We’re Turning Up The Heat On The Artemis I Spacecraft 🔥

Celebrating Women’s Equality Day Across NASA

August 26 is celebrated in the United States as Women’s Equality Day. On this day in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment was signed into law and American women were granted the constitutional right to vote. The suffragists who fought hard for a woman’s right to vote opened up doors for trailblazers who have helped shape our story of spaceflight, research and discovery. On Women’s Equality Day, we celebrate women at NASA who have broken barriers, challenged stereotypes and paved the way for future generations. This list is by no means exhaustive. 

Rocket Girls and the Advent of the Space Age

In the earliest days of space exploration, most calculations for early space missions were done by “human computers,” and most of these computers were women. These women's calculations helped the U.S. launch its first satellite, Explorer 1. This image from 1953, five years before the launch of Explorer 1, shows some of those women on the campus of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

These women were trailblazers at a time when most technical fields were dominated by white men. Janez Lawson (seen in this photo), was the first African American hired into a technical position at JPL. Having graduated from UCLA with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, she later went on to have a successful career as a chemical engineer.

Katherine Johnson: A Champion for Women’s Equality

Mathematician Katherine Johnson, whose life story was told in the book and film "Hidden Figures," is 101 years old today! Coincidentally, Johnson’s birthday falls on August 26: which is appropriate, considering all the ways that she has stood for women’s equality at NASA and the country as a whole.

Johnson began her career in 1953 at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the agency that preceded NASA, one of a number of African-American women hired to work as "human computers.” Johnson became known for her training in geometry, her leadership and her inquisitive nature; she was the only woman at the time to be pulled from the computing pool to work with engineers on other programs.

Johnson was responsible for calculating the trajectory of the 1961 flight of Alan Shepard, the first American in space, as well as verifying the calculations made by electronic computers of John Glenn’s 1962 launch to orbit and the 1969 Apollo 11 trajectory to the moon. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, by President Barack Obama on Nov. 24, 2015.

JoAnn Morgan: Rocket Fuel in Her Blood 

JoAnn Morgan was an engineer at Kennedy Space Center at a time when the launch room was crowded with men. In spite of working for all of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs, and being promoted to a senior engineer, Morgan was still not permitted in the firing room at liftoff — until Apollo 11, when her supervisor advocated for her because of her superior communication skills. Because of this, Morgan was the instrumentation controller — and the only woman — in the launch room for the Apollo 11 liftoff. 

Morgan’s career at NASA spanned over 45 years, and she continued to break ceiling after ceiling for women involved with the space program. She excelled in many other roles, including deputy of Expendable Launch Vehicles, director of Payload Projects Management and director of Safety and Mission Assurance. She was one of the last two people who verified the space shuttle was ready to launch and the first woman at KSC to serve in an executive position, associate director of the center.

Oceola (Ocie) Hall: An Advocate for NASA Women 

Oceola Hall worked in NASA’s Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity for over 25 years. She was NASA’s first agency-wide Federal Women’s program manager, from 1974 – 1978. Hall advanced opportunities for NASA women in science, engineering and administrative occupations. She was instrumental in initiating education programs for women, including the Simmons College Strategic Leadership for Women Program.

Hall’s outstanding leadership abilities and vast knowledge of equal employment laws culminated in her tenure as deputy associate administrator for Equal Opportunity Programs, a position she held for five years. Hall was one among the first African-American women to be appointed to the senior executive service of NASA. This photo was taken at Marshall during a Federal Women’s Week Luncheon on November 11, 1977 where Hall served as guest speaker.

Hall was known for saying, “You have to earn your wings every day.”

Sally Ride: Setting the Stage for Women in Space

The Astronaut Class of 1978, otherwise known as the “Thirty-Five New Guys,” was NASA’s first new group of astronauts since 1969. This class was notable for many reasons, including having the first African-American and first Asian-American astronauts and the first women.

Among the first women astronauts selected was Sally Ride. On June 18, 1983, Ride became the first American woman in space, when she launched with her four crewmates aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-7. On that day, Ride made history and paved the way for future explorers.

When those first six women joined the astronaut corps in 1978, they made up nearly 10 percent of the active astronaut corps. In the 40 years since that selection, NASA selected its first astronaut candidate class with equal numbers of women and men, and women now comprise 34 percent of the active astronauts at NASA.

