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NASA’s Perseverance Rover Snaps Selfie in Mars’ Western Frontier
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NASA’s Perseverance looks down at a rocky outcrop nicknamed “Arathusa” and then appears to look into the camera in this animated selfie, which is composed of 61 images taken March 11, 2026, during the rover’s deepest push west beyond Jezero Crater. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSSEditor’s note: The text was updated on March 13, 2026, to correct the spelling of the outcrop nicknamed “Arathusa.”
NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover recently took a self-portrait against a sweeping backdrop of ancient Martian terrain at a location the science team calls “Lac de Charmes.” Assembled from 61 individual images, the selfie shows Perseverance training its mast on a rocky outcrop on which it had just made a circular abrasion patch, with the western rim of Jezero Crater stretching into the background. The selfie was captured on March 11, the 1,797th Martian day, or sol, of the mission, during the rover’s deepest push west beyond the crater.
Perseverance is in its fifth science campaign, known as the Northern Rim Campaign, of its mission on the Red Planet. The Lac de Charmes region represents some of the most scientifically compelling terrain the rover has visited.
NASA’s Perseverance captured this enhanced-color panorama of an area nicknamed “Arbot” on April 5, the 1,882nd Martian day, or sol, of the mission. Made of 46 images, the panorama offers one of the richest geological vistas of the rover’s mission, revealing a windswept landscape of diverse rock textures.NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS“We took this image when the rover was in the ‘Wild West’ beyond the Jezero Crater rim — the farthest west we have been since we landed at Jezero a little over five years ago,” said Katie Stack Morgan, Perseverance’s project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. “We had just abraded and analyzed the ‘Arathusa’ outcrop, and the rover was sitting in a spot that provided a great view of both the Jezero Rim and the local terrain outside of the crater.”
During abrading, the rover grinds down a portion of the rock’s surface, allowing the science team to analyze what’s inside. The technique enabled the team to determine that the Arathusa outcrop is composed of igneous minerals that likely predate the formation of Jezero Crater. Igneous rocks with large mineral crystals form underground as molten rock cools and solidifies. Perseverance acquired the selfie — its sixth since landing on Mars in 2021 — using the WATSON (Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering) camera mounted at the end of its robotic arm, which made 62 precision movements over approximately one hour to build the composite image (learn more about how selfies are made).
Significant scienceAlong with the selfie, Perseverance used Mastcam-Z, located on its mast, to capture a mosaic of the “Arbot” area in Lac de Charmes on April 5, or Sol 1882. Made of 46 images, the panorama offers one of the richest geological vistas of the mission, revealing a windswept landscape of diverse rock textures.
The image provides the team a clear road map for investigating the ridgeline and the area’s ancient rock variety, including what appear to be megabreccia — large fragments (some the size of skyscrapers) hurled by a massive meteorite impact that occurred on the plain called Isidis Planitia about 3.9 billion years ago.
“What I see in this image is excellent exposure of likely the oldest rocks we are going to investigate during this mission,” said Ken Farley, Perseverance’s deputy project scientist at Caltech in Pasadena. “There is a sharp ridgeline visible in the mosaic whose jagged, angular texture contrasts starkly with the rounded boulders in the foreground. We also see a feature that may be a volcanic dike, a vertical intrusion of magma that hardened in place and was left standing as the softer surrounding material eroded away over billions of years.”
The rock color in the mosaic offers less information to the science team than the distinctive textures, which help them differentiate the rock types. Unlike Jezero Crater’s river delta, which is composed of sedimentary rock, some rocks here appear to be extrusive igneous rocks (molten rock that reached the surface as lava flows) and impactites (rocks created or modified by a meteorite impact) believed to have formed before the crater about 4 billion years ago, offering a window into the planet’s deep early crust.
New ballgame, near-marathon distance“The rover’s study of these really ancient rocks is a whole new ballgame,” said Stack Morgan. “These rocks — especially if they’re from deep in the crust — could give us insights applicable to the entire planet, like whether there was a magma ocean on Mars and what initial conditions eventually made it a habitable planet.”
After studying Arathusa, Perseverance drove northwest to the Arbot area, where it has been analyzing other rocky outcrops. When the team is satisfied with the work accomplished there, the rover will drive south to “Gardevarri,” a site with a notably clear exposure of olivine-bearing rocks. Formed in cooling magma, these types of rocks contain information that can help scientists better understand Mars’ volcanic history and provide context for large-scale geological processes. From there, the rover is expected to head southeast toward a region the team is calling “Singing Canyon” for more insights into the planet’s early crust.
After more than five years of surface operations, Perseverance has abraded 62 rocks, collected 27 rock cores in its sample tubes (25 sealed, 2 unsealed), and traveled almost 26 miles (42 kilometers) — in other words, just shy of a marathon (26.2 miles, or 42.195 kilometers).
“Having the benefit of four previous rover missions, the Perseverance team has always known our mission was a marathon and not a sprint,” said acting Perseverance project manager Steve Lee at JPL. “We’ve almost reached marathon distance. Our selfie may show that the rover is a bit dusty, but its beauty is more than skin deep. Perseverance is in great shape as we continue our explorations and extend into ultramarathon drive distances.”
More about PerseveranceNASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington, as part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program portfolio. The WATSON imaging system was built by, and is operated by, Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego.
To learn more about NASA’s Perseverance:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance
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agle@jpl.nasa.gov
Karen Fox / Alana Johnson
NASA Headquarters, Washington
240-285-5155 / 202-672-4780
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alana.r.johnson@nasa.gov
2026-032
Share Details Last Updated May 13, 2026 Related Terms Explore More 1 min read NASA’s Perseverance Captures Panorama at ‘Arbot’Description NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z camera to capture this panorama of an…
Article 1 day ago 2 min read NASA’s Perseverance Rover Snaps Westernmost SelfieDescription NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover took this selfie on March 11, 2026, the 1,797th Martian…
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NASA’s Perseverance Captures Panorama at ‘Arbot’
NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS Photojournal Navigation Downloads NASA’s Perseverance Captures Panorama at ‘Arbot’
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Description
NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z camera to capture this panorama of an area nicknamed “Arbot” on April 5, 2026, the 1,882nd Martian day, or sol, of the mission, during the rover’s deepest push west beyond Jezero Crater. Made of 46 images, the panorama offers one of the richest geological vistas of the mission, revealing a windswept landscape of diverse rock textures. This is an enhanced-color version, which had its color bands processed to improve visual contrast and accentuate color differences.
Figure AFigure A is a natural-color version of the mosaic.
Figure BFigure B is a 3D anaglyph version designed for use with red-blue glasses. It is composed of 92 images collected by Mastcam-Z.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover. Arizona State University leads the operations of the Mastcam-Z instrument, working in collaboration with Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego, on the design, fabrication, testing, and operation of the cameras, and in collaboration with the Niels Bohr Institute of the University of Copenhagen on the design, fabrication, and testing of the calibration targets.
