\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Marshall Star for December 13, 2023\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"Marshall](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ar05945.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 Team Members Celebrate Holiday Season<\/strong><\/h2>\nBy Jessica Barnett<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Marshall](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ar05945.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nMarshall team members gather at the center\u2019s holiday reception Dec. 7 in Activities Building 4316. From left are Cory Brown, Leigh Martin, Lisa Watkins, Shaun Baek, and Randy Silver. <\/div>\nNASA\/Alex Russell<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFor hundreds of team members at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center, \u201ceat, drink, and be merry\u201d was the afternoon theme for Dec. 7.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"Marshall](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ar05871.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nMarshall team members sign up for door prizes while Marshall Acting Center Director Joseph Pelfrey offers welcoming remarks at the center\u2019s holiday reception. <\/div>\nNASA\/Alex Russell<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe center hosted a holiday celebration in Activities Building 4316, complete with food, door prizes, and plenty of opportunity to wish one happy holidays. Acting Center Director Joseph Pelfrey welcomed team members to the festivities with a brief recap of 2023 and look forward to 2024.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"Hundreds](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ar05892.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nHundreds of Marshall team members enjoy the buffet-style food offerings at the center\u2019s holiday reception. <\/div>\nNASA\/Alex Russell<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cI was thrilled to see such an excellent turnout at the holiday reception,\u201d Pelfrey said after the reception. \u201cThis has been an exceptional year for us at Marshall, and it\u2019s important we take time this season to celebrate our successes and recharge for 2024.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ar05904.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nThe NASA worm logo flanked by two holiday trees was just one of the ways Activities Building 4316 was decked out for a merry holiday reception Dec. 7. <\/div>\nNASA\/Alex Russell<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBarnett, a Media Fusion employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nIXPE Marks 2 Years of Groundbreaking X-ray Astronomy<\/strong><\/h2>\nBy Rick Smith<\/em><\/p>\nOn Dec. 9, astronomers and physicists commemorated two years of landmark X-ray science by NASA\u2019s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer<\/a>) mission.<\/p>\nIXPE is the joint NASA-Italian Space Agency mission to study polarized X-ray light. Polarization<\/a> is a characteristic of light that can help reveal information about where that light came from, such as the geometry and inner workings of the ultra-powerful energy sources from which it emanates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/sn1006.jpeg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nThis image of supernova remnant SN 1006 combines data from IXPE and NASA\u2019s Chandra X-ray Observatory. The red, green, and blue elements reflect low, medium, and high energy X-rays, respectively, as detected by Chandra. IXPE data is shown in purple in the upper left corner, with the addition of lines representing the outward movement of the remnant\u2019s magnetic field.<\/div>\nX-ray: NASA\/CXC\/SAO (Chandra); NASA\/MSFC\/Nanjing Univ.\/P. Zhou et al. (IXPE); IR: NASA\/JPL\/CalTech\/Spitzer; Image Processing: NASA\/CXC\/SAO\/J.Schmidt<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nLaunched Dec. 9, 2021, IXPE orbits Earth some 340 miles high, studying X-ray emissions from powerful cosmic phenomena thousands to billions of light-years from Earth, including quasars, blazars, remnants of supernova explosions, and high-energy particle streams spewing from the vicinity of black holes at nearly the speed of light.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdding X-ray polarization to our arsenal of radio, infrared, and optical polarization is a game changer,\u201d said Alan Marscher, a Boston University astronomer who leads a research group that uses IXPE\u2019s findings to analyze supermassive black holes.<\/p>\n
Martin Weisskopf, the astrophysicist who led the development of IXPE at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center and served as its principal investigator until his retirement from NASA in spring 2022, agreed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere can be no question that IXPE has shown that X-ray polarimetry is important and relevant to furthering our understanding of how these fascinating X-ray systems work,\u201d Weisskopf said.<\/p>\n
Scientists have long understood, for example, the fundamentals of blazars such as Markarian 501<\/a> and Markarian 421<\/a>. A blazar is a massive black hole feeding off material swirling around it in a disk, creating powerful jets of high-speed cosmic particles which rush away in two directions perpendicular to the disk. But how are those particles accelerated to such high energies? IXPE data published in November 2022 in the journal Nature<\/a> identified the culprit at Markarian 501 as a shock wave within the jet.<\/p>\n\u201cThis is a 40-year-old mystery that we\u2019ve solved,\u201d said Yannis Liodakis, a NASA Postdoctoral Program researcher at Marshall. \u201cWe finally had all of the pieces of the puzzle, and the picture they made was clear.\u201d<\/p>\n
IXPE also conducted unprecedented studies of three supernova remnants \u2013 Cassiopeia A<\/a>, Tycho<\/a>, and SN 1006<\/a> \u2013 helping scientists further their understanding of the origin and processes of the magnetic fields surrounding these phenomena.<\/p>\nIXPE is even shedding new light on fundamental mechanisms of our own galaxy. According to studies IXPE conducted in early 2022, Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, woke up about 200 years ago<\/a> to devour gas and other cosmic detritus, triggering an intense, short-lived X-ray flare. By combining data from IXPE, Chandra, and the European Space Agency\u2019s XMM-Newton mission, researchers determined the event occurred around the start of the 19th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/ixpe-markarian-421.png?w=985\")
<\/figure>\nThis NASA illustration shows the structure of a black hole jet as inferred by recent IXPE observations of the blazar Markarian 421. The jet is powered by an accretion disk, shown at the bottom of the image, which orbits and falls into the black hole over time. Helical magnetic fields are threaded through the jet. IXPE observations have shown that the X-rays must be generated in a shock originating within material spiraling around the magnetic fields. The inset shows the shock front itself.<\/div>\nNASA\/Pablo Garcia<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cWe know change can happen to active galaxies and supermassive black holes on a human timescale,\u201d said IXPE project scientist Steve Ehlert at Marshall. \u201cIXPE is helping us better understand the timescale on which the black hole at the center of our galaxy is changing. We\u2019re eager to observe it further to determine which changes are typical and which are unique.\u201d<\/p>\n
IXPE also has supported observations of unanticipated cosmic events \u2013 such as the brightest pulse of intense radiation ever recorded, which swept through our solar system in October 2022. The pulse stemmed from a powerful gamma-ray burst<\/a> likely to occur no more than once in 10,000 years, researchers said. Backing up data from NASA\u2019s Fermi Space Telescope<\/a> and other imagers, IXPE helped determine how the pulse was organized and confirmed that Earth imagers viewed the jet almost directly head-on.<\/p>\nPerhaps most exciting to space scientists is how IXPE data is upending conventional wisdom about various classes of high-energy sources.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo many of the polarized X-ray results we\u2019ve seen over the past two years were a big surprise, tossing theoretical models right out the window,\u201d Ehlert said. \u201cSeeing results we didn\u2019t anticipate sparks new questions, new theories. It\u2019s really exciting!\u201d<\/p>\n
