December 18, 2019 MEDIA ADVISORY M19-140 *NASA’s Astronaut Candidates to Graduate with Eye on Artemis Missions* A new class of astronauts will graduate basic training on Jan. 10, 2020. They will join the active astronaut corps, beginning careers in exploration that may take them to the International Space Station, on missions to the Moon under the Artemis program, or someday, Mars. The 2017 class includes (top row) Matthew Dominick of NASA, Kayla Barron of NASA, Warren Hoburg of NASA, and Joshua Kutryk of CSA, (mi ...Continue Reading

:Product: Solar Region Summary :Issued: 2019 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 352 Issued at 0030Z on 18 Dec 2019 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 None IA. H-alpha Plages without Spots. Locations Valid at 17/2400Z Dec Nmbr Location Lo None ...Continue Reading

The latest from NASA's Earth Observatory (17 December 2019) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Latest Images: https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/topic/image-of-the-day * Spotting the Spotted Owl: 30 Years of Habitat Change https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/145979/spotting-the-spotted-owl-30-years-of-habitat-change/?src=eoa-iotd * Drought Threatens Millions in Southern Africa https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146015/drought-threatens-millions-in-southern-africa/?s ...Continue Reading

December 17, 2019 RELEASE 19-099 *NASA Selects Informal Learning Institutions to Engage Next Generation * *//* NASA’s Teams Engaging Affiliated Museums and Informal Institutions (TEAM II) program has selected four informal education organizations to promote STEM learning and help inspire the next generation of explorers. The projects provide students the opportunity to engage in NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach through science, technology, engineering, and math, and aim to reach populations that are histor ...Continue Reading

December 17, 2019 RELEASE 19-100 *NASA Named Best Place to Work in Federal Government for 8th Straight Year* *//* For the eighth consecutive year, NASA has been selected by the Partnership for Public Service as the Best Place to Work in Government. The rankings, announced Tuesday, reflect NASA’s unified focus and dedication to sending humans farther into space than ever before, and the agency’s highest employee satisfaction results since this index was developed. "NASA’s selection as the Best Place to Work in ...Continue Reading

The following sections have been updated in the past 1 day. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- DUST AND HAZE (1 updated event, 1 new image) -- INTENSE SAHARAN DUST EVENTS The world's largest non-polar desert is also the leading source of atmospheric dust. * Dust From Chad (Image from Dec 12, 2019; Posted Dec 16, 2019) https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146011/dust-from-chad/?src=nha -- DROUGHT (1 updated event, 1 new image) -- LONG-TERM DROUGHT IN AFRICA Parts of ...Continue Reading

:Product: Solar Region Summary :Issued: 2019 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 351 Issued at 0030Z on 17 Dec 2019 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 None IA. H-alpha Plages without Spots. Locations Valid at 16/2400Z Dec Nmbr Location Lo None ...Continue Reading

The following sections have been updated in the past 7 days. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- FIRES (1 updated event, 1 new image) -- WILDFIRES IN AUSTRALIA Drought conditions have primed many regions for unusually high and intense fire activity. * Fires Take a Toll on Australian Forests (Image from Dec 9, 2019; Posted Dec 12, 2019) https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/145998/fires-take-a-toll-on-australian-forests/?src=nha -- SEVERE STORMS (1 updated event, 1 new ...Continue Reading

December 16, 2019 RELEASE 19-098 *NASA’s X-59 Quiet Supersonic Research Aircraft Cleared for Final Assembly* Illustration of the completed X-59 QueSST landing on a runway. */Credits: Lockheed Martin/* NASA’s first large scale, piloted X-plane in more than three decades is cleared for final assembly and integration of its systems following a major project review by senior managers held Thursday at NASA Headquarters in Washington.  Image of the X-59 main assembly coming together. */Credits: Lockheed Martin/* T ...Continue Reading

Official Space Weather Advisory issued by NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center Boulder, Colorado, USA SPACE WEATHER ADVISORY OUTLOOK #19-50 2019 December 15 at 6:31 p.m. MST (2019 December 16 0131 UTC) **** SPACE WEATHER OUTLOOK **** Summary For December 9-15 No space weather storms were observed during the summary period. Outlook For December 16-22 No space weather storms are expected during the outlook period. Data used to provide space weather services are contributed by NOAA, USAF, NASA, NSF, ...Continue Reading