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As someone who has lectured for more years than I care to remember and written books about space, I've grown accustomed to constantly rewriting sections as new discoveries emerge. The discovery of the dwarf planet Makemake led to such rewrites, but until now we didn't know much about this elusive world. A team of scientists at the Southwest Research Institute has recently changed that with their detection of methane gas on Makemake using the James Webb Space Telescope. It's exactly the kind of discovery that sends authors like me back to the drawing board, because this finding doesn't just add another detail to Makemake's story, it fundamentally changes how we view these distant worlds.

Interstellar comets are rare, and astronomers don't like to miss an opportunity to observe one. Now the Gemini South Telescope has taken a turn at imaging Comet 3I/ATLAS, the visitor from another star system. The images help show that the comet's tail is growing as it approaches the Sun.

A team of Japanese astronomers has detected protostellar outflow jets in the outer regions of the Milky Way. This is the first detection of this type of jets in this part of the galaxy. Since this part of the galaxy is similar to the more ancient Universe, it's evidence that star formation in the modern Universe is similar to star formation in the ancient Universe.

Rocky material that impacted Mars lies scattered in giant lumps throughout the planet’s mantle, offering clues about Mars’ interior and its ancient past. Data provided by the now-retired InSight lander is shedding light on how this shaped Mars' structure and evolution.

Astronomers have detected an explosion of gamma rays that repeated several times over the course of a day, an event unlike anything ever witnessed before. It took place in a distant galaxy and was first detected on July 2nd. Scientists are trying to understand what could've caused it.

Extremophiles are a favorite tool of astrobiologists. But not only are they good for understanding the kind of extreme environments that life can survive in, sometimes they are useful as actual tools, creating materials necessary for other life, like oxygen, in those extreme environments. A recent paper from Daniella Billi of the University of Rome Tor Vergata , published in pre-print form in Acta Astronautica, reviews how one particular extremophile fills the role of both useful test subject and useful tool all at once.

Stellar mass black holes have only a few solar masses, and are much different from their gigantic counterparts, supermassive black holes. When these modestly-massive black holes are actively accreting matter, new research shows that the process is anything but orderly. Instead, it's characterized by different velocities, different ionization zones, and other complexities.

The JWST has begun examining the atmosphere of the habitable zone planet TRAPPIST-1 e. It's not finished yet, but the first observations indicate that the the planet hasn't retained its primary, or original, atmosphere. The TRAPPIST-1 star exhibits powerful flaring that likely stripped it away.

Fomalhaut is one of the brightest stars in the night sky and has been observed in great detail for decades. Some research suggests it hosts exoplanets, while other research counters that. The latest observations of the star's disk with ALMA favour the existence of a planet.

Circumstellar discs are believed to be key components in planetary formation. However, we have very little actual evidence of planets growing in the “rings” that surround young stars. So planet formation theorists were ecstatic to learn that two new papers in Astrophysical Journal Letters describe a planet that is actively forming in the gap it most likely created in the ring system of a young, Sun-like star.

After the formation of the Solar System, it took a maximum of three million years for primordial Earth's chemical composition to settle. At the time, there was hardly any water, carbon compounds, or other ingredients necessary for life to emerge. Only a planetary collision that came later would have brought water to Earth, according to a new study by researchers from the Institute of Geological Sciences at the University of Bern.

A new development study from the Southwestern Research Institute outlines a possible mission that could rendezvous with and explore the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.

This sparkling scene of star birth was captured by the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope. What appears to be a craggy, starlit mountaintop kissed by wispy clouds is actually a cosmic dust-scape being eaten away by the blistering winds and radiation of nearby, massive, infant stars.

3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s Langley Research Center Acting Director Dr. Trina Marsh Dyal and Dr. Jeremy Ernst, vice president for Research and Doctoral Programs at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, complete the signing of a Space Act Agreement during a ceremony held at NASA Langley in Hampton, Virginia on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025NASA/Mark Knopp

As NASA inspires the world through discovery in a new era of innovation and exploration, NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University are working together to advance research, educational opportunities, and workforce development to enable the next generation of aerospace breakthroughs.

