\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Marshall Star for January 31, 2024\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/s24-003-ssc-20240127-s00035.jpg?w=1536\")
<\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nMarshall Commemorates NASA\u2019s Day of Remembrance<\/strong><\/h2>\nBy Celine Smith<\/em><\/p>\nTeam members across NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center congregated Jan. 25 in the lobby of Building 4221 to observe NASA\u2019s Day of Remembrance<\/a>.<\/p>\nEach January, the agency pauses to honor members of the NASA family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery, including the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"Bill](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/tde-0600.jpg?w=2042\")
<\/figure>\nBill Hill, left, director of Marshall\u2019s Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate, observes Larry Leopard, Marshall associate director, technical, lighting a candle in honor of those lost at the Day of Remembrance ceremony.<\/div>\nNASA\/Krisdon A. Manecke<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe center\u2019s ceremony included speeches from Larry Leopard, Marshall associate director, technical, and Bill Hill, director of Marshall\u2019s Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate.<\/p>\n
Leopard spoke about his memories of Challenger and Columbia\u2019s influence on his work ethic at Marshall.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith every failure and loss, it is up to those who remain to learn and grow from those who have gone on before us to prevent the same mistakes as we push on to new heights,\u201d Leopard said.<\/p>\n
Hill emphasized the importance of how a strong safety culture at Marshall is vital to mission success. He also encouraged Marshall team members to attend center safety workshops and complete training to eliminate as much risk as possible on future missions.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/tde-0612.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nFrom left, Shannon Segovia, Marshall\u2019s deputy director of communications, Hill, Leopard, and acting Center Director Joseph Pelfrey gather around the ceremonial wreath and candle. <\/div>\nNASA\/Krisdon A. Manecke<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cSeventeen of our brave astronauts paid the ultimate price for our failures,\u201d Hill said. \u201cLearning from our experience, we must become more humble, more dedicated to doing things right, more vigilant, questioning the process at every turn.\u201d<\/p>\n
After their speeches, a candle was lit in memory of lives lost in the pursuit of exploration and discovery along with a moment of silence.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe accidents we\u2019ve had in the past are reminders of how hard, dangerous, and risky space exploration is,\u201d acting Center Director Joseph Pelfrey said afterward. \u201cThey serve as a reminder for us to be diligent at our jobs. As we bring younger generations into the workforce, we have to continue to teach them as well so that as a community we don\u2019t repeat these mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith, a Media Fusion employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nNational Mentoring Month: Troubleshooting with NASA\u2019s Aaron Comis and Brad Solomon<\/strong><\/h2>\nBy Jessica Barnett<\/em><\/p>\nMentorship is a valuable partnership that benefits both mentors and mentees. Like any relationship, it also comes with its fair share of challenges.<\/p>\n
Those challenges can include misaligned expectations, miscommunications, time constraints, lack of engagement, and burnout. Overcoming those challenges is possible, but it takes commitment, communication, and flexibility from both parties.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"Official](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/msfc-202400078.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nBrad Solomon is the chief information officer in the Management of Information Technology office at Marshall Space Flight Center. Solomon signed up for the Systems Engineering Mentoring program to help younger members of NASA\u2019s workforce as they navigate their lives and careers.<\/div>\nNASA\/Danielle Burle<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThose concepts are all too familiar to Brad Solomon and Aaron Comis, who were paired as mentor and mentee respectively. Solomon, who currently serves as chief information officer for NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center, said he signed up for the systems engineering mentoring program and was purposefully paired with Comis, a former Pathways intern from Johnson Space Center who now works as chief digital engineer at Goddard Space Flight Center.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found we had more in common than we knew, as both of us were involved in the digital transformation initiative led by Jill Marlowe, and that our challenges at Marshall and Goddard in that effort were very common,\u201d Solomon said.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"Aaron](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/aaron-comis-flag-3.5x5.jpg?w=1050\")
<\/figure>\nAaron Comis serves as chief digital engineer in the Engineering and Technology Directorate at Goddard Space Flight Center. Comis said mentors have been a major influence throughout his career, from his days as an intern at Johnson Space Center through today.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBeing at different NASA centers meant the potential for additional challenges, but it also provided additional perspective and opportunities for the pair during their mentorship journey. As NASA wraps up its celebration of this year\u2019s Mentoring Month, Comis and Solomon sat down to offer their insight into how mentorship has influenced their lives and careers, as well as their tips for helping things go right and their advice for when things go wrong.<\/p>\n
Question: <\/strong>What does mentorship mean to you?<\/p>\nComis:<\/strong> To me, mentorship is a judgment-free relationship between peers that provides a safe space to discuss life with a focus on relating conversation back to a specific topic, whether it be professional, educational, personal, etc. We all eat, sleep, win, lose, and face challenges. The only constant is everything relating back to life.<\/p>\nSolomon:<\/strong> As a mentor, it means inspiring and helping create the next generation of leaders who will carry on the NASA legacy. I was fortunate to be part of the construction of ISS (International Space Station) and the Space Shuttle Program support, but the days of major NASA programs at the heart of the NASA mission are largely over, given the growth of the commercial space sector. More than ever, we need an innovative workforce adept at modern engineering techniques. With over 700 new NASA employees at Marshall since the pandemic began, all of us should feel obligated to help launch their young careers.<\/p>\nQuestion: <\/strong>What impact has mentorship had on you and your career?<\/p>\nComis:<\/strong> Mentors have played a huge, albeit unassuming, role throughout my career, as early as my time at Johnson Space Center as a Pathways intern. My mentors throughout the years have provided me with a safe space to ask questions that I wasn\u2019t comfortable with asking publicly, supported me through hard times, and celebrated big wins with me. I honestly believe my career wouldn\u2019t be as successful or fun without the many mentors who helped me along the way.<\/p>\nSolomon:<\/strong> We all can look back at our careers and see the handful of leaders and conversations that changed the trajectory and propelled our careers. I had the privilege of being part of a Boeing program in the early 1990s that provided excellent leadership training and the opportunity to hear from aerospace leaders. Jonathan Pettus and Neil Rodgers instilled project management discipline and tireless work ethics in the implementation of NASA\u2019s first enterprise financial management systems. Being part of an enterprise IT source evaluation board gave me opportunities to work with leaders like Byron Butler and Walt Melton, who taught me how to read and appreciate precision in contracting. Without mentors like these, I would not have been prepared for promotion opportunities when they were presented.<\/p>\nQuestion: <\/strong>How do you handle potential conflicts or disagreements to ensure a constructive resolution?<\/p>\nComis:<\/strong> My role at Goddard is focused on change management, which can be a challenging role. If I come across potential conflicts or disagreements, I start with self-evaluation and attempt to take a step back from the situation. Did I communicate my intended message clearly and effectively? Was it possible that the intended message wasn\u2019t understood? If the topic was the issue, not the communication, then it helps to have trusted mentors from all walks of life. This way, there is a better chance of achieving a constructive resolution in some form. Geographic separation \u2013 for example, being at different NASA centers \u2013 also helps with discussing certain sensitive topics, since this provides an additional layer of privacy and protection for everyone and ensures objective mentorship.<\/p>\nSolomon:<\/strong> That\u2019s such an important trait in an effective leader. First, never take any criticism or disagreement personally, even when it is delivered with animus. There are always reasons behind it, and it may not have anything to do with you. Second, set aside all emotion, and see the issue as a roadblock \u2013 first, to a successful personal relationship, then to the mission. You must address the lack of trust before you can solve the problem. Do not hesitate to insert humor and self-deprecation to reduce tension. That will make addressing trust and the issue at hand easier. Finally, always start a hard conversation by restating and affirming the validity of the other person\u2019s position (seek first to understand). This way, you are at least on neutral ground to start the difficult conversation.<\/p>\nQuestion: <\/strong>How would you suggest a mentor or mentee address differing expectations?<\/p>\nComis:<\/strong> Expectations are key to a successful mentorship and should be addressed during the very first mentor\/mentee interaction, starting with, \u2018Why do you want to be a mentor\/mentee, and what do you hope to gain from this experience?\u2019 This is something that I learned from my most recent formal mentorship experience that I intend on carrying forward with my future mentor\/mentee relationships.<\/p>\nSolomon:<\/strong> All mentor\/mentee initial meetings should start with a statement of expectations from the mentee. As mentor, do not critique the statement. Treat it as the starting point for the conversation. Mentors should listen, affirm, then add to the expectation with additional potential directions in which the discussions can go. Save additional guidance for future meetings. Instead, get to know each other. Where is the mentee in their career? What are their aspirations? Why? What do they enjoy doing outside of work? At the end of the meeting, set the mentoring agenda for the next meeting.<\/p>\nQuestion: <\/strong>What advice do you have for someone else who wants to find or be a mentor?<\/p>\nComis:<\/strong> Take the plunge! Becoming a mentor or mentee can be challenging, since it involves opening yourself up, whether by asking for help or offering help to someone else\u2019s real and ongoing challenges, but it\u2019s also hugely rewarding. Of course, it\u2019s important to get to know someone before unloading your problems onto them, but at a certain point, there\u2019s only one way to continue to establish the relationship, and that\u2019s through trust. Ideally, have multiple mentors throughout your career, some local and some who intentionally are not local. This way, for more sensitive issues, you have an added layer of separation for peace of mind. I\u2019d recommend everyone look for someone you already trust (for a potential mentor) or someone you see or know of who might be struggling and offer a helping hand (as a potential mentor for them). You never know how additional perspective might help you overcome challenges you weren\u2019t even aware you had!<\/p>\nSolomon:<\/strong> To the mentor: First, there is no wrong way to do this. Don\u2019t worry about meeting an expectation. It\u2019s best to just be yourself and be genuine. Be present in the discussions, not distracted. Reschedule if you have a scheduling conflict. It helps if there is an affinity between the mentor and mentee to begin with, so work needs to be done to effectively match the two. If you are not right for each other, terminate after the first session and take action to help find a better match. Take good notes. You might want to consider a separate notebook for the engagement, so you can look back on notes from the past session. Mentees are opening themselves to you, so be trustworthy. Remember the last conversation and bring it forward to the next one. Be willing to share about yourself as well.<\/p>\nTo the mentee: Be honest and open. You get out only what you are willing to invest. This means you will be out of your comfort zone. Don\u2019t worry; it\u2019s supposed to feel uncomfortable at times. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions or raise uncomfortable questions, because everyone has been at your point and gone through similar experiences in their careers. Know that your time will come when you will be the mentor \u2013 perhaps sooner than you expect.<\/p>\n
