NASA

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Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Tessa Keating is a public affairs specialist in the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Keating plans onsite logistics, serves as a protocol officer, and coordinates the Space Flight Awareness Program for NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center.NASA/Danny Nowlin

Every task at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, is not simply work for Tessa Keating – it is a meaningful step toward a part of something great.

“It has been a dream career. I count it an honor to share the NASA story and humbled to know our team witnesses a part of history,” said Keating, a NASA public affairs specialist in the NASA Stennis Office of Communications. “Every day is an opportunity to contribute to the NASA legacy that will last beyond today. “

Keating plans onsite logistics, serves as a protocol officer, and coordinates the Space Flight Awareness Program for NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center. In fact, she organized much of the recent Space Flight Awareness Silver Snoopy Award ceremony at NASA Stennis in August, except for one part. As the ceremony finished, NASA Stennis Director John Bailey said one more award was to be given.

No one was more surprised than the logistics coordinator herself when Keating’s family joined her on stage. The 21-year NASA Stennis employee was honored for her outstanding contributions in sharing the NASA story of exploring the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all with a diverse audience and for equipping everyone with a broader knowledge and appreciation of the center’s vital role within NASA.

“I am not sure I will ever be able to top that in my NASA career,” Keating said.

It became a full-circle moment that she described as a great honor. The Silver Snoopy is the astronauts’ personal award and is presented to less than 1 percent of the total NASA workforce. Reid Wiseman, a NASA astronaut and commander for the upcoming Artemis II mission around the Moon, presented the award to Keating, along with a lapel pin flown aboard NASA’s Artemis I mission.

As NASA returns to the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and inspiration for the Artemis Generation, Keating says it will be extra-special watching Wiseman and the Artemis II crew lay the groundwork for future milestones.

Keating helped lay the groundwork ahead of the successful Artemis I mission. She served as lead logistics for onsite guest operations in 2021 when NASA conducted the most powerful propulsion test in more than 40 years at NASA Stennis. A full-duration hot fire of the first SLS (Space Launch System) core stage and its four RS-25 engines culminated a year-long series of integrated tests. Keating coordinated the viewing of the hot fire for some 200 agency leaders and guests, despite restricted settings due to COVID-19.  

“It was truly a highlight. I had grown up hearing my parents and grandparents talk about engines that were tested during the Apollo era, and I had never experienced something of that magnitude,” Keating said. “I was able to live it, feel it, and watch the next part of NASA history onsite.”

For Keating, the groundwork for a NASA career came following graduation with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from William Carey University and a master’s degree in Communications from The University of Southern Mississippi, both schools in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Having grown up in Pearl River County, Mississippi, for most of her life, she knew about NASA Stennis. However, she did not think she could ever work at the center because her strengths were in areas beyond math and science.

Following some additional exploration and conversations with influential people in her life, Keating discovered she, in fact, could be a part of something great at NASA Stennis.

“The possibilities are endless at NASA when you allow yourself to put your best foot forward and research the many opportunities that are available. There is always room for various types of studies,” Keating said. “I credit where I am in my career to God and to the people who have helped to guide my path. I will be forever grateful.” 

Learn more about the people who work at NASA Stennis

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Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA employees plant an Artemis Moon Tree at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Oct. 29 to celebrate NASA’s successful Artemis I mission as the agency prepares for a return around the Moon with astronauts on Artemis II. NASA/Danny Nowlin

A tree-planting ceremony at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Oct. 29 celebrated NASA’s successful Artemis I mission as the agency prepares for a return around the Moon with astronauts on Artemis II.

“We already have a thriving Moon Tree from the Apollo years onsite,” NASA Stennis Director John Bailey said. “It is exciting to add trees for our new Artemis Generation as it continues the next great era of human space exploration.”

NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement Next Gen STEM Project partnered with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service to fly five species of tree seeds aboard the Orion spacecraft during the successful uncrewed Artemis I test flight in 2022 as part of a national STEM Engagement and conservation education initiative. 

The Artemis Moon Tree species included sweetgums, loblolly pines, sycamores, Douglas-firs, and giant sequoias. The seeds from the first Artemis mission have been nurtured by the USDA into seedlings to be a source of inspiration for the Artemis Generation.

The Moon Tree education initiative is rooted in the legacy of Apollo 14 Moon Tree seeds flown in lunar orbit over 50 years ago by the late Stuart Roosa, a NASA astronaut and Mississippi Coast resident.

NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC), located at the site, planted companion trees during the Oct. 29 ceremony. Bailey and NSSC Executive Director Anita Harrell participated in a joint planting ceremony attended by a number of employees from each entity.

The American sweetgum trees are the second and third Moon Trees at the south Mississippi site. In 2004, ASTRO CAMP participants planted a sycamore Moon Tree to honor the 35th anniversary of Apollo 11 and the first lunar landing on July 20, 1969.

The road to space for both Apollo 14 and Artemis I went through Mississippi. Until 1970, NASA Stennis test fired first, and second stages of the Saturn V rockets used for Apollo.

NASA Stennis now tests all the RS-25 engines powering Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. Prior to Artemis I, NASA Stennis tested the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage and its four RS-25 engines.

The Artemis Moon Trees have found new homes in over 150 communities and counting since last spring, and each of the 10 NASA centers also will plant one.

As the tree grows at NASA Stennis, so, too, does anticipation for the first crewed mission with Artemis II. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration.

The flight will test NASA’s foundational human deep space exploration capabilities – the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft – for the first time with astronauts.

