Category: Space News

Audio collage begins. PHILIP BALDWIN One of our biggest challenges is always going to be capacity, right? JEFF BERNER Always there is the push to get higher data rates because the instruments they put on spacecraft… they always can dump more data than the communication link can support. AMY SMITH You know, we’re going to continue to explore space. We’re going to continue to launch more and more missions. And we’re going to need more and more apertures. PHILIP BALDWIN We have to make sure that we have enough capacity… to support not only our sustained presence [at] the…

In this episode streamed on Oct. 24, 2019, we host our second annual NASA-themed Halloween costume and cosplay contest! Source link

The James Webb Space Telescope awed the world on July 12 with its first images and data. And it’s just getting started with its exploration of the cosmos. Dr. John Mather, the observatory’s senior project scientist, has been working toward this milestone for more than 25 years. Before Webb, he worked on a spacecraft that delivered a groundbreaking baby picture of the universe and offered the best evidence yet that the universe began with a rapid expansion we call the big bang. Dr. Mather describes some of the first images and explains the mysteries that Webb will tackle. Jim…

What happened to the lost data from the Apollo era? Get to know the “data detectives” who are tracking it down. The science experiments the Apollo astronauts conducted from the surface of the Moon provide a long-term data record that’s crucial to understanding our Moon as a complete system. Today’s scientists are looking forward to future human exploration of the Moon and the discoveries to follow. Ketan from Sugarland, Texas, tells us about his childhood in Mumbai, India, and how his father made sure his children got a firsthand look at the Moon landing. [MUSIC: ROSEVERE / “INTERVENTION”] PAT:…

[Música Violetta, por Bennett] NOELIA GONZÁLEZ: ¡Hola, exploradores espaciales! Están escuchando Universo curioso de la NASA. Gracias por estar aquí. Si esta es tu primera vez con nosotros, ¡bienvenidos! NOELIA GONZÁLEZ: Soy Noelia González y, en este pódcast, la NASA es tu guía turística a las estrellas. Hoy, te invitamos a un recorrido único: el tras bastidores de una de las misiones espaciales más emblemáticas de la historia.  NOELIA GONZÁLEZ: ¿Cómo se controla un telescopio que está a cientos de kilómetros sobre la Tierra? Nuestro copresentador Andrés Almeida ha trazado el itinerario de esta excursión cósmica. ANDRÉS ALMEIDA: ¡Hola,…

Transcript Apollo 15 astronaut Dave Scott: Okay, Joe. I’m picking up the drill now.Mission Control (Joe Allen): Roger, Dave. Narrator:Apollo astronauts conducted the first deep-drilling operation on the Moon in 1971. Dave Scott: It works!Mission Control (Joe Allen): Beautiful. And, for goodness sakes, hang on to it there. Don’t throw it.Dave Scott: Yeah, man. You’d better believe. (music) Narrator:Previous robotic missions had burrowed into the lunar surface – NASA’s Surveyors 3 and 7 dug shallow trenches with a scoop in the late 1960s, and in 1970 the Soviet Luna 16 lander drilled a hole about a foot deep. The…

From Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars, explore the world of human spaceflight with NASA each week on the official podcast of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Listen to in-depth conversations with the astronauts, scientists and engineers who make it possible. On episode 402, NASA’s all-American 2025 astronaut candidates share a little about themselves by playing a fun icebreaker game. This episode was recorded September 19, 2025. Transcript Nilufar Ramji (Host) Houston We Have a Podcast. Welcome to the official podcast of the NASA Johnson Space Center Episode 402: On a Desert Island with Our New…

As 2026 nears, NASA continues moving forward to launching and flying Artemis II, the first crewed mission under the Artemis campaign, no later than April next year. NASA’s Orion spacecraft, complete with its launch abort system escape tower, is now integrated with the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Following Orion stacking, teams completed testing critical communications systems between SLS and Orion, and confirmed the interfaces function properly between the rocket, Orion, and the ground systems, including end-to-end testing with the Near Space Network and Deep…

NASA astronaut Chris Williams will launch aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft to the International Space Station on Thursday, Nov. 27, accompanied by cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, where they will join the Expedition 73 crew advancing scientific research. Williams, Kud-Sverchkov, and Mikaev will lift off at 4:27 a.m. EST (2:27 p.m. Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Live launch and docking coverage will be available on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media. After a two-orbit, three-hour trip to the…

Recent airborne science flights to Greenland are improving NASA’s understanding of space weather by measuring radiation exposure to air travelers and validating global radiation maps used in flight path planning. This unique data also has value beyond the Earth as a celestial roadmap for using the same instrumentation to monitor radiation levels for travelers entering Mars’ atmosphere and for upcoming lunar exploration. NASA’s Space Weather Aviation Radiation (SWXRAD) aircraft flight campaign took place August 25-28 and conducted two five-hour flights in Nuuk, Greenland. Based out of NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, the mission gathered dosimetry measurements, or…

One of the biggest goals for companies in the field of artificial intelligence is developing “agentic” or autonomous systems. These metaphorical agents can perform tasks without a guiding human hand. This parallels the goals of the emerging urban air mobility industry, which hopes to bring autonomous flying vehicles to cities around the world. One company got a head start on doing both with some help from NASA. Autonomy Association International Inc. (AAI) is a public benefit corporation based in Mountain View, California, near NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley. In 2022, AAI signed a Space Act Agreement with…

NASA’s Europa Clipper captured this image of a starfield — and the planet Uranus — on Nov. 5, 2025, while experimenting with one of its two stellar reference units. These star-tracking cameras are used for maintaining spacecraft orientation. Within the camera’s field of view — representing 0.1% of the full sky around the spacecraft — Uranus is visible as a larger dot near the left side of the image. At the time the images were taken, Europa Clipper was about 2 billion miles (3.2 billion kilometers) from Uranus. The spacecraft is currently en route to the Jupiter system to…

As an administrative assistant in the Safety and Mission Assurance Office at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Juliana Barajas approaches her work with one clear mission: to help others succeed.   Juliana Barajas Administrative Assistant For over two decades, she has supported NASA’s mission with a career grounded in service, perseverance, and gratitude. Whether coordinating tasks, solving problems, or lending a listening ear, Barajas plays a vital role in helping her team maintain safety and excellence.   “When I was young, I never imagined working at NASA,” said Barajas “I dreamed of studying mechanical engineering but…

Magic is in the air. No wait… MAGEQ is in the air, featuring scientists from NASA centers across the country who teamed up with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and several other university and government partners and collaborators. This summer, six planes collectively flew more than 400 hours over the mid-Atlantic United States with a goal of gathering data on a range of objectives, including air quality, forestry, and fire management. This was part of an effort called MAGEQ, short for Mid-Atlantic Gas Emissions Quantification. Rather than one mission, MAGEQ consists…

The phases of the lunar eclipse are visible in this time-lapse image of the Moon above the Space Environments Complex at NASA’s Glenn Research Center at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, OH on March 14, 2025. Toward the middle of the Moon’s track through the sky, it appears red – this is the Blood Moon. One meaning of a “Blood Moon” is based on its red glow. This blood moon occurs during a total lunar eclipse. During a total lunar eclipse, Earth lines up between the Moon and the Sun, hiding the Moon from sunlight. When this happens,…

NASA has earned a spot on The Webby 30, a curated list celebrating 30 companies and organizations that have shaped the digital landscape. “This honor reflects the talent of NASA’s communications professionals who bring our story to life,” said Will Boyington, associate administrator for the Office of Communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Being recognized shows that America’s leadership in space and NASA’s innovative messaging resonate with the public as we share our missions that inspire the world.” The Webby awards recognize companies across technology, media, entertainment, and social media that have consistently demonstrated creativity and innovation on their…

What does the future of space exploration look like? At the 2025 FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston, NASA gave student robotics teams and industry leaders a first-hand look—complete with lunar rovers, robotic arms, and real conversations about shaping the next era of discovery.  NASA engaged directly with the Artemis Generation, connecting with more than 55,000 students and 75,000 parents and mentors. Through interactive exhibits and discussions, students explored the agency’s robotic technologies, learned about STEM career paths and internships, and gained insight into NASA’s bold vision for the future. Many expressed interest in internships—and dreams of one day…

The latest edition of NASA’s Spinoff publication, which highlights the successful transfer of agency technology to the commercial sector, is now available online. For nearly 25 years, NASA has supported crew working in low Earth orbit to learn about the space environment and perform research to advance deep space exploration. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have learned a wealth of lessons and tried out a host of new technologies. This work leads to ongoing innovations benefiting people on Earth that are featured in NASA’s annual publication.   “The work we do in space has resulted in navigational technologies, lifesaving…

Huy Nguyen grew up hearing about rocket engines and space flight around the family table. His parents worked for NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, and those early conversations eventually started his path to NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. “They both created a household that allowed me to be curious and to be a problem solver,” Nguyen said. The dinner conversations have come full circle as the New Orleans native finds himself applying that same curiosity and problem-solving mindset at NASA Stennis. Nguyen is currently the electrical controls engineer for propulsion testing support areas,…

Listen to this audio excerpt from Ethan Jacobs, a helicopter pilot and member of the Colorado Army National Guard developing a foundational flight training course for Artemis astronauts: Your browser does not support the audio element. High above the Rocky Mountains, Ethan Jacobs is helping NASA preparing to land people on the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years. NASA will send astronauts to the lunar South Pole during the Artemis III mission and beyond. As part of their journeys, crew will travel in a human landing system that will safely transport them from lunar orbit…

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features a galaxy that’s hard to categorize. The galaxy in question is NGC 2775, which lies 67 million light-years away in the constellation Cancer (the Crab). NGC 2775 sports a smooth, featureless center that is devoid of gas, resembling an elliptical galaxy. It also has a dusty ring with patchy star clusters, like a spiral galaxy. Which is it: spiral or elliptical — or neither? Because we can only view NGC 2775 from one angle, it’s difficult to say for sure. Some researchers classify NGC 2775 as a spiral galaxy because of its feathery ring…

NASA named astronaut Scott Tingle as chief of the Astronaut Office at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, effective Nov. 10. A decorated spaceflight veteran and former captain in the United States Navy, Tingle has logged more than 4,500 flight hours in 51 different aircraft and served as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station. As chief astronaut, Tingle is responsible for managing astronaut resources and operations. He also will help develop astronaut flight crew operations and make crew assignments for future human spaceflight missions, including Artemis missions to the Moon. “Our Johnson Space Center team congratulates…

About the size of a full-size pickup truck, a newly launched satellite by NASA and its partners will provide ocean and atmospheric information to improve hurricane forecasts, help protect infrastructure, and benefit commercial activities, such as shipping. The Sentinel-6B satellite lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in central California at 9:21 p.m. PST on Nov. 16. Contact between the satellite and a ground station in northern Canada occurred about 1 hour and 30 minutes later at 10:54 p.m. All systems are functioning normally. “Understanding tidal patterns down…

NASA will provide live coverage of prelaunch and launch activities for Sentinel-6B, an international mission delivering critical sea level and ocean data to protect coastal infrastructure, improve weather forecasting, and support commercial activities at sea. Launch is targeted at 12:21 a.m. EST, Monday, Nov. 17 (9:21 p.m. PST, Sunday, Nov. 16) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Watch coverage beginning at 11:30 p.m. EST (8:30 p.m. PST) on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and more. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social…

Today’s NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the spiral galaxy NGC 4535, which is situated about 50 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo (the Maiden). Through a small telescope, this galaxy appears extremely faint, giving it the nickname ‘Lost Galaxy’. With a mirror spanning nearly eight feet (2.4 meters) across and its location above Earth’s light-obscuring atmosphere, Hubble can easily observe dim galaxies like NGC 4535 and pick out features like its massive spiral arms and central bar of stars. This image features NGC 4535’s young star clusters, which dot the galaxy’s spiral arms. Glowing-pink clouds surround many…

Ohio Space Week, Sept. 8–13, highlighted the state’s aerospace legacy and the role NASA’s Glenn Research Center has in advancing space technology.  The week kicked off with the American Astronautical Society’s Glenn Space Technology Symposium, Sept. 8–10, hosted by Case Western Reserve University. Experts, students, and industry leaders gathered to discuss emerging space technologies. NASA Glenn Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon delivered opening remarks, and astronaut Doug “Wheels” Wheelock gave a keynote on his spaceflight experience.  On Sept. 11, Team NEO hosted the Sixth Annual Ohio Space Forum at NASA Glenn, bringing together leaders from aerospace, government, academia, and research.…

