Friends of NASA

Sunday, May 29, 2022

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Captures Record Flight | JPL

NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Captures Record Flight | JPL

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NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made a record-breaking 25th flight on April 18, 2022. The navigation camera aboard the rotorcraft captured its longest and fastest flight to date on the Red Planet. The helicopter covered 2,310 feet (704 meters) at a max speed of 12 mph (5.5 meters per second).

Footage of the 161.3-second flight was sped up approximately five times. In the video, Ingenuity first reaches an altitude of 33 feet (10 meters). The helicopter then moves southwest and accelerates to 12 mph (5.5 meters per second) in less than three seconds. Ingenuity flies over a group of sand ripples and then by several rock fields. Finally, the helicopter finds a landing spot when relatively flat terrain appears below.

Ingenuity became the first aircraft in history to make a powered, controlled flight on another planet on April 19, 2021, from Wright Brothers Field in Jezero Crater, Mars.

Mission Name: Mars 2020

Rover Name: Perseverance

Main Job: Seek signs of ancient life and collect samples of rock and regolith (broken rock and soil) for possible return to Earth.

Launch: July 30, 2020

Landing: Feb. 18, 2021, Jezero Crater, Mars

Mars Helicopter (Ingenuity) is now in an operations demo phase.

For more information on NASA's Mars missions, visit mars.nasa.gov

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Duration: 35 seconds

Release Date: May 27, 2022

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Mars #RedPlanet #Planet #Astrobiology #Geology #Jezero #Crater #Perseverance #Rover #Ingenuity #Helicopter #Aviation #Flight #Robotics #Technology #Engineering #JPL #Pasadena #California #UnitedStates #JourneyToMars #History #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Tonight's Sky: June 2022

Tonight's Sky: June 2022

Though the nights are shorter in June, they are filled with fine sights. Look for the Hercules constellation, which will lead you to a globular star cluster with hundreds of thousands of densely packed stars. You can also spot Draco the dragon, which will point you to the Cat’s Eye Nebula. Keep watching for space-based views of globular star clusters and the nebula.

“Tonight’s Sky” is a monthly video of constellations you can observe in the night sky of the northern hemisphere. This series is produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, home of science operations for the Hubble Space Telescope, in partnership with NASA’s Universe of Learning.

Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)

Duration: 5 minutes, 43 seconds

Release Date: May 24, 2022

#NASA #Astronomy #Hubble #Space #Science #Earth #Stars #Globular #StarClusters #Hercules #M92 #Nebula #CatsEye #Arcturis #Draco #Constellations #Galaxy #MilkyWay #Planets #SolarSystem #Skywatching #UnitedStates #Canada #Mexico #NorthernHemisphere #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Saturday, May 28, 2022

NASA Artemis III Rocket to Return Humans to Moon Under Construction

NASA Artemis III Rocket to Return Humans to Moon Under Construction

NASA's Artemis III Mission will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, heralding a new era for space exploration and utilization.

Upper Stage Propulsion System for Artemis III Mission Reaches Major Milestone

While the Artemis I team prepares for its upcoming mission this year to orbit the moon, NASA and contractor teams are already building rockets to support future Artemis Moon missions. In United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) factory in Decatur, Alabama, major components have been completed for the Artemis III interim cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS) that will provide the power to send astronauts to the Moon. The ICPS, which is built by ULA under a collaborative partnership with Boeing, provides in-space propulsion for the Orion spacecraft after the solid rocket boosters and core stage put the Space Launch System (SLS) into an Earth orbit, and before the spacecraft is flying on its own.

The liquid hydrogen tank (left) is built, and soon it will be mated to the intertank (right) that connects it with the liquid oxygen tank. The intertank is comprised of composite-material truss structures in an X design. The eight bottles around the perimeter of the trusses store helium used to pressurize the stage's propellant tanks. The liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks provide propellant for a single RL10 engine built by Aerojet Rocketdyne in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Artemis III ICPS will provide the big push needed to propel Orion toward the Moon and send the crew on the first mission where humans once again will land on the lunar surface.