Charlie Blackwell-Thompson: First Female Launch Director 

As a part of our Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon and prepare for journeys to Mars, the Space Launch System, or SLS, rocket will carry the Orion spacecraft on an important flight test. Veteran spaceflight engineer Charlie Blackwell-Thompson will helm the launch team at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Her selection as launch director means she will be the first woman to oversee a NASA liftoff and launch team.

"A couple of firsts here all make me smile," Blackwell-Thompson said. "First launch director for the world's most powerful rocket — that's humbling. And I am honored to be the first female launch director at Kennedy Space Center. So many amazing women that have contributed to human space flight, and they blazed the trail for all of us.”

The Future of Women at NASA

In this image, NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Christina Koch pose for a portrait inside the Kibo laboratory module on the International Space Station. Both Expedition 59 flight engineers are members of NASA's 2013 class of astronauts.   

As we move forward as a space agency, embarking on future missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond, we reflect on the women who blazed the trail and broke glass ceilings. Without their perseverance and determination, we would not be where we are today.

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Hi there! Does the study of Earth Science teach us much about the science of other planets? Can much be assumed to be similar, or is the geology/biology incomparable? Thank you!

Beached Berg in Alaska

Each year since 2009, geophysicist and pilot Chris Larsen has led two sets of flights to monitor Alaska’s mountain glaciers. From the air, scientists like Larsen collect critical information on how the region’s snow and ice is changing. They also are in a good position to snap photographs of the stunning landscape. Larsen was flying with NASA science writer Maria-Jose Viñas on board. During a flight on August 19, 2018, Viñas shot this photograph during a mission to survey Yakutat Icefield and nearby glaciers in southeast Alaska.

The beach and stream in the photograph are in Russel Fjord near the terminus of the Hubbard Glacier. While this photograph does not show any glaciers, evidence of their presence is all around. Meltwater winds down a vegetation-free path of glacial till. On its way toward open water, the stream cuts through a beach strewn with icebergs. “The Hubbard Glacier has a broad and active calving front providing a generous supply of icebergs,” said Larsen, a researcher at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. “They are present all summer since new ones keep coming from the glacier.”

NASA’s Operation IceBridge makes lengthy flights each year over the landmasses of Greenland and Antarctica and their surrounding sea ice. While IceBridge-Alaska flights are shorter in length, the terrain is equally majestic and its snow and ice important to monitor. Wherever IceBridge flights are made, data collection depends in part on weather and instruments.

Read more: https://go.nasa.gov/2Mj48r0

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DYK the bright clusters and nebulae of planet Earth's night sky are often named for flowers or insects? 

Though its wingspan covers over 3 light-years, NGC 6302: The Butterfly Nebula is no exception! With an estimated surface temperature of about 250,000 degrees C, the dying central star of this particular planetary nebula has become exceptionally hot, shining brightly in ultraviolet light but hidden from direct view by a dense torus of dust. This sharp close-up was recorded by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2009. The Hubble image data is reprocessed here, showing off the remarkable details of the complex planetary nebula.

Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble, HLA; Reprocessing & Copyright: Robert Eder

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What would happen if a Black hole would be near the earth? What would be the consequences to humans?

NASA Spotlight: Astronaut Kjell Lindgren 

Kjell N. Lindgren was selected by NASA in 2009. Born in Taiwan while his family was stationed overseas, he spent most of his childhood abroad and returned to the U.S. to complete his education and earn a Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Colorado. He is board certified in emergency and aerospace medicine. After serving as the Deputy Crew Surgeon for Space Shuttle mission STS‐130 and Expedition 24, he was selected to join our astronaut corps. Dr. Lindgren flew on the International Space Station from July 2015 to December 2015 and logged 141 days in space. He participated in two spacewalks and in more than a hundred different scientific experiments. In his free time, Dr. Lindgren enjoys spending time with his family, running, reading, movies, photography and amateur astronomy.

He took some time from being a NASA astronaut to answer questions about his life and career! Enjoy: 

What is one thing you would take to space that would make life easier?

A real R2 unit, of course! Just kidding, but in the future…  Honestly though, life is pretty good on the International Space Station. While it is still a lot like camping (sleeping bags, no running water, rehydrated food) the space station team has really equipped us for success. As you all prepare for YOUR future spaceflight, I would say that the two most useful items I had with me on a daily basis were a pair of scissors and a spoon. The scissors were super useful for cutting plastic wrappers, tape, etc., and opening food packages (much more useful than a knife). And the spoon is the only utensil you need for eating – at least with the food system that we have right now.

