TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
August 30, 2025
A Two Percent Moon
A young crescent moon can be hard to see. That's because when the Moon shows it's crescent phase (young or old) it can never be far from the Sun in planet Earth's sky. And even though the sky is still bright, a slender sunlit lunar crescent is cleary visible in this early evening skyscape. The telephoto snapshot was captured on August 24, with the Moon very near the western horizon at sunset. Seen in a narrow crescent phase about 1.5 days old, the visible sunlit portion is a mere two percent of the surface of the Moon's familiar nearside. At the Canary Islands Space Centre, a steerable radio dish for communication with spacecraft is titled in the direction of the two percent Moon. The sunset sky's pastel pinkish coloring is partly due to fine sand and dust from the Sahara Desert blown by the prevailing winds.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
NASA Astronaut Megan McArthur Retires
Aug 29, 2025
NASA astronaut Megan McArthur has retired, concluding a career spanning more than two decades.
A veteran of two spaceflights, McArthur logged 213 days in space, including being the first woman to pilot a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and the last person to “touch” the Hubble Space Telescope with the space shuttle’s robotic arm.
McArthur launched as pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission in April 2021, marking her second spaceflight and her first long-duration stay aboard the International Space Station.
During the 200-day mission, she served as a flight engineer for Expeditions 65/66, conducting a wide array of scientific experiments in human health, materials sciences, and robotics to advance exploration of the Moon under Artemis and prepare to send American astronauts to Mars.
Her first spaceflight was STS-125 in 2009, aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, the fifth and final servicing mission to Hubble.
As a mission specialist, she was responsible for capturing the telescope with the robotic arm, as well as supporting five spacewalks to update and repair Hubble after its first 19 years in space.
She also played a key role in supporting shuttle operations during launch, rendezvous with the telescope, and landing.
“Megan’s thoughtful leadership, operational excellence, and deep commitment to science and exploration have made a lasting impact,” said Steve Koerner, acting director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
“Her contributions have helped shape the future of human space exploration, and we are incredibly grateful for her service.”
In addition to her flight experience, McArthur has served in various technical and leadership roles within NASA.
In 2019, she became the deputy division chief of the Astronaut Office, supporting astronaut training, development, and ongoing spaceflight operations.
She also served as the assistant director of flight operations for the International Space Station Program starting in 2017.
Since 2022, McArthur has served as the chief science officer at Space Center Houston, NASA Johnson’s official visitor center.
Continuing in this role, she actively promotes public engagement with space exploration themes, aiming to increase understanding of the benefits to humanity and enhance science literacy.
“Megan brought a unique combination of technical skill and compassion to everything she did,” said Joe Acaba, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA Johnson.
“Whether in space or on the ground, she embodied the best of what it means to be an astronaut and a teammate. Her contributions will be felt by the next generation of explorers she helped train.”
McArthur was born in Honolulu and raised as a “Navy kid” in many different locations worldwide.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a doctorate in oceanography from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego.
Before being selected as an astronaut in 2000, she conducted oceanographic research focusing on underwater acoustics, which involved shipboard work and extensive scuba diving.
McArthur is married to former NASA astronaut Robert Behnken, who also flew aboard the Dragon Endeavour spacecraft during the agency’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission in 2020.
“It was an incredible privilege to serve as a NASA astronaut, working with scientists from around the world on cutting-edge research that continues to have a lasting impact here on Earth and prepares humanity for future exploration at the Moon and Mars,” said McArthur.
“From NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope to the International Space Station, our research lab in low Earth orbit, humanity has developed incredible tools that help us answer important scientific questions, solve complex engineering challenges, and gain a deeper understanding of our place in the universe.
Seeing our beautiful planet from space makes it so clear how fragile and precious our home is, and how vital it is that we protect it.
I am grateful I had the opportunity to contribute to this work, and I’m excited to watch our brilliant engineers and scientists at NASA conquer new challenges and pursue further scientific discoveries for the benefit of all.”
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-astronaut-megan-mcarthur-retires/
NASA Scientists Map Plant Productivity with Data from Ocean Satellite
August 29, 2025
NASA scientists have developed a new set of tools to monitor plant growth under various conditions throughout the growing season.
The hope is that land managers could use these tools to detect sudden drops in plant productivity and to respond earlier to events like heat stress, droughts, and cold snaps.
Monitoring the productivity, or how efficiently plants are producing energy through photosynthesis, is essential across various landscapes to sustain ecosystems, support rich biodiversity, and ensure reliable food production.
Throughout the world, different ecosystems, such as mountains, tropical forests, tundra, and farmland, support a wide variety of vegetation types.
Researchers have previously used instruments like the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites to monitor Earth’s ecosystems, analyzing the specific wavelengths of light related to photosynthesis that MODIS detects.
In a study published on July 10, scientists turned to the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) aboard NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite to see what this new data could tell us about plant productivity throughout the seasons, by observing the time period beginning in March and stretching through September 2024.
