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.

Sh2-188: The Shrimp Nebula

Explanation: What causes the swirl in the Shrimp Nebula? Its high speed is likely. What is sure is that Sh2-188 is one of the larger planetary nebulas on the night sky, by angular size, spanning about half the diameter of the Moon. Moreover, the white-dwarf core — leftover from the Sun-like star that shed its outer atmosphere — is moving unusually fast through interstellar space, creating a bow shock most visible on the upper left that is similar to a boat plowing through water. Although faint, the Shrimp Nebula glows also by compressing and brightening gas on its leading edge. The featured image was taken in the light of hydrogen, sulfur, and oxygen by a backyard telescope in Krakow, Poland and then digitally adjusted to approximate the nebula‘s true colors.

APOD’s email for image submissions has changed. Please see: APOD Submissions
APOD’s main NASA site has moved: From apod.nasa.gov to science.nasa.gov/apod
Tomorrow’s picture: open space

Date	September 29, 2026
Credit & Copyright	Pawel Piechnik
Authors & editors:	Robert Nemiroff, Jerry Bonnell, Cecilia Chirenti, Keighley Rockcliffe
A service of:	ASD at NASA / GSFC, NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U.

Source: science.nasa.gov

natural color

swir

natural colorswir

natural color

swir

CurtainToggle2-Up

Image Details

A pileus cloud veils part of a pyrocumulus rising from the Sand Creek fire in Montana on August 11, 2026, in images captured by the MASTER (MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator) on NASA’s ER-2. In the false-color image (right) active fires appear pink and yellow, burned areas brown, clouds white, and smoke blue-purple. MASTER images by RoseAnne Dominguez, annotated by Michala Garrison.

In summer 2026, scientists took to the air to intercept and study the towering, smoke-infused clouds that wildland fires sometimes create. But during an August 11 flight over the Sand Creek fire in Montana, they came back with a bonus—observations of an ephemeral pileus cloud hovering atop one of the towering fire clouds.

Smooth, veil-like pileus clouds are well-known to atmospheric scientists and cloud lovers and regarded as signs of especially vigorous convection. But researchers rarely observe a pileus cloud interacting with a fire cloud—known as a pyrocumulus (pyroCu)—in as much detail as they did on this flight, part of NASA’s INSPYRE (Injected Smoke and Pyrocumulonimbus Experiment) campaign.

Named after the Latin for “cap,” pileus clouds typically form when rising columns of air collide with a sufficiently moist layer of air aloft. Over the Sand Creek fire, a fast-rising updraft heated by the fire displaced air vertically and forced a horizontal layer of moister air sitting above it upward. The process is similar to how air forced over a mountain can produce clouds, explained Neil Lareau, INSPYRE’s deputy project investigator. “But in this case, the pyrocumulus itself was the ‘mountain,’” he said. As the displaced air was pushed upward, it cooled, and its water vapor condensed into a pileus cloud.

The pair of images above was captured at 5:40 p.m. local time (23:40 UTC) by the MASTER (MODIS/ASTER Airborne Simulator) on one of NASA’s ER-2s, a type of high-flying research aircraft. The natural-color image on the left shows the thin, circular pileus atop the turret of smoke and water rising from the spreading wildfire. The image on the right shows the same moment but includes shortwave-infrared (SWIR) observations, which reveal the burned area and actively burning spots along the fire’s perimeter.   

Pileus clouds are usually quite short-lived, often persisting for only a few minutes before being overtaken by the underlying convection. During this flight, the scientists collected MASTER imagery of the plume roughly every 30 minutes, and the pileus was clearly visible in just one scene. The presence of the cloud hints at what Lareau described as the “extreme updraft dynamics” within the fire plume and pyrocumulus. At the time of the image, he explained, the fire was making a rapid run up the western side of Mount Comet as winds aligned with the drainage channels leading up the mountain.

“The whole scene is amazing,” he said, noting that the science team was fortunate that MASTER’s visible channels captured the rapidly developing pyrocumulus and pileus cloud, its infrared channels captured the fire’s extreme surface behavior, and downward-pointing radars on the airplane studied the cloud structure. “This scene is in many ways the core of what we’re after with INSPYRE,” he said. “We were able to connect and map the surface fire dynamics to the convective plume to the cloud processes.” The image above shows the cloud in four of the 50 channels, or bands, measured by MASTER. The false-color panel on the far right of the image is a combination of shortwave-infrared and visible observations, similar to the right image at the top of the page.

