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NASA’s X-59 Reaches Speed, Altitude for Future Quiet Supersonic Flights

NASA’s X-59 experimental aircraft reached a major milestone Friday, June 12, flying Mach 1.4 (about 924 mph) and an altitude of 55,000 feet, the conditions required for the aircraft to make future flights critical to its mission.
The X-59 still has months of performance testing ahead, but after those are complete, NASA’s Quesst mission will fly the aircraft over several U.S. communities to collect data on public perception of the quiet sonic thump it will make at supersonic speeds. Those community overflights will include flights at Mach 1.4 and 55,000 feet.
The milestone comes just days after the X-59’s first supersonic flight. That flight showed the aircraft performed as expected at Mach 1.1, but Friday’s mission conditions flight was an even more critical step for NASA.
The aircraft’s team has steadily expanded the aircraft’s flight envelope by evaluating its performance at a variety of speeds and altitudes, and having its pilots take on a battery of maneuvers.

The X-59 was designed to fly supersonic without causing a loud sonic boom. However, for these early supersonic flights it has been accompanied by a NASA F-15 research aircraft, a traditional supersonic jet that causes booms obscuring any noise the X-59 makes. During upcoming flights, a shock-sensing probe mounted to the F-15 will gather measurements of the X-59’s shock wave signature, an early measure of its supersonic performance.
After the team conducts more tests at a variety of altitudes and conditions to complete envelope expansion, the X-59 will enter the acoustic validation phase of Quesst. During this phase, researchers will thoroughly measure the aircraft’s supersonic acoustic signature — the quiet thump it’s designed to make — to confirm it is performing as intended.
Each flight brings NASA one step closer to flying the X-59 over communities and gathering feedback that could help shape the future of commercial supersonic flight over land.
More X-59 to Explore
Read more on the Quesst mission page.
The post NASA’s X-59 Reaches Speed, Altitude for Future Quiet Supersonic Flights appeared first on NASA Science.
Join Us at the 248th AAS Meeting, June 2026
Join Us at the 248th AAS Meeting in Pasadena, 14 – 18 June, 2026
Special Session: Everything but Exoplanets: The Transformative General Astrophysics of the Habitable Worlds Observatory
Monday, June 15th, 1:00pm – 2:30pm ET, 10:00am -11:30am PT
Highlights from Cosmic Origins Science Interest Groups (SIGs) and Science Analysis Groups (SAGs).
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 10:20am ‑ 10:30am | Spatially Resolved UV Spectroscopy Science Analysis Group in Support of HWO | Emily Witt (JHU) |
| 10:30am ‑ 10:40am | Investigating the NIR Discovery Space of the Habitable Worlds Observatory: Updates from the Red Limit Science Analysis Group | Kyle Cooke (University of Louisville) |
| 10:40am ‑ 10:50am | Opening the OVI Window to Reveal the Diffuse Cosmic Ecosystem with HWO | Sanchayeeta Borthakur (Arizona State University) |
| 11:00am ‑ 11:10am | HWO Science Interest Group: Keeping the Community Connected to HWO | Jessie Christiansen (Caltech/IPAC) |
Splinter Session: NASA’s Big Science, Small Missions
Tuesday, June 16th, 1:00pm – 2:30pm ET, 10:00am -11:30am PT (Hybrid Session)
For remote participation, please look for the “Join the Session” link above the agenda on the Cosmic Origins at AAS website.
