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Mark Thomson has taken the reins at CERN just as particle physics confronts some of its deepest unknowns – and faces hard choices about what comes next

Mark Thomson has taken the reins at CERN just as particle physics confronts some of its deepest unknowns – and faces hard choices about what comes next

A circle running along the 27° east and 153° west meridians divides the globe into two halves with equal reflectivity – and this may have implications for solar geoengineering schemes

A circle running along the 27° east and 153° west meridians divides the globe into two halves with equal reflectivity – and this may have implications for solar geoengineering schemes

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the spiral galaxy Messier 88 (M88).

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the spiral galaxy Messier 88 (M88).ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker

The focus of this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image released on May 29, 2026, is an active spiral galaxy on a journey lasting hundreds of millions of years. The galaxy Messier 88 (M88), also known as NGC 4501, is located about 63 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices (Berenice’s Hair).

M88 is an active galaxy, which means that its center harbors a supermassive black hole that is snacking on gas and dust. Astronomers estimate the black hole is around 100 million times as massive as the Sun, and it appears to be powering outflows of gas from the galaxy’s center.

Learn more about M88.

Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the spiral galaxy Messier 88 (M88).ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker

The focus of this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image released on May 29, 2026, is an active spiral galaxy on a journey lasting hundreds of millions of years. The galaxy Messier 88 (M88), also known as NGC 4501, is located about 63 million light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices (Berenice’s Hair).

M88 is an active galaxy, which means that its center harbors a supermassive black hole that is snacking on gas and dust. Astronomers estimate the black hole is around 100 million times as massive as the Sun, and it appears to be powering outflows of gas from the galaxy’s center.

Learn more about M88.

Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker

The early Universe is full of massive galaxies that stopped forming stars very early. They're called massive quenchers (MQ) and they're challenging to explain. New research shows that another type of galaxy, dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) can explain why. It's all about mergers, starbursts, and AGN feedback.

Unprecedented results against a stubbornly hard-to-treat cancer are boosting optimism that other challenging tumors will be next

A UN report warns of the rapid growth in AI energy consumption, but suggests users can improve efficiency by making prompts more concise

A UN report warns of the rapid growth in AI energy consumption, but suggests users can improve efficiency by making prompts more concise

A quantum computer made from extremely cold atoms can correct its own errors during long computations, an important prerequisite for becoming truly useful

A quantum computer made from extremely cold atoms can correct its own errors during long computations, an important prerequisite for becoming truly useful

Astronomers studying wind speeds on distant exoplanets have discovered weather systems driven by magnetic fields, rather than the largely hydrodynamic weather patterns observed on Earth. This discovery is among the best evidence yet for the existence of magnetic fields on exoplanets.

MAVEN was the first successful mission designed to study the atmosphere of Mars. It also became a vital node of NASA’s communications network at the Red Planet

NASA has announced that, after six months of trying to recover the MAVEN mission at Mars, they are saying goodbye.

The post Mars MAVEN Mission Lost; NASA Says Farewell appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

A powerful but mostly unseen water system at work during rocket engine tests at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, underwent an upgrade in May.

Crews brought the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir to its lowest level since construction in the 1960s by pumping out about 40 million gallons of water over three days.

This brought the reservoir, measuring 800 feet in diameter and about 25 feet deep, down to the level needed to replace a 3,000 gallon per minute pump that supplies water for fire suppression to the test complexes.

before after The High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir is shown at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7 as work gets underway to remove about 40 million gallons of water to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin The reservoir is shown at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11 at its lowest level since construction in the 1960s. Crews lowered the reservoir by pumping out about 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades. NASA/Danny Nowlin beforeafter The High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir is shown at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7 as work gets underway to remove about 40 million gallons of water to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin The reservoir is shown at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11 at its lowest level since construction in the 1960s. Crews lowered the reservoir by pumping out about 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades. NASA/Danny Nowlin before after

Before and After

Lowering the Reservoir

May 7, 2026 – May 11, 2026

CurtainToggle2-Up Image Details BEFORE (SSC-20260507-s00393) The High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir is shown at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7 as work gets underway to remove about 40 million gallons of water to complete upgrades. AFTER (SSC-20260511-s00420) The reservoir is shown at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11 at its lowest level since construction in the 1960s. Crews lowered the reservoir by pumping out about 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades.

For a typical RS-25 engine test supporting NASA’s Artemis missions, about five million gallons of water flow from the reservoir to the Fred Haise Test Stand. The water cools the engine exhaust that reaches up to 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit, supplies water to the flame deflector and helps with sound suppression during a test.

A hot fire test produces critical data to ensure an engine is safe and reliable.

before after A view from the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7 shows the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-milion-gallon reservoir as work gets underway to remove about 40 million gallons of water to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin A view from the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11 shows the reservoir at its lowest level since construction in the 1960s. Crews lowered the reservoir by pumping out 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin beforeafter A view from the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7 shows the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-milion-gallon reservoir as work gets underway to remove about 40 million gallons of water to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin A view from the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11 shows the reservoir at its lowest level since construction in the 1960s. Crews lowered the reservoir by pumping out 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin before after

Before and After

A View from the Thad Cochran Test Stand

May 7, 2026 – May 11, 2026

CurtainToggle2-Up Image Details BEFORE (SSC-20260507-s00395) – A view from the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7 shows the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-milion-gallon reservoir as work gets underway to remove about 40 million gallons of water to complete upgrades. AFTER (SSC-20260511-s00423) – A view from the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11 shows the reservoir at its lowest level since construction in the 1960s. Crews lowered the reservoir by pumping out 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades.

The water used during a test is recycled for future use as it flows back into the on-site canal system, before returning to the reservoir.

“The old pump that supported fire suppression for testing reached its end of life, so this project promotes reliability with the upgrade,” said Justin Lucas, NASA project manager.

In addition to a new pump, the piping has improved to a 14-inch-to-12-inch configuration.

Picture trying to drink water from a big cup using a tiny coffee stirrer. This is similar to how the previous pump relied on piping that narrowed from 14 inches down to 10 inches before reaching the pump. The water moved but required more work from the system.

“With the upgraded configuration, less velocity inside the pipe with the same amount of flow equals a longer lasting pipe, pump, and hardware,” said Lucas.

A work crew lays suction piping on May 6 for the portable pumps that will help remove about 40 million gallons of water from the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir to complete upgrades at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Floating buoys keep the suction piping suspended above the reservoir floor, preventing it from drawing in mud. This also protects the integrity of the reservoir bed by ensuring no underlying material is removed.NASA/Danny Nowlin A drone image shows water flowing to the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7. Crews lowered the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66 million gallon reservoir to its lowest level since the 1960s by pumping out about 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades.NASA/Jason Peterson A drone image shows the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7. Crews lowered the reservoir to its lowest level since the 1960s by pumping out about 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades.NASA/Jason Peterson A work crew uses a lift to remove the main isolation valve to complete upgrades at NASA’s Stennis Space Center’s High Pressure Industrial Water Facility on May 11. The isolation valve isolates the water supply during work to replace the 3,000 gallon per minute pump that supplies water for fire suppression to the test complexes.NASA/Danny Nowlin The High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir is shown with about 40 million gallons of water removed at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11. Crews lowered the reservoir to its lowest level since construction in the 1960s to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin The High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir is shown with about 40 million gallons of water removed at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11. Crews lowered the reservoir to its lowest level since construction in the 1960s to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin

The water system upgrades have strengthened a vital system that supports NASA’s Artemis missions, along with commercial companies operating at NASA Stennis, home to America’s largest multiuser propulsion test site.

A powerful but mostly unseen water system at work during rocket engine tests at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, underwent an upgrade in May.

Crews brought the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir to its lowest level since construction in the 1960s by pumping out about 40 million gallons of water over three days.

This brought the reservoir, measuring 800 feet in diameter and about 25 feet deep, down to the level needed to replace a 3,000 gallon per minute pump that supplies water for fire suppression to the test complexes.

before after The High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir is shown at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7 as work gets underway to remove about 40 million gallons of water to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin The reservoir is shown at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11 at its lowest level since construction in the 1960s. Crews lowered the reservoir by pumping out about 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades. NASA/Danny Nowlin beforeafter The High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir is shown at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7 as work gets underway to remove about 40 million gallons of water to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin The reservoir is shown at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11 at its lowest level since construction in the 1960s. Crews lowered the reservoir by pumping out about 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades. NASA/Danny Nowlin before after

Before and After

Lowering the Reservoir

May 7, 2026 – May 11, 2026

CurtainToggle2-Up Image Details BEFORE (SSC-20260507-s00393) The High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir is shown at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7 as work gets underway to remove about 40 million gallons of water to complete upgrades. AFTER (SSC-20260511-s00420) The reservoir is shown at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11 at its lowest level since construction in the 1960s. Crews lowered the reservoir by pumping out about 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades.

For a typical RS-25 engine test supporting NASA’s Artemis missions, about five million gallons of water flow from the reservoir to the Fred Haise Test Stand. The water cools the engine exhaust that reaches up to 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit, supplies water to the flame deflector and helps with sound suppression during a test.

A hot fire test produces critical data to ensure an engine is safe and reliable.

before after A view from the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7 shows the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-milion-gallon reservoir as work gets underway to remove about 40 million gallons of water to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin A view from the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11 shows the reservoir at its lowest level since construction in the 1960s. Crews lowered the reservoir by pumping out 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin beforeafter A view from the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7 shows the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-milion-gallon reservoir as work gets underway to remove about 40 million gallons of water to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin A view from the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11 shows the reservoir at its lowest level since construction in the 1960s. Crews lowered the reservoir by pumping out 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin before after

Before and After

A View from the Thad Cochran Test Stand

May 7, 2026 – May 11, 2026

CurtainToggle2-Up Image Details BEFORE (SSC-20260507-s00395) – A view from the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7 shows the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-milion-gallon reservoir as work gets underway to remove about 40 million gallons of water to complete upgrades. AFTER (SSC-20260511-s00423) – A view from the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11 shows the reservoir at its lowest level since construction in the 1960s. Crews lowered the reservoir by pumping out 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades.

The water used during a test is recycled for future use as it flows back into the on-site canal system, before returning to the reservoir.

“The old pump that supported fire suppression for testing reached its end of life, so this project promotes reliability with the upgrade,” said Justin Lucas, NASA project manager.

In addition to a new pump, the piping has improved to a 14-inch-to-12-inch configuration.

Picture trying to drink water from a big cup using a tiny coffee stirrer. This is similar to how the previous pump relied on piping that narrowed from 14 inches down to 10 inches before reaching the pump. The water moved but required more work from the system.

“With the upgraded configuration, less velocity inside the pipe with the same amount of flow equals a longer lasting pipe, pump, and hardware,” said Lucas.

