Using data from the Japan-led XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) observatory, astronomers have directly observed a giant star’s outflow, called a stellar wind, being captured by its compact companion and providing the power source for strong X-ray flares. The research is part of NASA’s exploration of the extreme universe to better understand how the cosmos works.
 
“We’ve never before seen clear indications of wind plasma falling onto a compact object,” said Roi Rahin, a researcher at UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “We can now test our understanding of these processes in much greater detail.”
 
A paper describing the findings published Friday in the journal Science Advances.
 
The target system is BP Crucis, a high-mass X-ray binary located about 13,000 light-years away in the southern constellation Crux. The primary star, known as Wray 977, is a blue hypergiant about 40 times the Sun’s mass and 60 times its size. It’s so big, hot, and luminous that ionized gas constantly streams away from it, a phenomenon astronomers call a stellar wind.

The supergiant’s companion is a tiny-but-mighty neutron star called GX 301-2. The crushed core of a star that long ago exploded as a supernova, it packs more than the Sun’s mass into a ball roughly 12 miles (20 kilometers) across. Rotating every 11 minutes, it sweeps an X-ray beam toward Earth, which classifies it as a pulsar.   
 
Twice during the pulsar’s 41.5-day orbit, near its closest and farthest points from the primary star, strong X-ray flares occur for several days. Astronomers think the pulsar’s gravitational influence on the star creates an especially dense stream of plasma. Flares occur when the pulsar traverses this stream and captures some of its matter. The strongest eruptions happen closer to the star, where the stream is denser. 
 
The researchers targeted the system with XRISM on Feb. 1, 2025, observing it for about 16 hours near the end of one of these stronger flares. The observatory’s Resolve instrument, jointly developed by NASA and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), captured highly detailed X-ray spectra, revealing rapidly changing emission and absorption lines. In particular, absorption lines from highly ionized iron revealed the speed and direction of plasma relatively close to the pulsar. 

When Rahin first saw these spectra, he realized he hadn’t seen anything like them before. He scoured the scientific literature for similar observations and came up empty-handed.

“It was clear that these observations were groundbreaking, but at the same time this meant the analysis had to be especially detailed,” said Nazma Islam, a co-author formerly at UMBC and NASA Goddard and now an assistant professor at Manipal Centre for Natural Sciences, India. “We could see how the dense stream of plasma acts very close to the neutron star.”

Rahin and his team show that the iron absorption lines they observed are displaced to lower energies than they would be if measured in a laboratory. This displacement, called a redshift, indicates motion away from the observer, which means the gas is flowing toward the pulsar. The extent of the redshift indicates the plasma’s velocity. The team’s analysis indicates gas is racing toward the pulsar at speeds of around 335,000 mph (540,000 kph).
 
Here’s what the researchers think is going on: As the pulsar enters the stream, it sweeps up gas into a thick, messy, turbulent disk. This gas spirals down to the pulsar, heats up, and emits X-rays to power the flares.
 
As the pulsar pushes farther into the stream, the turbulent disk breaks down. Astronomers suspect that as the pulsar moves more directly into the flow, the stream no longer has the angular momentum required to maintain the disk. Once the disk dissipates, plasma flows directly onto the neutron star. Observations with XRISM occurred near the end of this phase.

Then, as the pulsar nears the end of the stream, a messy disk briefly returns, this time spinning in the opposite direction. And then it, too, disappears as the pulsar exits. In all, the pulsar takes about four days to transit the stream.

“The BP Crucis system is an ideal laboratory for studying wind-fed pulsar accretion, and XRISM’s sensitive, high-resolution Resolve spectrometer is an ideal instrument for advancing our understanding of the processes involved,” said Brian Williams, the mission’s project scientist at NASA Goddard.  

To learn more about the XRISM mission, visit:

https://nasa.gov/xrism

Source: science.nasa.gov

Long before they helped shape NASA’s future aerospace breakthroughs, Derek Abramson, Justin Hall, and Justin Link were in their garages and homes building radio‑controlled aircraft, testing new ideas, and flying their creations at hobby events. That early passion now fuels the work of NASA’s Dale Reed Subscale Flight Research Laboratory at the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.

At NASA Armstrong’s subscale flight lab, the team turns that lifelong enthusiasm into mission-focused innovation. The laboratory supports research that ranges from advanced navigation systems for future landings on the Moon and Mars to emerging aeronautics concepts that need quick, low-cost evaluation. NASA’s small, remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft allow engineers to explore ideas that could be difficult, risky or expensive to test at full scale.

Skilled team

Abramson, Hall, and Link play key roles in that work. Abramson serves as the laboratory’s chief engineer. Hall is the chief pilot. Link is a drone pilot. Together, they integrate emerging aerospace technologies with the lab’s subscale aircraft fleet and, when needed, design and build aircraft or flight experiments to evaluate new concepts.

Abramson’s expertise, built through service in the U.S. Navy and the aerospace industry, centers on technical oversight, management, and system design. Hall is known for creative approaches to problem solving and uses practical methods to address technical challenges and maintain flight safety. Link specializes in designing and fabricating research vehicles and draws on extensive hands-on experience to understand what works, and what does not, in flight. 

On weekends, the team often tinkers in their garages or hangars building radio-control aircraft, researching hobby trends, or exploring new technologies. You might see them flying their creations at hobby events or attending trade shows. Their passion for flight brought Abramson, Hall, and Link together years before they one-by-one joined NASA more than a decade ago, though each discovered that spark in a different way.

Early influences

Abramson’s interest began as a child with rubber-band powered stick and tissue aircraft and radio-controlled models. His early aviation pursuits led to his first solo flight while in high school and a pilot’s license. In the Navy, he worked on multiple aircraft, including EA-6B and the F-18, as an avionics technician. As an engineer, he supported the B-1 and CV-22 Osprey aircraft flight tests. As an intern at NASA Armstrong, he used his operational and engineering experience on remotely piloted and autonomous aircraft.

Hall’s interest grew after seeing historic aircraft including the Mach 3 SR-71 fly over his elementary school playground and watching Space Shuttle Challenger land from above his dad’s shoulders. He has built and flown model and remotely piloted aircraft for as long as he can remember. His reputation flying radio-controlled hobby aircraft at fly-ins and trade events led to an offer to fly subscale aircraft at NASA.

Link was five years old when he built balsa-wood aircraft with his dad and flew them in a field near their home. As he grew older, his hobby expanded to include radio-controlled cars, boats, helicopters, and aircraft. Aviation runs deep in Link’s family. His great grandfather served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, his grandfathers served in the U.S. Air Force, and his dad was an Air Force avionics technician. Link raced sailplanes, competed with scaled warbird aircraft, and was encouraged by family and friends to pursue an aviation profession. He has worked with large drones for more than 11 years, focusing on research and development, composite materials, and specialized fabrication methods.

Together, the team applies its experience and knowledge in rapid design, fabrication, integration and flight testing to bring new ideas to flight. Their work continues to support NASA’s missions across aeronautics, science, and exploration.

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APOD

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

A Treasure Chest in the Carina Nebula

Explanation: This treasure chest is full of stars. The featured image was obtained with NASA‘s James Webb Space Telescope and shows a dust pillar in the Carina Nebula inside our Galaxy, roughly 7500 light-years away. It is formed by interstellar gas and dust, and shaped by powerful stellar winds and radiation from neighboring stars like the nearby Eta Carinae stellar system which is more luminous than 5 million suns. The star formation inside the pillar is excavating its head, creating the open lid of the chest. Astronomers estimate that there are about 70 stars in a compact cluster inside the pillar. This cluster is now thought to be only around 1.3 million years old. Its bounty of young stars includes a massive star approximately 19 times as massive as the Sun. More massive stars are rarer, shine brighter and evolve faster than less massive stars. They are the shiniest jewels in the treasure chest.

APOD’s main NASA site is moving : From apod.nasa.gov to science.nasa.gov/apod
Tomorrow’s picture: The Triangulum Galaxy

Date	September 17, 2026
Credit	ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, M. Reiter; Acknowledgement: M. H. Özsaraç
Authors & editors:	Cecilia Chirenti, Robert Nemiroff, Jerry Bonnell, Keighley Rockcliffe
A service of:	ASD at NASA / GSFC, NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U.

Source: science.nasa.gov

Fifty years ago, on Sept. 17, 1976—Constitution Day of America’s bicentennial year—NASA unveiled its first space shuttle orbiter, OV-101, to the public. NASA had originally planned to name the vehicle Constitution, but a letter-writing campaign changed the agency’s plans. Nearly 100,000 fans of the Star Trek television series wrote the White House urging that the shuttle be named after the USS Enterprise, the fictional starship featured in the series. In a memo, President Gerald Ford directed NASA to christen the shuttle Enterprise saying he was “partial to the name”. The name Enterprise, long celebrated in U.S. naval history, had earlier been bestowed on the first nuclear-powered carrier, a World War II carrier, and an American vessel of the Revolutionary War.

