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NASA Conducts Full-Duration Artemis Moon Rocket Engine Test

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NASA continued a key RS-25 engine test series for future Artemis flights of the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket March 22 with a hot fire on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.NASA/Danny Nowlin Full-duration RS-25 engine hot fireNASA/Danny Nowlin Full-duration RS-25 engine hot fireNASA/Danny Nowlin

NASA continued a key RS-25 engine test series for future Artemis flights of the agency’s powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket March 22 with a hot fire on the Fred Haise Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. It marked the 10th hot fire in a 12-test series to certify production of new RS-25 engines by lead contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3 Harris Technologies company. The NASA Stennis test team fired the certification engine for 500 seconds, or the same amount of time engines must fire to help launch the SLS rocket to space with astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft. Operators powered the engine up to a level of 113%, which is beyond the 111% power level new RS-25 engines use to provide additional thrust. Testing up to the 113% power level provides a margin of operational safety. Newly produced engines will power NASA’s SLS rocket on Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond, beginning with Artemis V. For Artemis missions I-IV, NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne modified 16 former space shuttle engines for use on the SLS rocket. Four RS-25 engines fire simultaneously to help launch each SLS rocket, producing up to 2 million pounds of combined thrust. Through Artemis, NASA will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all. RS-25 tests at NASA Stennis are conducted by a diverse team of operators from NASA, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and Syncom Space Services, prime contractor for site facilities and operations.

NASA Johnson Space Center to Host Visit by Texas Governor Greg Abbott

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March 22, 2024

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NASA Johnson Space Center to Host Visit by Texas Governor Greg Abbott

NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston will host a Tuesday, March 26, visit by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who will make a major announcement on the future of the space industry in Texas.

Media are invited to document the governor’s tour of NASA’s Mission Control Center when he speaks with native Texan and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara aboard the International Space Station.

Abbott will be joined by NASA Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, Texas Representative Greg Bonnen and other state and space industry leaders.

U.S. media wishing to attend in person must respond to NASA’s Johnson Space Center by 5 p.m. CDT Monday, March 25, by calling the Johnson Newsroom at 281-483-5111 or e-mailing jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. Media must arrive at Johnson’s main gate no later than 9:30 a.m. March 26 to pick up credentials and receive instructions.

NASA will provide live coverage of the Mission Control tour and call to the space station beginning at 10:15 a.m. on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

The space industry announcement is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. in NASA’s Space Vehicle Mockup Facility.

Discover more about NASA Johnson, the hub of human spaceflight, at:

https://www.nasa.gov/johnson/about-johnson/

-end-

Kelly Humphries
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

kelly.humphries@nasa.gov

Women’s History Month: Meet Denise Ryan

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3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Denise RyanNASA Graphics

In honor of Women’s History Month, we recently sat down with Denise Ryan, flight management specialist and member of the Women’s Networking Group (WNG) at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, to learn more about her role and working at NASA.

What do you do at NASA and how do you help support Armstrong’s mission?

I am a Flight Management Specialist and work in the Flight Operations Office where we schedule various ground and flight operations for Armstrong Flight Research Center. I manage the scheduling activities for our diverse fleet of aircraft ranging from a simplistic TG-14 motor-glider to a complex airborne science platform such as the DC-8.

Why did you choose to work at NASA and how long have you worked here?

I chose to work here at Armstrong because I needed a change – prior to getting a job here I was a Trust Operation Manager for a trust company and teleworking fulltime after moving to the area. Since I prefer in-person interaction, when I was offered a job as an Acquisition Specialist, I took it. From there another opportunity opened in the Flight Operations Directorate, where I was hired as a Flight Operations Scheduler. I’ve worked here at Armstrong for 13 years; 11 years as a contractor and 2 years as a Civil Servant.

What has been your proudest accomplishment or highlight of your career?

The highlight of my career is the NASA Honor Award for Exceptional Public Service that I received in 2020 for “Exceptional service as Flight Operations Scheduler”.

Do you have any advice for others like yourself who may be contemplating a career at NASA?

Go for it! I’ve enjoyed my time working at NASA and would always encourage people to apply for opportunities here when they’re available.

What is the most exciting aspect of your job?

In Flight Ops, the most exciting thing about my job, besides the people I get to interact with every day, is that we are part of all the flight missions that take place at Armstrong. From ground test to first flights and even last, we are involved in many different aspects. I have a unique job that allows us to not necessarily be tied to one mission or one project, but almost all of them, and that’s exciting.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Did you think you would ever work for NASA?

I honestly didn’t have a solid plan – I remember telling people that my goal was to be happy and would find out what would bring me that happiness as I went through life. That eventually got me to NASA and I would say I’m pretty happy, so that’s a win.

What’s the strangest tradition in your family? Or a unique family tradition?

We have a tradition that if it’s your birthday, after we sing, we smear frosting on your face. The other traditional that isn’t strange, but I think is valuable is that we sit together for dinner as a family.

If you could master a skill without any work, what would it be?

I think mastering a musical instrument would be my choice – specifically the Cello. I can play basic chords on a Ukulele and Guitar, but I’m far from being a master, more like a beginner.

Read More About Women at Armstrong Share Details Last Updated Mar 22, 2024 EditorDede DiniusContactAmber YarbroughLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related Terms Explore More 3 min read NASA Innovation on Display at AAS Goddard Space Science Symposium  Article 3 hours ago 2 min read Hubble Spots the Spider Galaxy

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5 min read NASA’s Tiny BurstCube Mission Launches to Study Cosmic Blasts

NASA’s BurstCube, a shoebox-sized satellite designed to study the universe’s most powerful explosions, is on…

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Find Your Place In Space Week

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The National Space Council invites you to join us for Find Your Place in Space Week.

From April 6-13, 2024 museums, science centers, companies, schools, and organizations will engage with communities across the nation to highlight all that space is, has to offer, and the benefits of space for Earth. We know that too many people are unaware of the importance of space to their everyday lives, to Earth, or know that their expertise and talents are needed in the industry.  Through this effort, we want people from all communities and backgrounds to experience space and find their place in space!

Visit the Find Your Place in Space Week website, which includes:

  • A map and list of planned events.  Our goal is for there to be events in every state and Puerto Rico.
  • A social media toolkit and graphics that are helpful for amplifying the importance of space online throughout the week (and beyond).
  • A  page with an activity toolkit and online resources from across the federal departments and agencies.

Please consider hosting an event in your community. If you do, share the information with us to be added to the list of events. You can also use the list to join an event near you. Hope to see you there!

NASA, Agencies to Brief Plans for April 2024 Total Solar Eclipse

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A person watches the annular solar eclipse of October 14, 2023, in Kerrville, Texas.Credits: NASA

Millions of people across North America will experience a rare celestial sight on Monday, April 8: a total solar eclipse. NASA will host a media briefing with other government agencies at 10 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, March 26, at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

The briefing will air live on NASA+, NASA Television, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

Over the course of about an hour, viewers in 15 states across the United States will experience up to four and half minutes of darkness when the Moon moves fully in front of the Sun, revealing the Sun’s faint outer atmosphere: the corona. Outside of the path of totality, people in the contiguous United States will have the opportunity to see a partial eclipse, when the Moon covers only a portion of the Sun. Learn how to safely view this celestial event on NASA’s eclipse website.

