A period of unsettled weather brought scattered showers and thunderstorms to California’s Bay Area on May 27, 2026. That afternoon, a break in the clouds left downtown San Francisco and nearby communities beneath mostly cloud-free skies, allowing an astronaut aboard the International Space Station to take this photograph.
NASA
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this picture of downtown San Francisco and nearby communities on May 27, 2026. The image captures two of the region’s iconic bridges. The Golden Gate Bridge connects the northern San Francisco Peninsula with Marin County to the north, while the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge spans the bay toward Oakland to the east.
Experience the Launch of NASA’s Roman Space Telescope
8 Min Read
Experience the Launch of NASA’s Roman Space Telescope
Are you ready for a new view of the universe? The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will reveal distant worlds, dark energy, and the structure of the cosmos, and we want you to be a part of it!
Digital creators and social media users are invited to register to our NASA Social for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launch. Roman is NASA’s next flagship astrophysics mission, designed to explore everything from our outer solar system to the edge of the observable universe. This mission is scheduled to launch on Aug. 30, 2026, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Are you passionate about social media and communications? Do you love to create content for an audience? Are you a fan of new, unique experiences? If you said yes, this NASA Social event is for you! This is your opportunity to be on the front lines of this historic mission.
The NASA Social event will take place over two days, including the day of launch. A maximum of 50 digital creators will be selected to attend this two-day event and will be given access similar to news media.
NASA Social participants will have the opportunity to:
Tour NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
Learn directly from astrophysics subject matter experts
Meet fellow digital creators and social media users
Spend time with members of NASA’s social media team
View the launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
NASA Social events are intended for members of the public. Current or former NASA civil servants, NASA contractors, NASA interns, and individuals or organizations currently under contract to provide products or services to NASA are not eligible to apply or participate in NASA Social events.
NASA Social registration for the Roman launch opens on this page on Monday, June 15 and the deadline to apply is at 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 28. All applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Do I need to have a social media account to register?
Yes. This event is designed for people who:
Actively use multiple social networking platforms and tools to disseminate information to a unique audience.
Regularly produce new content that features multimedia elements.
Have the potential to reach a large number of people using digital platforms.
Reach a unique audience, separate and distinctive from traditional news media and/or NASA audiences.
Must have an established history of posting content on social media platforms.
Have previous postings that are highly visible, respected, and widely recognized.
Users are encouraged to follow @NASARoman for Roman updates on X, Facebook, and @NASAGoddard and @NASAUniverse on Instagram. Updates and information about the event will be shared on X via @NASA_Events
How do I register?
Registration for this event opens Monday, June 15 and closes at 5 p.m. EDT on Sunday, June 28. Registration is for one person only (you) and is non-transferable. Each individual wishing to attend must register separately. Each application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Can I register if I am not a U.S. citizen?
Yes, this event is open for all to apply.
When will I know if I am selected?
After registrations have been received and processed, an email with confirmation information and additional instructions will be sent to those selected. We expect to send the first notifications on July 17 and waitlist notifications on July 22.
What are NASA Social credentials?
All NASA social applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Those chosen must prove through the registration process they meet specific engagement criteria.
If you do not make the registration list for this NASA Social, you still can attend the launch off site and participate in the conversation online. Find out about ways to experience a launch at https://www.nasa.gov/kennedy/see-a-launch-up-close/.
What are the registration requirements?
Registration indicates your intent to travel to NASA Kennedy and attend the two-day event in person. You are responsible for your own expenses for travel, accommodation, food, and other amenities.
The schedule of events and special guest appearances are subject to change without notice. NASA is not responsible for loss or damage incurred as a result of attending. NASA, moreover, is not responsible for loss or damage incurred if the event is canceled with limited or no notice. Please plan accordingly.
Kennedy is a government facility. Those who are selected may need to complete additional steps to receive clearance to enter the secure areas.
IMPORTANT: Those without proper identification cannot be admitted.