Hundreds of invited guests attended the rollout ceremony at Rockwell’s Palmdale facility in southern California, including Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and several cast members. Pictured from left to right in this photo are NASA Administrator James C. Fletcher, DeForest Kelley (Dr. “Bones” McCoy), George Takei (Mr. Sulu), James Doohan (Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott), Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura), Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock), series creator Gene Rodenberry, U.S. Rep. Don Fuqua (D.-Fla) and Walter Koenig (Ensign Chekov).

Even though Enterprise was not designed to fly in space, it performed the essential atmospheric test flights that paved the way for the shuttle program’s first spaceflights in 1981. The orbiter is now on display at the Intrepid Museum in New York City.

Learn more about the historic rollout of NASA’s first space shuttle.

Credit: NASA

Source: www.nasa.gov

Media accreditation is open for the next cargo launch that will deliver NASA science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. The 35th SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the orbital laboratory for NASA will lift off on a Falcon 9 rocket.

NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than October to launch the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Credentialing to cover prelaunch and launch activities is open to U.S. media only. The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. EDT, Thursday, Oct. 1. All accreditation requests must be submitted online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

Media will receive a confirmation email upon approval. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For questions about accreditation, or to request special logistical support, email: [email protected]. For other questions, please contact NASA’s Kennedy Space Center newsroom at: 321-867-2468.

Each resupply mission to the station delivers scientific investigations in biology and biotechnology, Earth and space science, physical sciences, and technology development and demonstrations. Cargo resupply from U.S. companies ensures a national capability to deliver scientific research to the space station, significantly increasing NASA’s ability to conduct new investigations aboard humanity’s laboratory in space.

In addition to food, supplies, and equipment for the crew, Dragon will deliver the final sets of International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays, called IROSA, which astronauts will install during future spacewalks to complete station’s power augmentation. Once installed, the arrays will provide additional power to support critical station operations, including its safe and controlled deorbit.

The mission also will transport several new experiments to the orbital complex, including hardware to manufacture artificial retinas in microgravity that could help restore vision for patients on Earth and 3D heart cell models to advance large-scale drug testing on future space missions. Dragon also will carry materials to study how a new type of glass is formed in microgravity, and brain organoids that could uncover potential treatment targets for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and multiple sclerosis.

For more than 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The space station helps NASA understand and overcome the challenges of human spaceflight, expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit, and build on the foundation for long-duration missions to the Moon, as part of the Artemis program, and to Mars.

Learn more about NASA’s commercial resupply missions at:

https://www.nasa.gov/station

-end-

Josh Finch / Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
[email protected] / [email protected]

Steven Siceloff
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-876-2468
[email protected]

Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
[email protected] / [email protected]

Source: www.nasa.gov

While the calendar indicated that astronomical summer was winding down, a swath of the south-central United States was sweltering under a heat dome in mid-September 2026.

This map shows air temperatures in the contiguous U.S. on September 15, 2026, at 4 p.m. Central Time (21:00 Universal Time), modeled at 2 meters (6.5 feet) above the ground. It was produced by combining satellite observations with temperatures predicted by a version of the GEOS (Goddard Earth Observing System) model, which uses mathematical equations to represent physical processes in the atmosphere. The darkest reds indicate areas where temperatures approached or exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

More than 41 million people in the U.S.—about 12 percent of the population—were under a National Weather Service extreme heat advisory, extreme heat watch, or extreme heat warning on September 15. The high temperatures spanned large portions of several states, such as Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. Meteorologists warned that high humidity, limited cloud cover, and light winds could make temperatures feel higher than thermometer readings and increase the risk of heat-related illnesses.

Several locations set new daily high temperature records on September 15. These included Dallas, Texas, at 101ºF (38ºC), Memphis, Tennessee, at 99ºF (37ºC), and Nashville, Tennessee, at 100ºF (38ºC). The cities were all at least 12ºF warmer than normal that day, with Nashville breaking its daily-high record from 1927. The day before, Nashville also set a record-high minimum temperature of 75ºF (24ºC).

