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India plans to launch astronauts to Earth orbit no sooner than 2026, roughly a year past the previously known timeline, following a series of uncrewed flight tests slated to begin in December.

A surprising reversal of our usual understanding of the second law of thermodynamics shows that it may be possible for heat to move in the “wrong” direction, flowing from a cold area to a warm one

A surprising reversal of our usual understanding of the second law of thermodynamics shows that it may be possible for heat to move in the “wrong” direction, flowing from a cold area to a warm one

6 Min Read Lagniappe for November 2024 Explore the November 2024 issue, highlighting a milestone for future Artemis testing, a key step to expand NASA Stennis Range Operations work, and more!

Explore Lagniappe for November 2024 featuring:

• NASA Stennis Takes Key Step in Expanding its Range Operations Work
• NASA Stennis Plants Artemis Moon Tree
• NASA Employees Complete Agency Leadership Program

Gator Speaks Gator SpeaksNASA/Stennis

The month of October is known for becoming cooler in these parts, and there sure were plenty of recent cool moments for NASA Stennis that set the tone for the future.

Last month, the center marked a milestone for testing a new SLS (Space Launch System) rocket stage to fly on future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.

Crews safely lifted and installed the interstage simulator component that will be used for future testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage on the B-2 side of the Thad Cochran Test Stand.

Why does this matter?

When the new upper stage is ready to fly following testing at NASA Stennis, it will allow NASA to send astronauts and larger payloads to the Moon on a single mission.

It is expected to fly on Artemis IV when astronauts will live and work in humanity’s first lunar space station, Gateway.

How exciting! This mission will make possible new opportunities for science and preparation for human missions to Mars.

The massive interstage simulator component lifted and installed at NASA Stennis is 103 tons, or 206,000 pounds. When you learn about the exploration upper stage, and how it functions, it makes sense. The upper stage is powered by four engines and provides more than 97,000 pounds of thrust.

Speaking of missions to the Moon, have you ever asked yourself why are we returning to the Moon?

A few goals NASA has set for Artemis missions include: preparing for future exploration missions deeper into space – including Mars – by developing and proving new technologies and capabilities, while learning how to live and operate on the lunar surface; finding and using water and other critical resources needed for long-term exploration; and investigating the Moon’s mysteries to learn more about Earth and the universe for the benefit of all.

These long-term plans build on more than 50 years of NASA’s experience and are reigniting everyone’s passion for discovery.

I believe it because the grandgators have been talking NASA nonstop lately.

All of this culminates with inspiring the Artemis Generation and encouraging young people to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Throughout the month of October, NASA Stennis representatives have been doing just that, sharing the cool ways NASA explores, innovates, and inspires all of humanity and the Artemis Generation.

Such stops have included Congressman Bennie Thompson’s College and Career Fair in Greenville, Mississippi, located in the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta area, bordering the state of Arkansas; Cruisin’ the Coast, where car enthusiasts from over 37 states and Canada drive to the Mississippi Gulf Coast annually; and various college and career fairs throughout Pearl River County and Hancock County, areas where many NASA Stennis employees live.

October indeed was a cool month, and November has started off that way, too. NASA Stennis representatives participated in the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, one of Pensacola’s largest events with more than 150,000 in attendance.

It marked just the fifth time in history that the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and U.S. Navy Blue Angels have flown together. This event also celebrated the 55th anniversary of NASA’s lunar landing.

Pretty cool, huh?

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NASA Stennis Top News NASA Stennis Achieves Milestone in Preparation for Future Artemis Testing

NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, achieved a key milestone this week for testing a new SLS (Space Launch System) rocket stage to fly on future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.

Read More About the Interstage Simulator Lift NASA Stennis Takes Key Step in Expanding its Range Operations Work

NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, has entered into an agreement with Skydweller Aero Inc. for the company to operate its solar-powered autonomous aircraft in the site’s restricted airspace, a key step towards achieving a strategic center goal.

