NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Post

During the 2024 HBCU Week Conference in Philadelphia, we’re hosting a Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Innovation and Tech Transfer Idea Competition, featuring a hackathon challenging students to develop creative and innovative solutions for the benefit of humanity. https://lnkd.in/euCDYiUq The hackathon concentrates on using NASA technologies to address various challenges common to HBCU campuses. The scholars will be divided into teams; each team will pitch their concepts to a panel of subject matter experts. As part of the White House’s initiative to advance educational equity and economic opportunities through HBCUs, MUREP provides HBCU scholars access to NASA technology, networks, training, resources, and partners.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with NASA interns! U.S. high school and college students are invited to join NASA internship specialists on Thursday, Sept. 19, at 4 p.m. EDT to learn about Hispanic contributions to science, NASA's internship program, hear first-hand experiences from current and former interns, and participate in a live Q&A session. Don’t miss this chance to explore your future in STEM with NASA! Register: go.nasa.gov/4d0Teme

We celebrate #HispanicHeritageMonth by sharing the backgrounds, roots, and passions of our team members who contribute to our shared mission of expanding knowledge for the benefit of humanity. Read their stories: https://lnkd.in/eznsqyKA

Look up in the night sky this week — you might spot a solar sail! Our Advanced Composite Solar Sail System lets small spacecraft "sail on sunlight" using particles from the Sun, providing an alternative to rocket fuel. The spacecraft is now in orbit, and stargazers can find out when it will be visible in their area on our NASA app. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ePA4Q88K

NASA and Boeing welcomed Starliner back to Earth at 12:01am ET (0401 UTC) on Saturday, Sept. 7, following the uncrewed spacecraft's landing in New Mexico—concluding its flight test to the International Space Station: https://lnkd.in/e-DEFPnF

NASA's Kennedy Space Center has demonstrated a way to operate superconductors in space without the need for extensive cooling infrastructure, potentially leading to new options to keep lunar explorers protected from radiation. Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field shield us from harmful solar and cosmic background radiation—but astronauts on the Moon would need other ways to minimize their exposure. Superconductors could create a powerful magnetic field, but on the Moon (where daytime temperatures can spike to 250°F (121°C)), they must be kept at extremely cold temperatures that require complex and heavy cooling infrastructure. Kennedy's "Passively Cooled Superconductors in Space" project tested spray-on coating materials that could keep semiconductors at operating temperatures beyond Earth's atmosphere—at distances as close as 1 astronomical unit from the Sun. Learn more about the project, NASA centers, and key partners at our TechPort database: https://lnkd.in/eDwqDEWy

"My personal giant leap has been the opportunity to contribute to a mission as groundbreaking as the Roman Space Telescope." Dr. Lucas Paganini is the deputy program executive for our Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which aims to unravel the mystery of dark matter when it launches later this decade. Learn more about how Roman builds on the legacy of telescopes like Hubble and Webb on this week's episode of our Small Steps, Giant Leaps podcast: https://lnkd.in/ec-5sc7r

At NASA, Labor Day is about honoring our incredible #NASAPeople. Our team works hard to achieve so much--from progress on new spacecraft and aircraft to new technology in space and so much more. Thank you for all you do to chase new dreams and possibilities!

Can you see our name in these satellite photos of Earth? Spell yours in images from the NASA & USGS Landsat program, which has observed our home planet for over 50 years: go.nasa.gov/EarthName