Friends of NASA (FoN) is an independent non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to building international support for peaceful space exploration, commerce, scientific discovery, and STEM education.
Close-up: The Tarantula Nebula's Outskirts in The Large Magellanic Cloud | Hubble
This NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope picture features a dusty yet sparkling scene from one of the Milky Way’s satellite galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud. The Large Magellanic Cloud is a dwarf galaxy situated about 160,000 light-years away in the constellations Dorado and Mensa.
Despite being only 10–20% as massive as the Milky Way galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud contains some of the most impressive star-forming regions in the nearby Universe. The scene pictured here is on the outskirts of the Tarantula Nebula, the largest and most productive star-forming region in the local Universe. At its center, the Tarantula Nebula hosts the most massive stars known, which weigh in at roughly 200 times the mass of the Sun.
The section of the nebula shown here features serene blue gas, brownish-orange dust patches and a sprinkling of multicolored stars. The stars within and behind the dust clouds appear redder than those that are not obscured by dust. Dust absorbs and scatters blue light more than red light, allowing more of the red light to reach our telescopes and making the stars appear redder than they are. This image incorporates ultraviolet and infrared light as well as visible light. Using Hubble observations of dusty nebulae in the Large Magellanic Cloud and other galaxies, researchers will study these distant dust grains, helping to understand the role that cosmic dust plays in the formation of new stars and planets.
Image Description: A section of a nebula, made up of layers of colored clouds of gas of varying thickness. In the background are bluish, translucent and wispy clouds; on top of these are stretches of redder and darker, clumpy dust, mostly along the bottom and right. In the bottom left corner are dense bars of dust that block light and appear black. Small stars are scattered across the nebula.
Credit: European Space Agency/Hubble & NASA, C. Murray
Friends of NASA Astronaut Members at SHSSP25 | International Space University
[Astronaut Panel discussion starts at 13 minute mark]
On January 22, 2025, during the International Space University's 2025 Southern Hemisphere Studies Program (SHSSP25) at the University of Southern Australia, two Friends of NASA astronaut members were interviewed: Dr. So-yeon Yi [South Korea’s first and only astronaut] and Australian Space Agency (ASA) astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg. The 45-minute discussion was moderated by Anna Cordrey of the International Space University and NASA.
Dr. Soyeon Yi was selected from among 36,000 applicants to serve as her nation’s first astronaut. She flew on Soyuz TMA-12 to the International Space Station (ISS) on April 8, 2008, returning to Earth 10 days later. While aboard the ISS, she conducted 18 scientific experiments, including one that monitored the effects of microgravity on 1,000 fruit flies that she transported into space.
Australian Space Agency employee Katherine Bennell-Pegg is the first person to be trained as an astronaut under the Australian flag. Katherine and her 5 fellow astronaut candidates graduated from basic training in April 2024. They are qualified for assignment to the International Space Station.
The Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program (SHSSP) is conducted by the University of South Australia (UniSA) in partnership with the International Space University (ISU). Since 2011, the SHSSP provides "an intensive, four-week program providing a multidisciplinary understanding of the key activities and areas of knowledge required by today’s space professionals."
The Space Studies Program (SSP) offers an "intensive nine-week course hosted each year in the timeframe June-August in different locations around the world. It provides courses in all space disciplines, as well as hands-on education through workshops and professional visits."
An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.
NASA "Espacio a Tierra" | Caminata Espacial: 17 de enero de 2025
Espacio a Tierra, la versión en español de las cápsulas Space to Ground de la NASA, te informa semanalmente de lo que está sucediendo en la Estación Espacial Internacional.
NASA "Espacio a Tierra" | En el año 2025: 10 de enero de 2025
Espacio a Tierra, la versión en español de las cápsulas Space to Ground de la NASA, te informa semanalmente de lo que está sucediendo en la Estación Espacial Internacional.
NASA’s annual Day of Remembrance pays tribute to all members of the NASA family who lost their lives in the pursuit of exploration and discovery, including test pilots, the Apollo 1 crew, and the crews of space shuttles Challenger and Columbia.
On Jan. 23, 2025, we pause to honor their memory and reflect on the importance of maintaining a strong safety culture.
Comet C/2024 G3 ATLAS at Twilight over Chile's Atacama Desert
Astrophotographer Yuri Beletsky: "Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) is ablaze! I can hardly believe the spectacle we're witnessing, and it's only improving 🤯 I captured this image on January 18 during twilight at the ESO Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert, Chile. The comet sets later each night, offering exceptional imaging opportunities. Visually, its tail stretches an impressive 10-12 degrees. Therefore, I adjusted the focal length down to 85 mm to capture the full extent."
