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NASA races to keep Artemis II on schedule, even when workers aren't being paid
6 months ago
- NASA's critical operations remain unaffected by the federal government shutdown, but unpaid employees may soon face challenges.
- Essential tasks include operating the International Space Station and robotic probes, with many Kennedy Space Center employees continuing work on Artemis II.
- Artemis II mission milestones achieved include stacking the Orion spacecraft on the SLS rocket, keeping the launch on schedule for February.
- Artemis II will be the first crewed flight of Orion and SLS, testing systems for future lunar landings during a 10-day mission around the Moon.
- Months of testing, astronaut training, and preparations remain before Artemis II's launch, including a fueling demonstration and countdown at Launch Complex 39B.
X-59 Supersonic Test Jet Takes to the Air (Updated)
6 months ago
- The X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) experimental test aircraft has completed its first flight, marking a significant milestone in supersonic passenger flight research.
- The first flight took place at the U.S. Air Force’s Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, with plans to move the aircraft to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center for further testing.
- NASA aims to demonstrate that the X-59 can reduce sonic booms to quieter 'sonic thumps,' potentially enabling future commercial supersonic flights over land.
- The X-59 features a unique design, including a long nose to dissipate shock waves and an eXternal Vision System (XVS) for pilot visibility, with no forward-facing window.
- The aircraft is powered by a single F414-GE-100 turbofan, similar to the engine used in the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and incorporates parts from other aircraft like the T-38 Talon and F-16.
- The QueSST program includes three phases: verifying airworthiness, testing supersonic performance, and conducting community response studies to assess noise impact.
- If successful, the X-59 could lead to regulatory changes allowing commercial supersonic flight over land, though challenges remain in developing viable supersonic passenger transports.
- The project, initially planned for a 2020 first flight, faced delays due to technical challenges but has now achieved its first flight, with further testing planned.
Exposure of Wood to Outer Space
6 months ago
- Abstract and Impact Statement sections are present but lack specific content.
- ISS Science for Everyone section includes Science Objectives for Everyone.
- Content provided by Scott A. Dulchavsky, M.D., Ph.D., and maintained by the ISS Research Integration Office.
- Includes sections for Publications, Results Publications, Flight Preparation Results Publications, ISS Patents, and Related Publications.
- Related Experiments/Facilities and Category sections are mentioned.
- Principal Investigator(s), Co-Investigator(s)/Collaborator(s), Developer(s), Sponsoring Space Agency, and Sponsoring Organization details are included.
- ISS Expedition Duration, Expeditions Assigned, and Previous Missions sections are noted.
- Media links and NASA Responsible Official (Jennifer L. Turner) are specified.
NASA pushes back after Kim Kardashian claims the 1969 moon landing was fake
6 months ago
- NASA responds to Kim Kardashian's claim that the 1969 moon landing was fake.
- Kim Kardashian made controversial statements questioning the authenticity of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
- The article highlights NASA's reaction to celebrity claims about historical space events.
In a stunning comeback, Jared Isaacman is renominated to lead NASA
6 months ago
- President Trump announced the renomination of Jared Isaacman to lead NASA.
- Isaacman was previously nominated in May but withdrawn for political reasons related to past Democratic donations.
- Trump praised Isaacman's passion for space, astronaut experience, and dedication to advancing space exploration.
- Sergio Gor, former head of the White House Office of Personnel Management, initially derailed Isaacman's nomination.
- Isaacman gracefully stepped aside, and Trump appointed Sean Duffy as interim NASA leader.
- Duffy settled into the role, enjoying media attention but not selecting a permanent candidate.
- Trump allies, like Newt Gingrich, advocated for Isaacman due to his business and spaceflight background.
- Trump reconsidered Isaacman's nomination after Gor left Washington for an ambassadorship in India.
- Isaacman and Trump developed a relationship through multiple dinners.
Orbital dynamics wizardry helped save NASA's next Mars mission
6 months ago
- NASA's ESCAPADE mission was saved from delay and possible cancellation by an innovative trajectory solution.
- The mission consists of two identical spacecraft launching on Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket.
- Originally planned for a direct Earth-to-Mars trajectory, ESCAPADE will now use a loiter orbit to align with Mars in November 2025.
- The New Glenn rocket is overkill for the mission but NASA secured a cost-effective deal with Blue Origin.
- NASA is paying approximately $20 million for the launch, accepting a higher risk due to the rocket's unproven status.
View Interstellar Comet 3I/Atlas Through NASA's Multiple Lenses
5 months ago
