Space Station Science Highlights: Week of August 24, 2020

ISS - Expedition 63 Mission patch.

Aug. 28, 2020

Scientific investigations conducted during the week of August 24 aboard the International Space Station included studies on DNA damage caused by radiation, fire safety, and solidification of metal alloys in space.

Image above: Hurricane Laura seen from the space station on Aug. 24 as it neared the coast of Texas and Louisiana. Image Credit: NASA.

Now in its 20th year of continuous human presence, the space station provides a platform for long-duration research in microgravity and for learning to live and work in space. Experience gained on the orbiting lab supports Artemis, NASA’s program to go forward to the Moon and on to Mars.

Here are details on some of the microgravity investigations currently taking place:

Repairing DNA in space

Image above: The miniPCR DNA sequencing tool used in the Genes in Space-6 experiment, here shown aboard the space station during Genes in Space-2 work.
Image Credit: NASA.

Increased exposure to radiation in space can cause damage to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), including double strand breaks. Cells repair these breaks but errors can build up and have detrimental effects on human health. Genes in Space-6, a continuation of a series of investigations aimed at understanding DNA repair in space, assesses the ability of a yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to repair induced DNA double strand breaks. This investigation evaluated the entire process in space for the first time, inducing DNA damage in cells and assessing mutation and repair at the molecular level using the miniPCR and the Biomolecule Sequencer tools aboard the space station. Assessment continued during this week.

Finding fire-safe materials

Image above: These images show non-sooty flames after the ignition period during a Burning Rate Emulator (BRE) test. The investigation focuses on fire prevention and improving our fundamental understanding of materials flammability. Image Credits: NASA/University of Maryland.

The Burning Rate Emulator (BRE) investigation, conducted in the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR), is part of the Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME) project. The BRE fire safety study simulates the flammability of solid and liquid materials by burning gaseous fuels under conditions corresponding to the specific materials. The technique could provide an efficient way to screen and select fire-resistant materials for use in spacecraft, if it proves as effective in microgravity as it has on the ground. During the week, crew members reconfigured the CIR for a second round of tests featuring an expanded range of conditions.

Alloys on orbit

The Batch-2b of the Materials Science Laboratory Sample Cartridge Assemblies (MSL SCA-Batch 2b) from the ESA (European Space Agency) investigates how different phases organize in a structure when metallic alloys are solidified. One project, Metastable Solidification of Composites (METCOMP), studies the phase formed when the remaining liquid phase reacts with an already formed solid to form a second solid phase on cooling. It uses bronze or copper-tin alloys of different compositions. A second project, Solidification along a Eutectic path in Ternary Alloys (SETA), looks at how two phases that form together organize into fiber structures when cooling, using aluminum or copper-silver alloys. Both provide benchmark samples that could make it possible to test numerical models for predicting these structures. Knowledge gained could support development of new light-weight, high-performance structural materials for spacecraft and other applications.

International Space Station (ISS). Animation Credit: NASA

Other investigations on which the crew performed work:

- Crew members photograph Earth using digital handheld cameras for Crew Earth Observations (CEO). Photographs recording human-caused changes such as urban growth and reservoir construction and natural dynamic events including hurricanes and volcanic eruptions are publically available at the Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=84

https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/

- Radi-N2, a Canadian Space Agency investigation, uses bubble detectors to better characterize the neutron environment on the space station, helping to define the risk it poses to crew members.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=874

- Spacecraft Atmosphere Monitor demonstrates a small, reliable gas chromatograph mass spectrometer to measure trace volatile organic compounds in space station air and transmit data to the ground research team for continuous analysis.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1843

- ISS Ham Radio gives students an opportunity to talk directly with crew members via ham radio when the space station passes over their schools. This interaction engages and educates students, teachers, parents and other members of the community in science, technology, engineering, and math.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=337

- The Integrated Impact of Diet on Human Immune Response, the Gut Microbiota, and Nutritional Status During Adaptation to Spaceflight (Food Physiology) investigation documents the effects of dietary improvements on immune function and the gut microbiome and the ability of those improvements to support adaptation to spaceflight.
https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7870

Related links:

Expedition 63: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition63/index.html

Genes in Space-6: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7893

Burning Rate Emulator (BRE): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=7629

Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=317

Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1651

MSL SCA-Batch 2b: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1717

ISS National Lab: https://www.issnationallab.org/

Spot the Station: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/

Space Station Research and Technology: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/overview.html

International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Images (mentioned), Animation (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Michael Johnson/John Love, ISS Research Planning Integration Scientist Expedition 63.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

Eyes on the Storm: NASA Aids Disaster Response to Hurricane Laura

NASA logo.

Aug. 28, 2020

Early in the morning on Aug. 27, Hurricane Laura made landfall along the Louisiana and Texas coastline, bringing 150 m.p.h. winds, flash floods and heavy rainfall with it. On the ground, emergency personnel mobilized to respond to the Category 4 storm. But for NASA’s fleet of Earth-observing satellites, it was business as usual.

Those satellites – as well as several from NASA’s international partner space agencies – constantly orbit Earth, using sophisticated sensors to collect data about what’s going on down below. When Hurricane Laura hit, NASA already had eyes on the storm.

“We use that cutting-edge NASA science to address disasters,” said Lori Schultz, a remote-sensing scientist with the University of Alabama who is leading NASA’s efforts on this storm for the NASA Earth Applied Sciences Disasters Program. The program seeks to provide disaster response and management personnel with relevant, up-to-date information to help communities prepare for disasters and manage recovery efforts.

Image above: After making landfall near Cameron, Louisiana, as a category 4 storm, Hurricane Laura continued to move northward over western Louisiana. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on NOAA-20 acquired this image of Hurricane Laura at 2:50 a.m. Central Daylight Time on August 27, 2020, about two hours after the storm made landfall. Clouds are shown in infrared using brightness temperature data, which is useful for distinguishing cooler cloud structures from the warmer surface below. That data is overlaid on composite imagery of city lights from NASA’s Black Marble dataset. Image Credits: NASA's Earth Observatory.