Editor\u2019s note: This is the third in a Marshall Star series during National Mentoring Month in January. Marshall team members can learn more about the benefits of mentoring on Inside Marshall.<\/em><\/p>\nBarnett, a Media Fusion employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nMarshall Team Supports Space Night with the Huntsville Havoc<\/strong><\/h2>\nNASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center joined the Huntsville Havoc for Space Night. The sold-out Jan. 26 game featured more than 4,900 fans for a themed hockey game designed to celebrate Huntsville\u2019s robust aerospace community.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"Marshall](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/havoc1.jpg?w=749\")
<\/figure>\nMarshall team member Michael Allen shares details about the IXPE mission with fans Jan. 26 at the Huntsville Havoc\u2019s Space Night.<\/div>\nNASA\/Taylor Goodwin<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThousands of space and hockey fans enjoyed exhibits and outreach provided by Marshall team members from across the center, including the Centennial Challenges Program; IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer); Technology Demonstration Missions; and SLS (Space Launch System) Program.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"Huntsville](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/havoc2.jpg?w=749\")
<\/figure>\nHuntsville Havoc mascot, Rukus, poses in front of NASA exhibits at Space Night.<\/div>\nNASA\/Taylor Goodwin<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"Marshall](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/havoc3.jpg?w=749\")
<\/figure>\nMarshall team member Savannah Bullard shares details of the Centennial Challenges Program with Space Night attendees. <\/div>\nNASA\/Taylor Goodwin<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nNASA Marks Halfway Point for Artemis Moon Rocket Engine Certification Series<\/strong><\/h2>\nNASA completed the sixth of 12 scheduled RS-25 engine certification tests in a critical series for future flights of the agency\u2019s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket as engineers conducted a full-duration hot fire Jan. 27 at NASA\u2019s Stennis Space Center.<\/p>\n
The current series builds on previous hot fire testing conducted at NASA Stennis to help certify production of new\u00a0RS-25<\/a>\u00a0engines by lead contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3 Harris Technologies company. The new engines will help power NASA\u2019s SLS rocket on future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond, beginning with Artemis V.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"a](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/s24-003-ssc-20240127-s00035.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nNASA completed a full-duration, 500-second hot fire of an RS-25 certification engine Jan. 27, marking the halfway point in a critical test series to support future SLS (Space Launch System) missions to the Moon and beyond as NASA explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all.<\/div>\nNASA\/Danny Nowlin<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nOperators fired the RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand for almost eight-and-a-half minutes (500 seconds) \u2013 the same amount of time needed to help launch\u00a0SLS<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 and at power levels ranging between 80% to 113%. New RS-25 engines will power up to the 111% level to provide additional thrust for launch of SLS. Testing up to the 113% power level provides a margin of operational safety.<\/p>\nNow at the halfway point in the series, teams will install a new certification nozzle on the engine. Installation of the new nozzle will allow engineers to gather additional performance data from a second production unit. Following installation next month, testing will resume at Stennis with six additional hot fires scheduled through March.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"RS-25](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/s24-003-ar-00040-045-rs-25-nozzle-6002-t.jpg?w=1383\")
<\/figure>\nHaving reached the halfway point in a 12-test RS-25 certification series, teams at NASA\u2019s Stennis Space Center will install a second production nozzle on the engine to gather additional performance data during the remaining scheduled hot fires.<\/div>\nAerojet Rocketdyne<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFor each Artemis mission, four RS-25 engines, along with a pair of solid rocket boosters, power the SLS to produce more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. Under NASA\u2019s Artemis campaign, the agency will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all.<\/p>\n
NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the SLS Program.<\/p>\n
\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nCygnus Lifts Off Atop SpaceX Rocket to Deliver Station Cargo<\/strong><\/h2>\nA fresh supply of more than\u00a08,200 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo<\/a>\u00a0is on its way to the\u00a0International Space Station\u00a0on a Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft after launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 11:07 a.m. CST Jan. 30 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/98oz2tme.png?w=1920\")
<\/figure>\nThe Cygnus cargo craft from Northrop Grumman launches atop the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Jan. 30. <\/div>\nNASA TV<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nCygnus has successfully deployed its two solar arrays and is scheduled to arrive at the space station around 3:15 a.m. Feb. 1. NASA+, NASA Television, the\u00a0NASA app<\/a>, and agency\u2019s website will provide live coverage of the spacecraft\u2019s approach and arrival beginning at 1:45 a.m.<\/p>\nNASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli will capture Cygnus using the station\u2019s Canadarm2 robotic arm, and NASA astronaut Loral O\u2019Hara will be acting as a backup. After capture, the spacecraft will be installed on the Unity module\u2019s Earth-facing port.<\/p>\n
This is Northrop Grumman\u2019s 20th contracted resupply mission for NASA.<\/p>\n
The Payload Operations Integration Center at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center operates, plans, and coordinates the science experiments onboard the space station 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.<\/p>\n
Learn more about station activities by following the\u00a0space station blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nNASA Space Tech Spinoffs Benefit Earth Medicine, Moon to Mars Tools<\/strong><\/h2>\nAs NASA innovates for the benefit of all, what the agency develops for exploration has the potential to evolve into other technologies with broader use here on Earth. Many of those examples are highlighted in NASA\u2019s annual Spinoff book including dozens of NASA-enabled medical innovations, as well other advancements.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"Inside](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/01-subway-attack.jpg?w=1650\")
<\/figure>\nSquishy Robotics\u2019 Tensegrity Sensor Robots help first responders determine their approach to a disaster scene. Firefighters used the robots during a subway attack exercise at the 2021 Unmanned Tactical Application Conference to detect gas leaks and other hazards.<\/div>\nCredits: FLYMOTION LLC.<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThis year\u2019s publication,\u00a0NASA\u2019s 2024 Spinoff<\/a>, features several commercialized technologies using the agency\u2019s research and development expertise to impact everyday lives, including:<\/p>\n\n- Spherical\u00a0\u201csquishy\u201d robots<\/a>\u00a0capable of dropping into dangerous situations before first responders\u00a0enter<\/li>\n
- \u201cDigital winglets\u201d\u00a0aircraft-routing technology<\/a>\u00a0that\u2019s enabling increased fuel efficiency and smoother flights\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Lighter, more durable disc\u00a0brake designs that produce less dust<\/a>\u00a0than traditional disc brakes<\/li>\n
- Computer software<\/a>\u00a0to help businesses and communities cope with and recover from natural disasters like wildfires<\/li>\n
- New\u00a03D printing methods<\/a>\u00a0to additively manufacture rocket engines and other large aluminum parts\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u201cAs we continue to push new frontiers and do the unimaginable, NASA\u2019s scientists and engineers are constantly innovating and advancing technologies,\u201d said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. \u201cA critical part of our mission is to quickly get those advances into the hands of companies and entrepreneurs who can use them to grow their businesses, open new markets, boost the economy, and raise the quality of life for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
The medical innovations include the\u00a0first wireless arthroscope\u00a0\u2013 a small tube carrying a camera inserted into the body during surgery \u2013 to receive clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which benefited from NASA\u2019s experience with spacesuits and satellite batteries.\u00a0Technologies\u00a0for diagnosing illnesses like the coronavirus, hepatitis, and cancer have also stemmed from NASA\u2019s space exploration and science endeavors. Even\u00a0certain types of toothpaste\u00a0originated from the agency\u2019s efforts to grow crystals for electronics.<\/p>\n
Additional 2024 Spinoff highlights include developments under \u00a0NASA\u2019s\u00a0Artemis\u00a0campaign, like a small, rugged video camera used to improve aircraft safety and a new method for detecting defects or damage in composite materials. Meanwhile, another Spinoff story details the latest benefits of fuel cell technology created more than 50 years ago for Apollo, which is now poised to support terrestrial power grids based on renewable energy.<\/p>\n
The book also features several technologies NASA has identified as promising future spinoffs and information on\u00a0how to license\u00a0agency tech. Since the 1970s, thousands of NASA technologies have found their way into many scientific and technical disciplines, impacting nearly every American industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs NASA\u2019s longest continuously running program, we continue to increase the number of technologies we license year-over-year while streamlining the development path from the government to the commercial sector,\u201d said Daniel Lockney, Technology Transfer program executive at NASA Headquarters. \u201cThese commercialization success stories continually prove the benefits of transitioning agency technologies into private hands, where the real impacts are made.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spinoffs are part of NASA\u2019s Space Technology Mission Directorate and its\u00a0Technology Transfer program<\/a>. Tech Transfer is charged with finding broad, innovative applications for NASA-developed technology through partnerships and licensing agreements, ensuring agency investments benefit the nation and the world.<\/p>\nRead<\/a> the latest issue of Spinoff.<\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nWebb Depicts Staggering Structure in 19 Nearby Spiral Galaxies<\/strong><\/h2>\nIt\u2019s oh-so-easy to be absolutely mesmerized by these spiral galaxies. Follow their clearly defined arms, which are brimming with stars, to their centers, where there may be old star clusters and \u2013 sometimes \u2013 active supermassive black holes. Only NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope can deliver highly detailed scenes of nearby galaxies in a combination of\u00a0near- and mid-infrared light<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 and a set of these images was publicly released Jan. 29.<\/p>\nThese Webb images are part of a large, long-standing project, the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS, or PHANGS, program, which is supported by more than 150 astronomers worldwide. Before Webb took these images, PHANGS was already brimming with data from NASA\u2019s Hubble Space Telescope, the Very Large Telescope\u2019s Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, and the Atacama Large Millimeter\/submillimeter Array. These included observations in ultraviolet, visible, and radio light. Webb\u2019s near- and mid-infrared contributions have provided several new puzzle pieces.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/stsci-01hm9n7mfns25d041h5yfkhe0j.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nThe James Webb Space Telescope observed 19 nearby face-on spiral galaxies in near- and mid-infrared light as part of its contributions to the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS, or PHANGS, program. PHANGS also includes images and data from NASA\u2019s Hubble Space Telescope, the Very Large Telescope\u2019s Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, and the Atacama Large Millimeter\/submillimeter Array, which included observations taken in ultraviolet, visible, and radio light. <\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Janice Lee (STScI), Thomas Williams (Oxford), PHANGS Team, Elizabeth Wheatley (STScI))<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cWebb\u2019s new images are extraordinary,\u201d said Janice Lee, a project scientist for strategic initiatives at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. \u201cThey\u2019re mind-blowing even for researchers who have studied these same galaxies for decades. Bubbles and filaments are resolved down to the smallest scales ever observed, and tell a story about the star formation cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Excitement rapidly spread throughout the team as the Webb images flooded in. \u201cI feel like our team lives in a constant state of being overwhelmed \u2013 in a positive way \u2013 by the amount of detail in these images,\u201d added Thomas Williams, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n
Webb\u2019s\u00a0NIRCam<\/a>\u00a0(Near-Infrared Camera) captured millions of stars in these images, which sparkle in blue tones. Some stars are spread throughout the spiral arms, but others are clumped tightly together in star clusters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Face-on](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/5eiun94l.png?w=1152\")
<\/figure>\nFace-on spiral galaxy, NGC 628, is split diagonally in this image: The James Webb Space Telescope\u2019s observations appear at top left, and the Hubble Space Telescope\u2019s on bottom right. Webb and Hubble\u2019s images show a striking contrast, an inverse of darkness and light. Why? Webb\u2019s observations combine near- and mid-infrared light and Hubble\u2019s showcase visible light. Dust absorbs ultraviolet and visible light, and then re-emits it in the infrared. In Webb\u2019s images, we see dust glowing in infrared light. In Hubble\u2019s images, dark regions are where starlight is absorbed by dust. <\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Janice Lee (STScI), Thomas Williams (Oxford), and the PHANGS team<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe telescope\u2019s\u00a0MIRI<\/a>\u00a0(Mid-Infrared Instrument) data highlights glowing dust, showing us where it exists around and between stars. It also spotlights stars that haven\u2019t yet fully formed \u2013 they are still encased in the gas and dust that feed their growth, like bright red seeds at the tips of dusty peaks. \u201cThese are where we can find the newest, most massive stars in the galaxies,\u201d said Erik Rosolowsky, a professor of physics at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.<\/p>\nSomething else that amazed astronomers? Webb\u2019s images show large, spherical shells in the gas and dust. \u201cThese holes may have been created by one or more stars that exploded, carving out giant holes in the\u00a0interstellar material<\/a>,\u201d explained Adam Leroy, a professor of astronomy at the Ohio State University in Columbus.<\/p>\nNow, trace the spiral arms to find extended regions of gas that appear red and orange. \u201cThese structures tend to follow the same pattern in certain parts of the galaxies,\u201d Rosolowsky added. \u201cWe think of these like waves, and their spacing tells us a lot about how a galaxy distributes its gas and dust.\u201d Study of these structures will provide key insights about how galaxies build, maintain, and shut off star formation.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"Webb](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/7c051y2j.png?w=1536\")
<\/figure>\nWebb Telescope\u2019s view face-on of spiral galaxy NGC 4254. <\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Janice Lee (STScI), Thomas Williams (Oxford), and the PHANGS team<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nEvidence shows that galaxies grow from inside out \u2013 star formation begins at galaxies\u2019 cores and spreads along their arms, spiraling away from the center. The farther a star is from the galaxy\u2019s core, the more likely it is to be younger. In contrast, the areas near the cores that look lit by a blue spotlight are populations of older stars.<\/p>\n
What about galaxy cores that are awash in pink-and-red diffraction spikes? \u201cThat\u2019s a clear sign that there may be an active supermassive black hole,\u201d said Eva Schinnerer, a staff scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany. \u201cOr, the star clusters toward the center are so bright that they have saturated that area of the image.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are many avenues of research that scientists can begin to pursue with the combined PHANGS data, but the unprecedented number of stars Webb resolved are a great place to begin. \u201cStars can live for billions or trillions of years,\u201d Leroy said. \u201cBy precisely cataloging all types of stars, we can build a more reliable, holistic view of their life cycles.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to immediately releasing these images, the PHANGS team has also released the largest catalog to date of roughly 100,000 star clusters. \u201cThe amount of analysis that can be done with these images is vastly larger than anything our team could possibly handle,\u201d Rosolowsky emphasized. \u201cWe\u2019re excited to support the community so all researchers can contribute.\u201d<\/p>\n
See\u00a0the full set of 19 images from both Webb and Hubble<\/a>.<\/p>\nThe James Webb Space Telescope is the world\u2019s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency. Several NASA centers contributed to the project, including\u00a0NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nPoised for Science: NASA\u2019s Europa Clipper Instruments are All Aboard<\/strong><\/h2>\nWith less than nine months remaining in the countdown to launch, NASA\u2019s\u00a0Europa Clipper<\/a>\u00a0mission has passed a major milestone: Its science instruments have been added to the massive spacecraft, which is being assembled at the agency\u2019s JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory).<\/p>\nSet to launch from NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in October, the spacecraft will head to Jupiter\u2019s ice-encased moon\u00a0Europa<\/a>, where a salty ocean beneath the frozen surface may hold conditions suitable for life. Europa Clipper won\u2019t be landing; rather, after arriving at the Jupiter system in 2030, the spacecraft will orbit Jupiter for four years, performing 49 flybys of Europa and using its powerful suite of\u00a0nine science instruments<\/a>\u00a0to investigate the moon\u2019s potential as a habitable environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"NASA\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/1-pia26061-europa-clipper-in-tent.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nNASA\u2019s Europa Clipper, with all of its instruments installed, is visible Jan. 19 in the clean room of High Bay 1 at the agency\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The tent around the spacecraft was erected to support electromagnetic testing.<\/div>\nNASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cThe instruments work together hand in hand to answer our most pressing questions about Europa,\u201d said JPL\u2019s Robert Pappalardo, the mission\u2019s project scientist. \u201cWe will learn what makes Europa tick, from its core and rocky interior to its ocean and ice shell to its very thin atmosphere and the surrounding space environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hallmark of Europa Clipper\u2019s\u00a0science investigation\u00a0is how all of the instruments will work in sync while collecting data to accomplish the mission\u2019s science objectives. During each flyby, the fully array of instruments will gather measurements and images that will be layered together to paint the full picture of Europa.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe science is better if we obtain the observations at the same time,\u201d Pappalardo said. \u201cWhat we\u2019re striving for is integration, so that at any point we are using all the instruments to study Europa at once and there is no need to have to trade off among them.\u201d<\/p>\n
By studying the environment around Europa, scientists will learn more about the moon\u2019s interior. The spacecraft carries a\u00a0magnetometer\u00a0to measure the magnetic field around the moon. That data will be key to understanding the ocean, because the field is created, or induced, by the electrical conductivity of the ocean\u2019s saltwater as Europa moves through Jupiter\u2019s strong magnetic field. Working in tandem with the magnetometer is an instrument that will\u00a0analyze the plasma\u00a0(charged particles) around Europa, which can distort magnetic fields. Together, they\u2019ll ensure the most accurate measurements possible.<\/p>\n
What the mission discovers about Europa\u2019s atmosphere will also lend insights into the moon\u2019s surface and interior. While the atmosphere is faint, with only 100 billionth the pressure of Earth\u2019s atmosphere, scientists expect that it holds a trove of clues about the moon. They have evidence from space- and ground-based telescopes that there may be plumes of water vapor venting from beneath the moon\u2019s surface, and observations from past missions suggest that ice and dust particles are being ejected into space by micrometeorite impacts.<\/p>\n
Three instruments will help investigate the atmosphere and its associated particles: A\u00a0mass spectrometer\u00a0will analyze gases, a\u00a0surface dust analyzer\u00a0will examine dust, and a spectrograph will\u00a0collect ultraviolet light\u00a0to search for plumes and identify how the properties of the dynamic atmosphere change over time.<\/p>\n\n
<\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nMarshall Commemorates NASA\u2019s Day of Remembrance<\/strong><\/h2>\nBy Celine Smith<\/em><\/p>\nTeam members across NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center congregated Jan. 25 in the lobby of Building 4221 to observe NASA\u2019s Day of Remembrance<\/a>.<\/p>\nEach January, the agency pauses to honor members of the NASA family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery, including the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nBill Hill, left, director of Marshall\u2019s Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate, observes Larry Leopard, Marshall associate director, technical, lighting a candle in honor of those lost at the Day of Remembrance ceremony.<\/div>\nNASA\/Krisdon A. Manecke<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe center\u2019s ceremony included speeches from Larry Leopard, Marshall associate director, technical, and Bill Hill, director of Marshall\u2019s Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate.<\/p>\n
