Northrop Grumman’s new spacecraft is a real chonker

What happens when you use a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to launch Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus supply ship? A record-setting resupply mission to the International Space Station.
The first flight of Northrop’s upgraded Cygnus spacecraft, called Cygnus XL, is on its way to the international research lab after launching Sunday evening from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. This mission, known as NG-23, is set to arrive at the ISS early Wednesday with 10,827 pounds (4,911 kilograms) of cargo to sustain the lab and its seven-person crew.
By a sizable margin, this is the heaviest cargo load transported to the ISS by a commercial resupply mission. NASA astronaut Jonny Kim will use the space station’s Canadian-built robotic arm to capture the cargo ship on Wednesday, then place it on an attachment port for crew members to open hatches and start unpacking the goodies inside.
A bigger keg
The Cygnus XL spacecraft looks a lot like Northrop’s previous missions to the station. It has a service module manufactured at the company’s factory in Northern Virginia. This segment of the spacecraft provides power, propulsion, and other necessities to keep Cygnus operating in orbit.
The most prominent features of the Cygnus cargo freighter are its circular, fan-like solar arrays and an aluminum cylinder called the pressurized cargo module that bears some resemblance to a keg of beer. This is the element that distinguishes the Cygnus XL from earlier versions of the Cygnus supply ship.
The cargo module is 5.2 feet (1.6 meters) longer on the Cygnus XL. The full spacecraft is roughly the size of two Apollo command modules, according to Ryan Tintner, vice president of civil space systems at Northrop Grumman. Put another way, the volume of the cargo section is equivalent to two-and-a-half minivans.
“The most notable thing on this mission is we are debuting the Cygnus XL configuration of the spacecraft,” Tintner said. “It’s got 33 percent more capacity than the prior Cygnus spacecraft had. Obviously, more may sound like better, but it’s really critical because we can deliver significantly more science, as well as we’re able to deliver a lot more cargo per launch, really trying to drive down the cost per kilogram to NASA.”

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ascends to orbit Sunday after launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, carrying Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft toward the International Space Station.

Credit:

Manuel Mazzanti/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Cargo modules for Northrop’s Cygnus spacecraft are built by Thales Alenia Space in Turin, Italy, employing a similar design to the one Thales used for several of the space station’s permanent modules. Officials moved forward with the first Cygnus XL mission after the preceding cargo module was damaged during shipment from Italy to the United States earlier this year.

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NASA Sets Launch Coverage for Space Weather Missions

Space & Science / memoment editorial

NASA will provide live coverage of prelaunch and launch activities for an observatory designed to study space weather and explore and map the boundaries of our solar neighborhood.
Launching with IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) are two rideshare missions, NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1 (SWFO-L1), both of which will provide insight into space weather and its impacts at Earth and across the solar system.
Liftoff of the missions on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is targeted for 7:32 a.m. EDT, Tuesday, Sept. 23, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Watch coverage beginning at 6:40 a.m. on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and more. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
The IMAP spacecraft will study how the Sun’s energy and particles interact with the heliosphere — an enormous protective bubble of space around our solar system — to enhance our understanding of space weather, cosmic radiation, and their impacts on Earth and human and robotic space explorers. The spacecraft and its two rideshares will orbit approximately one million miles from Earth, positioned toward the Sun at a location known as Lagrange Point 1.
NASA’s Carruthers Geocorona Observatory is a small satellite that will observe Earth’s outermost atmospheric layer, the exosphere. It will image the faint glow of ultraviolet light from this region, called the geocorona, to better understand how space weather impacts our planet. The Carruthers mission continues the legacy of the Apollo era, expanding on measurements first taken during Apollo 16.
The SWFO-L1 spacecraft will monitor space weather and detect solar storms in advance, serving as an early warning beacon for potentially disruptive space weather, helping safeguard Earth’s critical infrastructure and technological-dependent industries. The SWFO-L1 spacecraft is the first NOAA observatory designed specifically for and fully dedicated to continuous, operational space weather observations.
Media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch has passed. NASA’s media credentialing policy is available online. For questions about media accreditation, please email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.
NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Sunday, Sept. 21
2:30 p.m. – NASA Prelaunch News Conference on New Space Weather Missions

Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington
Brad Williams, IMAP program executive, NASA Headquarters
Irene Parker, deputy assistant administrator for Systems at NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service
Denton Gibson, launch director, NASA’s Launch Services Program, NASA Kennedy
Julianna Scheiman, director, NASA Science Missions, SpaceX
Arlena Moses, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, U.S. Space Force

