Feed aggregator
A controversial book about human diversity shows how biology unites us
The Ozempic era is only just beginning
The Ozempic era is only just beginning
Strange sphere-studded rock on Mars found by NASA's Perseverance rover
Why do giraffes have spots? Not for the reason you might think
Why do giraffes have spots? Not for the reason you might think
Mini-Satellite Sends Encrypted Quantum Message a Record-Breaking Distance
Scientists in China have transmitted encrypted images a record 12,900 kilometers, paving the way for quantum messaging anywhere on Earth
Strange red nova deaths of shrouded stars investigated by 'stellar Sherlocks'
1st images of elusive auroras on Neptune revealed by James Webb Space Telescope
Norman Rockwell Commemorates Gemini Program with Grissom and Young
How Can I See the Northern Lights? We Asked a NASA Expert: Episode 54
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)How can I see the northern lights?
To see the northern lights, you need to be in the right place at the right time.
Auroras are the result of charged particles and magnetism from the Sun called space weather dancing with the Earth’s magnetic field. And they happen far above the clouds. So you need clear skies, good space weather at your latitude and the higher, more polar you can be, the better. You need a lot of patience and some luck is always helpful.
A smartphone can also really help confirm whether you saw a little bit of kind of dim aurora, because cameras are more sensitive than our eyes.
The best months to see aurorae, statistically, are March and September. The best times to be looking are around midnight, but sometimes when the Sun is super active, it can happen any time from sunset to sunrise.
You can also increase your chances by learning more about space weather data and a great place to do that is at the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.
You can also check out my project, Aurorasaurus.org, where we have free alerts that are based on your location and we offer information about how to interpret the data. And you can also report and tell us if you were able to see aurora or not and that helps others.
One last tip is finding a safe, dark sky viewing location with a great view of the northern horizon that’s near you.
[END VIDEO TRANSCRIPT]
Share Details Last Updated Mar 26, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 6 min read How NASA’s Perseverance Is Helping Prepare Astronauts for Mars Article 1 day ago 6 min read NASA’s Webb Captures Neptune’s Auroras For First TimeLong-sought auroral glow finally emerges under Webb’s powerful gaze For the first time, NASA’s James…
Article 2 days ago 5 min read NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Team Wins 2024 Collier TrophyThe innovative team of engineers and scientists from NASA, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory…
Article 2 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related TopicsMissions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
How Can I See the Northern Lights? We Asked a NASA Expert: Episode 54
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)How can I see the northern lights?
To see the northern lights, you need to be in the right place at the right time.
Auroras are the result of charged particles and magnetism from the Sun called space weather dancing with the Earth’s magnetic field. And they happen far above the clouds. So you need clear skies, good space weather at your latitude and the higher, more polar you can be, the better. You need a lot of patience and some luck is always helpful.
A smartphone can also really help confirm whether you saw a little bit of kind of dim aurora, because cameras are more sensitive than our eyes.
The best months to see aurorae, statistically, are March and September. The best times to be looking are around midnight, but sometimes when the Sun is super active, it can happen any time from sunset to sunrise.
You can also increase your chances by learning more about space weather data and a great place to do that is at the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center.
You can also check out my project, Aurorasaurus.org, where we have free alerts that are based on your location and we offer information about how to interpret the data. And you can also report and tell us if you were able to see aurora or not and that helps others.
One last tip is finding a safe, dark sky viewing location with a great view of the northern horizon that’s near you.
[END VIDEO TRANSCRIPT]
Share Details Last Updated Mar 26, 2025 Related Terms Explore More 6 min read How NASA’s Perseverance Is Helping Prepare Astronauts for Mars Article 2 days ago 6 min read NASA’s Webb Captures Neptune’s Auroras For First TimeLong-sought auroral glow finally emerges under Webb’s powerful gaze For the first time, NASA’s James…
Article 2 days ago 5 min read NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Team Wins 2024 Collier TrophyThe innovative team of engineers and scientists from NASA, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory…
Article 3 days ago Keep Exploring Discover Related TopicsMissions
Humans in Space
Climate Change
Solar System
Top Math Prize Recipient Wedded Algebra and Calculus to Found a New Field
Masaki Kashiwara, this year’s Abel Prize winner, co-founded a new field of mathematics called algebraic analysis
Norman Rockwell Commemorates Gemini Program with Grissom and Young
In his painting called Grissom and Young, American painter and illustrator Norman Rockwell captures technicians helping NASA astronauts John Young and Gus Grissom suit up for the first flight of the Gemini program in March 1965. NASA loaned Norman Rockwell a Gemini spacesuit to make this painting as accurate as possible.
Since its beginning, NASA has used the power of art to communicate the extraordinary aspects of its missions in a way that connects uniquely with humanity. NASA’s original art program, started in 1962 under the direction of Administrator James Webb, included a diverse collection of works from artists such as Rockwell, Andy Warhol, and Annie Leibovitz.
See more art inspired by NASA.
Image credit: Norman Rockwell
Norman Rockwell Commemorates Gemini Program with Grissom and Young
In his painting called Grissom and Young, American painter and illustrator Norman Rockwell captures technicians helping NASA astronauts John Young and Gus Grissom suit up for the first flight of the Gemini program in March 1965. NASA loaned Norman Rockwell a Gemini spacesuit to make this painting as accurate as possible.
Since its beginning, NASA has used the power of art to communicate the extraordinary aspects of its missions in a way that connects uniquely with humanity. NASA’s original art program, started in 1962 under the direction of Administrator James Webb, included a diverse collection of works from artists such as Rockwell, Andy Warhol, and Annie Leibovitz.
See more art inspired by NASA.
Image credit: Norman Rockwell
Marvel reveals colossal ' Avengers: Doomsday' cast in surprise livestream as production begins, classic X-men lead the charge (video)
The Sky’s Not the Limit: Testing Precision Landing Tech for Future Space Missions
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A NASA F/A-18 research aircraft flies above California near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, testing a commercial precision landing technology for future space missions. The Psionic Space Navigation Doppler Lidar (PSNDL) system is installed in a pod located under the right wing of the aircraft.NASA
Nestled in a pod under an F/A-18 Hornet aircraft wing, flying above California, and traveling up to the speed of sound, NASA put a commercial sensor technology to the test. The flight tests demonstrated the sensor accuracy and navigation precision in challenging conditions, helping prepare the technology to land robots and astronauts on the Moon and Mars.
The Psionic Space Navigation Doppler Lidar (PSNDL) system is rooted in NASA technology that Psionic, Inc. of Hampton, Virginia, licensed and further developed. They miniaturized the NASA technology, added further functionality, and incorporated component redundancies that make it more rugged for spaceflight. The PSNDL navigation system also includes cameras and an inertial measurement unit to make it a complete navigation system capable of accurately determining a vehicle’s position and velocity for precision landing and other spaceflight applications.
NASA engineers and technicians install the Psionic Space Navigation Doppler Lidar (PSNDL) system into a testing pod on a NASA F/A-18 research aircraft ahead of February 2025 flight tests at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA
The aircraft departed from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, and conducted a variety of flight paths over several days in February 2025. It flew a large figure-8 loop and conducted several highly dynamic maneuvers over Death Valley, California, to collect navigation data at various altitudes, velocities, and orientations relevant for lunar and Mars entry and descent. Refurbished for these tests, the NASA F/A-18 pod can support critical data collection for other technologies and users at a low cost.
Doppler Lidar sensors provide a highly accurate measurement of speed by measuring the frequency shift between laser light emitted from the sensor reflected from the ground. Lidar are extremely useful in sunlight-challenged areas that may have long shadows and stark contrasts, such as the lunar South Pole. Pairing PSNDL with cameras adds the ability to visually compare pictures with surface reconnaissance maps of rocky terrain and navigate to landing at interesting locations on Mars. All the data is fed into a computer to make quick, real-time decisions to enable precise touchdowns at safe locations.
Psionic Space Navigation Doppler Lidar (PSNDL) system installed in a testing pod on a NASA F/A-18 research aircraft ahead of February 2025 flight tests at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA
Since licensing NDL in 2016, Psionic has received funding and development support from NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate through its Small Business Innovative Research program and Tipping Point initiative. The company has also tested PSNDL prototypes on suborbital vehicles via the Flight Opportunities program. In 2024, onboard a commercial lunar lander, NASA successfully demonstrated the predecessor NDL system developed by the agency’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
Explore More 4 min read NASA Starling and SpaceX Starlink Improve Space Traffic Coordination Article 11 hours ago 6 min read How NASA’s Perseverance Is Helping Prepare Astronauts for Mars Article 12 hours ago 2 min read NASA Cloud Software Helps Companies Find their Place in Space Article 1 day ago Facebook logo @NASATechnology @NASA_Technology Share Details Last Updated Mar 26, 2025 EditorLoura Hall Related TermsThe Sky’s Not the Limit: Testing Precision Landing Tech for Future Space Missions
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A NASA F/A-18 research aircraft flies above California near NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, testing a commercial precision landing technology for future space missions. The Psionic Space Navigation Doppler Lidar (PSNDL) system is installed in a pod located under the right wing of the aircraft.NASANestled in a pod under an F/A-18 Hornet aircraft wing, flying above California, and traveling up to the speed of sound, NASA put a commercial sensor technology to the test. The flight tests demonstrated the sensor accuracy and navigation precision in challenging conditions, helping prepare the technology to land robots and astronauts on the Moon and Mars.
The Psionic Space Navigation Doppler Lidar (PSNDL) system is rooted in NASA technology that Psionic, Inc. of Hampton, Virginia, licensed and further developed. They miniaturized the NASA technology, added further functionality, and incorporated component redundancies that make it more rugged for spaceflight. The PSNDL navigation system also includes cameras and an inertial measurement unit to make it a complete navigation system capable of accurately determining a vehicle’s position and velocity for precision landing and other spaceflight applications.
NASA engineers and technicians install the Psionic Space Navigation Doppler Lidar (PSNDL) system into a testing pod on a NASA F/A-18 research aircraft ahead of February 2025 flight tests at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASAThe aircraft departed from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, and conducted a variety of flight paths over several days in February 2025. It flew a large figure-8 loop and conducted several highly dynamic maneuvers over Death Valley, California, to collect navigation data at various altitudes, velocities, and orientations relevant for lunar and Mars entry and descent. Refurbished for these tests, the NASA F/A-18 pod can support critical data collection for other technologies and users at a low cost.
Doppler Lidar sensors provide a highly accurate measurement of speed by measuring the frequency shift between laser light emitted from the sensor reflected from the ground. Lidar are extremely useful in sunlight-challenged areas that may have long shadows and stark contrasts, such as the lunar South Pole. Pairing PSNDL with cameras adds the ability to visually compare pictures with surface reconnaissance maps of rocky terrain and navigate to landing at interesting locations on Mars. All the data is fed into a computer to make quick, real-time decisions to enable precise touchdowns at safe locations.
Psionic Space Navigation Doppler Lidar (PSNDL) system installed in a testing pod on a NASA F/A-18 research aircraft ahead of February 2025 flight tests at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASASince licensing NDL in 2016, Psionic has received funding and development support from NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate through its Small Business Innovative Research program and Tipping Point initiative. The company has also tested PSNDL prototypes on suborbital vehicles via the Flight Opportunities program. In 2024, onboard a commercial lunar lander, NASA successfully demonstrated the predecessor NDL system developed by the agency’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
Explore More 4 min read NASA Starling and SpaceX Starlink Improve Space Traffic Coordination Article 24 hours ago 6 min read How NASA’s Perseverance Is Helping Prepare Astronauts for Mars Article 1 day ago 2 min read NASA Cloud Software Helps Companies Find their Place in Space Article 2 days ago Facebook logo @NASATechnology @NASA_Technology Share Details Last Updated Mar 26, 2025 EditorLoura Hall Related Terms