\n<\/p>\n
NASA Chief Financial Officer Margaret Vo Schaus speaks to audience members and honorees Aug. 15 during the 2023 Agency\/Center Honor Awards at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center in Activities Building 4316. In all, 332 Marshall team members were awarded this year for their outstanding work and dedication to furthering the NASA mission, along with 97 teams. \u201cAs a newcomer to NASA, I am in awe of the work of this agency and the breadth of what we do,\u201d said Vo Schaus, who served as the keynote speaker for the ceremonies. \u201cThese awards celebrate those who have gone above and beyond in making NASA what it is, and who have driven NASA forward in ways that demonstrate this agency\u2019s core values of safety, integrity, teamwork, excellence, and inclusion.\u201d View a <\/em>full list<\/em> of honorees and <\/em>watch<\/em> the ceremonies. (NASA\/Charles Beason)<\/em><\/p>\n Marshall Center Director Joseph Pelfrey welcomes team members to the Agency\/Center Honor Awards program. (NASA\/Charles Beason)<\/em><\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0This article was updated Aug. 20 to reflect the latest information from NASA\u2019s Office of Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the International Space Station orbiting laboratory on June 6 aboard the Boeing Starliner after lifting off on June 5 from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.<\/p>\n During Starliner\u2019s flight to the space station, engineers noticed some of the spacecraft\u2019s thrusters did not perform as expected and several leaks in Starliner\u2019s helium system also were observed. Engineering teams at NASA and Boeing have since conducted\u00a0several thruster tests\u00a0and\u00a0in-depth data reviews\u00a0to better understand the spacecraft. While engineers work to resolve technical issues before Starliner\u2019s return to Earth, the astronaut duo have been\u00a0working with the Expedition 71 crew, performing scientific research and maintenance activities.<\/p>\n NASA now plans to conduct two reviews \u2013 a Program Control Board and an Agency Flight Readiness Review \u2013 before deciding how it will safely return Wilmore and Williams from the station. NASA expects to decide on the path forward by the end of August.<\/p>\n Here are some frequently asked questions about their mission.<\/p>\n About the Mission and Delay<\/strong><\/p>\n What is NASA\u2019s Boeing Crew Flight Test?<\/strong><\/p>\n NASA\u2019s Boeing Crew Flight Test\u00a0launched June 5, and is the first flight of the Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station with astronauts. The flight test aims to prove the system is ready for rotational missions to the space station. NASA wants two American spacecraft, in addition to the Roscosmos Soyuz spacecraft, capable of carrying astronauts to help ensure a permanent crew aboard the orbiting complex.<\/p>\n What are the goals of the Crew Flight Test?<\/strong><\/p>\n This flight test aims to demonstrate Starliner\u2019s ability to execute a six-month rotational mission to the space station. The flight test objectives were developed to support NASA\u2019s certification process and gather the performance data needed to evaluate readiness ahead of long-duration flights.<\/p>\n Why is the Crew Flight Test staying longer than planned aboard the space station?<\/strong><\/p>\n During Starliner\u2019s flight to the space station, some of the spacecraft\u2019s thrusters did not perform as expected and several leaks in Starliner\u2019s helium system were observed. While the initial mission duration was planned for about a week, there is no rush to bring crew home, so NASA and Boeing are taking additional time to learn about the spacecraft. This is a lesson learned from the space shuttle Columbia accident. Our NASA and Boeing teams are poring over data from additional in-space and ground testing and analysis, providing mission managers data to make the best, safest decision on how and when to return crew home.<\/p>\n If there\u2019s an emergency on the space station, how will Butch and Suni get home?<\/strong><\/p>\n Starliner remains the primary option for Butch and Suni if an emergency occurs and they need to rapidly depart the station. There is no urgent need to bring them home, and NASA is using the extra time to understand the spacecraft\u2019s technical issues before deciding on a return plan.<\/p>\n How long could Butch and Suni stay on the space station if they don\u2019t come home on Starliner?<\/strong><\/p>\n If NASA decides to return Starliner uncrewed, Butch and Suni would remain aboard station until late-February 2025. NASA would replan the agency\u2019s SpaceX Crew-9 mission by launching only two crew members instead of four in late September. Butch and Suni would then return to Earth after the regularly scheduled Crew-9 increment early next year.