The collaborative work will happen through a Space Act Agreement NASA Langley and Embry-Riddle signed during a ceremony held Thursday at NASA Langley. The agreement will leverage NASA Langley’s aerospace expertise and Embry-Riddle’s specialized educational programs and research to drive innovation in aerospace, research, education, and technology, while simultaneously developing a highly skilled workforce for the future of space exploration and advanced air mobility.

Dr. Trina Marsh Dyal, NASA Langley’s acting center director, and Dr. Jeremy Ernst, vice president for Research and Doctoral Programs at Embry-Riddle, presided over the ceremony.

“NASA Langley values opportunities to partner with colleges and universities on research and technology demonstrations that lay the foundation for tomorrow’s innovations,” said Dyal. “These collaborations play an essential role in advancing aeronautics, space exploration, and science initiatives that benefit NASA, industry, academia, and the nation.”

In addition to forging a formal partnership between NASA Langley and Embry-Riddle, the agreement lays the framework to support Embry-Riddle’s development of an Augmented Reality tool by using NASA sensor technology and data. Augmented Reality uses computer-generated elements to enhance a user’s real-world environment and can help users better visualize data. Incorporating model and lunar landing data from Navigation Doppler Lidar, a technology developed at NASA Langley, this tool will enhance visualization and training for entry, descent, and landing, and deorbit, descent, and landing systems — advancing our capabilities for future Moon and Mars missions.

NASA’s Langley Research Center Acting Director Dr. Trina Marsh Dyal and Dr. Jeremy Ernst, vice president for Research and Doctoral Programs at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, sign a Space Act Agreement during a ceremony held at NASA Langley in Hampton, Virginia on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025.NASA/Mark Knopp

“As we work to push the boundaries of what is possible and solve the complexities of a sustained human presence on the lunar surface and Mars, this partnership with Embry-Riddle will not only support NASA’s exploration goals but will also ensure the future workforce is equipped to maintain our nation’s aerospace leadership,” Dyal said.

Embry-Riddle educates more than 30,000 students through its residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Prescott, Arizona, and through online programs offered by its
Worldwide Campus, which counts more than 100 locations across the globe, including a site at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia.

“We are thrilled that this partnership with NASA Langley is making it possible for our faculty, students, and staff to engage with NASA talent and collaborate on cutting-edge aerospace applications and technology,” said Ernst. “This partnership also presents an incredible opportunity for our students to augment direct research experiences, enhancing career readiness as they prepare to take on the aerospace challenges of tomorrow.”

NASA is committed to partnering with a wide variety of domestic and international partners, in academia, industry, and across the government, to successfully accomplish its diverse missions, including NASA’s Artemis campaign which will return astronauts to the Moon and help pave the way for future human missions to Mars.

For more information on programs at NASA Langley, visit:

https://nasa.gov/langley

Brittny McGraw
NASA Langley Research Center

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Details Last Updated Sep 11, 2025 Related Terms

• Langley Research Center

Explore More 4 min read NASA Glenn Tests Mini-X-Ray Technology to Advance Space Health Care   Article 1 week ago 4 min read Strap In! NASA Aeroshell Material Takes Extended Space Trip Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read Washington State Student Wins 2025 NASA Art Contest Article 2 weeks ago

3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s Langley Research Center Acting Director Dr. Trina Marsh Dyal and Dr. Jeremy Ernst, vice president for Research and Doctoral Programs at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, complete the signing of a Space Act Agreement during a ceremony held at NASA Langley in Hampton, Virginia on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025NASA/Mark Knopp

As NASA inspires the world through discovery in a new era of innovation and exploration, NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University are working together to advance research, educational opportunities, and workforce development to enable the next generation of aerospace breakthroughs.

