NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft sits on the ramp at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California during sunrise, shortly after completion of painting in December 2023.Credit: NASA/Steve Freeman As we observe National Aviation Day Tuesday – a tribute to Orville Wright’s birthday – let’s reflect on both America’s and NASA’s aviation heritage and [...]
A collaboration between NASA and the small business Aloft Sensing produced a new compact radar system that will enable researchers to leverage High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) platforms to observe dynamic Earth systems. This new radar is small, provides highly sensitive measurements, and doesn’t require GPS for positioning; eventually, it could be used on vehicles [...]
5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) This National Aviation Day graphic shows Orville Wright surrounded by the faces of some of NASA’s aeronautical innovators.NASA / Maria Werries The first “A” in NASA stands for Aeronautics – so naturally that means today, Aug. 19, National Aviation Day, is one of our [...]
If you asked someone what they expected to see during a visit to NASA’s Johnson Space Center, they would probably list things like astronauts, engineers, and maybe a spacecraft or two. It might be a surprise to learn you can also spy hundreds of species of animals – from geckos and snakes to white-tailed deer [...]
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 21, 2025, on the company’s 32nd commercial resupply services mission for the agency to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 4:15 a.m. EDT. SpaceX NASA and SpaceX are targeting 2:45 [...]
Tess Caswell supports the International Space Station from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston as a capsule communicator, or capcom, and helps plan and train for future spacewalks with the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) team in the Flight Operations Directorate. She is currently on rotation as the Artemis lead capcom, helping to develop training and processes [...]
Explore This SectionEarthEarth ObserverEditor’s CornerFeature ArticlesMeeting SummariesNewsScience in the NewsCalendarsIn MemoriamAnnouncementsMoreArchivesConference SchedulesStyle Guide 30 min read Summary of the 2025 GEDI Science Team Meeting Introduction The 2025 Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Science Team Meeting (STM) took place April 1–3, 2025 at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). Upwards of 60 participants attended in-person, [...]
Explore This SectionEarthEarth ObserverEditor’s CornerFeature ArticlesMeeting SummariesNewsScience in the NewsCalendarsIn MemoriamAnnouncementsMoreArchivesConference SchedulesStyle Guide 21 min read A Decade of Global Water Cycle Monitoring: NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive Mission Introduction The NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission, launched in 2015, has over 10 years of global L-band radiometry observations. The [...]
Explore This SectionEarthEarth ObserverEditor’s CornerFeature ArticlesMeeting SummariesNewsScience in the NewsCalendarsIn MemoriamAnnouncementsMoreArchivesConference SchedulesStyle Guide 12 min read Summary of the 54th U.S.–Japan ASTER Science Team Meeting Introduction The Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Science Team (ST) organized a three-day workshop that took place June 9–11, 2025, at the Japan Space System’s (JSS) offices [...]
Explore This SectionScienceFor EducatorsPortable Planetarium takes…OverviewLearning ResourcesScience Activation TeamsSME MapOpportunitiesMoreScience Activation StoriesCitizen Science 3 min read Portable Planetarium takes Thousands of Alaskan Students on a Cosmic Adventure Exploring the Cosmos and Inspiring Young Minds From January through June 2025, the Education Outreach Office at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute (GI) continued its mission [...]