NASA's Artemis Program:

https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-1

Read the Artemis Plan (74-page PDF Free Download):

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/artemis_plan-20200921.pdf

NASA's Space Launch System (SLS)

https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/index.html

NASA's Orion Spacecraft

https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/orion/about/index.html

Caption Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Image Credit: United Launch Alliance

Release Date: May 25, 2022

#NASA #ESA #ULA #Space #Artemis #ArtemisIII #SLS #Boeing #Rocket #DeepSpace #ICPS #Propulsion #AerojetRocketdyne #Moon #Mars #MoonToMars #Astronauts #Mars #JourneyToMars #Science #Engineering #Technology #Exploration #SolarSystem #Alabama #UnitedStates #Europe #International #STEM #Education

Friday, May 27, 2022

Have a 'Top Gun' Weekend | Friends of NASA

Have a 'Top Gun' Weekend | Friends of NASA

A pair of NASA's Northrop Grumman T-38 Talons fly in formation over Galveston Beach in Texas, showing some of the aerobatic abilities of the T-38—a two-seat, twinjet supersonic jet trainer.

Years before NASA's space shuttle would glide home to a safe touchdown on runways in California and Florida, NASA astronauts pitched the noses of T-38 jet trainers toward the same runways to find out what it would look like to land a spacecraft in such a way.

The T-38 remains a fixture for astronaut training more than 40 years later because the sleek, white jets make pilots and mission specialists think quickly in changing situations, mental experiences the astronauts say are critical to practicing for the rigors of spaceflight.

"It's actually our most important training that we do as astronauts," said NASA astronaut Terry Virts, who flew as the pilot of STS-130 aboard shuttle Endeavour. "It’s the one place where we're not in a simulator. It's real flying and if you make a mistake, you can get hurt or break something or run out of gas. There are a lot of things that happen real-world in a T-38 that don't happen in the simulator."

"You're in a different world, a dynamic world, it doesn't matter whether it's a shuttle or a T-38," said Story Musgrave, a six-time shuttle flyer who posted thousands of hours in the T-38 and instructed others how to fly it, too. "It's understanding the rules, how to live within the rules."

Musgrave describes the T-38 as "a classic, timeless beauty."

Powered by two afterburning General Electric J85 engines, a T-38 can fly supersonic up to Mach 1.6 and soar above 40,000 feet, about 10,000 feet higher than airliners typically cruise. The plane can wrench its pilots through more than seven Gs, or seven times the force of gravity. That's enough to make simply lifting hands a feat of strength and breathing a labored chore. It'll make one's neck feel like it is balancing a cinder block. It's also more than enough to make the average person black out.

"The T-38 is a great aircraft for what we need at NASA because it's fast, it's high-performance and it's very simple," Virts said. "It's safe and it's known. So compared to other airplanes, it's definitely one of the best."

T-38 Talon Facts

Power Plant: Two General Electric J85-GE-5 turbojet engines with afterburners

Thrust: 2,050 pounds dry thrust; 2,900 with afterburners

Length: 46 feet, 4 inches (14 meters)

Height: 12 feet, 10 inches (3.8 meters)

Wingspan: 25 feet, 3 inches (7.6 meters)

Ceiling: Above 55,000 feet (16,764 meters)

Range: 1,093 miles

Crew: Two

Source: United States Air Force

Caption Credit: Steven Siceloff, NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC)

Image Credit: Story Musgrave

Release Date: April 20, 2011

#NASA #Aerospace #Astronauts #Pilots #Training #Aircraft #Aviation #T38 #Talon #Inverted #Supersonic #NorthopGrumman #GeneralElectric #USAF #TopGun #Maverick #Film #JSC #KSC #Kennedy #Florida #UnitedStates #History #FoN #STEM #Education

A Commercial Crew Spacecraft’s Historic Test Mission | This Week @NASA

A Commercial Crew Spacecraft’s Historic Test Mission | This Week @NASA

May 27, 2022: A commercial crew spacecraft’s historic test mission, recognizing the leadership of our James Webb Space Telescope team, and a small spacecraft prepares for a unique mission around the Moon . . . a few of the stories to tell you about—This Week at NASA!

Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Duration: 4 minutes

Release Date: May 27, 2022

#NASA #Space #Artemis #Moon #CAPCOM #Cislunar #Spacecraft #RocketLab #JWST #ISS #Boeing #Spacecraft #Starliner #CST100 #CommercialCrew #OFT2 #Astronauts #FlightEngineer #HumanSpaceflight #Science #Technology #Engineering #LaunchAmerica #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

SpaceX Crew-4 Dragon Freedom—Astronauts Enjoy Earth Views | NASA

SpaceX Crew-4 Dragon Freedom—Astronauts Enjoy Earth Views | NASA

NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) astronauts are pictured looking out the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft’s windows at Earth, while bathed in Earthlight, on their journey to the International Space Station, April 27, 2022.

NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins & Bob Hines

ESA Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy

NASA Astronaut Kjell Lindgren

Astronauts Jessica Watkins & Bob Hines

Astronauts Samantha Cristoforetti & Jessica Watkins

Astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Jessica Watkins & Bob Hines

SpaceX Dragon Freedom Crew-4 spacecraft docked to the International Space Station

Image Date: May 21, 2022

SpaceX Crew 4 Astronauts:

Samantha Cristoforetti's Biography (ESA)

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Samantha_Cristoforetti

Jessica Watkins' Biography (NASA)

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/jessica-watkins/biography

Kjell Lindgren's Biography (NASA)

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/kjell-n-lindgren/biography

Robert Hines' Biography (NASA)

https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/bob-hines

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Image Dates: April 27, 2022 (Images 1-7) May 21, 2022 (Image 8)

#NASA #ESA #Space #ISS #SpaceX #Dragon #CrewDragon #SpaceXCrew4 #Astronauts #SamanthaCristoforetti #Italy #Italia #Minerva #JessicaWatkins #KjellLindgren #RobertHines #HumanSpaceflight #LaunchAmerica #CommercialCrewProgram #Science #Technology #Photography #UnitedStates #Europe #Russia #Japan #Canada #JSC #Expedition67 #STEM #Education

Boeing Starliner Crew Spacecraft Orbital Flight Test-2 Post-Landing | NASA

Boeing Starliner Crew Spacecraft Orbital Flight Test-2 Post-Landing | NASA

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner crew spacecraft landed at White Sands Missile Range’s Space Harbor, Wednesday, May 25, 2022, in New Mexico. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. OFT-2 serves as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities.

For more info on OFT-2 and Starliner, visit: boeing.com/starliner

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Image Date: May 25, 2022

#NASA #Space #ISS #Boeing #Spacecraft #Starliner #CST100 #CommercialCrew #CCP #OFT2 #Astronauts #FlightEngineer #HumanSpaceflight #Science #Technology #Engineering #LaunchAmerica #WhiteSands #MissileRange #NewMexico #UnitedStates #Photography #STEM #Education

NASA's Space to Ground: Boeing Starliner's Success!

NASA's Space to Ground: Boeing Starliner's Success!

Week of May 27, 2022: NASA's Space to Ground is your weekly update on what's happening aboard the International Space Station. The seven Expedition 67 crew members are resuming their normal schedule of science and maintenance activities following the departure of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. The orbital residents focused on vein scans, robotics, and a host of other space research onboard the International Space Station on May 26, 2022.

NASA and Boeing completed its Orbital Flight Test-2 mission on Wednesday. NASA Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines monitored the crew ship’s arrival last week, conducted cargo and test operations inside the vehicle, then closed the hatch on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, before finally seeing Starliner undock from the Harmony module’s forward port at 2:36 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.

For more info on OFT-2 and Starliner, visit: boeing.com/starliner

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Boeing's Starliner and SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft have been developed and tested to fly astronauts to and from the International Space Station from U.S. soil.

Expedition 67 Crew

Commander Oleg Artemyev (Russia)

Roscosmos Flight Engineers: Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov (Russia)

NASA Flight Engineers: Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, Jessica Watkins (USA)

European Space Agency (ESA) Flight Engineer: Samantha Cristoforetti (Italy)

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center

Duration: 3 minutes

Release Date: May 27, 2022

#NASA #Space #ISS #Boeing #Spacecraft #Starliner #CST100 #CommercialCrew #OFT2 #Astronauts #FlightEngineer #HumanSpaceflight #Science #Technology #Engineering #LaunchAmerica #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Thursday, May 26, 2022

Highlights of Boeing Starliner's Orbital Flight Test-2 | NASA

Highlights of Boeing Starliner's Orbital Flight Test-2 | NASA

"On May 25, 2022, Starliner landed safely back on Earth after spending five days docked to the International Space Station for OFT-2. This test, which started with a successful May 19 launch, provided the Expedition 67 crew and our NASA and Boeing teams back on Earth with vital data and cargo for future commercial space exploration. Watch this recap of Starliner's journey from start to finish."

