NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

New NASA Tech Makes "Ultra-Smooth" Telescope Mirrors X-ray telescopes help us track solar storms and understand the lifecycle of stars—one day, they could even help discover life on other planets. But to capture the sharpest images, we need special high-precision manufacturing techniques to build ultra-smooth mirrors. Researchers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center have combined two existing manufacturing techniques to produce a new lightweight, high-resolution X-ray optic. Project RECXO is working on new ways to polish the molds that are used to replicate X-ray mirrors. These molds are so smooth that the bumps on their surface are no bigger than 5 angstroms—that's 50 billionths of a centimeter. Learn more about this technology, involved NASA centers, and key partners in NASA’s TechPort database: https://lnkd.in/eNhmWJ5G

Each year, thousands of wildfires burn millions of acres of forests and grasslands throughout the country. Heavy smoke and nightfall ground current aerial firefighting operations. We're working on tech to change that. Our Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) project uses drone and other aviation technologies to help first responders keep pace with the growing threat of fires—24 hours a day. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eQdkjBCh

Psst. Wanna see a planet orbiting another Sun? We’ve got four! Our James Webb Space Telescope captured direct images of four gas giants in a young, well-studied planetary system 130 light-years away. Observations from the telescope indicate that the exoplanets are rich in carbon dioxide, which means they likely formed in similar ways to Jupiter and Saturn. https://lnkd.in/e3q3bph2

“That was my giant leap: Taking the chance and going for the interview and getting the job and deciding to stay.” Thermal blanket technician Paula Cain transitioned from working in the fashion industry to creating thermal blankets so spacecraft can stay protected from the harsh environment of space. Learn more about her story in this week’s episode of Small Steps, Giant Leaps: https://lnkd.in/e-catpbF

Join our NASA internships webinar March 27 to explore opportunities, hear from current interns, and get tips to make your application stand out. This session will cover everything you need to know to kick-start your NASA journey! Register here: https://lnkd.in/eWQftBdM

Welcome home, Crew-9 NASA Astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov splashed down off the coast of Florida at 5:57 p.m. EDT (2127 UTC) on March 18, concluding their scientific mission to the International Space Station. Crew-9 returned to Earth in SpaceX's Dragon Freedom spacecraft, which arrived at the station with Hague and Gorbunov in September 2024. Get the details on NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 mission and today's crew return: https://lnkd.in/epVbnwnk

We are happy to welcome Senior Advisor to the NASA Administrator Michael Altenhofen to Mission Control Houston at NASA's Johnson Space Center as we support a busy week in human spaceflight. From a launch, to docking with the International Space Station, to an upcoming splashdown, JSC leadership were pleased to bring Mr. Altenhofen to one of the most integral locations at Johnson. No matter where on Earth you are, you can join us at Mission Control as well! Check out our virtual tours of JSC's most notable landmarks: https://lnkd.in/eSAVrnm3

More explorers are on their way to the International Space Station! NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission lifted off from Kennedy Space Center at 7:03pm ET (2303 UTC) on Friday, March 14. Commander Anne McClain, pilot Nichole Ayers, and mission specialists Takuya Onishi and Kirill Peskov are scheduled to dock with the orbiting laboratory on March 15. https://lnkd.in/e9BzHYZr

We've looked at an eclipse from both sides now... While we were looking up to see last night's Blood Moon, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander was looking back at the "diamond ring" of a solar eclipse. Enjoy this reminder that what you see often depends on your point of view.

Don't sleep on this! If you're in the Western Hemisphere, step outside late tonight to look at the "Blood Moon" lunar eclipse, where the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth's shadow. Totality begins at 2:26 a.m. EDT (0626 UTC) on March 14: https://lnkd.in/e5X9HCpH