Exploring the Mysteries of the Cosmos

How did rocky planets form? We're launching a mission to find out. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is preparing to lift off on Oct. 5 to embark on a 2.2-billion-mile journey to a unique metal-rich asteroid named Psyche. The mission could help us understand the early formation of rocky planets in our solar system, like Earth.

A commercial resupply mission heads to the space station, a key piece of hardware for a future Moon mission is on the move, and another spacecraft gets ready to spread its wings in deep space … a few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at 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.

What's going on with the hole in the ozone layer? 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 Credit: NASA