{"id":539798,"date":"2023-10-04T17:41:35","date_gmt":"2023-10-04T21:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=539798"},"modified":"2023-10-23T16:07:39","modified_gmt":"2023-10-23T20:07:39","slug":"nasa-ames-astrogram-september-october-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/ames\/nasa-ames-astrogram-september-october-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA Ames Astrogram – September\/October 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/astrogrambanner2016v2_1.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"278\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/astrogrambanner2016v2_1.jpg?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Astrogram banner\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/astrogrambanner2016v2_1.jpg 4104w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/astrogrambanner2016v2_1.jpg?resize=300,41 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/astrogrambanner2016v2_1.jpg?resize=768,104 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/astrogrambanner2016v2_1.jpg?resize=1024,139 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/astrogrambanner2016v2_1.jpg?resize=1536,209 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/astrogrambanner2016v2_1.jpg?resize=2048,278 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/astrogrambanner2016v2_1.jpg?resize=400,54 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/astrogrambanner2016v2_1.jpg?resize=600,82 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/astrogrambanner2016v2_1.jpg?resize=900,122 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/astrogrambanner2016v2_1.jpg?resize=1200,163 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/astrogrambanner2016v2_1.jpg?resize=2000,272 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">NASA\u2019s Honey Astrobee Robot Returns to Space<\/h3>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1692\" height=\"1118\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png?w=1692\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png 1692w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png?resize=300,198 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png?resize=768,507 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png?resize=1024,677 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png?resize=1536,1015 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png?resize=400,264 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png?resize=600,396 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png?resize=900,595 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png?resize=1200,793 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1692px) 100vw, 1692px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg examines a recently unpacked Astrobee free-flying robot aboard the International Space Station. The Astrobee system is a research platform exploring how robots can maintain spacecraft. <\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong><em>Credit: NASA<\/em><\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The International Space Station is abuzz with the return of one of NASA\u2019s Astrobee smart robots. The yellow Honey Astrobee, one of three free-flying robots, was unboxed in space after spending nearly a year at its home base, NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley. Honey had returned to Earth in September 2022 for maintenance and repairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg helped unpack Honey from its flight container and verified the robot was ready to get back to work. After initial checks, Honey was able to independently disengage from its docking station, maneuver through the space station\u2019s Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), and re-dock successfully without crew supervision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/astrobee\">Astrobee<\/a> Facility provides the orbiting laboratory with a robotic system for research and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) outreach. Astrobee consists of three cubed-shaped robots, software, and a docking station used for recharging. The robots, which use electric fans as propulsion in the microgravity of the space station, aim to help manage routine spacecraft tasks so that astronauts can focus on jobs that only humans can perform. The project provides payload opportunities as well as guidance to users from academia, private industry, NASA, and other government agencies in the execution of approved research and STEM objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Astrobee was funded by NASA\u2019s Game Changing Development Program, part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/space-technology-mission-directorate\/\">Space Technology Mission Directorate<\/a>. Ongoing funding is provided by NASA\u2019s International Space Station Utilization Office. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">NASA Ames\u2019 Contributions to OSIRIS-REx<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>by Gianine Figliozzi<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Extraterrestrial rocks and dust \u2013 material scooped up from an asteroid \u2013 were delivered to Earth on Sept. 24, 2023. A safe landing in the Utah desert for the spacecraft carrying this bounty marked the end of a seven-year journey for NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/osiris-rex\">OSIRIS-REx<\/a> \u2013 short for the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer \u2013 and the start of two intensive years of sample analysis activities for mission scientists on Earth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the coming decades, scientists around the world will study the rocks and dust collected from the asteroid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/goddard\/2020\/bennu-top-ten\">Bennu<\/a> to learn about the formation of the solar system and the delivery of organic molecules to early Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/updatedtagpose-1-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1041\" height=\"529\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/updatedtagpose-1-1.png?w=1041\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/updatedtagpose-1-1.png 1041w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/updatedtagpose-1-1.png?resize=300,152 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/updatedtagpose-1-1.png?resize=768,390 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/updatedtagpose-1-1.png?resize=1024,520 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/updatedtagpose-1-1.png?resize=400,203 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/updatedtagpose-1-1.png?resize=600,305 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/updatedtagpose-1-1.png?resize=900,457 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1041px) 100vw, 1041px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Artist’s conception of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx about to land on asteroid Bennu.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong><em>Credit: NASA<\/em><\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Bennu is also one of the most potentially hazardous asteroids for Earth impact, although the chances of impact in the 22nd century are only one in 1,750. Understanding the physical and chemical properties of asteroids like Bennu will be critical, should humanity need to mitigate impact hazards in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Teams at NASA Ames have played critical roles in preparing the mission for success and will continue to work on the OSIRIS-REx samples once they arrive. They helped design ways for the mission to collect high-quality samples, preserve them in pristine form, and develop a plan for the scientific community to study the essentially irreplaceable asteroid material. Ames experts also advised the mission on its thermal protection system \u2013 notably the heat shield that will protect the sample return capsule from the blistering heat of passing through Earth\u2019s atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read on for more details of Ames\u2019 contributions to OSIRIS-REx.