Watch the briefing on the agency’s website or NASA’s YouTube channel.
Media may ask questions in person or via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation for previously credentialed media. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the start of the event at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
3:45 p.m. – NASA, NOAA Science News Conference on New Space Weather Missions

Joe Westlake, director, Heliophysics Division, NASA Headquarters
David McComas, IMAP principal investigator, Princeton University
Lara Waldrop, Carruthers Geocorona Observatory principal investigator, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Jamie Favors, director, Space Weather Program, Heliophysics Division, NASA Headquarters
Clinton Wallace, director, NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
James Spann, senior scientist, NOAA Office of Space Weather Observations

Watch the briefing on the agency’s website or NASA’s YouTube channel.
Media may ask questions in person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the start of the event at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov. Members of the public may ask questions on social media using the hashtag #AskNASA.
Monday, Sept. 22
11:30 a.m. – In-person media one-on-one interviews with the following:

Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
Kieran Hegarty, IMAP project manager, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab
Jamie Rankin, IMAP instrument lead for Solar Wind and Pickup Ion, Princeton University
John Clarke, Carruthers deputy principal investigator, Boston University
Dimitrios Vassiliadis, SWFO-L1 program scientist, NOAA
Brent Gordon, deputy director, NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center

Remote media may request a one-on-one video interview online by 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18.
Tuesday, Sept. 23
6:40 a.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime and more. NASA’s Spanish launch coverage begins on NASA+, and the agency’s Spanish-language YouTube channel.
7:32 a.m. – Launch
Audio-Only Coverage
Audio-only of the launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, or -1240. On launch day, “mission audio,” countdown activities without NASA+ media launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135.
NASA Website Launch Coverage
Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the agency’s website. Coverage will include links to live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 6 a.m., Sept. 23, as the countdown milestones occur. Streaming video and photos of the launch will be accessible on demand shortly after liftoff. Follow countdown coverage on the IMAP blog.
For questions about countdown coverage, contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468.
Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con María-José Viñas: maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov.
Attend Launch Virtually
Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following launch.
Watch, Engage on Social Media
Let people know you’re watching the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by following and tagging these accounts:
X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASASolarSystem, @NOAASatellies
Facebook: NASA, NASA Kennedy, NASA Solar System, NOAA Satellites
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASASolarSystem, @NOAASatellites
For more information about these missions, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/sun
-end-
Abbey InterranteHeadquarters, Washington301-201-0124abbey.a.interrante@nasa.gov
Sarah FrazierGoddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.202-853-7191sarah.frazier@nasa.gov
Leejay LockhartKennedy Space Center, Fla.321-747-8310leejay.lockhart@nasa.gov
John Jones-BatemanNOAA’s Satellite and Information Service, Silver Spring, Md.202-242-0929john.jones-bateman@noaa.gov

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NASA Awards Safety, Mission Assurance Services Contract

Featured, Space & Science / memoment editorial

NASA has selected Bastion Technologies Inc. of Houston to provide safety and mission assurance services for the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
The Safety and Mission Assurance II (SMAS II) award is a performance-based, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum potential value of $400 million. A phase-in period begins Monday, followed by a base ordering period of four years with options to extend services through March 2034.
Under the contract, Bastion will provide services for a wide range of activities including system safety, reliability, maintainability, software assurance, quality engineering and assurance, independent assessment, institutional safety, and pressure systems.
The work will support various spaceflight and science missions, research and development projects, hardware fabrication and testing, and other activities at NASA Marshall, Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, and Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Tasks also will be performed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, contractor facilities, and other sites supported by Marshall’s Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate.
The SMAS II contract is a small business set-aside, which levels the playing field for qualified small businesses to compete for and win federal contracts.
For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov
-end-
Tiernan DoyleHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600tiernan.doyle@nasa.gov
Molly PorterMarshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.256-424-5158molly.a.porter@nasa.gov

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NASA Analysis Shows Sun’s Activity Ramping Up