<\/p>\n Are Butch and Suni staying in space until 2025?<\/strong><\/p>\n No decisions have been made. NASA continues to evaluate all options as it learns more about Starliner\u2019s propulsion system. Butch and Suni may return home aboard Starliner, or they could come back as part of the agency\u2019s SpaceX Crew-9 mission early next year.<\/p>\n Can Starliner fly without astronauts?<\/strong><\/p>\n Yes, Starliner can undock and deorbit autonomously, if NASA decides to return the spacecraft uncrewed.<\/p>\n Could NASA send a SpaceX Dragon to bring Butch and Suni back?<\/strong><\/p>\n If NASA decides to return them aboard a SpaceX Dragon, NASA will replan its SpaceX Crew-9 mission by launching only two crew members in late September instead of four. Butch and Suni would then return to Earth after the regularly scheduled Crew-9 increment early next year.<\/p>\n Why does NASA need two crew transportation systems?<\/strong><\/p>\n The main goal of the agency\u2019s Commercial Crew Program is two, unique human spaceflight systems. Should any one system encounter an issue, NASA still has the capability to launch and return crew to ensure safety and a continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station.<\/p>\n About the Astronauts<\/strong><\/p>\n Are Butch and Suni stuck on the space station?<\/strong><\/p>\n No, Butch and Suni are safe aboard the space station working alongside the Expedition 71 crew. They also have been actively involved in Starliner testing and technical meetings. Butch and Suni could return home aboard Starliner if an emergency arises. The agency also has other return options available, if needed, for both contingency and normal returning planning.<\/p>\n Are Suni and Butch prepared for a longer stay on the station?<\/strong><\/p>\n Butch and Suni each have previously completed two long-duration stays aboard the station. NASA astronauts embark on missions fully aware of the various scenarios that may become reality. This mission is no different, and they understood the possibilities and unknowns of this test flight, including being aboard station longer than planned.<\/p>\n How long would an extended stay for Butch and Suni compare to other space station mission lengths?<\/strong><\/p>\n A typical stay aboard the space station is about six months, and NASA astronauts also have remained on the space station for\u00a0longer duration missions. Previous missions have given NASA volumes of data about long-duration spaceflight and its effects on the human body, which the agency applies to any crew mission.<\/p>\n Do the astronauts have what they need (e.g., food, clothing, oxygen, personal items, etc.)?<\/strong><\/p>\n Yes. The space station is well-stocked with everything the crew needs, including food, water, clothing, and oxygen. Additionally, NASA and its space station partners frequently launch\u00a0resupply missions\u00a0to the orbiting complex carrying additional supplies and cargo.<\/p>\n Recently, a\u00a0Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft\u00a0carrying 8,200 pounds of food, fuel, supplies, and science and a\u00a0Progress resupply spacecraft\u00a0carrying three tons of cargo arrived at the station. NASA has additional SpaceX resupply missions planned through the end of 2024.<\/p>\n What are they doing aboard the space station?<\/strong><\/p>\n The crew continues to monitor Starliner\u2019s flight systems and gather performance data for system certification. NASA also is taking advantage of Butch and Suni\u2019s extra time aboard the orbital laboratory, where they have completed various science experiments, maintenance tasks, and assisted with spacewalk preparations. Some of the science they\u2019ve recently completed includes new ways to\u00a0produce fiber optic cables\u00a0and\u00a0growing plants\u00a0aboard the orbiting complex.<\/p>\n Can they talk to their family and friends?<\/strong><\/p>\n Butch and Suni enjoy many of the same comforts we have here on Earth. They can email, call, and video conference with their family and friends when they have \u201cfree time\u201d aboard the space station.<\/p>\n About the Return Plan<\/strong><\/p>\n What are the other options for bringing Butch and Suni back?<\/strong><\/p>\n NASA has two unique American space transportation systems capable of carrying crew to and from station. Although no decisions have been made, NASA is considering several options to return Butch and Suni from the space station, including returning aboard Starliner, if cleared, or as part of agency\u2019s SpaceX Crew-9 mission in February 2025.<\/p>\n Is it safer to bring them home aboard a SpaceX Dragon?