NASA, International Astronauts to Connect with Students in Texas

Expedition 72 Flight Engineers Takuya Onishi from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and NASA astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, and Don Pettit pose while inside the vestibule between the International Space Station’s Unity module and the Cygnus space freighter. NASA NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi will answer prerecorded questions about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics from students in Mansfield, Texas, while aboard the International Space Station. The 20-minute space-to-Earth call will take place at 10:40 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 5, and…

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Lunar Space Station for NASA’s Artemis Campaign to Begin Final Outfitting

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Gateway’s HALO module at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona, on April 4, 2025, shortly after its arrival from Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy. NASA/Josh Valcarcel NASA continues to mark progress on plans to work with commercial and international partners as part of the Gateway program. The primary structure of HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) arrived at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Gilbert, Arizona, where it will undergo final outfitting and verification testing. HALO will provide Artemis astronauts with…

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Navigation Technology

4 Min Read Navigation Technology ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer sets up an Astrobee for the ReSWARM experiment. Credits: NASA Science in Space April 2025 Humans have always been explorers, venturing by land and sea into unknown and uncharted places on Earth and, more recently, in space. Early adventurers often navigated by the Sun and stars, creating maps that made it easier for others to follow. Today, travelers on Earth have sophisticated technology to guide them. Navigation in space, including for missions to explore the Moon and Mars, remains more of…

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NASA Marshall Fires Up Hybrid Rocket Motor to Prep for Moon Landings

4 Min Read NASA Marshall Fires Up Hybrid Rocket Motor to Prep for Moon Landings NASA’s Artemis campaign will use human landing systems, provided by SpaceX and Blue Origin, to safely transport crew to and from the surface of the Moon, in preparation for future crewed missions to Mars. As the landers touch down and lift off from the Moon, rocket exhaust plumes will affect the top layer of lunar “soil,” called regolith, on the Moon. When the lander’s engines ignite to decelerate prior to touchdown, they could create craters…

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NASA Astronaut to Answer Questions from Students in California

NASA astronaut and Expedition 73 Flight Engineer Jonny Kim. Credit: Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center Students from Santa Monica, California, will connect with NASA astronaut Jonny Kim as he answers prerecorded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related questions aboard the International Space Station. Watch the 20-minute space-to-Earth call at 12:10 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 29, on the NASA STEM YouTube Channel. Media interested in covering the event must RSVP by 5 p.m., Friday, April 25, to Esmi Careaga at: ecareaga@smmusd.org or 805-651-3204 x71582. The event is hosted by Santa Monica High…

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NASA Astronaut Don Pettit to Discuss Seven-Month Space Mission

NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Don Pettit sets up camera hardware to photograph research activities inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module on March 15, 2025. Credit: NASA Media are invited to a news conference at 2 p.m. EDT Monday, April 28, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston where astronaut Don Pettit will share details of his recent mission aboard the International Space Station. The news conference will stream live on NASA’s website. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of platforms. To participate…

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NASA Astronaut Don Pettit, Crewmates Complete Space Station Expedition

The Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft is seen as it lands in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan with Expedition 72 NASA astronaut Don Pettit, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner aboard, April 19, 2025 (April 20, 2025, Kazakhstan time). The trio are returning to Earth after logging 220 days in space as members of Expeditions 71 and 72 aboard the International Space Station. NASA/Bill Ingalls NASA astronaut Don Pettit returned to Earth Saturday, accompanied by Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, concluding a seven-month science…

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NASA to Cover US Spacewalk 93, Hold Preview News Conference

NASA astronauts work to retrieve batteries and adapter plates from an external pallet during a spacewalk to upgrade the International Space Station’s power storage capacity. Credit: NASA Two NASA astronauts will venture outside the International Space Station, conducting U.S. spacewalk 93 on Thursday, May 1, to complete station upgrades. NASA will preview the upcoming spacewalk during a news conference at 2 p.m. EDT on Thursday, April 24, on the agency’s website from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including…

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Science Meets Art: NASA Astronaut Don Pettit Turns the Camera on Science

4 Min Read Science Meets Art: NASA Astronaut Don Pettit Turns the Camera on Science NASA astronaut Don Pettit is scheduled to return home in mid-April after a seven-month mission aboard the International Space Station as part of Expedition 72. Throughout his stay, Pettit contributed to research that benefits humanity and future space missions. Pettit also shared what he calls “science of opportunity” to demonstrate how experimenting with our surroundings can help gain a better understanding of how things work. This understanding is perhaps enhanced when art, science, and microgravity…

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