Feed aggregator
Advanced Mini-laboratories Automate Space Station Research
The International Space Station hosts hundreds of science experiments at a time. Some experiments can take hours to perform, and researchers need to account for astronauts’ limited time. Fully automated devices, like Redwire’s ADvanced Space Experiment Processors (ADSEPs), have been designed to conduct more space science with less crew time.
Within each ADSEP facility there are three to four “mini-laboratories”, called cassettes, that allow multiple studies with different needs to be performed at the same time. The latest model, ADSEP-4 can accommodate four cassettes and features imagery capabilities. Since 2017, ADSEPs have conducted and supported two dozen investigations aboard space station with new ones on the horizon.
Crystals are grown aboard the International Space Station as part of ADSEP-PIL-02, an investigation that aims to study the effects of microgravity on various types of crystals.Redwire
The latest ADSEP investigations are related to growing seed crystals in space, which can be used to reformulate existing drugs or develop entirely new therapeutics. Previous experiments have shown that the unique microgravity environment allows the growth of larger and higher quality crystals. With Redwire’s Pharmaceutical In-Space Laboratory (PIL-BOX), a cassette-based system that uses the ADSEP facility, researchers can grow improved, space-grown seed crystals.
European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot displays a cassette for the ADvanced Space Experiment Processor (ADSEP).NASA
Notable PIL-BOX experiments sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory have focused on cancer research. The ADSEP-PIL-10 investigation, currently being conducted in orbit in collaboration with the Aspera Biomedicines, works to crystallize cancer-blocking and cancer-promoting molecules with the goal of creating an oral cancer medication. ADSEP-PIL-15 crystalized cancer-treating medicines to help refine production, quality, and stability of these cancer drugs. A recent technology demonstration, ADSEP- ICC (Industrial Crystallization Cassette), tested a larger cassette to expand ADSEP function and scale crystallization production for commercial use.
Juvenile bobtail squid swimming in seawater just after hatching as part of the ADSEP-UMAMI investigation.University of Florida
ADSEPs are not limited to crystal growth and can also be used for culturing cells and tissues, studying organisms, and researching materials-sciences. In 2021, ADSEP-UMAMI studied how bobtail squid interacted with beneficial microbes in the space environment. This research found that symbiotic interactions with microbes can lessen a host animal’s stress responses caused by spaceflight and accelerate developmental pathways such as growing neurons and tissues. These findings give insight into the importance of symbiotic relationships in closed ecosystems like spacecraft and have implications for astronauts and their own beneficial bacteria during space missions.
The automation and versatility of ADSEPs permit a wide array of science experiments to be conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory, leading to findings that inform future space missions and are beneficial to people on Earth.
Advanced Mini-laboratories Automate Space Station Research
The International Space Station hosts hundreds of science experiments at a time. Some experiments can take hours to perform, and researchers need to account for astronauts’ limited time. Fully automated devices, like Redwire’s ADvanced Space Experiment Processors (ADSEPs), have been designed to conduct more space science with less crew time.
Within each ADSEP facility there are three to four “mini-laboratories”, called cassettes, that allow multiple studies with different needs to be performed at the same time. The latest model, ADSEP-4 can accommodate four cassettes and features imagery capabilities. Since 2017, ADSEPs have conducted and supported two dozen investigations aboard space station with new ones on the horizon.
Crystals are grown aboard the International Space Station as part of ADSEP-PIL-02, an investigation that aims to study the effects of microgravity on various types of crystals.RedwireThe latest ADSEP investigations are related to growing seed crystals in space, which can be used to reformulate existing drugs or develop entirely new therapeutics. Previous experiments have shown that the unique microgravity environment allows the growth of larger and higher quality crystals. With Redwire’s Pharmaceutical In-Space Laboratory (PIL-BOX), a cassette-based system that uses the ADSEP facility, researchers can grow improved, space-grown seed crystals.
European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot displays a cassette for the ADvanced Space Experiment Processor (ADSEP).NASANotable PIL-BOX experiments sponsored by the ISS National Laboratory have focused on cancer research. The ADSEP-PIL-10 investigation, currently being conducted in orbit in collaboration with the Aspera Biomedicines, works to crystallize cancer-blocking and cancer-promoting molecules with the goal of creating an oral cancer medication. ADSEP-PIL-15 crystalized cancer-treating medicines to help refine production, quality, and stability of these cancer drugs. A recent technology demonstration, ADSEP- ICC (Industrial Crystallization Cassette), tested a larger cassette to expand ADSEP function and scale crystallization production for commercial use.
Juvenile bobtail squid swimming in seawater just after hatching as part of the ADSEP-UMAMI investigation.University of FloridaADSEPs are not limited to crystal growth and can also be used for culturing cells and tissues, studying organisms, and researching materials-sciences. In 2021, ADSEP-UMAMI studied how bobtail squid interacted with beneficial microbes in the space environment. This research found that symbiotic interactions with microbes can lessen a host animal’s stress responses caused by spaceflight and accelerate developmental pathways such as growing neurons and tissues. These findings give insight into the importance of symbiotic relationships in closed ecosystems like spacecraft and have implications for astronauts and their own beneficial bacteria during space missions.
The automation and versatility of ADSEPs permit a wide array of science experiments to be conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory, leading to findings that inform future space missions and are beneficial to people on Earth.
Mathematicians make a breakthrough on Gauss’s riddle, unsolved for 200 years
A solution to part of the Cohen-Lenstra conjecture helps resolve a long-standing mystery about quadratic forms
Psilocybin could kick-start anorexia recovery, early results suggest
An active ingredient in magic mushrooms, psilocybin has shown early promise for treating eating disorders
YouTube star Simone Giertz has some life and science lessons to share with you
The Swedish engineer influencer has spent over a decade on YouTube growing a loyal audience of over 2.5 million followers, but for her, the journey was all about living a less typical life in science.
Europe’s forests losing more biomass since 2018
Europe’s forests are losing more biomass than previously thought, with disturbances such as drought and pests causing increasingly large losses from some of the oldest forests in Europe. This situation has deteriorated markedly since 2018.
Total solar eclipse: how to watch live from home
A total solar eclipse is coming to Europe. The European Space Agency (ESA) will broadcast live from 19:30 CEST on 12 August, allowing you to experience this rare event from anywhere in the world.
Quick links:
- Live ESA broadcast on YouTube (12 August, 19:30–20:45 CEST)
- Event programme in León, Spain (12 August, 10:00–14:00 and 17:30–21:45 CEST)
- Overview of all ESA eclipse activities & resources
La Brea Tar Pits disgorge rare ice age toad
This marks only the second extinct ice age amphibian found in North America—and it gives researchers vital information about the ancient climate
APOD: 2026 August 5 – Spokes on Saturn’s B Ring
APOD
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.
Brad Croslin Spokes on Saturn’s B Ring
Explanation: Don’t get spooked by Saturn’s ghostly spokes! Today we feature a nearly two-hour timelapse of Saturn and its rings looping forwards and backwards. If you look closely, a ghoulish shadow appears and disappears as Saturn’s B ring rotates. Decades of observation with Voyager 2, Cassini, and Hubble show the appearance of Saturn’s spokes varies with the planet’s seasons. Like Earth, Saturn’s spin axis is tilted compared to the plane of its orbit around the Sun. During Saturn’s equinox, the rings are less tilted toward the Sun and they receive sunlight at a shallower angle. Saturn’s spokes may be electrically charged dust and ice temporarily levitated above the rings by electromagnetic forces. It is still uncertain, but the ring plasma and charge environment may be influenced by changing ultraviolet illumination, meteoroid impacts, or indirect effects from interactions between the solar wind and the planet’s magnetic field.
Note: The text of this APOD has been revised.
Tomorrow’s picture: the COSMOS
NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U. Random APOD Generator Yesterday’s Image APOD: 2026 August 4 – Curious Cometary Knots in the Helix Nebula Tomorrow’s Image
APOD: 2026 August 5 – Spokes on Saturn’s B Ring
APOD
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.
Brad Croslin Spokes on Saturn’s B Ring
Explanation: Don’t get spooked by Saturn’s ghostly spokes! Today we feature a nearly two-hour timelapse of Saturn and its rings looping forwards and backwards. A day on Saturn is only 10 hours long, so two hours of observation covers quite a bit of its rotation. If you look closely, a ghoulish shadow appears and disappears as Saturn’s B ring rotates. Decades of observation with Voyager 2, Cassini, and Hubble show the appearance of Saturn’s spokes varies with the planet’s seasons. Like Earth, Saturn’s spin axis is tilted compared to the plane of its orbit around the Sun. During Saturn’s equinox, the rings are less tilted away from the Sun and the planet receives more evenly distributed sunlight and solar wind. Although their origin is still uncertain, Saturn’s spokes may be shadows of and reflections off of dust and ice levitating above the rings caused by electromagnetic interactions between the solar wind and the planet’s magnetic field.
Find dark skies and look up this August to witness the Perseid meteor shower uninhibited by the Moon!
Tomorrow’s picture: the COSMOS
NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U. Random APOD Generator Yesterday’s Image APOD: 2026 August 4 – Curious Cometary Knots in the Helix Nebula Tomorrow’s Image
The Paradox of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
- Earth
- Earth Observatory
- Image of the Day
- EO Explorer
- Topics
- More Content
- About
The Paradox of Lençóis Maranhenses National Park
- Earth
- Earth Observatory
- Image of the Day
- EO Explorer
- Topics
- More Content
- About
Scientist Constructs "Big Picture" of Mars Water from Rover Data
Rover data from more than 20 years ago has revealed clues to the existence of liquid water on ancient Mars. The NASA Spirit Rover carried a specialized instrument called a Mössbauer Spectrometer that performed mineralogical analyses of soil, rock, and dust on the surface of the Red Planet at Gusev Crater. Individual measurements didn't always indicate definitive proof of water, but when scientist Paolo de Souza of Edith Cowan University in Australia examined years' worth of measurements together, a definite pattern began to show up in the existence of minerals that could only exist in the presence of water. His analysis shows that Mars used to sport a lot more water than scientists expected and that the data showing its existence was in the data all along.
NASA Will Attempt to Observe Rocket Part’s Lunar Impact
Using ground-based telescopes and space-based assets, NASA and SpaceX are tracking a used Falcon 9 upper stage from a commercial mission expected to impact the Moon on Wednesday, Aug. 5, near the Einstein and Bell craters. The impact poses no danger to Earth and NASA scientists are planning to collect lunar data from the event and refine techniques for tracking objects in space.
On Jan. 15, 2025, SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 rocket and successfully deployed Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 1 lunar lander to the Moon under NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. Solar activity and gravitational forces caused the stage’s unplanned return to the Moon. NASA and SpaceX remain in communication about the upper stage and its flight path.
Independent astronomers first identified the trajectory using publicly available data. NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which tracks natural objects that could pose hazards to Earth, later confirmed the stage has a 100% chance of impacting the Moon. NASA will continue tracking it as part of training operations.
Because the Moon has no atmosphere to slow incoming objects, it is struck by meteoroids daily. Human‑made object impacts are far less common but do occur. The rocket stage is expected to create a crater about 60 feet wide and 12 feet deep and throw dust and rock outward as ejecta. For comparison, a meteoroid with the same energy as the upper stage hits the Moon about every six days, so the lunar surface is constantly absorbing impacts with the same force. Despite the disturbance, observing impacts gives scientists valuable insight by revealing how ejecta plumes behave, helping to understand the Moon’s geology and refine models that guide future exploration and science missions.
The impact will not be visible to the naked eye on Earth, but NASA will attempt to observe it in real time. The Meteoroid Environments Office at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, will use ground‑based telescopes to image the impact; however, weather and lighting conditions may make viewing difficult.
Additionally, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the ShadowCam instrument aboard South Korea’s Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter will look for chances to image the site before and after the impact. Image availability will depend on lighting, orbital timing, and spacecraft position, and it may take several days to receive imagery. Any data collected will help scientists better understand artificial impacts and their exploration implications.
Although unplanned in this instance, disposing of upper stages on the lunar surface is a technically accepted and safe method and, in some cases, can be the only practical option for missions in low lunar orbit. Many operators choose controlled impacts because they provide predictable and trackable end of life outcomes.
NASA is committed to debris mitigation and demonstrating responsible disposal practices that safeguard Earth, its orbital environment, and other planetary bodies while enabling discoveries that deepen our understanding of the solar system and benefit humanity.
