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NASA Develops Blockchain Technology to Enhance Air Travel Safety and Security 

16 Gennaio 2026 ore 21:11

3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

By Supreet Kaur

In an era where data security is critical to aviation safety, NASA is exploring bold new solutions. 

An Alta-X drone carries a custom built simulated Unmanned Aircraft Systems environment payload for the new blockchain system tests.   
Credit: NASA/Brandon Torres Navarette 

Through a drone flight test at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, researchers tested a blockchain-based system for protecting flight data. The system aims to keep air traffic management safe from disruption and protect data transferred between aircraft and ground stations from being intercepted or manipulated. 

For aviation and airspace operations to remain safe, users need to be able to trust that data is reliable and transparent. While current systems have been able to protect flight data systems, cyberthreats continue to evolve, requiring new approaches. NASA researchers found the blockchain-based system can safely transmit and store information in real time. 

Blockchain operates like a decentralized database — it does not rely on a single computer or centralized system. Instead, it shares information across a vast network, recording and verifying every change to a dataset. The system ensures the data stays safe, accurate, and trustworthy.  

Previous cybersecurity research focused on implementing a layered security architecture — using multiple physical and digital security measures to control system access. For this test, researchers took a different approach using blockchain to address potential threats.  

Using drones allowed the team to show that the blockchain framework could yield benefits across several priority areas in aviation development, including autonomous air traffic management, urban air mobility, and high-altitude aircraft.  

Three people sit at a table looking over laptop computers. The one nearest the camera is pointing at the laptop monitor.
Terrence D. Lewis (left), Kale Dunlap (center), and Aidan Jones monitor the flow of telemetry from both actual and simulated flights, ensuring the simulation and blockchain systems are processing and recording data accurately. 
Credit: NASA/Brandon Torres Navarette 

This NASA research explored how blockchain can secure digital transactions between multiple systems and operators. The team used an open-source blockchain framework that allows trusted users real-time sharing and storage of critical data like aircraft operator registration information, flight plans, and telemetry. This framework restricts access to this data to trusted parties and approved users only. 

To further examine system resilience, the team introduced a set of cybersecurity tests designed to assess, improve, and reinforce security during operations in airspace environments. During an August flight at Ames, the team demonstrated these capabilities using an Alta-X drone with a custom-built software and hardware package that included a computer, radio, GPS system, and battery.  

The test simulated an environment with a drone flying in real-world conditions, complete with a separate ground control station and the blockchain and security infrastructure. The underlying blockchain framework and cybersecurity protocols can be extended to support high-altitude operations at 60,000 feet and higher and Urban Air Mobility operations, paving the way for a more secure, scalable, and trusted ecosystem. 

NASA researchers will continue to look at the data gathered during the test and apply what they’ve learned to future work. The testing will ultimately benefit U.S. aviation stakeholders looking for new tools to improve operations. 

Through its Air Traffic Management and Safety project, NASA performed research to transform air traffic management systems to safely accommodate the growing demand of new air vehicles. The project falls under NASA’s Airspace Operations and Safety Program, a part the agency’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate that works to enable safe, efficient aviation transportation operations that benefit the flying public and industry.

NASA Develops Blockchain Technology to Enhance Air Travel Safety and Security 

16 Gennaio 2026 ore 21:11

3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

By Supreet Kaur

In an era where data security is critical to aviation safety, NASA is exploring bold new solutions. 

An Alta-X drone carries a custom built simulated Unmanned Aircraft Systems environment payload for the new blockchain system tests.   
Credit: NASA/Brandon Torres Navarette 

Through a drone flight test at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, researchers tested a blockchain-based system for protecting flight data. The system aims to keep air traffic management safe from disruption and protect data transferred between aircraft and ground stations from being intercepted or manipulated. 

For aviation and airspace operations to remain safe, users need to be able to trust that data is reliable and transparent. While current systems have been able to protect flight data systems, cyberthreats continue to evolve, requiring new approaches. NASA researchers found the blockchain-based system can safely transmit and store information in real time. 

Blockchain operates like a decentralized database — it does not rely on a single computer or centralized system. Instead, it shares information across a vast network, recording and verifying every change to a dataset. The system ensures the data stays safe, accurate, and trustworthy.  

Previous cybersecurity research focused on implementing a layered security architecture — using multiple physical and digital security measures to control system access. For this test, researchers took a different approach using blockchain to address potential threats.  

Using drones allowed the team to show that the blockchain framework could yield benefits across several priority areas in aviation development, including autonomous air traffic management, urban air mobility, and high-altitude aircraft.  

Three people sit at a table looking over laptop computers. The one nearest the camera is pointing at the laptop monitor.
Terrence D. Lewis (left), Kale Dunlap (center), and Aidan Jones monitor the flow of telemetry from both actual and simulated flights, ensuring the simulation and blockchain systems are processing and recording data accurately. 
Credit: NASA/Brandon Torres Navarette 

This NASA research explored how blockchain can secure digital transactions between multiple systems and operators. The team used an open-source blockchain framework that allows trusted users real-time sharing and storage of critical data like aircraft operator registration information, flight plans, and telemetry. This framework restricts access to this data to trusted parties and approved users only. 

To further examine system resilience, the team introduced a set of cybersecurity tests designed to assess, improve, and reinforce security during operations in airspace environments. During an August flight at Ames, the team demonstrated these capabilities using an Alta-X drone with a custom-built software and hardware package that included a computer, radio, GPS system, and battery.  

The test simulated an environment with a drone flying in real-world conditions, complete with a separate ground control station and the blockchain and security infrastructure. The underlying blockchain framework and cybersecurity protocols can be extended to support high-altitude operations at 60,000 feet and higher and Urban Air Mobility operations, paving the way for a more secure, scalable, and trusted ecosystem. 

NASA researchers will continue to look at the data gathered during the test and apply what they’ve learned to future work. The testing will ultimately benefit U.S. aviation stakeholders looking for new tools to improve operations. 

Through its Air Traffic Management and Safety project, NASA performed research to transform air traffic management systems to safely accommodate the growing demand of new air vehicles. The project falls under NASA’s Airspace Operations and Safety Program, a part the agency’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate that works to enable safe, efficient aviation transportation operations that benefit the flying public and industry.

Out of This World Discoveries: Space Station Research in 2025

5 Min Read

Out of This World Discoveries: Space Station Research in 2025

693K9731.NEF

As Earth completed its orbit around the Sun to close out 2025, the International Space Station circled our planet more than 5,800 times. Serving as humanity’s unique laboratory in space, the station has hosted thousands of experiments and technology demonstrations, advancing science in ways that cannot be replicated on Earth.

In 2025 alone, more than 750 experiments supported exploration missions, improved life on Earth, and opened commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. The space station continues to drive innovation by enabling human exploration of the Moon and Mars, transforming medical research, deepening our understanding of the universe, and fostering a growing commercial economy.

Read through just a handful of 2025’s innovative research achievements from the orbiting laboratory.

25 Years of humans researching in orbit

The International Space Station, backdropped against the darkness of space and Earth at its horizon, was photographed by the Expedition 1 crew in 2000, during a fly around aboard a Soyuz capsule.
The International Space Station photographed in 2000 by the Expedition 1 crew.
NASA

On Nov. 2, 2025, humanity reached a milestone of cosmic proportions: 25 years of continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station. Since the first crew arrived on Nov. 2, 2000, NASA and its partners from around the world have conducted more than 4,000 research investigations and technology demonstrations. More than 290 people from 26 countries have visited the space station, where continuous human presence enables research that surpasses the capabilities of satellites and autonomous platforms. The space station’s unique microgravity environment, paired with crew operations, continues to unlock discoveries and push the boundaries of humanity’s curiosity and innovation.

