NASA
NASA Announces Realignment to Accelerate Mission Delivery
Editor’s Note: This advisory was updated May 22, 2026 to include a retirement.
NASA announced Friday an agencywide realignment to increase mission focus and move out on the National Space Policy. These changes position the agency to better deliver on the nation’s highest‑priority objectives with speed and efficiency.
During the Ignition event in late March, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and agency leaders outlined the most pressing objectives to deliver on the next chapter of American leadership in space. President Trump’s Executive Order Ensuring American Space Superiority, otherwise known as the National Space Policy, directed NASA to focus talent and resources on objectives including accelerating the Artemis program, establishing a Moon Base, developing a nuclear space reactor, igniting the orbital economy, and expanding missions of science and discovery.
To support the agency’s ambitious short- and long-term goals, NASA is taking action to increase specialization at centers and integrate mission directorates, elevating delivery of technically excellent work. Some of these actions include:
- Center directors will continue reporting to Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, empowered to foster the unique capabilities of each center, and strengthen investments in infrastructure and the health of their workforce.
- Mission directorates will now report directly to the administrator, ensuring focus on the mission and enabling them to leverage resources across centers, industry, and international partnerships with greater speed and efficiency.
- The associate administrator also now serves as NASA chief engineer, reinforcing the agency’s technical backbone and ensuring continuity and autonomy in critical engineering decisions.
- The agency continues to focus on rebuilding core competencies, insourcing contractors to civil servants where appropriate, strengthening the intern pipeline, and leveraging the agency’s joint recruitment initiative with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, NASA Force, to build a strong, sustainable workforce for generations to come.
“This initiative reflects NASA’s extreme focus on executing the mission in direct support of the National Space Policy. We are focusing resources on the most pressing objectives only NASA is capable of undertaking and liberating the workforce from unnecessary bureaucracy and obstacles that impede progress. We aim to rebuild competencies and instill a culture that attracts the best and brightest capable of pursuing the most demanding engineering challenges and moving safely and urgently,” said Isaacman. “There will be no reduction in force, no program cancellations, no closures, but we will achieve cost savings through more efficient execution and taking an active role in delivering the outcomes the world has been waiting for from NASA. This is how we deliver on the mission, meet the moment, and continue to make history on behalf of the American people.”
Mission directorate realignment is as follows:
- Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate (HSMD): With human spaceflight operational to both low Earth orbit and the Moon, the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate and Space Operations Mission Directorate will unify as HSMD.
- Research and Technology Mission Directorate (RTMD): NASA will integrate the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and Space Technology Mission Directorate into the new RTMD. As a combined research, space technology, and aeronautics organization charged with nuclear power and propulsion development, RTMD will ensure NASA has the capabilities needed for the mission of today and the future.
- Science Mission Directorate (SMD): Remains unchanged and continues to provide the foundation for NASA’s world‑leading scientific discovery.
Additional leadership roles, in alphabetical order, include:
- John Bailey, associate administrator, Mission Support Directorate
- Kevin Coggins, director, SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation), RTMD
- Wesley Deadrick, director, Katherine Johnson IV&V Facility
- Jamie Dunn, director, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
- Carlos García-Galán, program manager, Moon Base, HSMD
- Dr. Lori Glaze, associate administrator, HSMD
- Laurie Grindle, director, Aeronautics Division, RTMD
- Marvin Horne, deputy assistant administrator for Procurement
- Brian Hughes, director, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
- Kathleen Karika, associate administrator, Office of International and Interagency Relations, OIIR
- Dr. James Kenyon, associate administrator, RTMD
- Kelvin Manning, deputy associate administrator, HSMD
- Meredith McKay, deputy associate administrator, OIIR
- Dave Mitchell, special assignment lead for NASA Headquarters Relocation
- Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator, HSMD
- Bradley Niese, associate administrator for Procurement
- Eli Ouder, acting deputy associate administrator, Mission Support Directorate
- Jeremy Parsons, program manager, Artemis, HSMD
- Bob Pearce to retire as head of ARMD after an amazing 36-year career at NASA
- Wanda Peters, deputy associate administrator, RTMD
- Dawn Schaible, director, NASA’s Glenn Research Center
- Cynthia Simmons, deputy director, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
- Steve Sinacore, acting director, Space Reactor Office; program manager for SR-1, LR-1, RTMD
- Adam Steltzner, chief engineer for Special Projects
- Greg Stover, director, Advanced Research and Technology Division, RTMD
- Dana Weigel, program manager, Low Earth Orbit, HSMD
Leadership at unlisted centers remains unchanged.
For more, please visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-leadership
-end-
Bethany Stevens / Camille Gallo
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
bethany.c.stevens@nasa.gov / camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov
NASA Announces Realignment to Accelerate Mission Delivery
Editor’s Note: This advisory was updated May 22, 2026 to include a retirement.
NASA announced Friday an agencywide realignment to increase mission focus and move out on the National Space Policy. These changes position the agency to better deliver on the nation’s highest‑priority objectives with speed and efficiency.
During the Ignition event in late March, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and agency leaders outlined the most pressing objectives to deliver on the next chapter of American leadership in space. President Trump’s Executive Order Ensuring American Space Superiority, otherwise known as the National Space Policy, directed NASA to focus talent and resources on objectives including accelerating the Artemis program, establishing a Moon Base, developing a nuclear space reactor, igniting the orbital economy, and expanding missions of science and discovery.
To support the agency’s ambitious short- and long-term goals, NASA is taking action to increase specialization at centers and integrate mission directorates, elevating delivery of technically excellent work. Some of these actions include:
- Center directors will continue reporting to Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, empowered to foster the unique capabilities of each center, and strengthen investments in infrastructure and the health of their workforce.
- Mission directorates will now report directly to the administrator, ensuring focus on the mission and enabling them to leverage resources across centers, industry, and international partnerships with greater speed and efficiency.
- The associate administrator also now serves as NASA chief engineer, reinforcing the agency’s technical backbone and ensuring continuity and autonomy in critical engineering decisions.
- The agency continues to focus on rebuilding core competencies, insourcing contractors to civil servants where appropriate, strengthening the intern pipeline, and leveraging the agency’s joint recruitment initiative with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, NASA Force, to build a strong, sustainable workforce for generations to come.