<\/strong><\/p>\n Crewed test flights are inherently risky, and although rotation missions may seem routine, they also are not without risk. It is NASA\u2019s job to evaluate that risk and determine whether it is acceptable for crew ahead of each flight.<\/p>\n What other steps is NASA taking to bring them home?<\/strong><\/p>\n NASA\u00a0adjusted SpaceX Crew-9 launch\u00a0and the agency\u2019s SpaceX Crew-8 return, allowing more time to finalize Starliner return plans. NASA also is looking at crew assignments to ensure Butch and Suni can return with Crew-9, if needed.<\/p>\n For NASA\u2019s blog and more information about the mission, visit here.<\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n NASA has awarded a total of $1.25 million to three U.S. teams in the third and final round of the agency\u2019s Deep Space Food Challenge. The teams delivered novel food production technologies that could provide long-duration human space exploration missions with safe, nutritious, and tasty food.<\/p>\n The competitors\u2019 technologies address NASA\u2019s need for sustainable food systems for long-duration habitation in space, including future Artemis missions and eventual journeys to Mars. Advanced food systems also could benefit life on Earth and inspire food production in parts of the world that are prone to natural disasters, food insecurity, and extreme environments.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Deep Space Food Challenge could serve as the framework for providing astronauts with healthy and delicious food using sustainable mechanisms,\u201d said Angela Herblet, challenge manager for the Deep Space Food Challenge at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center. \u201cThe challenge has brought together innovative and driven individuals from around the world who are passionate about creating new solutions that support our agency\u2019s future Moon to Mars missions.\u201d<\/p>\n Since the challenge\u2019s launch in 2021, more than 300 teams from 32 countries have participated by submitting innovative food system designs. The competition, conceived and managed by NASA Centennial Challenges at Marshall, is a first-of-its-kind coordinated effort between NASA and CSA (Canadian Space Agency), which ran its own challenge in parallel.<\/p>\n Four American teams competed in Phase 3, which began in September 2023. The Methuselah Foundation partnered with Ohio State University to facilitate the final phase of the challenge, which included a two-month testing and demonstration period held on the university\u2019s campus in Columbus, Ohio. Each U.S. team in Phase 3 was awarded $50,000 and took their technology to Columbus for testing.<\/p>\n Throughout this phase, the teams constructed full-scale food production systems that were required to pass developmental milestones like safety, sensory testing, palatability, and harvesting volumes. Each team worked with four \u201cSimunauts,\u201d a crew of Ohio State students who managed the testing and demonstrations for Phase 3 over the eight-week period. The data gathered from testing was delivered to a judging panel to determine the winner.<\/p>\n The challenge concluded at the Deep Space Food Symposium, a two-day networking and learning summit Aug. 15-16 at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center. Throughout the event, attendees met the Phase 3 finalists, witnessed demonstrations of the food production technologies, and attended panels featuring experts from NASA, government, industry, and academia. The winners of the challenge were announced at an awards ceremony at the end of the symposium.<\/p>\n The U.S. winner and recipient of the $750,000 grand prize is Interstellar Lab of Merritt Island, Florida. Led by Barbara Belvisi, the small business combines several autonomous phytotrons and environment-controlled greenhouses to support a growth system involving a self-sustaining food production mechanism that generates fresh vegetables, microgreens, and insects necessary for micronutrients.<\/p>\n Two runners-up each earned $250,000 for their food systems\u2019 successes: Nolux of Riverside, California, and SATED of Boulder, Colorado.<\/p>\n Nolux, a university team led by Robert Jinkerson, constructed an artificial photosynthetic system that can create plant and fungal-based foods without the operation of biological photosynthesis.<\/p>\n Standing for Safe Appliance, Tidy, Efficient & Delicious, SATED is a one-man team of Jim Sears, who developed a variety of customizable food, from pizza to peach cobbler. The product is fire-safe and was developed by long-shelf-life and in-situ grown ingredients.<\/p>\n NASA also selected and recognized one international team as a Phase 3 winner: Solar Foods of Lappeenranta, Finland, developed a food production system through gas fermentation that relies on single-cell protein production.