Feed aggregator

Astronomers have detected a flickering quasar called J0439+1634 as it appeared only 850 million years after the Big Bang. That discovery raises fresh questions about black hole formation and activity in the early Universe. The flickering light of this distant cosmic lighthouse showed that black hole at the heart of the quasr has a flat, pancake-shaped accretion disk. That shape is more familiar in modern-day quasars, which leads astronomers to wonder how these objects formed so quickly in the infant cosmos?

New analysis reveals a tight relationship between two supernova remnants in the outer Milky Way.

The post Double Whammy: Binary Supernova in Gemini appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Poor preparation and a failure to properly apply the coating may be just a few of the reasons why the Reflecting Pool’s new paint job appears to be peeling off

Credit: NASA

The Republic of Botswana will sign the Artemis Accords during a ceremony at 9:30 a.m. EDT Thursday, June 25, at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson will host Botswana’s Minister of Communications and Innovation David Tshere and U.S. Department of State Senior Advisor for Space Gregory Autry for the event.

This event is in person only. Media interested in attending must RSVP no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, to: hq-media@mail.nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy is online.

In 2020, during the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the State Department, joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies.

The accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety, transparency, and coordination of civil space exploration on the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Botswana will be the 68th country to sign the Artemis Accords.

Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords

-end-

Camille Gallo / Jennifer Dooren 
Headquarters, Washington 
202-358-1600 
camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov / jennifer.m.dooren@nasa.gov

Share

Details Last Updated Jun 22, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms

• Artemis Accords
• Artemis
• Office of International and Interagency Relations (OIIR)

The JWST found a galaxy cluster from 10 billion years ago that's far more developed than it should be, according to cosmological models. The cluster is also the most distant strong gravitational lens that we know of. Detailed observations across the spectrum show that the cluster is still undergoing mergers.

A woman with severe Alzheimer's disease who hadn't spoken more than monosyllables in years began initiating conversation after a single dose of psilocybin

A woman with severe Alzheimer's disease who hadn't spoken more than monosyllables in years began initiating conversation after a single dose of psilocybin

3 Min Read NASA’s Experimental Fabrication Branch Fuels Aircraft Innovation An engineering technician works in the Experimental Fabrication Branch at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Thursday, March 14, 2023. The branch transforms engineering concepts into hardware for research aircraft and technology development, supporting advances in aviation safety, efficiency, and sustainability. Credits: NASA/Steve Freeman

At NASA, innovation begins well before an aircraft takes flight. The Experimental Fabrication Branch at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, transforms engineering concepts into mission‑ready hardware for research aircraft and technology development. This capability helps the agency deliver advancements that benefit the public by improving aviation safety, efficiency, and sustainability.

The branch serves as a full‑service manufacturing, modification, and repair center for NASA Armstrong’s fleet of research and science aircraft. The team specializes in precision machining, sheet‑metal forming, aircraft tubing, welding, additive manufacturing, composite fabrication, and structural repairs and modifications. Their broad expertise allows them to build custom hardware for both aerospace and ground‑based applications.

Ron Harris, an engineering technician, works in the Experimental Fabrication Branch at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Thursday, March 14, 2023. The branch transforms engineering concepts into hardware for research aircraft and technology development, supporting advances in aviation safety, efficiency, and sustainability. NASA/Steve Freeman

Engineering technicians in the branch bring decades of experience as master fabricators. They design and build unique components, rapid prototypes, and flight‑critical structures that meet NASA’s rigorous safety and performance standards. Whether shaping composite structures by hand or producing precision‑milled parts, the team builds every component with mission success in mind.

Experimental Fabrication supports a wide range of NASA research efforts. When teams at NASA Armstrong designed the AIRVUE (Airborne Instrumentation for Real‑world Video of Urban Environments) sensor pod to support autonomous‑flight research, the fabrication team converted digital designs into a fully functional structure. They ensured the pod met strict safety requirements before deploying it for test flights.

An engineering technician works in the Experimental Fabrication Branch at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Thursday, March 14, 2023. The branch transforms engineering concepts into hardware for research aircraft and technology development, supporting advances in aviation safety, efficiency, and sustainability.NASA/Steve Freeman

Beyond mission support, the Experimental Fabrication Branch contributes to NASA’s STEM engagement efforts. During local robotics competitions, technicians use mobile fabrication equipment to repair student‑built robots and demonstrate machining and welding techniques. These demonstrations introduce students to NASA’s technical career paths and show how advanced manufacturing supports aerospace research.

The branch uses modern computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing tools, including Pro E/Creo, MasterCam, and SolidWorks, to convert digital models into hardware. This early integration of engineering and fabrication helps shorten development timelines and reduce design‑to‑hardware mismatches. Unlike environments where work transitions between multiple contractors, NASA Armstrong includes the fabrication team from early design through final assembly and aircraft installation. This continuous involvement strengthens coordination with engineering teams and flight operations.

Alexis Moreno, an engineering technician, works with a fabrication machine in the Experimental Fabrication Branch at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023. The branch transforms engineering concepts into hardware for research aircraft and technology development, supporting advances in aviation safety, efficiency, and sustainability. NASA/Genaro Vavuris

Recent projects, such as advanced wing‑model fabrication and custom lightweight aircraft floorboards, highlight the branch’s essential role in NASA Armstrong’s mission. Whether supporting experimental aircraft, enabling new technology demonstrations, or guiding students through hands‑on fabrication, the Experimental Fabrication Branch helps advance NASA’s mission for the benefit of all.