Read More About the Agreement with Skydweller Aero NASA Stennis Conducts Water Flush at Fred Haise Test Stand Crews conduct a planned flame deflector water flow system flush on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Oct. 22, following the recent completion of upgrades to the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s underground piping network. The flush, a periodic procedure to ensure system functionality and performance, involves flowing 150,000 gallons or more per minute from the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility to the stand. It also continues stand preparations for testing RS-25 flight engines for use on future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Danny Nowlin Crews conduct a planned flame deflector water flow system flush on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Oct. 22, following the recent completion of upgrades to the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s underground piping network. The flush, a periodic procedure to ensure system functionality and performance, involves flowing 150,000 gallons or more per minute from the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility to the stand. It also continues stand preparations for testing RS-25 flight engines for use on future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NASA/Danny Nowlin Crews conduct a planned flame deflector water flow system flush on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Oct. 22, following the recent completion of upgrades to the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s underground piping network. The flush, a periodic procedure to ensure system functionality and performance, involves flowing 150,000 gallons or more per minute from the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility to the stand. It also continues stand preparations for testing RS-25 flight engines for use on future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NASA/Danny Nowlin Crews conduct a planned flame deflector water flow system flush on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Oct. 22, following the recent completion of upgrades to the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s underground piping network. The flush, a periodic procedure to ensure system functionality and performance, involves flowing 150,000 gallons or more per minute from the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility to the stand. It also continues stand preparations for testing RS-25 flight engines for use on future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Employees Complete Agency Leadership Program Eli Ouder, left, and Thom Rich are pictured at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Oct. 23 after graduating from the NASA ASPIRE Program. Ouder is the procurement officer for NASA’s Stennis Space Center and NASA Shared Services Center. Rich is the associate director of the NASA Stennis Center Operations Directorate. The two were part of the first cohort in the new 18-month leadership program to prepare NASA leaders for executive leadership roles in the future. NASA NASA Stennis Plants Artemis Moon Tree NASA employees plant an Artemis Moon Tree at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Oct. 29 to celebrate NASA’s successful Artemis I mission as the agency prepares for a return around the Moon with astronauts on Artemis II. NASA/Danny Nowlin Read More About the Artemis Moon Tree NASA Stennis Crews Continue Exploration Upper Stage Preparations A pair of umbilical support structures needed for future testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage (EUS) were installed in the B-2 position of the Thad Cochran Test Stand on Oct. 30-31 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.  The support structures arrived from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans via the unique NASA Stennis seven-and-a-half-mile canal system in 2023. Since then, crews have prepared the structures, which will align with the two EUS umbilical locations, for umbilical plate installation. In addition to helping during installation prior to hot fire testing, the umbilical support structures route the vehicle side command, control, and data electrical connections to the ground systems, as well as most the commodity connections, such as liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, hydrogen vent, helium bottle fill pressure, and purges. Prior to its initial flight, the EUS unit will undergo a series of Green Run tests at NASA Stennis to ensure all systems are ready to go. The test series will culminate with a hot fire of the stage’s four RL10 engines, made by lead SLS engines contractor L3 Harris. The new upper stage will enable NASA to carry larger payloads on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NASA/Danny Nowlin A pair of umbilical support structures needed for future testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage (EUS) were installed in the B-2 position of the Thad Cochran Test Stand on Oct. 30-31 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.  The support structures arrived from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans via the unique NASA Stennis seven-and-a-half-mile canal system in 2023. Since then, crews have prepared the structures, which will align with the two EUS umbilical locations, for umbilical plate installation. In addition to helping during installation prior to hot fire testing, the umbilical support structures route the vehicle side command, control, and data electrical connections to the ground systems, as well as most the commodity connections, such as liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, hydrogen vent, helium bottle fill pressure, and purges. Prior to its initial flight, the EUS unit will undergo a series of Green Run tests at NASA Stennis to ensure all systems are ready to go. The test series will culminate with a hot fire of the stage’s four RL10 engines, made by lead SLS engines contractor L3 Harris. The new upper stage will enable NASA to carry larger payloads on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NASA/Danny Nowlin A pair of umbilical support structures needed for future testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage (EUS) were installed in the B-2 position of the Thad Cochran Test Stand on Oct. 30-31 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.  The support structures arrived from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans via the unique NASA Stennis seven-and-a-half-mile canal system in 2023. Since then, crews have prepared the structures, which will align with the two EUS umbilical locations, for umbilical plate installation. In addition to helping during installation prior to hot fire testing, the umbilical support structures route the vehicle side command, control, and data electrical connections to the ground systems, as well as most the commodity connections, such as liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, hydrogen vent, helium bottle fill pressure, and purges. Prior to its initial flight, the EUS unit will undergo a series of Green Run tests at NASA Stennis to ensure all systems are ready to go. The test series will culminate with a hot fire of the stage’s four RL10 engines, made by lead SLS engines contractor L3 Harris. The new upper stage will enable NASA to carry larger payloads on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Danny Nowlin A pair of umbilical support structures needed for future testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage (EUS) were installed in the B-2 position of the Thad Cochran Test Stand on Oct. 30-31 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.  The support structures arrived from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans via the unique NASA Stennis seven-and-a-half-mile canal system in 2023. Since then, crews have prepared the structures, which will align with the two EUS umbilical locations, for umbilical plate installation. In addition to helping during installation prior to hot fire testing, the umbilical support structures route the vehicle side command, control, and data electrical connections to the ground systems, as well as most the commodity connections, such as liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, hydrogen vent, helium bottle fill pressure, and purges. Prior to its initial flight, the EUS unit will undergo a series of Green Run tests at NASA Stennis to ensure all systems are ready to go. The test series will culminate with a hot fire of the stage’s four RL10 engines, made by lead SLS engines contractor L3 Harris. The new upper stage will enable NASA to carry larger payloads on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Danny Nowlin A pair of umbilical support structures needed for future testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage (EUS) were installed in the B-2 position of the Thad Cochran Test Stand on Oct. 30-31 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.  The support structures arrived from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans via the unique NASA Stennis seven-and-a-half-mile canal system in 2023. Since then, crews have prepared the structures, which will align with the two EUS umbilical locations, for umbilical plate installation. In addition to helping during installation prior to hot fire testing, the umbilical support structures route the vehicle side command, control, and data electrical connections to the ground systems, as well as most the commodity connections, such as liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, hydrogen vent, helium bottle fill pressure, and purges. Prior to its initial flight, the EUS unit will undergo a series of Green Run tests at NASA Stennis to ensure all systems are ready to go. The test series will culminate with a hot fire of the stage’s four RL10 engines, made by lead SLS engines contractor L3 Harris. The new upper stage will enable NASA to carry larger payloads on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NASA/Danny Nowlin A pair of umbilical support structures needed for future testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage (EUS) were installed in the B-2 position of the Thad Cochran Test Stand on Oct. 30-31 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.  The support structures arrived from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans via the unique NASA Stennis seven-and-a-half-mile canal system in 2023. Since then, crews have prepared the structures, which will align with the two EUS umbilical locations, for umbilical plate installation. In addition to helping during installation prior to hot fire testing, the umbilical support structures route the vehicle side command, control, and data electrical connections to the ground systems, as well as most the commodity connections, such as liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, hydrogen vent, helium bottle fill pressure, and purges. Prior to its initial flight, the EUS unit will undergo a series of Green Run tests at NASA Stennis to ensure all systems are ready to go. The test series will culminate with a hot fire of the stage’s four RL10 engines, made by lead SLS engines contractor L3 Harris. The new upper stage will enable NASA to carry larger payloads on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NASA/Danny Nowlin A pair of umbilical support structures needed for future testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage (EUS) were installed in the B-2 position of the Thad Cochran Test Stand on Oct. 30-31 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.  The support structures arrived from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans via the unique NASA Stennis seven-and-a-half-mile canal system in 2023. Since then, crews have prepared the structures, which will align with the two EUS umbilical locations, for umbilical plate installation. In addition to helping during installation prior to hot fire testing, the umbilical support structures route the vehicle side command, control, and data electrical connections to the ground systems, as well as most the commodity connections, such as liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, hydrogen vent, helium bottle fill pressure, and purges. Prior to its initial flight, the EUS unit will undergo a series of Green Run tests at NASA Stennis to ensure all systems are ready to go. The test series will culminate with a hot fire of the stage’s four RL10 engines, made by lead SLS engines contractor L3 Harris. The new upper stage will enable NASA to carry larger payloads on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NASA/Danny Nowlin A pair of umbilical support structures needed for future testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage (EUS) were installed in the B-2 position of the Thad Cochran Test Stand on Oct. 30-31 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.  The support structures arrived from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans via the unique NASA Stennis seven-and-a-half-mile canal system in 2023. Since then, crews have prepared the structures, which will align with the two EUS umbilical locations, for umbilical plate installation. In addition to helping during installation prior to hot fire testing, the umbilical support structures route the vehicle side command, control, and data electrical connections to the ground systems, as well as most the commodity connections, such as liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, hydrogen vent, helium bottle fill pressure, and purges. Prior to its initial flight, the EUS unit will undergo a series of Green Run tests at NASA Stennis to ensure all systems are ready to go. The test series will culminate with a hot fire of the stage’s four RL10 engines, made by lead SLS engines contractor L3 Harris. The new upper stage will enable NASA to carry larger payloads on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NASA/Danny Nowlin A pair of umbilical support structures needed for future testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage (EUS) were installed in the B-2 position of the Thad Cochran Test Stand on Oct. 30-31 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.  The support structures arrived from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans via the unique NASA Stennis seven-and-a-half-mile canal system in 2023. Since then, crews have prepared the structures, which will align with the two EUS umbilical locations, for umbilical plate installation. In addition to helping during installation prior to hot fire testing, the umbilical support structures route the vehicle side command, control, and data electrical connections to the ground systems, as well as most the commodity connections, such as liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, hydrogen vent, helium bottle fill pressure, and purges. Prior to its initial flight, the EUS unit will undergo a series of Green Run tests at NASA Stennis to ensure all systems are ready to go. The test series will culminate with a hot fire of the stage’s four RL10 engines, made by lead SLS engines contractor L3 Harris. The new upper stage will enable NASA to carry larger payloads on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Danny Nowlin A pair of umbilical support structures needed for future testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage (EUS) were installed in the B-2 position of the Thad Cochran Test Stand on Oct. 30-31 at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.  The support structures arrived from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans via the unique NASA Stennis seven-and-a-half-mile canal system in 2023. Since then, crews have prepared the structures, which will align with the two EUS umbilical locations, for umbilical plate installation. In addition to helping during installation prior to hot fire testing, the umbilical support structures route the vehicle side command, control, and data electrical connections to the ground systems, as well as most the commodity connections, such as liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, hydrogen vent, helium bottle fill pressure, and purges. Prior to its initial flight, the EUS unit will undergo a series of Green Run tests at NASA Stennis to ensure all systems are ready to go. The test series will culminate with a hot fire of the stage’s four RL10 engines, made by lead SLS engines contractor L3 Harris. The new upper stage will enable NASA to carry larger payloads on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Danny Nowlin