Fires are just one driver of convection that can produce pileus clouds. Vigorous updrafts associated with severe thunderstorms can also produce these wispy clouds. Researchers who participated in NASA’s CRYSTAL-FACE (Cirrus Regional Study of Tropical Anvils and Cirrus Layers-Florida Area Cirrus Experiment) in Honduras in 2002 reported the presence of thin cirrus clouds in the tropopause above thunderstorms that were likely the products of pileus clouds.

Volcanic eruptions can produce pileus clouds as well. One of the more stunning images captured by astronauts and published by NASA Earth Observatory is this photograph of a pileus cloud cloaking the top of a volcanic plume rising from the Sarychev volcano after an eruption in 2009.

MASTER images by RoseAnne Dominguez (Airborne Sensor Facility), annotated by Michala Garrison. Story by Adam Voiland.

Downloads

August 11, 2026: Natural color

JPEG (1.08 MB)

August 11, 2026: SWIR

JPEG (2.18 MB)

August 11, 2026: Spectral bands

JPEG (570.68 KB)

References & Resources

• Cloud Appreciation Society, Pileus. Accessed September 28, 2026.
• EarthSky (2026, April 22) A pileus cloud means bad weather is on the way. Accessed September 28, 2026.
• Garrett, T.J., et al. (2006) Convective formation of pileus cloud near the tropopause. Atmospheric Chemistry & Physics, 6(5), 1185–1200.
• Lareau, N., via X (2026, August 13) Here is the corresponding visible imagery, which shows the #pyrocumulus cloud in exquisite detail. Accessed September 28, 2026.
• NASA Earth Observatory (2026, August 17) Chasing Fire Clouds in Utah. Accessed September 28, 2026.
• NASA Earth Observatory (2016, December 20) A Celebration of Clouds from Space. Accessed September 28, 2026.
• NASA’s Earth Science Project Office, INjected Smoke and PYRocumulonimbus Experiment. Accessed September 28, 2026.
• NASA, INSPYRE. Accessed September 28, 2026.
• NASA, MASTER. Accessed September 28, 2026.

You may also be interested in:

Stay up-to-date with the latest content from NASA as we explore the universe and discover more about our home planet.

Chasing Fire Clouds in Utah

6 min read

NASA aircraft are sampling smoke lofted high into the atmosphere by one of the most formidable cloud types in the…

Article

Smoke Streams Across Eastern Washington

3 min read

Wildland fires in early August 2026 pushed air quality to unhealthy levels, destroyed hundreds of structures, and triggered mandatory evacuations…

Article

Cottonwood Fire Chars Utah

5 min read

The blaze burned more than 150 square miles and swept through parts of a ski resort.

Article

Keep Exploring

Discover More from NASA Earth Science

Subscribe to Earth Observatory Newsletters

Subscribe to the Earth Observatory and get the Earth in your inbox.

Earth Observatory Image of the Day

NASA’s Earth Observatory brings you the Earth, every day, with in-depth stories and stunning imagery.

Explore Earth Science

Earth Science Data

Open access to NASA’s archive of Earth science data

Source: science.nasa.gov

Army Sgt. 1st Class Charles William Turner, an infantryman, posthumously received the Medal of Honor for distinguishing himself with conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity during the Korean War, near Yongsan, South Korea.

Source: www.war.gov

NASA will provide live coverage of prelaunch, launch, and docking activities for the agency’s SpaceX Crew‑13 mission to the International Space Station.

Live coverage will stream through a variety of platforms. Learn where to watch online:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

Crew‑13 is scheduled to launch at 11:10 a.m. EDT, Thursday, Oct. 1, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, with docking planned for about 7 p.m. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will carry NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov to the International Space Station for a long-duration science mission.

Any events in person are only open to previously credentialed media. Call details are available to media upon request.

NASA’s Crew-13 mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):

Wednesday, Sept. 30

5 p.m.: Prelaunch news conference with the following participants:

• Dr. Lori Glaze, associate administrator, Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
• Dana Weigel, manager, Low Earth Orbit Program, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston
• Mathieu Caron, director, Astronauts, Life Sciences, and Space Medicine, CSA
• William Gerstenmaier, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX
• Arlena Moses, launch weather officer, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron

Media may ask questions in person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour prior to the beginning of the news conference at: [email protected].