Leopard spoke about his memories of Challenger and Columbia\u2019s influence on his work ethic at Marshall.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith every failure and loss, it is up to those who remain to learn and grow from those who have gone on before us to prevent the same mistakes as we push on to new heights,\u201d Leopard said.<\/p>\n
Hill emphasized the importance of how a strong safety culture at Marshall is vital to mission success. He also encouraged Marshall team members to attend center safety workshops and complete training to eliminate as much risk as possible on future missions.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nFrom left, Shannon Segovia, Marshall\u2019s deputy director of communications, Hill, Leopard, and acting Center Director Joseph Pelfrey gather around the ceremonial wreath and candle. <\/div>\nNASA\/Krisdon A. Manecke<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cSeventeen of our brave astronauts paid the ultimate price for our failures,\u201d Hill said. \u201cLearning from our experience, we must become more humble, more dedicated to doing things right, more vigilant, questioning the process at every turn.\u201d<\/p>\n
After their speeches, a candle was lit in memory of lives lost in the pursuit of exploration and discovery along with a moment of silence.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe accidents we\u2019ve had in the past are reminders of how hard, dangerous, and risky space exploration is,\u201d acting Center Director Joseph Pelfrey said afterward. \u201cThey serve as a reminder for us to be diligent at our jobs. As we bring younger generations into the workforce, we have to continue to teach them as well so that as a community we don\u2019t repeat these mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smith, a Media Fusion employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nNational Mentoring Month: Troubleshooting with NASA\u2019s Aaron Comis and Brad Solomon<\/strong><\/h2>\nBy Jessica Barnett<\/em><\/p>\nMentorship is a valuable partnership that benefits both mentors and mentees. Like any relationship, it also comes with its fair share of challenges.<\/p>\n
Those challenges can include misaligned expectations, miscommunications, time constraints, lack of engagement, and burnout. Overcoming those challenges is possible, but it takes commitment, communication, and flexibility from both parties.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nBrad Solomon is the chief information officer in the Management of Information Technology office at Marshall Space Flight Center. Solomon signed up for the Systems Engineering Mentoring program to help younger members of NASA\u2019s workforce as they navigate their lives and careers.<\/div>\nNASA\/Danielle Burle<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThose concepts are all too familiar to Brad Solomon and Aaron Comis, who were paired as mentor and mentee respectively. Solomon, who currently serves as chief information officer for NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center, said he signed up for the systems engineering mentoring program and was purposefully paired with Comis, a former Pathways intern from Johnson Space Center who now works as chief digital engineer at Goddard Space Flight Center.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found we had more in common than we knew, as both of us were involved in the digital transformation initiative led by Jill Marlowe, and that our challenges at Marshall and Goddard in that effort were very common,\u201d Solomon said.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nAaron Comis serves as chief digital engineer in the Engineering and Technology Directorate at Goddard Space Flight Center. Comis said mentors have been a major influence throughout his career, from his days as an intern at Johnson Space Center through today.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBeing at different NASA centers meant the potential for additional challenges, but it also provided additional perspective and opportunities for the pair during their mentorship journey. As NASA wraps up its celebration of this year\u2019s Mentoring Month, Comis and Solomon sat down to offer their insight into how mentorship has influenced their lives and careers, as well as their tips for helping things go right and their advice for when things go wrong.<\/p>\n
Question: <\/strong>What does mentorship mean to you?<\/p>\nComis:<\/strong> To me, mentorship is a judgment-free relationship between peers that provides a safe space to discuss life with a focus on relating conversation back to a specific topic, whether it be professional, educational, personal, etc. We all eat, sleep, win, lose, and face challenges. The only constant is everything relating back to life.<\/p>\nSolomon:<\/strong> As a mentor, it means inspiring and helping create the next generation of leaders who will carry on the NASA legacy. I was fortunate to be part of the construction of ISS (International Space Station) and the Space Shuttle Program support, but the days of major NASA programs at the heart of the NASA mission are largely over, given the growth of the commercial space sector. More than ever, we need an innovative workforce adept at modern engineering techniques. With over 700 new NASA employees at Marshall since the pandemic began, all of us should feel obligated to help launch their young careers.<\/p>\nQuestion: <\/strong>What impact has mentorship had on you and your career?<\/p>\nComis:<\/strong> Mentors have played a huge, albeit unassuming, role throughout my career, as early as my time at Johnson Space Center as a Pathways intern. My mentors throughout the years have provided me with a safe space to ask questions that I wasn\u2019t comfortable with asking publicly, supported me through hard times, and celebrated big wins with me. I honestly believe my career wouldn\u2019t be as successful or fun without the many mentors who helped me along the way.<\/p>\nSolomon:<\/strong> We all can look back at our careers and see the handful of leaders and conversations that changed the trajectory and propelled our careers. I had the privilege of being part of a Boeing program in the early 1990s that provided excellent leadership training and the opportunity to hear from aerospace leaders. Jonathan Pettus and Neil Rodgers instilled project management discipline and tireless work ethics in the implementation of NASA\u2019s first enterprise financial management systems. Being part of an enterprise IT source evaluation board gave me opportunities to work with leaders like Byron Butler and Walt Melton, who taught me how to read and appreciate precision in contracting. Without mentors like these, I would not have been prepared for promotion opportunities when they were presented.<\/p>\nQuestion: <\/strong>How do you handle potential conflicts or disagreements to ensure a constructive resolution?<\/p>\nComis:<\/strong> My role at Goddard is focused on change management, which can be a challenging role. If I come across potential conflicts or disagreements, I start with self-evaluation and attempt to take a step back from the situation. Did I communicate my intended message clearly and effectively? Was it possible that the intended message wasn\u2019t understood? If the topic was the issue, not the communication, then it helps to have trusted mentors from all walks of life. This way, there is a better chance of achieving a constructive resolution in some form. Geographic separation \u2013 for example, being at different NASA centers \u2013 also helps with discussing certain sensitive topics, since this provides an additional layer of privacy and protection for everyone and ensures objective mentorship.<\/p>\nSolomon:<\/strong> That\u2019s such an important trait in an effective leader. First, never take any criticism or disagreement personally, even when it is delivered with animus. There are always reasons behind it, and it may not have anything to do with you. Second, set aside all emotion, and see the issue as a roadblock \u2013 first, to a successful personal relationship, then to the mission. You must address the lack of trust before you can solve the problem. Do not hesitate to insert humor and self-deprecation to reduce tension. That will make addressing trust and the issue at hand easier. Finally, always start a hard conversation by restating and affirming the validity of the other person\u2019s position (seek first to understand). This way, you are at least on neutral ground to start the difficult conversation.<\/p>\nQuestion: <\/strong>How would you suggest a mentor or mentee address differing expectations?<\/p>\nComis:<\/strong> Expectations are key to a successful mentorship and should be addressed during the very first mentor\/mentee interaction, starting with, \u2018Why do you want to be a mentor\/mentee, and what do you hope to gain from this experience?\u2019 This is something that I learned from my most recent formal mentorship experience that I intend on carrying forward with my future mentor\/mentee relationships.<\/p>\nSolomon:<\/strong> All mentor\/mentee initial meetings should start with a statement of expectations from the mentee. As mentor, do not critique the statement. Treat it as the starting point for the conversation. Mentors should listen, affirm, then add to the expectation with additional potential directions in which the discussions can go. Save additional guidance for future meetings. Instead, get to know each other. Where is the mentee in their career? What are their aspirations? Why? What do they enjoy doing outside of work? At the end of the meeting, set the mentoring agenda for the next meeting.<\/p>\nQuestion: <\/strong>What advice do you have for someone else who wants to find or be a mentor?<\/p>\nComis:<\/strong> Take the plunge! Becoming a mentor or mentee can be challenging, since it involves opening yourself up, whether by asking for help or offering help to someone else\u2019s real and ongoing challenges, but it\u2019s also hugely rewarding. Of course, it\u2019s important to get to know someone before unloading your problems onto them, but at a certain point, there\u2019s only one way to continue to establish the relationship, and that\u2019s through trust. Ideally, have multiple mentors throughout your career, some local and some who intentionally are not local. This way, for more sensitive issues, you have an added layer of separation for peace of mind. I\u2019d recommend everyone look for someone you already trust (for a potential mentor) or someone you see or know of who might be struggling and offer a helping hand (as a potential mentor for them). You never know how additional perspective might help you overcome challenges you weren\u2019t even aware you had!<\/p>\nSolomon:<\/strong> To the mentor: First, there is no wrong way to do this. Don\u2019t worry about meeting an expectation. It\u2019s best to just be yourself and be genuine. Be present in the discussions, not distracted. Reschedule if you have a scheduling conflict. It helps if there is an affinity between the mentor and mentee to begin with, so work needs to be done to effectively match the two. If you are not right for each other, terminate after the first session and take action to help find a better match. Take good notes. You might want to consider a separate notebook for the engagement, so you can look back on notes from the past session. Mentees are opening themselves to you, so be trustworthy. Remember the last conversation and bring it forward to the next one. Be willing to share about yourself as well.<\/p>\nTo the mentee: Be honest and open. You get out only what you are willing to invest. This means you will be out of your comfort zone. Don\u2019t worry; it\u2019s supposed to feel uncomfortable at times. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions or raise uncomfortable questions, because everyone has been at your point and gone through similar experiences in their careers. Know that your time will come when you will be the mentor \u2013 perhaps sooner than you expect.<\/p>\n