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Bioprinted patches could help wounds heal

Researchers successfully demonstrated the function of a handheld bioprinter that could provide a simple and effective way to treat wounds in space using human skin cells. Crews could use this technology to treat their own injuries and protect crew health and mission success in the future.

Spaceflight can affect how wounds heal. The Bioprint FirstAid device tested a process for bioprinting a patch to cover a wound and accelerate healing. In the future, a crew member’s own cells may be used to create personalized patches for treating an injury. The bioprinting device is easy to use, can be tailored to specific needs, has a low failure rate, and its mechanics are electronics- and maintenance-free. This ESA (European Space Agency) investigation was coordinated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer demonstrates the Bioprint FirstAid prototype during preflight training. German Aerospace Center/European Space Agency

Countering post-flight proficiency challenges

The day they return from spaceflight, astronauts demonstrate significant impairments in fine motor control and the ability to multitask in simulated flying and driving challenges. This finding could help develop countermeasures so crew members can safely land and conduct early operations on the Moon and Mars.

Manual Control used a battery of tests to examine how spaceflight affects cognitive, sensory, and motor function after landing. Researchers concluded that subtle physiological changes that occur during spaceflight degrade post-flight performance. Subsequent tests showed recovery of performance once exposed to the task, suggesting that simulation training immediately before a task could be an effective countermeasure. Researchers also suggest limiting dual or competing tasks during mission-critical phases.

A simulator used to test crew members’ ability to fly and drive after spaceflight. NASA

Gamma-ray telescope resilient to space radiation

Researchers found that the station’s Glowbug gamma-ray telescope could perform in the space radiation environment for multi-year missions. Radiation can affect these types of instruments, but Glowbug regularly detected gamma ray bursts (GRBs) during its one-year operation. Studying GRBs can help scientists better understand the universe and its origins.

Glowbug demonstrated technology to detect and characterize cosmic GRBs, primarily short GRBs, which result from mergers of compact binary star systems containing either two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole. Short GRBs produce gravitational waves, ripples in space that travel at the speed of light. Studying these gravitational waves could provide insight into the star systems where they originate and the behavior of matter during the mergers.

Learn more about GRB research here.

This archival photo shows engineers working on NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft on March 23, 1977.NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA’s Voyager mission launched in the 1970s. Today, it’s making history as it conducts new science. But how are two spacecraft from the ’70s not just surviving, but thriving farther out in space than any other spacecraft has been before?

A Little Mission Background

Voyager is a NASA mission made up of two different spacecraft, Voyager 1 and 2, which launched to space on Sept. 5, 1977, and Aug. 20, 1977, respectively. In the decades following launch, the pair took a grand tour of our solar system, studying Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune — one of NASA’s earliest efforts to explore the secrets of the universe. These twin probes later became the first spacecraft to operate in interstellar space — space outside the heliosphere, the bubble of solar wind and magnetic fields emanating from the Sun. Voyager 1 was the first to enter interstellar space in 2012, followed by Voyager 2 in 2018.  

Today, Voyager continues not just because it can, but because it still has work to do studying interstellar space, the heliosphere, and how the two interact. “We wouldn’t be doing Voyager if it wasn’t taking science data,” said Suzanne Dodd, the mission’s current project manager and the director for the Interplanetary Network at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

But across billions of miles and decades of groundbreaking scientific exploration, this trailblazing interstellar journey has not been without its trials. So, what’s the Voyager secret to success? 

In short: preparation and creativity.  

As NASA’s two Voyager spacecraft travel out into deep space, they carry a small American flag and a Golden Record packed with pictures and sounds — mementos of our home planet. This picture shows John Casani, Voyager project manager in 1977, holding a small Dacron flag that was folded and sewed into the thermal blankets of the Voyager spacecraft before they launched 36 years ago. Below him lie the Golden Record (left) and its cover (right). In the background stands Voyager 2 before it headed to the launch pad. The picture was taken at Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 4, 1977.NASA/JPL-Caltech We Designed Them Not to Fail

According to John Casani, Voyager project manager from 1975 to launch in 1977, “we didn’t design them to last 30 years or 40 years, we designed them not to fail.”

One key driver of the mission’s longevity is redundancy. Voyager’s components weren’t just engineered with care, they were also made in duplicate. 

According to Dodd, Voyager “was designed with nearly everything redundant. Having two spacecraft — right there is a redundancy.” 

“We didn’t design them to last 30 years or 40 years, we designed them not to fail.”

John Casani

Voyager Project Manager, 1975-1977

A Cutting-Edge Power Source

The twin Voyager spacecraft can also credit their longevity to their long-lasting power source. 

Each spacecraft is equipped with three radioisotope thermoelectric generators. These nuclear “batteries” were developed originally by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the Atoms for Peace program enacted by President Eisenhower in 1955. Compared to other power options at the time — like solar power, which doesn’t have the reach to work beyond Jupiter — these generators have allowed Voyager to go much farther into space. 

Each of NASA’s Voyager probes are equipped with three radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), including the one shown here at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The RTGs provide power for the spacecraft by converting the heat generated by the decay of plutonium-238 into electricity. Launched in 1977, the Voyager mission is managed for NASA by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California.NASA/JPL-Caltech

Voyager’s generators continue to take the mission farther than any before, but they also continue to generate less power each year, with instruments needing to be shut off over time to conserve power. 

Creative Solutions  

As a mission that has operated at the farthest edges of the heliosphere and beyond, Voyager has endured its fair share of challenges. With the spacecraft now in interstellar space running on software and hardware from the 1970s, Voyager’s problems require creative solutions.  

Retired mission personnel who worked on Voyager in its earliest days have even come back out of retirement to collaborate with new mission personnel to not just fix big problems but to pass on important mission know-how to the next generation of scientists and engineers.