Thursday, Oct. 1

9:20 a.m.: Launch coverage begins

11:10 a.m.: Launch

Following the conclusion of launch coverage, NASA will provide audio-only discussions between Crew-13, the space station, and flight controllers during Dragon’s transit to the orbital complex.

12:45 p.m.: Postlaunch news conference with the following participants:

• NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman
• Dr. Lori Glaze, associate administrator, Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
• Dana Weigel, manager, Low Earth Orbit Program, NASA Johnson
• Mathieu Caron, director, Astronauts, Life Sciences, and Space Medicine, CSA
• Julianna Scheiman, director, NASA Science and Dragon Programs, SpaceX

Media may ask questions in person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour prior to the beginning of the news conference at: [email protected].

NASA’s live Crew-13 coverage returns with rendezvous and docking streaming on a variety of platforms. The planned 7-hour, 50-minute trip from launch to docking on Oct. 1 will be the fastest by a U.S. spacecraft in space station history.

5:20 p.m.: Arrival coverage begins

7 p.m.: Targeted docking to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module

8:45 p.m.: Hatch opening followed by welcome remarks

All times are estimates and could be adjusted based on real-time operations after launch. Follow the space station blog for the most up-to-date operational information.

Once aboard the station, the crew members will conduct a brief handover with the agency’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission, which is expected to begin its return to Earth no earlier than Monday, Oct. 5. NASA will share additional details on Crew-12’s return after Crew-13’s arrival.

Media accreditation

The deadline for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch has passed. The agency’s media credentialing policy is available online. For questions about media accreditation, please email: [email protected].

Live launch video coverage

NASA will provide a live video feed of Space Launch Complex 40 approximately six hours prior to the planned liftoff of the Crew-13 mission. Pending unlikely technical issues, the feed will be uninterrupted until the prelaunch broadcast begins on NASA+, approximately two hours prior to launch. Once the feed is live, find it online at: http://youtube.com/kscnewsroom.

Media who need access to NASA live video feeds may subscribe to the agency’s media resources distribution list to receive daily updates and links.

Audio-only coverage

Launch audio also will be available on Launch Information Service and Amateur Television System’s VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz and KSC Amateur Radio Club’s UHF radio frequency 444.925 MHz, FM mode, heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast.

Attend launch virtually

Members of the public may register to attend this launch virtually. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following launch.

NASA website launch coverage

Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming at 9:10 a.m. on Oct. 1, and blog updates as the countdown milestones occur.

On-demand streaming video and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on the commercial crew blog.

Watch, engage on social media

Follow the Crew-13 mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by following and tagging these accounts:

X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @Space_Station, @ISS National Lab, @SpaceX

Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, ISS, ISS National Lab

Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @ISS, @ISSNationalLab, @SpaceX

NASA has delivered on its goal of safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station from the United States through a partnership with American private industry. This partnership is opening access to low Earth orbit and the International Space Station to more people, more science, and more commercial opportunities. For more than 25 years, people have continuously lived and worked aboard the space station, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies that enable us to prepare for human exploration of the Moon as we prepare for Mars.

For more information about the Crew-13 mission, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crew-13/

-end-

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

Steven Siceloff
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
[email protected]

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

Source: www.nasa.gov

Ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 mission launch, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft are vertical at the launch pad of Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in this Sept. 27, 2026, photo.

NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station for a long-duration science mission on Oct. 1.

Image credit: SpaceX

Source: www.nasa.gov

2 Min Read

NASA Opens Applications for Second Season of ORBIT Student Challenge

Following a successful inaugural year of ingenuity and career building, NASA ORBIT (Opportunities in Research, Business, Innovation, and Technology) has officially returned for a second season to bring university and college student innovation to the forefront of Earth technology development and deep-space exploration.

Registration for the 2026–2027 challenge is open through Monday, Nov. 16, 2026, through the NASA STEM Gateway.