A weather phenomenon meteorologists call a heat dome was responsible for driving temperatures up across the region. A heat dome develops when an area of high pressure in the upper atmosphere pushes hot air toward the surface and traps it there. Heat domes put the brakes on convection and suppress clouds and precipitation. This allows sunlight to reach Earth’s surface relatively unhindered and further elevate air temperatures.

The stretch of unseasonable temperatures follows the warmest June through August in the contiguous United States in a 132-year record, according to NOAA. The three-month period in 2026 was 0.4ºF warmer than the previous records, set in 1936 and 2021.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using GEOS-FP data from the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office at NASA GSFC. Story by Lindsey Doermann.

Downloads

September 15, 2026

JPEG (1.22 MB)

References & Resources

• AccuWeather (2026, September 11) Latest heat dome to linger in south-central, southeastern US in mid-September. Accessed September 16, 2026.
• Heat.gov (2026) Science and Information to Reduce Heat Risk. Accessed September 16, 2026.
• NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (2026, September 9) Warmest summer on record for the contiguous U.S. Accessed September 16, 2026.
• The Washington Post (2026, September 15) It’s almost fall, but this record heat dome didn’t get the memo. Accessed September 16, 2026.

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APOD

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

Hubble + WebbHubble

Webb’s View of M64

Explanation: Sometimes where Hubble finds darkness, Webb sees light. An example is today’s composite images of Messier 64 (M64), a nearby spiral galaxy of many names. The dark band of dust partially blocking its bright core earned it the moniker “the Black Eye Galaxy.” Webb’s Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) sees that dust, shown in red, as it absorbs and re-emits light from surrounding newborn stars. These young stars are embedded in pink star-forming regions in the Hubble-only image. M64’s inner and outer gas regions counter-rotate, creating regions of increased star formation where the two gas “currents” meet and compress. A merger between M64 and a smaller galaxy was likely the cause of the opposing motion of the outer gas. Spiral galaxies were once thought to have peaceful histories. M64 was key evidence that spiral galaxies, including the Milky Way, can and do experience mergers. Webb’s view of M64 will tell astronomers about the structure, motion, and composition of the galaxy’s dust and add context to the galaxy’s merger history and evolution.

APOD’s main NASA site is moving: From apod.nasa.gov to science.nasa.gov/apod
Tomorrow’s picture: treasure

Date:	September 16, 2026
Credit:	NASA, CSA, ESA, F. Belfiore (ESO), J. Lee (STScI), A. Leroy (OSU), and D. Thilker (JHU); Processing: G. Kober (NASA/Catholic University)
Authors & editors:	Keighley Rockcliffe, Robert Nemiroff, Jerry Bonnell, Cecilia Chirenti
A service of:	ASD at NASA / GSFC, NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U.

Source: science.nasa.gov

Planning crewed missions to the Moon and Mars involves preparing for the medical realities of long-duration space travel. Factors like cosmic radiation, microgravity, and distance from Earth create unique health considerations for astronauts. To anticipate these needs ahead of time, NASA developed the Integrated Medical Model (IMM).

The IMM is a decision-support tool that uses medical evidence and computational modeling to forecast health risks before a mission launches.

How the Model Works

The IMM pulls from decades of flight records and clinical research compiled in NASA’s Integrated Medical Evidence Database (iMED).

Using Monte Carlo simulations, the tool models thousands of potential mission paths. Each run accounts for specific mission parameters, such as crew size, flight duration, planned spacewalks, and the spacecraft environment. This approach allows planners to evaluate risks for new mission profiles that lack historical precedents.

The model evaluates more than 100 medical conditions, ranging from common health concerns to hazards specific to spaceflight, like:

• Decompression sickness
• Radiation sickness
• Space motion sickness
• Smoke inhalation and barotrauma
• Routine conditions like infections and kidney stones

Practical Applications for Mission Planning

The model generates several quantitative metrics to help teams prepare:

• Total Medical Events (TME): The projected number of illnesses or injuries during the mission.
• Crew Health Index (CHI): An indicator of the crew’s overall functional capacity.
• Quality-Adjusted Time Lost (QTL): The estimated time spent diagnosing conditions, treating patients, and recovering.
• Probability of Evacuation and Loss of Crew Life (EVAC / LOCL): The likelihood of a medical emergency requiring a mission abort or resulting in a fatality.
• Resource Utilization: Projections of which medical consumables, medications, and tools the crew will need.