NASA launched PACE in February 2024 to assess oceanic and atmospheric health. Since then, Earth scientists are encouraging researchers to use the satellite’s instruments for data gathered over land.
Compared to MODIS, OCI captures a much broader range of the light that reflects from plants and collects more data overall. The new monitoring tools rely on data from OCI, providing a clearer picture of productivity year-round.
https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/science-news/2025/08/29/nasa-scientists-map-plant-productivity-with-data-from-ocean-satellite/
Sol 4643: Right Navigation Camera, Cylindrical Projection
August 29, 2025
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity took 31 images in Gale Crater using its mast-mounted Right Navigation Camera (Navcam) to create this mosaic.
The seam-corrected mosaic provides a 360-degree cylindrical projection panorama of the Martian surface centered at 65 degrees azimuth (measured clockwise from north).
Curiosity took the images on August 29, 2025, Sol 4643 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission at drive 2028, site number 118.
The local mean solar time for the image exposures was 3 PM. Each Navcam image has a 45 degree field of view.
https://science.nasa.gov/resource/sol-4643-right-navigation-camera-cylindrical-projection/
Bone and Brain Research Fine-Tuning Long-Term Astronaut Health
August 29, 2025
Bone and brain research wrapped up the week aboard the International Space Station on Friday helping doctors keep astronauts healthy when living in weightlessness.
The Expedition 73 crew also checked out spacesuit gear, conducted ultrasound eye scans, and photographed Earth landmarks.
Bone health is critical in space with astronaut’s experiencing accelerated aging-like symptoms similar to older patients on Earth.
Keeping astronauts fit in microgravity requires extra attention to protect crew health and prepare their bodies for the return to Earth.
NASA Flight Engineer Jonny Kim processed bone stem cell samples inside the Kibo laboratory module’s Life Science Glovebox to explore the molecular mechanisms of space-induced bone loss.
The new investigation recently delivered aboard a Space X Dragon cargo craft seeks to safeguard a crew member’s skeletal system and possibly treat aging conditions and bone diseases on Earth.
Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov studied brain adjustment in microgravity and wore virtual reality goggles and responded to computerized stimuli.
Researchers will review the results from the ongoing study to learn how a crew’s sense of balance and spatial orientation adapts to weightlessness informing future spaceflight training.
NASA Flight Engineer Zena Cardman worked in the Quest airlock and performed pressure and leak checks on spacesuit jetpack components.
The jetpacks are attached to the rear of spacesuits and are a safety mechanism a spacewalker would use to maneuver back to the space station in the unlikely event they became untethered from their worksite.
Cardman also inspected and cleaned metal oxide canisters that remove carbon dioxide from the spacesuits.
Cardman also joined Flight Engineers Mike Fincke of NASA and Kimiya Yui of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) for regularly scheduled eye scans with the Ultrasound 2 device.
Doctors on the ground observed the downlinked scans in real time to learn how microgravity affects the cornea, lens, and optic nerve.
Statin Commander Sergey Ryzhikov kicked off his shift servicing the Zvezda service module’s ventilation system before ending his day downloading imagery of Australian and South American landmarks.
Roscosmos Flight Engineer Alexey Zubritsky uninstalled navigation hardware from the Progress 92 cargo craft that docked to the orbital lab on July 5. Zubritsky later joined Platonov and filmed an educational video demonstrating how objects move in space.
Looking ahead to the next cargo resupply mission, NASA, Northrop Grumman, and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 5:49 p.m. EDT Monday, Sept. 15, for the launch of the next commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station.
The Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, delivering science and supplies to the orbital complex.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/08/29/bone-and-brain-research-fine-tuning-long-term-astronaut-health/
Pepe in the Sky with Diamonds
Ignition issue delays NordSpace launch in N.L. — putting Canada's first commercial space launch on hold
Last Updated: August 29
The launch of Canada's first-ever commercial rocket has been scrapped for Friday following an ignition issue just seconds from a scheduled take-off.
The launch was to be a test of NordSpace's single-engine rocket, called Taiga — a six-metre tall rocket created using 3D-printed metal.
The launch was originally scheduled for Monday, but was hampered by the weather.
After initial tests and the rocket's tanks successfully pressurizing, an ignition issue in the final part of the process hampered the launch.
There were 58 seconds to ignition when the process was held, according to the timer on NordSpace's livestream of the launch.
"We got to the absolute last step. We pressed the button, ready for launch, 70 pages of checklists and all that, hours and hours of work.
And it looks like it might have been, like, a small software glitch or something related to us detecting a misfire in the ignition system," NordSpace CEO Rahul Goel said Friday evening.
The launch was already delayed on Friday morning due to a connection issue with a nitrogen tank, according to the company.
NordSpace said the rocket entered safe mode around that time when a generator tripped and stopped supplying compressed air.