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Preparing for an Asteroid Sample: From Canister to Curation<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Ames researcher Scott Sandford has been involved with OSIRIS-REx since the earliest days of the mission. A major area of his work was in the design and testing of the air filter system on the sample return canister that has housed the precious asteroid material during its journey to Earth and will protect it from contamination when it lands on the surface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The canister\u2019s air filter was tested in Sandford\u2019s lab before the mission launched. It will keep earthly contaminants out of the sample and, if the asteroid material is releasing any gases, the filter will trap them. If that\u2019s happening, scientists could identify some components of Bennu. Sandford will coordinate a group of scientists in labs around the world to analyze the air filter after its return to Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sandford also leads the effort to analyze many components of the sample return capsule, both to assess potential sources of contamination in the samples and to assess the performance of the capsule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sandford\u2019s sample curation work helped plan how the unique material from Bennu will be used. Three-quarters of it will be made available for study over the coming decades, while the remaining 25% may be distributed to researchers in efficient ways that let them address the mission\u2019s scientific questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Withstanding the Heat of Earth Entry<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The heat shield thermal protection system (TPS) is made of a material developed at Ames: phenolic-impregnated carbon ablator (PICA). PICA was first flown on NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/solarsystem.nasa.gov\/missions\/stardust\/in-depth\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Stardust<\/a> mission, which also delivered extraterrestrial material to Earth \u2013 from a comet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Stardust sample return capsule was nearly identical to that of OSIRIS-REx, so the latter mission was able to use the Earth-entry, descent, and landing systems successfully demonstrated by the earlier mission. Reusing many features of the Stardust capsule design, adjusted for the specific needs of the mission to Bennu, allowed OSIRIS-REx to reduce costs and the thermal protection team to leverage what they had learned from Stardust.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ajd14-i274-0202.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1371\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ajd14-i274-0202.png?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft's heat shield is made of a material developed at Ames: phenolic-impregnated carbon ablator (PICA). In this photo, PICA is undergoing testing in Ames' arc jet facility, which simulates atmospheric re-entry conditions, to confirm thermal protection performance for the heat shield's design.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ajd14-i274-0202.png 3067w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ajd14-i274-0202.png?resize=300,201 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ajd14-i274-0202.png?resize=768,514 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ajd14-i274-0202.png?resize=1024,685 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ajd14-i274-0202.png?resize=1536,1028 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ajd14-i274-0202.png?resize=2048,1371 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ajd14-i274-0202.png?resize=400,268 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ajd14-i274-0202.png?resize=600,402 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ajd14-i274-0202.png?resize=900,602 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ajd14-i274-0202.png?resize=1200,803 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ajd14-i274-0202.png?resize=2000,1339 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s heat shield is made of a material developed at Ames: phenolic-impregnated carbon ablator (PICA). In this photo, PICA is undergoing testing in Ames’ arc jet facility, which simulates atmospheric re-entry conditions, to confirm thermal protection performance for the heat shield’s design.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong><em>Credit: NASA<\/em><\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>They then worked with mission partner Lockheed Martin Space \u2013 who designed and built the spacecraft and capsule \u2013 to integrate the air filter and PICA elements onto the mission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ames helped qualify the PICA to withstand the extremely high temperatures experienced upon entering Earth\u2019s atmosphere. They provided guidance to the mission on the PICA thickness needed to protect the samples and tested the heat shield material under simulated atmospheric re-entry conditions in Ames\u2019 arc jet facilities to confirm thermal protection performance for the design. Ames experts in computational fluid dynamics supplied analysis that validated the aerothermal environments used in those tests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Soon after the spacecraft returns, members of Ames\u2019 thermal protection team also plan to laser-scan the OSIRIS-REx heat shield in coordination with colleagues at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Lockheed Martin, or both. What they learn about PICA\u2019s performance, relative to predictions, can support future missions such as <a href=\"https:\/\/mars.nasa.gov\/msr\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Mars Sample Return<\/a>, that will return samples collected by NASA\u2019s Mars <a href=\"https:\/\/mars.nasa.gov\/mars2020\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Perseverance<\/a> rover to Earth in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Asteroid Sample Science<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>When the OSIRIS-REx capsule lands in the Utah desert, researcher Scott Sandford will be on the ground to help retrieve it. The chances of contaminants like soil and water entering the sample canister inside are extremely low. But, to be absolutely certain no one accidentally studies terrestrial materials thinking they are samples from Bennu, he will help collect samples from the environment where the capsule lands, for comparison with the asteroid material. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Later, Sandford will perform scientific studies of the Bennu samples themselves. His study will focus on two areas. He\u2019ll assess what, if any, spacecraft-related contaminants got into the samples, such as material coming off the heat shield as it ablated, or \u201cburned off,\u201d during atmospheric entry. Sandford will also probe the samples for any organic compounds. Scientists estimate that Bennu is 4.5 billion years old and contains well-preserved materials, including complex organics, from the early solar system. Finding organics could tell us something about what roles materials of the early solar system may have played in delivering organic \u201cingredients of life\u201d to the early Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The techniques Sandford uses will allow him to search for compounds inside the Bennu samples. At Ames he\u2019ll use infrared microspectroscopy to detect various kinds of organics in the samples that contain carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen. He will also work with colleagues to study samples using the Advanced Light Source facility, a specialized particle accelerator that generates bright beams of X-ray light for scientific research, located at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California. Both techniques provide information about the kinds of chemical bonds present in the samples\u2019 organic compounds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>HORIS<\/strong><strong>: A Study of Atmospheric Entry<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA\u2019s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, will manage an experiment taking advantage of the OSIRIS-REx sample arrival to study characteristics of re-entry through an atmosphere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Four aircraft and teams at three ground sites will track the capsule\u2019s trajectory on its way to the surface, using imaging and spectroscopy instruments. Data from the project, called Hypervelocity OSIRIS-REx Reentry Imaging & Spectroscopy (HORIS), will be used to validate and develop planetary entry models. <\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/53058302661-302f6f3984-6k-0.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1365\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/53058302661-302f6f3984-6k-0.jpg?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/53058302661-302f6f3984-6k-0.jpg 6144w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/53058302661-302f6f3984-6k-0.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/53058302661-302f6f3984-6k-0.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/53058302661-302f6f3984-6k-0.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/53058302661-302f6f3984-6k-0.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/53058302661-302f6f3984-6k-0.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/53058302661-302f6f3984-6k-0.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/53058302661-302f6f3984-6k-0.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/53058302661-302f6f3984-6k-0.jpg?resize=900,600 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/53058302661-302f6f3984-6k-0.jpg?resize=1200,800 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/53058302661-302f6f3984-6k-0.jpg?resize=2000,1333 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Recovery teams participate in field rehearsals in preparation for the retrieval of the asteroid sample return capsule from NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at the Department of Defense’s Utah Test and Training Range. NASA Ames researcher Scott Sandford, second from left, who has been involved with OSIRIS-REx since the earliest days of the mission, will participate in retrieval of the capsule when it lands in the desert on Sep. 24 and, later, will perform scientific studies of the samples from asteroid Bennu.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><em><strong>Credit: NASA Ames\/Keegan Barber<\/strong><\/em><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>NASA\u2019s Earth Science Project Office (ESPO), based at Ames, will provide operational and shipping support to two international ground teams by setting up work sites at three different locations in northern Nevada.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, provides overall mission management, systems engineering, and the safety and mission assurance for OSIRIS-REx. Dante Lauretta of the University of Arizona, Tucson, is the principal investigator. The university leads the science team and the mission’s science observation planning and data processing. Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, built the spacecraft and provides flight operations. Goddard and KinetX Aerospace are responsible for navigating the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. Curation for OSIRIS-REx, including processing the sample when it arrives on Earth, will take place at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston. International partnerships on this mission include the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter instrument from CSA (the Canadian Space Agency) and asteroid sample science collaboration with JAXA\u2019s (the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Hayabusa2 mission. OSIRIS-REx is the third mission in NASA\u2019s New Frontiers Program, managed by NASA\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency\u2019s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Congratulations to the 2023 Ames Honor Awards Recipients<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The honorees will be recognized at the center’s annual Ames Honor Awards ceremony to be held in person on Nov. 1, in the Syvertson Auditorium (N201) at 11 a.m. PDT.  Employees are invited to attend as we celebrate, recognize, and honor the achievements of our colleagues.  Thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination for this prestigious award, and congratulations to the deserving recipients<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recipients of the 2023 Ames Honor Awards:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Administrative Assistant Support\/Secretary<\/strong><br>Lyn C. Bartlett<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Administrative Professional<\/strong><br>Erin K. Contreras<br>Trincy D. Lewis<br>Vanessa R. Westmoreland<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Best First Paper<\/strong><br>Dahlia D. Pham<br>Evan T. Kawamura<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Contractor Employee<\/strong><br>Sonja M. Caldwell, KBR<br>Athena Chan, Science and Technology Corporation<br>David Garcia Perez, Science and Technology Corporation<br>Dominic Hart, MORI Associates<br>Ignacio Gonzalo Lopez-Francos, KBR<br>Taejin Park, Bay Area Environmental Research Institute<br>Sasha V. Weston, Millennium Engineering & Integration Co.<br>Louis W. Wust, InuTeq, LLC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility<\/strong><br>Kevin L. Jones<br>Garrett G. Sadler<br>Dorsa Shirazi<br>Juan L. Torres-Perez<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Education and Outreach<\/strong><br>Sarah A. Conley<br>Denise R. Snow<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Engineer<\/strong><br>Rodolphe De Rosee<br>Jesse C. Fusco<br>Scott T. Miller<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Group\/Team<\/strong><br>Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment (AJAX) Project Team<br>BioSentinel Mission Operations Team<br>CapiSorb Visible System ISS Payload & Experiment<br>ICEE Facility Team<br>NASA Ames Utility Team<br>Starling Team<br>TechEdSat Nano Orbit Workshop<br>TOSS 4 and RHEL8 Migration Team<br>VIPER MGRU Rover Team<br>Voluntary Protection Program Recertification Team<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Mentor<\/strong><br>Misty D. Davies<br>Marcie A. Smith<br>Gloria K. Yamauchi<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Partnerships<\/strong><br>Sigrid Reinsch<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Project Management<\/strong><br>Craig D. Burkhard<br>Kelly E. Kwan<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Scientist or Researcher<\/strong><br>Thomas P. Greene<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Special Appreciation (Non-Ames Employees)<\/strong><br>Jeffrey F. Haught, NASA Headquarters<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Student<\/strong><br>Avraham S. Gileadi, NIFS Intern<br>Stephanie I. Pass, Intern<br>Shivang M. Shelat, SJSU Research Foundation<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Supervisor\/Manager<\/strong><br>Susie Go<br>Lynne H. Martin<br>Kerry Zarchi<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Technical Support\/Professional<\/strong><br>Randal L. Hobbs<br>Robert W. Koteskey<br>Yonghong Shen<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Technician<\/strong><br>Kevin B. Gregory<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Faces of NASA: Protocol Officer Carolina Rudisel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI never would have imagined myself here at NASA. I\u2019m an immigrant. I was originally a Mexican citizen. I was actually born in Mexico, but my parents came over to the U.S. [and I got my green card] when I was two. \u2026 My parents originally came over on a worker visa, and so we were migrant workers [when I was] growing up.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.09.16-pm.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1016\" height=\"676\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.09.16-pm.png?w=1016\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Carolina Rudisel\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 57% 52%; object-position: 57% 52%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.09.16-pm.png 1016w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.09.16-pm.png?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.09.16-pm.png?resize=768,511 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.09.16-pm.png?resize=400,266 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.09.16-pm.png?resize=600,399 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.09.16-pm.png?resize=900,599 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">“\u2026 I try to tell folks that it’s not where you started. It’s not the mistakes you’ve made. It’s what you do with it, and you can make that change not only for yourself but [also] so others can see you making the change and [know] that anything is possible.” \u2014 Carolina Rudisel, Protocol Officer, NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u2026 It was a rough upbringing, and so I knew what my life held for me if I stayed in [my] small town. I knew that I would be stuck, as even now, looking back, some of the people I knew are still stuck. So, I decided that I would join the military because I knew that, for myself, I needed to make a radical change. And so I joined the military, and my life completely turned around. \u2026 That\u2019s where I met my husband. We\u2019ve been together 32 years; we\u2019ve been married for 29 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u2026 [Before I joined] the military \u2026 I was on the wrong end of the law. I was literally standing in front of a judge who had my fate in their hands. \u2026 My recruiter happened to be at my hearing, and so we did a plea bargain and I was let off with a fine. But my life could have been completely different. So I knew the radical change was absolutely necessary for my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u2026 Fast forward: [I] joined the military, got out, and ended up spending most of the time overseas. I lived in Japan \u2014 as a matter of fact, both our kids together were born in Japan. [We] lived in Japan, Russia, Sri Lanka, Belgium, and our last post was London.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u2026 I worked for the Defense Attach\u00e9 Office, and my co-worker was in the Navy and she was like, \u2018There\u2019s a job in NASA in Northern California! You\u2019re from California, right? \u2026 You should apply.\u2019 And I [thought], \u2018There is no way.\u2019 You know, I\u2019m a businessperson, my background is in business. I was a finance budget analyst. And so, I was like, \u2018There\u2019s no way.\u2019 She [said], \u2018You should apply. Apply, apply, apply! The worst thing they could say is no.\u2019 And I\u2019m like, \u2018You know what? You\u2019re right.\u2019 I applied, came to NASA, [and] actually started off here as the secretary for the center director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Faces of NASA: Research Scientist Alfonso Davila<\/h3>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.36.39-pm.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1690\" height=\"948\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.36.39-pm.png?w=1690\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.36.39-pm.png 1690w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.36.39-pm.png?resize=300,168 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.36.39-pm.png?resize=768,431 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.36.39-pm.png?resize=1024,574 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.36.39-pm.png?resize=1536,862 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.36.39-pm.png?resize=400,224 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.36.39-pm.png?resize=600,337 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.36.39-pm.png?resize=900,505 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.36.39-pm.png?resize=1200,673 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1690px) 100vw, 1690px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">\u201cI think the experience of putting yourself in an uncomfortable environment and coming at the other end with lessons learned is always positive. Trying to expand the windows of where you feel comfortable gives you a chance to know yourself better.\u201d \u2014 Alfonso Davila, Research Scientist, Exobiology Branch, NASA Ames<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong><em>Credit: NASA Ames\/Brandon Torres<\/em><\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201c[Studying life in extreme deserts] is about exploring things that we don\u2019t know about. And a lot of what we don\u2019t know happens in environments that are remote, just because it\u2019s very hard to get there and not a lot of people go to those environments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u2026It\u2019s about those two things: exploring the unknown and also, in a way, exploring yourself and what you\u2019re capable of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u2026[My interest in exobiology] started as a means to understand whether life can exist in environments that are very Mars-like. We know that life is robust and can adapt to many extreme conditions, but deserts are very different from other extreme environments. Nobody loves being in the desert, not even microbes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOver time, our understanding of the diversity of worlds in the solar system has expanded greatly. And in the past few years, there has been a revolution driven by the discovery of what we now call ocean worlds, like Europa, or Titan. It\u2019s the polar opposite: It\u2019s going from the extreme deserts where there is barely any water for life to environments where there is a lot of water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c\u2026And so my interest started to shift slightly over the years to not just trying to understand the limits of life, but then also to understand environments where life can actually exist and how go about searching for evidence of it. To me, it\u2019s the ultimate question on how to understand life in the larger scale. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s what\u2019s driven me to explore those extreme environments, understand the limits of life, and then think about how we search for forms of life outside of the Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Clues to Psyche Asteroid\u2019s Metallic Nature Found in SOFIA Data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When the asteroid Psyche has its first close-up with a NASA spacecraft, scientists hypothesize they will find a metal-rich asteroid. It could be part or all of the iron-rich interior of a planetesimal, an early planetary building block, that was stripped of its outer rocky shell as it repeatedly collided with other large bodies during the early formation of the solar system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New research from scientists at NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley suggests that is exactly what the agency\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/psyche\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Psyche mission<\/a> will find.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.14.49-pm.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1554\" height=\"880\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.14.49-pm.png?w=1554\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"An artist\u2019s concept depicting the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, which is located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.\" style=\"transform: scale(1.2); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.14.49-pm.png 1554w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.14.49-pm.png?resize=300,170 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.14.49-pm.png?resize=768,435 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.14.49-pm.png?resize=1024,580 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.14.49-pm.png?resize=1536,870 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.14.49-pm.png?resize=400,227 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.14.49-pm.png?resize=600,340 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.14.49-pm.png?resize=900,510 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.14.49-pm.png?resize=1200,680 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1554px) 100vw, 1554px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">An artist\u2019s concept depicting the metal-rich asteroid Psyche, which is located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><em><strong>Credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech\/ASU<\/strong><\/em><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Led by Anicia Arredondo, the paper\u2019s first author and a postdoctoral researcher at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, and Maggie McAdam, Ames research scientist and principal investigator, the team observed Psyche in Feb. 2022 using NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/mission\/sofia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy<\/a> (SOFIA). The now-retired observatory was a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a reflecting telescope. As a flying telescope, SOFIA collected data that was not affected by Earth\u2019s lower atmosphere and made observations from all over the world, including over the oceans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the first time, SOFIA was able to gather data from every part of Psyche\u2019s surface. It also allowed the team to collect data about the materials that make up Psyche\u2019s surface \u2013 information that could not be gathered from ground-based telescopes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Ames team studied the way different wavelengths of light bounce off Psyche. Researchers used a mid-infrared camera, which detects wavelengths in the middle of the electromagnetic spectrum, to observe the asteroid. They measured its emissivity(the amount of energy it radiates) and porosity (how many tiny holes or spaces an object has). Both characteristics can provide clues about the materials that make up an object.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The team observed that Psyche\u2019s emissivity data was mostly flat, meaning there were no spikes or other notable features in its spectra \u2013 that is, a chart or a graph that shows the intensity of light the asteroid emits over a range of energies. Similarly flat spectra have been found in laboratory settings when mid-infrared instruments are used on metal objects. This led the researchers to conclude that Psyche is likely a metallic body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Notably, the team did not observe a spectral feature called the 10-micron plateau, which typically indicates a \u201cfluffy\u201d surface, like lunar regolith. Previous studies of Psyche had observed this feature, which suggests there may be differences between the surface at Psyche\u2019s north pole, which was facing the Earth at the time of the Ames team\u2019s study, and the surface at its south pole, which was the focus of previous studies. The team also proposed that the south pole regolith observed by other researchers could have been ejected from a collision elsewhere on Psyche\u2019s surface. This idea is supported by past observations of Psyche, which found evidence of huge depressions and impact craters across the asteroid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWith this analysis and the previous studies of Psyche, we have reached the limit of what astronomical observations can teach us about this fascinating asteroid,\u201d said McAdam. \u201cNow we need to physically visit Psyche to study it up close and learn more about what appears to be a very unique planetary body.\u201d NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/psyche\">mission to Psyche<\/a> will provide that opportunity. The spacecraft is set to launch on Oct. 12, 2023. It will arrive at the asteroid in 2029 and orbit it for at least 26 months.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.16.21-pm.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1546\" height=\"872\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.16.21-pm.png?w=1546\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1.2); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.16.21-pm.png 1546w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.16.21-pm.png?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.16.21-pm.png?resize=768,433 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.16.21-pm.png?resize=1024,578 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.16.21-pm.png?resize=1536,866 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.16.21-pm.png?resize=400,226 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.16.21-pm.png?