“Basically, we ask: can we answer a question that needs to be answered?” said Schultz. Because of NASA’s abundance of remote-sensing data and partnerships with other space agencies around the globe, NASA is in a unique position to get a broader view of the storm’s impacts than what first responders can see from the ground. “Sometimes we can answer questions that nobody else can,” Schultz said.

Schultz and the rest of the NASA Disasters team are busy processing and analyzing the data collected by satellites passing over Hurricane Laura before, during, and after it makes landfall. They’re using data collected by the NASA-U.S. Geological Survey Landsat satellites, the NASA-JAXA Global Precipitation Measurement satellite that peers through the clouds to observe rain rates, the European Space Agency’s Sentinel 1 and 2, and others to create flood maps, assess coastal erosion and pinpoint damaged areas.

If the clouds clear over the next few days, NASA’s team will also use data collected by the MODIS instrument aboard NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites to further assess flooding damage. They may also use data from the VIIRS instrument aboard the Suomi NPP satellite, a joint project with NASA and NOAA.

That data will be processed, packaged, and made widely available to those who need it most. To do so, NASA partners with response agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and regional agencies directly affected by the storm.

Data are posted on the NASA Disasters Mapping Portal, which makes it easy for partners to view and analyze the data, as well as download in a standardized Geographic Information Systems (GIS) format to use in their own analysis tools.

NASA’s Disasters Program creates easily accessible information and distributes it to those working to manage disasters – hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, severe storms and weather, fires, earthquakes, volcanoes and oil spills. That information helps disaster management personnel prepare for these events and plan recovery efforts. NASA also uses these events to study extreme storms and natural disasters and their impact on our planet – and prepare for events in the future.

Related articles & links:

Laura – Atlantic Ocean Aug. 27, 2020
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/08/laura-atlantic-ocean-aug-27-2020.html

NASA’s Orbital View of a Strengthening, Dangerous Major Hurricane Laura (August 26, 2020)
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/08/nasas-orbital-view-of-strengthening.html

Latest NASA News on Storms Laura & Marco (August 25, 2020)
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/08/latest-nasa-news-on-storms-laura-marco.html

For more information on Hurricane Laura, please visit: https://www.nasa.gov/hurricanes

NASA Disasters Mapping Portal: https://maps.disasters.nasa.gov/

GPM (Global Precipitation Measurement): http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/GPM/main/index.html

Landsat: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/landsat/main/index.html

Suomi NPP (National Polar-orbiting Partnership): http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/NPP/main/index.html

Terra Satellite: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/terra/index.html

Aqua Satellite: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/aqua/index.html

Image (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Ellen Gray/Earth Science News Team/By Sofie Bates.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

Station Controllers Resume Normal Ops as Crew Keeps Up Research

ISS - Expedition 63 Mission patch.

August 28, 2020

Mission controllers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center are returning to normal operations today after setting backup control centers at remote locations. The International Space Station support team returned to Houston after setting up remote operations earlier this week when Hurricane Laura neared the Texas-Louisiana border.

Image above: The night lights of the southeastern U.S. are pictured as the International Space Station orbited over the Gulf of Mexico. Image Credit: NASA.

The three Expedition 63 crew members continued their standard science and maintenance tasks this week after orbiting above Laura and sending down video and imagery of the storm. This comes after a four-night stay in the station’s Russian segment during a test to locate the source of a minor cabin air pressure leak.

Related article:

NASA’s Orbital View of a Strengthening, Dangerous Major Hurricane Laura
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/08/nasas-orbital-view-of-strengthening.html

Today, Commander Chris Cassidy worked on swapping components on a U.S. oxygen generator. He replaced a hydrogen sensor then cleaned the critical life support device. Afterward, the NASA astronaut checked samples in the Materials Science Laboratory which processes experiments to discover new uses for a variety of materials such as metals, alloys, polymers, and more.

Veteran cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin worked Friday morning servicing communications gear inside the Soyuz MS-16 crew ship. During the afternoon, the three-time station resident handed Russian radiation detection gear to Cassidy for deployment in the orbiting lab’s U.S. segment.

LIVE: Realtime EarthCam Views from International Space Station (ISS)

First-time space flyer Ivan Vagner of Roscosmos spent his day focusing on a variety of space technology studies using advanced photography gear. He explored ways to improve orbital navigation and improve the detection of landmarks on Earth.

Related articles:

Station Crew Re-Enters U.S On-Orbit Segments, Mission Control Preps for Storm
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/08/station-crew-re-enters-us-on-orbit.html

Crew Spending Another Day in Russian Segment
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/08/crew-spending-another-day-in-russian.html

Crew Spending Weekend in Station’s Russian Segment
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/08/crew-spending-weekend-in-stations.html

Related links:

NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC): http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/home/index.htmlv

Expedition 63: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition63/index.html

Materials Science Laboratory: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Facility.html?#id=1854

Orbital navigation: https://www.energia.ru/en/iss/researches/develop/03.html

Detection of landmarks on Earth: https://www.energia.ru/en/iss/researches/develop/04.html

Space Station Research and Technology: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/overview.html

International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

Image (mentioned), Video, Text, Credits: NASA/Mark Garcia/ISS HD Live Now/Space Videos.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

Hubble Views Edge of Stellar Blast

NASA - Hubble Space Telescope patch.

Aug. 28, 2020

While appearing as a delicate and light veil draped across the sky, this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope actually depicts a small section of the Cygnus supernova blast wave, located around 2,400 light-years away. The name of the supernova remnant comes from its position in the northern constellation of Cygnus (the Swan), where it covers an area 36 times larger than the full Moon.

