Skills Material

The White House recently challenged the stewards of the public lands of the United States, including the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management, to produce the first ever national inventory of mature and old growth forests. The next phase of the project will be augmented by NASA laser altimetry data from an instrument on the International Space Station. The GEDI instrument can provide detailed information on tree height and forest biomass, not just in the U.S., but all around the globe.

Using NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which launched in 2004, scientists have discovered a black hole in a distant galaxy repeatedly nibbling on a Sun-like star. The object heralds a new era of Swift science made possible by a novel method for analyzing data from the satellite’s X-ray Telescope (XRT). When a star strays too close to a monster black hole, gravitational forces create intense tides that break the star apart into a stream of gas. The leading edge swings around the black hole, and the trailing edge escapes the system. These destructive episodes are called tidal disruption events. Astronomers see them as flares of multiwavelength light created when the debris collides with a disk of material already orbiting the black hole. Recently, astronomers have been investigating variations on this phenomena, which they call partial or repeating tidal disruptions. During these events, every time an orbiting star passes close to a black hole, the star bulges outward and sheds material, but survives. The process repeats until the star looses too much gas and finally breaks apart. The characteristics of the individual star and black hole system determine what kind of emission scientists observe, creating a wide array of behaviors to categorize. On June 22, 2022, XRT captured Swift J0230 for the first time. It lit up in a galaxy around 500 million light-years away in the northern constellation Triangulum. Swift’s XRT has observed nine additional outbursts from the same location roughly every few weeks. Scientists propose that Swift J0230 is a repeating tidal disruption of a Sun-like star orbiting a black hole with over 200,000 times the Sun’s mass. They estimate the star loses around three Earth masses of material on each pass. This system provides a bridge between other types of suspected repeating disruptions and allowed scientists to model how interactions between different star types and black hole sizes affect what we observe. Swift J0230’s discovery was possible thanks to a new, automated search of XRT observations called the Swift X-ray Transient Detector. After the instrument observes a portion of the sky, the data is transmitted to the ground, and the program compares it to previous XRT snapshots of the same spot. If that portion of the X-ray sky has changed, scientists get an alert. In the case of Swift J0230, astronomers were able to rapidly coordinate additional observations of the region.

NASA and NOAA, among other agencies, worked together this summer through the STAQS and AEROMMA missions to calibrate and validate NASA’s new TEMPO satellite. The satellite and missions combined aim to not only better measure air quality, and the major pollutants that impact it, but also to improve air quality, from street to stratosphere. This effort was documented during the August 2023 campaign leg, which took place over the Chicago region. Universal Music Production: Night Swimmer Instrumental [PRS], Living In The Light Instrumental [PRS], Nanofiber Instrumental [PRS], Results Take Time Instrumental [PRS], Spin Foam Instrumental [PRS], and Mindful Instrumental [PRS].

In this special crossover Photon Phrightday, PACE Science Lead for Ocean Biogeochemistry Dr. Ivona Cetinić and NASA Program Scientist Dr. Kelsey Bisson tell how both PACE and ICESat-2 missions can provide complementary and unique observations for the same Arctic phytoplankton, Mesodinium rubrum.

Earth-observing satellites like Landsat have documented the shrinking of chimpanzee habitat, Africa's equatorial forest belt. The Jane Goodall Institute uses Landsat and other satellite data to empower local communities to drive conservation on their own land by creating habitat suitability maps for chimpanzees. Mobile apps also bring in data in real-time so communities can protect their village forest reserves, and create land use plans for watersheds, people, and chimpanzees. After years of forest loss, the last few decades have seen habitats recovering.

Are there earthquakes on other planets? There sure are, but we don’t call them earthquakes. Instead, “moonquakes” & “marsquakes” are shaking things up in space. Dr. Jacob Richardson of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center explains more about what otherworldly quakes can teach us about not only the interiors of planetary bodies, but also what's happening inside Earth.

Here’s a big question: How did life begin on Earth? We don’t quite know, but this fundamental question is a driving force behind astrobiology research at NASA. Understanding how life originated on our planet could inform us about the potential for life to exist throughout the universe.

Celebrating International Observe the Moon Night, NASA leaders gather for an interdisciplinary space conference, and the release of a new graphic novel … a few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA!

The 28th SpaceX commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station (CRS-28) is scheduled to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida this June. The scientific experiments and technology demonstrations carried by the Dragon spacecraft include studies of how plants adapt to stress, measurements of genetic structures called telomeres, and satellite projects designed by students in Canada.

Where does space begin? Well, it depends. There’s no sharp boundary that marks the end of atmosphere and beginning of space. But no matter where you draw the line in the sand — or the air — Earth’s atmosphere is full of all kinds of interesting stuff. That’s why scientists like Doug Rowland are studying its many layers: https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2919/ea...