For more about Perseverance: science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance/
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NASA’s Perseverance Rover Snaps Westernmost Selfie
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Description
NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover took this selfie on March 11, 2026, the 1,797th Martian day, or sol, of the mission, during the rover’s deepest push west beyond Jezero Crater. Assembled from 61 individual images, the selfie shows Perseverance training its mast on the “Arethusa” rocky outcrop after creating a whitish circular abrasion patch. The crater’s western rim of Jezero Crater is visible in the background.
Figure AFigure A is a version of the selfie in which the rover appears to be looking at the camera.
Animation (.gif)Here is a GIF combining the main image and Figure A, in which the rover appears to look up and down.
The selfie is composed of images taken by the WATSON (Wide Angle Topographic Sensor for Operations and eNgineering) camera on the end of the rover’s robotic arm. The images were stitched together after being sent back to Earth.
WATSON is part of an instrument called SHERLOC (Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics & Chemicals). WATSON was built by Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS) in San Diego and is operated jointly by MSSS and JPL.
The rover’s process for taking a selfie is explained in this video.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed for the agency by Caltech in Pasadena, California, built and manages operations of the Perseverance rover.
For more about Perseverance:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance/
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Hello Universe: NASA’s Next-Gen Space Processor Undergoes Testing
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Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Small enough to fit in the palm of a hand, NASA’s High Performance Spaceflight Computing processor packs the power of a full system-on-a-chip. This next-generation processor is made to survive deep space while delivering a massive leap in computational speed compared to current spacecraft technology.NASA/JPL-CaltechNASA’s High Performance Spaceflight Computing project aims to dramatically improve the computing power of spacecraft. Missions need processors that can withstand the harsh space environment, so they use chips developed years ago that are hardy and reliable. But upgraded chips are needed to enable the development of autonomous spacecraft, accelerate the rate of scientific discovery through faster data analysis, and support astronauts on missions to the Moon and Mars.
“Building on the legacy of previous space processors, this new multicore system is fault-tolerant, flexible, and extremely high-performing,” said Eugene Schwanbeck, program element manager in NASA’s Game Changing Development program at the agency’s Langley Research Center, in Hampton, Virginia. “NASA’s commitment to advancing spaceflight computing is a triumph of technical achievement and collaboration.”
The centerpiece of the High Performance Spaceflight Computing project is a new radiation-hardened, high-performance processor, designed to provide up to 100 times the computational capacity of current spaceflight computers while enduring a barrage of challenges in space. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California has been conducting various tests that replicate those challenges.
“We are putting these new chips through the wringer by carrying out radiation, thermal, and shock tests while also evaluating their performance through a rigorous functional test campaign,” said Jim Butler, High Performance Space Computing project manager at JPL.
The processor must endure myriad tests to prove it can survive the rigors of spaceflight, including electromagnetic radiation and extreme temperature swings, both of which can degrade electronics. High-energy particles from the Sun and interstellar space can cause errors that send a spacecraft into “safe mode,” where nonessential operations are shut down until mission operators resolve the issue.
There are also unique challenges associated with landing on planetary bodies. “To simulate real-world performance, we are using high-fidelity landing scenarios from real NASA missions that would typically require power-intensive hardware to process huge volumes of landing-sensor data,” said Butler. “This is an exciting time for us to be working on hardware that will enable NASA’s next giant leaps.”
Testing at JPL, which began in February, will continue for several months. Results have been promising: The processor is working as designed and indications show it operating at 500 times the performance of the radiation-hardened chips currently in use. In a symbolic milestone, the team sent an email at the start of testing with the subject line “Hello Universe” — a nod to the test message that was popular in early computer development.
Computing superpowersBuilt by Microchip Technology Inc., headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, the High Performance Spaceflight Computing processor is being developed by the company and JPL through a commercial partnership. Samples have been provided to early access partners in the broader defense and commercial aerospace industry. The technology will enable autonomous spacecraft to use artificial intelligence to respond in real time to complex situations and environments where human input isn’t possible. It will help deep space missions analyze, store, and transmit troves of data to Earth, accelerating the rate of science discoveries. It could also support future human missions to the Moon and Mars.
Known as a system-on-a-chip (or SoC), the processor can fit in the palm of a hand and includes all the key components of a computer, such as central processing units, computational offloads, advanced networking units, memory, and input/output interfaces. Compact and energy-efficient, SoCs are commonly found in smartphones and tablets. But only the SoCs JPL is testing are built to survive for years, millions (or even billions) of miles from the nearest repair technician, enduring conditions that even the toughest home user couldn’t replicate.
Once certified for spaceflight, NASA will incorporate the chip into the computing hardware for many of the agency’s Earth orbiters, rovers exploring planetary surfaces, crewed habitats, and deep-space missions. The technology will be adapted by Microchip for Earth-based industries too, such as aviation and automotive manufacturing. The versatility of High Performance Spaceflight Computing supports NASA’s continued advancements in space exploration while providing transformative tools for numerous fields on Earth.
The project is managed by the Space Technology Mission Directorate’s Game Changing Development (GCD) program based at NASA Langley. The GCD program and JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, led the end-to-end maturation of the High Performance Spaceflight Computing technology by developing mission requirements, funding industry studies, and guiding the project life cycle to delivery. NASA JPL selected Microchip as a partner in 2022, and the company funded its own research and development of the processor.
For more information about the High Performance Spaceflight Computing project, visit:
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Ian J. O’Neill
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Share Details Last Updated May 12, 2026 Related Terms Explore More 6 min read NASA’s Perseverance Rover Snaps Selfie in Mars’ Western Frontier Article 11 hours ago 3 min read I Am Artemis: Kathleen Harmon Article 14 hours ago 3 min read NASA, Industry Advance High Performance Spaceflight Computing Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related Topics High Performance Spaceflight Computing (HPSC)HPSC develops next-generation flight computing system that addresses computational performance, energy management and fault tolerance needs of NASA missions through…
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I Am Artemis: Kathleen Harmon
Listen to this audio excerpt from Kathleen Harmon, the Artemis II Mission Interface Manager for NASA’s Deep Space Network:
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Your browser does not support the audio element.Captivated by Apollo launches on her television as a child, Kathleen Harmon now plays a key role in NASA’s Artemis program.
Harmon serves as the Artemis II mission interface manager for NASA’s Deep Space Network, an international array of giant radio antennas which are used to communicate with spacecraft. Managed by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, the Deep Space Network is the largest scientific telecommunications system in the world, supporting more than 40 missions exploring deep space. The network is also a key component of NASA’s Moon-bound Artemis missions.