<\/p>\n In April 2024, CSA and Impact Canada awarded the grand prize winner of its parallel challenge to\u00a0Ecoation, a Vancouver-based small business specializing in greenhouses.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCongratulations to the winners and all the finalist teams for their many years dedicated to innovating solutions for the Deep Space Food Challenge,\u201d said Amy Kaminski, program executive for NASA\u2019s Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing at NASA Headquarters. \u201cThese food production technologies could change the future of food accessibility on other worlds and our home planet.\u201d<\/p>\n Also present at the symposium was celebrity chef and cookbook author Tyler Florence. After spending time with each finalist team and getting acquainted with their food systems, Florence selected one team to receive the \u201cTyler Florence Award for Culinary Innovation.\u201d Team SATED of Boulder, Colorado, received the honor for their system that impressed Florence due to its innovative approach to the challenge.<\/p>\n The\u00a0Deep Space Food Challenge, a\u00a0NASA Centennial Challenge, is a coordinated effort between\u00a0NASA\u00a0and CSA. Subject matter experts at\u00a0Johnson Space Center and\u00a0Kennedy Space Center supported the competition. NASA\u2019s Centennial Challenges are part of the\u00a0Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program\u00a0within NASA\u2019s\u00a0Space Technology Mission Directorate\u00a0and managed at\u00a0Marshall.\u00a0The Methuselah Foundation, in partnership with NASA, oversees the United States and international competitors.<\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Roger Baird has been named to the position of associate director of NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center, effective Aug. 19.<\/p>\n Baird will lead execution and integration of the center\u2019s business operations, mission support enterprise functions, and budget management. In addition, he will be a senior adviser in advancing the direction of the center\u2019s future. He will also help manage the center\u2019s 7,000 civil service and contract employees and help oversee an annual budget of approximately $5 billion. He will provide executive leadership across Marshall\u2019s mission support areas as well as the center\u2019s diverse portfolio of human spaceflight, science, and technology efforts, which touch nearly every mission NASA pursues.<\/p>\n Prior to this assignment, Baird served as associate director for operations of Marshall\u2019s Engineering Directorate from 2020-2024, after being detailed to the position in 2019. Named to the Senior Executive Service position in March 2020, he provided senior management and leadership expertise for the evaluation of spacecraft, payloads and launch vehicle systems, and the integration of the associated budgets and resources authority for these efforts. He was responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating engineering project management and integration activities in support of Marshall\u2019s programs and projects, and oversaw an annual budget of approximately $550 million, including management of a highly technical workforce of more than 2,500 civil service and contractor employees.\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2018, Baird was selected as manager of the Engineering Resource Management Office, where he was responsible for advising, coordinating, monitoring, directing, and performing work associated with planning, programming, budgeting, and managing the Engineering Directorate\u2019s financial, human and infrastructure resources.<\/p>\n Baird brings a wealth of expertise to the role, with 34 years of NASA experience in the areas of engineering design, development, testing, facility and budget management, and strategic workforce acquisition and development. He joined NASA in 1990 as an avionics engineer in Marshall\u2019s Astrionics Laboratory and served in multiple technical leadership positions within the Engineering Directorate\u2019s Space Systems Department, Spacecraft and Vehicle Systems Department, and Propulsion Systems Department.<\/p>\n A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Baird earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Alabama in Birmingham. He has received numerous NASA awards, including an Outstanding Leadership Medal, Exceptional Achievement Medal, and a Silver Snoopy.<\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n By Paola Pinto<\/em><\/p>\n The Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center is at the forefront of converting advanced research into practical tools to enhance weather forecasting and decision making, particularly for hurricane prediction.