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Berlin, Germany (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
Three decades after the first exoplanet was discovered, astronomers have identified over 7,000 exoplanets in our galaxy. Yet, countless more await discovery. Researchers are now delving into the characteristics of these planets to uncover the possibility of extraterrestrial life. This pursuit has led to the discovery of super-Earth HD 20794 d, thanks to a collaboration involving the University o

Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
Rootless cones, small volcanic landforms typically ranging from several meters to a few hundred meters in diameter, form through explosive interactions between surface lava and water bodies such as lakes and rivers. Unlike conventional volcanoes that arise from deep magma sources, rootless cones emerge when lava covers a water-containing layer, triggering bursts of steam and gas. These fea

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
EdgeCortix Inc., a prominent fabless semiconductor company specializing in energy-efficient artificial intelligence (AI) processing at the edge, has announced that its SAKURA-I AI Accelerator has been proven suitable for space missions, including Earth orbit and lunar operations, due to its strong radiation resilience. The AI accelerator underwent rigorous testing by NASA's Electronic Part

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
The arid and cold landscape of modern Mars contrasts sharply with its past, when flowing rivers and lakes carved its surface billions of years ago. Researchers from Harvard have now proposed a compelling explanation for this ancient warmth and moisture, offering new insights into the planet's climate history. Scientists at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Scien

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
GITAI USA Inc. (GITAI), a leader in space robotics, has announced the successful launch and mission completion of its in-house developed 16U satellite. The satellite was launched into low Earth orbit aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 on December 21, 2024, at 3:34 AM (PST). The mission met all three predefined success criteria, earning a "Full Success" designation for technical verification. GITAI a

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
During NASA's Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight under the Artemis campaign, astronauts will manually operate the Orion spacecraft as part of their journey around the Moon and back. This mission is a critical test to validate the spacecraft's performance with a human crew onboard before future lunar landing missions. The first major test of manual control, called the proximity ope

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
The moon's surface has long been a subject of study, offering clues about its geological and evolutionary history. Dark, flat regions known as lunar maria, which are filled with solidified lava, were thought to have formed through significant compression billions of years ago. Many researchers concluded that these regions have remained dormant ever since. However, a new study indicates that the

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
NASA's Juno mission has uncovered an extraordinary volcanic feature on Io, Jupiter's highly active moon. This newly discovered hot spot, located in Io's southern hemisphere, surpasses Earth's Lake Superior in size and emits an astonishing energy output six times greater than all of Earth's power plants combined. The revelation, made possible by Juno's Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM), high

Paris, France (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
Helioseismology, the study of the Sun's acoustic oscillations, provides a powerful tool for probing the internal properties of our star with remarkable precision. By analyzing these sound waves, scientists can reconstruct critical parameters such as the Sun's density, temperature, and chemical composition. This transformative method enables researchers to explore the Sun's inner workings as an a

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
Safran Defense and Space, Inc. (DSI) has announced the successful production of its first U.S.-manufactured VISION 5.5-meter full-motion satellite tracking antenna. The advanced unit, designed for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) operations, was built at the company's Norcross, Georgia, facility, marking a significant step in U.S.-based manufacturing capabilities. Four additional units are slated for produ

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
Oracle is leveraging Starlink's low Earth orbit satellite broadband network to deliver enhanced high-speed connectivity for its Enterprise Communications Platform (ECP). This collaboration empowers Oracle customers to seamlessly connect from virtually any location - including remote and underserved areas - while accessing features such as real-time video and audio streaming for industry applicat

Washington (AFP) Jan 29, 2025
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Elon Musk's company SpaceX will "soon" begin a mission to repatriate two American astronauts who have been stranded for months on the International Space Station. Veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arrived at the ISS in June aboard Boeing's Starliner, and were due to spend only eight days on the orbiting laboratory, but technical pr

London, UK (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
The UK Government has taken a significant step in bolstering the nation's space capabilities, investing GBP 20 million into spaceflight company Orbex as part of its Series D funding round. This marks the first time the government has taken an equity stake in a UK rocket launch provider. Announced by Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) Secretary Peter Kyle at the 17th E

