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Credit: NASA

With Finland’s signing of the Artemis Accords on Tuesday, NASA celebrates the 53rd nation committing to the safe and responsible exploration of space that benefits humanity. The signing ceremony took place on the margins of the Aalto University’s Winter Satellite Workshop 2025 in Espoo, Finland.

“Today, Finland is joining a community of nations that want to share scientific data freely, operate safely, and preserve the space environment for the Artemis Generation,” said NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free, who provided pre-recorded virtual remarks for the ceremony. “By signing the Artemis Accords, Finland builds on its rich history in space, excelling in science, navigation, and Earth observation. Forging strong partnerships between our nations and among the international community is critical for advancing our shared space exploration goals.”

Wille Rydman, Finland’s minister of economic affairs, signed the Artemis Accords in front of an audience of Finnish space officials and workshop attendees.

“Finland has been part of the space exploration community for decades with innovations and technology produced by Finnish companies and research institutions,” said Rydman. “The signing of the Artemis Accords is in line with Finland’s newly updated space strategy that highlights the importance of international cooperation and of strengthening partnerships with the Unites States and other allies. We aim for this cooperation to open great opportunities for the Finnish space sector in the new era of space exploration and in the Artemis program.”

NASA and Finland have a long history of collaboration, and most recently, Finland is contributing to the upcoming Intuitive Machines-2 delivery to the Moon under NASA’s Artemis campaign and CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. Intuitive Machines will deliver a lunar LTE/4G communications system developed by Finnish company, Nokia. Its U.S. subsidiary, Nokia of America, was selected as part of NASA’s Tipping Point opportunity through the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, to advance a lunar surface communications system that could help humans and robots explore more of the Moon than ever before.

The Finnish Meteorological Institute also provided the pressure and humidity measurement instruments for the Environmental Monitoring Station instrument suite aboard the Curiosity Rover, operating on Mars now.

In 2020, the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, and seven other initial signatory nations established the Artemis Accords, a set of principles promoting the beneficial use of space for humanity.

The Artemis Accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements including the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices for responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data. 

Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords

-end-

Kathryn Hambleton / Elizabeth Shaw
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
kathryn.a.hambleton@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov

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Details Last Updated Jan 21, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms

• artemis accords
• NASA Headquarters
• Office of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR)

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NASA astronaut Suni Williams is seen outside the International Space Station during the Jan. 16, 2025, spacewalk where she and fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague replaced a rate gyro assembly that helps maintain the orientation of the orbital outpost. It was the fourth spacewalk for Hague and the eighth for Williams.

Williams and Hague also installed patches to cover damaged areas of light filters on the NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer) X-ray telescope, replaced a reflector device on one of the international docking adapters, and checked access areas and connector tools that astronauts will use for future Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer maintenance.

Stay up to date with International Space Station activities by visiting the space station blog.

Image credit: NASA

Insights into metal alloy solidification

Researchers report details of phase and structure in the solidification of metal alloys on the International Space Station, including formation of microstructures. Because these microstructures determine a material’s mechanical properties, this work could support improvements in techniques for producing coatings and additive manufacturing or 3D printing processes.

METCOMP, an ESA (European Space Agency) investigation, studied solidification in microgravity using transparent organic mixtures as stand-ins for metal alloys. Conducting the research in microgravity removed the influence of convection and other effects of gravity. Results help scientists better understand and validate models of solidification mechanisms, enabling better forecasting of microstructures and improving manufacturing processes.

Image from the METCOMP investigation of how a metal alloy could look like as it solidifies. E-USOC

Measuring the height of upper-atmospheric electrical discharges

Researchers determined the height of a blue discharge from a thundercloud using ground-based electric field measurements and space-based optical measurements from Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM). This finding helps scientists better understand how these high-altitude lightning-related events affect atmospheric chemistry and could help improve atmospheric models and climate and weather predictions.

ESA’s ASIM is an Earth observation facility that studies severe thunderstorms and upper-atmospheric lighting events and their role in the Earth’s atmosphere and climate. Upper-atmospheric lightning, also known as transient luminous events, occurs well above the altitudes of normal lightning and storm clouds. The data collected by ASIM could support research on the statistical properties of many upper atmosphere lightning events, such as comparison of peak intensities of blue and red pulses with reports from lightning detection networks.

An artist’s impression of a blue jet as observed from the International Space Station.Mount Visual/University of Bergen/DTU

Modeling a complex neutron star

Scientists report that they can use modeling of neutron star PSRJ1231−1411’s X-ray pulses to infer its mass and radius and narrow the possible behaviors of the dense matter at its core. This finding provides a better understanding of the composition and structure of these celestial objects, improving models that help answer questions about conditions in the universe.

The Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer provides high-precision measurements of pulses of X-ray radiation from neutron stars. This particular neutron star presented challenges in finding a fit between models and data, possibly due to fundamental issues with its pulse profile. The authors recommend a program of simulations using synthetic data to determine whether there are fundamental issues with this type of pulse profile that could prevent efforts to obtain tighter and more robust constraints.

Concentrators on the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer instrument.NASA

4 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A test rover with shape memory alloy spring tires traverses rocky, Martian-simulated terrain.Credit: NASA

The mystique of Mars has been studied for centuries. The fourth planet from the Sun is reminiscent of a rich, red desert and features a rugged surface challenging to traverse. While several robotic missions have landed on Mars, NASA has only explored 1% of its surface. Ahead of future human and robotic missions to the Red Planet, NASA recently completed rigorous rover testing on Martian-simulated terrain, featuring revolutionary shape memory alloy spring tire technology developed at the agency’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland in partnership with Goodyear Tire & Rubber.

Rovers — mobile robots that explore lunar or planetary surfaces — must be equipped with adequate tires for the environments they’re exploring. As Mars has an uneven, rocky surface, durable tires are essential for mobility. Shape memory alloy (SMA) spring tires help make that possible.

Shape memory alloys are metals that can return to their original shape after being bent, stretched, heated, and cooled. NASA has used them for decades, but applying this technology to tires is a fairly new concept.

“We at Glenn are one of the world leaders in bringing the science and understanding of how you change the alloy compositions, how you change the processing of the material, and how you model these systems in a way that we can control and stabilize the behaviors so that they can actually be utilized in real applications,” said Dr. Santo Padula II, materials research engineer at NASA Glenn.

Researchers from NASA’s Glenn Research Center and Airbus Defence & Space pose with a test rover on Martian-simulated terrain.Credit: NASA

Padula and his team have tested several applications for SMAs, but his epiphany of the possibilities for tires came about because of a chance encounter.

While leaving a meeting, Padula encountered Colin Creager, a mechanical engineer at NASA Glenn whom he hadn’t seen in years. Creager used the opportunity to tell him about the work he was doing in the NASA Glenn Simulated Lunar Operations (SLOPE) Laboratory, which can simulate the surfaces of the Moon and Mars to help scientists test rover performance. He brought Padula to the lab, where Padula immediately took note of the spring tires. At the time, they were made of steel.

Padula remarked, “The minute I saw the tire, I said, aren’t you having problems with those plasticizing?” Plasticizing refers to a metal undergoing deformation that isn’t reversible and can lead to damage or failure of the component.

“Colin told me, ‘That’s the only problem we can’t solve.’” Padula continued, “I said, I have your solution. I’m developing a new alloy that will solve that. And that’s how SMA tires started.”

From there, Padula, Creager, and their teams joined forces to improve NASA’s existing spring tires with a game-changing material: nickel-titanium SMAs. The metal can accommodate deformation despite extreme stress, permitting the tires to return to their original shape even with rigorous impact, which is not possible for spring tires made with conventional metal.

Credit: NASA

Since then, research has been abundant, and in the fall of 2024, teams from NASA Glenn traveled to Airbus Defence and Space in Stevenage, United Kingdom, to test NASA’s innovative SMA spring tires. Testing took place at the Airbus Mars Yard — an enclosed facility created to simulate the harsh conditions of Martian terrain.

“We went out there with the team, we brought our motion tracking system and did different tests uphill and back downhill,” Creager said. “We conducted a lot of cross slope tests over rocks and sand where the focus was on understanding stability because this was something we had never tested before.”

During the tests, researchers monitored rovers as the wheels went over rocks, paying close attention to how much the crowns of the tires shifted, any damage, and downhill sliding. The team expected sliding and shifting, but it was very minimal, and testing met all expectations. Researchers also gathered insights about the tires’ stability, maneuverability, and rock traversal capabilities.

As NASA continues to advance systems for deep space exploration, the agency’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility program enlisted Padula to research additional ways to improve the properties of SMAs for future rover tires and other potential uses, including lunar environments.

“My goal is to extend the operating temperature capability of SMAs for applications like tires, and to look at applying these materials for habitat protection,” Padula said. “We need new materials for extreme environments that can provide energy absorption for micrometeorite strikes that happen on the Moon to enable things like habitat structures for large numbers of astronauts and scientists to do work on the Moon and Mars.”

Researchers say shape memory alloy spring tires are just the beginning.

Explore More 4 min read NASA Scientists, Engineers Receive Presidential Early Career Awards  Article 4 days ago 3 min read NASA Scientists Find New Human-Caused Shifts in Global Water Cycle Article 5 days ago 6 min read New Simulated Universe Previews Panoramas From NASA’s Roman Telescope Article 1 week ago

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Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) AS16-116-18653 (23 April 1972) — Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., Apollo 16 lunar module pilot, stands at a big rock adjacent (south) to the huge “House Rock” (barely out of view at right edge). Note shadow at extreme right center where the two moon-exploring crew members of the mission sampled what they referred to as the “east-by-west split of House Rock” or the open space between this rock and “House Rock”. At their post-mission press conference, the crewmen expressed the opinion that this rock was once a part of “House Rock” which had broken away. The two sampled the big boulder seen here also. Duke has a sample bag in his hand, and a lunar surface rake leans against the large boulder. Astronaut John W. Young, commander, exposed this view with a color magazine in his 70mm Hasselblad camera. While astronauts Young and Duke descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) “Orion” to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) “Casper” in lunar orbit.NASA

The goals of the working group were to:

1. Endorse or recommend changes to H2S SMAC levels that had been proposed by the JSC Toxicology Laboratory
2. Review a draft H2S SMAC manuscript prepared by the JSC Toxicology Laboratory
3. Provide any additional insight and consideration regarding H2S toxicity that should be considered for spaceflight programs

Background

The NASA Spaceflight Human-System Standard (NASA-STD-3001) establishes that vehicle systems shall limit atmospheric contamination below established limits [V2 6050] Atmosphere Contamination Limit. The JSC Toxicology Laboratory maintains the JSC 20584 Spacecraft Maximum Allowable Concentrations for Airborne Contaminants document, which contains a table of SMAC values for a variety of chemicals including carbon monoxide, ammonia, heavy metals, and a wide range of volatile organic compounds. SMACs are documented for 1-hr, 24-hr, 7-day, 30-day, 180-day, and 1000-day time spans for each chemical, and express the maximum concentration to which spaceflight crew can be exposed for that duration.