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.16.21-pm.png?resize=900,508 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.16.21-pm.png?resize=1200,677 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1546px) 100vw, 1546px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">NASA\u2019s Psyche spacecraft is shown in a clean room on June 26, 2023, at the Astrotech Space Operations facility near the agency\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong><em>Credit: NASA\/Frank Michaux<\/em><\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Psyche\u2019s potential to answer many questions about planet formation is a key reason why it was selected for close observation by a spacecraft. Scientists believe that planets like Earth, Mars, and Mercury have metallic cores, but they are buried too far below the planets\u2019 mantles and crusts to see or measure directly. If Psyche is confirmed to be a planetary core, it can help scientists understand what is inside the Earth and other large planetary bodies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Psyche\u2019s size is also important for advancing scientific understanding of Earth-like planets. It is the largest M-type (metallic) asteroid in our solar system and is long enough to cover the distance from New York City to Baltimore, Maryland. This means Psyche is more likely to show differentiation, which is when the materials inside a planet separate from one another, with the heaviest materials sinking to the middle and forming cores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEvery time a new study of Psyche is published, it raises more questions,\u201d said Arredondo, who was a postdoctoral researcher at Ames on the SOFIA mission when the Psyche observations were collected. \u201cOur findings suggest the asteroid is very complex and likely holds many other surprises. The possibility of the unexpected is one of the most exciting parts of a mission to study an unexplored body, and we look forward to gaining a more detailed understanding of Psyche\u2019s origins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>More about the Psyche and SOFIA missions:<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Arizona State University leads the Psyche mission. A division of Caltech in Pasadena, JPL is responsible for the mission\u2019s overall management, system engineering, integration and test, and mission operations. Maxar Technologies in Palo Alto, California, provided the high-power solar electric propulsion spacecraft chassis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Psyche is the 14th mission selected as part of <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/planetary-science\/programs\/discovery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">NASA\u2019s Discovery Program<\/a>, managed by the agency\u2019s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. NASA\u2019s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, is managing the launch service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SOFIA was a joint project of NASA and the German Space Agency at DLR. DLR provided the telescope, scheduled aircraft maintenance, and other support for the mission. NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley managed the SOFIA program, science, and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association, headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, and the German SOFIA Institute at the University of Stuttgart. The aircraft was maintained and operated by NASA\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center Building 703, in Palmdale, California. SOFIA achieved full operational capability in 2014 and concluded its final science flight on Sept. 29, 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">President Biden Lands at NASA Ames, Greeted by Deputy Director<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>President Joe Biden arrived in California\u2019s Silicon Valley on Tuesday, Sept.\u202f26, 2023, where he was welcomed by Dr. David Korsmeyer, acting deputy center director at NASA Ames and Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 4, Susan Ellenberg. Biden landed aboard Air Force One \u202fat Moffett Federal Airfield, located at Ames, before departing for a campaign event in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.28.08-pm.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1394\" height=\"1108\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.28.08-pm.png?w=1394\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Preside Biden Visit\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.28.08-pm.png 1394w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.28.08-pm.png?resize=300,238 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.28.08-pm.png?resize=768,610 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.28.08-pm.png?resize=1024,814 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.28.08-pm.png?resize=400,318 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.28.08-pm.png?resize=600,477 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.28.08-pm.png?resize=900,715 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-04-at-2.28.08-pm.png?resize=1200,954 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1394px) 100vw, 1394px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">President Joe Biden\u202f arrived \u202fin California\u2019s Silicon Valley on Tuesday,\u202f Sept.\u202f26, 2023, where he was welcomed by \u202fDr. David Korsmeyer, acting deputy center director at NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center and Santa Clara County Supervisor, District 4, Susan Ellenberg.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong><em>Credit:  NASA Ames\/Dominic Hart<\/em><\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New Simulations Shed Light on Origins of Saturn\u2019s Rings and Icy Moons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>by Frank Tavares<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On a clear night, with a decent amateur telescope, Saturn and its series of remarkable rings can be seen from Earth\u2019s surface. But how did those rings come to be? And what can they tell us about Saturn and its moons, one of the potential locations NASA hopes to search for life? A new series of supercomputer simulations has offered an answer to the mystery of the rings\u2019 origins \u2013 one that involves a massive collision, back when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rh-t100-tilbatilw-di-t100-tilbatilw-b15v20-n75-035900-sph-4k.redshift-rop-steps-comp.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1152\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rh-t100-tilbatilw-di-t100-tilbatilw-b15v20-n75-035900-sph-4k.redshift-rop-steps-comp.png?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rh-t100-tilbatilw-di-t100-tilbatilw-b15v20-n75-035900-sph-4k.redshift-rop-steps-comp.png 3840w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rh-t100-tilbatilw-di-t100-tilbatilw-b15v20-n75-035900-sph-4k.redshift-rop-steps-comp.png?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rh-t100-tilbatilw-di-t100-tilbatilw-b15v20-n75-035900-sph-4k.redshift-rop-steps-comp.png?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rh-t100-tilbatilw-di-t100-tilbatilw-b15v20-n75-035900-sph-4k.redshift-rop-steps-comp.png?resize=1024,576 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rh-t100-tilbatilw-di-t100-tilbatilw-b15v20-n75-035900-sph-4k.redshift-rop-steps-comp.png?resize=1536,864 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rh-t100-tilbatilw-di-t100-tilbatilw-b15v20-n75-035900-sph-4k.redshift-rop-steps-comp.png?resize=2048,1152 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rh-t100-tilbatilw-di-t100-tilbatilw-b15v20-n75-035900-sph-4k.redshift-rop-steps-comp.png?resize=400,225 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rh-t100-tilbatilw-di-t100-tilbatilw-b15v20-n75-035900-sph-4k.redshift-rop-steps-comp.png?resize=600,338 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rh-t100-tilbatilw-di-t100-tilbatilw-b15v20-n75-035900-sph-4k.redshift-rop-steps-comp.png?resize=900,506 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rh-t100-tilbatilw-di-t100-tilbatilw-b15v20-n75-035900-sph-4k.redshift-rop-steps-comp.png?resize=1200,675 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/rh-t100-tilbatilw-di-t100-tilbatilw-b15v20-n75-035900-sph-4k.redshift-rop-steps-comp.png?resize=2000,1125 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Still image from a computer simulation of an impact between two icy moons in orbit around Saturn. The collision ejects debris that could evolve into the planet’s iconic and remarkably young rings. The simulation used over 30 million particles, colored by their ice or rock material, run using the open source SWIFT simulation code.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong><em>Credit: NASA\/Durham University\/Glasgow University\/Jacob Kegerreis\/Lu\u00eds Teodoro<\/em><\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>According to new <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3847\/1538-4357\/acf4ed\" rel=\"noopener\">research<\/a> by NASA and its partners, Saturn\u2019s rings could have evolved from the debris of two icy moons that collided and shattered a few hundred million years ago. Debris that didn\u2019t end up in the rings could also have contributed to the formation of some of Saturn\u2019s present-day moons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s so much we still don\u2019t know about the Saturn system, including its moons that host environments that might be suitable for life,\u201d said Jacob Kegerreis, a research scientist at NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley. \u201cSo, it\u2019s exciting to use big simulations like these to explore in detail how they could have evolved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission_pages\/cassini\/main\/index.html\">Cassini<\/a> mission helped scientists understand just how young \u2013 astronomically speaking \u2013 Saturn\u2019s rings and probably some of its moons are. And that knowledge opened up new questions about how they formed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To learn more, the research team turned to the Durham University location of the Distributed Research using Advanced Computing (DiRAC) supercomputing facility in the United Kingdom. They modeled what different collisions between precursor moons might have looked like. These simulations were conducted at a resolution more than 100 times higher than previous such studies, using the open-source simulation code, SWIFT, and giving scientists their best insights into the Saturn system\u2019s history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Saturn\u2019s rings today live close to the planet, within what\u2019s known as the Roche limit \u2013 the farthest orbit where a planet\u2019s gravitational force is powerful enough to disintegrate larger bodies of rock or ice that get any closer. Material orbiting farther out could clump together to form moons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By simulating almost 200 different versions of the impact, the team discovered that a wide range of collision scenarios could scatter the right amount of ice into Saturn\u2019s Roche limit, where it could settle into rings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, while alternative explanations haven\u2019t been able to show why there would be almost no rock in Saturn\u2019s rings \u2013 they are made almost entirely of chunks of ice \u2013 this type of collision could explain that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis scenario naturally leads to ice-rich rings,\u201d said Vincent Eke, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics\/Institute for Computational Cosmology, at Durham University and a co-author on the paper. \u201cWhen the icy progenitor moons smash into one another, the rock in the cores of the colliding bodies is dispersed less widely than the overlying ice.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ice and rocky debris would also have hit other moons in the system, potentially causing a cascade of collisions. Such a multiplying effect could have disrupted any other precursor moons outside the rings, out of which today\u2019s moons could have formed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But what could have set these events in motion, in the first place? Two of Saturn\u2019s former moons could have been pushed into a collision by the usually small effects of the Sun\u2019s gravity \u201cadding up\u201d to destabilize their orbits around the planet. In the right configuration of orbits, the extra pull from the Sun can have a snowballing effect \u2013 a \u201cresonance\u201d \u2013 that elongates and tilts the moons\u2019 usually circular and flat orbits until their paths cross, resulting in a high-speed impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Saturn\u2019s moon Rhea today orbits just beyond where a moon would encounter this resonance. Like the Earth\u2019s Moon, Saturn\u2019s satellites migrate outward from the planet over time. So, if Rhea were ancient, it would have crossed the resonance in the recent past. However, Rhea\u2019s orbit is very circular and flat. This suggests that it did not experience the destabilizing effects of the resonance and, instead, formed more recently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The new research aligns with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/ames\/saturns-rings-young-and-ephemeral-three-nasa-ames-studies-say\">evidence that Saturn\u2019s rings formed recently<\/a>, but there are still big open questions. If at least some of the icy moons of Saturn are also young, then what could that mean for the potential for life in the oceans under the surface of worlds like <a href=\"https:\/\/solarsystem.nasa.gov\/moons\/saturn-moons\/enceladus\/in-depth\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Enceladus<\/a>? Can we unravel the full story from the planet\u2019s original system, before the impact, through to the present day? Future research building on this work will help us learn more about this fascinating planet and the icy worlds that orbit it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">NASA-NOAA USPAI Project Conducts Successful Unscrewed Flight Missions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA, in close partnership with NOAA, has successfully conducted a series of uncrewed flight missions in the most remote islands of Alaska\u2019s Aleutian chain to survey declining marine mammal populations. The objective of this effort was to advance the application of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the United States and enhance the science and operational capabilities of NOAA.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This mission was conducted using NASA\u2019s Category III Sensor Integrated Environmental Remote Research Aircraft (SIERRA-B) UAS and flight crew in close coordination with NOAA scientists and engineers. The SIERRA-B was equipped with a specialized NOAA imaging payload for the detection and classification of marine mammals along the shores of select Aleutian Islands. The flights and resulting data are intended to shed light on the trends and patterns observed in the monitored marine mammal populations and the potential impacts of climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> The joint NASA-NOAA team worked closely together to build the necessary capabilities through a progressive process of development and testing over the span of two years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The joint team deployed to Eareckson Air Station on Shemya Island, Alaska for a three-week mission from September 6-28. During the deployment, a build-up approach to the flight missions was taken where the SIERRA-B surveyed the island of Shemya and surrounding Semichi Islands first before extending further out beyond visual line of sight to the island of Agattu. The final mission extended out to the island of Attu at a distance of 50 nautical miles from takeoff location.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-23-at-12.57.35-pm.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1872\" height=\"788\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-23-at-12.57.35-pm.png?w=1872\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"NASA-NOAA field team after completing a successful series of Beyond Visual Line of Sight science flights in Alaska's Aleutian islands\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-23-at-12.57.35-pm.png 1872w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-23-at-12.57.35-pm.png?resize=300,126 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-23-at-12.57.35-pm.png?resize=768,323 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-23-at-12.57.35-pm.png?resize=1024,431 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-23-at-12.57.35-pm.png?resize=1536,647 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-23-at-12.57.35-pm.png?resize=400,168 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-23-at-12.57.35-pm.png?resize=600,253 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-23-at-12.57.35-pm.png?resize=900,379 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-23-at-12.57.35-pm.png?resize=1200,505 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1872px) 100vw, 1872px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">The joint NASA-NOAA field team after completing a successful series of Beyond Visual Line of Sight science flights in Alaska’s Aleutian islands with NASA\u2019s SIERRA-B UAS. NASA team members: Abhay Borade, Derek Abramson, Jeff Homola, Tom Lynnn, Mark Sumich, and Sam Zuniga, NOAA team members: Shawn Dahle, Ben Hou, Stacie Koslovsky, \u00a0and Erin Moreland.<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Over the course of two years, the NASA team coordinated closely with multiple federal agencies including NOAA, DoD, USGS, and FAA. Within NASA, personnel from NASA Ames worked closely with Armstrong Flight Research Center and Glenn Research Center to ensure a safe and successful mission. The success of this mission exemplifies the strength of intra- and inter-agency collaboration that lays the foundation for the advancement of airborne science missions and our understanding of the impacts of climate change on marine mammal populations and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Statistical Summary of Activities of the Protective Service Division\u2019s Security\/Law Enforcement and Fire Protection Services Units for Period Ending Sept. 2023<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.07.52-pm.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1318\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.07.52-pm.png?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Sept 2023 Security Chart\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.07.52-pm.png 2964w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.07.52-pm.png?resize=300,193 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.07.52-pm.png?resize=768,494 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.07.52-pm.png?resize=1024,659 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.07.52-pm.png?resize=1536,989 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.07.52-pm.png?resize=2048,1318 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.07.52-pm.png?resize=400,257 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.07.52-pm.png?resize=600,386 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.07.52-pm.png?resize=900,579 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.07.52-pm.png?resize=1200,772 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.07.52-pm.png?resize=2000,1287 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Sept 2023 Security Chart<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.08.00-pm.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1297\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.08.00-pm.png?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"firechartSept2023\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.08.00-pm.png 2878w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.08.00-pm.png?resize=300,190 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.08.00-pm.png?resize=768,486 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.08.00-pm.png?resize=1024,648 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.08.00-pm.png?resize=1536,972 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.08.00-pm.png?resize=2048,1297 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.08.00-pm.png?resize=400,253 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.08.00-pm.png?resize=600,380 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.08.00-pm.png?resize=900,570 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.08.00-pm.png?resize=1200,760 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-20-at-12.08.00-pm.png?resize=2000,1266 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">firechartSept2023<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NASA\u2019s Honey Astrobee Robot Returns to Space The International Space Station is abuzz with the return of one of NASA\u2019s Astrobee smart robots. The yellow Honey Astrobee, one of three free-flying robots, was unboxed in space after spending nearly a year at its home base, NASA\u2019s Ames Research Center in California\u2019s Silicon Valley. Honey had [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":294,"featured_media":544336,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2854,11375],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[],"coauthors":[11006],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"NASA Ames Astrogram – September\/October 2023","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/ames\/nasa-ames-astrogram-september-october-2023\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/ames\/nasa-ames-astrogram-september-october-2023\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png"},"articleSection":"NASA Centers & Facilities","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Astrid Albaugh"}],"creator":["Astrid Albaugh"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["NASA Centers & Facilities","Ames Research Center","Astrogram"],"dateCreated":"2023-10-04T21:41:35Z","datePublished":"2023-10-04T21:41:35Z","dateModified":"2023-10-23T20:07:39Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"NASA Ames Astrogram – September\/October 2023\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/ames\/nasa-ames-astrogram-september-october-2023\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2023-10-04T21:41:35Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA Centers & Facilities\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"NASA Centers & Facilities,Ames Research Center,Astrogram\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"Astrid Albaugh\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":24,"time_ago":"8 months","featured_image":{"id":544336,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/screenshot-2023-10-06-at-3.32.46-pm.png","title":"NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg examines a recently unpacked Astrobee free-flying robot aboard the International Space Station","alt":"NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg examines a recently unpacked Astrobee free-flying robot aboard the International Space Station","caption":"NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg examines a recently unpacked Astrobee free-flying robot aboard the International Space Station. The Astrobee system is a research platform exploring how robots can maintain spacecraft. 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