Who helped get you to where you are?

Getting this opportunity, becoming an astronaut – that was a team effort for sure. I had so many people walking alongside me on this journey, helping me along the way. My parents set the bit early on – telling me that I could become whatever I wanted through hard work. They really gave me permission to dream big. Teachers and coaches, mentors, co-workers and friends all played a huge part in reaching this goal. Most of all, though, my wife, Kristi and my three kids have been an integral part of this adventure. I would not have this job, and I wouldn’t be successful in it without their love and daily support.

You and your crew mates were the first astronauts to harvest lettuce grown on orbit. How did it taste?

The lettuce tasted like…lettuce, which was a good thing, because if it hadn’t, then it meant we had made a huge mistake. It was so much fun to be a part of that experiment. The payoff, getting to eat fresh grown food on orbit was of course, a lot of fun. But just getting to take care of the lettuce plant, watch it grow in the sterile looking environment of the space station, getting to take care of this living thing on a daily basis, it was good for the soul.

How do you prepare for someone getting hurt or sick in space? 

We train at least two crew members on every expedition to be Crew Medical Officers, or CMOs. They spend about 40 – 50 hours learning how to use the medical equipment and procedures on the space station, so that they can essentially serve as an extension of the flight surgeon in mission control. We have equipment and medication to deal with most minor illnesses and injuries. But because we are in low earth orbit, we can evacuate an ill crew member back to Earth in the event of a severe medical issue. This option won’t be available as we push out further from Earth, so we’ll need more rigorous training and a more comprehensive medical system.

How many times did you apply to be an astronaut?

I was very fortunate and got selected on my first try. I have several friends in the office though, who applied 4 or 5 times before being selected. It is amazing to go through the selection process and to meet others who share your dream. Enjoy the experience and keep applying – it is worth it!

How can I improve my chances of being selected to become an astronaut?

I recommend continuing to do things that you enjoy, continue to build experience at work and maybe look for new opportunities in your job that will grow you in your career and grow you as a leader. But choose opportunities because YOU want to do them, not based on what you think NASA is looking for. There is no one path or experience that leads to becoming an astronaut. We have an amazing diversity of experience and background in the astronaut office.

What advice do you have for the newest astronauts?

Enjoy the journey! Spaceflight is amazing, but even as astronauts, most of us spend 95% of our career on the ground. Enjoy every part of the job, supporting missions as a Spacecraft Communicator (CapCom), verifying procedures for a repair or training for a spacewalk. It is amazing to be a part of the team that launches and supports humans living and working in space. It is an amazing thing.

Which is more exciting: spacewalking or skydiving?

Skydiving was pretty amazing. I got to do quite a bit of it as a member of the Air Force Academy parachute team. But there is nothing quite like doing a spacewalk. It is an indescribable experience, putting hundreds of hours of training to work, the physical and mental challenge of operating in that harsh environment. But the view outside the space station, of the Earth, the stars, the structure of the space station – it was a highlight of my time in space and something I will never forget.

What's the most interesting part about training with the Dragon capsule?

It has been awesome working with the NASA and SpaceX teams as we are preparing to launch in the Crew Dragon capsule. My favorite part of the experience has always been and continues to be the people. Safely sending humans to space and back is one of the most difficult things humanity has ever done. That challenge attracts the best and brightest people from across our country. Getting to work with those folks at NASA and at SpaceX, to experience their enthusiasm, dedication and ingenuity on a daily basis is a gift. It has also been a lot of fun seeing a different approach to human spaceflight. I’m very familiar with how NASA and the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos operate. It has been fun seeing a different perspective and approach.

Can you share your favorite photo or video that you took in space?

Yes! This is my favorite photo of the Milky Way, with a lightning strike illuminating a solar array.

Thanks Dr. Lindgren, and good luck on your next spaceflight!  

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Decoding Nebulae

We can agree that nebulae are some of the most majestic-looking objects in the universe. But what are they exactly? Nebulae are giant clouds of gas and dust in space. They’re commonly associated with two parts of the life cycle of stars: First, they can be nurseries forming new baby stars. Second, expanding clouds of gas and dust can mark where stars have died.

