Today’s story is the answer to the April 2026 puzzler.  

With its abundance of naturally occurring gas seeps and fires, Azerbaijan has long been called “the land of fire.” Yet burning mountains are just one of the geologic wonders found in the small Eurasian country on the Caspian Sea.

Azerbaijan is also home to at least 220 mud volcanoes, according to data from the Azerbaijani government, though some researchers put the total number closer to 350. That is thought to be one of the highest concentrations of mud volcanoes on Earth.

Mud volcanoes—as well as gas seeps—are found within sedimentary basins where geologic conditions have allowed hydrocarbons to accumulate. Such basins typically have fluids and gases, such as oil and methane, trapped beneath sedimentary rocks and under high pressure. Instead of erupting molten lava, mud volcanoes typically eject cold slurries of mud, water, methane, and other gases. Oil and gas form from the remains of marine organisms, such as phytoplankton and algae, which settle on the ocean floor and are later transformed by pressure and heat.

Many of Azerbaijan’s mud volcanoes are clustered near the cities of Baku and Qobustan on the Absheron Peninsula, an area where structural folds and faults in the landscape have created cracks that allow methane-rich mud to move up toward the surface. On land, mud volcanoes typically form conical structures anywhere from 20 to 400 meters (70 to 1,300 feet) tall and 100 to 4,500 meters in diameter.

There are also at least 140 underwater mud volcanoes in the South Caspian Sea along Azerbaijan’s coast, including eight islands in the Baku archipelago. The satellite image above shows one of them, the tadpole-shaped Xərə Zirə Adası (also known in Russian as Ostrov Bulla), which had violent eruptions in 1961 and 1995 and still has two “weakly active” mud volcano vents, said Adelaide University geologist Mark Tingay. The neighboring island to the northwest, Duvannı (Ostrov Duvannyy), is visible in the wide view below. It erupted in 2006 and still has active vents on its northern side.

“The islands’ ‘tails’ are most likely caused by currents eroding their weak mud deposits,” Tingay said. “They look like spits of eroded and redeposited sediment that formed on the lee of the island, where current and wave action have the least effect.”

There are two more tadpole-shaped islands to the south, with sediment “tails” also oriented to the southwest. One of these—Səngi Muğan Adası (Ostrov Svinoy)—is known for producing particularly violent eruptions, most recently in 2002 and 2008, Tingay said. One of its most notorious events occurred in 1932 when, without warning, it released a 150-meter-tall fireball in an eruption that caused 13 injuries and almost destroyed the island’s lighthouse, he added. 

Though mud volcanoes are interesting to geologists and often indicators of underground fossil fuels, they can be unpredictable and pose risks. “They have the potential for ‘paroxysmal eruptions’—short but extremely violent eruptions,” Tingay said. “They sometimes fuel huge fireballs and have created whole new islands in the space of a few minutes.”

NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Adam Voiland.

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References & Resources

• Azerbaijan Mud Volcanoes. Accessed April 8, 2026.
• BBC (2023, July 13) Azerbaijan: The Caucasus’ ‘Land of Fire.’ Accessed April 8, 2026.      
• CNN (2022, December 2) Eternal flame: How Azerbaijan became the ‘Land of Fire.’ Accessed April 8, 2026. Accessed April 8, 2026.
• NASA Earth Observatory (2024, January 10) Satellites Spot a “Ghost” Island. Accessed April 8, 2026.                                                                
• Penn State (2016) Oil and Natural Gas Formation. Accessed April 8, 2026.
• Yusifov, M. & Rabinowitz, P. (2004) Classification of mud volcanoes in the South Caspian Basin, offshore Azerbaijan. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 21(8).
• Yusubov, N., et al. (2025) A Giant Mud Volcano System Within the On- and Offshore Eastern Azerbaijan, South Caspian Basin. Geological Journal.

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Following NASA’s Artemis II mission successfully splashing down on Earth, engineers started diving into detailed analysis of data to assess how key systems and subsystems on the Orion spacecraft, SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, and systems at the launch pad at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida performed. The Artemis II test flight successfully began a new era of exploration, laying the groundwork for the third Artemis mission next year, lunar surface missions, a Moon base, and future missions to Mars.

Orion spacecraft

After its 694,481-mile journey around the Moon and back, the agency’s Orion spacecraft successfully reentered Earth’s atmosphere and splashed down off the coast of San Diego on April 10. The crew and spacecraft were safeguarded by Orion’s thermal protection system as they traveled nearly 35 times the speed of sound during reentry. Initial inspections of the system found it performed as expected, with no unusual conditions identified. Diver imagery of the spacecraft’s heat shield initially taken after splashdown and further inspections on the recovery ship found the char loss behavior observed on Artemis I was significantly reduced, both in terms of quantity and size. Performance also was consistent with arc jet facility ground testing performed after Artemis I.

Airborne imagery of Orion’s crew module also was obtained during re-entry and will be reviewed in the coming weeks. This imagery will provide insight into the timing of when minimal char loss occurred as well as other heat shield data.

The crew module is expected to return to NASA Kennedy this month for additional examination of the heat shield during Orion de-servicing in the Multi-Payload Processing Facility. Teams will conduct detailed inspections, retrieve post-flight data, remove reusable components such as avionics, and eliminate remaining hazards such as excess fuel and coolant.

Over the summer, the heat shield will be transported to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for sample extraction and internal x-ray scans to provide further insight into the system and material behavior.

