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We could get most metals for clean energy without opening new mines
We could get most metals for clean energy without opening new mines
The colour of your car has a big impact on urban heat
The colour of your car has a big impact on urban heat
How do the biggest stars in the universe grow so large?
If aliens explore space like humans do, NASA scientists know where to look for their signals
NASA Astronauts to Answer Questions from Students in Ohio
NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman will connect with students in Ohio as they answer prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) questions aboard the International Space Station.
The Earth-to-space call will begin at 10:15 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, Aug. 27, and will stream live on the agency’s Learn With NASA YouTube channel.
Media interested in covering the event must RSVP by 5 p.m., Monday, Aug. 25, to Mary Beddell at: 330-492-3500 or at beddellm@plainlocal.org.
The STEM Academy at Glen Oak High School will host this event in Canton, Ohio for high school students. The goal of this event is to expose learners to the excitement and challenges of engineering and technology, while bringing space exploration to life through cross-curricular instruction and language arts.
For nearly 25 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network.
Research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and lay the groundwork for other agency deep space missions. As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars, inspiring the world through discovery in a new Golden Age of innovation and exploration.
See more information on NASA in-flight calls at:
https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation
-end-
Gerelle Dodson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
gerelle.q.dodson@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov
NASA Astronauts to Answer Questions from Students in Ohio
NASA astronauts Michael Fincke and Zena Cardman will connect with students in Ohio as they answer prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) questions aboard the International Space Station.
The Earth-to-space call will begin at 10:15 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, Aug. 27, and will stream live on the agency’s Learn With NASA YouTube channel.
Media interested in covering the event must RSVP by 5 p.m., Monday, Aug. 25, to Mary Beddell at: 330-492-3500 or at beddellm@plainlocal.org.
The STEM Academy at Glen Oak High School will host this event in Canton, Ohio for high school students. The goal of this event is to expose learners to the excitement and challenges of engineering and technology, while bringing space exploration to life through cross-curricular instruction and language arts.
For nearly 25 years, astronauts have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, testing technologies, performing science, and developing skills needed to explore farther from Earth. Astronauts communicate with NASA’s Mission Control Center in Houston 24 hours a day through SCaN’s (Space Communications and Navigation) Near Space Network.
Research and technology investigations taking place aboard the space station benefit people on Earth and lay the groundwork for other agency deep space missions. As part of NASA’s Artemis campaign, the agency will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future human exploration of Mars, inspiring the world through discovery in a new Golden Age of innovation and exploration.
See more information on NASA in-flight calls at:
https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation
-end-
Gerelle Dodson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
gerelle.q.dodson@nasa.gov
Sandra Jones
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov
How to tackle environmental issues when the world can't agree
How to tackle environmental issues when the world can't agree
Controversial Quantum-Computing Paper Gets a Hefty Correction
The journal Science has lifted an expression of concern on a paper claiming evidence of Majorana quasiparticles, but concerns linger
'It's not over!' — 'Invasion' Season 3 clip carries an ominous warning from Trevante (exclusive)
NASA’s Artemis II Lunar Science Operations to Inform Future Missions
4 min read
NASA’s Artemis II Lunar Science Operations to Inform Future Missions An image of the eastern hemisphere of the Moon as the Artemis II astronauts would see it from an altitude of about 7,000 kilometers. The Moon’s far side is mostly dark in this image, which is based on a simulated trajectory. The dark patches near the center of the sunlit portion are plains of ancient lava: Mare Marginis to the north and Mare Smythii to the south. NASA Goddard/Ernie Wright
NASA’s Artemis II mission, set to send four astronauts on a nearly 10-day mission around the Moon and back, will advance the agency’s goal to land astronauts at the Moon’s south polar region and will help set the stage for future crewed Mars missions.
While the Artemis II crew will be the first humans to test NASA’s Orion spacecraft in space, they will also conduct science investigations that will inform future deep space missions, including a lunar science investigation as Orion flies about 4,000 to 6,000 miles from the Moon’s surface. From this distance, the Moon will appear to be the size of a basketball held at arm’s length and will provide a unique opportunity for scientific observations.
Artemis II is a chance for astronauts to implement the lunar science skills they’ve developed in training. It’s also an opportunity for scientists and the engineers in mission control to collaborate during real-time operations …Kelsey Young
Artemis II lunar science lead at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
As Orion passes on the far side of the Moon — the side that always faces away from Earth — the crew will analyze and photograph geologic features on the surface, such as impact craters and ancient lava flows, relying on their extensive geology training in the classroom and in Moon-like places on Earth. The astronauts will also practice describing nuances in shapes, textures, and colors of surface features. This type of information reveals the geologic history of an area and will be critical to collect when Artemis III astronauts explore the surface.