That excitement continues to build among IXPE partners around the world. In June, the mission was formally extended for 20 months beyond its initial two-year flight \u2013 meaning IXPE will continue to observe high-energy X-ray emissions across the cosmos through at least September 2025.<\/p>\n
The new year also will mark the start of the IXPE General Observer Program, which invites astrophysicists and other space scientists around the world to propose and take part in studies using the IXPE telescope. Beginning in February 2024, as much as 80% of IXPE\u2019s time will be made available to the broader scientific community.<\/p>\n
IXPE is a collaboration between NASA and the Italian Space Agency with partners and science collaborators in 12 countries. Led at Marshall, IXPE\u2019s spacecraft operations are jointly managed by Ball Aerospace in Broomfield, Colorado, and the University of Colorado\u2019s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder.<\/p>\n
Smith, a Manufacturing Technical Solutions employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nThis Holiday Season, Take Care of Yourself and Others<\/strong><\/h2>\nDear Marshall family,<\/p>\n
As 2023 comes to a close, my thoughts seem to be focused more than ever upon gratitude. As is true for many of you I\u2019m sure, I am so incredibly thankful for my loved ones, for good health for me and my loved ones, and for the life that I enjoy.<\/p>\n
The life that I enjoy encompasses a great deal. I have a comfortable home, with heat for the winter, air conditioning for the summer, hot and cold water all year long, good food to eat, reliable vehicles to drive, nice clothes and shoes to wear, access to entertainment, the ability to be a part of a community, and I could go on and on. The point is, I have a great deal to be thankful for, and being thankful helps me to be more aware of the fact that many in our community and our world are not so fortunate. I hope that you, too, will take some time to consider the people, circumstances, and things for which you are grateful, and also to consider looking for opportunities to help those in our community who are less fortunate.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"Terry](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/terry_sterry.jpg?w=600\")
<\/figure>\nDr. Terry Sterry.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWith the holidays upon us, this can be a very demanding time of year, and that can add a good deal of stress to our lives. The stressors of the season will be different for each of us, but some common ones include attending more parties and other events, hosting parties, being around people whom we would prefer to avoid, spending too much on gifts, and trying to make everything turn out perfectly.<\/p>\n
Please be deliberate in taking good care of yourselves during the holiday season. That, too, will look different for everyone, but some tips include giving ourselves permission to get enough sleep and rest, setting a budget and sticking to it, striving for enjoyment rather than perfection, limiting our indulgence in all the good food of the season, not drinking to excess, and giving ourselves permission to say \u2018no\u2019 to things that will cause us to be stretched too thin or pushed beyond our limits.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While we typically think of the holidays as a time of joy and celebration, it can also be a time of intense sadness, grief, and feeling overwhelmed. Pay attention to those around you and if you see opportunities to offer support, please do. The holidays are very family focused, and this can be especially difficult for those who have discord within their family, for those with little or no remaining family, or those who have lost loved ones over this past year. If you find yourself struggling, please reach out to those you trust, be that family members, friends, spiritual leaders, or counselors (including the Marshall Employee Assistance Program), for support. Don\u2019t suffer alone or in silence. It\u2019s OK to ask for help.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll close with a couple of requests. First, please use your leave \u2013 take some time off to enjoy the holiday season, or just to go out and do something that you\u2019ve been wanting to do. Second, if you have leave that you can\u2019t use, please consider donating it to the leave bank. Donated leave makes a tremendous difference for those who have exhausted their own leave due to illness or accident, or to care for loved ones who are ill or recovering. Your generosity has the potential to help someone avoid the painful situation of having to take leave without pay.<\/p>\n
Happy Holidays!\u00a0 Be safe and well.<\/p>\n
Dr. Terry Sterry
Licensed psychologist and Marshall Employee Assistance Program coordinator<\/p>\n
For more information, team members can visit the\u00a0<\/em>Employee Assistance Program<\/em>\u00a0<\/a>page on Inside Marshall.<\/em><\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nNASA Teams Prepare Moon Rocket-to-Spacecraft Connector for Assembly<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe elements of the super-heavy lift SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for NASA\u2019s\u00a0Artemis II mission<\/a>\u00a0are undergoing final preparations before shipment to NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center for stacking and pre-launch activities in 2024.<\/p>\nTeams at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center recently rotated the Orion stage adapter \u2013 a ring structure that connects NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft to the SLS rocket\u2019s\u00a0interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS)<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 in preparation for the installation of its diaphragm. The installation Nov. 30 marks one of the final steps for the adapter before it is readied for shipment to Kennedy via NASA\u2019s Super Guppy cargo aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Engineers](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/msfc-11292023-bldg-4708-osa-ii-flip-and-diaphragm-install-1.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nTeams at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center recently rotated the Orion stage adapter \u2013 a ring structure that connects NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft to the SLS rocket\u2019s interim cryogenic propulsion stage \u2013 in preparation for the installation of its diaphragm. The installation Nov. 30 marks one of the final steps for the adapter before it is readied for shipment to Kennedy via NASA\u2019s Super Guppy cargo aircraft.<\/div>\nNASA\/Sam Lott<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cThe diaphragm is a composite, dome-shaped structure that isolates the volume above the ICPS from that below Orion,\u201d said Brent Gaddes, lead for the Orion stage adapter, in the Spacecraft\/Payload Integration & Evolution Office for the SLS Program at Marshall. \u201cIt serves as a barrier between the two, preventing the highly flammable hydrogen gas that could escape the rocket\u2019s propellant tanks from building up beneath the Orion spacecraft and its crew before and during launch.\u201d<\/p>\n
At five feet tall and weighing in at 1,800 pounds, the adapter is the smallest major element of the SLS rocket that will produce more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust to launch four Artemis astronauts inside Orion around the Moon. The adapter is fully manufactured by engineering teams at Marshall.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\nNASA is working to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA\u2019s backbone for deep space exploration, along with Orion and the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.<\/p>\n
\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n25 Years Ago: NASA, Partners Begin Space Station Assembly<\/strong><\/h2>\nOn Dec. 6, NASA marked 25 years since the first two elements of the International Space Station were launched and joined in space. Today, the space station remains a global endeavor, with 273 people from 21 countries now having visited the microgravity laboratory and has hosted more than 3,700 research and educational investigations from people in 108 countries and areas.<\/p>\n