Expanded for its second season with up to $500,000 in total prize funding, NASA’s ORBIT invites student teams to explore their boldest ideas and invent their brightest solutions. Through the competition, students must conduct targeted research, conceptualize early models, and perform feasibility analyses to refine their proposals. Top-performing teams earn a spot at the in-person Pitch Showcase to present their solutions to a panel of expert judges, who select award recipients based on their presentations and interactive Q&A sessions.

ORBIT has two challenge tracks for teams to choose from. Participants in the ORBIT Earth track must select a NASA-owned patent and develop novel commercial or nonprofit applications addressing critical terrestrial problems. Whether reimagining drones for reduced noise pollution or designing improved medical technology for better patient care, students must demonstrate clear pathways to public benefit.

The ORBIT Space focuses on next-generation space exploration technology designed to support NASA’s Artemis program and future initiatives to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Teams competing in this track develop viable concepts for power, communications, navigation, living solutions, astronaut health and well-being, and more.

Projects that successfully unite the goals of both the Earth and Space tracks can also qualify for a special Integration Bonus, but this season also introduces two new specialty recognitions: the Faculty Advisors’ Choice Award, celebrating professionalism and cross-team communications, and the Next Steps Award, recognizing teams with the strongest roadmaps to continuing their project development after the conclusion of the challenge.

Together with core prizes, ORBIT celebrates student excellence and drives key technical solutions while building a pipeline of interdisciplinary talent. The challenge provides students with immersive experience in NASA’s core missions, direct access to agency mentors, and industry-ready skills that bridge academia and aerospace careers.

For complete competition details, eligibility requirements, and official rules, visit: https://nasaorbit.org/

Registration is open until Nov.16, 2026, through the NASA STEM Gateway.

Keep Exploring

Discover More Topics From NASA

MUREP Student Engagement

Learning Resources

NASA STEM Opportunities and Activities For Students

For Colleges and Universities

Source: www.nasa.gov

The idea of humans and robots working side-by-side in space was once the stuff of science fiction, but with NASA launching increasingly complex missions deeper into space, human-robot collaboration could become reality.

Advanced robotic systems are critical for human spaceflight because they can enhance a crew’s performance and productivity while reducing risk and expanding the capabilities for space exploration. The Dexterous Robotics Team at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston plays a key role in developing robotic hardware and software to support NASA’s bold vision for the future, with a focus on robots that can complete tasks humans do with their hands. 

“Our team is not trying to replace human explorers with robots but instead make human exploration safer and more sustainable by developing highly capable, reliable, and trustworthy robots to work in extreme environments,” said Shaun Azimi, Dexterous Robotics Team lead. “If we can send more capable robots, we can reduce the risk and make people more effective in doing the things that people do best.”

The 16-member team is part of NASA’s Robotic System Technology Branch, which also develops mobility systems like unmanned planetary rovers. Azimi is one of several engineers who work on both dexterity and mobility projects. There is also crossover within the Dexterous Robotics Team. While the group is generally organized into two subgroups, mechatronics and software, most team members have experience in electronics or mechanics as well as writing software for simulations or analyses.

Much of that experience was gained by working on two well-known humanoid robots – the Robonaut 2, which participated in robotics technology demonstrations aboard the International Space Station for seven years, and Valkyrie, NASA’s first bipedal humanoid robot. Many of the employees who worked on those projects now make up the Dexterous Robotics Team and continue to build upon the robots’ legacy.

Today the team supports a variety of agency projects and programs, some of which are exploring connections to building the Moon Base, humanity’s first lunar outpost. “Our work is a combination of technology research and development, and applied technology on the operational side,” Azimi said. The team also collaborates with private industry and other external partners that face similar challenges in their work, such as an oil and gas company seeking to leverage robotic technologies in harsh environments and for riskier tasks.

A major focus for the team has been development of the Integrated Mobile Evaluation Testbed for Robotics Operations (iMETRO) facility at Johnson. Available to NASA programs and external partners, iMETRO is designed to support the adaptation of terrestrial robotic technologies for human-supervised space exploration applications such as logistics, maintenance, and scientific research. The facility comprises open-source software and simulation assets, as well as space vehicle and habitat mockups, a selection of “house robots,” and an outdoor rock yard. Offering digital and physical facilities gives iMETRO users the flexibility to test a whole robot or a single hardware or software component.