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Center Activities LSU Engineering Students Visit NASA Stennis Members of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering at Louisiana State University stand at the Thad Cochran Test Stand during a visit to NASA Stennis on Oct. 4. The Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-2) is where future Green Run testing of NASA’s exploration upper stage will take place ahead of future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. The mission of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering at LSU is to provide enhanced educational opportunities by delivering information on new and advanced materials and processing technology. NASA/Danny Nowlin U.S. Ambassador Visits NASA Stennis Heide Fulton, U.S. Ambassador to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, visits NASA Stennis on Oct. 8 to meet with site leadership and tour test complex facilities. During her visit, Fulton met with NASA Stennis Director John Bailey and other leaders of the center and the NASA Shared Services Center located onsite. She also toured the rocket propulsion test complex, visiting the B-2 side of the Thad Cochran Test Stand, where she was briefed by B-2 Stand Director Ryan Roberts about NASA Stennis testing for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. Uruguay is one of 45 nations who have signed the Artemis Accords, which establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations. The country became the 36th nation to sign the Artemis Accords during a Washington, D.C. ceremony in February. Ambassador Fulton was joined on the visit by Cmdr. Brendan Rok, chief of the U.S. Navy Office of Defense Cooperation at the U.S. Embassy in Montevideo, Uruguay; and Leah Thorstenson, foreign policy advisor with the U.S. Marines Corps. Forces South.NASA/Danny Nowlin Heide Fulton, U.S. Ambassador to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, visits NASA Stennis on Oct. 8 to meet with site leadership and tour test complex facilities. During her visit, Fulton met with NASA Stennis Director John Bailey and other leaders of the center and the NASA Shared Services Center located onsite. She also toured the rocket propulsion test complex, visiting the B-2 side of the Thad Cochran Test Stand, where she was briefed by B-2 Stand Director Ryan Roberts about NASA Stennis testing for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. Uruguay is one of 45 nations who have signed the Artemis Accords, which establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations. The country became the 36th nation to sign the Artemis Accords during a Washington, D.C. ceremony in February. Ambassador Fulton was joined on the visit by Cmdr. Brendan Rok, chief of the U.S. Navy Office of Defense Cooperation at the U.S. Embassy in Montevideo, Uruguay; and Leah Thorstenson, foreign policy advisor with the U.S. Marines Corps. Forces South. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Danny Nowlin Heide Fulton, U.S. Ambassador to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, visits NASA Stennis on Oct. 8 to meet with site leadership and tour test complex facilities. During her visit, Fulton met with NASA Stennis Director John Bailey and other leaders of the center and the NASA Shared Services Center located onsite. She also toured the rocket propulsion test complex, visiting the B-2 side of the Thad Cochran Test Stand, where she was briefed by B-2 Stand Director Ryan Roberts about NASA Stennis testing for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. Uruguay is one of 45 nations who have signed the Artemis Accords, which establish a practical set of principles to guide space exploration cooperation among nations. The country became the 36th nation to sign the Artemis Accords during a Washington, D.C. ceremony in February. Ambassador Fulton was joined on the visit by Cmdr. Brendan Rok, chief of the U.S. Navy Office of Defense Cooperation at the U.S. Embassy in Montevideo, Uruguay; and Leah Thorstenson, foreign policy advisor with the U.S. Marines Corps. Forces South.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis Highlights Return to the Moon in Louisiana NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation Oct. 12 at the Wild Things event celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week in Lacombe, Louisiana. Participants played a game to identify different phases of the Moon and learned more about NASA’s return to the Moon. The event was hosted by Friends of Louisiana Wildlife Refuges, Inc. and Southeast Louisiana National Wildlife Refuges Complex at Bayou Lacombe Center, headquarters for the nine National Wildlife Refuges in southeast Louisiana.NASA/Lacy Thompson NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation Oct. 12 at the Wild Things event celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week in Lacombe, Louisiana. Participants played a game to identify different phases of the Moon and learned more about NASA’s return to the Moon. The event was hosted by Friends of Louisiana Wildlife Refuges, Inc. and Southeast Louisiana National Wildlife Refuges Complex at Bayou Lacombe Center, headquarters for the nine National Wildlife Refuges in southeast Louisiana.NASA/Lacy Thompson NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation Oct. 12 at the Wild Things event celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week in Lacombe, Louisiana. Participants played a game to identify different phases of the Moon and learned more about NASA’s return to the Moon. The event was hosted by Friends of Louisiana Wildlife Refuges, Inc. and Southeast Louisiana National Wildlife Refuges Complex at Bayou Lacombe Center, headquarters for the nine National Wildlife Refuges in southeast Louisiana. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Lacy Thompson NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation Oct. 12 at the Wild Things event celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week in Lacombe, Louisiana. Participants played a game to identify different phases of the Moon and learned more about NASA’s return to the Moon. The event was hosted by Friends of Louisiana Wildlife Refuges, Inc. and Southeast Louisiana National Wildlife Refuges Complex at Bayou Lacombe Center, headquarters for the nine National Wildlife Refuges in southeast Louisiana. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Lacy Thompson NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation Oct. 12 at the Wild Things event celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week in Lacombe, Louisiana. Participants played a game to identify different phases of the Moon and learned more about NASA’s return to the Moon. The event was hosted by Friends of Louisiana Wildlife Refuges, Inc. and Southeast Louisiana National Wildlife Refuges Complex at Bayou Lacombe Center, headquarters for the nine National Wildlife Refuges in southeast Louisiana. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Lacy Thompson NASA Stennis Hosts Office of the Chief Information Officer Teams The NASA Office of the Chief Information Officer Integrated Design and Assurance Systems team are shown at the Thad Cochran Test Stand during a tour of NASA Stennis on Oct. 9. To accomplish NASA’s vision, the agency depends heavily on many things and information technology is key among them. Information technology capabilities enable NASA’s discoveries, allow sharing of mission data, improve workforce productivity, and increase mission quality, resilience, and cost-effectiveness. To enable success for NASA’s mission portfolio, the Office of the Chief Information Officer goals are to deliver great customer experiences; achieve consistent operational excellence; transform NASA through information and technology; and ensure proactive, resilient cybersecurity – all delivered by an exceptional team.NASA/Danny Nowlin Members of the NASA Office of the Chief Information Officer Strategy and Architecture Office team are shown at the Thad Cochran Test Stand during a tour of NASA Stennis on Oct. 31. The NASA team visited NASA Stennis as part of an annual face-to-face meeting. The Strategy and Architecture Office collaboratively develops and manages Information Technology strategy and architecture to meet NASA’s current and future needs, driving transformation, innovation, informed investment planning, and processes to measure and communicate results. Development includes NASA’s Information Technology Strategic Plan, integrated roadmaps, future-state business capabilities and services, and data-driven investment guidance. NASA/Danny Nowlin Start Your Engines: NASA Stennis Cruises on the Coast NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation and share NASA Stennis’ rich history of propulsion testing with attendees from over 37 U.S. states and Canada during the 28th Annual Cruisin’ the Coast car show along the Mississippi Gulf Coast Oct. 10-12. NASA provided a virtual reality space experience, and participants were welcomed to the exhibit by life size cardboard cutouts of the Artemis II crew. Artemis II, targeted for 2025, is the first crewed test of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft, which will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), and Christina Koch (mission specialist), and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist) around the Moon. All RS-25 engines that help power NASA’s SLS rocket are tested and proven flightworthy at NASA Stennis prior to use on Artemis missions.NASA/Samone Wilson NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation and share NASA Stennis’ rich history of propulsion testing with attendees from over 37 U.S. states and Canada during the 28th Annual Cruisin’ the Coast car show along the Mississippi Gulf Coast Oct. 10-12. NASA provided a virtual reality space experience, and participants were welcomed to the exhibit by life size cardboard cutouts of the Artemis II crew. Artemis II, targeted for 2025, is the first crewed test of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft, which will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), and Christina Koch (mission specialist), and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist) around the Moon. All RS-25 engines that help power NASA’s SLS rocket are tested and proven flightworthy at NASA Stennis prior to use on Artemis missions. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Samone Wilson NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation and share NASA Stennis’ rich history of propulsion testing with attendees from over 37 U.S. states and Canada during the 28th Annual Cruisin’ the Coast car show along the Mississippi Gulf Coast Oct. 10-12. NASA provided a virtual reality space experience, and participants were welcomed to the exhibit by life size cardboard cutouts of the Artemis II crew. Artemis II, targeted for 2025, is the first crewed test of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft, which will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), and Christina Koch (mission specialist), and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist) around the Moon. All RS-25 engines that help power NASA’s SLS rocket are tested and proven flightworthy at NASA Stennis prior to use on Artemis missions.NASA/Samone Wilson NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation and share NASA Stennis’ rich history of propulsion testing with attendees from over 37 U.S. states and Canada during the 28th Annual Cruisin’ the Coast car show along the Mississippi Gulf Coast Oct. 10-12. NASA provided a virtual reality space experience, and participants were welcomed to the exhibit by life size cardboard cutouts of the Artemis II crew. Artemis II, targeted for 2025, is the first crewed test of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft, which will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), and Christina Koch (mission specialist), and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist) around the Moon. All RS-25 engines that help power NASA’s SLS rocket are tested and proven flightworthy at NASA Stennis prior to use on Artemis missions. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Samone Wilson NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation and share NASA Stennis’ rich history of propulsion testing with attendees from over 37 U.S. states and Canada during the 28th Annual Cruisin’ the Coast car show along the Mississippi Gulf Coast Oct. 10-12. NASA provided a virtual reality space experience, and participants were welcomed to the exhibit by life size cardboard cutouts of the Artemis II crew. Artemis II, targeted for 2025, is the first crewed test of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft, which will carry NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (commander), Victor Glover (pilot), and Christina Koch (mission specialist), and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (mission specialist) around the Moon. All RS-25 engines that help power NASA’s SLS rocket are tested and proven flightworthy at NASA Stennis prior to use on Artemis missions.NASA/Samone Wilson Stennis Hosts Family Day at INFINITY NASA Stennis’ sitewide employees and their guests attend the annual NASA Stennis Family Day at INFINITY Science Center, the official visitor center of NASA Stennis, on Oct. 19. Attendees had the opportunity to journey through the INFINITY exhibits and enjoy additional activities provided by participating organizations of the NASA Stennis federal city. NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis’ sitewide employees and their guests attend the annual NASA Stennis Family Day at INFINITY Science Center, the official visitor center of NASA Stennis, on Oct. 19. Attendees had the opportunity to journey through the INFINITY exhibits and enjoy additional activities provided by participating organizations of the NASA Stennis federal city. NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis’ sitewide employees and their guests attend the annual NASA Stennis Family Day at INFINITY Science Center, the official visitor center of NASA Stennis, on Oct. 19. Attendees had the opportunity to journey through the INFINITY exhibits and enjoy additional activities provided by participating organizations of the NASA Stennis federal city. NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis’ sitewide employees and their guests attend the annual NASA Stennis Family Day at INFINITY Science Center, the official visitor center of NASA Stennis, on Oct. 19. Attendees had the opportunity to journey through the INFINITY exhibits and enjoy additional activities provided by participating organizations of the NASA Stennis federal city. NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis’ sitewide employees and their guests attend the annual NASA Stennis Family Day at INFINITY Science Center, the official visitor center of NASA Stennis, on Oct. 19. Attendees had the opportunity to journey through the INFINITY exhibits and enjoy additional activities provided by participating organizations of the NASA Stennis federal city. NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis’ sitewide employees and their guests attend the annual NASA Stennis Family Day at INFINITY Science Center, the official visitor center of NASA Stennis, on Oct. 19. Attendees had the opportunity to journey through the INFINITY exhibits and enjoy additional activities provided by participating organizations of the NASA Stennis federal city. NASA/Danny Nowlin Java with John: Brewing Conversations and Connection with NASA Stennis Employees NASA Stennis Director John Bailey hosts a Java with John session with Office of Procurement employees on Oct. 15. Java with John is an employee-led discussion in a casual environment aimed at fostering a culture in which employees are welcome to share what matters most to them at work.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis Director John Bailey hosts a Java with John session with Office of Procurement employees on Oct. 15. Java with John is an employee-led discussion in a casual environment aimed at fostering a culture in which employees are welcome to share what matters most to them at work.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis Director John Bailey hosts a Java with John session with Office of Procurement employees on Oct. 15. Java with John is an employee-led discussion in a casual environment aimed at fostering a culture in which employees are welcome to share what matters most to them at work.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis Director John Bailey hosts a Java with John session with Center Operations Directorate and Office of Communications employees on Oct. 23. Java with John is an employee-led discussion in a casual environment aimed at fostering a culture in which employees are welcome to share what matters most to them at work.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis Director John Bailey hosts a Java with John session with Center Operations Directorate and Office of Communications employees on Oct. 23. Java with John is an employee-led discussion in a casual environment aimed at fostering a culture in which employees are welcome to share what matters most to them at work.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Attends Blue Angels Airshow NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives inspire the Artemis Generation at the NAS Pensacola Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show Nov. 1-2, following STEM engagement activities on Oct. 31. NASA’s exhibit at the air show honors the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and showcases the agency’s mission to inspire the world through discovery. NASA/Stennis NASA Attends Picayune Street Fair NASA Stennis representatives engage with the Artemis Generation at the Picayune Street Fair in Picayune, Mississippi on Nov. 2-3. The south Mississippi NASA center is located less than 15 miles from Picayune with many employees living in the community. NASA Stennis tests all RS-25 engines to help power NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on Artemis missions. The NASA center is also preparing to conduct a full series of tests on the agency’s exploration upper stage to demonstrate it is ready to fly on future Artemis missions. With the Artemis campaign, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives engage with the Artemis Generation at the Picayune Street Fair in Picayune, Mississippi on Nov. 2-3. The south Mississippi NASA center is located less than 15 miles from Picayune with many employees living in the community. NASA Stennis tests all RS-25 engines to help power NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on Artemis missions. The NASA center is also preparing to conduct a full series of tests on the agency’s exploration upper stage to demonstrate it is ready to fly on future Artemis missions. With the Artemis campaign, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever. NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives engage with the Artemis Generation at the Picayune Street Fair in Picayune, Mississippi on Nov. 2-3. The south Mississippi NASA center is located less than 15 miles from Picayune with many employees living in the community. NASA Stennis tests all RS-25 engines to help power NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on Artemis missions. The NASA center is also preparing to conduct a full series of tests on the agency’s exploration upper stage to demonstrate it is ready to fly on future Artemis missions. With the Artemis campaign, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever. NOTE: Right click on photo to open full image in new tab.NASA/Stennis NASA Stennis representatives engage with the Artemis Generation at the Picayune Street Fair in Picayune, Mississippi on Nov. 2-3. The south Mississippi NASA center is located less than 15 miles from Picayune with many employees living in the community. NASA Stennis tests all RS-25 engines to help power NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on Artemis missions. The NASA center is also preparing to conduct a full series of tests on the agency’s exploration upper stage to demonstrate it is ready to fly on future Artemis missions. With the Artemis campaign, NASA will land the first woman and the first person of color on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever. NASA/Stennis

