohio Space Week, Sept. 8–13, highlighted the state’s aerospace legacy and the role NASA’s Glenn Research Center has in advancing space technology.
The week kicked off with the American Astronautical Society’s Glenn Space Technology Symposium, Sept. 8–10, hosted by Case Western Reserve University. Experts, students, and industry leaders gathered to discuss emerging space technologies. NASA Glenn Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon delivered opening remarks, and astronaut Doug “Wheels” Wheelock gave a keynote on his spaceflight experience.
On Sept. 11, Team NEO hosted the Sixth Annual Ohio Space Forum at NASA Glenn, bringing together leaders from aerospace, government, academia, and research. The forum spotlighted Ohio’s leadership in space innovation, including advances in nuclear electric and nuclear thermal propulsion. Key participants included NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams, several local and state officials, and other community partners. 3News Chief Meteorologist Betsy Kling emceed the event.
The City Club of Cleveland welcomed astronauts Williams and Wheelock for a presentation to the local community, Sept. 11, and Cleveland Guardians fans cheered as Williams threw out the first pitch during the game at Progressive Field later that day.
NASA Glenn experts conduct a wind tunnel demonstration using a portable wind tunnel for visitors during Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Visitors view items that are part of the “Evolution of the Spacesuit” exhibit during Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Astronaut Sunita Williams has fun on the sidelines before she throws out the first pitch prior to a Guardians game at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel A family takes a photo with Astronaut Doug Wheelock during Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Two young visitors at Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, share the NASA spotlight. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Guests interact with several aeronautics-focused exhibits in the Great Lakes Science Center promenade area on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, during Discovery Days.Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel NASA Astronauts Doug Wheelock, left, and Sunita Willams at The City Club of Cleveland luncheon on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. NASA Glenn Center Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon stands at the podium and addresses the audience. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Using the Lunar Habitat Power Grid model, NASA Glenn Research Center experts demonstrate how payloads will need power to achieve a viable human presence on the Moon during Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel NASA Glenn Research Center’s astronaut mascot stands behind the NASA worm logo during Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel During Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, NASA Glenn Research Center experts share with visitors about primary fuel cells, which convert propellants into electricity, and regenerative fuel cells, which store electrical energy like rechargeable batteries.Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Astronaut Sunita Williams talks with students in Great Lakes Science Center’s DOME Theater during Discovery Days in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Left to right: Moderator Brian Miske, Americas Space Leader, KPMG radio, with panelists Amit Kshatriya, NASA associate administrator; Jacki Cortese, senior director, Civil Space: Blue Origin; and Robert Lightfoot, president, Lockheed Martin Space (former NASA associate administrator) discuss balancing innovation, risk, and readiness in space during the Ohio Space Forum. Credit: NASA/Jef JanisDiscovery Days, the capstone of Ohio Space Week, welcomed nearly 5,000 visitors to Cleveland’s Great Lakes Science Center — home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center — on Sept. 12–13. This immersive event brought NASA beyond its gates and into the community, offering the public a firsthand look at major missions and cutting-edge technology.
Visitors explored interactive demonstrations and exhibits led by NASA Glenn experts, highlighting innovations that support NASA’s Artemis missions and future exploration of Mars and beyond, including developments in power, propulsion, and communications.
The astronauts were on hand during Discovery Days to talk with students and guests – inspiring the next generation of explorers through direct engagement and storytelling.
From the Wright brothers’ first flight to pioneering advancements in space exploration, Ohio has been at the forefront of aerospace innovation for generations. Ohio Space Week celebrated these deep-rooted contributions to the aeronautics and space industries, highlighting the people, institutions, and businesses that continue to shape the future of flight and exploration.
Return to Newsletter Explore More 3 min read NASA Glenn’s AeroSpace Frontiers Newsletter Takes a Bow Article 14 hours ago 1 min read Glenn Highlights Space Exploration at Minnesota State Fair Article 14 hours ago 2 min read NASA Names Glenn’s Steven Sinacore to Lead Fission Surface Power Article 14 hours agoNASA Glenn Reinforces Role in Aerospace Innovation During Ohio Space Week
Ohio Space Week, Sept. 8–13, highlighted the state’s aerospace legacy and the role NASA’s Glenn Research Center has in advancing space technology.
The week kicked off with the American Astronautical Society’s Glenn Space Technology Symposium, Sept. 8–10, hosted by Case Western Reserve University. Experts, students, and industry leaders gathered to discuss emerging space technologies. NASA Glenn Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon delivered opening remarks, and astronaut Doug “Wheels” Wheelock gave a keynote on his spaceflight experience.
On Sept. 11, Team NEO hosted the Sixth Annual Ohio Space Forum at NASA Glenn, bringing together leaders from aerospace, government, academia, and research. The forum spotlighted Ohio’s leadership in space innovation, including advances in nuclear electric and nuclear thermal propulsion. Key participants included NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams, several local and state officials, and other community partners. 3News Chief Meteorologist Betsy Kling emceed the event.
The City Club of Cleveland welcomed astronauts Williams and Wheelock for a presentation to the local community, Sept. 11, and Cleveland Guardians fans cheered as Williams threw out the first pitch during the game at Progressive Field later that day.
NASA Glenn experts conduct a wind tunnel demonstration using a portable wind tunnel for visitors during Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Visitors view items that are part of the “Evolution of the Spacesuit” exhibit during Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Astronaut Sunita Williams has fun on the sidelines before she throws out the first pitch prior to a Guardians game at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel A family takes a photo with Astronaut Doug Wheelock during Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Two young visitors at Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, share the NASA spotlight. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Guests interact with several aeronautics-focused exhibits in the Great Lakes Science Center promenade area on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, during Discovery Days.Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel NASA Astronauts Doug Wheelock, left, and Sunita Willams at The City Club of Cleveland luncheon on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. NASA Glenn Center Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon stands at the podium and addresses the audience. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Using the Lunar Habitat Power Grid model, NASA Glenn Research Center experts demonstrate how payloads will need power to achieve a viable human presence on the Moon during Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025.Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel NASA Glenn Research Center’s astronaut mascot stands behind the NASA worm logo during Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel During Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, NASA Glenn Research Center experts share with visitors about primary fuel cells, which convert propellants into electricity, and regenerative fuel cells, which store electrical energy like rechargeable batteries.Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Astronaut Sunita Williams talks with students in Great Lakes Science Center’s DOME Theater during Discovery Days in Cleveland on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel Left to right: Moderator Brian Miske, Americas Space Leader, KPMG radio, with panelists Amit Kshatriya, NASA associate administrator; Jacki Cortese, senior director, Civil Space: Blue Origin; and Robert Lightfoot, president, Lockheed Martin Space (former NASA associate administrator) discuss balancing innovation, risk, and readiness in space during the Ohio Space Forum. Credit: NASA/Jef JanisDiscovery Days, the capstone of Ohio Space Week, welcomed nearly 5,000 visitors to Cleveland’s Great Lakes Science Center — home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center — on Sept. 12–13. This immersive event brought NASA beyond its gates and into the community, offering the public a firsthand look at major missions and cutting-edge technology.
