December 2024

Mechanical Systems TDT Support Reaches Across NASA Programs

The NESC Mechanical Systems TDT provides broad support across NASA’s mission directorates.

Posted December 26, 2024

NESC Assists in Heatshield Investigation

NASA’s uncrewed Artemis I mission launched from KSC on November 16, 2022. After a successful mission that included orbiting the Moon, the Orion spacecraft returned to Earth splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on December 11, 2022.

Posted December 26, 2024

Women at NASA

Laboratory Director Tawnya Plummer Laughinghouse

“When I transitioned from Spelman to Georgia Tech, it was probably the first time in my life that I had a professor that made me question if I belonged or had what it takes. Previously, I was always used as an example of how students should study, and now, in my first chemical engineering class, […]

Posted December 26, 2024

Chandra X-Ray Observatory

Star Clusters

Hang a Shining Star Upon the Highest Bough

This new view of the “Christmas tree cluster” NGC 2264, released on Dec. 17, 2024, combines data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and optical data from astrophotographer Michael Clow’s telescope in Arizona. Chandra data is represented in red, purple, blue, and white, while optical data is in green and violet.

Posted December 24, 2024

General

NASA Engineering and Safety Center

Collaboration Is Key to A Strong Materials Discipline

NASA has a strong need for advanced materials and processes (M&P) across the realms of robotic- and crewed-spaceflight, as well as aeronautics, particularly when one acknowledges that all craft must be made of something. To meet that need, the materials discipline relies on collaboration—both between centers and across disciplines.

Posted December 24, 2024

NASA Engineering and Safety Center

Characterizing the Visual Experience of Astronauts at the Lunar South Pole

Humans are returning to the Moon—this time, to stay. Because our presence will be more permanent, NASA has selected a location that maximizes line-of-sight communication with Earth, solar visibility, and access to water ice: the Lunar South Pole (LSP). While the Sun is in the lunar sky more consistently at the poles, it never rises […]

Posted December 24, 2024

General

Johnson Space Center

Celebrating the Holiday Season in Space

Crew members aboard the International Space Station celebrate the holiday season in a unique way while living and working at the orbiting laboratory.

Posted December 24, 2024

Artemis

Commercial Moon Rovers Under Test

Venturi Astrolab’s FLEX, Intuitive Machines’ Moon RACER, and Lunar Outpost’s Eagle lunar terrain vehicle – three commercially owned and developed LTVs (Lunar Terrain Vehicle) – are pictured at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in this photo from Nov. 21, 2024.

Posted December 23, 2024

General

Ken Freeman Receives Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) Award for ATM-X Digital Information Platform (DIP)

Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) Award to the NASA ATM-X Digital Information Platform (DIP) TeamIn November 2024, the Digital Information Platform (DIP) team received the prestigious Industry Award from the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) at the annual ATCA Connect Conference in Washington, DC. The award recognized the team’s efforts i

Posted December 23, 2024

Citizen Science

Earth Science Division

Heliophysics Division

Planetary Science Division

Science Done by Volunteers Highlighted at December’s American Geophysical Union Meeting

More than 30,000 scientists gathered in Washington, D.C. during the second week of December – many to show off the work of NASA’s science volunteers! The American Geophysical Union held its annual meeting of professionals this month – the world’s largest gathering of Earth and Space Scientists. Here’s what they were talking about. Two dozen […]

Posted December 23, 2024