Agenda
Organizers: Swara Ravindranath (NASA/GSFC), Emily Witt (JHU)
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00am ‑ 10:05am | Welcome | Swara Ravindranath (NASA/GSFC) |
| 10:05am ‑ 10:15am | FORTIS Sounding Rocket | Emily Witt (JHU) |
| 10:15am ‑ 10:25am | BlackCAT CubeSat | Abe Falcone (Pennsylvania State University) |
| 10:25am ‑ 10:35am | SunRISE CubeSat Constellation | Joseph Lazio (University of Michigan) |
| 10:35am ‑ 10:45am | SPHEREx Medium Explorer Mission | Roberta Paladini (IPAC/Caltech) |
| 10:45am ‑ 10:55am | Landolt Pioneer Mission | Peter Kurczynski (NASA/GSFC) |
| 10:55am ‑ 11:05am | Non-Traditional Path to Missions | Sanchayeeta Borthakur (Arizona State University) |
| 11:05am ‑ 11:10am | BREAK | |
| 11:10am ‑ 11:30am | Panel Discussion | Swara Ravindranath (NASA/GSFC, moderator) Panelists: Drew Miles (Caltech), Pablo Saz Parkinson (NASA HQ), Joseph Lazio (University of Michigan), Abe Falcone (Pennsylvania State University), David Ardila (JPL) |
Special Session: Planning for the Future of Astrophysics and the ASTRA Initiative
Thursday, June 18th, 1:00pm – 2:30pm ET, 10:00am -11:30am PT
No remote participation is available for this special session.
Agenda
| Time | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 10:00am ‑ 10:10am | Introduction from the NASA Astrophysics Division Director | Shawn Domagal‑Goldman (NASA HQ) |
| 10:10am ‑ 10:25am | The ASTRA Initiative: Overview& Path Forward | Jessica Gaskin (NASA HQ) |
| 10:25am ‑ 10:40am | Innovation for Astrophysics Workshop: Initial Findings | Kendra Short (JPL) |
| 10:40am ‑ 10:55am | Ad ASTRA Community Science Workshop | Peter Kurczynski (NASA/GSFC) |
| 10:55am ‑ 11:30am | Panel Discussion | Francesca Civano (NASA/GSFC) |
ASTRA Office Hours at Cosmic Origins Exhibit Booth
(June 15 – 17, 2026) at 9am PT
Stop by the AAS / Cosmic Origins Exhibit booth during these times to ask questions about the ASTRA initiative, the September Ad ASTRA workshop, and developing new strategic mission concepts for astrophysics. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 9 am PT (Peter Kurczynski)
Best regards,
Swara Ravindranath
The 248th Meeting of the AAS
The 248th AAS meeting (joint with the High Energy Astrophysics and the Laboratory Astrophysics Divisions) will be held 14-18 June 2026 in Pasadena, California.
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Hazard Detection Lidar System Goes to the Moon
Hazard Detection Lidar System Goes to the Moon
A flight testing success story

Enabling landers to autonomously identify the safest sites to touch down
Moon craters and their surrounding areas are high-value destinations for lunar missions since they may contain important resources and valuable science targets. However, these sites are also home to dangers such as steep slopes that are difficult to see in the challenging lighting conditions. As a result, selecting landing sites on lunar surfaces is a critical component for NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) missions. A new technology tested through NASA’s Flight Opportunities program is set to go to the Moon and help provide a safe and precise landing.
Astrobotic Technology’s Hazard Detection (HD) Lidar system scans and analyzes the terrain in real-time, enabling landers to autonomously map and select the safest landing sites. Lidar stands for light detection and ranging. The Pittsburgh-headquartered company will use its HD Lidar system when its Griffin lunar lander delivers science and technology payloads to the Moon during its CLPS delivery to the lunar south pole.
With Flight Opportunities support, Astrobotic first tested an engineering model of its advanced HD Lidar sensor in November 2024, confirming its ability to select a safe landing site by detecting and avoiding slopes, rough areas, and potential hazards. This flight test provided the Astrobotic team valuable data on the system’s performance, which was later leveraged by a second flight test in March 2026 with an integrated hazard detection and guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) system to further validate the system ahead of its first lunar mission scheduled for later this year. These flight tests helped the company advance the technology for use on its CLPS mission.
Preparing for Griffin Mission One | Flight testing lidar hazard detection video | Additional information
Preparing for Griffin Mission One
The Astrobotic Griffin Mission One will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to deliver NASA payloads to the lunar south pole.
Astrobotic’s HD Lidar system is designed to detect hazards as small as 5.9 inches (15 cm) and slopes greater than 10° to identify potential hazards, such as craters or large rocks. During the lander’s final descent phase, the spacecraft performs a stationary hover at an altitude of 100 meters — about the height of a 30-story building — while pointing its lidar toward the intended landing site. During the hover, the lidar scans the terrain, applies motion correction to account for changes in the spacecraft’s position and attitude, and processes the results into a hazard map used to identify the safest available landing location. The spacecraft then maneuvers to the selected landing site and proceeds with touchdown.
Astrobotic’s HD Lidar system works in tandem with its terrain relative navigation (TRN) sensor system, which takes live photos of the surface and compares them to an onboard map derived from orbital images to determine the spacecraft’s location above the lunar surface. In preparation for the CLPS mission, Astrobotic fully integrated its HD Lidar and TRN camera into its Griffin lander and demonstrated a successful soft landing simulation using Astrobotic’s Griffin Mission One production flatsat — a platform built with engineering models of the actual flight avionics.

Advancing Hazard Detection Lidar Through Flight Testing
NASA’s Flight Opportunities program supported testing of Astrobotic’s HD Lidar as part of its mission to demonstrate promising technologies for space exploration, scientific discovery, and the expansion of space commerce. During the flight test on Nov. 11, 2024, an engineering model of the HD Lidar sensor successfully collected data over Astrobotic’s Lunar Surface Proving Ground while mounted on the company’s Xodiac reusable vertical takeoff vertical landing rocket. During the flight, the HD Lidar system processed the 3D lidar point cloud data into a terrain hazard map and helped verify lidar communications, settings, and controls under relevant conditions.
This flight test enabled Astrobotic to make a significant advancement in demonstrating space exploration technology capabilities, and the company applied lessons from this test directly to its lunar lander missions.
Additional Information

CLPS Flight: Astrobotic Griffin-1

Moon Missions for Flight-Tested Doppler Lidar

Commercial Lunar Payload Services Blog

NASA Tests New Ways to Stick the Landing in Challenging Terrain

Moon Craters



Learn More About Flight Opportunities
The post Hazard Detection Lidar System Goes to the Moon appeared first on NASA Science.
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- Problemas no Facebook e Instagram? Meta confirma que está a trabalhar para resolver as falhas no acesso
Problemas no Facebook e Instagram? Meta confirma que está a trabalhar para resolver as falhas no acesso
Além do Facebook e Instagram, os problemas estão a afetar outras plataformas da Meta, incluindo o Messenger. A empresa está a trabalhar para resolver as falhas, embora ainda sem avançar com uma explicação para o sucedido.
The post Problemas no Facebook e Instagram? Meta confirma que está a trabalhar para resolver as falhas no acesso appeared first on Tek Notícias.
HWO Detector System Development Study Request for Proposals
Habitable Worlds Observatory Detector System Development Study Request for Proposals
12 June 2026
Due by July 7th, 2026
Dear Colleagues,
The Habitable Worlds Observatory Technology Maturation Project Office and Columbus Technologies are excited to invite you to participate in a Detector System Development Study focused on developing critical detector technologies for the Habitable Worlds Observatory. This request for proposals seeks information from qualified organizations capable of supporting detector technology maturation studies to advance candidate technologies toward Technology Readiness Level 5. Specifically, we are seeking responses to address one or more of the following detectors categories: photon-counting detectors for visible and near-infrared coronagraph applications, far-ultraviolet detectors, and large-format detectors for near-ultraviolet and visible applications. Details regarding the call for proposals, eligibility, required deliverables, and study phases are available at the Columbus Technologies website here: https://columbususa.com/opportunities/hwo-detector-rfp/
Respondents located at Government agencies including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory or NASA Centers (e.g., Goddard Space Flight Center, Ames Research Center, etc.) should submit their responses directly to Daniel Kelly (daniel.p.kelly@nasa.gov).
Note: Responses are due by July 7, 2026.
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Ad ASTRA Community Science Workshop Updates
Ad ASTRA Community Science Workshop: Agenda Structure and Abstract Submissions
Dear Astrophysics Strategic Technology & Research Accelerator (ASTRA) community members-
As we prepare for our Ad ASTRA Community Science workshop, we are writing to share important updates regarding the agenda structure and instructions for abstract submissions.
