Articles tagged with Space Flight
Tropical Storm Richard is expected to intensify in the western Caribbean before making landfall, bringing maximum storm totals of 5-7 inches of rain and potentially flash flooding and mudslides. Residents in eastern Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula are bracing for its impacts as it approaches
System 99L is showing increased organization in the Caribbean Sea, with improved cloud structure and rainfall patterns. Heavy rainfall is expected for the Cayman Islands and Jamaica over the next couple of days.
The James Webb Space Telescope's sunshield has successfully completed launch depressurization tests, validating its flight design. The tests, conducted in vacuum chambers, simulated the rapid change in air pressure during launch and proved that the stowed sunshield will retain its shape and allow trapped air to escape safely.
Tropical Storm Nicole brought heavy rain and flooding to the US East Coast, with rainfall totals reaching up to 550 mm in Jamaica and 500 mm in North Carolina. The storm caused significant damage and loss of life, with 4 deaths reported in North Carolina and 12 in Jamaica.
Tropical Storm Nicole strengthened with NASA's satellite data revealing high thunderstorm clouds and heavy rainfall. The storm is expected to produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides over the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and Cuba.
System 92L is developing a tropical depression signature with organized showers and thunderstorms. The system has a 40% chance of becoming a tropical depression over the next couple of days, posing life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides in the Caribbean region.
Tropical Storm Fiona is weakening and stretching out in a north-south direction, according to NASA satellite data. Forecasters expect her to dissipate over the holiday weekend in the Atlantic Ocean.
GOES-13 satellite captures powerful Hurricane Earl, growing Tropical Storm Fiona, and fading Danielle in the Atlantic. The satellite imagery shows Earl's large size and high winds, while Fiona appears disorganized with no apparent center.
A team of researchers has developed a system that uses electrical trickery on the brain to induce realistic spaceflight effects. The Galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) system safely simulates the sensory and mobility disturbances experienced by astronauts after returning to Earth's gravity.
NASA satellites have been tracking Tropical Depression 5's remnants, which are bringing heavy rainfall to southeastern Louisiana and coastal Mississippi. The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch and Coastal Flood Advisory due to the expected heavy rainfall and coastal flooding.
NASA's TRMM satellite is monitoring heavy rainfall and potential flooding in southeastern Louisiana and coastal Mississippi due to Tropical Depression Five's remnants. Rainfall amounts of up to five inches are possible, with isolated areas experiencing even more intense downpours.
Tropical Storm Chanthu has a large area of moderate to very heavy rainfall near the southeast China coast, with rain rates reaching up to 2 inches per hour. The storm is forecast to pass just north of Hainan Island and make landfall near Luichow Peninsula in southern China mainland on July 22.
System 96E is showing signs of tropically organizing in visible imagery from the GOES-11 satellite. The system is located approximately 300 miles south of Manzanillo, Mexico, with its center near 14.3 North and 104.0 West.
Heavy rainfall was detected in Hurricane Alex using data from NASA's TRMM satellite on June 29, 2010. The analysis revealed a heavy band of precipitation spiraling into the center of the storm, with rain falling at over 2 inches per hour in some areas.
Celia's remnant low pressure area shows maximum sustained winds of 20-25 knots with estimated minimum central pressure of 1007 millibars. The system is expected to gradually spin down and open into a trough by the end of the week.
Darby and Celia are weakening tropical storms in the Eastern Pacific, with expected minimum central pressures of 1004 millibars and 1005 millibars. Both storms are forecast to continue weakening over the next day or two before becoming remnant low pressure areas.
System 94L is a strong tropical wave associated with heavy showers and thunderstorms, moving west-northwestward over the Lesser Antilles. NASA closely monitors its development, forecasting a low chance of 20% that it will become a tropical cyclone within the next 48 hours.
Tropical Depression 2-E had dissipated off the coast of Mexico by June 18, with NASA's TRMM Satellite revealing waning rainfall and moderate ocean precipitation. The depression's maximum sustained winds were near 30 mph, and its minimum central pressure was 1008 millibars.
