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NASA and Blue Origin Partner for New Glenn Rocket Testing to Support Artemis Missions

NASA and Blue Origin Partner for New Glenn Rocket Testing to Support Artemis Missions

NASA has announced a partnership with Blue Origin to conduct second stage hot fire testing for the New Glenn rocket at the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. This collaboration is part of NASA's efforts to advance the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustainable presence there. The testing will utilize the B-2 test stand, a facility with a rich history of supporting space exploration. The agreement highlights NASA's commitment to working with commercial partners to achieve its space exploration goals, with testing set to begin in the fall. This partnership is expected to bolster the capabilities needed for future crewed missions to the Moon and beyond.

NASA Expands Streaming Access with Launch on Amazon Fire TV

NASA Expands Streaming Access with Launch on Amazon Fire TV

NASA has announced that its streaming service, NASA+, is now available on Amazon Fire TV Channels. This move is part of NASA's ongoing efforts to make its space exploration content more accessible to a wider audience. Fire TV users can access NASA+ by using Alexa on compatible devices. The service will feature a variety of programming, including science mission launches, lunar deliveries, and the first crewed mission to the Moon under the Artemis program. NASA+ remains free and ad-free, also accessible via the NASA app and website. Rebecca Sirmons, general manager of NASA+, emphasized the importance of sharing NASA's story with a broad audience, aligning with the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958.

NASA's EARENDIL Initiative Aims to Overcome Lunar Night Challenges for Astronauts

NASA's EARENDIL Initiative Aims to Overcome Lunar Night Challenges for Astronauts

NASA is exploring a new initiative called EARENDIL, which stands for Extended Astronaut Radioisotope-EVA in Nighttime and Deep-space Icy Landscapes. This project addresses the significant challenge of extreme cold in permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) and during the two-week lunar night on the Moon. These conditions pose severe thermal constraints on astronauts, affecting mission flexibility and safety. The EARENDIL proposal aims to integrate compact americium-241 (Am-241) radioisotope heat sources into extravehicular activity (EVA) suits. This integration would provide astronauts with continuous warmth, independent of external power sources, enhancing their ability to conduct extended surface operations in these harsh environments. The initiative is part of a Phase I study that will assess the technical and safety feasibility of this concept through thermal modeling, health physics assessment, and systems integration analysis.

NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Overcome Lunar Night Challenges for Astronauts

NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Overcome Lunar Night Challenges for Astronauts

NASA is developing a new technology called EARENDIL (Extended Astronaut Radioisotope-EVA in Nighttime and Deep-space Icy Landscapes) to address the challenges faced by astronauts operating in the extreme cold of the Moon's permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) and during the two-week lunar night. The project proposes integrating compact americium-241 (Am-241) radioisotope heat sources into extravehicular activity (EVA) suits. This innovation aims to provide astronauts with continuous, passive warmth, enhancing their safety and mission flexibility. The EARENDIL project is part of a Phase I study that will assess the feasibility of this concept through thermal modeling, health physics assessment, and systems integration analysis. The goal is to ensure that astronauts can maintain operational body temperature without relying on external power or habitat support, thereby extending the range and duration of EVAs in harsh lunar environments.

NASA Unveils New Wind Tunnel at Langley Research Center to Boost Aeronautics Research

NASA Unveils New Wind Tunnel at Langley Research Center to Boost Aeronautics Research

NASA is set to unveil its newest wind tunnel, the Flight Dynamics Research Facility, at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. This marks the first major wind tunnel built by NASA in over 40 years. The facility is designed to support research and technology development that will advance NASA's aeronautics, exploration, and science goals. A media tour and ribbon-cutting ceremony are scheduled for July 31, with key figures such as NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and Dr. Trina Dyal, the center director, expected to attend. The event is open to media members who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, with RSVPs required by July 29.

NASA's New Wind Tunnel in Virginia to Advance Aeronautics Research

NASA's New Wind Tunnel in Virginia to Advance Aeronautics Research

NASA is set to unveil its newest wind tunnel, the Flight Dynamics Research Facility, at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. This is the first major wind tunnel built by NASA in over 40 years. The facility will support research and technology development to advance NASA's aeronautics, exploration, and science goals, including the Artemis program and the development of a Moon Base.