The original supernova explosion blasted apart a dying star about 20 times more massive than our Sun between 10,000 and 20,000 years ago. Since then, the remnant has expanded 60 light-years from its center. The shockwave marks the outer edge of the supernova remnant and continues to expand at around 220 miles per second. The interaction of the ejected material and the low-density interstellar material swept up by the shockwave forms the distinctive veil-like structure seen in this image.

Hubble Space Telescope (HST)

For more information about Hubble, visit:

http://hubblesite.org/

http://www.nasa.gov/hubble

http://www.spacetelescope.org/

Text Credits: ESA (European Space Agency)/NASA/Rob Garner/Image, Animation Credits: ESA/Hubble & NASA, W. Blair; acknowledgment: Leo Shatz.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

JAXA and Toyota Announce “LUNAR CRUISER” As Nickname for Manned Pressurized Rover

JAXA - Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency logo.

August 28, 2020

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) announced today that they have named the manned pressurized rover which is currently under joint research by JAXA and Toyota the “LUNAR CRUISER” as “nickname”. JAXA and Toyota previously announced and have been conducting joint research on a manned, pressurized lunar rover that uses fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technologies.

LUNAR CRUISER

The nickname LUNAR CRUISER was chosen because of the familiar feeling it offers the people involved in the development and manufacture of the vehicle prototype as part of the joint research project as well as the familiarity it will provide the general public. The name, which references the Toyota Land Cruiser SUV, was decided upon based on the quality, durability, and reliability expected of the pressurized lunar rover, and the concept that Toyota has long held to for the Land Cruiser, which was for people to “come back alive,” especially true for the lunar rover as it will be traversing the harsh environment of the moon’s surface.

JAXA and Toyota signed a joint research agreement to work on a manned pressurized lunar rover last year, on June 13, 2019, with an expected launch date in the latter half of the 2020s. Together, they are working to manufacture test parts for each technological element, and the prototype rover itself, during this fiscal year (FY2020). The work involves the use of simulations to confirm power and heat dissipation performance while driving, the manufacture and assessment of prototype tires, and the use of virtual reality and full-scale models to consider the layout of equipment in the cabin of the LUNAR CRUISER.

LUNAR CRUISER solar panel deployed

Furthermore, as part of their efforts to create new partners with “Team Japan,” JAXA and Toyota have been discussing laterally with a variety of industries via study meetings based on the theme of “a lunar society pioneered by the manned pressurized rover” (also known as Team Japan Study Meeting)*. The meetings focus on how the manned pressurized rover becomes the starting point of a vision of a future lunar surface-based society while discussing the challenges associated with the creation of this type of society.

JAXA and Toyota will gather the knowledge, experience and technological capabilities of enterprises from across a variety of industries in their attempt to realize their dream of sustaining continuous activities on the surface of the moon as “Team Japan,” moving forward.

LUNAR CRUISER door open

* The Team Japan Working Group, led by JAXA, Toyota and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., was launched in August 2019. Three working groups and one session on the co-creation of a lunar society have been held to date, with about 100 companies registered.

Related Links:

Study meetings based on the theme of “a lunar society pioneered by the manned pressurized rover” (Japanese Only): https://iss.jaxa.jp/future/lunar/index.html

Images, Text, Credits: National Research & Development Agency/Toyota Motor Corporation/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

Laura – Atlantic Ocean Aug. 27, 2020

NASA & JAXA - Global Precipitations Measurement (GPM) patch / NOAA & NASA - Suomi NPP patch.

Aug. 27, 2020

Laura – Atlantic Ocean

Aug. 27, 2020 – GPM Flies Over Cat. 4 Hurricane Laura Twice As It Makes Landfall in Louisiana

Image above: The NASA/JAXA GPM Core Observatory satellite flew over Hurricane Laura shortly before it made landfall at 10:00pm CT on Wednesday, August 26th, then again at 7:42am CT on Thursday, August 27th when it was over land, capturing data on precipitation within the storm.

Hurricane Laura began as a tropical depression on August 21st near the U.S. Virgin Islands, and over the next several days rapidly intensified to a dangerous category 4 hurricane at it moved towards the U.S. Gulf Coast. Laura made landfall as strong category 4 hurricane near Cameron, Louisiana shortly after midnight on August 27, 2020, bringing extreme rainfall, storm surge, and winds up to 150 mph.

NASA / JAXA GPM Core Observatory satellite. Image Credits: NASA/JAXA

The NASA / JAXA GPM Core Observatory satellite flew over Hurricane Laura shortly before it made landfall at 10:00pm CT on Wednesday, August 26th, then again at 7:42am CT on Thursday, August 27th when it was over land, capturing data on precipitation within the storm.

For much more on this story, click this link:  GPM Flies Over Cat. 4 Hurricane Laura Twice As It Makes Landfall in Louisiana

Credits:

Text by Owen Kelley, Jacob Reed, Joe Munchak (NASA GSFC).
Imagery by Joe Munchak (NASA GSFC).

Aug. 27, 2020 – NASA Sees Hurricane Laura’s Nighttime Landfall

Many NASA assets were used to provide forecasters with information to incorporate into their analysis of Hurricane Laura. Satellite imagery, photographs from the International Space Station, and a computer program that produces animations of imagery are all things that NASA used to analyze the storm. NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite also caught a nighttime image of Laura just after landfall.

Image above: NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite passed over Hurricane Laura soon after it made landfall in southwestern Louisiana around 2 a.m. EDT on Aug. 27 and captured this nighttime image. Laura’s cloud cover extends from Houston, Texas east to just west of New Orleans, Louisiana. Image Courtesy: NASA Worldview, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS).

