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Solar Orbiter gets world-first views of the Sun’s poles
Thanks to its newly tilted orbit around the Sun, the European Space Agency-led Solar Orbiter spacecraft is the first to image the Sun’s poles from outside the ecliptic plane. Solar Orbiter’s unique viewing angle will change our understanding of the Sun’s magnetic field, the solar cycle and the workings of space weather.
Can we stop big tech from controlling the internet with AI agents?
Can we stop big tech from controlling the internet with AI agents?
Solar Orbiter Captures the First-Ever Images of the Sun’s South Pole
Solar Orbiter isn’t the first spacecraft to study the sun’s poles—but it’s the first to send back photographs
Fewer Feeds, More Focus: NASA’s Social Media Overhaul
In today’s crowded digital landscape, cutting through the noise is paramount for any organization trying to connect with its audience. Recognizing this, NASA has embarked on a significant initiative to streamline its extensive social media presence, aiming to create a more unified and impactful digital voice for its groundbreaking work.
The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 tasked NASA with providing the “widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof.” The 2025 social media consolidation project is designed to fulfill this mandate more effectively. By reducing the number of agency accounts, NASA seeks to make its work more accessible to the public, avoiding the potential for oversaturation or confusion that can arise from numerous social media accounts bearing the NASA name and insignia.
Over time, NASA’s social media footprint has expanded considerably, growing to over 400 individual accounts across 15 platforms. While this allowed for highly specialized updates, it also created a fragmented digital landscape that was challenging for both the public to navigate and for NASA to manage efficiently.
To ensure a more cohesive and impactful digital presence, the consolidation project involved a thorough evaluation of every existing account. Accounts were assessed based on several key considerations, including their compliance with federal and agency policies, their activity within the last year, their unique value proposition, their level of two-way engagement with the public, and their approach to publishing new, original content versus reposting existing material.
Based on this comprehensive evaluation, accounts will be handled in one of a few ways:
- Deactivate/Sunset: Many accounts that publish content that can be effectively absorbed by broader channels will be sunset. This means they will cease active posting and eventually become inactive or removed from public view by the platform.
- Merge: Content and followers from some specialized accounts will be merged into larger, thematic accounts or NASA’s flagship channels. This ensures valuable information still reaches the intended audience, but through fewer, more prominent feeds.
- Rebrand: A small number of accounts may be rebranded to better align with the new strategic framework, reflecting a broader scope or a more direct connection to core NASA initiatives.
This initiative builds upon the success of previous digital transformation projects within the agency, such as the Science Mission Directorate’s social media consolidation project in 2019 and website modernization in 2023. Both efforts resulted in streamlined processes, modernized content, and more focused communications, and NASA anticipates similar positive outcomes from this current social media consolidation.
Ultimately, this strategic shift underscores a broader trend for NASA’s digital communication strategy: the move toward quality over quantity. For NASA, it’s about making vital information more accessible and digestible, ensuring the agency’s awe-inspiring work resonates deeply with a global audience. The future of space communication promises to be more focused, more powerful, and even more inspiring.
References:
Blog posted by Dr. Z
Statement on NASA’s social media directory
Web, app, and NASA+ transformation
Fewer Feeds, More Focus: NASA’s Social Media Overhaul
In today’s crowded digital landscape, cutting through the noise is paramount for any organization trying to connect with its audience. Recognizing this, NASA has embarked on a significant initiative to streamline its extensive social media presence, aiming to create a more unified and impactful digital voice for its groundbreaking work.
The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 tasked NASA with providing the “widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof.” The 2025 social media consolidation project is designed to fulfill this mandate more effectively. By reducing the number of agency accounts, NASA seeks to make its work more accessible to the public, avoiding the potential for oversaturation or confusion that can arise from numerous social media accounts bearing the NASA name and insignia.
Over time, NASA’s social media footprint has expanded considerably, growing to over 400 individual accounts across 15 platforms. While this allowed for highly specialized updates, it also created a fragmented digital landscape that was challenging for both the public to navigate and for NASA to manage efficiently.
To ensure a more cohesive and impactful digital presence, the consolidation project involved a thorough evaluation of every existing account. Accounts were assessed based on several key considerations, including their compliance with federal and agency policies, their activity within the last year, their unique value proposition, their level of two-way engagement with the public, and their approach to publishing new, original content versus reposting existing material.
Based on this comprehensive evaluation, accounts will be handled in one of a few ways:
- Deactivate/Sunset: Many accounts that publish content that can be effectively absorbed by broader channels will be sunset. This means they will cease active posting and eventually become inactive or removed from public view by the platform.
- Merge: Content and followers from some specialized accounts will be merged into larger, thematic accounts or NASA’s flagship channels. This ensures valuable information still reaches the intended audience, but through fewer, more prominent feeds.
- Rebrand: A small number of accounts may be rebranded to better align with the new strategic framework, reflecting a broader scope or a more direct connection to core NASA initiatives.
This initiative builds upon the success of previous digital transformation projects within the agency, such as the Science Mission Directorate’s social media consolidation project in 2019 and website modernization in 2023. Both efforts resulted in streamlined processes, modernized content, and more focused communications, and NASA anticipates similar positive outcomes from this current social media consolidation.
Ultimately, this strategic shift underscores a broader trend for NASA’s digital communication strategy: the move toward quality over quantity. For NASA, it’s about making vital information more accessible and digestible, ensuring the agency’s awe-inspiring work resonates deeply with a global audience. The future of space communication promises to be more focused, more powerful, and even more inspiring.