The ceramic tiles on the upper conical backshell of the crew module also performed as expected. Reflective thermal tape, which is expected to burn off upon re-entry, is still present in numerous locations. This reflective tape is used to help control vehicle temperatures while in space and serves no function for thermal protection upon re-entry.

Orion splashed down with precision, just 2.9 miles from the targeted landing site. Initial assessments showed entry interface velocity was within one mile-per-hour of predictions.

After splashdown, several Orion components were removed in San Diego for post flight analysis and future reuse prior to the spacecraft’s return to Kennedy. These items included seats, video processing units, crew module camera controllers, stowage containers and bags, and Orion Crew Survival System suit umbilicals.

The team currently is assessing the hardware and gathering data to support the post flight investigation of the urine vent line issue during the Artemis II mission. Teams will work to identify root cause and initiate corrective action for Artemis III.

America’s Moon rocket

The SLS rocket that launched the Artemis II mission also performed well, meeting its mission objectives for the test flight. While engineers continue studying the data, an early assessment indicates the rocket accurately placed Orion where it needed to be in space. At main engine cutoff, when the core stage’s RS-25 liquid engines shutdown, the spacecraft was traveling at over 18,000 miles per hour, achieving its insertion velocity for orbit, and executing a precise bullseye for its intended location.

Exploration Ground Systems

Engineers conducted a detailed post-launch pad and mobile launcher assessment, following the launch of the Artemis II crew and rocket. Application of lessons learned from Artemis I to harden and reinforce ground support equipment at the pad proved successful as the mobile launcher and launch pad sustained minimal damage in the wake of the powerful booster ignition. 

In addition to performing washdowns of the mobile launcher and pad ground systems immediately following launch, some components were made more rigid, like elevator doors, while others were made more compliant, such as gaseous distribution panels in the base of the mobile launcher, modified to flex with the blast effects. Other components were protected with blast-resistant walls or covers. These allowed the pneumatics system, which involves air and gas, to remain operational postlaunch and the critical cooling and washdown water flows to proceed.

Teams returned NASA’s mobile launcher that supported the integration and launch of the Artemis II rocket to NASA Kennedy’s Vehicle Assembly Building to undergo repairs and prepare for support of future Artemis missions.

The agency’s recovery teams, alongside their military partners, successfully conducted recovery operations after the safe splashdown of the crew inside their spacecraft. Navy divers retrieved each crew member and brought them aboard USS John P. Murtha before helping to recover the Orion spacecraft and return to Naval Base San Diego.

Using data from the first crewed mission under the Artemis program, NASA continues preparing the hardware and teams to launch and fly the Artemis III mission in 2027 ahead of subsequent missions to the Moon’s surface beginning in 2028.

To learn more about NASA’s exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis

Following the recent successful test flight of NASA’s Artemis II mission around the Moon, NASA rolled out the core stage, or the largest section, of the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket that will launch the crewed Artemis III mission in 2027. The stage departed from the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans on Monday for shipment to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking key progress on the path to the agency’s first crewed lunar landing mission to the Moon under the Artemis program in two years.

Using highly specialized transporters, engineers maneuvered the top four-fifths of the SLS core stage, the section containing the liquid hydrogen tank, liquid oxygen tank, intertank, and forward skirt, from inside NASA Michoud to the agency’s Pegasus barge for delivery to NASA Kennedy. After arrival, teams will complete the stage outfitting and vertical integration, and the agency’s Exploration Ground Systems Program will stack the rocket’s components in preparation for launch.

“Seeing this SLS rocket hardware roll out is a powerful reminder of our progress toward returning humans to the lunar surface,” said Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator, Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “This is the backbone of Artemis III. As it heads to Florida for final integration, we are one step closer to testing the critical capabilities needed to land Americans on the Moon, and ultimately, paving the way for our first crewed missions to Mars.”

At 212 feet tall, the completed core stage will consist of the top four fifths of the rocket combined with its engine section. The top four-fifths include the two propellant tanks that collectively hold more than 733,000 gallons of super-chilled liquid propellant to fuel four RS-25 engines. During launch and flight, the fully integrated stage will operate for more than eight minutes, producing more than 2 million pounds of thrust to propel astronauts inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft into orbit.

Building, assembling, and transporting the core stage is a collaborative process for two of NASA’s prime contractors, Boeing and L3Harris Technologies. Boeing is responsible for the overall design and assembly of the core stage, and L3Harris manufactures the rocket’s RS-25 engines. Recent announcements by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman enabled the agency to standardize the SLS configuration, streamline operations, and optimize production to accelerate the Artemis program.

Next year’s Artemis III mission will launch astronauts to Earth’s orbit aboard the Orion spacecraft on top of SLS to test rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and commercial spacecraft needed to land Artemis IV astronauts on the Moon in 2028. NASA’s SLS is the only rocket capable of sending Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.

As part of the Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send Artemis astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface, and to build on our foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

Learn more about NASA’s Artemis program:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis

-end-

James Gannon
Headquarters, Washington
202-664-7828
james.h.gannon@nasa.gov

Jonathan Deal
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
256-631-9126
jonathan.e.deal@nasa.gov

Media accreditation is open for the next U.S. launch to deliver NASA science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. This launch is the 34th SpaceX Commercial Resupply Services mission to the orbital laboratory for NASA and will lift off on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.

NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than Tuesday, May 12, to launch the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Credentialing to cover prelaunch and launch activities is open to United States media. The application deadline for U.S. citizens is 11:59 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, April 29. All accreditation requests must be submitted online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

Credentialed media will receive a confirmation email after approval. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. For questions about accreditation, or to request special logistical support, email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other questions, please contact NASA’s Kennedy Space Center newsroom at: 321-867-2468.

Each resupply mission to the space station delivers scientific investigations in the areas of biology and biotechnology, Earth and space science, physical sciences, and technology development and demonstrations. Cargo resupply from U.S. companies ensures a national capability to deliver scientific research to the space station, increasing NASA’s ability to conduct new investigations aboard humanity’s laboratory in space.

In addition to food, supplies, and equipment for the crew onboard the station, Dragon will deliver several new experiments, including a project to determine how well microgravity simulators mimic microgravity conditions, a bone scaffold made from wood that could produce new treatments for fragile bone conditions like osteoporosis, and equipment to help researchers evaluate how red blood cells and the spleen change in space. The Dragon spacecraft also will carry a new instrument to monitor charged particles around the Earth that impact power grids and satellites, and an investigation that could provide a fundamental understanding of how planets form.

For more than 25 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs that are not possible on Earth. The station is a testbed for NASA to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight, expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit, and prepare for deep space missions to the Moon, as part of the Artemis program, in preparation for future human missions to Mars.

Learn more about NASA’s commercial resupply missions at:

https://www.nasa.gov/station

-end-

Josh Finch / Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov

Amanda Griffin
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
amanda.griffin@nasa.gov

Sandra Jones
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov

The Republic of Latvia signed the Artemis Accords Monday during a ceremony hosted by NASA at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, becoming the 62nd nation to commit to responsible space exploration for all humanity. 

“We are proud to welcome Latvia to the Artemis Accords,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Each new signatory strengthens a coalition committed to the transparent and peaceful exploration of space. The accords are the foundation for real missions and real cooperation on the lunar surface, and Latvia’s commitment strengthens our shared vision for this next great era of exploration.”

Latvia’s Minister for Education and Science Dace Melbārde signed on behalf of the country. Chargé d’affaires a.i. at the Embassy of the Republic of Latvia to the United States Jānis Beķeris and U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg also participated in the event. 

“Today, Latvia aligns with a shared vision for humanity beyond Earth, grounded in international cooperation and the peaceful, transparent, and responsible exploration of outer space,” said Melbārde. “By joining the Artemis Accords, we make a clear commitment to these principles. Latvia already contributes to the global space ecosystem through its industry and research, and we look forward to the opportunity to deepen cooperation with the United States and NASA, contributing to future space activities under the Artemis framework. Participation in the Artemis Accords is also an investment in the development of our students, researchers, and innovators.” 

Last month, NASA announced plans to return to the Moon routinely and affordably, establishing an enduring presence and building a sustained lunar base. More than 40 Artemis Accords countries across six continents sent representatives to Washington for the event, announcing new opportunities for exploration and science. The group represented more than two thirds of the current Artemis Accords signatories.  

In 2020, during the first Trump Administration, the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, joined with seven other founding nations to establish the Artemis Accords, responding to the growing interest in lunar activities by both governments and private companies. The accords introduced the first set of practical principles aimed at enhancing the safety and coordination between like-minded nations as they explore the Moon, Mars, and beyond.  

Signing the Artemis Accords means committing to explore peaceably and transparently, to render aid to those in need, to enable access to scientific data that all of humanity can learn from, to ensure activities do not interfere with those of others, and to preserve historically significant sites and artifacts by developing best practices for space exploration for the benefit of all. 

More countries are expected to sign the Artemis Accords in the months and years ahead, as NASA continues its work to establish a safe, peaceful, and prosperous future in space. 

Learn more about the Artemis Accords at: 

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords

-end-

Camille Gallo / Elizabeth Shaw 
Headquarters, Washington 
202-358-1600 
camille.m.gallo@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov 

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft flies over the Mojave Desert in California in this April 14, 2026, image. The transition to flying with wheels up is a key milestone and an important step in the experimental aircraft’s test campaign.

The X-59 has made its highest and fastest flights so far, expanding its operational range and making progress toward supersonic flight. In future flights, the team will also be looking at factors like the performance of its controls, loads and structural dynamics, and subsystems including hydraulics, fuel, avionics, landing gear, and more. They will also be monitoring the performance of the eXternal Vision System, the series of cameras located on the X-59 connected to a display in the cockpit. The system takes the place of a traditional forward windscreen.

NASA’s Quesst mission, which features the one-of-a-kind X-59 aircraft, will demonstrate technology to fly supersonic, or faster than the speed of sound, without generating loud sonic booms.

Keep up with the latest X-59 news on the NASA Quesst blog.

Image credit: NASA

Space Policy Institute 4.29.26.pdf

Planetary Society APLU and AAU 4.21.26.pdf

41st Space Symposium-suppl 04.13-16.26

Space Symposium 2026 Events 4.13-16.26

2026 NSCFL Space Heroes and Legends Award Banquet 4.18.26

Newport News State of the City Event 4.13.26

Space Policy Institute Event 4.6.26

SpaceX Networking Reception 3.24.26

Maryland Space Business Roundtable (MSBR) 3.26.26

SIA_27th Annual Leadership Dinner 3.23.26

2026 Artemis Suppliers Conference 3.23-25.26

Ansys Government Initiatives Event_AGI 3.19.26

Homeland Security Week 3.17-18.26

Amazon Smithsonian and Space for Humanity Event 3.16.26

HLSR_NASA Night at the Rodeo 3.7.26

WIF Leadership Luncheon 3.4.26

2026 National Space Club Florida Committee Monthly Luncheon

Space Policy Institute Event 2.17.26

Maryland Space Business Roundtable_MSBR 2.11.26

2026 TSC Artemis II Pre-launch Reception 2.5.26

2026 VABA AAAAM Legislative Reception 2.4.26

Chamber of Commerce Summit 2.2.26

Cheniere Energy at the National Portrait Gallery 1.28.26

Leaders for a Better Louisiana at Adams and Reese 1.28.26

California Manufacturers and Technology Association Reception 1.23.26

Goddard Memorial Dinner 3.13.26

ISS 25th Anniversary 1.19.26

2026 Amentum Artemis II Rollout Reception 1.14.26

Maryland Space Business Roundtable 1.14.26

2025

Commercial Space Federation 12.9.25

Ansys Government Initiatives (AGI) 12.16.25

Maryland Space Business Roundtable (MSBR) 12.10.25

Women in Aerospace 12.11.25

Umbra Lab Inc 12.3.25

Space Policy Institute 10.21.2025

MSBR Space Business Roundtable 10.15.2025

76th International Astronautical Congress_IAC 9.29.25

2025 Von Braun Memorial Dinner 10.29.25

Space Foundation Reception 9.16.25

Evening with the Stars 9.10.25

MSBR Rooftop Reception 9.8.25

AIAA Dinner 8.18.25

STScI Event 7.29.25

MSBR Lunch 7.16.25

Rocket Lab Event 7.16.25

MSBR Lunch Reception 6.18.25

2025 Paris Airshow 6.13-19.25

Greater Houston Partnership Reception 6.12.25

Axiom Space X-4 Event

Space Foundation and German Embassy Reception 6.5.25

Mission 2 Moon Landing 6.5.25

H2M Conference and Events 5.28-29.25

Planetary Society 5.19.25

American Rocketry Challenge Reception 5.17.25

Rockets on the Hill Reception 5.16.25

Dayton Development Coalition Event 5.13.25

PA State Day Reception 5.6.25

MSBR STEM Gala 5.2.25

2025 ASF Hall of Fame Gala

AIAA Awards Gala 4.30.25

RNASA Awards Dinner 4.25.25

2025 Space Heroes and Legends Gala

Thunderbird School and Global Management Reception

40th Space Symposium Main Events

GovExec Awards Dinner 4.3.25

AIA Reception.4.2.25

SPI/GWU Dinner.4.2.25

Astrolab and Axiom.3.27.25

SPI/GWU/USRA Symposium.3.27.25

IDGA 18th Annual Event

Artemis VIP Reception.3.24.25

Goddard Memorial Dinner.3.21.25

MSBR Lunch.3.19.25

2025 Satellite Exhibition Event.3.10.25 to 3.13.25

SIA Dinner.3.10.25

67th Laureate Awards Dinner.3.6.25

SPI GWU Dinner.3.5.25

Bae Systems SPHEREx Launch.2.27.25

2025 Artemis Suppliers Conference

Blue Ghost Viewing Event

ServiceNow Forum.2.12.25

MSBR Luncheon.2.19.25

2025 Monthly NSCFL Luncheon

MSBR Lunch.1.22.25

Creole-Queen NOLA Reception.1.13.25

2025 New Glenn Mission 1 Launch Event

2025 Firefly Blue Origin Launch Reception

2024

MeriTalk Reception.12.19.24

Aero Club Award Dinner.12.13.24

Rocket Lab Event.12.13.24

Space Foundation Event.12.13.24

Umbra Lab Inc.12.5.24

Commercial Space Federation Joint Event.12.9.24

AGI Holiday Reception.12.3.24

The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation Event.11.21.24

Planet Labs PBC Reception.11.20.24

Rocket Lab Event.11.19.24

SPI GWU Dinner.11.5.24

Blue Origin and KBR Dinner.10.30.24

JASWDC Gala.10.30.24

SPI GWU Dinner.10.30.24

36th Annual Dr. Wernher von Braun Memorial Dinner

2024 Keystone Space Conference

2024 IAC Event

WIA Reception and Awards Dinner.10.10.24

2024 JPL Europa Clipper Launch Reception.10.8.24

SPI GWU Dinner.9.18.24

