NASA
NASA Astronaut Zena Cardman
NASA astronaut Zena Cardman inspects her spacesuit’s wrist mirror in this portrait taken at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on March 22, 2024. Cardman will launch to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission. This will be her first spaceflight.
Cardman was selected by NASA as a member of the 2017 “Turtles” Astronaut Class. The Virginia native holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in marine sciences from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her research focused primarily on geobiology and geochemical cycling in subsurface environments, from caves to deep sea sediments. Cardman’s experience includes multiple Antarctic expeditions. Since completing initial training, Cardman has supported real-time station operations and lunar surface exploration planning.
This photo was one of the winners of NASA’s 2024 Photos of the Year.
NASA Astronaut Zena Cardman
NASA astronaut Zena Cardman inspects her spacesuit’s wrist mirror in this portrait taken at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on March 22, 2024. Cardman will launch to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission. This will be her first spaceflight.
Cardman was selected by NASA as a member of the 2017 “Turtles” Astronaut Class. The Virginia native holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in marine sciences from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her research focused primarily on geobiology and geochemical cycling in subsurface environments, from caves to deep sea sediments. Cardman’s experience includes multiple Antarctic expeditions. Since completing initial training, Cardman has supported real-time station operations and lunar surface exploration planning.
This photo was one of the winners of NASA’s 2024 Photos of the Year.
NICER Status Updates
NASA’s NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer), an X-ray telescope on the International Space Station, has paused observations due to a problem with one of the motors that drives its ability to track cosmic objects.
The NICER team paused operations June 17 when performance degradation in the motor began affecting science observations. Engineers are investigating the cause and potential solutions.
The telescope was installed near the space station’s starboard solar array in 2017. The NICER mission has successfully demonstrated a form of deep space navigation that could be used for travel to Mars and beyond. It has also made groundbreaking measurements of neutron stars, which contain the densest matter in the universe that we can measure, and revolutionized our understanding of black holes, active galaxies, and other mysterious phenomena in our universe.
April 17, 2025Following Repair, NASA’s NICER Improves Daytime Measurements
A NASA X-ray telescope on the International Space Station called NICER, or Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer, has regained additional daytime observation capabilities thanks to repairs completed during a spacewalk and a reconfiguration of its detectors.
In May 2023, NICER developed a light leak in which unwanted sunlight began entering the instrument. Photos taken from inside the space station revealed several small areas of damage to the telescope’s thin thermal shields, which block sunlight while allowing X-rays through to the detectors. Nighttime observations were unaffected, and with operational adjustments, the NICER team was able to recover about 20% of station daytime observations.
In January, NASA astronaut Nick Hague installed nine patches to cover the largest areas of damage during a spacewalk. After resuming science operations, the NICER team determined the overall level of sunlight inside NICER had substantially reduced. Still, it experienced more visible-light interference than expected.
The NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer) X-ray telescope is reflected on NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 flight engineer Nick Hague’s spacesuit helmet visor in this high-flying “space-selfie” taken during a spacewalk on Jan. 16, 2025. NASA/Nick HagueClose-up, high-resolution photos from the spacewalk allowed the team to see additional small holes and cracks in the thermal shields that were not previously visible. These accounted for the remaining sunlight intrusion.
After further analysis, the NICER team developed a novel approach to regaining additional daytime data collection.
Each X-ray that hits a NICER detector generates electrical charge that is sensed by a measurement/power unit (MPU). After so many hits, the detector resets — like emptying a cup before it overflows.
Sunlight can also create charge that accumulates in the detector, adding water to the metaphorical cup. There was so much sunlight entering NICER that the detectors were filling up with charge and resetting thousands of times for every X-ray detection. It overwhelmed the MPU’s ability to process the valid X-ray events.
Hague’s repair in January reduced the amount of sunlight entering NICER, which enabled the team to reconfigure the MPUs to ignore the sunlight-generated resets. After initial testing on the ground, the team updated one MPU before switching all seven. The changeover was completed March 12.
In combination with the patches, the reconfiguration has allowed NICER to return to collecting observations during more than 70% of station daytime, as the telescope continues to help us better understand the X-ray universe, including neutron stars, black holes, and other energetic phenomena. The team continues to look for more opportunities to improve NICER’s operations.
Jan. 24, 2025NASA’s NICER Continues Science Operations Post Repair
NASA crew aboard the International Space Station installed patches to the agency’s NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer) mission during a spacewalk on Jan. 16. NICER, an X-ray telescope perched near the station’s starboard solar array, resumed science operations later the same day.
The patches cover areas of NICER’s thermal shields where damage was discovered in May 2023. These thin filters block sunlight while allowing X-rays to pass through. After the discovery, the NICER team restricted their observations during the station’s daytime to avoid overwhelming the mission’s sensitive detectors. Nighttime observations were unaffected, and the team was able to continue collecting data for the science community to make groundbreaking measurements using the instrument’s full capabilities.
The repair went according to plan. Data since collected shows the detectors behind the patched areas are performing better than before during station night, and the overall level of sunlight inside NICER during the daytime is reduced substantially.
While NICER experiences less interference from sunlight than before, after analyzing initial data, the team has determined the telescope still experiences more interference than expected. The installed patches cover areas of known damage identified using astronomical observations and from photos taken by both external robotic cameras and astronauts inside the space station. Measurements collected since the repair and close-up, high-resolution photos obtained during the spacewalk are providing new information that may point the way toward further daytime data collection.