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NASA in the News

• Liftoff! NASA’s Europa Clipper Sails Toward Ocean Moon of Jupiter – NASA
• NASA Activates Resources to Help Assess Impacts from Hurricane Milton – NASA
• NASA Welcomes Estonia as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory – NASA
• How NASA Astronauts Vote from Space Aboard International Space Station  – NASA
• NASA: New Insights into How Mars Became Uninhabitable – NASA Science

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Employee Profile: Tessa Keating Tessa Keating is a public affairs specialist in the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Keating plans onsite logistics, serves as a protocol officer, and coordinates the Space Flight Awareness Program for NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center.NASA/Danny Nowlin

Every task at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, is not simply work for Tessa Keating – it is a meaningful step toward a part of something great.

Read More About Tessa Keating

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Additional Resources

• WXXV: Developing autonomous space technology at NASA Stennis
• FOX8: NASA Astro Camp Community Partners Program
• WXXV: Catching up with Stennis Space Center’s new director
• New and Notables: John Bailey – Biz New Orleans
• Good Things with Rebecca Turner – SuperTalk Mississippi (interview with NASA Stennis employees Lee English Jr. and Noah English)
• Certifying Artemis Rocket Engines – NASA (Houston We Have a Podcast segment featuring NASA Stennis engineers Chip Ellis and Bradley Tyree)
• NASA Stennis Overview – Going Further video

Subscription Info

Lagniappe is published monthly by the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The NASA Stennis office may be contacted by at 228-688-3333 (phone); ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov (email); or NASA OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Attn: LAGNIAPPE, Mail code IA00, Building 1111 Room 173, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (mail).

The Lagniappe staff includes: Managing Editor Lacy Thompson, Editor Bo Black, and photographer Danny Nowlin.

To subscribe to the monthly publication, please email the following to ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov – name, location (city/state), email address.

Explore More 4 min read Lagniappe for October 2024 Article 1 month ago 7 min read Lagniappe for September 2024 Article 2 months ago 5 min read Lagniappe for August 2024 Article 3 months ago

4 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Tessa Keating is a public affairs specialist in the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Keating plans onsite logistics, serves as a protocol officer, and coordinates the Space Flight Awareness Program for NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center.NASA/Danny Nowlin

Every task at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, is not simply work for Tessa Keating – it is a meaningful step toward a part of something great.

“It has been a dream career. I count it an honor to share the NASA story and humbled to know our team witnesses a part of history,” said Keating, a NASA public affairs specialist in the NASA Stennis Office of Communications. “Every day is an opportunity to contribute to the NASA legacy that will last beyond today. “

Keating plans onsite logistics, serves as a protocol officer, and coordinates the Space Flight Awareness Program for NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center. In fact, she organized much of the recent Space Flight Awareness Silver Snoopy Award ceremony at NASA Stennis in August, except for one part. As the ceremony finished, NASA Stennis Director John Bailey said one more award was to be given.

No one was more surprised than the logistics coordinator herself when Keating’s family joined her on stage. The 21-year NASA Stennis employee was honored for her outstanding contributions in sharing the NASA story of exploring the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all with a diverse audience and for equipping everyone with a broader knowledge and appreciation of the center’s vital role within NASA.

“I am not sure I will ever be able to top that in my NASA career,” Keating said.

It became a full-circle moment that she described as a great honor. The Silver Snoopy is the astronauts’ personal award and is presented to less than 1 percent of the total NASA workforce. Reid Wiseman, a NASA astronaut and commander for the upcoming Artemis II mission around the Moon, presented the award to Keating, along with a lapel pin flown aboard NASA’s Artemis I mission.

As NASA returns to the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and inspiration for the Artemis Generation, Keating says it will be extra-special watching Wiseman and the Artemis II crew lay the groundwork for future milestones.

Keating helped lay the groundwork ahead of the successful Artemis I mission. She served as lead logistics for onsite guest operations in 2021 when NASA conducted the most powerful propulsion test in more than 40 years at NASA Stennis. A full-duration hot fire of the first SLS (Space Launch System) core stage and its four RS-25 engines culminated a year-long series of integrated tests. Keating coordinated the viewing of the hot fire for some 200 agency leaders and guests, despite restricted settings due to COVID-19.  

“It was truly a highlight. I had grown up hearing my parents and grandparents talk about engines that were tested during the Apollo era, and I had never experienced something of that magnitude,” Keating said. “I was able to live it, feel it, and watch the next part of NASA history onsite.”

For Keating, the groundwork for a NASA career came following graduation with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from William Carey University and a master’s degree in Communications from The University of Southern Mississippi, both schools in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Having grown up in Pearl River County, Mississippi, for most of her life, she knew about NASA Stennis. However, she did not think she could ever work at the center because her strengths were in areas beyond math and science.

Following some additional exploration and conversations with influential people in her life, Keating discovered she, in fact, could be a part of something great at NASA Stennis.

“The possibilities are endless at NASA when you allow yourself to put your best foot forward and research the many opportunities that are available. There is always room for various types of studies,” Keating said. “I credit where I am in my career to God and to the people who have helped to guide my path. I will be forever grateful.” 

Learn more about the people who work at NASA Stennis

In a rare show of openness about the X-37B, Boeing Space released a video detailing how the space plane's aerobraking maneuvers help change the spacecraft's orbit.

3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA employees plant an Artemis Moon Tree at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Oct. 29 to celebrate NASA’s successful Artemis I mission as the agency prepares for a return around the Moon with astronauts on Artemis II. NASA/Danny Nowlin

A tree-planting ceremony at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on Oct. 29 celebrated NASA’s successful Artemis I mission as the agency prepares for a return around the Moon with astronauts on Artemis II.

“We already have a thriving Moon Tree from the Apollo years onsite,” NASA Stennis Director John Bailey said. “It is exciting to add trees for our new Artemis Generation as it continues the next great era of human space exploration.”

NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement Next Gen STEM Project partnered with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service to fly five species of tree seeds aboard the Orion spacecraft during the successful uncrewed Artemis I test flight in 2022 as part of a national STEM Engagement and conservation education initiative. 

The Artemis Moon Tree species included sweetgums, loblolly pines, sycamores, Douglas-firs, and giant sequoias. The seeds from the first Artemis mission have been nurtured by the USDA into seedlings to be a source of inspiration for the Artemis Generation.

The Moon Tree education initiative is rooted in the legacy of Apollo 14 Moon Tree seeds flown in lunar orbit over 50 years ago by the late Stuart Roosa, a NASA astronaut and Mississippi Coast resident.

NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC), located at the site, planted companion trees during the Oct. 29 ceremony. Bailey and NSSC Executive Director Anita Harrell participated in a joint planting ceremony attended by a number of employees from each entity.

The American sweetgum trees are the second and third Moon Trees at the south Mississippi site. In 2004, ASTRO CAMP participants planted a sycamore Moon Tree to honor the 35th anniversary of Apollo 11 and the first lunar landing on July 20, 1969.

The road to space for both Apollo 14 and Artemis I went through Mississippi. Until 1970, NASA Stennis test fired first, and second stages of the Saturn V rockets used for Apollo.

NASA Stennis now tests all the RS-25 engines powering Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. Prior to Artemis I, NASA Stennis tested the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage and its four RS-25 engines.

The Artemis Moon Trees have found new homes in over 150 communities and counting since last spring, and each of the 10 NASA centers also will plant one.

As the tree grows at NASA Stennis, so, too, does anticipation for the first crewed mission with Artemis II. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration.

The flight will test NASA’s foundational human deep space exploration capabilities – the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft – for the first time with astronauts.

Explore More NASA Stennis Image Articles

Bioprinted patches could help wounds heal

Researchers successfully demonstrated the function of a handheld bioprinter that could provide a simple and effective way to treat wounds in space using human skin cells. Crews could use this technology to treat their own injuries and protect crew health and mission success in the future.

Spaceflight can affect how wounds heal. The Bioprint FirstAid device tested a process for bioprinting a patch to cover a wound and accelerate healing. In the future, a crew member’s own cells may be used to create personalized patches for treating an injury. The bioprinting device is easy to use, can be tailored to specific needs, has a low failure rate, and its mechanics are electronics- and maintenance-free. This ESA (European Space Agency) investigation was coordinated by the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer demonstrates the Bioprint FirstAid prototype during preflight training. German Aerospace Center/European Space Agency

Countering post-flight proficiency challenges

The day they return from spaceflight, astronauts demonstrate significant impairments in fine motor control and the ability to multitask in simulated flying and driving challenges. This finding could help develop countermeasures so crew members can safely land and conduct early operations on the Moon and Mars.