A work crew lays suction piping on May 6 for the portable pumps that will help remove about 40 million gallons of water from the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir to complete upgrades at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Floating buoys keep the suction piping suspended above the reservoir floor, preventing it from drawing in mud. This also protects the integrity of the reservoir bed by ensuring no underlying material is removed.NASA/Danny Nowlin A drone image shows water flowing to the Thad Cochran Test Stand at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7. Crews lowered the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66 million gallon reservoir to its lowest level since the 1960s by pumping out about 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades.NASA/Jason Peterson A drone image shows the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 7. Crews lowered the reservoir to its lowest level since the 1960s by pumping out about 40 million gallons over three days to complete upgrades.NASA/Jason Peterson A work crew uses a lift to remove the main isolation valve to complete upgrades at NASA’s Stennis Space Center’s High Pressure Industrial Water Facility on May 11. The isolation valve isolates the water supply during work to replace the 3,000 gallon per minute pump that supplies water for fire suppression to the test complexes.NASA/Danny Nowlin The High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir is shown with about 40 million gallons of water removed at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11. Crews lowered the reservoir to its lowest level since construction in the 1960s to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin The High Pressure Industrial Water Facility’s 66-million-gallon reservoir is shown with about 40 million gallons of water removed at NASA’s Stennis Space Center on May 11. Crews lowered the reservoir to its lowest level since construction in the 1960s to complete upgrades.NASA/Danny Nowlin

The water system upgrades have strengthened a vital system that supports NASA’s Artemis missions, along with commercial companies operating at NASA Stennis, home to America’s largest multiuser propulsion test site.

The strength of gravity is different on every body in the solar system. Whether it's the crushing weight of Jupiter or the miniscule pull of a small asteroid, this fundamental force of physics still has a major impact on the material those bodies are made up of. A new paper from researchers at the University of Duisburg-Essen and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) showcases just how different it can be by letting planetary simulants freefall inside a giant drop tower and measuring how “fluffy” the space dirt got.

Artist’s concept of NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft at Mars. The spacecraft entered orbit around the planet in 2014 and has completed over eleven years of observing the Martian upper atmosphere, ionosphere, and interactions with the Sun and solar wind to explore the loss of the Red Planet’s atmosphere to space. Credit: NASA/Goddard/University of Colorado/Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics

The first mission devoted to observing the Martian atmosphere and its evolution, NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution), has ended after more than 11 years in orbit at Mars and a decade beyond its primary, one-year mission. The spacecraft was heard last on Dec. 6, when it experienced an unexpected loss of signal after it passed behind the Red Planet.

NASA will host a media teleconference at 2 p.m. EDT today, Wednesday, June 3, to discuss MAVEN’s achievements.

The agency convened an anomaly review board in February to evaluate recovery efforts and assess the spacecraft’s probable current state. The review board has determined that the MAVEN spacecraft is not recoverable, and it is no longer capable of performing its science and data relay mission, which is consistent with the mission team’s findings.

Telemetry from MAVEN prior to the spacecraft’s passage behind Mars in December showed all subsystems working normally. After the spacecraft emerged, NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) did not observe a signal. A brief fragment of telemetry data from analysis of radio signals recorded by the DSN’s open-loop receivers indicated the spacecraft was in safe mode and rotating at an unusually high rate when it emerged from behind Mars, indicating a disruption in MAVEN’s orbit trajectory. The review board concluded that due to this rotation, the batteries on the spacecraft had drained, causing the communications system to lose power and rendering MAVEN in an unrecoverable state.

These preliminary findings do not address a potential root cause for the anomaly, which still is being investigated. The review board is expected to provide its final report later this year. NASA has begun the official process of decommissioning the MAVEN mission, following standard procedures to archive the full mission dataset for the science and exploration communities.

“The science MAVEN has given us is key to informing what kind of radiation protection and safety measures we must take before sending humans to Mars,” said Louise Prockter, director of the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The data collected from MAVEN will continue to provide valuable insight into Mars for decades to come.”

Launched in November 2013, the MAVEN mission explored the Red Planet’s upper atmosphere, ionosphere, and interactions with the Sun to explore the loss of the Martian atmosphere to space. Understanding atmospheric loss gives scientists insight into the history of the planet’s atmosphere and climate, liquid water, and planetary habitability.

“The MAVEN mission has truly advanced our understanding of the Martian atmosphere and evolution. This dataset has had a tremendous impact on the field,” said Shannon Curry, MAVEN’s principal investigator and a researcher at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder. “Our science team is exceptionally proud of all of these amazing discoveries.”

