Smiles and Spacesuits

NASA astronaut Chris Williams smiles at the camera during a spacesuit fit verification on Jan. 2, 2026, inside the International Space Station’s Quest airlock. This procedure confirms that the spacesuit is airtight and properly configured, assesses comfort and mobility, and helps prevent potential safety risks.

Williams and fellow NASA astronaut Jessica Meir completed an approximately seven-hour and two-minute spacewalk on March 18, 2026. The pair did tasks that will enable the future installation of roll-out solar arrays. These arrays will provide additional power for the orbiting laboratory, supporting critical systems and its safe, controlled deorbit.

Learn more about station activities on the International Space Station blog.

Image credit: NASA/Zena Cardman

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Monika Luabeya

NASA Exploration, Science Inspire “Project Hail Mary” Film

Real-life space exploration and big-screen science fiction will converge on Friday. As NASA prepares to launch Artemis II, the first crewed mission under the agency’s Artemis program and another step toward sending the first astronauts – Americans – to Mars, the fictional film “Project Hail Mary” premiere will take audiences on a journey into deep space.

The agency provided guidance throughout filming, and also is participating in activities related to the release of the film to connect the agency’s missions, innovations, and discoveries to the public through pop culture.

“Space exploration captures the public’s imagination, and collaboration between science and storytelling brings that sense of discovery to a wider audience,” said Will Boyington, associate administrator for the Office of Communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Inspiring the next generation, whether through rocket launches or sci-fi movies, helps build the talent and support that underpin American leadership in space.”

NASA’s communications personnel provided informal consultation about human spaceflight and science during the making of the movie, and experts from the agency in astrobiology and astrophysics, which are major themes in “Project Hail Mary,” answered questions about these topics during the making of the film. Agency advisors are listed in the credits.

On the movie set, the agency provided an in-person consultation between NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren and actor Ryan Gosling, who plays an astronaut in the movie. NASA also facilitated brand use guidance and clearance for the agency’s “meatball” and “worm” logos featured in the film. 

NASA’s activities related to the movie even reached beyond Earth. In between conducting research and demonstrating new technologies, Expedition 74 crew members living and working aboard the International Space Station, including NASA astronauts Chris Williams, Jessica Meir, and Jack Hathaway, screened “Project Hail Mary” while in orbit.

Artemis II crew members, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, who will help make what once was science fiction a reality through their upcoming deep space launch, are expected to have an opportunity to view “Project Hail Mary” while in quarantine. They are preparing to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

Learn more about the agency’s missions on NASA’s website:

https://www.nasa.gov

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Jennifer M. Dooren

NASA Simulations Improve Artemis II Launch Environment

Airflow around rockets as they travel from Earth into space can have a dramatic impact on a mission, which is why NASA used advanced simulations to provide the best possible launch conditions for the Artemis II test flight around the Moon. 

To better understand the Artemis Space Launch System (SLS) rocket’s flight environment, engineers turned to a NASA-developed tool called the Launch, Ascent, and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) framework. The software addresses computational fluid dynamics, the flow behavior of gases and liquids. 

Using data from the 2022 Artemis I launch, researchers at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley used LAVA to simulate complex interactions between the rocket plume and a system that pumps water to suppress sound during launch. The system protects the rocket and other equipment from potentially damaging sound waves. 

Comparing simulations with and without the sound suppression system activated revealed that the water effectively reduces pressure waves from sound, but exhaust gases from the rocket could also redirect water, causing significant pressure increases in certain areas of the launchpad.   

The LAVA simulations improved NASA’s understanding of the plume interaction with the Artemis mobile launcher platform. Using this knowledge, aerospace engineers at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida refined the design plume pressures and adapted the launch platform to endure those pressures for Artemis II, NASA’s first mission with crew aboard the SLS and Orion spacecraft. 

NASA will release LAVA in the coming weeks to the aerospace community and accelerate innovation by enabling U.S. companies and researchers to run complex simulations and optimize designs for aircraft and rockets. NASA has hosted a seminar on using LAVA with more about the tool’s capabilities. 

The work on LAVA is supported through NASA’s Transformational Tools and Technologies project, which develops new computational capabilities to help predict aerospace vehicle performance. The project is part of NASA’s Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program under the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate.  

NASA’s decades of aeronautics research expertise strengthens its space missions, using tools like wind tunnel testing, advanced software development, and other innovations to enhance safety and reliability. 

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Lillian Gipson

NASA Glenn Opens Applications for Free Summer Engineering Institute

NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is hosting the 2026 NASA Glenn High School Engineering Institute this July. The hands-on learning experience is designed to help high school students prepare for a future in the aerospace workforce.  

Rising high school juniors and seniors can submit applications for this summer program beginning Friday, March 20, through Friday, May 1. 

The institute will immerse students in NASA’s work while providing essential career readiness tools to help them in future science, technology, engineering, and math-focused academic and professional pursuits.  

Throughout the five-day program, students will use authentic NASA mission content and work alongside Glenn’s technical experts to gain a deeper understanding of the engineering design process, develop practical engineering solutions to real-world challenges, and test prototypes to answer questions in key mission areas: 

• Acoustic dampening – How can we reduce noise pollution from jet engines? 

• Power management and distribution – How can we develop a smart power system for future space stations? 

• Simulated lunar operations – Can we invent tires that don’t use air? 

How to Apply: 
To be considered for the 2026 NASA Glenn High School Engineering Institute, applicants must submit a complete application package no later than May 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

Program Dates 
Selected students will participate in one of the following weeklong sessions:

• Session 1: July 13-17, 2026 

• Session 2: July 20-24, 2026 

• Session 3: July 27-31, 2026 

Eligibility and Application Requirements 
To be eligible for this program, students must:  

• Be entering 11th or 12th grade for the 2026-2027 academic year

• Have a minimum 3.2 GPA, verified by their school counselor 

• Submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher 
• Be a U.S. citizen

Questions about the institute should be directed to GRC-Ed-Opportunities@mail.nasa.gov.  

For information about NASA Glenn, visit:  

https://www.nasa.gov/glenn

-end- 

Heather Roe 
NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland
216-695-7292
heather.m.roe@nasa.gov

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Heather Roe