November 12, 2024 – NeRDs Moonbase

Colorado Students to Connect with NASA Astronauts Aboard Space Station

November 12, 2024 NeRD

(Oct. 25, 2024) — NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams is pictured at the galley inside the International Space Station’s Unity module at the beginning of her day. Credit: NASA Students from Colorado will have the opportunity to hear NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Suni Williams answer their prerecorded questions aboard the International Space Station on Thursday, Nov. 14. Watch the 20-minute space-to-Earth call at 1 p.m. EST on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content on various platforms, including social media. The JEKL Institute for Global Equity…

Kibo Robot Programming Challenge Breaks New Ground in Robotics

November 12, 2024 NeRD

On Sept. 20, 2024, four students experienced the wonder of space exploration at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, taking part in an international competition that brought their work to life aboard the International Space Station. Now in its fifth year, the Kibo Robot Programming Challenge (Kibo-RPC) continues to push the boundaries of robotics, bringing together the world’s brightest young minds for a real-world test of programming, problem-solving, and innovation. The Kibo Robot Programming Challenge (Kibo-RPC) students tour the Gateway Habitation and Logistics Outpost module at NASA’s Johnson Space Center…

Native American Seeds Flown Aboard Space Station

November 12, 2024 NeRD

NASA/Loral O’Hara The Choctaw Heirloom Seeds investigation flew five varieties of heirloom seeds from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma aboard the International Space Station in early November 2023. The seeds are Isito (Choctaw Sweet Potato Squash), Tobi (Smith Peas), Tanchi Tohbi (Flour Corn), Tvnishi (Lambsquarter), and Chukfi Peas. The seeds spent six months aboard station, returning to Earth in April 2024. Next spring, Jones Academy students will plant the space-flown seeds alongside Earth-bound seeds of the same type in the school’s Growing Hope Garden. Students will hypothesize how the seeds…

A black hole’s secrets could hide in its dizzying light ‘echoes’

November 12, 2024 NeRD

To measure the masses and spins of black holes, scientists want to follow clues left behind by light that takes a round-a-bout journey, bends around these voids, and ultimately shines toward us. The crew, from Princeton University and Los Alamos National Laboratory, has performed complex computer simulations to show how two telescopes — one on Earth, the other in space — can work together to make the idea a reality. In other words, these devices could help us detect light that has basically been on a trip around a black…

Top 10 best Lego deals we’ve spotted: Black Friday 2024

November 12, 2024 NeRD

Black Friday 2024 is just a matter of weeks away, and we’re already thinking about what great Lego deals we might be able to pick up. We don’t have to wait, however: there are already plenty of great deals available now, with retailers getting a head start on rolling out their Black Friday deals. Of course, we anticipate that as Black Friday gets closer, we’ll be getting more deals on space-themed Lego sets, with potentially even bigger savings to be had. But for now, you can save big, beat the…

Scientists found ‘nitriles’ in an interstellar cloud — here’s why that could be huge

November 12, 2024 NeRD

In the Taurus molecular cloud, one of the closest stellar nurseries to Earth, scientists found two nitrile-containing molecules — and this is incredibly interesting because these very molecules could reveal information about the origins of life as we know it in the universe. The Taurus molecular cloud (TMC-1) is an interstellar cloud in the constellations Taurus and Auriga, and the newly discovered molecules within are known as malononitrile and maleonitrile. The molecules were detected using data from the ongoing QUIJOTE line survey of TMC-1 that is being carried out with…

Station Science Top News: Nov. 8, 2024

November 12, 2024 NeRD

Researchers demonstrated the feasibility of 3D bioprinting a meniscus or knee cartilage tissue in microgravity. This successful result advances technology for bioprinting tissue to treat musculoskeletal injuries on long-term spaceflight or in extraterrestrial settings where resources and supply capacities are limited. BFF Meniscus-2 evaluated using the BioFabrication Facility to 3D print knee cartilage tissue using bioinks and cells. The meniscus is the first engineered tissue of an anatomically relevant shape printed on the station. Manufactured human tissues have potential as alternatives to donor organs, which are in short supply. Bioprinting…

Commitment to Service Continues at Johnson for Military Retirees

November 12, 2024 NeRD

NASA and the military have shared strong connections since the agency’s early days. From the nation’s earliest aeronautic research and the recruitment of test pilot astronauts to modern-day technology development, satellite management, and planetary defense, NASA has built a longstanding partnership with the military. This legacy of collaboration has created natural opportunities for former service members to join NASA’s ranks at the conclusion of their military careers. Lewis Swain is one of the many veterans working at Johnson Space Center in Houston today. Swain was recruited by NASA contractor McDonnell…