Laura’s Landfall

Laura made landfall as a powerful Category 4 hurricane along the Louisiana coast. At 2 a.m. EDT (0600 UTC) on Aug. 27, Doppler radar images indicated that the eye of Hurricane Laura made landfall at the coast near Cameron, Louisiana, near latitude 29.8 degrees north and longitude 93.3 degrees west. Air Force reconnaissance and Doppler radar data indicated that the maximum sustained winds were near 150 mph (240 kph) with higher gusts. National Hurricane Center (NHC) Senior Hurricane Specialist John Cangialosi and Hurricane Model Diagnostician and Meteorologist David Zelinsky noted, “At the time of landfall, Laura was a ferocious looking hurricane with a clear circular eye, an intense eyewall, and tightly-coiled surrounding spiral bands.”

A Nighttime View of Laura’s Landfall

NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite passed over Hurricane Laura soon after it made landfall in southwestern Louisiana around 2 a.m. EDT on Aug. 27. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard Suomi NPP captured a nighttime image. Laura’s cloud cover extends from Houston, Texas east to just west of New Orleans, Louisiana.

NOAA / NASA Suomi NPP satellite. Image Credits: NOAA/NASA

Weather Station Reports Just After Landfall

A National Ocean Service tide station at Calcasieu Pass, Louisiana observed a water level rise of 9.19 feet Mean Higher High Water at 1 a.m. CDT/2 a.m. EDT. The Lake Charles, Louisiana airport reported a sustained wind of 85 mph (137 kph) with a gust to 128 mph (206 kph) around 2 a.m. CDT/3 a.m. EDT. A University of Florida observing tower near Lake Charles recently reported a sustained wind of 86 mph (138 kph) with a gust to 112 mph (180 kph). A Texas Coastal Ocean Observing Network site at Sabine Pass on the Texas/Louisiana border reported sustained winds of 74 mph (119 kph) with a gust to 90 mph (145 kph).

Watches and Warnings on Aug. 27, 2020

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for High Island, Texas to the mouth of the Mississippi River.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for High Island, Texas to the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Animating Hurricane Laura’s Path to Landfall

Animation above: This animation of visible imagery from NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP satellite from Aug. 20 to 26 shows Tropical Storm Marco move from the Caribbean Sea to a landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi, as Tropical Storm Laura moves from the east, over Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and into the Gulf of Mexico, just before landfall in southwestern Louisiana. Credit: NASA Worldview, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS).

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard Suomi NPP provided a visible imagery of Laura from its birth in the Atlantic. Using the Worldview application at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., an animation was created of Laura’s track from Puerto Rico to Louisiana. The imagery spanned from Aug. 20 to 26 and showed Tropical Storm Marco move from the Caribbean Sea to a landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi while Tropical Storm Laura moved from the east over Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and into the Gulf of Mexico, just before landfall in southwestern Louisiana.

NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Worldview application provides the capability to interactively browse over 700 global, full-resolution satellite imagery layers and then download the underlying data. Many of the available imagery layers are updated within three hours of observation, essentially showing the entire Earth as it looks “right now.”

A View from the International Space Station

Astronaut Chris Cassidy aboard the International Space Station took several photos of Hurricane Laura as it neared the Gulf coast on Aug. 26, 2020 at 3:27 p.m. EDT. The photos showed the extent of this large hurricane. The photos also revealed a clear eye surrounded by powerful thunderstorms. The photo below is one of four taken by Cassidy from the ISS.

Image above: From the International Space Station Astronaut Chris Cassidy took this photo of Hurricane Laura as it neared the Gulf coast on Aug. 26, 2020 at 3:27 p.m. EDT. Image Credits: NASA/Chris Cassidy.

 International Space Station (ISS), observing the Earth. Animation Credit: NASA

Related article:

NASA’s Orbital View of a Strengthening, Dangerous Major Hurricane Laura
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/08/nasas-orbital-view-of-strengthening.html

Laura’s Status on Aug. 27 at 8 a.m. EDT

At 8 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC), the center of Hurricane Laura was located near latitude 31.2 degrees north and longitude 93.3 degrees west. That is about 20 miles (30 km) north of Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Laura is moving toward the north near 15 mph (24 kph) and this motion should continue through the day. A northeastward to east-northeastward motion is expected tonight and Friday. Maximum sustained winds are near 100 mph (160 kph) with higher gusts.  Laura is now a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale at present based on wind speed.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km).  An observing site in Alexandria, Louisiana, recently reported a wind gust to 74 mph (119 kph).The estimated minimum central pressure is 970 millibars.

Laura’s Forecast and Track

NHC warned about dangerous storm surge, heavy rainfall, hurricane-force winds and isolated tornadoes.

NHC said, “The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.  The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide.

Through Friday, forecasters expect Laura to produce the following rainfall totals: Across portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, across Arkansas: 6 to 12 inches with isolated totals of 18 inches. This rainfall will cause widespread flash and urban flooding, small streams and creeks to overflow their banks, and minor to moderate freshwater river flooding.

Hurricane-force winds and damaging wind gusts are also expected to spread well inland into portions of eastern Texas and western Louisiana this morning. Tropical storm conditions will spread northward within the warning areas through the day.

In addition, tornadoes are possible today and tonight over parts of Louisiana, Arkansas, and western Mississippi.”

Rapid weakening is forecast, and Laura is expected to become a tropical storm later today (Aug. 27). On the forecast track, Laura will move northward across western and northern Louisiana through this afternoon. The center of Laura is forecast to move over Arkansas tonight, the mid-Mississippi Valley on Friday, and the Mid-Atlantic States on Saturday.

NASA Researches Tropical Cyclones

Hurricanes/tropical cyclones are the most powerful weather events on Earth. NASA’s expertise in space and scientific exploration contributes to essential services provided to the American people by other federal agencies, such as hurricane weather forecasting.

For more than five decades, NASA has used the vantage point of space to understand and explore our home planet, improve lives and safeguard our future. NASA brings together technology, science, and unique global Earth observations to provide societal benefits and strengthen our nation. Advancing knowledge of our home planet contributes directly to America’s leadership in space and scientific exploration.

