Tropical Cyclone Gita produced over a foot of rain, causing widespread destruction and flooding in Samoa and Tonga. NASA's IMERG analysis revealed heavy rains and strong winds affected both countries, with some structures destroyed including Tonga's historic Parliament House.
NASA is developing a planetary wind lidar called MARLI, which will provide detailed information on winds on Mars and Titan. The instrument will use laser pulses and detect returning backscatter signals to measure wind velocities and aerosol distribution.
The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has confirmed that a satellite re-discovered on Jan. 20, 2018, is the Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) satellite. The satellite was launched in 2000 and had been declared mission-ended after repeated failures.
After an amateur astronomer recorded observations of a satellite in high Earth orbit on Jan. 20, 2018, NASA coordinated the use of five separate antennas to acquire radio frequency signals from the object. The signals matched the expected characteristics of the IMAGE mission, suggesting it could be the lost satellite.
A NASA team has demonstrated fully autonomous X-ray navigation in space, utilizing millisecond pulsars to precisely determine the location of an object moving at thousands of miles per hour. This technology offers a new option for deep-space navigation that could work in concert with existing spacecraft-based radio and optical systems.
Heavy rainfall in California, fueled by wildfires, caused deadly mudslides that killed at least 17 residents. NASA's LHASA model provided a landslide hazard assessment map, showing the potential for landslides.
Tropical cyclone Ava caused extreme flooding and landslides in Madagascar, resulting in at least 29 deaths. NASA's IMERG analysis estimated near-700mm of rainfall in the Indian Ocean northeast of Madagascar, with highest totals on land in northeastern regions.
Space Station Research Explorer on NASA.gov provides a tailored experience for scientists and enthusiasts, offering thousands of investigations, results summaries, and in-orbit photographs. The new tool features improved search capabilities, social media sharing, and bookmarking options.
A short-lived tropical cyclone in the Bay of Bengal produced moderate to heavy rainfall along northeastern India's coastline. The analysis used data from NASA's IMERG mission showed that more than 508 mm of rain fell in the Bay of Bengal, with storm tops reaching heights of over 11.5 km.
After completing 100 days of cryogenic testing, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has emerged from Chamber A at the Johnson Space Center. The telescope is now set to be integrated with its spacecraft element in California, marking a crucial step towards its launch as the world's premier infrared space observatory.
A new NASA mission concept aims to study why planets lose their atmospheres. The proposed Mechanisms of Energetic Mass Ejection-Explorer (MEME-X) mission will use Earth as a laboratory, focusing on the loss of mass in the upper atmospheric layers and its interaction with solar wind.
The VA001 and sUAS offer one-of-a-kind capabilities, including flying in extreme temperatures and detecting soil moisture levels. These aircraft represent the future of scientific research, enabling NASA scientists to advance state-of-the-art airborne capabilities.
Mahmooda Sultana, a NASA research engineer, has been named IRAD Innovator of the Year for her groundbreaking work on nanomaterials and detectors. She is expanding her research to develop quantum-dot technology and 3-D printed sensor platforms.
NASA's Aqua and Suomi NPP satellites analyzed cloud top temperatures in Hurricane Nate, revealing the strongest storms were near the center of the tropical cyclone. Temperatures as cold as minus 80 degrees Fahrenheit indicate strong thunderstorms capable of heavy rain.
The Suomi NPP satellite analyzed Hurricane Maria in visible and infrared light, revealing intense rainfall bands with rates of over 6.57 inches per hour. The satellite's data helped forecasters predict storm track and strengthen, with Maria expected to become a tropical storm by Tuesday night.
Hurricane Maria continues to move in a northerly direction with an asymmetric distribution of convection due to southwesterly vertical wind shear, according to NASA. The storm's eye became filled with high clouds on September 22 before clearing again on the next day.
NASA used a fleet of satellites to measure Hurricane Maria's rainfall, estimating totals greater than 10 inches (254 mm) along its track. The storm caused catastrophic flooding in Puerto Rico, with extreme flooding reported in San Juan and the capital city.
Hurricane Maria strengthened to a Category 5 storm due to rapid updrafts in the eyewall, creating a tall thunderstorm cell known as a 'hot tower.' The NASA GPM satellite provided 3-D imagery of the storm, while the Aqua satellite analyzed cloud top temperatures indicating strong storms capable of heavy rain.
NASA's Terra satellite and NOAA's GOES East satellite monitored the movement of Irma's remnant clouds, tracking their path across the Midwest, Pennsylvania, New England, and upstate New York. The low-pressure system associated with the remnants is expected to slide off the U.S. East coast on Friday.