On Nov. 20 and Dec. 4, 1998, Zarya and Unity, respectively, launched into orbit as the first two modules of the International Space Station. On Dec. 6, 1998, the space shuttle Endeavour STS-88 crew, NASA astronauts Bob Cabana, Rick Sturckow, Nancy Currie, Jerry Ross, and James Newman, along with Russian Space Agency (now Roscosmos) cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, captured the Zarya module with the space shuttle\u2019s robotic arm and mated it to Unity.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/iss-assembly-begins-3-sts088-705-070.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nThe Unity Node 1 module being lifted out of the cargo bay. On Nov. 20 and Dec. 4, 1998, Zarya and Unity, respectively, launched into orbit as the first two modules of the International Space Station. On Dec. 6, 1998, the space shuttle Endeavour STS-88 crew captured the Zarya module with the space shuttle\u2019s robotic arm and mated it to Unity.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nEngineers thousands of miles apart designed and built the two modules and the elements first met in space. The STS-88 crew, commanded by Cabana, spent the next few days and three spacewalks making connections between the two modules before releasing the early station.<\/p>\n
Since the joining of Zarya and Unity, the space station has grown with additions from international partners, resulting in the largest and most complex piece of technology constructed in space.<\/p>\n
In November 2000, the space station received its first long-duration residents, Expedition 1, including NASA astronaut William Shepard, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko. Since that time, international teams have kept the space station permanently inhabited, performing routine operations and maintenance including dozens of spacewalks, and conducting world-class research in a wide array of scientific disciplines. From visiting spacecraft with cargo, crew, and private astronauts, to spacewalks for station upgrades, to science investigations and technology demonstrations, to commercial activities, to public outreach and STEM downlinks, the International Space Station is a busy orbital outpost and microgravity laboratory.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/iss-assembly-begins-6-zarya-unity-comparison-to-iss-today.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nThe International Space Station as it appeared in 2021, compared to Zarya and Unity at the same scale in the inset<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe seven-member Expedition 70 crew called down to Earth on Dec. 6 and discussed with NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana and International Space Station Program Manager Joel Montalbano the orbital outpost\u2019s accomplishments since the assembly era began on Dec. 6, 1998. Cabana was the commander of Endeavour when both modules were robotically mated then outfitted during a series of spacewalks. Montalbano, NASA\u2019s sixth station leader since the program\u2019s inception, said, \u201cWe want to celebrate today all the people who designed, built, and operate the International Space Station.\u201d<\/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
\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nHubble Captures a Cluster in the Cloud<\/strong><\/h2>\nA striking\u00a0Hubble Space Telescope<\/a>\u00a0image shows the densely packed\u00a0globular cluster\u00a0known as NGC 2210, which is situated in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The LMC lies about 157,000 light-years from Earth and is a so-called satellite\u00a0galaxy\u00a0of the Milky Way, meaning that the two galaxies are gravitationally bound. Globular clusters are very stable, tightly bound clusters of thousands or even millions of stars. Their stability means that they can last a long time, and therefore globular clusters are often studied to investigate potentially very old stellar populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/cluster-in-the-cloud.jpg?w=2048\")
<\/figure>\nNASA\u2019s Hubble Space Telescope can resolve individual stars in the densely packed cores of globular clusters like NGC 2210.<\/div>\nESA\/Hubble & NASA, A. Sarajedini<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIn fact, 2017 research using some of the data that were also used to build the image revealed that a sample of LMC globular clusters were incredibly close in age to some of the oldest stellar clusters found in the Milky Way\u2019s halo. They found that NGC 2210 specifically probably clocks in at around 11.6 billion years old. Even though this is only a couple of billion years younger than the universe itself, it made NGC 2210 by far the youngest globular cluster in their sample. All other LMC globular clusters studied in the same work were found to be even older, with four of them over 13 billion years old. This tells astronomers that the oldest globular clusters in the LMC formed contemporaneously with the oldest clusters in the Milky Way, even though the two galaxies formed independently.<\/p>\n
As well as being a source of interesting research, this old-but-relatively-young cluster is also extremely beautiful, with its highly concentrated population of stars. The night sky would look very different from the perspective of an inhabitant of a planet orbiting one of the stars in a globular cluster\u2019s center: the sky would appear to be stuffed full of stars, in a stellar environment that is thousands of times more crowded than our own.<\/p>\n
\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nWebb Stuns with New High-Definition Look at Exploded Star<\/strong><\/h2>\nLike a shiny round ornament ready to be placed in the perfect spot on a holiday tree, supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A) gleams in a new image from NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope. As part of the\u00a02023 Holidays at the White House<\/a>, First Lady of the United States Dr. Jill Biden debuted the first-ever White House Advent Calendar. To showcase the \u201cMagic, Wonder, and Joy\u201d of the holiday season, Dr. Biden and NASA are celebrating with this new image from Webb.<\/p>\nWhile all is bright, this scene is no proverbial silent night.\u00a0Webb\u2019s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) view of Cas A displays this stellar explosion at a resolution previously unreachable at these wavelengths. This high-resolution look unveils intricate details of the expanding shell of material slamming into the gas shed by the star before it exploded.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"NASA\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/p100mwlp.png?w=1746\")
<\/figure>\nNASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope\u2019s new view of Cassiopeia A in near-infrared light is giving astronomers hints at the dynamical processes occurring within the supernova remnant. Tiny clumps represented in bright pink and orange make up the supernova\u2019s inner shell, and are comprised of sulfur, oxygen, argon, and neon from the star itself. A large, striated blob at the bottom right corner of the image, nicknamed Baby Cas A, is one of the few light echoes visible NIRCam\u2019s field of view. In this image, red, green, and blue were assigned to Webb\u2019s NIRCam data at 4.4, 3.56, and 1.62 microns (F444W, F356W, and F162M, respectively).<\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, D. Milisavljevic (Purdue University), T. Temim (Princeton University), I. De Looze (University of Gent)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nCas A is one of the most well-studied supernova remnants in all of the cosmos. Over the years, ground-based and space-based observatories, including NASA\u2019s\u00a0Chandra X-Ray Observatory,\u00a0Hubble Space Telescope, and retired\u00a0Spitzer Space Telescope\u00a0have assembled a multiwavelength picture of the object\u2019s remnant.<\/p>\n