Not all nebulae are alike, and their different appearances tell us what's happening around them. Since not all nebulae emit light of their own, there are different ways that the clouds of gas and dust reveal themselves. Some nebulae scatter the light of stars hiding in or near them. These are called reflection nebulae and are a bit like seeing a street lamp illuminate the fog around it.

In another type, called emission nebulae, stars heat up the clouds of gas, whose chemicals respond by glowing in different colors. Think of it like a neon sign hanging in a shop window!

Finally there are nebulae with dust so thick that we’re unable to see the visible light from young stars shine through it. These are called dark nebulae.

Our missions help us see nebulae and identify the different elements that oftentimes light them up.

The Hubble Space Telescope is able to observe the cosmos in multiple wavelengths of light, ranging from ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared. Hubble peered at the iconic Eagle Nebula in visible and infrared light, revealing these grand spires of dust and countless stars within and around them.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory studies the universe in X-ray light! The spacecraft is helping scientists see features within nebulae that might otherwise be hidden by gas and dust when viewed in longer wavelengths like visible and infrared light. In the Crab Nebula, Chandra sees high-energy X-rays from a pulsar (a type of rapidly spinning neutron star, which is the crushed, city-sized core of a star that exploded as a supernova).

The James Webb Space Telescope will primarily observe the infrared universe. With Webb, scientists will peer deep into clouds of dust and gas to study how stars and planetary systems form.

The Spitzer Space Telescope studied the cosmos for over 16 years before retiring in 2020. With the help of its detectors, Spitzer revealed unknown materials hiding in nebulae — like oddly-shaped molecules and soot-like materials, which were found in the California Nebula.

Studying nebulae helps scientists understand the life cycle of stars. Did you know our Sun got its start in a stellar nursery? Over 4.5 billion years ago, some gas and dust in a nebula clumped together due to gravity, and a baby Sun was born. The process to form a baby star itself can take a million years or more!

After billions more years, our Sun will eventually puff into a huge red giant star before leaving behind a beautiful planetary nebula (so-called because astronomers looking through early telescopes thought they resembled planets), along with a small, dense object called a white dwarf that will cool down very slowly. In fact, we don’t think the universe is old enough yet for any white dwarfs to have cooled down completely.

Since the Sun will live so much longer than us, scientists can't observe its whole life cycle directly ... but they can study tons of other stars and nebulae at different phases of their lives and draw conclusions about where our Sun came from and where it's headed. While studying nebulae, we’re seeing the past, present, and future of our Sun and trillions of others like it in the cosmos.

To keep up with the most recent cosmic news, follow NASA Universe on Twitter and Facebook.

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Say hello to the Antennae galaxies 👋

Two galaxies are locked in a deadly embrace in this Hubble Space Telescope image. Once normal, sedate spiral galaxies like the Milky Way, this galactic pair has spent the past few hundred million years sparring. The clash is so violent that stars have been ripped from their host galaxies to form a streaming arc between the two. 

The far-flung stars and streamers of gas stretch out into space, creating long tidal tails reminiscent of antennae (not visible in this close-up Hubble view). Clouds of gas blossom out in bright pink and red, surrounding the bright flashes of blue star-forming regions — some of which are partially obscured by dark patches of dust. 

Hubble’s observations have uncovered over 1,000 bright, young star clusters bursting to life as a result of the head-on wreck. The sweeping spiral-like patterns, traced by bright blue star clusters, shows the result of a firestorm of star-birth activity, which was triggered by the collision. The rate of star formation is so high that the Antennae galaxies are said to be in a state of starburst, a period in which all of the gas within the galaxies is being used to form stars. This cannot last forever, and neither can the separate galaxies; eventually the nuclei will coalesce and the galaxies will begin their retirement together as one large elliptical galaxy. 

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How Big is Our Galaxy, the Milky Way?

When we talk about the enormity of the cosmos, it’s easy to toss out big numbers – but far harder to wrap our minds around just how large, how far and how numerous celestial bodies like exoplanets – planets beyond our solar system – really are.

So. How big is our Milky Way Galaxy?

We use light-time to measure the vast distances of space.

It’s the distance that light travels in a specific period of time. Also: LIGHT IS FAST, nothing travels faster than light.

How far can light travel in one second? 186,000 miles. It might look even faster in metric: 300,000 kilometers in one second. See? FAST.

How far can light travel in one minute? 11,160,000 miles. We’re moving now! Light could go around the Earth a bit more than 448 times in one minute.