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
As humanity eyes a future beyond Earth, sustaining life on the moon has emerged as a critical challenge. Essential resources such as oxygen, food, and water will be key to success. While scientists have confirmed the presence of water on the moon, identifying its precise locations and origins remains crucial for enabling long-term habitation. Researchers at the University of California San

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 29, 2025
NASA has selected Firefly Aerospace to deliver the Lunar Vulkan Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer (Lunar-VISE) payload to the enigmatic Gruithuisen Domes, located on the moon's surface. Spearheaded by the University of Central Florida (UCF) with support from partners such as the University of Maryland (UMD), this ambitious mission seeks to unravel the origins of the Domes and assess the moon's p

The full Moon, also known in January as the Wolf Moon, rises above the Lincoln Memorial and the Memorial Bridge, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, as seen from Arlington, Virginia.

During the Artemis II mission to the Moon, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Victor Glover will take control and manually fly Orion for the first time, evaluating the handling qualities of the spacecraft during a key test called the proximity operations demonstration. This is how to fly Orion.

On NASA’s Artemis II test flight, the first crewed mission under the agency’s Artemis campaign, astronauts will take the controls of the Orion spacecraft and periodically fly it manually during the flight around the Moon and back. The mission provides the first opportunity to ensure the spacecraft operates as designed with humans aboard, ahead of future Artemis missions to the Moon’s surface.

The first key piloting test, called the proximity operations demonstration, will take place after the four crew members — NASA’s Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen — are safely in space, about three hours into the mission. To evaluate the spacecraft’s manual handling qualities, the crew will pilot Orion to approach and back away from the detached upper stage of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket.

Crew members participating in the demonstration will use two different controllers, called rotational and translational hand controllers, to steer the spacecraft. Three display screens provide the astronauts with data, and another device, called the cursor control device, allows the crew to interact with the displays.

Astronauts will use the rotational hand controller (RHC), gripped in the right hand, to rotate the spacecraft. It controls Orion’s attitude, or the direction the spacecraft is pointing. If the crew wants to point Orion’s nose left, the RHC is twisted left – for nose right, they will twist the RHC right. Similarly, the RHC can control the nose to pitch up or down or roll right or left.

“On Artemis II, most of the time the spacecraft will fly autonomously, but having humans aboard is a chance to help with future mission success,” said Reid Wiseman. “If something goes wrong, a crewmember can jump on the controls and help fix the problem. One of our big goals is to check out this spacecraft and have it completely ready for our friends on Artemis III.”

The commander and pilot seats are each equipped with a rotational hand controller (RHC), gripped in the right hand, to rotate the spacecraft. It controls Orion’s attitude, or the direction the spacecraft is pointing. If the crew wants to point Orion’s nose left, the RHC is twisted left — for nose right, they will twist the RHC right. Similarly, the RHC can control the nose to pitch up or down or roll right or left.

The translational hand controller (THC), located to the right or left of the display screens, will move Orion from one point to another. To move the spacecraft forward, the crew pushes the controller straight in — to back up, they will pull the controller out. And similarly, the controller can be pushed up or down and left or right to move in those directions.

When the crew uses one of the controllers, their command is detected by Orion’s flight software, run by the spacecraft’s guidance, navigation, and control system. The flight software was designed, developed, and tested by Orion’s main contractor, Lockheed Martin.

The crew will use translational hand controller (THC), located to the right or left of the display screens, will move Orion from one point to another. To move the spacecraft forward, the crew pushes the controller straight in – to back up, they will pull the controller out. And similarly, the controller can be pushed up or down and left or right to move in those directions.

“We’re going to perform flight test objectives on Artemis II to get data on the handling qualities of the spacecraft and how well it maneuvers,” said Jeffrey Semrau, Lockheed Martin’s manual controls flight software lead for Artemis missions. “We’ll use that information to upgrade and improve our control systems and facilitate success for future missions.”