2024 VASBA HR AUVSI Gala

Blue Origin Reception.8.27.24

AIA & Amazon Reception.8.26.24

Exolaunch Reception.8.7.24

Farnborough Air Show.7.20-21.24

Artemis II SLS Roll Out Reception.7.15.24

Astroscale Reception Tokyo.7.12.24

Brooke Owens Fellowship Dinner.7.11.24

SpaceX GOES-U Launch

MSBR lunch.6.18.24

NAA Collier Dinner.6.13.24

Greater Cleveland Partnership.6.13-14.24

VAST Space LLC.6.12.24

Coalition for Deep Space Exploration Return to the Moon.6.5.24

The 2024 Infinite Exhibit Grand Opening

AIA and German Embassy Reception.6.4.24

AIA and British Embassy Reception.5.22.24

Space Foundation Event.5.16.24

Foundation Fratelli Tutti Dinners.5.10-11.24

MSBR STEM Gala.5.10.24

H2M Conference and Event.5.7-8.24

SPI/GW Dinner.5.1.24

Astrolab and Axiom.4.30.24

2024 Monthly NSCFL Luncheon

MEI 77th Annual Gala.4.17.24

Crowell & Moring Reception.4.16.24

2024 ASF Hall of Fame Gala

2024 Space Heroes and Legends Awards Dinner

SpaceX Symposium Reception.4.10.24

39th Space Symposium Supplemental

39th Space Symposium Main Events

SPI GWU Dinner.4.5.24

Goddard Memorial Dinner.3.22.24

SPI GW Dinner.3.20.24

AIA and Amazon Reception.3.19.24

MSBR Lunch.3.19.24

AIAA Awards Gala.3.15.24

NASM Event.3.6.24

Planetary Society.3.5.24

Embassy of Australia and Space Foundation.2.29.24

SPI/GWO Dinner.2.27.24

2024 Artemis Suppliers Conference

BDB Engineering Award Event

2024 Aerospace Days Legislative Reception

2024 NG-20 CRS Launch

IDGA 17th Annual Event.1.23 – 24.24

MSBR Lunch 1.16.24

Latino Biden-Harris Appointees Reception.1.11.24

STA Reception.1.11.24

2024 Axiom Space AX-3 Launch Reception

2023

2023 Astrobotic PM1 PreLaunch Reception

AERO Club Awards Dinner.12.15.23

WIA Dinner.12.13.23

MSBR Lunch.12.12.23

SCL and GBM Foundation Reception.12.11.23

LASP and Ball Aerospace Reception.12.11.23

Bayou Classic Brunch

L Oreal USA for Women Event.11.16.23

AAIA Reception.11.15.23

KBR Welcome Reception.11.14.23

SPI GWU Dinner 11.15.23

Museum of Natural History Board Events 11.2.23

USF Reception.10.24.23

Blue Origin KBR Reception

2023 Von Braun Memorial Dinner

Planet Labs PBC Reception.10.26.23

ELI Reception Dinner.10.24.23

OSIRIS REX RECEPTION.10.17.23

WIA Reception and Award Dinner.10.12.23

National Space Club Banquet 2023

Space Foundation and Airbus.10.3.23

IAC Event

NAHF Dinner Ceremony.9.22.23

2023 VASBA HR AUVSI Gala and Symposium

2023 Psyche Mission Team

SPI GWU Dinner 9.13.23

AIA Congress Space Reception.9.7.23

 MSBR Lunch 8.16.23

 WAG NG CRS 7-24-23

 2023 ASF Innovators Gala

 Space Foundation Reception 7.19.23

 Chamber of Commerce Reception.7.13.23

 ECI Fellows Meeting.7.12 to 7.14.23

 Embassy of Italy and Virgin Galactic.7.12.23

 JWST Reception 7.13.23

 Brook Owens Fellowship Dinner 7.13.23

 Comteck and Airbus Space Defense 07.11.23.

 Calgary Stampede.7.7.23

 CLD Reception.6.20.23

 CFA SAO Reception.6.15.23

 Paris Air Show.6.17-20.23

 UCAR Reception 6.7.23

 Space Forum 2023

 Rocket Lab TROPICS.5.18.23

 2023 Axiom Space AX-2 Launch Event WAG

 SW SPI Dinner 5.9.23

 H2M WAG 2023

 MSBR STEM Gala 5.5.23

 AIAA Awards Gala Event 5.18.23

 38th Space Symposium 4.16 to 4.20.23

 Planet Labs PGC Reception.4.13.23

 AL-23-009 RNASA

 2023 TEMPO Pre-Launch Reception

 MSBR Lunch 4.4.23

 Coalition for Deep Space Exploration SLS Orion EGS Gateway Suppliers 3.26.23

 Orion SLS Conference 3.27 to 3.28.23

 EWDC Event.3.23.23

 2023 Agency WAG Debus Award Banquet

 VHMC And Boeing Reception 3.18.23

 Ball Aerospace Kinship Reception 3.15.23

 Airbus Defence Event 3.14.23

 Terran Orbital Event 3.15.23

 SpaceX Satellite Reception 3.13.23

 SPI GWU Dinner 3.9.23

 Goddard Memorial Dinner 3.10.23

 2023 Agency Wag AHOF Gala

Space Foundation Event 2.16.23

BDB National Engineers Week 2023 Banquet
MSBR Lunch 2.28.23
STA Luncheon 2.7.23
WSBR Reception 2.1.23
SPI GWU SWF Reception 1.31.23
Artemis I Splashdown 01.17.23
MSBR Lunch 1.17.23