Satellite imagery reveals System 92L's weakening state, with upper-level winds reducing its chances for tropical cyclone formation. Environmental conditions are expected to become less favorable in the next 48 hours, decreasing the potential for development.
Tropical Storm Agatha made landfall in El Salvador and Guatemala, and its remnants are now tracked by NASA. The National Hurricane Center reports a near-zero percent chance of reorganization, solving the forecasting mystery.
A NIRCam engineering test unit has arrived at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to undergo a year-long testing process. The unit, built by Lockheed Martin, will simulate the flight unit's functions before the actual instrument is integrated into the James Webb Space Telescope.
The James Webb Space Telescope's Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) instrument is a key tool for identifying colors and objects in the cosmos. With its micro-electromechanical system, NIRSpec can analyze light from deep space to help scientists determine the age, chemical composition, and distances of faint galaxies.
TRMM data revealed that Cyclone Ului brought heavy rainfall to western Queensland, with estimates suggesting 5.1-7.0 inches of rain fell in some areas. The satellite's precipitation radar and microwave radiometers provided detailed insights into the cyclone's track and potential flooding.
Three NASA scientific instruments, MINI-ME, PISA, and TTI, have completed environmental testing and passed critical tests, paving the way for their launch on the FASTSAT-HSV01 satellite. The instruments will study Earth's atmosphere and space weather, improving global predictions.
The James Webb Space Telescope has successfully polished its first primary mirror segment to meet the required prescription at operational cryogenic temperatures. This achievement sets the stage for a successful polishing process for the remaining 18 flight mirror segments.
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.
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has announced a groundbreaking initiative to fly next-generation suborbital experiments with crew on state-of-the-art vehicles. The program aims to advance space science and sensor technology, enabling researchers to conduct experiments in microgravity and space astronomy.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared images of Oli as it passed by, revealing better organization and a well-defined eye. Infrared imagery showed deep convection over the storm's center, with waves 20 feet high in the open ocean.
The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) has been delivered and will be integrated onto the NPP spacecraft, providing highly detailed imagery of clouds, vegetation, and environmental phenomena. The NPOESS Preparatory Project aims to extend the time series environmental data records initiated with NASA's Earth Observing Sys...
Tropical Storm Nisha is experiencing light-moderate rainfall and moderate vertical wind shear, weakening the storm. It is forecast to move slowly eastward and dissipate over the latter half of the weekend.
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 TRMM satellite measured heavy rainfall from last week's coastal low pressure area 'Ida', which drenched the U.S. east coast and caused flash floods. Heavy rain amounts were found in Alabama, North Carolina, and Virginia with maximum values exceeding 240mm.
The Goddard team designed and built five ExPRESS Logistics Carriers (ELCs) to deploy experiments in space without a separate satellite. The ELCs will also serve as parking fixtures for ISS hardware, streamlining future missions.
Former Ida has strengthened into a powerful low-pressure system causing severe flooding from northeast North Carolina to coastal Virginia. The storm is expected to continue bringing heavy rains, with isolated totals around 6 inches possible through Friday morning.
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.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is developing a transparent coating that mimics the self-cleaning properties of the lotus plant to prevent dirt from sticking to space gear and bacteria from growing inside astronaut living quarters. The coating, made primarily from silica, zinc oxide, and other oxides, offers great potential for use ...
Tropical Storm Marty is moving at a slow pace through the Eastern Pacific Ocean with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph. The storm's fate lies in its encounter with cooler waters and drier air, which will weaken it over the weekend.
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.
The University of Colorado at Boulder is developing a new communications technology called Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) with NASA, which will extend Earth's Internet into outer space and across the solar system. The technology enables automated future communications capabilities for lunar habitation and surface exploration.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has entered lunar orbit, marking a crucial milestone for the mission, which aims to compile high-resolution maps of the lunar surface and survey it at various spectral wavelengths.
