JPL Tests Next-Generation Electric Thruster NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2026-09-19 | JPL Tests Next-Generation Electric Thruster
Lasers in Space! How NASA’s New Technology Could Revolutionize Deep Space Comms (Live Public Talk) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-10-18 | Space lasers aren’t just science fiction – but their reality may be different than what you expect. Data transmission via laser (also known as optical comms) has the potential to revolutionize deep space communications by enabling ultra high-definition video and complex science data transfer across the solar system. The Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) experiment, a technology demonstration that launched aboard NASA’s Psyche mission in October 2023, has successfully tested high-bandwidth laser communications for the first time beyond the Moon and recently achieved another milestone by transmitting data from Mars orbit. With data rates 10-100x higher than radio frequencies, laser communications could support robotic spacecraft throughout our solar system and even future astronauts exploring Mars. Join us live for a discussion on these milestones and what’s ahead for the second year of the experiment’s two-year test. Hear from Dr. Angel E. Velasco and Dr. Joe Kovalik, members of the DSOC team, who will share the latest achievements and what the daily operations are like for this technology demonstration.Speakers: Dr. Angel E. Velasco, DSOC ground laser transmitter lead, optical communications engineer Dr. Joseph Kovalik, DSOC flight integration & test lead, optical communications engineer Host: Nikki Wyrick, communications and education directorate, NASA JPLCo-host: Dr. Ian O’Neill , media relations specialist, NASA JPL(Original air date: Oct. 17, 2024)
NASA’s Europa Clipper Mission Launches From Kennedy Space Center (Highlights) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-10-15 | Highlights from the Oct. 14, 2024, launch of NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft, which will travel 1.8 billion miles to study Jupiter’s ocean moon Europa. The spacecraft lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:06 p.m. EDT (9:06 a.m. PDT).Europa Clipper is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying Europa, which likely has a salty ocean beneath its icy surface. The spacecraft is equipped with nine science instruments and a gravity experiment. The mission’s main goal is to determine whether Europa has the right conditions to support life. Europa Clipper will arrive at Jupiter in 2030 and make 49 flybys of Europa during its prime mission, which concludes in 2034. For more information on the mission go to: europa.nasa.govCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Possible Volcanic Moon Detected 635 Light-Years Away NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-10-10 | The existence of exomoons (moons around planets outside our solar system) has long been theorized, but their detection has remained elusive due to their small size and faintness. A new NASA-led study, however, suggests that a potential exomoon may be orbiting the exoplanet WASP-49 b, a gas giant located 635 light-years from Earth. The possible exomoon is believed to be rocky and volcanically active, similar to Jupiter’s moon Io.The study centers on a sodium cloud near WASP-49 b that was discovered in 2017, and which shares characteristics with the gas emissions seen around Io. The scientists tracked the cloud’s motion and the data strongly indicates the presence of a separate orbiting body — an exomoon — as the source.Further observations are needed to confirm the existence of this potential exomoon. If WASP-49 b indeed hosts a moon similar in size to that of Earth, the exomoon may face a violent fate: Gravitational forces from the exoplanet could eventually cause it to disintegrate.Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Whats Up: October 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-10-02 | What are some skywatching highlights in October 2024?A potentially bright comet (C/2023 A3) to look for after mid-month, good opportunities to spy the ocean world NASA's launching to, and the monthly dance of four planets with the Moon.0:00 Intro 0:21 October planet visibility0:59 Viewing Europa2:10 Moon & planet pairings2:38 Comet C/2023 A33:58 September photo highlights4:12 October Moon phasesAdditional information about topics covered in this episode of What's Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up.
Europa and Beyond: A Deep Dive into Ocean Worlds in Our Solar System (Live Public Talk) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-09-20 | “Follow the water” has long been the mantra of astrobiologists in search of life in the universe, as H2O remains the fundamental building block of all life as we know it. To truly understand the nature of possible ecosystems outside our planet, we must directly investigate the liquid water that our NASA missions have discovered within moons and planets across our solar system.From Callisto and Ganymede to Enceladus, what could future exploration of these watery worlds look like?Join us for a live talk where we’ll discuss the scientific allure of ocean worlds, how we might investigate the surface of these celestial bodies, and learn about robotic technologies being developed at JPL that could someday penetrate a frozen world’s icy shell to explore a vast ocean hidden beneath.Speakers: Dr. Cynthia Phillips, planetary geologist and Europa Clipper project staff scientist at NASA JPLDr. Benjamin Hockman, robotics technologist at NASA JPLHost: Gregory Smith, communications and education directorate at NASA JPLCo-host: Laurance Fauconnet, solar system public engagement lead at NASA JPL(Original Air Date: Sept. 19, 2024)
Get Ready With NASA: #RunwayToJupiter Style Challenge #GRWM #Shorts NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-09-18 | Do the colors and textures of Jupiter's ocean moon inspire you? Our Europa Clipper style challenge invites you to show off your cosmic looks! From icy glam to ocean chic, share your makeup, outfits, and nail art using #RunwayToJupiter. You may be featured on our NASA channels!#EuropaClipper #Europa #Jupiter #SolarSystem #FashionWeek #ExperimentalMakeUp #NailInspo #makeup #NailArt #InstaFashion #SpaceFashion #beauty #NASA #JPL