However, astronomers have now entered a new era in the study of Cas A. In April 2023, Webb\u2019s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument)\u00a0started this chapter<\/a>, revealing new and unexpected features within the inner shell of the supernova remnant. Many of those features are invisible in the new NIRCam image, and astronomers are investigating why.<\/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.<\/p>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nMarshall Team Members Celebrate Holiday Season<\/strong><\/h2>\nBy Jessica Barnett<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nMarshall team members gather at the center\u2019s holiday reception Dec. 7 in Activities Building 4316. From left are Cory Brown, Leigh Martin, Lisa Watkins, Shaun Baek, and Randy Silver. <\/div>\nNASA\/Alex Russell<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nFor hundreds of team members at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center, \u201ceat, drink, and be merry\u201d was the afternoon theme for Dec. 7.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nMarshall team members sign up for door prizes while Marshall Acting Center Director Joseph Pelfrey offers welcoming remarks at the center\u2019s holiday reception. <\/div>\nNASA\/Alex Russell<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe center hosted a holiday celebration in Activities Building 4316, complete with food, door prizes, and plenty of opportunity to wish one happy holidays. Acting Center Director Joseph Pelfrey welcomed team members to the festivities with a brief recap of 2023 and look forward to 2024.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nHundreds of Marshall team members enjoy the buffet-style food offerings at the center\u2019s holiday reception. <\/div>\nNASA\/Alex Russell<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cI was thrilled to see such an excellent turnout at the holiday reception,\u201d Pelfrey said after the reception. \u201cThis has been an exceptional year for us at Marshall, and it\u2019s important we take time this season to celebrate our successes and recharge for 2024.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nThe NASA worm logo flanked by two holiday trees was just one of the ways Activities Building 4316 was decked out for a merry holiday reception Dec. 7. <\/div>\nNASA\/Alex Russell<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBarnett, a Media Fusion employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nIXPE Marks 2 Years of Groundbreaking X-ray Astronomy<\/strong><\/h2>\nBy Rick Smith<\/em><\/p>\nOn Dec. 9, astronomers and physicists commemorated two years of landmark X-ray science by NASA\u2019s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer<\/a>) mission.<\/p>\nIXPE is the joint NASA-Italian Space Agency mission to study polarized X-ray light. Polarization<\/a> is a characteristic of light that can help reveal information about where that light came from, such as the geometry and inner workings of the ultra-powerful energy sources from which it emanates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nThis image of supernova remnant SN 1006 combines data from IXPE and NASA\u2019s Chandra X-ray Observatory. The red, green, and blue elements reflect low, medium, and high energy X-rays, respectively, as detected by Chandra. IXPE data is shown in purple in the upper left corner, with the addition of lines representing the outward movement of the remnant\u2019s magnetic field.<\/div>\nX-ray: NASA\/CXC\/SAO (Chandra); NASA\/MSFC\/Nanjing Univ.\/P. Zhou et al. (IXPE); IR: NASA\/JPL\/CalTech\/Spitzer; Image Processing: NASA\/CXC\/SAO\/J.Schmidt<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nLaunched Dec. 9, 2021, IXPE orbits Earth some 340 miles high, studying X-ray emissions from powerful cosmic phenomena thousands to billions of light-years from Earth, including quasars, blazars, remnants of supernova explosions, and high-energy particle streams spewing from the vicinity of black holes at nearly the speed of light.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdding X-ray polarization to our arsenal of radio, infrared, and optical polarization is a game changer,\u201d said Alan Marscher, a Boston University astronomer who leads a research group that uses IXPE\u2019s findings to analyze supermassive black holes.<\/p>\n
Martin Weisskopf, the astrophysicist who led the development of IXPE at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center and served as its principal investigator until his retirement from NASA in spring 2022, agreed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere can be no question that IXPE has shown that X-ray polarimetry is important and relevant to furthering our understanding of how these fascinating X-ray systems work,\u201d Weisskopf said.<\/p>\n
Scientists have long understood, for example, the fundamentals of blazars such as Markarian 501<\/a> and Markarian 421<\/a>. A blazar is a massive black hole feeding off material swirling around it in a disk, creating powerful jets of high-speed cosmic particles which rush away in two directions perpendicular to the disk. But how are those particles accelerated to such high energies? IXPE data published in November 2022 in the journal Nature<\/a> identified the culprit at Markarian 501 as a shock wave within the jet.<\/p>\n\u201cThis is a 40-year-old mystery that we\u2019ve solved,\u201d said Yannis Liodakis, a NASA Postdoctoral Program researcher at Marshall. \u201cWe finally had all of the pieces of the puzzle, and the picture they made was clear.\u201d<\/p>\n
IXPE also conducted unprecedented studies of three supernova remnants \u2013 Cassiopeia A<\/a>, Tycho<\/a>, and SN 1006<\/a> \u2013 helping scientists further their understanding of the origin and processes of the magnetic fields surrounding these phenomena.<\/p>\nIXPE is even shedding new light on fundamental mechanisms of our own galaxy. According to studies IXPE conducted in early 2022, Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, woke up about 200 years ago<\/a> to devour gas and other cosmic detritus, triggering an intense, short-lived X-ray flare. By combining data from IXPE, Chandra, and the European Space Agency\u2019s XMM-Newton mission, researchers determined the event occurred around the start of the 19th century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nThis NASA illustration shows the structure of a black hole jet as inferred by recent IXPE observations of the blazar Markarian 421. The jet is powered by an accretion disk, shown at the bottom of the image, which orbits and falls into the black hole over time. Helical magnetic fields are threaded through the jet. IXPE observations have shown that the X-rays must be generated in a shock originating within material spiraling around the magnetic fields. The inset shows the shock front itself.<\/div>\nNASA\/Pablo Garcia<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cWe know change can happen to active galaxies and supermassive black holes on a human timescale,\u201d said IXPE project scientist Steve Ehlert at Marshall. \u201cIXPE is helping us better understand the timescale on which the black hole at the center of our galaxy is changing. We\u2019re eager to observe it further to determine which changes are typical and which are unique.\u201d<\/p>\n
IXPE also has supported observations of unanticipated cosmic events \u2013 such as the brightest pulse of intense radiation ever recorded, which swept through our solar system in October 2022. The pulse stemmed from a powerful gamma-ray burst<\/a> likely to occur no more than once in 10,000 years, researchers said. Backing up data from NASA\u2019s Fermi Space Telescope<\/a> and other imagers, IXPE helped determine how the pulse was organized and confirmed that Earth imagers viewed the jet almost directly head-on.<\/p>\nPerhaps most exciting to space scientists is how IXPE data is upending conventional wisdom about various classes of high-energy sources.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo many of the polarized X-ray results we\u2019ve seen over the past two years were a big surprise, tossing theoretical models right out the window,\u201d Ehlert said. \u201cSeeing results we didn\u2019t anticipate sparks new questions, new theories. It\u2019s really exciting!\u201d<\/p>\n
That excitement continues to build among IXPE partners around the world. In June, the mission was formally extended for 20 months beyond its initial two-year flight \u2013 meaning IXPE will continue to observe high-energy X-ray emissions across the cosmos through at least September 2025.<\/p>\n
The new year also will mark the start of the IXPE General Observer Program, which invites astrophysicists and other space scientists around the world to propose and take part in studies using the IXPE telescope. Beginning in February 2024, as much as 80% of IXPE\u2019s time will be made available to the broader scientific community.<\/p>\n
IXPE is a collaboration between NASA and the Italian Space Agency with partners and science collaborators in 12 countries. Led at Marshall, IXPE\u2019s spacecraft operations are jointly managed by Ball Aerospace in Broomfield, Colorado, and the University of Colorado\u2019s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder.<\/p>\n
Smith, a Manufacturing Technical Solutions employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nThis Holiday Season, Take Care of Yourself and Others<\/strong><\/h2>\nDear Marshall family,<\/p>\n
