December 16, 2020  20-101*NASA Supports America's National Strategy for Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion* nep_mars_no_planets.png Illustration of a Mars transit habitat and nuclear propulsion system that could one day take astronauts to the Red Planet. */Credits: NASA/* President Donald Trump has issued a new Space Policy Directive that will help propel NASA and humanity’s next giant leap – creating a sustainable presence on the Moon and sending astronauts to Mars. ...Continue Reading

December 16, 2020 RELEASE 20-132*NASA, Canadian Space Agency Formalize Gateway Partnership for Artemis Program* NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) finalized an agreement between the United States and Canada to collaborate on the Gateway, an outpost orbiting the Moon that will provide vital support for a sustainable, long-term return of astronauts to the lunar surface as part of NASA’s Artemis program. This Gateway agreement further solidifies the broad effort by the United States to engage international part ...Continue Reading

:Product: Solar Region Summary :Issued: 2020 Dec 16 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 351 Issued at 0030Z on 16 Dec 2020 Report compiled from data received at SWO on 15 Dec I. Regions with Sunspots. Locations Valid at 15/2400Z Nmbr Location Lo Area Z LL NN Mag Type 2792 S22E26 103 0010 Bxo 06 02 Beta 2793 S15E49 081 0020 Cro 03 03 Beta IA. H-alpha Pl ...Continue Reading

*NASA History Listserv Readers: * * * Please see the announcement below from Sean Seyer regarding a new initiative—the Albatrosses Aerospace History Seminar. Best, Brian Brian C. Odom, Ph.D. /(he/him)/ NASA Chief Historian (Acting) NASA HQ History Program Office 256-541-8974 (cell) http://history.nasa.gov/ When the Albatrosses met at the SHOT virtual conference in October, numerous individuals expressed interest in a reoccurring works in progress seminar that would provide aerospace history scho ...Continue Reading

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (15 December 2020) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Latest Images: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/topic/image-of-the-day * Shadows from a Solar Eclipse https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/147659/shadows-from-a-solar-eclipse/?src=eoa-iotd * Iceberg Closes In on South Georgia https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/147664/iceberg-closes-in-on-south-georgia/?src=eoa-iotd * The Drying U.S. West https://earthobservatory.nasa. ...Continue Reading

The following sections have been updated in the past 1 day. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- SEA AND LAKE ICE (1 updated event, 1 new image) -- RIFT AND CALVING AT LARSEN ICE SHELF Scientists observed the cracking and rifting of a Delaware-sized piece of an ice shelf along the Antarctic Peninsula. * Iceberg Closes In on South Georgia (Image from Dec 14, 2020; Posted Dec 14, 2020) https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/147664/iceberg-closes-in-on-south-georgia/?src=nh ...Continue Reading

  December 15, 2020 RELEASE 20-126*NASA Names W. Russ DeLoach as Chief of Safety and Mission Assurance*  W. Russ DeLoach */Credits: NASA/* NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has selected W. Russ DeLoach to be the agency’s next chief of safety and mission assurance (SMA). DeLoach will transition into the role beginning Friday, Jan. 1, as his predecessor, Terrence W. Wilcutt, retires after serving NASA for more than 30 years. “Russ truly understands NASAâ ...Continue Reading

  December 15, 2020 RELEASE 20-117*NASA Releases Best Practices Handbook to Help Improve Space Safety*  The NASA Spacecraft Conjunction Assessment and Collision Avoidance Best Practices Handbook includes information on best practices for coordinating in-orbit activity in a safe and responsible manner. */Credits: NASA/* NASA has released the first iteration of its Spacecraft Conjunction Assessment and Collision Avoidance Best Practices Handbook to share information on best prac ...Continue Reading

  December 15, 2020 RELEASE 20-127*Spinoff Highlights NASA Technology Paying Dividends in the US Economy*  The redesigned 2021 NASA Spinoff publication features dozens of NASA innovations improving life on Earth. */Credits: NASA/* Whether upgrading air traffic control software or honing the food safety practices that keep our dinner tables safe, NASA has worked for more than six decades to ensure its innovations benefit people on Earth. One of the agency’s most importa ...Continue Reading

:Product: Solar Region Summary :Issued: 2020 Dec 15 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 350 Issued at 0030Z on 15 Dec 2020 Report compiled from data received at SWO on 14 Dec I. Regions with Sunspots. Locations Valid at 14/2400Z Nmbr Location Lo Area Z LL NN Mag Type 2792 S22E39 105 0010 Bxo 04 03 Beta 2793 S16E60 084 0010 Axx 01 02 Alpha IA. H-alpha P ...Continue Reading