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IC 2944, also known as the Lambda Centauri Nebula or the λ Centauri Nebula, is an open cluster with an associated emission nebula found in the constellation Centaurus, near the star λ Centauri.
Distance:6,500 light years
Astrophotgrapher Ian Inverarity: ". . . a 2 panel mosaic shot over 6 nights (some half ruined by clouds!). Takahashi FSQ106N telescope on a Warp Astron WD-20 EQ mount, PHD2 guiding, controlled by NINA, processing with APP and PS. Mostly hot and windy nights! Over 33 hours of data."
Image Credit: Ian Inverarity Release Date: Jan. 31, 2025
Williams & Wilmore on Spacewalk: EVA 274 | International Space Station
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams works outside the International Space Station during a five-hour and 26-minute spacewalk to remove and stow a radio frequency group antenna assembly. The orbital outpost was soaring 260 miles above Kazakhstan at the time of this photograph.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams works outside the International Space Station during a five-hour and 26-minute spacewalk to remove and stow a radio frequency group antenna assembly. In the left foreground, is the latching end effector of the Canadarm2 robotic arm. The orbital outpost was soaring 258 miles above the Pacific Ocean near the coast of Mexico at the time of this photograph.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams seemingly hangs upside down while attached to the Canadarm2 robotic arm's latching end effector during a five-hour and 26 minute spacewalk to remove and stow a radio frequency group antenna assembly. The orbital outpost was soaring 260 miles above Russia near the Sea of Azov at the time of this photograph.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams is attached to the Canadarm2 robotic arm's latching end effector while being maneuvered to her worksite 264 miles above the South Pacific Ocean. Williams removed and stowed a radio frequency group antenna assembly during the five-hour and 26-minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams works outside the International Space Station during a five-hour and 26-minute spacewalk to remove and stow a radio frequency group antenna assembly. In the left foreground, is the latching end effector of the Canadarm2 robotic arm. The orbital outpost was soaring 267 miles above New Zealand at the time of this photograph.
Two spacewalkers, Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore (upper left) and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams (lower right), both NASA astronauts, work outside the International Space Station during a five-hour and 26-minute spacewalk to remove radio communciations hardware and swab for microorganisms.
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore concluded their spacewalk at 1:09 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) Jan. 30, 2025. It was the ninth spacewalk for Williams and the fifth for Wilmore, and it was the 274th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades. Williams surpassed former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson’s record for total spacewalking time by a female astronaut. Williams now has 62 hours, 6 minutes of total spacewalk time, fourth on NASA’s all-time list.
Williams and Wilmore completed their primary objectives, including removing a radio frequency group antenna assembly from the station’s truss and collecting samples of surface material for analysis from the Destiny laboratory and the Quest airlock.
Station Commander: Suni Williams Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Alexey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner, Aleksandr Gorbunov NASA Flight Engineers: Butch Wilmore, Don Pettit, Nick Hague
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.
Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) Capture Date: Jan. 31, 2025
Shenzhou-19 Crew Commander Reflects on Mission Progress | China Space Station
Chinese astronaut and commander of the Shenzhou-19 space mission, Cai Xuzhe, shared his experience of returning to the Tiangong Space Station while delivering a mid-mission progress review.
China launched the Shenzhou-19 crewed spacecraft on October 30 last year, sending three astronauts, Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze, to the orbiting space station for a six-month mission.
Cai first joined the journey into space as a crew member of the Shenzhou-14 mission in 2022. He was honored with the title "Heroic Astronaut" for his service and accomplishments during that mission.
As the crew complete the first half of their space mission on Thursday, Cai said it has been heartwarming to return to the space home.
"After two years, I returned to the Chinese space station. It felt like returning to a familiar home, comforting and deeply heartwarming. In the past three months, we have executed the in-orbit rotation with the Shenzhou-18 astronauts, and carried out the scheduled maintenance, daily operations, and health management protocols of the space station platform as planned. In addition, we have completed two EVAs, and carried out multiple drills such as full-system stress emergency response simulations and medical rescue operations training. These exercises have significantly sharpened our ability to handle contingencies, enabling safer and more efficient mission execution," Cai said.