For United States Citizens:
You will be required to present a REAL ID compliant identification or valid U.S. passport PLUS one of the following:
Acceptable documents to accompany federal or state identification:
Unexpired Employment Authorization Document issued by DHS that contains a photograph (Form I-688B)
Driver’s license or ID card issued by a state or outlying possession of the United States provided it contains a photograph or information such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color, and address
ID card issued by federal, state, or local government agencies or entities, provided it contains a photograph or information such as name, date of birth, gender, height, eye color, and address
School ID card with a photograph
Voter’s Registration Card
Military Dependent’s ID Card
U.S. Military card or draft record
U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Card
Native American Tribal Document
U.S. Social Security Card issued by the Social Security Administration (other than a card stating it is not valid for employment)
Original or Certified copy of birth certificate issued by a state, county, municipal authority, or outlying possessions of the United States bearing an official seal
U.S. Citizen ID Card (Form I-197)
ID Card for use of Resident Citizens of the United States (Form I-179)
Unexpired employment authorization document issued by DHS (other than those listed previously)
For Foreign Nationals:
Same items required of U.S. Citizens (SSN only when applicable)
Unexpired foreign passport, with I-551 stamp or attached Form I-94 indicating unexpired employment authorization
Passport number and registration date
Citizenship
Driver’s license issued by a Canadian Government authority
For Legal Resident Aliens:
Same items required of U.S. Citizens, and:
Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration Receipt Card with photograph (Form I-551)
Unexpired Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688)
Certification of Birth Abroad issued by the Department of State (Form FS-545 or Form DS-1350)
The REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005 to establish minimum security standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards.
All registrants must be at least 18 years old.
What if the launch date changes?
Hundreds of different factors can cause a scheduled launch date to change multiple times. The launch date will not be official until after the Flight Readiness Review. If the launch date changes prior to the review, NASA may adjust the date of the NASA Social accordingly to coincide with the new target launch date, and will notify registrants of any changes via email.
If the launch is postponed, attendees will be invited to attend a later launch date. If the launch is postponed beyond 72 hours, the NASA Social event may be canceled.
NASA Social attendees are responsible for any additional costs they incur related to any launch delay. We strongly encourage participants to make travel arrangements that are refundable and/or flexible.
What if I cannot come to the Kennedy Space Center?
If you cannot come to NASA Kennedy and attend in person, you should not register for the NASA Social. Join the conversation by following @NASARoman on X and Facebook, and @NASAGoddard and @NASAUniverse on Instagram. You can watch the launch at nasa.gov/live. NASA will provide regular launch and mission updates on @NASA.
If you cannot make this NASA Social, don’t worry; NASA is planning many other NASA Social events in the near future at various locations! Check for updates on NASA Socials.
Botany and Biology Research Wrap Up Week as Dragon Preps for Earth Return
The aurora australis arcs over Earth during an active solar event in this photograph taken at approximately 11:32 p.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 271 miles above the Indian Ocean southwest of Perth, Australia.
NASA/Jessica Meir
Space agriculture, stem cells, and cargo operations wrapped up the week aboard the International Space Station. The Expedition 74 crew also conducted blood tests and installed a new food processor as a U.S. cargo spacecraft nears the end of its mission.
Launching a spacecraft on Earth packed with enough food for a yearslong crew mission or sending resupply ships to replenish a crew beyond low Earth orbit is prohibitive. Therefore, growing plants aboard a spacecraft is key to sustaining crews on long-duration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. As a result, NASA and its international partners have been exploring growing crops in space to enable crews to feed themselves without support from Earth. NASA flight engineer Chris Williams contributed to the ongoing space agriculture research at the end of the week and configured a microscope to observe plant cell division in microgravity. Insights may lead to improved methods of growing food in space as well as on lunar and planetary surfaces.
Low Earth orbit may also be the next frontier for biomedical manufacturing as doctors seek to overcome the limitations of gravity on the ground. NASA flight engineer Jessica Meir harvested blood stem cells inside the Kibo laboratory module’s Life Science Glovebox (LSG) that have been growing aboard the orbital outpost since the arrival of a SpaceX Dragon cargo craft on May 17. Next, she looked at the density and viability of the live cells using the KERMIT fluorescent microscope. Researchers are exploring space-designed cell therapies to treat serious medical conditions such as blood cancers and immune diseases.