A breakthrough cancer treatment

European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet works inside the International Space Station, holding two black cylindrical experiment containers as part of the Protein Crystal Growth-5 study. Behind him, computer displays are mounted to the station’s wall, along with many other instruments, cables, and silver knobs.
ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet conducts research aboard the International Space Station supporting the advancement of cancer therapeutics.
NASA

Research aboard the International Space Station helped inform the development of a newly FDA-approved injectable medication used to treat several types of early-stage cancers. The research yielded early insights into the structure and size of particles needed to develop the medication through protein crystal growth experiments. This new delivery method promises to lower costs and significantly reduce treatment time for patients and healthcare providers, while maintaining drug efficiency. Microgravity research can produce higher-quality, medically relevant crystals than Earth-based labs, enabling these types of medical advances. These developments showcase how space station research can drive innovation, improve lives, and foster commercial opportunities.

Medical implants printed in orbit

A rectangular, eight-pronged crystalline-yellow object is displayed on a metallic surface.
Eight medical devices for peripheral nerve repair were printed simultaneously aboard the International Space Station. Credit: Auxilium Biotechnologies.

Eight medical implants designed to support nerve regeneration were successfully 3D printed aboard the International Space Station for preclinical trials on Earth. When nerve damage occurs, these types of implants are designed to improve blood flow and enable targeted drug delivery. Printing in microgravity can prevent particle settling, resulting in more uniform and stable structures. In-space manufacturing is helping to advance medical treatments and other technologies while also enabling astronauts to print devices and tools on demand during future missions.

Learn more about InSPA-Auxilium Bioprinter.

A new understanding of our Sun

A color-coded heat map of the Sun's outer atmosphere showing a large, fan-like plume. Colors transitions from cool purple and blue on the left to greens in the middle to yellow and bright red on the right, indicating temperature changes over several days.
Using data from NASA’s CODEX (Coronal Diagnostic Experiment), this animated, color-coded heat map shows temperature changes of the Sun over the course of couple days, where red indicates hotter regions and purple indicates cooler ones.
NASA/KASI/INAF/CODEX
The robotic hand, better known as Dextre, attached to the white tube-like Canadarm2 robotic arm, carries the CODEX experiment after extracting the research hardware from the trunk of the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft. The space station hardware’s white color contrasts against the black background of space.
Dextre, attached to the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm, carries CODEX.
NASA

A solar coronagraph aboard the International Space Station captured its first unique images detailing the Sun’s outer atmosphere while measuring  solar wind temperature and speed. The instrument blocks the Sun’s bright light to reveal its faint outer atmosphere, or corona, where solar wind originates. Earlier experiments focused on the corona’s density, but this new device enables the study of what heats and accelerates the solar wind, offering a more complete picture of how energy moves through the Sun’s atmosphere. These observations help researchers understand how solar activity affects Earth and space-based technology, such as satellites, communications networks, and power systems.

Learn more about CODEX.

Hunting for microscopic space travelers

NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore wears a white spacesuit while performing a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. Wilmore is positioned horizontally against the station’s exterior. In the background, the black of space contrasts with the station’s copper-colored solar arrays and the white robotic Canadarm, which has "Canada" printed vertically in black letters.
NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore works outside the International Space Station on Jan. 30, 2025, during a five-hour and 26-minute spacewalk.
NASA

NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore collected microbiological samples during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. Samples were taken near the life support system vents to see if the orbital complex releases microorganisms. This experiment helps researchers examine if and how these microorganisms survive and reproduce in the harsh space environment, as well as how they may behave at destinations such as the Moon and Mars. After returning to Earth, the samples underwent DNA extraction and sequencing. Another round of collections is planned for future spacewalks. The data could help determine whether changes are needed on crewed spacecraft and spacesuits to reduce biocontamination during missions to explore destinations where life may exist now or in the past.

Learn more about ISS External Microorganisms.

A fully docked space station

A shot from the International Space Station showing a long, white robotic arm maneuvering the cylindrical silver Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft. Earth’s blue oceans and white clouds are visible in the background. In the foreground, the HTVX-1 vehicle docked to the space station, covered in reflective gold foil with its silver solar panels visible.
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft is grappled by the International Space Station’s Canadarm2. In the background, JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) HTV-X1 cargo craft is docked to the orbital complex.
NASA
An artistic concept of the International Space Station, displaying its large gold solar arrays and eight different spacecraft attached to it, including the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft, the SpaceX Crew-11 Dragon spacecraft, JAXA’s HTV-X1 cargo craft, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo craft, the Soyuz MS-27 and MS-28 crew spacecraft, and the Progress 92 and 93 resupply ships.
The International Space Station visiting spacecraft configuration on Dec.1, 2025 showing eight spacecraft parked at the orbital complex.
NASA

For the first time in International Space Station history, all eight docking ports of the orbiting laboratory were occupied at once. Three crew spacecraft and five cargo resupply craft were attached to station, including JAXA’s new cargo vehicle HTV-X1 and Northrup Grumman’s new Cygnus XL. The eight spacecraft delivered astronauts, cargo, and scientific experiments from around the world to be conducted in the unique microgravity environment. This milestone highlights the space station’s evolution, inviting commercial partners and international collaboration to continue expanding the orbiting laboratory’s research capabilities.

Space station research meets the Moon’s surface

A split-screen image showing two different space missions. On the left, a silver box-shaped instrument with a grid of circular sensors, is attached to the International Space Station, with bright orange solar arrays in the background. On the right, an artist’s concept of a gold-foil-wrapped lunar lander with four thin legs stands on the grey, cratered Moon’s surface under a black, star-filled sky. The lander features a black stylized bird logo on its side.
NICER (Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer) is shown mounted to the International Space Station in the image on the left, and LEXI (right) is shown attached to the top of Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost in an artist’s concept.
NASA/Firefly Aerospace

Three experiments that landed on the Moon during Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission-1 were enabled by earlier research aboard the International Space Station. These studies help improve space weather monitoring, test computer recovery from radiation damage, and advance lunar navigation systems. The orbiting laboratory continues to lay the foundation for missions beyond low Earth orbit, driving exploration deeper into space. 

Learn more.  

The space station continues to deliver out-of-this-world achievements that cannot be replicated on Earth. Its research capabilities are a springboard for humanity’s future in innovation and testing the limits of what’s possible.

Here’s to 2026 — another year of defying physics and pushing the boundaries of science and exploration.

Out of This World Discoveries: Space Station Research in 2025

16 Gennaio 2026 ore 16:00
5 Min Read

Out of This World Discoveries: Space Station Research in 2025

693K9731.NEF

As Earth completed its orbit around the Sun to close out 2025, the International Space Station circled our planet more than 5,800 times. Serving as humanity’s unique laboratory in space, the station has hosted thousands of experiments and technology demonstrations, advancing science in ways that cannot be replicated on Earth.

In 2025 alone, more than 750 experiments supported exploration missions, improved life on Earth, and opened commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. The space station continues to drive innovation by enabling human exploration of the Moon and Mars, transforming medical research, deepening our understanding of the universe, and fostering a growing commercial economy.

Read through just a handful of 2025’s innovative research achievements from the orbiting laboratory.

25 Years of humans researching in orbit

The International Space Station, backdropped against the darkness of space and Earth at its horizon, was photographed by the Expedition 1 crew in 2000, during a fly around aboard a Soyuz capsule.
The International Space Station photographed in 2000 by the Expedition 1 crew.
NASA

On Nov. 2, 2025, humanity reached a milestone of cosmic proportions: 25 years of continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station. Since the first crew arrived on Nov. 2, 2000, NASA and its partners from around the world have conducted more than 4,000 research investigations and technology demonstrations. More than 290 people from 26 countries have visited the space station, where continuous human presence enables research that surpasses the capabilities of satellites and autonomous platforms. The space station’s unique microgravity environment, paired with crew operations, continues to unlock discoveries and push the boundaries of humanity’s curiosity and innovation.

A breakthrough cancer treatment

European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet works inside the International Space Station, holding two black cylindrical experiment containers as part of the Protein Crystal Growth-5 study. Behind him, computer displays are mounted to the station’s wall, along with many other instruments, cables, and silver knobs.
ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet conducts research aboard the International Space Station supporting the advancement of cancer therapeutics.
NASA

Research aboard the International Space Station helped inform the development of a newly FDA-approved injectable medication used to treat several types of early-stage cancers. The research yielded early insights into the structure and size of particles needed to develop the medication through protein crystal growth experiments. This new delivery method promises to lower costs and significantly reduce treatment time for patients and healthcare providers, while maintaining drug efficiency. Microgravity research can produce higher-quality, medically relevant crystals than Earth-based labs, enabling these types of medical advances. These developments showcase how space station research can drive innovation, improve lives, and foster commercial opportunities.