<\/p>\n One of SPoRT\u2019s major partners is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA employs the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) to gather valuable information on physical lightning properties, such as size and brightness, within storms. These properties can be indicative of storm structure and intensity changes in hurricanes undergoing rapid intensification.<\/p>\n John Mark Mayhall, a research assistant and graduate student at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), and Kiahna Mollette, a NASA Pathways Intern and UAH graduate student, both contribute significantly to NASA SPoRT\u2019s projects. Their work focuses on utilizing high-resolution data to deepen the understanding of hurricane behavior.<\/p>\n Mollette\u2019s research examines how lightning characteristics evolve during hurricanes\u2019 rapid intensification.<\/p>\n \u201cLightning data provides insights into the storm\u2019s structure that are not available from other sources,\u201d Mollette said. \u201cFor instance, lightning activity around the eye of the hurricane can help determine whether or not the storm will intensify.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Mayhall\u2019s research focuses on identifying cloud features within the upper levels of tropical cyclones. His findings have shown promising correlations between specific cloud formations and hurricane intensity and behavior.<\/p>\n Mayhall\u2019s machine-learning model has revealed transverse bands in tropical cyclones are more common during the day than overnight. Transverse bands are regions of upper-level clouds that look like waves and typically occur in regions of strong wind shear. These cloud bands tend to form on the leading edge of thunderstorms that move outward from a hurricane, influenced by changes in solar radiation. Mayhall\u2019s results have quantified these relationships for the first time using an objective algorithm, supporting previous research linking these cloud patterns to changes in a hurricane\u2019s thunderstorm activity throughout the daytime. His endeavors recently earned him the Highest Undergraduate Achievement award from the UAH College of Science.<\/p>\n Another significant focus area of NASA SPoRT research is the development and application of sea surface temperature (SST) products. Mollette said NASA SPoRT\u2019s high spatial resolution SST product has been instrumental in predicting hurricane development and intensification since warm sea surface temperatures provide the energy needed for hurricanes to develop and intensify.<\/p>\n \u201cSST data is used by other government agencies, universities, and the private sector to help stakeholders understand the environmental conditions that favor hurricane formation and growth,\u201d Mollete said. \u201cThe data is then assimilated into models to improve hurricane prediction and is used to anticipate the impacts of hurricane landfall.\u201d<\/p>\n The SPoRT SST is available in NOAA National Ocean Service nowCoast portal and the NASA Disaster\u2019s program portal, providing widespread access to emergency management to anticipate coastal risk as hurricanes approach landfall.<\/p>\n Sebastian Harkama, a research scientist at UAH working with SPoRT, has focused on updating the SST product. He said warmer sea surface temperatures fuel hurricanes and notes this year\u2019s significant temperature anomalies due to La Ni\u00f1a could lead to a more intense hurricane season. La Ni\u00f1a, a climate pattern marked by cooler waters in the eastern Pacific, alters atmospheric circulation, potentially increasing hurricane activity in the Atlantic.<\/p>\n The upcoming updated version of the SPoRT SST product is in development and will feature new satellite datasets for greater accuracy. This update will include plots showing short-term temperature trends and anomalies, expected to be highly beneficial during this hurricane season. The datasets will incorporate observations from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite on NOAA-20 and NOAA-21 satellites, as well as the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer on MetOp-B and MetOp-C satellites.<\/p>\n Mayhall highlights the significance of the SPoRT Dust RGB (red, green, blue) product on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-16 (GOES-16) for monitoring dust and its impact on tropical cyclone development and intensity. The Dust RGB product contrasts airborne dust with clouds by using band differencing and measuring thermal energy. These measurements are then represented in various colors to differentiate dust from cloud formations and facilitate precise analysis.