References:
Blog posted by Dr. Z
Statement on NASA’s social media directory
Web, app, and NASA+ transformation
'Impossible' particle that hit Earth may have been dark matter
'Impossible' particle that hit Earth may have been dark matter
NASA Glenn Pitches Science Demonstrations at Lake Erie Crushers Game
NASA’s Glenn Research Center headed to the ballpark for Education Day with the Lake Erie Crushers on May 15. NASA Glenn staff showcased the science of NASA using portable wind tunnel demonstrations, virtual reality simulations, and other interactives inspired by NASA’s Artemis missions.
NASA Glenn Research Center engineers Heath Reising, far left, and Dave Saunders, far right, provide a wind tunnel demonstration to a group of aspiring STEM professionals during Education Day with the Lake Erie Crushers on Thursday, May 15, 2025.Credit: NASA/Chris Hartenstine
Guests snapped photos at an “out-of-this-world” selfie station and learned how to take the first step toward a career in the aerospace or space industry through NASA’s internship programs. The mid-day game welcomed 3,575 fans, many who came from local schools on field trips for the special day.
Return to NewsletterNASA Glenn Pitches Science Demonstrations at Lake Erie Crushers Game
NASA’s Glenn Research Center headed to the ballpark for Education Day with the Lake Erie Crushers on May 15. NASA Glenn staff showcased the science of NASA using portable wind tunnel demonstrations, virtual reality simulations, and other interactives inspired by NASA’s Artemis missions.
NASA Glenn Research Center engineers Heath Reising, far left, and Dave Saunders, far right, provide a wind tunnel demonstration to a group of aspiring STEM professionals during Education Day with the Lake Erie Crushers on Thursday, May 15, 2025.Credit: NASA/Chris HartenstineGuests snapped photos at an “out-of-this-world” selfie station and learned how to take the first step toward a career in the aerospace or space industry through NASA’s internship programs. The mid-day game welcomed 3,575 fans, many who came from local schools on field trips for the special day.
Return to NewsletterNASA Glenn Employees Recognized by Astronaut Corps
Four of NASA Glenn Research Center’s employees have received the coveted NASA Silver Snoopy Award. This award, overseen by NASA’s Space Flight Awareness program, is a special honor given to NASA employees and contractors for their outstanding achievements related to flight safety and mission success. It is the astronauts’ personal award to recognize excellence and is given to less than 1% of the workforce annually.
Deputy Center Director Dawn Schaible, joined by astronaut Randy Bresnik, presented the awards at the center in Cleveland on May 14. Bresnik was part of a crew in 2009 that delivered 30,000 pounds of essential parts and equipment to the International Space Station. He served as the commander of the space station for Expedition 53 and flight engineer for Expedition 52.
The recipients include Rula Coroneos, Joshua Finkbeiner, Tyler Hickman, and Ron Johns. Each of the honorees has played a crucial role in supporting the Artemis campaign, which will explore the Moon and prepare for human missions to Mars. The award recipients have made significant contributions to the success of the Orion spacecraft and its European Service Module and have been dedicated to the safety and success of Artemis I and upcoming Artemis missions.
Return to NewsletterNASA Glenn Employees Recognized by Astronaut Corps
Four of NASA Glenn Research Center’s employees have received the coveted NASA Silver Snoopy Award. This award, overseen by NASA’s Space Flight Awareness program, is a special honor given to NASA employees and contractors for their outstanding achievements related to flight safety and mission success. It is the astronauts’ personal award to recognize excellence and is given to less than 1% of the workforce annually.
Deputy Center Director Dawn Schaible, joined by astronaut Randy Bresnik, presented the awards at the center in Cleveland on May 14. Bresnik was part of a crew in 2009 that delivered 30,000 pounds of essential parts and equipment to the International Space Station. He served as the commander of the space station for Expedition 53 and flight engineer for Expedition 52.
The recipients include Rula Coroneos, Joshua Finkbeiner, Tyler Hickman, and Ron Johns. Each of the honorees has played a crucial role in supporting the Artemis campaign, which will explore the Moon and prepare for human missions to Mars. The award recipients have made significant contributions to the success of the Orion spacecraft and its European Service Module and have been dedicated to the safety and success of Artemis I and upcoming Artemis missions.
Return to NewsletterNASA Glenn Joins COSI’s Big Science Celebration
NASA’s Glenn Research Center joined the Center for Science and Industry (COSI) Big Science Celebration on the museum’s front lawn in Columbus, Ohio, on May 4. This event centered on science activities by STEM professionals, researchers, and experts from Central Ohio — and despite chilly, damp weather, it drew more than 20,000 visitors.
At COSI’s Big Science Celebration on Sunday, May 4, 2025, a young visitor steps out of the rain and into NASA Glenn Research Center’s booth to check out the Graphics and Visualization Lab’s augmented reality fluid flow table that allows users to virtually explore a model of the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Lily Hammel
NASA’s 10-by-80-foot tent housed a variety of information booths and hands-on demonstrations to introduce guests to the vital research being performed at the Cleveland center. Popular attractions included a mini wind tunnel and multiple augmented and virtual reality demonstrations. Visitors also engaged through tangram puzzles and a cosmic selfie station. NASA Glenn’s astronaut mascot made several appearances to the delight of young and old alike.
Return to NewsletterLooking for a last-minute Father's Day gift? These Bushnell binoculars are brilliant value with this $60 price cut
The arid air of Death Valley may actually be a valuable water source
The arid air of Death Valley may actually be a valuable water source
Why Some Animals Live for Days and Others Live for Decades
Could the spectrum of animal lifespans hold clues about the science of aging?