For more info on OFT-2 and Starliner, visit: boeing.com/starliner

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Boeing's Starliner and SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft have been developed and tested to fly astronauts to and from the International Space Station from U.S. soil.

Credit: Boeing

Duration: 2 minutes, 20 seconds

Release Date: May 26, 2022

NASA ScienceCasts: Vision Changes in Space

NASA ScienceCasts: Vision Changes in Space

Scientists are working hard to better understand why vision changes occur for some astronauts in microgravity, while continuously developing strategies to counter those changes.

Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome Infographic:

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/what-is-spaceflight-associated-neuro-ocular-syndrome

Credit: ScienceAtNASA

Duration: 4 minutes

Release Date: May 26, 2022

#NASA #Space #ISS #Artemis #Science #Astronauts #Earth #Moon #Humanity #Health #Vision #Microgravity #Laboratory #Research #Technology #HumanSpaceflight #UnitedStates #Europe #Russia #Japan #Canada #Expedition67 #Mars #JourneyToMars #MoonToMars #SolarSystem #Exploration #STEM #Education #HD #Video

What is the Future of Global Space Cooperation? | World Economic Forum

What is the Future of Global Space Cooperation? | World Economic Forum

"Between lunar missions and commercial space stations, low-Earth economy and vital information-gathering about our planet, investments in the space industry could reach $1 trillion in the 2030s."

"How can public and private stakeholders worldwide collaborate to make these ventures a success and ensure space exploration and research benefits us all?"

"The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change."

Learn about the World Economic Forum:

https://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2022

European Space Agency (ESA) Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti's Biography (ESA)

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Samantha_Cristoforetti

Video & Caption Credit: World Economic Forum

Duration: 53 minutes

Release Date: May 25, 2022

#NASA #ESA #ISS #Davos #WorldEconomicForum #WEF22 #Earth #Science #Astronaut #SamanthaCristoforetti #Minerva #Italy #Italia #HumanSpaceflight #UnitedStates #International #Cooperation #STEM #Education #HD #Video

SpaceX Transporter-5 Commercial Payloads Mission

SpaceX Transporter-5 Commercial Payloads Mission

On Wednesday, May 25, 2022, at 2:35 p.m. ET, a Falcon 9 rocket launched Transporter-5, SpaceX’s fifth dedicated smallsat rideshare program mission, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This was the eighth launch and landing of this Falcon 9 stage booster, which previously supported launch of Crew-1, Crew-2, SXM-8, CRS-23, IXPE, one Starlink mission, and Transporter-4.

Following stage separation, SpaceX landed Falcon 9’s first stage on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. On board this flight were 59 spacecraft, including CubeSats, microsats, non-deploying hosted payloads, and orbital transfer vehicles, plus Nanoracks’ Outpost Mars Demo 1 experiment to test technologies for cutting into rocket upper stages.

Image Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX)

Image Date: May 25, 2022

#NASA #Space #SpaceX #Falcon9 #Rocket #ElonMusk #Satellites #CubeSats #Microsats #Payloads #Commercial #Nanoracks #OutpostMarsDemo1 #Orbital #Spaceflight #Earth #Science #Technology #Engineering #Spaceport #CapeCanaveral #SpaceForce #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Boeing Starliner Crew Spacecraft Orbital Flight Test-2 Post-Landing | NASA

Boeing Starliner Crew Spacecraft Orbital Flight Test-2 Post-Landing | NASA

Boeing and NASA teams work around Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft after it landed at White Sands Missile Range’s Space Harbor, Wednesday, May 25, 2022, in New Mexico. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. OFT-2 serves as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities.