Visitors explored interactive demonstrations and exhibits led by NASA Glenn experts, highlighting innovations that support NASA’s Artemis missions and future exploration of Mars and beyond, including developments in power, propulsion, and communications.
The astronauts were on hand during Discovery Days to talk with students and guests – inspiring the next generation of explorers through direct engagement and storytelling.
From the Wright brothers’ first flight to pioneering advancements in space exploration, Ohio has been at the forefront of aerospace innovation for generations. Ohio Space Week celebrated these deep-rooted contributions to the aeronautics and space industries, highlighting the people, institutions, and businesses that continue to shape the future of flight and exploration.
Return to Newsletter Explore More 3 min read NASA Glenn’s AeroSpace Frontiers Newsletter Takes a Bow Article 11 hours ago 1 min read Glenn Highlights Space Exploration at Minnesota State Fair Article 11 hours ago 2 min read NASA Names Glenn’s Steven Sinacore to Lead Fission Surface Power Article 11 hours agoNASA Glenn’s AeroSpace Frontiers Newsletter Takes a Bow
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)Since April 1999, the AeroSpace Frontiers (AF) newsletter has shared information monthly on NASA Glenn Research Center’s people, projects, and progress. If you were looking for news on any of these topics, there was a good chance you could read all about them in AF each month.
The newsletter has evolved in the last 26 years, changing with the times, to improve how and when we communicate with our audiences. From updating the hard copy layout to offering the issue online, we adjusted and enhanced AF to meet our customers’ needs.
As methods of sharing news and information are now available that allow us to reach you sooner, we are shifting our focus to these platforms and discontinuing our monthly newsletter. This September issue will be our last.
We hope you’ll stay connected with us through our official website and social media channels: Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. We thank you for your readership!
Before closing, we want to celebrate and reflect on the newsletter’s remarkable tenure (and interesting names) over the years.
Credit: NASAThe Story Behind the Name: A Look Back
While the center published a newsletter continually (with a brief pause in the early 1960s) since its opening in 1942, its name, layout, and content evolved over the decades. It began in 1942 as Wing Tips, an internal biweekly newsletter, and was later renamed Orbit in October 1958 as the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics transitioned to NASA. In 1961, the center paused the newsletter’s publication to focus its resources on the early space program.
The publication reemerged in 1964 as Lewis News and expanded to a larger newsletter format in 1969, in conjunction with the Apollo 11 Moon landing. This format continued until 1995, when Lewis News moved to a monthly schedule with expanded, but physically smaller, issues as part of an overall effort to reduce spending.
Then, in 1999 – prior to the center being renamed NASA’s John H. Glenn Research Center – employees and center management were surveyed for a new newsletter title that would not be tied to future changes in research activities or center names. The group selected AeroSpace Frontiers to represent the modernization of the newsletter’s appearance and its expanded subject matter. It was now a monthly news magazine that included a variety of graphics and photographs, as well as additional content that addressed audiences beyond the center.
About Our Amazing Editor Portrait of editor Doreen Zudell, taken in 1990 at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. At that time, the center newsletter was known as Lewis News.Credit: NASADoreen Zudell has served as the editor of AeroSpace Frontiers (AF) since the first issue in 1999 and has been a driving force behind the publication ever since. In addition to writing and editing stories each month, she also has navigated many format changes over the years.
Editor Doreen Zudell interviews NASA astronaut Doug Wheelock at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland in 2019.Credit: NASA/Marvin Smith“We appreciate Doreen’s knowledge, experience, and passion for sharing Glenn’s news and accomplishments with AF readers,” said NASA Glenn Office of Communications Director Kristen Parker. “Her compassion, journalistic flair, and dedication to putting employees’ needs first is evident in everything she does.”
Return to Newsletter Explore More 2 min read NASA Glenn Reinforces Role in Aerospace Innovation During Ohio Space Week Article 14 hours ago 1 min read Glenn Highlights Space Exploration at Minnesota State Fair Article 14 hours ago 2 min read NASA Names Glenn’s Steven Sinacore to Lead Fission Surface Power Article 14 hours agoNASA Glenn’s AeroSpace Frontiers Newsletter Takes a Bow
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)Since April 1999, the AeroSpace Frontiers (AF) newsletter has shared information monthly on NASA Glenn Research Center’s people, projects, and progress. If you were looking for news on any of these topics, there was a good chance you could read all about them in AF each month.
The newsletter has evolved in the last 26 years, changing with the times, to improve how and when we communicate with our audiences. From updating the hard copy layout to offering the issue online, we adjusted and enhanced AF to meet our customers’ needs.
As methods of sharing news and information are now available that allow us to reach you sooner, we are shifting our focus to these platforms and discontinuing our monthly newsletter. This September issue will be our last.
We hope you’ll stay connected with us through our official website and social media channels: Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. We thank you for your readership!
Before closing, we want to celebrate and reflect on the newsletter’s remarkable tenure (and interesting names) over the years.
Credit: NASAThe Story Behind the Name: A Look Back
While the center published a newsletter continually (with a brief pause in the early 1960s) since its opening in 1942, its name, layout, and content evolved over the decades. It began in 1942 as Wing Tips, an internal biweekly newsletter, and was later renamed Orbit in October 1958 as the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics transitioned to NASA. In 1961, the center paused the newsletter’s publication to focus its resources on the early space program.
The publication reemerged in 1964 as Lewis News and expanded to a larger newsletter format in 1969, in conjunction with the Apollo 11 Moon landing. This format continued until 1995, when Lewis News moved to a monthly schedule with expanded, but physically smaller, issues as part of an overall effort to reduce spending.
Then, in 1999 – prior to the center being renamed NASA’s John H. Glenn Research Center – employees and center management were surveyed for a new newsletter title that would not be tied to future changes in research activities or center names. The group selected AeroSpace Frontiers to represent the modernization of the newsletter’s appearance and its expanded subject matter. It was now a monthly news magazine that included a variety of graphics and photographs, as well as additional content that addressed audiences beyond the center.