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The organ system that is affected as well as the effect (symptoms) are also documented for each SMAC. For more information on SMACs, see this article Exposure Guidelines (SMACs and SWEGs) – NASA and the OCHMO Spaceflight Toxicology technical brief technical brief.

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A SMAC value for hydrogen sulfide has not previously been established since it has not been of concern in spacecraft. However, with Artemis missions returning to the moon there is a possibility that H2S could be released within spacecraft during lunar sample return, given that this compound may be a component of lunar polar ice. H2S has an intense smell of rotten eggs and therefore has a distracting psychological element. Physiologically it has been shown to be an irritant at low concentrations and in high concentrations can potentially lead to neurological effects and unconsciousness.

Hydrogen sulfide SMAC values will define safe limits for spaceflight crews on future missions and could drive new requirements for monitoring and mitigation of this chemical during spaceflight.

Read More Conclusions

Key points of the review were:

1. The proposed 1-hour, 24-hour, 7-day, 30-day, and 180-day SMAC values were deemed appropriate and were endorsed by each of the panel members.
2. The proposed 1000-day SMAC value is so low that the panel’s opinion is that this SMAC may not be attainable due to human-generated sources, and that these concentrations do not represent a true toxicological risk. The recommendation is to eliminate the 1000-day SMAC, or to call it a guideline.
3. The general SMAC calculation approach and inclusion of safety factors is logical, although some additional rationale would be justified.
4. Interactive and additive effects with other substances are considered negligible, particularly at these low concentrations.
5. Microgravity-induced physiological changes are unlikely to exacerbate hydrogen sulfide exposure at these low concentrations.
6. Recommendations were made with the understanding that these SMACs apply to pre-screened, healthy astronauts. For private spaceflight participants who may not be as well screened, the panel recommended individual physician attention and a review of all SMACs (including hydrogen sulfide), to identify sensitivities in certain populations (existing disease states, etc.).
7. Passive dosimetry technology is available and should be considered for long-term monitoring at these low concentrations.

Following consideration of the panel’s recommendation, the NASA/TM-20240000101 Exposure Limits for Hydrogen Sulfide in Spaceflight was revised and released by the JSC toxicology group in January of 2024 and is available below.

Read More Astronaut Woody Hoburg replaces life support system components inside the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory module.NASA About the AuthorKim LoweHuman Systems Standards Integrator

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Details Last Updated Jan 17, 2025 Related Terms

• Office of the Chief Health and Medical Officer (OCHMO)
• Human Health and Performance
• Humans in Space
• The Human Body in Space

Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From OCHMO Standards Human Spaceflight Standards

The Human Spaceflight & Aviation Standards Team continually works with programs to provide the best standards and implementation documentation to…

Aerospace Medical Certification Standard

This NASA Technical Standard provides medical requirements and clinical procedures designed to ensure crew health and safety and occupational longevity…

Aviation Medical Certification Standards

This document provides the standards and administrative procedures for the aviation medical certification of NASA aviation flight personnel. It ensures…

Technical Briefs

Technical Briefs are available for standards that offer technical data, background, and application notes for vehicle developers and medical professionals.…

This image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope shows the dwarf galaxy NGC 4449. ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, A. Adamo (Stockholm University) and the FEAST JWST team

President Biden has named 19 researchers who contribute to NASA’s mission as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). These recipients are among nearly 400 federally funded researchers receiving the honor.  

Established in 1996 by the National Science and Technology Council, the PECASE Award is the highest honor given by the U.S. government to scientists and engineers who are beginning their research careers. The award recognizes recipients’ potential to advance the frontiers of scientific knowledge and their commitment to community service, as demonstrated through professional leadership, education or community outreach. 

“I am so impressed with these winners and what they have accomplished,” said Kate Calvin, chief scientist, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “They have made valuable contributions to NASA science and engineering, and I can’t wait to see what they do in the future.” 

The following NASA recipients were nominated by the agency: 

• Natasha Batalha, NASA Ames Research Center, Silicon Valley, California – for transformational scientific research in the development of open-source systems for the modeling of exoplanet atmospheres and observations 

• Elizabeth Blaber, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York – for transformative spaceflight and ground-based space biology research 

• James Burns, University of Virginia, Charlottesville – for innovative research at the intersection of metallurgy, solid mechanics and chemistry  

• Egle Cekanaviciute, NASA Ames Research Center – for producing transformational research to enable long-duration human exploration on the Moon and Mars 

• Nacer Chahat, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Southern California – for leading the innovation of spacecraft antennas that enable NASA deep space and earth science missions 

• Ellyn Enderlin, Boise State University, Idaho – for innovative methods to study glaciers using a wide variety of satellite datasets 

• David Estrada, Boise State University, Idaho – for innovative research in the areas of printed electronics for in space manufacturing and sensors for harsh environments 

• Burcu Gurkan, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio – for transforming contemporary approaches to energy storage and carbon capture to be safer and more economical, for applications in space and on Earth 

• Elliott Hawkes, University of California, Santa Barbara – for highly creative innovations in bio-inspired robotics that advance science and support NASA’s mission 

• John Hwang, University of California, San Diego – for innovative approach to air taxi design and key contributions to the urban air mobility industry  

• James Tuttle Keane, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory – for innovative and groundbreaking planetary geophysics research, and renowned planetary science illustrations 

• Kaitlin Kratter, University of Arizona, Tucson – for leadership in research about the formation and evolution of stellar and planetary systems beyond our own  

• Lyndsey McMillon-Brown, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio – for leadership in photovoltaic research, development, and demonstrations 

• Debbie Senesky, Stanford University, California – for research that has made it possible to operate sensing and electronic devices in high-temperature and radiation-rich environments 

• Hélène Seroussi, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire  – for leading the cryosphere science community in new research directions about the role of ocean circulation in the destabilization of major parts of Antarctica’s ice sheets 

• Timothy Smith, NASA Glenn Research Center – for achievements in materials science research, specifically in high temperature alloy innovation 

• Mitchell Spearrin, University of California, Los Angeles – for pioneering scientific and technological advancements in multiple areas critical to NASA’s current and future space missions including rocket propulsion, planetary entry, and sensor systems 

• Michelle Thompson, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana  – for research in planetary science and dedication to training the next generation of STEM leaders 

• Mary Beth Wilhelm, NASA Ames Research Center – for achievements in science, technology, and community outreach through her work in the fields of space science and astrobiology 

The PECASE awards were created to highlight the importance of science and technology for America’s future. These early career awards foster innovative developments in science and technology, increase awareness of careers in science and engineering, provide recognition to the scientific missions of participating agencies, and enhance connections between research and challenges facing the nation.

Freelancer

NASA’s Sustainable Business Model Challenge is looking for entrepreneurs, startups, and researchers to leverage the agency’s publicly available Earth system science data to develop commercial solutions for climate challenges.

This opportunity, with a submission deadline of June 13, bridges the gap between vast climate data and actionable solutions by inviting solvers to transform data into sustainable business models that support climate resilience and decision-making.

“Creative, outcome-driven entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of our country’s economy, and we’re excited to see the sustainable climate solutions they’re able to come up with when working closely with NASA’s vast resources and data,” said Jason L. Kessler, program executive for the NASA Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program, which is sponsoring the challenge.

Through the Sustainable Business Model Challenge, NASA aims to foster a new set of sustainable enterprises capable of turning climate insights into tangible market-ready services, ultimately contributing to a more resilient future for vulnerable communities, businesses, and ecosystems. NASA is committed to broadening participation in its solicitations and fostering technology advancements.

By engaging new entrepreneurs, the challenge serves as a pathway to NASA’s SBIR/STTR program, helping scale solutions to advance the global response to climate change and encourage a more sustainable future. From its vantage point in space, NASA holds a wealth of data that can inform new approaches to climate adaptation and mitigation.

Participants will submit a 10-page business concept paper that includes details on how they will incorporate NASA climate or Earth system data to deliver a product or service. Up to ten winning teams will receive $10,000 each, along with admission to a 10-week capability development training designed to strengthen any future proposals for potential NASA funding.

NASA’s SBIR/STTR program, managed by the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, is part of America’s Seed Fund, the nation’s largest source of early-stage funding for innovative technologies. Through this program, entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses with less than 500 employees can receive funding and non-monetary support to build, mature, and commercialize their technologies, advancing NASA missions and advancing the nations aerospace economy.

Ensemble is hosting the challenge on behalf of NASA. The NASA Tournament Lab, part of the Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program in the Space Technology Mission Directorate, manages the challenge. The program supports global public competitions and crowdsourcing as tools to advance NASA research and development and other mission needs.

The deadline to participate in NASA’s Sustainable Business Model Challenge is June 13, 2025.

For more information about the challenge, visit: https://nasabusinesschallenge.org/ 

Trailer for NASA’s upcoming documentary, “Planetary Defenders,” which will take audiences inside the high-stakes world of asteroid hunting and planetary defense.

NASA is bringing the high-stakes world of planetary defense to the Sundance Film Festival, highlighting its upcoming documentary, “Planetary Defenders,” during a panel ahead of its spring 2025 premiere on the agency’s streaming service.

“We’re thrilled that NASA is attending Sundance Film Festival for the first time – a festival renowned for its innovative spirit,” said Brittany Brown, director, NASA Office of Communications Digital and Technology Division, at the agency’s Headquarters in Washington. “Our participation represents a groundbreaking opportunity for NASA to engage with the film industry and share new avenues for collaborative storytelling. By connecting with the creative minds at the festival, we aim to inspire new narratives, explore new avenues for collaborative storytelling, and ignite a renewed sense of wonder in space exploration.”

The NASA+ film explores a compelling question: How would humanity respond if we discovered an asteroid headed for Earth? Far from science fiction, “Planetary Defenders” follows real-life astronomers and other experts as they navigate the challenges of asteroid detection and safeguarding our planet from potential hazards.