Kathleen Harmon, Artemis II Mission Interface Manager for NASA’s Deep Space Network, in the Charles Elachi Mission Control Center at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.NASA/JPL-Caltech“If you’re in a car and you’re going somewhere and you don’t have GPS or a cellphone, you might get lost, or you might not be able to tell someone that you’re lost,” said Harmon, illustrating how the Deep Space Network “talks” to spacecraft. “The network provides that lifeline to spacecraft across the solar system, and even interstellar space, so that they can talk to Earth and send back amazing science data, images, and videos from Mars rovers, space telescopes, orbiters, and more.”
In her role as a mission interface manager, and with her background as a systems engineer and decades of experience with NASA, Harmon prepares missions for launch and operations. This role requires careful coordination and collaboration across international partners, as the Deep Space Network’s radio antennas are spread around the world. She was responsible for ensuring the Deep Space Network was prepared to support the Artemis II spacecraft before launch.
You could not get any of that information back without the network. It’s a critical asset that also lets spacecraft know where they are.Kathleen Harmon
Artemis II Mission Interface Manager for NASA's Deep Space Network
“The network has three complexes equally spaced around the world so, as the Earth rotates, one is always in view to communicate with spacecraft wherever they are in the solar system,” said Harmon.
At any given moment, the Deep Space Network complex that is currently experiencing daylight is “in control” of the entire network to ensure consistent spacecraft connectivity, an operational approach the network team calls “follow the Sun.”
While the network supports NASA’s return to the Moon, working in partnership with the Near Space Network, it will continue to maintain a close watch on NASA’s fleet of spacecraft at the Moon and beyond.
“We supported Artemis II 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the entire mission with two antennas — a prime and a backup,” Harmon said. She added that while the network was supporting Artemis II, it also communicated with robotic rovers and spacecraft throughout the solar system.
While Harmon’s work has supported missions from Juno to Voyager, her contributions to the Artemis program remind her of what first inspired her to join to NASA.
“I was a very small child when the Apollo missions happened,” said Harmon. “Apollo was my earliest memory.”
Just thinking that I can be part of not only the Apollo generation but now also the Artemis generation — it’s very exciting to bridge that gap. This is a Golden Age of exploration.Kathleen Harmon
Artemis II Mission Interface Manager for NASA's Deep Space Network
Share Details Last Updated May 12, 2026 EditorLauren LowContactLauren LowLocationJet Propulsion Laboratory Related Terms Explore More 3 min read I Am Artemis: Peter Rossoni Article 3 weeks ago 3 min read I Am Artemis: Erik Richards Article 2 months ago 5 min read Networks Keeping NASA’s Artemis II Mission Connected Article 3 months ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAI Am Artemis
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New Ultra-Black Coating Could Enable the Search for Life on Exoplanets
A recently developed ultra-black coating not only efficiently absorbs light, but is also extremely thin and durable, enabling its potential use on starshades that could someday support the imaging of exoplanets and potentially facilitate the detection of life beyond our solar system.
Artist’s conception of a starshade (a disk surrounded by “petals” at the top left) blocking starlight from a starso that a space-based telescope (at right) can image the two planets. Credit: NASA Exo-S Study Team What is a Starshade and What Could it Do?
The light emitted by a star can be billions of times brighter than the light reflected from its surrounding planets. This bright starlight makes it very difficult for a space telescope to image an exoplanet — it’s like trying to find the light reflected from a gnat that is flying near a spotlight. In addition, the light from our Sun scatters off spacecraft surfaces and back into the telescope, contributing even more light “pollution” that can easily obscure the dim light reflected from an exoplanet.
A starshade is a giant, flower-shaped spacecraft (roughly half the size of a football field) that is designed to be positioned between a space telescope and a distant star so that it casts a shadow from the distant star onto the telescope. A starshade can block unwanted light from the parent star to the extent that less than one part per billion of the starlight is observable, while allowing the much fainter light from an orbiting exoplanet to pass around the starshade and reach the telescope, thereby enabling its detection. But to enable a telescope to distinguish an exoplanet, a starshade must create an extremely pristine shadow on the telescope. Not only must it block the starlight from the parent star, it must also suppress the stray light from our Sun that scatters from the starshade’s “petal” edges into the telescope.
The Problem of Stray SunlightOver the past decade, NASA-sponsored engineers have explored various methods to address the issue of stray sunlight. For example, they developed a way to make a starshade’s edges razor sharp by crafting blades from amorphous metals. The edges of these blades were only 300 nanometers thick, but data showed that even such thin metal edges would still scatter too much sunlight into the telescope.
Researchers also tried applying black coatings to the starshade edges to reduce the reflected light. Unfortunately, the existing black coatings were far too thick; they made the starshade edges thicker (duller), which actually increased the scatter. Carbon nanotube coatings, for instance, are several microns thick — much thicker than the 300-nm starshade edge. Other existing coatings that rely on three-dimensional microstructures to trap light were also too thick.
A New Kind of Black CoatingIn 2004, David Sheikh, founder of the small business ZeCoat Corporation, was researching the concept of a “black mirror” — a mirror that absorbs nearly all incident light instead of reflecting it. He came across a methodology used decades ago to make light-absorbing, smooth surfaces.
Sheikh used modern computing techniques and more accurate material property data to improve this methodology, and developed a breakthrough method for manufacturing an ultra-black coating using a unique, motion-controlled, physical vapor deposition process also developed at ZeCoat. The coating design uses extremely thin, partially transparent metal layers that are separated by dielectric glass layers to form multiple light-absorbing, nanoscale cavities. When the thicknesses of the layers are tuned precisely with the aid of a computer, incoming light resonates as a standing wave inside the cavities, where the metals absorb it. The principle is similar to the Fabry–Perot cavity used in lasers — except instead of amplifying light, the light is trapped and absorbed. This new coating turned out to be 100 times thinner than those previously tested for use on starshades.
In 2020, NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California chartered a Starshade Science and Industry Partnership (SIP) to maximize the technology readiness level of starshades to enable potential future exoplanet science missions. As part of this initiative, the new coating developed by Zecoat was applied to prototype starshade edges, and engineers at JPL used a custom-built laser scatterometer to measure scatter from coated and uncoated 50-cm long amorphous metal blades. These tests demonstrated that the new coating reduced the reflected light by a factor of about 20 — enough to enable a telescope to image an exoplanet. (The results of this effort were published here in the SPIE digital Library).
Beyond the Edge: Coating Starshade MembranesBuilding on the success of the edge coating demonstration and supported by a 2021 NASA Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) contract, ZeCoat developed a novel thin film deposition process to coat large sheets of polyimide film with a similar ultra-black finish. The process uses multiple electron beam evaporators to apply thin, uniform films to a moving membrane substrate in a roll-to-roll coating process. These large coated membranes (~ 1-meter wide and many meters long) could be patched together to form a starshade’s central disk section, as well as its petal surfaces, which would remove even more stray light and further improve the quality of images a space telescope could produce. (For additional details, see the entry for this project on NASA TechPort and this article in the SPIE digital Library.)