NASA Explores Radioisotope Technology for Lunar Exploration in Extreme Conditions

NASA Explores Radioisotope Technology for Lunar Exploration in Extreme Conditions

NASA is investigating the use of americium-241 radioisotope heat sources integrated into extravehicular activity (EVA) suits to provide astronauts with continuous warmth during lunar missions. This initiative, known as EARENDIL, aims to address the challenges posed by the extreme cold of permanently shadowed regions and the lunar night. The project seeks to enhance astronaut safety and mission flexibility by providing a reliable heat source independent of external power. The study will evaluate the technical and safety feasibility of this concept, focusing on thermal modeling, health physics, and systems integration.

NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Enhance Lunar Exploration

NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Enhance Lunar Exploration

NASA is exploring a new initiative called EARENDIL, which focuses on improving astronaut safety and mission flexibility on the lunar surface. The project proposes integrating americium-241 radioisotope heat sources into extravehicular activity (EVA) suits. This innovation aims to provide astronauts with continuous warmth during operations in the extreme cold of permanently shadowed regions and the lunar night. The initiative is part of NASA's efforts to address the thermal challenges faced during lunar exploration, particularly in areas rich in volatile resources. The project is in its initial phase, involving thermal modeling and safety assessments.

NASA's Interworld Slingshot Surveys to Map Space Resources

NASA's Interworld Slingshot Surveys to Map Space Resources

NASA is exploring a new class of reconnaissance spacecraft through its Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys project. This initiative aims to map minerals from orbit using Raman spectroscopy during high-speed flybys, without the need for landing or sample return. The project focuses on evaluating ice and ilmenite on the Moon, ore content on asteroids, and volatile-bearing minerals on Mars' moons. The spacecraft will use a high-energy pulsed laser and a time-gated photon-counting detector to isolate Raman signals from planetary surfaces. This approach could revolutionize planetary science and space resource mapping by providing compositional specificity that other methods cannot.

NASA and SpaceX Collaborate to Enhance Artemis III Communications with Starlink Lasers

NASA and SpaceX Collaborate to Enhance Artemis III Communications with Starlink Lasers

NASA is advancing its Artemis III mission by partnering with SpaceX to enhance the Orion spacecraft's communication capabilities. The mission, part of NASA's broader goal to return astronauts to the moon and establish a permanent base, will see the installation of Starlink mini laser terminals on Orion. These terminals will operate on SpaceX's existing Starlink network, significantly boosting data capacity and potentially allowing high-definition live video transmission from orbit. Scheduled for the second half of 2027, Artemis III will serve as a practice run for NASA's Orion capsule to rendezvous and dock with commercial lunar lander vehicles, including SpaceX's Starship and Blue Origin's Blue Moon spacecraft, in low Earth orbit. This mission follows Artemis II, which was the first to carry astronauts around the moon, and utilized laser communications to transmit large data loads.

NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Enhance Lunar Exploration Safety

NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Enhance Lunar Exploration Safety

NASA is advancing its EARENDIL project, which focuses on improving astronaut safety during lunar exploration. The initiative addresses the challenges posed by the extreme cold of permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) and the two-week lunar night on the Moon. EARENDIL proposes integrating compact americium-241 radioisotope heat sources into extravehicular activity (EVA) suits, providing astronauts with continuous warmth during extended surface operations. This innovation aims to extend the operational range and duration of EVAs, enhance crew safety during habitat power failures, and reduce reliance on heavy battery systems. The project aligns with NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate and Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate priorities, supporting the Artemis program's long-term objectives at the lunar south pole.

NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Overcome Lunar Night Challenges with Radioisotope Technology

NASA's EARENDIL Project Aims to Overcome Lunar Night Challenges with Radioisotope Technology

NASA's EARENDIL project is exploring the use of compact americium-241 radioisotope heat sources integrated into astronaut extravehicular activity (EVA) suits. This initiative addresses the challenges posed by the extreme cold of permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) and the two-week lunar night on the Moon. The project aims to provide astronauts with continuous, passive warmth during extended surface operations, enhancing mission flexibility and safety. By integrating heat sources directly into spacesuits, EARENDIL seeks to reduce reliance on external power and heavy battery systems, enabling longer and more flexible missions in harsh lunar environments.