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Nasa

All articles tagged with #nasa

space1 hour ago•8 min saved

NASA Selects Lunar Outpost and Astrolab for Artemis Moon Rovers

NASA has selected two competing designs for its Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTR) to support future crewed missions to the Moon. The chosen vehicles, developed by Lunar Outpost and Astrolab, feature specialized engineering to handle extreme lunar conditions, including abrasive dust and temperature swings. These rovers are designed to operate both crewed and autonomously, serving as essential infrastructure for the Artemis program's goal of establishing a permanent lunar presence.

via Hackaday|

#artemis-program #astrolab #lunar-outpost

space4 hours ago•123 min saved

Margaret Hamilton, Apollo software pioneer who saved the Moon landing, dies at 90

Margaret Hamilton, the computer scientist who led the software team for NASA's Apollo program, has died at age 90. She is credited with developing the priority-driven code that prevented a critical failure during the 1969 Moon landing and for coining the term 'software engineering' to elevate programming as a distinct discipline.

via Space|

#apollo-11 #margaret-hamilton #nasa

space13 hours ago•4 min saved

NASA’s GIMLI Mission to Probe Lunar Lava Tubes

NASA has selected the GIMLI mission to investigate the Marius Hills Pit on the Moon, aiming to determine if the surface opening connects to a massive underground lava tube. Led by the Planetary Science Institute, the mission will deploy a lander and rover equipped with ground-penetrating radar, seismic sensors, and a gravimeter to map the subsurface. The project seeks to validate geological theories about lunar volcanism and assess whether these natural cavities can provide radiation shielding for future human habitats. Funding is provided through the PRISM program, with hardware developed by Honeybee Robotics and the Norwegian Space Agency.

via SciTechDaily|

#gimli #lava-tubes #lunar-exploration

technology16 hours ago•4 min saved

Margaret Hamilton, architect of Apollo's flight software, dies at 90

Margaret Hamilton, the software engineer who led the team that developed the guidance computer for NASA's Apollo missions, has died at age 90. Her work was critical to the success of the 1969 moon landing, and she is credited with coining the term 'software engineering' to elevate the status of programming.

via The Guardian|

#apollo-program #margaret-hamilton #mit

science-and-technology1 day ago•2 min saved

Japan’s MMX Mission Launches to Retrieve First Samples from Mars’ Moon Phobos

Japan’s JAXA has launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission, the first to collect and return samples from Mars’ moon Phobos. The spacecraft, launched on an H3 rocket from Tanegashima, will arrive at Mars in August 2027, spend three years mapping Phobos, and land to collect at least 10 grams of soil. The samples will return to Earth in 2031, potentially resolving debates on whether the moons are captured asteroids or impact debris, and may contain traces of Martian material.

via The Guardian|

#jaxa #mars #nasa

science-and-technology1 day ago

NASA targets December 2026 for first robotic moon base infrastructure tests

NASA is accelerating its moon base strategy with a series of robotic technology demonstrations, aiming for the first launch by December 2026. These missions, including the Griffin-1 lander, will deliver cargo and rovers to the lunar south pole to test infrastructure for future human habitation. While the agency faces significant environmental challenges, including radiation and dust, this push is part of a broader race against China to secure resources and strategic advantages on the Moon.

via WESH|

#artemis #commercial-space #lunar-base

space1 day ago•122 min saved

Crew-12 Astronauts Urge Global Unity After 237-Day ISS Mission

After 237 days in orbit, SpaceX Crew-12 astronauts returned to Earth on Oct. 8 and held a press conference on Oct. 15. Commander Jessica Meir emphasized the fragility of Earth's atmosphere and the artificial nature of national borders, urging humanity to protect the planet. The crew described their mission as a period of 'joy' despite significant challenges, marking the end of a record-breaking European spaceflight for Sophie Adenot and concluding a mission that replaced an earlier medical evacuation.