About Our Amazing Editor Portrait of editor Doreen Zudell, taken in 1990 at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. At that time, the center newsletter was known as Lewis News.Credit: NASADoreen Zudell has served as the editor of AeroSpace Frontiers (AF) since the first issue in 1999 and has been a driving force behind the publication ever since. In addition to writing and editing stories each month, she also has navigated many format changes over the years.
Editor Doreen Zudell interviews NASA astronaut Doug Wheelock at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland in 2019.Credit: NASA/Marvin Smith“We appreciate Doreen’s knowledge, experience, and passion for sharing Glenn’s news and accomplishments with AF readers,” said NASA Glenn Office of Communications Director Kristen Parker. “Her compassion, journalistic flair, and dedication to putting employees’ needs first is evident in everything she does.”
Return to Newsletter Explore More 2 min read NASA Glenn Reinforces Role in Aerospace Innovation During Ohio Space Week Article 11 hours ago 1 min read Glenn Highlights Space Exploration at Minnesota State Fair Article 11 hours ago 2 min read NASA Names Glenn’s Steven Sinacore to Lead Fission Surface Power Article 11 hours agoGlenn Highlights Space Exploration at Minnesota State Fair
1 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Visitors at the Minnesota State Fair get an up-close look at a Moon rock on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. Credit: NASA/Christopher RichardsNASA brought the excitement of space exploration to the Minnesota State Fair from Aug. 21–24, offering exhibits and interactive experiences for the whole family. Led by NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, the agency showcased the future of space exploration and the technologies making it possible — from next-generation spacesuits to the Artemis missions that will return humans to the Moon.
A major attraction was Glenn’s “Suits and Boots” exhibit, along with an Apollo 15 Moon rock, which drew large crowds to the North End Event Center. Glenn staff, joined by Mike Lammers, deputy chief of the Flight Director’s Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, engaged with both media and fairgoers to highlight spacesuit advancements, Glenn’s unique role as the only NASA center in the Midwest, and upcoming plans for returning to the Moon and journeying to Mars through Artemis.
Mike Lammers, Minnesota native and deputy chief of the Flight Director’s Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, talks with visitors at the Minnesota State Fair on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. Credit: NASA/Christopher RichardsThe team reached an estimated 57,000 people directly, with additional exposure through traditional and social media efforts.
Return to Newsletter Explore More 2 min read NASA Glenn Reinforces Role in Aerospace Innovation During Ohio Space Week Article 14 hours ago 3 min read NASA Glenn’s AeroSpace Frontiers Newsletter Takes a Bow Article 14 hours ago 2 min read NASA Names Glenn’s Steven Sinacore to Lead Fission Surface Power Article 14 hours agoGlenn Highlights Space Exploration at Minnesota State Fair
1 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Visitors at the Minnesota State Fair get an up-close look at a Moon rock on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. Credit: NASA/Christopher RichardsNASA brought the excitement of space exploration to the Minnesota State Fair from Aug. 21–24, offering exhibits and interactive experiences for the whole family. Led by NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, the agency showcased the future of space exploration and the technologies making it possible — from next-generation spacesuits to the Artemis missions that will return humans to the Moon.
A major attraction was Glenn’s “Suits and Boots” exhibit, along with an Apollo 15 Moon rock, which drew large crowds to the North End Event Center. Glenn staff, joined by Mike Lammers, deputy chief of the Flight Director’s Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, engaged with both media and fairgoers to highlight spacesuit advancements, Glenn’s unique role as the only NASA center in the Midwest, and upcoming plans for returning to the Moon and journeying to Mars through Artemis.
Mike Lammers, Minnesota native and deputy chief of the Flight Director’s Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, talks with visitors at the Minnesota State Fair on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. Credit: NASA/Christopher RichardsThe team reached an estimated 57,000 people directly, with additional exposure through traditional and social media efforts.
Return to Newsletter Explore More 2 min read NASA Glenn Reinforces Role in Aerospace Innovation During Ohio Space Week Article 11 hours ago 3 min read NASA Glenn’s AeroSpace Frontiers Newsletter Takes a Bow Article 11 hours ago 2 min read NASA Names Glenn’s Steven Sinacore to Lead Fission Surface Power Article 11 hours agoNASA Awards Atmosphere Research Support Contract
NASA has selected Science and Technology Corp. of Columbia, Maryland, to support atmospheric science research and development at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The Atmosphere Support is a cost-plus-fixed-fee, single-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum ordering value of $163.1 million. The contract will have an effective date of Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, for a period of five years.
Under the contract, the awardee will assist NASA Goddard’s Earth Science Division with all atmospheric science research and development and will conduct a comprehensive atmospheric science research and technology development program directed toward observing, monitoring, characterizing, modeling, understanding, and advancing knowledge of the Earth’s atmosphere.
For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
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Tiernan Doyle
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
tiernan.doyle@nasa.gov
Robert Garner
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
301-286-5687
rob.garner@nasa.gov
NASA Awards Company to Attempt Swift Spacecraft Orbit Boost
Driving rapid innovation in the American space industry, NASA has awarded Katalyst Space Technologies of Flagstaff, Arizona, a contract to raise a spacecraft’s orbit. Katalyst’s robotic servicing spacecraft will rendezvous with NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory and raise it to a higher altitude, demonstrating a key capability for the future of space exploration and extending the Swift mission’s science lifetime.
NASA’s Swift launched in 2004 to explore the universe’s most powerful explosions, called gamma-ray bursts. The spacecraft’s low Earth orbit has been decaying gradually, which happens to satellites over time. However, because of recent increases in the Sun’s activity, Swift is experiencing more atmospheric drag than anticipated, speeding up its orbital decay. While NASA could have allowed the observatory to reenter Earth’s atmosphere, as many missions do at the end of their lifetimes, Swift’s lowering orbit presents an opportunity to advance American spacecraft servicing technology.
“This industry collaboration to boost Swift’s orbit is just one of many ways NASA works for the nation every day,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “By moving quickly to pursue innovative commercial solutions, we’re further developing the space industry and strengthening American space leadership. This daring mission also will demonstrate our ability to go from concept to implementation in less than a year — a rapid-response capability important for our future in space as we send humans back to the Moon under the Artemis campaign, to Mars, and beyond.”
The orbit boost is targeted for spring 2026, though NASA will continue to monitor any changes in solar activity that may impact this target timeframe. A successful Swift boost would be the first time a commercial robotic spacecraft captures a government satellite that is uncrewed, or not originally designed to be serviced in space.
