Astrobiology

An Ancient Partnership: Co-Evolution of Earth Environments and Microbial Life

NASA-supported scientists have examined the long and intricately linked history of microbial life and the Earth’s environment.

Posted July 18, 2024

Perseverance (Rover)

Astrobiology

High-Tech Computing

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Mars

Mars 2020

Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS)

Robotics

Science-enabling Technology

Here’s How AI Is Changing NASA’s Mars Rover Science

Artificial intelligence is helping scientists to identify minerals within rocks studied by the Perseverance rover. Some scientists dream of exploring planets with “smart” spacecraft that know exactly what data to look for, where to find it, and how to analyze it.

Posted July 16, 2024

OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer)

Asteroids

Astrobiology

Astromaterials

Bennu

Goddard Space Flight Center

Johnson Space Center

Planetary Science

The Solar System

Surprising Phosphate Finding in NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample

Scientists have eagerly awaited the opportunity to dig into the 4.3-ounce (121.6-gram) pristine asteroid Bennu sample collected by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security – Regolith Explorer) mission since it was delivered to Earth last fall.

Posted June 26, 2024

Perseverance (Rover)

Astrobiology

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Johnson Space Center

Mars

Mars 2020

Planetary Environments & Atmospheres

Why Scientists Are Intrigued by Air in NASA’s Mars Sample Tubes

Tucked away with each rock and soil sample collected by the agency’s Perseverance rover is a potential boon for atmospheric scientists. Atmospheric scientists get a little more excited with every rock core NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover seals in its titanium sample tubes, which are being gathered for eventual delivery to Earth as part of the […]

Posted June 20, 2024

Astrobiology

Internships

NASA Grant Brings Students at Underserved Institutions to the Stars

At the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, interns from Cal State LA are learning key skills studying the origins of life. What does wastewater management in Los Angeles have to do with the search for life on Mars? Eduardo Martinez certainly didn’t make the connection when he was pursuing a master’s in civil engineering. Not at […]

Posted April 26, 2024

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

Astrobiology

Astrophysics

Exoplanet Science

Goddard Space Flight Center

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Studying Exoplanets

Technology

The Search for Life

NASA Puts Next-Gen Exoplanet-Imaging Technology to the Test

A cutting-edge tool to view planets outside our solar system has passed two key tests ahead of its launch as part of the agency’s Roman Space Telescope by 2027. The Coronagraph Instrument on NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will demonstrate new technologies that could vastly increase the number of planets outside our solar system […]

Posted January 31, 2024

Cassini

Astrobiology

Enceladus

Planetary Science

Saturn

Saturn Moons

The Solar System

NASA Study Finds Life-Sparking Energy Source and Molecule at Enceladus

A study zooms in on data that NASA’s Cassini gathered at Saturn’s icy moon and finds evidence of a key ingredient for life and a supercharged source of energy to fuel it. Scientists have known that the giant plume of ice grains and water vapor spewing from Saturn’s moon Enceladus is rich with organic compounds, […]

Posted December 14, 2023

Astrobiology

Goddard Space Flight Center

Outer Planets & Ocean Worlds Program

NASA: Some Icy Exoplanets May Have Habitable Oceans and Geysers

A NASA study expands the search for life beyond our solar system by indicating that 17 exoplanets (worlds outside our solar system) could have oceans of liquid water, an essential ingredient for life, beneath icy shells. Water from these oceans could occasionally erupt through the ice crust as geysers. The science team calculated the amount […]

Posted December 13, 2023