November 2024 – Page 2 – NeRDs Moonbase

Aaron Yazzie: Bridging Indigenous Heritage and Space Exploration

November 27, 2024 NeRD

4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Aaron Yazzie’s dream of being part of humanity’s exploration of space took him on a journey from his childhood home on the Navajo Nation to working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California. His journey reflects not only his personal ambition, but also a commitment to elevating Indigenous representation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. “Getting an internship at NASA was the culmination of a lot of work done by myself, and many of the…

John Herrington Performs a Spacewalk

November 27, 2024 NeRD

NASA On Nov. 30, 2002, NASA astronauts John Herrington (pictured) and Michael Lopez-Alegria performed the third and final spacewalk of the STS-113 mission. The goal of the mission was to install and activate the Port 1 Integrated Truss Assembly (P1). The first major component installed on the left side of the Station, the P1 truss provides an additional three External Thermal Control System radiators. Herrington, an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, was the first Native American in space. On STS-113, he logged over 330 hours in space, including 3 spacewalks…

NASA Plane Supported Innovative Microgravity Research in ‘90s

November 27, 2024 NeRD

NASA Lewis Research Center’s DC-9 commences one of its microgravity-producing parabolas in the fall of 1994. It was the center’s largest aircraft since the B-29 Superfortress in the 1940s. Credit: NASA/Quentin Schwinn A bell rings and a strobe light flashes as a pilot pulls the nose of the DC-9 aircraft up sharply. The blood quickly drains from researchers’ heads as they are pulled to the cabin floor by a force twice that of normal gravity. Once the acceleration slows to the desired level, and the NASA aircraft crests over its…

An Electronic Traffic Monitor for Airports

November 27, 2024 NeRD

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The focus of Airspace Technology Demonstration 2 was IADS, a software that coordinates flight schedules between the ramp, tower, terminal, and center control facilities. This visual representation of data helps minimize delays on the ground. NASA / Jim Banke If every commuter drove the same few roads at the same time every day, the traffic would be unbearable. That’s exactly what’s happening in the skies above the nation, known as national airspace (NAS). Multiple flights from different airlines try…

Management and Program Analyst Tami Wisniewski

November 27, 2024 NeRD

“I love my country. I love serving my country. I think that was ingrained in me in the military, where I grew to realize how lucky we are to live in America and have the freedoms that we have. When I returned from [my first duty station] in Germany, I separated from the Air Force for about nine months, but I missed it so much, I was like, ‘Well, I guess I could join the reserves.’ I did want to get my education. I was ready by then. “So, I…

Manager and Program Analyst Tami Wisniewski

November 27, 2024 NeRD

Save $980 on one of Unistellar’s best telescopes this Black Friday

November 27, 2024 NeRD

Fancy owning one of the best telescopes on the market? The Unistellar eVscope 2 is reduced by 20% on Unistellar’s website this Black Friday, totaling a saving of $980 but this deal won’t last forever. You can get the Unistellar eVscope 2 on sale right now at Unistellar for $3919. In our Unistellar eVscope 2 review, we praised how wonderful the telescope looks thanks to its sleek tube and modern, understated design. We also think it’s a great choice for astrophotographers as the telescope is capable of taking stunning photos…

Act fast! Hulu and Disney+ bundle for just $2.99 a month for a year with this Black Friday deal

November 27, 2024 NeRD

Top Streaming Offers Here, you can find the best Black Friday streaming deals as several services offer big discounts ahead of the annual sales event. It’s always worth checking out what content is available where before choosing your next subscription, so it could be worth checking out our best sci-fi movies and TV shows on Disney Plus, Amazon, Netflix and Paramount Plus guides. Below, you’ll find the best Black Friday streaming deals as there are huge discounts, bundles and free trials available. You can take a look at our Black…

Near Space Labs launches fleet of AI-powered balloon robots to track Earth climate risks

November 27, 2024 NeRD

Near Space Labs, a New York-based startup, has deployed a network of high-altitude balloons equipped with advanced robotic cameras to capture high-resolution images of disaster-prone neighborhoods across the United States. With this enhanced imagery, the startup said it aims to accelerate the work of insurance companies that rely on aerial data to assess property risks and respond to damage caused by extreme weather events. The newly deployed balloons are outfitted with AI-enabled robots called “Swifts,” which are capable of capturing imagery with a resolution of 7 centimeters (2.76 inches) per…

NASA Awards Contract for NOAA’s Next-Generation Space Weather Sensors

November 26, 2024 NeRD

NASA, on behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has selected Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory of Laurel, Maryland, to build the Suprathermal Ion Sensors for the Lagrange 1 Series project, part of NOAA’s Space Weather Next Program. This cost-plus-fixed-fee contract is valued at approximately $20.5 million and includes the development of two Suprathermal Ion Sensor instruments. The anticipated period of performance for this contract will run through Jan. 31, 2034. The work will take place at the awardee’s facility in Maryland, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center…