Sun’s impact on Mars

One of MAVEN’s first major results was that the erosion of Mars’ atmosphere increases significantly during solar storms. The team studied how the solar wind, which is a stream of charged particles continually streaming from the Sun, and solar storms continually strip away Mars’ atmosphere, as well as how this process played a key role in altering the Martian climate from a potentially habitable world to today’s cold, arid planet. The MAVEN mission made unprecedented strides in advancing our understanding of how the Sun and space weather affect Mars, as it was the only spacecraft that could simultaneously take measurements of both the Sun and the Martian atmospheric response.

Martian light shows

The MAVEN mission discovered several types of auroras that light up when energetic particles plunge into the atmosphere, bombarding gases and making them glow. The MAVEN team showed that protons create new kinds of auroras at Mars. On Earth, proton auroras only occur in very small regions near the poles, whereas at Mars they can occur everywhere.

Mars’ atmosphere sputters into space

To better understand how Mars lost most of its atmosphere, MAVEN measured atmospheric sputtering for the first time at any planet. The team did this by observing argon, which is a noble gas, meaning it rarely reacts with other constituents in the Martian atmosphere. The only significant way it can be removed is by atmospheric sputtering, a process where ions crash into the Martian atmosphere at high enough speeds that they splash gas molecules out of the atmosphere, much like doing a cannonball into a pool. The team used 11 years of data to reveal the presence of sputtered argon at high altitudes in the exact locations that the energetic particles crashed into the atmosphere, showing sputtering in real time.

Understanding Mars’ dusty secrets

In 2018, a series of dust storms created a dust cloud so large that it enveloped the Red Planet. The MAVEN team studied how this “global” dust storm affected Mars’ upper atmosphere to understand how these events affected the escape of water to space. It confirmed that heating from dust storms can loft water molecules far higher into the atmosphere than usual, leading to a sudden surge in water lost to space.

Chasing comets

In addition to Martian science, MAVEN contributed to NASA’s effort to observe comet 3I/ATLAS at Mars. Over the course of 10 days last year, the MAVEN team designed a new observing campaign to capture 3I/ATLAS by taking multiple images of the comet in several wavelengths, much like using various filters on a camera. Then it snapped high-resolution UV images to identify the hydrogen coming from the comet. By studying a combination of these images, scientists can identify a variety of molecules and better understand the comet’s composition and history.  

During the mission’s lifetime, MAVEN’s science team produced more than 800 publications, and additional publications are planned.

In addition to science, the MAVEN spacecraft was an instrumental player in NASA’s Mars Relay Network, communicating data from Mars rovers to Earth. It also holds the solar system record for most data relayed from another planet in a single day.

Audio of today’s media teleconference will stream on the agency’s website at:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

Participants in the teleconference include:

• Tiffany Morgan, director, Mars Exploration Program, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters
• Mike Moreau, project manager, MAVEN, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
• Greg Heckler, deputy program manager for Capability Development, SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation), NASA Headquarters
• Shannon Curry, MAVEN principal investigator, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder

To ask questions by phone, media must RSVP no later than 12 p.m. to: sarah.frazier@nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online.

The MAVEN mission is part of NASA’s Mars Exploration Program portfolio. The mission’s principal investigator is based at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder, which also is responsible for managing science operations and public outreach and communications. NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the MAVEN mission. Lockheed Martin Space built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California provides navigation and Deep Space Network support.  

For more information about NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, visit:

https://science.nasa.gov/planetary-science/programs/mars-exploration

-end-

Karen Fox / Alana Johnson
Headquarters, Washington
240-285-5155 / 202-672-4780
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alana.r.johnson@nasa.gov

Sarah Frazier
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
202-853-7191
sarah.frazier@nasa.gov

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Details Last Updated Jun 03, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms

• MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN)
• Deep Space Network
• Goddard Space Flight Center
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Mars
• Science Mission Directorate