Europa Clipper Mission Countdown: Preview to Launch NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-09-17 | NASA will host a news conference at 8am PDT / 11am EDT Tuesday, Sept. 17, to discuss the upcoming Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter’s icy moon Europa. Targeting an Oct. 10 launch, Europa Clipper aims to determine whether Jupiter’s moon Europa potentially has the ingredients necessary for life.Participants in the news conference include:- Gina DiBraccio, acting director, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters- Jordan Evans, project manager, Europa Clipper, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory- Armando Piloto, senior mission manager, NASA’s Launch Services Program- Stuart Hill, propulsion module delivery manager, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory - Bonnie Buratti, deputy project scientist, Europa Clipper, JPLFor more information on the mission, go to: europa.nasa.gov
Europa Clipper: Exploring Jupiter’s Ocean Moon (Mission Overview) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-09-17 | NASA’s Europa Clipper is the first mission dedicated to studying Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, one of the most promising places in our solar system to find an environment suitable for life outside of Earth. Evidence suggests that beneath Europa’s frozen surface is a global ocean of water, and scientists want to find out if there’s also the right chemistry and energy to sustain life.Europa Clipper is equipped with nine instruments and a gravity experiment. It will orbit Jupiter and make 49 flybys of Europa, gathering data to help scientists understand the moon’s geology, composition, and interior. While not a life-detection mission, Europa Clipper will answer key questions about the moon’s potential habitability.Europa Clipper is expected to launch in October 2024 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and arrive at Jupiter in 2030.For more information on the mission go to: europa.nasa.govCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/KSC/APL
Earth to Mars: How NASA Keeps Curiosity Connected (Mars Report) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-09-12 | NASA’s Curiosity rover is exploring a scientifically exciting area on Mars, but communicating with the mission team on Earth has recently been a challenge due to both the current season and the surrounding terrain. In this Mars Report, Curiosity engineer Reidar Larsen takes you inside the uplink room where the team talks to the rover. See why Curiosity’s location in Gediz Vallis channel makes it difficult to send direct commands — and how the team ensures they always stay connected to the rover.Curiosity landed in 2012 to look for evidence that Mars’ Gale Crater had the conditions to support microbial life in the ancient past. Curiosity has confirmed those conditions existed on the crater floor as well as on various parts of Mount Sharp, the 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-tall) mountain within the crater that the rover has been ascending since 2014. For more about Curiosity, visit: science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity/.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/University of Arizona/UC Berkeley
Behind the Spacecraft: Europa Clipper (Teaser Trailer) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-09-06 | Meet some of the engineers contributing to NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, which will study Jupiter’s icy moon Europa to see if it has conditions suitable to support life. This trailer is an introduction to the team members profiled in the “Behind the Spacecraft: Europa Clipper” video series. Each of the five episodes will take you behind the scenes with an engineer on the mission: Jenny Kampmeier, Sarah Elizabeth McCandless, Valeria Salazar, Dipak Srinivasan, and Andres Rivera. Their roles range from navigating to communicating with the spacecraft. Learn how these engineers came to join the mission and how they hope to inspire future generations. Europa Clipper is set to launch in October 2024 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will arrive at Jupiter in 2030. The mission is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, with key spacecraft infrastructure contributions from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland.For more information on the mission, visit: europa.nasa.govFor the series playlist, visit: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTiv_XWHnOZqkhPC1tfhVqnM1SvIgdn6zCredit: NASAProduced by: NASA 360 Productions
Spacecraft Makers: How We Keep Europa Clipper Super Clean NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-09-05 | A team of specialists in a field known as planetary protection has been working to keep NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft as clean as possible as it is prepared for launch. This effort is crucial, as the spacecraft will make dozens of flybys of Jupiter’s moon Europa, where an ocean beneath the icy crust may possess the essential ingredients for life. Although the spacecraft will not come into contact with the moon’s surface, planetary protection protocols are in place to safeguard Europa’s environment, as well as the other planets and moons Europa Clipper will fly by.The practice of planetary protection involves carefully controlling any exposure other solar system bodies have to Earth life. To minimize the possible introduction of microbes from Earth to Europa, numerous samples have been collected from the Europa Clipper throughout its construction. These samples are tested to ensure compliance with planetary protection protocols. In this episode, Akemi Hinzer from the Planetary Protection Laboratory at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory walks through the team’s meticulous process.Spacecraft Makers is a video series that takes audiences behind the scenes to learn more about how space missions, like Europa Clipper, come together. Europa Clipper is expected to launch in October 2024 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and arrive in the Jupiter system in 2030. For more information on the mission go to: europa.nasa.gov/.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Whats Up: September 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-09-03 | What are some skywatching highlights in September 2024?Five planets each make appearances, the Harvest supermoon shows us a partial eclipse, then slices through the Pleiades. Plus International Observe the Moon Night and solar sail sightings!0:00 Intro 0:18 Sept. planets visibility1:06 Moon & planet highlights2:58 Solar sail visibility3:38 International Observe the Moon Night4:34 August photo highlights4:48 September Moon phasesAdditional information about topics covered in this episode of What's Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/.