The launch will not proceed on Friday, due to the rocket's launch window closing at 7 p.m. NT.
Goel said he felt bad to under-deliver for the thousands of people who tuned in both in-person in St. Lawrence, N.L. and around the world on the livestream.
Now that the launch window has closed, he said NordSpace is likely looking at trying another launch in September.
"We really wanted to put on a good show for them. Even though we were trying to do this quiet, but everyone got so excited about this … we'll try to put on good show again pretty soon," he said.
"It's definitely disappointing. But again, we have a resilient team."
When the launch does finally happen, it will be suborbital, meaning the rocket won't orbit Earth, and will only be in the air for about a minute before it splashes into the Atlantic Ocean.
Speaking with CBC News in January, Goel said St. Lawrence serves as a top location for a commercial space launch because of its ideal position to achieve the right orbital inclinations for a rocket launch.
Excitement in the air
Col. Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station, had been closely watching the launch countdown all day.
In an interview with CBC Radio's On The Go, he said every launch he's been involved in has experienced delays, so he's not surprised with this one.
Hadfield said it's all a part of getting things exactly right — especially for NordSpace's first go.
The retired astronaut said he had the opportunity to offer advice to the relatively new aerospace company, and they ended up naming Taiga's engine after him.
"That's just a huge compliment," he said.
Hadfield said there's almost one commercial rocket launched every day. For Canada to take one small step into that industry would mean the country gets closer to space sovereignty.
"We need to be competitive," he said. "We can't just be counting on other people all the time."
He added that it would create numerous opportunities for the country if NordSpace and other companies can eventually carry a payload into orbit.
St. Lawrence Mayor Kevin Pittman says the town office has been taking calls about the launch all week.
"There are people all over town finding the best spot," Pittman said in an interview Friday morning., adding that he expects the spaceport will bring "tremendous" potential for tourism in the area.
NordSpace is also planning another suborbital launch next year, with plans to send it's larger Tundra rocket into orbit in 2027.
It will also be expanding its operations in St. Lawrence with a second launch pad and infrastructure developments in the coming years, Goel said.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nordspace-st-lawrence-launch-1.7620025
Talks resume on U.S. Space Command headquarters coming to Alabama
Updated: 10:03 AM CDT Aug 30, 2025
Talks have resumed that the permanent location for U.S. Space Command headquarters will be in Alabama.
Rep. Robert Aderholt said he's been told a possible announcement is coming from the White House on Tuesday afternoon.
He said although it's still too early to speculate, he believes it's related to Space Command moving to Huntsville.
The Rocket City was originally named the new location for headquarters during the first Trump administration. But that was stalled pending a national security investigation.
In 2023, during the Biden administration, the location was changed to Colorado.
Now the Trump administration is expected to reverse that decision after a review by the Defense Department inspector general could not determine why Colorado was chosen over Alabama.
The inspector general’s report said this was in part due to a lack of access to senior defense officials during the Biden administration, when the review began.
Aderholt says the move is a long time coming. "We knew that North Alabama is the great place to have that and it was determined by all the independent analysis that was done that North Alabama was the ideal spot for Space Command. So stay tuned."
Gov. Kay Ivey posted an optimistic clue on social media saying, "Space Command coming to Huntsville?
Count on it. Huntsville was already chosen once before as the home for U.S. Space Command — and for good reason. I remain confident that Alabama is the right place for this mission to take root and thrive."
The location of U.S. Space Command has significant implications for the local economy, given the fast growth in national defense spending in space-based communications and defenses.
In 2021, the Air Force identified Army Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama, as the preferred location for the new U.S. Space Command due to cost and other factors.
But a temporary headquarters had already been established in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and after multiple delays President Joe Biden announced it as the permanent headquarters.
Alabama’s Republican congressional delegation accused the Biden administration of politicizing the decision. But Colorado, which has Republican and Democratic lawmakers, is home to many other Air Force and U.S. Space Force facilities.
Earlier this year, Rep. Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, told a panel at Auburn University he expected the White House to reverse the decision.
The location of Space Command would be one of many decisions that have swung back and forth between former President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump.
The controversy over the basing decision began seven days before Trump’s first term expired, when his Air Force secretary announced Alabama would be home to Space Command, pending an environmental review.
That review was completed about six months into Biden’s term and found no significant impact with hosting the command in Alabama. But the new administration did not act on the decision.
Instead, a year later, the Biden White House said it was keeping the headquarters in Colorado Springs, citing the time that would be lost relocating staff and the headquarters to Huntsville.
The report said interviews had been requested with Biden’s Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to understand why Huntsville was not named, but the Biden White House would only allow the interviews if administration lawyers were present.
The inspector general rejected that condition, saying it could affect its unfettered access to information.
https://www.wvtm13.com/article/space-command-talks-alabama/65938775
https://twitter.com/GovernorKayIvey/status/1961101072052928582
Sweet hat, Rosie