Medical implants printed in orbit

A rectangular, eight-pronged crystalline-yellow object is displayed on a metallic surface.
Eight medical devices for peripheral nerve repair were printed simultaneously aboard the International Space Station. Credit: Auxilium Biotechnologies.

Eight medical implants designed to support nerve regeneration were successfully 3D printed aboard the International Space Station for preclinical trials on Earth. When nerve damage occurs, these types of implants are designed to improve blood flow and enable targeted drug delivery. Printing in microgravity can prevent particle settling, resulting in more uniform and stable structures. In-space manufacturing is helping to advance medical treatments and other technologies while also enabling astronauts to print devices and tools on demand during future missions.

Learn more about InSPA-Auxilium Bioprinter.

A new understanding of our Sun

A color-coded heat map of the Sun's outer atmosphere showing a large, fan-like plume. Colors transitions from cool purple and blue on the left to greens in the middle to yellow and bright red on the right, indicating temperature changes over several days.
Using data from NASA’s CODEX (Coronal Diagnostic Experiment), this animated, color-coded heat map shows temperature changes of the Sun over the course of couple days, where red indicates hotter regions and purple indicates cooler ones.
NASA/KASI/INAF/CODEX
The robotic hand, better known as Dextre, attached to the white tube-like Canadarm2 robotic arm, carries the CODEX experiment after extracting the research hardware from the trunk of the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft. The space station hardware’s white color contrasts against the black background of space.
Dextre, attached to the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm, carries CODEX.
NASA

A solar coronagraph aboard the International Space Station captured its first unique images detailing the Sun’s outer atmosphere while measuring  solar wind temperature and speed. The instrument blocks the Sun’s bright light to reveal its faint outer atmosphere, or corona, where solar wind originates. Earlier experiments focused on the corona’s density, but this new device enables the study of what heats and accelerates the solar wind, offering a more complete picture of how energy moves through the Sun’s atmosphere. These observations help researchers understand how solar activity affects Earth and space-based technology, such as satellites, communications networks, and power systems.

Learn more about CODEX.

Hunting for microscopic space travelers

NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore wears a white spacesuit while performing a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. Wilmore is positioned horizontally against the station’s exterior. In the background, the black of space contrasts with the station’s copper-colored solar arrays and the white robotic Canadarm, which has "Canada" printed vertically in black letters.
NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore works outside the International Space Station on Jan. 30, 2025, during a five-hour and 26-minute spacewalk.
NASA

NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore collected microbiological samples during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. Samples were taken near the life support system vents to see if the orbital complex releases microorganisms. This experiment helps researchers examine if and how these microorganisms survive and reproduce in the harsh space environment, as well as how they may behave at destinations such as the Moon and Mars. After returning to Earth, the samples underwent DNA extraction and sequencing. Another round of collections is planned for future spacewalks. The data could help determine whether changes are needed on crewed spacecraft and spacesuits to reduce biocontamination during missions to explore destinations where life may exist now or in the past.

Learn more about ISS External Microorganisms.

A fully docked space station

A shot from the International Space Station showing a long, white robotic arm maneuvering the cylindrical silver Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft. Earth’s blue oceans and white clouds are visible in the background. In the foreground, the HTVX-1 vehicle docked to the space station, covered in reflective gold foil with its silver solar panels visible.
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft is grappled by the International Space Station’s Canadarm2. In the background, JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) HTV-X1 cargo craft is docked to the orbital complex.
NASA
An artistic concept of the International Space Station, displaying its large gold solar arrays and eight different spacecraft attached to it, including the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft, the SpaceX Crew-11 Dragon spacecraft, JAXA’s HTV-X1 cargo craft, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo craft, the Soyuz MS-27 and MS-28 crew spacecraft, and the Progress 92 and 93 resupply ships.
The International Space Station visiting spacecraft configuration on Dec.1, 2025 showing eight spacecraft parked at the orbital complex.
NASA

For the first time in International Space Station history, all eight docking ports of the orbiting laboratory were occupied at once. Three crew spacecraft and five cargo resupply craft were attached to station, including JAXA’s new cargo vehicle HTV-X1 and Northrup Grumman’s new Cygnus XL. The eight spacecraft delivered astronauts, cargo, and scientific experiments from around the world to be conducted in the unique microgravity environment. This milestone highlights the space station’s evolution, inviting commercial partners and international collaboration to continue expanding the orbiting laboratory’s research capabilities.

Space station research meets the Moon’s surface

A split-screen image showing two different space missions. On the left, a silver box-shaped instrument with a grid of circular sensors, is attached to the International Space Station, with bright orange solar arrays in the background. On the right, an artist’s concept of a gold-foil-wrapped lunar lander with four thin legs stands on the grey, cratered Moon’s surface under a black, star-filled sky. The lander features a black stylized bird logo on its side.
NICER (Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer) is shown mounted to the International Space Station in the image on the left, and LEXI (right) is shown attached to the top of Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost in an artist’s concept.
NASA/Firefly Aerospace

Three experiments that landed on the Moon during Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission-1 were enabled by earlier research aboard the International Space Station. These studies help improve space weather monitoring, test computer recovery from radiation damage, and advance lunar navigation systems. The orbiting laboratory continues to lay the foundation for missions beyond low Earth orbit, driving exploration deeper into space. 

Learn more.  

The space station continues to deliver out-of-this-world achievements that cannot be replicated on Earth. Its research capabilities are a springboard for humanity’s future in innovation and testing the limits of what’s possible.

Here’s to 2026 — another year of defying physics and pushing the boundaries of science and exploration.

Out of This World Discoveries: Space Station Research in 2025

16 Gennaio 2026 ore 16:00
5 Min Read

Out of This World Discoveries: Space Station Research in 2025

693K9731.NEF

As Earth completed its orbit around the Sun to close out 2025, the International Space Station circled our planet more than 5,800 times. Serving as humanity’s unique laboratory in space, the station has hosted thousands of experiments and technology demonstrations, advancing science in ways that cannot be replicated on Earth.

In 2025 alone, more than 750 experiments supported exploration missions, improved life on Earth, and opened commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit. The space station continues to drive innovation by enabling human exploration of the Moon and Mars, transforming medical research, deepening our understanding of the universe, and fostering a growing commercial economy.

Read through just a handful of 2025’s innovative research achievements from the orbiting laboratory.

25 Years of humans researching in orbit

The International Space Station, backdropped against the darkness of space and Earth at its horizon, was photographed by the Expedition 1 crew in 2000, during a fly around aboard a Soyuz capsule.
The International Space Station photographed in 2000 by the Expedition 1 crew.
NASA

On Nov. 2, 2025, humanity reached a milestone of cosmic proportions: 25 years of continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station. Since the first crew arrived on Nov. 2, 2000, NASA and its partners from around the world have conducted more than 4,000 research investigations and technology demonstrations. More than 290 people from 26 countries have visited the space station, where continuous human presence enables research that surpasses the capabilities of satellites and autonomous platforms. The space station’s unique microgravity environment, paired with crew operations, continues to unlock discoveries and push the boundaries of humanity’s curiosity and innovation.

A breakthrough cancer treatment

European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet works inside the International Space Station, holding two black cylindrical experiment containers as part of the Protein Crystal Growth-5 study. Behind him, computer displays are mounted to the station’s wall, along with many other instruments, cables, and silver knobs.
ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet conducts research aboard the International Space Station supporting the advancement of cancer therapeutics.
NASA

Research aboard the International Space Station helped inform the development of a newly FDA-approved injectable medication used to treat several types of early-stage cancers. The research yielded early insights into the structure and size of particles needed to develop the medication through protein crystal growth experiments. This new delivery method promises to lower costs and significantly reduce treatment time for patients and healthcare providers, while maintaining drug efficiency. Microgravity research can produce higher-quality, medically relevant crystals than Earth-based labs, enabling these types of medical advances. These developments showcase how space station research can drive innovation, improve lives, and foster commercial opportunities.