Speaking of Earth, how long does it take light from the Sun to reach our planet? 8.3 minutes. (It takes 43.2 minutes for sunlight to reach Jupiter, about 484 million miles away.) Light is fast, but the distances are VAST.

In an hour, light can travel 671 million miles. We’re still light-years from the nearest exoplanet, by the way. Proxima Centauri b is 4.2 light-years away. So… how far is a light-year? 5.8 TRILLION MILES.

A trip at light speed to the very edge of our solar system – the farthest reaches of the Oort Cloud, a collection of dormant comets way, WAY out there – would take about 1.87 years.

Our galaxy contains 100 to 400 billion stars and is about 100,000 light-years across!

One of the most distant exoplanets known to us in the Milky Way is Kepler-443b. Traveling at light speed, it would take 3,000 years to get there. Or 28 billion years, going 60 mph. So, you know, far.

SPACE IS BIG.

Read more here: go.nasa.gov/2FTyhgH

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NASA Spotlight: Astronaut Soichi Noguchi

Soichi Noguchi was selected as an astronaut with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in 1996. A native of Yokohama, Kanagawa, he is currently a mission specialist for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 launch taking flight to the International Space Station on Nov. 14. Soichi will be the first international crewmember on Crew Dragon and the first international partner astronaut to fly aboard three types of orbital spacecraft – the U.S. space shuttle, the Russian Soyuz, and now the SpaceX Crew Dragon! Talk about impressive. He received a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering in 1989, master's degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1991, Doctor of Philosophy in Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies in 2020, all from the University of Tokyo.

Soichi took time from preparing for his historic mission to answer questions about his life and career: 

You recently earned a doctorate in philosophy. What made you do it?

After my second flight, I started this research about your sensory system in zero gravity. I used a my own personal video, which I took during my last two flights at the International Space Station. I had a lot of interesting discussions amongst young professionals and students at the University of Tokyo about the research. It was a fun experience – but I would not do it again!

Space is a risky business. Why do it?

Space IS definitely a risky business. But the reward is higher than the risk so that’s why we take it.

Do you have a message for boys and girls in Japan who are interested in science and engineering?

Three words: Space. Is. Waiting.

Aside from mission objectives and tasks, what’s a personal goal for this mission?

We have a lot of interesting missions to do, but my personal goal is to return home with lots of fun stories.

What was it like to get the phone call to become an astronaut?

 It was 25 years ago, but I still remember the voice vividly. I got a call from Dr. Mamoru Mohri, the very first JAXA astronaut, and he said “Welcome to the Astronaut Corps.” When I got the call to be part of the Crew-1 mission, I was a lot less nervous than when I was assigned to my first mission, but the excitement remains the same.

Can you describe your crew mate Mike Hopkins in one sentence?

He is a natural leader that takes care of the team really well, and he’s fun to play around with.

Star Trek or Star Wars?

Star Wars… just because!

Can you share your favorite photo or video that you took in space?

My favorite photo is Mount Fuji because I see the mountain almost every day when I was a child. It’s definitely breathtaking to see Mount Fuji from space.

What personal items did you decide to pack for launch and why?

I have lots of family photos, and I would put it inside my sleep station. Definitely one of the most challenging things about spaceflight is not experiencing zero gravity, not the rocket, but time away from family.

How would you describe spacewalking outside the space station?

It’s an excursion. The view of the Earth is just breathtaking because you are just one glass away from the vacuum of space. There’s nothing between you and Earth.

What are you most excited about for the future of human space exploration?

I would say I’m most excited for interplanetary travel to become more common so that the school kids can go to Mars on their field trip.

What would you say to someone looking to follow in your footsteps?

Don’t worry, be happy!

How has spaceflight evolved since your first launch and stay aboard the International Space Station in 2005?

This is definitely an exciting moment. We’re starting to see more players in the game. SpaceX is the frontrunner, but soon we’ll see Boeing, Sierra Nevada and Axiom. So the International Space Station will soon have more players involved, and it will be a lot more fun!

Thank you for your time, Soichi, and good luck on your historic mission! Get to know a bit more about Soichi and his NASA astronaut crew mates Victor Glover, Michael Hopkins, and Shannon Walker in the video above.

Watch LIVE launch coverage beginning at 3:30 p.m. EST on Nov. 14 HERE.

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