JPL: Daring Mighty Things Together NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-09-03 | The Jet Propulsion Laboratory holds a unique place in the universe. Here’s why.Located in Southern California, JPL is NASA’s leader in robotic exploration. We’ve sent rovers to Mars, probes into the farthest reaches of the solar system, and satellites to advance understanding of our home planet.Founded in 1936 as a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, JPL built and helped launch America’s first satellite, Explorer 1, in 1958. By the end of that year, Congress established NASA, and JPL became a part of the agency. Since then, JPL has continued to push the boundaries of what's possible, pioneering groundbreaking missions that expand our knowledge of the cosmos and inspire the next generation of explorers.We dare mighty things, together. Learn more about our lab: jpl.nasa.govCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
IceNode: JPL’s Autonomous Underwater Robots #Shorts NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-08-29 | Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory are testing a prototype of IceNode, a robot designed to access one of the most difficult-to-reach places on Earth. The team envisions a fleet of these autonomous robots deploying into unmapped underwater cavities beneath Antarctic ice shelves. There, they’d measure how fast the ice is melting — data that’s crucial to helping scientists accurately project how much global sea levels will rise. The IceNode team took a prototype robot for a test under Arctic sea ice in the Beaufort Sea, north of Alaska, in March 2024.#Robotics #Earth #JPL #science #ClimateChangeCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Meet Europa Clipper’s Solar Array ‘Wings’ NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-08-27 | NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft is getting ready for launch, and its massive solar arrays were recently installed. These “wings” are so large because Jupiter receives only 3% to 4% of the sunlight Earth gets, and the arrays need to be able to collect enough sunlight to power the spacecraft through its mission. With the arrays deployed, the spacecraft spans more than 100 feet (30.5 meters), which is nearly the distance from the Statue of Liberty’s toes to her head. The arrays will help the spacecraft make its 1.8 billion-mile (2.6 billion-kilometer) journey to Jupiter and power science instruments, electronics, heaters, and other subsystems during the years orbiting Jupiter and flying by the moon Europa. They also support six antennas that stick out perpendicularly from the panels. These antennas are for the REASON (Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface) instrument, which will probe for water within and beneath Europa’s ice. Both wings were installed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in collaboration with the John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and Airbus Netherlands. The solar arrays are so large only one can be installed and tested at a time. Both will be folded and stowed for launch, then will fully deploy in space. Scientists believe the moon Europa has an ocean under its icy crust that may have conditions suitable for supporting life. Europa Clipper is expected to launch in October 2024 from Kennedy Space Center and arrive in the Jovian system in 2030.For more information on the mission go to: europa.nasa.gov/.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/KSC/APL/Airbus
Live From the Clean Room - Building NEO Surveyor NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-08-19 | Watch as NASA’s next planetary defense mission comes together at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California.Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor is an infrared space telescope being built to help advance NASA’s planetary defense efforts — the first space telescope specifically designed to hunt asteroids and comets that may be potential hazards to Earth.You are viewing activities in the High Bay 1 clean room at JPL’s Spacecraft Assembly Facility. Over the coming weeks, the large panels, cabling, and other components for NEO Surveyor’s instrument enclosure will take shape. In the center of the clean room is a platform, called the Medium Articulating Assembly Dolly (MAAD), which is designed to support the instrument enclosure, where components will be assembled and mounted. The enclosure is a key part of the spacecraft, housing NEO Surveyor’s powerful telescope and infrared instrumentation. When completed and tested, the enclosure will be mounted to the back of the spacecraft’s large sunshield and avionics for the mission, scheduled to launch no earlier than September 2027. The telescope, which is being built in another clean room at JPL, has an aperture of nearly 20 inches (50 centimeters) — larger than NASA’s previous asteroid-hunting space telescope, NEOWISE — and it will collect infrared light from some of the most difficult-to-find near-Earth objects in the solar system. Additional construction and testing will take place at JPL and partner institutions across the United States.For more about the mission, science.nasa.gov/mission/neo-surveyor To learn more about the spacecraft’s assembly, visit science.nasa.gov/mission/neo-surveyor
Sulfur Crystals on Mars: Curiosity’s Happy Accident and Other Surprises (Live Public Talk) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-08-16 | Scientists were stunned when a wheel on the Curiosity Mars rover recently cracked open a rock to reveal something never seen before on the Red Planet: yellow sulfur crystals. While the rover has previously detected sulfur-based minerals, this rock is made of pure, elemental sulfur.Join us for a live conversation with Dr. Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity’s project scientist, to discuss the significance of the finding as well as other notable discoveries from the mountain-climbing Mars explorer’s 12th year on the Red Planet.Speaker:Dr. Ashwin Vasavada, project scientist for the Curiosity rover, NASA JPLHost:Nikki Wyrick, office of communications and education, NASA JPLCo-host:Sarah Marcotte, Mars public engagement specialist, NASA JPL(Original Air Date: Aug. 15, 2024)
How Atoms Are Defying Gravity in NASAs Cold Atom Lab NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-08-12 | NASA’s Cold Atom Lab studies the quantum nature of atoms, the building blocks of our universe, in a place that is out of this world – the International Space Station. This animated explainer explores what quantum science is and why NASA wants to do it in space. Quantum science has revolutionized our understanding of the physical world and led to new technologies including cellphones, computers, medical devices, and GPS. However, Earth’s gravity poses challenges for studying the quantum behaviors of atoms.To overcome those challenges, Cold Atom Lab operates in microgravity. Using lasers and magnetic fields, scientists run the lab remotely from Earth, cooling groups of atoms to temperatures colder than any naturally occurring matter in the universe. Cold atoms, nearly motionless, reveal their behaviors more clearly. The absence of Earth’s gravity allows for prolonged atom study, opening new avenues in quantum exploration. For more information, visit http://coldatomlab.jpl.nasa.govCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Farewell to NEOWISE: NASA’s Asteroid-Hunting Telescope NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-08-09 | NASA's NEOWISE mission ended on Aug. 8, 2024, after more than a decade of discovering and tracking near-Earth objects — asteroids and comets that come close to Earth’s orbit. The mission team gathered at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California as the spacecraft received its final command to turn off its transmitter, concluding the mission.Launched in 2009 as WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer), the space telescope completed its primary mission to conduct an all-sky survey in the infrared spectrum. The spacecraft was put into hibernation in 2011, then re-awakened in 2013 for a second career as NEOWISE (Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer).NEOWISE is expected to re-enter the atmosphere and safely burn up in late 2024.For more information on NEOWISE, visit: science.nasa.gov/mission/neowiseFor NEOWISE data, visit: https://neowise.ipac.caltech.eduCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/IPAC/UCLA; comet NEOWISE image: NASA/Bill Dunford