Manual Control used a battery of tests to examine how spaceflight affects cognitive, sensory, and motor function after landing. Researchers concluded that subtle physiological changes that occur during spaceflight degrade post-flight performance. Subsequent tests showed recovery of performance once exposed to the task, suggesting that simulation training immediately before a task could be an effective countermeasure. Researchers also suggest limiting dual or competing tasks during mission-critical phases.

A simulator used to test crew members’ ability to fly and drive after spaceflight. NASA

Gamma-ray telescope resilient to space radiation

Researchers found that the station’s Glowbug gamma-ray telescope could perform in the space radiation environment for multi-year missions. Radiation can affect these types of instruments, but Glowbug regularly detected gamma ray bursts (GRBs) during its one-year operation. Studying GRBs can help scientists better understand the universe and its origins.

Glowbug demonstrated technology to detect and characterize cosmic GRBs, primarily short GRBs, which result from mergers of compact binary star systems containing either two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole. Short GRBs produce gravitational waves, ripples in space that travel at the speed of light. Studying these gravitational waves could provide insight into the star systems where they originate and the behavior of matter during the mergers.

Learn more about GRB research here.

This archival photo shows engineers working on NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft on March 23, 1977.NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA’s Voyager mission launched in the 1970s. Today, it’s making history as it conducts new science. But how are two spacecraft from the ’70s not just surviving, but thriving farther out in space than any other spacecraft has been before?

A Little Mission Background

Voyager is a NASA mission made up of two different spacecraft, Voyager 1 and 2, which launched to space on Sept. 5, 1977, and Aug. 20, 1977, respectively. In the decades following launch, the pair took a grand tour of our solar system, studying Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune — one of NASA’s earliest efforts to explore the secrets of the universe. These twin probes later became the first spacecraft to operate in interstellar space — space outside the heliosphere, the bubble of solar wind and magnetic fields emanating from the Sun. Voyager 1 was the first to enter interstellar space in 2012, followed by Voyager 2 in 2018.  

Today, Voyager continues not just because it can, but because it still has work to do studying interstellar space, the heliosphere, and how the two interact. “We wouldn’t be doing Voyager if it wasn’t taking science data,” said Suzanne Dodd, the mission’s current project manager and the director for the Interplanetary Network at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

But across billions of miles and decades of groundbreaking scientific exploration, this trailblazing interstellar journey has not been without its trials. So, what’s the Voyager secret to success? 

In short: preparation and creativity.  

As NASA’s two Voyager spacecraft travel out into deep space, they carry a small American flag and a Golden Record packed with pictures and sounds — mementos of our home planet. This picture shows John Casani, Voyager project manager in 1977, holding a small Dacron flag that was folded and sewed into the thermal blankets of the Voyager spacecraft before they launched 36 years ago. Below him lie the Golden Record (left) and its cover (right). In the background stands Voyager 2 before it headed to the launch pad. The picture was taken at Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Aug. 4, 1977.NASA/JPL-Caltech We Designed Them Not to Fail

According to John Casani, Voyager project manager from 1975 to launch in 1977, “we didn’t design them to last 30 years or 40 years, we designed them not to fail.”

One key driver of the mission’s longevity is redundancy. Voyager’s components weren’t just engineered with care, they were also made in duplicate. 

According to Dodd, Voyager “was designed with nearly everything redundant. Having two spacecraft — right there is a redundancy.” 

“We didn’t design them to last 30 years or 40 years, we designed them not to fail.”

John Casani

Voyager Project Manager, 1975-1977

A Cutting-Edge Power Source

The twin Voyager spacecraft can also credit their longevity to their long-lasting power source. 

Each spacecraft is equipped with three radioisotope thermoelectric generators. These nuclear “batteries” were developed originally by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of the Atoms for Peace program enacted by President Eisenhower in 1955. Compared to other power options at the time — like solar power, which doesn’t have the reach to work beyond Jupiter — these generators have allowed Voyager to go much farther into space. 

Each of NASA’s Voyager probes are equipped with three radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs), including the one shown here at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The RTGs provide power for the spacecraft by converting the heat generated by the decay of plutonium-238 into electricity. Launched in 1977, the Voyager mission is managed for NASA by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California.NASA/JPL-Caltech

Voyager’s generators continue to take the mission farther than any before, but they also continue to generate less power each year, with instruments needing to be shut off over time to conserve power. 

Creative Solutions  

As a mission that has operated at the farthest edges of the heliosphere and beyond, Voyager has endured its fair share of challenges. With the spacecraft now in interstellar space running on software and hardware from the 1970s, Voyager’s problems require creative solutions.  

Retired mission personnel who worked on Voyager in its earliest days have even come back out of retirement to collaborate with new mission personnel to not just fix big problems but to pass on important mission know-how to the next generation of scientists and engineers.

“From where I sit as a project manager, it’s really very exciting to see young engineers be excited to work on Voyager. To take on the challenges of an old mission and to work side by side with some of the masters, the people that built the spacecraft,” Dodd said. “They want to learn from each other.” 

After receiving data about the health and status of Voyager 1 for the first time in five months, members of the Voyager flight team celebrate in a conference room at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on April 20. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA/JPL-Caltech

Within just the last couple of years, Voyager has tested the mission team’s creativity with a number of complex issues. Most recently, a fuel tube inside of Voyager 1’s thrusters, which control the spacecraft’s orientation and direction, became clogged. The thrusters allow the spacecraft to point their antennae and are critical to maintaining communications with Earth. Through careful coordination, the mission team was able to remotely switch the spacecraft to a different set of thrusters. 

These kinds of repairs are extra challenging as a radio signal takes about 22 ½ hours to reach Voyager 1 from Earth and another 22 ½ hours to return. Signals to and from Voyager 2 take about 19 hours each way.

Voyager’s Interstellar Future

This brief peek behind the curtain highlights some of Voyager’s history and its secrets to success. 

The Voyager probes may continue to operate into the late 2020s. As time goes on, continued operations will become more challenging as the mission’s power diminishes by 4 watts every year, and the two spacecraft will cool down as this power decreases. Additionally, unexpected anomalies could impact the mission’s functionality and longevity as they grow older.

As the mission presses on, the Voyager team grows this legacy of creative problem solving and collaboration while these twin interstellar travelers continue to expand our understanding of the vast and mysterious cosmos we inhabit. 