In the meantime, NICER continues operations with its full measurement capabilities during orbit night to enable further trailblazing discoveries in time domain and multimessenger astrophysics.
June 8, 2023Sunlight ‘Leak’ Impacting NASA’s NICER Telescope, Science Continues
On Tuesday, May 22, NASA’s NICER (Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer), an X-ray telescope on the International Space Station, developed a “light leak,” in which unwanted sunlight enters the instrument. While analyzing incoming data since then, the team identified an impact to daytime observations. Nighttime observations seem to be unaffected.
The team suspects that at least one of the thin thermal shields on NICER’s 56 X-ray Concentrators has been damaged, allowing sunlight to reach its sensitive detectors.
To mitigate the effects on measurements, the NICER team has limited daytime observations to objects far away from the Sun’s position in the sky. The team has also updated commands to NICER that automatically lower its sensitivity during the orbital day to reduce the effects from sunlight contamination. The team is evaluating these changes and assessing additional measures to reduce the impact on science observations.
To date, more than 300 scientific papers have used NICER observations, and the team is confident that NICER will continue to produce world-class science.
Media contactsAlise Fisher
202-358-2546
alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
NASA Headquarters, Washington
Claire Andreoli
301-286-1940
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Live or Fly a Plane in California? Help NASA Measure Ozone Pollution!
Ozone high in the stratosphere protects us from the Sun’s ultraviolet light. But ozone near the ground is a pollutant that harms people and plants. The San Joaquin Valley has some of the most polluted air in the country, and NASA scientists with the new Ozone Where We Live (OWWL) project are working to measure ozone and other pollutants there. They need your help!
Do you live or work in Bakersfield, CA? Sign up to host an ozone sensor! It’s like a big lunch box that you place in your yard, but it’s not packed with tuna and crackers. It’s filled with sensors that measure temperature and humidity and sniff out dangerous gases like methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and of course, ozone.
Can you fly a plane? Going to the San Joaquin Valley? Sign up to take an ozone sensor on your next flight! You can help measure ozone levels in layers of the atmosphere that are hard for satellites to investigate. Scientists will combine the data you take with data from NASA’s TEMPO satellite to improve air quality models and measurements within the region. Find out more here or email: Emma.l.yates@nasa.gov
Join the Ozone Where We Live (OWWL) project and help NASA scientists protect the people of the San Joaquin Valley! Credit: Emma Yates Share Details Last Updated Jun 24, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 4 min read c-FIRST Team Sets Sights on Future Fire-observing Satellite ConstellationsArticle
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Live or Fly a Plane in California? Help NASA Measure Ozone Pollution!
Ozone high in the stratosphere protects us from the Sun’s ultraviolet light. But ozone near the ground is a pollutant that harms people and plants. The San Joaquin Valley has some of the most polluted air in the country, and NASA scientists with the new Ozone Where We Live (OWWL) project are working to measure ozone and other pollutants there. They need your help!
Do you live or work in Bakersfield, CA? Sign up to host an ozone sensor! It’s like a big lunch box that you place in your yard, but it’s not packed with tuna and crackers. It’s filled with sensors that measure temperature and humidity and sniff out dangerous gases like methane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and of course, ozone.
Can you fly a plane? Going to the San Joaquin Valley? Sign up to take an ozone sensor on your next flight! You can help measure ozone levels in layers of the atmosphere that are hard for satellites to investigate. Scientists will combine the data you take with data from NASA’s TEMPO satellite to improve air quality models and measurements within the region. Find out more here or email: Emma.l.yates@nasa.gov
Join the Ozone Where We Live (OWWL) project and help NASA scientists protect the people of the San Joaquin Valley! Credit: Emma Yates Share Details Last Updated Jun 24, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 4 min read c-FIRST Team Sets Sights on Future Fire-observing Satellite ConstellationsArticle
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NASA’s SLS Solid Rocket Boosters: What is DM-1?
Demonstration Motor-1 (DM-1) is the first full-scale ground test of the evolved five-segment solid rocket motor of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. The event will take place in Promontory, Utah, and will be used as an opportunity to test several upgrades made from the current solid rocket boosters. Each booster burns six tons of solid propellant every second and together generates almost eight million pounds of thrust.
News Media ContactJonathan Deal
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
256-544-0034
jonathan.e.deal@nasa.gov
NASA’s SLS Solid Rocket Boosters: What is DM-1?
Demonstration Motor-1 (DM-1) is the first full-scale ground test of the evolved five-segment solid rocket motor of NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket. The event will take place in Promontory, Utah, and will be used as an opportunity to test several upgrades made from the current solid rocket boosters. Each booster burns six tons of solid propellant every second and together generates almost eight million pounds of thrust.
News Media ContactJonathan Deal
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
256-544-0034
jonathan.e.deal@nasa.gov
Mission Accomplished! Artemis ROADS III National Challenge Competitors Celebrate their Achievements
5 min read
Mission Accomplished! Artemis ROADS III National Challenge Competitors Celebrate their AchievementsThe NASA Science Activation program’s Northwest Earth and Space Sciences Pathways (NESSP) team has successfully concluded the 2024–2025 Artemis ROADS III National Challenge, an educational competition that brought real NASA mission objectives to student teams (and reached more than 1,500 learners) across the country. From December 2024 through May 2025, over 300 teams of upper elementary, middle, and high school students from 22 states participated, applying STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills in exciting and creative ways.