“From where I sit as a project manager, it’s really very exciting to see young engineers be excited to work on Voyager. To take on the challenges of an old mission and to work side by side with some of the masters, the people that built the spacecraft,” Dodd said. “They want to learn from each other.” 

After receiving data about the health and status of Voyager 1 for the first time in five months, members of the Voyager flight team celebrate in a conference room at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on April 20. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA/JPL-Caltech

Within just the last couple of years, Voyager has tested the mission team’s creativity with a number of complex issues. Most recently, a fuel tube inside of Voyager 1’s thrusters, which control the spacecraft’s orientation and direction, became clogged. The thrusters allow the spacecraft to point their antennae and are critical to maintaining communications with Earth. Through careful coordination, the mission team was able to remotely switch the spacecraft to a different set of thrusters. 

These kinds of repairs are extra challenging as a radio signal takes about 22 ½ hours to reach Voyager 1 from Earth and another 22 ½ hours to return. Signals to and from Voyager 2 take about 19 hours each way.

Voyager’s Interstellar Future

This brief peek behind the curtain highlights some of Voyager’s history and its secrets to success. 

The Voyager probes may continue to operate into the late 2020s. As time goes on, continued operations will become more challenging as the mission’s power diminishes by 4 watts every year, and the two spacecraft will cool down as this power decreases. Additionally, unexpected anomalies could impact the mission’s functionality and longevity as they grow older.

As the mission presses on, the Voyager team grows this legacy of creative problem solving and collaboration while these twin interstellar travelers continue to expand our understanding of the vast and mysterious cosmos we inhabit. 

Read More

• The Story Behind Voyager 1’s Pale Blue Dot
• The Story Behind Voyager 1’s Family Portrait
• Pale Blue Dot Poster
• Voyager 1 Mission Page
• Voyager 2 Mission Page

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Details Last Updated Nov 04, 2024 Related Terms

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Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) In Punakha, Bhutan, Dr. Aparna Phalke (left) from SERVIR works with a translator to converse with a local chili farmer (center) about his experiences cultivating these fields for over 30 years– including agricultural management practices, market prices, and farming challenges Sarah Cox/SERVIR

NASA and the Kingdom of Bhutan have been actively learning from each other and growing together since 2019. The seeds planted over those years have ripened into improved environmental conservation, community-based natural resource management, and new remote sensing tools.

Known for its governing philosophy of “gross national happiness,” [Bhutan] has a constitutional mandate to maintain at least 60% forest cover. The government’s goals include achieving nationwide food security by 2030. 

Bhutan first approached the U.S. State Department to partner on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) opportunities for the country, and NASA was invited to help lead these opportunities. In 2019, Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck visited NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, and was introduced to several NASA programs.

NASA’s Earth scientists and research staff from several complementary programs have helped support Bhutan’s goals by providing data resources and training to make satellite data more useful to communities and decision makers. Bhutan now uses NASA satellite data in its national land management decisions and plans to foster more geospatial jobs to help address environmental issues.

Supporting Bhutan’s Environmental Decision Makers

Bhutan’s National Land Commission offers tax breaks to farmers to support food security and economic resilience. However, finding and reaching eligible farmers on the ground can be expensive and time consuming, which means small farmers in remote areas can be missed. 

A team from SERVIR – a joint NASA-U.S. Agency for International Development initiative – worked with Bhutanese experts to create decision-making tools like the Farm Action Toolkit  (FAcT). The tool uses imagery from the NASA-U.S. Geological Survey Landsat satellites to identify and measure the country’s farmland. SERVIR researchers met with agricultural organizations – including Bhutan’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, National Statistics Bureau, and National Center for Organic Agriculture – to adjust the tool for the country’s unique geography and farming practices. The Land Commission now uses FAcT to identify small farms and bring support to more of the country. 

NASA also develops local capacity to use Earth data through efforts like the Applied Remote Sensing Training Program (ARSET). In early 2024, ARSET staff worked with SERVIR and Druk Holdings and Investments (DHI) to host a workshop with 46 Bhutanese government personnel. Using tailored local case studies, the teams worked to find ways to better manage natural resources, assist land use planning, and monitor disasters. 

“We look forward to continuing this collaboration, as there are still many areas where NASA’s expertise can significantly impact Bhutan’s development goals,” said Manish Rai, an analyst with DHI who helped coordinate the workshop. “This collaboration is a two-way street. While Bhutan has benefited greatly from NASA’s support, we believe there are also unique insights and experiences that Bhutan can share with NASA, particularly in areas like environmental conservation and community-based natural resource management.” 

Dr. Aparna Phalke gives a presentation on NASA technology and the SERVIR program to a group of 100 students at the Royal University of Bhutan College of Natural Resources. Sarah Cox/SERVIR Encouraging Bhutan’s Future Environmental Leaders

By working with students and educators from primary schools to the university level, Bhutan and NASA have been investing in the country’s future environmental leadership. Supporting educators and “training trainers” have been pillars of this collaboration.

NASA and Bhutan have worked together to boost the skills of early-career Earth scientists. For example, NASA’s DEVELOP program for undergraduates worked directly with local institutions to create several applied science internships for Bhutanese students studying in the U.S. 

Tenzin Wangmo, a high school biology teacher in Bhutan, participated in DEVELOP projects focusing on agriculture and water resources. According to Wangmo, the lessons learned from those projects have been helpful in connecting with her students about STEM opportunities and environmental issues. “Most people only think of NASA as going to space, rather than Earth science,” she said. “It was encouraging to my students that there are lots of opportunities for you if you try.”