“Given how quickly Swift’s orbit is decaying, we are in a race against the clock, but by leveraging commercial technologies that are already in development, we are meeting this challenge head-on,” said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director, Astrophysics Division, NASA Headquarters. “This is a forward-leaning, risk-tolerant approach for NASA. But attempting an orbit boost is both more affordable than replacing Swift’s capabilities with a new mission, and beneficial to the nation — expanding the use of satellite servicing to a new and broader class of spacecraft.”
Swift leads NASA’s fleet of space telescopes in studying changes in the high-energy universe. When a rapid, sudden event takes place in the cosmos, Swift serves as a “dispatcher,” providing critical information that allows other “first responder” missions to follow up to learn more about how the universe works. For more than two decades, Swift has led NASA’s missions in providing new insights on these events, together broadening our understanding of everything from exploding stars, stellar flares, and eruptions in active galaxies, to comets and asteroids in our own solar system and high-energy lightning events on Earth.
NASA has awarded Katalyst $30 million to move forward with implementation under a Phase III award as an existing participant in NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, managed by the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. This approach allowed NASA to pursue an orbit boost for Swift on a shorter development timeline than would otherwise be possible, given the rapid rate at which Swift’s orbit is decaying.
“America’s space economy is brimming with cutting-edge solutions, and opportunities like this allow NASA to tap into them for real-world challenges,” said Clayton Turner, associate administrator, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters. “Orbital decay is a common, natural occurrence for satellites, and this collaboration may open the door to extending the life of more spacecraft in the future. By working with industry, NASA fosters rapid, agile technology development, advancing capabilities to benefit the missions of today and unlock the discoveries of tomorrow.”
The NASA SBIR program is part of America’s Seed Fund, the nation’s largest source of early-stage, non-dilutive funding for innovative technologies. Through this program, entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses with less than 500 employees can receive funding and non-monetary support to build, mature, and commercialize their technologies, advancing NASA missions and helping solve important challenges facing our country.
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the Swift mission in collaboration with Penn State, the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, and Northrop Grumman Space Systems in Dulles, Virginia. Other partners include the UK Space Agency, University of Leicester and Mullard Space Science Laboratory in the United Kingdom, Brera Observatory in Italy, and the Italian Space Agency.
To learn more about the Swift mission, visit:
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Alise Fisher / Jasmine Hopkins
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-2546 / 321-432-4624
alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov / jasmine.s.hopkins@nasa.gov
NASA Highlights Space Innovation, Exploration at Space Conference
Led by acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, an agency delegation will participate in the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney, Australia, from Sunday, Sept. 28 to Friday, Oct. 3.
The IAC, organized by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), is hosted this year by the Space Industry Association of Australia.
During the congress, NASA will highlight America’s leadership in human exploration to the Moon and Mars, responsible exploration under the Artemis Accords, and support for the commercial space sector in the Golden Age of innovation and exploration.
To view select events, visit the IAF YouTube channel, onsite at International Convention Centre Sydney, and across social media channels, including NASA updates on @SecDuffyNASA and @NASA X accounts.
Sunday, Sept. 28
- 11:45 p.m. EDT (Monday, Sept. 29, 1:45 p.m. AEST): “One-to-One with Global Space Leaders” plenary featuring Duffy
Monday, Sept. 29
- 11:45 p.m. EDT (Tuesday, Sept. 30, 1:45 p.m. AEST): “Learning to Live on Another World: The International Community’s Return to the Moon” plenary featuring Nujoud Merancy, deputy associate administrator of the Strategy and Architecture Office, NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate
- 8:15 p.m. EDT (Sept. 30, 10:15 a.m. AEST): “From Low Earth Orbit to Lunar: Delivering Sustainable Innovation in Space” forum featuring Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator, NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program
- 8:15 p.m. EDT (Sept. 30, 10:15 a.m. AEST): “Early Warnings for All – From Satellites to Action” special session featuring Karen St. Germain, division director, Earth Science Division, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate
Tuesday, Sept. 30
- 1 a.m. EDT (3 p.m. AEST): “The Artemis Accords: Safe, Sustainable, and Transparent Space Exploration” special session featuring NASA Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails
Wednesday, Oct. 1
- 7 p.m. EDT (Thursday, Oct. 2, 9 a.m. AEST): “Space Sustainability: Regional Priorities, Global Responsibility” plenary featuring Alvin Drew, lead, NASA space sustainability and acting director, Space Operations Mission Directorate’s Cross-Directorate Technical Integration Office
Thursday, Oct. 2
- 9:35 p.m. EDT (Friday, Oct. 3, 11:35 a.m. AEST): “25 Years of the International Space Station: Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow” special session with Robyn Gatens, director, International Space Station and acting director, Commercial Spaceflight division, Space Operations Mission Directorate
A full agenda for this year’s IAC is available online.
Members of the media registered for IAC will have an opportunity to meet with NASA leadership. To register, media must apply through the IAC website.
Monday, Sept. 29
- 3:15 a.m. EDT (5:15 p.m. AEST): Artemis Accords media briefing with Duffy, Head of Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo, and UAE Minister of Sports and Chairman of UAE Space Agency Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi
In addition to the events outlined above, NASA will have an exhibit featuring the agency’s cutting-edge contributions to space exploration, including its science and technology missions. NASA will host subject matter expert talks throughout the week at the exhibit.
NASA’s exhibit booth number is 132, and will be located in hall one of the International Convention Centre Sydney.
To learn more about NASA international partnerships, visit:
-end-
Bethany Stevens / Elizabeth Shaw
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
bethany.c.stevens@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov
NASA Highlights Space Innovation, Exploration at Space Conference
Led by acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, an agency delegation will participate in the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Sydney, Australia, from Sunday, Sept. 28 to Friday, Oct. 3.
The IAC, organized by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), is hosted this year by the Space Industry Association of Australia.
During the congress, NASA will highlight America’s leadership in human exploration to the Moon and Mars, responsible exploration under the Artemis Accords, and support for the commercial space sector in the Golden Age of innovation and exploration.
To view select events, visit the IAF YouTube channel, onsite at International Convention Centre Sydney, and across social media channels, including NASA updates on @SecDuffyNASA and @NASA X accounts.