Participants tackled eight Mission Objectives inspired by NASA’s Artemis missions, which aim to return humans to the Moon. Students explored challenges such as:
- Designing a water purification system for the Moon inspired by local water cycles
- Developing a Moon-based agricultural plan based on experimental results
- Programming a rover to autonomously navigate lunar tunnels
- Engineering and refining a human-rated water bottle rocket capable of safely returning a “chip-stronaut” to Earth
- Envisioning their future careers through creative projects like graphic novels or video interviews
- Exploring NASA’s Artemis program through a new Artemis-themed Lotería game
In-person hub events were hosted by Northern Arizona University, Central Washington University, and Montana State University, where teams from Washington, Montana, and Idaho gathered to present their work, collaborate with peers, and experience life on a college campus. Students also had the chance to connect virtually with NASA scientists and engineers through NESSP’s NASA Expert Talks series.
“Artemis ROADS III is NESSP’s eighth ROADS challenge, and I have to say, I think it’s the best one yet. It’s always inspiring to see so many students across the country engage in a truly meaningful STEM experience. I heard from several students and educators that participating in the challenge completely changed their perspective on science and engineering. I believe that’s because this program is designed to let students experience the joy of discovery and invention—driven by both teamwork and personal creativity—that real scientists and engineers love about their work. We also show students the broad range of STEM expertise NASA relies on to plan and carry out a mission like Artemis. Most importantly, it gives them a chance to feel like they are part of the NASA mission, which can be truly transformative.”
– Dr. Darci Snowden, Director, NESSP
NESSP proudly recognizes the following teams for completing all eight Mission Objectives and the Final Challenge:
- Space Pringles, 3rd-5th Grade, San Antonio, TX
- Space Axolotls, 3rd-5th Grade, Roberts, MT
- TEAM Wild, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- Pessimistic Penguins, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- Dwarf Planets, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- Astronomical Rovers, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- Cosmic Honeybuns, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- Houston we have a Problem, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- FBI Wanted List, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- Lunar Legion, 6th-8th Grade, San Antonio, TX
- Artemis Tax-Free Space Stallions, 6th-8th Grade, Egg Harbor, NJ
- Aquila, 6th-8th Grade, Gooding, ID
- Space Warriors, 6th-8th Grade, Wapato, WA
- Team Cygnus, 6th-8th Grade, Red Lodge, MT
- Maple RocketMen, 6th-8th Grade, Northbrook, IL
- RGB Hawks, 6th-8th Grade, Sagle, ID
- The Blue Moon Bigfoots, 6th-8th Grade, Medford, OR
- W.E.P.Y.C.K., 6th-8th Grade, Roberts, MT
- Lunar Dawgz, 6th-8th Grade, Safford, AZ
- ROSEBUD ROCKETEERS, 6th-8th Grade, Rosebud, MT
- The Cosmic Titans, 6th-8th Grade, Thomson Falls, MT
- The Chunky Space Monkeys, 6th-8th Grade, Naches, WA
- ROSEBUD RED ANGUS, 9th-12th Grade, Rosebud, MT
- Bulky Bisons, 9th-12th Grade, Council Grove, KS
- The Falling Stars, 9th-12th Grade, Thomson Falls, MT
- The Roadkillers, 9th-12th Grade, Thomson Falls, MT
- The Goshawks, 9th-12th Grade, Thomson Falls, MT
- Sequim Cosmic Catalysts, 9th-12th Grade, Sequim, WA
- Spuddie Buddies, 9th-12th Grade, Moses Lake, WA
- Astrocoquí 2, 9th-12th Grade, Mayaguez, PR
- Big Sky Celestials, 9th-12th Grade, Billings, MT
- TRYOUTS, 9th-12th Grade, Columbus, MT
- Cosmonaughts, 9th-12th Grade, Columbus, MT
- TCCS 114, 9th-12th Grade, Tillamook, OR
- Marvin’s Mighty Martians, 9th-12th Grade, Simms, TX
You can see highlights of these teams’ work in the Virtual Recognition Ceremony video on the NESSP YouTube channel. The presentation also features the teams selected to travel to Kennedy Space Center in August of 2025, the ultimate prize for these future space explorers!
In addition to student engagement, the ROADS program provided professional development workshops and NGSS-aligned classroom resources to support K–12 educators. Teachers are invited to explore these materials and register for the next round of workshops, beginning in August 2025: https://nwessp.org/professional-development-registration.
For more information about NESSP, its programs, partners, and the ROADS National Challenge, visit www.nwessp.org or contact info@nwessp.org.
———–
NASA’s Northwest Earth and Space Science Pathways’ (NESSP) project is supported by NASA cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC22M0006 and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/
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Mission Accomplished! Artemis ROADS III National Challenge Competitors Celebrate their Achievements
5 min read
Mission Accomplished! Artemis ROADS III National Challenge Competitors Celebrate their AchievementsThe NASA Science Activation program’s Northwest Earth and Space Sciences Pathways (NESSP) team has successfully concluded the 2024–2025 Artemis ROADS III National Challenge, an educational competition that brought real NASA mission objectives to student teams (and reached more than 1,500 learners) across the country. From December 2024 through May 2025, over 300 teams of upper elementary, middle, and high school students from 22 states participated, applying STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills in exciting and creative ways.
Participants tackled eight Mission Objectives inspired by NASA’s Artemis missions, which aim to return humans to the Moon. Students explored challenges such as:
- Designing a water purification system for the Moon inspired by local water cycles
- Developing a Moon-based agricultural plan based on experimental results
- Programming a rover to autonomously navigate lunar tunnels
- Engineering and refining a human-rated water bottle rocket capable of safely returning a “chip-stronaut” to Earth
- Envisioning their future careers through creative projects like graphic novels or video interviews
- Exploring NASA’s Artemis program through a new Artemis-themed Lotería game
In-person hub events were hosted by Northern Arizona University, Central Washington University, and Montana State University, where teams from Washington, Montana, and Idaho gathered to present their work, collaborate with peers, and experience life on a college campus. Students also had the chance to connect virtually with NASA scientists and engineers through NESSP’s NASA Expert Talks series.
“Artemis ROADS III is NESSP’s eighth ROADS challenge, and I have to say, I think it’s the best one yet. It’s always inspiring to see so many students across the country engage in a truly meaningful STEM experience. I heard from several students and educators that participating in the challenge completely changed their perspective on science and engineering. I believe that’s because this program is designed to let students experience the joy of discovery and invention—driven by both teamwork and personal creativity—that real scientists and engineers love about their work. We also show students the broad range of STEM expertise NASA relies on to plan and carry out a mission like Artemis. Most importantly, it gives them a chance to feel like they are part of the NASA mission, which can be truly transformative.”
– Dr. Darci Snowden, Director, NESSP
NESSP proudly recognizes the following teams for completing all eight Mission Objectives and the Final Challenge:
- Space Pringles, 3rd-5th Grade, San Antonio, TX
- Space Axolotls, 3rd-5th Grade, Roberts, MT
- TEAM Wild, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- Pessimistic Penguins, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- Dwarf Planets, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- Astronomical Rovers, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- Cosmic Honeybuns, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- Houston we have a Problem, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- FBI Wanted List, 6th-8th Grade, Eagle Mountain, UT
- Lunar Legion, 6th-8th Grade, San Antonio, TX
- Artemis Tax-Free Space Stallions, 6th-8th Grade, Egg Harbor, NJ
- Aquila, 6th-8th Grade, Gooding, ID
- Space Warriors, 6th-8th Grade, Wapato, WA
- Team Cygnus, 6th-8th Grade, Red Lodge, MT
- Maple RocketMen, 6th-8th Grade, Northbrook, IL
- RGB Hawks, 6th-8th Grade, Sagle, ID
- The Blue Moon Bigfoots, 6th-8th Grade, Medford, OR
- W.E.P.Y.C.K., 6th-8th Grade, Roberts, MT
- Lunar Dawgz, 6th-8th Grade, Safford, AZ
- ROSEBUD ROCKETEERS, 6th-8th Grade, Rosebud, MT
- The Cosmic Titans, 6th-8th Grade, Thomson Falls, MT
- The Chunky Space Monkeys, 6th-8th Grade, Naches, WA
- ROSEBUD RED ANGUS, 9th-12th Grade, Rosebud, MT
- Bulky Bisons, 9th-12th Grade, Council Grove, KS
- The Falling Stars, 9th-12th Grade, Thomson Falls, MT
- The Roadkillers, 9th-12th Grade, Thomson Falls, MT
- The Goshawks, 9th-12th Grade, Thomson Falls, MT
- Sequim Cosmic Catalysts, 9th-12th Grade, Sequim, WA
- Spuddie Buddies, 9th-12th Grade, Moses Lake, WA
- Astrocoquí 2, 9th-12th Grade, Mayaguez, PR
- Big Sky Celestials, 9th-12th Grade, Billings, MT
- TRYOUTS, 9th-12th Grade, Columbus, MT
- Cosmonaughts, 9th-12th Grade, Columbus, MT
- TCCS 114, 9th-12th Grade, Tillamook, OR
- Marvin’s Mighty Martians, 9th-12th Grade, Simms, TX
You can see highlights of these teams’ work in the Virtual Recognition Ceremony video on the NESSP YouTube channel. The presentation also features the teams selected to travel to Kennedy Space Center in August of 2025, the ultimate prize for these future space explorers!
In addition to student engagement, the ROADS program provided professional development workshops and NGSS-aligned classroom resources to support K–12 educators. Teachers are invited to explore these materials and register for the next round of workshops, beginning in August 2025: https://nwessp.org/professional-development-registration.
For more information about NESSP, its programs, partners, and the ROADS National Challenge, visit www.nwessp.org or contact info@nwessp.org.
———–
NASA’s Northwest Earth and Space Science Pathways’ (NESSP) project is supported by NASA cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC22M0006 and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/
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5 days ago
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NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Starts Unpacking Boxwork Formations
5 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Drag your mouse or move your phone to pan around within this 360-degree view to explore the boxwork patterns on Mars that NASA’s Curiosity is investigating for the first time. The rover captured the 291 images that make up this mosaic between May 15 and May 18.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
The rover recently drilled a sample from a new region with features that could reveal whether Mars’ subsurface once provided an environment suitable for life.
New images from NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover show the first close-up views of a region scientists had previously observed only from orbit. The images and data being collected are already raising new questions about how the Martian surface was changing billions of years ago. The Red Planet once had rivers, lakes, and possibly an ocean. Although scientists aren’t sure why, its water eventually dried up and the planet transformed into the chilly desert it is today.
By the time Curiosity’s current location formed, the long-lived lakes were gone in Gale Crater, the rover’s landing area, but water was still percolating under the surface. The rover found dramatic evidence of that groundwater when it encountered crisscrossing low ridges, some just a few inches tall, arranged in what geologists call a boxwork pattern. The bedrock below these ridges likely formed when groundwater trickling through the rock left behind minerals that accumulated in those cracks and fissures, hardening and becoming cementlike. Eons of sandblasting by Martian wind wore away the rock but not the minerals, revealing networks of resistant ridges within.