Related article:

Latest NASA News on Storms Laura & Marco (August 25, 2020)
https://orbiterchspacenews.blogspot.com/2020/08/latest-nasa-news-on-storms-laura-marco.html

For Key Messages and updated forecasts, visit: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Images (mentioned), Animation (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Lynn Jenner/Goddard Space Flight Center, by Rob Gutro.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

5 Auto Innovations Driven by NASA

NASA logo.

Aug. 27, 2020

Space technology developed by and for NASA has made its way into cars and even onto the NASCAR track. Future collaborations with the auto industry and car manufacturers could change how we get from point A to point B. NASA helped drive the following five auto innovations.

1. NASA standards helped design comfortable car seats.

Fewer drivers on the road may be complaining about uncomfortable seats, thanks to NASA.

When astronauts were aboard the first space station, NASA studied the posture their bodies naturally assumed in microgravity. The initial research and follow-on studies helped design everything from International Space Station work areas to the Orion spacecraft interior to comfortable new car seats in vehicles on Earth.

Image above: The neutral body posture shown here was created from measurements of 12 people onboard Skylab. Image Credit: NASA.

Nissan Motor Company turned to the NASA research as a starting point for developing a new driver’s seat. Like an astronaut, the driver of a car needs to be safe and comfortable to operate the vehicle efficiently for extended periods.

After years of research throughout the early 2000s and positive results, the car manufacturer debuted the seat derived from NASA standards in the 2013 Altima. Today, the design is in various Nissan models.

Image above: NASA studied the posture astronauts’ bodies naturally assumed in microgravity while onboard the first space station Skylab, shown here. Image Credit: NASA.

2. Spacecraft tire sensors warn drivers of flat tires.

A flat tire can take drivers by surprise. That should be happening less these days, thanks to tiny sensors that light up a dashboard warning whenever the tire pressure is off.

Proper tire pressure was crucial for a safe space shuttle landing on Earth, but in the early days of the program, there wasn’t a good way to gauge pressure in flight accurately. Among other solutions NASA explored, the agency contracted with a company to build a tire pressure sensor for the space shuttle.

The technology converts pressure into electrical resistance and generates real-time readings. After the company delivered the device to NASA, they adapted the sensor for cars. Today, U.S. law requires a pressure gauge on every car tire.

Image above: Space shuttle Atlantis nears touchdown on Runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Image Credits: NASA/Tony Gray/Tom Farrar.

3. NASA-funded research brought about a new application of nanotechnology, repairing engine damage in cars and trucks.

Friction causes wear and tear on spacecraft components – and on car engines, too. Lubricants that reduce friction only delay and minimize this inevitable damage. NASA was interested in materials that could restore damaged parts to a like-new condition without replacing them, and funded research into using nanotechnology.

Image above: Nanoparticles of a car engine lubricant seen under an electron microscope. The particles' sticky side builds up layers until there isn't any more friction. Image Credit: TriboTEX.

The aim was to use an existing liquid lubricant to carry nanoparticles to the point of friction to fill in tiny cracks or worn spots. In addition to keeping parts in good repair, such a lubricant could extend the systems' working life. Initial research identified the best material – a type of ceramic – was effective, durable, and nontoxic. Qualifying the early-stage technology for use in space wasn’t practical, but research and development continued in the private sector. Today, tens of thousands of cars and trucks use the formula to keep engine parts in good shape.

4. NASA technology protects race car drivers from extreme heat – and headaches.

Speeding race car drivers are in the hot seat in more ways than one. Temperatures inside a stock car's cockpit can soar to an estimated sweltering 160 degrees Fahrenheit. That extreme heat comes through the engine firewall, transmission tunnel, and floor.

Based on materials used to protect the space shuttle from the temperatures experienced as the crafts slammed back into Earth's atmosphere (and faced temperatures up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit), a company created blanket insulation kits to shield race car drivers from excessive heat exposure.

Another byproduct of racing is combustion fumes that can cause headaches, nausea, and dizziness. Racing engineers adapted a NASA space technology to create a filter that removes 99% of all airborne particles. The filter provides drivers with fresh, clean air.

Image above: Astronaut Andrew Feustel watched cars on the Daytona International Speedway in 2008. Image Credit: NASA.

5. Space technologies could help self-driving cars navigate the roads.

Just as robotic lunar landers and Mars rovers need “eyes” to guide it safely around the rocks and crevices of unfamiliar terrain, an autonomous car must safely navigate unforeseen obstacles.

NASA space technologies – lasers for landing on the Moon and artificial intelligence for navigating on other worlds – are helping make self-driving cars on Earth safer. The systems could revolutionize how cars navigate rush hour traffic and avoid collisions.

Image above: NASA funded research by the Boston-based company Neurala on deep-space computing. The software has other uses on Earth. This screenshot shows a self-driving car’s view when powered by the company’s software. The car can automatically identify pedestrians, cyclists, trucks, and more on a street in real-time. Image Credit: Neurala.

For more information on how NASA brings space technology down to Earth, visit:

http://spinoff.nasa.gov/

NASA has a long history of transferring technology to the private sector. The agency’s Spinoff publication profiles NASA technologies that have transformed into commercial products and services, demonstrating the broader benefits of America’s investment in its space program. Spinoff is a publication of the Technology Transfer program in NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.

Related links:

Benefits to You: https://www.nasa.gov/topics/benefits/index.html

Space Tech: https://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/index.html

Images (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Loura Hall.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

Hubble Maps Giant Halo Around Andromeda Galaxy

ESA & NASA - Hubble Space Telescope patch.

Aug. 27, 2020

In a landmark study, scientists using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have mapped the immense envelope of gas, called a halo, surrounding the Andromeda galaxy, our nearest large galactic neighbor. Scientists were surprised to find that this tenuous, nearly invisible halo of diffuse plasma extends 1.3 million light-years from the galaxy—about halfway to our Milky Way—and as far as 2 million light-years in some directions. This means that Andromeda’s halo is already bumping into the halo of our own galaxy.

