Continuing agency efforts to bring space closer to home, NASA+ is heading to more streaming platforms. On Thursday, NASA announced its programming is on Fire TV Channels. Fire TV customers can easily access this content by asking Alexa+ on compatible devices.
Future programming on Fire TV may include science mission launches, a test flight for rendezvous and docking with human landing systems, robotic lunar deliveries, the first crewed mission to the Moon under Artemis, and more. As always, NASA+ also remains available for free, with no ads, through the NASA app and on the agency’s website.
“The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 calls on us to share our story of space exploration with the broadest possible audience, and our streaming partners help us accomplish that,” said Rebecca Sirmons, general manager of NASA+ at the agency’s Headquarters in Washington. “Artemis II captured the hearts and minds of viewers globally, inspiring the Artemis generation. As we work toward building humanity’s first Moon Base, we will continue to provide transparent, engaging content coverage every step of the way.”
Earlier this year during its Ignition event, NASA shared plans for a bold path forward for the agency, including increasing its cadence of Artemis missions to the lunar surface, and building the first Moon Base, among other agency priorities. This distribution partnership is another step in executing NASA’s promise to the public for a greater look into the agency, making mission and educational content available on multiple devices for viewers on their preferred channels.
Science and Spacesuit Work Before Crew Changes Commanders
NASA astronaut Anil Menon services a spacesuit and its components inside the International Space Station’s Quest airlock.
NASA/Jessica Meir
The International Space Station will change commanders on Saturday before three Expedition 74 crew members return to Earth on Sunday. As the homebound trio prepares for departure, the rest of the orbital crewmates are keeping up microgravity research and checking out spacewalking gear.
NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev are getting ready to return to Earth this weekend inside the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft. They will undock from the Rassvet module at 3:03 a.m. EDT on Sunday, July 26, and land in Kazakhstan at 6:25 a.m. (3:25 p.m. local time). They spent Thursday packing the Soyuz with cargo and practicing their landing procedures on a computer.
Kud-Sverchkov, the station’s commander, will hand over leadership of the orbital outpost to NASA flight engineer Jessica Meir during the change of command ceremony scheduled for 9:40 a.m. on Saturday. Meir will take charge of the seven-member crew until the end of summer. Expedition 75 will officially begin when the Soyuz carrying the Expedition 74 trio home undocks from Rassvet.
Meir spent Thursday setting up advanced scientific hardware to expand biology research in space. Meir first installed a specialized microscope in the Destiny laboratory module to observe microgravity’s effects on disease, tissue development, and drug responses. Next, she mixed living cartilage cell samples with bioink and placed them in a bioprinter to test printing viable tissues on demand to treat a range of health conditions on and off the Earth.
NASA flight engineer Jack Hathaway assisted Meir with the bioprinting duties. Hathaway also joined flight engineers Anil Menon of NASA and Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) and checked out the functionality of spacesuit components including batteries, lights, and cameras. Menon also processed his blood samples for the Immunity Assay investigation that monitors health and cellular immune function in space. Adenot continued testing workout techniques on the new European Enhanced Exploration Exercise Device.
Roscosmos flight engineers Andrey Fedyaev and Pyotr Dubrov partnered together collecting air and surface samples then processing and stowing the samples for microbial analysis on Earth. Flight engineer Anna Kikina continued her human research measuring the blood pressure in her tiny vessels, or microcirculatory system, and wearing an acoustic monitor that recorded her rapid exhalation rate for a respiratory study.
Crews at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans transport the 130-foot-tall Artemis IV liquid hydrogen tank out of a production cell inside the main factory building into a detached test building on a separate portion of the 829-acre site on May 15, 2026. The liquid hydrogen tank will form part of the core stage for the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, providing thousands of gallons of super-cold propellant to one of four RS-25 engines.
NASA’s MAVEN Illuminates New Understanding of Auroras at Mars
This illustration depicts charged particles from a solar storm stripping away charged particles of Mars’ atmosphere, one of the processes of Martian atmosphere loss studied by NASA’s MAVEN mission.
NASA/GSFC
NASA MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission scientists have uncovered a key puzzle piece in understanding certain types of auroras on Mars, finding that they form in a similar way to Earth-based auroras.