Typhoon Talim's powerful storm system was observed by NASA's Terra satellite on Sept. 14, revealing a large open eye surrounded by intense thunderstorms. The storm is expected to make landfall in Japan and move northwards, prompting warnings from China and Japan.
Hurricane Jose is being affected by strong northerly vertical wind shear as it makes a slow clockwise loop in the Atlantic Ocean. The storm's low-level center is located at the northern edge of a large area of thunderstorms.
Irma dropped extremely heavy rain, up to 20 inches, across Cuba and Florida, causing severe flooding. The post-tropical cyclone weakened over Georgia, but its remnants produced additional 1-3 inch rain accumulations across the southeastern US.
NASA analyzed Hurricane Jose's cloud-filled eye using satellite imagery, revealing strong thunderstorms around the center and bands northeast and southeast of the storm. The satellite data showed that the eye feature persists despite being obscured in conventional imagery.
NASA's Suomi NPP satellite captured a nighttime infrared image of Hurricane Irma on Sept. 11, showing the storm's large extent over Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and the Carolinas. The storm has weakened to a tropical storm but can still cause significant impacts, with maximum sustained winds near 65 mph.
Hurricane Irma's eye was characterized by extremely cold cloud top temperatures, indicating potential for heavy rainfall. NASA-NOAA's satellites captured detailed images of the storm's structure, including its well-defined eye and strong thunderstorms.
Satellite imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite revealed a clear eye with powerful bands of thunderstorms circling the eye. Cloud top temperatures as cold as minus 83.1 degrees Celsius indicated the most powerful storms in Irma, stretching high into the troposphere.
Hurricane Harvey's rainfall caused widespread saturation in southeastern Texas, which already showed signs of moisture levels near 20-40% before the storm made landfall. NASA's data also revealed exceptionally wet conditions in southwest Houston after Harvey's arrival, exacerbating the flooding issue.
NASA's Aqua satellite and International Space Station provided critical data on Tropical Storm Harvey, illustrating growing flood threats along the Texas coast. The storm is expected to produce heavy rainfall accumulations of 7-13 inches, with isolated totals reaching 50 inches in some areas.
Tropical Storm Harvey is expected to produce heavy rainfall accumulations of 15-25 inches over the upper Texas coast and into southwestern Louisiana. The storm's center is located near Port O'Connor, Texas, with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph and slight re-strengthening possible later today.
Tropical Storm Harvey continues to generate significant rainfall over southeastern Texas, with forecasters predicting catastrophic flooding. NASA satellite imagery shows the storm's elongated center of circulation and extensive thunderstorms stretching into Louisiana.
The James Webb Space Telescope will study the 'ocean worlds' of Europa and Enceladus, adding to previous observations by Galileo and Cassini orbiters. The telescope's high-resolution imagery and spectroscopic analysis will help unravel the mysteries of these moons' subsurface oceans and potential biosignatures.
A NASA infrared image shows former Tropical Storm Harvey's remnants causing heavy rainfall and gusty winds in the Yucatan Peninsula. The remnants have a high chance of reforming into a tropical cyclone over the next two to five days.
Typhoon Hato is intensifying as it approaches mainland China, with extremely cold cloud top temperatures detected by NASA's AIRS instrument. The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 65 knots, expected to strengthen further before making landfall.
NASA provided three different views of former Hurricane Franklin, revealing powerful storms and heavy rainfall before it dissipated. The Global Precipitation Measurement mission detected intense feeder bands on the western side of the tropical storm dropping rain at rates over 2.8 inches per hour.
A solar filament rose from the surface of the Sun but collapsed due to invisible magnetic forces, preventing an eruption. Scientists used data from multiple NASA observatories and ground-based telescopes to track the event and develop a model that explains how the Sun's magnetic landscape terminates eruptions.
The telescope is cooled to minus 387 Fahrenheit as scientists and engineers monitor its performance with temperature sensors and cameras. Once complete, the telescope will be integrated with the spacecraft and sunshield at Northrop Grumman, California, before undergoing final tests called 'observatory-level testing,'
Dellingr, a 6U CubeSat, is set to launch in August with NASA-quality data on the sun's influence on Earth's upper atmosphere. The spacecraft demonstrates a more reliable design and relatively inexpensive technology, addressing previous reliability issues.
Tropical Depression Emily consolidated along the central west coast of Florida on July 31 before tracking east into the Western North Atlantic Ocean. The storm's circulation has become elongated, with limited convection near the center due to dry mid-level air, and is expected to turn toward the northeast later in August.
Heavy rain caused significant flooding in the US Midwest from July 7 to 14, 2017. NASA's satellite data showed parts of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio received over 6 inches of rain.
The James Webb Space Telescope will undergo a three-month test period at NASA's Johnson Space Center to prove its ability to operate in space-like conditions. Chamber A, a historic Apollo-era test chamber, simulates temperatures as low as -393 degrees Fahrenheit, essential for detecting infrared light from distant objects.