“NASA is home to some of the greatest stories ever told, and NASA’s new streaming platform NASA+ is dedicated to sharing these stories to inspire the next generation,” said Rebecca Sirmons, general manager and head of NASA+. “We are honored to host a panel at this year’s Sundance Film Festival discussing our upcoming NASA+ documentary “Planetary Defenders.”

The panel, entitled “You Bet Your Asteroid: NASA Has a Story to Tell,” will start at 1:30 p.m. MST on Sunday, Jan. 26, at the Filmmaker Lodge in the Elks Building, 550 Main St., 2nd Floor, Park City, Utah. The event will include a discussion about the film followed by a Q&A session. Attendees also will have the opportunity to meet NASA experts and some of the planetary defenders themselves.

Panelists include:

• Rebecca Sirmons, head of NASA+, NASA
• Scott Bednar, filmmaker and director, NASA 360/National Institute of Aerospace
• Jessie Wilde, filmmaker and director, NASA 360/National Institute of Aerospace
• Dr. Kelly Fast, acting planetary defense officer, NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office
• David Rankin, senior survey operations specialist, Catalina Sky Survey
• Dr. Vishnu Reddy, professor of planetary sciences and director of the Space4 Center, University of Arizona

Media are encouraged to RSVP in advance and may request one-on-one interviews with NASA experts following the panel by contacting Karen Fox at karen.c.fox@nasa.gov.

Through NASA+, the agency is continuing its decades long tradition of sharing live events, original content, and the latest news while NASA works to improve life on Earth through innovation, exploration, and discovery for the benefit of all. The free, on-demand streaming service is available to download without a subscription on most major platforms via the NASA App on iOS and Android mobile and tablet devices, as well as streaming media players like Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV.

To keep up with the latest news from NASA’s planetary defense program, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/planetarydefense

-end-

Abbey Donaldson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
abbey.a.donaldson@nasa.gov

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Details Last Updated Jan 17, 2025 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms

• NASA+
• Asteroids
• Planetary Defense
• Planetary Defense Coordination Office
• Planetary Science
• Planetary Science Division
• Science Mission Directorate
• Social Media

NASA/Bill Ingalls

The Stone of Hope, a granite statue of civil rights movement leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is seen in this image from Jan. 5, 2025. The statue is part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington.

Dr. King inspired millions to answer the righteous call for racial equality and to build a world where every person is treated equally, with dignity and respect. NASA is committed to innovate for the benefit of humanity and to inspire the world through discovery.

Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Science in Space January 2025

At the start of a new year, many people think about making positive changes in their lives, such as improving physical fitness or learning a particular skill. Astronauts on the International Space Station work all year to maintain a high level of performance while adapting to changes in their physical fitness, cognitive ability, sensory perception, and other functions during spaceflight.

Research on the space station looks at how these qualities change in space, the ways those changes affect daily performance, and countermeasures to keep astronauts at their peak.

CSA astronaut David Saint-Jacques wears the Bio-Monitor health sensor shirt and headband.NASA

A current CSA (Canadian Space Agency) investigation, Space Health, assesses the effects of spaceflight on cardiovascular deconditioning. The investigation uses Bio-Monitor, wearable sensors that collect data such as pulse rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, skin temperature, and physical activity levels. Results could support development of an autonomous system to monitor cardiovascular health on future space missions. Similar technology could be used to monitor heart health in people on Earth.

Maintaining muscle fitness NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor tests ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst’s muscle tone.ESA

During spaceflight, astronauts lose muscle mass and stiffness, an indication of strength. Astronauts exercise daily to counteract these effects, but monitoring the effectiveness of exercise had been limited to before and after flight due to the lack of technologies appropriate for use in space. The ESA (European Space Agency) Myotones investigation demonstrated that a small, non-invasive device accurately measured muscle stiffness and showed that current countermeasures seem to be effective for most muscle groups. Accurate inflight assessment could help scientists target certain muscles to optimize the effectiveness of exercise programs on future missions. The measuring device also could benefit patients in places on Earth without other means for monitoring.

Keeping a sharp mind

Research suggests that the effects of spaceflight on cognitive performance likely are due to the influence of stressors such as radiation and sleep disruption. Longer missions that increase the exposure to these hazards may change how they affect individuals.

Test subject Lance Dean performs a manual control task in the Johnson Space Center Neurosciences Laboratory’s Motion Simulator.NASA

Manual Control used a battery of tests to examine how spaceflight affects cognitive, sensory, and motor function right after landing. The day they return from spaceflight, astronauts demonstrate significant impairments in fine motor control and ability to multitask in simulated flying and driving challenges. Researchers attribute this to subtle physiological changes during spaceflight. Performance recovered once individuals were exposed to a task, suggesting that having crew members conduct simulated tasks right before actual ones could be beneficial. This work helps scientists ensure that crew members can safely land and conduct early operations on the Moon and Mars.

Standard Measures collects a set of physical and mental measurements related to human spaceflight risks, including a cognition test battery, from astronauts before, during, and after missions. Using these data, researchers found that astronauts on 6-month missions demonstrated generally stable cognitive performance with mild changes in certain areas, including processing speed, working memory, attention, and willingness to take risks. The finding provides baseline data that could help identify cognitive changes on future missions and support development of appropriate countermeasures. This research includes the largest sample of professional astronauts published to date.

Evaluating perception CSA astronaut David Saint-Jacques conducts a session for VECTION.NASA

Another function that can be affected by spaceflight is sensory perception, such as the ability to interpret motion, orientation, and distance. We use our visual perception of the height and width of objects around us, for example, to complete tasks such as reaching for an object and deciding whether we can fit through an opening. VECTION, a CSA investigation, found that microgravity had no immediate effect on the ability to perceive the height of an object, indicating that astronauts can safely perform tasks that rely on this judgment soon after they arrive in space. Researchers concluded there is no need for countermeasures but did suggest that space travelers be made aware of late-emerging and potentially long-lasting changes in the ability to perceive object height.

Melissa Gaskill

International Space Station Research Communications Team

Johnson Space Center

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Station Benefits for Humanity

Teams with NASA are gaining momentum as work progresses toward future lunar missions for the benefit of humanity as numerous flight hardware shipments from across the world arrived at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the first crewed Artemis flight test and follow-on lunar missions. The skyline at Kennedy will soon see added structures as teams build up the ground systems needed to support them.

Crews are well underway with parallel preparations for the Artemis II flight, as well as buildup of NASA’s mobile launcher 2 tower for use during the launch of the SLS (Space Launch System) Block 1B rocket, beginning with the Artemis IV mission. This version of NASA’s rocket will use a more powerful upper stage to launch with crew and more cargo on lunar missions. Technicians have begun upper stage umbilical connections testing that will help supply fuel and other commodities to the rocket while at the launch pad.

In summer 2024, technicians from NASA and contractor Bechtel National, Inc. completed a milestone called jack and set, where the center’s mega-mover, the crawler transporter, repositioned the initial steel base assembly for mobile launcher 2 from temporary construction shoring to its six permanent pedestals near the Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building.   

Teams at Bechtel National, Inc. use a crane to lift Module 4 into place atop the mobile launcher 2 tower chair at its park site on Jan. 3, 2025, at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Module 4 is the first of seven modules that will be stacked vertically to make up the almost 400-foot launch tower that will be used beginning with the Artemis IV mission.Betchel National Inc./Allison Sijgers

“The NASA Bechtel mobile launcher 2 team is ahead of schedule and gaining momentum by the day,” stated Darrell Foster, ground systems integration manager, NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program at NASA Kennedy. “In parallel to all of the progress at our main build site, the remaining tower modules are assembled and outfitted at a second construction site on center.”

As construction of the mobile launcher 2’s base continues, the assembly operations shift into integration of the modules that will make up the tower. In mid-October 2024, crews completed installation of the chair, named for its resemblance to a giant seat. The chair serves as the interface between the base deck and the vertical modules which are the components that will make up the tower, and stands at 80-feet-tall.

In December 2024, teams completed the rig and set Module 4 operation where the first of a total of seven 40-foot-tall modules was stacked on top of the chair. Becthel crews rigged the module to a heavy lift crane, raised the module more than 150-feet, and secured the four corners to the tower chair. Once complete, the entire mobile launcher structure will reach a height of nearly 400 feet – approximately the length of four Olympic-sized swimming pools placed end-to-end.

On the opposite side of the center, test teams at the Launch Equipment Test Facility are testing the new umbilical interfaces, which will be located on mobile launcher 2, that will be needed to support the new SLS Block 1B Exploration Upper Stage. The umbilicals are connecting lines that provide fuel, oxidizer, pneumatic pressure, instrumentation, and electrical connections from the mobile launcher to the upper stage and other elements of SLS and NASA’s Orion spacecraft.

“All ambient temperature testing has been successfully completed and the team is now beginning cryogenic testing, where liquid nitrogen and liquid hydrogen will flow through the umbilicals to verify acceptable performance,” stated Kevin Jumper, lab manager, NASA Launch Equipment Test Facility at Kennedy. “The Exploration Upper Stage umbilical team has made significant progress on check-out and verification testing of the mobile launcher 2 umbilicals.”

https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/eusu-test-3-5b-run-1.mp4 Exploration Upper Stage Umbilical retract testing is underway at the Launch Equipment Test Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 22, 2024. The new umbilical interface will be used beginning with the Artemis IV mission. Credit: LASSO Contract LETF Video Group

The testing includes extension and retraction of the Exploration Upper Stage umbilical arms that will be installed on mobile launcher 2. The test team remotely triggers the umbilical arms to retract, ensuring the ground and flight umbilical plates separate as expected, simulating the operation that will be performed at lift off.

Climate change presents one of the most urgent crises of our time, with increasing threats to life, infrastructure, economies, and ecosystems worldwide. Climate change is no longer a distant concern; its effects are being felt now and are projected to intensify if emissions continue unabated. The consequences are severe and irreversible for people today, with rapidly shrinking glaciers and ice sheets, rising sea levels, and more intense heat waves already occurring. Scientists predict even more profound impacts, such as an increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires, extended drought periods, and stronger tropical cyclones. By 2100, sea levels could rise by up to 6.5 feet1, displacing coastal communities and disrupting ecosystems. In the U.S., the effects vary by region—wildfires in the West have doubled in area burned, and rising sea levels threaten infrastructure in the Southeast. Innovative, data-driven solutions are essential to mitigate these growing risks. From the unique vantage point in space, NASA collects critical long-term observations of our changing planet. NASA produces vast amounts of Earth system science data from satellites, radars, and ships, as well as model outputs, offering a wealth of opportunities for innovative thinkers to leverage these sources. The Sustainable Business Model Challenge is designed to identify and foster sustainable business models built around NASA’s Earth system science data. This challenge invites entrepreneurs, researchers, startups, and innovators to use NASA’s publicly available climate and Earth system data sources to create sustainable business models to address climate challenges.

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Open Date: January 16, 2025

Close Date: June 13, 2025

For more information, visit: https://nasabusinesschallenge.org/

On Jan. 17, 1990, NASA announced the selection of its 13th group of astronaut candidates. The diverse group comprised 23 candidates – seven pilots and 16 mission specialists. The group included one African American, one Asian American, and five women including the first female pilot and the first Hispanic woman. Following one year of astronaut candidate training, all 23 became eligible for technical assignments within the astronaut office and for assignment to space shuttle crews. All members of the group completed at least one spaceflight, making significant contributions to the space shuttle program, the Shuttle Mir program, important science missions, and assembly and maintenance of the International Space Station. Several went on to serve in key NASA management positions. 

The Group 13 NASA astronaut candidates pose for a group photo – front row kneeling, Charles Precourt, left, Janice Voss, Ellen Ochoa, David Wolf, Eileen Collins, and Daniel Bursch; standing, William Gregory, left, Jeffrey Wisoff, Carl Walz, Richard Searfoss, Donald Thomas, James Halsell, Thomas Jones, James Newman, Kenneth Cockrell, Bernard Harris, Leroy Chiao, Ronald Sega, Susan Helms, William McArthur, Nancy Sherlock, Richard Clifford, and Terrance Wilcutt.

The newest class of NASA astronaut candidates included pilot candidates Kenneth Cockrell, Eileen Collins, William Gregory, James Halsell, Charles Precourt, Richard Searfoss, and Terrence Wilcutt and mission specialist candidates Daniel Bursch, Leroy Chiao, Rich Clifford, Bernard Harris, Susan Helms, Thomas Jones, William Mc Arthur, James Newman, Ellen Ochoa, Ronald Sega, Nancy Sherlock, Donald Thomas, Janice Voss, Carl Walz, Jeffrey Wisoff, and David Wolf. From the 1,945 qualified applicants, NASA invited 103 candidates for interviews and medical exams at NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston between September and November 1989. 

Group 13 astronaut candidates Bernard Harris, left, Susan Helms, and William McArthur during wilderness survival training. Group 13 astronaut candidates William Gregory, left, and Susan Helms during water survival training. Group 13 astronaut candidate Eileen Collins listens to a lecture on parachute ejection.

The 23 astronaut candidates reported to work at JSC on July 16, 1990, to begin their one-year training period. During the yearlong training, the candidates attended classes in applied sciences, space shuttle systems, space medicine, Earth and planetary sciences, and materials sciences. They visited each of the NASA centers to learn about their functions and received instruction in flying the T-38 Talon training aircraft, high-altitude and ground egress systems, survival skills, parasail flight, and scuba. They experienced short-duration weightlessness aboard NASA’s KC-135 aircraft dubbed the Vomit Comet. After completing the astronaut candidate training, they qualified for various technical assignments within the astronaut office leading to assignments to space shuttle crews. 

The Group 13 patch. Group 13 NASA astronaut Daniel Bursch Group 13 NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao Group 13 NASA astronaut Rich Clifford.

Per tradition, most astronaut classes have a nickname, often humorously given to them by the previous class of astronauts. In the case of the class of 1990, they chose their own nickname, The Hairballs. The origin stems from the class adopting a black cat as their mascot, in recognition of their class number 13. The nickname came about as hairballs are often associated with cats. 

Daniel Bursch 

Born in Pennsylvania, Bursch grew up in New York state and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. He served as a pilot in the U.S. Navy prior to his selection as an astronaut. He received his first flight assignment as a mission specialist on STS-51, flying with fellow Hairballs Newman and Walz on the 10-day flight aboard Discovery in 1993. On his second mission, the 10-day STS-68 flight aboard Endeavour in 1994, Bursch, accompanied by fellow classmates Jones, Wilcutt, and Wisoff, served as a mission specialist on the Space Radar Laboratory-2 (SRL-2) Earth observation mission. For his third trip into space, Bursch flew as a mission specialist aboard Endeavour for the 10-day STS-77 mission in 1996. For his fourth and final spaceflight, Bursch, along with fellow Hairball Walz, spent 196 days in space as an Expedition 4 flight engineer aboard the space station in 2001 and 2002, conducting two spacewalks totaling 11 hours 46 minutes. He launched on STS-108 and returned on STS-111. Across his four missions, Bursch accumulated 227 days in space. 

Leroy Chiao 

California native Chiao earned a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, before NASA selected him as an astronaut. For his first flight, he flew as a mission specialist on STS-65, the International Microgravity Lab-2 (IML-2) mission aboard Columbia in 1994. Fellow Hairballs Halsell, Walz, and Thomas accompanied Chiao on the nearly 15-day flight, the longest shuttle mission up to that time. During his second spaceflight, the nine-day STS-72 flight of Endeavour in 1996, Chiao participated in two spacewalks totaling 13 hours 3 minutes to demonstrate future techniques. In 2000, Chiao, accompanied by fellow classmates McArthur and Wisoff, flew the 13-day STS-92 3A space station assembly mission aboard Discovery. He participated in two spacewalks with classmate McArthur totaling 13 hours 16 minutes. For his fourth and final mission, Chiao served as commander of Expedition 10 in 2004 and 2005, spending 193 days in space. During the mission, he conducted two spacewalks totaling 9 hours 58 minutes. During his four flights, Chiao logged 229 days in space and spent more than 36 hours outside on his six spacewalks. 

Rich Clifford 

Clifford, born in California, grew up in Ogden, Utah. He holds the distinction as one of the first three astronauts of his class assigned to a spaceflight, the seven-day STS-53 mission aboard Discovery in 1992 to deploy a large satellite for the Department of Defense. His second flight, the SRL-1 mission aboard Endeavour took place in 1994. Fellow Hairball Jones accompanied him on the STS-59 11-day Earth observation mission. For his third and final spaceflight, Clifford flew as a mission specialist on the STS-76 third Shuttle Mir docking mission. During the nine-day mission in 1996, accompanied by fellow classmate Sega, Clifford participated in a six-hour one-minute spacewalk. During his three spaceflights, he accumulated nearly 28 days in space. 

Group 13 NASA astronaut Kenneth Cockrell. Group 13 NASA astronaut Eileen Collins Group 13 NASA astronaut William Gregory. Group 13 NASA astronaut James Halsell

Kenneth Cockrell 

Cockrell, a native Texan, served as naval aviator prior to his selection as an astronaut. On his first mission, STS-56, he served as a mission specialist for the nine-day ATLAS-2 Earth observation mission in 1993. Fellow classmate Ochoa accompanied him on the flight aboard Discovery. Cockrell served as pilot on his second mission, the 11-day STS-69 Endeavour flight in 1995 to deploy and retrieve the Wake Shield Facility. Classmate Voss accompanied him on this mission. Cockrell commanded his third spaceflight, STS-80 in 1996 aboard Columbia, accompanied by fellow Hairball Jones. At 17 days 15 hours 53 minutes days, it holds the distinction as the longest shuttle flight. He once again served as commander on his fourth mission, the STS-98 5A space station assembly flight in 2001. Accompanied by classmate Jones, the crew delivered the U.S. Laboratory Module Destiny during the 13-day mission. On his fifth and final spaceflight, Cockrell commanded the STS-111 space station UF-2 utilization mission in 2002. During the 14-day flight, the crew brought the Expedition 5 crew to the station and returned the Expedition 4 crew, including Hairballs Bursch and Walz. During his five missions, Cockrell accumulated 64.5 days in space. He served as Chief of the Astronaut Office from October 1997 to October 1998. 

Eileen Collins 

Hailing from New York state, Collins has the distinction as the first female selected by NASA as a shuttle pilot. She received her first flight assignment as pilot of STS-63, the eight-day Shuttle-Mir rendezvous mission in 1995. Fellow classmates Harris and Voss accompanied her aboard Discovery. Collins once again served as pilot on STS-84, the sixth Shuttle-Mir docking mission commanded by fellow Hairball Precourt. The nine-day flight aboard Atlantis took place in 1997. On her third flight, Collins served as the first female commander of a space mission, the five-day STS-93 flight of Columbia in 1999 to deploy the Chandra X-ray Observatory. She commanded her fourth and final mission, the STS-114 return to flight mission following the Columbia accident. The 14-day flight aboard Discovery took place in 2005. During her four missions, Collins logged 36 days in space. 

William Gregory 

New York native Gregory served as a U.S. Air Force pilot when NASA selected him as an astronaut. He flew his single mission as pilot of STS-67, the 17-day Astro-2 mission aboard Endeavour in 1995. The mission set a record for the longest shuttle flight up to that time. 

James Halsell 

Halsell, a native of Louisiana, served as a U.S. Air Force pilot when NASA selected him as an astronaut. On his first spaceflight, he served as pilot on STS-65, the IML-2 mission aboard Columbia in 1994. Fellow Hairballs Chiao, Walz, and Thomas accompanied Halsell on the nearly 15-day flight, the longest shuttle mission up to that time. Halsell once again served as pilot on his second flight, STS-74, the second Shuttle-Mir docking mission that delivered the Docking Module to Mir. Classmate McArthur joined Halsell on the eight-day Atlantis flight in 1995. He commanded his third spaceflight, STS-83 aboard Columbia, the Microgravity Sciences Lab in 1997. Because managers cut the flight short after four days due to a fuel cell failure, NASA decided to refly the mission, with the same crew, later in the year as STS-94, and it stayed in space for nearly 16 days. Classmates Voss and Thomas accompanied Halsell on both missions. Halsell also commanded his fifth and final spaceflight, the STS-101 2A.2a space station logistics mission in 2000. Classmate Helms accompanied Halsell on the 10-day mission aboard Atlantis. During his five missions, Halsell accumulated more than 52 days of spaceflight time.  

Group 13 NASA astronauts Bernard Harris Group 13 NASA astronaut Susan Helms. Group 13 NASA astronaut Thomas Jones. Group 13 NASA astronaut William McArthur.

Bernard Harris 

Texas native Harris served as a NASA flight surgeon when the agency selected him as an astronaut. He holds the distinction as one of the first three astronauts of his class assigned to a spaceflight. He served as a mission specialist on the STS-55 joint U.S.-German Spacelab D2 mission in 1993. Fellow Hairball Precourt accompanied him on the 10-day flight aboard Columbia. Harris flew as payload commander on his second and final spaceflight, the STS-63 Mir rendezvous mission in 1995, accompanied by classmates Collins and Voss. During the flight, Harris conducted a 4-hour 49-minute spacewalk, earning the distinction as the first African American to do so. Across his two missions, Harris logged 18 days in space. 