Editor\u2019s note: This is the third in a Marshall Star series during National Mentoring Month in January. Marshall team members can learn more about the benefits of mentoring on Inside Marshall.<\/em><\/p>\nBarnett, a Media Fusion employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nMarshall Team Supports Space Night with the Huntsville Havoc<\/strong><\/h2>\nNASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center joined the Huntsville Havoc for Space Night. The sold-out Jan. 26 game featured more than 4,900 fans for a themed hockey game designed to celebrate Huntsville\u2019s robust aerospace community.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nMarshall team member Michael Allen shares details about the IXPE mission with fans Jan. 26 at the Huntsville Havoc\u2019s Space Night.<\/div>\nNASA\/Taylor Goodwin<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThousands of space and hockey fans enjoyed exhibits and outreach provided by Marshall team members from across the center, including the Centennial Challenges Program; IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer); Technology Demonstration Missions; and SLS (Space Launch System) Program.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nHuntsville Havoc mascot, Rukus, poses in front of NASA exhibits at Space Night.<\/div>\nNASA\/Taylor Goodwin<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nMarshall team member Savannah Bullard shares details of the Centennial Challenges Program with Space Night attendees. <\/div>\nNASA\/Taylor Goodwin<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nNASA Marks Halfway Point for Artemis Moon Rocket Engine Certification Series<\/strong><\/h2>\nNASA completed the sixth of 12 scheduled RS-25 engine certification tests in a critical series for future flights of the agency\u2019s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket as engineers conducted a full-duration hot fire Jan. 27 at NASA\u2019s Stennis Space Center.<\/p>\n
The current series builds on previous hot fire testing conducted at NASA Stennis to help certify production of new\u00a0RS-25<\/a>\u00a0engines by lead contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3 Harris Technologies company. The new engines will help power NASA\u2019s SLS rocket on future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond, beginning with Artemis V.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nNASA completed a full-duration, 500-second hot fire of an RS-25 certification engine Jan. 27, marking the halfway point in a critical test series to support future SLS (Space Launch System) missions to the Moon and beyond as NASA explores the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all.<\/div>\nNASA\/Danny Nowlin<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nOperators fired the RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand for almost eight-and-a-half minutes (500 seconds) \u2013 the same amount of time needed to help launch\u00a0SLS<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 and at power levels ranging between 80% to 113%. New RS-25 engines will power up to the 111% level to provide additional thrust for launch of SLS. Testing up to the 113% power level provides a margin of operational safety.<\/p>\nNow at the halfway point in the series, teams will install a new certification nozzle on the engine. Installation of the new nozzle will allow engineers to gather additional performance data from a second production unit. Following installation next month, testing will resume at Stennis with six additional hot fires scheduled through March.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nHaving reached the halfway point in a 12-test RS-25 certification series, teams at NASA\u2019s Stennis Space Center will install a second production nozzle on the engine to gather additional performance data during the remaining scheduled hot fires.<\/div>\nAerojet Rocketdyne<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFor each Artemis mission, four RS-25 engines, along with a pair of solid rocket boosters, power the SLS to produce more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. Under NASA\u2019s Artemis campaign, the agency will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all.<\/p>\n
NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the SLS Program.<\/p>\n
\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nCygnus Lifts Off Atop SpaceX Rocket to Deliver Station Cargo<\/strong><\/h2>\nA fresh supply of more than\u00a08,200 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo<\/a>\u00a0is on its way to the\u00a0International Space Station\u00a0on a Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft after launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 11:07 a.m. CST Jan. 30 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nThe Cygnus cargo craft from Northrop Grumman launches atop the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Jan. 30. <\/div>\nNASA TV<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nCygnus has successfully deployed its two solar arrays and is scheduled to arrive at the space station around 3:15 a.m. Feb. 1. NASA+, NASA Television, the\u00a0NASA app<\/a>, and agency\u2019s website will provide live coverage of the spacecraft\u2019s approach and arrival beginning at 1:45 a.m.<\/p>\nNASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli will capture Cygnus using the station\u2019s Canadarm2 robotic arm, and NASA astronaut Loral O\u2019Hara will be acting as a backup. After capture, the spacecraft will be installed on the Unity module\u2019s Earth-facing port.<\/p>\n
This is Northrop Grumman\u2019s 20th contracted resupply mission for NASA.<\/p>\n
The Payload Operations Integration Center at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center operates, plans, and coordinates the science experiments onboard the space station 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.<\/p>\n
Learn more about station activities by following the\u00a0space station blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nNASA Space Tech Spinoffs Benefit Earth Medicine, Moon to Mars Tools<\/strong><\/h2>\nAs NASA innovates for the benefit of all, what the agency develops for exploration has the potential to evolve into other technologies with broader use here on Earth. Many of those examples are highlighted in NASA\u2019s annual Spinoff book including dozens of NASA-enabled medical innovations, as well other advancements.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nSquishy Robotics\u2019 Tensegrity Sensor Robots help first responders determine their approach to a disaster scene. Firefighters used the robots during a subway attack exercise at the 2021 Unmanned Tactical Application Conference to detect gas leaks and other hazards.<\/div>\nCredits: FLYMOTION LLC.<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThis year\u2019s publication,\u00a0NASA\u2019s 2024 Spinoff<\/a>, features several commercialized technologies using the agency\u2019s research and development expertise to impact everyday lives, including:<\/p>\n\n- Spherical\u00a0\u201csquishy\u201d robots<\/a>\u00a0capable of dropping into dangerous situations before first responders\u00a0enter<\/li>\n
- \u201cDigital winglets\u201d\u00a0aircraft-routing technology<\/a>\u00a0that\u2019s enabling increased fuel efficiency and smoother flights\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Lighter, more durable disc\u00a0brake designs that produce less dust<\/a>\u00a0than traditional disc brakes<\/li>\n
- Computer software<\/a>\u00a0to help businesses and communities cope with and recover from natural disasters like wildfires<\/li>\n
- New\u00a03D printing methods<\/a>\u00a0to additively manufacture rocket engines and other large aluminum parts\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u201cAs we continue to push new frontiers and do the unimaginable, NASA\u2019s scientists and engineers are constantly innovating and advancing technologies,\u201d said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. \u201cA critical part of our mission is to quickly get those advances into the hands of companies and entrepreneurs who can use them to grow their businesses, open new markets, boost the economy, and raise the quality of life for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
The medical innovations include the\u00a0first wireless arthroscope\u00a0\u2013 a small tube carrying a camera inserted into the body during surgery \u2013 to receive clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which benefited from NASA\u2019s experience with spacesuits and satellite batteries.\u00a0Technologies\u00a0for diagnosing illnesses like the coronavirus, hepatitis, and cancer have also stemmed from NASA\u2019s space exploration and science endeavors. Even\u00a0certain types of toothpaste\u00a0originated from the agency\u2019s efforts to grow crystals for electronics.<\/p>\n
Additional 2024 Spinoff highlights include developments under \u00a0NASA\u2019s\u00a0Artemis\u00a0campaign, like a small, rugged video camera used to improve aircraft safety and a new method for detecting defects or damage in composite materials. Meanwhile, another Spinoff story details the latest benefits of fuel cell technology created more than 50 years ago for Apollo, which is now poised to support terrestrial power grids based on renewable energy.<\/p>\n
The book also features several technologies NASA has identified as promising future spinoffs and information on\u00a0how to license\u00a0agency tech. Since the 1970s, thousands of NASA technologies have found their way into many scientific and technical disciplines, impacting nearly every American industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs NASA\u2019s longest continuously running program, we continue to increase the number of technologies we license year-over-year while streamlining the development path from the government to the commercial sector,\u201d said Daniel Lockney, Technology Transfer program executive at NASA Headquarters. \u201cThese commercialization success stories continually prove the benefits of transitioning agency technologies into private hands, where the real impacts are made.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spinoffs are part of NASA\u2019s Space Technology Mission Directorate and its\u00a0Technology Transfer program<\/a>. Tech Transfer is charged with finding broad, innovative applications for NASA-developed technology through partnerships and licensing agreements, ensuring agency investments benefit the nation and the world.<\/p>\nRead<\/a> the latest issue of Spinoff.<\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nWebb Depicts Staggering Structure in 19 Nearby Spiral Galaxies<\/strong><\/h2>\nIt\u2019s oh-so-easy to be absolutely mesmerized by these spiral galaxies. Follow their clearly defined arms, which are brimming with stars, to their centers, where there may be old star clusters and \u2013 sometimes \u2013 active supermassive black holes. Only NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope can deliver highly detailed scenes of nearby galaxies in a combination of\u00a0near- and mid-infrared light<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 and a set of these images was publicly released Jan. 29.<\/p>\nThese Webb images are part of a large, long-standing project, the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS, or PHANGS, program, which is supported by more than 150 astronomers worldwide. Before Webb took these images, PHANGS was already brimming with data from NASA\u2019s Hubble Space Telescope, the Very Large Telescope\u2019s Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, and the Atacama Large Millimeter\/submillimeter Array. These included observations in ultraviolet, visible, and radio light. Webb\u2019s near- and mid-infrared contributions have provided several new puzzle pieces.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nThe James Webb Space Telescope observed 19 nearby face-on spiral galaxies in near- and mid-infrared light as part of its contributions to the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS, or PHANGS, program. PHANGS also includes images and data from NASA\u2019s Hubble Space Telescope, the Very Large Telescope\u2019s Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, and the Atacama Large Millimeter\/submillimeter Array, which included observations taken in ultraviolet, visible, and radio light. <\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Janice Lee (STScI), Thomas Williams (Oxford), PHANGS Team, Elizabeth Wheatley (STScI))<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cWebb\u2019s new images are extraordinary,\u201d said Janice Lee, a project scientist for strategic initiatives at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. \u201cThey\u2019re mind-blowing even for researchers who have studied these same galaxies for decades. Bubbles and filaments are resolved down to the smallest scales ever observed, and tell a story about the star formation cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Excitement rapidly spread throughout the team as the Webb images flooded in. \u201cI feel like our team lives in a constant state of being overwhelmed \u2013 in a positive way \u2013 by the amount of detail in these images,\u201d added Thomas Williams, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n