NEOWISE: Legacy of NASA’s Asteroid-Hunting Telescope NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-08-01 | The NEOWISE mission, NASA’s asteroid-hunting space telescope, is retiring in summer 2024 after over a decade of discovering, tracking, and characterizing near-Earth objects (NEOs) — asteroids and comets that come close to Earth’s orbit. Without a propulsion system to boost its orbit, NEOWISE, which is short for Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and burn up in the coming months. In this video, mission leaders explain how NEOWISE has revolutionized our understanding of the solar system, better prepared us to predict potential impact events, and paved the way for a new mission: NASA’s Near-Earth Object Surveyor.Originally launched in 2009 as WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer), the telescope completed its primary mission to conduct an all-sky survey in the infrared spectrum. The spacecraft detected asteroids, stars, and some of the faintest galaxies in space, and then was put into hibernation in 2011. NASA re-awakened it in 2013, launching its second career and giving rise to its modified name, NEOWISE. On Aug. 8, 2024, mission controllers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will send a command to once again put the spacecraft into hibernation before its re-entry, expected in late 2024 or early 2025.For more information on the NEOWISE mission, visit: science.nasa.gov/mission/neowiseFor NEOWISE data, visit: neowise.ipac.caltech.eduCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech; WISE-NEOWISE movies compiled by Dan Caselden; WISE imagery: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA; Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/Judy Schmidt; 10 years of NEOWISE data animation: IPAC/Caltech/University of Arizona; select asteroid animations from NASA Eyes on Asteroids; asteroid 2014 HQ124 radar imagery: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arecibo Observatory/USRA/NSF; Orion Nebula: ESA/NASA/JPL-Caltech; International Space Station footage: NASA Johnson Space Center; comet NEOWISE images: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Naval Research Lab/Parker Solar Probe/Brendan Gallagher, and NASA/Bill Dunford
Whats Up: August 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-07-31 | What are some skywatching highlights in August 2024?Mars and Jupiter have a super close meetup, the conditions look good for the Perseid meteors, and how to observe a stellar nursery – the Lagoon Nebula.0:00 Intro 0:14 Moon & planet highlights1:14 Perseid meteor shower peaks1:51 Observing the Lagoon Nebula (M8)3:59 August Moon phasesAdditional information about topics covered in this episode of What's Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up. — Additional Resources —Hubble's view of the Lagoon Nebula: science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/science/explore-the-night-sky/hubble-messier-catalog/messier-8Find events & clubs: NASA's Night Sky Network: science.nasa.gov/skywatching/night-sky-networkSkywatching resources from NASA: science.nasa.gov/skywatching
Signs of Ancient Life on Mars? Here’s What We See in This Intriguing Rock #Shorts NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-07-25 | NASA’s Perseverance rover has made very compelling observations in a Martian rock that, with further study, could prove that life was present on Mars in the distant past – but how can we determine that from a rock, and what do we need to do to confirm it?Morgan Cable, a scientist on the Perseverance team, takes a closer look.#Mars #PerseveranceRover #astrobiology #SearchForLife #science #NASA #JPL
How NASA’s Team of Autonomous Mini Rovers Will Explore the Moon (Live Public Talk) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-07-19 | A team of rovers will soon be working together to explore the Moon – autonomously! NASA’s CADRE (Cooperative Autonomous Distributed Robotic Exploration) technology demonstration is sending three small rovers – each about the size of a carry-on suitcase – as an experiment to map and explore the lunar surface. The tech demo marks NASA’s first fully autonomous space mission involving multiple rovers working together. The solar-powered rovers will test novel, JPL-developed autonomy software, using it to elect a “leader,” make decisions, and carry out tasks assigned by the leader — all without the need for constant direction from human mission controllers. They will use mesh network radios to communicate with each other and their base station, which will remain aboard a commercial lunar lander that will relay data to Earth. CADRE also will show how teams of robots can collaborate to take simultaneous scientific measurements from different locations, gathering data that would be impossible for a single robot to record. The tech demo could pave the way for autonomous, multi-robot missions that change how celestial bodies are explored. Join us as we discuss the amazing potential of CADRE with project manager, Subha Comandur, and principal investigator, Dr. Jean-Pierre de la Croix. Speakers: Subha Comandur, CADRE project manager, NASA JPL Dr. Jean-Pierre de la Croix, CADRE principal investigator, NASA JPL Host: Nikki Wyrick, communications and education directorate, NASA JPL Co-host: Sandy Marshall, solar system public engagement specialist, NASA JPL(Original Air Date: July 18, 2024)
Curiosity Rover Explores Gediz Vallis Channel (360 View) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-07-18 | Drag your mouse or move your phone to explore this 360-degree panorama provided by NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover. This view was captured within Gediz Vallis channel, which was likely formed by ancient floodwaters and landslides. After Curiosity drove over a bright stone and cracked it open, scientists discovered it was filled with pure sulfur — something that’s never been seen on Mars before. (The rover has discovered lots of sulfur-based minerals in the past, but not pure sulfur). In the video, a separate image of the sulfur crystals appears embedded roughly where the rock was found; the camera’s view of the rock was blocked by the rover at the time this panorama was taken.You’ll also see Curiosity’s robotic arm, which is raised after drilling its 41st hole at a location nicknamed “Mammoth Lakes.” The sample collected by Curiosity was dropped into instruments in its belly, and will help scientists understand how this area formed. The rover used its Mast Camera, or Mastcam, to take this panorama on June 19, 2024, the 4,220th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. It’s made up of 336 individual images that were stitched together. The color has been adjusted to match lighting conditions as the human eye would see them on Earth. Note on best viewing: Not all browsers support 360-degree videos. YouTube supports playback on computers using Chrome, Firefox, MS Edge, and Opera browsers. For the best experience on a mobile device, play this video in the YouTube app. To improve the resolution, open the video settings (using the gear icon) and select the highest quality available.For more about Curiosity, visit: science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity/.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Perseverance Rover Spots an Unusual Rock in Ancient River Channel (Mars Report) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-07-15 | As NASA’s Perseverance rover prepares to ascend to the rim of Jezero Crater, its team is investigating a rock unlike any that they’ve seen so far on Mars. Deputy project scientist Katie Stack Morgan explains why this rock, found in an ancient channel that funneled water into the crater, could be among the oldest that Perseverance has investigated – or the youngest. Plus, learn how the rover is equipped to determine when rocks are formed, and get a preview of where it will journey next. NASA’s Perseverance rover landed on Mars in 2021, with a key objective to collect and cache samples that may contain signs of ancient microbial life. For more information on Perseverance, visit science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance/.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS
Whats Up: July 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-07-02 | What are some skywatching highlights in July 2024?The Moon and planets come together twice in the morning sky – at the start and end of July, find the elusive planet Uranus with some help from Mars, and two star clusters – M6 and M7 – are well placed for viewing in the evening.0:00 Intro 0:14 Moon and planet pairings1:40 Mars and Uranus2:14 Star Clusters in Scorpius4:24 July Moon phasesAdditional information about topics covered in this episode of What's Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up. — Additional Resources —- Find events & clubs: NASA's Night Sky Network: science.nasa.gov/skywatching/night-sky-network- Skywatching resources from NASA: science.nasa.gov/skywatching
NASA in Your Home: How Space-Based Technology Improves Our Daily Lives NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-06-21 | Did you know that the microchip in your cell phone’s camera was first developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for use on spacecraft? The cell phone camera is one of many “spinoffs,” or commercialized products that incorporate NASA technology or expertise that benefit the general public. Spinoffs have been part of our lives for decades: improved GPS, assistive eyesight technology, advanced dental imaging, and even sophisticated video game landscapes were all originally developed at JPL to study Earth and the universe.Join us for a live talk as we explore how space-based technology becomes a spinoff, including a deep dive on the NASA-designed and -built instrument at the heart of the Carbon Mapper Coalition’s first two satellites. Called Tanager-1 and Tanager-2, the satellites will pinpoint and measure methane and carbon dioxide sources in communities around the world from low-Earth orbit.Host:Gregory Smith, Office of Communications and Education, NASA JPLCo-Host:Rachel Zimmerman Brachman, Public Outreach Specialist, NASA JPLSpeakers:Daniel Broderick, Manager of the Office of Technology Transfer at JPLDr. Andrew Thorpe, Research Technologist, NASA JPLOriginal Air Date: June 20, 2024
Sound of Space Data: Crab Nebula Sonification NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-06-17 | This video is a sonification of X-ray light emitted by the Crab Nebula. The data was obtained by NASA’s NuSTAR and Chandra space observatories, whose teams turned the data into sound to enable people to audibly perceive different features of the Crab Nebula, making it more accessible for the visually impaired.In this sonification, X-ray wavelengths from NuSTAR (represented as different colors) are mapped to different musical pitches and sounds. Red, yellow, purple, blue, and white are mapped to notes from low to high. For Chandra, brightness in the X-ray data corresponds with pitch and volume, and a bell sound indicates the position of the pulsar at the center of the nebula.The Crab Nebula is what remains of a star that exploded as a supernova. The explosion that created the Crab Nebula was visible from Earth in the year 1054, when it was recorded by Chinese astronomers. Most of the star’s mass was pushed into space, creating a wide debris field that continues to expand. The rest of the stellar material collapsed into a dense object called a pulsar. The pulsar’s rapid rotation and strong magnetic field accelerate particles and shoot them into space.The particles emit high-energy X-rays that NuSTAR can detect, but as they travel outward, they collide with the debris scattered by the supernova, causing them to slow down and lose their energy. This is why NuSTAR only sees light from a relatively small region close to the pulsar. Lower energy X-rays detected by Chandra can be seen farther out.For more information on the NuStar go to: nustar.caltech.eduFor more information on the Chandra Space Telescope go to: channasa.gov/mission/chandra-x-ray-observatoryCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/CXC/SAO
How Do You Deliver a 7,000-Pound Spacecraft? NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-06-11 | How was NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft packed and shipped from the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California to Kennedy Space Center in Florida? The mission’s lead engineer Kobie Boykins explains how the team made sure the 7,000-pound spacecraft would be safe while it traveled first on a semitruck then flew to Florida on a United States Air Force C-17 Globemaster III. The Europa Clipper team also shipped enough ground support equipment to fill 14 semitrailers. NASA’s Europa Clipper mission will investigate Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, which — with its subsurface ocean — is one of the most promising places in our solar system to find environments capable of supporting life.The spacecraft is expected to launch in October 2024 from Kennedy and arrive at the Jupiter system in 2030. For more information on the mission go to: europa.nasa.gov/.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/KSC
Edward C. Stone, Explorer. 1936-2024 NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-06-11 | Edward C. Stone, former director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and longtime project scientist of the Voyager mission, passed away on June 9, 2024. He was 88 years old. In this 2018 video, Stone talks about the Voyager 2 spacecraft reaching interstellar space, six years after Voyager 1 reached the same milestone. The twin Voyager spacecraft were launched in 1977 on a five-year mission that is still operating today. Stone served as the mission’s project scientist for 50 years, from 1972 to 2022.In addition to his work on Voyager, Stone was the director of JPL from 1991 to 2001. Under his leadership, JPL was responsible for 21 missions and instruments and developed six new missions. Highlights during Stone’s tenure included landing NASA’s Pathfinder mission with the first Mars rover, Sojourner, in 1996 and launching the NASA-ESA (European Space Agency) Cassini/Huygens mission in 1997. The first Saturn orbiter, Cassini was a direct outgrowth of the scientific questions that arose from Voyager’s two flybys, and it carried the only probe that has ever landed in the outer solar system (at Titan). Full release: jpl.nasa.gov/news/ed-stone-former-director-of-jpl-and-voyager-project-scientist-dies
Whats Up: June 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-05-30 | What are some skywatching highlights in June 2024?Saturn and Mars continue to dominate the a.m. sky, but they're joined by Jupiter as the month goes on. And some tips for identifying some commonly seen objects in the night sky.0:00 Intro 0:14 Moon & planet highlights1:03 Identifying common objects4:14 June Moon phases"Planet Parade" note: Some online sources have shared excitement about a "parade of planets" visible in the morning sky in early June. In reality, only two of the six planets supposedly on display will actually be visible. Jupiter and Mercury will be at or below the horizon in morning twilight and not visible; Uranus and Neptune are far too faint to see without a telescope, especially as the morning sky brightens. The real planet parade will be June 29, when Saturn, the Moon, Mars, and Jupiter will line up across the morning sky. We'll talk more about that lineup in the July "What's Up" video.Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What's Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up.
