Communicating and Navigating with Missions

Former Space Communications, Navigation Interns Pioneer NASA’s Future

For over a decade, NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) Internship Project alumni have played important roles in extending the agency’s long-term vision for exploration.

Posted July 25, 2024

Artemis

Ground Antenna Trio to Give NASA’s Artemis Campaign ‘LEGS’ to Stand On

Background NASA’s LEGS can do more than help Earthlings move about the planet. Three Lunar Exploration Ground Sites, or LEGS, will enhance the Near Space Network’s communications services and support of NASA’s Artemis campaign.

Posted July 22, 2024

Earth Science

PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem)

Space Operations Mission Directorate

NASA’s Near Space Network Enables PACE Climate Mission to ‘Phone Home’

The PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission has delivered its first operational data back to researchers, a feat made possible in part by innovative, data-storing technology from NASA’s Near Space Network, which introduced two key enhancements for PACE and other upcoming science missions.

Posted April 17, 2024

Artemis

Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS)

Technology

How NASA Uses Simple Technology to Track Lunar Missions

NASA is using a simple but effective technology called Laser Retroreflective Arrays (LRAs) to determine the locations of lunar landers more accurately. They will be attached to most of the landers from United States companies as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Service (CLPS) initiative.

Posted February 13, 2024

General

Wideband Technology

Overview As NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) constellation approaches retirement, partnerships with commercial industry will play a critical role in the development of future space communications and navigation architecture.

Posted January 18, 2024

Glenn Research Center

Artemis 2

Doing Business with NASA

Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle

Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business

NASA Funds Laser Communications Tech with Small Business

NASA is working with private industry partners and small businesses under Artemis to produce scalable, affordable, and advanced laser communications systems that could enable greater exploration and discovery beyond Earth for the benefit of all.

Posted January 10, 2024

Artemis 1

Artemis

General

Johnson Space Center

Volunteers Worldwide Successfully Tracked NASA’s Artemis I Mission

In the year since NASA’s historic Artemis I mission successfully launched, the agency has been analyzing data from its approximately 25-day journey around the Moon and back to Earth, including data submitted from volunteers around the world as they tracked the uncrewed Orion spacecraft. The flight test, which launched on Nov. 16, 2022, atop the […]

Posted November 15, 2023

Technology

Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy (OTPS)

Technology for Space Travel

NASA Improves GIANT Optical Navigation Technology for Future Missions

Goddard's GIANT optical navigation software helped guide the OSIRIS-REx mission to the Asteroid Bennu. Today its developers continue to add functionality and streamline useability for future missions.

Posted October 25, 2023

General

ILLUMA-T

Laser Communications Relay