Webb\u2019s\u00a0NIRCam<\/a>\u00a0(Near-Infrared Camera) captured millions of stars in these images, which sparkle in blue tones. Some stars are spread throughout the spiral arms, but others are clumped tightly together in star clusters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nFace-on spiral galaxy, NGC 628, is split diagonally in this image: The James Webb Space Telescope\u2019s observations appear at top left, and the Hubble Space Telescope\u2019s on bottom right. Webb and Hubble\u2019s images show a striking contrast, an inverse of darkness and light. Why? Webb\u2019s observations combine near- and mid-infrared light and Hubble\u2019s showcase visible light. Dust absorbs ultraviolet and visible light, and then re-emits it in the infrared. In Webb\u2019s images, we see dust glowing in infrared light. In Hubble\u2019s images, dark regions are where starlight is absorbed by dust. <\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Janice Lee (STScI), Thomas Williams (Oxford), and the PHANGS team<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe telescope\u2019s\u00a0MIRI<\/a>\u00a0(Mid-Infrared Instrument) data highlights glowing dust, showing us where it exists around and between stars. It also spotlights stars that haven\u2019t yet fully formed \u2013 they are still encased in the gas and dust that feed their growth, like bright red seeds at the tips of dusty peaks. \u201cThese are where we can find the newest, most massive stars in the galaxies,\u201d said Erik Rosolowsky, a professor of physics at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.<\/p>\nSomething else that amazed astronomers? Webb\u2019s images show large, spherical shells in the gas and dust. \u201cThese holes may have been created by one or more stars that exploded, carving out giant holes in the\u00a0interstellar material<\/a>,\u201d explained Adam Leroy, a professor of astronomy at the Ohio State University in Columbus.<\/p>\nNow, trace the spiral arms to find extended regions of gas that appear red and orange. \u201cThese structures tend to follow the same pattern in certain parts of the galaxies,\u201d Rosolowsky added. \u201cWe think of these like waves, and their spacing tells us a lot about how a galaxy distributes its gas and dust.\u201d Study of these structures will provide key insights about how galaxies build, maintain, and shut off star formation.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nWebb Telescope\u2019s view face-on of spiral galaxy NGC 4254. <\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Janice Lee (STScI), Thomas Williams (Oxford), and the PHANGS team<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nEvidence shows that galaxies grow from inside out \u2013 star formation begins at galaxies\u2019 cores and spreads along their arms, spiraling away from the center. The farther a star is from the galaxy\u2019s core, the more likely it is to be younger. In contrast, the areas near the cores that look lit by a blue spotlight are populations of older stars.<\/p>\n
What about galaxy cores that are awash in pink-and-red diffraction spikes? \u201cThat\u2019s a clear sign that there may be an active supermassive black hole,\u201d said Eva Schinnerer, a staff scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany. \u201cOr, the star clusters toward the center are so bright that they have saturated that area of the image.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are many avenues of research that scientists can begin to pursue with the combined PHANGS data, but the unprecedented number of stars Webb resolved are a great place to begin. \u201cStars can live for billions or trillions of years,\u201d Leroy said. \u201cBy precisely cataloging all types of stars, we can build a more reliable, holistic view of their life cycles.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to immediately releasing these images, the PHANGS team has also released the largest catalog to date of roughly 100,000 star clusters. \u201cThe amount of analysis that can be done with these images is vastly larger than anything our team could possibly handle,\u201d Rosolowsky emphasized. \u201cWe\u2019re excited to support the community so all researchers can contribute.\u201d<\/p>\n
See\u00a0the full set of 19 images from both Webb and Hubble<\/a>.<\/p>\nThe James Webb Space Telescope is the world\u2019s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency. Several NASA centers contributed to the project, including\u00a0NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nPoised for Science: NASA\u2019s Europa Clipper Instruments are All Aboard<\/strong><\/h2>\nWith less than nine months remaining in the countdown to launch, NASA\u2019s\u00a0Europa Clipper<\/a>\u00a0mission has passed a major milestone: Its science instruments have been added to the massive spacecraft, which is being assembled at the agency\u2019s JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory).<\/p>\nSet to launch from NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in October, the spacecraft will head to Jupiter\u2019s ice-encased moon\u00a0Europa<\/a>, where a salty ocean beneath the frozen surface may hold conditions suitable for life. Europa Clipper won\u2019t be landing; rather, after arriving at the Jupiter system in 2030, the spacecraft will orbit Jupiter for four years, performing 49 flybys of Europa and using its powerful suite of\u00a0nine science instruments<\/a>\u00a0to investigate the moon\u2019s potential as a habitable environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nNASA\u2019s Europa Clipper, with all of its instruments installed, is visible Jan. 19 in the clean room of High Bay 1 at the agency\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The tent around the spacecraft was erected to support electromagnetic testing.<\/div>\nNASA\/JPL-Caltech<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cThe instruments work together hand in hand to answer our most pressing questions about Europa,\u201d said JPL\u2019s Robert Pappalardo, the mission\u2019s project scientist. \u201cWe will learn what makes Europa tick, from its core and rocky interior to its ocean and ice shell to its very thin atmosphere and the surrounding space environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hallmark of Europa Clipper\u2019s\u00a0science investigation\u00a0is how all of the instruments will work in sync while collecting data to accomplish the mission\u2019s science objectives. During each flyby, the fully array of instruments will gather measurements and images that will be layered together to paint the full picture of Europa.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe science is better if we obtain the observations at the same time,\u201d Pappalardo said. \u201cWhat we\u2019re striving for is integration, so that at any point we are using all the instruments to study Europa at once and there is no need to have to trade off among them.\u201d<\/p>\n
By studying the environment around Europa, scientists will learn more about the moon\u2019s interior. The spacecraft carries a\u00a0magnetometer\u00a0to measure the magnetic field around the moon. That data will be key to understanding the ocean, because the field is created, or induced, by the electrical conductivity of the ocean\u2019s saltwater as Europa moves through Jupiter\u2019s strong magnetic field. Working in tandem with the magnetometer is an instrument that will\u00a0analyze the plasma\u00a0(charged particles) around Europa, which can distort magnetic fields. Together, they\u2019ll ensure the most accurate measurements possible.<\/p>\n
What the mission discovers about Europa\u2019s atmosphere will also lend insights into the moon\u2019s surface and interior. While the atmosphere is faint, with only 100 billionth the pressure of Earth\u2019s atmosphere, scientists expect that it holds a trove of clues about the moon. They have evidence from space- and ground-based telescopes that there may be plumes of water vapor venting from beneath the moon\u2019s surface, and observations from past missions suggest that ice and dust particles are being ejected into space by micrometeorite impacts.<\/p>\n
Three instruments will help investigate the atmosphere and its associated particles: A\u00a0mass spectrometer\u00a0will analyze gases, a\u00a0surface dust analyzer\u00a0will examine dust, and a spectrograph will\u00a0collect ultraviolet light\u00a0to search for plumes and identify how the properties of the dynamic atmosphere change over time.<\/p>\n\n
Team members across NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center congregated Jan. 25 in the lobby of Building 4221 to observe NASA\u2019s Day of Remembrance<\/a>.<\/p>\n Each January, the agency pauses to honor members of the NASA family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery, including the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia.<\/p>\n The center\u2019s ceremony included speeches from Larry Leopard, Marshall associate director, technical, and Bill Hill, director of Marshall\u2019s Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate.<\/p>\n Leopard spoke about his memories of Challenger and Columbia\u2019s influence on his work ethic at Marshall.<\/p>\n \u201cWith every failure and loss, it is up to those who remain to learn and grow from those who have gone on before us to prevent the same mistakes as we push on to new heights,\u201d Leopard said.<\/p>\n Hill emphasized the importance of how a strong safety culture at Marshall is vital to mission success. He also encouraged Marshall team members to attend center safety workshops and complete training to eliminate as much risk as possible on future missions.<\/p>\n \u201cSeventeen of our brave astronauts paid the ultimate price for our failures,\u201d Hill said. \u201cLearning from our experience, we must become more humble, more dedicated to doing things right, more vigilant, questioning the process at every turn.\u201d<\/p>\n After their speeches, a candle was lit in memory of lives lost in the pursuit of exploration and discovery along with a moment of silence.<\/p>\n \u201cThe accidents we\u2019ve had in the past are reminders of how hard, dangerous, and risky space exploration is,\u201d acting Center Director Joseph Pelfrey said afterward. \u201cThey serve as a reminder for us to be diligent at our jobs. As we bring younger generations into the workforce, we have to continue to teach them as well so that as a community we don\u2019t repeat these mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n Smith, a Media Fusion employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n By Jessica Barnett<\/em><\/p>\n Mentorship is a valuable partnership that benefits both mentors and mentees. Like any relationship, it also comes with its fair share of challenges.<\/p>\n Those challenges can include misaligned expectations, miscommunications, time constraints, lack of engagement, and burnout. Overcoming those challenges is possible, but it takes commitment, communication, and flexibility from both parties.<\/p>\n Those concepts are all too familiar to Brad Solomon and Aaron Comis, who were paired as mentor and mentee respectively. Solomon, who currently serves as chief information officer for NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center, said he signed up for the systems engineering mentoring program and was purposefully paired with Comis, a former Pathways intern from Johnson Space Center who now works as chief digital engineer at Goddard Space Flight Center.<\/p>\n \u201cWe found we had more in common than we knew, as both of us were involved in the digital transformation initiative led by Jill Marlowe, and that our challenges at Marshall and Goddard in that effort were very common,\u201d Solomon said.<\/p>\n Being at different NASA centers meant the potential for additional challenges, but it also provided additional perspective and opportunities for the pair during their mentorship journey. As NASA wraps up its celebration of this year\u2019s Mentoring Month, Comis and Solomon sat down to offer their insight into how mentorship has influenced their lives and careers, as well as their tips for helping things go right and their advice for when things go wrong.