<\/p>\n \u201cSaharan dust can significantly impact hurricane formation and strength,\u201d Mayhall explained. \u201cThe presence of dust in the atmosphere can weaken tropical cyclones by introducing dry air into the storm, disrupting its structure, and inhibiting its growth.\u201d<\/p>\n NASA SPoRT\u2019s collaborative efforts with researchers and stakeholders extend beyond the tools and data. Regular engagement with experts from various institutions helps identify priorities for data products in the tropical cyclone community and develop solutions to persistent challenges.<\/p>\n NOAA predicts the 2024 season will be particularly active. The products and capabilities derived from SPoRT\u2019s research are more important than ever in helping communities prepare for and respond to these potentially devastating storms.<\/p>\n Patrick Duran is a research scientist at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and tropical meteorology team lead with the SPoRT mission and advises graduate students like Mollette and Mayhall. He also serves as the mission applications lead for NASA\u2019s TROPICS mission, a constellation of advanced small satellites that measure temperature, humidity, and precipitation with high spatial resolution and an unprecedented 60-minute median revisit time. Duran fosters interaction between the TROPICS Science Team and the community of end users to maximize the mission\u2019s societal benefits.<\/p>\n Duran collaborates with other NASA experts, particularly research scientist Chris Schultz, in understanding how lightning can predict hurricane intensity. Together, they are researching the dynamics of lightning outbreaks to determine those that correspond to storm intensification from those indicating weakening. Using the geostationary lightning mapper, they analyze the size and energy of lightning flashes to gain insights into storm processes. Larger and more energetic flashes often signify intensification, while smaller, less energetic flashes can indicate weakening.<\/p>\n Duran also mentions the development of situational awareness products for aircraft observation, which provide NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft with real-time data to enhance their operations. Although these products are not yet publicly available, they signify advancement in utilizing SPoRT\u2019s research for practical applications in hurricane tracking and prediction. For example, these products will include imagery from the GOES and TROPICS satellites, allowing Hurricane Hunters to see their position within the storm relative to key meteorological features observed by the satellites.<\/p>\n The NASA SPoRT Center is advancing the understanding of hurricanes and providing tools to aid forecasters in their decision-making process. During this active hurricane season, NASA SPoRT\u2019s collaborative efforts with stakeholders, other government agencies, and NASA programs like NOAA National Weather Service, National Ocean Service, and the NASA Disasters Program are vital in helping communities prepare for and mitigate the impacts of these powerful storms.<\/p>\n Pinto is a research associate at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, specializing in communications and user engagement for NASA SPoRT.<\/em><\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n By using new data from\u00a0NASA\u2019s Chandra X-ray Observatory\u00a0and Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory as well as ESA\u2019s XMM-Newton, a team of researchers have made important headway in understanding how \u2013 and when \u2013 a\u00a0supermassive black hole\u00a0obtains and then consumes material, as described in a\u00a0press release.<\/p>\n This artist\u2019s impression shows a\u00a0star\u00a0that has partially been disrupted by such a\u00a0black hole\u00a0in the system known as AT2018fyk. The supermassive black hole in AT2018fyk \u2013\u00a0 with about 50 million times more mass than the Sun \u2013 is in the center of a\u00a0galaxy\u00a0located about 860 million\u00a0light-years\u00a0from Earth.<\/p>\n Astronomers have determined that a star is on a highly elliptical orbit around the black hole in AT2018fyk so that its point of farthest approach from the black hole is much larger than its closest. During its closest approach,\u00a0tidal forces\u00a0from the black hole pull some material from the star, producing two tidal tails of \u201cstellar debris\u201d.<\/p>\n The illustration shows a point in the orbit soon after the star is partially destroyed, when the tidal tails are still in close proximity to the star. Later in the star\u2019s orbit, the disrupted material returns to the black hole and loses energy, leading to a large increase in\u00a0X-ray\u00a0brightness occurring later in the orbit (not shown here). This process repeats each time the star returns to its point of closest approach, which is approximately every 3.5 years. The illustration depicts the star during its second orbit, and the disk of X-ray emitting gas around the black hole that is produced as a byproduct of the first tidal encounter.