- NASA is conducting a solar system-wide observation campaign of comet 3I/ATLAS, the third known interstellar object passing through our solar system.
- Twelve NASA assets have captured imagery of the comet since its discovery on July 1, with more observations planned.
- Mars spacecraft, including MRO, MAVEN, and Perseverance, provided close-up and ultraviolet images of the comet.
- Heliophysics missions like STEREO, SOHO, and PUNCH observed the comet near the Sun, a first for interstellar objects.
- Psyche and Lucy spacecraft captured images of 3I/ATLAS during their journeys, aiding in trajectory refinement and studying its coma and tail.
- The comet was discovered by the ATLAS telescope in Chile and later observed by Hubble, James Webb, and SPHEREx.
- Comet 3I/ATLAS will be closest to Earth on December 19, 2024, at 170 million miles, with continued observations until it passes Jupiter's orbit in 2026.
Voyager 1 to reach a one-light-day milestone in 2026
5 months ago
- Voyager 1 will reach a milestone in late 2026, becoming the first spacecraft to be one light day away from Earth.
- The speed of light (186,000 miles per second) is the fastest possible speed, causing noticeable delays in space communication.
- Delays in communication were first publicly noticed during the Apollo Moon landings, with a 2.6-second delay between Earth and the Moon.
- Communication delays increase with distance: up to four minutes for Mars, 52 minutes for Jupiter, and 6.8 hours for Pluto.
- Deep space missions require autonomous spacecraft due to these communication delays.
- Voyager 1, launched in 1977, continues to function despite its age and harsh conditions, powered by a nuclear source expected to last another year.
- Currently, Voyager 1 is 15.7 billion miles from Earth, with a one-way communication delay of nearly 24 hours.
- By November 2026, Voyager 1 will be 16.1 billion miles away, making the communication delay a full 24 hours.
- Voyager 2 is closer, at 19.5 light hours away.
- Both Voyager probes remain in contact via NASA's Deep Space Network, but commands to Voyager 1 will soon take two days to acknowledge.
Blue Origin to Build a "Super Heavy" Rocket to Compete with Starship
5 months ago
- Blue Origin successfully launched the New Glenn rocket (NG-2) with NASA's ESCAPADE mission to Mars.
- The first stage of the New Glenn rocket was successfully retrieved, marking partial reusability.
- Blue Origin announced enhancements for New Glenn, including propulsion, avionics, and reusability upgrades.
- Upgraded BE-4 engines will increase thrust from 16,800 kN to 19,928 kN.
- Enhanced BE-3U thrusters for the upper stage will deliver 1,779 kN of thrust, up from 1,423 kN.
- Blue Origin plans a 'super-heavy' version, New Glenn 9x4, with increased payload capacity.
- The super-heavy version will feature a larger fairing and deliver 70 metric tons to LEO.
- Blue Origin aims to support NASA's Artemis Program, including Artemis V and VI missions.
- NASA may outsource more launch and crewed spacecraft needs to commercial providers like Blue Origin.
- Blue Origin seeks additional contracts for deep space exploration and national security programs.
Cosmonaut Artemyev excluded from Crew-12 for photographing SpaceX documents
5 months ago
- Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev was removed from the Crew-12 mission months before the launch to the ISS.
- Andrei Fedyaev will replace Artemyev, reportedly due to violations of ITAR export controls involving photographing SpaceX documentation.
- An interdepartmental investigation has been launched, with sources confirming the violation occurred.
- NASA reportedly wants to avoid publicity around the scandal involving Artemyev.
- Artemyev allegedly photographed SpaceX engines and internal materials, then removed them from the SpaceX base in Hawthorne, California.
- Roscosmos stated Artemyev was replaced due to 'transition to another job,' but independent sources suggest the ITAR violation as the real reason.
- Artemyev, a 54-year-old experienced cosmonaut with three spaceflights totaling 560 days, is also a Moscow City Duma deputy from United Russia.
- The Crew-12 mission launch is scheduled for February 15, 2026.
- ITAR regulates the export of U.S. military technologies, and violations are taken seriously.
NASA loses contact with Maven – spacecraft orbiting Mars for more than a decade
5 months ago
- NASA lost contact with the Maven spacecraft orbiting Mars for over a decade.
- Maven stopped communicating after passing behind Mars; subsystems were normal before the incident.
- NASA is investigating the anomaly and working to re-establish communication.
- Maven, launched in 2013, studies Mars' upper atmosphere and its interaction with solar wind.
- The spacecraft helped explain Mars' atmospheric loss, transforming it from warm/wet to cold/dry.
- Maven also serves as a relay for NASA's Mars rovers, Curiosity and Perseverance.
- Two other active NASA spacecraft around Mars: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2005) and Mars Odyssey (2001).
NASA just lost contact with a Mars orbiter, and will soon lose another one
5 months ago
- NASA lost contact with the MAVEN spacecraft orbiting Mars on December 6.
- MAVEN is the newest of NASA's three Mars orbiters, studying interactions between the Sun and Martian atmosphere.
- MAVEN discovered how solar wind eroded Mars' atmosphere, transforming it from habitable to inhospitable.