After years of design, development, and testing, NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft took to the skies for the first time Oct. 28, marking a historic moment for the field of aeronautics research and the agency’s Quesst mission. The X-59, designed to fly at supersonic speeds and reduce the sound of loud sonic booms to quieter sonic thumps, took off at 11:14 a.m. EDT and flew for 67 minutes. The flight represents a major step toward quiet supersonic flight over land. “Once again, NASA and America are leading the way for the future of flight,” said acting NASA Administrator…

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft took off for its historic first flight on Oct. 28 at 11:14 a.m. EDT from Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California. The one-of-a-kind aircraft flew for 67 minutes before landing and taxiing to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA test pilot Nils Larson flew the X-59 up to an altitude of about 12,000 feet and an approximate top speed of 230 mph, precisely as planned. The plane’s landing gear remained down during the entire flight, a common practice for experimental aircraft flying for the first time. Now that the…

Marie Lewis: 2020 was a banner year for NASA’s commercial crew program, restoring the nation’s capability to launch astronauts into orbit from American soil, all while working through a pandemic and managing a colossal balancing act between work and family. Now, NASA is on the cusp of launching the next crew rotation mission to the international space station, known as Crew-2. The Rocket Ranch welcomes Dana Hutcherson, deputy manager for the program. She’ll talk about the mission ahead, reflect on the program’s 10-year anniversary and share her personal journey from supporting the space shuttle program to the new commercial…

NARRATOR To close out our Deep Space Network-focused season of NASA’s The Invisible Network podcast, we solicited your questions about the network with the hashtag #AskSCaN on social media. We really appreciate all the great input we received! In this bonus episode, we’re going to answer four fun questions from our listeners, pairing them with a subject matter expert who can provide the context we need to better understand the contributions that network capabilities provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program offer deep space missions! I’m Danny Baird, this is “The Invisible Network.”…

In this episode streamed on Dec. 19, 2019, we talk about air taxis and the future of flight. Source link

On the Gravity Assist podcast we have interviewed dozens of scientists, engineers, and others dedicated to the mission of NASA space exploration. After five years, the show is coming to a close. Here are some final thoughts and episode highlights from the podcast team. In the space exploration world, we talk about a “gravity assist” as a maneuver past a planet that increases a spacecraft’s speed. The spacecraft steals a tiny bit of energy from the planet, which is much more massive and has a lot more gravity than the spacecraft. Through the magic of physics, the spacecraft speeds…

Various Voices: Hello! Hello, NASA. Hi NASA, it’s me! The day was one of the ones that stand out in my life– 50 years later. We told each other, can you believe we’re seeing this? We could just make out the grainy images on our little black-and-white television. It was just amazing to think that there were people on that Moon up there that we could see. I had just turned five and we got to stay up late to watch it on television. It was July 20, 1969. Narrator: Welcome to NASA Explorers: Apollo… The bonus episode! Throughout…

[Música: Return to the Moon, por Dehlinger] HOST NOELIA GONZÁLEZ: Era agosto de 1972. Solo unos años atrás, la humanidad había pisado la superficie lunar por primera vez.   [Audio de archivo del astronauta Neil Armstrong: “Este es un pequeño paso para un hombre, un gran salto para la humanidad”]  HOST NOELIA GONZÁLEZ: Pocos meses antes de que la NASA lanzara Apolo 17, la misión que cerraría la era de vuelos tripulados a la Luna por décadas, algo ocurría en el Sol.   [Sonido de llamaradas solares]  HOST NOELIA GONZÁLEZ: A 150 millones de kilómetros, nuestra estrella estaba repleta de manchas…

Andres Almeida (Host): There’s a program at NASA that taps into the power of the public to solve some of the toughest problems in space exploration. It’s called Centennial Challenges, a prize competition that has awarded more than $24 million to hundreds of people ranging from academics, startup founders, small business owners, and independent inventors from across the U.S. and 86 countries.  For 20 years, these prize competitions have opened the door for teams to bring bold ideas to NASA. In some cases, these ideas spin off into real technologies shaping missions today, like 3D-printed habitats, robotics, and sustainable…

Transcript CBS news report:CBS television presents a special report on Sputnik 1, the Soviet space satellite. Douglas Edwards reporting… [0:09] Narrator:The space race between the United States and the Soviet Union began with Sputnik 1, the first satellite to orbit the Earth, in October 1957. The U.S. quickly responded with the satellite Explorer 1. News Announcer:Meanwhile, far across the country at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a sprawling 80-acre research and development complex in Pasadena California, scientists and engineers were racing toward the same deadline, 90 days to put a satellite into orbit… Narrator:Just a few years later, in 1961,…