The Community Science (Ad ASTRA) Workshop is organized by the NASA Astrophysics Division to engage the community in identifying future large, strategic astrophysics missions. Structured over three thematic days—Science, Capabilities and Implementation, and Community Discussion—the workshop provides a comprehensive framework to connect scientific priorities with technological readiness and mission implementation. Across all three days, plenaries, panels, breakout sessions, and poster contributions are designed to maximize community interactions and discussion. The outcomes of the workshop will help NASA prioritize mission concepts and shape a balanced, forward-looking astrophysics portfolio that is consistent with the Astro2020 recommendations and existing and future science gaps.
To best serve the community and facilitate meaningful collaboration, we are splitting the mission concept presentations into two distinct focuses: Science on Day 1, and Capabilities and Implementation on Day 2. We are relying on you—the concept teams and the broader community—to submit abstracts for both days. We are also offering the option to present mission concepts as posters, and will offer the opportunity to present as posters any abstracts for which there is insufficient room in the parallel sessions.
Please review the detailed agenda structure and submission guidelines below:
Day 1: Science Focus
- Science Questions: Day 1 will focus on open science priorities and questions from strategic documents (Astro 2020 Decadal Survey, Enduring Quests – Daring Visions from 2014) and more recent science questions that the mission concepts submitted to ASTRA will address.
- Abstract Submission: Presentations for Day 1 are not restricted to mission concept team members. We strongly encourage other scientists in the community to submit abstracts presenting important science questions and to use this opportunity to connect with concept teams.
- Breakout Sessions: These sessions will be organized by science themes (Compact Objects and Energetic Phenomena, Cosmology, Galaxies, Exoplanets & Astrobiology, Stars and Stellar Populations). Moderators will present a summary of the panel discussions at the end of Day 1.
Day 2: Mission Concepts – Capabilities and Implementation
- Focus: Day 2 is focused on implementation, capabilities, and technologies (software and hardware) relevant to the ASTRA submitted mission concepts. A summary of the Innovation for Astrophysics Missions Workshop (May 2026) will inform discussions regarding industry and other capabilities and opportunities that may be leveraged.
- Breakout Sessions: These sessions will be organized by capability groups, which will be determined once the submitted mission concept documents are reviewed.
- Format & Goals: Breakout sessions will feature a mix of presentations and flexible discussion. The goal is for teams with concepts at varying maturity levels to collaborate, find commonalities, and strengthen their respective capability groups.
- Abstract Submission Note: Teams may submit multiple abstracts for these sessions if their concept spans different capabilities (e.g., requiring both UV and X-ray technologies).
Day 3 & Workshop Outcome
A primary goal of this workshop is to refine a draft “science-to-capabilities” matrix, which will be built using inputs from your submitted ASTRA mission concept documents. During the Day 1 and 2 breakout sessions, moderators will capture key discussion points to present during end-of-day summary panels. On Day 3 of the workshop, we will hold a plenary discussion to recap the week and collaboratively revise the “science-to-capabilities” matrix. Together as a community, we will add, refine, and prioritize science questions, mapping them to mission concepts.
Key Upcoming Dates:
- 24 June 2026: Abstract submission deadline (link). If you have already submitted an abstract and would like to modify it based on the guidelines above, please delete your previous contribution and send another submission.
- 26 June 2026: Mission Concept Document submission deadline (template, submission portal)
- 10 July 2026: Contributed abstracts selected for talks and posters
We look forward to your abstract submissions and to a highly collaborative and productive workshop!
Best regards,
The Ad ASTRA Workshop Organizing Committee
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Announcement of Opportunity SMEX 2026
Announcement of Opportunity Astrophysics Explorers Program 2026 Small Explorer (SMEX) Final Text Released
12 June 2026
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) announces the release of an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) to solicit Principal Investigator (PI)-led space science investigations for the Small Explorer (SMEX) opportunity under the Astrophysics Explorers Program. The SMD strategic goal of expanding human knowledge through new scientific discoveries in astrophysics includes the broad objective: “to understand the Sun, Earth, Solar System, and Universe.” SMD addresses this objective through astrophysics investigations that address one or more of these science goals:
- How does the Universe work? Probe the origin and destiny of our universe, including the nature of black holes, dark energy, dark matter and gravity.