Featured, Space & Science / memoment editorial

It looked like the Sun was heading toward a historic lull in activity. That trend flipped in 2008, according to new research.
The Sun has become increasingly active since 2008, a new NASA study shows. Solar activity is known to fluctuate in cycles of 11 years, but there are longer-term variations that can last decades. Case in point: Since the 1980s, the amount of solar activity had been steadily decreasing all the way up to 2008, when solar activity was the weakest on record. At that point, scientists expected the Sun to be entering a period of historically low activity.
But then the Sun reversed course and started to become increasingly active, as documented in the study, which appears in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. It’s a trend that researchers said could lead to an uptick in space weather events, such as solar storms, flares, and coronal mass ejections.
“All signs were pointing to the Sun going into a prolonged phase of low activity,” said Jamie Jasinski of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, lead author of the new study. “So it was a surprise to see that trend reversed. The Sun is slowly waking up.”
The earliest recorded tracking of solar activity began in the early 1600s, when astronomers, including Galileo, counted sunspots and documented their changes. Sunspots are cooler, darker regions on the Sun’s surface that are produced by a concentration of magnetic field lines. Areas with sunspots are often associated with higher solar activity, such as solar flares, which are intense bursts of radiation, and coronal mass ejections, which are huge bubbles of plasma that erupt from the Sun’s surface and streak across the solar system.
NASA scientists track these space weather events because they can affect spacecraft, astronauts’ safety, radio communications, GPS, and even power grids on Earth. Space weather predictions are critical for supporting the spacecraft and astronauts of NASA’s Artemis campaign, as understanding the space environment is a vital part of mitigating astronaut exposure to space radiation.
Launching no earlier than Sept. 23, NASA’s IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) and Carruthers Geocorona Observatory missions, as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s SWFO-L1 (Space Weather Follow On-Lagrange 1) mission, will provide new space weather research and observations that will help to drive future efforts at the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Solar activity affects the magnetic fields of planets throughout the solar system. As the solar wind — a stream of charged particles flowing from the Sun — and other solar activity increase, the Sun’s influence expands and compresses magnetospheres, which serve as protective bubbles of planets with magnetic cores and magnetic fields, including Earth. These protective bubbles are important for shielding planets from the jets of plasma that stream out from the Sun in the solar wind.
Over the centuries that people have been studying solar activity, the quietest times were a three-decade stretch from 1645 to 1715 and a four-decade stretch from 1790 to 1830. “We don’t really know why the Sun went through a 40-year minimum starting in 1790,” Jasinski said. “The longer-term trends are a lot less predictable and are something we don’t completely understand yet.”
In the two-and-a-half decades leading up to 2008, sunspots and the solar wind decreased so much that researchers expected the “deep solar minimum” of 2008 to mark the start of a new historic low-activity time in the Sun’s recent history.
“But then the trend of declining solar wind ended, and since then plasma and magnetic field parameters have steadily been increasing,” said Jasinski, who led the analysis of heliospheric data publicly available in a platform called OMNIWeb Plus, run by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
The data Jasinski and colleagues mined for the study came from a broad collection of NASA missions. Two primary sources — ACE (Advanced Composition Explorer) and the Wind mission — launched in the 1990s and have been providing data on solar activity like plasma and energetic particles flowing from the Sun toward Earth. The spacecraft belong to a fleet of NASA Heliophysics Division missions designed to study the Sun’s influence on space, Earth, and other planets.
News Media Contacts
Gretchen McCartneyJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.818-287-4115gretchen.p.mccartney@jpl.nasa.gov
Karen Fox / Abbey InterranteNASA Headquarters, Washington202-358-1600karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / abbey.a.interrante@nasa.gov
2025-118

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LENE CLE Gathering Aug 2025 Keri Moskowitz

Connecting Educators with NASA Data: Learning Ecosystems Northeast in Action

Space & Science / memoment editorial

One of the challenges many teachers face year after year is a sense of working alone. Despite the constant interaction with students many questions often linger: Did the lesson stick? Will students carry this knowledge with them? Will it shape how they see and engage with the world? What can be easy to overlook is that teaching does not happen in isolation. Each classroom, or any other educational setting, is part of a much larger journey that learners travel. This journey extends through a network of educators, where each experience can build on the last. These interconnected networks, known as Connected Learning Ecosystems (CLEs), exist wherever learning happens. At their core, CLEs are the collective of people who contribute to a young person’s growth and education over time.

Recognizing this, NASA’s Science Activation Program launched the Learning Ecosystems Northeast (LENE) project to strengthen and connect regional educator networks across Maine and the broader Northeast. With a shared focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), LENE brings together teachers, librarians, 4-H mentors, land trust educators, and many others committed to expanding scientific understanding, deepening data literacy, and preparing youth to navigate a changing planet. To support this work, LENE hosts biannual Connected Learning Ecosystem Gatherings. These multi-day events bring educators together to share progress, celebrate achievements, and plan future collaborations. More than networking, these gatherings reinforce the collective impact educators have, ensuring that their efforts resonate far beyond individual classrooms and enrich the lives of the learners they guide.