NASA Will Attempt to Observe Rocket Part’s Lunar Impact
Using ground-based telescopes and space-based assets, NASA and SpaceX are tracking a used Falcon 9 upper stage from a commercial mission expected to impact the Moon on Wednesday, Aug. 5, near the Einstein and Bell craters. The impact poses no danger to Earth and NASA scientists are planning to collect lunar data from the event and refine techniques for tracking objects in space.
On Jan. 15, 2025, SpaceX launched the Falcon 9 rocket and successfully deployed Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 1 lunar lander to the Moon under NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. Solar activity and gravitational forces caused the stage’s unplanned return to the Moon. NASA and SpaceX remain in communication about the upper stage and its flight path.
Independent astronomers first identified the trajectory using publicly available data. NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which tracks natural objects that could pose hazards to Earth, later confirmed the stage has a 100% chance of impacting the Moon. NASA will continue tracking it as part of training operations.
Because the Moon has no atmosphere to slow incoming objects, it is struck by meteoroids daily. Human‑made object impacts are far less common but do occur. The rocket stage is expected to create a crater about 60 feet wide and 12 feet deep and throw dust and rock outward as ejecta. For comparison, a meteoroid with the same energy as the upper stage hits the Moon about every six days, so the lunar surface is constantly absorbing impacts with the same force. Despite the disturbance, observing impacts gives scientists valuable insight by revealing how ejecta plumes behave, helping to understand the Moon’s geology and refine models that guide future exploration and science missions.
The impact will not be visible to the naked eye on Earth, but NASA will attempt to observe it in real time. The Meteoroid Environments Office at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, will use ground‑based telescopes to image the impact; however, weather and lighting conditions may make viewing difficult.
Additionally, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the ShadowCam instrument aboard South Korea’s Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter will look for chances to image the site before and after the impact. Image availability will depend on lighting, orbital timing, and spacecraft position, and it may take several days to receive imagery. Any data collected will help scientists better understand artificial impacts and their exploration implications.
Although unplanned in this instance, disposing of upper stages on the lunar surface is a technically accepted and safe method and, in some cases, can be the only practical option for missions in low lunar orbit. Many operators choose controlled impacts because they provide predictable and trackable end of life outcomes.
NASA is committed to debris mitigation and demonstrating responsible disposal practices that safeguard Earth, its orbital environment, and other planetary bodies while enabling discoveries that deepen our understanding of the solar system and benefit humanity.
NASA’s PUNCH Sharpens Solar Storm Forecasting in First Test
Using continuous imagery from NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission, scientists predicted the near-Earth arrival of a solar eruption to within 30 minutes in an initial proof of concept test. The results, presented Tuesday at the Committee on Space Research Scientific Meeting and under review at the journal Space Weather, could revolutionize the way Earth-impacting storms are forecasted.
“We thought PUNCH would be good at this, but it’s a stunning result,” said Craig DeForest, principal investigator for PUNCH at Southwest Research Institute’s Solar System Science and Exploration Division in Boulder, Colorado. “To put it in perspective, this could be the space weather equivalent of going from a steam engine to a modern internal combustion engine.”
Solar storms are caused by huge explosions of material off the Sun called coronal mass ejections. Forecasting when the ejections will reach Earth is key for mitigating their impacts on power grids, satellites, and astronauts. However, until recently, coronal mass ejections could not continuously be tracked for much of their journey across the solar system.
That changed in 2025 with the launch of the PUNCH mission, which uses four spacecraft in low Earth orbit to make continuous 3D observations of the inner solar system. Before PUNCH, coronal mass ejections could only be seen as they traversed one-fifth the way from the Sun to Earth, leaving scientists to guess what happened over the rest of the distance. With PUNCH’s wider field-of-view, scientists can now routinely track the solar explosions nearly all the way to Earth, capturing a new image every four minutes.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
This video created from PUNCH images shows the May 31, 2025 coronal mass ejection (CME) streaming out from the Sun. The yellow line shows the leading edge of the CME. By tracking a CME across the inner solar system, scientists are now able to predict when a solar storm will reach Earth better than ever before.NASA/PUNCH/SwRIScientists used data from a coronal mass ejection that left the Sun on May 31, 2025, to retroactively test if they could improve forecast modeling. Scientists input the images into a computer model, which analyzed the leading edge of the coronal mass ejection over time. As it moved and evolved across the inner solar system, the model used the coronal mass ejection’s speed and geometry to calculate when it would reach Earth.
Twelve hours after the coronal mass ejection left the Sun, the model settled on a final prediction showing the storm would arrive eight hours later. That predicted arrival time was ultimately accurate to within a half hour, making it 10 times better than currently used methods, which only provide a 5-hour window. In addition, the model itself revealed when the estimate had stabilized, so that a space weather forecaster would be able to predict the arrival time with confidence.
“We accomplished an order of magnitude better result than the state-of-the-art method with a really basic process, just informed by the fact that the coronal mass ejection could be tracked continuously across the solar system,” DeForest said.
These first results demonstrate the power of PUNCH’s wide-field imagery to track the solar events as they travel out from the Sun. Ultimately, the scientists think that with more refined PUNCH data and better models, they could be able to forecast coronal mass ejection arrival times even further in advance.
Beyond space weather forecasting, the images also help scientists glean new insights on coronal mass ejections. The high-resolution images allowed the scientists to see new structures in coronal mass ejections, revealing that the clouds of material are clumpier than previously thought and continue to evolve as they cross the solar system.
The PUNCH data is also helping scientists better understand how plasma, the solar material launched by coronal mass ejections, moves across space. This information can help astrophysicists better understand plasma’s behavior across the galaxy, such as in star-forming regions where it is nearly impossible to study on small scales.
Southwest Research Institute, based in San Antonio, leads the PUNCH mission and operates the mission’s four spacecraft from its facilities in Boulder. The mission is managed by Space Science Mission Operations at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for the Science Mission Directorate at the agency’s headquarters in Washington.
By Mara Johnson-Groh
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
NASA’s PUNCH Sharpens Solar Storm Forecasting in First Test
Using continuous imagery from NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission, scientists predicted the near-Earth arrival of a solar eruption to within 30 minutes in an initial proof of concept test. The results, presented Tuesday at the Committee on Space Research Scientific Meeting and under review at the journal Space Weather, could revolutionize the way Earth-impacting storms are forecasted.
“We thought PUNCH would be good at this, but it’s a stunning result,” said Craig DeForest, principal investigator for PUNCH at Southwest Research Institute’s Solar System Science and Exploration Division in Boulder, Colorado. “To put it in perspective, this could be the space weather equivalent of going from a steam engine to a modern internal combustion engine.”
Solar storms are caused by huge explosions of material off the Sun called coronal mass ejections. Forecasting when the ejections will reach Earth is key for mitigating their impacts on power grids, satellites, and astronauts. However, until recently, coronal mass ejections could not continuously be tracked for much of their journey across the solar system.
That changed in 2025 with the launch of the PUNCH mission, which uses four spacecraft in low Earth orbit to make continuous 3D observations of the inner solar system. Before PUNCH, coronal mass ejections could only be seen as they traversed one-fifth the way from the Sun to Earth, leaving scientists to guess what happened over the rest of the distance. With PUNCH’s wider field-of-view, scientists can now routinely track the solar explosions nearly all the way to Earth, capturing a new image every four minutes.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
This video created from PUNCH images shows the May 31, 2025 coronal mass ejection (CME) streaming out from the Sun. The yellow line shows the leading edge of the CME. By tracking a CME across the inner solar system, scientists are now able to predict when a solar storm will reach Earth better than ever before.NASA/PUNCH/SwRIScientists used data from a coronal mass ejection that left the Sun on May 31, 2025, to retroactively test if they could improve forecast modeling. Scientists input the images into a computer model, which analyzed the leading edge of the coronal mass ejection over time. As it moved and evolved across the inner solar system, the model used the coronal mass ejection’s speed and geometry to calculate when it would reach Earth.
Twelve hours after the coronal mass ejection left the Sun, the model settled on a final prediction showing the storm would arrive eight hours later. That predicted arrival time was ultimately accurate to within a half hour, making it 10 times better than currently used methods, which only provide a 5-hour window. In addition, the model itself revealed when the estimate had stabilized, so that a space weather forecaster would be able to predict the arrival time with confidence.
“We accomplished an order of magnitude better result than the state-of-the-art method with a really basic process, just informed by the fact that the coronal mass ejection could be tracked continuously across the solar system,” DeForest said.