As 2023 comes to a close, my thoughts seem to be focused more than ever upon gratitude. As is true for many of you I\u2019m sure, I am so incredibly thankful for my loved ones, for good health for me and my loved ones, and for the life that I enjoy.<\/p>\n
The life that I enjoy encompasses a great deal. I have a comfortable home, with heat for the winter, air conditioning for the summer, hot and cold water all year long, good food to eat, reliable vehicles to drive, nice clothes and shoes to wear, access to entertainment, the ability to be a part of a community, and I could go on and on. The point is, I have a great deal to be thankful for, and being thankful helps me to be more aware of the fact that many in our community and our world are not so fortunate. I hope that you, too, will take some time to consider the people, circumstances, and things for which you are grateful, and also to consider looking for opportunities to help those in our community who are less fortunate.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nDr. Terry Sterry.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWith the holidays upon us, this can be a very demanding time of year, and that can add a good deal of stress to our lives. The stressors of the season will be different for each of us, but some common ones include attending more parties and other events, hosting parties, being around people whom we would prefer to avoid, spending too much on gifts, and trying to make everything turn out perfectly.<\/p>\n
Please be deliberate in taking good care of yourselves during the holiday season. That, too, will look different for everyone, but some tips include giving ourselves permission to get enough sleep and rest, setting a budget and sticking to it, striving for enjoyment rather than perfection, limiting our indulgence in all the good food of the season, not drinking to excess, and giving ourselves permission to say \u2018no\u2019 to things that will cause us to be stretched too thin or pushed beyond our limits.\u00a0<\/p>\n
While we typically think of the holidays as a time of joy and celebration, it can also be a time of intense sadness, grief, and feeling overwhelmed. Pay attention to those around you and if you see opportunities to offer support, please do. The holidays are very family focused, and this can be especially difficult for those who have discord within their family, for those with little or no remaining family, or those who have lost loved ones over this past year. If you find yourself struggling, please reach out to those you trust, be that family members, friends, spiritual leaders, or counselors (including the Marshall Employee Assistance Program), for support. Don\u2019t suffer alone or in silence. It\u2019s OK to ask for help.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll close with a couple of requests. First, please use your leave \u2013 take some time off to enjoy the holiday season, or just to go out and do something that you\u2019ve been wanting to do. Second, if you have leave that you can\u2019t use, please consider donating it to the leave bank. Donated leave makes a tremendous difference for those who have exhausted their own leave due to illness or accident, or to care for loved ones who are ill or recovering. Your generosity has the potential to help someone avoid the painful situation of having to take leave without pay.<\/p>\n
Happy Holidays!\u00a0 Be safe and well.<\/p>\n
Dr. Terry Sterry
Licensed psychologist and Marshall Employee Assistance Program coordinator<\/p>\n
For more information, team members can visit the\u00a0<\/em>Employee Assistance Program<\/em>\u00a0<\/a>page on Inside Marshall.<\/em><\/p>\n\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nNASA Teams Prepare Moon Rocket-to-Spacecraft Connector for Assembly<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe elements of the super-heavy lift SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for NASA\u2019s\u00a0Artemis II mission<\/a>\u00a0are undergoing final preparations before shipment to NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center for stacking and pre-launch activities in 2024.<\/p>\nTeams at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center recently rotated the Orion stage adapter \u2013 a ring structure that connects NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft to the SLS rocket\u2019s\u00a0interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS)<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 in preparation for the installation of its diaphragm. The installation Nov. 30 marks one of the final steps for the adapter before it is readied for shipment to Kennedy via NASA\u2019s Super Guppy cargo aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nTeams at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center recently rotated the Orion stage adapter \u2013 a ring structure that connects NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft to the SLS rocket\u2019s interim cryogenic propulsion stage \u2013 in preparation for the installation of its diaphragm. The installation Nov. 30 marks one of the final steps for the adapter before it is readied for shipment to Kennedy via NASA\u2019s Super Guppy cargo aircraft.<\/div>\nNASA\/Sam Lott<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cThe diaphragm is a composite, dome-shaped structure that isolates the volume above the ICPS from that below Orion,\u201d said Brent Gaddes, lead for the Orion stage adapter, in the Spacecraft\/Payload Integration & Evolution Office for the SLS Program at Marshall. \u201cIt serves as a barrier between the two, preventing the highly flammable hydrogen gas that could escape the rocket\u2019s propellant tanks from building up beneath the Orion spacecraft and its crew before and during launch.\u201d<\/p>\n
At five feet tall and weighing in at 1,800 pounds, the adapter is the smallest major element of the SLS rocket that will produce more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust to launch four Artemis astronauts inside Orion around the Moon. The adapter is fully manufactured by engineering teams at Marshall.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\nNASA is working to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA\u2019s backbone for deep space exploration, along with Orion and the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.<\/p>\n
\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n25 Years Ago: NASA, Partners Begin Space Station Assembly<\/strong><\/h2>\nOn Dec. 6, NASA marked 25 years since the first two elements of the International Space Station were launched and joined in space. Today, the space station remains a global endeavor, with 273 people from 21 countries now having visited the microgravity laboratory and has hosted more than 3,700 research and educational investigations from people in 108 countries and areas.<\/p>\n
On Nov. 20 and Dec. 4, 1998, Zarya and Unity, respectively, launched into orbit as the first two modules of the International Space Station. On Dec. 6, 1998, the space shuttle Endeavour STS-88 crew, NASA astronauts Bob Cabana, Rick Sturckow, Nancy Currie, Jerry Ross, and James Newman, along with Russian Space Agency (now Roscosmos) cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, captured the Zarya module with the space shuttle\u2019s robotic arm and mated it to Unity.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nThe Unity Node 1 module being lifted out of the cargo bay. On Nov. 20 and Dec. 4, 1998, Zarya and Unity, respectively, launched into orbit as the first two modules of the International Space Station. On Dec. 6, 1998, the space shuttle Endeavour STS-88 crew captured the Zarya module with the space shuttle\u2019s robotic arm and mated it to Unity.<\/div>\nNASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nEngineers thousands of miles apart designed and built the two modules and the elements first met in space. The STS-88 crew, commanded by Cabana, spent the next few days and three spacewalks making connections between the two modules before releasing the early station.<\/p>\n
Since the joining of Zarya and Unity, the space station has grown with additions from international partners, resulting in the largest and most complex piece of technology constructed in space.<\/p>\n