2022

GRC An Evening With the Stars 8.30.22
JPL 25 Years on Mars Reception 7.27.22
SPI GWU Dinner 7.6.22
Berlin Air Show 6.22-26.22
MSBR Lunch 6.21.22
KSC Gateway VIP Rception 6.14.22
MSBR Dinner Gala 6.10.22
NAA Robert J. Collier Awards Dinner 6.9.22
Advanced Space and Rocket Lab Capstone Event 6.8.22
AIA Challenger Center Reception 6.2.22
2022 H2M Summit 5.17-19.22
MSBR Lunch 5.17.22
FCW GovExec Awards Dinner 5.12.22
Meta Reception 5.4.22
JSC RNASA Luncheon and Dinner 4.29.22
Coalition for Deep Space Reception 4.28.22
SLS Orion EGS Suppliers Conference 4.28-29.22
SPI GWU Dinner 4.27.22
AIAA Awards Gala Dinner 4.27.22
MSBR Luncheon 4.19.2022
Arianespace Northrop Grumman JWST Reception 4.5.22
37th Space Symposium 4.4 to 7.22
Axiom Space Launch Event 3.30.22
Heinrich Boell Foundation Dinner 3.30.22
Aarianespace Reception 3.23.22
SIA Conference Events 3.21-23.22 Revised
Satellite Industry Association Reception 3.21.22
Goddard Memorial Dinner 3.18.22
GOES-T Post-Launch Reception 3.1.22
Goes-T L3 Harris Reception 3.1.22
Christopher Newport University Dinner 02.23.22
NG-17 CRS Launch Events VA 2.19.22
SPI GWU Dinner 02.04.2022
MSBR Dinner 01.18.2022
KSC CCTS Spaceport Summit 1.11-12.22

2021

JWST Launch 12.25.21
Aero Club Awards Reception 12.17.21
KSC NSC Celebrate Space 12.10.21
AGI Ansys Reception 12.10.21
KSC Ball Aerospace IXPE Launch Celebration Reception 12.7.21
WIA Awards Dinner 12.2.21
National Space Council Recognition Reception 12.1.21
SPI Dinner 11.16.21
AIAA ASCEND Event 11.15.21
AIAA Ascend 2021 Reception Dinner Las Vegs 11.14.21
KSC Astronaut Hall of Fame Event 11.13.21
KSC DNC Taste of Space Event 11.5.21
SPI Dinner 11.2.21
IAC Closing Gala 10.29.21
GRC Evening With The Stars 10.27.21
Goddard Memorial Awards Dinner 10.22.21
IAC 2021
Lucy Post Launch Dinner 10.16.21
KSC Lucy Launch Mission Events 10.12-13.21
United Airlines Reception 10.12.21
Blue Origin Launch 10.12.21
SPI Dinner on or about 9.28.21
Goddard Memorial Dinner 9.17.21 CANCELLED
SPI Dinner 9.7.21
RNASA Awards Dinner and Luncheon 9.3.21
GRC Evening With the Stars 8.31.21
FED100 Gala Awards Dinner 8.27.21
Addendum to 36th Space Symposium 8.22-26.21
36th Space Symposium 8.22-26.21
KSC ASF Innovators Gala 8.14.21
NG16 Launch Events 8.10.21
LaRC Virginia Space Reception 7.30.21
KSC 2021 Debus Award Dinner 7.30.21
Coalition for Deep Space 07.22.21
KSC Lockheed WAS Star Center Reception 7.15.21

2020

United Launch Alliance Satellite 2020 Reception 3.10.20
SpaceX Reception 3.9.20
U.S. Chamber of Commerce 2020 Aviation Summit 3.5.20
Maryland Space Business Roundtable Lunch 2.18.20
SLS Orion Suppliers Conference 2.12.20
Coalition for Deep Space Exploration Reception 2.11.20
Northrop Grumman NG-13 CRS Launch Events 2.9.20
VA UAS AeroSpace Legislative Reception 1.29.20
MSBR Lunch 1.21.20
Guidance Keough School of Global Affairs 1.16.20
Boeing Orbital Flight Test Launch Events 12.20.19
Virgin Space Reception 12.17.19
SEA Summit 12.17.19
Wright Memorial Dinner 12.13.19
Analytical Graphics AGI Reception 12.13.19
Ball Reception 12.10.19
MSBR Lunch 12.3.19
Plant Reception 11.20.19
JSC Spacecom Conference VIP Reception 11.20.19
JSC Spacecom Conference Reception 11.19.19
SAIC BSU STEM Roundtable 11.07.19
Apollo UK Productions Ltd 7.10.19
SpaceX Satellite Reception 5.6.19
SPI GWU Dinner 5.1.19
AIAA Reception 4.30.19
MSBR Lunch 1.21.20
MSBR Lunch 1.21.20

6 Min Read

NASA’s Hubble Dazzles With Young Stars in Trifid Nebula

This shimmering region of star-formation, a close-up of the Trifid Nebula about 5,000 light-years from Earth, was captured in intricate detail by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The colors in Hubble’s visible light image, which marks the 36th anniversary of the mission’s launch on April 24, are reminiscent of an underwater scene filled with fine-grained sediments fluttering through the ocean’s depths.

Several massive stars, which are outside this field of view, have shaped this region for at least 300,000 years. (See them in a wider view.) Their powerful winds continue to blow an enormous bubble, a small portion of which is shown here, that pushes and compresses the cloud’s gas and dust, triggering new waves of star formation.

This isn’t the first time Hubble has gazed at this scene. The telescope observed the Trifid in 1997 and now, 29 years later, it has leveraged almost its full operational lifetime to show us changes in the nebula on human time scales. Why look at the same location again? In addition to seeing changes over time, Hubble is also equipped with an improved camera with a wider field of view and greater sensitivity that was installed during Servicing Mission 4.

Star formation in ‘Cosmic Sea Lemon’

Hubble’s view of the Trifid Nebula (also known as Messier 20 or M20) focuses on a “head” and undulating “body” of a rusty-colored cloud of gas and dust that resembles a marine sea lemon, or sea slug, that appears as if it is gliding through the cosmos.

