NASA - Breaking News
A Day of Flight Testing at NASA Armstrong
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA flight test engineer A.J. Jaffe and pilot Nils Larson walk on the ramp before a flight Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The two support the agency’s Crossflow Attenuated Natural Laminar Flow (CATNLF) project, which aims to lower fuel costs for future commercial aircraft by testing a scale-model wing designed to improve laminar flow.NASA/Christopher LC ClarkFlight testing is a team sport. For nearly 80 years, teams at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, have used flight testing to push the limits of aerodynamics and advance aviation.
Earlier this year, NASA’s Crossflow Attenuated Natural Laminar Flow (CATNLF) initiative tested a wing concept that would maximize the smooth flow of air known as laminar flow, which could lower fuel costs for future airliners. During flight testing, researchers strapped a scale-model CATNLF wing to the bottom of a NASA F-15 aircraft.
Here’s what a day of CATNLF flight testing looked like.
NASA ground crew prepares the agency’s F-15 research aircraft and Cross Flow Attenuated Natural Laminar Flow (CATNLF) test article ahead of its first high-speed taxi test on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2026, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The CATNLF design aims to reduce drag on wing surfaces to improve efficiency and, in turn, reduce fuel burn.NASA/Christopher LC Clark 5 a.m. — Aircraft stagingGround crews ready the aircraft for the mission. If the operation involves a chase plane — a second aircraft to monitor the test flight — it would also be prepared, along with its crew.
6 a.m. — Crew briefPilots, engineers, maintenance techs, project leads, researchers, photographers, and videographers meet to review the flight’s goals, weather reports, and final details.
NASA researchers Mike Frederick, right, and Michelle Banchy, left, along with Ashante Jordan and intern Phillip Nguyen, sit in a control room and prepare for a flight test Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The agency’s Crossflow Attenuated Natural Laminar Flow (CATNLF) project aims to lower fuel costs for future commercial aircraft by testing a scale-model wing designed to improve laminar flow.NASA/Christopher LC Clark 6:30 a.m. — Control room checks, air crew suit-upResearchers head to the control room to complete day-of checks, confirming all communications, displays, and instruments are functioning.
Pilots suit up in life support, including custom‑fit pressure suits, harnesses, helmets, and masks. If a photographer, videographer, or flight test engineer will be in the aircraft’s back seat, they do the same.
6:45 a.m. — Air crew steps, control room preparationsThe pilot completes preflight checks with the crew chief and technicians for the aircraft’s electrical systems. The pilot and the crew chief sign a flight preparedness report confirming the aircraft is ready to fly.
Inside the control room, the team prepares to monitor the flight using the same set of test cards, a step-by-step plan for the flight.
7 a.m. — Pilot secured in jetThe pilot and backseat crew member climb into their seats, strap in, and secure any gear they’ve brought for the test. The pilot completes preflight ground checks.
7:15 a.m. — Aircraft taxiThe pilot communicates with the control tower and taxis to the runway. Control room teams at NASA Armstrong monitor the aircraft via radio.
7:30 a.m. — TakeoffThe pilot accelerates down the runway and, at the proper speed, pulls back on the stick to take off. Once airborne, the pilot coordinates with air traffic control at Edwards Air Force Base and the NASA Armstrong control room while flying to the designated test area.
A F-15 aircraft owned by NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, flies above a mountain range on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. The agency’s Crossflow Attenuated Natural Laminar Flow (CATNLF) test article is attached to the bottom of this F-15. This project aims to lower fuel costs for future commercial aircraft by testing a scale-model wing designed to improve laminar flow. NASA/Jim Ross 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. — FlightAt the test location, the team coordinates with the pilot on altitude, speed, and maneuvers. The test conductor relays each task, and the pilot completes them one-by-one. The pilot and control room monitor the performance of the hardware, instruments, aircraft, or software throughout the sequence. After completing the test points, the pilot returns to base.
8:45 a.m. — Landing, towingThe pilot lands and taxis to the ramp at NASA Armstrong, where the crew chief meets the jet. After the pilot exits, the aircraft is towed into the hangar for maintenance.
9:30 a.m. — Crew debriefThe pilot, project team, and mission controlstaff return to the briefing room tocapture lessons learned and document items for follow-up.
10 a.m. — Data download, second flight prepTeams download flight data for analysis. If two flights are scheduled, preparations begin immediately for the second.
Four NASA employees walk toward a hangar after a flight Thursday, Feb. 4, 2026, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The team supports the agency’s Crossflow Attenuated Natural Laminar Flow (CATNLF) project, which aims to lower fuel costs for future commercial aircraft by testing a scale-model wing designed to improve laminar flow.NASA/Christopher LC Clark Share Details Last Updated Jun 30, 2026 EditorDede DiniusContactTeresa Whitingteresa.whiting@nasa.govLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related Terms Explore More 5 min read NASA’s Newest Wind Tunnel Builds on Legacy of Innovation Article 23 hours ago 3 min read This is How NASA Flight Tests New Technology Article 1 week ago 9 min read ARMD Research Solicitations (Updated June 23) Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAArmstrong Flight Research Center
Aircraft Flown at Armstrong
Quesst: The Aircraft
Aeronautics
La NASA adjudica nuevas misiones científicas para Base Lunar y adelanta nuevas oportunidades
Read this news release in English here.
La NASA anunció el martes la selección de tres empresas para llevar a cabo cuatro nuevas misiones a la Luna a finales de 2028 como parte del programa Base Lunar de la agencia. Astrobotic, Firefly Aerospace e Intuitive Machines entregarán cargas útiles científicas de la NASA a la superficie lunar mientras la agencia construye el primer puesto de avanzada en otro mundo.
“Estas nuevas adjudicaciones a nuestros socios comerciales, que suman casi 600 millones de dólares para enviar más misiones a la Luna con cargas útiles científicas, demuestran nuestro compromiso de acelerar el esfuerzo para establecer una presencia a largo plazo en la superficie lunar, y nos brindan más oportunidades para desarrollar las capacidades que necesitamos para prosperar allí”, dijo Lori Glaze, administradora asociada de la Dirección de Misiones de Vuelos Espaciales Tripulados de la sede central de la NASA en Washington.
A Astrobotic se le adjudicaron 297,9 millones de dólares en total para dos entregas, mientras que Firefly Aerospace e Intuitive Machines recibieron 144,2 y 148,3 millones de dólares, respectivamente, para una entrega cada una, como parte de la iniciativa de Servicios Comerciales de Carga Útil Lunar (CLPS, por sus siglas en inglés) de la agencia, uno de los pilares de Base Lunar. Cada una usará versiones actualizadas de diseños de módulos de aterrizaje que ya han volado, para permitir la mayor cadencia de misiones de la NASA.
“Estamos construyendo un campo de pruebas para las operaciones de Base Lunar”, dijo Ryan Stephan, director interino de módulos de aterrizaje de carga del programa Base Lunar de la NASA. “Acelerar la cadencia con la que adjudicamos nuevas misiones a la Luna y las oportunidades de lanzamiento nos permite avanzar rápidamente para aprender, repetir y mejorar”.
Con 17 misiones de entrega a la superficie lunar a cargo de múltiples proveedores, la NASA también anunció nuevas oportunidades para que la industria estadounidense contribuya a la Base Lunar. La agencia está barajando planes para enviar a la Luna el Vehículo de Exploración Polar para Observación, Cartografía y Exploración In Situ (PROMISE, por su acrónimo en inglés), una versión de desarrollo de ingeniería del rover Perseverance en Marte. Los expertos de la agencia definirán las posibles oportunidades de PROMISE para caracterizar la superficie lunar y el subsuelo, y para prospectar recursos.
Además, la NASA tiene previsto solicitar propuestas en los próximos meses para módulos de aterrizaje lunar que transporten una demostración de tecnología de energía y aviónica, otro conjunto de cargas científicas y un generador de imágenes ópticas del Polo Sur. La NASA también publicará una convocatoria abierta para demostraciones tecnológicas de la Base Lunar y solicitará propuestas para una constelación de retransmisores de comunicaciones y navegación lunar para mejorar la comunicación entre los elementos de la Base Lunar y la Tierra.
