NASA’s Quesst mission has adjusted the scheduled first flight of its X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft to 2024. A one-of-a-kind experimental aircraft, the X-59 has required complex engineering from NASA researchers working with prime contractor Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. In addition to the aircraft’s design, the X-59 also combines new technology with systems and components from…

NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley will host a media briefing at 10 a.m. PDT on Monday, Oct. 16, announcing a new interdisciplinary initiative. The project will enable academia, private industry, and government to identify and develop innovative technologies across aeronautics, quantum computing, climate studies, social sciences, and more. Eugene Tu, NASA Ames…

The International Space Station is abuzz with the return of one of NASA’s Astrobee smart robots. The yellow Honey Astrobee, one of three free-flying robots, was unboxed in space after spending nearly a year at its home base, NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. Honey had returned to Earth in September 2022 for…

NASA Ames’ Contributions to OSIRIS-REx by Gianine Figliozzi Extraterrestrial rocks and dust – material scooped up from an asteroid – were delivered to Earth on Sept. 24, 2023. A safe landing in the Utah desert for the spacecraft carrying this bounty marked the end of a seven-year journey for NASA’s OSIRIS-REx – short for the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification,…

Air taxis may become an important part of the U.S. transportation ecosystem, quickly carrying people relatively short distances – and eventually some may fly without a pilot aboard. NASA is helping prepare for that future with research to ensure that fully autonomous flight technology is safe. Currently, a NASA study team is evaluating how autonomous…

According to new research by NASA and its partners, Saturn’s rings could have evolved from the debris of two icy moons that collided and shattered a few hundred million years ago. Debris that didn’t end up in the rings could also have contributed to the formation of some of Saturn’s present-day moons. Full report from…

A new air taxi from the manufacturer Joby Aviation will allow NASA to evaluate how this kind of vehicle could be integrated into our skies for everyday use, while the Air Force researches its potential military use.   Full report from NASA: Read More

Teams at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley have played critical roles in preparing the mission for success and will continue to work on the OSIRIS-REx samples once they arrive. Full report from NASA: Read More

An experiment on the Moon’s surface that will study yeast’s biological response to the lunar environment to help understand and mitigate health risks for astronauts. Full report from NASA: Read More

NASA has selected the geology team that will develop the surface science plan for the first crewed lunar landing mission in more than 50 years. Full report from NASA: Read More