Special Delivery: Exoplanet Tech Demo Leaves JPL, Arrives at NASA Goddard #Shorts NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-05-22 | NASA's next exoplanet imager is one step closer to launch. Before leaving NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, the Roman Coronagraph Instrument team said their farewells to the hardware. Shortly after, teams at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center welcomed the instrument to their facility in Maryland. The technology demonstration will test new tools to see planets beyond our solar system. It will soon be integrated with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is scheduled to launch no earlier than 2027.#RomanTelescope #RomanSpaceTelescope #coronagraph #space #science #exoplanet #NASA #Goddard #JPL #HiBarbie
Seeing Exoplanets Like Never Before With the Roman Coronagraph (Instrument Overview) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-05-21 | NASA's upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a flagship astrophysics mission, will launch with a very special piece of technology on board that will directly observe exoplanets like never before: the Roman Coronagraph Instrument. The Roman Coronagraph, the most powerful coronagraph ever flown in space, will block the light from host stars, allowing scientists to directly observe exoplanets, or worlds beyond our solar system. The coronagraph is a technology demonstration that will show how this cutting-edge technology can work in space. These types of technologies will be necessary for future missions like NASA’s proposed Habitable Worlds Observatory mission concept.For more information about the Roman Coronagraph Instrument, visit: science.nasa.gov/mission/roman-space-telescope/coronagraphCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSFC
A Mission to Better Understand Earth’s Polar Regions (Mission Overview) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-05-17 | NASA’s PREFIRE mission aims to improve global climate change predictions by expanding our understanding of heat loss at the polar regions. The Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment (PREFIRE) will send two shoebox-size satellites into space to study the Arctic and Antarctic. They’ll be the first to systematically measure heat in the form of far-infrared radiation emitted from those regions. Earth absorbs much of the Sun’s energy at the tropics. Weather and ocean currents then move that heat toward the poles, which help regulate Earth’s climate by radiating that heat back into space. But the Arctic is warming about three times faster than anywhere else on Earth, and that’s leading to increased ice sheet melt and sea level rise in coastal communities. The data from PREFIRE will help scientists better understand how Earth’s polar regions respond to climate change and what that might mean for the future.For more information: science.nasa.gov/mission/prefire Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Wisconsin
Shake & Bake: How Spacecraft Are Tested to Handle the Harsh Environment of Space NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-05-17 | Have you ever wondered how spacecraft are designed to handle the punishing conditions of launch and the extreme variations of space? From rocket vibrations, to the temperatures and pressures of space and other planets, to the solar illumination of the Sun, the Environmental Test Lab (ETL) at JPL is responsible for simulating these conditions and verifying, through a series of rigorous tests, that spacecraft will be able to fulfill their missions unharmed. Join us for a live chat with two ETL experts who will teach us more about the equipment, the people behind environmental testing, and how they literally “shake and bake” spacecraft. Speakers:Brad Kinter, Group Supervisor, Environmental Thermal Testing, NASA JPLPete Landry, Systems Integration and Test Engineer, Environmental Dynamics Test & Instrumentation Group, NASA JPLHost:Marc Razze, office of communications and education, NASA JPLCo-host:Laurance Fauconnet, solar system public engagement specialist, NASA JPLOriginal Air Date: May 16, 2024
Why Does NASA Want to Explore Jupiter’s Ocean Moon? (Europa Clipper Science Overview) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-05-15 | Everywhere there’s water on Earth, there’s life. Does that hold true elsewhere in our solar system? NASA’s Europa Clipper mission will investigate Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, which — with its subsurface ocean — is one of the most promising places in our solar system to find environments capable of supporting life.While Europa Clipper isn’t a life-detection mission, it will be the first to conduct a detailed survey of this icy moon to answer questions about Europa’s potential habitability and composition. The mission’s main goals are to determine the thickness of Europa’s icy shell; confirm the presence of an ocean; investigate the make-up of that ocean; and characterize the geology of the surface. The spacecraft will orbit Jupiter and make approximately 50 flybys of Europa. It’s equipped with a powerful suite of instruments that will work in sync to gather measurements and high-resolution images. Europa Clipper is expected to launch in October 2024 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will arrive at the Jupiter system in 2030. For more information on the mission go to: europa.nasa.gov/.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/APL
Spacecraft Makers: Simulating Space to Test Europa Clipper NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-05-07 | How did the team working on NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft test whether the spacecraft will work properly in outer space? They put the spacecraft in a special chamber that mimics the kind of sunlight and airless environment the spacecraft will experience when it’s in outer space. In this video, Tony Licari - a mechanical systems engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California - shows how the team moved the main body of the largest spacecraft NASA has ever built for a planetary mission into JPL's historic 85-foot-tall, 25-foot-wide (26-meter-by-8-meter) thermal vacuum chamber.Inside the chamber, the team simulated the kinds of conditions the spacecraft will experience while flying through space, and practiced deploying instruments. Europa Clipper successfully completed those tests in March 2024.Spacecraft Makers is a video series that takes audiences behind the scenes to learn more about how space missions, like Europa Clipper, come together. Europa Clipper will explore Jupiter’s icy moon Europa to see if there are conditions suitable for life. The spacecraft needs to be hardy enough to survive a 1.6 billion-mile, six-year journey to Jupiter, and sophisticated enough to perform a detailed science investigation of Europa once it arrives at the Jupiter system in 2030.Europa Clipper is expected to launch in October 2024 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. For more information on the mission go to: europa.nasa.gov/.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
CADRE Rovers: Students Work on NASA’s Lunar Tech Demo NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-05-06 | Meet six interns who played a key hands-on role in development and testing of the hardware and software for CADRE, NASA’s upcoming lunar technology demonstration, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. CADRE will send a trio of small rovers to the Moon to work as a team and explore autonomously.For more information about CADRE, visit: go.nasa.gov/cadreFor more information about internship opportunities, visit: jpl.nasa.gov/internCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
30 Seconds with the Europa Clipper Spacecraft #Shorts NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-05-02 | Take a tour of the Europa Clipper spacecraft, which is headed to Jupiter's icy moon later this year. See instruments that will help us investigate whether Europa could be a habitable environment by gathering measurements of its internal ocean, mapping the moon's surface composition and geology, and hunting for plumes of water vapor that may be venting from the icy crust.#NASA #JPL #Europa #GoEuropaClipper #Jupiter #Moon #Spacecraft
Whats Up: May 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-05-01 | What are some skywatching highlights in May 2024?Mars and Saturn tussle with the Moon, Mercury makes a brief a.m. appearance, East Coasters can see red giant star Antares emerge from behind the Moon, and the eta Aquariid meteors peak on May 6th.0:00 Intro 0:15 Moon & planet highlights1:06 Moon occults Antares1:53 eta Aquariid meteor shower3:54 May Moon phasesAdditional information about topics covered in this episode of What's Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up.