Las adjudicaciones anunciadas el 30 de junio desempeñarán un papel fundamental en el establecimiento de la infraestructura para las operaciones en la superficie lunar. Las empresas son responsables de iniciar y ejecutar los procesos de contratación proporcionar una evaluación de un módulo de aterrizaje lunar previo similar e incorporar las lecciones aprendidas para mejorar la fiabilidad general de la misión.
Cada entrega llevará tres cargas útiles de la NASA a la superficie lunar:
- Instrumento Cámara estéreo para el estudio de los penachos en la superficie lunar (SCALPSS, por sus siglas en inglés): un conjunto de cuatro cámaras que utiliza una técnica llamada fotogrametría estéreo para producir una vista tridimensional del impacto del penacho de gases del motor sobre el polvo lunar a medida que el módulo de aterrizaje desciende sobre la superficie de la Luna. Al recopilar datos de una variedad de motores de distintos tamaños, combustibles y lugares de aterrizaje, estas imágenes estéreo de alta resolución ayudarán a crear modelos para predecir la erosión del polvo lunar y las características de los materiales eyectados, lo que desempeñará un papel vital a medida que se entreguen en la Luna naves espaciales y equipamiento más grandes y pesados cerca unos de otros.
- Conjunto de retrorreflectores láser (LRA, por sus siglas en inglés): refleja los haces láser transmitidos por orbitadores lunares o naves espaciales en fase de aterrizaje para ayudarles a determinar su posición orbital o a navegar hacia la superficie. Es un pequeño dispositivo del tamaño de una galleta, formado por ocho prismas de cuarzo en forma de esquina de cubo colocados en un marco de aluminio en forma de cúpula. El conjunto es pasivo, no requiere energía ni mantenimiento. Estos conjuntos han volado en anteriores módulos de aterrizaje del programa CLPS y en módulos de aterrizaje lunar internacionales, y se seguirán utilizando para construir una red de marcadores permanentes de ubicación en la Luna para la exploración futura.
- Espectrómetro de transferencia lineal de energía (LETS, por sus siglas en inglés): ayuda a comprender mejor el entorno de radiación a partir de distintas trayectorias de tránsito lunar y en diferentes lugares de la superficie lunar. Derivado de equipamiento ya existente, este monitor de radiación utiliza un diminuto y avanzado detector de silicio para medir la energía que transporta la radiación espacial entrante. Proporcionará información sobre la intensidad de la radiación y el tipo de radiación que impacta en la superficie lunar, y brinda la clase de datos detallados sobre radiación que la NASA necesita para diseñar misiones más seguras, proteger a los astronautas y planificar la exploración de larga duración.
La agencia también está estudiando opciones para que estos módulos de aterrizaje entreguen otras cargas útiles a la Luna.
“Al enviar los mismos instrumentos científicos en varios módulos de aterrizaje, comprenderemos mejor los posibles peligros durante el aterrizaje y crearemos una red global de datos ambientales y marcadores de ubicación en la Luna”, dijo Joel Kearns, administrador asociado adjunto para la exploración de la Dirección de Misiones Científicas en la sede central de la NASA. “Es similar a tener estaciones meteorológicas en distintos lugares de la Tierra. Estas tres cargas útiles han demostrado su fiabilidad en vuelo y sus datos son fundamentales para apoyar la exploración segura de la superficie lunar con seres humanos”.
La NASA avanza en el desarrollo de la Base Lunar, una iniciativa a largo plazo de exploración e infraestructura lunar diseñada para permitir una presencia humana sostenida y ampliar la actividad científica y comercial en la superficie de la Luna.
Como parte de una edad de oro de innovación y exploración, la NASA enviará astronautas en misiones cada vez más difíciles para explorar más de la Luna con fines de descubrimiento científico y beneficios económicos, y para continuar sentando las bases para las primeras misiones tripuladas a Marte.
Para obtener más información sobre la Base Lunar, visite el sitio web (en inglés):
https://www.nasa.gov/moonbase
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Rachel Kraft / Molly Wasser / María José Viñas
Sede central, Washington
+1 202-358-1600
rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov / maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov
Ivry Artis / Kenna Pell
Centro Espacial Johnson, Houston
+1 281-483-5111
ivry.w.artis@nasa.gov / kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov
NextSTEP-3 B: Moon Base Demonstrations
Notice ID: Coming Soon
- July, 2026 – Anticipated Synopsis Release [System for Awards Management]
NASA’s Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate is seeking innovative ideas from industry partners through a new solicitation appendix under the NextSTEP-3 Omnibus Broad Agency Announcement. Appendix B: Moon Base Demonstrations calls for industry-led demonstrations, risk reduction, and special topic activities that enable an enduring human presence on the lunar surface.
NASA’s Moon Base, located in the lunar South Pole region, will serve as the premier proving ground for deep space exploration, empowering scientific discovery and the development of advanced space technologies. To accelerate phased implementation of the Moon Base, NASA is working with its partners to bridge the gap between technology development and mission operations.
This solicitation seeks industry proposals for concept demonstrations, risk reduction opportunities, and studies that address Moon Base architecture gaps. Awards will focus on the integration, demonstration, and maturation of concepts beyond component technology development.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and Carlos García-Galán, Moon Base program manager, announced this new opportunity during a discussion with media on Tuesday, June 30. NASA anticipates the solicitation will be posted to the System for Awards Management in early July.
The solicitation’s first directed topic call will be on surface power. Follow-on directed topic calls will solicit innovations in other topic areas listed below.
Solicitation Topics- Infrastructure
- Power Systems
- Communications & Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (C&PNT)
- Transportation
- Mobility
- Habitation
- Autonomy & Robotics
- Lunar Science
- Concepts of Operations
Ignition
Moon Base
Artemis
NextSTEP
NASA Awards More Moon Base Science, Previews New Opportunities
NASA announced Tuesday the selection of three companies to land four new missions on the Moon in late 2028 as part of the agency’s Moon Base Program. Astrobotic, Firefly Aerospace, and Intuitive Machines will deliver NASA science payloads to the lunar surface as the agency builds the first outpost on another celestial world.
“These new awards to our commercial partners, totaling nearly $600 million to land more missions on the Moon with science payloads, demonstrate our commitment to accelerating our effort to build a long-term presence on the lunar surface, and give us more opportunity to develop the skills we need to prosper there,” said Lori Glaze, associate administrator for the Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
Astrobotic is awarded $297.9 million total for two deliveries, as well as Firefly Aerospace $144.2 million and Intuitive Machines $148.3 million for one delivery each as part of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, a backbone of the Moon Base. Each will use updated versions of already-flown lander designs to enable NASA’s increased mission cadence.
“We’re building a proving ground for Moon Base operations,” said Ryan Stephan, NASA’s Moon Base acting director of cargo landers. “Accelerating our Moon mission ordering cadence and launch opportunities enable us to move quickly to learn, iterate, and improve.”
With 17 lunar surface deliveries across multiple providers, NASA also announced new opportunities for American industry to contribute to the Moon Base. The agency is considering plans to send to the Moon, PROMISE (Polar Rover for Observation, Mapping, and In-Situ Exploration), an engineering development version of the Mars Perseverance rover. Agency experts will define potential opportunities for PROMISE to characterize the lunar surface, subsurface, and prospect for resources.
In addition, NASA plans to solicit proposals in the coming months for lunar landers to deliver a power and avionics technology demonstration, another science manifest, and a South Pole optical imager. NASA also will share an open solicitation for Moon Base technology demonstrations and seek a lunar communication and navigation relay constellation to enable improved communication between Moon Base elements and Earth.
The awards announced June 30 will play a critical role in establishing the infrastructure for lunar surface operations. The companies are responsible for initiating and executing procurements, providing an assessment of a similar previous lunar lander, and incorporating lessons learned to improve the overall mission reliability.
Each delivery will carry three NASA payloads to the lunar surface:
- Stereo Camera for Lunar Plume Surface Studies (SCALPSS): An array of four cameras that uses a technique called stereo photogrammetry to produce a 3D view of the impact of an engine’s exhaust plume on lunar dust as the lander descends on the Moon’s surface. Collecting data from a variety of engine sizes, propellants, and landing locations, these high-resolution stereo images will aid in creating models to predict lunar dust erosion and ejecta characteristics, playing a vital role as bigger, heavier spacecraft and hardware are delivered to the Moon near each other.