Azimi said iMETRO helps remove the guesswork from NASA’s collaboration with external partners. “It shows them the things we actually need done so they don’t have to speculate,” he said. “We can also bring together the people who are developing the robotic technologies – hardware, software, or both – with the people who are actually designing a lunar surface habitat or rover.” This enables different teams to learn from each other: The technology providers gain a better understanding of the habitat, while the habitat designers learn what features are needed to accommodate a robot. “They can learn about how robots perceive the world and interact with objects, and what is difficult for a robot compared to a human,” Azimi said. “It’s not necessarily a totally different interface, and something like a bigger handle or better lighting might make things easier for a person as well.”

In one case, a team from PickNik Inc. used iMETRO to test software enabling a robotic arm to recognize a spacecraft hatch, then turn the latch, grasp the handle, and open the door. The arm was then able to transfer cargo bags between the hatch and a bin. The facility also supported a NASA intern’s development and testing of software that used a common commercial robotic arm and camera to inspect and maintain a cold stowage freezer like those aboard the space station.  

Azimi acknowledged the team’s near-term emphasis on technologies that can support a sustained human presence on the lunar surface but noted those technologies also have applications for future missions to Mars. In fact, the team is collaborating with other agency organizations on a forthcoming NASA challenge that will invite the public to share their ideas for technology solutions for Mars exploration.

Azimi said he is often asked why there is a robotics team at Johnson. “It’s really about the human elements – either working in environments designed for humans or working alongside humans. That’s our niche,” he said. “We’re uniquely positioned to bring in folks who are designing the human environments.”

Explore More

1 min read

NASA ORBIT Challenge 2027

Article


1 day ago

2 min read

NASA Welcomes Croatia as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory

Article


6 days ago

1 min read

NASA Aircraft to Make Low-Altitude Research Flights Over Colorado

Article


6 days ago

Source: www.nasa.gov

2 Min Read

October’s Night Sky Notes: Spooky Stargazing

The Ghoul

Located within the constellation Perseus lies a star called Algol, also known as ‘Demon Star’ or ‘The Ghoul’. You can spot this star during the autumn months, along with Cassiopeia and Andromeda in the northeastern sky, beginning after 9 PM. In Greek mythology, this star represents the ‘blinking eye’ of the gorgon Medusa. But how can a star blink?

Algol is a triple-star system, with two of the three stars orbiting one another. This eclipsing binary causes the system to go from a bright +2.1 magnitude to a slightly dimmer +3.4 magnitude about every three days. Using data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission, this light curve shows the regular dimming, or Medusa’s ‘blinking eye’!

There is no shortage of resources on how to calculate the dimming – or minima – of Algol, from interactive charts to data plots. Find the one that works best for you. Because it has a similar magnitude of brightness, you can compare Algol’s brightness to the nearby star Almach (Gamma Andromedae) in Andromeda using a small telescope or binoculars.

Witch Head Nebula

Between the Eridanus and Orion constellations lies a spooky silhouette, illuminated by the star Rigel. IC 2118, or the Witch Head Nebula, is a reflection nebula about 900 light-years away from Earth. Because reflection nebulae rely on nearby starlight to appear visible, they can be difficult to see with the naked eye, especially if they are as far away as this one. While the Witch Head Nebula can’t be seen with the naked eye, telescopes with very large apertures and low magnification make it easier to catch under dark skies. Astrophotographers, with or without smart telescopes, can image this haunting outline within a few hours, depending on equipment and sky quality. And what is a witch without their broom! You can find the Witch’s Broom in the Western Veil Nebula, located in the constellation Cygnus.

Want more tips for getting into the season? Read our article on how you can make some spooky sidewalk astronomy fun for your community with Trick or Treat: Sidewalk Astronomy!

Source: science.nasa.gov

A commercial mission to boost NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory concluded without raising the spacecraft’s orbit, but the agency and industry vendor Katalyst Space have gained valuable experience that will benefit future in-space servicing programs.

“From the beginning, this was a high-risk, high-reward mission,” said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, Astrophysics Division director at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Without intervention, Swift was going to re-enter the atmosphere by year’s end. And while we’ll be sad to see Swift’s mission come to a close, we knew this boost effort would be valuable to the agency on multiple levels — advancing U.S. spacecraft servicing technology, challenging us to meet unprecedented mission timelines, and testing how we operate satellites to extend their time in low Earth orbit. We’re very proud of how quickly this team got so far, and we’re capturing lessons learned to ensure we’re ready to go even farther.”