Sunday, Sept. 28
- 11:45 p.m. EDT (Monday, Sept. 29, 1:45 p.m. AEST): “One-to-One with Global Space Leaders” plenary featuring Duffy
Monday, Sept. 29
- 11:45 p.m. EDT (Tuesday, Sept. 30, 1:45 p.m. AEST): “Learning to Live on Another World: The International Community’s Return to the Moon” plenary featuring Nujoud Merancy, deputy associate administrator of the Strategy and Architecture Office, NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate
- 8:15 p.m. EDT (Sept. 30, 10:15 a.m. AEST): “From Low Earth Orbit to Lunar: Delivering Sustainable Innovation in Space” forum featuring Kevin Coggins, deputy associate administrator, NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Program
- 8:15 p.m. EDT (Sept. 30, 10:15 a.m. AEST): “Early Warnings for All – From Satellites to Action” special session featuring Karen St. Germain, division director, Earth Science Division, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate
Tuesday, Sept. 30
- 1 a.m. EDT (3 p.m. AEST): “The Artemis Accords: Safe, Sustainable, and Transparent Space Exploration” special session featuring NASA Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails
Wednesday, Oct. 1
- 7 p.m. EDT (Thursday, Oct. 2, 9 a.m. AEST): “Space Sustainability: Regional Priorities, Global Responsibility” plenary featuring Alvin Drew, lead, NASA space sustainability and acting director, Space Operations Mission Directorate’s Cross-Directorate Technical Integration Office
Thursday, Oct. 2
- 9:35 p.m. EDT (Friday, Oct. 3, 11:35 a.m. AEST): “25 Years of the International Space Station: Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow” special session with Robyn Gatens, director, International Space Station and acting director, Commercial Spaceflight division, Space Operations Mission Directorate
A full agenda for this year’s IAC is available online.
Members of the media registered for IAC will have an opportunity to meet with NASA leadership. To register, media must apply through the IAC website.
Monday, Sept. 29
- 3:15 a.m. EDT (5:15 p.m. AEST): Artemis Accords media briefing with Duffy, Head of Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo, and UAE Minister of Sports and Chairman of UAE Space Agency Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi
In addition to the events outlined above, NASA will have an exhibit featuring the agency’s cutting-edge contributions to space exploration, including its science and technology missions. NASA will host subject matter expert talks throughout the week at the exhibit.
NASA’s exhibit booth number is 132, and will be located in hall one of the International Convention Centre Sydney.
To learn more about NASA international partnerships, visit:
-end-
Bethany Stevens / Elizabeth Shaw
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
bethany.c.stevens@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov
NASA’s Astrobee Robots Advance Through Strategic Partnership
(Bottom) NASA astronaut McClain poses with Astrobee robots Bumble (left) and Honey during their latest on orbit activity in May, 2025. NASA
NASA is continuing the Astrobee mission through a collaboration with Arkisys, Inc., of Los Alamitos, California, who was awarded a reimbursable Space Act Agreement to sustain and maintain the robotic platform aboard the International Space Station. As the agency returns astronauts to the Moon, robotic helpers like Astrobee could one day take over routine maintenance tasks and support future spacecraft at the Moon and Mars without relying on humans for continuous operation.
In March, the agency issued a call for partnership proposals to support its ongoing space research initiatives. Arkisys was selected to maintain the platform and continue enabling partners to use the Astrobee system as a means to experiment with new technologies in the microgravity environment of the space station.
NASA launched the Astrobee mission to the space station in 2018. Since then, the free-flying robots have marked multiple first-in-space milestones for robots working alongside astronauts to accomplish spacecraft monitoring, alert simulations, and more in partnership with researchers from industry and academia.
The Astrobee system includes three colorful, cube-shaped robots – named “Bumble,” “Honey,” and “Queen” – along with software and a docking station for recharging. The mission has advanced NASA’s goal of developing robotic systems and technologies that can perform tasks and support exploration, maintenance, and monitoring as humans venture further into space for longer durations.
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.
NASA’s Astrobee Robots Advance Through Strategic Partnership
(Bottom) NASA astronaut McClain poses with Astrobee robots Bumble (left) and Honey during their latest on orbit activity in May, 2025. NASA
NASA is continuing the Astrobee mission through a collaboration with Arkisys, Inc., of Los Alamitos, California, who was awarded a reimbursable Space Act Agreement to sustain and maintain the robotic platform aboard the International Space Station. As the agency returns astronauts to the Moon, robotic helpers like Astrobee could one day take over routine maintenance tasks and support future spacecraft at the Moon and Mars without relying on humans for continuous operation.
In March, the agency issued a call for partnership proposals to support its ongoing space research initiatives. Arkisys was selected to maintain the platform and continue enabling partners to use the Astrobee system as a means to experiment with new technologies in the microgravity environment of the space station.
NASA launched the Astrobee mission to the space station in 2018. Since then, the free-flying robots have marked multiple first-in-space milestones for robots working alongside astronauts to accomplish spacecraft monitoring, alert simulations, and more in partnership with researchers from industry and academia.
The Astrobee system includes three colorful, cube-shaped robots – named “Bumble,” “Honey,” and “Queen” – along with software and a docking station for recharging. The mission has advanced NASA’s goal of developing robotic systems and technologies that can perform tasks and support exploration, maintenance, and monitoring as humans venture further into space for longer durations.
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.
NASA Lab Builds New Aircraft to Support Complex Flight Research
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Justin Link, left, and Justin Hall attach an engine onto a subscale aircraft on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Link is a pilot for small uncrewed aircraft systems at the center’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory and Hall is the lab’s chief pilot.NASA/Christopher LC Clark Justin Link turns a subscale aircraft on its side to continue work to mark where the engine cowl will go and where to line it up for attachment on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Link is a pilot for small uncrewed aircraft systems at the center’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory.NASA/Christopher LC Clark Justin Hall, left, and Justin Link attach the wings onto a subscale aircraft on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Hall is chief pilot at the center’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory and Link is a pilot for small uncrewed aircraft systems.NASA/Christopher LC Clark Justin Hall attaches part of the landing gear of a subscale aircraft on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Hall is the chief pilot at the center’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory.NASA/Christopher LC Clark Justin Link, left, holds the subscale aircraft in place, while Justin Hall manages engine speed during preliminary engine tests on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Link is a pilot for small uncrewed aircraft systems at the center’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory and Hall is the chief pilot.NASA/Christopher LC ClarkNASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, is building a new subscale aircraft to support increasingly complex flight research, offering a more flexible and cost-effective alternative to crewed missions.
The aircraft is being built by Justin Hall, chief pilot at NASA Armstrong’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory, and Justin Link, a small uncrewed aircraft pilot. The duo is replacing the center’s aging MicroCub subscale aircraft with a more capable platform that will save time and reduce costs. The new aircraft spans about 14 feet from wingtip to wingtip, measures nine-and-a-half feet long, and weighs about 60 pounds.