The Cosmic Sea Lemon’s left “horn” is part of Herbig-Haro 399, a jet of plasma periodically ejected over centuries by a young protostar embedded in the head of the sea lemon. Changes, as seen in the video below, allow researchers to measure the speeds of the outflows and determine how much energy the protostar is injecting into these regions. These measurements will provide insights into how newly formed stars interact with their surroundings.

To the immediate lower right is evidence of the counter jet: jagged orange and red lines that ”run” down the back of the sea lemon’s neck, where a natural V appears in the brown dust.

The darker, more triangular “horn” on the right of the “head” hosts another young star at its tip. Zoom in to see a faint red dot with a tiny jet. The green arc above it may be evidence that a circumstellar disk is being eroded by the intense ultraviolet light from nearby massive stars. The clearer area around this protostar suggests it may almost be finished forming.

To the immediate left of the Cosmic Sea Lemon is a small, faint pillar that resembles a water bear. Much of this pillar’s gas and dust has been blown away, but the densest material at the top persists.

Streaks and sharp lines offer more clues about other young stars’ activities. Spy an example by looking near the center for a rippling angled line that begins in a bright orange and ends in a blazing red. In the image comparison, it appears to move, which means it may be a jet shot out by another actively forming star buried deeply in dust.

Prismatic ‘sea’ of color

In Hubble’s visible light observations, the clearest view is toward the top left, where it’s bluer. Strong ultraviolet light from massive stars, not in the field of view, stripped electrons from nearby gas, creating a glow, with winds sculpting a bubble by clearing out surrounding dust.

At the top of the Cosmic Sea Lemon’s head, bright yellow gas streams upward. This is an example of ultraviolet light plowing into the dark brown dust, stripping and dismantling the gas and dust.

Many ridges and slopes of dark brown material will remain for a few million years, as the stars’ ultraviolet light slowly eats away at the gas. The densest areas are home to protostars, which are obscured in visible light.

The far-right corner is nearly pitch black. This is where the dust is the densest. The stars that appear here may not be part of this star-forming region — they might be closer to us, in the foreground.

Now, scan the scene for bright orange orbs. These stars have fully formed, clearing the space around them. Over millions of years, the nebula’s gas and dust will disappear — only stars will remain.

Unprecedented longevity, nonstop discoveries

Hubble’s varied instruments and the expansive range of light it collects — from ultraviolet through visible to near-infrared — have helped researchers make ground-breaking discoveries for decades and supply new data daily that will inevitably lead to more.

The telescope has taken over 1.7 million observations to date. Almost 29,000 astronomers have published peer-reviewed science papers using Hubble data collected over the telescope’s 36-year lifetime, resulting in more than 23,000 publications, with almost 1,100 in 2025 alone. Hubble’s observational data is publicly available in the Barbara A. Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, while its mission descriptions, history, and gallery of popular images are found on NASA’s Hubble website.

Since 2022, researchers have regularly combined Hubble’s observations with those from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to push opportunities for discovery further. Very soon, astronomers will begin diving into huge near-infrared datasets from vast surveys from NASA’s new Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, and will seek to compare them to existing or new Hubble observations to clarify what is at work. For context, Roman’s camera can cover the entire Trifid Nebula, showing the full bubble, with a single pointing — and may turn up interesting objects for follow-up.

Another flagship to look forward to? The mission concept known as the Habitable Worlds Observatory, which would have a significantly larger mirror than Hubble — leading to higher resolution images — and, like Hubble, capture ultraviolet, visible, and infrared light. This next-generation space telescope would advance science across all of astrophysics, and would be the first specifically engineered telescope to identify habitable, Earth-like planets next to relatively bright stars like our Sun and examine them for evidence of life.

The Hubble Space Telescope has been operating for over three decades and continues to make ground-breaking discoveries that shape our fundamental understanding of the universe. Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope and mission operations. Lockheed Martin Space, based in Denver, also supports mission operations at Goddard. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, conducts Hubble science operations for NASA.

Related Images, Videos, & Articles

Image: Trifid Nebula (Wide Field Camera 3 Image)

NASA celebrates Hubble’s 36th anniversary with a new image of the Trifid Nebula, a star-forming region it first captured in 1997. The telescope leveraged almost its full operational lifetime to show us changes in the nebula on human time scales with an improved camera.

Image: Full Trifid Nebula (Rubin Image with Hubble Close-up)

A pullout shows where the Hubble Space Telescope’s close-up image is located within the wider Trifid Nebula. The image at left was taken by the NSF-DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile. The color assignments in the images vary based on the filters in the telescopes’ cameras.

Image: Trifid Nebula (WFC3 Compass Image)

This closeup image of the Trifid Nebula (Messier 20 or M20) captured by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) shows compass arrows, scale bar, and color key for reference.

Video: Changes in the Trifid Nebula (1997 and 2026 Observations)

Compare Hubble’s two observations of a portion of the Trifid Nebula, one taken in 2026 with the telescope’s current Wide Field Camera 3 and the other in 1997 with an earlier instrument (the Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2).

Video: Explore the Trifid Nebula

“Fly” through the Hubble Space Telescope’s view of the Trifid Nebula. The video “floats” over the ridges of gas and dust and moves up toward Herbig-Haro 399, at the top of a brown cloud that resembles a head with horns.

Article: New Hubble Image Reveals Details in the Heart of the Trifid Nebula

This June 2004 release of Hubble images provided astronomers with detailed views of structures at the heart of the Trifid Nebula.

Image: The Trifid Nebula, Stellar Nursery Torn Apart by Radiation from Nearby Star

This Hubble image, taken in 1997, revealed a stellar jet protruding from the head of a dense cloud.