Dragon is due to depart the International Space Station at 12:05 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, June 16, to return the stem cell samples, including several tons of completed science experiments and lab hardware, for analysis on Earth. Live coverage of Dragon’s undocking and departure begins at 11:45 a.m. on NASA+.
Williams and Meir also partnered with flight engineers Jack Hathaway of NASA and Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) packing Dragon with return cargo together throughout Friday. The quartet will intensify their cargo transfers early next week when they begin loading Dragon with sensitive research samples packed inside portable science freezers for preservation, retrieval, and analysis on Earth.
Williams and Meir began their Friday shift collecting blood samples for spinning in a centrifuge then stowing in a science freezer for future analysis. Hathaway removed a research freezer from inside Kibo’s Life Science Glovebox used the day before to preserve bacteria samples for genetic and chemical analysis. Adenot also spent some time assisting Meir during the stem cell operations then tested a new food processor in the Columbus laboratory module by cooking a Mediterranean dish.
The station’s three cosmonauts, station commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and flight engineers Sergei Mikaev and Andrey Fedyaev enjoyed an off-duty day on Friday.
NASA to Cover 34th SpaceX Resupply Mission Space Station Departure
The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft supporting the company’s 34th commercial resupply services mission for NASA approaches the International Space Station on May 17, 2026, carrying nearly 6,500 pounds of food, supplies, and equipment for the Expedition 74 crew.
Credit: NASA
NASA and its international partners are set to receive scientific research samples and hardware as a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to depart the International Space Station on Tuesday, June 16, for its return to Earth.
Watch NASA’s live undocking coverage beginning at 11:45 a.m. EDT on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media.
The Dragon spacecraft will undock from the forward port of the station’s Harmony module at about 12:05 p.m., after receiving a command from SpaceX ground controllers. The spacecraft then will fire its thrusters to move safely away from the orbiting complex.
Following a June 16 departure, the spacecraft will reenter Earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday, June 17, before splashing down off the coast of California at approximately 5:08 a.m. PDT. NASA will not stream the splashdown but will post updates on its space station blog.
Dragon will return to Earth with thousands of pounds of cargo, carrying samples that could shape future space exploration and life on Earth. Research returning includes bioprinted organ and cartilage tissue, data on improving cryogenic fuel storage for future space missions, and DNA‑inspired materials to develop new cancer treatments. The returning hardware includes an ocular imaging device used to monitor crew members’ eye health, an absorbent bed that filters trace contaminants from cabin air, and a separator pump from the waste and hygiene compartment.
Loaded with nearly 6,500 pounds of crew cargo and science experiments, Dragon arrived at the station on May 17 after launching two days earlier on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
For more than 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The space station helps NASA understand and overcome the challenges of human spaceflight, expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit, and build on the foundation for long-duration missions to the Moon, as part of the Artemis program, and to Mars.
Get breaking news, images, and features from the space station on Instagram, Facebook, and X.
Learn more about International Space Station research and operations at:
Easily identified by the spectacular band of dark dust that partially obscures its bright core, Messier 64, or the Black Eye Galaxy, is characterized by its bizarre internal motion.
NASA, CSA, ESA, F. Belfiore (European Southern Observatory – Germany), J. Lee (Space Telescope Science Institute), A. Leroy (The Ohio State University), and D. Thilker (The Johns Hopkins University); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)
This March 20, 2026, image of Messier 64, or the Black Eye Galaxy, is a composite view from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope. It shows Messier 64 captured at near- and mid-infrared wavelengths by Webb, while Hubble’s image shows the galaxy in ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light.
Messier 64 is characterized by its bizarre internal motion. The gas in the outer regions of this spiral galaxy is rotating in the opposite direction from the gas and stars in its inner regions. This strange behavior may be the result of a merger between M64 and a satellite galaxy over a billion years ago.
Image credit: NASA, CSA, ESA, F. Belfiore (European Southern Observatory – Germany), J. Lee (Space Telescope Science Institute), A. Leroy (The Ohio State University), and D. Thilker (The Johns Hopkins University); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)