“I am inspired by the GMRI staff and participants. I never expected to get to do climate resilience-related work in my current job as a children’s librarian. I am excited to do meaningful and impactful work with what I gain from being part of this the LENE community. This was a very well-run event! Thank you to all!” -anonymous

This year’s Gathering took place August 12 and 13, 2025, in Orono, ME at the University of Maine (a LENE project partner). Nearly 70 educators from across the northeast came together for two amazingly energized days of connection, learning, and future planning. While each event is special, this summer’s Gathering was even more remarkable due to the fact that for, the first time, each workshop was led by an established LENE educator. Either by self-nomination or request from leadership (requiring little convincing), every learning experience shared over the conference days was guided by the thoughtful investigation and real life application of LENE Project Partners, CLE Lead Educators, and community collaborators.

Brian Fitzgerald and Jackie Bellefontaine from the Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire, a LENE Project Partner, led the group through a hands-on activity using NASA data and local examples to observe extreme weather. Librarian Kara Reiman guided everyone through the creation and use of a newly established Severe Weather Disaster Prep Kit, including games and tools to manage climate anxiety. Katrina Heimbach, a long time CLE constituent from Western Maine taught how to interpret local data using a creative and fun weaving technique. Because of the established relationship between Learning Ecosystems Northeast and the University of Maine, attendees to the Gathering were able to experience a guided tour through the Advanced Structures and Composites Center and one of its creations, the BioHome3D – the world’s first 3D printed house made entirely with forest-derived, recyclable materials.

Two full days of teachers leading teachers left the entire group feeling energized and encouraged, connected, and centered. The increased confidence in their practices gained by sustained support from their peers allowed these educators to step up and share – embodying the role of Subject Matter Expert. Seeing their colleagues take center stage makes it easier for other educators to envision themselves in similar roles and provides clear guidance on how to take those steps themselves. One educator shared their thoughts following the experience:

“This was my first time attending the LENE conference, and I was immediately welcomed and made to feel ‘part of it all’. I made connections with many of the educators who were present, as well as the LENE staff and facilitators. I hope to connect with my new CLE mates in the near future!” Another participant reported, “I am inspired by the … staff and participants. I never expected to get to do climate resilience-related work in my current job as a children’s librarian. I am excited to do meaningful and impactful work with what I gain from being part of the LENE community. This was a very well-run event! Thank you to all!”

Even with the backing of regional groups, many educators, especially those in rural communities, still struggle with a sense of isolation. The biannual gatherings play an important role in countering that, highlighting the fact that this work is unfolding across the state. Through Connected Learning Ecosystems, educators are able to build and reinforce networks that help close the gaps created by distance and geography.

These Gatherings are part of ongoing programming organized by Learning Ecosystems Northeast, based at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, that fosters peer communities across the Northeast, through which teachers, librarians, and out-of-school educators can collaborate to expand opportunities for youth to engage in data-driven investigations and integrate in- and out-of-school learning. Learn more about Learning Ecosystems Northeast’s efforts to empower the next generation of environmental stewards: https://www.learningecosystemsnortheast.org.

The Learning Ecosystems Northeast project is supported by NASA under cooperative agreement award number NNX16AB94A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real content, and experiences with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/.

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https mars.nasa .gov msl raw images proj msl redops ods surface sol 04657 opgs edr ncam NRB 810906228EDR S1182538NCAM00594M

Curiosity Blog, Sols 4655-4660: Boxworks With a View

Space & Science / memoment editorial

Written by Sharon Wilson Purdy, Planetary Geologist at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

Earth planning date: Friday Sept. 12, 2025

Curiosity continues to image, analyze, and traverse through a landscape characterized by higher standing ridges separating low-lying depressions (hollows) — a surface known as the boxwork terrain on Mount Sharp. The science team is actively characterizing the texture, chemistry, and mineralogy of the ridges and hollows to understand how this surface formed and changed over time. I served as the Geology theme group “Keeper of the Plan” for Sols 4656-4657 where I compiled the details for each scientific activity that will be carried out by the rover. I selected the particular Navcam image accompanying this blog post because it not only shows the intriguing boxwork terrain beneath our wheels but also highlights the striking wind-sculpted yardangs on our exciting route ahead.