Swift, which launched in November 2004, was designed to study gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the cosmos.

Over the last two decades, the observatory has revolutionized our understanding of how the universe works, from studying comets and asteroids in our own solar system and various types of cosmic explosions to flares from black holes in distant galaxies.

All spacecraft in low Earth orbit experience drag from our planet’s atmosphere. If they don’t have propulsion systems, this drag gradually reduces their altitudes. A period of increased solar activity magnified this effect on Swift.

After deciding to investigate the potential for a boost attempt, NASA had only a few months to issue a call for proposals through its Center of Excellence for Collaborative Engineering and fund design concept studies through the agency’s Small Business Innovation Research program.

In September 2025, NASA contracted Katalyst, based in Flagstaff, Arizona, to attempt the mission. The company had around one year to design, build, test, and launch a satellite that would then meet, grab, and lift Swift.

The LINK spacecraft took off from Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands in July aboard a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket. Katalyst selected the Pegasus as the best launch option for reaching the observatory on the mission’s condensed timeline, based on the mission’s orbital and programmatic needs.

After successfully reaching space and performing initial spacecraft checkouts, LINK began experiencing intermittent communications losses and developed issues with its orientation control.

Following a period of around-the-clock troubleshooting from both teams, NASA and Katalyst agreed to scale back the mission. LINK would no longer attempt to grab or boost Swift but instead attempt to perform a series of technology demonstrations that would advance the capabilities of the U.S. commercial servicing industry.

These included exercising the spacecraft’s xenon-powered propulsion system and three robotic arms, which were designed to provide flexibility regarding where LINK could safely grapple Swift. NASA formally concluded the agency’s involvement in LINK’s mission on Sept. 3. The spacecraft re-entered the atmosphere on Sept. 25.

“LINK was built to take on a problem that did not have an easy solution,” said Ghonhee Lee, CEO of Katalyst Space. “This was an ambitious mission on an aggressive timeline. While we did not accomplish every objective we set out to achieve, in less than a year we went from mission concept to launching and operating the first commercial space robot. This is a foundation we can build on.”

Science missions like Swift take years to develop and then operate in orbit for decades. For the Swift boost, however, the most important factor was the timeline. All decision-making and risk acceptance hinged on predictions showing the observatory sinking to the point of no return — an altitude of around 185 miles (300 kilometers) — in fall 2026. As such, the boost mission required a new form of agile project management for NASA.

Swift team members in SSMO (Space Science Mission Operations) at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, worked with Katalyst to develop milestones and approval processes that gave the mission the best chance of success while being flexible enough to move quickly toward launch.

Both groups received valuable input and feedback from NASA’s Engineering and Safety Center when tackling questions and issues that arose during integration and testing.

“Katalyst was committed to leveraging NASA’s deep experience to give themselves the best possible chance of successfully achieving the unprecedented challenge we gave them,” said Russell Carpenter, project manager in SSMO at NASA Goddard “Missions like these, where public-private teams work tenaciously to overcome obstacles, are an inspiration to the world, reminding us that striving for the near impossible brings out what is exceptional in all of us.”

While teams at NASA and Katalyst were racing to get LINK ready on the ground, flight controllers in Swift’s Mission Operations Center, located at Penn State in University Park in Pennsylvania, were trying to keep Swift above the critical altitude for as long as possible. Below it, any boost attempt would become increasingly difficult.

During normal operations, the Penn State team sends a plan to Swift that tells the observatory which cosmic objects and events to observe each day.

In December 2025, however, the controllers started swapping around 25% of these science targets for points on the sky that would minimize drag when Swift was trained on them. By February, the team had switched over to this approach entirely.

“Even though Swift was not executing pointed science observations from mid-February to late August, we nonetheless continued Penn State’s history of innovative space research and operations, pioneering new methods to minimize drag experienced by the spacecraft,” said John Nousek, the mission director and professor of astronomy and astrophysics in the university’s Eberly College of Science. “These changes bought valuable time for the boost mission and can be carried forward for future NASA missions.”