Susan Helms 

Helms, a native of Portland, Oregon, graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in the first class that included women. Shortly after her selection as an astronaut, NASA assigned her to her first spaceflight, and she holds the distinction as one of the first three astronauts of her class assigned to a mission. She flew as a mission specialist on STS-54, a six-day flight aboard Endeavour in 1993 that deployed the sixth Tracking and Data Relay Satellite. On her second mission, Helms flew aboard STS-64, an 11-day flight aboard Discovery in 1994. She served as the payload commander on STS-78, the Life and Microgravity Sciences Spacelab mission aboard Columbia in 1996. The flight set a then-record of 16 days 22 hours for the longest space shuttle mission. On her fourth mission, she served as a mission specialist on STS-101, the 2A.2a space station logistics mission in 2000 commanded by classmate Halsell. The Atlantis mission lasted 10 days. For her fifth and final spaceflight, she served as a flight engineer during Expedition 2, the first woman to fly a long-duration mission on the International Space Station. She conducted one spacewalk lasting 8 hours 56 minutes, a record not broken until 2024. During her five spaceflights she logged 211 days in space. 

Thomas Jones 

Jones, a native of Baltimore, graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and served as a B-52 pilot when NASA selected him as an astronaut. For his first spaceflight, he served as a mission specialist on STS-59, the 11-day SRL-1 Earth observation mission on Endeavour in 1994, along with classmate Clifford. Later that same year, with just 163 days between the two missions – the second shortest turnaround time in history – Jones served as payload commander on STS-68, the 11-day SRL-2 mission also on Endeavour. Fellow Hairballs Wilcutt, Wisoff, and Bursch accompanied him on the mission. In 1996, Jones flew as a mission specialist on STS-80, commanded by classmate Cockrell. During the nearly 18-day flight – the longest shuttle flight in history – Jones had planned to participate in two spacewalks, but a stuck bolt prevented the opening of Columbia’s airlock hatch, forcing the cancelation of the excursions. Jones flew his fourth and final mission in 2001, the STS-98 5A space station assembly flight, commanded by classmate Cockrell. During the 13-day mission of Atlantis, the crew installed the U.S. Laboratory Module Destiny and Jones participated in three spacewalks totaling nearly 20 hours. During his four spaceflights, Jones logged 53 days in space. 

William McArthur 

Hailing from North Carolina, West Point graduate McArthur worked as a space shuttle vehicle integration test engineer at JSC when NASA selected him as an astronaut. He received his first spaceflight assignment as a mission specialist on the STS-58 Spacelab Life Sciences-2 (SLS-2) mission in 1993. Classmates Searfoss and Wolf accompanied him on the 14-day Columbia mission, at the time the longest space shuttle flight. In 1995, he flew as a mission specialist on STS-74, the second Shuttle Mir docking mission that brought the Docking Module to Mir. Classmate Halsell served as pilot on the eight-day flight of Atlantis. McArthur next flew on STS-92, the 3A space station assembly mission in 2000, accompanied by classmates Chiao and Wisoff. McArthur completed two spacewalks with Chiao totaling 13 hours 16 minutes during the 13-day Atlantis mission. For his fourth and final spaceflight, McArthur served as commander of the 190-day Expedition 12 in 2005-2006, conducting two spacewalks totaling 11 hours 5 minutes. During his four missions, McArthur logged 225 days in space and spent more than 24 hours on four spacewalks. He served as the director of the JSC Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate from 2011 to 2017. 

Group 13 NASA astronaut James Newman. Group 13 NASA astronaut Ellen Ochoa. Group 13 NASA astronaut Charles Precourt. Group 13 NASA astronaut Richard Searfoss.

James Newman 

Born in Micronesia, Newman grew up in San Diego and earned a doctorate in physics from Rice University. He worked at JSC as a crew and flight controller trainer when NASA selected him as an astronaut. For his first spaceflight assignment, Newman flew as a mission specialist on STS-51 in 1993 with fellow Hairballs Bursch and Walz. During the 10-day mission aboard Discovery, Newman conducted a 7-hour 5-minute spacewalk with Walz to demonstrate future spacewalking techniques. His second flight took place in 1995, the 11-day STS-69 mission of Endeavour, with classmate Halsell serving as pilot. On his third mission, Newman flew as a mission specialist on STS-88, the first space station assembly flight in 1998. Classmate Sherlock, now using her married name Currie, accompanied him on the 12-day Atlantis mission. Newman participated in three spacewalks totaling 21 hours 22 minutes. For his fourth and final spaceflight in 2002, Newman flew on STS-109, the fourth servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, accompanied once again by classmate Currie. During the 11-day Columbia mission, Newman conducted two spacewalks totaling 14 hours 46 minutes. During his career four spaceflights, Newman logged more than 43 days in space and spent nearly 50 hours on six spacewalks. 

Ellen Ochoa 

Born in Los Angeles, Ochoa received her doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University and worked at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley when NASA selected her as an astronaut. Her first flight assignment came in 1993 when she flew as a mission specialist on STS-56, the nine-day ATLAS-2 Earth observation mission. Classmate Cockrell accompanied her on the Discovery mission. On her second spaceflight, she served as payload commander on the STS-66 ATLAS-3 mission, an 11-day flight of Atlantis in 1994. For her third flight, she flew on Discovery’s STS-96, the 10-day 2A.1 space station assembly and logistics mission in 1999. In 2002, on her fourth and final mission, STS-110, she served as a mission specialist on the 8A space station assembly flight that brought the S0 truss to the facility. The flight on Atlantis lasted nearly 11 days. Over her four missions, Ochoa accumulated nearly 41 days in space. Following her spaceflights, Ochoa served in management positions with increasing scope and responsibilities, as director of the Flight Crew Operations Directorate, JSC deputy director, and JSC director. 

Charles Precourt 

Massachusetts native Precourt graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and served as a U.S. Air Force pilot when NASA selected him as an astronaut. On his first spaceflight in 1993, he served as a mission specialist on STS-55, the joint U.S.-German Spacelab D2 mission. Fellow Hairball Harris accompanied him on the 10-day Columbia mission. On his next spaceflight, Precourt served as pilot on STS-71, the first Shuttle-Mir docking mission in 1995. The 10-day Atlantis mission included the first shuttle-based crew rotation. Precourt commanded his third spaceflight, STS-84 in 1987, the sixth Shuttle-Mir docking mission. Classmate Collins served as pilot on the nine-day Atlantis mission. He commanded his fourth and final space mission, STS-91, the ninth and final Shuttle-Mir docking flight, earning him the honor as the only American astronaut to visit Mir three times. The 10-day mission aboard Discovery took place in 1998. Across his four spaceflights, Precourt logged nearly 39 days in space. He served as chief of the Astronaut Office from October 1998 to November 2002. 

Richard Searfoss 

Born in Michigan, Searfoss graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and served as an instructor at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School when NASA selected him as an astronaut. On his first spaceflight, Searfoss served as pilot on STS-58, the SLS-2 mission in 1993. Classmates McArthur and Wolf joined him on the flight aboard Columbia, at 14 days then the longest space shuttle mission. In 1996, he once again served as pilot on STS-76, the third Shuttle-Mir docking mission. Classmates Clifford and Sega joined him on the nine-day flight aboard Atlantis. Searfoss commanded his third and final spaceflight, the 16-day STS-90 Neurolab mission aboard Columbia in 1998. Across his three missions, Searfoss logged 39 days in space. 

Group 13 NASA astronaut Ronald Sega. Group 13 NASA astronaut Nancy Sherlock. Group 13 NASA astronaut Donald Thomas. Group 13 NASA astronaut Janice Voss.

Ronald Sega 

Ohio native Sega graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and worked as a research associate professor of physics at the University of Houston when NASA selected him as an astronaut. On his first spaceflight, he served as a mission specialist aboard STS-60, the first Shuttle-Mir mission. The eight-day mission aboard Discovery took place in 1994. For his second and final spaceflight in 1996, Sega served as a mission specialist on STS-76, the third Shuttle-Mir docking mission. Fellow Hairballs Searfoss and Clifford also flew on the nine-day Atlantis mission. Across his two spaceflights, Sega logged 17.5 days in space. 

Nancy Sherlock Currie 

Born in Delaware, Sherlock grew up in Ohio and worked as a flight simulation engineer at JSC when NASA selected her as an astronaut. On her debut spaceflight, Sherlock flew as a mission specialist on STS-57, the first flight of the Spacehab module in 1993. Fellow classmates Voss and Wisoff joined her on the 10-day mission aboard Endeavour. On her subsequent missions, she flew under her married name of Currie. Her second trip into space took place in 1995, the nine-day STS-70 mission aboard Discovery. Classmate Thomas joined her on this mission to deploy the seventh TDRS satellite. On her third mission, Currie flew as a mission specialist on STS-88, the first space station assembly mission in 1998. Classmate Newman accompanied her on the 12-day Atlantis mission. For her fourth and final spaceflight in 2002, Currie flew on STS-109, the fourth Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Classmate Newman once again accompanied her on the 11-day Columbia mission. Across her four spaceflights, Currie logged nearly 42 days in space. 

Donald Thomas 

Ohio native Thomas earned a doctorate in materials science from Cornell University and worked as a materials science engineer at JSC when NASA selected him as an astronaut. For his first flight, he flew as a mission specialist on STS-65, the IML-2 mission aboard Columbia in 1994. Fellow Hairballs Halsell, Chiao, and Walz accompanied Thomas on the nearly 15-day flight, the longest shuttle mission up to that time. His second trip into space took place in 1995, the nine-day STS-70 mission aboard Discovery. Classmate Currie joined him on this mission to deploy the seventh TDRS satellite. Thomas flew his third spaceflight on STS-83 aboard Columbia, the MSL mission in 1997. Because managers cut the flight short after four days due to a fuel cell failure, NASA decided to fly the mission again, with the same crew, later in the year as STS-94, for the full 16-day mission duration. Classmates Halsell and Voss accompanied Thomas on both missions. Across his four missions, Thomas logged 43 days in space. 