“Artemis II is a chance for astronauts to implement the lunar science skills they’ve developed in training,” said Kelsey Young, Artemis II lunar science lead at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “It’s also an opportunity for scientists and the engineers in mission control to collaborate during real-time operations, building on the years of testing and simulations that our teams have done together.”
In this May 2024 photo, lunar scientists are working in a mock Science Evaluation Room on the upper floor of the Mission Control Center building at NASA’s
Johnson Space Center in Houston. On the large screens in the background, they are following live as NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Andre Douglas simulate a moonwalk, in the dark, in northern Arizona’s San Francisco Volcanic Field to help NASA prepare for its Artemis III mission. Scheduled to launch in 2027, Artemis III will land two astronauts at the Moon’s South Pole region. As they did during the 2024 moonwalk simulation, scientists will develop detailed science plans for South Pole moonwalks and provide geology expertise to mission control. NASA/Robert Markowitz
The four Artemis II astronauts, NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA’s (Canadian Space Agency) Jeremy Hansen, could be the first humans to see some parts of the Moon’s far side with the naked eye, depending on the spacecraft’s final trajectory as determined upon launch. During the nine Apollo missions that left Earth’s orbit, astronauts saw parts of the Moon’s far side, but not all of it, as they were limited by which sections were lit during their orbits.
One previously unlit region they may see is the Orientale Basin, a 600-mile-wide crater that serves as a transition point between the near and far side and is sometimes partly visible along the Moon’s western edge.
The astronauts may also get to observe flashes of light from space rocks striking the surface—clues that help reveal how often the Moon gets hit—or dust floating above the edge of the Moon, a mysterious phenomenon scientists want to understand.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that
supports HTML5 video
The crew’s observations will help pave the way for lunar science activities on future Artemis missions to the Moon’s surface, including Artemis III. Artemis III astronauts will investigate the land forms, rocks, and other features around their landing site. They will also collect rock samples for generations of analyses in Earth labs and set up several instruments to investigate lunar properties and resources — information critical to future human exploration efforts.
“Whether they’re looking out the spacecraft’s windows or walking the surface, Artemis astronauts will be working on behalf of all scientists to collect clues to the ancient geologic processes that shaped the Moon and our solar system,” said Cindy Evans, NASA’s Artemis geology training and strategic integration lead, based at NASA Johnson.
In addition to lunar science observations, the crew will gather data on the effects of the space environment on the crew’s health and performance. These experiments will be managed through the Payload Mission Operations Directorate at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, in Huntsville, Alabama, in tight coordination with mission control. This data could inform long-term lunar exploration and future human missions to Mars.
For more information on Artemis II, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/
Related: NASA to Announce New Astronaut Class, Preview Artemis II Moon Mission
Karen Fox / Molly Wasser
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
Lonnie Shekhtman
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
About the Author Lonnie ShekhtmanShare
Details Last Updated Aug 21, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 5 min read Close-Up Views of NASA’s DART Impact to Inform Planetary DefenseArticle
4 hours ago
6 min read Steve Platnick Steps Down from NASA After 34 Years of Service
Article
1 day ago
6 min read NASA, IBM’s ‘Hot’ New AI Model Unlocks Secrets of Sun
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1 day ago
Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
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Humans in Space
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Solar System
NASA’s Artemis II Lunar Science Operations to Inform Future Missions
4 min read
NASA’s Artemis II Lunar Science Operations to Inform Future Missions An image of the eastern hemisphere of the Moon as the Artemis II astronauts would see it from an altitude of about 7,000 kilometers. The Moon’s far side is mostly dark in this image, which is based on a simulated trajectory. The dark patches near the center of the sunlit portion are plains of ancient lava: Mare Marginis to the north and Mare Smythii to the south. NASA Goddard/Ernie WrightNASA’s Artemis II mission, set to send four astronauts on a nearly 10-day mission around the Moon and back, will advance the agency’s goal to land astronauts at the Moon’s south polar region and will help set the stage for future crewed Mars missions.
While the Artemis II crew will be the first humans to test NASA’s Orion spacecraft in space, they will also conduct science investigations that will inform future deep space missions, including a lunar science investigation as Orion flies about 4,000 to 6,000 miles from the Moon’s surface. From this distance, the Moon will appear to be the size of a basketball held at arm’s length and will provide a unique opportunity for scientific observations.
Artemis II is a chance for astronauts to implement the lunar science skills they’ve developed in training. It’s also an opportunity for scientists and the engineers in mission control to collaborate during real-time operations …Kelsey Young
Artemis II lunar science lead at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
As Orion passes on the far side of the Moon — the side that always faces away from Earth — the crew will analyze and photograph geologic features on the surface, such as impact craters and ancient lava flows, relying on their extensive geology training in the classroom and in Moon-like places on Earth. The astronauts will also practice describing nuances in shapes, textures, and colors of surface features. This type of information reveals the geologic history of an area and will be critical to collect when Artemis III astronauts explore the surface.
“Artemis II is a chance for astronauts to implement the lunar science skills they’ve developed in training,” said Kelsey Young, Artemis II lunar science lead at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “It’s also an opportunity for scientists and the engineers in mission control to collaborate during real-time operations, building on the years of testing and simulations that our teams have done together.”
In this May 2024 photo, lunar scientists are working in a mock Science Evaluation Room on the upper floor of the Mission Control Center building at NASA’sJohnson Space Center in Houston. On the large screens in the background, they are following live as NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Andre Douglas simulate a moonwalk, in the dark, in northern Arizona’s San Francisco Volcanic Field to help NASA prepare for its Artemis III mission. Scheduled to launch in 2027, Artemis III will land two astronauts at the Moon’s South Pole region. As they did during the 2024 moonwalk simulation, scientists will develop detailed science plans for South Pole moonwalks and provide geology expertise to mission control. NASA/Robert Markowitz
The four Artemis II astronauts, NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA’s (Canadian Space Agency) Jeremy Hansen, could be the first humans to see some parts of the Moon’s far side with the naked eye, depending on the spacecraft’s final trajectory as determined upon launch. During the nine Apollo missions that left Earth’s orbit, astronauts saw parts of the Moon’s far side, but not all of it, as they were limited by which sections were lit during their orbits.
One previously unlit region they may see is the Orientale Basin, a 600-mile-wide crater that serves as a transition point between the near and far side and is sometimes partly visible along the Moon’s western edge.
The astronauts may also get to observe flashes of light from space rocks striking the surface—clues that help reveal how often the Moon gets hit—or dust floating above the edge of the Moon, a mysterious phenomenon scientists want to understand.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that
supports HTML5 video
The crew’s observations will help pave the way for lunar science activities on future Artemis missions to the Moon’s surface, including Artemis III. Artemis III astronauts will investigate the land forms, rocks, and other features around their landing site. They will also collect rock samples for generations of analyses in Earth labs and set up several instruments to investigate lunar properties and resources — information critical to future human exploration efforts.
“Whether they’re looking out the spacecraft’s windows or walking the surface, Artemis astronauts will be working on behalf of all scientists to collect clues to the ancient geologic processes that shaped the Moon and our solar system,” said Cindy Evans, NASA’s Artemis geology training and strategic integration lead, based at NASA Johnson.
In addition to lunar science observations, the crew will gather data on the effects of the space environment on the crew’s health and performance. These experiments will be managed through the Payload Mission Operations Directorate at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, in Huntsville, Alabama, in tight coordination with mission control. This data could inform long-term lunar exploration and future human missions to Mars.
For more information on Artemis II, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/
Related: NASA to Announce New Astronaut Class, Preview Artemis II Moon Mission
Karen Fox / Molly Wasser
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
Lonnie Shekhtman
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
About the Author Lonnie ShekhtmanShare
Details Last Updated Aug 21, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 5 min read Close-Up Views of NASA’s DART Impact to Inform Planetary DefenseArticle
4 hours ago
6 min read Steve Platnick Steps Down from NASA After 34 Years of Service
Article
1 day ago
6 min read NASA, IBM’s ‘Hot’ New AI Model Unlocks Secrets of Sun
Article
1 day ago
Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
Missions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
La NASA invita a los medios al lanzamiento conjunto de misiones sobre el Sol y la meteorología espacial
Read this release in English here.
La NASA ha abierto el plazo para la acreditación de los medios para el lanzamiento de tres observatorios que estudiarán el Sol y mejorarán nuestra capacidad de hacer pronósticos precisos de meteorología espacial, ayudando a proteger los sistemas tecnológicos que impactan la vida en la Tierra.
La NASA tiene previsto lanzar, no antes del martes 23 de septiembre, la sonda IMAP (por las siglas en inglés de Sonda de Cartografía y Aceleración Interestelar) de la agencia, el Observatorio Carruthers de la Geocorona y el observatorio Seguimiento de la Meteorología Espacial–Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1, por su acrónimo en inglés) de la Administración Nacional Oceánica y Atmosférica (NOAA, por sus siglas en inglés). Los observatorios se lanzarán a bordo de un cohete SpaceX Falcon 9 desde el Complejo de Lanzamiento 39A del Centro Espacial Kennedy de la NASA en Florida.
Los medios acreditados tendrán la oportunidad de participar en sesiones informativas previas al lanzamiento y entrevistas con miembros clave de la misión antes del lanzamiento, así como de cubrir el lanzamiento. La NASA comunicará más detalles sobre el calendario de eventos para los medios de comunicación a medida que se acerque la fecha del lanzamiento.
Las fechas límites de acreditación de medios para el lanzamiento son:
- Los miembros de medios de comunicación sin ciudadanía estadounidense deben enviar su solicitud a más tardar a las 11:59 p.m. EDT del domingo, 31 de agosto.
- Los miembros de medios de comunicación con ciudadanía estadounidense deben enviar su solicitud a más tardar a las 11:59 p.m. EDT del jueves, 4 de septiembre.
Todas las solicitudes de acreditación deben enviarse en línea en:
La política de acreditación de medios de la NASA está disponible en línea. Si tiene preguntas sobre el proceso de acreditación, por favor envíelas a: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. Para otras preguntas, por favor póngase en contacto con el centro de prensa del centro Kennedy de la NASA: +1 321-867-2468.
Para obtener información en español en sobre el Centro Espacial Kennedy, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo: 321-501-8425. Si desea solicitar entrevistas en español sobre IMAP, póngase en contacto con María-José Viñas: maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov.
La sonda IMAP de la NASA utilizará diez instrumentos científicos para estudiar y mapear la heliosfera, una vasta burbuja magnética que rodea al Sol y protege nuestro sistema solar de la radiación proveniente del espacio interestelar. Esta misión y sus dos compañeros de viaje orbitarán el Sol cerca del punto de Lagrange 1, a aproximadamente 1,6 millones de kilómetros (un millón de millas) de la Tierra, donde escaneará la heliosfera, analizará la composición de partículas cargadas e investigará cómo esas partículas se mueven a través del sistema solar. Esto proporcionará información sobre cómo el Sol acelera las partículas cargadas, aportando información esencial para comprender el entorno meteorológico espacial en todo el sistema solar. IMAP también monitoreará continuamente el viento solar y la radiación cósmica. La comunidad científica podrá usar estos datos para evaluar capacidades nuevas y mejoradas para herramientas y modelos de predicción de la meteorología espacial, que son vitales para la salud de los humanos que exploran el espacio y la longevidad de sistemas tecnológicos, como satélites y redes eléctricas, que pueden afectar la vida en la Tierra.
El Observatorio Carruthers de la Geocorona de la agencia es un pequeño satélite concebido para estudiar la exosfera, la parte más externa de la atmósfera de la Tierra. Utilizando cámaras ultravioletas, monitoreará cómo la meteorología espacial del Sol impacta la exosfera, la cual juega un papel crucial en la protección de la Tierra contra eventos de meteorología espacial que pueden afectar satélites, comunicaciones y líneas eléctricas. La exosfera, una nube de hidrógeno neutro que se extiende hasta la Luna y posiblemente más allá, se crea por la descomposición del agua y el metano por la luz ultravioleta del Sol, y su brillo, conocido como la geocorona, solo se ha observado a nivel mundial cuatro veces antes de esta misión.
La misión SWFO-L1, gestionada por la NOAA y desarrollada con el Centro de Vuelo Espacial Goddard de NASA en Greenbelt, Maryland, y socios comerciales, utilizará un conjunto de instrumentos para proporcionar mediciones en tiempo real del viento solar, junto con un coronógrafo compacto para detectar eyecciones de masa coronal del Sol. El observatorio, que sirve como baliza de alerta temprana para fenómenos meteorológicos espaciales potencialmente destructivos, permitirá pronósticos más rápidos y precisos. Sus datos, disponibles las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana, ayudarán al Centro de Predicción Meteorológica Espacial de la NOAA a proteger infraestructuras vitales, intereses económicos y la seguridad nacional, tanto en la Tierra como en el espacio.
David McComas, profesor de la Universidad de Princeton, lidera la misión IMAP con un equipo internacional de 25 instituciones asociadas. El Laboratorio de Física Aplicada Johns Hopkins en Laurel, Maryland, construyó la nave espacial y opera la misión. IMAP de la NASA es la quinta misión en el portafolio del programa de Sondas Solares Terrestres de la NASA. La División de Exploradores y Proyectos de Heliofísica en el centro Goddard de la NASA gestiona el programa para la División de Heliofísica de la Dirección de Misiones Científicas de la NASA.
Para más detalles (en inglés) sobre la misión IMAP y actualizaciones sobre los preparativos de lanzamiento, visite:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/imap/
-fin-
Abbey Interrante / María José Viñas
Sede central de la NASA, Washington
301-201-0124
abbey.a.interrante@nasa.gov / maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov
Sarah Frazier
Centro de Vuelo Espacial Goddard, Greenbelt, Md.
202-853-7191
sarah.frazier@nasa.gov
Leejay Lockhart
Centro Espacial Kennedy, Fla.
321-747-8310
leejay.lockhart@nasa.gov
John Jones-Bateman
Servicio de Satélites e Información de la NOAA, Silver Spring, Md.
202-242-0929
john.jones-bateman@noaa.gov
La NASA invita a los medios al lanzamiento conjunto de misiones sobre el Sol y la meteorología espacial
Read this release in English here.
La NASA ha abierto el plazo para la acreditación de los medios para el lanzamiento de tres observatorios que estudiarán el Sol y mejorarán nuestra capacidad de hacer pronósticos precisos de meteorología espacial, ayudando a proteger los sistemas tecnológicos que impactan la vida en la Tierra.
La NASA tiene previsto lanzar, no antes del martes 23 de septiembre, la sonda IMAP (por las siglas en inglés de Sonda de Cartografía y Aceleración Interestelar) de la agencia, el Observatorio Carruthers de la Geocorona y el observatorio Seguimiento de la Meteorología Espacial–Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1, por su acrónimo en inglés) de la Administración Nacional Oceánica y Atmosférica (NOAA, por sus siglas en inglés). Los observatorios se lanzarán a bordo de un cohete SpaceX Falcon 9 desde el Complejo de Lanzamiento 39A del Centro Espacial Kennedy de la NASA en Florida.
Los medios acreditados tendrán la oportunidad de participar en sesiones informativas previas al lanzamiento y entrevistas con miembros clave de la misión antes del lanzamiento, así como de cubrir el lanzamiento. La NASA comunicará más detalles sobre el calendario de eventos para los medios de comunicación a medida que se acerque la fecha del lanzamiento.
Las fechas límites de acreditación de medios para el lanzamiento son:
- Los miembros de medios de comunicación sin ciudadanía estadounidense deben enviar su solicitud a más tardar a las 11:59 p.m. EDT del domingo, 31 de agosto.
- Los miembros de medios de comunicación con ciudadanía estadounidense deben enviar su solicitud a más tardar a las 11:59 p.m. EDT del jueves, 4 de septiembre.
Todas las solicitudes de acreditación deben enviarse en línea en:
La política de acreditación de medios de la NASA está disponible en línea. Si tiene preguntas sobre el proceso de acreditación, por favor envíelas a: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. Para otras preguntas, por favor póngase en contacto con el centro de prensa del centro Kennedy de la NASA: +1 321-867-2468.
Para obtener información en español en sobre el Centro Espacial Kennedy, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo: 321-501-8425. Si desea solicitar entrevistas en español sobre IMAP, póngase en contacto con María-José Viñas: maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov.
La sonda IMAP de la NASA utilizará diez instrumentos científicos para estudiar y mapear la heliosfera, una vasta burbuja magnética que rodea al Sol y protege nuestro sistema solar de la radiación proveniente del espacio interestelar. Esta misión y sus dos compañeros de viaje orbitarán el Sol cerca del punto de Lagrange 1, a aproximadamente 1,6 millones de kilómetros (un millón de millas) de la Tierra, donde escaneará la heliosfera, analizará la composición de partículas cargadas e investigará cómo esas partículas se mueven a través del sistema solar. Esto proporcionará información sobre cómo el Sol acelera las partículas cargadas, aportando información esencial para comprender el entorno meteorológico espacial en todo el sistema solar. IMAP también monitoreará continuamente el viento solar y la radiación cósmica. La comunidad científica podrá usar estos datos para evaluar capacidades nuevas y mejoradas para herramientas y modelos de predicción de la meteorología espacial, que son vitales para la salud de los humanos que exploran el espacio y la longevidad de sistemas tecnológicos, como satélites y redes eléctricas, que pueden afectar la vida en la Tierra.