Read More

• The Story Behind Voyager 1’s Pale Blue Dot
• The Story Behind Voyager 1’s Family Portrait
• Pale Blue Dot Poster
• Voyager 1 Mission Page
• Voyager 2 Mission Page

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Details Last Updated Nov 04, 2024 Related Terms

• Missions
• Voyager 1
• Voyager 2
• Voyager Program

5 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) In Punakha, Bhutan, Dr. Aparna Phalke (left) from SERVIR works with a translator to converse with a local chili farmer (center) about his experiences cultivating these fields for over 30 years– including agricultural management practices, market prices, and farming challenges Sarah Cox/SERVIR

NASA and the Kingdom of Bhutan have been actively learning from each other and growing together since 2019. The seeds planted over those years have ripened into improved environmental conservation, community-based natural resource management, and new remote sensing tools.

Known for its governing philosophy of “gross national happiness,” [Bhutan] has a constitutional mandate to maintain at least 60% forest cover. The government’s goals include achieving nationwide food security by 2030. 

Bhutan first approached the U.S. State Department to partner on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) opportunities for the country, and NASA was invited to help lead these opportunities. In 2019, Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck visited NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, and was introduced to several NASA programs.

NASA’s Earth scientists and research staff from several complementary programs have helped support Bhutan’s goals by providing data resources and training to make satellite data more useful to communities and decision makers. Bhutan now uses NASA satellite data in its national land management decisions and plans to foster more geospatial jobs to help address environmental issues.

Supporting Bhutan’s Environmental Decision Makers

Bhutan’s National Land Commission offers tax breaks to farmers to support food security and economic resilience. However, finding and reaching eligible farmers on the ground can be expensive and time consuming, which means small farmers in remote areas can be missed. 

A team from SERVIR – a joint NASA-U.S. Agency for International Development initiative – worked with Bhutanese experts to create decision-making tools like the Farm Action Toolkit  (FAcT). The tool uses imagery from the NASA-U.S. Geological Survey Landsat satellites to identify and measure the country’s farmland. SERVIR researchers met with agricultural organizations – including Bhutan’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, National Statistics Bureau, and National Center for Organic Agriculture – to adjust the tool for the country’s unique geography and farming practices. The Land Commission now uses FAcT to identify small farms and bring support to more of the country. 

NASA also develops local capacity to use Earth data through efforts like the Applied Remote Sensing Training Program (ARSET). In early 2024, ARSET staff worked with SERVIR and Druk Holdings and Investments (DHI) to host a workshop with 46 Bhutanese government personnel. Using tailored local case studies, the teams worked to find ways to better manage natural resources, assist land use planning, and monitor disasters. 

“We look forward to continuing this collaboration, as there are still many areas where NASA’s expertise can significantly impact Bhutan’s development goals,” said Manish Rai, an analyst with DHI who helped coordinate the workshop. “This collaboration is a two-way street. While Bhutan has benefited greatly from NASA’s support, we believe there are also unique insights and experiences that Bhutan can share with NASA, particularly in areas like environmental conservation and community-based natural resource management.” 

Dr. Aparna Phalke gives a presentation on NASA technology and the SERVIR program to a group of 100 students at the Royal University of Bhutan College of Natural Resources. Sarah Cox/SERVIR Encouraging Bhutan’s Future Environmental Leaders

By working with students and educators from primary schools to the university level, Bhutan and NASA have been investing in the country’s future environmental leadership. Supporting educators and “training trainers” have been pillars of this collaboration.

NASA and Bhutan have worked together to boost the skills of early-career Earth scientists. For example, NASA’s DEVELOP program for undergraduates worked directly with local institutions to create several applied science internships for Bhutanese students studying in the U.S. 

Tenzin Wangmo, a high school biology teacher in Bhutan, participated in DEVELOP projects focusing on agriculture and water resources. According to Wangmo, the lessons learned from those projects have been helpful in connecting with her students about STEM opportunities and environmental issues. “Most people only think of NASA as going to space, rather than Earth science,” she said. “It was encouraging to my students that there are lots of opportunities for you if you try.”

NASA is also supporting Bhutan’s future environmental leadership through the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Program. The GLOBE program is a U.S. interagency outreach program that works with teachers to support STEM literacy through hands-on environmental learning. Since 2020, GLOBE has worked through the U.S. State Department and organizations like the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Forest Research and Training to support educators at two dozen schools in Bhutan. The program reached more than 650 students with activities like estimating their school’s carbon footprint. 

This focus on STEM education enables students and professionals to contribute to Bhutan’s specific development goals now and in the future. 

Sonam Tshering, a student who completed two DEVELOP projects on Bhutanese agriculture while studying at the University of Texas at El Paso, was able to share the value of these efforts at the 2023 United Nations Climate Conference. “By applying satellite data from NASA, we aimed to create actionable insights for our local farmers and our policymakers back in Bhutan,” she said. 

By Jacob Ramthun and Lena Pranksy, SERVIR Communications Team, and Jonathan O’Brien, ARSET Communications Team

News Media Contact

Lane Figueroa
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
256.544.0034
lane.e.figueroa@nasa.gov 

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Details Last Updated Nov 04, 2024 Related Terms

• SERVIR (Regional Visualization and Monitoring System)
• Earth
• Earth Science
• Earth Science Division
• Marshall Science Research & Projects
• Marshall Space Flight Center

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Space shuttle Atlantis lifts off in this Nov. 3, 1994, image, with NASA astronauts Donald R. McMonagle, Curtis L. Brown, Jr., Ellen S. Ochoa, Scott E. Parazynski, and Joseph R. Tanner, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Jean-Francois-Clervoy aboard. During the 11-day mission, the crew studied Earth’s atmosphere, gathering data on the Sun’s energy output, the atmosphere’s chemical composition, and how these affect global ozone levels.

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The gravitational field of a rotating black hole is powerful and strange. It is so powerful that it warps space and time back upon itself, and it is so strange that even simple concepts such as motion and rotation are turned on their heads. Understanding how these concepts play out is challenging, but they help astronomers understand how black holes generate such tremendous energy. Take, for example, the concept of frame dragging.

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Reference: Okamoto, Isao, Toshio Uchida, and Yoogeun Song. “Electromagnetic Energy Extraction in Kerr Black Holes through Frame-Dragging Magnetospheres.” arXiv preprint arXiv:2401.12684 (2024).

The post Another Way to Extract Energy From Black Holes? appeared first on Universe Today.

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Details Last Updated Nov 04, 2024 Related Terms

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