Janice Voss 

Ohio native Voss earned a doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and worked as an integration manager at Orbital Science Corporation in Houston when NASA selected her as an astronaut. On her first spaceflight, Voss flew as a mission specialist on STS-57, the first flight of the Spacehab module in 1993. Fellow classmates Sherlock and Wisoff joined her on the 10-day mission aboard Endeavour. Voss flew as a mission specialist on her second spaceflight, the STS-63 Mir rendezvous mission in 1995, accompanied by classmates Collins and Harris. Voss flew as payload commander on her third spaceflight on STS-83 aboard Columbia, the MSL mission in 1997. Because managers cut the flight short after four days due to a fuel cell failure, NASA decided to refly the mission, with the same crew, later in the year as STS-94, for the full 16-day mission duration. Classmates Halsell and Thomas accompanied Voss on both missions. On her fifth and final spaceflight, Voss once again served as payload commander on STS-99, the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. The 11-day mission aboard Endeavour took place in 2000. Over her five missions, Voss accumulated 49 days of spaceflight time. 

Group 13 NASA astronaut Carl Walz. Group 13 NASA astronaut Terrance Wilcutt. Group 13 NASA astronaut Jeff Wisoff. Group 13 NASA astronaut David Wolf.

Carl Walz 

A native of Ohio, Walz worked as a flight test manager at the U.S. Air Force Flight Test Center in Nevada when NASA selected him as an astronaut. He received his first flight assignment as a mission specialist on STS-51, flying with fellow Hairballs Bursch and Newman on the 10-day flight aboard Discovery in 1993. Walz conducted a 7-hour 5-minute spacewalk with Newman to demonstrate future spacewalking techniques. For his second flight, he flew as a mission specialist on STS-65, the IML-2 mission aboard Columbia in 1994. Fellow Hairballs Halsell, Chiao, and Thomas accompanied Walz on the nearly 15-day flight, the longest shuttle mission up to that time. On his third trip into space, he served as a mission specialist on STS-79, the fourth Shuttle-Mir docking mission in 1996. Classmate Wilcutt served as pilot on the 10-day Atlantis mission. For his fourth and final spaceflight, Walz, along with fellow Hairball Bursch, spent 196 days in space as an Expedition 4 flight engineer aboard the space station in 2001 and 2002, conducting two spacewalks totaling 11 hours 50 minutes. He launched on STS-108 and returned on STS-111. Across his four missions, Walz logged more than 230 days in space and spent nearly 19 hours on three spacewalks. 

Terrance Wilcutt 

A native of Kentucky, Wilcutt served in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked as a test pilot at Naval Air Station Patuxent River when NASA selected him as an astronaut. Wilcutt served as pilot on his first spaceflight, STS-68, the 10-day SRL-2 Earth observation mission aboard Endeavour in 1994. Classmates Bursch, Jones, and Wisoff accompanied Wilcutt on the flight. He served as pilot on his second spaceflight, the STS-79 fourth Shuttle-Mir docking mission in 1996. Fellow Hairball Walz accompanied him on the 10-day Atlantis mission. Wilcutt commanded his third mission, STS-89, the eighth Shuttle-Mir docking mission. The nine-day flight aboard Endeavour took place in 1998. He commanded his fourth and final spaceflight in 2000, the STS-106 2A.2b space station assembly and logistics mission. The 12-day mission flew on Atlantis. Across his four missions, Wilcutt logged 42 days in space. He served as the NASA chief of Safety and Mission Assurance from 2011 to 2020. 

Jeff Wisoff 

Virginia native Wisoff earned a doctorate in applied physics from Stanford University and worked as an assistant professor at Rice University when NASA selected him as an astronaut. On his first spaceflight, Wisoff flew as a mission specialist on STS-57, the first flight of the Spacehab module in 1993. Fellow classmates Sherlock and Voss joined him on the 10-day mission aboard Endeavour. He participated in a 5-hour 50-minute spacewalk to demonstrate future spacewalking techniques. Wisoff served as a mission specialist on his second spaceflight, STS-68, the 10-day SRL-2 Earth observation mission aboard Endeavour in 1994. Classmates Bursch, Jones, and Wilcutt accompanied him on the flight. He served as a mission specialist on his third flight, STS-81, the fifth Shuttle-Mir docking mission in 1997. The 10-day flight took place aboard Atlantis. He flew his fourth and final mission on STS-92, the 3A space station assembly mission in 2000 that brought the Z1 truss to the facility. Wisoff participated in two spacewalks totaling 14 hours 3 minutes during the 13-day Discovery mission. Across his four spaceflights, Wisoff logged 44 days in space and spent nearly 20 hours on three spacewalks. 

David Wolf 

A native of Indiana, Wolf earned a medical degree from Indiana University and worked as an aerospace medical officer at JSC when NASA selected him as an astronaut. He received his first spaceflight assignment as a mission specialist on the STS-58 SLS-2 mission in 1993. Classmates Searfoss and McArthur accompanied him on the 14-day Columbia mission, at the time the longest space shuttle flight. For his second trip into space, he completed the 128-day NASA-6 long-duration mission as part of the Shuttle-Mir program in 1997 and 1998, launching aboard STS-86 and returning aboard STS-89. He participated in a 3-hour 52-minute spacewalk. He flew his third spaceflight as a mission specialist on the STS-112 9A space station assembly mission in 2002 that delivered the S1 truss to the orbiting lab. During the 11-day Atlantis mission, Wolf participated in three spacewalks totaling 19 hours 41 minutes. He completed his fourth mission on STS-127 in 2009, earning him the distinction as the last Hairball to make a spaceflight. During the 16-day Endeavour mission that delivered the Japanese module’s exposed pallet to the space station, Wolf participated in three spacewalks totaling 18 hours 24 minutes. Across his four spaceflights, Wolf logged more than 168 days in space and spent 42 hours on seven spacewalks. 

Summary

The NASA Group 13 astronauts made significant contributions to spaceflight. As a group, they completed 85 flights spending 1,960 days, or more than five years, in space, including one long-duration flight aboard Mir and five aboard the International Space Station. One Hairball made a single trip into space, three made two trips, one made three, 15 made four, and three went five times. Twenty-one members of the group contributed their talents on Spacelab or other research missions and three performed work with the great observatories Hubble and Chandra. Thirteen participated in the Shuttle Mir program, with 11 visiting the orbiting facility, one of them twice, another three times, and one completing a long-duration mission. Fifteen visited the International Space Station, five twice, participating in its assembly, research, maintenance, and logistics, with five completing long-duration missions aboard the facility. Eleven of the 23 performed 37 spacewalks spending 242 hours, or more than 10 days, outside their spacecraft.  

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Explore More 4 min read 45 Years Ago: NASA Selects 35 New Astronauts Article 2 years ago 13 min read Women Astronauts and the International Space Station Article 4 years ago 4 min read 25 Years Ago: NASA Selects 25 New Astronauts for the Class of 1998 Article 2 years ago

NASA has selected David Korth as deputy for Johnson Space Center’s Safety and Mission Assurance directorate. Korth previously served as deputy manager of the International Space Station Avionics and Software Office at Johnson Space Center prior to serving as acting deputy for Safety and Mission Assurance.
 
I’m excited to embark on my new role as deputy for Johnson’s Safety and Mission Assurance directorate,” Korth said. “Safety has been a priority for me throughout my NASA career. It is at the forefront of every decision I make.”
 
Korth brings more than 34 years’ experience to NASA human space flight programs. Prior to supporting the space station Avionics and Software Office, Mr. Korth served as deputy manager of the program’s Systems Engineering and Integration Office where he also led the agency Commercial Destination program’s procurement culminating in the selection of Axiom Space.
 
Mr. Korth began his NASA career as an engineer in the space station program’s operations planning group where he helped develop initial operational concepts and planning system requirements for the orbiting laboratory. He converted to civil servant in 1998 and was among the first three individuals to achieve front room certification as a space station ‘OPS PLAN’ front room operator. Korth also served as the lead operations planner for Expedition 1 – the first space station crewed expedition, was awarded two NASA fellowships, served as the operations division technical assistant in the Mission Operations Directorate, and was selected as a flight director in May 2007and served as lead space station flight director for Expeditions 21, 22, and 37, lead flight director for Japanese cargo ship mission HTV3, and lead flight director for US EVAs 22, 23,and 27.

“David did an excellent job supporting Johnson’s many programs and institutional safety needs while serving as acting deputy manager,” said Willie Lyles, director of the Safety and Mission Assurance directorate. “He successfully weighed in on several critical risk-based decisions with the technical authority community. David’s program and flight operations experience is unique and is an asset to this role.” 
 
Throughout his career, Korth has been recognized for outstanding technical achievements and leadership, receiving a Rotary National Award for Space Achievement, a Silver Snoopy award, two Superior Achievement awards, two NASA Outstanding Leadership medals, and a NASA Exceptional Achievement medal.
 
“David is an outstanding leader and engineer who truly understands NASA’s safety environment and protocols,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “His leadership will ensure the center continues its ‘safety first’ ideology. I am extremely pleased to announce his selection for this position.”
 
Mr. Korth earned his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University, and a master’s degree in statistics from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.

NASA has selected Mary Beth Schwartz as director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center Center Operations directorate. Schwartz previously served as the directorate’s deputy director.
 
“I’m excited to embark on my new role as director for Johnson’s Center Operations directorate,” Schwartz said. “It is an honor to lead an organization that is foundational to the center’s mission success.”
 
Ms. Schwartz began her NASA career as a NASA intern and has since held a variety of key roles. These include serving as a space shuttle flight controller, chair of the PSRP (Payload Safety Review Panel) for both the International Space Station and Space Shuttle programs, where she led establishment of PSRP franchises with international partners. She also served as the manager of the Safety and Mission Assurance business office, leading efforts in consolidation and budget integration, and as the associate director of Johnson engineering responsible for budget and facility functions.

Throughout her career, Schwartz has been recognized for her contributions to NASA, receiving the NASA Exceptional Service medal, as well as the NASA Honor and Silver Snoopy awards.

“Mary Beth has a unique perspective of Center Operations, not only as a mission and customer-focused organization, but as an organization that is key to employee experience,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “I appreciate her vision for the organization, commitment to the mission, and overall genuine respect of the workforce. I am extremely pleased to announce her selection for this position.”
 
Ms. Schwartz earned her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Houston.

NASA, ESA, and M. Wong (University of California – Berkeley); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the planet Jupiter in a color composite of ultraviolet wavelengths. Released on Nov. 3, 2023, in honor of Jupiter reaching opposition, which occurs when the planet and the Sun are in opposite sides of the sky, this view of the gas giant planet includes the iconic, massive storm called the “Great Red Spot.” Though the storm appears red to the human eye, in this ultraviolet image it appears darker because high altitude haze particles absorb light at these wavelengths. The reddish, wavy polar hazes are absorbing slightly less of this light due to differences in either particle size, composition, or altitude.