Image above: This illustration depicts the gaseous halo of the Andromeda galaxy if it could be seen with the naked eye. At a distance of 2.5 million light-years, the majestic spiral Andromeda galaxy is so close to us that it appears as a cigar-shaped smudge of light high in the autumn sky. If its gaseous halo could be seen with the naked eye, it would be about three times the width of the Big Dipper—easily the biggest feature on the nighttime sky. Image Credits: NASA, ESA, J. DePasquale and E. Wheatley (STScI), and Z. Levay (background image).

They also found that the halo has a layered structure, with two main nested and distinct shells of gas. This is the most comprehensive study of a halo surrounding a galaxy.

“Understanding the huge halos of gas surrounding galaxies is immensely important,” explained co-investigator Samantha Berek of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. “This reservoir of gas contains fuel for future star formation within the galaxy, as well as outflows from events such as supernovae. It’s full of clues regarding the past and future evolution of the galaxy, and we’re finally able to study it in great detail in our closest galactic neighbor.”

“We find the inner shell that extends to about a half million light-years is far more complex and dynamic,” explained study leader Nicolas Lehner of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. “The outer shell is smoother and hotter. This difference is a likely result from the impact of supernova activity in the galaxy’s disk more directly affecting the inner halo.”

A signature of this activity is the team’s discovery of a large amount of heavy elements in the gaseous halo of Andromeda. Heavier elements are cooked up in the interiors of stars and then ejected into space—sometimes violently as a star dies. The halo is then contaminated with this material from stellar explosions.

The Andromeda galaxy, also known as M31, is a majestic spiral of perhaps as many as 1 trillion stars and comparable in size to our Milky Way. At a distance of 2.5 million light-years, it is so close to us that the galaxy appears as a cigar-shaped smudge of light high in the autumn sky. If its gaseous halo could be viewed with the naked eye, it would be about three times the width of the Big Dipper. This would easily be the biggest feature on the nighttime sky.

Through a program called Project AMIGA (Absorption Map of Ionized Gas in Andromeda), the study examined the light from 43 quasars—the very distant, brilliant cores of active galaxies powered by black holes—located far beyond Andromeda. The quasars are scattered behind the halo, allowing scientists to probe multiple regions. Looking through the halo at the quasars’ light, the team observed how this light is absorbed by the Andromeda halo and how that absorption changes in different regions. The immense Andromeda halo is made of very rarified and ionized gas that doesn’t emit radiation that is easily detectable. Therefore, tracing the absorption of light coming from a background source is a better way to probe this material.

Image above: This illustration shows the location of the 43 quasars scientists used to probe Andromeda’s gaseous halo. These quasars—the very distant, brilliant cores of active galaxies powered by black holes—are scattered far behind the halo, allowing scientists to probe multiple regions. Looking through the immense halo at the quasars’ light, the team observed how this light is absorbed by the halo and how that absorption changes in different regions. By tracing the absorption of light coming from the background quasars, scientists are able to probe the halo’s material. Image Credits: NASA, ESA, and E. Wheatley (STScI).

The researchers used the unique capability of Hubble’s Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) to study the ultraviolet light from the quasars. Ultraviolet light is absorbed by Earth’s atmosphere, which makes it impossible to observe with ground-based telescopes. The team used COS to detect ionized gas from carbon, silicon, and oxygen. An atom becomes ionized when radiation strips one or more electrons from it.

Andromeda’s halo has been probed before by Lehner’s team. In 2015, they discovered that the Andromeda halo is large and massive. But there was little hint of its complexity; now, it’s mapped out in more detail, leading to its size and mass being far more accurately determined.

“Previously, there was very little information—only six quasars—within 1 million light-years of the galaxy. This new program provides much more information on this inner region of Andromeda’s halo,” explained co-investigator J. Christopher Howk, also of Notre Dame. “Probing gas within this radius is important, as it represents something of a gravitational sphere of influence for Andromeda.”

Because we live inside the Milky Way, scientists cannot easily interpret the signature of our own galaxy’s halo. However, they believe the halos of Andromeda and the Milky Way must be very similar since these two galaxies are quite similar. The two galaxies are on a collision course, and will merge to form a giant elliptical galaxy beginning about 4 billion years from now.

Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Animation Credits: ESA/NASA

Scientists have studied gaseous halos of more distant galaxies, but those galaxies are much smaller on the sky, meaning the number of bright enough background quasars to probe their halo is usually only one per galaxy. Spatial information is therefore essentially lost. With its close proximity to Earth, the gaseous halo of Andromeda looms large on the sky, allowing for a far more extensive sampling.

“This is truly a unique experiment because only with Andromeda do we have information on its halo along not only one or two sightlines, but over 40,” explained Lehner. “This is groundbreaking for capturing the complexity of a galaxy halo beyond our own Milky Way.”

In fact, Andromeda is the only galaxy in the universe for which this experiment can be done now, and only with Hubble. Only with an ultraviolet-sensitive future space telescope will scientists be able to routinely undertake this type of experiment beyond the approximately 30 galaxies comprising the Local Group.

“So Project AMIGA has also given us a glimpse of the future,” said Lehner.

The team’s findings appear in the Aug. 27 edition of The Astrophysical Journal.

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, in Washington, D.C.

For more information about Hubble, visit:

http://hubblesite.org/

http://www.nasa.gov/hubble

http://www.spacetelescope.org/

Images (mentioned), Animation (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Rob Garner/GSFC/Claire Andreoli/Space Telescope Science Institute/Ann Jenkins/Ray Villard/University of Notre Dame/Nicolas Lehner.

Best regards, Orbiter.ch

Monitoring the Arctic heatwave

ESA - Sentinel 3 Mission logo.