<\/p>\n Question: <\/strong>What does mentorship mean to you?<\/p>\n Comis:<\/strong> To me, mentorship is a judgment-free relationship between peers that provides a safe space to discuss life with a focus on relating conversation back to a specific topic, whether it be professional, educational, personal, etc. We all eat, sleep, win, lose, and face challenges. The only constant is everything relating back to life.<\/p>\n Solomon:<\/strong> As a mentor, it means inspiring and helping create the next generation of leaders who will carry on the NASA legacy. I was fortunate to be part of the construction of ISS (International Space Station) and the Space Shuttle Program support, but the days of major NASA programs at the heart of the NASA mission are largely over, given the growth of the commercial space sector. More than ever, we need an innovative workforce adept at modern engineering techniques. With over 700 new NASA employees at Marshall since the pandemic began, all of us should feel obligated to help launch their young careers.<\/p>\n Question: <\/strong>What impact has mentorship had on you and your career?<\/p>\n Comis:<\/strong> Mentors have played a huge, albeit unassuming, role throughout my career, as early as my time at Johnson Space Center as a Pathways intern. My mentors throughout the years have provided me with a safe space to ask questions that I wasn\u2019t comfortable with asking publicly, supported me through hard times, and celebrated big wins with me. I honestly believe my career wouldn\u2019t be as successful or fun without the many mentors who helped me along the way.<\/p>\n Solomon:<\/strong> We all can look back at our careers and see the handful of leaders and conversations that changed the trajectory and propelled our careers. I had the privilege of being part of a Boeing program in the early 1990s that provided excellent leadership training and the opportunity to hear from aerospace leaders. Jonathan Pettus and Neil Rodgers instilled project management discipline and tireless work ethics in the implementation of NASA\u2019s first enterprise financial management systems. Being part of an enterprise IT source evaluation board gave me opportunities to work with leaders like Byron Butler and Walt Melton, who taught me how to read and appreciate precision in contracting. Without mentors like these, I would not have been prepared for promotion opportunities when they were presented.<\/p>\n Question: <\/strong>How do you handle potential conflicts or disagreements to ensure a constructive resolution?<\/p>\n Comis:<\/strong> My role at Goddard is focused on change management, which can be a challenging role. If I come across potential conflicts or disagreements, I start with self-evaluation and attempt to take a step back from the situation. Did I communicate my intended message clearly and effectively? Was it possible that the intended message wasn\u2019t understood? If the topic was the issue, not the communication, then it helps to have trusted mentors from all walks of life. This way, there is a better chance of achieving a constructive resolution in some form. Geographic separation \u2013 for example, being at different NASA centers \u2013 also helps with discussing certain sensitive topics, since this provides an additional layer of privacy and protection for everyone and ensures objective mentorship.<\/p>\n Solomon:<\/strong> That\u2019s such an important trait in an effective leader. First, never take any criticism or disagreement personally, even when it is delivered with animus. There are always reasons behind it, and it may not have anything to do with you. Second, set aside all emotion, and see the issue as a roadblock \u2013 first, to a successful personal relationship, then to the mission. You must address the lack of trust before you can solve the problem. Do not hesitate to insert humor and self-deprecation to reduce tension. That will make addressing trust and the issue at hand easier. Finally, always start a hard conversation by restating and affirming the validity of the other person\u2019s position (seek first to understand). This way, you are at least on neutral ground to start the difficult conversation.<\/p>\n Question: <\/strong>How would you suggest a mentor or mentee address differing expectations?<\/p>\n Comis:<\/strong> Expectations are key to a successful mentorship and should be addressed during the very first mentor\/mentee interaction, starting with, \u2018Why do you want to be a mentor\/mentee, and what do you hope to gain from this experience?\u2019 This is something that I learned from my most recent formal mentorship experience that I intend on carrying forward with my future mentor\/mentee relationships.<\/p>\n Solomon:<\/strong> All mentor\/mentee initial meetings should start with a statement of expectations from the mentee. As mentor, do not critique the statement. Treat it as the starting point for the conversation. Mentors should listen, affirm, then add to the expectation with additional potential directions in which the discussions can go. Save additional guidance for future meetings. Instead, get to know each other. Where is the mentee in their career? What are their aspirations? Why? What do they enjoy doing outside of work? At the end of the meeting, set the mentoring agenda for the next meeting.<\/p>\n Question: <\/strong>What advice do you have for someone else who wants to find or be a mentor?<\/p>\n Comis:<\/strong> Take the plunge! Becoming a mentor or mentee can be challenging, since it involves opening yourself up, whether by asking for help or offering help to someone else\u2019s real and ongoing challenges, but it\u2019s also hugely rewarding. Of course, it\u2019s important to get to know someone before unloading your problems onto them, but at a certain point, there\u2019s only one way to continue to establish the relationship, and that\u2019s through trust. Ideally, have multiple mentors throughout your career, some local and some who intentionally are not local. This way, for more sensitive issues, you have an added layer of separation for peace of mind. I\u2019d recommend everyone look for someone you already trust (for a potential mentor) or someone you see or know of who might be struggling and offer a helping hand (as a potential mentor for them). You never know how additional perspective might help you overcome challenges you weren\u2019t even aware you had!<\/p>\n Solomon:<\/strong> To the mentor: First, there is no wrong way to do this. Don\u2019t worry about meeting an expectation. It\u2019s best to just be yourself and be genuine. Be present in the discussions, not distracted. Reschedule if you have a scheduling conflict. It helps if there is an affinity between the mentor and mentee to begin with, so work needs to be done to effectively match the two. If you are not right for each other, terminate after the first session and take action to help find a better match. Take good notes. You might want to consider a separate notebook for the engagement, so you can look back on notes from the past session. Mentees are opening themselves to you, so be trustworthy. Remember the last conversation and bring it forward to the next one. Be willing to share about yourself as well.<\/p>\n To the mentee: Be honest and open. You get out only what you are willing to invest. This means you will be out of your comfort zone. Don\u2019t worry; it\u2019s supposed to feel uncomfortable at times. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions or raise uncomfortable questions, because everyone has been at your point and gone through similar experiences in their careers. Know that your time will come when you will be the mentor \u2013 perhaps sooner than you expect.<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note: This is the third in a Marshall Star series during National Mentoring Month in January. Marshall team members can learn more about the benefits of mentoring on Inside Marshall.<\/em><\/p>\n Barnett, a Media Fusion employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center joined the Huntsville Havoc for Space Night. The sold-out Jan. 26 game featured more than 4,900 fans for a themed hockey game designed to celebrate Huntsville\u2019s robust aerospace community.<\/p>\n Thousands of space and hockey fans enjoyed exhibits and outreach provided by Marshall team members from across the center, including the Centennial Challenges Program; IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer); Technology Demonstration Missions; and SLS (Space Launch System) Program.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n NASA completed the sixth of 12 scheduled RS-25 engine certification tests in a critical series for future flights of the agency\u2019s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket as engineers conducted a full-duration hot fire Jan. 27 at NASA\u2019s Stennis Space Center.<\/p>\n The current series builds on previous hot fire testing conducted at NASA Stennis to help certify production of new\u00a0RS-25<\/a>\u00a0engines by lead contractor Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3 Harris Technologies company. The new engines will help power NASA\u2019s SLS rocket on future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond, beginning with Artemis V.<\/p>\n Operators fired the RS-25 engine on the Fred Haise Test Stand for almost eight-and-a-half minutes (500 seconds) \u2013 the same amount of time needed to help launch\u00a0SLS<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 and at power levels ranging between 80% to 113%. New RS-25 engines will power up to the 111% level to provide additional thrust for launch of SLS. Testing up to the 113% power level provides a margin of operational safety.<\/p>\n Now at the halfway point in the series, teams will install a new certification nozzle on the engine. Installation of the new nozzle will allow engineers to gather additional performance data from a second production unit. Following installation next month, testing will resume at Stennis with six additional hot fires scheduled through March.<\/p>\n For each Artemis mission, four RS-25 engines, along with a pair of solid rocket boosters, power the SLS to produce more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. Under NASA\u2019s Artemis campaign, the agency will establish the foundation for long-term scientific exploration at the Moon, land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface, and prepare for human expeditions to Mars for the benefit of all.<\/p>\n NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the SLS Program.<\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n A fresh supply of more than\u00a08,200 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo<\/a>\u00a0is on its way to the\u00a0International Space Station\u00a0on a Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft after launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 11:07 a.m. CST Jan. 30 from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.<\/p>\n Cygnus has successfully deployed its two solar arrays and is scheduled to arrive at the space station around 3:15 a.m. Feb. 1. NASA+, NASA Television, the\u00a0NASA app<\/a>, and agency\u2019s website will provide live coverage of the spacecraft\u2019s approach and arrival beginning at 1:45 a.m.<\/p>\n NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli will capture Cygnus using the station\u2019s Canadarm2 robotic arm, and NASA astronaut Loral O\u2019Hara will be acting as a backup. After capture, the spacecraft will be installed on the Unity module\u2019s Earth-facing port.<\/p>\n This is Northrop Grumman\u2019s 20th contracted resupply mission for NASA.<\/p>\n The Payload Operations Integration Center at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center operates, plans, and coordinates the science experiments onboard the space station 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.<\/p>\n Learn more about station activities by following the\u00a0space station blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n As NASA innovates for the benefit of all, what the agency develops for exploration has the potential to evolve into other technologies with broader use here on Earth. Many of those examples are highlighted in NASA\u2019s annual Spinoff book including dozens of NASA-enabled medical innovations, as well other advancements.