For more info on OFT-2 and Starliner, visit: boeing.com/starliner

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Image Date: May 25, 2022

#NASA #Space #ISS #Boeing #Spacecraft #Starliner #CST100 #CommercialCrew #CCP #OFT2 #Astronauts #FlightEngineer #HumanSpaceflight #Science #Technology #Engineering #LaunchAmerica #WhiteSands #MissileRange #Spaceport #NewMexico #UnitedStates #Photography #STEM #Education

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

Boeing Starliner Crew Spacecraft Orbital Flight Test-2 Landing | NASA

Boeing Starliner Crew Spacecraft Orbital Flight Test-2 Landing | NASA

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner crew spacecraft lands at White Sands Missile Range’s Space Harbor, Wednesday, May 25, 2022, in New Mexico. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. OFT-2 serves as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities.

For more info on OFT-2 and Starliner, visit: boeing.com/starliner

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Image Date: May 25, 2022

Expedition 67 Crew Photos | International Space Station

Expedition 67 Crew Photos | International Space Station

Expedition 67 crew pose for a dinner portrait

In the front row (from left), are NASA Flight Engineer Jessica Watkins and Roscosmos Flight Engineer Sergey Korsakov. In the back (from left), are Roscosmos Flight Engineer Denis Matveev; NASA Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines; European Space Agency (ESA) Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti; and Roscosmos Commander Oleg Artemyev.

Image Date: May 14, 2022

NASA astronauts (from left) Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines are pictured inside the International Space Station's seven-windowed cupola monitoring the approach and rendezvous of Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft on the company's Orbital Flight Test-2 mission.

Image Date: May 20, 2022

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti is seated next to "Rosie the Rocketeer" inside Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft the day after it had docked to the International Space Station's Harmony module on the company's Orbital Flight Test-2 mission.

Image Date: May 21, 2022

Roscosmos cosmonaut and Expedition 67 Commander Oleg Artemyev smiles for a portrait inside the International Space Station's Unity module.

Image Date: May 14, 2022

NASA astronaut and Expedition 67 Flight Engineer Jessica Watkins enjoys the view of the Earth below from inside the International Space Station's seven-windowed cupola. The orbiting lab was flying 272 miles above the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Cape Town, South Africa, at the time this photograph was taken.

Image Date: May 3, 2022

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut and Expedition 67 Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti monitors a pair of Astrobee robotic free-flyers performing autonomous maneuvers inside the International Space Station. The cube-shaped, toaster-sized robots are designed to help scientists and engineers develop and test technologies for use in microgravity to assist astronauts with routine chores, and give ground controllers additional eyes and ears on the space station.

Image Date: May 18, 2022

Roscosmos cosmonauts (from left) Oleg Artemyev, Sergey Korsakov and Denis Matveev, are pictured inside the International Space Station's Poisk module. Korsakov had helped Artemyev and Matveev out of their Orlan spacesuits after they had just completed a seven-hour and 42-minute spacewalk to activate the European robotic arm on the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module.

Image Date: April 28, 2022

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut and Expedition 67 Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti installs acrylic scratch panes on two windows inside the seven-windowed cupola, the International Space Station's "window to the world." The orbiting lab was flying 271 miles above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of New Zealand at the time of this photograph.

Image Date: May 12, 2022

Expedition 67 Crew

Commander Oleg Artemyev (Russia)

Roscosmos Flight Engineers: Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov (Russia)

NASA Flight Engineers: Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, Jessica Watkins (USA)

European Space Agency (ESA) Flight Engineer: Samantha Cristoforetti (Italy)

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Image Date: April 28-May 21, 2022

#NASA #Space #ISS #ESA #Astronaut #Astronauts #KjellLindgren #BobHines #JessicaWatkins #SamanthaCristoforetti #Italy #Italia #Minerva #Cosmonauts #OlegArtemyev #SergeyKorsakov #DenisMatveev #Science #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition67 #UnitedStates #Europe #Russia #Россия #Research #Laboratory #STEM #Education

NASA's Mars Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers—New May 2022 Images | JPL

NASA's Mars Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers—New May 2022 Images | JPL

Mars2020 - Sol 445 - Watson

NASA/JPL-Caltech/Kevin M. Gill