Black coating applied to a thin plastic membrane at ZeCoat coating laboratory. Credit: David Sheikh Additional ApplicationsBesides use on starshades, durable black coatings have a wide variety of science, military, and commercial applications. For example, they could be used to darken constellations of satellites so they are less visible from the ground, or to darken surfaces near the camera on a cell phone.
In addition, ZeCoat recently was awarded a NASA SBIR Phase I contract and is applying the thin-film roll-to-roll coating process described above to develop thermal control coatings that are resilient enough to mitigate damage from micrometeorite strikes. These coatings could be potentially used on future space vehicles such as the Habitable Worlds Observatory.
For additional details, see the entry for this project on NASA TechPort.
Project Lead: David A. Sheikh, ZeCoat Corporation
Sponsoring Organization(s): NASA Astrophysics Exoplanet Exploration Program, NASA STMD, NASA JPL
Some of the work described above was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech for NASA (80NM0018D0004).
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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4886-4892: Ingenuity and Perseverance, Curiosity Style
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Curiosity Blog, Sols 4886-4892: Ingenuity and Perseverance, Curiosity Style NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image showing an oblique view into the “Atacama” drill hole, where the rover’s drill was briefly lodged. Curiosity created the image using its Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI), a close-up camera located on the turret at the end of the rover’s robotic arm, and an onboard focusing process that merges multiple images of the same target at different focus positions, creating a composite that brings as many features into focus as possible. Curiosity performed the focus merge on May 6, 2026 — Sol 4887, or Martian day 4,887 of the Mars Science Laboratory Mission — at 01:39:34 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSSWritten by Michelle Minitti, MAHLI Deputy Principal Investigator
Earth planning date: Friday, May 8, 2026
While we know the monikers Ingenuity and Perseverance are attached to our sister helicopter and rover on the Mars 2020 mission, those characteristics were in full force with Curiosity over the past week. The science we achieved this week was enabled by the ingenuity of the Curiosity engineers and scientists manifested in this extraordinary time lapse. It demonstrates the careful dance of arm motions employed — each one diligently planned by the team — to free Curiosity’s drill from the “Atacama” target. Watch the arm twist, bend, and turn with a rock slab attached, and be amazed.
The highest-priority activities after liberating the drill included imaging the drill with Mastcam and ChemCam RMI, and imaging into the now-empty drill hole with MAHLI (the image above). The science team made the most of the freshly-broken surfaces created when Atacama fell back to Mars, and the freshly-exposed sand once hidden underneath Atacama. ChemCam targeted one of the clean fracture faces with two LIBS rasters at “Tamarugal” and “Tamarugo,” and followed with another raster on a light-toned patch of bedrock formerly under Atacama at “Colchane.” MAHLI and APXS analyzed sand near Colchane at the target “Yerba Loca.” Beyond Atacama, Mastcam and ChemCam imaged the large buttes towering above our current and future drive paths. Mastcam also imaged two exposures of the polygonal fractures present in this area (targets “Cerro Elefantes” and “Azul Pampa”) and looked for wind-induced changes in the sand (“Playa los Metales”). ChemCam planned a passive spectroscopy observation of light-toned features on the “Paniri” butte and checked out a potential meteorite with a LIBS raster at “Isla Mocha.”
As engineering assessments continued, Curiosity drove uphill to study a contact between two different rock types, which can indicate a change in formation conditions, a break in time, or both. MAHLI, APXS, and ChemCam teamed up to study both rock types at the lighter-toned, layered “Toro” target and the darker, flaky “Inca de Oro” target. Mastcam planned multiple mosaics capturing different structures and transitions exposed along the contact. Across the plans during the week, REMS, RAD, and DAN regularly measured the environment above and below the rover, and Navcam and Mastcam teamed up to look for clouds, dust devils, and dust in the atmosphere.
With the health of the drill and arm confirmed by the engineers, Curiosity exhibited perseverance by heading toward a new workspace with a promising (larger) block for a new drill attempt. Our Martian exploration continues undaunted.
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NASA’s Curiosity Takes Close Look at Rock That Got Stuck on Drill
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NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used its Mast Camera, or Mastcam, to capture this view of a rock nicknamed “Atacama” on May 6, 2026, the 4,877th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The rock had gotten stuck to the drill on the end of Curiosity’s robotic arm on April 25. Engineers spent several days repositioning the arm and vibrating the drill to try and get the rock loose, finally detaching the rock on May 1.
Atacama is estimated to be 1.5 feet in diameter at its base and 6 inches thick. It would weigh roughly 28.6 pounds (13 kilograms) on Earth (and about a third of that on Mars). The circular hole produced by Curiosity’s drill is visible in the rock.
This mosaic is made up of eight images that were stitched together after being sent back to Earth. The color has been approximately white-balanced to resemble how the scene would appear under daytime lighting conditions on Earth.
Curiosity was built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California. JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington as part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program portfolio. Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego built and operates Mastcam.
To learn more about Curiosity, visit:
science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity
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Nicholas Houghton: Engineering Crew Safety for NASA’s Artemis Missions
Nicholas Houghton always dreamed of working at NASA and one day becoming an astronaut. Today, he helps design systems that keep crews safe during missions aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft, including the successful Artemis II mission around the Moon.
Nicholas Houghton in NASA’s Orion Crew Survival System Spacesuit. I hope someday people look back at Artemis and marvel at the technological achievement and collective dedication that it took to carry out these missions, just like we do now for Apollo.Nicholas Houghton
Orion Crew Survival Systems Engineer
After joining NASA as a Pathways intern, Houghton later became a full-time engineer on the Orion Crew Survival Systems (OCSS) team at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The OCSS team designs and certifies the orange pressure suits that were worn by astronauts inside Orion during Artemis II, along with the survival hardware integrated into each suit system.
Houghton manages key pieces of flight hardware that keep crew members safe during contingency scenarios before launch, in flight, and after landing, including the Orion Crew Survival Kits, Suit-Worn Survival Suite, and Life Preserver Units. He guides each system from design through testing and final certification to ensure it performs as required in flight.
Nicholas Houghton, left, and two other suited subjects participate in Human Vacuum Chamber Testing at NASA’s Johnson Space Center to help certify Orion’s environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) for Artemis II. The test lasts about 12 hours while fully suited.Like many complex engineering efforts at NASA, the work relies on close collaboration across disciplines. Houghton works alongside experts in electromagnetic interference, radiation, stress and loads, and materials to evaluate and refine each system. He also helps lead development of water survival and post-landing hardware, writing manufacturing and assembly procedures and troubleshooting issues during integration and testing.
Nicholas Houghton gives U.S. Navy medical personnel space suit training aboard amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD 25) during NASA Underway Recovery Test 12 in the Pacific Ocean, March 26, 2025.Beyond hardware development, Houghton prepares astronauts and recovery teams for real-world operations. He supports suit-up activities, helps train Department of Defense recovery forces, and participates in Underway Recovery Training alongside the U.S. Navy to rehearse post-splashdown operations.