NASA is also supporting Bhutan’s future environmental leadership through the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Program. The GLOBE program is a U.S. interagency outreach program that works with teachers to support STEM literacy through hands-on environmental learning. Since 2020, GLOBE has worked through the U.S. State Department and organizations like the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Forest Research and Training to support educators at two dozen schools in Bhutan. The program reached more than 650 students with activities like estimating their school’s carbon footprint. 

This focus on STEM education enables students and professionals to contribute to Bhutan’s specific development goals now and in the future. 

Sonam Tshering, a student who completed two DEVELOP projects on Bhutanese agriculture while studying at the University of Texas at El Paso, was able to share the value of these efforts at the 2023 United Nations Climate Conference. “By applying satellite data from NASA, we aimed to create actionable insights for our local farmers and our policymakers back in Bhutan,” she said. 

By Jacob Ramthun and Lena Pranksy, SERVIR Communications Team, and Jonathan O’Brien, ARSET Communications Team

News Media Contact

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

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Details Last Updated Nov 04, 2024 Related Terms

• SERVIR (Regional Visualization and Monitoring System)
• Earth
• Earth Science
• Earth Science Division
• Marshall Science Research & Projects
• Marshall Space Flight Center

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The Space Shuttle Atlantis returned to work after a refurbishing and a two-year layoff, as liftoff for the mission occurred on Nov. 3, 1994. Five NASA astronauts and an ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut were aboard for the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS-3) mission.

NASA

Space shuttle Atlantis lifts off in this Nov. 3, 1994, image, with NASA astronauts Donald R. McMonagle, Curtis L. Brown, Jr., Ellen S. Ochoa, Scott E. Parazynski, and Joseph R. Tanner, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Jean-Francois-Clervoy aboard. During the 11-day mission, the crew studied Earth’s atmosphere, gathering data on the Sun’s energy output, the atmosphere’s chemical composition, and how these affect global ozone levels.

Learn more about the mission.

Image credit: NASA

1 Min Read ¿Cómo se investiga en gravedad cero? Preguntamos a una científica de la NASA La astronauta de la NASA Megan McArthur atiende a las células de donantes dentro de la Caja de Guantes de Ciencias en Microgravedad para el estudio Inmunidad Celeste. Credits: NASA

Realizar experimentos científicos en la Tierra puede ser complicado pero en el espacio es aún más difícil debido a las condiciones de gravedad cero y microgravedad. La gerente de investigaciones comerciales de la Estación Espacial Internacional, Yuri Guinart-Ramírez, te explica cómo en la estación se llevan a cabo cientos de investigaciones científicas en condiciones de microgravedad y cómo los investigadores adaptan sus experimentos e instrumentos para que funcionen adecuadamente en ese entorno.

Crédito de video: NASA 360

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Ciencia en la estación

NASA en español

Explora el universo y descubre tu planeta natal con nosotros, en tu idioma.

Station Benefits for Humanity

International Space Station

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The stars are destroying the pillars.

Sometimes a river of hot gas flows over your head.

What is the most spook-tacular nebula in the galaxy?

Credit: NASA

NASA has awarded the Custodial and Refuse/Recycle Services contract to Ahtna Integrated Services LLC  of Anchorage, Alaska, to provide trash, waste, and recycling services at the agency’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.

This is a hybrid contract that includes a firm-fixed-price and an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity portion. The period of performance begins Friday, Nov. 1, with a 60-day phase-in period, followed by a one-year base period, and options to extend performance through November 2029. This contract has a maximum potential value of approximately $24 million.

Under this contract, the company will perform basic, regularly scheduled custodial and refuse and recycling services at NASA Ames. The company will focus on health and safety, environmental compliance, sanitary cleaning, and customer service.

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

https://nasa.gov

-end-

Hillary Smith
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.                                         
650-313-1701
Hillary.smith@nasa.gov

A new edition of Issue #4 of Astrobiology: The Story of our Search for Life in the Universe has been released to include the NASA Europa Clipper mission. NASA Astrobiology/Aaron Gronstal

To celebrate the successful launch of NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, the agency’s Astrobiology program has released a new edition of Issue #4 – Missions to the Outer Solar System – of its graphic history series Astrobiology: The Story of our Search for Life in the Universe.

Issue #4 tells the story of the outer solar system, from beyond the asteroid belt to the outer reaches of the Sun’s magnetic influence. Gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn are not habitable, but many of their moons raise questions about life’s potential far, far away from the warmth of the Sun.

One such body is Jupiter’s moon Europa, which contains an ocean of liquid water beneath its icy surface. The Europa Clipper mission is designed to help scientists understand whether this ocean holds key ingredients that could support habitable environments for life as we know it. The spacecraft launched on Oct. 14 and will arrive at Jupiter in 2030.

Additional content in the fourth edition of Issue #4 also includes ESA’s (European Space Agency) Juice (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) mission, which will arrive in the Jovian system in 2031 and collect data on many of Jupiter’s moons, including Ganymede, Europa, Callisto, and Io, that is complementary to Europa Clipper’s investigation.

Read more about how astrobiologists study the potential for life on worlds like Europa and the exciting data that Europa Clipper will gather by visiting NASA’s Astrobiology website and downloading the new edition.

Digital wallpaper for phones, desktops, or meeting backgrounds that feature the new Europa Clipper artwork from Issue #4 are also available.