August 27, 2020

Over the past months, the Arctic has experienced alarmingly high temperatures, extreme wildfires and a significant loss of sea ice. While hot summer weather is not uncommon in the Arctic, the region is warming at two to three times the global average – impacting nature and humanity on a global scale. Observations from space offer a unique opportunity to understand the changes occurring in this remote region.

Eureka

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, July 2020 was the third warmest July on record for the globe, with temperatures 0.5°C above the 1981-2010 average. In addition, the Northern Hemisphere saw its hottest July since records began — surpassing the previous record set in 2019.

The Arctic has not escaped the heat. On 20 June, the Russian town of Verkhoyansk, which lies above the Arctic Circle, recorded a staggering 38°C. Extreme air temperatures were also recorded in northern Canada. On 11 August, Nunavut’s Eureka Station, located in the Canadian Arctic at 80 degrees north latitude, recorded a high of 21.9°C – which were reported as being the highest temperature ever recorded so far north.

Image above: This map shows the temperature of Eureka in the Canadian territory of Nunavut on 11 August 2020.

The image above shows the land surface temperature recorded on 11 August around Eureka. This map has been generated using data from Copernicus Sentinel-3’s Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer. While weather forecasts use near surface air temperatures, Sentinel-3 measures the amount of energy radiating from Earth’s surface.

Although heatwaves in the Arctic are not uncommon, the persistent higher-than-average temperatures this year have potentially devastating consequences for the rest of the world. Firstly, the high temperatures fuelled an outbreak of wildfires in the Arctic Circle. Images captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission show some of the fires in the Chukotka region, the most north-easterly region of Russia, on 23 June 2020.

Wildfire smoke releases a wide range of pollutants including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and solid aerosol particles. In June alone, the Arctic wildfires were reported to have emitted the equivalent of 56 megatonnes of carbon dioxide, as well as significant amounts of carbon monoxide and particulate matter. These wildfires affect radiation, clouds and climate on a regional, and global, scale.

Image above: Captured on 23 June by the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission, this image shows the fires in the Chukotka region - the most north-easterly region of Russia.

The Arctic heatwave also contributes to the thawing of permafrost. Arctic permafrost soils contain large quantities of organic carbon and materials left over from dead plants that cannot decompose or rot, whereas permafrost layers deeper down contain soils made of minerals. The permanently frozen ground, just below the surface, covers around a quarter of the land in the northern hemisphere.

When permafrost thaws, it releases methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere – adding these greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. This, in turn, causes further warming, and further thawing of the permafrost – a vicious cycle.

According to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report, permafrost temperatures have increased to record-high levels from the 1980s to present. Although satellite sensors cannot measure permafrost directly, a recent project by ESA’s Climate Change Initiative (CCI), combined in situ data with satellite measurements of land-surface temperature and land cover to estimate permafrost extent in the Arctic.

The thaw of permafrost is also said to have caused the collapse of the oil tank that leaked over 20 000 tonnes of oil into rivers near the city of Norilsk, Russia, in May.

Arctic sea ice concentration – 25 August 2020

The Siberian heatwave is also recognised to have contributed to accelerating the sea-ice retreat along the Arctic Russian coast. Melt onset was as much as 30 days earlier than average in the Laptev and Kara Seas, which has been linked, in part, to persistent high sea level pressure over Siberia and a record warm spring in the region. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the Arctic sea ice extent for July 2020 was on a par with the previous July minimum of 2012 – at nearly 27% below the 1981-2020 average.

ESA’s Mark Drinkwater comments, “Throughout the satellite era, polar scientists pointed to the Arctic as a harbinger of more widespread global impacts of climate change. As these interconnected events of 2020 make their indelible marks in the climate record, it becomes evident that a ‘green’ low-carbon Europe is alone insufficient to combat the effects of climate change.”

Without concerted climate action, the world will continue to feel the effects of a warming Arctic. Because of the Arctic’s harsh environment and low population density, polar orbiting space systems offer unique opportunities to monitor this environment.  ESA has been monitoring the Arctic with its Earth-observing satellites for nearly three decades. Satellites not only can monitor changes in this very sensitive region, but can also facilitate navigation and communications, improve Arctic maritime security, and enable more effective management of sustainable development.

Sentinel 3 satellite

ESA’s Director for Earth Observation, Josef Aschbacher, adds, “Whilst the first generation of Copernicus Sentinels today offer excellent global data, their combined Arctic observation capabilities are limited in scope. As part of the preparation of Copernicus 2.0, three new high priority candidate missions: CIMR, CRISTAL and ROSE-L, and next-generation Sentinels are being prepared by ESA.

“Together with the Copernicus CO2M mission, these new missions will provide new pan-Arctic, year-round monitoring and CO2 emissions data to support the EU Green Deal and further boost the Copernicus climate change monitoring and service capabilities.”

Related links:

Copernicus Climate Change Service: https://climate.copernicus.eu/monthly-climate-bulletins

Nunavut’s Eureka Station report: https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/nunavuts-eureka-weather-station-experiences-warmest-july-on-record/

Copernicus Sentinel-3: http://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-3

ESA’s Climate Change Initiative (CCI): https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Space_for_our_climate/Picturing_permafrost_in_the_Arctic

Images, Text, Credits: ESA/Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel (2020), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO/NSIDC.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

NASA’s Orbital View of a Strengthening, Dangerous Major Hurricane Laura

ISS - International Space Station patch / NOAA & NASA - DSCOVR Mission patch.

Aug. 26, 2020

Laura – Atlantic Ocean

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station provided images of Hurricane Laura as it continues to strengthen in the Gulf of Mexico. Laura is pushing waters from the Gulf of Mexico that could inundate coastal areas miles inland and evacuations are in progress.

Image above: Astronaut Chris Cassidy aboard the International Space Station captured this photo of Hurricane Laura on Aug. 25, 2020 as it moved through the Gulf of Mexico and continued to strengthen. Image Credits: NASA/Chris Cassidy.