Medical implants printed in orbit

A rectangular, eight-pronged crystalline-yellow object is displayed on a metallic surface.
Eight medical devices for peripheral nerve repair were printed simultaneously aboard the International Space Station. Credit: Auxilium Biotechnologies.

Eight medical implants designed to support nerve regeneration were successfully 3D printed aboard the International Space Station for preclinical trials on Earth. When nerve damage occurs, these types of implants are designed to improve blood flow and enable targeted drug delivery. Printing in microgravity can prevent particle settling, resulting in more uniform and stable structures. In-space manufacturing is helping to advance medical treatments and other technologies while also enabling astronauts to print devices and tools on demand during future missions.

Learn more about InSPA-Auxilium Bioprinter.

A new understanding of our Sun

A color-coded heat map of the Sun's outer atmosphere showing a large, fan-like plume. Colors transitions from cool purple and blue on the left to greens in the middle to yellow and bright red on the right, indicating temperature changes over several days.
Using data from NASA’s CODEX (Coronal Diagnostic Experiment), this animated, color-coded heat map shows temperature changes of the Sun over the course of couple days, where red indicates hotter regions and purple indicates cooler ones.
NASA/KASI/INAF/CODEX
The robotic hand, better known as Dextre, attached to the white tube-like Canadarm2 robotic arm, carries the CODEX experiment after extracting the research hardware from the trunk of the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft. The space station hardware’s white color contrasts against the black background of space.
Dextre, attached to the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm, carries CODEX.
NASA

A solar coronagraph aboard the International Space Station captured its first unique images detailing the Sun’s outer atmosphere while measuring  solar wind temperature and speed. The instrument blocks the Sun’s bright light to reveal its faint outer atmosphere, or corona, where solar wind originates. Earlier experiments focused on the corona’s density, but this new device enables the study of what heats and accelerates the solar wind, offering a more complete picture of how energy moves through the Sun’s atmosphere. These observations help researchers understand how solar activity affects Earth and space-based technology, such as satellites, communications networks, and power systems.

Learn more about CODEX.

Hunting for microscopic space travelers

NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore wears a white spacesuit while performing a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. Wilmore is positioned horizontally against the station’s exterior. In the background, the black of space contrasts with the station’s copper-colored solar arrays and the white robotic Canadarm, which has "Canada" printed vertically in black letters.
NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore works outside the International Space Station on Jan. 30, 2025, during a five-hour and 26-minute spacewalk.
NASA

NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore collected microbiological samples during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. Samples were taken near the life support system vents to see if the orbital complex releases microorganisms. This experiment helps researchers examine if and how these microorganisms survive and reproduce in the harsh space environment, as well as how they may behave at destinations such as the Moon and Mars. After returning to Earth, the samples underwent DNA extraction and sequencing. Another round of collections is planned for future spacewalks. The data could help determine whether changes are needed on crewed spacecraft and spacesuits to reduce biocontamination during missions to explore destinations where life may exist now or in the past.

Learn more about ISS External Microorganisms.

A fully docked space station

A shot from the International Space Station showing a long, white robotic arm maneuvering the cylindrical silver Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft. Earth’s blue oceans and white clouds are visible in the background. In the foreground, the HTVX-1 vehicle docked to the space station, covered in reflective gold foil with its silver solar panels visible.
Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft is grappled by the International Space Station’s Canadarm2. In the background, JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) HTV-X1 cargo craft is docked to the orbital complex.
NASA
An artistic concept of the International Space Station, displaying its large gold solar arrays and eight different spacecraft attached to it, including the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft, the SpaceX Crew-11 Dragon spacecraft, JAXA’s HTV-X1 cargo craft, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo craft, the Soyuz MS-27 and MS-28 crew spacecraft, and the Progress 92 and 93 resupply ships.
The International Space Station visiting spacecraft configuration on Dec.1, 2025 showing eight spacecraft parked at the orbital complex.
NASA

For the first time in International Space Station history, all eight docking ports of the orbiting laboratory were occupied at once. Three crew spacecraft and five cargo resupply craft were attached to station, including JAXA’s new cargo vehicle HTV-X1 and Northrup Grumman’s new Cygnus XL. The eight spacecraft delivered astronauts, cargo, and scientific experiments from around the world to be conducted in the unique microgravity environment. This milestone highlights the space station’s evolution, inviting commercial partners and international collaboration to continue expanding the orbiting laboratory’s research capabilities.

Space station research meets the Moon’s surface

A split-screen image showing two different space missions. On the left, a silver box-shaped instrument with a grid of circular sensors, is attached to the International Space Station, with bright orange solar arrays in the background. On the right, an artist’s concept of a gold-foil-wrapped lunar lander with four thin legs stands on the grey, cratered Moon’s surface under a black, star-filled sky. The lander features a black stylized bird logo on its side.
NICER (Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer) is shown mounted to the International Space Station in the image on the left, and LEXI (right) is shown attached to the top of Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost in an artist’s concept.
NASA/Firefly Aerospace

Three experiments that landed on the Moon during Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission-1 were enabled by earlier research aboard the International Space Station. These studies help improve space weather monitoring, test computer recovery from radiation damage, and advance lunar navigation systems. The orbiting laboratory continues to lay the foundation for missions beyond low Earth orbit, driving exploration deeper into space. 

Learn more.  

The space station continues to deliver out-of-this-world achievements that cannot be replicated on Earth. Its research capabilities are a springboard for humanity’s future in innovation and testing the limits of what’s possible.

Here’s to 2026 — another year of defying physics and pushing the boundaries of science and exploration.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Wraps Up Space Station Science

4 Min Read

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Wraps Up Space Station Science

Four SpaceX Crew-11 members gather together for a crew portrait wearing their Dragon pressure suits during a suit verification check inside the International Space Station's Kibo laboratory module. Clockwise from bottom left are, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission with agency astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov returned to Earth after a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station.

During their stay, Cardman, Fincke, and Yui contributed more than 850 hours of research to help prepare humanity for the return to the Moon and future missions to Mars, while improving life back on Earth.

Here’s a glimpse into the science completed during the Crew-11 mission:

Bolstering bone resilience

NASA astronaut Zena Cardman reaches into the clear, sealed Life Science Glovebox and holds a small packet. The inside of the rectangular workspace is illuminated by white light and is full of small containers and bags.

NASA astronaut Zena Cardman works with bone stem cells aboard the International Space Station to improve our understanding of how bone loss occurs during spaceflight. Studying bone cell activity in microgravity could help researchers learn how to control bone loss to protect astronauts’ bone density during future long-duration space missions and inform treatments for diseases like osteoporosis on Earth. 

Learn more about MABL-B.

Observing Earth and beyond

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, wearing a blue-and-white striped shirt, looksthrough a camera inside of the space station’s cupola. The blue Earth, speckled with clouds, can be seen through a circular window above and trapezoid-shaped windows in front of him.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui photographs the Earth from the International Space Station’s cupola. For more than 40 years, astronauts have used hand-held cameras to capture millions of images documenting Earth’s geographic features, weather patterns, urban growth, changes to its surface, and the impacts of natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods.

The blue curvature of the Earth’s atmosphere is visible with yellow, green, and red layers of airglow above it. In the center, just above Earth and peeking through the red haze, a blue collection of stars is visible.

Astronauts also use the cupola and other viewports aboard the space station to gaze into the cosmos without Earth’s atmospheric interference. Just as viewing Earth from 250 miles above provides a new perspective on our home planet, looking out into the stars from the orbiting laboratory offers a clearer view of our universe.

Space catch

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke floats in a cylindrical airlock. He wears blue latex gloves and gestures toward a silver box with a black, hexagonal shape in the center. He is surrounded by wires and various panels along the space station’s walls.

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke poses aboard the International Space Station with a new device designed to test an inflatable capture bag’s ability to open, close, and stay airtight in microgravity. This technology could be used to remove space debris from orbit, protecting future spacecraft and crew members. It also may enable trapping samples during exploration missions and support the capture and mining of small asteroids.

Learn more about Capture Bag Demo.

Tracking internal temperature

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, wearing a black shirt and khaki pants, floats in the space station with his arms up and legs crossed. He wears the blue T-Mini headband. The surrounding walls of the space station are lined with equipment and wires.

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke wears a temperature-monitoring headband that tracks how the human body regulates its core temperature during spaceflight. Adjusting to living and working aboard the International Space Station can influence human temperature regulation. This headband provides an easy, non-invasive way to collect temperature data while astronauts conduct their daily activities. The sensor is also being tested on Earth and may help prevent hyperthermia in people working in high-temperature environments.

Learn more about T-Mini.

A new cargo vehicle

The cylinder-shaped HTV-X1 spacecraft is shown gripped by the Canadarm2. The surface of the vehicle is reflective gold, and a silver-colored solar array panel juts from either side. The Earth fills the background, with white streaky clouds covering much of the blue ocean.

JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) new cargo resupply spacecraft, HTV-X1, is shown after being captured by the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm during the Crew-11 mission. The spacecraft launched from Tanegashima Space Center on Oct. 26, 2025, delivering approximately 12,800 pounds of science, supplies, and hardware to the orbital complex. New cargo spacecraft expand the station’s capability to support more research and receive critical supplies.

Making nutrients on demand

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, wearing a blue-and-white striped shirt, holds a tray with two rows of plastic bags. The top row has four bags filled with purple fluid, and the bottom row has eight bags filled with pale pink fluid.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui holds yogurt bags produced aboard the International Space Station that could provide important nutrients during missions far from Earth. Certain nutrients degrade when stored for long periods of time, and deficiency in even one can lead to illness. Researchers are building on previous experiments to develop a method for producing on-demand vitamins and nutrients in space using microorganisms.

Learn more about BioNutrients-3.

Celebrating a historic milestone

The seven-member Expedition 73 crew poses for a portrait, each of them in a light blue polo. In the front row from left are, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Zubritsky. In the back row are, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui.

The Expedition 73 crew poses for a portrait to commemorate 25 years of continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station. In the front row from left, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Zubritsky. In the back row, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui.

A truly global endeavor, the space station has been visited by more than 290 people from 26 countries, along with a variety of international and commercial spacecraft. Since the first crew arrived, NASA and its partners have conducted thousands of research investigations and technology demonstrations to advance exploration of the Moon and Mars and benefit life on Earth.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Wraps Up Space Station Science

15 Gennaio 2026 ore 21:37
4 Min Read

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Wraps Up Space Station Science

Four SpaceX Crew-11 members gather together for a crew portrait wearing their Dragon pressure suits during a suit verification check inside the International Space Station's Kibo laboratory module. Clockwise from bottom left are, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission with agency astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov returned to Earth after a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station.

During their stay, Cardman, Fincke, and Yui contributed more than 850 hours of research to help prepare humanity for the return to the Moon and future missions to Mars, while improving life back on Earth.

Here’s a glimpse into the science completed during the Crew-11 mission:

Bolstering bone resilience

NASA astronaut Zena Cardman reaches into the clear, sealed Life Science Glovebox and holds a small packet. The inside of the rectangular workspace is illuminated by white light and is full of small containers and bags.

NASA astronaut Zena Cardman works with bone stem cells aboard the International Space Station to improve our understanding of how bone loss occurs during spaceflight. Studying bone cell activity in microgravity could help researchers learn how to control bone loss to protect astronauts’ bone density during future long-duration space missions and inform treatments for diseases like osteoporosis on Earth. 

Learn more about MABL-B.

Observing Earth and beyond

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, wearing a blue-and-white striped shirt, looksthrough a camera inside of the space station’s cupola. The blue Earth, speckled with clouds, can be seen through a circular window above and trapezoid-shaped windows in front of him.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui photographs the Earth from the International Space Station’s cupola. For more than 40 years, astronauts have used hand-held cameras to capture millions of images documenting Earth’s geographic features, weather patterns, urban growth, changes to its surface, and the impacts of natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods.

The blue curvature of the Earth’s atmosphere is visible with yellow, green, and red layers of airglow above it. In the center, just above Earth and peeking through the red haze, a blue collection of stars is visible.

Astronauts also use the cupola and other viewports aboard the space station to gaze into the cosmos without Earth’s atmospheric interference. Just as viewing Earth from 250 miles above provides a new perspective on our home planet, looking out into the stars from the orbiting laboratory offers a clearer view of our universe.

Space catch

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke floats in a cylindrical airlock. He wears blue latex gloves and gestures toward a silver box with a black, hexagonal shape in the center. He is surrounded by wires and various panels along the space station’s walls.

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke poses aboard the International Space Station with a new device designed to test an inflatable capture bag’s ability to open, close, and stay airtight in microgravity. This technology could be used to remove space debris from orbit, protecting future spacecraft and crew members. It also may enable trapping samples during exploration missions and support the capture and mining of small asteroids.

Learn more about Capture Bag Demo.

Tracking internal temperature

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, wearing a black shirt and khaki pants, floats in the space station with his arms up and legs crossed. He wears the blue T-Mini headband. The surrounding walls of the space station are lined with equipment and wires.

NASA astronaut Mike Fincke wears a temperature-monitoring headband that tracks how the human body regulates its core temperature during spaceflight. Adjusting to living and working aboard the International Space Station can influence human temperature regulation. This headband provides an easy, non-invasive way to collect temperature data while astronauts conduct their daily activities. The sensor is also being tested on Earth and may help prevent hyperthermia in people working in high-temperature environments.

Learn more about T-Mini.

A new cargo vehicle

The cylinder-shaped HTV-X1 spacecraft is shown gripped by the Canadarm2. The surface of the vehicle is reflective gold, and a silver-colored solar array panel juts from either side. The Earth fills the background, with white streaky clouds covering much of the blue ocean.

JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) new cargo resupply spacecraft, HTV-X1, is shown after being captured by the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm during the Crew-11 mission. The spacecraft launched from Tanegashima Space Center on Oct. 26, 2025, delivering approximately 12,800 pounds of science, supplies, and hardware to the orbital complex. New cargo spacecraft expand the station’s capability to support more research and receive critical supplies.

Making nutrients on demand

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, wearing a blue-and-white striped shirt, holds a tray with two rows of plastic bags. The top row has four bags filled with purple fluid, and the bottom row has eight bags filled with pale pink fluid.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui holds yogurt bags produced aboard the International Space Station that could provide important nutrients during missions far from Earth. Certain nutrients degrade when stored for long periods of time, and deficiency in even one can lead to illness. Researchers are building on previous experiments to develop a method for producing on-demand vitamins and nutrients in space using microorganisms.

Learn more about BioNutrients-3.

Celebrating a historic milestone

The seven-member Expedition 73 crew poses for a portrait, each of them in a light blue polo. In the front row from left are, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Zubritsky. In the back row are, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui.

The Expedition 73 crew poses for a portrait to commemorate 25 years of continuous human presence aboard the International Space Station. In the front row from left, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Zubritsky. In the back row, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui.

A truly global endeavor, the space station has been visited by more than 290 people from 26 countries, along with a variety of international and commercial spacecraft. Since the first crew arrived, NASA and its partners have conducted thousands of research investigations and technology demonstrations to advance exploration of the Moon and Mars and benefit life on Earth.