The subscale laboratory accelerates innovation by using small, remotely piloted aircraft to test and evaluate new aerodynamic concepts, technologies, and flight control systems. Named after aerospace pioneer Dale Reed, the lab enables rapid prototyping and risk reduction before transitioning to full-scale or crewed flight testing. Its work plays a key role in increasing technology readiness to support NASA’s missions on Earth and beyond.
Hall and Link are modifying an existing subscale aircraft kit by adding a more powerful engine, an autopilot system, instrumentation, and a reinforced structure. The aircraft will offer greater flexibility for flight experiments, enabling more frequent and affordable testing compared to crewed aircraft.
One example of its potential is the Robust Autonomous Aerial Recapture project, which uses sensors and video with advanced programming to learn and adapt for mid-air capture. The system relies on a magnetic connection mechanism integrated onto the two aircraft.
This capability could support future science missions in which a mothership deploys drones to collect samples, recharge, and redeploy for additional missions, saving fuel, reducing cost, and increasing efficiency. Aerial recapture work is funded by the NASA Armstrong Center Innovation Fund and the Space Technology Mission Directorate.
Share Details Last Updated Sep 24, 2025 EditorDede DiniusContactJay Levinejay.levine-1@nasa.gov Related Terms Explore More 3 min read NASA Launches 2026 Gateways to Blue Skies Competition Article 18 hours ago 5 min read NASA’s Deep Space Communications Demo Exceeds Project Expectations Article 6 days ago 2 min read NASA Gateways to Blue Skies 2026 Competition Article 6 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAArmstrong Flight Research Center
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NASA Lab Builds New Aircraft to Support Complex Flight Research
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Justin Link, left, and Justin Hall attach an engine onto a subscale aircraft on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Link is a pilot for small uncrewed aircraft systems at the center’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory and Hall is the lab’s chief pilot.NASA/Christopher LC Clark Justin Link turns a subscale aircraft on its side to continue work to mark where the engine cowl will go and where to line it up for attachment on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Link is a pilot for small uncrewed aircraft systems at the center’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory.NASA/Christopher LC Clark Justin Hall, left, and Justin Link attach the wings onto a subscale aircraft on Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Hall is chief pilot at the center’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory and Link is a pilot for small uncrewed aircraft systems.NASA/Christopher LC Clark Justin Hall attaches part of the landing gear of a subscale aircraft on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Hall is the chief pilot at the center’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory.NASA/Christopher LC Clark Justin Link, left, holds the subscale aircraft in place, while Justin Hall manages engine speed during preliminary engine tests on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, at NASA’s Armstong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Link is a pilot for small uncrewed aircraft systems at the center’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory and Hall is the chief pilot.NASA/Christopher LC ClarkNASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, is building a new subscale aircraft to support increasingly complex flight research, offering a more flexible and cost-effective alternative to crewed missions.
The aircraft is being built by Justin Hall, chief pilot at NASA Armstrong’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory, and Justin Link, a small uncrewed aircraft pilot. The duo is replacing the center’s aging MicroCub subscale aircraft with a more capable platform that will save time and reduce costs. The new aircraft spans about 14 feet from wingtip to wingtip, measures nine-and-a-half feet long, and weighs about 60 pounds.
The subscale laboratory accelerates innovation by using small, remotely piloted aircraft to test and evaluate new aerodynamic concepts, technologies, and flight control systems. Named after aerospace pioneer Dale Reed, the lab enables rapid prototyping and risk reduction before transitioning to full-scale or crewed flight testing. Its work plays a key role in increasing technology readiness to support NASA’s missions on Earth and beyond.
Hall and Link are modifying an existing subscale aircraft kit by adding a more powerful engine, an autopilot system, instrumentation, and a reinforced structure. The aircraft will offer greater flexibility for flight experiments, enabling more frequent and affordable testing compared to crewed aircraft.
One example of its potential is the Robust Autonomous Aerial Recapture project, which uses sensors and video with advanced programming to learn and adapt for mid-air capture. The system relies on a magnetic connection mechanism integrated onto the two aircraft.
This capability could support future science missions in which a mothership deploys drones to collect samples, recharge, and redeploy for additional missions, saving fuel, reducing cost, and increasing efficiency. Aerial recapture work is funded by the NASA Armstrong Center Innovation Fund and the Space Technology Mission Directorate.
Share Details Last Updated Sep 24, 2025 EditorDede DiniusContactJay Levinejay.levine-1@nasa.gov Related Terms Explore More 3 min read NASA Launches 2026 Gateways to Blue Skies Competition Article 8 hours ago 5 min read NASA’s Deep Space Communications Demo Exceeds Project Expectations Article 6 days ago 2 min read NASA Gateways to Blue Skies 2026 Competition Article 6 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAArmstrong Flight Research Center
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NASA Aircraft Coordinate Science Flights to Measure Air Quality
4 min read
NASA Aircraft Coordinate Science Flights to Measure Air Quality NASA Goddard’s G-LiHT flying on the A90 flies over Shenandoah Valley in the US East Coast during the week of August 11-15. Credit: NASA/Shawn SerbinMagic is in the air. No wait… MAGEQ is in the air, featuring scientists from NASA centers across the country who teamed up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and several other university and government partners and collaborators.
This summer, six planes collectively flew more than 400 hours over the mid-Atlantic United States with a goal of gathering data on a range of objectives, including air quality, forestry, and fire management.
This was part of an effort called MAGEQ, short for Mid-Atlantic Gas Emissions Quantification. Rather than one mission, MAGEQ consists of several individual missions across more than a dozen organizations and agencies, along with university students. Over the course of around six weeks, aircraft flew over cities, wetlands, farms, and coal mining areas.
NASA Goddard’s G-LiHT flying on the A90 flies over the Chesapeake Bay near the Big Annemessex River. Credit: NASA/Shawn Serbin“Each aircraft team is comprised of highly skilled and motivated people who understand how to fly their particular plane to achieve the science they want,” said Glenn Wolfe, research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and project lead for MAGEQ. “The complexity comes in identifying how each platform can complement or supplement the others.”
Coordinating flights required both advanced planning and flexibility to get the best outcome. Weather proved to be a primary challenge for the team, as members worked around cloudy days, wind, and storms to ensure safe flights.
The six aircraft had different objectives and requirements. For example, some carried instruments that needed to fly high to simulate a satellite’s view of the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface and could not measure through clouds. Others were equipped with instruments that directly measured the air particles and could work under the clouds, provided there was no rain.
Despite weather challenges, flight teams worked together to coordinate as many multi-aircraft flight days as possible, meeting the overall objective of the MAGEQ campaign.
The MAGEQ team members pose in front of the P-3 aircraft at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.Credit: NASA/Roy Johnson“It’s been inspiring to see how everybody worked together,” said Lesley Ott, research meteorologist and lead carbon cycle modeler for NASA’s Global Modeling and Assimilation Office at NASA Goddard. “By collecting data together, not only can we do a better job as scientists in having more complete understanding, we can also do a better job making usable data sets that meets the needs of different stakeholders.”
State resource managers in North Carolina and Virginia, for example, could benefit from this data as they monitor the health of wetlands, which provide resilience to storms, absorb carbon from the atmosphere and support local tourist industries. The data could also help operators at energy-producing facilities detect methane leaks or equipment failures quickly. Faster detection could speed up intervention and minimize waste, as well as lessen environmental impacts. Stakeholders were an integral part of the planning process, Ott said. They made suggestions about measurement sites and data needs that informed the flight planning.
Scientists will also use the measurements to verify satellite data from both public and commercial data providers. Satellites like the Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument collect similar data. Scientists can compare the airborne and satellite data to get a more complete picture of the atmosphere. They also will use MAGEQ data to evaluate atmospheric chemistry modeling from the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) model, which connects atmospheric, oceanic, and land data to help create a more comprehensive picture of Earth science.
The MAGEQ team members from NOAA and NASA pose in front of the Twin Otter aircraft. Credit: NOAA/Steve Brown“Every aircraft does something different and contributes a different type of data,” said Steve Brown, leader of the tropospheric chemistry and atmospheric remote sensing programs at the NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. “We’re going to have a lot of work to do at the end of this to put all these data sets together, but we will make the best use of all these measurements.”
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Share Details Last Updated Sep 24, 2025 EditorJenny MarderContactErica McNameeerica.s.mcnamee@nasa.govLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Explore More 5 min read NASA Earth Scientists Take Flight, Set Sail to Verify PACE Satellite DataFrom sea to sky to orbit, a range of vantage points allow NASA Earth scientists…
Article 1 year ago 2 min read GLOBE-Trotting Science Lands in Chesapeake with NASA eClips Article 2 months ago 4 min read NASA Mission Monitoring Air Quality from Space ExtendedSince launching in 2023, NASA’s Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution mission, or TEMPO, has been…
Article 3 months agoNASA Aircraft Coordinate Science Flights to Measure Air Quality
4 min read
NASA Aircraft Coordinate Science Flights to Measure Air Quality NASA Goddard’s G-LiHT flying on the A90 flies over Shenandoah Valley in the US East Coast during the week of August 11-15. Credit: Shawn Serbin/NASA GSFCMagic is in the air. No wait… MAGEQ is in the air, featuring scientists from NASA centers across the country who teamed up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and several other university and government partners and collaborators.
This summer, six planes collectively flew more than 400 hours over the mid-Atlantic United States with a goal of gathering data on a range of objectives, including air quality, forestry, and fire management.
This was part of an effort called MAGEQ, short for Mid-Atlantic Gas Emissions Quantification. Rather than one mission, MAGEQ consists of several individual missions across more than a dozen organizations and agencies, along with university students. Over the course of around six weeks, aircraft flew over cities, wetlands, farms, and coal mining areas.
NASA Goddard’s G-LiHT flying on the A90 flies over the Chesapeake Bay near the Big Annemessex River. Credit: Shawn Serbin/NASA GSFC“Each aircraft team is comprised of highly skilled and motivated people who understand how to fly their particular plane to achieve the science they want,” said Glenn Wolfe, research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and project lead for MAGEQ. “The complexity comes in identifying how each platform can complement or supplement the others.”
Coordinating flights required both advanced planning and flexibility to get the best outcome. Weather proved to be a primary challenge for the team, as members worked around cloudy days, wind, and storms to ensure safe flights.
The six aircraft had different objectives and requirements. For example, some carried instruments that needed to fly high to simulate a satellite’s view of the atmosphere and the Earth’s surface and could not measure through clouds. Others were equipped with instruments that directly measured the air particles and could work under the clouds, provided there was no rain.
Despite weather challenges, flight teams worked together to coordinate as many multi-aircraft flight days as possible, meeting the overall objective of the MAGEQ campaign.
The MAGEQ team members pose in front of the P-3 aircraft. Credit: Roy Johnson/NASA“It’s been inspiring to see how everybody worked together,” said Lesley Ott, research meteorologist and lead carbon cycle modeler for NASA’s Global Modeling and Assimilation Office at NASA Goddard. “By collecting data together, not only can we do a better job as scientists in having more complete understanding, we can also do a better job making usable data sets that meets the needs of different stakeholders.”
State resource managers in North Carolina and Virginia, for example, could benefit from this data as they monitor the health of wetlands, which provide resilience to storms, absorb carbon from the atmosphere and support local tourist industries. The data could also help operators at energy-producing facilities detect methane leaks or equipment failures quickly. Faster detection could speed up intervention and minimize waste, as well as lessen environmental impacts. Stakeholders were an integral part of the planning process, Ott said. They made suggestions about measurement sites and data needs that informed the flight planning.
Scientists will also use the measurements to verify satellite data from both public and commercial data providers. Satellites like the Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) instrument collect similar data. Scientists can compare the airborne and satellite data to get a more complete picture of the atmosphere. They also will use MAGEQ data to evaluate atmospheric chemistry modeling from the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) model, which connects atmospheric, oceanic, and land data to help create a more comprehensive picture of Earth science.
The MAGEQ team members from NOAA and NASA pose in front of the Twin Otter aircraft. Credit: Steve Brown“Every aircraft does something different and contributes a different type of data,” said Steve Brown, leader of the tropospheric chemistry and atmospheric remote sensing programs at the NOAA Chemical Sciences Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. “We’re going to have a lot of work to do at the end of this to put all these data sets together, but we will make the best use of all these measurements.”
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Share Details Last Updated Sep 24, 2025 EditorJenny MarderContactErica McNameeerica.s.mcnamee@nasa.govLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related Terms Explore More 5 min read NASA Earth Scientists Take Flight, Set Sail to Verify PACE Satellite DataFrom sea to sky to orbit, a range of vantage points allow NASA Earth scientists…
Article 1 year ago 2 min read GLOBE-Trotting Science Lands in Chesapeake with NASA eClips Article 2 months ago 4 min read NASA Mission Monitoring Air Quality from Space ExtendedSince launching in 2023, NASA’s Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution mission, or TEMPO, has been…
Article 3 months agoNASA Data Powers New Tool to Protect Water Supply After Fires
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When wildfires scorch a landscape, the flames are just the beginning. NASA is helping communities across the nation foresee and prepare for what can follow: mudslides, flash flooding, and contaminated surface water supplies.