Our successful drive over the weekend set us up nicely to investigate the bedrock ridge in the workspace directly in front of the rover on Sol 4655. The target “Chango” was selected for closer inspection with the dust removal tool (DRT) and APXS and MAHLI instruments. ChemCam used its LIBS instrument to analyze the chemistry of a bedrock ridge at the “Quechua” target, and Mastcam and ChemCam included several mosaics to document walls of nearby hollow interiors, fractures, and the hollow-to-ridge transitions.

The plan for Sols 4656-4657 focused on a variety of remote sensing activities including a 360-degree mosaic by Mastcam — one of the most spectacular data products! ChemCam investigated the local bedrock and a raised resistant bedrock feature at “Chita” and “Chaco,” respectively, and then turned its sights to the distant floor of Gale crater to image features that may have formed when water eroded material from the interior walls of the crater rim.

Planning on Friday for Sols 4658-4660 included three targeted science blocks to dig deeper into the boxwork unit. ChemCam LIBS will analyze the bedrock at targets “Tarata” and “El Sombrio” and a rock that does not look like typical bedrock at “Cobres.” The Mastcam team assembled multiple images and mosaics that will help decipher the distribution of veins, fractures, and nodules (somewhat rounded features) in the bedrock, as well as small sand dunes in and around the workspace. The environmental theme group worked throughout the week to monitor clouds and dust-devil activity, and planned Mastcam tau observations to assess the optical depth of the atmosphere and constrain aerosol scattering properties.

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Get into the cockpit as new crop of “Top Gun” pilots get their wings

Space & Science / memoment editorial

It’s constant corrections that you’re doing. It is very much an eye scan. You have to be looking at certain things. Where is your lead indicator coming from? If you wait for the airspeed to fall off, it’s probably a little bit too late to tell you that you’re underpowered. You need to look for some of the other cues that you have available to you. That’s why there’s so many different sensors and systems and numbers. We’re teaching them not to look at one number, but to look at a handful of numbers and extrapolate what that means for their energy state and their aircraft position.
Ars Technica: All the featured candidates were quite different in many ways, which is a good thing. As one instructor says in the series, they can’t all be “Mavericks.” But are there particular qualities that you find in most successful candidates?
Juston Kuch: The individual personality, whether they’re extroverts, introverts, quiet, are varied. But there is a common thread through all of them: dedication to mission, hard work, willing to take failure and setbacks on board, and get better for the next evolution. That trait is with everybody that I see go through successfully. I never see somebody fail and just say, “Oh, I’m never going to get this. I’m going to quit and go home.” If they do that, they don’t finish the program. So the personalities are different but the core motivations and attributes are there for all naval aviators.

Getting their wings

An elated student is doused by her classmates to celebrate the successful completion of her training.

National Geographic

An elated student is doused by her classmates to celebrate the successful completion of her training.

National Geographic

Capt. Kuch presents the successful students with their golden wings.

National Geographic

Capt. Kuch presents the successful students with their golden wings.

National Geographic

An elated student is doused by her classmates to celebrate the successful completion of her training.

National Geographic

Capt. Kuch presents the successful students with their golden wings.

National Geographic

The graduates are all smiles.

National Geographic

The graduates are all smiles.

National Geographic

Ready to take to the skies.

National Geographic

Ready to take to the skies.

National Geographic

The graduates are all smiles.

National Geographic

Ready to take to the skies.

National Geographic

Ars Technica: I was particularly struck by the importance of resilience in the successful candidates.
Juston Kuch: That is probably one of the key ingredients to our training syllabus. We want the students to be stressed. We want to place demands on them. We want them to fail at certain times. We expect that they are going to fail at certain times. We do this in an incredibly safe environment. There are multiple protocols in place so that nobody is going to get hurt in that training evolution. But we want them to experience that, because it’s about learning and growing. If you fall down eight times, you get back up eight times.
It’s not that you are going to get it right the first time. It’s that you are going to continue to work to get to the right answer or get to the right level of performance. So resiliency is key, and that’s what combat is about, too, to a certain degree. The enemy is going to do something that you’re not expecting. There is the potential that there will be damage or other challenges that the enemy is going to impact on you. What do you do from there? How do you pick yourself up and your team up and continue to move on?

