Hubble Pinpoints a Dim, Starry Mini-galaxy

A glittering collection of stars shines against a background of much more distant galaxies in this view from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope of the Pegasus Dwarf spheroidal galaxy, also known as Andromeda VI. 

The Andromeda galaxy, also known as Messier 31, is the Milky Way’s closest grand spiral galaxy neighbor, and is host to at least 13 dwarf galaxies that orbit around it. The Pegasus Dwarf spheroidal galaxy is one of these mini-galaxies. Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are the dimmest and least massive galaxies known. They tend to have elliptical shapes and relatively smooth distributions of stars. Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are usually devoid of gas and dominated by old and intermediate-age stars, although some have experienced small amounts of recent star formation. 

The Pegasus Dwarf Spheroidal galaxy was discovered in 1998 and has been characterized as having a small amount of heavy elements and little of the gas needed  to form another generation of stars ― though more than many of the dwarf spheroidal galaxies within our Local Group of galaxies. Researchers suspect that Andromeda’s gravitational field may have stripped the star-forming gases from it, leaving a dearth of material to build more than a few generations of stars. In comparison, some of the dwarf spheroidal companion galaxies of the Milky Way found at comparable distances do contain some intermediate-age stars, but this could be because Andromeda is so massive and extended that its gravitational effects extend farther. 

The jury is still out on how dwarf spheroidal galaxies form. Theories include collisions between galaxies that break off small fragments, the gravitational influence of larger galaxies on small disk-shaped dwarf galaxies, and processes associated with the birth of small systems among collections of dark matter. Andromeda and the Milky Way are the only galaxies close enough for astronomers to view these dim satellite galaxies, so clues to their formation will have to come from close neighbors like this one.

Hubble studied this galaxy as part of an examination of the entire Andromeda system of satellites in order to investigate such critical matters as dark matter, reionization, and the growth of galactic ecosystems across cosmic time.

Explore More

Media Contact:

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

Keep Exploring

Discover More Topics From NASA

Hubble Space Telescope

Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.

Hubble Science

Hubble’s Galaxies

Stars

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…

DETAIL OPPORTUNITY: NASA OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) seeks applicants interested in six to twelve month reimbursable details with the Office of General Counsel (OGC).  Applicants must be current Federal Employees. Applicants should receive the approval of their supervisor before applying. Consisting of a Headquarters Office and nine Center-level legal offices, NASA OGC provides advice and legal support on cutting edge issues in support of NASA’s mission of research and exploration on behalf of the United States.  Ideal candidates will be experienced legal practitioners ready to make an immediate contribution in one of the following areas.

• Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity. Candidates for this detail area are prepared to offer insight in interpreting rapidly changing regulatory requirements, drafting guidance, anticipating future use cases, and working with various stakeholders and technical experts to define agency needs.  Because of overlapping regulatory requirements and related governance schemes, familiarity with cyber-security requirements would also be highly valued in this detail.
• Employment Law.  Candidates for this detail area have experience in providing high impact litigation services to the federal government.  Experience with EEOC, MSPB, and federal court proceedings are highly desired.
• Ethics.  Candidates for this detail area are experienced ethics attorneys capable of training and advising agency personnel on ethics matters in connection with NASA’s challenging mission and diverse ecosystem of partners and stakeholders.
• Procurement. Candidates for this detail area are experienced procurement attorneys interested in providing short term assistance for the coming fiscal year as NASA’s dynamic team of lawyers supports major acquisitions of technology and space capabilities.

NASA prefers that these details be in person, with telework available consistent with Agency policy, but would consider a remote detail in some circumstances.  In addition to Headquarters in Washington, D.C., NASA has locations in Alabama, California, Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, and Virginia. 

All applicants must possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or equivalent and be a member in good standing of a state bar (any jurisdiction).  To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, and recent writing sample of no more than five (5) pages to hq-ogc-legalops@mail.nasa.gov.  In your cover letter please indicate which detail area(s) interest you. Interested applicants may indicate more than one area of interest.

Please submit your application by September 9, 2024.

Explore More

4 min read

NASA Seeks Input for Astrobee Free-flying Space Robots

Article


6 hours ago

3 min read

Station Science Top News: August 23, 2024

Article


8 hours ago

4 min read

August 2024 Transformer of the Month: Selina Salgado

Article


3 days ago

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…
Justyna M. Ragiel-Smith

NASA Seeks Input for Astrobee Free-flying Space Robots

4 Min Read

NASA Seeks Input for Astrobee Free-flying Space Robots

NASA is seeking input from American companies for the operation and use of a system of free-flying robots aboard the International Space Station as the agency continues to foster scientific, educational, and technological developments in low Earth orbit for the benefit of all.

The colorful, cube-shaped robots – named “Bumble,” “Honey,” and “Queen” – are part of the Astrobee system helping astronauts and researchers perform technology demonstrations, scientific research, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities in the unique environment of space since 2018.

“Dozens of institutions collaborate with NASA to use the Astrobee system to test new hardware and software technologies,” said Jose Benavides, project manager for the Astrobee facilities at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, where the system was designed and built. “I’m excited to hear how respondents think Astrobee can continue to advance robotics in space.”

