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You’re the grillmaster at the annual family 4th of July BBQ and you’re sweating bullets standing over the grill in the sweltering summer heat. You’re trying to stay cool by pressing a cold beer can on your forehead, but to no avail. You can’t go inside because, once again, you’re the grillmaster and need to watch the food simmering on your freshly cleaned grill. Your brother-in-law is a university astronomy professor and walks over asking how you’re doing. You say, “This heat is killing me. I feel hotter than the barbeque!” Your science teacher brother-in-law slyly says, “Try being an exoplanet.” You roll your eyes.

A study claims that the North Pole Dome crater in Western Australia was caused by an asteroid strike 3 billion years ago, but other researchers dispute the proposed age

A study claims that the North Pole Dome crater in Western Australia was caused by an asteroid strike 3 billion years ago, but other researchers dispute the proposed age

The asteroid that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs also created an underground environment suited to supporting new life, and new research suggests it lasted for millions of years longer than previously suspected. While previous research showed the buried hydrothermal system of porous rock, hot water, and chemical nutrients may have lasted 2 million years, new research says it lasted for 8 million years.

Official NASA portrait of Sean Gallagher Credit: NASA

NASA has selected Sean Gallagher as the agency’s chief information officer (CIO). In this role, he is responsible for the agency’s entire portfolio of Information Technology products and services. Gallagher has been serving in an acting capacity since January and his permanent role is effective immediately.

“Sean Gallagher’s leadership has been instrumental in strengthening NASA’s IT foundation and ensuring our workforce has the secure, modern tools needed to enable groundbreaking missions every day,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson. “As CIO, Sean will continue advancing the agency’s technology capabilities to support discovery, innovation, and mission success across NASA.”

Most recently, Gallagher also has served as the deputy chief information officer for Operations in the Office of the Chief Information Officer at NASA Headquarters in Washington, as well as a senior advisor for Transformation. This team provides services to tens of thousands of end users located in the U.S. and abroad in support of NASA missions, enabling discoveries, faster data sharing, increased workforce productivity, and more. Gallagher has worked with all NASA centers to implement efficient and effective IT operating models.

Previously, Gallagher was the CIO of NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, leading IT initiatives for aeronautics, space, research and engineering, and test missions. He joined NASA in 2012 as Glenn’s deputy CIO and previously worked at Booz Allen Hamilton as a senior associate supporting a variety of federal, defense, and commercial customers.

Gallagher developed his leadership and management experience as a Signal Corps officer in the United States Army. He also served as a platoon leader managing the combat service support readiness of a tactical communications unit, a human resource manager for the 40th Signal Battalion, and as a network engineer for the 11th Signal Brigade. He has a bachelor’s degree in physics from John Carroll University and a master’s degree in computer information systems from the University of Phoenix.

For more information about NASA’s missions, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov

-end-

Camille Gallo / Cheryl Warner
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov

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Details Last Updated Jun 23, 2026 EditorJennifer M. DoorenLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms

• NASA Headquarters

Official NASA portrait of Sean Gallagher Credit: NASA

NASA has selected Sean Gallagher as the agency’s chief information officer (CIO). In this role, he is responsible for the agency’s entire portfolio of Information Technology products and services. Gallagher has been serving in an acting capacity since January and his permanent role is effective immediately.

“Sean Gallagher’s leadership has been instrumental in strengthening NASA’s IT foundation and ensuring our workforce has the secure, modern tools needed to enable groundbreaking missions every day,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson. “As CIO, Sean will continue advancing the agency’s technology capabilities to support discovery, innovation, and mission success across NASA.”

Most recently, Gallagher also has served as the deputy chief information officer for Operations in the Office of the Chief Information Officer at NASA Headquarters in Washington, as well as a senior advisor for Transformation. This team provides services to tens of thousands of end users located in the U.S. and abroad in support of NASA missions, enabling discoveries, faster data sharing, increased workforce productivity, and more. Gallagher has worked with all NASA centers to implement efficient and effective IT operating models.