NASA is joining with scientific and transportation agencies to engage the public, share safety information, and conduct science during the upcoming total solar eclipse. Representatives from these agencies will brief media about plans for the solar eclipse.

Briefing participants include:

  • NASA Administrator Bill Nelson
  • NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy
  • NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free
  • Kelly Korreck, eclipse program manager, NASA Headquarters
  • Shailen Bhatt, administrator, Federal Highway Administration
  • Elsayed Talaat, director, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Space Weather Observations

Media interested in attending in person must RSVP by 5 p.m., Monday, March 25, to Tiernan Doyle at tiernan.doyle@nasa.gov. All media interested in participating by phone must request details no later than two hours before the start of the event.  NASA’s media accreditation policy is online.

On April 8, NASA will host live coverage of the eclipse on NASA+, the agency’s website, and the NASA app beginning at 1 p.m. NASA will also stream the broadcast live on its FacebookXYouTube, and Twitch social media accounts, as well as have a telescope-only feed of eclipse views on the NASA TV media channel and YouTube.

To learn more about the total solar eclipse, visit:

go.nasa.gov/Eclipse2024

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Karen Fox
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov

Sarah Frazier
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
202-853-7191
sarah.frazier@nasa.gov

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NASA Innovation on Display at AAS Goddard Space Science Symposium 

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From the search for habitable worlds beyond our solar system to Earth science missions closer to home, NASA shared its goals for the next decades of exploration at this year’s Goddard Space Science Symposium, held March 20-22, 2024, at the University of Maryland in College Park. 

“We wanted to help bring focus to this long-term vision by gathering people from all areas of the industry to discuss the plan, the associated opportunities and challenges, and how we will all work together to succeed,” said Jim Way, executive director at the American Astronautical Society (AAS), which co-hosted the symposium with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. 

NASA Goddard and AAS collaborated to develop this year’s theme, “Space 2040: Pathways to the Future.” About 340 in-person attendees participated in panels featuring NASA scientists, researchers, and experts, as well as government and industry partners.  

Goddard Center Director Makenzie Lystrup kicked off the symposium by emphasizing the role partnerships have to play in science and space exploration.  

“The world is changing, and the space industry in particular; we’ve got to adapt to that,” Lystrup said. “Goddard needs to adapt to that, NASA needs to adapt, and I think that that can be scary. But also, this is the time when innovation can really come out. And so, I think that the sharing of ideas, and the willingness to try new things, is more important now than it ever has been.”

Makenzie Lystrup, center director at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., gives opening remarks at the 61st Goddard Space Science Symposium sponsored by the American Astronautical Society on March 20, 2024, at the University of Maryland in College Park.NASA/Tabatha Luskey

During the symposium, Goddard employees, students, and members of the industry and government workforce listened to discussions on space weather, climate science, interplanetary missions, and more. Nicola Fox, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, gave the opening keynote address on March 20. Fox spoke about NASA’s current and future missions, highlighting the intersections between NASA sciences.  

“I love to think about the interconnections in the science that we do,” Fox said. “Everybody knows that all the really interesting stuff – it’s not even just science – interesting stuff happens on the boundaries.”

NASA Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate Nicola Fox speaks about NASA’s operating and future science fleet during her keynote address at the symposium on March 20.NASA/Tabatha Luskey

The symposium concluded with early science results from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, which returned a sample from the asteroid Bennu in September 2023. Mission scientists brought a small piece of the sample for attendees to view. 

“That smudge you see is a pristine sample of the early solar system that we took 200 million miles away, and they’re finding some little preliminary results already,” said Michelle Thaller, co-chair of the 2024 planning committee and assistant director for science communication at Goddard. 

This year marked the 61st symposium, making it the longest running event hosted by AAS. Formerly known as the Robert H. Goddard Memorial Symposium, the event demonstrates the longstanding relationship between Goddard and AAS.

By Julia Tilton
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

Share Details Last Updated Mar 22, 2024 EditorRob GarnerContactRob Garnerrob.garner@nasa.govLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related Terms

NASA Invites Media to Eclipse Mission Sounding Rocket Media Day 

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2 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

Media are invited to apply for accreditation to attend a pre-launch media day to learn about a sounding rocket mission set to launch from Virginia’s Eastern Shore during the 2024 solar eclipse. The April 2 media day event includes opportunities to hear from subject matter experts, tour the facility, and interview members of the research team. Media day activities will take place on Tuesday, April 2, from 9 a.m.- noon at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia.

A sounding rocket launches from White Sands, New Mexico, during the Oct. 14, 2024, annular solar eclipse for the APEP mission.U.S. Army/Judy Hawkins

The application deadline for media who are U.S. citizens is Friday, March 29, at 2 p.m. EDT. All media must send their accreditation request to the Wallops Office of Communications.

Media must arrive at Wallops no later than 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 2, to complete the badging process prior to the media day tour and interviews.  

This NASA mission, known as Atmospheric Perturbations around Eclipse Path (APEP), is led by Dr. Aroh Barjatya, a professor of engineering physics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. Three sounding rockets will be launched during the solar eclipse on April 8 to study how the sudden drop in sunlight affects our upper atmosphere. 

Media Contact
Amy Barra 
NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia

Share Details Last Updated Mar 20, 2024 EditorJamie AdkinsContactAmy Barraamy.l.barra@nasa.govLocationWallops Flight Facility Related Terms

International Space Station welcomes biological and physical science experiments

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3 min read

International Space Station welcomes biological and physical science experiments

NASA is sending several biological and physical sciences experiments and equipment aboard SpaceX’s 30th commercial resupply services mission. Studying biological and physical phenomena under extreme conditions allows researchers to advance the fundamental scientific knowledge required to go farther and stay longer in space, while also benefitting life on Earth. Not only can these experiments provide pioneering scientific discovery – they enable sustainable deep space exploration and support transformative engineering.

The commercial resupply launch took place Thursday, March 21, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Understanding Antibiotic Resistance in Space

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses a significant threat to human health, both on Earth and in space. Common, harmless bacteria like Enterococcus faecalis (EF) and Enterococcus faecium, can be found on the International Space Station just as they are on Earth — and yet, they exhibit resistance to antibiotics and are hardier than their counterparts down on the ground. This raises concerns about potential more harmful bacteria causing infections for astronauts, especially during long-duration missions, as standard antibiotic treatments might prove ineffective.

To address this issue, Genomic Enumeration of Antibiotic Resistance in Space will survey the space station for antibiotic-resistant microbes. By analyzing the genetic makeup of these bacteria, scientists hope to understand how they adapt to the unique environment of space. This knowledge will be instrumental in developing protective measures for astronauts’ health on future long-duration missions. Additionally, it could contribute to a broader understanding of antibiotic resistance, benefiting healthcare practices on Earth.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Christopher Carr, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA Cold Atom Lab Science Module – 1

A temporary replacement module for the Cold Atom Lab will be aboard SpaceX-30. The module will enable NASA to continue pioneering quantum experiments aboard the International Space Station while researchers troubleshoot upgraded equipment delivered to station in August 2023 that they were unable to bring online.

