NASA's Terra satellite captured an image of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull Volcano ash plume being pushed to the northeast due to a low pressure area. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument onboard Terra made the observation on May 18.
NASA mobilized remote-sensing assets to help assess the spread and impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The agency deployed its instrumented research aircraft, ER-2, equipped with satellite observations to assist NOAA, USGS, and Department of Homeland Security in monitoring the spill.
The MODIS instrument on NASA's Terra satellite captured a visible image of the ash plume from Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano, drifting south and east over the Northern Atlantic Ocean. The ash plume appeared lighter in color than previous days, indicating a potential decrease in volcanic activity.
The new tactile learning book 'Touch the Earth' will be presented by NASA at the Earth Day Celebration on the National Mall. The book teaches middle school students about Earth's biomes using multimedia approaches, including sound, visual aids, and Braille. It aims to improve accessibility in science education.
The MODIS instrument on NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites captured daily visible and infrared imagery of the ash plume from Eyjafjallajokull volcano. The ash cloud consisted of fine particles of pulverized rock, posing a rare but potentially catastrophic hazard to aviation.
The MODIS Rapid Response System provided near real-time satellite images of the Earth's landmasses, capturing a visible image of Eyjafjallajökull's ash plume over England and the Netherlands. Air travel has been grounded or diverted due to volcanic ash particles posing a risk to airplane engines.
The latest weather satellite, GOES-15, reached its proper orbit after a flawless launch and will undergo checkout in mid-August 2010. The satellite is expected to capture the first visible image on April 5 and provide weather observations covering over 50% of the Earth's surface.
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has released seven instruments' data sets to the Planetary Data System, providing low-level data for research flexibility. The mission will deliver a comprehensive map of the lunar surface and search for resources in its one-year exploration phase.
The Integrated Space Weather Analysis (iSWA) system offers a unique level of customization and flexibility for NASA satellite operators and citizen scientists. It provides real-time data on past, present, and future space weather conditions, enabling personalized 'quick looks' at space-weather information.
The TDRS K-L program has successfully completed its Critical Design Review and Production Readiness Review, paving the way for the assembly of the K and L satellites. The new spacecraft will provide critical communication services to NASA missions, including the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope.
NASA's TRMM and Aqua satellites observe TD11S's rainfall patterns and temperatures, indicating it is becoming extra-tropical. The storm's center is fully exposed from the west, making it susceptible to drier air or wind shear that can weaken it.
Drake Deming, a Senior Scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, has won the prestigious Beatrice M. Tinsley Prize for his pioneering work detecting thermal infrared emission from transiting extrasolar planets using the Spitzer Space Telescope. The prize recognizes Deming's outstanding research contribution to astronomy and astr...
NASA is developing a primary mirror for the James Webb Space Telescope to study the formation of the universe and its solar system. The mirror will be tested at extreme temperatures to simulate space conditions, with data from three different sizes of segments collected during this test.
Cyclone Laurence dropped heavy rainfall over northwest Australia, with the heaviest totals exceeding 450 mm near Cape Bougainville. The Australian coast also experienced high rainfall totals, with areas along the coast receiving over 150 mm of rain from the cyclone.
The GPM mission will provide uniformly calibrated precipitation measurements globally every 2-4 hours for scientific research and societal applications. The mission builds on the success of TRMM and includes a Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) and a multi-channel GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) to improve precipitation estimates.
Nida's center of circulation is exposed and the storm is losing its circular shape due to wind shear. System 97W is showing signs of potential tropical cyclone formation, with forecasters upgrading its likelihood to 'fair'.
Tropical Storm Anja has weakened, with its maximum sustained winds dropping to 63 mph thanks to NASA's QuikScat satellite. The storm is moving south-southeast at 23 mph and is expected to dissipate by the weekend, posing no threat to landmasses.
NASA's Terra satellite captured an image of Tropical Cyclone Anja, strengthening into a Category Three cyclone on November 16. The storm had tropical storm-force winds extending out to 100 miles from its center, and is not threatening any landmasses.
The NASA GOES Project provides real-time satellite animations of the eastern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, offering a panoramic view of hurricanes in HDTV wide-screen format. The animations display several weather regimes simultaneously, including easterly winds, daily thunderstorms, and prevailing westerly winds.
The FASTSAT mission will analyze the Earth's outer atmosphere with three NASA-built instruments: Thermosphere Temperature Imager (TTI), Mini-ME neutral atom imager, and Plasma and Impedence Spectrum Analyzer (PISA). The instruments will provide critical data for global space weather prediction, improving communication and navigation.