"During the in-orbit period, with the support of ground personnel, we completed medical cytology experiments represented by advanced research on human brain organoids, and launched a new round of material extravehicular exposure experiments. Our crew also routinely replaced related components to ensure the seamless progress of the experiments," Cai said.
"At present, the various space science experiments undertaken by our crew are progressing steadily. According to the plan, we will focus on space science research and technology experiments in the fields of space life sciences, basic physics of microgravity, space material science, aerospace medicine, and next-generation aerospace technologies. Both crew and ground teams will ensure close coordination and meticulous mission execution to guarantee the complete success of our endeavors," Cai said.
"Happy Anniversary!" Crawler-Transporters Reach 60 Years | NASA Kennedy
The crawler-transporters achieved first movement in 1965 and for the past six decades, they have moved rockets from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad. From Apollo to space shuttle to Artemis, these behemoth vehicles hold an important part in human spaceflight history.
The mobile launcher serves as the primary interface between the ground launch systems, SLS rocket, and Orion spacecraft that will launch the SLS Block 1B rocket, with its enhanced upper stage, to the Moon, allowing the agency to send astronauts and heavier cargo into lunar orbit than its predecessor, SLS Block 1.
"With Artemis, NASA will land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface and establish long-term exploration for scientific discovery and to prepare for human missions to Mars."
NASA's Space to Ground: "A Historic Spacewalk" | Week of Jan. 31, 2025
NASA's Space to Ground is your weekly update on what's happening aboard the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore concluded their spacewalk at 1:09 p.m. EST Jan. 30, 2025. It was the ninth spacewalk for Williams and the fifth for Wilmore, and it was the 274th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades. Williams surpassed former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson’s record for total spacewalking time by a female astronaut. Williams now has 62 hours, 6 minutes of total spacewalk time, fourth on NASA’s all-time list.
Williams and Wilmore completed their primary objectives, including removing a radio frequency group antenna assembly from the station’s truss and collecting samples of surface material for analysis from the Destiny laboratory and the Quest airlock.
NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Solid Rocket Booster Stacking | NASA Kennedy
Engineers and technicians with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) team lifted the left center segment, bearing NASA’s historic “worm” logo, of the Space Launch System (SLS) solid rocket boosters (SRBs) for the Artemis II Moon Mission into High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
This is the seventh of ten motor segments stacked on the Mobile Launcher 1 by the EGS team.
These boosters will help support the remaining rocket components and the Orion spacecraft during final assembly of the Artemis II Moon rocket. They will provide more than 75 percent of the total Space Launch System (SLS) thrust during liftoff from NASA Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39B.
The Artemis II test flight will be NASA’s first mission with crew under the Artemis campaign. It will launch no earlier than April 2026. NASA's Orion spacecraft will carry NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman, as well as Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back for the Artemis II test flight.
Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost Moon Mission Update: "We're Still in Earth Orbit!"
This Week 2 mission update brings a "lesson" in orbital mechanics and thermal dynamics. Our Ghost Riders break down why the scenic route is beneficial as Blue Ghost travels to the Moon!
The Blue Ghost lander is seeking to land in Mare Crisium to deliver ten NASA science instruments and technology demonstrations to the Moon. They will perform numerous science and technology demonstrations, including lunar subsurface drilling, sample collection, and X-ray imaging of Earth’s magnetic field to advance research for future human missions on the Moon and provide insights into how space weather impacts the planet. Mare Crisium is a lunar mare located in the Moon's Crisium basin, just northeast of Mare Tranquillitatis. It was formed by the flooding of basaltic lava that filled an ancient asteroid impact.
NASA Artemis II Moon Mission Rocket Stacking: SRBs | Kennedy Space Center
Engineers and technicians with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program prepare to lift the left center center booster segment shown with the iconic NASA “worm” insignia for the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. The booster segment is shown attached to a lifting beam ahead of integration onto the mobile launcher.
Engineers and technicians with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program transfer the right center segment with the NASA worm insignia to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. The booster segment is shown attached to a lifting beam ahead of integration onto the mobile launcher.
Inside High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, technicians with the agency’s Exploration Ground Systems use a crane to lower the left center center booster segment for the NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket onto the left aft center segment atop the mobile launcher on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. The NASA “worm” insignia can be seen on both the center center booster segments.
Engineers and technicians with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program work on stacking the two Artemis II Moon solid rocket boosters (SRBs), featuring the NASA worm insignia, at the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) within NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. These boosters will help support the remaining rocket components and the Orion spacecraft during final assembly of the Artemis II Moon rocket. They will provide more than 75 percent of the total Space Launch System (SLS) thrust during liftoff from NASA Kennedy’s Launch Pad 39B.
The Artemis II test flight will be NASA’s first mission with crew under the Artemis campaign. It will launch no earlier than April 2026. NASA's Orion spacecraft will carry NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Reid Wiseman, as well as Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back for the Artemis II test flight.
Shenzhou-19 Astronaut Wang Haoze Shares Joys of Life on China's Space Station
Chinese astronaut Wang Haoze of the Shenzhou-19 crew shared that her favorite activity in space is to gaze at the breathtaking sceneries of the mountains and rivers of her homeland, savoring the beauty of the Earth from orbit.
Wang Haoze, China's first female space flight engineer, along with fellow astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, is on a six-month mission aboard the Tiangong Space Station. The trio arrived at the orbiting station following the launch of the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship on October 30 last year.
Geyser Season on Planet Mars | NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Gas geysers on Mars blow out dark, triangle-shaped fans of dust and sand onto the red Martian surface.
This image from the HiRISE camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captures geysers of gas and dust that occur in springtime in the South Polar region of Mars. As the Sun rises higher in the sky, the thick coating of carbon dioxide ice that accumulated over the winter begins to warm and then turn to vapor. Sunlight penetrates through the transparent ice and is absorbed at the base of the ice layer. The gas that forms because of the warming escapes through weaknesses in the ice and erupts in the form of geysers. They can be seen here blowing out dark, triangle-shaped fans of dust and sand onto the red Martian surface.
HiRISE, or the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, is a powerful camera that takes pictures covering vast areas of Martian terrain while being able to see features as small as a kitchen table.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is a spacecraft designed to study the geology and climate of Mars, to provide reconnaissance of future landing sites, and to relay data from surface missions back to Earth. It was launched on August 12, 2005, and reached Mars on March 10, 2006.
The University of Arizona, in Tucson, operates HiRISE. It was built by BAE Systems in Boulder, Colorado. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington.
Los componentes básicos de la vida | NASA en Español
La vida, tal como la conocemos, comienza con los ingredientes más pequeños: aminoácidos y nucleobases, los bloques esenciales de la existencia. Pero, ¿de dónde provienen y cómo se forman?
Desde el ADN hasta las proteínas, los astrobiólogos están desentrañando, poco a poco, los secretos de la receta de la vida. Aquí te contamos lo que necesitas saber sobre los componentes básicos de la vida.
What You Need to Know About The Building Blocks of Life | Science@NASA
Life as we know it begins with the smallest of ingredients: amino acids and nucleobases, the essential building blocks of life. Where do these building blocks come from and how do they form?
From DNA to proteins, astrobiologists are uncovering the secrets of life’s recipe one step at a time. Find out what you need to know about the building blocks of life.