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Helicopter Training for Artemis Missions

Featured, Space & Science / memoment editorial

NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick (left) and Mark Vande Hei (right) prepare to fly out to a landing zone in the Rocky Mountains as part of the certification run for the NASA Artemis course on Aug. 26, 2025. The mountains in northern Colorado offer similar visual illusions and flight environments to the Moon.
The newly certified lander flight training course marks a key milestone in crew training for Artemis missions to the Moon. Through Artemis, NASA will explore the lunar South Pole, paving the way for human exploration farther into the solar system, including Mars.
Learn more about the training course.
Image credit: NASA/Michael DeMocker

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US Navy Scientists Teach Zero-Gravity Robot to Fly in Space Without Human Interference

Military & Secret Tech, Space & Science, UFOs & Disclosure / memoment editorial

The US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has announced the successful test of reinforcement-learning (RL)-based autonomous robotic flight in space, using an ‘Astrobee’ zero-gravity robot stationed aboard the International Space Station.
According to a statement provided to The Debrief, the first-of-its-kind autonomous spaceflight took place aboard the ISS on May 27th, with the Astrobee robot successfully undocking, maneuvering, and then re-docking with its station over a five-minute period without any need for human assistance.
The scientific team behind the project, known as APIARY (the Autonomous Planning In-space Assembly Reinforcement-learning free-flYer), believes using RL to teach robots to carry out complex tasks without direct human control could offer unparalleled capabilities to scientists, such as assembling large space telescopes or future solar power beaming stations.
“This research is significant because it marks, to our knowledge, the first autonomous robotic control in space using reinforcement learning algorithms,” explained NRL Computer Research Scientist Kenneth Stewart, Ph.D. “We believe this breakthrough will build confidence in these algorithms for space applications and generate further interest in expanding this research.”
The NRL team said the successful test also opens the possibility of teaching robots to operate autonomously in other environments, thereby providing military personnel with a critical tactical advantage.
“Reinforcement learning provides flexibility and potential to control robots across domains, from space to the ground, and from ships to underwater,” explained NRL Senior Scientist for Robotics and Autonomous Systems, Glen Henshaw, Ph.D.
[embedded content]

Simulated Zero Gravity Robots
In most space robotic applications, a controller uses teleoperation—the remote control of a mechanical device—to command and control the robot’s movements. For example, rovers on Mars receive driving instructions from Earth-based operators, which they then execute based on those specific instructions.
Although engineers are increasingly incorporating artificial intelligence into robotic systems on Earth, the team behind the new achievement notes that the complexity of operating in space has thus far limited the adoption of similar AI systems.
“Space robotics are currently in the early stages in terms of how complex autonomy is in space,” Stewart said. “It’s a risk-averse environment where teleoperation by humans is still the norm for critical tasks.”
The team also highlighted the difficulty in testing autonomous systems in space due to the high cost, noting that “one can’t realistically send a robot up to space solely for training.”
As a result, researchers in this field must rely on Earth-based simulations before deploying a real-world system in space. Unfortunately, the gap between simulation and reality can often hamper these efforts.
Hoping to bridge what they termed the “sim-to-real” gap, the NRL team utilized reinforcement-learning algorithms and powerful simulation tools to create a highly accurate simulated zero-gravity robot platform. Unlike most operator-directed robotics, RL provides the robot with a general task and a promised reward for completing it, but doesn’t tell the robot how to go about it. Instead, an RL-trained robot uses a trial-and-error process to test and eliminate different approaches before finding the correct one.
“We specialize in reinforcement learning, a cutting-edge approach to robotic control,” NRL’s Computer Research Scientist, Roxana Leontie, Ph.D., said.
For their zero-gravity robot application, the team used the Proximal Policy Optimization algorithm, a method of deep reinforcement learning. Stewart explained how, in this approach, an ‘actor network’ trains the robot to perform actions like maneuvering, while a separate ‘critic network’ evaluates its performance. Together, the two networks “efficiently train the robot to move effectively in a 3D, zero-gravity environment,” the researcher explained.
On April 30, NASA astronaut Anne McClain unpacked the first Astrobee robot—named Bumble—in the Kibo module of the International Space Station and worked with Astrobee’s team at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley to complete an initial series of tests to verify that the robot’s subsystems were working properly (Credit: NASA).
To create a simulated version of the environment aboard the ISS to train their simulated Astrobee, the NRL team used NVIDIA’s Omniverse, a highly accurate physics simulator that can simulate the space station’s zero-gravity environment. The team also used curriculum learning, which starts training the robot in simplified environments before gradually increasing the complexity of the assigned task.
For example, the team initially tasked the simulated Astrobee zero-gravity robot with moving to a single, fixed position in space. Then the team increased the levels of randomization over time to prepare the robot to adapt to greater variation without the need for real-world testing. Stewart said this progressive training approach “substantially helped in bridging the ‘sim-to-real’ gap.”
The Test in Space
To verify if their simulated robot training would translate to the zero-gravity robots aboard the ISS, the team took advantage of a five-minute window of operations where one of the Astrobees was available. Because the small robot, which navigates the ISS with enclosed, ducted fans, is also equipped with multiple cameras, it was considered ideal to test the RL training.
“In addition to acting as a platform for space robotics experimentation, these volleyball-sized robots can help provide NASA Mission Control with flexible camera views in areas lacking fixed cameras,” Henshaw explained. “This allows ground teams to remotely inspect equipment or monitor operations without requiring astronaut intervention, freeing up valuable crew time.”
In a video released by NRL, an Astrobee loaded with the RL-trained algorithm can be seen leaving its dock, completing a maneuver, and then returning to its dock, all without operator intervention. Due to a camera glitch, the team was unable to witness the redocking of the Astrobee. However, when the video feed resumed, they saw that the zero-gravity robot had successfully completed its five-minute mission and returned to its docking station.
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“Our experiment marked a momentous milestone: the first successful application of reinforcement learning to a free-flying robot in space,” Leontie said. “This is particularly critical in the highly risk-averse space environment, where the immense cost of orbital assets often hinders the adoption of cutting-edge technologies.”
Applications of RL-based Robot Autonomy for Space Science
Although the test was relatively short compared to other robotic missions, NRL Space Roboticist Samantha Chapin, Ph.D., said the success of APIARY proved the viability of using RL for robot control. The researcher also described the achievement as “transformative” because it validated the team’s ability to implement highly complex autonomous robotic behaviors, “paving the way for a new era of advanced robotic operations and services in orbit.”