The Cold Atom Laboratory quad locker sitting in a fixture that will allow the hardware to be packaged for shipment to the launch facility. Levitation of High Temperature Metals

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) partner-lead investigation

The objective of the Electrostatic Levitation Furnace-1 reflight is to investigate the effects of the interfacial phenomena between molten steel and slag (oxide) melts during processing from the viewpoint of the thermophysical properties. During steel making processes, such as continuous casting, the impurity in the cast steel is influenced by the interplay between the molten steel and molten slags.  Understanding the interfacial phenomena could help produce higher purity steels. Success could increase the space station’s commercial utilization and improve oxide melt manufacturing and application on Earth.

Flow Boiling Condensation Module Power Filter Module (support hardware)

During the initial checkouts following launch of the Condensation Module Power Filter  hardware on NG-19 in August 2023, an anomaly was observed in the test section thermocouple readings. The team investigated the issue and recommended replacement of the power filter module to fix the anomalous thermocouple readings. The PFM filters out undesirable electromagnetic emissions noise for the payload electronics.

Top view of the FBCE-CM-HT hardware. This investigation gathers data to characterize the function of condensation surfaces and to validate flow velocity models. Results could identify optimal flow rates at various gravitational levels to safely dissipate heat, supporting design of systems for use in space and on Earth. Image courtesy of NASA Glenn Research Center. NASA Glenn Research Center About NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences

NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Division pioneers’ scientific discovery and enables exploration by using space environments to conduct investigations not possible on Earth. Studying biological and physical phenomena under extreme conditions allows researchers to advance the fundamental scientific knowledge required to go farther and stay longer in space, while also benefitting life on Earth.

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Mar 22, 2024

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Hubble Spots the Spider Galaxy

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2 min read

Hubble Spots the Spider Galaxy This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows the irregular galaxy UGC 5829. ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Tully, M. Messa

This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows the gauzy-looking celestial body UGC 5829, an irregular galaxy that lies about 30 million light-years away. Despite the lack of observations of this relatively faint galaxy, UGC 5829 has a distinct and descriptive name: the Spider Galaxy. Perhaps its distorted galactic arms with their glowing, star-forming tips hint at the clawed legs of an arachnid.

The data in this image come from two Hubble observing programs. The first used Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys to look at relatively nearby galaxies in an effort to build color versus brightness diagrams of the stars in these galaxies. Each observation only took one Hubble orbit (about 95 minutes) but provided a valuable archival record of the types of stars in different galaxies and therefore different environments.

The second program used Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 to look at star clusters in dwarf galaxies. Their observations leveraged Hubble’s ultraviolet capabilities along with its ability to see fine details to better understand the environment where stars form in dwarf galaxies. The star-forming regions of UGC 5829 are readily visible in this image as bright-pink nebulae or clouds.

Text credit: European Space Agency (ESA)


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Media Contact:

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt, MD
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

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Mar 22, 2024

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45 Years Ago: Space Shuttle Columbia Arrives at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center

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On March 24, 1979, space shuttle Columbia arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) for the very first time. Following Presidential direction to build the space shuttle in 1972, Congress quickly approved and funded the program later that year. Construction of the first orbital vehicle, later named Columbia, began in 1975. Four years later, Columbia completed its first transcontinental flight, arriving at KSC to begin preparations for its first mission. The first shuttle flight in April 1981 ushered in an era of reusable space transportation.


Left: NASA Administrator James C. Fletcher, left, presents a model of the space shuttle to President Richard M. Nixon in January 1972. Right: Apollo 16 astronauts John W. Young, left, and Charles M. Duke on the Moon in April 1972.

On Jan. 5, 1972, President Richard M. Nixon directed NASA to build the space shuttle, formally called the Space Transportation System (STS), stating that “it would revolutionize transportation into near space.” NASA Administrator James C. Fletcher hailed the President’s decision as “an historic step in the nation’s space program,” adding that it would change what humans can accomplish in space. Apollo 16 astronauts John W. Young and Charles M. Duke learned of the space shuttle’s approval while exploring the Moon in April 1972. Mission Control informed them that Congress had authorized the development of the space shuttle. Young and Duke both enthusiastically responded to the positive news with “Beautiful! Wonderful! Beautiful!” Young added with some foresight, “The country needs that shuttle mighty bad. You’ll see.” He had no way of knowing that nine years later, he would command the first ship of the space shuttle fleet, Columbia, on its maiden voyage.


Left: Columbia’s crew compartment during assembly in 1976. Middle: Columbia’s aft fuselage and wings during assembly in November 1977. Right: Columbia just prior to rollout from Rockwell’s plant in Palmdale in March 1979.

Once Congress authorized the funds, on July 26, 1972, NASA awarded the contract to the North American Rockwell Corporation of Downey, California, to begin construction of the first orbital vehicle. Officially known as Orbital Vehicle-102 (OV-102), in January 1979 NASA named it Columbia after Captain Robert Gary’s sloop that explored the Pacific Northwest in the 1790s and took the honor as the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe, as well as after the Apollo 11 Command Module. Construction of Columbia’s first components at Rockwell’s Palmdale, California, plant began on March 25, 1975.


Left: Workers roll Columbia out from its hangar at Rockwell’s Palmdale, California, plant. Middle: Workers transport Columbia from Rockwell’s Palmdale facility to NASA’s Dryden, now Armstrong, Flight Research Center. Right: Columbia atop the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft takes off from Dryden to begin the cross-country ferry flight. 

Nearly four years later, on March 8, 1979, Columbia rolled out of the Palmdale facility to begin its multi-day transcontinental journey to KSC. For the first step of the journey, workers towed Columbia from Palmdale overland to NASA’s Dryden, now Armstrong, Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) 36 miles away. Two days later, workers there hoisted Columbia onto the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), a Boeing 747 aircraft modified to transport space shuttle orbiters. During a test flight, thousands of the orbiter’s thermal protection system tiles fell off. Workers returned Columbia to a hangar where over 100 men and women worked for nine days reapplying the tiles. Weather then delayed Columbia’s departure until March 20, when the SCA/shuttle duo flew from Dryden to Biggs AFB in El Paso, Texas.


Left: Space shuttle Columbia atop its Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) touches down at Kelly Air Force Base (AFB) in San Antonio for an overnight stop. Middle: Head on view of Columbia atop the SCA. Right: Tina Aguilar, age nine, an aspiring young reporter, interviews astronaut Donald K. “Deke” Slayton in front of Columbia and the SCA at Kelly AFB.

Weather delayed Columbia’s departure for the planned refueling stop at Kelly AFB in San Antonio, until the next day. About 200,000 people went to view the shuttle during its overnight layover in San Antonio prior to its departure on March 23.