“This initiative reflects NASA’s extreme focus on executing the mission in direct support of the National Space Policy. We are focusing resources on the most pressing objectives only NASA is capable of undertaking and liberating the workforce from unnecessary bureaucracy and obstacles that impede progress. We aim to rebuild competencies and instill a culture that attracts the best and brightest capable of pursuing the most demanding engineering challenges and moving safely and urgently,” said Isaacman. “There will be no reduction in force, no program cancellations, no closures, but we will achieve cost savings through more efficient execution and taking an active role in delivering the outcomes the world has been waiting for from NASA. This is how we deliver on the mission, meet the moment, and continue to make history on behalf of the American people.”
Mission directorate realignment is as follows:
- Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate (HSMD): With human spaceflight operational to both low Earth orbit and the Moon, the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate and Space Operations Mission Directorate will unify as HSMD.
- Research and Technology Mission Directorate (RTMD): NASA will integrate the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate and Space Technology Mission Directorate into the new RTMD. As a combined research, space technology, and aeronautics organization charged with nuclear power and propulsion development, RTMD will ensure NASA has the capabilities needed for the mission of today and the future.
- Science Mission Directorate (SMD): Remains unchanged and continues to provide the foundation for NASA’s world‑leading scientific discovery.
Additional leadership roles, in alphabetical order, include:
- John Bailey, associate administrator, Mission Support Directorate
- Kevin Coggins, director, SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation), RTMD
- Wesley Deadrick, director, Katherine Johnson IV&V Facility
- Jamie Dunn, director, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
- Carlos García-Galán, program manager, Moon Base, HSMD
- Dr. Lori Glaze, associate administrator, HSMD
- Laurie Grindle, director, Aeronautics Division, RTMD
- Marvin Horne, deputy assistant administrator for Procurement
- Brian Hughes, director, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
- Kathleen Karika, associate administrator, Office of International and Interagency Relations, OIIR
- Dr. James Kenyon, associate administrator, RTMD
- Kelvin Manning, deputy associate administrator, HSMD
- Meredith McKay, deputy associate administrator, OIIR
- Dave Mitchell, special assignment lead for NASA Headquarters Relocation
- Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator, HSMD
- Bradley Niese, associate administrator for Procurement
- Eli Ouder, acting deputy associate administrator, Mission Support Directorate
- Jeremy Parsons, program manager, Artemis, HSMD
- Bob Pearce to retire as head of ARMD after an amazing 36-year career at NASA
- Wanda Peters, deputy associate administrator, RTMD
- Dawn Schaible, director, NASA’s Glenn Research Center
- Cynthia Simmons, deputy director, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
- Steve Sinacore, acting director, Space Reactor Office; program manager for SR-1, LR-1, RTMD
- Adam Steltzner, chief engineer for Special Projects
- Greg Stover, director, Advanced Research and Technology Division, RTMD
- Dana Weigel, program manager, Low Earth Orbit, HSMD
Leadership at unlisted centers remains unchanged.
For more, please visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/nasa-leadership
-end-
Bethany Stevens / Camille Gallo
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
bethany.c.stevens@nasa.gov / camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov
New Material Could Help NASA Melt Moon Rocks, Harness Lunar Resources
4 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Researchers Dr. Kevin Yu, left, and Dr. Jamesa Stokes prepare to remove a sample of a new material they discovered from a furnace inside a laboratory at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland in October 2024. Quenching, or bringing the temperature of the sample down as quickly as possible, helps to ensure no more reactions occur as the sample cools so scientists can focus on studying how it behaves at high temperatures.NASA/Jef JanisA material recently discovered and tested at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland could help astronauts pack lighter for future missions to the Moon. NASA is researching ways explorers could “live off the land” by harnessing lunar resources, including melting Moon rocks to extract metals for building infrastructure and oxygen for fuel and life support.
As part of a graduate fellowship through the agency’s Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities, Dr. Kevin Yu, who now works as a technologist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, teamed up with Dr. Jamesa Stokes, a materials research engineer at NASA Glenn, to study how a variety of substances interacted with liquefied Moon dust.
You could call it lava, because it’s basically rocks that are crushed up and then melted. It’s very corrosive, and it will very quickly eat through a lot of commonly used refractory, or heat-resistant, materials.Dr. kevin yu
Technologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
About six months into their research, Stokes and Yu realized they’d stumbled across something promising and entirely new. After combining simulated lunar dust with a compound called scandium oxide and heat treating the mixture using a red-hot furnace, they discovered that an unknown material had formed. The researchers checked and double-checked their work, but the material didn’t match any of the more than 1 million substances in their X-ray analysis database.
A sample of the new material researchers discovered at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland sits inside a platinum crucible, or heat-resistant container, after being removed from a high-temperature furnace. Behind the silver-colored container is a dome that protects the sample during handling.NASA/Jef JanisNothing about the material had ever been studied before, so the team started from scratch, measuring the substance’s chemical composition. To make small, isolated samples and continue testing how it reacted with molten Moon dust, they used special grinding and mixing equipment in their laboratory to crush up around eight basic oxide components in ethyl alcohol before baking the mixture at more than 2,900 degrees Fahrenheit inside the furnace.
“It’s actually a very cool-looking powder; it goes in pink, almost like strawberry milk,” Yu said. “It has a built-in color indicator, so by the time you’re done with it, it turns to a light beige or tan color, and that’s how you know the reaction has proceeded the way you wanted it to.”
The pink powder shown at the far right is used to make the new material researchers discovered at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. The other powders to the left are two types of simulated Moon dirt used to represent dust from both the brighter regions of its surface (referred to as lunar highlands) and the darker regions (referred to as lunar maria).NASA/Jef JanisAfter analyzing their results, the team found that the new substance isn’t corroded too quickly by the molten Moon dirt and can withstand the high temperatures needed to melt it — up to six times hotter than the oven in your kitchen. While it’s made with scandium oxide, which can be expensive, it costs much less than precious metals like platinum that would normally be used in these types of high-temperature processes.
The researchers’ insights could help influence NASA’s designs for a future technology that would extract resources from Moon rocks, and the new material could be used to make the pipes or basins holding molten dust inside this potential technology.
The new material’s characteristics also could prove ideal for making coatings that protect parts inside of jet engines, which can reach similarly scorching temperatures. The researchers found it is lighter, less dense, and better at insulating heat than current state-of-the-art coating materials.