The collaborative work will happen through a Space Act Agreement NASA Langley and Embry-Riddle signed during a ceremony held Thursday at NASA Langley. The agreement will leverage NASA Langley’s aerospace expertise and Embry-Riddle’s specialized educational programs and research to drive innovation in aerospace, research, education, and technology, while simultaneously developing a highly skilled workforce for the future of space exploration and advanced air mobility.

Dr. Trina Marsh Dyal, NASA Langley’s acting center director, and Dr. Jeremy Ernst, vice president for Research and Doctoral Programs at Embry-Riddle, presided over the ceremony.

“NASA Langley values opportunities to partner with colleges and universities on research and technology demonstrations that lay the foundation for tomorrow’s innovations,” said Dyal. “These collaborations play an essential role in advancing aeronautics, space exploration, and science initiatives that benefit NASA, industry, academia, and the nation.”

In addition to forging a formal partnership between NASA Langley and Embry-Riddle, the agreement lays the framework to support Embry-Riddle’s development of an Augmented Reality tool by using NASA sensor technology and data. Augmented Reality uses computer-generated elements to enhance a user’s real-world environment and can help users better visualize data. Incorporating model and lunar landing data from Navigation Doppler Lidar, a technology developed at NASA Langley, this tool will enhance visualization and training for entry, descent, and landing, and deorbit, descent, and landing systems — advancing our capabilities for future Moon and Mars missions.

NASA’s Langley Research Center Acting Director Dr. Trina Marsh Dyal and Dr. Jeremy Ernst, vice president for Research and Doctoral Programs at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, sign a Space Act Agreement during a ceremony held at NASA Langley in Hampton, Virginia on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025.NASA/Mark Knopp

“As we work to push the boundaries of what is possible and solve the complexities of a sustained human presence on the lunar surface and Mars, this partnership with Embry-Riddle will not only support NASA’s exploration goals but will also ensure the future workforce is equipped to maintain our nation’s aerospace leadership,” Dyal said.

Embry-Riddle educates more than 30,000 students through its residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Prescott, Arizona, and through online programs offered by its
Worldwide Campus, which counts more than 100 locations across the globe, including a site at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia.

“We are thrilled that this partnership with NASA Langley is making it possible for our faculty, students, and staff to engage with NASA talent and collaborate on cutting-edge aerospace applications and technology,” said Ernst. “This partnership also presents an incredible opportunity for our students to augment direct research experiences, enhancing career readiness as they prepare to take on the aerospace challenges of tomorrow.”

NASA is committed to partnering with a wide variety of domestic and international partners, in academia, industry, and across the government, to successfully accomplish its diverse missions, including NASA’s Artemis campaign which will return astronauts to the Moon and help pave the way for future human missions to Mars.

For more information on programs at NASA Langley, visit:

https://nasa.gov/langley

Brittny McGraw
NASA Langley Research Center

Share

Details Last Updated Sep 11, 2025 Related Terms

• Langley Research Center

Explore More 4 min read NASA Glenn Tests Mini-X-Ray Technology to Advance Space Health Care   Article 1 week ago 4 min read Strap In! NASA Aeroshell Material Takes Extended Space Trip Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read Washington State Student Wins 2025 NASA Art Contest Article 2 weeks ago

2 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

For general inquires:

• Frank Hui
• Phone: (650) 604-5395
• E-mail: frank.c.hui@nasa.gov

For questions regarding scheduling of arc jet tests:

• Enrique Carballo
• Phone: (650) 604-0970
• Email: enrique.carballo@nasa.gov

For questions regarding scheduling of ballistic range tests:

• Charles Cornelison
• Phone: (650) 604-3443
• Email: charles.j.cornelison@nasa.gov

For questions on the Ames Vertical Gun Range (AVGR), contact the AVGR Science Coordinator:

• Alex Sehlke
• Phone: (650) 604-3651
• Email: alexander.sehlke@nasa.gov

For questions on the Electric Arc Shock Tube (EAST):

• Ramon Martinez
• Phone: (650) 604-3485
• Email: ramon.martinez@nasa.gov

For questions regarding the Planetary Aeolian Laboratory:

• Haley Cummings
• Phone: (650) 604-1633
• Email: haley.cummings@nasa.gov

SHIPPING ADDRESS

For tests in the AHF or TFD, the shipping address is

• NASA Ames Research Center
• Building N234 Room 112
• Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001

For tests in the PTF or IHF, the shipping address is

• NASA Ames Research Center
• Building N238 Room 103
• Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001

For tests in the HFFF, the shipping address is

• NASA Ames Research Center
• Building N237 Room 150
• Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001

For tests in the AVGR, the shipping address is

• NASA Ames Research Center
• Building N204A Room 104
• Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001

For tests in the EAST, the shipping address is

• NASA Ames Research Center
• Building N229 Room 157 
• Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001

Or you can mail us at:

NASA Ames Research CenterThermophysics Facilities Branch Mail Stop 229-4 Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

Learn More About The Branch

2 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

For general inquires:

• Frank Hui
• Phone: (650) 604-5395
• E-mail: frank.c.hui@nasa.gov

For questions regarding scheduling of arc jet tests:

• Enrique Carballo
• Phone: (650) 604-0970
• Email: enrique.carballo@nasa.gov

For questions regarding scheduling of ballistic range tests:

• Charles Cornelison
• Phone: (650) 604-3443
• Email: charles.j.cornelison@nasa.gov

For questions on the Ames Vertical Gun Range (AVGR), contact the AVGR Science Coordinator:

• Alex Sehlke
• Phone: (650) 604-3651
• Email: alexander.sehlke@nasa.gov

For questions on the Electric Arc Shock Tube (EAST):

• Ramon Martinez
• Phone: (650) 604-3485
• Email: ramon.martinez@nasa.gov

For questions regarding the Planetary Aeolian Laboratory:

• Haley Cummings
• Phone: (650) 604-1633
• Email: haley.cummings@nasa.gov

SHIPPING ADDRESS

For tests in the AHF or TFD, the shipping address is

• NASA Ames Research Center
• Building N234 Room 112
• Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001

For tests in the PTF or IHF, the shipping address is

• NASA Ames Research Center
• Building N238 Room 103
• Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001

For tests in the HFFF, the shipping address is

• NASA Ames Research Center
• Building N237 Room 150
• Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001

For tests in the AVGR, the shipping address is

• NASA Ames Research Center
• Building N204A Room 104
• Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001

For tests in the EAST, the shipping address is

• NASA Ames Research Center
• Building N229 Room 157 
• Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001

Or you can mail us at:

NASA Ames Research CenterThermophysics Facilities Branch Mail Stop 229-4 Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000

Learn More About The Branch

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captured newborn stars forming in clouds of dust and gas (colored golden and orange in this image) in a star-forming region called Pismis 24.

"Sometimes it's the extreme objects that help us understand what's happening in the average ones."

NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captured this sparkling scene of star birth in an image released on Sept. 4, 2025. Called Pismis 24, this young star cluster resides in the core of the nearby Lobster Nebula, approximately 5,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Scorpius. Home to a vibrant stellar nursery and one of the closest sites of massive star birth, Pismis 24 provides rare insight into large and massive stars. Its proximity makes this region one of the best places to explore the properties of hot young stars and how they evolve.

Captured in infrared light by Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera), this image reveals thousands of jewel-like stars of varying sizes and colors. The largest and most brilliant ones with the six-point diffraction spikes are the most massive stars in the cluster. Hundreds to thousands of smaller members of the cluster appear as white, yellow, and red, depending on their stellar type and the amount of dust enshrouding them. Webb also shows us tens of thousands of stars behind the cluster that are part of the Milky Way galaxy.

Learn more about this star cluster.

Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI