Somebody’s Got To Do It! Happy Star Wars Day! May The Fourth Be With You! #maythe4thbewithyou #starwarsday

I’m flying! (Image credit: NASA/JPL/Johnathan Brackett) . . . . . #nasa #jpl #mars #perseverance #ingenuity #mars2020 #solarsystemambassador https://www.instagram.com/p/CN2vTpRjGVd/?igshid=1nw6vdmuy9nmj

Today, I want to take a moment to recognize the achievements of Judith Resnik, an American astronaut who made history as the second American woman in space. Resnik was born on April 5, 1949, in Akron, Ohio, and earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 1970. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland in 1977.

Resnik was selected by NASA in 1978 to be a mission specialist in the space shuttle program. She first flew aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 1984 as part of the crew of mission STS-41D. During this mission, Resnik helped deploy three satellites and conducted various experiments in space. She later flew aboard the space shuttle Challenger in 1986 as part of the crew of mission STS-51L. Tragically, this mission ended in disaster when the Challenger was destroyed shortly after liftoff, killing all seven crew members, including Resnik.

Judith Resnik was a brilliant scientist and a trailblazer for women in the field of space exploration. Her contributions to the space shuttle program and her legacy as a pioneering astronaut will never be forgotten.

This is her flightsuit worn while training.

#NASA #seec2023 #johnsonspacecenter #spacecenterhouston #STEM #astronaut #WomenInSTEM #SolarSystemAmbassador

Kate and I earned our participation certificates for International Observe the Moon Night. We had to let a bunch of cloud bands pass, but we were finally able to see the beautiful Moon. Also had an opportunity to scope on Jupiter and Saturn. #observethemoon #moon #astronomy #backyardastronomy https://www.instagram.com/p/CFnzVvbjK0F/?igshid=1qk16eqge4wwc

An American Heritage Girls troop invited me to come speak about astronomy and women in STEM / Space Science. The girls had amazing questions and I got to be dramatic in my teaching. #astronomy #nasa #stem #stemgirls #solarsytemambassador #americanheritagegirls https://www.instagram.com/p/CZN4_eHsAjJ/?utm_medium=tumblr

Fun iPhone capture this evening... Orion The Hunter, Taurus The Bull, The Planet Mars, The International Space Station, and The Pleiades.

#explorepage #space #astronomy #iss #internationalspacestation #orion #taurus #thepleiades #solarsystemambassador

We Found the Perfect Spot to Land our Moon Rover

After an extensive selection process, we chose the mountainous area west of Nobile Crater at the Moon’s South Pole as the landing site for our first-ever robotic Moon rover. The Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover, or VIPER, will explore the Moon’s surface and subsurface in search of water and other resources beginning in late 2023. Thanks to past missions, such as satellites orbiting the Moon or impacting its surface, we know there is ice at the Moon’s poles. But how much? And where did it come from? VIPER aims to answer these questions and more by venturing into shadowed craters and visiting other areas of scientific interest over its 100-day mission. The findings will inform future landing sites under the Artemis program and help pave the way toward establishing a long-term human presence on the Moon. Here are five things to know:

The landing site is located just outside the western rim of Nobile Crater at the Moon’s South Pole.

The region has suitable lighting and terrain for our solar-powered rover to navigate.

VIPER will travel up to 15 miles in search of water and other resources.

Its traverse will change depending on what it finds, but it could look like this.

Drivers on Earth will tell the rover where to explore during its 100-day mission.

The VIPER mission is managed by our Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley. The approximately 1,000-pound rover will be delivered to the Moon by a commercial vendor as part of our Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, delivering science and technology payloads to and near the Moon.

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I was honored to be selected as a judge for this contest. A young man named Alexander Mather from Virginia chose the name “Perseverance” and wrote the winning essay. Perseverance is scheduled to launch to Mars this July. @nasa @nasajpl #nasa #mars #marsrover #space #perseverance #mars2020 https://www.instagram.com/p/CBS-LPVH6tj/?igshid=1pzag6xydhku4

Sometimes, a little of “The Right Stuff” in your kit can be that extra motivation in your day. #therightstuff #space #chuckyeager #nasa #stem #beemansgum #airbornescienceprogram #solarsystemambassador https://www.instagram.com/p/CMQ0WlMjBMa/?igshid=xtntgh9dbstf