Because spacecraft carry strict mass and volume constraints, these outputs guide the composition of onboard medical kits (MedCap). Mission planners can balance necessary medical coverage against available cargo space with clear data in hand.

Planning for Greater Distances

On the International Space Station, emergency medical evacuation back to Earth can happen within hours. Deep-space exploration changes that timeline significantly, introducing communication delays and eliminating the option for a rapid return.

The IMM provides the data flight surgeons and engineers need to build resilient, self-sufficient medical systems for long journeys ahead.

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To dig deeper into how NASA prepares for the medical realities of space travel, explore the full IMM overview and supporting documentation:

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As part of NASA’s new Inspiration Tour, Reid Wiseman, NASA astronaut and commander of the agency’s Artemis II mission, will highlight America’s strengths in space exploration and aeronautics innovation at the Baltimore Ravens vs. New Orleans Saints game in Baltimore on Sunday, Sept. 20.

A Baltimore native, Wiseman is a 27-year Navy veteran and NASA astronaut who spent 175 days in space over two missions. On April 1, Wiseman launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a SLS (Space Launch System) rocket as part of the Artemis II mission. Wiseman and his fellow Artemis II crew members completed a historic lunar flyby, marking humanity’s return to the vicinity of the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

Wiseman also will be available for media interviews inside the stadium at 12:20 p.m. To RSVP for the media availability, please contact Shaneequa Vereen at: [email protected].

NASA team members will engage with fans at the agency’s Experience Zone, located outside the stadium from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. before the game. Fans can learn more about NASA’s return to the Moon through the agency’s Artemis program, enjoy interactive games, and capture photos at a selfie station and with a large, inflatable NASA logo.

With stops across the nation, NASA’s Inspiration Tour convenes academic, industry, and public sector stakeholders to connect the agency with the people, technologies, and organizations that drive American leadership in space.

The tour will culminate in MAX POWER, a public exposition of American air and space innovation, Saturday, Nov. 7, and Sunday, Nov. 8, on and near the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Held in honor of America’s historic 250th anniversary, the multi-day, family-friendly event will showcase the next-generation aircraft, spacecraft, autonomous vehicles, and technologies that will help define the future of transportation in air and space.

For more information about MAX POWER and the agency’s missions, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/maxpower

-end-

Camille Gallo / Jessica Taveau
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
[email protected] / [email protected]

Source: www.nasa.gov

NASA recently awarded $10.5 million to seven organizations nationwide through its new State Hubs initiative. Space Florida was selected for Project ORBIT, which aims to expand opportunities for middle and high school students, boost enrollment in key career and technical programs, and create a statewide portal connecting skilled workers with aerospace employers.

Elaine Ho, associate administrator for NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, joined local leaders and industry partners recently to see Space Florida Academy students in action at three Central Florida schools. Students at Lyman High School in Longwood, Florida, demonstrated their skills in aerospace engineering, robotics, building trades, welding, and more. Later, in Merritt Island, Florida, Ho and the other leaders stopped by the Aeronautics & Flight Exploration (AFEX) program and cloud computing classrooms at Merritt Island High School and the robotics lab at nearby Edgewood Junior/Senior High School.

Since its launch in August 2024, the Space Florida Academy has expanded from 23 to 42 participating school districts, preparing students for careers in aviation and aerospace, advanced manufacturing, construction, cybersecurity, logistics, and semiconductors.

“It’s all about showing students what’s possible and then giving them the tools to achieve it,” said Dean Cuke, Merritt Island High School AFEX astronautics and aviation flight instructor. “There are far more possible pathways to be part of the space industry than I think they realize. We’re showing them ways that they can attain that, through learning, through motivation and chasing after their dreams. I’m excited for them.”

Merritt Island High School juniors and student pilots Olivia Street and Troy Wallenburg have both benefited from the program.

“It makes you feel like you’re a part of something way bigger than just a high school class. I learned what I want to do when I grow up – to be a pilot,” Street said.

“My entire life, I’ve just loved space,” Wallenburg said. “It’s great knowing that I’m actually somewhat involved in it, too.”

“I’m so impressed by how this region holds so many opportunities for our students, who are incredibly capable of solving hard problems, who can build our hardware, who want to be part of something bigger than themselves,” Ho said. “NASA is really focused on ensuring that those opportunities are easier to reach.”

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