Episode description:   In the space between stars, dark clouds of gas, dust, and ice mingle in a chemical laboratory unlike any on Earth. Ewine van Dishoeck, an astronomer who studies molecules in space and who helped develop an instrument aboard NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, explains how Webb is revealing new details about the formation of stars and planets. This research could help unlock a key question about Earth: how did our planet end up with water and the ingredients for life?   [Music: Curiosity by SYSTEM Sounds]  HOST JACOB PINTER: You’re listening to NASA’s Curious Universe. I’m your host, Jacob…

From Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars, explore the world of human spaceflight with NASA each week on the official podcast of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Listen to in-depth conversations with the astronauts, scientists and engineers who make it possible. On episode 403, NASA astronaut Chris Williams shares his journey exploring the early universe, cancer treatment techniques, and astronaut training before his first mission to the International Space Station. This episode was recorded July 8, 2025. Transcript Dane Turner (Host) Houston We Have a Podcast. Welcome to the official podcast of the NASA Johnson Space…

October marked the fifth anniversary of NASA and the original founders signing the Artemis Accords, as well as the recognition of Hungary, Malaysia and the Philippines joining the expanding coalition dedicated to the peaceful exploration of space. The number of countries involved now totals 59. “NASA welcomes the newest signatories, whose participation strengthens the global commitment to responsible exploration,” said acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy. “Their decision to sign the Artemis Accords affirms a shared commitment to safe, transparent, and peaceful exploration — at a time when others seek to weaponize the final frontier. Together we are building the…

November marks 25 years of human presence aboard the International Space Station, a testament to international collaboration and human ingenuity. Since the first crew arrived on Nov. 2, 2000, NASA and its partners have conducted thousands of research investigations and technology demonstrations to advance exploration of the Moon and Mars and benefit life on Earth. Researchers have taken advantage of the unique microgravity environment to conduct experiments impossible to replicate on Earth, transforming research across disciplines. More than 4,000 experiments have pushed the boundaries of science, sparked discoveries, and driven scientific breakthroughs. “25 years ago, Expedition 1 became the…

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft took off for its historic first flight on Oct. 28, 2025, at 11:14 a.m. EDT from Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California. The one-of-a-kind aircraft flew for 67 minutes before landing and taxiing to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. NASA test pilot Nils Larson flew the X-59 up to an altitude of about 12,000 feet and an approximate top speed of 230 mph, precisely as planned. The plane’s landing gear remained down during the entire flight, a common practice for experimental aircraft flying for the first time. Now that…

Editor’s Note: This article was updated Nov. 21, 2025 shortly after BioSentinel’s mission marked three years of operation in deep space. Astronauts live in a pretty extreme environment aboard the International Space Station. Orbiting about 250 miles above the Earth in the weightlessness of microgravity, they rely on commercial cargo missions about every two months to deliver new supplies and experiments. And yet, this place is relatively protected in terms of space radiation. The Earth’s magnetic field shields space station crew from much of the radiation that can damage the DNA in our cells and lead to serious health problems. When future astronauts…

Nearly 1,250 middle and high school students from 71 schools around the world joined Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden for the Growing Beyond Earth (GBE) Student Launch Chat with the Scientists, marking an inspiring milestone in the program’s 10th anniversary year. The live session, held in collaboration with NASA, connected classrooms directly with Dr. Gioia Massa and Trent M. Smith, senior leaders of NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Space Crop Production team. Students heard firsthand how their classroom experiments are helping NASA identify and grow the best crops for future astronauts on long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. “Our students…

NASA has selected Plug Power, Inc., of Slingerlands, New York, and Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., of Allentown, Pennsylvania, to supply up to approximately 36,952,000 pounds of liquid hydrogen for use at facilities across the agency. The NASA Agency-wide Supply of Liquid Hydrogen awards are firm-fixed-price requirements contracts that include multiple firm-fixed-price delivery orders critical for the agency’s centers as they use liquid hydrogen, combined with liquid oxygen, as fuel in cryogenic rocket engines, and the commodity’s unique properties support the development of aeronautics. The total value for the combined awards is about $147.2 million. The contracts begin Monday,…