NASA issued a Request for Information to inform strategic planning, inviting industry to provide information to help shape the maturation of robotics in zero gravity to achieve the greatest scientific and exploration value. Responses are due Sept. 27, 2024. To learn more about the Request for Information, visit:

https://sam.gov/opp/7893fe01e7bf4ae69029b5d8915e62c5/view

The battery-powered robots in the Astrobee system fly around the space station’s modules using electric fans for propulsion and “see” their surroundings using lights, cameras, and other sensors. They have interchangeable “arms” that provide ways for the robots to hold objects or keep steady for tasks requiring stability, and magnets to ensure they stay securely docked when recharging.

Working autonomously, or via remote control by astronauts, flight controllers, or researchers on the ground, the robots can be used to off-load time-consuming tasks. For instance, the robots can work independently or collaboratively to assist with routine chores like space station monitoring, maintenance, inventory, experiment documentation, or moving cargo throughout the station. This allows astronauts more time to tackle complex work that only humans can perform.

Astrobee’s versatile design has allowed thousands of hours of testing on hundreds of microgravity experiments. Many have involved astronauts, but the facility also is regularly used by researchers and student teams across the world competing for the opportunity to run their programs on the robots in space.

Further developing human-robotic technology will pave the way for future crewed and uncrewed spacecraft maintenance and exploration tasks done by robots both off-planet and in deep space»

Jonathan Barlow

Astrobee Project Manager

For example, NASA’s ISAAC (Integrated System for Autonomous and Adaptive Caretaking) project, used the Astrobees to study how robots could assist spacecraft, vehicle systems, and ground operators. The technology could help NASA use robot caretakers for critical spacecraft in the agency’s Moon-to-Mars plans, including the Gateway lunar space station and Mars transit habitat vehicle, especially during the months-long periods when these spacecraft will be uncrewed.

“Our ISAAC work has proved out its technology in a high-fidelity space environment because of the ready availability of the capable Astrobee robots,” said Trey Smith, project manager for ISAAC at NASA Ames.

The project demonstrated using multiple Astrobees to autonomously collect the first robot-generated survey of a spacecraft interior. Other ISAAC firsts include the first use of a robot to locate the source of a sound in space, in collaboration with the Bosch USA SoundSee payload team, and the first time robots navigated between modules of a space station. Future robots could use ISAAC technology to transfer cargo between space vehicles or respond to a time-critical fault like a leak due to a micrometeoroid impact, all without human assistance.

“With Astrobee, we’ve learned about flying multiple robots in space alongside humans,” said Jonathan Barlow, project manager for Astrobee at NASA Ames. “Further developing human-robotic technology will pave the way for future crewed and uncrewed spacecraft maintenance and exploration tasks done by robots both off-planet and in deep space.”

The Astrobee Facility, operated out of NASA’s Ames Research Center, provides a free-flying robotic system for space station research and STEM outreach.  NASA’s Game Changing Development Program, part of the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, funded Astrobee. NASA’s International Space Station Utilization Office provides ongoing funding.

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…
Rachel Hoover

NASA Develops Pod to Help Autonomous Aircraft Operators 

For self-flying aircraft to take to the skies, they need to learn about their environments to avoid hazards. NASA aeronautics researchers recently developed a camera pod with sensors to help with this challenge by advancing computer vision for autonomous aviation.  

This pod is called the Airborne Instrumentation for Real-world Video of Urban Environments (AIRVUE). It was developed and built at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Researchers recently flew it on a piloted helicopter at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida for initial testing.  

The team hopes to use the pod to collect large, diverse, and accessible visual datasets of weather and other obstacles. They will then use that information to create a data cloud for manufacturers of self-flying air taxis or drones, or other similar aircraft, to access. Developers can use this data to evaluate how well their aircraft can “see” the complex world around them.  

“Data is the fuel for machine learning,” said Nelson Brown, lead NASA researcher for the AIRVUE project. “We hope to inspire innovation by providing the computer vision community with realistic flight scenarios. Accessible datasets have been essential to advances in driver aids and self-driving cars, but so far, we haven’t seen open datasets like this in aviation.” 

The computer algorithms that will enable the aircraft to sense the environment must be reliable and proven to work in many flight circumstances. NASA data promises that fidelity, making this an important resource for industry. When a company conducts data collection on their own, it’s unlikely they share it with other manufacturers. NASA’s role facilitates this accessible dataset for all companies in the Advanced Air Mobility industry, ensuring the United States stays at the forefront of innovation. 

Once the design is refined, through evaluation and additional testing, the team hopes to make more pods that ride along on various types of aircraft to collect more visuals and grow the digital repository of data.

Explore More

4 min read

NASA Seeks Input for Astrobee Free-flying Space Robots

Article


14 mins ago

2 min read

NASA Composite Manufacturing Initiative Gains Two New Members

Article


4 days ago

3 min read

Beyond the Textbook: DC-8 Aircraft Inspires Students in Retirement

Article


4 days ago

Keep Exploring

Discover More Topics From NASA

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Armstrong Programs & Projects

Armstrong Technologies

Armstrong Flight Research Center History

Powered by WPeMatico

Get The Details…
Dede Dinius