January 2026

Science Mission Directorate
Astrophysics Division
Missions
NASA announced Monday the selection of industry proposals to advance technologies for the agency’s Habitable Worlds Observatory concept – the first mission that would directly image Earth-like planets around stars like our Sun and study the chemical composition of their atmospheres for signs of life.
Posted January 5, 2026
Skywatching
Skywatching Tips
The Solar System
Jupiter is at its biggest and brightest all year, the Moon and Saturn pair up, and the Beehive Cluster buzzes into view.
Posted January 5, 2026
Astrophysics
Astrophysics Division
Binary Stars
Goddard Space Flight Center
Hubble Space Telescope
Stars
The Universe
Using new observations from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based observatories, astronomers tracked the influence of a recently discovered companion star, Siwarha, on the gas around Betelgeuse.
Posted January 5, 2026
I Am Artemis
Artemis 2
Johnson Flight Operations
Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle
Orion Program
Listen to this audio excerpt from Jacki Mahaffey, Artemis II chief training officer: When the Artemis II crew travels around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft, they will have spent countless hours training for their lunar mission, and Jacki Mahaffey will have played a role in preparing them for their journey. As the Artemis II […]
Posted January 5, 2026
Humans in Space
International Space Station (ISS)
Johnson Space Center
NASA astronauts will conduct two spacewalks Thursday, Jan. 8, and Thursday, Jan. 15, outside the International Space Station, and the agency will provide comprehensive coverage. The first spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. EST on Jan. 8 and last about six hours and 30 minutes. NASA will provide live coverage beginning at 6:30 […]
Posted January 5, 2026
Astrophysics
Astrophysics Division
Dark Matter
Galaxies
Goddard Space Flight Center
Hubble Space Telescope
A team using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered a new type of astronomical object — a starless, gas-rich, dark-matter cloud considered a “relic” or remnant of early galaxy formation.
Posted January 5, 2026
Learning Resources
Internships
A NASA internship provides a stellar opportunity to launch your future as part of America’s aerospace workforce. NASA interns take on meaningful work and contribute to exciting agency projects with the guidance of a supportive mentor.
Posted January 5, 2026
Scientific Balloons
A scientific balloon starts its ascent into the air as it prepares to launch carrying NASA’s Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO) mission. The mission lifted off from Antarctica at 5:56 a.m. NZST, Saturday, Dec. 20 (11:56 a.m., Friday, Dec. 19 in U.S. Eastern Time). The PUEO mission is designed to detect radio signals created […]
Posted January 5, 2026
Earth Observatory
Landsat 9
The colorful formations found in this bowl-shaped escarpment in southwestern Utah are the centerpiece of Cedar Breaks National Monument.
Posted January 5, 2026
Spiral Galaxies
A sideways spiral galaxy shines in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image. Located about 60 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo (the Maiden), NGC 4388 is a resident of the Virgo galaxy cluster. This enormous cluster of galaxies contains more than a thousand members and is the nearest large galaxy cluster to the Milky Way.
Posted January 2, 2026
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