Leonite agreed, noting that by completing this demonstration, the team had taken a “crucial step” toward increasing mission planner confidence for incorporating autonomous robots into future space missions.
“This achievement is vital for accelerating the integration of RL into future space applications, ultimately enabling more complex and adaptable robotic missions,” the researcher said.
When discussing potential applications of their RL robot training approach beyond controlling an Astrobee, Chapin said future projects that involve deep space exploration and large-scale construction “urgently need higher levels of robotic autonomy.”
“The goal for free-flying robots in in-space assembly and servicing is to enable rapid, multi-client operations, like refueling or correcting deployment failures,” the researcher explained. “While current efforts, such as the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites [RSGS] project, largely rely on scripted maneuvers with limited autonomy for rendezvous and proximity operations due to their high-speed, contact-intensive nature, our research pushes for fuller autonomous capabilities.”
Conquering Diverse Domains for the Modern Warfighter
Although the successful test of the APIARY system occurred in space, the NRL team said the technology will allow the team to “rapidly adapt” robotic platforms to new tasks and environments. According to Henshaw, the team is already developing tools to rapidly model “terrestrial, maritime, and undersea environments.”
“The APIARY team’s demonstration that reinforcement learning enables autonomous systems to operate effectively in orbit proves the technology’s viability and unlocks its potential across diverse domains,” the researcher explained.
One example Henshaw offered involved building a computer model of an environment and retraining a robot to operate in that environment “in under an hour,” with just a few scans of the location. He added that this ability “will allow warfighters in the field to define new tasks and environments and then have the robot train itself to solve those problems.”
“Our vision is to equip warfighters with the power to adapt robots to any environment and any task, on demand,” Henshaw explained. “Reinforcement learning provides flexibility and potential to control robots across domains, from space to the ground, and from ships to underwater.”
Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.

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Avatars for Astronaut Health to Fly on NASA’s Artemis II

Featured, Space & Science / memoment editorial

NASA announced a trailblazing experiment that aims to take personalized medicine to new heights. The experiment is part of a strategic plan to gather valuable scientific data during the Artemis II mission, enabling NASA to “know before we go” back to the lunar surface and on to Mars.

The AVATAR (A Virtual Astronaut Tissue Analog Response) investigation will use organ-on-a-chip devices, or organ chips, to study the effects of deep space radiation and microgravity on human health. The chips will contain cells from Artemis II astronauts and fly side-by-side with crew on their approximately 10-day journey around the Moon. This research, combined with other studies on the health and performance of Artemis II astronauts, will give NASA insight into how to best protect astronauts as exploration expands to the surface of the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

AVATAR is NASA’s visionary tissue chip experiment that will revolutionize the very way we will do science, medicine, and human multi-planetary exploration.”