- The spacecraft also contributed to understanding Mars' auroras and acted as a relay for Mars rovers.
- MAVEN has exceeded its design life and is part of NASA's Mars relay network.
- If MAVEN is not revived, NASA has two other orbiters to continue operations.
Billionaire Jared Isaacman, confirmed as NASA chief
5 months ago
- Billionaire Jared Isaacman confirmed as NASA chief by the US Senate.
- Isaacman is the first NASA administrator in decades from outside government.
- His tenure will be judged by the ability to return humans to the Moon before China.
- Trump supports establishing a lunar base for resource extraction and Mars missions.
- Senate confirmed Isaacman's appointment with a 67-30 vote.
- Trump initially nominated Isaacman in 2024 but withdrew due to a feud with Elon Musk.
- Isaacman supports Trump's mission to mine the Moon and emphasizes urgency in the space race.
- He advocates for private sector competition and partnerships with universities.
- Isaacman is willing to fund innovation personally if necessary.
- His net worth is $1.2 billion, earned from payment-processing and aviation businesses.
- This is Isaacman's first political role, succeeding interim chief Sean Duffy.
Trump commits to Moon landing by 2028, followed by a lunar outpost 2 years later
5 months ago
- Jared Isaacman sworn in as next NASA administrator.
- President Trump signs 'Ensuring American Space Superiority' executive order.
- 2028 lunar landing goal via Artemis Program.
- Plan for lunar outpost by 2030.
- Nuclear reactors to be deployed on the Moon by 2030.
- Promotion of private launch services for sustainability.
- Goal to replace ISS with commercial stations by 2030.
- Leaner procurement methods prioritized for space acquisitions.
- National Space Council revoked by executive order.
NASA will soon find out if the Perseverance rover can persevere on Mars
4 months ago
- NASA's Perseverance rover is in excellent health after nearly five years on Mars.
- The Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, originally planned for 2026-2028, is delayed due to cost overruns ($11 billion) and may not launch until the 2030s.
- Perseverance has traveled 25 miles (40 km), double its original mobility certification, and is expected to operate until at least 2031.
- The rover uses a plutonium power source, similar to Curiosity, which has operated for over 13 years on Mars.
- NASA's MSR strategy remains undecided, leaving Perseverance to continue its mission longer than initially planned.
Next Five Asteroid Approaches
4 months ago
- Five upcoming asteroid approaches to Earth are detailed, with sizes ranging from 51 to 230 feet.
- Closest approaches vary from 1,260,000 to 4,600,000 miles, with dates around December 29-30, 2025.
- The Asteroid Watch Dashboard tracks close approaches of asteroids and comets, providing details like date, size, and distance.
- Objects larger than 150 meters approaching within 4.6 million miles are classified as potentially hazardous.
- The average Earth-moon distance is 239,000 miles (385,000 kilometers), serving as a reference for these approaches.
NASA Scientist Finds Predicted Companion Star to Betelgeuse
4 months ago
- A century-old hypothesis about Betelgeuse having a close companion star was confirmed by NASA-led research.
- The companion star, named 'Siwarha', was detected using the Gemini North telescope in Hawai’i with a high-resolution camera.
- Direct observation was challenging due to Betelgeuse's intense glow, but advanced imaging techniques overcame atmospheric blurring.
- The discovery may explain periodic brightness changes in red supergiant stars.
- Further observations are planned for November 2027 when the companion star is at its widest separation from Betelgeuse.
- The NN-EXPLORE program supports exoplanet research by providing access to ground-based observational facilities.
NASA's science budget won't be a train wreck after all
4 months ago
- White House proposed a 50% cut to NASA's science programs for fiscal year 2026.
- Trump administration instructed space science missions to prepare for shutdowns.
- Congress intervened, signaling intent to fund most of NASA's science initiatives.
- Final budget agreement reduced NASA's science funding by only 1%, totaling $7.25 billion.
- Planetary Society's Casey Dreier expressed relief, calling the outcome better than expected.
- Budget does not reverse workforce cuts from 2025 voluntary buyouts.
- Scientists and engineers wasted time planning for the initial drastic budget cuts.
After half a decade, the Russian space station segment stopped leaking
4 months ago
- Persistent leaks in the International Space Station's PrK module have stopped.
- The leaks were caused by microscopic cracks in the Russian segment's PrK module.
- The leakage rate doubled in 2024, raising concerns for NASA and Roscosmos.
- NASA confirmed the module's pressure is now stable after inspections and sealing.
- Russian cosmonauts used a patented sealant, Germetall-1, to fix the cracks over years.
- The process involved periodic hatch closures and dust accumulation checks to locate leaks.
Our Changing Planet, as Seen from Space
4 months ago
- Humans are significantly altering the planet through large-scale land conversion and greenhouse gas emissions.
- The impact of these changes is visible from space.
- NASA’s Earth Observatory has shared satellite photos documenting the growing human footprint on Earth.