Depending on what maneuver the pilot has commanded, Orion’s software determines which of its 24 reaction control system thrusters to fire, and when. These thrusters are located on Orion’s European-built service module. They provide small amounts of thrust in any direction to steer the spacecraft and can provide torque to allow rotation control.

The cursor control device allows the crew to interact with the three display screens that show spacecraft data and information. This device allows the crew to interact with Orion even under the stresses of launch or entry when gravitational forces can prevent them from physically reaching the screens.

The cursor control device allows the crew to interact with the three display screens that show spacecraft data and information. This device allows the crew to interact with Orion even under the stresses of launch or entry when gravitational forces can prevent them from physically reaching the screens.

Next to Orion’s displays, the spacecraft also has a series of switches, toggles, and dials on the switch interface panel. Along with switches the crew will use during normal mission operations, there is also a backup set of switches they can use to fly Orion if a display or hand controller fails.

“This flight test will simulate the flying that we would do if we were docking to another spacecraft like our lander or to Gateway, our lunar space station,” said Victor Glover. “We’re going to make sure that the vehicle flies the way that our simulators approximate. And we’re going to make sure that it’s ready for the more complicated missions ahead.”

The approximately 10-day Artemis II flight will test NASA’s foundational human deep space exploration capabilities, the SLS rocket, Orion spacecraft, and supporting ground systems, for the first time with astronauts and will pave the way for lunar surface missions.

NASA/Bill Ingalls

A NASA photographer captured the full “wolf” moon rising over the Lincoln Memorial and Memorial Bridge on Jan. 13, 2025.

The Maine Farmers’ Almanac began publishing Native American names for full moons in the 1930s. Over time, these names have become widely known and used. According to this almanac, the full moon in January is called the Wolf Moon, from the packs of wolves heard howling outside the villages amid the cold and deep snows of winter.

Get tips and guides on skywatching.

Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

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Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A massive hotspot — larger the Earth’s Lake Superior — can be seen just to the right of Io’s south pole in this annotated image taken by the JIRAM infrared imager aboard NASA’s Juno on Dec. 27, 2024, during the spacecraft’s flyby of the Jovian moon. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/ASI/INAF/JIRAM

Even by the standards of Io, the most volcanic celestial body in the solar system, recent events observed on the Jovian moon are extreme.

Scientists with NASA’s Juno mission have discovered a volcanic hot spot in the southern hemisphere of Jupiter’s moon Io. The hot spot is not only larger than Earth’s Lake Superior, but it also belches out eruptions six times the total energy of all the world’s power plants. The discovery of this massive feature comes courtesy of Juno’s Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument, contributed by the Italian Space Agency.

“Juno had two really close flybys of Io during Juno’s extended mission,” said the mission’s principal investigator, Scott Bolton of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. “And while each flyby provided data on the tormented moon that exceeded our expectations, the data from this latest — and more distant — flyby really blew our minds. This is the most powerful volcanic event ever recorded on the most volcanic world in our solar system — so that’s really saying something.”

The source of Io’s torment: Jupiter. About the size of Earth’s Moon, Io is extremely close to the mammoth gas giant, and its elliptical orbit whips it around Jupiter once every 42.5 hours. As the distance varies, so does the planet’s gravitational pull, which leads to the moon being relentlessly squeezed. The result: immense energy from frictional heating that melts portions of Io’s interior, resulting in a seemingly endless series of lava plumes and ash venting into its atmosphere from the estimated 400 volcanoes that riddle its surface.

Close Flybys

Designed to capture the infrared light (which isn’t visible to the human eye) emerging from deep inside Jupiter, JIRAM probes the gas giant’s weather layer, peering 30 to 45 miles (50 to 70 kilometers) below its cloud tops. But since NASA extended Juno’s mission, the team has also used the instrument to study the moons Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.

Images of Io captured in 2024 by the JunoCam imager aboard NASA’s Juno show signif-icant and visible surface changes (indicated by the arrows) near the Jovian moon’s south pole. These changes occurred between the 66th and 68th perijove, or the point during Juno’s orbit when it is closest to Jupiter.Image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS Image processing by Jason Perry

During its extended mission, Juno’s trajectory passes by Io every other orbit, flying over the same part of the moon each time. Previously, the spacecraft made close flybys of Io in December 2023 and February 2024, getting within about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) of its surface. The latest flyby took place on Dec. 27, 2024, bringing the spacecraft within about 46,200 miles (74,400 kilometers) of the moon, with the infrared instrument trained on Io’s southern hemisphere.

Io Brings the Heat

“JIRAM detected an event of extreme infrared radiance — a massive hot spot — in Io’s southern hemisphere so strong that it saturated our detector,” said Alessandro Mura, a Juno co-investigator from the National Institute for Astrophysics in Rome. “However, we have evidence what we detected is actually a few closely spaced hot spots that emitted at the same time, suggestive of a subsurface vast magma chamber system. The data supports that this is the most intense volcanic eruption ever recorded on Io.”

The JIRAM science team estimates the as-yet-unnamed feature spans 40,000 square miles (100,000 square kilometers). The previous record holder was Io’s Loki Patera, a lava lake of about 7,700 square miles (20,000 square kilometers). The total power value of the new hot spot’s radiance measured well above 80 trillion watts.

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The feature was also captured by the mission’s JunoCam visible light camera. The team compared JunoCam images from the two previous Io flybys with those the instrument collected on Dec. 27. And while these most recent images are of lower resolution since Juno was farther away, the relative changes in surface coloring around the newly discovered hot spot were clear. Such changes in Io’s surface are known in the planetary science community to be associated with hot spots and volcanic activity.

An eruption of this magnitude is likely to leave long-lived signatures. Other large eruptions on Io have created varied features, such as pyroclastic deposits (composed rock fragments spewed out by a volcano), small lava flows that may be fed by fissures, and volcanic-plume deposits rich in sulfur and sulfur dioxide.

Juno will use an upcoming, more distant flyby of Io on March 3 to look at the hot spot again and search for changes in the landscape. Earth-based observations of this region of the moon may also be possible.  

“While it is always great to witness events that rewrite the record books, this new hot spot can potentially do much more,” said Bolton. “The intriguing feature could improve our understanding of volcanism not only on Io but on other worlds as well.”

More About Juno

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Juno is part of NASA’s New Frontiers Program, which is managed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Italian Space Agency (ASI) funded the Jovian InfraRed Auroral Mapper. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built and operates the spacecraft. Various other institutions around the U.S. provided several of the other scientific instruments on Juno.

More information about Juno is available at:

https://www.nasa.gov/juno

News Media Contacts

DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-9011
agle@jpl.nasa.gov

Karen Fox / Alana Johnson
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600 / 202-358-1501
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alana.r.johnson@nasa.gov

Deb Schmid
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio
210-522-2254
dschmid@swri.org

2025-010      

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Details Last Updated Jan 28, 2025 Related Terms

• Juno
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Jupiter
• Jupiter Moons
• The Solar System

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Crews conduct a solar array deployment test on the spacecraft of NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) satellites at Astrotech Space Operations located inside Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025.USSF 30th Space Wing/Antonio Ramos

Technicians supporting NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission deployed and tested the spacecraft’s solar arrays at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California ahead of its launch next month.

The arrays, essential for powering instruments and systems, mark another milestone in preparing PUNCH for its mission to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere as it transitions into the solar wind. Technicians performed the tests in a specialized cleanroom environment to prevent contamination and protect the sensitive equipment.

Comprised of four suitcase-sized satellites working together as a constellation, PUNCH will capture continuous 3D images of the Sun’s corona and the solar wind’s journey into the solar system. Led by the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) for NASA, the mission aims to deepen our understanding of the Sun and solar wind and how they affect humanity’s technology on Earth and our continued exploration of the solar system.

Successful solar array testing brings the spacecraft another step toward readiness for launch. The agency’s PUNCH mission is targeting liftoff as a rideshare with NASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer) on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex 4E no earlier than Thursday, Feb. 27.

Image credit: USSF 30th Space Wing/Antonio Ramos