- Laser Retroreflector Array (LRA): Reflects laser beams transmitted by Moon orbiters or landing spacecraft to help them determine their orbit position or navigate to the surface. A small cookie-sized device made of eight quartz corner-cube prisms set into a dome-shaped aluminum frame, the array is passive, requiring no power or maintenance. These arrays have flown on previous CLPS landers and international lunar landers and will continue to be used to build a network of permanent location markers on the Moon for future exploration.
- Linear Energy Transfer Spectrometer (LETS): Helps to better understand the radiation environment from a variety of lunar transit approaches and at different locations on the lunar surface. Derived from heritage hardware, this radiation monitor uses a tiny, advanced silicon detector to measure the energy carried by incoming space radiation. It will provide information about how strong radiation is and what kind of radiation is hitting the lunar surface, and provides the kind of detailed radiation data NASA needs to design safer missions, protect astronauts, and plan long‑duration exploration.
The agency also is reviewing options for these landers to deliver potential additional payloads to the Moon.
“By flying the same science instruments on multiple landers, we will better understand potential hazards during landing and build out a global network of environmental data and location markers on the Moon,” said Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters. “It’s akin to having weather stations in different locations on Earth. These three payloads are flight-proven and their data is critical to supporting safe human exploration of the lunar surface.”
NASA is advancing development of the Moon Base, a long-term lunar exploration and infrastructure initiative designed to enable sustained human presence and expanded scientific and commercial activity on the lunar surface.
As part of the Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.
For more information about NASA’s Moon Base plans, visit:
-end-
Rachel Kraft / Molly Wasser
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
Ivry Artis / Kenna Pell
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
ivry.w.artis@nasa.gov / kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov
Starry Chandelier Cluster
This image released on June 26, 2026, features the globular cluster NGC 6723, sometimes called the Chandelier Cluster. Like its namesake, it sparkles with countless lights. However, each ‘lightbulb’ in this chandelier is an individual star 27,000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius (the Archer).
Globular clusters like NGC 6723 contain some of the oldest stars in our galaxy. These clusters have ages that often exceed 10 billion years old, and some are nearly as old as the universe itself. Astronomers think globular clusters are some of the first structures that formed in our galaxy, coalescing potentially billions of years before the thin disk of stars in which our Sun orbits. The details of how globular clusters formed, however, are not yet certain.
Learn more about the Chandelier Cluster.
Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, A. Sarajedini, G. Piotto
Ames Science Stars of the Month July 2026
The NASA Ames Science Directorate recognizes the outstanding contributions of (pictured left to right) Sungshin Choi, Yi-Chun Chen, Emma Yates, Eduardo Bendek. Their commitment to the NASA mission represents the entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise, and collaborative disposition needed to explore this world and beyond.
Space Biosciences Star: Sungshin ChoiSungshin Choi is a Project Scientist with Amentum in the Space Biosciences Division. Sungshin is recognized for her enduring support of many space biology flight investigations past, present and future, including CBIOMES, ODYSSEY, and Space Algae II more recently. She is a tireless advocate for high-quality science and the principal investigators whom she represents.
Space Biosciences Star: Yi-Chun ChenYi-Chun Chen is a Project Scientist with Amentum in the Space Biosciences Division. Yi-Chun is recognized for her exemplary support of multiple space biology activities including the MeF1, GEARS, and ELISA MABL (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay – Microgravity Associated Bone Loss) flight investigations. She is a dedicated and determined problem-solver that enables her teams to achieve success.
Emma Yates Earth Science Star: Emma YatesEmma Yates is a research scientist with the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute in the Earth Science Division. She has been instrumental in advancing NASA’s Ozone Where We Live (OWWL) project by leading community engagement, citizen-science partnerships, and field deployments across California. Her efforts are expanding access to NASA science while building innovative community-based air quality monitoring networks that support Earth science research and public engagement.
Space Science Star: Eduardo BendekEduardo Bendek is an optical scientist with the SETI Institute in the Astrophysics Branch in the Space Science and Astrobiology Division. In support of the Ames Coronagraph Testbed (ACT), Eduardo developed several options for ACT first light experiments, reviewed them with various stakeholders, and delivered a comprehensive presentation to project management for how to proceed. Eduardo’s excellent support of the ACT project is critical to its success as Ames develops this near-infrared testbed for the Habitable Worlds Observatory.
Northwest Earth and Space Science Pathways Project Celebrates Student Innovation Through ROADS from Earth to Venus National Challenge
4 min read
Northwest Earth and Space Science Pathways Project Celebrates Student Innovation Through ROADS from Earth to Venus National ChallengeThe Northwest Earth and Space Science Pathways (NESSP) project recently concluded its 2025–2026 ROADS (Rover Observation And Discoveries in Space) from Earth to Venus National Challenge, a NASA Science Activation program student challenge that engaged more than 500 students on 120 teams from eight states in authentic science and engineering experiences inspired by Venus exploration.
The challenge began with educator professional development in August 2025, preparing teachers and mentors to guide students through the ROADS experience. Registered teams then worked through challenge checkpoints from January through May 2026, with in-person Hub events held in April and May 2026 to give students opportunities to showcase their work, connect with peers, and engage with NASA-inspired STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) activities.
NESSP, led by Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington, creates opportunities for students and educators to connect with NASA science through hands-on STEM learning. The ROADS framework challenges upper elementary, middle, and high school students to work collaboratively on mission-inspired activities that mirror the ways NASA scientists and engineers investigate planetary environments and prepare for future exploration.
Throughout the academic year, ROADS from Earth to Venus teams completed eight Mission Objectives focused on science, engineering, teamwork, and communication. Students documented their work in Mission Development Logs, designed mission patches, modeled carbon movement on Earth and Venus, investigated the greenhouse effect, collected remote sensing data using kite-mounted cameras, programmed robotic rovers to navigate Venus-inspired terrain, explored NASA-related careers, and presented their final mission stories through virtual submissions and regional Hub events.
In addition to completing the challenge virtually, many students participated in in-person Hub events hosted by NESSP partner institutions, including Central Washington University, Montana State University, and Northern Arizona University. These events gave teams the opportunity to showcase their work, exchange ideas with peers, interact with mentors, and experience college campuses as part of a broader STEM learning community.
“The ROADS Challenge gives students the opportunity to do more than learn about NASA missions – they become part of the mission,” said Dr. Darci Snowden, Director of NESSP. “I am especially proud of this year’s teams. Students took on an exceptionally broad set of mission objectives, from modeling carbon cycles and designing experiments to conducting remote sensing operations with kites and programming rovers to navigate challenging terrain while collecting scientific data. These students participated because they were curious, motivated, and eager to learn. By investigating authentic mission challenges, collaborating with teammates, and sharing their ideas with others, students develop the confidence and skills needed to see themselves as future scientists, engineers, educators, and explorers.”
NESSP recognized top teams across elementary, middle, and high school divisions for outstanding participation and exemplary Mission Development Logs.
In the Elementary School Division, NESSP recognized The Evil Twins, The Acid Clouds, Flaming Asteroid Nebulas, and The NASA Intelligence, all from Silverdale, Washington.
In the Middle School Division, NESSP recognized Venus Ascenders from Mukilteo, Washington; Project Fuego Venus from Safford, Arizona; Galaxy Dragons from Sequim, Washington; The Four Folds from Hardin, Montana; and Crater Lake Crusaders from Medford, Oregon.
In the High School Division, NESSP recognized Laborantem from Columbus, Montana; Velocity to Venus from Sequim, Washington; Puget Sound Propulsion from Mukilteo, Washington; and Evergreen Explorers from Mukilteo, Washington.
Highlights from this year’s challenge, including student presentations and special recognitions, are available through the ROADS from Earth to Venus Virtual Recognition Ceremony on the NESSP YouTube channel, @nwessp.
Educators, families, and community organizations can continue to access ROADS from Earth to Venus activities and educational resources, along with materials from previous ROADS challenges, through the NESSP website at www.nwessp.org.
NASA’s Northwest Earth and Space Science Pathways project is supported by NASA cooperative agreement award number 80NSSC22M0006 and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio, which connects learners with authentic NASA science experiences through partnerships with educators and community organizations.
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NASA, SBA Announce New Initiative to Scale American Space Economy
NASA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) launched the SBIC-NASA Initiative on Monday to increase investment in American manufacturers of industrial components and providers of technologies critical to space exploration to support a sustained presence on the Moon and Mars.