Previously, Gallagher was the CIO of NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, leading IT initiatives for aeronautics, space, research and engineering, and test missions. He joined NASA in 2012 as Glenn’s deputy CIO and previously worked at Booz Allen Hamilton as a senior associate supporting a variety of federal, defense, and commercial customers.

Gallagher developed his leadership and management experience as a Signal Corps officer in the United States Army. He also served as a platoon leader managing the combat service support readiness of a tactical communications unit, a human resource manager for the 40th Signal Battalion, and as a network engineer for the 11th Signal Brigade. He has a bachelor’s degree in physics from John Carroll University and a master’s degree in computer information systems from the University of Phoenix.

For more information about NASA’s missions, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov

-end-

Camille Gallo / Cheryl Warner
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov

Share

Details Last Updated Jun 23, 2026 EditorJennifer M. DoorenLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms

• NASA Headquarters

How did a hamster wheel get into space? The Hamster Wheel Nebula (Longmore 8) was

Many of Earth's mass extinctions await clear explanations. We know an impact wiped out the dinosaurs, but what about the planet's other extinction events? New research says flybys of planetary mass objects could've been responsible.

NASA’s Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition program (CSDA) announced contract awards with eight commercial satellite data providers offering a range of data types to support the agency’s Earth science research and application goals.  

The CSDA program On-Ramp 2 Multiple Award contract is a firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) multiple-award contract with a maximum cumulative value of $476 million and a performance period through November 2028.

The CSDA IDIQ contract includes an on‑ramp provision that allows NASA to periodically reopen the solicitation, giving new vendors the opportunity to submit proposals. This mechanism also enables existing CSDA vendors to propose new data products, whether newly developed or derived from new instruments, that were not available during the original proposal period.

Newly Added Contract Holders

Vendor Sensor HydroSat Thermal Infrared Visible and Near-Infrared (VNIR) Ororatech Thermal Infrared – Medium Wavelength Infrared (MWIR) and Long Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) ImageSat Optical Multispectral Instrument (MSI) Satlantis Optical MSI / Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Kuva Space Hyperspectral – VNIR and Short Wavelength Infrared (SWIR) Wyvern Hyperspectral – VNIR Orbital Sidekick Hyperspectral – VNIR and SWIR Muon Space Global Navigation Satellite System – Radar (GNSS-R)

Current CSDA Contract Holders with New Products

Vendor Sensor Airbus Optical MSI / Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) ICEYE SAR GHGSat GHG Emissions Planet Labs Optical MSI / Hyperspectral PlanetiQ Global Navigation Satellite System – Radio Occultation (GNSS-RO) Tomorrow.io Microwave Sounder

“NASA’s Earth science community relies on a diverse suite of observations from spaceborne, airborne, and in situ assets to better understand our changing planet,” said CSDA Project Manager Dana Ostrenga. “The commercial providers added through this latest CSDA contract on-ramp complement NASA’s existing Earth observation capabilities and our current portfolio of commercial partners, expanding the range of data available for evaluation and use. Together, these observations provide researchers with a more comprehensive view of Earth’s atmosphere, land, oceans, cryosphere, and solid Earth, helping advance scientific discovery and applications that benefit our communities.”

Following issuance of the contract awards, the selected vendors’ data products will be made available to authorized CSDA data users via the Satellite Data Explorer (SDX), CSDA’s web-based data discovery and data access tool that allows approved users to search, discover, access, task, and download the data the program has acquired from its commercial partners.

The Vendor Selection Process

The award process begins with the CSDA issuing a request for proposals that is posted on Sam.gov, the U.S. government’s official system for managing federal contract proposals. Interested companies then submit proposals to enter into an IDIQ contract with CSDA. A Solicitation Evaluation Board is formed to determine whether the proposals are competitive and meet the CSDA’s technical requirements for continuous observations, orbit platforms, and data that aligns with NASA Earth Science Division (ESD) goals. The CSDA makes its selections from the proposals that meet the requirements and then submits them to NASA leadership for approval. Once approved, the contracts are then awarded and the companies are able to get their data evaluated by CSDA. Once the evaluations are complete, the commercial data providers can then compete for competitive task orders through CSDA.