Left: The past meets the future, as space shuttle Columbia atop its Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) flies over the Saturn V display at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Middle: Columbia atop the SCA touches down at KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF), with the Vehicle Assembly Building visible in the background. Right: At the SLF, NASA Administrator Robert A. Frosch addresses the crowd assembled to welcome Columbia to KSC, as other dignitaries listen.

After another overnight stop at Eglin AFB in Florida, Columbia atop the SCA touched down at KSC’s Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) on March 24, a crowd of about 3,000 cheering its arrival. Dignitaries in attendance at a brief welcoming ceremony at the SLF included NASA Administrator Robert A. Frosch, KSC Director Lee R. Scherer, SCA pilots Joseph S. Algranti and Fitzhugh L. Fulton, program manager for Shuttle Flight Test Operations NASA astronaut Donald K. “Deke” Slayton, and astronauts John W. Young and Robert L. Crippen, designated as the commander and pilot for STS-1, the first space shuttle mission. Also in attendance, U.S. Congressman C. William “Bill” Nelson whose district included KSC and now serves as NASA’s 14th administrator, and Florida Lieutenant Governor J. Wayne Mixson.


Left: Columbia in the Orbiter Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Middle: Workers hoist Columbia in KSC’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for mating with its external tank and solid rocket boosters. Right: Columbia rolls out of the VAB on its way to Launch Pad 39A.

The next day, after removing Columbia from the back of the SCA, workers towed it into the Orbiter Processing Facility, where the orbiter spent the next 19 months preparing for its first flight. Rollover to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for mating with its External Tank and the two Solid Rocket Boosters took place Nov. 24, 1980. After a series of integrated tests, the shuttle stack rolled out of the VAB and made the 3.5-mile trip to Launch Pad 39A on Dec. 29, 1980. Young and Crippen flew Columbia’s historic first mission, STS-1, in April 1981, ushering in an era of reusable space transportation.

Share Details Last Updated Mar 21, 2024 Related Terms Explore More 21 min read 55 Years Ago: Four Months Until the Moon Landing Article 1 day ago 11 min read 20 Years Ago: First Image of Earth from Mars and Other Postcards of Home Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read More Planets than Stars: Kepler’s Legacy Article 2 weeks ago

NASA’s Tiny BurstCube Mission Launches to Study Cosmic Blasts

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4 min read

NASA’s Tiny BurstCube Mission Launches to Study Cosmic Blasts BurstCube, shown in this artist’s concept, will orbit Earth as it hunts for short gamma-ray bursts. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

NASA’s BurstCube, a shoebox-sized satellite designed to study the universe’s most powerful explosions, is on its way to the International Space Station.

The spacecraft travels aboard SpaceX’s 30th Commercial Resupply Services mission, which lifted off at 4:55 p.m. EDT on Thursday, March 21, from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. After arriving at the station, BurstCube will be unpacked and later released into orbit, where it will detect, locate, and study short gamma-ray bursts – brief flashes of high-energy light.

“BurstCube may be small, but in addition to investigating these extreme events, it’s testing new technology and providing important experience for early career astronomers and aerospace engineers,” said Jeremy Perkins, BurstCube’s principal investigator at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

The BurstCube satellite sits in its flight configuration in this photo taken in the Goddard CubeSat Lab in 2023. NASA/Sophia Roberts
Download high-resolution images and videos of BurstCube.

Short gamma-ray bursts usually occur after the collisions of neutron stars, the superdense remnants of massive stars that exploded in supernovae. The neutron stars can also emit gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of space-time, as they spiral together.

Astronomers are interested in studying gamma-ray bursts using both light and gravitational waves because each can teach them about different aspects of the event. This approach is part of a new way of understanding the cosmos called multimessenger astronomy.

The collisions that create short gamma-ray bursts also produce heavy elements like gold and iodine, an essential ingredient for life as we know it.

Currently, the only joint observation of gravitational waves and light from the same event – called GW170817 – was in 2017. It was a watershed moment in multimessenger astronomy, and the scientific community has been hoping and preparing for additional concurrent discoveries since.

“BurstCube’s detectors are angled to allow us to detect and localize events over a wide area of the sky,” said Israel Martinez, research scientist and BurstCube team member at the University of Maryland, College Park and Goddard. “Our current gamma-ray missions can only see about 70% of the sky at any moment because Earth blocks their view. Increasing our coverage with satellites like BurstCube improves the odds we’ll catch more bursts coincident with gravitational wave detections.”

BurstCube’s main instrument detects gamma rays with energies ranging from 50,000 to 1 million electron volts. (For comparison, visible light ranges between 2 and 3 electron volts.)

When a gamma ray enters one of BurstCube’s four detectors, it encounters a cesium iodide layer called a scintillator, which converts it into visible light. The light then enters another layer, an array of 116 silicon photomultipliers, that converts it into a pulse of electrons, which is what BurstCube measures. For each gamma ray, the team sees one pulse in the instrument readout that provides the precise arrival time and energy. The angled detectors inform the team of the general direction of the event.

BurstCube belongs to a class of spacecraft called CubeSats. These small satellites come in a range of standard sizes based on a cube measuring 10 centimeters (3.9 inches) across. CubeSats provide cost-effective access to space to facilitate groundbreaking science, test new technologies, and help educate the next generation of scientists and engineers in mission development, construction, and testing.

Engineers attach BurstCube to the platform of a thermal vacuum chamber at Goddard ahead of testing. NASA/Sophia Roberts

“We were able to order many of BurstCube’s parts, like solar panels and other off-the-shelf components, which are becoming standardized for CubeSats,” said Julie Cox, a BurstCube mechanical engineer at Goddard. “That allowed us to focus on the mission’s novel aspects, like the made-in-house components and the instrument, which will demonstrate how a new generation of miniaturized gamma-ray detectors work in space.”

BurstCube is led by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. It’s funded by the Science Mission Directorate’s Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters. The BurstCube collaboration includes: the University of Alabama in Huntsville; the University of Maryland, College Park; the University of the Virgin Islands; the Universities Space Research Association in Washington; the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington; and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville.

By Jeanette Kazmierczak
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

Media Contact:
Claire Andreoli
(301) 286-1940
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

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NASA Science, Hardware Aboard SpaceX’s 30th Resupply Launch to Station

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NASA’s SpaceX 30th commercial resupply mission launched at 4:55 p.m. EDT, Thursday, March 21 , from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.Credit: NASA/Madison Tuttle

Following a successful launch of NASA’s SpaceX 30th commercial resupply mission, new scientific experiments and technology demonstrations for the agency are on the way to the International Space Station, including studies of technologies to measure sea ice and plant growth in space.

SpaceX’s Dragon resupply spacecraft, carrying more than 6,000 pounds of cargo to the orbiting laboratory, launched on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket at 4:55 p.m. EDT Thursday, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The cargo spacecraft is scheduled to autonomously dock at the space station on Saturday, March 23, at approximately 7:30 a.m. and remain at the orbital outpost for about a month.

Live coverage of the arrival will begin at 5:30 a.m. on NASA+, NASA Television, and on the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms.