This wallpaper image featuring NASA’s Europa Clipper mission uses artwork from Issue #4 of the astrobiology graphic history series, Astrobiology: The Story of our Search for Life in the Universe. The image of Jupiter in the background is adapted from imagery taken by NASA’s Juno Mission (Exotic Marble, 2019, NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Prateek Sarpal/©CCNCSA) NASA Astrobiology/Aaron Gronstal

For more information on NASA’s Astrobiology program, visit:

https://science.nasa.gov/astrobiology

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Karen Fox / Molly Wasser

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1600

karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov 

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Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) European company apetito uses Neurala’s vision inspection software to ensure the quality of its prepared meals, such as green bean portions pictured here. The software evolved from code Neurala was developing more than a decade ago, with NASA funding, for a rover that could independently learn to traverse Martian terrain. Credit: Neurala Inc.

Artificial intelligence software initially designed to learn and analyze Martian terrain is now at the heart of a system to monitor assembly lines on Earth. 

The vision inspection software from Neurala Inc., an artificial intelligence company in Boston, Massachusetts, works with existing cameras, computers, and even cellphones to monitor the quality of products running along a conveyor belt, for instance.  

“Our software can learn very quickly on a processor with a very small footprint, a skill we learned working with NASA,” said Neurala cofounder and CEO Massimiliano Versace. “By doing so, we enable vision inspection with whatever components are already available, deploying in minutes. In our exploration of the market, we realized that the manufacturing space had a precise need for this technology.”

Versace and Neurala (Spinoff 2018) began working with NASA more than a decade ago on a project funded through the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. NASA was interested in “adaptive bio-inspired navigation for planetary exploration,” and Versace and his team had been working on neural network AI software modeled on the human brain. 

Focusing on a rover concept that could independently learn to traverse Martian terrain, Neurala went on to win STTR Phase II funding for the project. Additional money from a NASA Center Innovation Fund enabled the Neurala team to adapt its technology to drone navigation and collision avoidance. 

In both the rover and the drone applications, the Neurala software could run on a small device on the vehicle itself, eliminating the delay of sending signals to a decision maker in another location. Since then, the company developed the software to help monitor assembly lines.

Onsite computing is an advantage in manufacturing, as well, where an assembly line may have a hundred items passing every minute, making visual inspections for quality control difficult.

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30 Years On, NASA’s Wind Is a Windfall for Studying our Neighborhood in Space An artist’s concept of NASA’s Wind spacecraft outside of Earth’s magnetosphere. NASA

Picture it: 1994. The first World Wide Web conference took place in Geneva, the first Chunnel train traveled under the English Channel, and just three years after the end of the Cold War, the first Russian instrument on a U.S. spacecraft launched into deep space from Cape Canaveral. The mission to study the solar wind, aptly named Wind, held promise for heliophysicists and astrophysicists around the world to investigate basic plasma processes in the solar wind barreling toward Earth — key information for helping us understand and potentially mitigate the space weather environment surrounding our home planet.

Thirty years later, Wind continues to deliver on that promise from about a million miles away at the first Earth-Sun Lagrange Point (L1). This location is gravitationally balanced between Earth and the Sun, providing excellent fuel economy that requires mere puffs of thrust to stay in place.

According to Lynn Wilson, who is the Wind project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, fuel is only one indicator of Wind’s life expectancy, however. “Based on fuel alone, Wind can continue flying until 2074,” he said. “On the other hand, its ability to return data hinges on the last surviving digital tape recorder onboard.” 

An artist’s concept shows a closeup of the Wind spacecraft. NASA

Wind launched with two digital tape recorders to record data from all the instruments on the spacecraft and provide reports on the spacecraft’s thermal conditions, orientation, and overall health. Each recorder has two tape decks, A and B, which Wilson affectionately refers to as “fancy eight-tracks.”

After six years of service, the first digital tape recorder failed in 2000 along with its two tape decks, forcing mission operators to switch to the second one. Tape Deck A on that one started showing signs of wear in 2016, so the mission operators now use Tape Deck B as the primary deck, with A as a backup.  

“They built redundancy into the digital tape recorder system by building two of them, but you can never predict how technology will perform when it’s a million miles away, bathing in ionizing radiation,” said Wilson. “We’re fortunate that after 30 years, we still have two functioning tape decks.”

Wind launched on Nov. 1, 1994, on a Delta IV rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. NASA Bonus Science

When Wind launched on Nov. 1, 1994, nobody could have possibly predicted that exactly 30 years later, NASA would be kicking off “Bonus Science” month in the Heliophysics Big Year. Beyond the mission’s incredible track record of mesmerizing discoveries about the solar wind — some detailed on its 25th anniversary — Wind continues to deliver with bonus science abound.

Opportunity and Collaborative Discovery

Along its circuitous journey to L1, Wind dipped in and out of Earth’s magnetosphere more than 65 times, capturing the largest whistler wave — a low-frequency radio wave racing across Earth’s magnetic field — ever recorded in Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts. Wind also traveled ahead of and behind Earth — about 150 times our planet’s diameter in both directions, informing potential future missions that would operate in those areas with extreme exposure to the solar wind. It even took a side quest to the Moon, cruising through the lunar wake, a shadow devoid of solar wind on the far side of the Moon.

Later, from its permanent home at L1, Wind was among several corroborating spacecraft that helped confirm what scientists believe is the brightest gamma-ray burst to occur since the dawn of human civilization. The burst, GRB 221009A, was first detected by NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope in October 2022. Although not in its primary science objectives, Wind carries two bonus instruments designed to observe gamma-ray bursts that helped scientists confirm the burst’s origin in the Sagitta constellation.

Academic Inspiration

More than 7,200 research papers have been published using Wind data, and the mission has supported more than 100 graduate and post-graduate degrees.

