NASA Helps with Progress on Vast’s Haven-1 Commercial Space Station

NASA-supported commercial space station, Vast’s Haven-1, recently completed a test of a critical air filter system for keeping future astronauts healthy in orbit. Testing confirmed the system can maintain a safe and healthy atmosphere for all planned Haven-1 mission phases.

Testing of the trace contaminant control system was completed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, as part of a reimbursable Space Act Agreement. Vast also holds an unfunded Space Act Agreement with NASA as part of the second Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities initiative.

The subsystem of the environmental control and life support system is comprised of various filters designed to scrub hazardous chemicals produced by both humans and materials on the commercial station. During the test, a representative chemical environment was injected into a sealed environmental chamber, and the filtration system was turned on to verify the trace contaminant control system could maintain a healthy atmosphere.

“Testing of environmental control systems and subsystems is critical to ensure the health and safety of future commercial space station crews,” said Angela Hart, program manager for NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. “Through NASA’s agreements with Vast and our other industry partners, the agency is contributing technical expertise, technologies, services, and facilities to support companies in the development of commercial stations while providing NASA important insight into the development and readiness to support future agency needs and services in low Earth orbit.”

Experts used the same environmental chamber at Marshall to test the International Space Station environmental control and life support system.

The knowledge and data gained during the recent testing will help validate Vast’s Haven-1 and support future Haven-2 development.

NASA supports the design and development of multiple commercial space stations through funded and unfunded agreements. NASA plans to procure services from one or more companies following the design and development phase as part of the agency’s strategy to become one of many customers for low Earth orbit stations.

For more information about commercial space stations, visit:

www.nasa.gov/commercialspacestations

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NASA Interns Conduct Aerospace Research in Microgravity

The NASA Science Activation program’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Enhancement in Earth Science (SEES) Summer Intern Program, hosted by the University of Texas Center for Space Research, continues to expand opportunities for high school students to engage in authentic spaceflight research. As part of the SEES Microgravity Research initiative, four interns were selected to fly with their experiments in microgravity aboard the ZERO-G parabolic aircraft. The students had 11 minutes of weightlessness over 30 parabolas in which to conduct their experiments.

This immersive experience was made possible through a collaboration between SEES, Space for Teachers, the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, and the International Space Station National Laboratory (CASIS). Together, these partners provide students with access to industry-aligned training and direct experience in aerospace experiment design, testing, and integration.

Congratulations to the 2025 SEES Microgravity Research Team:

• Charlee Chandler, 11th grade, Rehobeth High School (Dothan, AL): Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS) and Vestibular-Ocular Reflex (VOR) in Microgravity
• Aya Elamrani-Zerifi, 11th grade, Hereford High School (Parkton, MD): Thermocapillary-Induced Bubble Dynamics
• Lily Myers, 12th grade, Eastlake High School (Sammamish, WA): Propellant Slosh Damping Using Polyurethane Foam
• Nathan Scalf 11th grade, Lexington Christian Academy (Lexington, KY): Wound Irrigation System for Microgravity

Selected from nearly 100 proposals submitted by 2024 SEES interns, these four students spent months preparing for flight through weekly technical mentorship and structured milestones. Their training included proposal development, design reviews, safety assessments, hardware testing, and a full payload integration process, working through engineering protocols aligned with industry and mission standards.

In addition to their individual experiments, the students also supported the flight of 12 team-designed experiments integrated into the ZQube platform, a compact research carrier co-developed by Twiggs Space Lab, Space for Teachers, and NASA SEES. The ZQube enables over 150 SEES interns from across the country to contribute to microgravity investigations. Each autonomous experiment includes onboard sensors, cameras, and transparent test chambers, returning valuable video and sensor data for post-flight analysis.

This microgravity research opportunity supports the broader SEES mission to prepare students for careers in aerospace, spaceflight engineering, and scientific research. Through direct engagement with NASA scientists, academic mentors, and commercial aerospace experts, students gain real-world insight into systems engineering and the technical disciplines needed in today’s space industry.

The SEES summer intern program is a nationally competitive STEM experience for 10th-11th grade high school students. Interns learn how to interpret NASA satellite data while working with scientists and engineers in their chosen area of work, including astronomy, remote sensing, and space geodetic techniques to help understand Earth systems, natural hazards, and climate. It is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNH15ZDA004C and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/

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Sols 4549-4552: Keeping Busy Over the Long Weekend

Written by Conor Hayes, Graduate Student at York University

Earth planning date: Friday, May 23, 2025

In Wednesday’s mission update, Alex mentioned that this past Monday’s plan included a “marathon” drive of 45 meters (148 feet). Today, we found ourselves almost 70 meters (230 feet) from where we were on Wednesday. This was our longest drive since the truly enormous 97-meter (318-foot) drive back on sol 3744. 

Today’s plan looks a little different from our usual weekend plans. Because of the U.S. Memorial Day holiday on Monday, the team will next assemble on Tuesday, so an extra sol had to be appended to the weekend plan. This extra sol is mostly being used for our next drive (about 42 meters or 138 feet), which means that all of the science that we have planned today can be done “targeted,” i.e., we know exactly where the rover is. As a result, we can use the instruments on our arm to poke at specific targets close to the rover, rather than filling our science time exclusively with remote sensing activities of farther-away features. 

The rover’s power needs are continuing to dominate planning. Although we passed aphelion (the farthest distance Mars is from the Sun) a bit over a month ago and so are now getting closer to the Sun, we’re just about a week away from winter solstice in the southern hemisphere. This is the time of year when Gale Crater receives the least amount of light from the Sun, leading to particularly cold temperatures even during the day, and thus more power being needed to keep the rover and its instruments warm. On the bright side, being at the coldest time of the year means that we have only warmer sols to look forward to!