<\/p>\n Researchers took note of AT2018fyk in 2018 when the optical ground-based survey ASAS-SN detected that the system had become much brighter. After observing it with NASA\u2019s NICER and Chandra, and XMM-Newton, researchers determined that the surge in brightness came from a \u201ctidal disruption event,\u201d or TDE, which signals that a star was completely torn apart and partially ingested after flying too close to a black hole. Chandra data of AT2018fyk is shown in the inset of an optical image of a wider field-of-view.<\/p>\n When material from the destroyed star approached close to the black hole, it got hotter and produced X-ray and\u00a0ultraviolet (UV)\u00a0light. These signals then faded, agreeing with the idea that nothing was left of the star for the black hole to digest.<\/p>\n However, about two years later, the X-ray and UV light from the galaxy got much brighter again. This meant, according to astronomers, that the star likely survived the initial gravitational grab by the black hole and then entered a highly elliptical orbit with the black hole. During its second close approach to the black hole, more material was pulled off and produced more X-ray and UV light.<\/p>\n Based on what they had learned about the star and its orbit, a team of astronomers predicted that the black hole\u2019s second meal would end in August 2023 and applied for Chandra observing time to check. Chandra observations on Aug. 14, 2023, indeed showed the telltale sign of the black hole feeding coming to an end with a sudden drop in X-rays. The researchers also obtained a better estimate of how long it takes the star to complete an orbit, and predicted future mealtimes for the black hole.<\/p>\n A paper describing these results appears in the Aug. 14 issue of The Astrophysical Journal and is\u00a0available online. The authors are Dheeraj Passam (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Eric Coughlin (Syracuse University), Muryel Guolo (Johns Hopkins University), Thomas Wevers (Space Telescope Science Institute), Chris Nixon (University of Leeds, UK), Jason Hinkle (University of Hawaii at Manoa), and Ananaya Bandopadhyay (Syracuse).<\/p>\n NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory\u2019s Chandra X-ray Center controls science from Cambridge Massachusetts and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Technicians move\u00a0NASA\u2019s Europa Clipper spacecraft\u00a0inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility to accommodate installation of its five-panel solar array at the agency\u2019s Kennedy Space Center on Aug. 1. After moving the spacecraft, the team had to precisely align the spacecraft in preparation for the installation. The huge arrays \u2013 spanning more than 100 feet when fully deployed, or about the length of a basketball court \u2013 will collect sunlight to power the spacecraft as it flies multiple times around Jupiter\u2019s icy moon, Europa, conducting science investigations to determine its potential to support life. Europa Clipper is launching Oct. 10. Scientists predict Europa has a salty ocean beneath its icy crust that could hold the building blocks necessary to sustain life. Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, JPL leads the development of the Europa Clipper mission in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, for NASA\u2019s Science Mission Directorate. APL designed the main spacecraft body in collaboration with JPL and NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center. The Planetary Missions Program Office at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center executes program management of the Europa Clipper mission. (NASA\/Frank Michaux)<\/em><\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Scientists with NASA\u2019s Juno mission have developed the first complete 3D radiation map of the Jupiter system. Along with characterizing the intensity of the high-energy particles near the orbit of the icy moon Europa, the map shows how the radiation environment is sculpted by the smaller moons orbiting near Jupiter\u2019s rings.<\/p>\n The work relies on data collected by Juno\u2019s\u00a0Advanced Stellar Compass\u00a0(ASC), which was designed and built by the Technical University of Denmark, and the spacecraft\u2019s\u00a0Stellar Reference Unit\u00a0(SRU), which was built by Leonardo SpA in Florence, Italy. The two datasets complement each other, helping Juno scientists characterize the radiation environment at different energies.