The Dragon will deliver a new set of sensors for Astrobee robots to support automated 3D sensing, mapping, and situational awareness functions. These systems could support future Gateway and lunar surface missions by providing automated maintenance and surface scanning using rovers. Additionally, the spacecraft will deliver BurstCube, a small satellite that is designed to study gamma-ray bursts that occur when two neutron stars collide. This satellite could widen our coverage of the gamma-ray sky, improving our chances of studying bursts both with light and gravitational waves, or ripples in space-time, detected by ground-based observatories.

Finally, the spacecraft also will deliver sampling hardware for Genomic Enumeration of Antibiotic Resistance in Space (GEARS), an initiative that will test different locations of the space station for antibiotic-resistant microbes. In-flight gene sequencing could show how these bacteria adapt to the space environment, providing knowledge that informs measures to protect astronauts on future long-duration missions.

These are just a few of the hundreds of investigations conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory in the areas of biology and biotechnology, physical sciences, and Earth and space science. Advances from this scientific research will help keep astronauts healthy during long-duration space travel and demonstrate technologies for future human and robotic exploration beyond low Earth orbit to the Moon through NASA’s Artemis campaign, in advance of the first crewed mission to Mars.

Get breaking news, images and features from the space station on Instagram, Facebook, and X.

Learn more about NASA commercial resupply services missions at:

https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/commercial-resupply/

-end-

Josh Finch / Julian Coltre / Claire O’Shea
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / julian.n.coltre@nasa.gov / claire.a.o’shea@nasa.gov

Stephanie Plucinsky / Steven Siceloff 
Kennedy Space Center, Florida 
321-876-2468
stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov / steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov 

Sandra Jones
Johnson Space Center, Houston 
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov

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Payload Adapter Testing: A Key Step for Artemis IV Rocket’s Success

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Key adapters for the first crewed Artemis missions are manufactured at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The cone-shaped payload adapter, left, will debut on the Block 1B configuration of the SLS rocket beginning with Artemis IV, while the Orion stage adapters, right, will be used for Artemis II and Artemis III. NASA/Sam Lott

A test version of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket’s payload adapter is ready for evaluation, marking a critical milestone on the journey to the hardware’s debut on NASA’s Artemis IV mission.

Comprised of two metal rings and eight composite panels, the cone-shaped payload adapter will be part of the SLS Block 1B configuration and housed inside the universal stage adapter atop the rocket’s more powerful in-space stage, called the exploration upper stage. The payload adapter is an evolution from the Orion stage adapter used in the Block 1 configuration of the first three Artemis missions that sits at the topmost portion of the rocket and helps connect the rocket and spacecraft.

“Like the Orion stage adapter and the launch vehicle stage adapter used for the first three SLS flights, the payload adapter for the evolved SLS Block 1B configuration is fully manufactured and tested at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama,” said Casey Wolfe, assistant branch chief for the advanced manufacturing branch at Marshall. “Marshall’s automated fiber placement and large-scale integration facilities provide our teams the ability to build composite hardware elements for multiple Artemis missions in parallel, allowing for cost and schedule savings.”

Teams at Marshall manufactured, prepared, and move the payload adapter test article. The payload adapter will undergo testing in the same test stand that once housed the SLS liquid oxygen tank structural test article.NASA Teams at Marshall manufactured, prepared, and move the payload adapter test article. The payload adapter will undergo testing in the same test stand that once housed the SLS liquid oxygen tank structural test article.NASA Teams at Marshall manufactured, prepared, and move the payload adapter test article. The payload adapter will undergo testing in the same test stand that once housed the SLS liquid oxygen tank structural test article.NASA Teams at Marshall manufactured, prepared, and move the payload adapter test article. The payload adapter will undergo testing in the same test stand that once housed the SLS liquid oxygen tank structural test article. NASA

At about 8.5 feet tall, the payload adapter’s eight composite sandwich panels, which measure about 12 feet each in length, contain a metallic honeycomb-style structure at their thickest point but taper to a single carbon fiber layer at each end. The panels are pieced together using a high-precision process called determinant assembly, in which each component is designed to fit securely in a specific place, like puzzle pieces.

After manufacturing, the payload adapter will also be structurally tested at Marshall, which manages the SLS Program. The first structural test series begins this spring. Test teams will use the engineering development unit – an exact replica of the flight version of the hardware – to check the structure’s strength and durability by twisting, shaking, and applying extreme pressure.

While every Block 1B configuration of the SLS rocket will use a payload adapter, each will be customized to fit the mission’s needs. The determinant assembly method and digital tooling ensure a more efficient and uniform manufacturing process, regardless of the mission profile, to ensure hardware remains on schedule. Data from this test series will further inform design and manufacturing processes as teams begin manufacturing the qualification and flight hardware for Artemis IV.

NASA is working to land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA’s backbone for deep space exploration, along with the Orion spacecraft and Gateway in orbit around the Moon and commercial human landing systems, next-generational spacesuits, and rovers on the lunar surface. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.

News Media Contact

Corinne Beckinger
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
256.544.0034
corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov

Station Science 101: Cardiovascular Research on Station

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6 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

Everyday physical activities keep the cardiovascular system healthy. The human cardiovascular system, which includes the heart and blood vessels, has evolved to operate in Earth’s gravity. When astronauts travel to space, their bodies begin to adjust to the microgravity of their spacecraft. Blood and other bodily fluids previously pulled downward by gravity now move toward the head, so the cardiovascular system doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain blood flow to the brain. This adaptation to weightlessness can result in reduced blood volume and reduced function of the heart and blood vessels. 

When astronauts return to Earth, gravity once again pulls their body fluids downward. The cardiovascular system is now challenged to regulate blood pressure, causing some astronauts to feel weak, dizzy, or faint when they stand immediately upon arrival on Earth. These symptoms can last for a few days until they get used to spending time back in Earth’s gravity.

What we learn while aboard the space station has important applications on Earth. Many of the changes seen in space resemble those caused by aging on Earth. As we age, particularly if we don’t remain physically active, the efficiency of the heart and blood vessels to maintain blood pressure while standing may decrease and some people may develop heart disease. Because spending time in space affects the heart and circulatory system, research on the space station looks at these effects in both the short and long term. Research aims to develop and test countermeasures to cardiovascular adaptations to spaceflight to benefit both astronauts and people on the ground.

Below are some examples of studies performed on the station involving cardiovascular research.

