Nasa Science

• The Expedition 75 crew performed science hardware maintenance and spacesuit upkeep aboard the International Space Station on Thursday. • One crew member disconnected and stowed physics hardware used for crystal growth research inside the Destiny Microgravity Science Glovebox. • These maintenance tasks ensure that critical research equipment and safety gear remain operational for astronauts living in orbit.

• NASA scientists used the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes to study Trans-Neptunian Objects, which are icy bodies located beyond the orbit of Neptune. • The research focused on how these distant solar system objects retain chemical or physical signatures that reflect their past environments. • These findings help astronomers understand the early history and evolution of the solar system's outermost regions.

• NASA is seeking virtual panelists and/or external reviewers for Atmosphere, a program designated as ROSES A.14. • The program is looking for participants to provide feedback and review proposals, with the goal of advancing scientific research in the field of atmosphere science. • This opportunity allows individuals to contribute to the development of NASA's atmosphere-related research projects and initiatives.

• Dr. Ernie Hildner, a solar physics expert, reflected on his career in a 2013 interview, which included serving as Chief of the Solar Physics branch at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. • He spent 19 years as the Director of NOAA's Space Environment Center, now known as the Space Weather Prediction Center, where he oversaw significant scientific discoveries and technological advancements. • His work helped transform space weather from a niche research area into a vital operational service, impacting the way scientists and officials understand and prepare for solar activity.

• NASA’s Curiosity rover photographed a valley called Valle Grande in June 2026, discovering a vast field of honeycomb-like ground fractures. • The rover captured images of small polygonal fractures that measure between 4 and 8 centimeters across. • Researchers are analyzing the chemistry and imagery of these textures to determine the geological processes that formed them.

• NASA issued 10 new awards through its Planetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO) program. • The PICASSO23 projects focus on creating technology to explore diverse environments ranging from the hot surface of Mercury to icy worlds at the Solar System's edge. • These awards expand the available portfolio of instruments that NASA can use to develop future planetary exploration missions.

• NASA issued Amendment 72 for the A.17 Hydrosphere solicitation to request research on the physics of Earth's water. • The program focuses on three specific scientific disciplines: ocean physics, terrestrial hydrology, and precipitation science. • This opportunity allows researchers to secure funding to study how water moves and interacts across the ocean, land, and atmosphere.

• NASA selected two science instruments for astronauts to deploy on the Moon's surface during the Artemis IV mission to the lunar south polar region. • These specific tools are designed to improve scientific knowledge of the lunar environment. • The data gathered will support NASA's long-term goals for further exploration of the Moon and future missions to Mars.

• NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate (HSMD) have released the final text for the fifth Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) Cooperative Agreement Notice. • The notice, officially designated as NNH26ZDA016C, outlines the framework for the CAN-5 agreement. • This initiative is critical for fostering collaborative research and advancing the scientific goals of solar system exploration.

• NASA's Swift space telescope has resumed its science observations after a private rescue mission failed to boost its decaying orbit. • The nearly 22-year-old observatory is now focusing on maximizing its remaining operational time to study the cosmos. • This development is critical because the telescope's orbit continues to decay, meaning it will eventually re-enter Earth's atmosphere and be destroyed.

• NASA has issued Amendment 71 for the A.16 Cryosphere solicitation, seeking high-impact research proposals focused on glaciers, ice sheets, and sea ice. • Proposed investigations must leverage existing data from NASA's airborne campaigns and satellite missions to address urgent challenges in cryospheric science. • The initiative aligns with the National Academy of Sciences' 2018 Decadal Survey, "Thriving on Our Changing Planet," to ensure research targets the most critical Earth observation priorities.

• NASA is scheduled to launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope at 7:26 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 30. • The flagship mission utilizes a large field of view combined with high-resolution infrared vision to scan expansive areas of the deep sky. • The telescope is specifically designed to help astronomers investigate the mysteries of dark matter, dark energy, and exoplanets located outside our solar system.

• Dr. Donald Fairfield, a pioneer in magnetospheric physics, shared insights into his career and foundational discoveries in a NASA Science interview. • Beginning in the early 1960s under advisor Dr. James Dungey, Fairfield used early satellite data to prove that southward interplanetary magnetic fields drive magnetospheric currents. • While working at NASA Goddard, he further utilized data from IMP spacecraft to establish key principles regarding space weather.

• NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day highlights an upcoming total solar eclipse scheduled to occur over Spain on August 13, 2026. • The event provides a critical opportunity for scientists to study the solar corona and investigate why it remains millions of degrees hotter than the Sun's surface. • NASA encourages citizen scientists to participate by imaging the corona and recording environmental data, including air temperature, cloud cover, and wildlife behavior.