Thanks to a global effort to regulate ozone-depleting substances, the ozone hole is showing signs of recovery and is projected to return to a healthy level by mid-century. However, at NASA, scientists continue to monitor its progress. @NASAGoddard's Qing Liang explains more. Keep up: https://go.nasa.gov/3DhEBvp

difficult, or out of reach for us humans. We’re even working on a new generation of robots that will help us explore in advanced and novel ways. Learn more about the CADRE—Cooperative Autonomous Distributed Robotic Exploration—project and how this new network of mini rovers could enable future self-guided robotic exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Program nurtures visionary ideas from America's innovators and entrepreneurs that could transform future NASA missions with the creation of radically better or entirely new aerospace concepts. NIAC projects study innovative, technically credible, advanced concepts to turn science fiction to science fact.

The 29th SpaceX commercial resupply services (CRS) mission for NASA carries scientific experiments and technology demonstrations, including studies of enhanced optical communications and measurement of atmospheric waves. The uncrewed SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida no earlier than Nov. 5.

In October 2023, NASA is launching the Heliophysics Big Year – a global celebration of solar science and the Sun’s influence on Earth, our solar system, and beyond. Modeled after the "Big Year" concept from citizen scientists in the bird-watching community, the Heliophysics Big Year challenges everyone to get involved with fun Sun-related activities.

Highlighting the “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse, learning how the human body reacts to long spaceflights, and a new engine test series for future Artemis missions … a few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA!

We know the Moon contains water, but, could future astronauts access and make use of it? That’s the goal. At NASA, we’re actively trying to answer that question. Once it lands at the lunar south pole, our PRIME-1 — Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment-1 – will robotically sample and analyze ice from beneath the lunar surface, contributing to our search for water on the Moon: https://go.nasa.gov/2QygCmF

An international crew is preparing to launch to the International Space Station aboard NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 mission. NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov of Roscosmos will perform research technology demonstrations, science experiments, and maintenance activities aboard the microgravity laboratory. Crew-7 is targeted to launch no earlier than 3:27 a.m. EDT Saturday, Aug. 26 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy. As part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, Crew-7 marks the eighth human spaceflight mission supported by a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and the seventh crew rotation mission to the space station since 2020 for NASA.

Where are the Moon rocks from the Apollo missions kept? When they’re not being studied by institutions or enjoyed by museumgoers, NASA has a specialized Lunar Sample Curation Laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center to store and keep these otherworldly samples safe. Studying these samples helps us learn more about the origin of not only our moon, but our planet. Deputy Apollo Sample Curator (Sept 2019 – Dec 2022) Dr. Juliane Gross explains more about lunar sample curation.

On Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, the Moon will pass between the Earth and Sun, giving people across the United States an opportunity to see an annular solar eclipse, also known as a "ring of fire" eclipse. Lance Bass has some safety tips to share so that you don’t say "Bye, Bye, Bye" to your vision.

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio is set to return to Earth this fall after setting the record for the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut. He arrived at the International Space Station on Sept. 21, 2022, and will return home after 371 days in space. While on the orbiting lab, Rubio and his fellow crew members conducted dozens of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations.

Dr. George R. Carruthers (1939 - 2020) was a visionary scientist, inventor, engineer and educator. On Dec. 2, he became the namesake of a new NASA mission. The Carruthers Geocorona Observatory will observe Earth from space. The mission will capture light from Earth’s geocorona, the part of the outer atmosphere that emits ultraviolet light and will be ready to launch in 2025.

Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) is inviting ham radio operators to make radio contacts during the 2024 total solar eclipse, probing the Earth’s upper atmosphere known as the ionosphere. Both amateur and professional broadcasters have been sending and receiving radio signals around the Earth for over a century. Such communication is possible due to interactions between our Sun and the ionosphere, the ionized region of the Earth’s atmosphere located roughly 40 to 400 miles overhead. The upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, provides a unique opportunity to study these interactions. As HamSCI members transmit, receive, and record signals across the radio spectrum during the eclipse, you will create valuable data to test computer models of the ionosphere.

On Oct. 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse will cross North, Central, and South America. Visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America, millions of people in the Western Hemisphere can experience this eclipse. Eclipses are a wonderful experience, but it’s important to carefully follow safety procedures. During an annular eclipse, there is no period of totality when the Moon completely blocks the Sun. Therefore, it is never safe to look directly at the annular eclipse without proper eye protection specially designed for solar viewing. Do not use standard binoculars or telescopes to watch a solar eclipse without safe solar filters attached to the front of the device. Regular sunglasses are NOT safe for attempting to look directly at the Sun.

Follow two NASA rocket teams as they launch from Australia to study our nearest stellar neighbors – Alpha Centauri A & B – on a quest to understand how stars make the planets around them suitable for life. In this behind-the-scenes episode, watch deleted scenes and outtakes as Miles and Mara – writers and videographers for the High Above Down Under series – recount their experience following NASA rocket teams in Australia.