Researchers Dr. Jamesa Stokes, left, and Dr. Kevin Yu pose for a portrait inside of a laboratory at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland in October 2024.NASA/Jef JanisWhile Yu and Stokes have now completed their initial tests, they hope to fine-tune the material in the future to purify it and make it even more affordable to produce. Materials research will be integral to exploring the harsh environments of the Moon and beyond.
You can have the best idea in the world for a structure or a vehicle, but if you don’t have the materials that have the right properties to make your vision come true, it’s not going to succeed no matter how well you design it.Dr. Jamesa stokes
Materials Research Engineer at NASA Glenn
Studying new materials also advances NASA’s work on Earth.
“I think trying to push what’s possible with materials also allows for a lot of breakthroughs on the terrestrial side. Having a better understanding of materials for all sorts of applications is what gets me excited to go to work in the morning,” Yu said. “That’s why I love NASA’s mission; it’s for the benefit of all.”
This materials research is supported by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.
For more information, visit:
Share Details Last Updated May 22, 2026 Related Terms Explore More 4 min read Keeping NASA Flying: Ground Crews Ensure Aircraft Readiness Article 3 days ago 2 min read Hubble Captures Galaxy ClusterLook closely at this image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and you’ll see galaxies of…
Article 3 days ago 2 min read NASA Seeks Interest for Artemis Mission CubeSats Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related TopicsMissions
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New Material Could Help NASA Melt Moon Rocks, Harness Lunar Resources
4 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Researchers Dr. Kevin Yu, left, and Dr. Jamesa Stokes prepare to remove a sample of a new material they discovered from a furnace inside a laboratory at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland in October 2024. Quenching, or bringing the temperature of the sample down as quickly as possible, helps to ensure no more reactions occur as the sample cools so scientists can focus on studying how it behaves at high temperatures.NASA/Jef JanisA material recently discovered and tested at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland could help astronauts pack lighter for future missions to the Moon. NASA is researching ways explorers could “live off the land” by harnessing lunar resources, including melting Moon rocks to extract metals for building infrastructure and oxygen for fuel and life support.
As part of a graduate fellowship through the agency’s Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities, Dr. Kevin Yu, who now works as a technologist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, teamed up with Dr. Jamesa Stokes, a materials research engineer at NASA Glenn, to study how a variety of substances interacted with liquefied Moon dust.
You could call it lava, because it’s basically rocks that are crushed up and then melted. It’s very corrosive, and it will very quickly eat through a lot of commonly used refractory, or heat-resistant, materials.Dr. kevin yu
Technologist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
About six months into their research, Stokes and Yu realized they’d stumbled across something promising and entirely new. After combining simulated lunar dust with a compound called scandium oxide and heat treating the mixture using a red-hot furnace, they discovered that an unknown material had formed. The researchers checked and double-checked their work, but the material didn’t match any of the more than 1 million substances in their X-ray analysis database.
A sample of the new material researchers discovered at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland sits inside a platinum crucible, or heat-resistant container, after being removed from a high-temperature furnace. Behind the silver-colored container is a dome that protects the sample during handling.NASA/Jef JanisNothing about the material had ever been studied before, so the team started from scratch, measuring the substance’s chemical composition. To make small, isolated samples and continue testing how it reacted with molten Moon dust, they used special grinding and mixing equipment in their laboratory to crush up around eight basic oxide components in ethyl alcohol before baking the mixture at more than 2,900 degrees Fahrenheit inside the furnace.
“It’s actually a very cool-looking powder; it goes in pink, almost like strawberry milk,” Yu said. “It has a built-in color indicator, so by the time you’re done with it, it turns to a light beige or tan color, and that’s how you know the reaction has proceeded the way you wanted it to.”
The pink powder shown at the far right is used to make the new material researchers discovered at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. The other powders to the left are two types of simulated Moon dirt used to represent dust from both the brighter regions of its surface (referred to as lunar highlands) and the darker regions (referred to as lunar maria).NASA/Jef JanisAfter analyzing their results, the team found that the new substance isn’t corroded too quickly by the molten Moon dirt and can withstand the high temperatures needed to melt it — up to six times hotter than the oven in your kitchen. While it’s made with scandium oxide, which can be expensive, it costs much less than precious metals like platinum that would normally be used in these types of high-temperature processes.
The researchers’ insights could help influence NASA’s designs for a future technology that would extract resources from Moon rocks, and the new material could be used to make the pipes or basins holding molten dust inside this potential technology.
The new material’s characteristics also could prove ideal for making coatings that protect parts inside of jet engines, which can reach similarly scorching temperatures. The researchers found it is lighter, less dense, and better at insulating heat than current state-of-the-art coating materials.
Researchers Dr. Jamesa Stokes, left, and Dr. Kevin Yu pose for a portrait inside of a laboratory at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland in October 2024.NASA/Jef JanisWhile Yu and Stokes have now completed their initial tests, they hope to fine-tune the material in the future to purify it and make it even more affordable to produce. Materials research will be integral to exploring the harsh environments of the Moon and beyond.
You can have the best idea in the world for a structure or a vehicle, but if you don’t have the materials that have the right properties to make your vision come true, it’s not going to succeed no matter how well you design it.Dr. Jamesa stokes
Materials Research Engineer at NASA Glenn
Studying new materials also advances NASA’s work on Earth.
“I think trying to push what’s possible with materials also allows for a lot of breakthroughs on the terrestrial side. Having a better understanding of materials for all sorts of applications is what gets me excited to go to work in the morning,” Yu said. “That’s why I love NASA’s mission; it’s for the benefit of all.”
This materials research is supported by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.
For more information, visit:
Share Details Last Updated May 22, 2026 Related Terms Explore More 4 min read Keeping NASA Flying: Ground Crews Ensure Aircraft Readiness Article 3 days ago 2 min read Hubble Captures Galaxy ClusterLook closely at this image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and you’ll see galaxies of…
Article 3 days ago 2 min read NASA Seeks Interest for Artemis Mission CubeSats Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related TopicsMissions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
Hubble Captures Galaxy Cluster
- Hubble Home
- Overview
- Impact & Benefits
- Science
- Observatory
- Team
- Multimedia
- News
- More
2 min read
Hubble Captures Galaxy Cluster NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured this scene of galaxy cluster MACS J1141.6-1905 in visible and infrared light. NASA, ESA, H. Ebeling (University of Hawaii); Image Processing: G. Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)Look closely at this image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and you’ll see galaxies of various shapes and sizes clustered together toward the center-left of the image. A few foreground stars shine brightly and are easily distinguished by the spikes that appear to extend outward from each star. These spikes, called diffraction spikes, are the result of how point sources of light (such as stars) bend, or diffract, around the supports for Hubble’s secondary mirror.
Hubble captured this scene of MACS J1141.6-1905 in visible and infrared light. The image includes data from two Hubble observing programs that looked at massive galaxy clusters that shine very brightly in X-rays. Both programs were looking for distant galaxies gravitationally lensed by the cluster. They also wanted to better understand the physical nature of interactions at each cluster’s core. An extra bonus was the addition of Hubble’s visible and infrared observations of these very bright X-ray clusters to its archive.
Hubble’s archive of 1.7 million observations, and counting, is a valuable tool for current and future astronomers. They can mine Hubble’s 36 years of observations and examine the data with new tools, enabling researchers to make new discoveries.
MACS J1141.6-1905 is around four billion light-years away in the constellation Crater (the Cup).
Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubbleMedia Contact:
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.
Hubble Spectroscopy
Hubble’s Partners in Science
AI and Hubble Science
Hubble Captures Galaxy Cluster
- Hubble Home
- Overview
- Impact & Benefits
- Science
- Observatory
- Team
- Multimedia
- News
- More
2 min read
Hubble Captures Galaxy Cluster NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured this scene of galaxy cluster MACS J1141.6-1905 in visible and infrared light. NASA, ESA, H. Ebeling (University of Hawaii); Image Processing: G. Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)Look closely at this image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and you’ll see galaxies of various shapes and sizes clustered together toward the center-left of the image. A few foreground stars shine brightly and are easily distinguished by the spikes that appear to extend outward from each star. These spikes, called diffraction spikes, are the result of how point sources of light (such as stars) bend, or diffract, around the supports for Hubble’s secondary mirror.
Hubble captured this scene of MACS J1141.6-1905 in visible and infrared light. The image includes data from two Hubble observing programs that looked at massive galaxy clusters that shine very brightly in X-rays. Both programs were looking for distant galaxies gravitationally lensed by the cluster. They also wanted to better understand the physical nature of interactions at each cluster’s core. An extra bonus was the addition of Hubble’s visible and infrared observations of these very bright X-ray clusters to its archive.
Hubble’s archive of 1.7 million observations, and counting, is a valuable tool for current and future astronomers. They can mine Hubble’s 36 years of observations and examine the data with new tools, enabling researchers to make new discoveries.
MACS J1141.6-1905 is around four billion light-years away in the constellation Crater (the Cup).
Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubbleMedia Contact:
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.
Hubble Spectroscopy
Hubble’s Partners in Science
AI and Hubble Science
Tornado Draws a Jagged Line in Mississippi
- Earth
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- EO Explorer
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Tornado Draws a Jagged Line in Mississippi
- Earth
- Earth Observatory
- Image of the Day
- EO Explorer
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NASA to Showcase Mission to Boost Swift Spacecraft’s Orbit
Media are invited to NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Wednesday, June 17, to view Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket, carrying a Katalyst robotic spacecraft that will attempt to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.
Katalyst’s robotic servicing spacecraft, called LINK, will launch on Pegasus in June to rendezvous with Swift and raise its altitude, extending its science mission lifespan.
Both United States and international media may apply for onsite credentials to view the Pegasus and the L-1011 Stargazer aircraft that will deploy the rocket at launch. In addition to interview opportunities on site, media also will receive images and video of LINK, as the spacecraft already will be encapsulated in the rocket.
NASA and Katalyst also will host an audio-only media teleconference on June 17 to preview the mission to boost Swift’s orbit. Audio of the media teleconference will stream live on NASA’s YouTube channel. Information about timing and teleconference participants will be shared closer to the event.
The application deadline for U.S. citizens to attend in person is 4 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, June 10. International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 3 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, May 27. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online.
Media requesting to participate in person or join the media call must send their accreditation requests to Amy Barra at: amy.l.barra@nasa.gov, with the following information:
- Legal first and last name (must match government identification)
- Phone number
- Job title and organization
- Citizenship
The Swift mission, which launched in 2004, leads NASA’s fleet of space telescopes in studying changes in the high-energy universe. It studies gamma-ray bursts — the most powerful explosions in the universe — and other cosmic objects and events. When a rapid, sudden event takes place in the cosmos, Swift serves as a “dispatcher,” providing critical information that allows other “first responder” missions to follow up to learn more about how the universe works.
Learn more about the mission to boost Swift’s orbit at:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/swift/swift-boost-mission
-end-
Karen Fox / Alise Fisher
Headquarters, Washington
202-385-1287 / 202-358-2546
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
Amy Barra
Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia
757-824-1579
amy.l.barra@nasa.gov
NASA to Showcase Mission to Boost Swift Spacecraft’s Orbit
Media are invited to NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Wednesday, June 17, to view Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket, carrying a Katalyst robotic spacecraft that will attempt to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.
Katalyst’s robotic servicing spacecraft, called LINK, will launch on Pegasus in June to rendezvous with Swift and raise its altitude, extending its science mission lifespan.
Both United States and international media may apply for onsite credentials to view the Pegasus and the L-1011 Stargazer aircraft that will deploy the rocket at launch. In addition to interview opportunities on site, media also will receive images and video of LINK, as the spacecraft already will be encapsulated in the rocket.
NASA and Katalyst also will host an audio-only media teleconference on June 17 to preview the mission to boost Swift’s orbit. Audio of the media teleconference will stream live on NASA’s YouTube channel. Information about timing and teleconference participants will be shared closer to the event.
The application deadline for U.S. citizens to attend in person is 4 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, June 10. International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 3 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, May 27. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online.
Media requesting to participate in person or join the media call must send their accreditation requests to Amy Barra at: amy.l.barra@nasa.gov, with the following information:
- Legal first and last name (must match government identification)
- Phone number
- Job title and organization
- Citizenship
The Swift mission, which launched in 2004, leads NASA’s fleet of space telescopes in studying changes in the high-energy universe. It studies gamma-ray bursts — the most powerful explosions in the universe — and other cosmic objects and events. When a rapid, sudden event takes place in the cosmos, Swift serves as a “dispatcher,” providing critical information that allows other “first responder” missions to follow up to learn more about how the universe works.
Learn more about the mission to boost Swift’s orbit at:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/swift/swift-boost-mission
-end-
Karen Fox / Alise Fisher
Headquarters, Washington
202-385-1287 / 202-358-2546
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
Amy Barra
Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia
757-824-1579
amy.l.barra@nasa.gov
NASA Joins Artemis Accords Workshop as Global Signings Rise
The United States participated in an Artemis Accords workshop in Lima, Peru, last week, following a new wave of nations committing to safe and responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Leading up to the event, six countries, including Latvia, Jordan, Morocco, Malta, Ireland, and Paraguay, joined the growing coalition of Artemis Accords signatories during ceremonies held at NASA Headquarters and abroad. This brings the total number of Artemis Accords signatories to 67 like-minded nations.
“This gathering showcases the remarkable global momentum behind the Artemis Accords and our Artemis program,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “The Artemis Accords were created in President Trump’s first term and, as we execute his National Space Policy, we are putting these principles into practice. By aligning our capabilities, acting with urgency, and moving forward as partners, these signatory countries will help shape the future, not from the sidelines, but as essential contributors to humanity’s first permanent outpost on the Moon. Each and every Artemis Accords signatory has the opportunity to play a meaningful role with NASA as we work together to build a sustained human presence on the surface of the Moon.”
On May 13-14, representatives from NASA and the U.S. Department of State joined dozens of counterparts from 30 countries, including several of the newest signatories, for technical discussions and a tabletop exercise focused on operating in complex lunar environments.
Peru hosted the fourth annual workshop, marking the first time the gathering has taken place in South America.
“One of our objectives in hosting this edition of the workshops in our country was to increase regional participation,” said Maj. Gen. Roberto Melgar Sheen, director of Peruvian Space Agency (CONIDA). “I am pleased to say that we have achieved this: All South American signatory countries are taking part in this event, with 90% participating in person and 10% virtually.”
The Artemis Accords community reviewed planned lunar landing and orbiting missions from all the signatories in attendance. With more than a dozen lunar landing missions expected over the next 18 months, last week’s discussions and tabletop exercises focused on non-interference, interoperability, release of scientific data, orbital debris and mitigation. These conversations included a presentation on NASA’s exploration plan, which accelerates the agency’s missions to the Moon. Artemis Accords signatories now have expanded opportunities to support NASA’s Moon Base and deepen their participation in the broader Artemis program, following the agency’s Ignition event on March 24.
“Peru joined the Artemis Accords in 2024, aiming to participate in a cutting-edge dialogue mechanism that addresses global trends in space exploration. We aspire to forge cooperative ties with the signatories of the Artemis Accords that contribute to the scientific and aerospace development of our country,” said Peru’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Felix Denegri about the workshop.
During the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. State Department, joined with seven other founding nations in 2020 to establish the Artemis Accords in response to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies. Today, countries representing every region of the world have committed to responsible principles for exploration.
Signing the Artemis Accords means a commitment to the peaceful and transparent exploration of space; rendering aid to those in need; enabling access to scientific data; ensuring activities do not interfere with those of others; and preserving historically significant sites and artifacts by developing best practices.
More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as NASA continues its work to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space.
For more information about the Artemis Accords, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords
-end-
Camille Gallo / Elizabeth Shaw
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov
NASA Joins Artemis Accords Workshop as Global Signings Rise
The United States participated in an Artemis Accords workshop in Lima, Peru, last week, following a new wave of nations committing to safe and responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Leading up to the event, six countries, including Latvia, Jordan, Morocco, Malta, Ireland, and Paraguay, joined the growing coalition of Artemis Accords signatories during ceremonies held at NASA Headquarters and abroad. This brings the total number of Artemis Accords signatories to 67 like-minded nations.
“This gathering showcases the remarkable global momentum behind the Artemis Accords and our Artemis program,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “The Artemis Accords were created in President Trump’s first term and, as we execute his National Space Policy, we are putting these principles into practice. By aligning our capabilities, acting with urgency, and moving forward as partners, these signatory countries will help shape the future, not from the sidelines, but as essential contributors to humanity’s first permanent outpost on the Moon. Each and every Artemis Accords signatory has the opportunity to play a meaningful role with NASA as we work together to build a sustained human presence on the surface of the Moon.”
On May 13-14, representatives from NASA and the U.S. Department of State joined dozens of counterparts from 30 countries, including several of the newest signatories, for technical discussions and a tabletop exercise focused on operating in complex lunar environments.
Peru hosted the fourth annual workshop, marking the first time the gathering has taken place in South America.
“One of our objectives in hosting this edition of the workshops in our country was to increase regional participation,” said Maj. Gen. Roberto Melgar Sheen, director of Peruvian Space Agency (CONIDA). “I am pleased to say that we have achieved this: All South American signatory countries are taking part in this event, with 90% participating in person and 10% virtually.”
The Artemis Accords community reviewed planned lunar landing and orbiting missions from all the signatories in attendance. With more than a dozen lunar landing missions expected over the next 18 months, last week’s discussions and tabletop exercises focused on non-interference, interoperability, release of scientific data, orbital debris and mitigation. These conversations included a presentation on NASA’s exploration plan, which accelerates the agency’s missions to the Moon. Artemis Accords signatories now have expanded opportunities to support NASA’s Moon Base and deepen their participation in the broader Artemis program, following the agency’s Ignition event on March 24.
“Peru joined the Artemis Accords in 2024, aiming to participate in a cutting-edge dialogue mechanism that addresses global trends in space exploration. We aspire to forge cooperative ties with the signatories of the Artemis Accords that contribute to the scientific and aerospace development of our country,” said Peru’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Felix Denegri about the workshop.
During the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. State Department, joined with seven other founding nations in 2020 to establish the Artemis Accords in response to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies. Today, countries representing every region of the world have committed to responsible principles for exploration.
Signing the Artemis Accords means a commitment to the peaceful and transparent exploration of space; rendering aid to those in need; enabling access to scientific data; ensuring activities do not interfere with those of others; and preserving historically significant sites and artifacts by developing best practices.
More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as NASA continues its work to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space.
For more information about the Artemis Accords, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords
-end-
Camille Gallo / Elizabeth Shaw
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov
NASA Seeks Interest for Artemis Mission CubeSats
Organizations interested in launching CubeSats on future Artemis missions should respond to NASA’s request for information (RFI) by Monday, June 1, for initial consideration.
“The SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and the Artemis missions provide great opportunities for teams to conduct important, science and technology investigations that contribute to the expansion of human space exploration,” said Courtney Ryals, acting manager, SLS payload integration, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
The RFI will inform potential future opportunities for CubeSats to fly on Artemis III, IV and V. While NASA is reviewing specific mission profiles, the agency expects to accommodate 6U and 12U-sized CubeSats that would deploy in Earth orbit or on a heliocentric disposal trajectory following the separation of the Orion spacecraft from the rocket, as the nanosatellites would deploy from a ring on the upper stage of the rocket. Opportunities may also exist for CubeSats deployed on a reentry trajectory from Earth orbit.
CubeSat sizes are measured in “one unit” or “1U” increments, each measuring 10x10x10 centimeters.
NASA flew 10 CubeSats on the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022 and four on the crewed Artemis II mission, deploying each after the upper stage detached from the spacecraft and Orion was flying free on its own to carry out its primary mission. In addition to providing a ride to space as secondary payloads, the agency provides payload integration and engineering support.
As part of the Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send Artemis astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
Share Details Last Updated May 21, 2026 EditorLee MohonContactJonathan Dealjonathan.e.deal@nasa.govLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAArtemis
Space Launch System (SLS)
Artemis III
Artemis IV
NASA Seeks Interest for Artemis Mission CubeSats
Organizations interested in launching CubeSats on future Artemis missions should respond to NASA’s request for information (RFI) by Monday, June 1, for initial consideration.
“The SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and the Artemis missions provide great opportunities for teams to conduct important, science and technology investigations that contribute to the expansion of human space exploration,” said Courtney Ryals, acting manager, SLS payload integration, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
The RFI will inform potential future opportunities for CubeSats to fly on Artemis III, IV and V. While NASA is reviewing specific mission profiles, the agency expects to accommodate 6U and 12U-sized CubeSats that would deploy in Earth orbit or on a heliocentric disposal trajectory following the separation of the Orion spacecraft from the rocket, as the nanosatellites would deploy from a ring on the upper stage of the rocket. Opportunities may also exist for CubeSats deployed on a reentry trajectory from Earth orbit.
CubeSat sizes are measured in “one unit” or “1U” increments, each measuring 10x10x10 centimeters.
NASA flew 10 CubeSats on the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022 and four on the crewed Artemis II mission, deploying each after the upper stage detached from the spacecraft and Orion was flying free on its own to carry out its primary mission. In addition to providing a ride to space as secondary payloads, the agency provides payload integration and engineering support.
As part of the Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send Artemis astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
Share Details Last Updated May 21, 2026 EditorLee MohonContactJonathan Dealjonathan.e.deal@nasa.govLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAArtemis
Space Launch System (SLS)
Artemis III
Artemis IV
NASA’s AWE Completes Mission to Study Earth’s Effect on Space Weather
NASA
On May 21, ground controllers powered down NASA’s AWE (Atmospheric Waves Experiment) instrument, bringing the data collection phase of the mission to a successful and scheduled end, surpassing its planned two-year mission.
Installed on the exterior of the International Space Station since November 2023, AWE studied atmospheric gravity waves, which are giant ripples in the atmosphere caused by strong winds flowing over tall mountains or by violent weather events, such as tornadoes, thunderstorms, and hurricanes. The AWE instrument looked for these waves in colorful bands of light in Earth’s atmosphere, called airglow. Funded by NASA’s Heliophysics Division, AWE investigated how atmospheric gravity waves propagate upward to space and contribute to space weather — conditions in space that can disrupt satellites, as well as navigation and communications signals.
“The AWE mission has proven that our atmosphere is not a ceiling, but a living, breathing ocean in the sky,” said Joe Westlake, director of NASA’s Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “For the first time, we can see how a thunderstorm in the Midwest, a hurricane over Florida, or a wind gust over the Andes sends invisible ripples — atmospheric gravity waves — crashing into the edge of space like waves hitting a shoreline. By mapping these ripples from the International Space Station, we’ve discovered that Earth’s weather doesn’t just end at the clouds, instead it reaches out beyond our planet, shaping the space weather that impacts our orbital economy.”
This artist’s conception depicts the Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) scanning the atmosphere from aboard the International Space Station, measuring variations in infrared airglow to track atmospheric gravity waves as they move up from the lower atmosphere into space. Utah State University Space Dynamics LaboratoryDuring AWE’s 30-month residency on the station, the instrument captured four infrared images every second, tallying more than 80 million nighttime images, which is when airglow can be seen. It observed atmospheric gravity waves from numerous extreme weather events, including a tornado outbreak across the central U.S. in May 2024 and Hurricane Helene impacting the gulf coast of Florida in September 2024.
“We’ve seen atmospheric wave signatures associated with major terrestrial events, which provided a clear example of how intense weather systems can generate measurable upper-atmospheric responses,” said AWE’s principal investigator, Ludger Scherliess of Utah State University in Logan.
These events revealed variations in the types of atmospheric gravity waves created by different kinds of storms. For example, when AWE viewed atmospheric gravity waves generated by a thunderstorm in north Texas on May 26, 2024, it saw they were smaller and more irregular, with a notable asymmetry from north to south, compared to waves created by storms in the same part of the country earlier that month.
This image from AWE shows concentric atmospheric gravity waves caused by a severe weather event that included a tornado near the U.S.-Mexico border on May 3, 2024. Captured during orbit 2529 of AWE’s stay on the International Space Station, the image shows waves spreading across Texas and Mexico in near-perfect circles, a sight rarely observed with such clarity prior to the AWE mission. NASA/Utah State UniversityIt is important to understand variations in the density of plasma, which is electrically charged gas, in Earth’s upper atmosphere instigated by atmospheric gravity waves, because these variations can disrupt radio signals traveling between satellites and the ground, and from satellite to satellite, degrading the accuracy and reliability of systems used for navigation, timing, and communications.
In a recent study, AWE measurements also revealed the gravity waves with the greatest influence on the upper atmosphere have small horizontal wavelengths, ranging from 30 to 300 kilometers, which AWE was specifically designed to measure.
With its data-collection phase complete, the AWE instrument was turned off to make way for another science experiment that will take its place on the outside of the space station. Called CLARREO Pathfinder (Calibration Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory Pathfinder), the new instrument will take measurements of sunlight reflected by Earth and the Moon that are five to 10 times more accurate than those from existing sensors. The exchange of instruments is a key part of the space station’s mission and versatility as an orbiting laboratory for various types of research.
As the International Space Station traveled over the southeastern United States on Sept. 26, 2024, AWE observed atmospheric gravity waves generated by Hurricane Helene as the storm slammed into the gulf coast of Florida. The curved bands extending to the northwest of Florida, artificially colored red, yellow, and blue, show changes in brightness (or radiance) in a wavelength of infrared light produced by airglow in Earth’s mesosphere. The small black circles on the continent mark the locations of cities. Utah State UniversityIn the coming days, a robotic arm on the space station, called Canadarm2, will remove the AWE instrument from its location. Soon afterward, the AWE instrument will be loaded into part of a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft that will deorbit and burn up as it re-enters the atmosphere. However, all of AWE’s observations will ultimately become available to the public and the scientific community for ongoing research and discovery.
“Data from AWE will continue to be made public for both professional researchers and citizen scientists,” Scherliess said.
Some of this data already is available, including interactive, online visualizations on Utah State University’s website, where AWE’s observations are “painted” in swaths onto a globe or on a map as the space station orbits the planet. Users can rotate the visualizations to view atmospheric gravity waves from different angles.
A still image from an interactive visualization shows AWE data collected over the Western Hemisphere. Utah State UniversityLaunched on Nov. 9, 2023, AWE is managed by the Explorers Program Office at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory built the AWE instrument and provided the mission operations center.
Hear more about AWE by listening to episode 334 of NASA’s Houston We Have a Podcast, recorded on Jan. 26, 2024.
By Vanessa Thomas
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
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NASA’s AWE Completes Mission to Study Earth’s Effect on Space Weather
NASA
On May 21, ground controllers powered down NASA’s AWE (Atmospheric Waves Experiment) instrument, bringing the data collection phase of the mission to a successful and scheduled end, surpassing its planned two-year mission.
Installed on the exterior of the International Space Station since November 2023, AWE studied atmospheric gravity waves, which are giant ripples in the atmosphere caused by strong winds flowing over tall mountains or by violent weather events, such as tornadoes, thunderstorms, and hurricanes. The AWE instrument looked for these waves in colorful bands of light in Earth’s atmosphere, called airglow. Funded by NASA’s Heliophysics Division, AWE investigated how atmospheric gravity waves propagate upward to space and contribute to space weather — conditions in space that can disrupt satellites, as well as navigation and communications signals.
“The AWE mission has proven that our atmosphere is not a ceiling, but a living, breathing ocean in the sky,” said Joe Westlake, director of NASA’s Heliophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “For the first time, we can see how a thunderstorm in the Midwest, a hurricane over Florida, or a wind gust over the Andes sends invisible ripples — atmospheric gravity waves — crashing into the edge of space like waves hitting a shoreline. By mapping these ripples from the International Space Station, we’ve discovered that Earth’s weather doesn’t just end at the clouds, instead it reaches out beyond our planet, shaping the space weather that impacts our orbital economy.”
This artist’s conception depicts the Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) scanning the atmosphere from aboard the International Space Station, measuring variations in infrared airglow to track atmospheric gravity waves as they move up from the lower atmosphere into space. Utah State University Space Dynamics LaboratoryDuring AWE’s 30-month residency on the station, the instrument captured four infrared images every second, tallying more than 80 million nighttime images, which is when airglow can be seen. It observed atmospheric gravity waves from numerous extreme weather events, including a tornado outbreak across the central U.S. in May 2024 and Hurricane Helene impacting the gulf coast of Florida in September 2024.
“We’ve seen atmospheric wave signatures associated with major terrestrial events, which provided a clear example of how intense weather systems can generate measurable upper-atmospheric responses,” said AWE’s principal investigator, Ludger Scherliess of Utah State University in Logan.
These events revealed variations in the types of atmospheric gravity waves created by different kinds of storms. For example, when AWE viewed atmospheric gravity waves generated by a thunderstorm in north Texas on May 26, 2024, it saw they were smaller and more irregular, with a notable asymmetry from north to south, compared to waves created by storms in the same part of the country earlier that month.
This image from AWE shows concentric atmospheric gravity waves caused by a severe weather event that included a tornado near the U.S.-Mexico border on May 3, 2024. Captured during orbit 2529 of AWE’s stay on the International Space Station, the image shows waves spreading across Texas and Mexico in near-perfect circles, a sight rarely observed with such clarity prior to the AWE mission. NASA/Utah State UniversityIt is important to understand variations in the density of plasma, which is electrically charged gas, in Earth’s upper atmosphere instigated by atmospheric gravity waves, because these variations can disrupt radio signals traveling between satellites and the ground, and from satellite to satellite, degrading the accuracy and reliability of systems used for navigation, timing, and communications.
In a recent study, AWE measurements also revealed the gravity waves with the greatest influence on the upper atmosphere have small horizontal wavelengths, ranging from 30 to 300 kilometers, which AWE was specifically designed to measure.
With its data-collection phase complete, the AWE instrument was turned off to make way for another science experiment that will take its place on the outside of the space station. Called CLARREO Pathfinder (Calibration Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory Pathfinder), the new instrument will take measurements of sunlight reflected by Earth and the Moon that are five to 10 times more accurate than those from existing sensors. The exchange of instruments is a key part of the space station’s mission and versatility as an orbiting laboratory for various types of research.