Given the need to keep strictly to our allotted power budget, everyone did a phenomenal job finding optimizations to ensure that we could fit as much science into this plan as possible. All together, we have over four hours of our usual targeted and remote sensing activities, as well as over 12 hours of overnight APXS integrations.

Mastcam is spending much of its time today looking off in the distance, particularly focusing on the potential boxwork structures that we’re driving towards. These structures get two dedicated mosaics, totaling 42 images between the two of them. Mastcam will also observe “Mishe Mokwa” (a small butte about 15 meters, or 49 feet, to our south) and some bedrock troughs in our workspace, and will take two tau observations to characterize the amount of dust in the atmosphere.

ChemCam has just one solo imaging-only observation in this plan: an RMI mosaic of Texoli butte off to our east. ChemCam will be collaborating with APXS to take some passive spectral observations (i.e., no LIBS) to measure the composition of the atmosphere. Mastcam and ChemCam will also be working together on observations of LIBS activities. This plan includes an extravagant three LIBS, on “Orocopia Mountains,” “Dripping Springs,” and “Mountain Center.” Both Mastcam and ChemCam also have a set of “dark” observations intended to characterize the performance of the instruments with no light on their sensors, something that’s very important for properly calibrating their measurements.

Our single set of arm activities includes APXS, DRT, and MAHLI activities on “Camino Del Mar” and “Mount Baden-Powell,” both of which are bedrock targets in our workspace.

Of course, I can’t forget to mention the collection of Navcam observations that we have in this plan to monitor the environment. These include a 360-degree survey looking for dust devils, two line-of-sight activities to measure the amount of dust in the air within Gale, and three cloud movies. As always, we’ve also got a typical collection of REMS, RAD, and DAN activities throughout.

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Career Spotlight: Mathematician (Ages 14-18)

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Career Spotlight: Mathematician (Ages 14-18)

What does a mathematician do?

Mathematicians use their expert knowledge of math to solve problems and gain new understanding about how our world works. They analyze data and create mathematical models to predict results based on changes in variables. Many different fields rely heavily on math, such as engineering, finance, and the sciences.

Using math to solve real-world problems is called “applied math.” This is different from “abstract math,” which refers to the study of the structure of mathematics.

At NASA, applied math enables new discoveries in space science, astronomy, and aeronautics. For example, professionals might use math techniques to calculate the mass or thrust capability of rockets. Others might work to analyze calorie and food consumption rates aboard the International Space Station. Math is also central to physics and astronomy roles.

What are some NASA careers that rely on mathematics?

• Astronomer: Uses skills in advanced math and physics, computer programming, and more to learn about the universe.

• Mathematical modeler: Uses math to create models that help explain or predict how processes behave over time.

• Electrical engineer: Relies on trigonometry, calculus, and other math skills to design, test, and operate electrical systems.

• Data analyst: Uses skills such as algebra and statistics to find meaningful patterns in data.

• Computer scientist: Writes code that involves math, programming, data processing, and the use of special software for complex operations.

How can I get a job using applied math skills?

If you have an affinity for math, high school is a good time to grow those skills. Taking challenging math courses will help build a strong foundation. Participating in extracurricular activities that use math, such as robotics teams or engineering clubs, will also provide helpful opportunities to apply and hone your skills.

Careers in applied math vary widely. The type of math skills you’ll need depends on which career you’re interested in – such as astronomer or engineer – and what mathematical tools you’ll need in that job. Students may pursue a degree in applied mathematics or in their chosen field, knowing they will need to take math courses. Current job openings, guidance counselors, and mentors can shed light on the best academic path. With this information, you can begin planning for the skills and education you’ll need.

Most math-heavy careers will require at least a four-year degree in the student’s primary field of study along with several college-level math courses. Other careers may require a master’s or Ph.D.

How can I start preparing today to become a mathematician?

Ready to start flexing your math muscles? NASA STEM provides a variety of hands-on activities you can use to practice applying math principles to real-world situations in space exploration and aviation. These activities are available for a variety of ages and skill levels. NASA also hosts student challenges and competitions that offer great experience for those looking to level up their applied math skills and make genuine contributions to helpful new technologies.

NASA also offers paid internships for U.S. citizens aged 16 and up. Interns work on real projects with the guidance of a NASA mentor. Internship sessions are held each year in spring, summer, and fall; visit NASA’s Internships website to learn about important deadlines and current opportunities.

Advice from NASA mathematicians

• Ask yourself if you enjoy mathematics and if you like problem solving and puzzles. Mathematics careers rarely involve “crunching numbers,” but rather thinking of ideas and theories (for theoretical mathematics) or how to manage data, graphics, machine learning, and related computer and data skills (for applied mathematics).
  – Jennifer Wiseman, senior astrophysicist, Hubble Space Telescope
• Research specific fields where mathematics is applied (data science, engineering, finance) and seek internships or shadowing opportunities to experience these environments firsthand. Connect with math professionals for informational interviews and join mathematical communities or organizations related to areas that interest you.
  – Justin Rice, Earth Science Data and Information Systems deputy project manager, Data Systems
• Curiosity, willingness to learn, and good communication skills (writing, speaking, illustrating) are important. The last is because although numbers and data are cool, the real magic is being able to interpret them in a way that helps people make business or policy decisions that improve people’s lives.
  – Nancy Carney, allocation specialist, NASA High-End Computing

• “Big Data” jobs are one area that might be very active in terms of internships, as there is huge demand for people who can help to process the incredible amounts of data that are being created in various areas. These include space science, but also everyday areas, as companies across the board build up huge customer datasets and seek ways to analyze and interpret that information.
  – Kenneth Carpenter, Hubble Space Telescope operations project scientist and Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope ground system scientist

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