How Solar Storms This Year Will Help Mars Astronauts in the Future (Mars Report - April 2024) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-04-29 | The Sun’s activity will be at its peak in 2024, providing a rare opportunity to study how solar storms and radiation could affect future astronauts and robots on Mars. This peak period – called solar maximum – will be observed by NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmospheric and Volatiles EvolutioN) orbiter and Curiosity rover. Learn how both spacecraft have a big year ahead in this video featuring MAVEN Principal Investigator Shannon Curry of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder. Solar maximum occurs roughly every 11 years. During this period, the Sun is especially prone to throwing fiery tantrums in a variety of forms, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections. These events launch radiation deep into space. When a series of these solar events erupt, it’s called a solar storm. Earth’s magnetic field largely shields our home planet from the effects of these storms. But Mars lost its global magnetic field long ago, leaving the Red Planet more vulnerable to the Sun’s energetic particles. Researchers are excited to potentially gather data on just how intense solar activity can get at Mars. Among the preparations space agencies will need to make for sending humans to the Red Planet is what kind of radiation protection astronauts would require. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the MAVEN mission.NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California leads the Curiosity mission.Learn more: go.nasa.gov/3UNS6g1For more information on MAVEN, go to: science.nasa.gov/mission/mavenFor more information on Curiosity, go to: science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosityCredit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSFC/Scientific Visualization Studio/SDO/LASP-University of Colorado Boulder/MSSS
See Ingenuity’s Flight Map: 72 Helicopter Flights on Mars NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-04-19 | NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter became the first vehicle to achieve powered, controlled flight on another planet when it took to the Martian skies on April 19, 2021. This video maps the location of the 72 flights that the helicopter took over the course of nearly three years. Ingenuity far surpassed expectations — soaring higher and faster than previously imagined. Designed to be a technology demonstration that would make no more than five test flights in 30 days, Ingenuity eventually flew more than 14 times farther than the distance expected, and logged more than two hours of total flight time. It flew for the final time on Jan. 18, 2024.For more information on Ingenuity, visit: go.nasa.gov/ingenuity.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Seeing Earth’s Coastlines: SWOT Satellite Provides Higher-Resolution Data than Ever Before NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-04-19 | NASA has monitored Earth’s water from space for decades, but there’s always been one stubborn observational gap: coastal sea level. This data, while critical to coastal communities as they plan for the potentially devastating effects of rising seas, has been difficult to measure because of its variability – but the Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission, also known as SWOT, is giving scientists higher-resolution data than ever before.SWOT measures the height of nearly all water on Earth’s surface from space and provides one of the most detailed, comprehensive views of our planet’s oceans and freshwater lakes and rivers. After more than a year in Earth orbit, the mission has provided detailed information about coastal flooding, our warming oceans, and global sea level rise.Join us for a live discussion with Dr. Ben Hamlington to learn how SWOT is #TrackingWorldWater to fill in our current gap of information regarding water at coastlines around the globe.SWOT is a collaboration between NASA and the French space agency, Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), with contributions from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the UK Space Agency. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory leads the U.S. component of the project.You can learn more about SWOT at swot.jpl.nasa.gov and head to podaac.jpl.nasa.gov/SWOT?sections=data to access SWOT's data that is available to the public.Resources referenced in the talk:6:40 - More on global sea level: go.nasa.gov/3vmZXHi 23:01 - SWOT's KaRIn instrument gets global view of sea levels: youtu.be/obIkUQtSJgk24:44 - SWOT monitors El Niño off the coast of Peru: go.nasa.gov/3Q47LEW 27:09 - SWOT monitors warming waters along California coast: go.nasa.gov/3PqnFs127:53 - SWOT satellite catches coastal flooding during California storms: go.nasa.gov/3TjIQzf 29:51 - SWOT data helps calculate depth of temporary lake in Death Valley: go.nasa.gov/49Euhes Speaker: Dr. Ben Hamlington, Research Scientist in the Sea Level and Ice Group, Team Lead of the NASA Sea Level ChangeHost:Nikki Wyrick, Office of Communications and Education, NASA JPLCo-host:Jocelyn Argueta, Earth Public Engagement, NASA JPL(Original Air Date: April 18, 2024)
JPL Clean Room Q&A: See the Europa Clipper spacecraft, scheduled to launch in October 2024 NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-04-11 | A behind-the-scenes look at the Europa Clipper spacecraft from inside the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at JPL! Join us to see the spacecraft up close before it ships to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to prepare for launch in October 2024. Europa Clipper Project Manager Jordan Evans will take us on a tour of the spacecraft and discuss the instruments it will use when it reaches Jupiter's icy moon.Learn more about the spacecraft's instruments and see what the completed spacecraft will look like using this 3D model: europa.nasa.gov/spacecraft/meet-europa-clipperFor more about the mission, visit: europa.nasa.govTo learn more about the spacecraft’s assembly, visit: europa.nasa.gov/spacecraft/assembly
