:Product: Solar Region Summary :Issued: 2020 Dec 19 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 354 Issued at 0030Z on 19 Dec 2020 Report compiled from data received at SWO on 18 Dec I. Regions with Sunspots. Locations Valid at 18/2400Z Nmbr Location Lo Area Z LL NN Mag Type None IA. H-alpha Plages without Spots. Locations Valid at 18/2400Z Dec Nmbr Location Lo 2792 ...Continue Reading

:Product: Solar Region Summary :Issued: 2020 Dec 18 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 353 Issued at 0030Z on 18 Dec 2020 Report compiled from data received at SWO on 17 Dec I. Regions with Sunspots. Locations Valid at 17/2400Z Nmbr Location Lo Area Z LL NN Mag Type 2793 S15E22 081 0010 Bxo 02 02 Beta IA. H-alpha Plages without Spots. Locations Valid at 17/ ...Continue Reading

December 17, 2020 RELEASE 20-133*NASA Moves Forward with Campaign to Return Mars Samples to Earth* pia23491_1_msr_a_mars_2020_collecting_sample.png In this illustration, NASA's Mars 2020 rover uses its drill to core a rock sample on Mars. */Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/* NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) are moving to the next phase in a campaign to deepen understanding of whether life ever existed on Mars and, in turn, better understand the origins of life on Earth. NASA has approved the Mars Sample Retur ...Continue Reading

The following sections have been updated in the past 1 day. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- SEVERE STORMS (1 updated event, 1 new image) -- TROPICAL CYCLONES IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC Warm ocean temperatures can promote storms in the region, though the wide spacing between the many small islands make landfalls less common. * Cyclone Yasa Bearing Down on Fiji (Image from Dec 16, 2020; Posted Dec 16, 2020) https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/147672/cyclone-yasa-bearing- ...Continue Reading

  December 17, 2020 MEDIA ADVISORY M20-138*NASA Opens Limited Media Credentialing for Mars Perseverance Rover Landing* c1-edl_illustration_smaller.jpg In this illustration of its descent to Mars, the spacecraft containing NASA's Perseverance rover slows down using the drag generated by plunging through the Martian atmosphere. Hundreds of critical events must be executed perfectly for the rover to land on Mars safely on Feb. 18, 2021. */Credits: Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/* Due to the ong ...Continue Reading

  December 17, 2020 RELEASE 20-131*NASA, UN Sign Memorandum of Understanding on Peaceful Uses of Space* screenshot_2020-12-17_at_16.21.23_cmw.jpg NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) Director Simonetta Di Pippoj during a virtual event at which they signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Peaceful Uses of Space. */Credits: NASA/* NASA and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) have signed a memorandum of unders ...Continue Reading

Jonathan's Space Report No. 787 2020 Dec 16 Somerville, MA --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- International Space Station --------------------------- Expedition 64 continues under the command of Sergey Ryzhikov. On Dec 6, SpaceX launched Dragon CRS-21 from Kennedy Space Center. The Falcon 9 first stage landed on the OCISLY droneship. CRS-21 is the first cargo mission for Dragon 2. As for Crew Dragon, ...Continue Reading

:Product: Solar Region Summary :Issued: 2020 Dec 17 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 352 Issued at 0030Z on 17 Dec 2020 Report compiled from data received at SWO on 16 Dec I. Regions with Sunspots. Locations Valid at 16/2400Z Nmbr Location Lo Area Z LL NN Mag Type 2793 S15E35 082 0030 Cro 04 02 Beta IA. H-alpha Plages without Spots. Locations Valid at 16/ ...Continue Reading

  December 16, 2020 CONTRACT RELEASE C20-033*NASA Awards Launch Services Contract to Blue Origin for New Glenn Launch Services* NASA has awarded a NASA Launch Services (NLS) II contract to Blue Origin and their New Glenn launch service in accordance with the contract’s on-ramp provision. The New Glenn launch service will be available to NASA’s Launch Services Program (LSP) to use for future missions in accordance with the on-ramp provision of NLS II.   The NLS II ...Continue Reading

  December 16, 2020 RELEASE 20-115*NASA, USDA Sign Agreement to Improve Agricultural, Earth Science Research* et.0700_0.jpg This image taken by the Landsat satellite shows an agricultural region in Idaho on August 14, 2000, captured in the visible spectrum. The round, green circles are irrigated farm fields. The image highlights the kind of space-based Earth observations NASA will provide to the USDA to help inform and improve agricultural production on Earth. NASA and USDA's partnership o ...Continue Reading