Watches and Warnings on Aug. 25

On Aug. 25, NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) posted several watches and warnings on major Hurricane Laura.

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for San Luis Pass, Texas to the mouth of the Mississippi River. A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations. Some of the storm surge forecasts are extreme. From Sea Rim State Park to Intracoastal City, La. including Sabine Lake and Calcasieu Lake, a 10- to 15-foot storm surge is forecast. From Intracoastal City to Morgan City including Vermilion Bay an 8- to 12-foot storm surge is forecast. For additional areas and storm surges, visit: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/.

International Space Station (ISS). Animation Credit: NASA

A Hurricane Warning is in effect from San Luis Pass, Texas to Intracoastal City, Louisiana.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect from Sargent, Texas to San Luis Pass and for areas east of Intracoastal City, Louisiana to the mouth of the Mississippi River.

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for Freeport, Texas to San Luis Pass, Texas, from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and for Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Lake Borgne.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for from east of Intracoastal City to west of Morgan City, Louisiana.

International Space Station Finds a Large Hurricane

Astronaut Chris Cassidy aboard the International Space Station captured this photo of Hurricane Laura on Aug. 25, 2020 as it moved through the Gulf of Mexico and continued to strengthen. Laura is a large hurricane. On Aug. 26, hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km) from the center and tropical-storm- force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km).

Image above: Astronaut Chris Cassidy aboard the International Space Station captured this photo of Hurricane Laura on Aug. 25, 2020 as it moved through the Gulf of Mexico and continued to strengthen. Image Credits: NASA/Chris Cassidy.

Tropical Storm Laura From Space on August 24, 2020

NASA Sees Laura from One Million Miles Away

NASA’s EPIC Camera aboard NOAA’s DSCOVR satellite in orbit one million miles from Earth, captured a full disk image of the Atlantic Ocean side of the globe. Hurricane Laura is seen moving through the Gulf of Mexico.

Image above: Hurricane Laura moving through the Gulf of Mexico was visible from one million miles away on Aug. 25, 2020. This full-disk image of the Earth was taken by NASA’s EPIC Camera aboard NOAA’s DSCOVR satellite. Image Credits: NASA/NOAA.

Laura’s Status on Aug. 26, 2020 at 7 a.m. EDT

NOAA’s National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported at 7 a.m. EDT, the eye of Hurricane Laura was located near latitude 26.4 degrees north and longitude 91.4 degrees west. The eye is about 280 miles (450 km) south-southeast of Lake Charles, Louisiana and about 290 miles (465 km) southeast of Galveston, Texas.

Laura is moving toward the northwest near 15 mph (24 kph) and this general motion should continue today, followed by a north-northwestward motion tonight.

NOAA’s DSCOVR satellite. Image Credits: NOAA/NASA

Data from NOAA and Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 115 mph (185 kph) with higher gusts.  Laura is a dangerous category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, and is forecast to continue strengthening into a category 4 hurricane later today. Buoy 42395, located just east of Laura’s eye, recently reported a sustained wind of 74 mph (119 km/h) and a wind gust of 107 mph (172 km/h) and a wave height of 37 feet (11 meters).

The latest minimum central pressure estimated from NOAA and Air Force reconnaissance aircraft data is 963 millibars.

Laura’s Forecast from NHC

The NHC warns that Laura may make landfall as a Category 4 hurricane and bring devastating effects. Heavy rain, dangerous storm surge, isolated tornadoes and hurricane-force sustained winds are expected. On the forecast track, Laura should approach the Upper Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts this evening and move inland near those areas tonight or Thursday morning.

NASA Researches Earth from Space

For more than five decades, NASA has used the vantage point of space to understand and explore our home planet, improve lives and safeguard our future. NASA brings together technology, science, and unique global Earth observations to provide societal benefits and strengthen our nation. Advancing knowledge of our home planet contributes directly to America’s leadership in space and scientific exploration.

NOAA’s DSCOVR satellite: https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/content/dscovr-deep-space-climate-observatory

International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

For updated and detailed forecasts, visit: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Images (mentioned), Animation (mentioned), Video (NASA), Text, Credits: NASA/Lynn Jenner/GSFC/By Rob Gutro.

Greetings, Orbiter.ch

NASA Remembers Skylab Astronaut Gerald Carr

NASA logo.

Aug. 26, 2020

Astronaut Gerald Carr, who commanded the last Skylab mission, died Aug. 26, 2020.

“NASA and the nation have lost a pioneer of long duration spaceflight," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. "We send our condolences to the family and loved ones of astronaut Gerald 'Jerry' Carr, whose work provided a deeper understanding of life on Earth and in space.

Astronaut portrait of Gerald Carr. Image Credits: NASA

“A colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps, Carr was a test pilot who logged more than 5,300 hours of jet flying time on aircraft including the F-9, F-6A Skyray, and F-8 Crusader. A naval aviator selected for the astronaut class in 1966, he served as Capcom for Apollos 8 and 12 and broke spaceflight duration records on Skylab 4, the final mission to the orbital workshop.

“Recalling the view back to Earth, Carr credited his Skylab crewmate Edward Gibson with the observation that, from space, ‘You can see no boundaries on the Earth, no man-made boundaries, that the barriers that man puts up between himself and his fellow man, that the only boundaries you can see are the natural ones, the rivers, the lakes, things like that.’

“We remember and honor his life and his contributions to the nation.”

Carr's family also issued a statement, saying, “Throughout his life and career, Jerry Carr was the epitome of an officer and a gentleman. He loved his family, he loved his country and he loved to fly. We are all enormously proud of his legacy as a true space pioneer and of the lasting impact of his historic mission aboard America’s first space station. We will remember him most as a devoted husband, father, brother, grandfather and great grandfather. We will miss him greatly.”

For more information about Carr’s NASA career:

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/carr_gerald_0.pdf

Image (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Brian Dunbar.

R.I.P. ; Orbiter.ch