NASA finds biosignatures in Martian rock, but budget cuts loom

Successful #NASA IMAP Mission Launch - with Bernese collaboration! 🚀 Earlier today, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration launched three new observatories to study the sun. Among them was the #IMAP (Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe) mission, which is dedicated to exploring the outer limits of the heliosphere, the protective bubble of solar wind in which our solar system is located. Researchers from the Space Research and Planetary Sciences Division at the University of Bern contributed to the development of two IMAP instruments. Read the complete press release on the collaboration here: https://lnkd.in/ejqyMFfN Michela A. Gargano and Peter Wurz were on site at the #KennedySpaceCenter for the launch today. Congratulations on the successful launch!

NASA is best known for exploring space, but many people are surprised to learn they once had ocean exploration projects. In reality, NASA never completely “stopped” exploring the ocean—they shifted focus. During the 1960s and 1970s, NASA studied the ocean floor, underwater ecosystems, and used submersibles to test astronaut training in extreme environments. The deep sea and space share similarities like pressure, darkness, and isolation, making the ocean a natural training ground for astronauts. However, their main mission is aeronautics and space exploration, so they handed ocean research to agencies like NOAA. Still today, NASA collaborates on underwater missions and uses ocean data for climate studies, satellite monitoring, and Earth science. The myth that NASA “stopped because of something scary” is just internet speculation. The truth is, their resources and goals were redirected to space innovation. Please DM for Credit 🙏 #NASA #OceanExploration #DeepSea #SpaceVsOcean #MysteryOfOcean #NOAA #ScienceFacts #EarthAndSpace #Exploration #MythVsFact

🚀 NASA & NOAA Launch Three Space Missions A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has launched from Kennedy Space Center carrying NASA’s IMAP, Carruthers Geocorona Observatory, and NOAA’s SWFO-L1 spacecraft. These missions will study the Sun’s impact across the solar system and strengthen space weather monitoring. #NASA #NOAA #SpaceExploration #Falcon9

NASA Awards Katalyst Swift Orbit Boost Contract NASA has contracted Katalyst Space Technologies to raise the orbit of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, extending its science mission and demonstrating in-space robotic servicing. The $30M Phase III SBIR award will fund a spacecraft rendezvous and orbit boost, marking the first attempt to service a government satellite not built for in-orbit repair. Targeted for spring 2026, the mission highlights NASA’s push to leverage industry innovation for critical space infrastructure. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dsNvGxzx #SpaceWatchNews #SatelliteServicing #ISAM #RPO NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration Clayton Turner NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Shawn Domagal-Goldman

🚀 NASA on Pause: When Space Meets Budget.... Imagine the world’s most advanced space agency suddenly slowing down — not because of technical issues, but due to a budget deadlock in the U.S. Congress. NASA has temporarily paused most operations: ❌ Research projects on hold. ❌ Public outreach paused. ❌ Over 15,000 employees temporarily not working. 🔸Only essential work, like monitoring astronauts on the ISS and keeping spacecraft running, continues..... This shows how policy and funding decisions can directly impact science and innovation. Yet, even as NASA slows, private companies keep exploring, proving that the spirit of discovery never stops. 📝A reminder: Progress depends not just on ideas, but also on planning, support, and resources. #NASA #SpaceExploration #GovernmentShutdown #SpacePolicy

NASA selected 10 new astronauts from 8,000 applicants. The class has six women and four men, including Anna Menon, who has already flown to space. They will train for two years in geology, space health and survival skills. These astronauts will join future missions to the Moon and Mars, helping NASA explore space and inspire the next generation of explorers. #NASA #NewAstronauts #MoonMission #MarsMission #SpaceExploration #ArtemisProgram #GoodNewsGlobal Link: https://lnkd.in/gPACA44a

Engineers Christopher Kantzos and Tim Smith (an ASM Member) from the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland can now call themselves inventors. They are the minds behind NASA Glenn’s breakthrough material, GRX-810. Their superalloy, developed for extreme conditions of air and spaceflight, was selected as NASA’s Commercial Invention of the Year for 2025. Check out this video courtesy of WKYC.com to hear about the invention: https://lnkd.in/eNmFbwkn Smith and Kantzos were interviewed by Advanced Materials & Processes magazine in 2023. Read more about GRX-810 in that interview summary published in AM&P October 2023 here: https://lnkd.in/eV89WtiC #SpaceInnovation #MaterialsScience #engineering #materials #Invention #discovery #NASA

Dan Goldin Is Right: Asteroid Mining Shapes Our Future 🌌 Dan Goldin, former NASA chief, nails it: asteroid mining is reality now. Near-Earth asteroids hold trillions in platinum, rare earths, and water, fueling green tech and space exploration. Here’s who’s leading the charge: 1. AstroForge (USA)
Launches Vestri in Oct 2025 to mine a metallic asteroid, targeting 1-2 tons of platinum-group metals with Safran DSI propulsion. 2. TransAstra (USA)
Pioneers “optical mining” to extract water for propellant, leveraging NASA-backed CLIMB tech to slash mission costs. 3. Karman+ (USA)
Secures $20M in 2025 to refine asteroid metals in orbit, supplying batteries and space habitats. 4. Asteroid Mining Corporation Ltd (UK)
Prepares a 2026 prospecting satellite, using AI-driven robotics to map and mine NEAs. Goldin’s vision of space resources solving Earth’s scarcity unfolds, with a $1T market projected by 2030. Legal and tech challenges remain, but these trailblazers prove he’s right. What’s your take on this cosmic gold rush? 🚀 #AsteroidMining #SpaceEconomy #Innovation

Our mission operations director Abhishek Tripathi spoke with KTVU on the upcoming Carruthers Geocorona Observatory launch next week. Carruthers will image Earth's exosphere—the outermost layer of the atmosphere and one of our defenses against harmful space weather. Carruthers will be the first mission to image the exosphere in-depth.

What will it take to find life beyond Earth? Scientists need telescopes that are more stable than anything we’ve ever built before. NASA is teaming up with the company ALLVAR to test a unique material that counteracts the way other spacecraft materials expand and contract with temperature changes. This innovation could help create ultra-stable telescopes powerful enough to detect the faint signatures of life on distant worlds. Partnerships like these not only advance space exploration but also drive innovation here on Earth. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dMJkSsuq