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NASA — All-Star Moments in Space Communications and…

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NASA — All-Star Moments in Space Communications and…

We’re set to launch ICESat-2, our most advanced laser instrument of its kind, into orbit around Earth on Sept. 15. The Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 will make critical observations of how ice sheets, glaciers and sea ice are changing over time, helping us better understand how those changes affect people where they live. Here’s 10 numbers to know about this mission:One Space LaserThere’s only one scientific instrument on ICESat-2, but it’s a marvel. The Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System, or ATLAS, measures height by precisely timing how long it takes individual photons of light from a laser to leave the satellite, bounce off Earth, and return to ICESat-2. Hundreds of people at our Goddard Space Flight Center worked to build this smart-car-sized instrument to exacting ...

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Finland signs Artemis Accords – SpaceNews

WASHINGTON — Finland signed the Artemis Accords Jan. 21, the first country to do so this year amid questions about the future of the agreement in the new Trump administration.NASA said in a statement that Finland signed the Accords, which outline best practices for safe and sustainable space exploration, during the Winter Satellite Workshop 2025 at Aalto University in Espoo, Finland. The country is the 53rd to sign the Accords and the first to do so in 2025.“Today, Finland is joining a community of nations that want to share scientific data freely, operate safely and preserve the space environment for the Artemis Generation,” NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free said in the statement. “Forging strong partnerships between our nations and among the international community is critical...

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Second SAR satellite advances Space42’s hybrid connectivity and imagery vision

TAMPA, Fla. — Emirati operator Space42 said Jan. 15 it has established communications with its recently launched Foresight-2 satellite, the second synthetic aperture radar (SAR) payload for the hybrid imaging and connectivity provider. Provided by Finnish SAR operator Iceye, Foresight-2 was one of 131 payloads SpaceX sent to sun-synchronous orbit Jan. 14 on a Falcon 9 rocket. Iceye also said it successfully made contact with three other SAR satellites on the Transporter-12 rideshare mission, which will join the Finnish operator’s constellation to provide services to government and commercial customers. All four satellites are designed to provide imagery with 25-centimeter resolution using radar signals, which are unaffected by cloud cover, weather, or lighting conditions. United...

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NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory evacuated due to LA wildfire

LOS ANGELES – Devastating fires here have forced the closure and evacuation of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory as flames came less than one mile away from the facility. JPL, which operates robotic spacecraft and the Deep Space Network used for planetary missions, is located in a mandatory evacuation zone but officials have not reported any damage from the fire thus far. JPL director Laurie Leshin posted on X Jan. 8 that the facility had been damaged by the strong winds. “JPL is closed except for emergency personnel,” she wrote. “No fire damage so far (some wind damage) but it is very close to the lab. Hundreds of JPLers have been evacuated from their homes & many have lost homes. Special thx to our emergency crews. Pls keep us in your thoughts & stay safe.” JPL last...

The Engineering Behind Holiday Light Displays

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The Engineering Behind Holiday Light Displays

Holiday light displays like Galaxy Lights might feel magical, but the creation of these incredible pieces of festive art are actually based in science and engineering! As someone with a mechanical engineering degree myself, I couldn’t resist diving into the tech behind the lights. LED Lights Thousands of carefully planned feet of wires and cables, and approximately 3 million lights make up the Galaxy Lights exhibits. The 200-foot LED light tunnel alone is made of more than 250,000 lights! Many exhibits like this are able to be created thanks to electrical engineers and designers working with light-emitting diode (LED) lights. These lights use much less electricity and release substantially less heat than more traditional incandescent holiday lights. The quick descri...