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir conducts EHT-2 in the Life Sciences Glovebox aboard the space station.NASA Monitor Fluids Shifting

Using 3D ultrasound technology, Vascular Echo, an investigation from CSA (Canadian Space Agency), examined changes in blood vessels and the hearts of crew members in space and followed their recovery upon return to Earth. 3D images of blood vessels using ultrasounds show more detail than 2D images, just like how a model car is a better representation than a flat picture of that car. Astronauts used a motorized ultrasound probe to scan crucial body parts. Meanwhile on the ground, scientists could adjust the angle of the ultrasound beam emitted by the probe to collect the best image possible. Using this technology allowed crews to collect high-quality scans even though they’re not necessarily expert sonographers.1

An investigation called Fluid Shifts demonstrated how much fluid—including water and blood—moves from the lower body to the upper body in space. The study also evaluated the impact these shifts have on the structure and function of the eyes and brain. Results showed that several measurements of body fluids shifting towards the upper body were elevated during spaceflight but were reduced to preflight levels when using methods to reverse these fluid shifts.2

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut David Saint-Jacques performs an ultrasound for Vascular Echo which study the effects of weightlessness on astronauts’ blood vessels and hearts.Canadian Space Agency/NASA Culturing Stem Cells

An investigation completed in 2018, Cardiac Myocytes examined how stem cells differentiate into specialized heart cells (cardiac myocytes). The experiment evaluated cell maturation in microgravity and tested the ability of the cells to repair damaged heart tissues. This study advances the development of possible regenerative therapies for both astronauts and patients on Earth.

Subsequent experiments took advantage of microgravity’s effects on cell behavior and growth to create tools for further research, model disease, and test potential treatments for heart damage. MVP Cell-03 examined whether microgravity increased production of heart cells from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Pluripotent cells have started to differentiate, making them more specialized than stem cells, but they retain the ability to develop into multiple types of cells. Any observed increase in production of heart cells could make it possible to use cultured cells to help treat spaceflight-induced cardiac abnormalities and create personalized therapies to replenish heart cells damaged or lost due to disease on Earth. Project EAGLE, a related experiment, grows 3D cultures of heart cells in microgravity and could provide a heart tissue model that mimics heart disease and assesses potential drug therapies.

Beating cardiac spheres produced from cells cultured on the space station for the MVP Cell-03 investigation. Emory University School of Medicine Tiny Organ-like Devices

Many studies aboard the space station use tissue chips, small devices that mimic functions of human organs. These tools include 3D cultures of specific cell types, tissues engineered to reproduce specific cellular characteristics, as well as 3D structures made from many different cell types in a particular organ such as the heart. These stand-ins for actual hearts enable new types of research and drug testing.

Engineered Heart Tissues (EHT) used 3D tissues derived from hiPSCs to study cardiac function in microgravity. A magnet-based sensor underneath the culture chamber allowed real-time, non-destructive analysis of the functional performance and maturation of the tissues in space. Engineered Heart Tissues-2 builds on its predecessor using 3D cultures of cardiac muscle tissue to test therapies that may prevent these changes.

Cardinal Heart, a study using engineered heart tissues to understand effects of change in gravitational force on cardiovascular cells, confirmed that microgravity exposure causes significant changes in heart cell function and gene expression that could lead to damage.3 Cardinal Heart 2.0 took this research to the next level. It used a beating heart organoid containing different kinds of stem-cell-derived cardiac cells to test whether certain drugs can reduce or prevent microgravity-induced changes. Using tissue chips to test new drugs could help reduce the need for the animal studies required before clinical trials in humans, potentially shortening the time between the discovery of a drug candidate and its clinical use.

This biocell contains beating cardiac spheroids derived from iPSCs.Stanford Cardiovascular Institute.

Andrea Lloyd
International Space Station Research Communications Team
Johnson Space Center

Resources for Additional Learning

Search this database of scientific experiments to learn more about those mentioned above.

Citations

  1. Patterson C, Greaves DK, Robertson AD, Hughson RL, Arbeille P. Motorized 3D ultrasound and jugular vein dimension measurement on the International Space Station. Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance. 2023 June 1; 94(6): 466-469. DOI: 10.3357/AMHP.6219.2023.PMID: 37194183
  2. Arbeille P, Zuj KA, Macias BR, Ebert DJ, Laurie SS, Sargsyan AE, Martin DS, Lee SM, Dulchavsky SA, Stenger MB, Hargens AR. Lower body negative pressure reduces jugular and portal vein volumes, and counteracts the cerebral vein velocity elevation during long-duration spaceflight. Journal of Applied Physiology. 2021 September; 131(3): 1080-1087. DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00231.2021.PMID: 34323592.
  3. Wnorowski, A., Sharma, A., Chen, H., Wu, H., Shao, N.-Y., Sayed, N., Liu, C., Countryman, S., Stodieck, L. S., Rubins, K. H., Wu, S. M., Lee, P. H. U., & Wu, J. C. (2019). Effects of spaceflight on human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte structure and function. Stem Cell Reports, 13(6), 960–969. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stemcr.2019.10.006
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Mentoring the Next Generation of Engineers and Improving Shock Testing Standards 

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The year 2023 was productive for the Loads & Dynamics (L&D) Technical Discipline Team (TDT). New shock and modal analysis techniques were developed and mentoring the next generation of NASA discipline experts continued. Additionally, NESC Technical Bulletin No. 23-3, New Transient Finite Energy Shock Prediction Methodology, was released.

Early Career Community Nurtures Development of NASA’s Future Discipline Leaders

NASA has acknowledged the need for “attracting and advancing a highly skilled, competent, and diverse workforce in order to cultivate an innovative work environment…” as stated in Objective 3.1 of the 2014 NASA Strategic Plan.

A survey conducted in 2014 by Emerge, the early-career professional group at JSC, showed that recent hires believe that “communication and collaboration amongst organizations” is a key area of improvement, while “lack of opportunities for professional growth” is the top reason why they would consider leaving the Agency. This, when coupled with NASA’s aging workforce (the average age as of 2016 was 49), stresses the importance of capturing knowledge to pass along to the next generation of NASA engineers. 

The Structures, Loads and Dynamics, Mechanical Systems, and Materials (SLAMMS) disciplines have also been identified as critical fields for the advancement of NASA’s strategic vision, which emphasizes the importance of developing and retaining engineers in those areas. Consequently, the SLAM(M)S Steering Committee (Materials was not initially included), comprising center SLAMS Division/Branch Chiefs and NASA Technical Fellows, formed the Young Professionals Forum in 2012, which evolved into the current Early Career Forum (ECF) in 2017, and was expanded to provide year-round activities (e.g., monthly meetings, training opportunities) for the Early Career Community (ECC). 

 Over the lifetime of the ECC, the SLAMS Steering Committee was dissolved, and the stewardship of the ECC relied on the Technical Fellows, who empowered ECC leaders to take on the primary responsibility of planning and running the ECC and ECF events. 

Today’s SLAMMS Early Career Community   

Within the past few years, a new SLAMMS Division/Branch Chief collaboration group was formed, called the SLAMMS Leadership Working Group (LWG), and is led by James  Loughlin, GSFC Mechanical Systems Division Chief, with co-lead Elonso Rayos, JSC Structures Engineering Assistant Division Chief. The LWG is a forum focused on capability sustainment, discipline technical challenges, and workforce concerns. For example, disparate Agency technical resource access is discussed, collaboration is coordinated, and critical gaps in expertise are filled using cross-Agency cooperation. 