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s publication,\u00a0NASA\u2019s 2024 Spinoff<\/a>, features several commercialized technologies using the agency\u2019s research and development expertise to impact everyday lives, including:<\/p>\n \u201cAs we continue to push new frontiers and do the unimaginable, NASA\u2019s scientists and engineers are constantly innovating and advancing technologies,\u201d said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. \u201cA critical part of our mission is to quickly get those advances into the hands of companies and entrepreneurs who can use them to grow their businesses, open new markets, boost the economy, and raise the quality of life for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n The medical innovations include the\u00a0first wireless arthroscope\u00a0\u2013 a small tube carrying a camera inserted into the body during surgery \u2013 to receive clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which benefited from NASA\u2019s experience with spacesuits and satellite batteries.\u00a0Technologies\u00a0for diagnosing illnesses like the coronavirus, hepatitis, and cancer have also stemmed from NASA\u2019s space exploration and science endeavors. Even\u00a0certain types of toothpaste\u00a0originated from the agency\u2019s efforts to grow crystals for electronics.<\/p>\n Additional 2024 Spinoff highlights include developments under \u00a0NASA\u2019s\u00a0Artemis\u00a0campaign, like a small, rugged video camera used to improve aircraft safety and a new method for detecting defects or damage in composite materials. Meanwhile, another Spinoff story details the latest benefits of fuel cell technology created more than 50 years ago for Apollo, which is now poised to support terrestrial power grids based on renewable energy.<\/p>\n The book also features several technologies NASA has identified as promising future spinoffs and information on\u00a0how to license\u00a0agency tech. Since the 1970s, thousands of NASA technologies have found their way into many scientific and technical disciplines, impacting nearly every American industry.<\/p>\n \u201cAs NASA\u2019s longest continuously running program, we continue to increase the number of technologies we license year-over-year while streamlining the development path from the government to the commercial sector,\u201d said Daniel Lockney, Technology Transfer program executive at NASA Headquarters. \u201cThese commercialization success stories continually prove the benefits of transitioning agency technologies into private hands, where the real impacts are made.\u201d<\/p>\n Spinoffs are part of NASA\u2019s Space Technology Mission Directorate and its\u00a0Technology Transfer program<\/a>. Tech Transfer is charged with finding broad, innovative applications for NASA-developed technology through partnerships and licensing agreements, ensuring agency investments benefit the nation and the world.<\/p>\n Read<\/a> the latest issue of Spinoff.<\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s oh-so-easy to be absolutely mesmerized by these spiral galaxies. Follow their clearly defined arms, which are brimming with stars, to their centers, where there may be old star clusters and \u2013 sometimes \u2013 active supermassive black holes. Only NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope can deliver highly detailed scenes of nearby galaxies in a combination of\u00a0near- and mid-infrared light<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 and a set of these images was publicly released Jan. 29.<\/p>\n These Webb images are part of a large, long-standing project, the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS, or PHANGS, program, which is supported by more than 150 astronomers worldwide. Before Webb took these images, PHANGS was already brimming with data from NASA\u2019s Hubble Space Telescope, the Very Large Telescope\u2019s Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, and the Atacama Large Millimeter\/submillimeter Array. These included observations in ultraviolet, visible, and radio light. Webb\u2019s near- and mid-infrared contributions have provided several new puzzle pieces.<\/p>\n \u201cWebb\u2019s new images are extraordinary,\u201d said Janice Lee, a project scientist for strategic initiatives at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. \u201cThey\u2019re mind-blowing even for researchers who have studied these same galaxies for decades. Bubbles and filaments are resolved down to the smallest scales ever observed, and tell a story about the star formation cycle.\u201d<\/p>\n Excitement rapidly spread throughout the team as the Webb images flooded in. \u201cI feel like our team lives in a constant state of being overwhelmed \u2013 in a positive way \u2013 by the amount of detail in these images,\u201d added Thomas Williams, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n Webb\u2019s\u00a0NIRCam<\/a>\u00a0(Near-Infrared Camera) captured millions of stars in these images, which sparkle in blue tones. Some stars are spread throughout the spiral arms, but others are clumped tightly together in star clusters.<\/p>\n The telescope\u2019s\u00a0MIRI<\/a>\u00a0(Mid-Infrared Instrument) data highlights glowing dust, showing us where it exists around and between stars. It also spotlights stars that haven\u2019t yet fully formed \u2013 they are still encased in the gas and dust that feed their growth, like bright red seeds at the tips of dusty peaks. \u201cThese are where we can find the newest, most massive stars in the galaxies,\u201d said Erik Rosolowsky, a professor of physics at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.<\/p>\n Something else that amazed astronomers? Webb\u2019s images show large, spherical shells in the gas and dust. \u201cThese holes may have been created by one or more stars that exploded, carving out giant holes in the\u00a0interstellar material<\/a>,\u201d explained Adam Leroy, a professor of astronomy at the Ohio State University in Columbus.<\/p>\n Now, trace the spiral arms to find extended regions of gas that appear red and orange. \u201cThese structures tend to follow the same pattern in certain parts of the galaxies,\u201d Rosolowsky added. \u201cWe think of these like waves, and their spacing tells us a lot about how a galaxy distributes its gas and dust.\u201d Study of these structures will provide key insights about how galaxies build, maintain, and shut off star formation.<\/p>\n Evidence shows that galaxies grow from inside out \u2013 star formation begins at galaxies\u2019 cores and spreads along their arms, spiraling away from the center. The farther a star is from the galaxy\u2019s core, the more likely it is to be younger. In contrast, the areas near the cores that look lit by a blue spotlight are populations of older stars.<\/p>\n What about galaxy cores that are awash in pink-and-red diffraction spikes? \u201cThat\u2019s a clear sign that there may be an active supermassive black hole,\u201d said Eva Schinnerer, a staff scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Heidelberg, Germany. \u201cOr, the star clusters toward the center are so bright that they have saturated that area of the image.\u201d<\/p>\n There are many avenues of research that scientists can begin to pursue with the combined PHANGS data, but the unprecedented number of stars Webb resolved are a great place to begin. \u201cStars can live for billions or trillions of years,\u201d Leroy said. \u201cBy precisely cataloging all types of stars, we can build a more reliable, holistic view of their life cycles.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to immediately releasing these images, the PHANGS team has also released the largest catalog to date of roughly 100,000 star clusters. \u201cThe amount of analysis that can be done with these images is vastly larger than anything our team could possibly handle,\u201d Rosolowsky emphasized. \u201cWe\u2019re excited to support the community so all researchers can contribute.\u201d<\/p>\n See\u00a0the full set of 19 images from both Webb and Hubble<\/a>.<\/p>\n The James Webb Space Telescope is the world\u2019s premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency. Several NASA centers contributed to the project, including\u00a0NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n With less than nine months remaining in the countdown to launch, NASA\u2019s\u00a0Europa Clipper<\/a>\u00a0mission has passed a major milestone: Its science instruments have been added to the massive spacecraft, which is being assembled at the agency\u2019s JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory).<\/p>\n Set to launch from NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in October, the spacecraft will head to Jupiter\u2019s ice-encased moon\u00a0Europa<\/a>, where a salty ocean beneath the frozen surface may hold conditions suitable for life. Europa Clipper won\u2019t be landing; rather, after arriving at the Jupiter system in 2030, the spacecraft will orbit Jupiter for four years, performing 49 flybys of Europa and using its powerful suite of\u00a0nine science instruments<\/a>\u00a0to investigate the moon\u2019s potential as a habitable environment.<\/p>\n \u201cThe instruments work together hand in hand to answer our most pressing questions about Europa,\u201d said JPL\u2019s Robert Pappalardo, the mission\u2019s project scientist. \u201cWe will learn what makes Europa tick, from its core and rocky interior to its ocean and ice shell to its very thin atmosphere and the surrounding space environment.\u201d<\/p>\n The hallmark of Europa Clipper\u2019s\u00a0science investigation\u00a0is how all of the instruments will work in sync while collecting data to accomplish the mission\u2019s science objectives. During each flyby, the fully array of instruments will gather measurements and images that will be layered together to paint the full picture of Europa.<\/p>\n \u201cThe science is better if we obtain the observations at the same time,\u201d Pappalardo said. \u201cWhat we\u2019re striving for is integration, so that at any point we are using all the instruments to study Europa at once and there is no need to have to trade off among them.\u201d<\/p>\n By studying the environment around Europa, scientists will learn more about the moon\u2019s interior. The spacecraft carries a\u00a0magnetometer\u00a0to measure the magnetic field around the moon. That data will be key to understanding the ocean, because the field is created, or induced, by the electrical conductivity of the ocean\u2019s saltwater as Europa moves through Jupiter\u2019s strong magnetic field. Working in tandem with the magnetometer is an instrument that will\u00a0analyze the plasma\u00a0(charged particles) around Europa, which can distort magnetic fields. Together, they\u2019ll ensure the most accurate measurements possible.<\/p>\n What the mission discovers about Europa\u2019s atmosphere will also lend insights into the moon\u2019s surface and interior. While the atmosphere is faint, with only 100 billionth the pressure of Earth\u2019s atmosphere, scientists expect that it holds a trove of clues about the moon. They have evidence from space- and ground-based telescopes that there may be plumes of water vapor venting from beneath the moon\u2019s surface, and observations from past missions suggest that ice and dust particles are being ejected into space by micrometeorite impacts.<\/p>\n Three instruments will help investigate the atmosphere and its associated particles: A\u00a0mass spectrometer\u00a0will analyze gases, a\u00a0surface dust analyzer\u00a0will examine dust, and a spectrograph will\u00a0collect ultraviolet light\u00a0to search for plumes and identify how the properties of the dynamic atmosphere change over time.<\/p>\n<\/figure><\/figure>National Mentoring Month: Troubleshooting with NASA\u2019s Aaron Comis and Brad Solomon<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/figure><\/figure>Marshall Team Supports Space Night with the Huntsville Havoc<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/figure><\/figure><\/figure>NASA Marks Halfway Point for Artemis Moon Rocket Engine Certification Series<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/figure><\/figure>Cygnus Lifts Off Atop SpaceX Rocket to Deliver Station Cargo<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/figure>NASA Space Tech Spinoffs Benefit Earth Medicine, Moon to Mars Tools<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Webb Depicts Staggering Structure in 19 Nearby Spiral Galaxies<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/figure><\/figure><\/figure>Poised for Science: NASA\u2019s Europa Clipper Instruments are All Aboard<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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