via Space|

#human-spaceflight #international-space-station #jessica-meir

science-and-technology1 day ago•4 min saved

Roman Telescope Exceeds Optical Targets by 30% After Precision Calibration

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has achieved optical performance 30% better than predicted, with its Wide Field Instrument measuring 63 nanometers RMS error against a 90-nanometer requirement. Engineers completed extensive testing of detectors, filters, and alignment mechanisms, confirming the observatory is ready for routine surveys of dark matter and dark energy.

via Science Daily|

#dark-energy #nasa #optical-calibration

technology1 day ago•3 min saved

Margaret Hamilton, Apollo software pioneer who saved Moon landing, dies at 90

Margaret Hamilton, the software engineer whose priority-driven code prevented a catastrophic failure during the Apollo 11 Moon landing, has died at age 90. Born in 1936 in Paoli, Indiana, Hamilton led the software team at MIT’s Instrumentation Lab for NASA’s Apollo program. Her work established software engineering as a distinct discipline and saved the Apollo 8 mission by resolving a navigation error she dubbed the 'Lauren bug.'

via Financial Times|

#apollo-program #margaret-hamilton #mit

science1 day ago•1 min saved

Near-Infrared Filter Reveals Milky Way Above Manhattan

A new Astronomy Picture of the Day features a near-infrared image showing the Milky Way visible over Manhattan. The photo, credited to Jason Kurth and Ty Buckley, uses a filter that blocks visible light pollution from modern LEDs and fluorescents while capturing starlight. This technique demonstrates how specific wavelengths can bypass urban glare to reveal celestial structures, offering a unique perspective on the night sky from a densely populated city.

via NASA Science (.gov)|

#astronomy #astrophotography #light-pollution

space2 days ago•1 min saved

Falcon 9 Launch Creates 'Space Jellyfish' as Dragon Delivers Final Solar Arrays to ISS

A pre-dawn SpaceX Falcon 9 launch on October 13, 2026, created a glowing 'space jellyfish' phenomenon visible across the US East Coast. The mission, the 35th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) flight for NASA, delivered over 6,300 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station (ISS), including the final Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSAs). The Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS Harmony module on October 15, 2026, at 10:27 a.m. EDT, carrying scientific experiments for Expedition 75.

via PetaPixel|

#astronomy #international-space-station #nasa

science2 days ago

2026 Polar Ice Extents Hit Record Lows in Both Hemispheres

Satellite data confirms 2026 saw record-low sea ice extents in both the Arctic and Antarctic, with the Arctic minimum tying 2008 and 2025, and the Antarctic maximum ranking third-lowest on record.

via European Space Agency|

#antarctica #climate-change #esa

science-and-technology3 days ago•16 min saved

SpaceX CRS-35 Delivers Miniature Human Organs to ISS for Aging Research

SpaceX launched the CRS-35 mission to the International Space Station on October 13, 2026, carrying miniature human brain and heart models. These organoids will study how microgravity and radiation accelerate aging, with results expected to aid both astronaut health and Earth-based medical treatments.

via The Independent|

#aging #iss #nasa

space3 days ago•8 min saved

Commercial Lunar Lander Firms Plan Precision Demonstrations for NASA Base

Two private companies are preparing robotic lunar lander missions to demonstrate precision landing capabilities near existing spacecraft. These tests aim to validate technologies critical for NASA's proposed lunar base while addressing significant operational hazards.

via SpaceNews|

#astrobotic #clps #firefly-aerospace

space3 days ago•1 min saved

SpaceX CRS-35 Delivers Final Solar Arrays and Science Payloads to ISS

SpaceX launched its 35th Commercial Resupply Services mission on October 13, 2026, delivering over 6,300 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station. The mission includes the final pair of Roll-Out Solar Arrays and 40 scientific experiments. The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to dock autonomously on October 15.

via NASA Science (.gov)|

#crs-35 #falcon-9 #iss