Ground testing plays a critical role in that preparation. During these tests, systems are pushed to their limits to uncover potential issues before flight.
I have had my hardware fail during ground testing. It takes teamwork, quick thinking, technical understanding, and a willingness to dig into every detail to solve these kinds of problems.Nicholas Houghton
Orion Crew Survival Systems Engineer
Nicholas Houghton, right, supports crew suit-up operations during Underway Recovery Training 12, an end-to-end practice recovery run conducted at sea to prepare for Artemis II.Outside of his NASA career, Houghton gives back by volunteering as a firefighter and emergency medical technician. “Serving my community is something that I have always been passionate about,” he said. “I am thankful to have the opportunity to support those around me.”
About the AuthorSumer Loggins Share Details Last Updated May 11, 2026 Related Terms Explore More 3 min read I Am Artemis: Kathleen Harmon Article 59 minutes ago 3 min read I Am Artemis: Anton Kiriwas Article 4 days ago 4 min read NASA Fuel Cell Tests Pave Way for Energy Storage on Moon Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAMissions
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NASA Invites Media to Annual Lunabotics Robotics Competition
NASA will hold its 2026 Lunabotics Challenge Tuesday, May 19, to Thursday, May 21, at the Astronauts Memorial Foundation’s Center for Space Education at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.
Links to view the Lunabotics competition live can be found on the agency’s Lunabotics page. The competition is slated to run between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day.
Media are invited to attend the competition event on Wednesday, May 20, and should RSVP by 4 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 18, to the Kennedy newsroom at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
For this challenge, 50 college teams from across the country will convene to design, build, and operate their own lunar robot prototypes.
The teams’ self-driving rovers must be capable of building a berm, a protective barrier, from soil and other material simulating lunar regolith to safeguard Artemis infrastructure on the Moon. In space, such berms could protect equipment from debris during lunar landings and launches, shade cryogenic propellant tank farms, help shield a nuclear power plant from space radiation, and serve other purposes.
“The task of robotically building berm structures will be important for preparation and support of crewed lunar missions,” said Kurt Leucht, NASA software developer, In-Situ Resource Utilization researcher, and Lunabotics commentator located at Kennedy. “These competing teams are not only building critical engineering skills that will assist their future careers, but they are literally helping NASA prepare for our future Artemis missions to the Moon.”
NASA’s Lunabotics Challenge was established in 2010. As one of the agency’s Artemis Student Challenges, the competition is designed to engage and retain students in STEM fields by expanding opportunities for student research and design in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
For more competition information, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/lunabotics-challenge
–end–
Amanda Griffin
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
amanda.griffin@nasa.gov
Joint Earth Observation Mission Quality Assessment Framework – Optical Guidelines Documents Released
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Joint Earth Observation Mission Quality Assessment Framework – Optical Guidelines Documents Released Released on April 26, 2026, the Optical Guidelines document provides specific guidelines for the mission quality assessment of optical sensors as part of the implementation of the generic Earth observation mission quality assessment for the optical domain.NASA’s Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA) program, in conjunction with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), has released the Joint Earth Observation Mission Quality Assessment Framework – Optical Guidelines.
Released on April 26, 2026, the Optical Guidelines document provides specific guidelines for the mission quality assessment of optical sensors as part of the implementation of the generic Earth Observation (EO) mission quality assessment for the optical domain. This document summarizes the goals of the Joint Earth Observation Mission Quality Assessment Framework, reviews how optical mission quality is demonstrated through documentation, outlines guidelines for verifying that a mission’s data quality aligns with stated sensor performance, and provides appendices containing information on common radiometric and geometric calibration and validation practices.
“The release of these joint guidelines for EO data from optical missions both documents the rigorous standards we have for commercial data and bolsters the confidence of the user community in the CSDA’s commercial data acquisitions,” said CSDA Project Manager Dana Ostrenga. “By releasing this document to the public, we’re giving end-users the opportunity to review the approach for verifying whether the quality of commercial EO data is consistent with the stated performance of the mission.”
The Joint Earth Observation Mission Quality Assessment Framework was produced as part of an ESA and NASA partnership supporting Earthnet Data Assessment Project (EDAP) and CSDA activities, the document details the methodology used to assess the quality of data from commercial satellite data providers. This framework provides standardized, transparent, and repeatable data quality assessment processes and outputs to support mission selection, data integration, and the trusted use of commercial EO data for science and applications. Furthermore, the agencies intend to update the guidelines in step with the evolution of the market and the advancement of Earth sciences and applications of EO data products.
About the Joint EO Mission Quality Assessment FrameworkThe expanding range of applications for EO data products and the availability of low-cost launch services have resulted in a growing number of commercial EO satellite systems. This growth in the marketplace has prompted space agencies like NASA, ESA, and others to explore the acquisition of commercial EO data products and their potential to complement the capabilities and services currently available for scientific and operational purposes.
To ensure that decisions regarding the acquisition of commercial data can be made with confidence, ESA, NASA, and other stakeholders agreed there was a need for an objective framework to assess the quality of data from commercial sources. To that end, ESA established the EDAP, which performs early assessments of EO mission data to evaluate their quality and the potential integration of these missions as third-party missions within ESA’s Earthnet program. The development of EDAP led to the Joint Earth Observation Mission Quality Assessment Framework, which was later customized for the different types of sensors used in atmospheric, synthetic aperture radar, thermal infrared, and now, optical EO missions.
This joint framework serves as the foundation for the CSDA program’s comprehensive evaluation process to ensure the quality of commercial EO data. The process focuses on assessing geometric and radiometric quality, validating data against trusted reference datasets, ensuring completeness and traceability of dataset documentation, and evaluating data accessibility and utility. Together, these rigorous evaluation efforts help build trust in commercial partnerships, ensure scientific integrity and interoperability, and foster innovation within the EO community.
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Hubble Survey Sets Up Roman’s Future Look Near Milky Way’s Center
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Hubble Survey Sets Up Roman’s Future Look Near Milky Way’s Center This VISTA VVV Survey image shows the galactic bulge near Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way’s center. A region planned for observation by NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is outlined. This area has been observed by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Image: NASA, Alyssa Pagan (STScI); Acknowledgment: VISTA, Dante Minniti (UNAB), Ignacio Toledo (ALMA), Martin Kornmesser (ESO)The Milky Way’s galactic bulge, the bulbous region that surrounds the galactic center, contains a dense collection of stars, planets, and other free-floating objects. This region has been studied for decades with numerous ground-based and space-based telescopes, including NASA’s Hubble and James Webb space telescopes. Soon, NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will be the first to make studying the galactic bulge a part of its core science objectives, building on the data collected from all observatories before it. Roman’s field of view will cover more area at a far faster cadence than previous space telescopes, allowing it to survey millions of stars and find thousands of new exoplanets.
To support Roman in characterizing numerous stars and planets, astronomers sought to use Hubble to observe many of the same areas of the galactic bulge that Roman will observe in its core Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey. By comparing Hubble data taken months or years earlier to new Roman data, astronomers will be better able to interpret Roman’s forthcoming observations. The Roman telescope team is targeting as soon as early September 2026 for launch.
“A top priority of our Hubble survey is to cover as much sky area as possible,” said Sean Terry, project lead and assistant research scientist from the University of Maryland, College Park and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt.
A paper about the team’s work published May 11, 2026 in the Astrophysical Journal.
‘Small’ lenses, large discoveriesMany planetary systems within the Milky Way evolve much like our solar system did, beginning with the collapse of a cosmic gas cloud, the growth of a star, and the formation of surrounding planets. However, in some systems, different events can result in a planet being ejected from the system where it formed. Hundreds of these “rogue planets” will be detected by Roman’s Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey, in addition to previously unseen, isolated neutron stars, and even black holes with masses similar to our Sun.
This survey consists of six 72-day observing seasons during which Roman will take a snapshot every 12 minutes of a large portion of the bulge (approximately 1.7 square degrees of the region, or the area of 8.5 full moons). While it will detect a variety of targets, the survey is optimized to look for a specific type of event known as microlensing.
Microlensing events, a type of gravitational lensing event, occur when the light from a more distant object is warped by the mass of a closer object along the line of sight. These events occur on a much smaller scale than larger lensing events (on the order of individual stars instead of galaxies or galaxy clusters) and allow us to search for exoplanets between us and the densely packed stars within the galactic bulge.
“The great thing about microlensing is that we’ll be able to do a complete census of objects as small as Mars that are moving between us and these fields in the bulge, no matter what it is,” said co-author Jay Anderson of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.
For Roman, from HubbleWhen a telescope observes a lensing object, such as a bright star, aligning with a star in the galactic bulge, it can be difficult for astronomers to decipher which of the two the starlight comes from. Therefore, timing is a key consideration. If astronomers can identify light sources separately before a microlensing event occurs, it becomes far easier to disentangle them.
To collect this pre-Roman data, astronomers used the Hubble Space Telescope to conduct a large-scale survey, which began in the spring of 2025, covering much of the same area that Roman will observe in the Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey. The size of this program is even larger than two previous surveys (each around 0.5 square degrees) that led to Hubble’s largest mosaic, that of our neighboring Andromeda galaxy, which took over 10 years to assemble.
“The main goal of these observations is to be able to identify objects that participate in lensing events during the Roman survey, catching them before they undergo the lensing event,” said Anderson. “When, in a couple of years, an event happens during Roman’s long stare at the field, we can go back and say, ‘This was a red star, this was a blue star, and the event happened when the red star went in front of the blue star.’”
The data from Hubble also will help shape the analysis of the lensing objects themselves. The microlensing event itself measures only a ratio of the masses of a host star and its planet. With data from stars before or after their microlensing events, however, scientists would be able to measure the stars’ individual masses, echoing the way Hubble previously determined the mass of a star and its planet in the Milky Way. This method turns a more opaque measurement of the relationship between a star and its planet into one far more certain.
“Instead of estimating a mass ratio of a planet that’s orbiting a star, we can say that we’re confident it’s a Saturn-mass planet orbiting a star that’s 0.8 solar masses, for example,” Terry said. “So with the help of precursor imaging from Hubble you can hope to get direct measurements of the masses as opposed to indirect mass ratios.”
Next leap in magnitudeWhile exoplanet discovery is a large part of Roman’s Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey, observing such a large area with Hubble also can help identify areas of extinction, dense pockets of dust and gas that absorb or scatter light, allowing us to create maps detailing where we can see stars and where we can’t.
Hubble’s survey also has provided the crucial beginning of a brand-new catalog of stars, which will help astronomers characterize the host stars of exoplanets discovered by Roman. The research team predicts Roman will add to Hubble’s star catalog by an order of magnitude.
“This Hubble survey will build a catalog of 20 to 30 million point sources,” said Terry. “But, by the end of the Galactic Bulge Time-Domain Survey, Roman may measure about 200 to 300 million, and it will produce, essentially, some of the deepest images ever taken of any part of the sky.”
The data from the most recent Hubble survey is available in the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes.
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 Goddard 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.
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is managed at NASA Goddard with participation by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California; Caltech/IPAC in Pasadena, California; the Space Telescope Science Institute; and a science team comprising scientists from various research institutions. The primary industrial partners are BAE Systems, Inc. in Boulder, Colorado; L3Harris Technologies in Melbourne, Florida; and Teledyne Scientific & Imaging in Thousand Oaks, California.
Related Images & Videos Hubble/Roman Galactic Bulge Survey Region (VISTA VVV Survey)This VISTA VVV Survey image shows the galactic bulge near Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way’s center. A region planned for observation by NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is outlined. This area has been observed by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.
Microlensing Event at OGLE-2013-BLG-0341 (Hubble Image)
A follow-up observation by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope shows a region containing a microlensing event captured by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) in 2013. Hubble was able to separate the foreground lens from the background star.
Microlensing Infographic
This graphic illustrates a microlensing event, which occurs when the light from a distant object warps as a mass, such as a foreground star, precisely aligns in front of that object. This causes the more distant background star to increase in apparent brightness.
Zoom Into the Milky Way’s Galactic Bulge – Hubble/Roman Survey Regions
This video shows a zoom into the Milky Way’s galactic bulge near the galactic center. As it zooms in, the view changes from the near-infrared 2MASS survey to the VISTA VVV survey (both ground-based).
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
Matthew Brown, Christine Pulliam
Space Telescope Science Institute
Baltimore, Maryland
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NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir
NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir sits for a portrait at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston on Sept. 23, 2025. This photo was chosen as one of the 2025 NASA Photographer of the Year finalists.
Meir launched on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station in February 2026 with fellow NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
Meir was selected by NASA in 2013. Prior to becoming an astronaut, her career as a scientist focused on the physiology of animals in extreme environments. Meir served as flight engineer on the International Space Station for Expedition 61 and 62 and participated in the first all-female spacewalks.
Image credit: NASA/Josh Valcarcel
NASA’s SpaceX 34th Commercial Resupply Mission Overview
NASA and SpaceX are targeting a mid-May launch to deliver scientific investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station.
Loaded with about 6,500 pounds of supplies, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will lift off aboard the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Following its arrival to the orbital complex, Dragon will dock autonomously to the forward port of the space station’s Harmony module.
Watch agency launch and arrival coverage on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and NASA’s YouTube channel. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media.
