NASA | J.R. Johnson

Posts Tagged ‘NASA’

You’ve Reached Artemis, Please Hold…

Posted in Entertainment, Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, Artemis, full moon, inspiration, movies, NASA, science on February 4, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Sadly, NASA’s Artemis mission launch has run into some issues (hydrogen leaks bad!) and will be delayed until at least March.

NASA Conducts Artemis II Fuel Test, Eyes March for Launch Opportunity

That said, safer is better, so you do what you need to do, NASA. (Maybe rehiring some of the folks who were let go last year might help? Just saying.)

What do we hope to see when the mission does launch? This site has a nice explainer.

The flight path of Artemis 2, step by step

And for more on the long-term goals, see this in-depth article: How Artemis will land humans on the Moon.

As we wait to hear more from the launchpad, here’s something fun I ran across the other day that may help keep you entertained:

We asked former astronauts about their favorite space movies, and this is what they said

I mean, I’m more The Martian and Galaxy Quest than 2001, but that’s me. So many good movies!

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If We Look

Posted in Other, Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, full moon, NASA, science, space, Thoughts, unexpected joys on February 1, 2026| 8 Comments »

We’ve lived in this house for years but this morning I discovered something new. Some confluence of sun angle, time of day and positioning meant that the lampshade in the kitchen reflected a rainbow-colored series of textured light onto the ceiling. It was both joyful and unexpected, reminding me that there is beauty everywhere.

If I look.

Speaking of reflected light, there’s a full moon tonight.

Tonight’s moon is known by many names, including the Wolf Moon, Cold Moon, and Snow Moon. We may finally have clear skies tonight, too, and I’m looking forward to looking up.

Snow Moon: Full Moon in February 2026

February’s Full Snow Moon reaches peak illumination at 5:09 P.M. EST on Sunday, February 1. Step outside after dusk to see the Full Moon in all of its glory!

Since we’re here, I’ll share a link that led to a flurry of conversation in my family.

1969 Apollo 11 First steps on the Moon (16mm footage)

On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 Lunar Module with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin aboard touched down on the surface of the Moon 4 days, 6 hours, and 45 minutes after having launched from Cape Canaveral. At 02:56:15 GMT, Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on another celestial body.

My parents were remembering where they were when it happened (at the next-door neighbor’s in Michigan, because they didn’t have a television), and what it felt like to watch the landing. Uplifting.

And looking ahead, NASA’s first crewed mission around the moon in over half a century will be happening soon.

Something to look forward to!

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Curiosity Knows

Posted in Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, MarsCuriosity, NASA, science, space, Thoughts on September 18, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Some days the day job is a little hectic, and what I’d really like is a moment to get away from it all, you know?

Curiosity knows. The intrepid rover has been on Mars since 2012 and is still very much out of the office.

In fact, let’s check in. Where is that little bundle of human ingenuity is now?

Curiosity Rover Location Map – NASA Science

And what has it seen? So much!

Photos: 13 Years on Mars

Being away from the rest of us doesn’t mean Curiosity isn’t getting the best dirt. In fact, its latest discovery has the potential to stir up what we know about life on Mars!

Here’s Neil deGrasse Tyson to break it down for us:

As Neil asks, “Could we have Martian neighbors?” If yes, would they fancy a mid-afternoon coffee break?

I know I could use one.

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To the Explorers

Posted in Other, Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, astronauts, heroes, inspiration, NASA, Thoughts on August 11, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Astronaut James Lovell, Apollo 13 commander, dies at 97

“James Lovell, the commander of Apollo 13 who helped turn a failed moon mission into a triumph of on-the-fly can-do engineering, has died. He was 97.”

(If you’re curious, here’s a quick refresher on the Apollo program.)

And because so many of us know of Lovell from the excellent movie version of his most famous mission, here’s Tom Hanks’ appreciation:

Tom Hanks pays tribute to Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell

“There are people who dare, who dream, and who lead others to the places we would not go on our own. Jim Lovell, who for a long while had gone farther into space and for longer than any other person of our planet, was that kind of guy.”