La NASA transmitirá en directo el regreso y el amerizaje de Crew 11

Los cuatro miembros de la tripulación SpaceX Crew-11 se juntaron para una foto de grupo con sus trajes presurizados Dragon durante una comprobación de dichos trajes en el módulo laboratorio Kibo de la Estación Espacial Internacional.
Los cuatro miembros de la tripulación SpaceX Crew-11 se juntaron para una foto de grupo con sus trajes presurizados Dragon durante una comprobación de dichos trajes en el módulo laboratorio Kibo de la Estación Espacial Internacional. En el sentido de las agujas del reloj, desde la parte inferior izquierda, aparecen el astronauta de la NASA Mike Fincke, el cosmonauta de Roscosmos Oleg Platonov, la astronauta de la NASA Zena Cardman y el astronauta de la JAXA (Agencia Japonesa de Exploración Aeroespacial) Kimiya Yui. 
Credit: NASA

Read this press release in English here.

La NASA y SpaceX prevén que, si las condiciones meteorológicas lo permiten, el desacoplamiento de la misión SpaceX Crew 11 de la agencia espacial estadounidense de la Estación Espacial Internacional se produzca no antes de las 5:05 p.m. EST (hora del este) del miércoles 14 de enero.

El 8 de enero, la NASA anunció su decisión de traer de vuelta a la Tierra antes de lo previsto a los integrantes de la misión SpaceX Crew 11 de la agencia desde la estación espacial, mientras los equipos técnicos siguen de cerca un problema médico que afecta a un miembro de la tripulación que actualmente vive y trabaja a bordo del laboratorio orbital. Debido a la confidencialidad médica, no es apropiado que la NASA comparta más detalles sobre el miembro de la tripulación, quien se encuentra estable.

Está planeado que los astronautas de la NASA Zena Cardman y Mike Fincke, el astronauta de JAXA (Agencia Japonesa de Exploración Aeroespacial) Kimiya Yui y el cosmonauta de Roscosmos Oleg Platonov americen frente a la costa de California a las 3:41 a.m. del jueves 15 de enero.

Los responsables de la misión continúan supervisando las condiciones en la zona de recuperación, ya que el desacoplamiento de la nave Dragon de SpaceX depende de las condiciones operativas de la nave espacial, la preparación del equipo de recuperación, las condiciones meteorológicas, el estado del mar y otros factores. La NASA y SpaceX seleccionarán una hora y un lugar concretos para el amerizaje cuando se acerque la fecha del desacoplamiento de la nave espacial de Crew 11.

La cobertura en directo (en inglés) de la NASA del regreso y las actividades relacionadas se retransmitirá en NASA+, Amazon Prime, y el canal de YouTube de la agencia. Aprenda cómo transmitir contenido de la NASA a través de diversas plataformas en línea, incluidas las redes sociales.

La cobertura de la NASA es la siguiente (todas las horas son del este y están sujetas a cambios en función de las operaciones en tiempo real):

Miércoles, 14 de enero

3 p.m. – Comienza la cobertura del cierre de escotilla en NASA+, Amazon Prime, y YouTube.

3:30 p.m. – Cierre de escotilla

4:45 p.m. – Comienza la cobertura del desacoplamiento en NASA+, Amazon Prime, y YouTube.

5:05 p.m. – Desacoplamiento

Tras la finalización de la cobertura del desacoplamiento, la NASA distribuirá las conversaciones (solo en formato audio) entre la tripulación Crew 11, la estación espacial y los controladores de vuelo durante el tránsito de la nave Dragon alejándose del complejo orbital.

Jueves, 15 de enero

2:15 a.m. – Comienza la cobertura del regreso en NASA+, Amazon Prime, y YouTube.

2:51 a.m. – Encendido de desorbitado

3:41 a.m. – Amerizaje

5:45 a.m. – El administrador de la NASA, Jared Isaacman, liderará una rueda de prensa sobre el regreso a la Tierra que se transmitirá en directo a través de NASA+, Amazon Prime, y el canal de YouTube de la agencia.

Para participar virtualmente en la conferencia de prensa, los medios de comunicación deben ponerse en contacto con la sala de prensa del Centro Espacial Johnson de la NASA para obtener los detalles de la llamada antes de las 5 p.m. CST (hora del centro) del 14 de enero, enviando un correo electrónico a jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov o llamando al +1 281-483-5111. Para hacer preguntas, los medios de comunicación deben llamar al menos 10 minutos antes del inicio de la conferencia. La política de acreditación de medios de comunicación de la agencia está disponible en línea (en inglés).

Encuentre la cobertura completa de la misión, el blog de tripulaciones comerciales de la NASA y más información sobre la misión Crew 11 (todo en inglés) en:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

-fin-

Joshua Finch / Jimi Russell / María José Viñas
Sede central, Washington
+1 202-358-1100
joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov / maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov  

Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski
Centro Espacial Johnson, Houston
+1 281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov

Steve Siceloff
Centro Espacial Kennedy, Fla.
+1 321-867-2468
steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov

Share

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Last Updated
Jan 13, 2026
Editor
Jennifer M. Dooren

NASA to Provide Live Coverage of Crew-11 Return, Splashdown

Four SpaceX Crew-11 members gather together for a crew portrait wearing their Dragon pressure suits during a suit verification check inside the International Space Station's Kibo laboratory module.
Four SpaceX Crew-11 members gather together for a crew portrait wearing their Dragon pressure suits during a suit verification check inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module. Clockwise from bottom left are, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui.
Credit: NASA

Editor’s note: This advisory was updated on Wednesday, Jan. 14 to update the undocking time and coverage

Lee este comunicado de prensa en español aquí.

NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 5:20 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Jan. 14, for the undocking of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International Space Station, pending weather conditions.

On Jan. 8, NASA announced its decision to return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to Earth from the space station earlier than originally planned as teams monitor a medical concern with a crew member currently living and working aboard the orbital laboratory, who is stable. Due to medical privacy, it is not appropriate for NASA to share more details about the crew member.

NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov are targeted to splash down off the coast of California at 3:41 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15.

Mission managers continue monitoring conditions in the recovery area, as undocking of the SpaceX Dragon depends on spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather, sea states, and other factors. NASA and SpaceX will select a specific splashdown time and location closer to the Crew-11 spacecraft undocking.

NASA’s live coverage of return and related activities will stream on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media.

NASA’s coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to changed based on real-time operations):

Wednesday, Jan. 14

3 p.m. – Hatch closure coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.

3:30 p.m. – Hatch closing

5 p.m. – Undocking coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.

5:20 p.m. – Undocking

Following the conclusion of undocking coverage, NASA will distribute audio-only communications between Crew-11, the space station, and flight controllers during Dragon’s transit away from the orbital complex.

Thursday, Jan. 15

2:15 a.m. – Return coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.

2:51 a.m. – Deorbit burn

3:41 a.m. – Splashdown

5:45 a.m. – NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will lead a Return to Earth news conference streaming live on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel.

To participate virtually in the news conference, media must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom for call details by 5 p.m. CST, Jan. 14, at: jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov or 281-483-5111. To ask questions, media must dial in no later than 10 minutes before the start of the call. The agency’s media credentialing policy is available online.

Find full mission coverage, NASA’s commercial crew blog, and more information about the Crew-11 mission at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

-end-

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

Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov

Steve Siceloff
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov

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Last Updated
Jan 14, 2026
Editor
Jennifer M. Dooren

La NASA transmitirá en directo el regreso y el amerizaje de Crew 11

14 Gennaio 2026 ore 00:52
Los cuatro miembros de la tripulación SpaceX Crew-11 se juntaron para una foto de grupo con sus trajes presurizados Dragon durante una comprobación de dichos trajes en el módulo laboratorio Kibo de la Estación Espacial Internacional.
Los cuatro miembros de la tripulación SpaceX Crew-11 se juntaron para una foto de grupo con sus trajes presurizados Dragon durante una comprobación de dichos trajes en el módulo laboratorio Kibo de la Estación Espacial Internacional. En el sentido de las agujas del reloj, desde la parte inferior izquierda, aparecen el astronauta de la NASA Mike Fincke, el cosmonauta de Roscosmos Oleg Platonov, la astronauta de la NASA Zena Cardman y el astronauta de la JAXA (Agencia Japonesa de Exploración Aeroespacial) Kimiya Yui. 
Credit: NASA

Read this press release in English here.