NASA’s SpaceX 34th commercial resupply mission will launch from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.NASAFor more than 25 years, the International Space Station has provided research capabilities used by scientists from more than 110 countries to conduct more than 4,000 experiments in microgravity. Research conducted aboard the station helps advance long-duration missions to the Moon as part of the Artemis program and to Mars, while providing multiple benefits to humanity.
Science highlights:In addition to cargo for the crew aboard the space station, Dragon will deliver several new science experiments, including:
ODYSSEY will evaluate how well Earth-based microgravity simulators recreate space conditions.NASAODYSSEY will evaluate how well Earth-based microgravity simulators recreate space conditions. Researchers will examine bacterial behavior in space and compares the results to experiments conducted in microgravity simulators on Earth.
STORIE will monitor charged particles in orbit around the Earth, which respond to space weather and can affect assets like power grids and satellites.NASASTORIE will monitor charged particles in orbit around the Earth, which respond to space weather and can affect assets like power grids and satellites. The instrument could help researchers gain knowledge to better predict and respond to these changes.
Laplace will study the movement and collision of dust particles in microgravity to understand particle motion in space.NASALaplace will study the movement and collision of dust particles in microgravity to understand particle motion in space. Researchers hope to learn more about Earth’s origins and provide fundamental understanding of how planets in our solar system and beyond came into existence.
Green Bone will observe how bone cells grow and develop in space on a bone scaffold made from wood. NASAGreen Bone will observe how bone cells grow and develop in space on a bone scaffold made from wood. Microgravity results could help researchers improve products that treat fragile bone conditions such as osteoporosis.
SPARK will evaluate how red blood cells and the spleen change in space for future astronauts.NASASPARK will evaluate how red blood cells and the spleen change in space for future astronauts. Researchers will observe human samples and imagery taken before, during, and after spaceflight to identify ways to protect astronaut health during long-duration space missions.
Arrival and return: NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot will monitor the arrival of the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft from the International Space Station.NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot will monitor the spacecraft’s arrival. Dragon will remain docked to the orbiting laboratory for about a month before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean, returning critical science and hardware to teams on Earth.
Cargo highlights: NASA’s SpaceX 34th commercial resupply mission will launch on the company’s Dragon spacecraft on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to deliver research and supplies to the International Space Station LaunchEuropean Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device Power Cable – A replacement power cable is launching for installation on the European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device.
Catalytic Reactor – A vital component of the Water Recovery and Management System, the catalytic reactor oxidizes volatile organics from wastewater that are removed by the Gas Separator and Ion Exchange Bed orbital replacement units. This part is launching to maintain on orbit sparing.
Universal Pretreat Concentrate Tank – This is a passive tank to provide alternate pretreat concentrate to the Universal Waste Management System (UWMS) and Waste Hygiene Compartment (WHC). Two units are launching to maintain this hardware, in tandem with Russian pretreat tanks currently used. A universal pretreat concentrate tank adapter will accompany the tanks to connect with the Russian hose.
Additional equipment launching includes an Ultraprobe to replace a worn ultrasonic inspection tool, a Remote Sensor Unit to restore spares for the station’s vibration monitoring system, and flexible repair patches for sealing the pressure hull if needed. The mission also will deliver an updated ARMADILLO (AOGA ReMediation, Advanced DeIonization and Limited Life Optimization) cartridge and hose assemblies to improve water processing for oxygen generation, along with a nitrogen recharge tank assembly to help maintain the station’s gas reserves.
ReturnWhen Dragon returns in mid‑June, it will bring back an ocular imaging device used to monitor crew eye health, a sorbent bed that filters trace contaminants from cabin air, and a separator pump from the Waste and Hygiene Compartment. The Advanced Plant Habitat, which supported long-duration plant biology studies, also will return for eventual museum display. A pressure management device that recovers vestibule air during depressurization will come back for repair and storage as a ground spare.
NASA’s Psyche Mission Captures Mars During Gravity Assist Approach
NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU Photojournal Navigation Downloads NASA’s Psyche Mission Captures Mars During Gravity Assist Approach
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This colorized image of Mars was captured by NASA’s Psyche mission on May 3, 2026, about 3 million miles (4.8 million kilometers) from the planet. The spacecraft is approaching the planet for a gravity assist on May 15 that will give it a boost in speed and adjust its trajectory toward asteroid Psyche for eventual arrival in 2029.
The spacecraft is approaching Mars from a high-phase angle, meaning that the planet appears only as a thin crescent, like our own crescent Moon seen around its new Moon phase. From this viewing geometry, the Sun is out of frame and “above” both Mars and Psyche.
Figure AFigure A is a zoomed-out view from the imager. No stars are visible in the background since they are much dimmer than the sunlight being reflected by Mars.
The observation was acquired by the multispectral imager instrument’s panchromatic or broadband filter, with an exposure time of just 2 milliseconds. Even with this very short exposure time, the crescent is extremely bright and parts of the image are oversaturated. The light seen here is sunlight reflected off the surface of Mars and also scattered by dust particles in its atmosphere. Because the quantity of dust in the atmosphere can vary rapidly over time, the anticipated brightness of the crescent was hard to predict before this early image was acquired.
The dustiness of Mars leads to sunlight being scattered by its atmosphere, making the crescent appear to extend farther around the planet than if it had no atmosphere (as with our Moon).Of note, on the right side of the extended crescent, there appears to be a gap, which coincides with the planet’s icy north polar cap. The cap is currently in winter and mission specialists hypothesize that seasonal clouds and hazes may be forming in that region, possibly blocking the atmospheric dust’s ability to scatter sunlight like it does elsewhere around the planet.
The Psyche mission’s imager team will be acquiring, processing, and interpreting similar images in the lead-up to the close approach on May 15. The images are primarily designed to calibrate the cameras and to characterize their performance in flight as a practice run for the approach to asteroid Psyche in 2029.
For more information about the Psyche mission, read: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/psyche/
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I Am Artemis: Anton Kiriwas
Listen to this audio excerpt from Anton Kiriwas, senior technical integration manager for NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program:
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Your browser does not support the audio element.When Anton Kiriwas first spotted an image of the Moon and Mars hanging over a job fair booth while in college, it captured his imagination, yet felt like a dream too distant to chase. He had no way of knowing that years later he would play a critical role in NASA’s Artemis missions, helping launch humans back to the Moon for the first time in more than half a century.
Kiriwas’ journey to NASA began during the Space Shuttle Program, while he was working for United Launch Alliance, the same organization behind the memorable Moon and Mars booth that he passed by in college. Not long after, he joined NASA as a civil servant, designing electrical systems that set him on a path toward his current role with Exploration Ground Systems as senior technical integration manager. In simpler terms, Kiriwas is a problem solver.
My official title is way too long – what I do is pretty simple: I solve problems for the ground systems. Our goal is to process, launch, and recover the spacecraft. There are a lot of ground systems that are used to go do that and a lot of people involved. A big part of my job is to go solve all the problems that come.Anton Kiriwas
Senior Technical Integration Manager, Exploration Ground Systems Program
A core part of Kiriwas’s role is to serve as a launch project engineer. Strategically positioned at the integration console in the center of Firing Room 1 of the Launch Control Center at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, he acts as a bridge for the test management and engineering teams. Kiriwas, along with the other launch project engineers, reports directly to the launch director, making the final technical recommendation on any issues that may arise during launch countdown. From this seat, he works across all engineering disciplines, united under one mission: launch the spacecraft and crew safely.
Anton Kiriwas, senior technical integration manager and senior launch project engineer with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program participates in an Artemis II launch countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. The simulations go through launch day scenarios to help launch team members test software and make adjustments if needed during countdown operations. NASA/Glenn BensonDespite the intensity of launch day, Kiriwas describes it can often feel easier than the hundreds of rehearsals and simulations leading up to it. The team trains rigorously, preparing for every scenario imaginable. The ideal day is smooth and uneventful, but when it’s not, he and the team are ready.
I’m in my element when there is a problem.Anton Kiriwas
Senior Technical Integration Manager, Exploration Ground Systems Program
When an issue arises, Kiriwas and his team begin asking the basic questions: ‘What are the requirements? Which systems are affected? Who needs to be involved?’ He pulls the technical community together to work through the situation, come up with any troubleshooting, and ultimately give the recommendation for a “go” or “no-go” for launch. It takes clarity, experience, and discipline, especially in moments when excitement is running high.
“There is adrenaline to get to launch, but you want to be careful to never let that turn into ‘launch fever,’” said Kiriwas. “We need to launch exactly when we’re ready and not a moment before.”
Anton Kiriwas, a launch project engineer for the Artemis I mission, monitors operations from his position in Firing Room 1 as Artemis teams conduct a launch simulation for the Artemis I launch inside the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 27, 2022. NASA/Ben SmegelskyWith Artemis II complete, Kiriwas continues applying his problem‑solving expertise, analyzing lessons learned, and shaping future mission requirements. Artemis III hardware is currently being processed at NASA Kennedy, and the teams are carefully preparing the next steps of NASA’s return to the lunar surface.
“There’s a million little pieces that go into this, and I get to be a part of it,” said Kiriwas.
About the AuthorLaura SasaninejadStrategic Communications Specialist Share Details Last Updated May 08, 2026 EditorJason CostaLocationKennedy Space Center Related Terms Explore More 4 min read NASA Fuel Cell Tests Pave Way for Energy Storage on Moon Article 3 days ago 3 min read NASA Welcomes Paraguay as 67th Artemis Accords Signatory Article 4 days ago 3 min read Industry Moon Lander Training Cabin Lands at NASA for Artemis Article 4 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAMissions
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NASA, Industry Advance High Performance Spaceflight Computing
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Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) High Performance Spaceflight Computing System on ChipNASA/Ryan LannomFor decades, NASA has advanced on-board spacecraft computer processors that coordinate and execute the functions needed to support mission success.
Space computing originated in the 1960s with the Apollo Guidance Computers, which were pivotal for guidance, navigation, and control computations during NASA’s first Moon missions. For decades, radiation-hardened processors have been the backbone of the agency’s space exploration missions.
NASA has landed computers on other planets and operated them for years in extreme conditions, as demonstrated by the Mars rovers. These computer processors have also powered several NASA orbiters, capsules, and space telescopes.
While legacy processors have enabled some of NASA’s greatest achievements, the next generation of space missions will increase in complexity and length, which will benefit from greater computing power, autonomy, and resilience. To meet the needs of this challenge, NASA and industry leader Microchip Technology Inc. entered a public, private partnership combining agency and commercial investments to develop a new solution: High-Performance Spaceflight Computing.
Advanced ComputingThe High-Performance Spaceflight Computing project is a next-generation system-on-chip that delivers over 100 times the computing capability of current space processors. By integrating computing and networking into a single device, this technology significantly reduces system cost and power consumption. Its scalable architecture allows unused functions to power down, optimizing energy efficiency for critical operations.
The High-Performance Spaceflight Computing family of processors includes multiple distinct but compatible technologies for scalable mission needs. The radiation-hardened version of the processor is built for geosynchronous, deep-space, and long-duration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, capable of operating in harsh environments while supporting real-time autonomous tasks. Tailored for the commercial space sector, the radiation-tolerant version of the processor provides fault tolerance and cybersecurity for low Earth orbit satellites.
High Performance Spaceflight Computing System on ChipNASA/Ryan LannomUsing advanced Ethernet to connect multiple sensors or cluster several chips, High-Performance Spaceflight Computing technology allows spacecraft to process massive amounts of data onboard and autonomously make real-time decisions, such as driving rovers at high speeds or filtering scientific images. Continuous system health monitoring and an integrated security controller ensure these complex operations remain safe and reliable.
Computing power for Golden Age of ExplorationThe High-Performance Spaceflight Computing technology is a nationwide, public-private development effort anchored by NASA, Microchip, and a broad ecosystem of academic and industry partners. This collaboration reinforces U.S. leadership in spaceflight computing, strengthens supply chain resilience and security, stimulates regional economies, and drives innovation and high-tech workforce development across the nation.
This new technology has the potential for use on all future space missions, but unlike traditional space-specific chips, High-Performance Spaceflight Computing has a design platform for other Earth-based uses.
Adopting the same high-performance computing, network switching, high-reliability and cybersecurity technologies, the company’s processors enable mission-critical edge computing for Earth-based industries such as automotive, aviation, consumer electronics, industrial systems, and aerospace. These potential applications include drones, energy grids, medical equipment, communication services, artificial intelligence, and data transmission.
By leveraging a common technology base across space and terrestrial markets, High-Performance Spaceflight Computing helps strengthen domestic industrial capabilities and reduce risk and cost for both government and commercial users.
The Space Technology Mission Directorate’s Game Changing Development program based at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory led the end-to-end maturation of NASA’s High-Performance Spaceflight Computing by developing mission requirements, funding competitive industry studies, selecting and contracting with Microchip, and guiding the project through design reviews and the project life cycle to delivery.
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By: Jessica Jelke
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NASA astronaut Chris Williams captured the Milky Way rising above Earth’s atmospheric glow on April 13, 2026, while aboard a SpaceX Dragon docked to the International Space Station.
This atmospheric glow is also called airglow. It occurs when atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, excited by sunlight, emit light to shed their excess energy. Alternatively, it can happen when atoms and molecules that have been ionized by sunlight collide with and capture a free electron. In both cases, they eject a particle of light — called a photon — in order to relax again. The phenomenon is similar to auroras, but where auroras are driven by high-energy particles originating from the solar wind, airglow is energized by ordinary, day-to-day solar radiation.
Image credit: NASA/Chris Williams