Share

Details Last Updated Jun 22, 2026 EditorDede DiniusContactSarah Mannsarah.mann@nasa.govLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related Terms

• Armstrong Flight Research Center

Explore More 5 min read NASA, USGS Scientists Go Rock Hounding in California’s High Desert Article 2 weeks ago 4 min read NASA’s X-59 Aircraft Flies Supersonic for First Time Article 2 weeks ago 6 min read NASA’s X-59 Prepares for First Supersonic Flight   Article 4 weeks ago Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA

Armstrong Flight Research Center

Aircraft Flown at Armstrong

Armstrong Flight Operations

Armstrong Mission Operations

Using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers may have found a supernova remnant in an intriguing neighborhood in the middle of our galaxy.

Using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers may have found a supernova remnant in an intriguing neighborhood in the middle of our galaxy.X-ray: NASA/CXC/UCLA/Z. Zhu et al.; ESA/XMM-Newton; Optical: PanSTARRS; Radio: MeerKAT; Infrared (JWST): NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare and P. Edmonds

Using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers may have found a supernova remnant – seen in this June 11, 2026, image – in an intriguing neighborhood in the middle of the Milky Way galaxy. Supernova remnants are the expanding remains of exploded stars and provide elements like iron, oxygen, and silicon that are critical for the formation of planets and for life as we know it to form and flourish.

This new supernova remnant, if confirmed, would be one of the closest ever discovered to the supermassive black hole at the central region of our home galaxy, an exotic region crammed with massive stars, long threads of magnetic fields and dense clouds of gas orbiting rapidly around the Galactic Center.

Read more about this discovery.

Image credit: -ray: NASA/CXC/UCLA/Z. Zhu et al.; ESA/XMM-Newton; Optical: PanSTARRS; Radio: MeerKAT; Infrared (JWST): NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare and P. Edmonds

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir waves at the camera during a seven-hour, two-minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station on March 18, 2026. Credit: NASA

NASA astronauts will venture outside the International Space Station on Tuesday, June 30, to replace a wrist joint on the orbital complex’s Canadarm2 robotic arm. The spacewalk is scheduled to begin at approximately 8:35 a.m. EDT.

Experts from NASA and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) will preview the upcoming spacewalk during a news conference at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 25, on the agency’s YouTube channel. The briefing will take place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.

Participants include:

• Bill Spetch, operations and integration manager, International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson
• Fiona Antkowiak, spacewalk flight director, NASA Johnson
• Jason Dyer, deputy liaison manager, CSA

United States-based media interested in attending in person must contact the Johnson newsroom no later than 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, at: jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. Media joining by phone should request dial‑in details by the same deadline. To ask a question, media must dial in no later than 15 minutes before the start of the news conference.

Tuesday, June 30

NASA astronauts Chris Williams and Jessica Meir will exit the station’s Quest airlock to replace a wrist joint that malfunctioned during normal Canadarm2 operations on May 27 after the arm drew elevated motor current and did not move as expected.

Watch NASA’s live U.S. spacewalk 95 coverage beginning at 7 a.m. EDT on NASA+, Amazon Prime, Netflix, and the agency’s YouTube channel. The spacewalk is expected to last roughly six-and-a-half hours.

NASA worked alongside CSA to understand the issue and determined a spacewalk was required to replace the joint using a spare already aboard the space station. Repairs to robotics, like Canadarm2, are normal and expected after more than 25 years of continuous operations, as the system was designed with replaceable components and planned maintenance in mind.

This spacewalk will be the second for Williams and the fifth for Meir. Williams will serve as spacewalk crew member 1 and will wear a suit with red stripes. Meir will serve as crew member 2 and will wear an unmarked suit. It will be the 280th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

To learn more about International Space Station research, operations, and its crews, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/station

-end-

Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
james.j.russell@nasa.gov

Sandra Jones
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov

Share

Details Last Updated Jun 22, 2026 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms

• International Space Station (ISS)
• Humans in Space
• Johnson Space Center
• NASA Headquarters

A spider living in the rainforests of Queensland, Australia, builds a snare trap reminiscent of a Roman-era ballista weapon that it uses to catapult green tree ants into a web 30 centimetres above

A spider living in the rainforests of Queensland, Australia, builds a snare trap reminiscent of a Roman-era ballista weapon that it uses to catapult green tree ants into a web 30 centimetres above

The brain undergoes a full renovation during menopause. Although these changes are profound, we’re learning that the long-term impact needn’t be all bad

The brain undergoes a full renovation during menopause. Although these changes are profound, we’re learning that the long-term impact needn’t be all bad

While cruising around Saturn, be on the lookout for

Researchers say a surgery that let pigs with completely severed spinal cords walk again may lead to human trials, and then perhaps even full head or brain transplants. Columnist Helen Thomson is intrigued but sceptical of whether the technique can be successful in humans

Researchers say a surgery that let pigs with completely severed spinal cords walk again may lead to human trials, and then perhaps even full head or brain transplants. Columnist Helen Thomson is intrigued but sceptical of whether the technique can be successful in humans

Several start-ups have tried to grow seaweed to remove atmospheric CO2, but this could affect the levels of nutrients in the ocean and hamper other CO2-sucking processes

Several start-ups have tried to grow seaweed to remove atmospheric CO2, but this could affect the levels of nutrients in the ocean and hamper other CO2-sucking processes