C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) is a non-periodic comet. It reached perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on January 13, 2025, at a distance of 0.09 AU (13 million km) from the Sun. It is potentially the brightest comet of 2025, with an apparent magnitude reaching −3.8 on the day of its perihelion.
Comet C/2024 G3 was found by the automated Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) on April 5, 2024, in images obtained with a 0.5-m reflector telescope located in Río Hurtado, Chile. ATLAS is funded by NASA's planetary defense office, and developed and operated by the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy.
Comet C/2024 G3 ATLAS at Twilight over Paranal Observatory in Chile
Astrophotographer Yuri Beletsky: "Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) - A View from an Observatory 😃 I took this image at the ESO Paranal Observatory on January 19th. The comet is setting in the twilight next to one of the auxiliary telescopes (AT). This time, I used a 70mm lens to capture the whole scene. I hope you enjoy the view! 👍"
Twilight = "The soft glowing light from the sky when the sun is below the horizon, caused by the refraction and scattering of the sun's rays from the atmosphere."
C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) is a non-periodic comet. It reached perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on January 13, 2025, at a distance of 0.09 AU (13 million km) from the Sun. It is potentially the brightest comet of 2025, with an apparent magnitude reaching −3.8 on the day of its perihelion. The comet is visible in the southern hemisphere before and after perihelion.
Comet C/2024 G3 was found by the automated Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) on April 5, 2024, in images obtained with a 0.5-m reflector telescope located in Río Hurtado, Chile. ATLAS is funded by NASA's planetary defense office, and developed and operated by the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy.
Tropical Cyclone Sean Lashes Western Australia | NASA Terra Earth Satellite
A downward-looking image shows swirling bands of white clouds around the eye of a tropical cyclone over blue ocean water. The cloud bands partially cover the coastal areas of Western Australia.
A downward-looking image shows swirling bands of white clouds around the eye of a tropical cyclone over blue ocean water. The cloud bands partially cover the coastal areas of Western Australia (labeled/annotated version)
On January 17, 2025, a tropical low formed over the Indian Ocean off Western Australia. By January 19, the storm had strengthened into Tropical Cyclone Sean—the second tropical cyclone of Australia’s 2024–2025 season.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this image at about 10 a.m. local time (02:00 Universal Time) on January 20, 2025. Later that afternoon, the cyclone had reached its peak strength as a Category 4 storm.
The storm’s center stayed offshore as it tracked southwest over the Indian Ocean. Though Sean never made landfall, it battered the Pilbara coast with strong winds and rain. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) reported that Karratha received 274.4 millimeters (10.8 inches) in a 24-hour period, breaking the city’s single-day rain record.
The storm flooded roads and homes, damaged power infrastructure, and prompted the closure of several ports. However, the storm also brought relief from hot and humid conditions, according to news reports. Looking ahead, the abundant water could aid cattle station managers, allowing them to return their animals to grazing.
Australia’s tropical cyclone season runs from November through April, though storms can occur outside these months. According to the BoM, the 2024–2025 seasonal forecast called for an average number of tropical cyclones, although more of them are expected to be stronger than usual due to warm sea surface temperatures.
The second tropical cyclone of Australia’s 2024–2025 season brought high winds and heavy rain to the Pilbara Coast.
Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/Michala Garrison/MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview Article Credit: Kathryn Hansen Image Date: Jan. 20, 2025 Release Date: Jan. 22, 2025
Can You Spot Suni? Williams & Hague on Spacewalk | International Space Station
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams (center) is dwarfed near the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft as she replaces a planar reflector, advanced navigational hardware visiting vehicles use when approaching the International Space Station. Dragon is docked to the Harmony module's space-facing port which rests in between the Kibo and Columbus laboratory modules. 267 miles below is the Pacific Ocean east of New Zealand.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams (center) is dwarfed near the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft as she replaces a planar reflector, advanced navigational hardware visiting vehicles use when approaching the International Space Station. Dragon is docked to the Harmony module's space-facing port which rests in between the Kibo and Columbus laboratory modules. 263 miles below is the Atlantic Ocean near the coast of Brazil.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams is pictured during a six-hour spacewalk for science and maintenance on the International Space Station. At upper right, is the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft docked to the Harmony module's space-facing port.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Nick Hague is pictured during a six-hour spacewalk for science and maintenance on the International Space Station.
The NICER X-ray telescope is reflected on NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Nick Hague's spacesuit helmet visor in this high-flying "space-selfie." Also, visible in Hague's visor is the camera he is pointing toward himself to take this photograph. During the six-hour spacewalk, Hague patched light leaks on some of NICER's 56 X-ray concentrators that block ultraviolet, infrared, and visible light while allowing X-rays to pass through to the mirrors underneath enabling the observation of neutron stars.