Under the Memorandum of Agreement, NASA will identify technology priorities and connect businesses to funding opportunities through the agency’s new NASA Office of Strategic Capital. The initiative also will be a part of SBA’s Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Program, which provides leverage that matches private capital raised by investment funds and is designed to enhance fund-level investment returns.
“To achieve President Trump’s National Space Policy, NASA needs a stronger industrial base capable of moving at the speed this new space race demands,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Through the NASA Office of Strategic Capital, this partnership with the SBA will help small businesses access the capital they need to scale, strengthen critical supply chains, rebuild America’s industrial might, and deliver the outcomes necessary to ensure the United States leads the next era of space exploration.”
By augmenting the investable capital for investment funds licensed by the SBA under this SBIC-NASA Initiative, the new initiative expands access to capital for small businesses within the space industry.
“To meet President Trump’s objective of securing American leadership on every frontier, the SBA and NASA are partnering to supercharge the industrial base behind our space program and connect the innovators building critical technologies with needed capital,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. “Through this partnership with NASA, the SBA is mobilizing private sector investment to fuel the small businesses, manufacturers, and innovators that are driving American space dominance. By aligning capital with strategic national priorities, this exciting effort will help launch the next great era of space exploration.”
Under the agreement, NASA will define strategic aerospace technology focus areas and identify supply chain needs. The SBA will use those priorities to attract and license qualified private investment funds that commit to invest at least 60% of their capital into NASA-identified focus areas, including:
- Energy production, infrastructure, and storage
- Nuclear power and propulsion
- Advanced software, avionics, and communications systems
- Specialized materials and components
- Inhospitable environment infrastructure
- Scaled launch infrastructure
- Biomedical and life support technology
Through this partnership between NASA and SBA, capital will flow into space industry sectors and upstream supply chain components vital to the National Space Policy and critical to national and economic security.
For details about the new initiative and NASA’s Office of Strategic Capital, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/strategiccapital
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Camille Gallo / Cheryl Warner
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov
NASA’s Newest Wind Tunnel Builds on Legacy of Innovation
5 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The Flight Dynamics Research Facility, located at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, is the agency’s first major wind tunnel built in more than 40 years. NASA/Mark KnoppFor more than 100 years, wind tunnels at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, have helped shape the future of flight.
Now, two of NASA’s longest-serving facilities — the 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel and the 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel — will pass the torch to the Flight Dynamics Research Facility (FDRF), the first major NASA wind tunnel built in more than 40 years.
“The FDRF has a combination of features found in no other single facility in the world,” said Mike Fremaux, retired chief engineer for the Intelligent Flight Systems division at NASA Langley. “It’s a high-performance vertical wind tunnel with a large test section capable of conducting all manner of tests to assess the dynamics of flight vehicles.”
When the FDRF opens later this year, it will provide enhanced versions of the capabilities offered by the two legacy facilities. The FDRF’s test section will allow researchers to drop models into a rising vertical airflow. This will offer researchers the ability to conduct spin tests of aircraft and free-flight tests of vehicles designed to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere from space.
The FDRF will play an integral role in conducting research that supports NASA’s aeronautics, science, and space exploration missions. Like many NASA facilities, the FDRF’s story is rooted in a history of innovation.
When the 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel began operations in 1939, aviation looked very different than it does today.
It was built for NASA’s predecessor agency, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) to study the controllability of airplanes using free flight. Aircraft models flew unsupported in the wind it generated, instead of being mounted to supports. Multiple operators used rudimentary remote controls to operate the models in the tunnel.
The facility that housed the tunnel boasted a unique design: a 60-foot diameter sphere. The configuration allowed the tunnel to move and adapt to the flight paths of free flying models. “Pilots” could use hydraulic actuators, pivoting the tunnel’s test section to match the models’ movements. The spherical design made it easy for air from the facility’s fan to recirculate through the tunnel, regardless of the pitch angle of the test section.
In 1958, NASA moved the free-flight tests to another Langley tunnel. The agency deactivated the 12-Foot’s hydraulic actuators, fixing its test section into a horizontal position, and began using it for more conventional testing, looking at how aerodynamic force affected the stability and control of strut-mounted models.
The 12-Foot supported major projects throughout its 86 years of service, from the transition from bi-planes to monoplanes between two world wars, through the development of supersonic aircraft. Revolutionary designs saw testing in the 12-Foot, from the forward-swept-wing X-29 and the X-31 Enhanced Fighter Maneuverability Demonstrator, to the more recent X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft, and the aeroshell for NASA’s Dragonfly, a unique rotorcraft designed to explore Titan, Saturn’s largest moon.
The 12-Foot closed in 2025, but its legacy will be both felt and seen at the FDRF. Six wooden fan blades and the central metal fan hub from the 12-Foot are on display inside the FDRF’s control room.
Researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia test a Mercury capsule model in 1959.NASA 20-Foot Vertical Spin TunnelWhile the 12-Foot tested new ideas for aircraft and components, the 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel played a critical role in aviation safety.
Opened in 1941, the Vertical Spin Tunnel was designed to study aircraft stall and spin characteristics. Its aim was to prevent deadly accidents in which an aircraft enters an uncontrolled spin. The vertical design allowed models to fall into the rising airflow, simulating how aircraft behave during a spin. Researchers hand-launched models into the tunnel’s vertically rising airstream to evaluate those characteristics.
The tunnel quickly became one of the most important spin-testing facilities in the world. Research supported commercial aviation, parachute design systems, NASA space missions, and the development of nearly every U.S. military aircraft designed since World War II.
Models from many of those tests will be on display in the FDRF’s lobby, a testament to the Vertical Spin Tunnel’s rich history.
“It is great to showcase the legacy of work that started in the NACA days and will continue going forward for decades to come,” Fremaux said.
The FDRF will continue NASA’s commitment to world-class facilities and the unique expertise of the agency’s workforce.
“That’s what kept those other facilities going,” Fremaux said. “Not just the buildings, the fans, and the motors, but also the expertise associated with those facilities. You can’t have one without the other.”
The FDRF will build not only on the history of the 12-Foot tunnel and the Vertical Spin Tunnel, but on their equipment, including many of their major test rigs, instrumentation, and data systems, were repurposed for use in the FDRF, reducing costs and development time.
As NASA returns astronauts to the Moon through the Artemis program, the FDRF will play a vital role in testing the technologies for entry, descent, and landing that will ensure a safe return to Earth. Research within the FDRF also will support science missions to planets and moons with atmospheres, such as Venus and Saturn’s moon, Titan. The 25,000-square-foot facility will play a major role in experimental research for NASA’s development of X-planes, autonomous flight vehicles, and drones.
“For me, seeing FDRF come alive and being prepared to begin supporting important agency missions, after 30 years of working on the concept behind the scenes with formal and informal teams of motivated, innovative coworkers, is the most rewarding capstone I could have in my career,” Fremaux said.
Just as the 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel and the 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel supported decades of aerospace innovation, the FDRF is ready to shape the future of flight.
Kimiko Booker
NASA Langley Research Center
NASA Astronaut Chris Williams Preps for Spacewalk
Flight engineer Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) helps flight engineer Chris Williams of NASA as he tries on his spacesuit on June 23, 2026, testing its comfort and mobility as well as its communications and life support systems inside the International Space Station’s Quest airlock.
Williams will go on a spacewalk on June 30 with fellow NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. They will replace a malfunctioning wrist joint on the Canadarm2 robotic arm.
Image credit: NASA/Jessica Meir
Mapping Earth’s Observations, featuring Betsy Ford
NASA’s Earth-observing satellites track an enormous range of phenomena: how aerosols move through the atmosphere, how moisture descends through soil, how land-cover shifts over decades. It’s some of the most consequential data NASA produces, informing science, policy, agriculture, and climate research around the world.
As NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD) manages this vast portfolio, they operate within an environment marked by significant complexity. This system-of-systems is continually evolving as mission requirements develop, new capabilities come online while others are retired, and international partnerships shift over time. All of this happens against a backdrop of deep uncertainty in technology readiness, launch opportunities, and resource availability.
Decision analyst Betsy FordCredit: NASA“It reaches more people than most realize. The farmers who are growing your food use the data from these satellites.”
