Life on Mars? It probably looks like something you’d find in your stomach

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This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com’s Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. María Rosa Pino Otín is a Professor and researcher of Microbiology, Universidad San Jorge We often forget how wonderful it is that life exists, and what a special and unique phenomenon it is. As far as we know, ours is the only planet capable of supporting life, and it seems to have arisen in the form of something like today’s single-celled prokaryotic organisms. However, scientists have not given up hope…

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NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim to Discuss Upcoming Launch, Mission

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Official portrait of NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, who will serve as a flight engineer during Expedition 73. Credit: NASA NASA will provide interview opportunities with astronaut Jonny Kim beginning at 9 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, March 18, to highlight his upcoming mission to the International Space Station in April. The virtual interviews from Star City, Russia, will stream live on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media. Media interested in participating must contact the newsroom at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston no…

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NASA Selects Three University Teams to Participate in Flight Research 

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3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA / Lillian Gipson NASA has selected three university teams to help solve 21st century aviation challenges that could transform the skies above our communities.  As part of NASA’s University Leadership Initiative (ULI), both graduate and undergraduate students on faculty-led university teams will contribute directly to real-world flight research while gaining hands-on experience working with partners from other universities and industry.  By combining faculty expertise, student innovation, and industry experience, these three teams will advance NASA’s vision for the…

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About Pathfinding for Airspace with Autonomous Vehicles

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5 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Artist’s concept of drones flying in an urban environment near large city skyscrapers. NASA / Maria Werries Remotely piloted aircraft could transform the way we transport people and goods and provide our communities with better access to vital services, like medical supply deliveries and efficient transportation.  NASA’s Pathfinding for Airspace with Autonomous Vehicles (PAAV) subproject is working with partners to safely integrate remote air cargo and air taxi aircraft into our national airspace alongside traditional crewed aircraft. These new…

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NASA, Partners to Conduct Space Station Research During Expedition 73

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3 Min Read NASA, Partners to Conduct Space Station Research During Expedition 73 NASA NASA astronauts are gearing up for a scientific mission aboard the International Space Station. Expedition 73 NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov will launch in March as part of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission. NASA astronaut Jonny Kim will join the crew when he launches aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft in April alongside Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky. Read…

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Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 jet flew in front of the sun so NASA could take this incredible shock wave photo

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NASA and Boom Supersonic just released an incredible photo capturing a shockwave emanating from the dark silhouette of the supersonic XB-1 aircraft while it traveled in front of the sun during a Feb. 10 test flight during which it broke the sound barrier three times. “This image makes the invisible visible — the first American made civil supersonic jet breaking the sound barrier,” Blake Scholl, Boom Supersonic founder and CEO, said in a statement. The photo was no accident. It required ideal conditions and perfect timing. Chief test pilot Tristan…

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40 Years Ago: Space Shuttle Atlantis Makes its Public Debut 

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On March 6, 1985, NASA’s newest space shuttle, Atlantis, made its public debut during a rollout ceremony at the Rockwell International manufacturing plant in Palmdale, California. Under construction for three years, Atlantis joined NASA’s other three space-worthy orbiters, Columbia, Challenger, and Discovery, and atmospheric test vehicle Enterprise. Officials from NASA, Rockwell, and other organizations attended the rollout ceremony. By the time NASA retired Atlantis in 2011, it had flown 33 missions in a career spanning 26 years and flying many types of missions envisioned for the space shuttle. The Visitor…

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There’s a total lunar eclipse coming. How will these 2 solar-powered moon probes survive the darkness?

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When the moon falls into Earth’s shadow Thursday night into Friday (March 13-14), observers will be treated to views of a “blood moon” total lunar eclipse. But given that lunar spacecraft are solar-powered, how do they survive when they’re cut off from the sun? For NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), which has been orbiting the moon since 2009, it will be time to batten down the hatches. “LRO’s science instruments and some components not needed by the spacecraft will be powered off during the total lunar eclipse,” Noah Petro, project…

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NASA cutting programs, workforce to comply with Trump order

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NASA will close several offices and reduce its workforce to comply with an executive order from President Donald Trump. NASA‘s Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy will be shuttered, as will the Office of the Chief Scientist, and the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) and Accessibility Branch of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the agency announced in an emailed statement today (March 10). “To optimize our workforce, and in compliance with an Executive Order, NASA is beginning its phased approach to a reduction in force, known as a RIF,”…

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