Feed aggregator
A total solar eclipse from 2471 B.C. may have shaken Egypt's cult of the sun
NASA's New Dust Repelling Shield Seems to Work Well
The hazards facing lunar astronauts are many. There's the radiation, the temperature extremes, the psychological challenges associated with isolation, and the risk of important equipment breaking down. But there's also the dust, which constitutes an ever-present background hazard.
Are Trump's cuts to science the end of the endless frontier?
Are Trump's cuts to science the end of the endless frontier?
NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for SpaceX Starship
NASA has awarded SpaceX of Starbase, Texas, a modification under the NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract to add Starship to their existing Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch service offerings.
The NLS II contracts provide a broad range of commercial launch services for NASA’s planetary, Earth-observing, exploration, and scientific satellites. These high-priority, low and medium risk tolerant missions have full NASA technical oversight and mission assurance, resulting in the highest probability of launch success.
The NLS II contracts are multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, with an ordering period through June 2030 and an overall period of performance through December 2032. The contracts include an on-ramp provision that provides an opportunity annually for new launch service providers to add their launch service on an NLS II contract and compete for future missions and allows existing contractors to introduce launch services not currently on their NLS II contracts.
The contracts support the goals and objectives of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate, Space Operations Mission Directorate, Explorations Systems Development Mission Directorate, and the Space Technology Mission Directorate. Under the contracts, NASA also can provide launch services to other federal government agencies.
NASA’s Launch Services Program Office at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida manages the NLS II contracts. For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
-end-
Tiernan Doyle / Joshua Finch
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600 / 202-358-1100
tiernan.doyle@.nasa.gov / joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Patti Bielling
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-501-7575
patricia.a.bielling@nasa.gov
NASA Awards Launch Services Contract for SpaceX Starship
NASA has awarded SpaceX of Starbase, Texas, a modification under the NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract to add Starship to their existing Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launch service offerings.
The NLS II contracts provide a broad range of commercial launch services for NASA’s planetary, Earth-observing, exploration, and scientific satellites. These high-priority, low and medium risk tolerant missions have full NASA technical oversight and mission assurance, resulting in the highest probability of launch success.
The NLS II contracts are multiple award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, with an ordering period through June 2030 and an overall period of performance through December 2032. The contracts include an on-ramp provision that provides an opportunity annually for new launch service providers to add their launch service on an NLS II contract and compete for future missions and allows existing contractors to introduce launch services not currently on their NLS II contracts.
The contracts support the goals and objectives of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate, Space Operations Mission Directorate, Explorations Systems Development Mission Directorate, and the Space Technology Mission Directorate. Under the contracts, NASA also can provide launch services to other federal government agencies.
NASA’s Launch Services Program Office at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida manages the NLS II contracts. For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
-end-
Tiernan Doyle / Joshua Finch
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600 / 202-358-1100
tiernan.doyle@.nasa.gov / joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Patti Bielling
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-501-7575
patricia.a.bielling@nasa.gov
NASA Boosts Efficiency with Custom X-66 Flooring
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Eric Garza, an engineering technician in the Experimental Fabrication Shop at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, cuts plywood to size for temporary floorboards for the X-66 experimental demonstrator aircraft on Aug. 26, 2024.NASA/Steve Freeman
NASA designed temporary floorboards for the MD-90 aircraft to use while it is transformed into the X-66 experimental demonstrator aircraft. These floorboards will protect the original flooring and streamline the modification process.
Supporting the agency’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project, a small team in the Experimental Fabrication Shop at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, built temporary floorboards to save the project time and resources. Repeated removal and installation of the original flooring during the modification process was time-consuming. Using temporary panels also ensures the original floorboards are protected and remain flightworthy for when modifications are complete, and the original flooring is reinstalled.
“The task of creating the temporary floorboards for the MD-90 involves a meticulous process aimed at facilitating modifications while maintaining safety and efficiency. The need for these temporary floorboards arises from the detailed procedure required to remove and reinstall the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) floorboards,” said Jason Nelson, experimental fabrication lead. He is one of two members of the fabrication team – one engineering technician and one inspector – manufacturing about 50 temporary floorboards, which range in size from 20 inches by 36 inches to 42 inches by 75 inches.
A wood router cuts precise holes in plywood for temporary floorboards on Aug. 26, 2024, in the Experimental Fabrication Shop at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The flooring was designed for the X-66 experimental demonstrator aircraft. NASA/Steve Freeman
Nelson continued, “Since these OEM boards will be removed and reinstalled multiple times to accommodate necessary modifications, the temporary floorboards will save the team valuable time and resources. They will also provide the same level of safety and strength as the OEM boards, ensuring that the process runs smoothly without compromising quality.”