The NRL's SoloHI instrument will provide revolutionary measurements to pinpoint solar storms, offering a pristine view of the solar wind plasma. The Solar Orbiter mission aims to understand how the sun varies and its impact on planetary systems.
The NASA TRMM satellite shows Cyclone Bijli's intense rainfall, peaking at 129 millimeters (5.07 inches) in Bangladesh, causing heavy flooding and tropical storm-force winds. The animation tracks the storm's development from birth to landfall on April 17, 2009.
The James Webb Space Telescope's first flight mirror segment has successfully completed its series of cryogenic temperature tests, a crucial step towards the telescope's launch in 2013. The mirrors will undergo further polishing and verification to achieve the required 20 nanometer accuracy.
The Solar Orbiter mission will explore the Sun's plasma properties and composition using the SPICE instrument, advancing our knowledge of the Sun's dynamics. The data will help understand the effects on Earth and the solar system.
The IBEX spacecraft is mapping the outer solar system using ENA imaging, creating global maps of interactions between the solar wind and interstellar medium. Researchers will study this region to address challenges facing manned exploration, including galactic cosmic ray radiation.
Astronomers detect frequent X-ray and gamma-ray flares from a soft-gamma-ray repeater, a rare type of neutron star. The object has erupted with over 100 flares in 20 minutes, releasing more energy than the sun does in 20 years.
A new study suggests that climate change could postpone the recovery of stratospheric ozone in tropical and southern mid-latitudes, leading to increased skin cancer risks for fair-skinned populations. This delay might be caused by changes in air circulation patterns and reduced ozone formation.
The Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft is creating the first global maps of interactions between the solar wind and the interstellar medium. The maps are built using energetic neutral atom imaging and reveal the intricate pattern of this fascinating interaction.
The team found a cosmic puzzle that booms six times louder than predicted, ruling out origins from primordial stars and known radio sources. The source of this cosmic radio background remains a mystery, complicating efforts to detect the first stars in the universe.
University of Idaho engineers have developed unique new technology that will be used in NASA's Landsat Data Continuity Mission and Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission. The technology includes advanced data compression and channel coder algorithms, increasing science data return and protecting data fidelity.
Swift's Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) observes the chemical composition of comet atmospheres, while its X-Ray Telescope (XRT) studies gas and solar wind interactions. This research offers clues about comets' origins and the solar system.
CU-Boulder's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics has been selected by NASA to lead the $485 million Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission. The MAVEN spacecraft will study Mars' upper atmosphere, solar wind, and ionosphere to determine its past climate and potential life.
The GLAST Mission Operations Center (MOC) at NASA Goddard is responsible for several aspects of the GLAST mission, including command planning and monitoring the Large Area Telescope's health and safety. The observatory is commanded from MOC and is receiving high-quality data, enabling optimal science return.
The High-Resolution Soft X-Ray Spectrometer (SXS) will investigate dark matter, galaxy formation, and explore the nature of matter in extreme environments. NASA's Explorer Program Mission of Opportunity has awarded $44 million for the instrument and operations.
The Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) is scheduled to launch on a United Launch Alliance's Delta II Heavy rocket on June 11. The launch window opens at 11:45 a.m.-1:40 p.m. EDT, pending weather conditions. GLAST will survey the universe over an energy range of 20 million electron volts to over 300 billion electron volts.
Dr. Joan M. Centrella and Dr. John G. Baker received the John C. Lindsay Memorial Award for their pioneering computer simulations of black hole mergers, a crucial step towards understanding cosmic evolution. The simulations have spurred rapid progress in predicting observable signatures of these events.
Astronomers have observed a rare 'normal' supernova for the first time at its moment of birth, thanks to NASA's Swift satellite. The discovery provides unique insights into how these massive star explosions occur, with the radiation pattern giving scientists the clearest picture ever.
Christa Peters-Lidard receives the award for her work on high-resolution land surface modeling and satellite data assimilation, improving U.S. hydrometeorological forecasting capabilities