NASA monitored Tropical Storm Cindy using its Aqua satellite's infrared light and GPM satellite's radar, revealing areas of heaviest rainfall and storm tops reaching over 7.2 miles high. The National Hurricane Center warned of life-threatening flash flooding due to heavy rainfall expected in parts of the US Gulf Coast states.
A developing low-pressure area in the Gulf of Mexico is being monitored by NASA's GPM core satellite, which gathered rainfall and storm height information. The system has triggered Tropical Storm Warnings and Watches along the U.S. Gulf Coast, with a potential tropical cyclone expected to reach the coast late Wednesday or Wednesday night.
Heavy rainfall in southeastern Bangladesh caused at least 156 deaths through landslides and floods. NASA's IMERG data analyzed by Goddard Space Flight Center shows extreme rainfall totals exceeding 510 mm.
The James Webb Space Telescope is being tested at NASA's Chamber A, a massive thermal vacuum testing chamber that previously tested Apollo moon mission hardware. The chamber has undergone major upgrades to reach extremely low temperatures and conduct precise optical testing.
The new 'Webb-cam' provides daily video feeds on the telescope's progress, allowing space enthusiasts to see the telescope's development in real-time. The camera is mounted where it has a view of the cleanroom at NASA Johnson Space Center and can be seen online.
Two extra-tropical cyclones caused widespread flooding in New Zealand, with Cyclone Cook adding to the heavy rainfall. IMERG data shows that over 80 mm of rain fell in many areas, with some receiving heavy downpours, and thousands of residents were evacuated due to extreme weather.
Heavy rainfall in Mocoa, Colombia triggered devastating flooding and mudslides that killed over 250 people. NASA's GPM mission provided crucial data on precipitation from its orbit, helping estimate the amount of rain that fell near the affected area.
Tropical Cyclone Caleb has formed east of Cocos Island, with NASA's Suomi NPP and Aqua satellites gathering data on the storm. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center predicts Caleb will strengthen briefly before turning west and dissipating in five days.
NASA's Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) aims to establish a high-speed internet in space, enabling faster data rates and smaller communication systems. The technology has the potential to revolutionize space communications for missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond.
The James Webb Space Telescope is inspected for contamination using ultraviolet flashlights in a darkened clean room. The long exposure captures the technicians as 'ghostly wraiths', while a special light technique illuminates the primary mirror.
Cyclone Enawo brought record-breaking rainfall to Madagascar, with the eastern side experiencing strong onshore flow due to its clockwise rotation. NASA's IMERG data analysis reveals the storm's extensive moisture flow from the Indian Ocean, posing a risk of flooding and landslides.
The James Webb Space Telescope is set to undergo an earsplitting acoustic test, simulating the intense vibrations of launch. The team at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center has completed vibration testing and prepared the telescope for the test, which will push its limits.
A University of Central Florida professor is collaborating with NASA to study the extraction of metals from Martian soil using molten regolith electrolysis. This process could produce oxygen and molten metals vital for future human space exploration.
The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) project is completing final testing on a new satellite that will extend NASA's Space Network capabilities. The addition of TDRS-M will provide nearly continuous coverage for an additional 15 years.
Tropical Cyclone Carlos formed north of La Reunion Island in February 2017, bringing heavy rain and towering storms to the area. NASA's GPM satellite collected data on the storm's structure and precipitation rate, showing intense feeder bands with rainfall rates over 100 mm per hour.
NASA used its Global Precipitation Measurement mission to analyze heavy rainfall in southern Thailand, which resulted in record-breaking totals. The analysis showed extreme rainfall of over 700 mm over the Gulf of Thailand and greater than 500 mm on land., Rainfall has increased significantly over Thailand during this La Nina year.
Severe thunderstorms spawned tornadoes and generated flooding rainfall over the Southeast, with up to a foot of rain falling in five days. At least 13 deaths were blamed on the violent weather, according to NASA's Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) program.
The NASA IceBridge mission has concluded its eighth consecutive Antarctic deployment, carrying out a record number of research flights and providing valuable insights into changes in polar ice. The campaign's findings shed light on the impact of sea level rise on climate change.
NavCube, combining NASA's SpaceCube and Navigator Global Positioning System (GPS) flight receiver, enables X-ray communications in space. The technology has the potential to significantly enhance performance at low altitudes, potentially even near the moon and lunar orbits.
A US survey finds that while 51% of Americans are interested in science, only 28% have a sufficient level of scientific understanding. The adult literacy rate is driven by completion of college-level science courses and baccalaureate degrees. NASA's educational programs aim to boost science literacy among learners of all ages.