National Aeronautics and Space Administrion

Since its inception in 1958, NASA has accomplished many great scientific and technological feats in air and space. NASA technology also has been adapted for many nonaerospace uses by the private sector. NASA remains a leading force in scientific research and in stimulating public interest in aerospace exploration, as well as science and technology in general. Perhaps more importantly, our exploration of space has taught us to view Earth, ourselves, and the universe in a new way. While the tremendous technical and scientific accomplishments of NASA demonstrate vividly that humans can achieve previously inconceivable feats, we also are humbled by the realization that Earth is just a tiny "blue marble" in the cosmos. Check out our "Thinking About NASA History" folder online as an introduction to how history can help you.

Saturday, January 24, 2026

Aurora

"Starting on the night of January 19, 2026, planet Earth was treated to a global show that had only been seen once before in the 21st century: a spectacular auroral display that wasn’t triggered by a solar flare or by a coronal mass ejection, but instead by a completely different form of space weather known as a solar radiation storm."https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/solar-radiation-storm-2026-aurora/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=swab

GPS inventor died

"Over the span of a single lifetime, the world has changed in ways that would have been virtually unimaginable in the first half of the 20th century."

https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/gladys-west-einstein-gps/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=swab

Friday, January 23, 2026

Blue Origin

"Two passengers that flew on one of Blue Origin’s supersonic flights to the edge of space have shared footage of the 10-minute journey captured behind the scenes or inside the capsule during flight, giving a rare glimpse into the full experience."https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/03/tech/blue-origin-flight-footage-takeoff-to-landing-scn?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4c92f5d78644b3ac5d5b4

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Helix Nebula

"Webb has zoomed into the Helix Nebula to give an up-close view of the possible eventual fate of our own Sun and planetary system. In Webb’s high-resolution look, the structure of the gas being shed off by a dying star comes into full focus."https://esawebb.org/news/weic2601/?lang

Poles of Jupiter and Saturn

"Over the years, passing spacecraft have observed mystifying weather patterns at the poles of Jupiter and Saturn. " https://news.mit.edu/2026/polar-weather-jupiter-saturn-hints-planets-interior-details-0119?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4c92f5d78644b3ac5d5b4

Weather Patterns over Jupiter and Saturn

"Over the years, passing spacecraft have observed mystifying weather patterns at the poles of Jupiter and Saturn. "
https://news.mit.edu/2026/polar-weather-jupiter-saturn-hints-planets-interior-details-0119?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4c92f5d78644b3ac5d5b4

Monday, January 19, 2026

Quantum Computer

"Quantum computers could rapidly solve complex problems that would take the most powerful classical supercomputers decades to unravel."https://news.mit.edu/2026/efficient-cooling-method-could-enable-chip-based-quantum-computers-0115?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter&user_id=66c4c92f5d78644b3ac5d5b4