The NASA team has completed instrument testing on the GOES-P spacecraft, ensuring its instruments function as expected. The spacecraft is now undergoing testing of subsystems and mechanical activities before its launch in March 2010.
Tropical Storm Henri has weakened to a depression due to battering winds and strong southwesterly shear. The National Hurricane Center confirmed the wind speed using NASA's QuikScat satellite imagery, with minimum central pressure near 1010 millibars.
Researchers are using NASA's DC-8 plane, equipped with laser mapping instruments and other equipment, to study changes in Antarctica's sea ice, glaciers, and ice sheets. The data collected will help scientists better understand how these changes contribute to future sea level rise.
NASA satellites Aqua, Terra, and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) are monitoring Super Typhoon Parma, which has intensified into a Category Four Typhoon. The storm is expected to further intensify prior to landfall on the northeastern coast of Luzon.
The new center will foster NASA-related developments based on optical sciences and technology, enhancing the national aerospace science workforce. CAOSS will also develop partnerships with industry, NASA research centers, federal laboratories, and minority-serving colleges.
The TRMM satellite captured heavy rainfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour in the center of the storm. Rainfall images are false-colored with yellow, green and red areas indicating rainfall between .78 to 1.57 inches per hour.
NASA's AIRS instrument detects towering pyrocumulus clouds formed from smoke and heat of California wildfires, while also capturing powerful Hurricane Jimena with sustained winds near 145mph. Tropical Depression Kevin appears weakened due to stable air entering its circulation.
Hilda's winds have slowed from tropical storm to tropical depression-force, with sustained winds near 34 mph, according to NASA satellite data. The storm is expected to continue tracking south of the Hawaiian Islands before dissipating on August 31.
NASA's GOES Project created a movie of Tropical Storm Danny from August 25-27, showcasing his formation and journey up the US East Coast. The storm made landfall with maximum sustained winds near 60 mph, and is expected to turn north.
Tropical Storm Danny's center has reformed a little farther north than initially thought, according to NASA satellite imagery and aircraft data. The storm's circulation is broad and elongated, making it challenging to pinpoint its center.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center has expanded its high-end computing system to support climate simulations, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The new system, powered by Intel's Nehalem architecture, will enable faster and more accurate climate modeling.
Researchers at NASA and AFOSR successfully launched a small rocket using an environmentally-friendly propellant called ALICE, which has the potential to replace traditional propellants. The test achieved a maximum thrust of 650 pounds and showed promise for future space missions.
NASA researchers have discovered glycine, an amino acid used by living organisms to make proteins, in samples of comet Wild 2. The discovery supports the theory that some of life's ingredients formed in space and were delivered to Earth long ago.
Two NASA satellites captured Hurricane Bill's 'baby pictures' shortly after he became a hurricane, revealing its large size and organized structure. The data showed heavy rainfall bands and high thunderstorms, indicating the storm's increasing power.
Typhoon Morakot brought catastrophic rainfall to Taiwan and China, with over 40 inches of rain recorded in central and northern Taiwan. The NASA TRMM satellite provided critical data on the storm's impact, allowing researchers to map areas of potential flooding and track its movement around the globe.
The TDRS project has received approval to proceed with the implementation phase of its mission, enabling NASA to build more spacecraft needed to support missions. The next milestone is a critical design review scheduled for January 2010, which will examine detailed aspects of the TDRS spacecraft and system.
Two NASA satellites captured images of the weakening tropical storm Dolores, which has faded into a remnant low pressure area. The storms' winds and clouds were tracked using QuikScat and CloudSat, revealing intense rainfall and towering cloud formations.
Researchers using NASA's SIERRA aircraft and satellite data to map and measure ice conditions below cloud cover. They found a 74% decline in older ice types since 1988, with only 2% of the Arctic Ocean now covered by these ice types.
NASA's TRMM satellite provides forecasters with a 3-D look at Hurricane Carlos's cloud heights and rainfall, aiding forecasting. Carlos regained hurricane status as a Category One storm on July 14, 2009, with maximum sustained winds near 75 mph.
The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft has arrived at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., where it will undergo final testing before its anticipated November launch. The mission aims to study the sun in unprecedented detail and its effects on Earth, collecting 1.5 terabytes of data daily.