About the CSDA Program

NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD) established the CSDA Program as the agency’s central mechanism for identifying, acquiring, and evaluating commercial Earth observation (EO) data. The program augments NASA’s and partner agencies’ Earth-observing capabilities by acquiring commercial satellite data that offer higher spatial resolution, increased revisit frequency, complementary measurement capabilities, and taskable observations. To learn more about the program, its commercial partners, data evaluation process, and more, visit the CSDA website.

Become an Authorized Data User

Commercial data discoverable through the SDX is made available to CSDA authorized data users. To become an authorized user, fill out the CSDA Program Data Authorization Form. Note: Use of SDX also requires an Earthdata Login.

NASA’s Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition program (CSDA) announced contract awards with eight commercial satellite data providers offering a range of data types to support the agency’s Earth science research and application goals.  

The CSDA program On-Ramp 2 Multiple Award contract is a firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) multiple-award contract with a maximum cumulative value of $476 million and a performance period through November 2028.

The CSDA IDIQ contract includes an on‑ramp provision that allows NASA to periodically reopen the solicitation, giving new vendors the opportunity to submit proposals. This mechanism also enables existing CSDA vendors to propose new data products, whether newly developed or derived from new instruments, that were not available during the original proposal period.

Newly Added Contract Holders

Vendor Sensor HydroSat Thermal Infrared Ororatech Thermal Infrared (Medium Wave Infrared (MWIR) and Longwave Infrared (LWIR)) ImageSat Optical Multispectral Instrument (MSI) Satlantis Optical MSI / Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Kuva Space Hyperspectral (Visible and Near-Infrared (VNIR) and Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) Wyvern Hyperspectral Orbital Sidekick Hyperspectral (VNIR-SWIR) Muon Space Global Navigation Satellite System – Radar (GNSS-R)

Current CSDA Contract Holders with New Products

Vendor Sensor Airbus Optical MSI / Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) ICEYE SAR GHGSat GHG Emissions Planet Labs Optical MSI / Hyperspectral PlanetiQ Global Navigation Satellite System – Radio Occultation (GNSS-RO) Tomorrow.io Microwave Sounder

“NASA’s Earth science community relies on a diverse suite of observations from spaceborne, airborne, and in situ assets to better understand our changing planet,” said CSDA Project Manager Dana Ostrenga. “The commercial providers added through this latest CSDA contract on-ramp complement NASA’s existing Earth observation capabilities and our current portfolio of commercial partners, expanding the range of data available for evaluation and use. Together, these observations provide researchers with a more comprehensive view of Earth’s atmosphere, land, oceans, cryosphere, and solid Earth, helping advance scientific discovery and applications that benefit our communities.”

Following issuance of the contract awards, the selected vendors’ data products will be made available to authorized CSDA data users via the Satellite Data Explorer (SDX), CSDA’s web-based data discovery and data access tool that allows approved users to search, discover, access, task, and download the data the program has acquired from its commercial partners.

The Vendor Selection Process

The award process begins with the CSDA issuing a request for proposals that is posted on Sam.gov, the U.S. government’s official system for managing federal contract proposals. Interested companies then submit proposals to enter into an IDIQ contract with CSDA. A Solicitation Evaluation Board is formed to determine whether the proposals are competitive and meet the CSDA’s technical requirements for continuous observations, orbit platforms, and data that aligns with NASA Earth Science Division (ESD) goals. The CSDA makes its selections from the proposals that meet the requirements and then submits them to NASA leadership for approval. Once approved, the contracts are then awarded and the companies are able to get their data evaluated by CSDA. Once the evaluations are complete, the commercial data providers can then compete for competitive task orders through CSDA.

About the CSDA Program

NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD) established the CSDA Program as the agency’s central mechanism for identifying, acquiring, and evaluating commercial Earth observation (EO) data. The program augments NASA’s and partner agencies’ Earth-observing capabilities by acquiring commercial satellite data that offer higher spatial resolution, increased revisit frequency, complementary measurement capabilities, and taskable observations. To learn more about the program, its commercial partners, data evaluation process, and more, visit the CSDA website.

Become an Authorized Data User

Commercial data discoverable through the SDX is made available to CSDA authorized data users. To become an authorized user, fill out the CSDA Program Data Authorization Form. Note: Use of SDX also requires an Earthdata Login.