Meet the Mars Samples: Comet Geyser (Sample 24) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-04-03 | Meet the 24th Martian sample collected by NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover – “Comet Geyser,” a sample taken from a region of Jezero Crater that is especially rich in carbonate, a mineral linked to habitability. When the rover used its abrasion bit to grind away the surface of the rock, cameras showed interesting and diverse textures. It also spotted silica and carbonate, minerals that scientists know have the highest potential to preserve signs of ancient life on Earth. Could it have preserved signs of ancient life on Mars?As of early April 2024, the Perseverance rover has collected and sealed 24 scientifically selected samples inside pristine tubes as part of the Mars Sample Return campaign. The next stage is to get them to Earth for study. Considered one of the highest priorities by the scientists in the Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032, Mars Sample Return would be the first mission to return samples from another planet and provides the best opportunity to reveal the early evolution of Mars, including the potential for ancient life. NASA is teaming with ESA (European Space Agency) on this important endeavor. A key objective for Perseverance's mission on Mars is astrobiology, including the search for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet's geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, as well as be the first mission to collect and cache Martian rock and regolith (broken rock and dust).Read about all the carefully selected samples: mars.nasa.gov/mars-rock-samplesLearn more about the Mars Sample Return campaign: mars.nasa.gov/msr Credit: NASA/JPL-CaltechImage Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/JHU-APL/Purdue/USGS
Whats Up: April 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-04-01 | What are some skywatching highlights in April 2024?Catch Mars and Saturn rising, and Jupiter hangs out with Comet 12P. Plus NASA has you covered for the total eclipse whether you're headed to totality or watching from afar.0:00 Intro 0:14 Moon & planet highlights0:57 Comet 12p/Pons-Brooks1:38 Total solar eclipse3:45 April Moon phasesAdditional information about topics covered in this episode of What's Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up. — Additional Resources —NASA's Solar Eclipse hub: science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024Find events & clubs: NASA's Night Sky Network: science.nasa.gov/skywatching/night-sky-networkSkywatching resources from NASA: science.nasa.gov/skywatching
Explore Mars’ Gediz Vallis Channel With NASA’s Curiosity Rover (360 View) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-03-29 | Drag your mouse or move your phone to look around within this 360-degree panorama provided by NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover. This view was captured at Gediz Vallis channel, a feature that formed billions of years ago during one of the last wet periods seen on this part of the Red Planet. Curiosity captured this vista using the left black-and-white navigation camera mounted on its mast, or “head,” on Feb. 1, 2024, the 4,084th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. The panorama is made up of 10 images that were stitched together after being sent back to Earth.Gediz Vallis channel was one of the last features to form on the 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-tall) Mount Sharp, the base of which Curiosity has been ascending since 2014. The channel is filled with piles of boulders and other debris that may have been brought here by debris flows (rapid, wet landslides) or dry avalanches. Also visible in the image is the top of Curiosity’s including ports where the rover drops powderized rock samples into instruments within its belly; the robotic arm and its drill are stowed at the right.Please note: Not all browsers support viewing 360-degree videos. YouTube supports their playback on computers using Chrome, Firefox, MS Edge, and Opera browsers. For the best experience on a mobile device, play this video in the YouTube app. To improve the resolution, open the video settings (using the gear icon) and select the highest quality available.For more about Curiosity, visit: mars.nasa.gov/msl/home/.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UC Berkeley
Inside the JPL Space Simulator with Europa Clipper NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-03-27 | The conditions that NASA spacecraft endure are indeed extreme: the intense shaking of a rocket launch, the jolt of separating from the rocket, the temperature fluctuations, and—of course—the unforgiving vacuum of space. This is why, before launch, our skilled engineers meticulously replicate these harsh conditions, showcasing their expertise and the rigorous testing process.Join us live on Wednesday, March 27, at 12:30 pm PT / 3:30 pm ET from NASA JPL's Space Simulator, where the Europa Clipper spacecraft recently completed its crucial thermal vacuum testing. Planetary Scientist Elodie Lesage and Deputy Payload Systems Engineer Annie Marinan will guide us through this pivotal spacecraft testing and discuss the exciting possibilities we hope to uncover when we reach Jupiter's icy moon.
Europa Clipper Moves Into JPL’s Space Simulator NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-03-27 | A timelapse video shows engineers and technicians moving NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft into the 85-foot-tall Space Simulator at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The spacecraft underwent thermal vacuum testing in the chamber in February 2024 and passed with flying colors. Europa Clipper is set to launch in October 2024 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. When the spacecraft is in JPL’s clean room, viewers also can watch a 24-hour live feed of the spacecraft at: bit.ly/clippercam For more information on the mission go to: europa.nasa.gov/.Built in 1961, the Space Simulator is designed for environmental testing of robotic spacecraft in simulated interplanetary conditions of extreme cold, high vacuum, and intense solar radiation. The chamber is a stainless steel cylindrical vessel with a diameter of 25 feet and a height of 85 feet. A 15-by-25-foot door provides access for loading spacecraft.Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Mavericks of Mars: The Ingenuity Helicopter Team’s Favorite Flights (Live Public Talk) NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2024-03-22 | The Ingenuity Helicopter first took to the Martian skies on April 19, 2021, proving for the first time that powered, controlled flight was possible on another world. Designed as a technology demonstration that would perform up to five experimental test flights over a span of 30 days, the Mars helicopter surpassed expectations – repeatedly – only recently completing its mission after having logged an incredible 72 flights over nearly three years. Join us for a live talk to learn how Ingenuity’s team used resourcefulness and creativity to transform the rotorcraft from a successful tech demo into a helpful scout for the Perseverance rover, ultimately proving the value of aerial exploration for future interplanetary missions.Speakers:Dr. Havard F. Grip, Aerodynamics, Flight Control Lead, and Chief Pilot (Flights 1-37), NASA JPL Dr. Martin Cacan, Guidance and Control Analyst, Pilot (Flights 15-37), Guidance, Navigation, Control Lead, and Chief Pilot (Flights 38-72), NASA JPLHost:Gregory Smith, Office of Communications and Education, NASA JPLCo-host:Sarah Marcotte, Mars Public Engagement, NASA JPL(Original Air Date: March 21, 2024)