The ridges Curiosity has seen so far look a bit like a crumbling curb. The boxwork patterns stretch across miles of a layer on Mount Sharp, a 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-tall) mountain whose foothills the rover has been climbing since 2014. Intriguingly, boxwork patterns haven’t been spotted anywhere else on the mountain, either by Curiosity or orbiters passing overhead.
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover viewed this low ridge, which looks a bit like a crumbling curb, on May 16. Scientists think the hardened edges of such ridges — part of the boxwork region the rover is exploring — may have been formed by ancient groundwater.NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS“A big mystery is why the ridges were hardened into these big patterns and why only here,” said Curiosity’s project scientist, Ashwin Vasavada of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “As we drive on, we’ll be studying the ridges and mineral cements to make sure our idea of how they formed is on target.”
Important to the boxwork patterns’ history is the part of the mountain where they’re found. Mount Sharp consists of multiple layers, each of which formed during different eras of ancient Martian climate. Curiosity essentially “time travels” as it ascends from the oldest to youngest layers, searching for signs of water and environments that could have supported ancient microbial life.
The rover is currently exploring a layer with an abundance of salty minerals called magnesium sulfates, which form as water dries up. Their presence here suggests this layer emerged as the climate became drier. Remarkably, the boxwork patterns show that even in the midst of this drying, water was still present underground, creating changes seen today.
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover captured this scene while looking out across a region filled with boxwork patterns, low ridges that scientists think could have been formed by groundwater billions of years ago.NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSSScientists hope to gain more insight into why the boxwork patterns formed here, and Mars recently provided some unexpected clues. The bedrock between the boxwork ridges has a different composition than other layers of Mount Sharp. It also has lots of tiny fractures filled with white veins of calcium sulfate, another salty mineral left behind as groundwater trickles through rock cracks. Similar veins were plentiful on lower layers of the mountain, including one enriched with clays, but had not been spotted in the sulfate layer until now.
“That’s really surprising,” said Curiosity’s deputy project scientist, Abigail Fraeman of JPL. “These calcium sulfate veins used to be everywhere, but they more or less disappeared as we climbed higher up Mount Sharp. The team is excited to figure out why they’ve returned now.”
New Terrain, New FindingsOn June 8, Curiosity set out to learn about the unique composition of the bedrock in this area, using the drill on the end of its robotic arm to snag a sample of a rock nicknamed “Altadena.” The rover then dropped the pulverized sample into instruments within its body for more detailed analysis.
Drilling additional samples from more distant boxwork patterns, where the mineral ridges are much larger, will help the mission make sense of what they find. The team will also search for organic molecules and other evidence of an ancient habitable environment preserved in the cemented ridges.
As Curiosity continues to explore, it will be leaving a new assortment of nicknames behind, as well. To keep track of features on the planet, the mission applies nicknames to each spot the rover studies, from hills it views with its cameras to specific calcium sulfate veins it zaps with its laser. (Official names, such as Aeolis Mons — otherwise known as Mount Sharp — are approved by the International Astronomical Union.)
The previous names were selected from local sites in Southern California, where JPL is based. The Altadena sample, for instance, bears the name of a community near JPL that was severely burned during January’s Eaton Canyon fire. Now on a new part of their Martian map, the team is selecting names from around Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni, Earth’s largest salt flat. This exceptionally dry terrain crosses into Chile’s Atacama Desert, and astrobiologists study both the salt flat and the surrounding desert because of their similarity to Mars’ extreme dryness.
More About CuriosityCuriosity was built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California. JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington as part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program portfolio.
For more about Curiosity, visit:
science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity
News Media ContactsAndrew Good
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-2433
andrew.c.good@jpl.nasa.gov
Karen Fox / Molly Wasser
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
2025-080
Share Details Last Updated Jun 23, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 4 min read NASA Tech to Use Moonlight to Enhance Measurements from Space Article 4 days ago 2 min read NASA’s LRO Views ispace HAKUTO-R Mission 2 Moon Lander Impact Site Article 4 days ago 2 min read Explore Our Dynamic Sun!from NASA’s Heliophysics Education Activation Team (NASA HEAT) and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific/Night…
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NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Starts Unpacking Boxwork Formations
5 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Drag your mouse or move your phone to pan around within this 360-degree view to explore the boxwork patterns on Mars that NASA’s Curiosity is investigating for the first time. The rover captured the 291 images that make up this mosaic between May 15 and May 18.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
The rover recently drilled a sample from a new region with features that could reveal whether Mars’ subsurface once provided an environment suitable for life.
New images from NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover show the first close-up views of a region scientists had previously observed only from orbit. The images and data being collected are already raising new questions about how the Martian surface was changing billions of years ago. The Red Planet once had rivers, lakes, and possibly an ocean. Although scientists aren’t sure why, its water eventually dried up and the planet transformed into the chilly desert it is today.
By the time Curiosity’s current location formed, the long-lived lakes were gone in Gale Crater, the rover’s landing area, but water was still percolating under the surface. The rover found dramatic evidence of that groundwater when it encountered crisscrossing low ridges, some just a few inches tall, arranged in what geologists call a boxwork pattern. The bedrock below these ridges likely formed when groundwater trickling through the rock left behind minerals that accumulated in those cracks and fissures, hardening and becoming cementlike. Eons of sandblasting by Martian wind wore away the rock but not the minerals, revealing networks of resistant ridges within.