Here’s to the brave, to the can-do, to the explorers among us. Humanity is the better for you.

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Andromeda Revealed!

Posted in Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, astronomy, inspiration, JWST, NASA, science on August 8, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Sometimes a picture is worth much more than a thousand words:

Andromeda Galaxy Panorama Features Over 200 Million Stars

Stitching together more than 600 overlapping snapshots, the panorama serves as the largest photomosaic ever assembled from Hubble Space Telescope observations. Across its 2.5 billion pixels are a vast and vibrant assortment of 200 million stars, a mere fraction of Andromeda’s entire population. Taken in its entirety, the panorama is not only a technological or photographic achievement, it’s also a critical glimpse into the Andromeda galaxy itself.

And here’s the video version.

Andromeda revealed!

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Real Life Dune

Posted in Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, inspiration, ISS, NASA, science, space, technology, Thoughts, Writers on August 4, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I have a folder of interesting articles, quotes, and ideas. When the cicadas are buzzing and the temperature is too hot to think of anything particularly timely, I search that folder for stories that might interest you.

Today, this treasure trove of ideas wants you to know about a critical space station issue: water.

Water recycling is paramount for space stations and long-duration missions − an environmental engineer explains how the ISS does it

When you’re on a camping trip, you might have to pack your own food and maybe something to filter or treat water that you find. But imagine your campsite is in space, where there’s no water, and packing jugs of water would take up room when every inch of cargo space counts. That’s a key challenge engineers faced when designing the International Space Station.

Real life Dune! Ok, not really, but kind of! And this is exactly the sort of technology that can benefit the Earth-bound among us too.

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Magical Things

Posted in Entertainment, Other, Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, cool facts, creativity, Indiana Jones, inspiration, NASA, Thoughts on August 2, 2025| Leave a Comment »

I enjoy the fact that there is always something new to learn. Some things are big, like the latest on asteroid deflection from NASA’s DART program, and some are small, like the fact that Dan Aykroyd had a cameo in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. (Did you know that? I didn’t, until last night when I did a double take and said, “Wait, the guy with the mustache and the British accent. Was that Dan Aykroyd?” It was!)

Of global importance or not, these facts are all interesting reminders that there is always something new around the corner, if you keep looking.

And that, I think, is magic.

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Tomorrow, in Space

Posted in Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, #InquiringMinds, astronauts, NASA, space on February 11, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Ever wondered what it’s really like to be an astronaut? Do you wish you could ask someone all those burning space questions you’ve got in the back of your mind (and who doesn’t)?

Tomorrow is your lucky day!

Astronauts Are Streaming Live on Twitch—and You Can Talk to Them

This Wednesday evening, you’ll be able to join two astronauts—one of whom is in space right now—on a live stream from space and ask them questions about what it’s like to live and work on the ISS.

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You can ask your very own question if you remember to tune in on Wednesday, February 12, at 11:45 a.m. EST (8:45 a.m. PST) on NASA’s Twitch channel.

I’m posting this now to give you time to prepare your best questions and to stock up on snacks like freeze dried ice cream, the weirdly addictive treat I’ve loved since childhood.

For fun, here’s an article on space food, even more on space food, and a sample menu from the International Space Station:

*Why do typos matter? Ask the “cried apples”! Also, I am hungry now.*

Apparently I’m interested in space food😉 No matter what space stuff you’re into, you’ve got a chance to ask about it tomorrow!

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*Not an astronaut, but fun all the same. Photo by Iván Díaz on Unsplash*

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A Brief Explainer, or What’s That Up in the Sky?

Posted in Science!, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, NASA, space on February 8, 2025| Leave a Comment »

What’s the Difference Between Asteroids, Comets and Meteors? We Asked a NASA Scientist

So, what’s the difference between asteroids, comets, and meteors? Well, asteroids are rocky, comets are icy, and meteors are much smaller and are the shooting stars that you see up in the sky.