- How did we get here? Explore the origin and evolution of the galaxies, stars, and planets that make up our universe.
- Are we alone? Discover and study planets around other stars and explore whether they could harbor life.
The 2026 Astrophysics SMEX (APSMEX26) Schedule:
| AO Release Date: June 9, 2026 | |
| Preproposal Conference Date: June 30, 2026 | |
| Mandatory Notice of Intent Due Date: July 21, 2026 | |
| Proposal Due Date: September 9, 2026 |
The NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES) is the official source for the full text of the Astrophysics Explorers Program 2026 SMEX AO. To find the full, final text visit https://go.nasa.gov/APSMEX26. Alternatively, visit: http://nspires.nasaprs.com/, select ‘Solicitations’ at the top of the page, and on the next page enter solicitation number NNH26ZDA011O in the search field.
Prospective investigators from any category of organizations or institutions, U.S. or non-U.S. with some restrictions as specified in Section 4.2.1 of the AO, are welcome. Specific categories of organizations and institutions include, but are not limited to, educational, industrial, and not-for-profit organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), NASA Centers, and other Government agencies. Both U.S. and non-U.S. participation is subject to China restrictions described in Sections 4.2.2 and 5.8.1 of the AO.
All interested parties must read the final APSMEX26 AO carefully for significant changes from the draft AO (NNH25ZDA008J) and prior years’ SMD Explorers Program AOs. Of particular importance is the change in evaluation and selection to a single-step competitive process. NASA intends to select one investigation proposal from the APSMEX26 responses to proceed into a combined Phase A&B. All proposals must comply with the requirements, constraints, and guidelines contained within the AO.
The Science Office for Mission Assessments (SOMA) will post the virtual Preproposal Conference agenda, connection information, and related information at: https://explorers.larc.nasa.gov/APSMEX26/SMEX. SOMA hosts the official “2026 Astrophysics Small Explorer (SMEX)” website that provides further information, including the SMEX Program Library and SMEX Question & Answer (Q&A) page. Anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions will be preserved. Proposers are encouraged to send comments and questions early so that they may be fully addressed. Questions posed at least one week before the Pre-Proposal Conference may be addressed in the Pre-Proposal Conference presentation or on the SMEXQ&A page. The deadline for other questions is two (2) weeks before the proposal due date.
All questions or comments about the Astrophysics SMEX 2026 AO shall be addressed via email to Daniel Moses, APSMEX26 Lead Program Scientist, dan.moses@nasa.gov; Hannah JangCondell, APSMEX26 Deputy Program Scientist, hannah.jang-condell@nasa.gov; and Omar Torres, Lead Acquisition Manager for the 2026 Astrophysics SMEX AO, SOMA omar.torres@nasa.gov using subject line “APSMEX26” to be properly routed.
Any costs incurred in preparing a submission in response to this notice or the full APSMEX26 AO are solely the responsibility of the submitter.
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Meta’s Edits app is getting an AI assistant and a desktop version
You can just tell the Instagram algorithm what you want now
Instagram is going to let you tweak what its algorithm shows you on your main feed. With the Your Algorithm feature, "you can now see the topics we think you're interested in, and change them, across all the major parts of Instagram," according to Instagram boss Adam Mosseri. Right now, the feature will only surface topics, but Instagram is working on "supporting requests for people, different moods or vibes, content types, and more."
The company has been slowly giving users more agency over some algorithms on Instagram, having already launched the Your Algorithm feature for your Reels feed and the Explore page. With Wednesday's announcemen …
Ad ASTRA Community Science Workshop Announcements
Ad ASTRA Community Science Workshop: Agenda Structure and Abstract Submissions
Dear Astrophysics Strategic Technology & Research Accelerator (ASTRA) community members-
As we prepare for our Ad ASTRA Community Science workshop, we are writing to share important updates regarding the agenda structure and instructions for abstract submissions.