The current SLAMMS ECE leadership team includes Khadijah Shariff (JSC-Structures), Dr. Matthew Chamberlain (LaRC- Loads & Dynamics), Dr. Jonathan Sauder (JPL-Mechanical Systems), and Cassie Smith (JPL-Mechanical Systems). NASA Technical Fellows supporting SLAMMS are Deneen Taylor (Structures), Dr. Dexter Johnson (Loads & Dynamics), Dr. Michael Dube (Mechanical Systems), and Dr. Bryan McEnerney (Materials).

The SLAMMS Early Career Forum

The ECF is the annual “face-to-face” workshop for the community. The ECF is held at a different NASA center each year and features technical presentations by early career engineers (ECE), splinter sessions with NASA Technical Fellows, mentor presentations, facility tours, networking events, design challenges, and evening social activities to advance the SLAMMS disciplines and develop NASA’s future workforce. The ECF features technical presentations given by the ECEs to their peers, senior engineers, and Technical Fellows.   

The 12th Annual SLAMMS ECF was held at MSFC and virtually. Sixty-six ECEs, Technical Fellows, TDT mentors, and discipline managers from the SLAMMS LWG were in attendance. ECEs from 8 centers made 16 technical presentations and 18 posters, which were ranked by mentors for the top awards. Multiple splinter sessions provided ECEs with opportunities to ask career-related advice from Technical Fellows, project and systems management, and individuals experienced in design, analysis, and testing. In addition, there was a detailed discussion for each of the technical disciplines represented at the forum, and multiple site tours were provided. 

Attendees of the 12th annual SLAMMS EFC at MSFC 2023. 

The Future of the SLAMMS ECC 

The SLAMMS ECC will continue to evolve as discussions with the ECE leadership team and Technical Fellows continue towards mapping its future. SLAMMS is igniting cross-Agency collaboration for future generations. Its current goals include communication and collaboration among organizations, professional growth of early career engineers, knowledge capturing for the next generation of NASA engineers, and developing and retaining engineers in the specific SLAMMS disciplines. It will nurture the technical, professional, and personal development of NASA’s next generation of SLAMMS discipline leaders. 

Awards presented by Dr. Dexter Johnson. Left: “Best Presentation” (Mitchell Haglund-GSFC) Right: “Best Poster” (Tessa Fedotowsky-MSFC).

Updating Guidance on Shock Qualification and Acceptance Test Requirements  

The L&D TDT has completed work that will have a positive impact on shock testing of NASA flight hardware. Pyroshock is the transient response of a structure to loading induced by activation of attached or incorporated pyrotechnic devices. Typical pyrotechnic devices include frangible bolts, separation nuts, and pin pullers that are used to assemble, separate, and reconfigure spaceflight hardware during a mission. Shocks can easily propagate through structure and damage sensitive components. Thus, successful pyroshock testing is considered essential to mission success. At the request of the Gateway Program Chief Engineer, the NASA Chief Engineer initiated an inquiry to reevaluate shock testing approaches for both unit and major assembly flight hardware and requested recommendations for potential revisions to NASA-STD-7003B, Pyroshock Test Criteria, that would clarify the guidance and applicability to new programs. The work delves into topics of shock acceptance and qualification testing for unit and major assemblies, shock test tolerances, shaker shock testing, and the distinction between mechanical shock and pyroshock testing. It also provides recommendations for their inclusion in the next Agency-wide revision of NASA-STD-7003B.  

Current NASA-STD-7003B Requirements 

Unit and major assembly flight hardware acceptance and qualification testing are discussed in NASA-STD-7003B. It requires that all units go through shock qualification testing, with few exceptions. The purpose of a qualification test is to verify the design integrity of the flight hardware. The standard calls for pyroshock qualification testing of nonflight hardware for externally induced environments to be performed with a 3 dB margin added to the maximum predicted environment (MPE), with two shocks per each orthogonal axis. Qualification tests are performed on hardware that will not be flown but is manufactured using the same drawings, materials, tooling, processes, inspection methods, and personnel competency as used for the flight hardware. The flight hardware is not recommended to go through shock test, therefore, it lacks workmanship screening testing. The required random vibration (RV) test is considered to be a partial workmanship screening, covering only up to 2000 Hz. A full workmanship screening test for unique and sensitive hardware that may have modes above 2000 Hz needs to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by an expert in pyroshock dynamics and approved within a program’s risk management system and/or governing board. 

The major assembly acceptance and qualification testing are not recommended, considering that the MPE and design margin cannot be demonstrated at the system-level tests. The major assembly unmargined testing, however, may achieve three objectives. First, the functional demonstration of shock separation devices—probably the most important part of the major assembly level testing—demonstrates the source electrical and mechanical hardware functions as expected, and the interface separates without any issues. Second, the major assembly testing provides the validation of the unit shock environments.  

Third, the major assembly testing provides transfer functions (TF) that may help to estimate the attenuation—and in some cases structural amplifications—throughout the system with all assemblies in flight configuration. NASA-STD-7003B contains discussions for the first two major assembly test objectives. However, there are no discussions on the third test objective related to the TFs. The TFs provide qualitative assessment of shock propagation paths and attenuations at joints and interfaces. The TFs may be used qualitatively as attenuation is highly dependent on the materials and joint construction and may be different if there are changes in the system configuration.  

Suggestions for Improving NASA-STD-7003B 

The shock tolerance specified in NASA-STD-7003B is ±6 dB from 100 Hz to 3 kHz and +9/-6 dB above 3 kHz. The constant ±6 dB tolerance bandwidths across all frequencies are possible, as many existing shock simulation systems are able to simulate shock signatures that fall within these tolerances without difficulty. These tolerances are based on practical test implementation and shock simulation equipment consideration. The tolerance tightening should be considered at the flight hardware resonant frequencies to avoid over/under testing. However, if detonator or explosive shock simulation systems are used to qualify flight hardware, the shock tolerances above 3 kHz may be kept at +9/-6 dB.  

Measurements from many different pyro/non-pyro separation systems have been shown to have broader shock signatures and do not support the mechanical shock as being applicable to low- and mid-frequency shocks only. The standard discusses this topic and has an example of far field SRS indicating shock energy above 2 kHz. The future revision should clarify the applicability of the mechanical shocks to be broader and not to be limited to 2 kHz and below (see figure below). 

 
An example shock response spectrum (SRS) obtained from a mechanical shock separation system, indicating a broad signature is produced by pyro devices.    The Gateway Program has benefitted from the updated guidance recommended for NASA-STD-7003B. 

Even though shaker shock testing has been used in the past and is still used by some NASA organizations and contractors, there are multiple technical issues with this type of testing. The shaker-generated shock signatures in the low- and mid-frequency range (typically up to ~2 kHz) provide severe shock environments that may lead to structural failures. Most shakers are also not able to generate SRS above ~2 kHz, therefore, shaker shock test is deficient in meeting the shock requirement up to 10 kHz frequency. NASA-STD-7003B does not recommend the shaker method of shock testing due to the above limitations. This should be emphasized more in the standard. The shaker shock simulation test may be used if it is able to generate time histories that resemble signatures generated by space separation devices, and SRS levels meet the entire frequency range requirements. 