Wilson was one of those degree candidates. When Wind launched, Wilson was in sixth grade, on the football, baseball, and wrestling teams, with spare time spent playing video games and reading science fiction. He had a knack for science and considered becoming a medical doctor or an engineer before committing to his love of physics, which ultimately led to his current position as Wind’s project scientist. While pursuing his doctorate, he worked with Adam Szabo who was the Wind project scientist at NASA Goddard at the time and used Wind data to study interplanetary collisionless shock waves. Szabo eventually hired Wilson to work on the Wind mission team at Goddard.

Also in sixth grade at the time, Joe Westlake, NASA Heliophysics division director, was into soccer and music, and was a voracious reader consumed with Tolkein’s stories about Middle Earth. Now he leads the NASA office that manages Wind.

“It’s amazing to think that Lynn Wilson and I were in middle school, and the original mission designers and scientists have long since retired,” said Westlake. “When a mission makes it to 30 years, you can’t help but be inspired by the role it has played not only in scientific discovery, but in the careers of multiple generations of scientists.”

By Erin Mahoney
NASA Headquarters, Washington

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Nov 02, 2024

Related Terms

• Goddard Space Flight Center
• Heliophysics
• Heliophysics Division
• Science & Research
• Solar Wind
• The Sun
• Wind Mission

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Born and raised in Mexico City, Carlos Fontanot has dedicated 34 years to NASA. He supports the International Space Station Mission Integration and Operations Office, ensuring that high-quality imagery enhances mission objectives and operations.  

Fontanot is known for conceiving and leading the High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) project, which has brought stunning live visuals of Earth to millions around the globe. As he approaches his well-deserved retirement, we are excited to spotlight Fontanot’s remarkable career, celebrating his contributions to NASA and the lasting impact he has made on the agency’s mission to share the wonders of space. 

Carlos Fontanot (left) receives the Great Minds in STEM Lifetime Achievement Award from Joel Montelbano, NASA at the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award Conference.

What does your position entail? 

Integrate all aspects of station imagery, from initial requirements to acquisition, processing, cataloging, archiving, and distribution of station imagery to multiple stakeholders, our clients.  

How would you describe your job to family or friends who may not be as familiar with NASA? 

I manage an array of television and digital still imagery cameras on the International Space Station. Each day we receive eight channels of high definition (HD) video and thousands of digital images that allow the ground team to see what the crew is doing in their daily lives and as part of scientific activities. In today’s age of social media and high-quality imagery, having these images is crucial for effectively conveying the station narrative. 

I also chair the International Space Station’s Multilateral Imagery Working Group. Our team captures and processes the video and still images on a large server, where they are cataloged, archived, and distributed to our clients. Additionally, we are responsible for the photo and TV hardware aboard the space station and provide training to astronauts on how to use this equipment. 

Carlos Fontanot with Liam Kennedy at the International Space Station Research and Development Conference.

How do you feel the imagery and public affairs teams contribute to the overall mission of NASA? 

Imagery is critical for communication in today’s visual environment. If people can’t see it, they won’t believe it! Effective communication through multimedia and pointed messaging is essential for securing continued support for NASA missions from both Congress and the public. 

What was your path to NASA? 

I was always interested in photography and film, so I studied radio, TV, and film in college. My first job after graduation was with a local TV station, and I also managed a media center for a multinational company. Then, I joined Johnson Space Center’s television and film division, where I managed space shuttle and institutional imagery. 

Once at Johnson, I worked in the Office of Public Affairs as the audiovisual manager and served for two years as the public affairs officer in Moscow at the start of the International Space Station Program, including the launch of the first station crew. 

What advice would you give to young individuals aspiring to work in the space industry or at NASA? 

NASA is not just about astronauts, flight controllers, and engineers—there are countless disciplines and job opportunities here. Take imagery, for example: in today’s digital age, having the highest resolution imagery of our incredible orbiting laboratory environment and our home planet is essential. 

For those aspiring to join the NASA team, I encourage you be open-minded and a team player. We need well-educated and talented individuals from diverse backgrounds across all disciplines to help us achieve our goals and explore the wonders of space. 

Is there a space figure you’ve looked up to? 

The space figure I will always remember and look up to is John Glenn. I had the fortune and privilege to meet him during his training. He was an extraordinary human being with incredibly high goals throughout his career. 

I was assigned to escort John Glenn and the STS-95 crew on a two-week official visit to several European countries. John was by far the most inspiring and dedicated crew member that I’d ever met. He was always ready and willing to engage with dignitaries, politicians, leaders, journalists, and the public to share the NASA story and promote future programs to gain support from various governments and the public. 

What do you love sharing about the International Space Station to general audiences? 

I love sharing the wonders of life in space, especially the unique and breathtaking views of our planet Earth that can only be appreciated from space. I like to tell audiences about the observations and inspiration our astronauts share upon returning from their missions. I emphasize our thin and fragile atmosphere that sustains life as we know it, the beauty of Earth’s deserts, mountains, jungles, and oceans, and most importantly, the absence of borders. There’s always a profound realization that we are all human and that Earth belongs to all of us. 

How has the technology for capturing images and video in space evolved over the years? 

There was no digital imagery when I started my professional career. Photographs were taken on film that had to be processed in a dark room using chemicals to produce images. Video was recorded on two-inch magnetic tape at low resolution. We even flew film on our spacecraft that had to be brought back and processed on the ground. 

Today, in the digital world, images can be streamed directly from our spacecraft and almost instantaneously shared with the entire globe. The evolution of technology has truly transformed how we capture and share the wonders of space! 