A new online tool called HydroFlame, built with support from NASA’s Earth Science Division, relies on satellite data, hydrologic modeling, and artificial intelligence to predict how wildfires could affect water resources, from tap water to the rivers and streams where people fish. The project is being developed with the University of Texas at Arlington, Purdue University, the U.S. Geological Survey, and other partners.
For now, the tool includes data only for Montana’s Clark Fork Basin, where it is being piloted. But new applications are underway in California and Utah. Researchers will soon begin fieldwork in Los Angeles County to collect on-the-ground data to refine HydroFlame’s predictive approach — an important step toward expanding it beyond the pilot site.
“As wildfires intensify across the country, so do their ripple effects on regional water resources,” said Erin Urquhart, program manager for NASA’s water resources program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “HydroFlame could help communities in the U.S. see what’s coming and plan for it, before a fire becomes a water crisis.”
That kind of foresight is exactly what local officials are looking for.
“For someone managing a trout fishery or drinking water supply, knowing when a stream might be overwhelmed with debris after a fire can mean the difference between preparedness and a crisis,” said Morgan Valliant, who is part of the project’s advisory group and the associate director of ecosystem services for Missoula Parks and Recreation in Montana. “This tool could let us move from reacting to planning.”
When fire reshapes landIn the wake of a wildfire, charred hillsides are often unstable. With the protective blanket of plants burned away, rain that once soaked gently into the soil can race downhill, sending ash, debris, and sediment into rivers and reservoirs. That runoff can trigger flash floods and contaminate drinking water.
Severe wildfires can also bake soil into a water-repelling crust. With less absorption, the same slopes can swing from drought to destructive floods, and those runoff risks can persist for decades.
HydroFlame, developed by a team led by Adnan Rajib at the University of Texas at Arlington, is built to anticipate those extremes.
“NASA is constantly pushing the boundaries when it comes to sensing and predicting fire,” Rajib said. “But there is still a huge gap when it comes to translating that fire information in terms of water. That’s where HydroFlame comes in.”
The tool will include three components:
- a historical viewer that maps past fire impacts on streamflow and sediment
- a “what-if” scenario builder to simulate future fires
- a predictive tool that generates weekly forecasts using near-real-time satellite data as initial conditions
When a wildfire is identified, the tool will identify how severely areas are burned across watersheds and track shifts in vegetation, soil wetness, and evapotranspiration, or the release of water from the land and plants to the atmosphere. HydroFlame uses data from satellite missions and instruments including MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), Landsat, and SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive).
Those observations, combined with stream records from gauged rivers, feed into simulations of possible fire-driven changes in water flow and quality. A machine-learning component will fill in where gauges are absent, making it possible to predict impacts up to two weeks in advance.
This screenshot shows HydroFlame, a NASA-supported online tool that will help U.S. communities better understand and forecast how wildfires may affect water supplies in their region.A. RajibThe historical viewer, which is publicly accessible, lets users explore how past fires altered streamflow and sediment levels across the basin. The other components are still in development: The prototype of the “what-if” scenario builder tool is expected to launch in December 2025, with the full version planned for May 2026.
HydroFlame’s ability to capture compounding factors — drought before a fire, flooding afterward — and simulate their cascading effects on water systems is what makes it different from other tools, Rajib said. “Many traditional models treat each fire as a one-off,” he said. “HydroFlame looks at the bigger picture.”
Just as important, the tool is built for people who aren’t experts in satellite data.
“It’s a practical starting point for scenario planning,” said Kelly Luis, associate program manager for NASA’s water resources program and an aquatic ecosystem scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The tool’s “what-if” function, she explained, will let water managers, city planners, and other officials apply their local knowledge. For example, they might zero in on the rivers and streams most important to a city’s water supply. “That kind of insight is essential for building solutions that are both scientifically grounded and locally relevant.”
For watershed organizations or local and state agencies with limited staff and resources, that ease of use is crucial — saving time and effort while helping keep costs down.
“These groups need holistic ways to understand potential impacts of fires to their rivers and streams and plan, without always having to bring in someone from the outside,” said Amy Seaman, the executive director of the Montana Watershed Coordination Council. Seaman works with community watershed organizations across Montana and is also part of the project’s advisory group.
This effort is part of a broader NASA focus on understanding how fire reshapes water systems and what that means for American communities.
A real-world trial in Los AngelesRajib’s team put HydroFlame’s predictive capabilities to the test during the January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles. As fires burned through the region, researchers ran real-time model simulations using NASA satellite data, tracking changes in vegetation, soil moisture, and burn severity almost as they happened. By the end of the month, the team had generated forecasts for mud and debris flows expected in February.
This false-color Landsat 9 image, acquired Jan. 14, shows burned areas from the 2025 fires in and around Los Angeles, highlighting unburned vegetation (green) and burned land (light to dark brown) using shortwave infrared, near infrared, and visible light. Similar types of NASA fire data are used in HydroFlame.NASA Earth ObservatoryThose predictions turned out to be accurate. In early February, mudflow events struck the areas of Altadena and Sierra Madre in Los Angeles County, following the Eaton Fire. HydroFlame had been run specifically for that fire and flagged both neighborhoods as at risk, Rajib said.
“It wasn’t a formal, data-verified result because we didn’t have ground sensors in place,” Rajib said. “But it was a practical validation. The timing and severity of what we modeled lined up with what occurred.”
Rajib’s team is now working with NASA JPL, the University of California, Merced and Los Angeles County to formally test and expand the tool in the Los Angeles area. The team plans to begin collecting on-the-ground data no earlier than Friday, Sept. 26. That work will include installing stream sensors to measure sediment levels in the county’s streams during California’s rainy season and integrating those data into the tool — a step toward building an early-warning system.
HydroFlame invites those interested in the tool to share their ideas and feedback, and to get involved, through a web form available on the project’s Explore Tools webpage.
About the AuthorEmily DeMarco Share Details Last Updated Sep 24, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms Explore More 4 min read NASA Aircraft Coordinate Science Flights to Measure Air Quality Article 3 hours ago 4 min read NASA’s Webb Explores Largest Star-Forming Cloud in Milky Way Article 7 hours ago 2 min read Hubble Images Celestial Cigar’s Smoldering Heart Article 5 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAMissions
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