The online video showcases the entire 2008 hurricane season, including all 17 tropical cyclones, with detailed cloud imagery and storm tracks. The animation is based on six months of GOES imagery at 30-minute intervals and features television production-quality visuals.
The NASA and NOAA GOES-O satellite has successfully launched into space, enhancing weather forecasting and monitoring environmental events globally. The satellite will be renamed GOES-14 after a 24-day orbit adjustment and will provide vital data to the United States.
NASA has selected five contractors to receive Aircraft Catalog Blanket Purchase Agreements, allowing access to a variety of airborne platforms for science research and range support. The agreements have a maximum ordering value of $10 million and are valid through February 7, 2013.
By leveraging the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS sensor on NASA's Aqua satellite, researchers can estimate soil moisture levels with improved accuracy, leading to more precise crop forecasts. This innovation addresses the pressing issue of global food scarcity and its impact on millions of poor people.
The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has achieved significant milestones, including the launch of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Solar Dynamic Observatory. The center is also working on future missions to study global precipitation, Mars' lost atmosphere, and dark energy.
Researchers led by William Krabill are flying over Greenland to measure ice sheet and glacier thickness, using a combination of laser and radar instruments. The mission aims to update measurements from the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) and provide critical data on the future behavior of the Greenland ice sheet.
Scientists are conducting airborne field campaigns in the Arctic to study Greenland and Iceland ice sheets and their sea ice and glaciers. NASA's ICESat spacecraft is also completing a seasonal survey of the world's ice sheets to gauge changes in ice thickness and mass.
Researchers found that two small robots weighing 330 pounds each can build a berm around a landing site in under six months to block the sandblasting effect. The hard-surface landing pad using indigenous materials could reduce this need, allowing for more efficient cargo transfer and reducing damage to the outpost.
The new short film 'Return to the Moon' showcases NASA's legacy of lunar exploration using data from the Apollo and LRO missions. The film features a six-foot sphere displaying stunning imagery, allowing viewers to witness the moon's surface and understand the rationale for returning to it.
The NASA Hurricane Web Page offers daily storm updates, stunning video animations, educational tools, and historic storm information on all storms since 2005. Researchers gather data from various satellites to understand factors that determine why a tropical cyclone strengthens or weakens.
Astrophysicist Neil Gehrels receives the Henry Draper Medal for his groundbreaking work on gamma-ray bursts and active galactic nuclei. His leadership of NASA's Swift Mission has significantly advanced astronomers' understanding of these phenomena.
The University of Colorado at Boulder has been awarded a $6 million grant from NASA to build the Lunar Dust Experiment (LDEX), a high-tech lunar dust detector. The instrument will provide new information on lunar dust interactions with the moon's atmosphere and solar wind, as well as astronaut safety issues.
Astronomers are discovering that galaxies with actively forming stars have a bluish color, while those without do so appear red. The BAT Hard X-ray Survey of NASA's Swift spacecraft has found most nearby active galaxies to be spiral and irregular, with more than 30% being colliding.
The Global Situational Awareness Tool (GSAT) assesses environmental and health concerns for deployed US forces in Afghanistan and other areas. The system combines malaria prevalence predictions with meteorological and environmental factors to inform decision-making.
Scientists can now access valuable hurricane research information and easy data access to a collection of multi-sensor datasets via the NASA Hurricane Data Analysis tool. The tool allows users to visualize key parameters, such as area plots and animations, for tropical cyclones around the world.
The New York Center for Astrobiology will investigate the origins of life on Earth and conditions that lead to habitable planets. Researchers aim to detect evidence of current or past life on Mars, building on NASA missions.
NASA sold a portfolio of 11 patented technologies, including the Hilbert-Huang Transform method, to Ocean Tomo Federal Services LLC through a public auction. The sale demonstrated the government's ability to commercialize federally-funded technology and accelerate innovation.
Using NASA satellite data, forecasters can now more accurately predict the timing of two out of three dust events. This capability is crucial for issuing early warnings to populations at risk for dust-related health complications.
The IBEX spacecraft will conduct high-altitude orbits to investigate and capture images of the interstellar boundary, a region where the solar system meets interstellar space. The two-year mission will provide insights into the dynamic interactions between the hot solar wind and cold expanse of space.
NASA scientists uncrated an Apollo-era heat shield to analyze its design and thermal response, providing valuable insights for the development of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle's Thermal Protection System. The study aims to improve the vehicle's heat protection capabilities, enabling it to safely carry crews to the moon and beyond.