NASA's OSIRIS-REx Mission Finds Ingredients of Life on Asteroid Bennu
The origin of life is one of the deepest mysteries in science, but the clues to solving it have been buried by plate tectonics, the water cycle, and even life itself. For answers, scientists are looking beyond Earth to primitive asteroids like Bennu, the target of NASA’s daring OSIRIS-REx sample return mission. OSIRIS-REx gathered pristine material from Bennu in 2020 and delivered it to Earth in 2023. Now, rocks from Bennu are revealing a lost world from the dawn of the solar system, with the right conditions to foster the building blocks of life.
Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Dan Gallagher: Producer/Narrator Daniel Glavin: Scientist Jason Dworkin: Project Scientist Tim McCoy: Scientist Sara Russell: Scientist Duration: 4 minutes, 14 seconds Release Date: Jan. 29, 2025
Williams & Wilmore Spacewalk Preparations | International Space Station
Two spacesuits are pictured staged inside the International Space Station's Quest airlock ahead of a spacewalk planned for NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. The two spacewalkers are scheduled to exit the Quest airlock on Jan. 30 to remove a radio frequency group antenna assembly and search for microbes outside the orbital outpost.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Don Pettit's reflection is pictured on the helmet visor of a spacesuit in this photograph he took inside the International Space Station's Quest airlock.
A spacesuit is pictured staged inside the International Space Station's Quest airlock ahead of a spacewalk planned for NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore.
A spacesuit is pictured staged inside the International Space Station's Quest airlock ahead of a spacewalk planned for NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams works in the Quest airlock readying a pair of spacesuits that she and NASA astronaut Nick Hague will wear during a spacewalk to remove radio communications hardware and search for microbes outside the International Space Station.
The official portrait of the International Space Station's Expedition 72 crew. At the top (from left) are, Roscosmos cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Alexey Ovchinin, NASA astronaut and space station Commander Suni Williams, and NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore. In the middle row are, Roscosmos cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner and NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Don Pettit. In the bottom row are, Roscosmos cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Aleksandr Gorbunov and NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Nick Hague.
The official insignia of the Expedition 72 crew that will live and work aboard the International Space Station for long duration space research missions in 2024 and 2025. The simple patch design highlights the configuration of the orbital laboratory with its six roll-out solar arrays augmenting the station's power generation system.
The Expedition 72 crew members have completed preparations for a science and maintenance spacewalk scheduled for Thursday, January 30, 2025. Commander Suni Williams and Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore, two NASA astronauts, are scheduled to begin a spacewalk at 8am EST on Thursday. They have finished their procedure reviews and spacesuit checks. They also joined NASA Flight Engineers Nick Hague and Don Pettit and practiced on a computer the Canadarm2 robotic arm maneuvers necessary to remove radio communications hardware, the first of two main spacewalking tasks. The second main task will see the two spacewalkers swab sites outside the orbital outpost to collect samples of potential microbes for analysis.
This will be the ninth spacewalk for Williams and the 274th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.
Expedition 72 Crew Station Commander: Suni Williams Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Alexey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner, Aleksandr Gorbunov NASA Flight Engineers: Butch Wilmore, Don Pettit, Nick Hague
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.
Image Credits: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)/D. Pettit Image Dates: Jan. 23 & 28, 2025
Comet C/2024 G3 ATLAS | International Space Station
Comet C/2024 G3 ATLAS seems to be near Earth's horizon though it is over 305 million miles away in this photograph taken by NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Don Pettit. The International Space Station was orbiting into a sunrise 258 miles above the Pacific Ocean.
C/2024 G3 ATLAS is a long-period, sungrazing comet. It reached perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on January 13, 2025, at a distance of 0.09 AU from the Sun. It could become the brightest comet of 2025, possibly exceeding an apparent magnitude of −3.5.
The comet was discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) survey on April 5, 2024, in images obtained with a 0.5-m reflector telescope located in Río Hurtado, Chile.
Station Commander: Suni Williams Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Alexey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner, Aleksandr Gorbunov NASA Flight Engineers: Butch Wilmore, Don Pettit, Nick Hague
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.
Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)/D. Pettit Image Date: Jan. 10, 2025
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