El Observatorio Carruthers de la Geocorona de la agencia es un pequeño satélite concebido para estudiar la exosfera, la parte más externa de la atmósfera de la Tierra. Utilizando cámaras ultravioletas, monitoreará cómo la meteorología espacial del Sol impacta la exosfera, la cual juega un papel crucial en la protección de la Tierra contra eventos de meteorología espacial que pueden afectar satélites, comunicaciones y líneas eléctricas. La exosfera, una nube de hidrógeno neutro que se extiende hasta la Luna y posiblemente más allá, se crea por la descomposición del agua y el metano por la luz ultravioleta del Sol, y su brillo, conocido como la geocorona, solo se ha observado a nivel mundial cuatro veces antes de esta misión.
La misión SWFO-L1, gestionada por la NOAA y desarrollada con el Centro de Vuelo Espacial Goddard de NASA en Greenbelt, Maryland, y socios comerciales, utilizará un conjunto de instrumentos para proporcionar mediciones en tiempo real del viento solar, junto con un coronógrafo compacto para detectar eyecciones de masa coronal del Sol. El observatorio, que sirve como baliza de alerta temprana para fenómenos meteorológicos espaciales potencialmente destructivos, permitirá pronósticos más rápidos y precisos. Sus datos, disponibles las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana, ayudarán al Centro de Predicción Meteorológica Espacial de la NOAA a proteger infraestructuras vitales, intereses económicos y la seguridad nacional, tanto en la Tierra como en el espacio.
David McComas, profesor de la Universidad de Princeton, lidera la misión IMAP con un equipo internacional de 25 instituciones asociadas. El Laboratorio de Física Aplicada Johns Hopkins en Laurel, Maryland, construyó la nave espacial y opera la misión. IMAP de la NASA es la quinta misión en el portafolio del programa de Sondas Solares Terrestres de la NASA. La División de Exploradores y Proyectos de Heliofísica en el centro Goddard de la NASA gestiona el programa para la División de Heliofísica de la Dirección de Misiones Científicas de la NASA.
Para más detalles (en inglés) sobre la misión IMAP y actualizaciones sobre los preparativos de lanzamiento, visite:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/imap/
-fin-
Abbey Interrante / María José Viñas
Sede central de la NASA, Washington
301-201-0124
abbey.a.interrante@nasa.gov / maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov
Sarah Frazier
Centro de Vuelo Espacial Goddard, Greenbelt, Md.
202-853-7191
sarah.frazier@nasa.gov
Leejay Lockhart
Centro Espacial Kennedy, Fla.
321-747-8310
leejay.lockhart@nasa.gov
John Jones-Bateman
Servicio de Satélites e Información de la NOAA, Silver Spring, Md.
202-242-0929
john.jones-bateman@noaa.gov
Black Moon darkens August skies — here's how to hunt sparking wonders in the Milky Way this weekend
OpenAI Model Earns Gold-Medal Score at International Math Olympiad and Advances Path to Artificial General Intelligence
OpenAI researchers reveal how their experimental model, devoid of any external aids, powered through hours-long proofs to earn a gold-medal score at the International Math Olympiad—and they discuss the project’s origins and describe how such work could help lead to artificial general intelligence
Cities by the Bay
Cities by the Bay
NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers took this photo of California’s San Francisco Bay Area surrounded by the cities of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, and their suburbs on Aug. 3, 2025. At the time, the International Space Station orbited 260 miles above the Golden State.
The International Space Station serves as a unique platform for observing Earth with both hands-on and automated equipment. Station crew members have produced hundreds of thousands of images, recording phenomena such as storms in real time, observing natural events such as volcanic eruptions as they happen, and providing input to ground personnel for programming automated Earth-sensing systems.
In its third decade of continuous human presence, the space station has a far-reaching impact as a microgravity lab hosting technology, demonstrations, and scientific investigations from a range of fields. The research done on the orbiting laboratory will inform long-duration missions like Artemis and future human expeditions to Mars.
Learn more about Earth observation from the space station.
Image credit: NASA/Nichole Ayers