As the International Space Station traveled over the southeastern United States on Sept. 26, 2024, AWE observed atmospheric gravity waves generated by Hurricane Helene as the storm slammed into the gulf coast of Florida. The curved bands extending to the northwest of Florida, artificially colored red, yellow, and blue, show changes in brightness (or radiance) in a wavelength of infrared light produced by airglow in Earth’s mesosphere. The small black circles on the continent mark the locations of cities. Utah State UniversityIn the coming days, a robotic arm on the space station, called Canadarm2, will remove the AWE instrument from its location. Soon afterward, the AWE instrument will be loaded into part of a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft that will deorbit and burn up as it re-enters the atmosphere. However, all of AWE’s observations will ultimately become available to the public and the scientific community for ongoing research and discovery.
“Data from AWE will continue to be made public for both professional researchers and citizen scientists,” Scherliess said.
Some of this data already is available, including interactive, online visualizations on Utah State University’s website, where AWE’s observations are “painted” in swaths onto a globe or on a map as the space station orbits the planet. Users can rotate the visualizations to view atmospheric gravity waves from different angles.
A still image from an interactive visualization shows AWE data collected over the Western Hemisphere. Utah State UniversityLaunched on Nov. 9, 2023, AWE is managed by the Explorers Program Office at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Utah State University’s Space Dynamics Laboratory built the AWE instrument and provided the mission operations center.
Hear more about AWE by listening to episode 334 of NASA’s Houston We Have a Podcast, recorded on Jan. 26, 2024.
By Vanessa Thomas
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
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NASA Wins Four Telly Awards for Artemis Moon Coverage, More
NASA’s historic Artemis II mission coverage, which connected global audiences to watch the first humans to travel around the Moon in more than half a century, is among the agency’s video productions recognized with four 2026 Telly Awards.
“President Trump’s leadership in establishing the Artemis program reignited America’s bold vision for space exploration and set our nation on a course back to the Moon. During America’s 250th birthday, Artemis II marked the beginning of that new era by sending astronauts around the Moon for the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo, inspiring millions across the country and around the world,” said Will Boyington, associate administrator, Office of Communications, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “These Telly Awards recognize the extraordinary NASA teams who brought that historic journey into homes everywhere through innovative storytelling, live coverage, and an unprecedented digital experience that showcased American leadership in space and renewed the spirit of exploration for a new generation.”
The agency’s continuous, 24/7 livestream of the Artemis II mission, which functioned as both a live event and as a science storytelling experience, combined visuals, real-time mission data, and expert analysis to make a complex spaceflight clear and accessible for an international audience. NASA’s video documentation of mission astronauts and support teams conducting geology training on Earth to prepare for future Artemis missions on the Moon also won a science and technology storytelling award.
In addition, NASA won a screenwriting award for a documentary on the agency’s Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope, and Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, narrated by actor John Rhys-Davies.
“By following NASA’s Artemis II coverage in real time on multiple platforms, millions of viewers around the world were able to experience the mission inside the Orion spacecraft and alongside the crew, from lunar flyby to splashdown,” said Brittany Brown, director, Office of Communications Digital and Technology Division, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Our team’s coordination, from the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to the Moon, technical expertise, and around-the-clock dedication turned a single spaceflight mission into a shared, global experience of wonder and inspiration.”
Full list of NASA’s Telly Award wins:
- NASA’s Artemis II: Humanity’s Return to the Moon
Gold Winner, Science and Technology - NASA’s Artemis II: Humanity’s Return to the Moon
Silver Winner, Live Events and Experiences - Preparing for Artemis: NASA’s Geology Training for Lunar Exploration
Silver Winner, Science and Technology - The Fellowship of the Telescopes
Bronze Winner, Craft-Writing
Livestream coverage of the mission and milestones reached NASA’s largest streaming audience ever on its individual platforms, ultimately reaching nearly 290 million combined views across agency platforms. Commercial streaming partners expanded the mission’s reach to a global audience of hundreds of millions more potential viewers.
Watch all NASA content through a variety of online platforms:
https://www.nasa.gov/ways-to-watch
Share Details Last Updated May 21, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNASA Wins Four Telly Awards for Artemis Moon Coverage, More
NASA’s historic Artemis II mission coverage, which connected global audiences to watch the first humans to travel around the Moon in more than half a century, is among the agency’s video productions recognized with four 2026 Telly Awards.
“President Trump’s leadership in establishing the Artemis program reignited America’s bold vision for space exploration and set our nation on a course back to the Moon. During America’s 250th birthday, Artemis II marked the beginning of that new era by sending astronauts around the Moon for the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo, inspiring millions across the country and around the world,” said Will Boyington, associate administrator, Office of Communications, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “These Telly Awards recognize the extraordinary NASA teams who brought that historic journey into homes everywhere through innovative storytelling, live coverage, and an unprecedented digital experience that showcased American leadership in space and renewed the spirit of exploration for a new generation.”
The agency’s continuous, 24/7 livestream of the Artemis II mission, which functioned as both a live event and as a science storytelling experience, combined visuals, real-time mission data, and expert analysis to make a complex spaceflight clear and accessible for an international audience. NASA’s video documentation of mission astronauts and support teams conducting geology training on Earth to prepare for future Artemis missions on the Moon also won a science and technology storytelling award.
In addition, NASA won a screenwriting award for a documentary on the agency’s Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope, and Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, narrated by actor John Rhys-Davies.
“By following NASA’s Artemis II coverage in real time on multiple platforms, millions of viewers around the world were able to experience the mission inside the Orion spacecraft and alongside the crew, from lunar flyby to splashdown,” said Brittany Brown, director, Office of Communications Digital and Technology Division, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Our team’s coordination, from the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to the Moon, technical expertise, and around-the-clock dedication turned a single spaceflight mission into a shared, global experience of wonder and inspiration.”
Full list of NASA’s Telly Award wins:
- NASA’s Artemis II: Humanity’s Return to the Moon
Gold Winner, Science and Technology - NASA’s Artemis II: Humanity’s Return to the Moon
Silver Winner, Live Events and Experiences - Preparing for Artemis: NASA’s Geology Training for Lunar Exploration
Silver Winner, Science and Technology - The Fellowship of the Telescopes
Bronze Winner, Craft-Writing
Livestream coverage of the mission and milestones reached NASA’s largest streaming audience ever on its individual platforms, ultimately reaching nearly 290 million combined views across agency platforms. Commercial streaming partners expanded the mission’s reach to a global audience of hundreds of millions more potential viewers.
Watch all NASA content through a variety of online platforms:
https://www.nasa.gov/ways-to-watch
Share Details Last Updated May 22, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
