nasa

This satellite photograph depicts the wildfire raging in Greenland, as seen from space last week.

PHOTOS: A 'Massive' Wildfire Is Now Blazing In Greenland

6:54pm August 08, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

NASA satellites detected the blaze just over a week ago. Since then, the rare wildfire in western Greenland has continued to burn through a region far better known for its ice and snow.

Wally Funk is one of the Mercury 13, a group of women who trained to be astronauts in the early 1960s.

This Pilot Is Headed To Space With Or Without NASA

5:07am August 04, 2017

In 1961, Wally Funk trained to be an astronaut. But, she never got to go to space. Fifty years on, she still dreams of flying among the stars.

The goals of the planetary protection officer are to protect the Earth and to protect other planets from being contaminated by substances from Earth during exploration.

Do You Have What It Takes To Be NASA's Next Planetary Protection Officer?

4:52pm August 03, 2017

by Merrit Kennedy

The job posting has elicited headlines about how the space agency is seeking a person to defend Earth from aliens. But it's really more about microorganisms than little green men.

A NASA illustration showing twin WB-57F research planes tracking the eclipse over North America.

Science

NASA Jets Will Extend Eclipse By Chasing Moon's Shadow

2:19pm August 02, 2017

by Scott Neuman

Cold War-era tactical bombers specially equipped with stabilized telescopes will fly over the central United States on Aug. 21, taking detailed observations of the Sun's atmosphere.

During one "extravehicular activity," members of Crew 177 collected rock specimens for analysis back at the lab.

To Prepare For Mars Settlement, Simulated Missions Explore Utah's Desert

5:25pm July 06, 2017

by Rae Ellen Bichell

NASA plans to send people to the Red Planet in the 2030s. In the meantime, a remote location in southern Utah serves as a non-NASA training ground for the Mars-minded.

Queue Listen Now

The Apollo 11 capsule in in sore need of restoration, conservation specialists say, if it's to last another 50 years. Even the adhesive that holds pieces of velcro in place is losing its stickiness, and some objects inside are starting to pop off.

Moonwalkers' Apollo 11 Capsule Gets Needed Primping For Its Star Turn On Earth

5:13am June 26, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

In 1969 it was the orbiting home and refuge for the first astronauts who walked on the moon. Today, after decades on display in a Smithsonian museum, the module is being restored for a national tour.

NASA's 2017 astronaut candidates round up for a group photo on Tuesday at Ellington Field near Johnson Space Center. The 12 pictured are, front row, left to right, Zena Cardman, Jasmin Moghbeli, Robb Kulin, Jessica Watkins, Loral O'Hara; back row, left to

Meet Your Lucky Stars: NASA Announces A New Class Of Astronaut Candidates

8:26am June 11, 2017

by Emma Bowman

This year was one of the most competitive applicant pools in the agency's history. One of the candidates explains what it takes to earn a coveted spot — and why so many want to be an astronaut today.

An artist's conception of the KELT-9 system, which has a host star (left) that's almost twice as hot as our sun. The hot star blasts its nearby planet KELT-9b, leading to a dayside surface temperature of around 7,800 degrees Fahrenheit.

Science

Scientists Discover A Scorched Planet With A Comet-Like Tail

5:43pm June 05, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

The planet called KELT-9b is around three times more massive than Jupiter. It orbits a blue star about 650 light-years away from Earth that's nearly twice as hot as our own sun.

Queue Listen Now

An artist's rendering of the newly named Parker Solar Probe spacecraft approaching the sun.

NASA Plans To Launch A Probe Next Year To 'Touch The Sun'

4:41pm May 31, 2017

The small spacecraft is set to hurtle toward the sun at about 450,000 miles per hour. Scientists hope it will clear up some big mysteries, such as why the sun's atmosphere is hotter than its surface.

This image shows Jupiter's south pole, as seen by NASA's Juno spacecraft from an altitude of 32,000 miles. The oval features are cyclones, up to 600 miles in diameter.

Juno Spacecraft Reveals Spectacular Cyclones At Jupiter's Poles

6:19pm May 25, 2017

by Joe Palca

The NASA has spotted enormous cyclones at the gas giant's north and south poles. The probe has also returned other data that have project scientists scratching their heads.

Queue Listen Now