Designing and prototyping the flooring was a meticulous process, but the temporary solution plays a crucial role in optimizing time and resources as NASA works to advance safe and efficient air travel. The agency’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project seeks to inform the next generation of single-aisle airliners, the most common aircraft in commercial aviation fleets around the world. NASA partnered with Boeing to develop the X-66 experimental demonstrator aircraft.
NASA Armstrong’s Experimental Fabrication Shop carries out modifications and repair work on aircraft, ranging from the creation of something as small as an aluminum bracket to modifying wing spars, fuselage ribs, control surfaces, and other tasks to support missions.
Eric Garza, an engineering technician in the Experimental Fabrication Shop at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, observes a wood router cut holes for temporary floorboards on Aug. 26, 2024. The flooring was designed for the X-66 experimental demonstrator aircraft. NASA/Steve Freeman Share Details Last Updated Mar 28, 2025 EditorDede DiniusContactSarah Mannsarah.mann@nasa.gov Related Terms Explore More 2 min read The Sky’s Not the Limit: Testing Precision Landing Tech for Future Space Missions Article 2 days ago 5 min read NASA Demonstrates New Wildland Fire Airspace Management System Article 3 days ago 3 min read New Aircraft Wing Undergoes Crucial NASA Icing Testing Article 3 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
Armstrong Flight Research Center
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
NASA Boosts Efficiency with Custom X-66 Flooring
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Eric Garza, an engineering technician in the Experimental Fabrication Shop at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, cuts plywood to size for temporary floorboards for the X-66 experimental demonstrator aircraft on Aug. 26, 2024.NASA/Steve FreemanNASA designed temporary floorboards for the MD-90 aircraft to use while it is transformed into the X-66 experimental demonstrator aircraft. These floorboards will protect the original flooring and streamline the modification process.
Supporting the agency’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project, a small team in the Experimental Fabrication Shop at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, built temporary floorboards to save the project time and resources. Repeated removal and installation of the original flooring during the modification process was time-consuming. Using temporary panels also ensures the original floorboards are protected and remain flightworthy for when modifications are complete, and the original flooring is reinstalled.
“The task of creating the temporary floorboards for the MD-90 involves a meticulous process aimed at facilitating modifications while maintaining safety and efficiency. The need for these temporary floorboards arises from the detailed procedure required to remove and reinstall the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) floorboards,” said Jason Nelson, experimental fabrication lead. He is one of two members of the fabrication team – one engineering technician and one inspector – manufacturing about 50 temporary floorboards, which range in size from 20 inches by 36 inches to 42 inches by 75 inches.
A wood router cuts precise holes in plywood for temporary floorboards on Aug. 26, 2024, in the Experimental Fabrication Shop at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The flooring was designed for the X-66 experimental demonstrator aircraft. NASA/Steve FreemanNelson continued, “Since these OEM boards will be removed and reinstalled multiple times to accommodate necessary modifications, the temporary floorboards will save the team valuable time and resources. They will also provide the same level of safety and strength as the OEM boards, ensuring that the process runs smoothly without compromising quality.”
Designing and prototyping the flooring was a meticulous process, but the temporary solution plays a crucial role in optimizing time and resources as NASA works to advance safe and efficient air travel. The agency’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project seeks to inform the next generation of single-aisle airliners, the most common aircraft in commercial aviation fleets around the world. NASA partnered with Boeing to develop the X-66 experimental demonstrator aircraft.
NASA Armstrong’s Experimental Fabrication Shop carries out modifications and repair work on aircraft, ranging from the creation of something as small as an aluminum bracket to modifying wing spars, fuselage ribs, control surfaces, and other tasks to support missions.
Eric Garza, an engineering technician in the Experimental Fabrication Shop at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, observes a wood router cut holes for temporary floorboards on Aug. 26, 2024. The flooring was designed for the X-66 experimental demonstrator aircraft. NASA/Steve Freeman Share Details Last Updated Mar 28, 2025 EditorDede DiniusContactSarah Mannsarah.mann@nasa.gov Related Terms Explore More 2 min read The Sky’s Not the Limit: Testing Precision Landing Tech for Future Space Missions Article 2 days ago 5 min read NASA Demonstrates New Wildland Fire Airspace Management System Article 3 days ago 3 min read New Aircraft Wing Undergoes Crucial NASA Icing Testing Article 3 days ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASAArmstrong Flight Research Center
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
Doom games in order: Chronological and release date
Measles is spreading across the US – here is what you need to know
Measles is spreading across the US – here is what you need to know
COVID Research Funding to Be Slashed, NIH Documents Show
Studies on COVID, climate change and South Africa are on the latest list of terminated grants by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, according to updated documents obtained by Nature
'Chappie' is 10 years old, and Blomkamp's flawed humanist take on robots and AI is more relevant than ever
Its Mission Over, Gaia Rides Off Into the Sunset
No matter where on Earth you stand, if you have a view of the night sky, and if it is dark enough, you can see the Milky Way. The Milky Way is our home, and its faint clouds of light and shadow have inspired human cultures across the globe. And yet, our view of the Milky Way is limited by our perspective. In many ways, we have learned more from other galaxies than from our own. But when the Gaia spacecraft launched in 2013, all of that changed.
Solar eclipse US weather forecast: Best places to see the moon 'bite' the sun tomorrow
What Caused the Magnitude 7.7 Myanmar and Thailand Earthquake?
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Myanmar caused widespread shaking and likely considerable damage because of a lack of buildings built to withstand temblors
Visiting Mars on the Way to the Outer Solar System
- Perseverance Home
- Science
- News and Features
- Multimedia
- Mars Missions
- Mars Home
3 min read
Visiting Mars on the Way to the Outer Solar SystemWritten by Roger Wiens, Principal Investigator, SuperCam instrument / Co-Investigator, SHERLOC instrument at Purdue University
A portion of the “Sally’s Cove” outcrop where the Perseverance rover has been exploring. The radiating lines in the rock on the left of the image may indicate that it is a shatter cone, showing the effects of the shock wave from a nearby large impact. The image was taken by Mastcam-Z’s left camera on March 21, 2025 (Sol 1452, or Martian day 1,452 of the Mars 2020 mission) at the local mean solar time of 12:13:44. Mastcam-Z is a pair of cameras located high on the rover’s mast. This image was voted by the public as “Image of the week.” NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU
Recently Mars has had a few Earthly visitors. On March 1, NASA’s Europa Clipper flew within 550 miles (884 kilometers) of the Red Planet’s surface on its way out to Jupiter. On March 12, the European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft flew within about 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) of Mars, and only 300 kilometers from its moon, Deimos. Hera is on its way to study the binary asteroid Didymos and its moon Dimorphos. Next year, in May 2026, NASA’s Psyche mission is scheduled to buzz the Red Planet on its way to the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche, coming within a few thousand kilometers.
Why all these visits to Mars? You might at first think that they’re using Mars as an object of opportunity for their cameras, and you would be partially right. But Mars has more to give these missions than that. The main reason for these flybys is the extra speed that Mars’ velocity around the Sun can give them. The idea that visiting a planet can speed up a spacecraft is not all that obvious, because the same gravity that attracts the spacecraft on its way towards the planet will exert a backwards force as the spacecraft leaves the planet.
The key is in the direction that it approaches and leaves the planet. If the spacecraft leaves Mars heading in the direction that Mars is traveling around the Sun, it will gain speed in that direction, slingshotting it farther into the outer solar system. A spacecraft can typically gain several percent of its speed by performing such a slingshot flyby. The closer it gets to the planet, the bigger the effect. However, no mission wants to be slowed by the upper atmosphere, so several hundred kilometers is the closest that a mission should go. And the proximity to the planet is also affected by the exact direction the spacecraft needs to go when it leaves Mars.
Clipper’s Mars flyby was a slight exception, slowing down the craft — by about 1.2 miles per second (2 kilometers per second) — to steer it toward Earth for a second gravity assist in December 2026. That will push the spacecraft the rest of the way to Jupiter, for its 2030 arrival.
While observing Mars is not the main reason for their visits, many of the visiting spacecraft take the opportunity to use their cameras either to perform calibrations or to study the Red Planet and its moons.
During Clipper’s flyby over sols 1431-1432, Mastcam-Z was directed to watch the skies for signs of the interplanetary visitor. Clipper’s relatively large solar panels could have reflected enough sunlight for it to be seen in the Mars night sky, much as we can see satellites overhead from Earth. Unfortunately, the spacecraft entered the shadow of Mars just before it came into potential view above the horizon from Perseverance’s vantage point, so the sighting did not happen. But it was worth a try.
Meanwhile, back on the ground, Perseverance is performing something of a cliff-hanger. “Sally’s Cove” is a relatively steep rock outcrop in the outer portion of Jezero crater’s rim just north of “Broom Hill.” Perseverance made an approach during March 19-23, and has been exploring some dark-colored rocks along this outcrop, leaving the spherules behind for the moment. Who knows what Perseverance will find next?