Carlos Fontanot (left) sets up a NASA imagery exhibit in the Houston Downtown Tunnel System.

What are some of the key projects you’ve worked on during your time at NASA? What have been your favorites? 

During my time at NASA, I co-led the High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) project, which deployed four Earth-viewing cameras on the International Space Station, reaching over 318 million viewers globally. I also contributed to designing Johnson’s new PAO studio, collaborated on upgrading the space station’s downlink system from four standard-definition to eight high-definition channels, and advanced television technology, including the first HD and later UHD live downlinks from the station. These projects have allowed me to enhance NASA’s capacity for sharing space imagery with the world. 

What are your plans for retirement, and how do you hope to stay connected to the space community? 

I plan to travel across the U.S. in a travel trailer with my wife and dog and enjoying my hobbies I will now have time for, such as photography and spending quality time with my family.

Carlos and Pat Fontanot at the Grand Canyon South Rim in Arizona.

 How do you believe NASA’s imagery can continue to inspire future generations? 

Astronaut John Young would come to the photo lab after every shuttle mission to review the film shot onboard. He would say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” What can inspire more than a breathtaking image of a sunset captured from space or the aurora borealis over the polar regions? 

What legacy do you hope to leave behind after your time at NASA? 

I hope to leave behind a legacy of passion and dedication to acquiring and making pristine, high-resolution imagery from space available for the public to enjoy. 

If you could have dinner with any astronaut, past or present, who would it be? 

I would choose John Young. He flew during both the Apollo and shuttle eras, was an imagery expert, and had a deep understanding of the space station. 

Favorite space movie? 

Interstellar   

NASA Worm or Meatball logo? 

Worm   

*** 

Every day we are conducting exciting research aboard our orbiting laboratory that will help us explore farther into space and bring benefits back to people on Earth. You can keep up with the latest news, videos, and pictures about space station science on the Station Research & Technology news page. It is a curated hub of space station research and digital media from Johnson and other centers and space agencies. 

Sign up for our weekly email newsletter to get the updates delivered directly to you. 

Follow updates on social media at @ISS_Research on X, and on the space station accounts on Facebook and Instagram. 

Dr. Eugene Tu, center director at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, presents Representative Anna Eshoo with a replica of the Pioneer plaque during a recognition event for her 32 years of public service.NASA/Brandon Torres Navarrete

On Oct. 29, NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley hosted a gathering to recognize Representative Anna G. Eshoo for her 32 years of distinguished public service and her enduring support for the agency. During the event, Dr. Eugene Tu, center director at Ames, presented the Congresswoman with the Pioneer plaque, a replica of the messages sent on the Pioneer 10 and 11 probes, which launched in 1972 and 1973 respectively.

Lane Polak is a technical writer for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System), where he is responsible for creating content that raises public awareness of NASA and specifically SLS.NASA/Samuel Lott

Growing up, Lane Polak didn’t have much interest in space. Instead, he was busy writing stories, doodling, or riding his skateboard. He later dreamed of becoming an author but also considered stepping into the arena as an American Gladiator.

After earning a degree in communications with a minor in English from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Polak chose to embrace his passion for storytelling and continued his path toward technical writing.

Fast forward 14 years and Polak is now a technical writer for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System); a dream he never knew he had. In his current role at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, he is responsible for creating content that raises public awareness of NASA and specifically SLS. He also assists with outreach programs and supports exhibits, but it’s the opportunity to engage with the community, especially children, that he finds most rewarding.

“I believe a child’s development is one of the most amazing wonders in this world,” Polak said. “As a father, I love watching my two boys progress and learn new things, but I’ve always had a passion for helping children take their own giant leaps. That’s another great thing about creating – there is always a new idea to build on and explore.”

One way Polak has made his mark with the agency is through a series of children’s books designed to inspire the youngest members of the Artemis Generation. His first book, “Hooray for SLS!”, invites young readers on a journey to learn all about the SLS Moon rocket. With catchy writing and colorful illustrations, he captures the wonder of space exploration, making learning about the Artemis campaign both fun and engaging. It’s a celebration of curiosity and adventure, showing children just how exciting the journey to the Moon and Mars can be.

Working with NASA has transformed Polak’s perspective on collaboration and the power of storytelling in science. “After just a few months at NASA, I found myself completely captivated by space and the incredible projects and opportunities unfolding daily,” he said. “Being part of the Artemis Generation isn’t just a job for me; it’s a privilege. I have the opportunity to inspire future generations while contributing to humanity’s quest for deep space exploration. One of the many things my position allows me to do is help others see the scale of this amazing agency, all the work people are doing, and that there truly is a place for anyone here.”

Outside of work, Polak stays busy coaching youth sports, mountain biking, and spending quality time with his family. He and his wife Emily also enjoy buying and selling vintage clothing. Whether it’s creating new stories for kids or finding the next great idea to explore, he embraces the endless possibilities of creation.

Read other I am Artemis features.

Skywatching

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See the Moon Hide a Bright Star

In the early morning hours of November 27, catch a rare lunar occultation of Spica visible from parts of the U.S. and Canada.

Skywatching Highlights

• All month – Planet visibility report: Saturn shines in the south most of the night, Jupiter rises in the early evening alongside Taurus and Orion, while Mars trails a couple of hours behind, visible high in the early morning sky.
• November 4 – Slim crescent Moon pairs with Venus. Enjoy a beautiful sight just after sunset as the Moon and Venus meet up in the southwestern sky.
• November 10 – Saturn & the Moon. The ringed planet has a close pairing with the Moon tonight (perfect for binoculars)
• November 27 – Lunar occultation of Spica. Early risers in the eastern U.S. and Canada can catch the Moon passing in front of Spica this morning, briefly hiding the bright star from view.