• The Facility for Outreach and Community Engagement (FORCE) hosted events to train the next generation of planetary scientists in public engagement skills. • Visitors toured the facility, met the research team, and explored equipment used to simulate planetary interiors, while interns presented their research at a poster session. • The events aimed to explain complex science in accessible ways, enabling better understanding of how planets form and evolve.

• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineers have successfully freed up power on the Voyager 2 spacecraft to extend its operational lifespan. • The team achieved this by disabling non-essential systems, allowing the probe to prioritize its remaining energy for critical science instruments. • This intervention is vital because Voyager 2 is traveling through interstellar space and relies on a decaying radioisotope thermoelectric generator for power.

• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineers have successfully optimized power management on Voyager 2 to extend its operational lifespan. • The team freed up critical electrical power, allowing the spacecraft to continue operating its scientific instruments longer than previously expected. • This effort is vital because Voyager 2 is traveling in interstellar space, far from the sun, and relies on a dwindling supply of power from its radioisotope thermoelectric generators.

• In 2026, NASA successfully flew astronauts around the Moon for the first time in over fifty years, marking a major milestone in human space exploration. • Simultaneously, the White House proposed some of the deepest budget cuts in the agency's history, specifically targeting science and climate research programs. • The proposed cuts would disproportionately impact robotic probes and telescopes, which are the most cost-effective tools for NASA's scientific discoveries.

• NASA has updated the ROSES-25 A.1 Earth Science Research Overview to require that all proposals requesting high-end computing, networking, and storage resources explicitly include associated costs. • This requirement ensures that the critical infrastructure needed for processing complex Earth science data is properly budgeted and accounted for during the proposal phase. • The update highlights the essential role of high-performance computing in enabling advanced research and data analysis for NASA's scientific missions.

• NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is analyzing "little red dots" (LRDs), a class of distant objects first discovered in 2022. • Researchers are using high-resolution data to trace the "family tree" of these objects, identifying how LRDs evolve into progeny galaxies. • This study builds upon earlier findings from the retired Spitzer Space Telescope, which first hinted at the existence of dust-obscured, compact galaxies in the lower-redshift universe.

• NASA's Accelerating Earth Solutions (AES) initiative is working to integrate Earth-observing satellite measurements more effectively into decision-making processes. • Recent astronomical findings include a 500-million-year decline in star formation within the Andromeda galaxy as observed by the Hubble Space Telescope. • Other key missions highlighted include the Parker Solar Probe's historic flight through the Sun's corona and the Juno spacecraft's ongoing study of Jupiter since 2016.

• NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory detected a "wandering" or "orphan" mega black hole as it shredded and consumed a star on the outskirts of a distant galaxy. • This rare event, known as a tidal disruption event, occurred when the black hole's gravity tore the star apart, creating a massive flare of light. • The discovery is significant because it identifies a black hole that is not located at the center of its galaxy, challenging typical models of galactic structure.

• NASA has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather input on a potential upcoming prize competition focused on science and innovation. • Interested parties must submit responses to specific topics, with a character limit of 3,000 (approximately 500 words) per response. • This process allows NASA to solicit external expertise and innovative ideas to help the agency explore the unknown in air and space for the benefit of humanity.

• NASA has issued Amendment 66 regarding the B.2 Heliophysics Foundational Research (HFR) solicitation, which focuses on advancing the physical understanding of the Sun-Heliosphere-Planetary system. • The update specifically announces the due date for "Step-2" proposals and includes a necessary correction to the previous solicitation guidelines. • This process is critical for selecting scientific investigations that will drive foundational research in heliophysics and space weather.

• NASA has issued Amendment 64 for the A.15 Biosphere research area, which seeks to fund foundational knowledge on interactions within terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. • The initiative focuses on understanding complex biological systems and their environmental drivers to improve Earth science modeling. • This research is critical for monitoring global biodiversity and assessing how ecosystems respond to climate change and human activity.

• NASA is preparing to launch the first of six new airborne science campaigns starting this summer. • These missions will utilize aircraft to study Earth's systems, environment, and climate patterns. • The initiative is part of NASA's broader Earth Observatory effort to gather critical data and imagery of the planet.

• NASA's Calibration Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory Pathfinder (CLARREO Pathfinder) successfully recorded its first measurements in space this summer. • The instrument is designed to provide high-accuracy calibration for Earth-observing satellites by measuring absolute radiance and refractivity. • This milestone is critical for improving the precision of climate data, allowing scientists to better detect long-term trends in Earth's radiation budget.

• NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has successfully woken up in good health after completing its longest hibernation period to date, which lasted nearly one year. • The spacecraft is now ready to resume transmitting data as it continues its mission to explore the distant reaches of the solar system. • This mission has achieved several historic milestones since its 2006 launch, including a 2007 Jupiter flyby, the first exploration of Pluto in 2015, and a 2019 visit to the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth.