[NASA REPORTS]

Solar Region Summary (SRS)

2026-10-29T17:45:34Z

:Product: Solar Region Summary
:Issued: 2026 Oct 30 0030 UTC
# Prepared jointly by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA,
# Space Weather Prediction Center and the U.S. Air Force.
#
Joint USAF/NOAA Solar Region Summary
SRS Number 303 Issued at 0030Z on 30 Oct 2026
Report compiled from data received at SWO on 29 Oct
I.  Regions with Sunspots.  Locations Valid at 29/2400Z 
Nmbr Location  Lo  Area  Z   LL   NN Mag Type
4563 S18W81   353  0010 Axx  01   01 Alpha
4564 N05E68   204  0010 Axx  01   01 Alpha
IA. H-alpha Plages without Spots.  Locations Valid at 29/2400Z Oct
Nmbr  Location  Lo
4562  S17E13   264
II. Regions Due to Return 30 Oct to 01 Nov
Nmbr Lat    Lo
4555 S08    171

Thank you for using the Product Subscription Service. If you would like to remove a product subscription or update the personal information in your account, go to the Product Subscription Site. Please do not use the from address for correspondence, as it is not monitored. For comments or help, please contact SWPC Help.

NASA Names Troy Asher Armstrong Flight Research Center Director

2026-10-29T11:09:43Z

NASA News

RELEASE 26-092

OCT. 29, 2026

NASA Names Troy Asher Armstrong Flight Research Center Director

Photo of Troy Asher

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has named Troy Asher director of the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Asher, a veteran test pilot and aerospace engineer with decades of experience in flight research and operations, has served as the center’s acting director since March.

“Troy has spent his career pushing the boundaries of flight, both at the controls of experimental aircraft and leading the teams that make these missions possible,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “He understands what it takes to turn ambitious ideas into successful flight tests, and his experience will be invaluable as Armstrong leads the way in rebuilding NASA’s X-plane portfolio, restoring our flight-test capabilities, and flying higher, farther, and faster than we have in decades.”

“Flight testing demands a rare combination of technical excellence, operational judgment, and trust in the teams that make every mission possible,” said NASA Associate Administrator and Chief Engineer Amit Kshatriya. “Troy’s service to America, from his distinguished career as an Air Force test pilot to his leadership of some of NASA’s most challenging flight research missions, embodies those qualities. Few people better understand the art and discipline of flight testing, and he brings a deep understanding of both the aircraft and the teams behind every successful mission. As director, Troy will help us revolutionize how we develop, evaluate, and fly new technologies, strengthening the capabilities that keep NASA at the forefront of aerospace research.”

Asher will oversee Armstrong’s workforce and operations, leading NASA’s efforts to advance flight research, aircraft operations, and the development of new aviation technologies. As NASA’s Flight Test and Aircraft Operations Center of Excellence, Armstrong plays a central role in the agency’s efforts to rebuild and expand its X-plane portfolio, pushing the boundaries of high-speed flight and developing experimental aircraft and technologies that will shape the future of aviation. The center also supports airborne science missions and flight research across the agency.

Prior to becoming acting center director, Asher served as director of Flight Operations at Armstrong, overseeing the center’s pilots, engineers, maintainers, and fleet of specialized aircraft supporting aeronautics research and scientific missions around the world.

Asher joined NASA in 2008 as a research test pilot and aerospace engineer. During his time as a NASA pilot, he conducted flight research aboard aircraft, including the F-15, F/A-18, Gulfstream III, and X-56A unmanned aircraft system. He served as the lead test pilot for the development of NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) and flew scientific research missions aboard the agency’s DC-8 aircraft, supporting airborne science campaigns around the globe.

Before joining NASA, Asher completed a 24-year career in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. His military service included assignments as an instructor at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, commander of the 419th Flight Test Squadron, and director of the Bomber Combined Test Force. In 2003, he set 25 world speed records flying the B-1B bomber.

Asher earned a bachelor’s degree in astronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from California State University, Fresno.

Asher succeeds Bradley Flick, who retired in March following nearly 40 years of NASA service.

Established in 1946, Armstrong has been at the forefront of American flight research for eight decades, from the first supersonic flight aboard the Bell X-1 to today’s work advancing quiet supersonic flight through NASA’s X-59 aircraft. The center continues to push the boundaries of aviation while providing critical flight research and operational capabilities in support of NASA’s science, technology, and exploration missions.

For more information about NASA Armstrong, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/armstrong/

-end-

Read on NASA.gov

Contact

George Alderman

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1600

george.c.alderman@nasa.gov

Dede Dinius

Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.

661-276-5701

darin.l.dinius@nasa.gov

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.

Visit nasa.gov

Follow NASA

Daily Natural Event Updates October 29, 2026

2026-10-29T09:15:34Z

October 29, 2026

Natural Events

Latest Natural Event Images

View the natural events archive

Arnab Strikes India

The first named storm of the North Indian Ocean’s cyclone season made landfall along the coast of Andhra Pradesh.

NASA Earth Observatory

Where every day is Earth day

Visit science.nasa.gov/earth/earth -observatory

Follow NASAEarth

NASA Earth Science Division

Send Your Name to Titan Aboard NASA’s Dragonfly Mission

2026-10-29T08:30:36Z

NASA News

RELEASE 26-091

OCT. 29, 2026

SCIENCE

Send Your Name to Titan Aboard NASA’s Dragonfly Mission

The “Journey to Titan” campaign offers the public the opportunity to fly their names on a microchip with NASA’s Dragonfly mission. The chip will ride aboard the Dragonfly rotorcraft as it explores Saturn’s moon Titan by air. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL

You may never soar under the clouds or over the organic sands of Saturn’s moon Titan, but your name can. NASA is inviting the public to send their names aboard the agency’s Dragonfly rotorcraft and be part of the first science mission to fly and explore the surface of another world.

To have your name included on a microchip aboard Dragonfly and receive a personalized digital boarding pass commemorating your place on this historic mission, visit:

https://go.nasa.gov/dragonfly-names

“NASA’s Dragonfly mission will simply blow your mind,” said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington. “By flying the first-ever rotorcraft science mission, NASA will explore Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, as we search for signs of habitability on a distant world that is most similar to our own. We are excited to bring humanity along for the journey of a lifetime, and we invite everyone to send their names on this small, but mighty rotorcraft that will unlock the secrets of the universe in what is widely considered one of the most exciting space missions of our lifetime.”

The public can secure a place on Dragonfly’s passenger list until 11:59 p.m. EST Jan. 15, 2027.

The Dragonfly rotorcraft is currently being assembled at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. Scheduled to launch in 2028, the rotorcraft will travel to Titan, a remarkable world with a thick atmosphere, rivers and lakes of liquid methane, sweeping dunes, and a landscape rich in organic material. After arriving in 2034, Dragonfly will fly to different locations on the moon, exploring Titan’s diverse environments and searching for clues about prebiotic chemistry — the chemistry that came before biology — to help scientists better understand the ingredients and conditions for life.

Dragonfly is being designed and built under the direction of APL, which leads the mission for NASA. Elizabeth Turtle of APL is the principal investigator. Dragonfly is the fourth mission in NASA’s New Frontiers Program, managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate.

For more information on NASA’s Dragonfly mission, visit:

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/dragonfly/

-end-

Read on NASA.gov

Contact

Karen Fox / Molly Wasser

Headquarters, Washington

240-285-5155 / 240-419-1732

karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov

Mike Buckley

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

443-567-3145

michael.buckley@jhuapl.edu

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.

Visit nasa.gov

Follow NASA

Solar Region Summary (SRS)

2026-10-28T17:45:36Z

:Product: Solar Region Summary
:Issued: 2026 Oct 29 0030 UTC
# Prepared jointly by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA,
# Space Weather Prediction Center and the U.S. Air Force.
#
Joint USAF/NOAA Solar Region Summary
SRS Number 302 Issued at 0030Z on 29 Oct 2026
Report compiled from data received at SWO on 28 Oct
I.  Regions with Sunspots.  Locations Valid at 28/2400Z 
Nmbr Location  Lo  Area  Z   LL   NN Mag Type
4563 S19W70   355  0010 Bxo  04   02 Beta
IA. H-alpha Plages without Spots.  Locations Valid at 28/2400Z Oct
Nmbr  Location  Lo
4562  S17E20   265
II. Regions Due to Return 29 Oct to 31 Oct
Nmbr Lat    Lo
4555 S08    171

Solar Region Summary (SRS)

2026-10-27T17:30:31Z

:Product: Solar Region Summary
:Issued: 2026 Oct 28 0030 UTC
# Prepared jointly by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA,
# Space Weather Prediction Center and the U.S. Air Force.
#
Joint USAF/NOAA Solar Region Summary
SRS Number 301 Issued at 0030Z on 28 Oct 2026
Report compiled from data received at SWO on 27 Oct
I.  Regions with Sunspots.  Locations Valid at 27/2400Z 
Nmbr Location  Lo  Area  Z   LL   NN Mag Type
4561 S11W91   029  0030 Dai  05   04 Beta
4562 S17E34   264  0010 Axx  01   01 Alpha
IA. H-alpha Plages without Spots.  Locations Valid at 27/2400Z Oct
Nmbr  Location  Lo
None
II. Regions Due to Return 28 Oct to 30 Oct
Nmbr Lat    Lo
4548 S13    206
4555 S08    171

NASA Invites Media to Crew Completion of Yearlong Mars Simulation

2026-10-27T12:38:45Z

NASA News

MEDIA ADVISORY M26-083

OCT. 27, 2026

MISSIONS

NASA Invites Media to Crew Completion of Yearlong Mars Simulation

Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA) Mission 2 crew members (from left) Ross Elder, Matthew Montgomery, Ellen Ellis, and James Spicer, pose for a photo on Oct. 8, 2025. Credit: NASA

The four volunteers who lived and worked in a simulated NASA Mars mission for more than a year will exit their habitat on Saturday, Oct. 31, after 378 days of isolation in a facility at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Health and performance data collected from the simulation can help NASA develop methods to counter human spaceflight risks for future Artemis and Moon Base missions.

Beginning at 3 p.m. EDT, NASA will provide live coverage of the volunteers’ departure from the Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog (CHAPEA, pronounced cha-pea’-ah) mission habitat. The exit ceremony will be streamed on NASA Johnson’s YouTube and social accounts.

Johnson Center Director Vanessa Wyche and NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway will provide remarks. The CHAPEA crew members Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, James Spicer, and Matthew Montgomery also will provide remarks.

Media are invited to watch the CHAPEA Mission 2 ceremony live at NASA Johnson on a screen outside the hangar holding the CHAPEA facility, after which a subject matter expert will be available in person to answer questions. Media will have the opportunity to capture the moment the crew exits the building, stepping outside for the first time in more than a year.

U.S. media interested in attending the activities in person, or media interested in speaking virtually with the CHAPEA Mission 2 crew members in the days following completion of their mission, must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom no later than 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 30, at jsc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.

The second CHAPEA mission began on Oct. 19, 2025. Four crew members have lived and worked inside a 3D-printed 1,700-square-foot facility, simulating Mars mission operations, conducting simulated spacewalks, exercising, performing habitat maintenance, growing plants, and more, while operating under stressors that future deep space crews will likely experience. These included communication delays, resource limitations, and isolation.

Data from the mission can aid preparation for NASA’s lunar missions by optimizing food system design, efficient use of crew time, bandwidth on NASA’s Deep Space Network, and other aspects of living in deep space. In addition, data can help flight doctors and psychologists strengthen spaceflight medical care and behavioral support practices to ensure crew readiness and performance.

To learn more about NASA’s CHAPEA mission, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/chapea/

-end-

Read on NASA.gov

Contact

Rachel Kraft

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1600

rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov

Kelsey Spivey

Johnson Space Center, Houston

281-483-5111

kelsey.m.spivey@nasa.gov

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.

Visit nasa.gov

Follow NASA

What's New at the Earth Observatory October 27, 2026

2026-10-27T10:00:31Z

October 27, 2026

Weekly News

Latest Images of the Day

View the Image of the Day archive

A-81 Reaches South Georgia

The Antarctic iceberg made a relatively quick exit from the Weddell Sea, only to slow at the edge of a remote island’s underwater shelf.

Hunting Red Leaves with Satellites

A modern satellite makes it possible to pursue the ancient tradition of leaf-peeping in a whole new way.

El Niño Then and Now

A 35-year satellite altimetry record lets scientists hold this year's El Niño up against its strongest predecessors.

Fires Char New Guinea

Emissions on both sides of the island are unusually high as human-set fires spread in a landscape parched by drought.

Extratropical Cyclone Whips Past Iceland

The powerful low-pressure system formed over the North Atlantic out of the remnants of Hurricane Isaias.

Solar Region Summary (SRS)

2026-10-26T17:39:01Z

:Product: Solar Region Summary
:Issued: 2026 Oct 27 0030 UTC
# Prepared jointly by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA,
# Space Weather Prediction Center and the U.S. Air Force.
#
Joint USAF/NOAA Solar Region Summary
SRS Number 300 Issued at 0030Z on 27 Oct 2026
Report compiled from data received at SWO on 26 Oct
I.  Regions with Sunspots.  Locations Valid at 26/2400Z 
Nmbr Location  Lo  Area  Z   LL   NN Mag Type
4561 S11W77   028  0030 Dai  05   04 Beta
4562 S17E49   262  0010 Axx  01   01 Alpha
IA. H-alpha Plages without Spots.  Locations Valid at 26/2400Z Oct
Nmbr  Location  Lo
None
II. Regions Due to Return 27 Oct to 29 Oct
Nmbr Lat    Lo
4548 S13    206

NASA, USDA Sign Agreement Advancing Earth Science, Agriculture

2026-10-26T07:45:31Z

NASA News

RELEASE 26-090

OCT. 26, 2026

SCIENCE

NASA, USDA Sign Agreement Advancing Earth Science, Agriculture

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, left, and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman signed a Memorandum of Understanding advancing agriculture and Earth science during an event at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, Oct. 24. Credit: NASA

NASA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding expanding cooperation in Earth observation, geospatial analytics, and advanced data technologies, supporting USDA’s data modernization plan for United States agriculture.

“NASA develops some of the most advanced sensing, computing, and analytical capabilities in the world, and we should put those tools to work wherever they can deliver meaningful outcomes for the American people,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “By combining NASA’s Earth observation data and technical expertise with USDA’s knowledge of American agriculture, we can improve the information available to farmers and ranchers, strengthen our understanding of crop conditions and natural hazards, and pursue new high-risk, high-reward ideas that advance both science and American competitiveness.”

Isaacman and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins signed the agreement Oct. 24 during NASA’s Inspiration Tour at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

NASA and USDA’s longstanding partnership has supported collaborative research and data-sharing efforts that strengthen U.S. agriculture. The new agreement deepens this cooperation by focusing on improved data integration and enhanced coordination across Earth observation and agricultural applications.

“American farmers are the best in the world and deserve any solution we can leverage, even when it is out of this world. I am proud to announce that USDA will now work with Administrator Isaacman and NASA to utilize the full power of technology, research, and development to fortify U.S. agriculture,” said Rollins. “With this unprecedented partnership the Trump Administration is committing to a bright future of research and tech opportunities that will enhance USDA acreage and yield estimation and drive profitability for American agriculture.”

Under the new agreement, the agencies can explore activities in agricultural statistics, remote sensing science, modeling, geospatial data engineering, and super intelligence. NASA and USDA also will look at how to better align Earth observation data and analytical tools with agricultural needs, helping improve crop monitoring, acreage and yield estimates, and assessments of drought and other disasters.

The agencies will examine new approaches for managing and analyzing large datasets, strengthening USDA's data systems while providing farmers, ranchers, and policymakers with more timely and reliable information.

For more information about NASA’s Earth science, visit:

https://science.nasa.gov/earth/

-end-

Read on NASA.gov

Contact

Camille Gallo / Elizabeth Shaw

Headquarters, Washington

202-358-1600

camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery.

Visit nasa.gov

Follow NASA

Space Weather Outlook

2026-10-25T18:39:24Z

Official Space Weather Advisory issued by NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
Boulder, Colorado, USA

SPACE WEATHER ADVISORY OUTLOOK #26-41
2026 October 25 at 7:22 p.m. MDT (2026 October 26 0122 UTC)

**** SPACE WEATHER OUTLOOK ****

Summary For October 19-25

-G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storming was observed on 21 Oct due to positive polarity coronal hole/high speed stream influences.


Outlook For October 26-November 1

-G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm periods are likely on31 Oct due to the anticipated influence of a recurrent positive polarity coronal hole/high speed stream. 

Data used to provide space weather services are contributed by NOAA,
USAF, NASA, NSF, USGS, the International Space Environment Services 
and other observatories, universities, and institutions. More 
information is available at SWPC's Web site http://swpc.noaa.gov