The ridges Curiosity has seen so far look a bit like a crumbling curb. The boxwork patterns stretch across miles of a layer on Mount Sharp, a 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-tall) mountain whose foothills the rover has been climbing since 2014. Intriguingly, boxwork patterns haven’t been spotted anywhere else on the mountain, either by Curiosity or orbiters passing overhead.
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover viewed this low ridge, which looks a bit like a crumbling curb, on May 16. Scientists think the hardened edges of such ridges — part of the boxwork region the rover is exploring — may have been formed by ancient groundwater.NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS“A big mystery is why the ridges were hardened into these big patterns and why only here,” said Curiosity’s project scientist, Ashwin Vasavada of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “As we drive on, we’ll be studying the ridges and mineral cements to make sure our idea of how they formed is on target.”
Important to the boxwork patterns’ history is the part of the mountain where they’re found. Mount Sharp consists of multiple layers, each of which formed during different eras of ancient Martian climate. Curiosity essentially “time travels” as it ascends from the oldest to youngest layers, searching for signs of water and environments that could have supported ancient microbial life.
The rover is currently exploring a layer with an abundance of salty minerals called magnesium sulfates, which form as water dries up. Their presence here suggests this layer emerged as the climate became drier. Remarkably, the boxwork patterns show that even in the midst of this drying, water was still present underground, creating changes seen today.
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover captured this scene while looking out across a region filled with boxwork patterns, low ridges that scientists think could have been formed by groundwater billions of years ago.NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSSScientists hope to gain more insight into why the boxwork patterns formed here, and Mars recently provided some unexpected clues. The bedrock between the boxwork ridges has a different composition than other layers of Mount Sharp. It also has lots of tiny fractures filled with white veins of calcium sulfate, another salty mineral left behind as groundwater trickles through rock cracks. Similar veins were plentiful on lower layers of the mountain, including one enriched with clays, but had not been spotted in the sulfate layer until now.
“That’s really surprising,” said Curiosity’s deputy project scientist, Abigail Fraeman of JPL. “These calcium sulfate veins used to be everywhere, but they more or less disappeared as we climbed higher up Mount Sharp. The team is excited to figure out why they’ve returned now.”
New Terrain, New FindingsOn June 8, Curiosity set out to learn about the unique composition of the bedrock in this area, using the drill on the end of its robotic arm to snag a sample of a rock nicknamed “Altadena.” The rover then dropped the pulverized sample into instruments within its body for more detailed analysis.
Drilling additional samples from more distant boxwork patterns, where the mineral ridges are much larger, will help the mission make sense of what they find. The team will also search for organic molecules and other evidence of an ancient habitable environment preserved in the cemented ridges.
As Curiosity continues to explore, it will be leaving a new assortment of nicknames behind, as well. To keep track of features on the planet, the mission applies nicknames to each spot the rover studies, from hills it views with its cameras to specific calcium sulfate veins it zaps with its laser. (Official names, such as Aeolis Mons — otherwise known as Mount Sharp — are approved by the International Astronomical Union.)
The previous names were selected from local sites in Southern California, where JPL is based. The Altadena sample, for instance, bears the name of a community near JPL that was severely burned during January’s Eaton Canyon fire. Now on a new part of their Martian map, the team is selecting names from around Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni, Earth’s largest salt flat. This exceptionally dry terrain crosses into Chile’s Atacama Desert, and astrobiologists study both the salt flat and the surrounding desert because of their similarity to Mars’ extreme dryness.
More About CuriosityCuriosity was built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California. JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington as part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program portfolio.
For more about Curiosity, visit:
science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity
News Media ContactsAndrew Good
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-2433
andrew.c.good@jpl.nasa.gov
Karen Fox / Molly Wasser
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
2025-080
Share Details Last Updated Jun 23, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 4 min read NASA Tech to Use Moonlight to Enhance Measurements from Space Article 5 days ago 2 min read NASA’s LRO Views ispace HAKUTO-R Mission 2 Moon Lander Impact Site Article 5 days ago 2 min read Explore Our Dynamic Sun!from NASA’s Heliophysics Education Activation Team (NASA HEAT) and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific/Night…
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A Martian Volcano in the Mist
A Martian Volcano in the Mist
Arsia Mons, one of the Red Planet’s largest volcanoes, peeks through a blanket of water ice clouds in this image captured by NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter on May 2, 2025. Odyssey used a camera called the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) to capture this view while studying the Martian atmosphere, which appears here as a greenish haze above the scene. A large crater known as a caldera, produced by massive volcanic explosions and collapse, is located at the summit. At 72 miles (120 kilometers) wide, the Arsia Mons summit caldera is larger than many volcanoes on Earth.
Learn more about Arsia Mons and Mars Odyssey.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
A Martian Volcano in the Mist
Arsia Mons, one of the Red Planet’s largest volcanoes, peeks through a blanket of water ice clouds in this image captured by NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter on May 2, 2025. Odyssey used a camera called the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) to capture this view while studying the Martian atmosphere, which appears here as a greenish haze above the scene. A large crater known as a caldera, produced by massive volcanic explosions and collapse, is located at the summit. At 72 miles (120 kilometers) wide, the Arsia Mons summit caldera is larger than many volcanoes on Earth.
Learn more about Arsia Mons and Mars Odyssey.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
Clay Minerals From Mars’ Most Ancient Past?
- Perseverance Home
- Science
- News and Features
- Multimedia
- Mars Missions
- Mars Home
2 min read
Clay Minerals From Mars’ Most Ancient Past?Recent detections of clay-bearing bedrock on Jezero’s crater rim have the Perseverance Science Team excited and eager to sample.
NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image of the Laknes abrasion, acquired in the clay-bearing bedrock of the Krokodillen plateau, on the outer slopes of the Jezero crater rim. Perseverance captured the image using its Right Mastcam-Z camera on June 8, 2025 — or, Sol 1529, Martian day 1,529 of the Mars 2020 mission — at the local mean solar time of 12:03:14. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASUWritten by Alex Jones, Ph.D. candidate at Imperial College London
Since finishing its exploration of spherule-rich stratigraphy at Witch Hazel Hill, Perseverance has been exploring the Krokodillen plateau, a relatively low-lying terrain on the outer slopes of the crater rim. It was in these rocks where the SuperCam instrument began detecting signatures of clay-minerals. These minerals, also known as “phyllosilicates,” are an exciting find as they primarily form by extensive interactions between basaltic rocks and liquid water. Phyllosilicates are also excellent at preserving organic materials, if present, by adsorbing them or encapsulating them within their mineral structure.
What’s more, it’s possible that these clay-bearing rocks may be some of the most ancient rocks explored by Perseverance, dating back to a time when Mars may have been warmer and wetter than the present day. Clay-bearing rocks are abundant in the regions around Jezero, and are thought to date to Mars’ Noachian period, around 4 billion years ago. Needless to say, the Science Team were keen to investigate (and eventually sample) these materials.
Perseverance performed an initial toe-dip into this clay-bearing unit back in April, creating the Strong Island abrasion patch, before returning back upslope to Witch Hazel Hill to sample some spherule-bearing rocks. Since then, Perseverance has started exploring this clay-bearing unit more extensively, creating the Laknes abrasion (pictured) on Sol 1526.
Initial data collected by Perseverance suggests that the clay signature may be variable across the Krokodillen plateau. Next, the Science Team plan to rove around to establish a clear geologic context for these rocks, as well as locating a good site for sampling!
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2 min read
Clay Minerals From Mars’ Most Ancient Past?Recent detections of clay-bearing bedrock on Jezero’s crater rim have the Perseverance Science Team excited and eager to sample.
NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image of the Laknes abrasion, acquired in the clay-bearing bedrock of the Krokodillen plateau, on the outer slopes of the Jezero crater rim. Perseverance captured the image using its Right Mastcam-Z camera on June 8, 2025 — or, Sol 1529, Martian day 1,529 of the Mars 2020 mission — at the local mean solar time of 12:03:14. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASUWritten by Alex Jones, Ph.D. candidate at Imperial College London
Since finishing its exploration of spherule-rich stratigraphy at Witch Hazel Hill, Perseverance has been exploring the Krokodillen plateau, a relatively low-lying terrain on the outer slopes of the crater rim. It was in these rocks where the SuperCam instrument began detecting signatures of clay-minerals. These minerals, also known as “phyllosilicates,” are an exciting find as they primarily form by extensive interactions between basaltic rocks and liquid water. Phyllosilicates are also excellent at preserving organic materials, if present, by adsorbing them or encapsulating them within their mineral structure.
What’s more, it’s possible that these clay-bearing rocks may be some of the most ancient rocks explored by Perseverance, dating back to a time when Mars may have been warmer and wetter than the present day. Clay-bearing rocks are abundant in the regions around Jezero, and are thought to date to Mars’ Noachian period, around 4 billion years ago. Needless to say, the Science Team were keen to investigate (and eventually sample) these materials.
Perseverance performed an initial toe-dip into this clay-bearing unit back in April, creating the Strong Island abrasion patch, before returning back upslope to Witch Hazel Hill to sample some spherule-bearing rocks. Since then, Perseverance has started exploring this clay-bearing unit more extensively, creating the Laknes abrasion (pictured) on Sol 1526.
Initial data collected by Perseverance suggests that the clay signature may be variable across the Krokodillen plateau. Next, the Science Team plan to rove around to establish a clear geologic context for these rocks, as well as locating a good site for sampling!
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NASA Intern Took Career from Car Engines to Cockpits
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)Some career changes involve small shifts. But for one NASA engineering intern, the leap was much bigger –moving from under the hood of a car to helping air taxis take to the skies.
Saré Culbertson spent more than a decade in the auto industry and had been working as a service manager in busy auto repair shops. Today, she supports NASA’s Air Mobility Pathfinders project as a flight operations engineer intern at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, through NASA’s Pathways program.
“NASA has helped me see opportunities I didn’t even know existedSaré Culbertson
NASA Intern
“NASA has helped me see opportunities I didn’t even know existed,” she said. “I realized that being good at something isn’t enough – you have to be passionate about it too.”
With a strong foundation in mechanical engineering – earning a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Long Beach, Antelope Valley Engineering Program – she graduated magna cum laude and delivered her class’s commencement speech. Culbertson also earned two associate’s degrees, one in engineering and one in fine arts.
NASA Pathways intern Saré Culbertson, right, works with NASA operations engineer Jack Hayes at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Nov. 7, 2024. They are verifying GPS and global navigation satellite system coordinates using Emlid Reach RS2+ receiver equipment, which supports surveying, mapping, and navigation in preparation for future air taxi test flight research.NASA/Genaro VavurisBefore making the switch to aeronautics, she worked at car dealerships and independent car repair facilities while in college. She also led quality control efforts to help a manufacturer meet international standards for quality.
“I never thought land surveying would have anything to do with flying. But it’s a key part of supporting our research with GPS and navigation verification,” Culbertson said. “GPS measures exact positions by analyzing how long signals take to travel from satellites to ground receivers. In aviation testing, it helps improve safety by reducing signal errors and ensuring location data of the aircraft is accurate and reliable.”
A musician since childhood, Culbertson has also performed in 21 states, playing everything from tuba to trumpet, and even appeared on HBO’s “Silicon Valley” with her tuba. She’s played in ska, punk, and reggae bands and now performs baritone in the Southern Sierra Pops Orchestra.
Saré Culbertson, NASA Pathways intern at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, adjusts the Emlid Reach RS2+ receiver equipment that connects with GPS and global navigation satellite systems on Nov. 7, 2024, in preparation for future air taxi test flight research.NASA/Genaro VavurisThe NASA Pathways internship, she says, changed everything. Culbertson was recently accepted into the Master of Science in Flight Test Engineering program at the National Test Pilot School, where she will be specializing in fixed wing performance and flying qualities.
Her advice for anyone starting out?
“Listen more than you talk,” she said. “Don’t get so focused on the next promotion that you forget to be great at the job you have now.”
During her internship, Culbertson is making meaningful contributions toward NASA’s Urban Air Mobility research. She collects location data for test landing sites as part of the first evaluation of an experimental commercial electric vertical takeoff landing aircraft, a significant milestone in the development of next generation aviation technologies. From fixing cars to helping air taxis become a reality, Saré Culbertson is proof that when passion meets persistence, the sky isn’t the limit – it’s just the beginning.
Share Details Last Updated Jun 23, 2025 EditorDede DiniusContactLaura Mitchelllaura.a.mitchell@nasa.govLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related Terms Explore More 3 min read NASA Air Taxi Passenger Comfort Studies Move Forward Article 4 days ago 2 min read NASA Aircraft to Make Low-Altitude Flights in Mid-Atlantic, California Article 4 days ago 4 min read NASA to Gather In-Flight Imagery of Commercial Test Capsule Re-Entry Article 6 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAArmstrong Flight Research Center
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NASA Intern Took Career from Car Engines to Cockpits
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)Some career changes involve small shifts. But for one NASA engineering intern, the leap was much bigger –moving from under the hood of a car to helping air taxis take to the skies.
Saré Culbertson spent more than a decade in the auto industry and had been working as a service manager in busy auto repair shops. Today, she supports NASA’s Air Mobility Pathfinders project as a flight operations engineer intern at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, through NASA’s Pathways program.
“NASA has helped me see opportunities I didn’t even know existedSaré Culbertson
NASA Intern
“NASA has helped me see opportunities I didn’t even know existed,” she said. “I realized that being good at something isn’t enough – you have to be passionate about it too.”
With a strong foundation in mechanical engineering – earning a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Long Beach, Antelope Valley Engineering Program – she graduated magna cum laude and delivered her class’s commencement speech. Culbertson also earned two associate’s degrees, one in engineering and one in fine arts.
NASA Pathways intern Saré Culbertson, right, works with NASA operations engineer Jack Hayes at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Nov. 7, 2024. They are verifying GPS and global navigation satellite system coordinates using Emlid Reach RS2+ receiver equipment, which supports surveying, mapping, and navigation in preparation for future air taxi test flight research.NASA/Genaro VavurisBefore making the switch to aeronautics, she worked at car dealerships and independent car repair facilities while in college. She also led quality control efforts to help a manufacturer meet international standards for quality.
“I never thought land surveying would have anything to do with flying. But it’s a key part of supporting our research with GPS and navigation verification,” Culbertson said. “GPS measures exact positions by analyzing how long signals take to travel from satellites to ground receivers. In aviation testing, it helps improve safety by reducing signal errors and ensuring location data of the aircraft is accurate and reliable.”
A musician since childhood, Culbertson has also performed in 21 states, playing everything from tuba to trumpet, and even appeared on HBO’s “Silicon Valley” with her tuba. She’s played in ska, punk, and reggae bands and now performs baritone in the Southern Sierra Pops Orchestra.
Saré Culbertson, NASA Pathways intern at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, adjusts the Emlid Reach RS2+ receiver equipment that connects with GPS and global navigation satellite systems on Nov. 7, 2024, in preparation for future air taxi test flight research.NASA/Genaro VavurisThe NASA Pathways internship, she says, changed everything. Culbertson was recently accepted into the Master of Science in Flight Test Engineering program at the National Test Pilot School, where she will be specializing in fixed wing performance and flying qualities.
Her advice for anyone starting out?
“Listen more than you talk,” she said. “Don’t get so focused on the next promotion that you forget to be great at the job you have now.”
During her internship, Culbertson is making meaningful contributions toward NASA’s Urban Air Mobility research. She collects location data for test landing sites as part of the first evaluation of an experimental commercial electric vertical takeoff landing aircraft, a significant milestone in the development of next generation aviation technologies. From fixing cars to helping air taxis become a reality, Saré Culbertson is proof that when passion meets persistence, the sky isn’t the limit – it’s just the beginning.
Share Details Last Updated Jun 23, 2025 EditorDede DiniusContactLaura Mitchelllaura.a.mitchell@nasa.govLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related Terms Explore More 3 min read NASA Air Taxi Passenger Comfort Studies Move Forward Article 4 days ago 2 min read NASA Aircraft to Make Low-Altitude Flights in Mid-Atlantic, California Article 4 days ago 4 min read NASA to Gather In-Flight Imagery of Commercial Test Capsule Re-Entry Article 6 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAArmstrong Flight Research Center
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