Share Details Last Updated Mar 28, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 2 min read Sols 4493-4494: Just Looking AroundArticle
4 hours ago
2 min read Sols 4491-4492: Classic Field Geology Pose
Article
2 days ago
3 min read Sols 4488-4490: Progress Through the Ankle-Breaking Terrain (West of Texoli Butte, Climbing Southward)
Article
4 days ago
Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited…
All Mars Resources
Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,…
Rover Basics
Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a…
Mars Exploration: Science Goals
The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four…
Visiting Mars on the Way to the Outer Solar System
- Perseverance Home
- Science
- News and Features
- Multimedia
- Mars Missions
- Mars Home
3 min read
Visiting Mars on the Way to the Outer Solar SystemWritten by Roger Wiens, Principal Investigator, SuperCam instrument / Co-Investigator, SHERLOC instrument at Purdue University
A portion of the “Sally’s Cove” outcrop where the Perseverance rover has been exploring. The radiating lines in the rock on the left of the image may indicate that it is a shatter cone, showing the effects of the shock wave from a nearby large impact. The image was taken by Mastcam-Z’s left camera on March 21, 2025 (Sol 1452, or Martian day 1,452 of the Mars 2020 mission) at the local mean solar time of 12:13:44. Mastcam-Z is a pair of cameras located high on the rover’s mast. This image was voted by the public as “Image of the week.” NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASURecently Mars has had a few Earthly visitors. On March 1, NASA’s Europa Clipper flew within 550 miles (884 kilometers) of the Red Planet’s surface on its way out to Jupiter. On March 12, the European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft flew within about 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) of Mars, and only 300 kilometers from its moon, Deimos. Hera is on its way to study the binary asteroid Didymos and its moon Dimorphos. Next year, in May 2026, NASA’s Psyche mission is scheduled to buzz the Red Planet on its way to the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche, coming within a few thousand kilometers.
Why all these visits to Mars? You might at first think that they’re using Mars as an object of opportunity for their cameras, and you would be partially right. But Mars has more to give these missions than that. The main reason for these flybys is the extra speed that Mars’ velocity around the Sun can give them. The idea that visiting a planet can speed up a spacecraft is not all that obvious, because the same gravity that attracts the spacecraft on its way towards the planet will exert a backwards force as the spacecraft leaves the planet.
The key is in the direction that it approaches and leaves the planet. If the spacecraft leaves Mars heading in the direction that Mars is traveling around the Sun, it will gain speed in that direction, slingshotting it farther into the outer solar system. A spacecraft can typically gain several percent of its speed by performing such a slingshot flyby. The closer it gets to the planet, the bigger the effect. However, no mission wants to be slowed by the upper atmosphere, so several hundred kilometers is the closest that a mission should go. And the proximity to the planet is also affected by the exact direction the spacecraft needs to go when it leaves Mars.
Clipper’s Mars flyby was a slight exception, slowing down the craft — by about 1.2 miles per second (2 kilometers per second) — to steer it toward Earth for a second gravity assist in December 2026. That will push the spacecraft the rest of the way to Jupiter, for its 2030 arrival.
While observing Mars is not the main reason for their visits, many of the visiting spacecraft take the opportunity to use their cameras either to perform calibrations or to study the Red Planet and its moons.
During Clipper’s flyby over sols 1431-1432, Mastcam-Z was directed to watch the skies for signs of the interplanetary visitor. Clipper’s relatively large solar panels could have reflected enough sunlight for it to be seen in the Mars night sky, much as we can see satellites overhead from Earth. Unfortunately, the spacecraft entered the shadow of Mars just before it came into potential view above the horizon from Perseverance’s vantage point, so the sighting did not happen. But it was worth a try.
Meanwhile, back on the ground, Perseverance is performing something of a cliff-hanger. “Sally’s Cove” is a relatively steep rock outcrop in the outer portion of Jezero crater’s rim just north of “Broom Hill.” Perseverance made an approach during March 19-23, and has been exploring some dark-colored rocks along this outcrop, leaving the spherules behind for the moment. Who knows what Perseverance will find next?
Share Details Last Updated Mar 28, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 2 min read Sols 4493-4494: Just Looking AroundArticle
4 hours ago
2 min read Sols 4491-4492: Classic Field Geology Pose
Article
2 days ago
3 min read Sols 4488-4490: Progress Through the Ankle-Breaking Terrain (West of Texoli Butte, Climbing Southward)
Article
4 days ago
Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, and the seventh largest. It’s the only planet we know of inhabited…
All Mars Resources
Explore this collection of Mars images, videos, resources, PDFs, and toolkits. Discover valuable content designed to inform, educate, and inspire,…
Rover Basics
Each robotic explorer sent to the Red Planet has its own unique capabilities driven by science. Many attributes of a…
Mars Exploration: Science Goals
The key to understanding the past, present or future potential for life on Mars can be found in NASA’s four…
Surprise X-class solar flare from emerging sunspot triggers radio blackouts across the Americas
Amid Trump Cuts, Climate Researchers Wait for the Ax to Fall
Climate experts whose research is funded by federal grants hide, whisper and wait for their jobs to disappear