“ESD leadership is constantly navigating this complicated landscape,” says Betsy Ford, a decision analyst and Deputy Team Lead for the NASA Earth Science Strategic Integration Environment (NESSIE) team within the Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate (SACD) at NASA’s Langley Research Center. “Our work focuses on integrating information across the broad system-of-systems so that these decision-makers can visualize the current state, how things could evolve, and how all of it lines up against NASA’s long-term scientific priorities.”
A Detour Through DetroitFord’s path to this work runs through two vastly different worlds, and it all started before she could even drive.
Both of her parents spent their careers at NASA Langley and recently retired from it. Growing up, Ford attended the center’s daycare and its summer picnics. “It always felt like a college campus and a big family,” she says. “I really loved that.”
Betsy Ford (in blue gown) and family celebrate her kindergarten graduation at NASA Langley.Credit: Betsy FordStill, when she graduated from Virginia Tech with a mechanical engineering degree, she chose to branch out first. She joined General Motors’ engineering rotation program in Michigan, spending time as a mass integration engineer for Corvette before moving to work as a vehicle occupant safety engineer performing crash testing. She was also finishing a master’s in engineering management at the University of Nebraska, where she was introduced to risk analysis and strategic decision making.
When a position opened in the Space Mission Analysis Branch (part of SACD), she applied, hoping her experience in systems engineering and master’s might offset the gap between the hardware testing of running vehicles into walls and the analytical work NASA needed. “Leadership saw potential in my background and gave me a chance to apply it in a new context,” she says.
Betsy Ford (second from right) and family gather at NASA Langley’s front gate.Credit: Betsy Ford Finding the Story in the DataAt its core, NESSIE addresses an information architecture problem. Hundreds of Earth-observing satellite missions, both NASA’s and its partners’, each observing specific phenomena, from cloud cover to land use. That data has always existed. The challenge was making sense of it all in one place.
NESSIE’s main web application page presents a heat map showing which missions are addressing 34 science observables alongside a mission timeline. Additional views drill down further, such as which specific instruments on which spacecraft cover a given measurement, and how international partner collaborations have evolved over the years.
This graphic shows the fleet of NASA Earth Science missions, which provide hundreds of measurements and data products to understand the Earth system.Credit: NASA“We focus on continuous improvement,” Ford explains. “Each iteration aims to give our stakeholders a clearer, more useful product than they had the day before.” While supporting NASA headquarters in its strategic planning, the team is working toward making NESSIE available to the National Academies to help inform the next decadal survey, a document that will define national science priorities and guide government investments into the next decade. It’s a milestone that Ford describes as a significant step toward “using NESSIE to more fully support the scientific community through clearer data-driven planning of future missions.”
Ground TruthFord had always cared about Earth science in the abstract. It took a visit to her family’s farm in Nebraska to make it concrete.
She was explaining her work with satellites, observables, and web applications, when her relatives pulled out their phones and showed her satellite data they use every day to monitor soil moisture across their fields. Then they showed her the tool it had once replaced: a metal rod they used to shove into the ground by hand to measure moisture levels.
“That’s just one example of how impactful this work can be,” she says. “It reaches more people than most realize. The farmers who are growing your food use the data from these satellites.”
When Ford wonders why the work matters, that moment is a powerful reminder for her. The satellites are the visible part of the story. The decisions about which ones to build, launch, and sustain, and the tools that make those decisions smarter, are what her work is about.
Growing the TeamFord recently stepped into the deputy lead role on the NESSIE team, staffed primarily by early-career engineers. She credits mentors in her NASA tenure, particularly team lead Marie Ivanco, who modeled a method to looking at complex problems that shaped how Ford works now.
“If you’re faced with a challenge, Marie asks, ‘What is your process?” Ford says. “She championed really decomposing a problem and approaching it systematically. That wasn’t natural to me at that point, but I really admired it.”
Now Ford’s doing the same for others. “Finding that balance of providing the opportunities to grow along with some structure and guidance, that’s the job.”
She also believes that NASA offers anyone entering engineering the freedom to define problems and solutions rather than to just execute known processes, and to exercise research instincts in ways that more prescriptive industry environments rarely allow. “It prompts a lot more creativity,” she says. “Getting to flex those research muscles is an opportunity I didn’t really have at other jobs.”
On Ford’s Sci-Fi ShelfStar Wars — the film franchise
Ford grew up in a Star Wars household: her father was a devoted fan, and she still remembers her first PG-13 movie in theaters, one of the newer films in the series. These days her husband keeps the tradition going, and with a 15-month-old son, Saturday morning Star Wars cartoons may already be on the calendar.
“He’s very excited to get him started.”
NextSTEP-3 A: Lunar Enabling Technology
1 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)Solicitation Number: 80GRC026R0008
May 19, 2026 – Synopsis issued
June 29, 2026 – Draft BAA and Appendix A Issued | News Release
NASA issued a draft Broad Agency Announcement under NextSTEP‑3, Appendix A, on June 29, 2026, to advance concepts that accelerate the technological readiness of critical systems for lunar surface and cislunar architecture.
This solicitation seeks to close key technology gaps and mature capabilities in vertical solar arrays, ISRU oxygen production systems, Stirling radioisotope generators, in‑space manufacturing, and advanced nanomaterials production.
It focuses on identifying technology areas that require further risk reduction and ground‑based testing to mature competing solutions to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5–6. Funded efforts will advance the technology objectives of NASA’s Moon Base by demonstrating critical systems and accelerating the development of transformative capabilities needed for near‑term mission success.
For more information, read the Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator (LEIA) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) NextSTEP-3 Appendix A – Draft Solicitation on SAM.gov.
Facebook logo @NASATechnology @NASA_Technology Share Details Last Updated Jun 29, 2026 EditorLoura Hall Related Terms Explore More 6 min read NextSTEP-2 H: Human Landing System Article 7 years ago 2 min read NextSTEP-2 C: Power and Propulsion Element Studies Article 9 years ago 2 min read NextSTEP-2 A: Habitation Systems Article 9 years agoNASA Seeks Industry Input to Accelerate Lunar Surface Technologies
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Artistic concept of lunar surface technologies and infrastructure capabilities, including in-situ resource utilization oxygen production systems, surface power systems, in‑space manufacturing tools, and advanced nanomaterials production.NASALong-term lunar exploration requires technology, infrastructure, and operations that function together cohesively on the surface of the Moon. To accelerate the development of key lunar surface systems and reduce risk, NASA and industry must work together in the design, development, testing, and evaluation of innovative solutions that support U.S. space priorities.
NASA is seeking feedback on a draft solicitation for the Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator, an effort to help develop emerging capabilities in surface power, in-situ resource utilization, advanced manufacturing, and innovative nanomaterials. The draft is available for review by U.S. organizations, including industry, educational institutions, and non-profits.
Investments in space technology development unlock the near-impossible for NASA and the nation. A sustained human presence at the Moon requires breakthrough ideas from a competitive U.S industrial base, and we are proud to work toward that vision with our commercial partners.Greg Stover
Director of the Advanced Research and Technology Division, Research and Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington
This review period allows NASA an opportunity to gather feedback on the draft solicitation, including the requirements, schedules, proposal instructions, and evaluation approaches. NASA strongly encourages industry to carefully review the draft and identify any areas of ambiguity, or concerns. Industry input will help inform the solicitation’s final requirements, acquisition planning, and solicitation parameters.
The Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator includes five topics that address gaps in technology needed for exploring the Moon and the cislunar region between Earth and the Moon as identified in NASA’s Civil Space Shortfalls. The topics focus on near-term mission priorities:
Surface power: Access to continuous, localized, and scalable power generation throughout the lunar day and night is essential for initial phases of the Moon Base plan. NASA’s needs include power generation, power management and distribution, and energy storage.
Radioisotope power: A type of nuclear energy technology that uses heat to produce electric power for operating spacecraft systems in the darkest, dustiest, and most remote places in our solar system.
In-situ resource utilization: As a sustained presence grows at the Moon, opportunities to harvest lunar resources could lead to safer, more efficient operations with less dependence on Earth. Advancing in-situ resource utilization technologies could support production of fuel, water, and oxygen from local materials, expanding exploration capabilities.
In-space advanced manufacturing: Long-term human presence beyond Earth orbit requires autonomous in-space production of essential tools and materials. Advancing in-space manufacturing will be critical to reducing reliance on Earth resupply, as well as optimizing mission flexibility and resilience at the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere in deep space.