The official portrait of the International Space Station's Expedition 72 crew. At the top (from left) are, Roscosmos cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Alexey Ovchinin, NASA astronaut and space station Commander Suni Williams, and NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore. In the middle row are, Roscosmos cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner and NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Don Pettit. In the bottom row are, Roscosmos cosmonaut and Flight Engineer Aleksandr Gorbunov and NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Nick Hague.
The official insignia of the Expedition 72 crew that will live and work aboard the International Space Station for long duration space research missions in 2024 and 2025. The simple patch design highlights the configuration of the orbital laboratory with its six roll-out solar arrays augmenting the station's power generation system.
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Nick Hague concluded their spacewalk at 2:01 p.m. EST on Thursday, January 16, 2025. It was the fourth spacewalk for Hague and the eighth for Williams, and it was the 273rd spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.
Williams and Hague completed their primary objectives, including removing and replacing a rate gyro assembly, installing patches to cover damaged areas of light filters on the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) x-ray telescope, and replacing a reflector device on one of the international docking adapters. The pair also checked access areas and connector tools that astronauts will use for future Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer maintenance.
Expedition 72 Crew Station Commander: Suni Williams Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Alexey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner, Aleksandr Gorbunov NASA Flight Engineers: Butch Wilmore, Don Pettit, Nick Hague
An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.
Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)/Bill Stafford, Robert Markowitz Image Date: Jan. 16, 2025
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center: Year 2024 in Review
"Let’s take a look back at the biggest stories from 2024. Throughout the year, Marshall Space Flight Center showcased its ability to innovate and inspire for the benefit of all humanity. Marshall continues to lead the way in space exploration, making technological advancements and establishing partnerships that push the boundaries of what’s possible."
Learn more about NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center:
Astrophotographer Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau: "On Monday, January 20th, I captured this image of comet C/2024 G3 ATLAS on the horizon, its nucleus now disintegrated after venturing too close to the Sun at perihelion. Yet, it left behind a spectacular tail, a luminous reminder of its fleeting visit. The scene is enriched by elements deeply rooted in our region: an old, weathered windmill missing some of its blades, serving as a perch for a "Carancho" (Caracara plancus - Southern Caracara), a characteristic bird of the central Argentine plains. To the left, as a nod to modern times, the streaks of a Starlink satellite train cross the sky, adding an unexpected contrast between nature and technology. This image bridges the ephemeral and the eternal, a reminder that even though the comet will soon disappear, its story will continue to shine. The photo was taken with a Canon R6 Mark II camera and a Sigma 105mm f/1.4 lens mounted on a fixed tripod without tracking."
C/2024 G3 ATLAS is a non-periodic comet. It reached perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on January 13, 2025, at a distance of 0.09 AU (13 million km) from the Sun. It is potentially the brightest comet of 2025, with an apparent magnitude reaching −3.8 on the day of its perihelion. The comet is visible in the southern hemisphere before and after perihelion. It can only be observed in the daytime sky around perihelion in the northern hemisphere.
Comet C/2024 G3 was found by the automated Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) on April 5, 2024, in images obtained with a 0.5-m reflector telescope located in Río Hurtado, Chile. ATLAS is funded by NASA's planetary defense office, and developed and operated by the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy.
Starlink is a satellite Internet constellation operated by Starlink Services, LLC, an international telecommunications provider that is a wholly owned subsidiary of the United States-based aerospace firm SpaceX, providing coverage to over 100 countries and territories.
Image Credit: Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau Eduardo's website: https://www.eduardoschaberger.ar Capture Location: Rafaela, Provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina Image Date: Jan. 20, 2025
Astronaut Nick Hague Takes High-Flying "Space-Selfie" | International Space Station
The NICER X-ray telescope is reflected on NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Nick Hague's spacesuit helmet visor in this high-flying "space-selfie." Also, visible in Hague's visor is the camera he is pointing toward himself to take this photograph. During a six-hour spacewalk, Hague patched several light leaks on NICER's 56 X-ray concentrators that block ultraviolet, infrared, and visible light while allowing X-rays to pass through to the mirrors underneath enabling the observation of neutron stars.
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Nick Hague concluded their spacewalk at 2:01 p.m. EST on Thursday, January 16, 2025. It was the fourth spacewalk for Hague and the eighth for Williams, and it was the 273rd spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.
Williams and Hague completed their primary objectives, including removing and replacing a rate gyro assembly, installing patches to cover damaged areas of light filters on the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) x-ray telescope, and replacing a reflector device on one of the international docking adapters. The pair also checked access areas and connector tools that astronauts will use for future Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer maintenance.
Expedition 72 Crew Station Commander: Suni Williams Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Alexey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner, Aleksandr Gorbunov NASA Flight Engineers: Butch Wilmore, Don Pettit, Nick Hague
An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.
Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)/Nick Hague Image Date: Jan. 16, 2025
Shenzhou-19 Crew Extends Spring Festival Wishes | China Space Station
As the Spring Festival approaches, China's Shenzhou-19 crew extended New Year wishes from space as they celebrated the completion of their mission's second series of extravehicular activities (EVAs).
The astronauts completed their second series of EVAs at 01:12 (Beijing Time) early Tuesday morning, January 21, 2025, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
Over the course of 8.5 hours, astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze worked closely together, with the support of the space station's robotic arm and a ground team, to complete multiple tasks, including the installation of protection devices against space debris, and an extravehicular inspection.
According to the agency, the astronauts have completed nearly half of their space mission, with a series of in-orbit scientific experiments and technological tests still to come.
In just a few days, the Shenzhou-19 crew will celebrate the Spring Festival amid their busy work aboard the space station.
Astronaut Cai Xuzhe began by thanking Shuguang (meaning "Dawn" in Mandarin), a cross-system, cross-departmental EVA support team, as well as all ground personnel. He also extended his New Year wishes to the entire nation from China's Tiangong space station.
"Every spacewalk is a new challenge. As long as we open the hatch, step out, and set to work, we will discover new horizons and achieve success. Now early in the morning, I want to express my gratitude to Shuguang and all the ground support teams. Thank you for your hard work. On behalf of the Shenzhou-19 crew, I also want to wish everyone a happy New Year and prosperity. May all your dreams come true," Cai said.
"With the Spring Festival approaching, I wish everyone and your families smooth sailing and good luck, and our country prosperity in the new year. Let's chase our dreams in the starry space and move forward together," Song said.
"Completing our mission in this festive season feels like a double celebration. I wish everyone the fulfillment of their dreams in the coming year and the start of a new journey as we continue to explore the universe," Wang remarked.
"Thank you, Shenzhou-19 crew, for your blessings, and we deeply appreciate your dedication. I also want to send my congratulations: Together, let's welcome a prosperous era, and hand in hand, we'll make our dreams come true. With you aboard the space station, the future is full of promise," Shuguang responded with gratitude and encouragement.
The Spring Festival, marking the start of the Chinese Lunar New Year, is the most important annual holiday in China, when people across the country return to their hometowns for Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations and family reunion.
Photos of Eaton Fire Close to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
The Flight Projects Center at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California
California firefighting aircraft dropping red colored chemical flame retardants on the Eaton Fire close to The Flight Projects Center at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California
Fire trucks at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California
California firefighting helicopter water 'bomber' preparing to fill-up its tank from a well-placed temporary emergency water storage container
January 11, 2025 airborne view of Altadena and Pasadena, California, taken by an instrument on board a NASA aircraft. Charred vegetation shows up as brown in northern parts of Altadena. Burned landscape of the San Gabriel mountains appears orange and surrounding vegetation is green close to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) located in Pasadena, California. Founded in 1936 by California Institute of Technology (Caltech) researchers, the laboratory is now owned and sponsored by NASA and administered and managed by Caltech. Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, 11 miles (18 km) northeast of downtown Los Angeles.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Flight Projects Center is a six-story, 195,000-square-foot facility that expands the campus. It provides a state-of-the-art workspace for JPL teams. At a cost of 70 million dollars, this is a LEED Gold certified building. It was established for NASA in 2009. Interior spaces were designed to be flexible so JPL teams can assemble as required for a variety of scenarios. The building houses missions during their key design and development phases. It enables engineers and scientists from many countries to collaborate more closely during critical mission phases.
The Eaton Fire ignited in the hills of Eaton Canyon, near Altadena, on the evening of January 7, 2025. By 10:30 a.m. the next day, the fire had quickly grown to cover more than 10,000 acres (40 square kilometers), according to Cal Fire. Around the time of the aerial image on January 11, 2025, provided here, the Eaton Fire had expanded to 14,117 acres (57 square kilometers), and the Los Angeles County Fire Department reported it was about 15 percent contained.
NASA’s Disasters Response Coordination System has been activated to support agencies responding to the fires, including the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services. Response activities are centered on two primary requests from the local emergency managers: damage assessment information on built infrastructure, and impacts of air quality and human health risks.
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