The team also couldn’t point too close to Earth, the Moon, or the Sun, since the brightness of all three could overheat and damage the observatory’s instruments. Pointing Swift in the most streamlined position also tilted it too close to the atmosphere, where particles could collide with the telescopes and affect future observations. The team struck a balance that managed to maintain Swift’s altitude above the critical threshold for several months.

“We’re grateful to all our collaborators for the incredible amount of time and dedication they’ve put into the boost mission,” said S. Bradley Cenko, Swift’s principal investigator at NASA Goddard. “When Neil Gehrels, Swift’s namesake, designed the observatory, nothing like it had ever launched. He would have celebrated that this boost effort was part of Swift’s legacy, that it allowed NASA to try something new and daring even though the outcome wasn’t guaranteed. That’s how we explore the universe — as a team, learning from each other, constantly pushing forward.”

About the Author

Jeanette Kazmierczak

Science writer

Jeanette Kazmierczak is a science writer at the University of Maryland, College Park and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, where she covers missions and research in the Astrophysics Science Division.

Source: science.nasa.gov

On Monday, NASA and Boeing provided an update on the company’s Starliner spacecraft, including adding additional crew missions and certifying a new rocket for crew transportation to low Earth orbit.

“We are living through the most exciting era of space exploration since Apollo,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “As this domain continues to open, there will be growing demand for launch vehicles, transfer stages, landers, and, of course, spacecraft that carry astronauts. NASA has been committed to having multiple crew transportation options since the beginning of the Commercial Crew Program. We have worked closely with Boeing to address the issues identified on previous Starliner flights, and we intend to see this vehicle return to flight in support of the International Space Station and future commercial destinations.”

The agency intends to exercise options for a fifth and sixth flight to and from the space station using Starliner, and will work with Boeing and United Launch Alliance to certify the Vulcan rocket for use after the Atlas V rocket’s final flight.

“We are starting with an uncrewed Starliner-1 mission to the International Space Station to validate the improvements made to the spacecraft and gather the flight data we need,” said Isaacman. “From there, we will use what we learn, continue implementing the corrective actions identified by our Program Investigation Team, and complete the testing and certification required for crewed flight. Our current plan is to return astronauts on Starliner-2 by 2028.”

NASA’s commercial crew efforts aim to preserve a U.S. crew transportation capability for ensuring continued access to space. The work is challenging, however, it is essential for responsibly concluding space station operations, transitioning to commercial space stations, and expanding commercial access.

In February, NASA released findings from the agency’s Program Investigation Team outlining the programmatic and technical issues resulting in an uncrewed return of the Starliner during its first crewed flight in 2024. In total, the investigation identified 61 recommendations to NASA to ensure that future missions meet the high standards required for human spaceflight.

The report specifically identified issues with Starliner’s service module reaction control thrusters operating outside of their engineering qualification, which resulted in the loss of control experienced during its Crew Flight Test. Through significant ground testing and analysis, NASA and Boeing learned the service module thruster performance issues resulted from a combination of factors, including the thermal environment and features inherent in its design.

Based on the findings, Boeing has made thermal modifications to the spacecraft’s service module which NASA will evaluate for improved performance on Starliner-1. NASA and Boeing also have jointly decided to implement an additional thruster valve design modification in support of spacecraft certification and future crewed flights.

The uncrewed Starliner-1 has the potential to fly in December of this year or January 2027. It will serve as an engineering evaluation mission to verify improved thermal environments, obtain necessary performance data for system qualification, and identify residual risk ahead of crewed missions.

“Starliner’s next flight is a critical step on the path to achieving full system certification and ensuring a sustained human presence in low Earth orbit,” said Dana Weigel, manager of NASA’s Low Earth Orbit Program. “With the safety of our space station crew and the public as our highest priority, we will test Starliner’s propulsion system through targeted demonstration objectives and disciplined operational controls. These steps are essential to validating Starliner’s thermal performance which is a key element for the certification.”

Following the flight, NASA and Boeing will complete the service module thruster valve design modification, which is focused on addressing poppet seal extrusion and its adverse effects on thruster performance. Boeing also will implement other improvements across the spacecraft including installation of new crew module thrusters, batteries, and minor modifications to the parachute system for increased performance and reliability in support of system certification.

To learn more about NASA’s missions, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov

-end-

George Alderman / Josh Finch
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
[email protected] / [email protected]

Source: www.nasa.gov