Nicky Fox
Associate Administrator, NASA Science Mission Directorate

“AVATAR is NASA’s visionary tissue chip experiment that will revolutionize the very way we will do science, medicine, and human multi-planetary exploration,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “Each tissue chip is a tiny sample uniquely created so that we can examine how the effects of deep space act on each human explorer before we go to ensure we pack the appropriate medical supplies tailored to each individual’s needs as we travel back to the Moon, and onward to Mars.”

The investigation is a collaboration between NASA, government agencies, and industry partners, leveraging commercial expertise to gain a deeper understanding of human biology and disease. This research could accelerate innovations in personalized healthcare, both for astronauts in space and patients on Earth.

Organ chips, also referred to as tissue chips or microphysiological systems, are roughly the size of a USB thumb drive and used to help understand — and then predict — how an individual might respond to a variety of stressors, such as radiation or medical treatments, including pharmaceuticals. Essentially, these small devices serve as “avatars” for human organs.

Organ chips contain living human cells that are grown to model the structures and functions of specific regions in human organs, such as the brain, lungs, heart, pancreas, and liver — they can beat like a heart, breathe like a lung, or metabolize like a liver. Tissue chips can be linked together to mimic how organs interact with each other, which is important for understanding how the whole human body responds to stressors or treatments.

Researchers and oncologists use human tissue chips today to understand how a specific patient’s cancer might react to different drugs or radiation treatments. To date, a standard milestone for organs-on-chips has been to keep human cells healthy for 30 days. However, NASA and other research institutions are pushing these boundaries by increasing the longevity of organ chips to a minimum of six months so that scientists can observe diseases and drug therapies over a longer period.

The Artemis II mission will use organ chips created using blood-forming stem and progenitor cells, which originate in the bone marrow, from Artemis II crew members.

Bone marrow is among the organs most sensitive to radiation exposure and, therefore, of central importance to human spaceflight. It also plays a vital role in the immune system, as it is the origin of all adult red and white blood cells, which is why researchers aim to understand how deep space radiation affects this organ.

Studies have shown that microgravity affects the development of bone marrow cells. Although the International Space Station operates in low Earth orbit, which is shielded from most cosmic and solar radiation by the Earth’s magnetosphere, astronauts often experience a loss of bone density. Given that Artemis II crew will be flying beyond this protective layer, AVATAR researchers also seek to understand how the combined stressors of deep space radiation and microgravity affect the developing cells.

To make the bone marrow organ chips, Artemis II astronauts will first donate platelets to a local healthcare system. The cells remaining from their samples will contain a small percentage of bone marrow-derived stem and progenitor cells. NASA-funded scientists at Emulate, Inc., which developed the organ chip technology used in AVATAR, will purify these cells with magnetic beads that bind specifically to them. The purified cells will then be placed in the bone marrow chips next to blood vessel cells and other supporting cells to model the structure and function of the bone marrow.

Investigating how radiation affects the bone marrow can provide insights into how radiation therapy and other DNA-damaging agents, such as chemotherapeutic drugs, impair blood cell formation. Its significance for both spaceflight and medicine on Earth makes the bone marrow an ideal organ to study in the Artemis II AVATAR project.

“For NASA, organ chips could provide vital data for protecting astronaut health on deep space missions,” said Lisa Carnell, director of NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences division at NASA Headquarters. “As we go farther and stay longer in space, crew will have only limited access to on-site clinical healthcare. Therefore, it’ll be critical to understand if there are unique and specific healthcare needs of each astronaut, so that we can send the right supplies with them on future missions.”

During the Artemis II mission, the organ chips will be secured in a custom payload developed by Space Tango and mounted inside the capsule during the mission. The battery-powered payload will maintain automated environmental control and media delivery to the organ chips throughout the flight.

For NASA, organ chips could provide vital data for protecting astronaut health on deep space missions.”

Lisa Carnell
Director of NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Division

Upon return, researchers at Emulate will examine how spaceflight affected the bone marrow chips by performing single-cell RNA sequencing, a powerful technique that measures how thousands of genes change within individual cells. The scientists will compare data from the flight samples to measurements of crew cells used in a ground-based immunology study happening simultaneously. This will provide the most detailed look at the impact of spaceflight and deep space radiation on developing blood cells to date.

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