58th Girl Scouts Unite Event, July 23-25, 2026

Join NASA in the Exhibit Hall (Booth #206) for Hyperwall Storytelling by NASA experts. Full Hyperwall Agenda below.

Thursday, July 23

11:00AM – 11:15 AM From Daisy to NASA Engineer Barbara Hilton 11:15AM – 11:30 AM Exploring Mars, The Planet Next Door Lindsay Hays 11:30AM – 11:45 AM Get Ready With Me: Going to the Moon Naoma McCall 11:45Am – 12:00 PM NASA Is for Everyone! (talk about careers at NASA beyond science and engineering) Amy Kaminski 12:00PM – 12:15 PM Finding Asteroids Before They Find Us: Planetary Defense at NASA Kelly Fast

2:15 PM – 2:30 PM How to Nerd Your Way Into Science Communications Karen Romano Young 2:30 PM – 2:45 PM Earth: Exploring our home planet is a team effort Lesley Ott 2:45 PM – 3:00 PM TBD Jenny Mottar 3:00 PM – 3:15 PM The Journey Starts HERE: One CREW, Your HOME, Our MISSION Kaitlin Harbeck 3:15 PM – 3:30PM TBD – Artemis Overview Dominique Brewer 3:45 PM – 4:00 PM Social Media… For Science! Sofie Bates

:

58th Girl Scouts Unite Event, July 23-25, 2026

Join NASA in the Exhibit Hall (Booth #206) for Hyperwall Storytelling by NASA experts. Full Hyperwall Agenda below.

Thursday, July 23

11:00AM – 11:15 AM From Daisy to NASA Engineer Barbara Hilton 11:15AM – 11:30 AM Exploring Mars, The Planet Next Door Lindsay Hays 11:30AM – 11:45 AM Get Ready With Me: Going to the Moon Naoma McCall 11:45Am – 12:00 PM NASA Is for Everyone! (talk about careers at NASA beyond science and engineering) Amy Kaminski 12:00PM – 12:15 PM Finding Asteroids Before They Find Us: Planetary Defense at NASA Kelly Fast

2:15 PM – 2:30 PM How to Nerd Your Way Into Science Communications Karen Romano Young 2:30 PM – 2:45 PM Earth: Exploring our home planet is a team effort Lesley Ott 2:45 PM – 3:00 PM TBD Jenny Mottar 3:00 PM – 3:15 PM The Journey Starts HERE: One CREW, Your HOME, Our MISSION Kaitlin Harbeck 3:15 PM – 3:30PM TBD – Artemis Overview Dominique Brewer 3:45 PM – 4:00 PM Social Media… For Science! Sofie Bates

:

Astronomers have discovered a huge reservoir of cold molecular gas, the direct fuel for star formation, in REBELS-25, a massive, star-forming galaxy.The team, led from ​​Leiden University, focused on REBELS-25, seen when the universe was only about 700 million years old, around 5% of its current age. Astronomers use “redshift” to describe this distance, which measures how much the universe’s expansion has stretched a galaxy’s light to redder wavelengths.

Noether's work helped prove the conservation of energy in physics, a key foundation for Einstein's theory of relativity

Fans can make you hotter rather than cooler, but the temperature at which you should turn them off depends on several factors, including your age and the humidity level

Fans can make you hotter rather than cooler, but the temperature at which you should turn them off depends on several factors, including your age and the humidity level

On 17 June at 09:21 local time (13:21 BST, 14:21 CEST) Ariane 6 flight VA269 soared to orbit from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. 36 satellites for Amazon’s Leo constellation were placed into their orbit just over an hour after liftoff – the eighth successful mission insertion in a row for Europe’s newest rocket.

Astrophysicists have found what is likely the very first pair of sibling supernova remnants. One is the well-known Jellyfish Nebula, and the other was long thought to be hidden in the bright glare from the Jellyfish. The pair are connected by a bright filament of gas.

A cave in Belize contains teeth from dozens of important Maya people buried elsewhere, which may attest to a ritual intended to ensure their passage to the underworld