Innovative nanomaterials: U.S. objectives related to the commercialization of low Earth orbit, building a sustained presence on the lunar surface, and pursuing deeper space exploration will involve work in demanding operational environments and under stringent mission constraints. To meet the agency’s most ambitious space exploration goals, this topic seeks to advance the commercial availability, performance, quality, and uniformity of nanomaterials to address environmental, mass, and performance challenges.
Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator awardees will be expected to design, develop, and demonstrate prototype systems and generate validated performance data, analytical models, and operational insights through testing and demonstration activities to mature technology and manufacturing applications.
The solicitation, Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships-3 (NextSTEP-3) Appendix A Lunar Enabling Infrastructure Accelerator (Solicitation No: 80GRC026R0008), is available on SAM.gov and is open for comment through July 17, 2026.
For more information about NASA’s space technology website as a reference for current technology strategy and priorities, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/resources/
Facebook logo @NASATechnology @NASA_Technology Share Details Last Updated Jun 29, 2026 EditorLoura Hall Related Terms Explore More 1 min read NextSTEP-3 A: Lunar Enabling Technology Article 9 hours ago 3 min read NASA Tests New Refuel Device for Future In-Space Refueling Missions Article 3 days ago 2 min read Department of Health and Human Services Digital Stockpile & Manufacturing Response Network Challenge Article 2 weeks agoNASA Announces Winners for 2026 Human Lander Challenge
NASA has announced the top student-developed solutions for environmental control and life support systems in future crewed lunar landers from participants in the 2026 Human Lander Challenge. The announcement marks the culmination of months of research by university teams working to advance technologies supporting the agency’s Artemis program that will return American astronauts to the Moon in 2028.
The challenge concluded June 25 following final technical presentations near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Since September 2025, student teams from across the nation have designed systems‑level approaches to enhance the performance and reliability of environmental control and life support technologies essential for astronauts during deep space missions.
University students and advisors from 11 finalist teams gathered in Huntsville, home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, June 23-25 for the agency’s third annual Human Lander Challenge. This year’s competition challenged students to consider solutions for environmental control and life support systems for long duration spaceflight. These technologies are essential for maintaining breathable air, potable water, and thermal stability for astronauts during deep space missions. NASA/Charles Beason“As NASA continues preparing for sustained lunar exploration and future human missions to Mars, the development of robust, efficient, and reliable life support systems remains a critical focus area,” said Natalie Martinez-Vlasoff, mission capabilities and risk reduction advanced capabilities integration lead at NASA Marshall. “The 2026 student teams demonstrated a strong understanding of the range of design choices for these systems, and how well-considered, systems-level approaches can improve reliability and crew safety for astronauts using future human landing systems. It is encouraging to see students contributing ideas that help make long-duration lunar exploration more achievable.”
The finalist teams gathered at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville on June 22 to present their research to a panel of NASA and aerospace industry experts, as well as to their peers, during a collaborative poster session. The annual competition concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing the top-performing teams out of the 12 finalists.
NASA announced California Polytechnic State University as the overall winner and recipient of the $10,000 top prize award for their Peltier-based Hydration Accumulation Terminal project. Purdue University won second place and a $5,000 award for work on an Enhanced Potable Water Dispenser, followed by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, in third place with a $3,000 award for their Advanced Quality Orbital Rehydration Assembly project.
The Human Lander Challenge is designed to inspire and engage the next generation of engineers and scientists as NASA and its partners prepare to send astronauts to the Moon in preparation for future missions to Mars. The human landing system is the mode of transportation that will take astronauts to the lunar surface and back to lunar orbit under Artemis.
Through competitions like the Human Lander Challenge, NASA fosters the next generation of engineers and researchers while advancing the technologies needed for astronauts to explore deep space. These initiatives support the agency’s exploration goals while cultivating hands-on, problem-solving and systems thinking among future aerospace professionals. Student solutions from the Human Lander Challenge could be incorporated into current work for the next-generation Artemis landers.
NASA’s Human Landing System Program, managed by NASA Marshall, sponsors the challenge, which is administered by the National Institute of Aerospace.
Through the Artemis program, NASA will send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars – for the benefit of all.
For more information about the Artemis program, visit:
Share Details Last Updated Jun 26, 2026 EditorLee MohonContactCorinne Beckingercorinne.m.beckinger@nasa.govLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms Explore More 1 min read NASA 2026 Human Lander Challenge Article 10 months ago 3 min read NASA Opens 2026 Human Lander Challenge for Life Support Systems, More Article 9 months ago 3 min read NASA Challenge Seeks ‘Cooler’ Solutions for Deep Space Exploration Article 2 years ago 4 min read NASA Names Finalists to Help Deal with Dust in Human Lander Challenge Article 2 years ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAHuman Landing System
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NASA Tests New Refuel Device for Future In-Space Refueling Missions
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Engineers from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and L3Harris conduct operational testing on a developmental cryocoupler, a vital technology for future in-orbit spacecraft refueling.NASA/Tyson EasonFor NASA’s next generation of deep space exploration missions, spacecraft may need to refuel in Earth orbit before pushing farther into the solar system. Similar to how a gas pump needs a nozzle to fit your fuel tank, future spacecraft could require a special device in order to fill up prior to departure, known as a cryocoupler.
Cryocouplers would allow spacecraft to connect to future orbital propellant depots, which would serve as the gas stations of space. The technology comes with the challenge of reliably transferring cryogenic, or super-cold, fluids without losing propellant or performance. Cryogenic propellants like liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen must stay chilled to hundreds of degrees below zero Fahrenheit, placing strict demands on the materials, seals, and mechanisms that move them.
“In-orbit cryogenic refueling between two spacecraft has yet to be done and remains one of the toughest engineering challenges in spaceflight,” said Travis Belcher, cryocoupler project manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “These propellant transfers are essential for the kinds of missions NASA wants to fly in the future, so developing a coupler that can handle ultra-cold propellants is a critical step toward making that capability real.”
Ground-based couplers like those used to fill the SLS (Space Launch System) for Artemis missions are not an option for orbiting propellant transfers. Those couplers release quickly while a rocket is launching and must be manually reconnected for the next flight. They also are not designed to operate in the harsh environment of space and are much larger than what would be used to refill an orbiting spacecraft’s fuel tank.
To meet these challenges, NASA tested a cryocoupler developed by L3Harris.
“The cryocouplers we’re working on can attach and detach multiple times and are fully automated, so astronauts won’t have to perform a spacewalk to transfer propellant,” said Belcher. “They’re rigorously designed to withstand space and sized for the expected tank designs.”
A joint NASA and L3Harris team recently conducted two types of tests at NASA Marshall. To ensure the cryocoupler can handle the extremely cold temperatures it will be exposed to, they ran liquid nitrogen at minus 321 degrees Fahrenheit through multiple connected and disconnected configurations to observe how the coupler reacts to thermal contraction, flow, and significant temperature differences between propellant and materials.
The team also put the cryocoupler through operational tests to determine its performance limits. In this setup, one coupler half was mounted to a robotic table that could move and rotate in any direction, allowing it to simulate misaligned docking with the other half, which remained stationary above the table. The cryocoupler is designed to accommodate some misalignment in case a spacecraft and depot are not perfectly aligned when docking.
“These cryocouplers are very early in development, so the testing is mostly focused on basic functionality,” said Belcher. “Future test campaigns will design them for specific missions and assess them more meticulously based on that mission’s requirements.”
The cryocoupler testing was done as part of a 2022 Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity, a partnership where NASA centers provide select companies with expertise, facilities, hardware, and software at no cost.
The Cryogenic Fluid Management Portfolio project, a cross-agency team based at NASA Marshall and NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, oversees cryocoupler development.
To learn more about cryogenic fluid management, visit:
Share Details Last Updated Jun 29, 2026 EditorLee MohonContactJoel Wallacejoel.w.wallace@nasa.govLocationMarshall Space Flight Center Related Terms Explore More 1 min read Novel Recuperator Design for Cryogenic Fluid Management System Article 1 year ago 2 min read NASA, Industry Prepare Cryogenic Fuel Technology Demo Article 2 months ago 5 min read Brr, It’s Cold in Here! NASA’s Cryo Efforts Beyond the Atmosphere Article 2 years ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASACryogenic Fluid Management (CFM)
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Partners, NASA Ready for June Launch of Swift Boost Mission
5 min read
Partners, NASA Ready for June Launch of Swift Boost Mission NASA is on a mission to lift its Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory along with partners Katalyst Space and Northrop Grumman. Watch to get a sneak peek.Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Katalyst Space/Northrop Grumman
Editor’s note, June 29, 2026: The no-earlier-than launch time for June 30 has shifted from 6:23 a.m. to 6:17 a.m. EDT (10:23 p.m. to 10:17 p.m. local time in Kwajalein).
A mission to raise the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is poised for launch no earlier than Tuesday, June 30, 6:23 a.m. EDT (10:23 p.m. UTC+12), from Kwajalein Atoll, part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific Ocean.
A robotic servicing satellite called LINK, built by Katalyst Space, will blast into orbit on a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket. LINK will rendezvous with, grapple, and slowly raise Swift’s altitude over several months, preventing it from re-entering Earth’s atmosphere later this year.
“Swift is NASA’s multitool when it comes to studying the cosmos,” said S. Bradley Cenko, principal investigator, Swift, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “It observes the sky using a wide range of light and rapidly points at short-lived outbursts, alerting other facilities in space and on the ground to help coordinate follow-up observations. For the last two decades, Swift has been a key player in NASA’s efforts to understand how the universe works, and we’re looking forward to getting back to that work after the boost is complete.”
This mosaic of M31 merges 330 individual images taken by the Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope aboard Swift. It is the highest-resolution image of the galaxy ever recorded in the ultraviolet. The image shows a region 200,000 light-years wide and 100,000 light-years high. NASA/Swift/Stefan Immler (GSFC) and Erin Grand (UMCP)Download high-resolution images and videos related to Swift through NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio.
Our planet’s atmosphere creates drag on all spacecraft in low Earth orbit, gradually reducing their altitudes if they don’t have propulsion systems to counteract the effect.
A recent bout of increased solar activity magnified this impact on Swift, which launched in November 2004.
Rather than allowing Swift to re-enter the atmosphere as many missions do, NASA is using the opportunity to advance the U.S. commercial satellite servicing industry.
In September, the agency contracted Katalyst to attempt to boost the observatory. The company would have less than one year to design, build, test, and launch a satellite to meet, grab, and lift Swift to nearly its original orbit.
“Swift wasn’t designed to be serviced,” said Ghonhee Lee, CEO of Katalyst. “By demonstrating we can quickly and cost-effectively extend its lifetime, we’re creating a blueprint for servicing spacecraft that were never designed for on-orbit maintenance. If we’re going to build an enduring presence beyond Earth, we need the capability to manipulate our environment in space. That means deploying robotic spacecraft that can reposition, repair, refuel, and refit satellites after launch.”
Katalyst engineers attach LINK to a baseplate inside the Space Environment Simulator at NASA Goddard on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Once all the air was pumped out of the 27-foot-diameter chamber, the team practiced firing the satellite’s ion thrusters and operated one of the robotic arms while they cycled through space-like hot and cold temperatures. NASA/Sophia RobertsThe LINK spacecraft weighs about 880 pounds and stands about 5 feet tall, about a third of Swift’s overall size. Nearly 20 feet of solar panels will power three ion thrusters and a trio of robotic arms.
LINK completed environmental testing that mimicked launch and space-like conditions at NASA Goddard this spring, as well as additional preflight assessments at Katalyst’s facility in Broomfield, Colorado.
For the boost to have its best chance of success, Swift needs to stay above an altitude of about 185 miles.
By the end of last year, however, orbital predictions generated by NASA showed the observatory reaching that threshold as early as July.
To slow Swift’s descent, the operations team at Penn State’s Eberly College of Science altered how they managed and oriented the spacecraft.
Unlike during normal operating procedures, where Swift looks at spots on the sky that are scientifically interesting, the team now selects targets that steer Swift into the most streamlined position. They also reduced power consumption as much as possible to place the satellite’s large solar panels in a more aerodynamic orientation.
Recent orbital predictions show these changes will keep Swift above critical altitude until this fall.
Stargazer, Pegasus XL, and LINK await takeoff on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Engineers control the temperature and humidity inside the nose cone of the rocket to keep the satellite and avionics safe from weather and changing environmental conditions during flight. NASA/Ron BeardThe satellite will launch aboard the Pegasus XL.
“We can deploy Pegasus from almost anywhere in the world using our Stargazer, a modified L-1011 aircraft,” said Wes Collier, vice president of launch systems at Northrop Grumman. “That combination of flexibility and responsive access to space will help LINK quickly reach Swift, giving the teams time to complete the boost.”
Earlier this month, engineers loaded LINK into the Pegasus XL and attached the rocket to Stargazer at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The aircraft and its payload departed for Kwajalein Atoll on Thursday, June 18, where it now awaits launch.
Once in orbit, LINK will undergo several weeks of commissioning as Katalyst evaluates the spacecraft’s propulsion, navigation, and sensor systems. It then will slowly approach and survey Swift before grabbing the observatory with its robotic arms and slowly raising the orbit to nearly 370 miles.
“This is a high-risk, high-reward mission,” said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, division director, Astrophysics, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Swift plays a notable role in our fleet. We have much to gain by attempting this boost, which is more affordable than trying to replace Swift’s capabilities and allows NASA to advance the nation’s satellite servicing industry, for the benefit of all.”
Learn more about the Swift boost at:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/swift/swift-boost-mission/
By Jeanette Kazmierczak
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Media contacts:
Alise Fisher
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-2546
Claire Andreoli
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
301-286-1940
NASA Identifies More Than 40 Space Technologies for Collaboration
NASA selected 41 proposals from 37 companies to advance technologies in support of the agency’s goals to establish a long-term presence on the Moon and enable human exploration of Mars.
These American companies, picked from NASA’s 2025 Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity (ACO), will mature technologies creating solutions for space transportation, planetary surface operations, and lunar surface infrastructure.
“We are empowering American industry to become active partners in NASA’s missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond,” said Greg Stover, director, Advanced Research and Technology Division in the agency’s Research and Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “By tapping into commercial industry, NASA can rapidly develop key capabilities to support its most ambitious missions while fostering the nation’s robust space economy.”
NASA’s ACO establishes mutually beneficial partnerships between the agency and industry without the exchange of funds. Through this opportunity, companies leverage NASA’s specialized facilities, software, hardware, and subject matter experts, allowing them to rapidly mature their technologies for both commercial markets and future government missions.
Since launching the first ACO in 2015, NASA has supported more than 110 projects. The total estimated value of agency resources to support the agreements is approximately $30 million, which leverages an additional $32 million of industry contributions. The period of performance will be negotiated for each agreement, with an expected duration of 12 to 24 months.
Industry proposers were tasked with responding to agency technology topics that would benefit from the rapid development enabled by a public-private partnership, including space transportation engine elements, guidance and navigation systems, landing systems, in-space servicing assembly and manufacturing, and energy management technologies.
The complete list of selections can be found on the agency’s website and span cross-cutting capabilities, including:
Power generation
Lockheed Martin will mature a modular, compact energy solution that could support sustained power generation in the Moon’s permanently shadowed regions, helping future crew and resources survive the long lunar night. The company’s wireless power transfer system aims to advance power-beaming technology using fiber lasers and a space-based heat rejection system for durability.
In-space logistics
To enhance orbital missions, Kall Morris Inc. will develop Asteria, a supplemental payload attachment system. Asteria can attach to legacy, current, and next-generation orbital assets using a non-destructive, controlled-release adhesive without requiring pre-installed infrastructure. This technology enables advanced maneuvering, improved object tracking, asset protection, data collection, and satellite life extension.
Dust mitigation technology
Moonprint Solutions, a small business, is proposing flexible isolation covers to protect critical hardware and systems from abrasive dust in the harsh lunar environment. Flexible covers provide a strategic advantage by offering protection that conforms to complex shapes for a variety of hardware. These durable covers could be used on rovers, robotic joints, hoses, and other articulated equipment to support long-term operations on the Moon and Mars.
Selected projects could make a significant impact on the commercial space sector, such as expanding existing or opening new markets, lowering price, increasing choice, or providing entirely new capabilities.
Organizations interested in developing space technology with NASA can explore opportunities online.
For more information about NASA’s space technology investments, visit:
-end-
Jennifer Dooren / Rob Margetta
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
jennifer.m.dooren@nasa.gov / robert.j.margetta@nasa.gov
Euclid Sees Heart of Milky Way
Euclid, an ESA (European Space Agency) mission with NASA contributions, took a new look at the heart of our Milky Way galaxy, seen in this image released on June 24, 2026. This observation overlaps with a region scientists will observe with NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, launching later this summer. This sneak peek gives astronomers a major jumpstart on a core Roman survey, helping scientists learn more than they could from either telescope alone.
Read more about Euclid and what Roman will see.
Image credit: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, CFHT, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre and E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay)
Bringing Signals to NASA
Growing up on the central California coast, watching rocket launches with his father was part of Eric Fernandez’s childhood routine. Fernandez had posters of rockets on the wall, but despite being fascinated by them, he never imagined one day this would be his career. Because both of his grandparents had served at Vandenberg Air Force Base (later renamed to Vandenberg Space Force Base), he assumed that the launches from there were for the military. NASA didn’t cross his mind. The space agency seemed very far away from a place like Orcutt, California, a small town situated among rolling hills covered with farms and vineyards.
Fernandez had been part of a painting crew for several years after high school. While it paid the rent, it wasn’t what he wanted to do with his life. However, he found something he enjoyed. He had started at his future father-in-law’s appliance store, working as a technician, repairing and installing appliances. He excelled at the work and planned to stay there with the goal to eventually run the small business.
Then he got a call.
It was from a friend about an opening for something called telemetry. Fernandez wasn’t sure what that meant. He was happy with his current career path. He nearly declined the offer, but after some persuading, he decided to go for the interview at a NASA building on the military base.
“I walked in the telemetry lab, and I see oscilloscopes, screens with squiggly lines, lots of blinking lights, and things I didn’t know about at the time,” Fernandez recounted. “I was very curious about it, so I was asking a million questions as we toured the lab, and they were asking about me. They really liked my background, especially my electronics experience, my troubleshooting skills, and my ability to solder.”
He received an offer for a technician position from a company that provided support to NASA under the Expendable Launch Vehicle Integrated Support, or ELVIS, contract. Fernandez had to make an important decision about his future.
“I prayed about it and met with my father-in-law,” said Fernandez. “I decided to change career paths and start a new career as a contractor working with NASA, supporting its Launch Services Program.”
That was 17 years ago, and he has been working there ever since, advancing to telemetry engineer in 2019. He has contributed to 27 launches for NASA, supporting scientific and robotic exploration missions. He’s also supported hundreds of launches for the U.S. military and commercial sector, as part of the agency’s efforts to work with its partners to understand the capabilities of the commercial rocket fleet.
At Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, NASA employee Eric Fernandez stands by a preserved concrete section from the Space Launch Complex2 Mobile Service Tower counterweight, saved during demolition to retain the NASA insignia. The artifact was part of Delta and Delta II launches for decades before demolition, with its last launch for the agency being NASA’s ICESat2 on Sept. 15, 2018.NASA/Brandon SatterthwaiteWhile Fernandez wasn’t planning on making additional changes, a new opportunity presented itself earlier this year. The agency decided to strengthen its core capabilities by bringing mission-critical positions into the civil service.
When he had the opportunity to join the civil service at NASA, Fernandez applied. On June 15, he swore in at Vandenberg bringing his knowledge and experience to the agency, ready to become an official part of a group he already considered family.
“Telemetry is the collection of remote measurements that let us know the rocket is healthy when it’s fueling on the pad, when it’s in flight, and when it’s placing a spacecraft into the proper orbit,” said Fernandez. “It’s our job to make sure decision makers have all the right data to make the right calls in real time. We can’t afford to give them bad data.”
Fernandez’s team has multiple ways of getting the data when a rocket is on the launch pad, including ground data streams and radio frequencies link. Each data path is carefully tested beforehand using tools like bit-error-rate tests, called BERTs, that send pseudo-random patterns to help determine the health of the networks. Once the data is received, the team verifies it using frame sync patterns and word counters, sequenced data embedded in the stream. During ascent, they rely on ground tracking stations and dedicated satellites to relay data. All of it is recorded for posterity and post-flight review. The entire process requires extensive planning, coordination, and constant learning as the industry continues to innovate.
“You’re going to be humbled because the technology is always moving forward, and a new challenge is going to arise,” Fernandez said. “But there’s nothing we haven’t conquered, and there’s not a problem we haven’t figured out yet.”
He credits his teammates. He described his team as “iron sharpening iron.”
Today, Fernandez still lives in Orcutt, seven houses down from where he grew up. His children go to the same schools and play in the same parks he did. He still watches rocket launches, but now he does it with his children when he’s not supporting a launch for the agency.
While he spends his days at work looking ahead to the future, as part of a team that explores the Moon, Mars, and beyond, he hasn’t forgotten where he came from.
“I just wish I could go back and tell little boy Eric, you’re going to love every aspect of working here,” he said. “You’re never going to be bored, because you’ll always be learning new processes and technologies to deliver all these important missions to space.”
NASA’s PACE Mission Studies Smoke, Fires
3 min read
NASA’s PACE Mission Studies Smoke, FiresWith the North American fire season underway, and a record number of acres already burned nationwide, NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite’s three instruments are observing vegetation precursors to fires, along with plumes of smoke and their movement. This data will help scientists piece together clues that deepen their understanding of wildfires.
“The challenge that we have is to take those clues and use them in a meaningful way, so our models of Earth properly represent what’s happening,” said Kirk Knobelspiesse, a remote sensing scientist working on the PACE mission at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Wisps of smoke coming from fires in multiple provinces and territories in Canada travel over the Great Lakes. This image was taken by the Ocean Color Instrument aboard NASA’s PACE satellite on May 31, 2025. NASAWhile the satellite, which launched in February 2024, was designed to study Earth’s ocean and atmosphere, it has an unexpected capability: monitoring changes to vegetation. It can also tell us about burn scars, the charred area of land left behind after a wildfire.
“The PACE satellite observes land too, and does it really well,” said Skye Caplan, terrestrial lead for the PACE mission at NASA Goddard. “There is so much to explore with a new hyperspectral data set.”
The Ocean Color Instrument on board PACE is a hyperspectral instrument, observing the planet in several hundred different wavelengths of visible, near infrared, and ultraviolet light. This breadth of the spectrum allows it to gather data on the health of plants, such as their state of stress, dryness, and their relative pigment balance, all of which assist in identifying high fire-risk areas. Land managers can use this data to distribute resources to help mitigate fire risk.
This instrument views the entire Earth daily, with more frequent coverage at high latitudes. With this frequency, on clear days, PACE scientists can quickly assess the aftermath of fires, determining the location and span of a burn scar. Areas that have been burned by wildfire often see increased flood and landslide risk. It’s important to identify these high-risk areas and monitor how they evolve through time, Caplan said.
Using wavelengths in the ultraviolet range, the Ocean Color Instrument can also monitor the smoke after a fire, along with information on how high in the atmosphere these particles drift — height plays a role in how far the particles travel and the systems they impact. The instrument, with its ultraviolet data, expands on fire observations from other satellite instruments, such as the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer.
Thick smoke plumes coming from fires raging in multiple provinces and territories in Canada is visible in this image and affecting a large part of the north of the country. This image was taken by the Ocean Color Instrument aboard NASA’s PACE satellite on Aug. 11, 2024. NASAThe other two instruments on PACE, the Hyper-Angle Rainbow Polarimeter 2 and the Spectro-polarimeter for Planetary Exploration one, are rich with information about the composition of aerosols from vastly different regions, said Andrew Sayer, PACE project science lead for atmospheres from the Ocean Color Instrument at NASA Goddard.
By measuring characteristics of light as it reflects off particles in the atmosphere, these two instruments can determine the quantity of these particles, along with their chemical properties, color, size, and shape. Scientists use this information to differentiate smoke from other particulates. Smoke particulates are typically light absorbing — appearing gray, black, or brown in color — and are small in size compared to other aerosols PACE views, such as pollutants and dust.
Data from PACE will help scientists create more accurate wildfire models and simulate future events, said Knobelspiesse, the satellite’s polarimeter lead. “We’ll be able to then look at different scenarios of emissions in the future and see how smoke that’s created in one location can impact other parts of the Earth system.”
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
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