Results published Thursday in Nature Communications show the same mechanism that circulates and catapults charged particles into Earth’s atmosphere is happening at Mars on much smaller scales because of differences in the two planets’ magnetic fields.
The MAVEN spacecraft, in orbit around Mars, experienced a loss of signal with ground stations on Earth on Dec. 6, 2025. On June 3, NASA declared the mission had concluded after finding the spacecraft to be unrecoverable. However, data from the mission is still being used to inform NASA science and future missions to Mars.
When the Sun’s magnetic field lines get close to Earth’s magnetosphere, the large magnetic bubble protecting the planet, they can reconnect and inject energy and mass throughout Earth’s magnetosphere and magnetotail, ultimately firing electrons back into the atmosphere to generate Earth’s auroras. This process, called the Dungey cycle, drives electrical currents, accelerates charged particles that create auroras, and controls the circulation of plasma in Earth’s magnetosphere and ionosphere.
This new study shows that a miniature version of the Dungey cycle is happening over Mars’ strong crustal magnetic fields, which gives scientists a better look into the physics of Martian auroras.
“We knew that magnetic reconnection was happening at Mars but did not expect it to be like the Dungey cycle,” said Shaosui Xu, lead author of the study and associate research physicist at the Space Sciences Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley.
Mars does not have a global magnetic field like Earth. Earth’s magnetic field is created by our planet’s churning core, while Mars has numerous miniature magnetospheres that arise from intensely magnetized crust scattered around the planet. These regions were formed around 4 billion years ago when lava cooled in the presence of Mars’ ancient global magnetic field, which has since disappeared due to intense solar wind stripping the planet’s atmosphere.
The MAVEN mission has observed highly localized auroras over these crustal fields, similar to Earth’s auroras at the poles, but it wasn’t until now that scientists could fully understand the physics of how they form. The study used several instruments aboard the MAVEN spacecraft to build up a picture of the Dungey-like behavior: the Magnetometer and Solar Wind Electron Analyzer instruments, which were used to determine the magnetic configuration and derive electrical currents, and the STATIC (Suprathermal and Thermal Ion Composition) instrument, which was used to measure plasma flows in the ionosphere.
“We really pushed the limit of STATIC to get the data we needed,” said Xu. “It was the final piece to the puzzle in understanding these localized auroras.”
The realization that a Dungey-like cycle was happening within these crustal magnetic fields answered the question of how the electrons were being energized to create the auroras. It also shows that a Dungey-like mechanism can happen on both large and small scales, giving more insight into where in the solar system this process could be taking place.
“This is a remarkable result that changes how we think of Martian auroras and is another important step toward understanding why Mars and Earth have evolved so differently despite being governed by the same underlying physics.” said Shannon Curry, MAVEN’s principal investigator and a research scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder. “I am incredibly proud of our team’s work on this discovery and excited to uncover new insights into the Red Planet and its evolution.”
By finding out more about this process, scientists also are gaining a better understanding of how the solar environment interacts with the Red Planet as a whole, which is essential for future robotic and crewed missions.
“I remember in graduate school discussing with my advisor how the cycling of crustal magnetic fields could work at Mars,” said Xu. “It’s incredible to be part of the team that found the answer to that question.”
The MAVEN mission is part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program portfolio. The mission’s principal investigator is based at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder, which also is responsible for managing science operations and public outreach and communications. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the MAVEN mission. Lockheed Martin Space built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California provides navigation and Deep Space Network support.
For more information on NASA’s MAVEN mission, visit:
NASA Astronaut Chris Williams Closes Out Space Station Mission
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NASA Astronaut Chris Williams Closes Out Space Station Mission
After eight months aboard the International Space Station for his first mission, NASA astronaut Chris Williams is preparing to return to Earth. During his assignment, Williams contributed to research for new cancer treatments, advanced the production of materials to improve computers and electronics, ventured into the vacuum of space to complete two spacewalks, and much more. Williams’ work aboard the space station helped to improve life on Earth and prepare for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
Here are some of the research highlights from his mission:
Cancer-fighting constructs
NASA
NASA astronaut Chris Williams and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot work to process DNA-inspired materials that could advance new cancer treatments for people on Earth. In space, these rod-shaped materials form more evenly and consistently, which may improve their performance and readiness for treatments on Earth. While there have been major advancements in cancer therapies, many treatments can affect the whole body and cause side effects without fully treating solid tumors. This research aims to enable targeted cancer therapies that reach deep into tumors, stay in the body longer, and release medicine in a more controlled way.
NASA astronaut Chris Williams conducts research to grow semiconductor crystals in space. In microgravity, researchers can grow more crystals of the desired size than can be produced on Earth. Previous research shows that space-grown crystals can offer increased performance to help advance technologies like high-performance computers, artificial intelligence, and medical devices. This research lays the groundwork for commercial semiconductor manufacturing in space and advances the semiconductor industry.
Learn more about In-Space Production of Semimetal-Semiconductor Composite Bulk Crystals in Microgravity (SUBSA-InSPA-SSCug).
Eyeing Earth
Roscosmos
NASA astronaut Chris Williams looks out of a cupola window at a red aurora glowing above the Earth. Since the 1960s, astronauts have photographed Earth from space to help scientists monitor the planet’s changing landscapes, natural disasters, and other features over time. Along the way, astronauts also have captured images of celestial objects such as comets, auroras, and the Milky Way.
Sub-zero medical samples
NASA
NASA astronaut Chris Williams works with a special freezer aboard the International Space Station that keeps research samples at ultra-cold temperatures until they can return to Earth. Throughout each mission, astronauts collect biological samples like blood and urine to help scientists understand how long-duration spaceflight affects the human body. Observing crew members during their space missions and studying these frozen samples back on Earth helps NASA protect astronaut health during future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Learn more about the Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for the International Space Station (MELFI) and Human Research.
Capturing cargo
NASA
NASA astronauts Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams watch from the cupola windows as Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft approaches the International Space Station. The two played key roles in the capture of the spacecraft, which delivered approximately 11,000 pounds of supplies, including fresh food, life support equipment, and scientific research as part of NASA’s Northrop Grumman Commercial Resupply Services 24 mission. Cargo missions help keep the space station operating and provide astronauts with the supplies they need to live, work, and conduct research in orbit.
Blocking biofilms
NASA
NASA astronaut Chris Williams works on an investigation that tests the use of ultraviolet light to help prevent the formation of microbial colonies, called biofilms. Biofilms can clog and contaminate water systems, damage equipment, and pose health risks to astronauts. This research aims to keep surfaces cleaner and safeguard systems during long-duration space missions. Using UV light for sanitation also could reduce the need for chemical disinfectants in space, decreasing the risk of chemical exposure and eliminating difficulties in transporting or storing supplies.
Learn more about Germicidal Ultraviolet Light Biofilm Inhibition (GULBI).
Strengthening solar power
NASA
NASA astronaut Chris Williams ventured outside the International Space Station for two spacewalks during his mission. In June, he helped make repairs to Canadarm2, a robotic arm that captures cargo spacecraft and deploys external research. In March, Williams prepared the orbiting laboratory for new solar arrays to be added to the station in a future spacewalk. Once installed, the final set of International Space Station Roll Out Solar Arrays (IROSA) will complete the full suite of additional solar power, increasing the station’s power generation by about 30% and enhancing support for scientific research and daily operations. The same solar array technology also powered NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test and could support future missions to the Moon and Mars.
NASA astronaut Chris Williams works with hardware to support the development of new cancer and disease treatments by studying the growth of protein crystals for pharmaceuticals. In space, protein crystals form higher-quality structures than they do on Earth, allowing researchers to better understand how to target and treat disease. Here, Williams works with a project that aims to develop a new formula for a cancer treatment that could be taken orally. Growing protein crystals in space paves the way for more commercial companies to create new therapies that could improve patient outcomes on Earth.
Learn more about the Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory (ADSEP-PIL-10).
Robotic refinement
NASA
NASA astronaut Chris Williams works with equipment that tests the performance of small robotic arms in space. Some experiments and operations require very precise movements, where tiny errors can significantly impact results. Understanding how microgravity affects delicate robotic operations helps researchers improve designs for future automated systems that can perform operations while astronauts focus on the most critical tasks.
Learn more about the Test facility for lab-aUtomation System in Kibo (TUSK).