For the next NASA-STD-7003B revision, recommendations are being made to include acceptance RV testing for partial workmanship screening testing, add the TFs to be used as qualitative information in assessing the attenuation in the structural shock paths, change the shock tolerance to ±6 dB across all frequencies, and consider mechanical shocks to be broader and not limited to low- and mid-frequency SRSs. 

In summary, the updated guidance provides clarification to the question/uncertainty of the applicability of historical guidance to current programs, while ensuring proper applicability to future programs. This work directly benefitted the Gateway Program, and could potentially benefit the Human Lander System (HLS). 

References: 

  1. Kolaini, A.R., Kinney, T., and Johnson, D.: Guidance on Shock Qualification and Acceptance Test Requirements. SCLV, June 27-29, 2023, EL Segundo, CA. Available from: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20230009008  
  1. NASA-STD-7003B, “Pyroshock Test Criteria,” June 11, 2020. 

HLS could benefit from the updated guidance recommended for NASA-STD-7003B. Credit: Blue Origin 

Shuttle, Family Inspire NASA’s Cryogenic Technology Manager

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4 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

By Daniel Boyette

Jeremy Kenny squinted his eyes as he looked toward the brilliant light. Then came the deafening sound waves that vibrated his body. This was the moment he’d dreamed about since childhood.

It was Nov. 16, 2009, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and Kenny and his wife were watching space shuttle Atlantis embark on a mission to the International Space Station. Kenny, who was less than two years into his NASA career, had the opportunity to see the liftoff from Launch Pad 39A as part of receiving the Space Flight Awareness Award for supporting the Space Shuttle Program’s solid rocket booster flight program.

“That was the first launch I ever witnessed in person,” said Kenny, whose inspiration for working at NASA came from watching televised shuttle launches as a youth. “It was amazing and made me appreciate how such a powerful system could be designed and flown so successfully.”

Jeremy Kenny, manager of NASA’s Cryogenic Fluid Management Portfolio Project, holds a model spacecraft for the proposed large cryogenic demonstration mission. The mission aims to demonstrate liquid hydrogen management, including near-zero propellant boil off and highly efficient propellant transfer, needed to achieve long-duration transit to/from Mars and spacecraft loitering during on-surface campaigns.Credit: NASA/Danielle Burleson

With the final shuttle mission two years later, NASA set its sights on designing and building its future Artemis rocket: SLS (Space Launch System). Kenny was selected to lead the SLS Modal Acoustic Test program, which helped engineers understand how loud the rocket would be during liftoff. He later joined another key Artemis effort, the Human Landing System program, as a technical manager, overseeing the development of lander systems that will transport astronauts to the Moon’s surface.

“Artemis is an inspiring campaign for future human spaceflight exploration,” Kenny said. “I worked with SLS, Orion, and Exploration Ground Systems, and it was very fulfilling to see all the pieces come together for the successful Artemis I launch.”

In January, Kenny was named manager of NASA’s Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM) Portfolio project, where he oversees a cross-agency team based at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. The CFM portfolio includes innovative technologies to store, transfer, and measure ultra-cold fluids – such as liquid hydrogen, liquid oxygen, and liquid methane. These cryogens are the most common propellants in space exploration, making CFM integral to NASA’s future exploration and science efforts.

“We must mature CFM technologies to support future flight mission architectures,” said Kenny. “The strong partnership between Marshall and Glenn in CFM maturation continues to produce excellent results, enabling in-space cryogenic systems vital to NASA’s Moon to Mars vision.”

Kenny’s choice of profession comes as little surprise, given his family background. He had a grandfather and an uncle who worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the family’s hometown of Vicksburg, Mississippi. From them, Kenny learned how math and physics could be implemented in real-world applications. He earned three degrees in mechanical engineering: a bachelor’s from Mississippi State University in Starkville, a master’s from Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and a doctorate from the University of Alabama in Huntsville.

“My grandfather showed me various engineering software programs he worked on to simulate ground terrains for military transportation systems,” Kenny said. “My uncle worked on engineering developments for various military systems; he was a key influence for me to pursue graduate degrees in mechanical engineering.”

When Kenny’s not working to evolve technology for NASA’s future deep space exploration missions, he’s spending time with his wife and their two daughters, who are involved in choir and dance.

“Watching them practice and perform inspires me,” Kenny said with a smile. “My biggest challenge is balancing my professional work, which I love, and spending time with my family, who I love. With work comes many exciting opportunities, and solving hard problems is fun. But that excitement should not detract from keeping your personal relationships healthy. One day, I’ll retire and spend all my free time with family.”

The CFM Portfolio Project’s work is under NASA’s Technology Demonstration Missions Program, part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, which oversees a broad portfolio of technology development and demonstration projects across NASA centers and American industry partners.

Learn more about Cryogenic Fluid Management:

https://go.nasa.gov/3TEjOLe

Ramon J. Osorio
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
256-544-0034
ramon.j.osorio@nasa.gov

Share Details Last Updated Mar 21, 2024 Related Terms Explore More 22 min read The Marshall Star for March 20, 2024 Article 24 hours ago 3 min read NASA Artemis Mission Progresses with SpaceX Starship Test Flight Article 7 days ago 4 min read NASA Lights ‘Beacon’ on Moon With Autonomous Navigation System Test Article 1 week ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA

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Building a Community of Practice 

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The Thermal and Fluids Analysis Workshop (TFAWS) is an annual event cosponsored by the NESC’s Thermal Control & Protection, Environmental Control & Life Support, Aerosciences, and Cryogenics Technical Discipline Teams in collaboration with the TFAWS Steering Committee. It is well known for a diverse set of events and remains a model for Community of Practice technical discipline workshops. Originally devised as an analysis tool training opportunity for new engineers, TFAWS has grown in scope over more than three decades to include a variety of activities including training, theory-based short courses, paper sessions, student posters, center tours, and vendor presentations. Most important though, it remains an excellent forum for technical interchange between thermal, fluids, cryogenics, and aerothermal professionals from across NASA, other U.S. government agencies, industry, and academia. After three virtual workshops due to the COVID pandemic, TFAWS resumed as an in-person event in 2023 under the planning leadership of GSFC, this year’s host center. 

TFAWS has become known as a forum to train the next generation of engineers. A poster session gave students an opportunity to showcase their work and build connections with engineers in government and industry. A “speed mentoring” event was initiated this year and gave many early career engineers and students an opportunity to benefit from the experience of senior engineers and leaders. 

This year’s event drew a total of 350 attendees representing NASA, the aerospace industry, academia, and international participants from 23 countries. The 4-day workshop consisted of 80 paper presentations, 16 short courses and panel discussions, 7 analysis tool and hardware hands-on short courses, 14 vendor participants, and 13 hardware and analysis tool vendor presentations. Tours highlighting GSFC facilities were provided the day after the workshop adjourned.   

GSFC’s Jordan Effron builds a multi-layer insulation blanket during a hands-on short course Dr. Bhanu Sood discusses GSFC technology development strategy and technical thrusts during a lunchtime talk. Students and early career engineers meet with senior NASA engineers during the inaugural “speed mentoring” session.

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