These first results demonstrate the power of PUNCH’s wide-field imagery to track the solar events as they travel out from the Sun. Ultimately, the scientists think that with more refined PUNCH data and better models, they could be able to forecast coronal mass ejection arrival times even further in advance.
Beyond space weather forecasting, the images also help scientists glean new insights on coronal mass ejections. The high-resolution images allowed the scientists to see new structures in coronal mass ejections, revealing that the clouds of material are clumpier than previously thought and continue to evolve as they cross the solar system.
The PUNCH data is also helping scientists better understand how plasma, the solar material launched by coronal mass ejections, moves across space. This information can help astrophysicists better understand plasma’s behavior across the galaxy, such as in star-forming regions where it is nearly impossible to study on small scales.
Southwest Research Institute, based in San Antonio, leads the PUNCH mission and operates the mission’s four spacecraft from its facilities in Boulder. The mission is managed by Space Science Mission Operations at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for the Science Mission Directorate at the agency’s headquarters in Washington.
By Mara Johnson-Groh
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
Wormholes could be the key to time travel
Wormholes are one way that physicists have imagined traveling into the past. But if something gets there, is it physically possible to change anything?
Ames Science Stars of the Month – August 2026
The NASA Ames Science Directorate recognizes the outstanding contributions of (pictured left to right) Danielle Lopez, Jennifer Claudio, and Duncan Mifsud. Their commitment to the NASA mission represents the entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise, and collaborative disposition needed to explore this world and beyond.
Space Biosciences Star of the Month: Danielle Lopez
Danielle Lopez is the Deputy Project Manager for the Open Science Data Repository with Amentum in the Space Biosciences Division. She is recognized for her management efforts that have been critical to the success of Open Science at NASA including collaborations across directorates at Ames, across NASA centers, and with the public. Danielle has been a critical stabilizing force during challenging and tumultuous times, keeping multiple projects not only on track, but at the forefront of Open Science for the entire Agency.
Space Biosciences Star of the Month: Jennifer Claudio
Jennifer Claudio is a research staff member with Blue Marble Space in the Space Biosciences Division. Jennifer has made outstanding contributions in supporting the 2026 GeneLab for High School (GL4HS) summer program. She is recognized for her efficiency and initiative executing the program. Notably, Jennifer swiftly and successfully overcame a security breach of the GL4HS learning platform, demonstrating her resourcefulness and commitment to the program.
Astrophysics Star of the Month: Duncan Mifsud
Duncan Mifsud is a postdoctoral research scientist for the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI) in the Astrophysics Division. Duncan is recognized this month for his exceptional work on the infrared analysis of several laboratory samples produced from the ultraviolet irradiation of soluble organic molecules as well as extraterrestrial sample returned from asteroid Bennu by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission.
Ames Science Stars of the Month – August 2026
The NASA Ames Science Directorate recognizes the outstanding contributions of (pictured left to right) Danielle Lopez, Jennifer Claudio, and Duncan Mifsud. Their commitment to the NASA mission represents the entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise, and collaborative disposition needed to explore this world and beyond.
Space Biosciences Star of the Month: Danielle LopezDanielle Lopez is the Deputy Project Manager for the Open Science Data Repository with Amentum in the Space Biosciences Division. She is recognized for her management efforts that have been critical to the success of Open Science at NASA including collaborations across directorates at Ames, across NASA centers, and with the public. Danielle has been a critical stabilizing force during challenging and tumultuous times, keeping multiple projects not only on track, but at the forefront of Open Science for the entire Agency.
Space Biosciences Star of the Month: Jennifer ClaudioJennifer Claudio is a research staff member with Blue Marble Space in the Space Biosciences Division. Jennifer has made outstanding contributions in supporting the 2026 GeneLab for High School (GL4HS) summer program. She is recognized for her efficiency and initiative executing the program. Notably, Jennifer swiftly and successfully overcame a security breach of the GL4HS learning platform, demonstrating her resourcefulness and commitment to the program.
Astrophysics Star of the Month: Duncan MifsudDuncan Mifsud is a postdoctoral research scientist for the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute (BAERI) in the Astrophysics Division. Duncan is recognized this month for his exceptional work on the infrared analysis of several laboratory samples produced from the ultraviolet irradiation of soluble organic molecules as well as extraterrestrial sample returned from asteroid Bennu by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission.