NASA’S AMES RESEARCH CENTER

A new study using the now-retired Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) has pieced together the first detailed, wide-area map of water distribution on the Moon. The new map covers about one-quarter of the Earth-facing side of the lunar surface below 60 degrees latitude and extends to the Moon’s South Pole. In this data visualization, SOFIA’s lunar water observations are indicated using color, with blue representing areas of higher water signal, and brown lower. Video credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio/Ernie Wright Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/study-reveals-map-of-moon-s-water-near-its-south-pole NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

Scientists recently named a mesa-like lunar mountain that towers above the landscape carved by craters near the Moon’s South Pole. This unique feature will now be referred to as “Mons Mouton,” after NASA mathematician and computer programmer Melba Roy Mouton. Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/moon-mountain-name-honors-nasa-mathematician-melba-mouton Credit: NASA/Ames Research Center This video can be downloaded from the NASA Image and Video Library at: https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20230215-AAV3458-VIPER-MonsMouton-1080 Music Provided by Universal Production Music: Everything is Possible by Magnum Opus. NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames​ Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames​ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

A new NASA and Durham University simulation puts forth a different theory of the Moon’s origin – the Moon may have formed in a matter of hours, when material from the Earth and a Mars sized-body were launched directly into orbit after the impact. The simulations used in this research are some of the most detailed of their kind, operating at the highest resolution of any simulation run to study the Moon’s origins or other giant impacts. Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/lunar-origins-simulations Credit: NASA/Durham University/Jacob Kegerreis Music Provided by Universal Production Music: Genosequence by Alessandro Rizzo. This video can be downloaded from the NASA Image and Video Library at: https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20221004-AAV3443-MoonOrigin-Social-NASAWeb-1080p NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames​ Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames​ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, or CAPSTONE, will be the first spacecraft to fly a unique orbit around the Moon intended for NASA’s future Artemis lunar outpost Gateway. Its six-month mission will help launch a new era of deep space exploration. Multiple partner businesses contributed to CAPSTONE with support from NASA's small business programs. The spacecraft was built and tested by Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc., a Terran Orbital Corporation, operated and managed by Advanced Space, and will be launched by Rocket Lab USA, Inc. Learn more: http://www:nasa.gov/CAPSTONE Video credit: NASA’s Ames Research Center Music Provided by Universal Production Music: Pillow Talk by Andrew Joseph Carpenter NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames​ Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames​ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

The Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment, or CAPSTONE, is a CubeSat that will fly a unique orbit around the Moon intended for NASA’s future Artemis lunar outpost Gateway. Its six-month mission will help launch a new era of space exploration. Learn more: https://go.nasa.gov/3FzSrcD Video credit: NASA/Ames Research Center Music Provided by Universal Production Music: Fast Motion by Stephen Daniel Lemaire This video can be downloaded from the NASA Image and Video Library at: https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20220517-AAV3418-CAPSTONE-Oveview-NASAWeb-1080p NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames​ Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames​ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

This short video gives you a glimpse at our flying observatory – the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA – and the science we do from the skies. SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Space Agency at DLR. DLR provides the telescope, scheduled aircraft maintenance, and other support for the mission. NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley manages 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 is maintained and operated by NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Building 703, in Palmdale, California. Video credit: NASA

NASA’s BioSentinel mission will go beyond the Moon to perform the first long-duration deep space biology experiment. Set to launch with the first flight of the Space Launch System rocket, Artemis I, the spacecraft will study the effects of space radiation on yeast cells. The results could inspire solutions to keep future astronauts healthy during deep space exploration. Learn more: https://go.nasa.gov/35isjF6 Video credit: NASA/Ames Research Center Music Provided by Universal Production Music: "On My Level" by Nilson Warren. This video can be downloaded from the NASA Image and Video Library at: https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20220223-AAV3404-BioSentinel-TextOverlay-NASAWeb-1080p NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames​ Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames​ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

The Orion spacecraft launch abort system is designed to pull the crew capsule to safety in the event of an emergency during launch. Its powerful abort motor can fire within milliseconds and produce about 400,000 pounds of thrust. Simulations run on our Aitken and Electra supercomputers helped researchers visualize the vibrations imparted by the motor plumes onto the vehicle for various launch abort scenarios. In this video, the plumes—represented by animated particles—and vehicle surface are colorized, with red indicating areas of high pressure and blue areas of low pressure. Video credit: NASA/Ames Research Center/Timothy Sandstrom, Francois Cadieux, Michael Barad, Cetin Kiris Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/ames/nasa-supercomputers-predict-how-vibrations-vary-for-orion-abort-scenarios This video can be downloaded from the NASA Image and Video Library at: https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20211118-AAV3384-SC21-LaunchAbortVisualization-NASAWeb-1080p24 NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

Using a mix of 3D-printed plastic and metal parts, a full-scale replica of NASA's Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, was built inside a clean room at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. The activity served as a dress rehearsal for the flight version, which is scheduled for assembly in the summer of 2022. Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/full-scale-artemis-rover-prototype-takes-shape Video credit: NASA/Ames Research Center Music Provided by Universal Production Music: “Building Ideas” – James Carlin Baker This video can be downloaded from the NASA Image and Video Library at:https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20211021-AAV3373-VIPER-PathfinderBuild-Timelapse-NASAWeb-1080p NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames​ Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames​ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

In 2023, NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, will land near the western edge of the Nobile Crater at the Moon’s South Pole to map and explore the region’s surface and subsurface for water and other resources. Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-artemis-rover-to-land-near-nobile-region-of-moon-s-south-pole Video credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio Music Provided by Universal Production Music: “The Butterfly Effect” – David Thomas Connolly The data visualizations seen in this video can be downloaded from NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio at: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4937 This video can be downloaded from the NASA Image and Video Library at: https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20210920-AAV3366-VIPER-LandingSiteAnnouncement-YouTubeHD NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames​ Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames​ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

In 2023, NASA’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, will land near the western edge of the Nobile Crater at the Moon’s South Pole to map and explore the region’s surface and subsurface for water and other resources. Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-artemis-rover-to-land-near-nobile-region-of-moon-s-south-pole Video credit: NASA/Ames Research Center This video can be downloaded from the NASA Image and Video Library at: https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20210920-AAV3367-VIPER-LandingSite-TextOverlay-NASAWeb-1080p NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames​ Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames​ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

NASA’s Integrated System for Autonomous and Adaptive Caretaking, or ISAAC, is advancing new technology for robots to take care of spacecraft. Researchers recently demonstrated the tech aboard the International Space Station using Astrobee, NASA’s free-flying robotic assistants. Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/meet-isaac Video credit: NASA/Ames Research Center This video can be downloaded from the NASA Image and Video Library at: https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20210810-AAV3354-ISAAC-Astrobee-NASAWeb-1080p NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames​ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

NASA’s Scalable Traffic Management for Emergency Response Operations, or STEReO, project aims to let new technologies, like drones, help fight wildfires and respond to other emergencies by providing an advanced system that coordinates multiple elements of the response. Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/nasa-tools-could-help-fight-fires-from-the-sky-and-the-ground Video credit: NASA/Ames Research Center This video can be downloaded from the NASA Image and Video Library at: https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20210729-AAV3350-STEReO-CalFireTest-ReporterPkg-NASAWeb-1080p NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames/ Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

A new experiment is studying tardigrades, aka water bears, aboard the International Space Station to better understand how they tolerate extreme environments – including the one astronauts experience in space. The findings can help guide research into protecting humans from the stresses of long-duration space travel. Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/microscopic-superheroes-to-help-protect-astronaut-health-in-space Video credit: NASA/Ames Research Center NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames​ Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames​ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

The Cloud, Aerosol, and Monsoonal Processes-Philippines Experiment, or CAMP2Ex, involved collaborators from government agencies and universities across the United States, the Philippines, Japan, and Europe all working together to better understand fundamental processes between clouds and aerosols. These interactions drive climate and weather across the globe. This NASA airborne science campaign was a response to the need to deconvolute the fields of tropical meteorology and aerosol science at the meso-beta (20 to 200 km) to cloud level. Learn more: https://espo.nasa.gov/camp2ex Video credit: NASA/Rafael Luis Méndez Peña This video can be downloaded from the NASA Image and Video Library at: https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20210408-AAV3321-CAMP2Ex_2019_4K_Final

NASA's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management project, or UTM, is working to safely integrate drones into low-altitude airspace. In 2019, the project completed its final phase of flight tests. The research results are being transferred to the Federal Aviation Administration, who will continue development of the UTM system and implement it over time. Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/ames/utm Video credit: NASA/Ames Research Center This video can be downloaded from the NASA Image and Video Library at: https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20210216-AAV3307-UTM-TCL4Wrap-Shareable-NASAWeb NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames​ Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames​ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames/

Scientists using NASA’s telescope on an airplane, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, discovered water on a sunlit surface of the Moon for the first time. SOFIA is a modified Boeing 747SP aircraft that allows astronomers to study the solar system and beyond in ways that are not possible with ground-based telescopes. Molecular water, H2O, was found in Clavius Crater, one of the largest craters visible from Earth in the Moon’s southern hemisphere. This discovery indicates that water may be distributed across the lunar surface, and not limited to cold, shadowed places. Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-sofia-discovers-water-on-sunlit-surface-of-moon Video credit: NASA/Ames Research Center This video can be downloaded from the NASA Image and Video Library at: https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20201026-AAV3272-SOFIA-MoonWater-Shareable-NASAWeb NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology, and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

A cross-section of a 3D simulation replicating a scenario for the impact that formed the Moon, showing a roughly Mars-mass impactor grazing an Earth-like target at a 45-degree angle. The simulation uses over 100 million particles, colored by their internal energy, related to their temperature. This is one of more than 300 simulations that scientists at Durham University in the United Kingdom, alongside researchers at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley, ran to develop a way to predict how much atmosphere is lost from a wide range of collisions between rocky objects, presented in a new study. Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/ames/planetary-impact-simulations Video credit: Jacob Kegerreis/Durham University NASA's Ames Research Center is located in California's Silicon Valley. Follow us on social media to hear about the latest developments in space, science, technology and aeronautics. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nasaames Twitter https://twitter.com/nasaames Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nasaames

NASA’s water-seeking robotic Moon rover just booked a ride to the Moon’s South Pole. Astrobotic of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been selected to deliver the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, to the Moon in 2023. During its 100-Earth-day mission, the approximately 1,000-pound rover will roam several miles and use its four science instruments to sample various soil environments in search of water ice. Its survey will help pave the way for a new era of human missions to the lunar surface and will bring us a step closer to developing a sustainable, long-term robotic and human presence on the Moon as part of the Artemis program. Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-astrobotic-to-fly-water-hunting-rover-to-the-moon Video credit: NASA/Ames Research Center The video may be downloaded at https://images.nasa.gov/details-ARC-20200610-AAV3276-VIPER-CLPSAnnounce-RptrPkg-NASAWeb-1080p