Learn more about Hubble and how this type of data can help us learn more about our universe.

Image credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Wong (University of California – Berkeley); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

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Hubble Captures Young Stars Changing Their Environments This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the nearest star-forming region to Earth, the Orion Nebula (Messier 42, M42), located some 1,500 light-years away. ESA/Hubble, NASA, and T. Megeath

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image peers into the dusty recesses of the nearest massive star-forming region to Earth, the Orion Nebula (Messier 42, M42). Just 1,500 light-years away, the Orion Nebula is visible to the unaided eye below the three stars that form the ‘belt’ in the constellation Orion. The nebula is home to hundreds of newborn stars including the subject of this image: the protostars HOPS 150 and HOPS 153.

These protostars get their names from the Herschel Orion Protostar Survey, conducted with ESA’s Herschel Space Observatory. The object visible in the upper-right corner of this image is HOPS 150: it’s a binary star system where two young protostars orbit each other. Each star has a small, dusty disk of material surrounding it. These stars gather material from their respective dust disks, growing in the process. The dark line that cuts across the bright glow of these protostars is a cloud of gas and dust falling in on the pair of protostars. It is over 2,000 times wider than the distance between Earth and the Sun. Based on the amount of infrared light HOPS 150 is emitting, as compared to other wavelengths it emits, the protostars are mid-way down the path to becoming mature stars.

Extending across the left side of the image is a narrow, colorful outflow called a jet. This jet comes from the nearby protostar HOPS 153, which is out of the frame. HOPS 153 is significantly younger than its neighbor. That stellar object is still deeply embedded in its birth nebula and enshrouded by a cloud of cold, dense gas. While Hubble cannot penetrate this gas to see the protostar, the jet HOPS 153 emitted is brightly and clearly visible as it plows into the surrounding gas and dust of the Orion Nebula.

The transition from tightly swaddled protostar to fully fledged star will dramatically affect HOPS 153’s surroundings. As gas falls onto the protostar, its jets spew material and energy into interstellar space, carving out bubbles and heating the gas. By stirring up and warming nearby gas, HOPS 153 may regulate the formation of new stars in its neighborhood and even slow its own growth.

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Three-Year Study of Young Stars with NASA’s Hubble Enters New Chapter

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Bow Shock Near a Young Star

Media Contact:

Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD

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• Astrophysics
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Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.

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The Space Shuttle Columbia and Space Shuttle Challenger Memorials are seen after a wreath laying ceremony that was part of NASA’s Day of Remembrance, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. (Credit: NASA)

NASA will observe its annual Day of Remembrance on Thursday, Jan. 23, honoring the members of the NASA family who lost their lives in the pursuit of exploration and discovery for benefit of humanity. The event, traditionally held every year on the fourth Thursday of January, remembers the crews of Apollo 1 and the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia.

“On NASA’s Day of Remembrance, we pause to reflect on the bravery, dedication, and selflessness of the extraordinary individuals who pushed the boundaries of exploration and discovery,” said NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free. “Their legacies remind us of the profound responsibility we have to carry their dreams forward while ensuring safety remains our guiding principle.”

Free will lead an observance at 1 p.m. EST at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, which will begin with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, followed by observances for the Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia crews.

Several agency centers also will hold observances for NASA Day of Remembrance:

Johnson Space Center in Houston

NASA Johnson will hold a commemoration at 10 a.m. CST at the Astronaut Memorial Grove with remarks by Center Director Vanessa Wyche. The event will have a moment of silence, a NASA T-38 flyover, taps performed by the Texas A&M Squadron 17, and a procession placing flowers at Apollo I, Challenger, and Columbia memorial trees.

Kennedy Space Center in Florida

NASA Kennedy and the Astronauts Memorial Foundation will host a ceremony at the Space Mirror Memorial at Kennedy’s Visitor Complex at 10 a.m. EST. The event will include remarks from Tal Ramon, son of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, space shuttle Columbia.

Kelvin Manning, deputy director at NASA Kennedy, also will provide remarks during the ceremony, which will livestream on the center’s Facebook page.

Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley

NASA Ames will hold a remembrance ceremony at 1 p.m. PST that includes remarks from Center Director Eugene Tu, a moment of silence, and bell ringing commemoration.

Glenn Research Center in Cleveland

NASA Glenn will observe Day of Remembrance at 1 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Jan. 28, with remarks from Center Director Jimmy Kenyon followed by wreath placement, moment of silence, and taps at Lewis Field​.

Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia

NASA Langley will hold a remembrance ceremony with Acting Center Director Dawn Schaible followed by placing flags at the Langley Workers Memorial.

Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama

NASA Marshall will hold a candle-lighting ceremony and wreath placement at 9:30 a.m. CST. The ceremony will include remarks from Larry Leopard, associate director, and Bill Hill, director of Marshall’s Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. 

Stennis Space Flight Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center will hold a wreath-laying ceremony at 9 a.m. CST with remarks from Center Director John Bailey and Anita Harrell, NASA Shared Services Center executive director.

The agency also is paying tribute to its fallen astronauts with special online content, updated on NASA’s Day of Remembrance, at:

https://www.nasa.gov/dor

-end-

Abbey Donaldson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
Abbey.a.donaldson@nasa.gov

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Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters

7 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA / Lillian Gipson/Getty Images

This ARMD solicitations page compiles the opportunities to collaborate with NASA’s aeronautical innovators and/or contribute to their research to enable new and improved air transportation systems. A summary of available opportunities with key dates requiring action are listed first. More information about each opportunity is detailed lower on this page.

University Student Research Challenge
Q&A: January 27, 2025 at 2 p.m. ET
Proposals for Cycle 2 Due: March 13, 2025
Proposals for Cycle 3 can also be submitted by June 26, 2025.

Advanced Air Mobility
Key date: Feb. 1, 2025, at 6 p.m. EST

Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations is using this request for information to identify technologies that address current challenges facing the wildland firefighting community. NASA is seeking information on data collection, airborne connectivity and communications solutions, unmanned aircraft systems traffic management, aircraft operations and autonomy, and more. This will support development of a partnership strategy for future collaborative demonstrations.

Interested parties were requested to respond to this notice with an information package no later than 4 pm ET, October 15, 2023, that shall be submitted via https://nari.arc.nasa.gov/acero-rfi. Any proprietary information must be clearly marked. Submissions will be accepted only from United States companies.

View the full RFI Announcement here.

Advanced Air Mobility Mission

GENERAL ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY
ANNOUNCEMENT OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
This request for information (RFI) is being used to gather market research for NASA to make informed decisions regarding potential partnership strategies and future research to enable Advanced Air Mobility (AAM). NASA is seeking information from public, private, and academic organizations to determine technical needs and community interests that may lead to future solicitations regarding AAM research and development.

This particular RFI is just one avenue of multiple planned opportunities for formal feedback on or participation in NASA’s AAM Mission-related efforts to develop these requirements and help enable AAM. 

The current respond by date for this RFI is Feb. 1, 2025, at 6 p.m. EST.

View the full RFI announcement here.

NASA Research Opportunities in Aeronautics

NASA’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) uses the NASA Research Announcement (NRA) process to solicit proposals for foundational research in areas where ARMD seeks to enhance its core capabilities.

Competition for NRA awards is open to both academia and industry.

The current open solicitation for ARMD Research Opportunities is ROA-2023 and ROA-2024.

Here is some general information to know about the NRA process.

• NRA solicitations are released by NASA Headquarters through the Web-based NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES).
• All NRA technical work is defined and managed by project teams within these four programs: Advanced Air Vehicles Program, Airspace Operations and Safety Program, Integrated Aviation Systems Program, and Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program.
• NRA awards originate from NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia, Ames Research Center in California, Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, and Armstrong Flight Research Center in California.
• Competition for NRA awards is full and open.
• Participation is open to all categories of organizations, including educational institutions, industry, and nonprofits.
• Any updates or amendments to an NRA is posted on the appropriate NSPIRES web pages as noted in the Amendments detailed below.
• ARMD sends notifications of NRA updates through the NSPIRES email system. In order to receive these email notifications, you must be a Registered User of NSPIRES. However, note that NASA is not responsible for inadvertently failing to provide notification of a future NRA. Parties are responsible for regularly checking the NSPIRES website for updated NRAs.

ROA-2024 NRA Amendments

Amendment 1

(Full text here.)

Amendment 1 to the NASA ARMD Research Opportunities in Aeronautics (ROA) 2024 NRA has been posted on the NSPIRES web site at https://nspires.nasaprs.com.

The announcement solicits proposals from accredited U.S. institutions for research training grants to begin the academic year. This NOFO is designed to support independently conceived research projects by highly qualified graduate students, in disciplines needed to help advance NASA’s mission, thus affording these students the opportunity to directly contribute to advancements in STEM-related areas of study. AAVP Fellowship Opportunities are focused on innovation and the generation of measurable research results that contribute to NASA’s current and future science and technology goals.

Research proposals are sought to address key challenges provided in Elements of Appendix A.8.

Notices of Intent (NOIs) are not required.

A budget breakdown for each proposal is required, detailing the allocation of the award funds by year. The budget document may adhere to any format or template provided by the applicant’s institution.

Proposals were due by April 30, 2024, at 5 PM ET.

Amendment 2

(Full text here.)

University Leadership Initiative (ULI) provides the opportunity for university teams to exercise technical and organizational leadership in proposing unique technical challenges in aeronautics, defining multi-disciplinary solutions, establishing peer review mechanisms, and applying innovative teaming strategies to strengthen the research impact.

Research proposals are sought in six ULI topic areas in Appendix D.4.

Topic 1: Safe, Efficient Growth in Global Operations (Strategic Thrust 1)

Topic 2: Innovation in Commercial High-Speed Aircraft (Strategic Thrust 2)

Topic 3: Ultra-Efficient Subsonic Transports (Strategic Thrust 3)

Topic 4: Safe, Quiet, and Affordable Vertical Lift Air Vehicles (Strategic Thrust 4)

Topic 5: In-Time System-Wide Safety Assurance (Strategic Thrust 5)

Topic 6: Assured Autonomy for Aviation Transformation (Strategic Thrust 6)

This NRA will utilize a two-step proposal submission and evaluation process. The initial step was a short mandatory Step-A proposal, which was due May 29, 2024. Those offerors submitting the most highly rated Step-A proposals will be invited to submit a Step-B proposal. All proposals must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES at https://nspires.nasaprs.com. An Applicant’s Workshop was held on Thursday April 3, 2024; 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET (https://uli.arc.nasa.gov/applicants-workshops/workshop8)

Amendment 3

(Full text here)

Commercial Supersonic Technology seeks proposals for a fuel injector design concept and fabrication for testing at NASA Glenn Research Center.

The proposal for the fuel injector design aims to establish current state-of-the-art in low NOx supersonic cruise while meeting reasonable landing take-off NOx emissions. The technology application timeline is targeted for a supersonic aircraft with entry into service in the 2035+ timeframe.

These efforts are in alignment with activities in the NASA Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate as outlined in the NASA Aeronautics Strategic Implementation Plan, specifically Strategic Thrust 2: Innovation in Commercial High-Speed Aircraft.

Proposals were due by May 31, 2024 at 5 pm EDT.

Amendment 4
UPDATED ON JANUARY 16, 2025

(Full text here)

University Student Research Challenge seeks to challenge students to propose new ideas/concepts that are relevant to NASA Aeronautics.  USRC will provide students, from accredited U.S. colleges or universities, with grants for their projects and with the challenge of raising cost share funds through a crowdfunding campaign.  The process of creating and implementing a crowdfunding campaign acts as a teaching accelerator – requiring students to act like entrepreneurs and raise awareness about their research among the public.

The solicitation goal can be accomplished through project ideas such as advancing the design, developing technology or capabilities in support of aviation, by demonstrating a novel concept, or enabling advancement of aeronautics-related technologies.

Notices of Intent are not required for this solicitation.

Proposals are due March 13, 2025.

NOTE: Proposals can also be submitted now for Cycle 3, due June 26, 2025.

Proposals can also be submitted later and evaluated in the second and third cycles.

The USRC Q&A/Info Session and Proposal Workshop will be held on the days/times below. Please join us on TEAMS using the Meeting Link, or call in via +1 256-715-9946,,317928116#.

USRC CycleInformation Session/Q&A DateProposal Due DateCycle 1Sept. 20, 2024 at 2 pm ETNov. 7, 2024Cycle 2Jan. 27, 2025 at 2 pm ETMarch 13, 2025Cycle 3May 12, 2024 at 2 pm ETJune 26, 2025 ROA-2023 NRA Amendments

Amendment 5 (Expired)

(Full text here)

Amendment 4 (Expired)
(Full text here)

Amendment 3 (Expired)
(Full text here)

Amendment 2 (Expired)
(Full text here)

Amendment 1 (Expired)
(Full text here)

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Details Last Updated Jan 16, 2025 EditorJim BankeContactJim Bankejim.banke@nasa.gov Related Terms

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Hubble Space Telescope

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6 Min Read NASA’s Hubble Traces Hidden History of Andromeda Galaxy

This photomosaic of the Andromeda galaxy is the largest ever assembled from Hubble observations.

Credits:
NASA, ESA, Benjamin F. Williams (UWashington), Zhuo Chen (UWashington), L. Clifton Johnson (Northwestern); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)

In the years following the launch of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have tallied over 1 trillion galaxies in the universe. But only one galaxy stands out as the most important nearby stellar island to our Milky Way — the magnificent Andromeda galaxy (Messier 31). It can be seen with the naked eye on a very clear autumn night as a faint cigar-shaped object roughly the apparent angular diameter of our Moon.

A century ago, Edwin Hubble first established that this so-called “spiral nebula” was actually very far outside our own Milky Way galaxy — at a distance of approximately 2.5 million light-years or roughly 25 Milky Way diameters. Prior to that, astronomers had long thought that the Milky way encompassed the entire universe. Overnight, Hubble’s discovery turned cosmology upside down by unveiling an infinitely grander universe.

Now, a century later, the space telescope named for Hubble has accomplished the most comprehensive survey of this enticing empire of stars. The Hubble telescope is yielding new clues to the evolutionary history of Andromeda, and it looks markedly different from the Milky Way’s history.

This is largest photomosaic ever assembled from Hubble Space Telescope observations. It is a panoramic view of the neighboring Andromeda galaxy, located 2.5 million light-years away. It took over 10 years to make this vast and colorful portrait of the galaxy, requiring over 600 Hubble overlapping snapshots that were challenging to stitch together. The galaxy is so close to us, that in angular size it is six times the apparent diameter of the full Moon, and can be seen with the unaided eye. For Hubble’s pinpoint view, that’s a lot of celestial real estate to cover. This stunning, colorful mosaic captures the glow of 200 million stars. That’s still a fraction of Andromeda’s population. And the stars are spread across about 2.5 billion pixels. The detailed look at the resolved stars will help astronomers piece together the galaxy’s past history that includes mergers with smaller satellite galaxies. NASA, ESA, Benjamin F. Williams (UWashington), Zhuo Chen (UWashington), L. Clifton Johnson (Northwestern); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)
Download this image (10,552 x 2,468)(9 MB)

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Without Andromeda as a proxy for spiral galaxies in the universe at large, astronomers would know much less about the structure and evolution of our own Milky Way. That’s because we are embedded inside the Milky Way. This is like trying to understand the layout of New York City by standing in the middle of Central Park.

“With Hubble we can get into enormous detail about what’s happening on a holistic scale across the entire disk of the galaxy. You can’t do that with any other large galaxy,” said principal investigator Ben Williams of the University of Washington. Hubble’s sharp imaging capabilities can resolve more than 200 million stars in the Andromeda galaxy, detecting only stars brighter than our Sun. They look like grains of sand across the beach. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Andromeda’s total population is estimated to be 1 trillion stars, with many less massive stars falling below Hubble’s sensitivity limit.

Photographing Andromeda was a herculean task because the galaxy is a much bigger target on the sky than the galaxies Hubble routinely observes, which are often billions of light-years away. The full mosaic was carried out under two Hubble programs. In total, it required over 1,000 Hubble orbits, spanning more than a decade.

This panorama started with the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury (PHAT) program about a decade ago. Images were obtained at near-ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths using the Advanced Camera for Surveys and the Wide Field Camera 3 aboard Hubble to photograph the northern half of Andromeda.

This is the largest photomosaic ever made by the Hubble Space Telescope. The target is the vast Andromeda galaxy that is only 2.5 million light-years from Earth, making it the nearest galaxy to our own Milky Way. Andromeda is seen almost edge-on, tilted by 77 degrees relative to Earth’s view. The galaxy is so large that the mosaic is assembled from approximately 600 separate overlapping fields of view taken over 10 years of Hubble observing — a challenge to stitch together over such a large area. The mosaic image is made up of at least 2.5 billion pixels. Hubble resolves an estimated 200 million stars that are hotter than our Sun, but still a fraction of the galaxy’s total estimated stellar population.

Interesting regions include: (a) Clusters of bright blue stars embedded within the galaxy, background galaxies seen much farther away, and photo-bombing by a couple bright foreground stars that are actually inside our Milky Way; (b) NGC 206 the most conspicuous star cloud in Andromeda; (c) A young cluster of blue newborn stars; (d) The satellite galaxy M32, that may be the residual core of a galaxy that once collided with Andromeda; (e) Dark dust lanes across myriad stars.

NASA, ESA, Benjamin F. Williams (UWashington), Zhuo Chen (UWashington), L. Clifton Johnson (Northwestern); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)
Download this image (2,000 x 1,125)(1.5 MB)

Download this image (7,680 x 4,320)(16 MB)

This program was followed up by the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Southern Treasury (PHAST), recently published in The Astrophysical Journal and led by Zhuo Chen at the University of Washington, which added images of approximately 100 million stars in the southern half of Andromeda. This region is structurally unique and more sensitive to the galaxy’s merger history than the northern disk mapped by the PHAT survey.

The combined programs collectively cover the entire disk of Andromeda, which is seen almost edge-on — tilted by 77 degrees relative to Earth’s view. The galaxy is so large that the mosaic is assembled from approximately 600 separate fields of view. The mosaic image is made up of at least 2.5 billion pixels.

The complementary Hubble survey programs provide information about the age, heavy-element abundance, and stellar masses inside Andromeda. This will allow astronomers to distinguish between competing scenarios where Andromeda merged with one or more galaxies. Hubble’s detailed measurements constrain models of Andromeda’s merger history and disk evolution.

A Galactic ‘Train Wreck’

Though the Milky Way and Andromeda formed presumably around the same time many billions of years ago, observational evidence shows that they have very different evolutionary histories, despite growing up in the same cosmological neighborhood. Andromeda seems to be more highly populated with younger stars and unusual features like coherent streams of stars, say researchers. This implies it has a more active recent star-formation and interaction history than the Milky Way.

“Andromeda’s a train wreck. It looks like it has been through some kind of event that caused it to form a lot of stars and then just shut down,” said Daniel Weisz at the University of California, Berkeley. “This was probably due to a collision with another galaxy in the neighborhood.”

A possible culprit is the compact satellite galaxy Messier 32, which resembles the stripped-down core of a once-spiral galaxy that may have interacted with Andromeda in the past. Computer simulations suggest that when a close encounter with another galaxy uses up all the available interstellar gas, star formation subsides.

The Andromeda galaxy, our galactic neighbor, holds over 1 trillion stars and has been a key to unlocking the secrets of the universe. Thanks to NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, we’re now seeing Andromeda in stunning new detail, revealing its dynamic history and unique structure.
Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center; Lead Producer: Paul Morris
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“Andromeda looks like a transitional type of galaxy that’s between a star-forming spiral and a sort of elliptical galaxy dominated by aging red stars,” said Weisz. “We can tell it’s got this big central bulge of older stars and a star-forming disk that’s not as active as you might expect given the galaxy’s mass.”

“This detailed look at the resolved stars will help us to piece together the galaxy’s past merger and interaction history,” added Williams.

Hubble’s new findings will support future observations by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Essentially a wide-angle version of Hubble (with the same sized mirror), Roman will capture the equivalent of at least 100 high-resolution Hubble images in a single exposure. These observations will complement and extend Hubble’s huge dataset.

The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA.

Explore More
Explore the Night Sky: Messier 31

Hubble’s High-Definition Panoramic View of the Andromeda Galaxy

NASA’s Hubble Finds Giant Halo Around the Andromeda Galaxy

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Media Contact:

Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD

Ray Villard
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, MD

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Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Related Terms

• Andromeda Galaxy
• Astrophysics
• Astrophysics Division
• Galaxies
• Goddard Space Flight Center
• Hubble Space Telescope
• Spiral Galaxies
• The Universe

Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble

Hubble Space Telescope

Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.

Hubble Science

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