<\/p>\n Both the ASC and SRU are low-light cameras designed to assist with deep-space navigation. These types of instruments are on almost all spacecraft. But to get them to operate as radiation detectors, Juno\u2019s science team had to look at the cameras in a whole new light.<\/p>\n \u201cOn Juno we try to innovate new ways to use our sensors to learn about nature, and we have used many of our science instruments in ways they were not designed for,\u201d said Scott Bolton, Juno principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. \u201cThis is the first detailed radiation map of the region at these higher energies, which is a major step in understanding how Jupiter\u2019s radiation environment works. This will help planning observations for the next generation of missions to the Jovian system.\u201d<\/p>\n Consisting of four star cameras on the spacecraft\u2019s magnetometer boom, Juno\u2019s ASC takes images of stars to determine the spacecraft\u2019s orientation in space, which is vital to the success of the mission\u2019s\u00a0magnetic field experiment. But the instrument has also proved to be a valuable detector of high-energy particle fluxes in Jupiter\u2019s magnetosphere. The cameras record \u201chard radiation,\u201d or ionizing radiation that impacts a spacecraft with sufficient energy to pass through the ASC\u2019s shielding.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery quarter-second, the ASC takes an image of the stars,\u201d said Juno scientist John Leif J\u00f8rgensen of the Technical University of Denmark. \u201cVery energetic electrons that penetrate its shielding leave a telltale signature in our images that looks like the trail of a firefly. The instrument is programmed to count the number of these fireflies, giving us an accurate calculation of the amount of radiation.\u201d<\/p>\n Because of\u00a0Juno\u2019s ever-changing orbit, the spacecraft has traversed practically all regions of space near Jupiter.<\/p>\n ASC data suggests that there is more very high-energy radiation relative to lower-energy radiation near\u00a0Europa\u2019s orbit than previously thought. The data also confirms that there are more high-energy electrons on the side of\u00a0Europa\u00a0facing its orbital direction of motion than on the moon\u2019s trailing side. This is because most of the electrons in Jupiter\u2019s magnetosphere overtake Europa from behind due to the planet\u2019s rotation, whereas the very high-energy electrons drift backward, almost like fish swimming upstream, and slam into Europa\u2019s front side.<\/p>\n Jovian radiation data is not the ASC\u2019s first scientific contribution to the mission. Even before arriving at Jupiter, ASC data was used to determine a\u00a0measurement of interstellar dust impacting Juno. The imager also discovered a previously uncharted comet using the same dust-detection technique, distinguishing small bits of the spacecraft ejected by microscopic dust impacting Juno at a high velocity.<\/p>\n Like Juno\u2019s ASC, the SRU has been used as a radiation detector and a low-light imager. Data from both instruments indicates that, like Europa, the small \u201cshepherd moons\u201d that orbit within or close to the edge of\u00a0Jupiter\u2019s rings\u00a0(and help to hold the shape of the rings) also appear to interact with the planet\u2019s radiation environment. When the spacecraft flies on magnetic field lines connected to ring moons or dense dust, the radiation count on both the ASC and SRU drops precipitously. The SRU is also collecting rare low-light images of the rings from Juno\u2019s unique vantage point.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is still a lot of mystery about how Jupiter\u2019s rings were formed, and very few images have been collected by prior spacecraft,\u201d said Heidi Becker, lead co-investigator for the SRU and a scientist at NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which manages the mission. \u201cSometimes we\u2019re lucky and one of the small shepherd moons can be captured in the shot. These images allow us to learn more precisely where the ring moons are currently located and see the distribution of dust relative to their distance from Jupiter.\u201d<\/p>\n NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Juno is part of NASA\u2019s New Frontiers Program, which is managed at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center for the agency\u2019s Science Mission Directorate. The Technical University of Denmark designed and built the Advanced Stellar Compass. The Stellar Reference Unit was built by Leonardo SpA in Florence, Italy. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built and operates the spacecraft.<\/p>\n