In November 2000, the space station received its first long-duration residents, Expedition 1, including NASA astronaut William Shepard, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko. Since that time, international teams have kept the space station permanently inhabited, performing routine operations and maintenance including dozens of spacewalks, and conducting world-class research in a wide array of scientific disciplines. From visiting spacecraft with cargo, crew, and private astronauts, to spacewalks for station upgrades, to science investigations and technology demonstrations, to commercial activities, to public outreach and STEM downlinks, the International Space Station is a busy orbital outpost and microgravity laboratory.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nThe International Space Station as it appeared in 2021, compared to Zarya and Unity at the same scale in the inset<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe seven-member Expedition 70 crew called down to Earth on Dec. 6 and discussed with NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana and International Space Station Program Manager Joel Montalbano the orbital outpost\u2019s accomplishments since the assembly era began on Dec. 6, 1998. Cabana was the commander of Endeavour when both modules were robotically mated then outfitted during a series of spacewalks. Montalbano, NASA\u2019s sixth station leader since the program\u2019s inception, said, \u201cWe want to celebrate today all the people who designed, built, and operate the International Space Station.\u201d<\/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
\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nHubble Captures a Cluster in the Cloud<\/strong><\/h2>\nA striking\u00a0Hubble Space Telescope<\/a>\u00a0image shows the densely packed\u00a0globular cluster\u00a0known as NGC 2210, which is situated in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The LMC lies about 157,000 light-years from Earth and is a so-called satellite\u00a0galaxy\u00a0of the Milky Way, meaning that the two galaxies are gravitationally bound. Globular clusters are very stable, tightly bound clusters of thousands or even millions of stars. Their stability means that they can last a long time, and therefore globular clusters are often studied to investigate potentially very old stellar populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\nNASA\u2019s Hubble Space Telescope can resolve individual stars in the densely packed cores of globular clusters like NGC 2210.<\/div>\nESA\/Hubble & NASA, A. Sarajedini<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIn fact, 2017 research using some of the data that were also used to build the image revealed that a sample of LMC globular clusters were incredibly close in age to some of the oldest stellar clusters found in the Milky Way\u2019s halo. They found that NGC 2210 specifically probably clocks in at around 11.6 billion years old. Even though this is only a couple of billion years younger than the universe itself, it made NGC 2210 by far the youngest globular cluster in their sample. All other LMC globular clusters studied in the same work were found to be even older, with four of them over 13 billion years old. This tells astronomers that the oldest globular clusters in the LMC formed contemporaneously with the oldest clusters in the Milky Way, even though the two galaxies formed independently.<\/p>\n
As well as being a source of interesting research, this old-but-relatively-young cluster is also extremely beautiful, with its highly concentrated population of stars. The night sky would look very different from the perspective of an inhabitant of a planet orbiting one of the stars in a globular cluster\u2019s center: the sky would appear to be stuffed full of stars, in a stellar environment that is thousands of times more crowded than our own.<\/p>\n
\u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\nWebb Stuns with New High-Definition Look at Exploded Star<\/strong><\/h2>\nLike a shiny round ornament ready to be placed in the perfect spot on a holiday tree, supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A) gleams in a new image from NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope. As part of the\u00a02023 Holidays at the White House<\/a>, First Lady of the United States Dr. Jill Biden debuted the first-ever White House Advent Calendar. To showcase the \u201cMagic, Wonder, and Joy\u201d of the holiday season, Dr. Biden and NASA are celebrating with this new image from Webb.<\/p>\nWhile all is bright, this scene is no proverbial silent night.\u00a0Webb\u2019s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) view of Cas A displays this stellar explosion at a resolution previously unreachable at these wavelengths. This high-resolution look unveils intricate details of the expanding shell of material slamming into the gas shed by the star before it exploded.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/figure>\nNASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope\u2019s new view of Cassiopeia A in near-infrared light is giving astronomers hints at the dynamical processes occurring within the supernova remnant. Tiny clumps represented in bright pink and orange make up the supernova\u2019s inner shell, and are comprised of sulfur, oxygen, argon, and neon from the star itself. A large, striated blob at the bottom right corner of the image, nicknamed Baby Cas A, is one of the few light echoes visible NIRCam\u2019s field of view. In this image, red, green, and blue were assigned to Webb\u2019s NIRCam data at 4.4, 3.56, and 1.62 microns (F444W, F356W, and F162M, respectively).<\/div>\nNASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, D. Milisavljevic (Purdue University), T. Temim (Princeton University), I. De Looze (University of Gent)<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nCas A is one of the most well-studied supernova remnants in all of the cosmos. Over the years, ground-based and space-based observatories, including NASA\u2019s\u00a0Chandra X-Ray Observatory,\u00a0Hubble Space Telescope, and retired\u00a0Spitzer Space Telescope\u00a0have assembled a multiwavelength picture of the object\u2019s remnant.<\/p>\n
However, astronomers have now entered a new era in the study of Cas A. In April 2023, Webb\u2019s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument)\u00a0started this chapter<\/a>, revealing new and unexpected features within the inner shell of the supernova remnant. Many of those features are invisible in the new NIRCam image, and astronomers are investigating why.<\/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.<\/p>\n
<\/figure>For hundreds of team members at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center, \u201ceat, drink, and be merry\u201d was the afternoon theme for Dec. 7.<\/p>\n
<\/figure>The center hosted a holiday celebration in Activities Building 4316, complete with food, door prizes, and plenty of opportunity to wish one happy holidays. Acting Center Director Joseph Pelfrey welcomed team members to the festivities with a brief recap of 2023 and look forward to 2024.<\/p>\n
<\/figure>\u201cI was thrilled to see such an excellent turnout at the holiday reception,\u201d Pelfrey said after the reception. \u201cThis has been an exceptional year for us at Marshall, and it\u2019s important we take time this season to celebrate our successes and recharge for 2024.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/figure>Barnett, a Media Fusion employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n By Rick Smith<\/em><\/p>\n On Dec. 9, astronomers and physicists commemorated two years of landmark X-ray science by NASA\u2019s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer<\/a>) mission.<\/p>\n IXPE is the joint NASA-Italian Space Agency mission to study polarized X-ray light. Polarization<\/a> is a characteristic of light that can help reveal information about where that light came from, such as the geometry and inner workings of the ultra-powerful energy sources from which it emanates.<\/p>\n Launched Dec. 9, 2021, IXPE orbits Earth some 340 miles high, studying X-ray emissions from powerful cosmic phenomena thousands to billions of light-years from Earth, including quasars, blazars, remnants of supernova explosions, and high-energy particle streams spewing from the vicinity of black holes at nearly the speed of light.<\/p>\n \u201cAdding X-ray polarization to our arsenal of radio, infrared, and optical polarization is a game changer,\u201d said Alan Marscher, a Boston University astronomer who leads a research group that uses IXPE\u2019s findings to analyze supermassive black holes.<\/p>\n Martin Weisskopf, the astrophysicist who led the development of IXPE at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center and served as its principal investigator until his retirement from NASA in spring 2022, agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cThere can be no question that IXPE has shown that X-ray polarimetry is important and relevant to furthering our understanding of how these fascinating X-ray systems work,\u201d Weisskopf said.<\/p>\n Scientists have long understood, for example, the fundamentals of blazars such as Markarian 501<\/a> and Markarian 421<\/a>. A blazar is a massive black hole feeding off material swirling around it in a disk, creating powerful jets of high-speed cosmic particles which rush away in two directions perpendicular to the disk. But how are those particles accelerated to such high energies? IXPE data published in November 2022 in the journal Nature<\/a> identified the culprit at Markarian 501 as a shock wave within the jet.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a 40-year-old mystery that we\u2019ve solved,\u201d said Yannis Liodakis, a NASA Postdoctoral Program researcher at Marshall. \u201cWe finally had all of the pieces of the puzzle, and the picture they made was clear.\u201d<\/p>\n IXPE also conducted unprecedented studies of three supernova remnants \u2013 Cassiopeia A<\/a>, Tycho<\/a>, and SN 1006<\/a> \u2013 helping scientists further their understanding of the origin and processes of the magnetic fields surrounding these phenomena.<\/p>\n IXPE is even shedding new light on fundamental mechanisms of our own galaxy. According to studies IXPE conducted in early 2022, Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, woke up about 200 years ago<\/a> to devour gas and other cosmic detritus, triggering an intense, short-lived X-ray flare. By combining data from IXPE, Chandra, and the European Space Agency\u2019s XMM-Newton mission, researchers determined the event occurred around the start of the 19th century.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know change can happen to active galaxies and supermassive black holes on a human timescale,\u201d said IXPE project scientist Steve Ehlert at Marshall. \u201cIXPE is helping us better understand the timescale on which the black hole at the center of our galaxy is changing. We\u2019re eager to observe it further to determine which changes are typical and which are unique.\u201d<\/p>\n IXPE also has supported observations of unanticipated cosmic events \u2013 such as the brightest pulse of intense radiation ever recorded, which swept through our solar system in October 2022. The pulse stemmed from a powerful gamma-ray burst<\/a> likely to occur no more than once in 10,000 years, researchers said. Backing up data from NASA\u2019s Fermi Space Telescope<\/a> and other imagers, IXPE helped determine how the pulse was organized and confirmed that Earth imagers viewed the jet almost directly head-on.<\/p>\n Perhaps most exciting to space scientists is how IXPE data is upending conventional wisdom about various classes of high-energy sources.<\/p>\n \u201cSo many of the polarized X-ray results we\u2019ve seen over the past two years were a big surprise, tossing theoretical models right out the window,\u201d Ehlert said. \u201cSeeing results we didn\u2019t anticipate sparks new questions, new theories. It\u2019s really exciting!\u201d<\/p>\n That excitement continues to build among IXPE partners around the world. In June, the mission was formally extended for 20 months beyond its initial two-year flight \u2013 meaning IXPE will continue to observe high-energy X-ray emissions across the cosmos through at least September 2025.<\/p>\n The new year also will mark the start of the IXPE General Observer Program, which invites astrophysicists and other space scientists around the world to propose and take part in studies using the IXPE telescope. Beginning in February 2024, as much as 80% of IXPE\u2019s time will be made available to the broader scientific community.<\/p>\n IXPE is a collaboration between NASA and the Italian Space Agency with partners and science collaborators in 12 countries. Led at Marshall, IXPE\u2019s spacecraft operations are jointly managed by Ball Aerospace in Broomfield, Colorado, and the University of Colorado\u2019s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder.<\/p>\n Smith, a Manufacturing Technical Solutions employee, supports the Marshall Office of Communications.<\/em><\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Dear Marshall family,<\/p>\n As 2023 comes to a close, my thoughts seem to be focused more than ever upon gratitude. As is true for many of you I\u2019m sure, I am so incredibly thankful for my loved ones, for good health for me and my loved ones, and for the life that I enjoy.<\/p>\n The life that I enjoy encompasses a great deal. I have a comfortable home, with heat for the winter, air conditioning for the summer, hot and cold water all year long, good food to eat, reliable vehicles to drive, nice clothes and shoes to wear, access to entertainment, the ability to be a part of a community, and I could go on and on. The point is, I have a great deal to be thankful for, and being thankful helps me to be more aware of the fact that many in our community and our world are not so fortunate. I hope that you, too, will take some time to consider the people, circumstances, and things for which you are grateful, and also to consider looking for opportunities to help those in our community who are less fortunate.<\/p>\n With the holidays upon us, this can be a very demanding time of year, and that can add a good deal of stress to our lives. The stressors of the season will be different for each of us, but some common ones include attending more parties and other events, hosting parties, being around people whom we would prefer to avoid, spending too much on gifts, and trying to make everything turn out perfectly.<\/p>\n Please be deliberate in taking good care of yourselves during the holiday season. That, too, will look different for everyone, but some tips include giving ourselves permission to get enough sleep and rest, setting a budget and sticking to it, striving for enjoyment rather than perfection, limiting our indulgence in all the good food of the season, not drinking to excess, and giving ourselves permission to say \u2018no\u2019 to things that will cause us to be stretched too thin or pushed beyond our limits.\u00a0<\/p>\n While we typically think of the holidays as a time of joy and celebration, it can also be a time of intense sadness, grief, and feeling overwhelmed. Pay attention to those around you and if you see opportunities to offer support, please do. The holidays are very family focused, and this can be especially difficult for those who have discord within their family, for those with little or no remaining family, or those who have lost loved ones over this past year. If you find yourself struggling, please reach out to those you trust, be that family members, friends, spiritual leaders, or counselors (including the Marshall Employee Assistance Program), for support. Don\u2019t suffer alone or in silence. It\u2019s OK to ask for help.\u00a0<\/p>\n I\u2019ll close with a couple of requests. First, please use your leave \u2013 take some time off to enjoy the holiday season, or just to go out and do something that you\u2019ve been wanting to do. Second, if you have leave that you can\u2019t use, please consider donating it to the leave bank. Donated leave makes a tremendous difference for those who have exhausted their own leave due to illness or accident, or to care for loved ones who are ill or recovering. Your generosity has the potential to help someone avoid the painful situation of having to take leave without pay.<\/p>\n Happy Holidays!\u00a0 Be safe and well.<\/p>\n Dr. Terry Sterry For more information, team members can visit the\u00a0<\/em>Employee Assistance Program<\/em>\u00a0<\/a>page on Inside Marshall.<\/em><\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n The elements of the super-heavy lift SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for NASA\u2019s\u00a0Artemis II mission<\/a>\u00a0are undergoing final preparations before shipment to NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center for stacking and pre-launch activities in 2024.<\/p>\n Teams at NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center recently rotated the Orion stage adapter \u2013 a ring structure that connects NASA\u2019s Orion spacecraft to the SLS rocket\u2019s\u00a0interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS)<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 in preparation for the installation of its diaphragm. The installation Nov. 30 marks one of the final steps for the adapter before it is readied for shipment to Kennedy via NASA\u2019s Super Guppy cargo aircraft.<\/p>\n \u201cThe diaphragm is a composite, dome-shaped structure that isolates the volume above the ICPS from that below Orion,\u201d said Brent Gaddes, lead for the Orion stage adapter, in the Spacecraft\/Payload Integration & Evolution Office for the SLS Program at Marshall. \u201cIt serves as a barrier between the two, preventing the highly flammable hydrogen gas that could escape the rocket\u2019s propellant tanks from building up beneath the Orion spacecraft and its crew before and during launch.\u201d<\/p>\n At five feet tall and weighing in at 1,800 pounds, the adapter is the smallest major element of the SLS rocket that will produce more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust to launch four Artemis astronauts inside Orion around the Moon. The adapter is fully manufactured by engineering teams at Marshall.<\/p>\n NASA is working to land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon under Artemis. SLS is part of NASA\u2019s backbone for deep space exploration, along with Orion and the Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.<\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n On Dec. 6, NASA marked 25 years since the first two elements of the International Space Station were launched and joined in space. Today, the space station remains a global endeavor, with 273 people from 21 countries now having visited the microgravity laboratory and has hosted more than 3,700 research and educational investigations from people in 108 countries and areas.<\/p>\n On Nov. 20 and Dec. 4, 1998, Zarya and Unity, respectively, launched into orbit as the first two modules of the International Space Station. On Dec. 6, 1998, the space shuttle Endeavour STS-88 crew, NASA astronauts Bob Cabana, Rick Sturckow, Nancy Currie, Jerry Ross, and James Newman, along with Russian Space Agency (now Roscosmos) cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, captured the Zarya module with the space shuttle\u2019s robotic arm and mated it to Unity.<\/p>\n Engineers thousands of miles apart designed and built the two modules and the elements first met in space. The STS-88 crew, commanded by Cabana, spent the next few days and three spacewalks making connections between the two modules before releasing the early station.<\/p>\n Since the joining of Zarya and Unity, the space station has grown with additions from international partners, resulting in the largest and most complex piece of technology constructed in space.<\/p>\n In November 2000, the space station received its first long-duration residents, Expedition 1, including NASA astronaut William Shepard, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Krikalev and Yuri Gidzenko. Since that time, international teams have kept the space station permanently inhabited, performing routine operations and maintenance including dozens of spacewalks, and conducting world-class research in a wide array of scientific disciplines. From visiting spacecraft with cargo, crew, and private astronauts, to spacewalks for station upgrades, to science investigations and technology demonstrations, to commercial activities, to public outreach and STEM downlinks, the International Space Station is a busy orbital outpost and microgravity laboratory.<\/p>\n The seven-member Expedition 70 crew called down to Earth on Dec. 6 and discussed with NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana and International Space Station Program Manager Joel Montalbano the orbital outpost\u2019s accomplishments since the assembly era began on Dec. 6, 1998. Cabana was the commander of Endeavour when both modules were robotically mated then outfitted during a series of spacewalks. Montalbano, NASA\u2019s sixth station leader since the program\u2019s inception, said, \u201cWe want to celebrate today all the people who designed, built, and operate the International Space Station.\u201d<\/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 \u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n A striking\u00a0Hubble Space Telescope<\/a>\u00a0image shows the densely packed\u00a0globular cluster\u00a0known as NGC 2210, which is situated in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). The LMC lies about 157,000 light-years from Earth and is a so-called satellite\u00a0galaxy\u00a0of the Milky Way, meaning that the two galaxies are gravitationally bound. Globular clusters are very stable, tightly bound clusters of thousands or even millions of stars. Their stability means that they can last a long time, and therefore globular clusters are often studied to investigate potentially very old stellar populations.<\/p>\n In fact, 2017 research using some of the data that were also used to build the image revealed that a sample of LMC globular clusters were incredibly close in age to some of the oldest stellar clusters found in the Milky Way\u2019s halo. They found that NGC 2210 specifically probably clocks in at around 11.6 billion years old. Even though this is only a couple of billion years younger than the universe itself, it made NGC 2210 by far the youngest globular cluster in their sample. All other LMC globular clusters studied in the same work were found to be even older, with four of them over 13 billion years old. This tells astronomers that the oldest globular clusters in the LMC formed contemporaneously with the oldest clusters in the Milky Way, even though the two galaxies formed independently.<\/p>\n As well as being a source of interesting research, this old-but-relatively-young cluster is also extremely beautiful, with its highly concentrated population of stars. The night sky would look very different from the perspective of an inhabitant of a planet orbiting one of the stars in a globular cluster\u2019s center: the sky would appear to be stuffed full of stars, in a stellar environment that is thousands of times more crowded than our own.<\/p>\n \u203a Back to Top<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Like a shiny round ornament ready to be placed in the perfect spot on a holiday tree, supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A) gleams in a new image from NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope. As part of the\u00a02023 Holidays at the White House<\/a>, First Lady of the United States Dr. Jill Biden debuted the first-ever White House Advent Calendar. To showcase the \u201cMagic, Wonder, and Joy\u201d of the holiday season, Dr. Biden and NASA are celebrating with this new image from Webb.<\/p>\n While all is bright, this scene is no proverbial silent night.\u00a0Webb\u2019s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) view of Cas A displays this stellar explosion at a resolution previously unreachable at these wavelengths. This high-resolution look unveils intricate details of the expanding shell of material slamming into the gas shed by the star before it exploded.<\/p>\n Cas A is one of the most well-studied supernova remnants in all of the cosmos. Over the years, ground-based and space-based observatories, including NASA\u2019s\u00a0Chandra X-Ray Observatory,\u00a0Hubble Space Telescope, and retired\u00a0Spitzer Space Telescope\u00a0have assembled a multiwavelength picture of the object\u2019s remnant.<\/p>\n However, astronomers have now entered a new era in the study of Cas A. In April 2023, Webb\u2019s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument)\u00a0started this chapter<\/a>, revealing new and unexpected features within the inner shell of the supernova remnant. Many of those features are invisible in the new NIRCam image, and astronomers are investigating why.<\/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.<\/p>\nIXPE Marks 2 Years of Groundbreaking X-ray Astronomy<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/figure><\/figure>This Holiday Season, Take Care of Yourself and Others<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Licensed psychologist and Marshall Employee Assistance Program coordinator<\/p>\nNASA Teams Prepare Moon Rocket-to-Spacecraft Connector for Assembly<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/figure>25 Years Ago: NASA, Partners Begin Space Station Assembly<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/figure><\/figure>Hubble Captures a Cluster in the Cloud<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/figure>Webb Stuns with New High-Definition Look at Exploded Star<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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![\"Northern](\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/2cwgm2yp.png?w=850\")
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