NASA News - SciTechDaily

Look Up! A Blue Supermoon Will Light Up the Sky

Gordon Johnston, NASA — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 20:29:33 +0000

The Next Full Moon is a Supermoon, a Blue Moon; the Sturgeon Moon; the Red, Corn, Green Corn, Barley, Herb, Grain, or Dog Moon; Raksha Bandhan or Rakhi Purnima; and Tu B’Av. August 2024 will feature a rare celestial event—a super blue Moon. This full Moon will be the first of four consecutive supermoons, offering [...]

Geomorphic Transformations: Landslide in British Columbia Ushers In Unexpected New Lake

Adam Voiland, NASA Earth Observatory — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 23:39:44 +0000

On July 30, 2024, a significant landslide occurred in Farwell Canyon, British Columbia, resulting in a massive earth deposit that blocked the Chilcotin River and created a new lake. The debris prompted immediate flood warnings and evacuation orders for downstream areas. By August 5, water levels rose, challenging the stability of the dam formed by [...]

Potential Evidence of Life Discovered on Mars by NASA’s Perseverance Rover

Jet Propulsion Laboratory — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 08:26:06 +0000

NASA’s Perseverance rover has discovered an intriguing rock on Mars, named Cheyava Falls, showcasing potential signs of ancient life due to its unique chemical signatures and structural features. This finding, supported by the presence of organic compounds and distinct color patterns suggestive of microbial activity, fuels ongoing research to determine Mars’s habitability. Discovery of Cheyava [...]

Tracing Water on Mars: From Ice Caps to Hidden Oceans and the Quest for Life

Charles Q. Choi, NASA — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 16:01:34 +0000

Mars, though currently a frigid, dry landscape, harbors compelling signs of its wetter past and potential subterranean water sources that could support life or future human colonies. Research indicates ancient Martian rivers and lakes, frozen water at the poles, and minerals suggesting significant water presence. These findings shape the search for life and inform plans [...]

Debby’s Deluge: The Southeast Submerged by Over a Foot of Rainfall

Kathryn Hansen, NASA Earth Observatory — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 22:40:23 +0000

Tropical Storm Debby struck the U.S. Southeast in early August 2024, bringing with it over a foot of rainfall across several states. After initially hitting Florida, the storm caused extensive flooding in the Carolinas. NASA is actively tracking the storm’s progression and its impact. Tropical Storm Debby lashed the U.S. Southeast in the first week [...]

How Hot Was July 2024? NASA Shows Earth Just Set a Scorching Record!

NASA — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 14:22:48 +0000

On July 22, 2024, Earth experienced its hottest day ever recorded, a milestone in a series of unprecedented high temperatures reported by NASA. This event is a stark indicator of the ongoing global warming trend, primarily driven by human activities such as the emission of greenhouse gases. NASA, leveraging its vast array of Earth-observing satellites, [...]

Goodnight NEOWISE: NASA’s Asteroid-Hunting Space Telescope Shut Down After 10 Years

Jet Propulsion Laboratory — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 13:13:21 +0000

NEOWISE, NASA’s mission dedicated to tracking near-Earth objects, has been decommissioned after over ten years of service. The infrared space telescope relayed its final data to Earth before the project team at JPL sent a command that turned off its transmitter. The mission, which transitioned from WISE after a successful all-sky infrared survey, contributed significantly [...]

Mapping Marathon Heat With NASA Tech at the Paris Olympics

Adam Voiland, NASA Earth Observatory — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 08:32:49 +0000

Over the past century, Paris has warmed significantly, presenting a challenging environment for the 2024 Olympic marathon runners. The course features tough terrain and historical landmarks, while the athletes also face urban heat effects, exacerbated by limited green spaces and dense architecture. Innovative satellite imaging has improved monitoring of these conditions, offering crucial data to [...]

Perseid Peak: Witness the Meteor Shower Spectacle Illuminating the Night Sky

Wayne Smith, NASA — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 12:43:05 +0000

The Perseids, an annual meteor shower caused by debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, offers a brilliant display of meteors and fireballs each August. Optimal viewing is suggested between midnight and dawn on August 12, requiring dark skies and time for eyes to adjust. The speed of these meteors can reach up to 132,000 mph, creating stunning [...]

Arctic Ice Won’t Let Go: The Surprising Truth Behind the Northwest Passage

Lindsey Doermann, NASA Earth Observatory — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 04:31:48 +0000

Despite overall declines in the thickness and extent of Arctic sea ice, shipping routes along the northern coast of North America have become less navigable in recent years. The Northwest Passage, a challenging Arctic route between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, has seen fewer than 400 voyages since 1906 due to treacherous ice conditions. Recent [...]

100,000 Orbits Later: NASA’s Mars Odyssey Captures Huge Volcano in Breathtaking New View

Jet Propulsion Laboratory — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 11:12:26 +0000

The 23-year-old orbiter is taking images that offer horizon-wide views of the Red Planet similar to what astronauts aboard the International Space Station see over Earth. NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter celebrates 100,000 orbits around Mars, providing valuable data and stunning images like the recent horizon shot of Olympus Mons. The mission, managed by NASA’s [...]

Research and Resupply: Cygnus Operations and Starliner Briefings on the ISS

NASA — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 07:09:51 +0000

Onboard the International Space Station, Expedition 71 crew members unpacked new supplies, carried out climate and biology experiments, and prepared for upcoming cargo transfers. They also maintained operational proficiency with the Starliner spacecraft, amidst their regular maintenance and scientific research tasks. The residents aboard the International Space Station (ISS) continued unpacking several tons of science [...]

Starliner Astronauts in Limbo: Why NASA Just Hit the Pause Button on SpaceX Crew-9

NASA — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 12:38:22 +0000

NASA and SpaceX have rescheduled the Crew-9 mission launch to the International Space Station for late September, allowing extra time to ensure the safe return of the Boeing Crew Flight Test. The schedule adjustment also helps avoid conflicts with other space missions, including the Soyuz handover and NASA’s Europa Clipper mission. NASA and SpaceX are [...]

Cygnus’ Spectacular Space Delivery: Astronauts Unloading 8,200 Pounds of Science and Supplies

NASA — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 07:08:30 +0000

Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft successfully docked with the International Space Station, delivering over 8,200 pounds of supplies and scientific equipment. The crew, led by NASA Flight Engineers, efficiently captured and secured Cygnus, marking a milestone with the 50th use of the Canadarm2 robotic arm. This event sets the stage for several months of critical research [...]

Twin X-Class Flares Ignite the Sky: NASA’s SDO Captures Fiery Solar Drama

SciTechDaily.com — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 07:56:39 +0000

On August 5, 2024, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory observed two significant solar flares. Two powerful solar flares were unleashed from the Sun on August 5, 2024. Images of both events were captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which is continually monitoring the Sun. The first was classified as an X1.7 flare and peaked at 9:40 [...]

ICON’s Legacy: Transforming Our Understanding of the Ionosphere

Desiree Apodaca, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 06:46:33 +0000

NASA’s ICON mission enhanced our understanding of the ionosphere’s impact on technology by studying its interactions with Earth and space weather, setting the stage for ongoing scientific exploration. NASA’s ICON mission studied the outermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere called the ionosphere. ICON provided critical insights into interplay between space weather and Earth’s weather. The mission [...]

Astronomers Stunned by Webb’s Astonishing New Discovery – “Our Jaws Dropped!”

Jet Propulsion Laboratory — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 21:21:27 +0000

Using the James Webb Space Telescope’s MIRI, astronomers discovered that WL 20S, previously thought to be a single star, is actually a twin star system. Further observations by ALMA revealed the presence of gas and dust disks around both stars, indicating ongoing planet formation and providing new insights into stellar life cycles. Astronomers recently got [...]

NASA Recycles Boneyard Airplane Into Next-Gen X-66 Simulator

NASA — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 17:07:35 +0000

The X-66, a pivotal part of NASA’s Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project, features a simulator crafted from a repurposed MD-90 cockpit. This initiative, housed at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, not only underscores a commitment to sustainability by utilizing existing airframes but also ensures the safety and efficacy of aviation advancements through high-fidelity simulations. The project [...]

Cygnus’s Wild Ride: Spacecraft Drama High Above Earth

NASA — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 05:15:16 +0000

Northrop Grumman launched 8,200 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, reaching preliminary orbit shortly after launch. Despite a setback with the first burn due to a sequencing issue, the spacecraft remains on schedule for its original docking time, with NASA planning live coverage of the arrival. At [...]

NASA’s Aura at 20: The Legacy of Earth’s Silent Guardian

Erica McNamee and Kate Ramsayer, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 16:17:16 +0000

NASA’s Aura satellite has provided critical data over two decades, transforming our understanding of the atmosphere. It has tracked the effects of industrialization, environmental policies, and natural events on air quality globally, and has been pivotal in studies from ozone recovery to pollution tracking. Aura’s Atmospheric Impact From monitoring the ozone hole above the Antarctic [...]

Don’t Miss: Meteor Shower Peak, Star Forge, Mars and Jupiter Converge

NASA JPL — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 22:16:15 +0000

What are some skywatching highlights in August 2024? Mars and Jupiter have a super close meetup, the conditions look good for the Perseid meteors, and how to observe a stellar nursery – the Lagoon Nebula. What to look for: A planetary rendezvous, meteors, and a “star forge”! Two planets meet for a super close conjunction, [...]

Surprise Snowfall: Winter’s Late Arrival Down Under

Lindsey Doermann, NASA Earth Observatory — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 19:13:55 +0000

Fresh powder fell on Australia’s tallest peaks and popular ski resorts. In July 2024, southeastern Australia’s Snowy Mountains experienced a late but significant snowfall, enhancing conditions for skiing. This event, captured by Landsat 8’s OLI, marked a shift from the season’s slow start, with substantial snow accumulating after July 19. Winter’s Grand Arrival in Southeastern [...]

Hidden Wonders: A Piece of Rhode Island in the Atlantic

Adam Voiland, NASA Earth Observatory — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 14:19:39 +0000

Block Island, shaped by glacial movements, hosts significant natural and human-made features including popular harbors and an offshore wind farm. The conservation efforts on the island help protect numerous species, including the threatened American burying beetle. Formation and Geography of Southern New England Islands Roughly 20,000 years ago, the Laurentide Ice Sheet smothered what is [...]

Mission Possible? NASA and Boeing Advance With Starliner Flight Test Evaluations

NASA — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 13:48:06 +0000

NASA and Boeing are meticulously analyzing recent testing data of the Starliner spacecraft’s propulsion system to ensure its readiness for undocking and safe return from the International Space Station. The teams are working on finalizing undocking procedures, ensuring system reliability, and conducting simulations. Additionally, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are assisting with various tasks [...]