Transcript

What’s Up for November?

When to look for Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars this month, a NASA spacecraft swings by Venus on its way to the Sun, and the tricky business of seeing the Moon hide a bright star. And stick around until the end for photos of highlights from last month’s skies.

Saturn is visible toward the south for most of the night. For observers in the Americas, it has a close meetup with the Moon on the 10th, when the pair will appear less than a degree apart just after dark, making for a great sight through binoculars. Check the sky again around midnight, and you’ll see the Moon has visibly shifted a couple of degrees west of Saturn, showing evidence of the Moon’s orbital motion in just a few hours.

In late 2024, Jupiter could be found high overhead as dawn approached with the bright stars of Taurus and Orion. (Jupiter is the bright object at top, right of center.) NASA/Preston Dyches

Jupiter is rising in the east early in the night, together with the bright stars of the constellations Taurus and Orion, and working its way across the sky by dawn. By the end of November, it’s rising just as the sky is getting dark. Mars follows behind Jupiter, rising about three hours after the giant planet.

As in October, early risers will find the Red Planet high overhead in the morning sky before dawn. In the evening sky, Venus is low in the southwest following sunset throughout the month of November. It’s blazing bright and unmistakable if you find a relatively unobstructed view. It appears much higher in the sky for those in the Southern Hemisphere, who’ll also be able to easily observe Mercury after sunset this month. And on the 4th, a slim crescent Moon will appear just below Venus for a beautiful pairing as the glow of sunset fades.

Now, staying with Venus, one of NASA’s intrepid solar system explorers is headed for a close encounter with this Earth-sized hothouse of a planet on November 6th. Parker Solar Probe studies our planet’s nearest star, the Sun. Its mission is to trace the flow of energy that heats the Sun’s outer atmosphere and accelerates the million-mile-per-hour stream of particles it emits. It makes its measurements from super close to the Sun, within the region where all the action happens. To do this, the spacecraft was designed to fly within just 4 million miles of the Sun’s surface, which is 10 times closer than the orbit of the closest planet, Mercury. No other spacecraft has ever gotten this close to the Sun before. In the six years since its launch, the spacecraft has made a bunch of approaches to the Sun, using flybys of the planet Venus to shape its orbit. The November 6th flyby is the final such maneuver, intended to send the spacecraft toward its three closest-ever solar approaches, starting on December 24th. During this last Venus flyby, the mission will capture images of the planet. Previous views returned by Parker showed that the spacecraft could actually see features of the Venusian surface through its dense cloud cover. So look out for Venus in the evening sky, as the brilliant planet helps a craft from Earth to touch the face of the Sun.

In the couple of hours before sunrise on November 27th, skywatchers in the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada will have the chance to witness an occultation – an event where the Moon passes in front of, and temporarily hides, a bright star – in this case Spica. Observers in other parts of the world will see the Moon pass extremely close to Spica, but won’t see it cover up the star. This occultation is one of a series that began in June and will continue monthly through late next year. These happen as the Moon’s orbit slowly shifts northward and southward across the sky, and every so often, its path crosses in front of Spica monthly for a time. But each occultation is only visible from a small portion of Earth. For example, while this November event favors North American viewers, South American observers will get their chance next April. For U.S. skywatchers, this November occultation is the last good opportunity in this series to see the Moon occult Spica until 2032, when a new series of monthly occultations will begin for locations across the globe. Now, if you miss this event, don’t worry!

The Moon also passes in front of three other bright stars from time to time. This means that no matter where you’re located, you’ll have the opportunity before too long to witness the impressive sight of a bright star briefly disappearing behind the Moon.

Watch our video for views of what some of the highlights we told you about in last month’s video actually looked like.

The phases of the Moon for November 2024. NASA/JPL-Caltech

Above are the phases of the Moon for November.

Stay up to date on all of NASA’s missions exploring the solar system and beyond at science.nasa.gov.

I’m Preston Dyches from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and that’s What’s Up for this month.

Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA

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NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Pictured left to right, Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps.Credit: SpaceX

After spending 235 days in space, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts will discuss their science mission aboard the International Space Station during a post-flight news conference at 3:15 p.m. EST Friday, Nov. 8, from the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps will answer questions about their mission. The three crew members, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, returned to Earth on Oct. 25. Grebenkin will not participate because of his travel schedule.

NASA will provide live coverage on NASA+ and the agency’s website. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of additional platforms, including social media.

Media are invited to attend in-person or virtually. For in-person attendance, media must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom no later than 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 at: jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov or 281-483-5111. Media participating by phone must dial into the news conference no later than 10 minutes prior to the start of the event to ask questions. Questions also may be submitted on social media using #AskNASA. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is available on the agency’s website.

The crew spent more than seven months in space, including 232 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, traveling nearly 100 million miles, and completing 3,760 orbits around Earth. While living and working aboard station, the crew completed hundreds of science experiments and technology demonstrations.

Get the latest NASA space station news, images, and features on Instagram, Facebook, and X.

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

-end-

Jimi Russell / Claire O’Shea
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
james.j.russell@nasa.gov / claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov

Raegan Scharfetter
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-910-4989
raegan.r.scharfetter@nasa.gov

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Details Last Updated Nov 01, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms

• Commercial Crew
• Astronauts
• Humans in Space
• International Space Station (ISS)
• ISS Research
• Jeanette J. Epps
• Johnson Space Center
• Matthew Dominick
• Michael R. Barratt