NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Failure was not an option: 55 years ago, on April 11, 1970, Apollo 13 astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. An oxygen tank ruptured en route to the Moon, derailing what was planned to be the third lunar landing ever. The astronauts and NASA personnel on the ground worked around the clock, and through creative problem solving and courage, got the crew home safely. https://lnkd.in/eRSNFbyU

Jared Isaacman will participate in a Senate nomination hearing to become the next NASA administrator. Watch live on YouTube April 9 at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 UTC): https://lnkd.in/gtXmVgNB

Hubble's studied Uranus for more than 20 years and is still learning more about its gas. We saw changes in the planet's polar regions that haven't been seen on other gas giants, helping us better understand Uranus's atmosphere and seasonal patterns: https://lnkd.in/exZBvSff

NASA has landed at #40thSpaceSymposium. Come share space with us in the north hall, booth 1363. Get more info about our acting Administrator Janet Petro's fireside chat with Space Foundation CEO Heather Pringle, sessions, and talks. https://lnkd.in/gys6Sz7q

Testing Ultra-Cold NASA Tech for Future Space Exploration When humans return to the Moon, we’ll need rockets that function at incredibly low temperatures. Existing rocket engines fueled by kerosene and cryogenic propellants have been launching from Earth successfully for decades. But no cryogenic version of the smaller thrusters used to steer rockets has ever been ignited or even flown in space; in the vacuum of space (and on the surface of the Moon), it's so cold that cryogenic rocket engines cannot reliably ignite. Researchers at NASA's Johnson Space Center are test-firing cryogenic rocket engines with different spark plugs at varying cold and vacuum conditions. (Make sure your sound is on for the video below!) Learn more about this technology, involved NASA centers, and key partners in NASA’s TechPort database: https://lnkd.in/eUY-z5Es

We’ve been nominated for 10 Webby awards! From solar eclipses to lunar landings, we love bringing the magic of the universe to you. If you’ve been inspired by what we’ve shared, vote for us in The Webby Awards: https://lnkd.in/ekmmGsPS

New NASA Tech Makes "Ultra-Smooth" Telescope Mirrors X-ray telescopes help us track solar storms and understand the lifecycle of stars—one day, they could even help discover life on other planets. But to capture the sharpest images, we need special high-precision manufacturing techniques to build ultra-smooth mirrors. Researchers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center have combined two existing manufacturing techniques to produce a new lightweight, high-resolution X-ray optic. Project RECXO is working on new ways to polish the molds that are used to replicate X-ray mirrors. These molds are so smooth that the bumps on their surface are no bigger than 5 angstroms—that's 50 billionths of a centimeter. Learn more about this technology, involved NASA centers, and key partners in NASA’s TechPort database: https://lnkd.in/eNhmWJ5G

Each year, thousands of wildfires burn millions of acres of forests and grasslands throughout the country. Heavy smoke and nightfall ground current aerial firefighting operations. We're working on tech to change that. Our Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) project uses drone and other aviation technologies to help first responders keep pace with the growing threat of fires—24 hours a day. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eQdkjBCh

Psst. Wanna see a planet orbiting another Sun? We’ve got four! Our James Webb Space Telescope captured direct images of four gas giants in a young, well-studied planetary system 130 light-years away. Observations from the telescope indicate that the exoplanets are rich in carbon dioxide, which means they likely formed in similar ways to Jupiter and Saturn. https://lnkd.in/e3q3bph2

“That was my giant leap: Taking the chance and going for the interview and getting the job and deciding to stay.” Thermal blanket technician Paula Cain transitioned from working in the fashion industry to creating thermal blankets so spacecraft can stay protected from the harsh environment of space. Learn more about her story in this week’s episode of Small Steps, Giant Leaps: https://lnkd.in/e-catpbF