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#nasa

NASA races to keep Artemis II on schedule, even when workers aren't being paid

X-59 Supersonic Test Jet Takes to the Air (Updated)

Exposure of Wood to Outer Space

NASA pushes back after Kim Kardashian claims the 1969 moon landing was fake

In a stunning comeback, Jared Isaacman is renominated to lead NASA

Orbital dynamics wizardry helped save NASA's next Mars mission

View Interstellar Comet 3I/Atlas Through NASA's Multiple Lenses

Voyager 1 to reach a one-light-day milestone in 2026

Blue Origin to Build a "Super Heavy" Rocket to Compete with Starship

Cosmonaut Artemyev excluded from Crew-12 for photographing SpaceX documents

NASA loses contact with Maven – spacecraft orbiting Mars for more than a decade

NASA just lost contact with a Mars orbiter, and will soon lose another one

Billionaire Jared Isaacman, confirmed as NASA chief

Trump commits to Moon landing by 2028, followed by a lunar outpost 2 years later

NASA will soon find out if the Perseverance rover can persevere on Mars

Next Five Asteroid Approaches

NASA Scientist Finds Predicted Companion Star to Betelgeuse

NASA's science budget won't be a train wreck after all

After half a decade, the Russian space station segment stopped leaking

Our Changing Planet, as Seen from Space