NASA
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Historic Engines Take Their Place on Artemis III
On Aug. 24, technicians at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida began installing the four RS‑25 engines in the core stage of the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will carry the Artemis III crew into low Earth orbit in 2027. Each RS‑25 engine has a unique serial number that records its detailed flight history. The four engines assigned to Artemis…
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Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. A Plane Lunar Eclipse Explanation: Did you need to be on the right side of this airplane to see this eclipse? No. Lunar eclipses are routinely seen from the half of the Earth facing the Moon when the eclipse occurs,…
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Ice Island Survives Run-In With Joe Island
Summer is prime iceberg season in Greenland’s glacier-fed fjords, and 2026 was no exception. Especially notable was the berg that broke from the Petermann Glacier along Greenland’s northwest coast in August. Roughly the size of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, it was the largest calving event by any Arctic glacier since 2020. Iceberg calving is a routine part…
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NASA Welcomes Türkiye as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory
During a ceremony hosted by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman at the agency’s headquarters in Washington on Monday, the Republic of Türkiye signed the Artemis Accords, joining the growing international coalition of like-minded nations dedicated to peaceful, transparent space exploration. “It is my privilege to welcome the Republic of Türkiye as the 71st signatory of the Artemis Accords,” said Isaacman. “Last…
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September 2026 Satellite Puzzler
Every month, NASA Earth Observatory features a puzzling satellite image. The September 2026 puzzler appears above. Your ChallengeIdentify the location shown in this satellite image. Share what clues you see, where you think it is, and what makes this place interesting or unique to you. How to AnswerSubmit your response using this form and select “Puzzler Answer” as the topic. Please include your preferred…
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Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Play Video Launch of the Roman Space Telescope Explanation: A new telescope has been launched into space to study the universe. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (RST) has the same size main mirror as the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) but sees 100…
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NASA Deep Space Network’s New Goldstone Antenna Goes Online
Description Long shadows are cast by the recently completed Deep Space Station 23 at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, in August 2026. A 34-meter (114-foot) multifrequency beam-waveguide antenna, DSS-23 will boost the DSN’s capacity and enhance NASA’s deep space communications capabilities for decades to come. NASA leadership and personnel as well as dignitaries gathered at the…
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Ribbon-Cutting Event for NASA Deep Space Network’s Deep Space Station 23
Description Leadership from NASA Headquarters, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Deep Space Network (DSN) stand in front of the recently completed Deep Space Station 23 antenna at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, on Aug. 25, 2026. From left: Germaine Aziz (project manager, DSN Aperture Enhancement Project, JPL); Bradford Arnold (manager, Telecom Programs & Oversight, JPL);…
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Panorama Showcasing the 34-Meter Antennas of the DSN’s Goldstone Complex
Description Five antennas soak in the summer sun at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, in August 2026. The recently completed Deep Space Station 23, a 34-meter (114-foot) beam-waveguide antenna, can be seen to the right of the frame in the foreground. The other three 34-meter antennas are, from left, DSS-26, DSS-25, and DSS-24. At farthest right is…
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NASA’s Artemis II Crew Receives Congressional Space Medal of Honor
From left to right: NASA astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, and NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor from President Donald J. Trump on Aug. 28, 2026, for their service during the Artemis II mission. The Congressional Space Medal of Honor was authorized by Congress in 1969 to recognize an…
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