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Along the western coast of Southern Thailand, a series of bright tan beaches lines the Andaman Sea. These sandy expanses fill the gaps between the myriad other features touching the sea, from limestone karst towers to mangroves to built-up areas.

The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 captured these images on March 23, 2026, showing part of the coastal area along Thailand’s Krabi Province. These beaches lie about 50 kilometers (30 miles) east of Phuket across Ao Phangnga, a bay of the Andaman Sea. The beaches are a tourism hotspot and draw visitors from around the world. 

Railay Beach and Phra Nang Beach, accessible by boat, are especially a draw for rock climbers who come here to scale the seaside walls of limestone. The towering formations are an iconic part of the region’s tropical karst landscape, resulting from the just-right ingredients of rock type and climate conditions.

Limestone in this region formed from the accumulation of calcium carbonate, the skeletal remains of marine organisms that settled here when the area was covered by a shallow sea hundreds of millions of years ago. Over time, continental collisions lifted the rock upward and shaped it into complex patterns. Rainwater, made slightly acidic due to the tropical environment, assisted in the chemical weathering that eroded the limestone, sculpting the rock into unique shapes. 

The karst landscape extends into the sea in the form of islands. For instance, Ko Po Da Nai and Ko Hong, visible in the wide satellite image above, feature steep limestone cliffs and caves, making them a popular destination for paddlers. Larger boats also cut through the water, their wakes appearing as white streaks.

On the mainland, the landscape beyond the sandy beaches includes varied terrain. Green forests cover the slopes of Khao Hang Nak, where hikers can take in views of the Andaman Sea and surrounding karst formations. At lower elevations, green mangroves line several rivers, including Khlong Chi Lat.

Human activity is most visible in the flatter plains, where urban development and agriculture have transformed the landscape. Krabi, the province’s capital, and nearby towns appear gray. To the northwest, patches of brown and green in geometric patterns indicate agricultural land, where oil palm and rubber trees are commonly grown alongside other crops such as pineapple.

NASA Earth Observatory images by Lauren Dauphin, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Photo by Shawn used under the Unsplash license. Story by Kathryn Hansen.

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March 23, 2026

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References & Resources

• Englong, A., et al. (2026) Long-term vegetation dynamics, environmental changes, anthropogenic records, and carbon accumulation during 3,800 years in Krabi mangroves, Thailand. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany.
• Gillieson, D. (2005) Karst in Southeast Asia. The Physical Geography of Southeast Asia, edited by Avijit Gupta, Oxford University Press.
• Kaswiset, N., et al. (2026) Oil palm spreads, but rubber still there—mapping the continuous but slow changes of plantations area in Southern Thailand. Regional Environmental Change, 26(24).

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A new quality assessment report from NASA’s Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA) program approves the use of data from Satellogic’s NewSat constellation, which includes the Mark IV and Mark V sensor generations, for scientific use.

Issued March 9, 2026, the Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program Satellogic NewSat Radiometric & Geometric Quality Assessment Report documents the evaluation process of the NASA subject matter experts (SMEs) enlisted to analyze the quality of the constellation’s radiometric and geometric data products.

The SMEs analyzed 60 top-of-atmosphere reflectance images collected between 2021 and 2025, focusing on radiometric and geometric performance across multiple sites. Results showed generally strong radiometric accuracy, with the majority of spectral bands performing within 10% of Aqua MODIS reference values and signal-to-noise ratios meeting “Good” rating criteria for more than half of the bands. Geometric performance exceeded their specified sensor spatial response specifications, with some variability noted between sensor generations. (The Mark IV received an “Excellent” grade for sensor spatial response while the Mark V received a “Basic” grade.)

Since the release of the report, Satellogic has changed aspects of their data processing, in part to address findings and recommendations in the report. CSDA is engaged in a quality assessment of their revised products and will report on the results in the near future.

About the CSDA Program

NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD) established the CSDA program to identify, evaluate, and acquire commercial remote sensing data that enhances NASA’s Earth science research and applications. CSDA provides structured on-ramping opportunities for emerging commercial satellite data vendors, enabling NASA to continuously integrate innovative data sources as the private sector evolves. By leveraging these partnerships, NASA’s ESD aims to accelerate scientific discovery and expand applications of Earth observation data for the NASA Earth science research and applications community and societal benefit.

Since its initial pilot, the CSDA Program has conducted three on-ramp activities, resulting in the addition of several vendors into sustainment. Since then, the program has streamlined its evaluation process by introducing high-quality, SME-led data assessments, accelerating reviews and strengthening NASA’s engagement with the rapidly growing commercial data ecosystem. The CSDA’s evaluation criteria include:

• Accessibility of data
• Completeness and accuracy of metadata
• User support services provided by the commercial entity
• Usefulness of submitted data for science and applications

This approach ensures NASA gains timely access to high-quality, mission-relevant commercial data, and provides valuable feedback to private-sector providers, fostering innovation, improved data products, and alignment of industry capabilities with NASA’s evolving scientific needs.

Resources

To read the CSDA’s Satellogic NewSat Radiometric & Geometric Quality Assessment Report, visit the CSDA website.

View the recent CSDA Vendor Focus Webinar on Satellogic on the CSDA program’s YouTube channel.

For more information about the CSDA program’s process for identifying commercial satellite vendors for on-ramp and evaluation, visit the CSDA website.