NASA Invites Media to Botswana Artemis Accords Signing Ceremony

The Republic of Botswana will sign the Artemis Accords during a ceremony at 9:30 a.m. EDT Thursday, June 25, at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson will host Botswana’s Minister of Communications and Innovation David Tshere and U.S. Department of State Senior Advisor for Space Gregory Autry for the event.

This event is in person only. Media interested in attending must RSVP no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, to: hq-media@mail.nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy is online.

In 2020, during the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the State Department, joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies.

The accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety, transparency, and coordination of civil space exploration on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Botswana will be the 68th country to sign the Artemis Accords.

Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords

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Camille Gallo / Jennifer Dooren 
Headquarters, Washington 
202-358-1600 
camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov / jennifer.m.dooren@nasa.gov

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Lauren E. Low

NASA’s Experimental Fabrication Branch Fuels Aircraft Innovation

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NASA’s Experimental Fabrication Branch Fuels Aircraft Innovation

At NASA, innovation begins well before an aircraft takes flight. The Experimental Fabrication Branch at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, transforms engineering concepts into mission‑ready hardware for research aircraft and technology development. This capability helps the agency deliver advancements that benefit the public by improving aviation safety, efficiency, and sustainability.

The branch serves as a full‑service manufacturing, modification, and repair center for NASA Armstrong’s fleet of research and science aircraft. The team specializes in precision machining, sheet‑metal forming, aircraft tubing, welding, additive manufacturing, composite fabrication, and structural repairs and modifications. Their broad expertise allows them to build custom hardware for both aerospace and ground‑based applications.

Engineering technicians in the branch bring decades of experience as master fabricators. They design and build unique components, rapid prototypes, and flight‑critical structures that meet NASA’s rigorous safety and performance standards. Whether shaping composite structures by hand or producing precision‑milled parts, the team builds every component with mission success in mind.

Experimental Fabrication supports a wide range of NASA research efforts. When teams at NASA Armstrong designed the AIRVUE (Airborne Instrumentation for Real‑world Video of Urban Environments) sensor pod to support autonomous‑flight research, the fabrication team converted digital designs into a fully functional structure. They ensured the pod met strict safety requirements before deploying it for test flights.

Beyond mission support, the Experimental Fabrication Branch contributes to NASA’s STEM engagement efforts. During local robotics competitions, technicians use mobile fabrication equipment to repair student‑built robots and demonstrate machining and welding techniques. These demonstrations introduce students to NASA’s technical career paths and show how advanced manufacturing supports aerospace research.

The branch uses modern computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing tools, including Pro E/Creo, MasterCam, and SolidWorks, to convert digital models into hardware. This early integration of engineering and fabrication helps shorten development timelines and reduce design‑to‑hardware mismatches. Unlike environments where work transitions between multiple contractors, NASA Armstrong includes the fabrication team from early design through final assembly and aircraft installation. This continuous involvement strengthens coordination with engineering teams and flight operations.

Recent projects, such as advanced wing‑model fabrication and custom lightweight aircraft floorboards, highlight the branch’s essential role in NASA Armstrong’s mission. Whether supporting experimental aircraft, enabling new technology demonstrations, or guiding students through hands‑on fabrication, the Experimental Fabrication Branch helps advance NASA’s mission for the benefit of all.

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Dede Dinius

NASA to Cover US Spacewalk 95, Host Preview News Conference

NASA astronauts will venture outside the International Space Station on Tuesday, June 30, to replace a wrist joint on the orbital complex’s Canadarm2 robotic arm. The spacewalk is scheduled to begin at approximately 8:35 a.m. EDT.

Experts from NASA and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) will preview the upcoming spacewalk during a news conference at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, on the agency’s YouTube channel. The briefing will take place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.

Participants include:

• Bill Spetch, operations and integration manager, International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson
• Fiona Antkowiak, spacewalk flight director, NASA Johnson
• Jason Dyer, deputy liaison manager, CSA

United States-based media interested in attending in person must contact the Johnson newsroom no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, at: jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. Media joining by phone should request dial‑in details by the same deadline. To ask a question, media must dial in no later than 15 minutes before the start of the news conference.

Tuesday, June 30

NASA astronauts Chris Williams and Jessica Meir will exit the station’s Quest airlock to replace a wrist joint that malfunctioned during normal Canadarm2 operations on May 27 after the arm drew elevated motor current and did not move as expected.

Watch NASA’s live U.S. spacewalk 95 coverage beginning at 7 a.m. EDT on NASA+, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and the agency’s YouTube channel. The spacewalk is expected to last roughly six-and-a-half hours.

NASA worked alongside CSA to understand the issue and determined a spacewalk was required to replace the joint using a spare already aboard the space station. Repairs to robotics, like Canadarm2, are normal and expected after more than 25 years of continuous operations, as the system was designed with replaceable components and planned maintenance in mind.

This spacewalk will be the second for Williams and the fifth for Meir. Williams will serve as spacewalk crew member 1 and will wear a suit with red stripes. Meir will serve as crew member 2 and will wear an unmarked suit. It will be the 280th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

To learn more about International Space Station research, operations, and its crews, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/station

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Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
james.j.russell@nasa.gov

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

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Gerelle Q. Dodson