The Community Science (Ad ASTRA) Workshop is organized by the NASA Astrophysics Division to engage the community in identifying future large, strategic astrophysics missions. Structured over three thematic days—Science, Capabilities and Implementation, and Community Discussion—the workshop provides a comprehensive framework to connect scientific priorities with technological readiness and mission implementation. Across all three days, plenaries, panels, breakout sessions, and poster contributions are designed to maximize community interactions and discussion. The outcomes of the workshop will help NASA prioritize mission concepts and shape a balanced, forward-looking astrophysics portfolio that is consistent with the Astro2020 recommendations and existing and future science gaps.
To best serve the community and facilitate meaningful collaboration, we are splitting the mission concept presentations into two distinct focuses: Science on Day 1, and Capabilities and Implementation on Day 2. We are relying on you—the concept teams and the broader community—to submit abstracts for both days. We are also offering the option to present mission concepts as posters, and will offer the opportunity to present as posters any abstracts for which there is insufficient room in the parallel sessions.
Please review the detailed agenda structure and submission guidelines below:
Day 1: Science Focus
- Science Questions: Day 1 will focus on open science priorities and questions from strategic documents (Astro 2020 Decadal Survey, Enduring Quests – Daring Visions from 2014) and more recent science questions that the mission concepts submitted to ASTRA will address.
- Abstract Submission: Presentations for Day 1 are not restricted to mission concept team members. We strongly encourage other scientists in the community to submit abstracts presenting important science questions and to use this opportunity to connect with concept teams.
- Breakout Sessions: These sessions will be organized by science themes (Compact Objects and Energetic Phenomena, Cosmology, Galaxies, Exoplanets & Astrobiology, Stars and Stellar Populations). Moderators will present a summary of the panel discussions at the end of Day 1.
Day 2: Mission Concepts – Capabilities and Implementation
- Focus: Day 2 is focused on implementation, capabilities, and technologies (software and hardware) relevant to the ASTRA submitted mission concepts. A summary of the Innovation for Astrophysics Missions Workshop (May 2026) will inform discussions regarding industry and other capabilities and opportunities that may be leveraged.
- Breakout Sessions: These sessions will be organized by capability groups, which will be determined once the submitted mission concept documents are reviewed.
- Format & Goals: Breakout sessions will feature a mix of presentations and flexible discussion. The goal is for teams with concepts at varying maturity levels to collaborate, find commonalities, and strengthen their respective capability groups.
- Abstract Submission Note: Teams may submit multiple abstracts for these sessions if their concept spans different capabilities (e.g., requiring both UV and X-ray technologies).
Day 3 & Workshop Outcome
A primary goal of this workshop is to refine a draft “science-to-capabilities” matrix, which will be built using inputs from your submitted ASTRA mission concept documents. During the Day 1 and 2 breakout sessions, moderators will capture key discussion points to present during end-of-day summary panels. On Day 3 of the workshop, we will hold a plenary discussion to recap the week and collaboratively revise the “science-to-capabilities” matrix. Together as a community, we will add, refine, and prioritize science questions, mapping them to mission concepts.
Key Upcoming Dates:
- 24 June 2026: Abstract submission deadline (link). If you have already submitted an abstract and would like to modify it based on the guidelines above, please delete your previous contribution and send another submission.
- 26 June 2026: Mission Concept Document submission deadline (template, submission portal)
- 10 July 2026: Contributed abstracts selected for talks and posters
We look forward to your abstract submissions and to a highly collaborative and productive workshop!
Best regards,
The Ad ASTRA Workshop Organizing Committee
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Subscribe to your community email news list
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The post Ad ASTRA Community Science Workshop Announcements appeared first on NASA Science.
TODAY: Cosmic Origins Community Webinar, 10 June 2026
TODAY: Cosmic Origins Community Webinar, June 10, 2026
10 June 2026
Dear Cosmic Origins Community,
The ASTRA initiative (linked below) will promote new strategic mission concepts for astrophysics. We would like to encourage you to think about new strategic mission concepts for the coming decades of astrophysics. Please join us for a community webinar next Wednesday, June 10, 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET ( 9:00 – 10:00 am PT) where we will discuss ASTRA.
As part of ASTRA, the Community Science (Ad ASTRA) Workshop will take place 1-3 September 2026 in Pasadena. New concept ideas will be discussed at this event.
To join the ASTRA initiative, mission concept template is now available (linked below). There are also instructions for submission. Submitted concept ideas will be discussed at the September workshop.
Associated links:
- Connection information: https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/programs/cosmic-origins/community/cosmic-origins-seminar-10-june-2026/
- ASTRA Initiative: https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/programs/cosmic-origins/studies/astra-initiative/
- Mission Concept Template: https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/programs/cosmic-origins/community/astra-mission-concept-template-and-submission-form/
We look forward to talking with you next week.
Shouleh Nikzad, Chair
Sabrina Stierwalt, Vice-Chair
COPAG Executive Committee
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IR STIG Meeting, 12 June 2026
IR STIG Meeting
Infrared Science and Technology Interest Group
Location
Virtual
Dates
12 June 2026
1:00pm ET / 10:00am PT
Community
IR STIG
Type
Meeting
ASTRA Initiative Community Brainstorming Session
The IRSTIG will host a community brainstorming session from 1-3pm ET / 10am – 12pm PT. We understand this is short notice, however given the rapidly approaching ASTRA workshop abstract deadline (June 24th) and ASTRA mission concept template submission deadline (June 26th), we feel that this coming Friday is our best opportunity to rally the IR community. As such, we will be holding an open-invite brainstorming session to help energize and organize the community. This will be a rather freeform meeting to allow for flexibility, but a rough schedule is as follows:
- We will begin at 1pm ET/ 10am PT with a brief introduction to the ASTRA initiative and our charge in developing concepts from Peter Kurczynski, Chief Scientist of the NASA Cosmic Origins Program Office.
- Following this, we will open the floor to any member of the community to present a 3 slide / 2min pitch of a mission pre-concept (i.e. does not have to be a fully formed idea). This could look like one or more interesting science questions that you are looking for collaborators to help build into a well-founded mission concept, to a cutting edge technology that could be infused into or enable a future IR mission and you’d like science investigators to help develop, to a concept that has been already submitted to a competitive mission selection process. The goal here is to bring the community together and encourage a breadth of ideas so that community members may figure out where they can contribute and participate in the ASTRA process.
- Following these pitches, we would open the floor for a discussion of the recurrent and over-arching science theme drivers that motivate cosmic origins mission development, distilling the outcome into broad topical/mission bins.
- In the last ~hour, we will enable breakout rooms around these topics so that community members can self-organize. The goal here is to form small teams that will eventually complete and submit an ASTRA initiative mission concept template found here.
Meeting connection information will be provided prior to Friday. Please feel free to share amongst your colleagues and students, our community benefits from a diversity of ideas. We hope to see you there!
Meeting Connection
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Prada Helped Design the Cooling Layer NASA Astronauts Would Wear on the Moon
Meet the astronauts flying on Artemis 3
When NASA added a low Earth orbit test flight to the Artemis program in February, pushing the lunar landing from Artemis 3 to Artemis 4, it left the details sparse. On Tuesday, the agency filled them in. At a press conference, NASA named the four-person crew for Artemis 3, a 2027 Earth-orbit test flight thatContinue reading "Meet the astronauts flying on Artemis 3"
The post Meet the astronauts flying on Artemis 3 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.
NASA Announces Artemis III Crew
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- Quer renovar o visual do seu perfil no Instagram? Veja como mudar a ordem das publicações
Quer renovar o visual do seu perfil no Instagram? Veja como mudar a ordem das publicações
O Instagram tem uma nova funcionalidade que permite mudar a ordem das publicações apresentadas no perfil. A novidade foi originalmente anunciada no início do ano passado e, depois de um período de testes junto de um conjunto limitado de utilizadores, começa agora a estar disponível para todos.
The post Quer renovar o visual do seu perfil no Instagram? Veja como mudar a ordem das publicações appeared first on Tek Notícias.