La NASA y SpaceX prevén que, si las condiciones meteorológicas lo permiten, el desacoplamiento de la misión SpaceX Crew 11 de la agencia espacial estadounidense de la Estación Espacial Internacional se produzca no antes de las 5:05 p.m. EST (hora del este) del miércoles 14 de enero.

El 8 de enero, la NASA anunció su decisión de traer de vuelta a la Tierra antes de lo previsto a los integrantes de la misión SpaceX Crew 11 de la agencia desde la estación espacial, mientras los equipos técnicos siguen de cerca un problema médico que afecta a un miembro de la tripulación que actualmente vive y trabaja a bordo del laboratorio orbital. Debido a la confidencialidad médica, no es apropiado que la NASA comparta más detalles sobre el miembro de la tripulación, quien se encuentra estable.

Está planeado que los astronautas de la NASA Zena Cardman y Mike Fincke, el astronauta de JAXA (Agencia Japonesa de Exploración Aeroespacial) Kimiya Yui y el cosmonauta de Roscosmos Oleg Platonov americen frente a la costa de California a las 3:41 a.m. del jueves 15 de enero.

Los responsables de la misión continúan supervisando las condiciones en la zona de recuperación, ya que el desacoplamiento de la nave Dragon de SpaceX depende de las condiciones operativas de la nave espacial, la preparación del equipo de recuperación, las condiciones meteorológicas, el estado del mar y otros factores. La NASA y SpaceX seleccionarán una hora y un lugar concretos para el amerizaje cuando se acerque la fecha del desacoplamiento de la nave espacial de Crew 11.

La cobertura en directo (en inglés) de la NASA del regreso y las actividades relacionadas se retransmitirá en NASA+, Amazon Prime, y el canal de YouTube de la agencia. Aprenda cómo transmitir contenido de la NASA a través de diversas plataformas en línea, incluidas las redes sociales.

La cobertura de la NASA es la siguiente (todas las horas son del este y están sujetas a cambios en función de las operaciones en tiempo real):

Miércoles, 14 de enero

3 p.m. – Comienza la cobertura del cierre de escotilla en NASA+, Amazon Prime, y YouTube.

3:30 p.m. – Cierre de escotilla

4:45 p.m. – Comienza la cobertura del desacoplamiento en NASA+, Amazon Prime, y YouTube.

5:05 p.m. – Desacoplamiento

Tras la finalización de la cobertura del desacoplamiento, la NASA distribuirá las conversaciones (solo en formato audio) entre la tripulación Crew 11, la estación espacial y los controladores de vuelo durante el tránsito de la nave Dragon alejándose del complejo orbital.

Jueves, 15 de enero

2:15 a.m. – Comienza la cobertura del regreso en NASA+, Amazon Prime, y YouTube.

2:51 a.m. – Encendido de desorbitado

3:41 a.m. – Amerizaje

5:45 a.m. – El administrador de la NASA, Jared Isaacman, liderará una rueda de prensa sobre el regreso a la Tierra que se transmitirá en directo a través de NASA+, Amazon Prime, y el canal de YouTube de la agencia.

Para participar virtualmente en la conferencia de prensa, los medios de comunicación deben ponerse en contacto con la sala de prensa del Centro Espacial Johnson de la NASA para obtener los detalles de la llamada antes de las 5 p.m. CST (hora del centro) del 14 de enero, enviando un correo electrónico a jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov o llamando al +1 281-483-5111. Para hacer preguntas, los medios de comunicación deben llamar al menos 10 minutos antes del inicio de la conferencia. La política de acreditación de medios de comunicación de la agencia está disponible en línea (en inglés).

Encuentre la cobertura completa de la misión, el blog de tripulaciones comerciales de la NASA y más información sobre la misión Crew 11 (todo en inglés) en:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

-fin-

Joshua Finch / Jimi Russell / María José Viñas
Sede central, Washington
+1 202-358-1100
joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov / maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov  

Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski
Centro Espacial Johnson, Houston
+1 281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov

Steve Siceloff
Centro Espacial Kennedy, Fla.
+1 321-867-2468
steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov

Share

Details

Last Updated
Jan 13, 2026
Editor
Jennifer M. Dooren

NASA to Provide Live Coverage of Crew-11 Return, Splashdown

14 Gennaio 2026 ore 00:13
Four SpaceX Crew-11 members gather together for a crew portrait wearing their Dragon pressure suits during a suit verification check inside the International Space Station's Kibo laboratory module.
Four SpaceX Crew-11 members gather together for a crew portrait wearing their Dragon pressure suits during a suit verification check inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module. Clockwise from bottom left are, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui.
Credit: NASA

Editor’s note: This advisory was updated on Wednesday, Jan. 14 to update the undocking time and coverage

Lee este comunicado de prensa en español aquí.

NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 5:20 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Jan. 14, for the undocking of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International Space Station, pending weather conditions.

On Jan. 8, NASA announced its decision to return the agency’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission to Earth from the space station earlier than originally planned as teams monitor a medical concern with a crew member currently living and working aboard the orbital laboratory, who is stable. Due to medical privacy, it is not appropriate for NASA to share more details about the crew member.

NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov are targeted to splash down off the coast of California at 3:41 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 15.

Mission managers continue monitoring conditions in the recovery area, as undocking of the SpaceX Dragon depends on spacecraft readiness, recovery team readiness, weather, sea states, and other factors. NASA and SpaceX will select a specific splashdown time and location closer to the Crew-11 spacecraft undocking.

NASA’s live coverage of return and related activities will stream on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media.

NASA’s coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to changed based on real-time operations):

Wednesday, Jan. 14

3 p.m. – Hatch closure coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.

3:30 p.m. – Hatch closing

5 p.m. – Undocking coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.

5:20 p.m. – Undocking

Following the conclusion of undocking coverage, NASA will distribute audio-only communications between Crew-11, the space station, and flight controllers during Dragon’s transit away from the orbital complex.

Thursday, Jan. 15

2:15 a.m. – Return coverage begins on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and YouTube.

2:51 a.m. – Deorbit burn

3:41 a.m. – Splashdown

5:45 a.m. – NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will lead a Return to Earth news conference streaming live on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and the agency’s YouTube channel.

To participate virtually in the news conference, media must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom for call details by 5 p.m. CST, Jan. 14, at: jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov or 281-483-5111. To ask questions, media must dial in no later than 10 minutes before the start of the call. The agency’s media credentialing policy is available online.

Find full mission coverage, NASA’s commercial crew blog, and more information about the Crew-11 mission at:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

-end-

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

Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov

Steve Siceloff
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov

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Last Updated
Jan 14, 2026
Editor
Jennifer M. Dooren

NASA, SpaceX Invite Media to Watch Crew-12 Launch to Space Station

Image shows a blue background featuring pictures of four astronauts that comprise of NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 mission. From left to right, NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
From left to right, NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
NASA

Media accreditation is open for the launch of NASA’s 12th rotational mission of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft carrying astronauts to the International Space Station for a science expedition from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

NASA announced it is targeting no earlier than Thursday, Jan. 15, for a splashdown of its Crew-11 mission. The agency also is working with SpaceX and international partners to advance the launch of Crew-12, which is currently slated for Sunday, Feb. 15.

The crew includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, commander, Jack Hathaway, pilot; ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, mission specialist; and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, mission specialist. This will be the second spaceflight for Meir and Fedyaev, and the first for Hathaway and Adenot to the orbiting laboratory.

Media accreditation deadlines for the Crew-12 launch as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program are as follows:

  • International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, Jan. 15.
  • U.S. media and U.S. citizens representing international media organizations must apply by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 18.

All accreditation requests must be submitted online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

NASA’s media accreditation policy is online. For questions about accreditation or special logistical requests, email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. Requests for space for satellite trucks, tents, or electrical connections are due by Friday, Jan. 23.

For other questions, please contact NASA Kennedy’s newsroom at: 321-867-2468.

Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo: 321-501-8425, o Messod Bendayan: 256-930-1371.

For launch coverage and more information about the mission, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

-end-

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

Steve Siceloff
Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 
321-867-2468 
steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov

Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
Joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov

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Last Updated
Jan 12, 2026
Editor
Jennifer M. Dooren

NASA, SpaceX Invite Media to Watch Crew-12 Launch to Space Station

13 Gennaio 2026 ore 00:25
Image shows a blue background featuring pictures of four astronauts that comprise of NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 mission. From left to right, NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
From left to right, NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.
NASA

Media accreditation is open for the launch of NASA’s 12th rotational mission of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft carrying astronauts to the International Space Station for a science expedition from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

NASA announced it is targeting no earlier than Thursday, Jan. 15, for a splashdown of its Crew-11 mission. The agency also is working with SpaceX and international partners to advance the launch of Crew-12, which is currently slated for Sunday, Feb. 15.

The crew includes NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, commander, Jack Hathaway, pilot; ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, mission specialist; and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, mission specialist. This will be the second spaceflight for Meir and Fedyaev, and the first for Hathaway and Adenot to the orbiting laboratory.

Media accreditation deadlines for the Crew-12 launch as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program are as follows:

  • International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, Jan. 15.
  • U.S. media and U.S. citizens representing international media organizations must apply by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 18.

All accreditation requests must be submitted online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

NASA’s media accreditation policy is online. For questions about accreditation or special logistical requests, email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. Requests for space for satellite trucks, tents, or electrical connections are due by Friday, Jan. 23.

For other questions, please contact NASA Kennedy’s newsroom at: 321-867-2468.

Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo: 321-501-8425, o Messod Bendayan: 256-930-1371.

For launch coverage and more information about the mission, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

-end-

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

Steve Siceloff
Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 
321-867-2468 
steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov

Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
Joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov

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Last Updated
Jan 12, 2026
Editor
Jennifer M. Dooren

Nuova ondata di attacchi GoBruteforcer, l’IA sfruttata per il brute-force

8 Gennaio 2026 ore 15:31

I ricercatori di Check Point Research hanno individuato una nuova ondata di attacchi GoBruteforcer, una botnet modulare scritta in Go progettata per colpire server Linux esposti su internet. Individuata per la prima volta nel 2023, nel corso del tempo la botnet si è evoluta specializzandosi in varianti sempre più sofisticate. Come suggerisce il nome, GoBruteforce […]

L'articolo Nuova ondata di attacchi GoBruteforcer, l’IA sfruttata per il brute-force proviene da Securityinfo.it.

Space Station Research Informs New FDA-Approved Cancer Therapy

European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet works inside the International Space Station. He is holding two cylindrical black experiment containers to deactivate and stow the Protein Crystal Growth-5 hardware. In the background, cables, silver knobs, instruments, and research equipment are visible.
European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Pesquet removes the Protein Crystallization Facility hardware from an incubator aboard the International Space Station for the CASIS PCG-5 investigation, which crystallized a monoclonal antibody developed by Merck Research Labs.
NASA

NASA opens the International Space Station for scientists and researchers, inviting them to use the benefits of microgravity for commercial and public research, technology demonstrations, and more. Today, a portion of the crew’s time aboard station is devoted to private industry, including medical research that addresses complex health challenges on Earth and prepares astronauts for future deep space missions.

In collaboration with scientists at Merck, protein crystal growth research on the space station yielded early insights regarding the structure and size of particles best suited for the development of a new formulation of the company’s cancer medicine pembrolizumab for subcutaneous injection. This new route of delivery was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in September and offers a time-saving alternative to intravenous infusion for certain patients. These research efforts aboard the space station were supported by the ISS National Laboratory.

Originally, the treatment was delivered during an in-office visit via infusion therapy into the patient’s veins, a process that could take up to two hours. Initial delivery improvements reduced infusion times to less than 30 minutes every three weeks. The newly approved subcutaneous injectable form takes about one minute every three weeks, promising to improve quality of life for patients by reducing cost and significantly reducing treatment time for patients and healthcare providers.

Black-and-white UV images show white crystals against a black background, comparing crystal growth on Earth and in space. The ground sample on the left features large, coarse clusters with varying sizes and shapes, while the spaceflight sample on the right exhibits more uniform size distribution, characterized by fine, evenly spaced bright dots.
UV imaging of a ground control sample (left) and spaceflight sample (right) from Merck’s research shows the much more uniform size and distribution of crystals grown in microgravity. These results helped researchers to refine ground-based production of uniform crystalline suspensions required for an injectable version of the company’s cancer medicine, pembrolizumab.
Merck

Since 2014, Merck has flown crystal growth experiments to the space station to better understand how crystals form, including the monoclonal antibody used in this cancer treatment. Monoclonal antibodies are lab-made proteins that help the body fight diseases. This research focused on producing crystalline suspensions that dissolve easily in liquid, making it possible to deliver the medication by injection. In microgravity, the absence of gravity’s physical forces allows scientists to grow larger, more uniform, and higher-quality crystals than those grown in ground-based labs, advancing medication development and structural modeling.

Research aboard the space station has provided valuable insights into how gravity influences crystallization, helping to improve drug formulations. The work of NASA and its partners aboard the space station improves lives on Earth, grows a commercial economy in low Earth orbit, and prepares for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

2025 Space Station Science Snapshots

29 Dicembre 2025 ore 20:00

1 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

NASA astronaut and Expedition 73 Flight Engineer Zena Cardman processes bone cell samples inside the Kibo laboratory module's Life Science Glovebox. She was exploring the molecular mechanisms of space-induced bone loss for an investigation that could help the human skeletal system adapt to spaceflight and lead to advanced treatments for aging conditions and bone diseases on Earth.
NASA astronaut Zena Cardman processes bone cell samples inside the Kibo laboratory module’s Life Science Glovebox.
NASA

2025 marks another year pushing the boundaries of scientific research aboard the International Space Station. This past year, over 750 investigations were conducted aboard the space station, supported by crewed missions and resupply vehicles delivering essential cargo and experiments to the orbiting laboratory. This year’s research included testing DNA’s ability to store data, producing vital nutrients on demand, demonstrating technology for space debris removal and satellite maintenance, advancing next-generation medicines, and more. Astronauts visited the space station from across the globe to continue research benefiting humanity on Earth and paving the way for future exploration missions, including NASA’s Artemis program to return humanity to the Moon. On Nov. 2, 2025, NASA and its international partners surpassed 25 years of continuous human presence aboard the space station, showcasing humanity’s dedication to space exploration and scientific discovery.

Over a million images were taken aboard the space station this year, documenting groundbreaking research, observing Earth from space, and even capturing comets and other celestial phenomenon. Rewind and look back at a photo recap of 2025 aboard the space station.

NASA to Preview US Spacewalks at Space Station in January

29 Dicembre 2025 ore 18:19
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Flight Engineer Nichole Ayers is pictured during a spacewalk to upgrade the orbital outpost’s power generation system and relocate a communications antenna.
Credit: NASA

NASA astronauts will conduct a pair of spacewalks in January outside of the International Space Station to prepare for the installation of a roll-out solar array and complete other tasks. Experts from NASA will preview the spacewalks in a briefing at 2 p.m. EST Tuesday, Jan. 6, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Watch NASA’s live coverage of the news conference on the agency’s YouTube channel. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of online platforms, including social media.

Participants include:

  • Bill Spetch, operations integration manager, International Space Station Program
  • Diana Trujillo, spacewalk flight director, Flight Operations Directorate
  • Heidi Brewer, spacewalk flight director, Flight Operations Directorate

Media interested in participating in person or by phone must contact the NASA Johnson newsroom no later than 10 a.m., Monday, Jan. 5, by calling 281-483-5111 or emailing jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. To ask questions by phone, reporters must dial into the news conference no later than 15 minutes prior to the start of the call. Questions may also be submitted on social media using #AskNASA. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online.

On Thursday, Jan. 8, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman will exit the station’s Quest airlock to prepare the 2A power channel for future installation of International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays. Once installed, the array will provide additional power for the orbital laboratory, including critical support of its safe and controlled deorbit. This spacewalk will be Cardman’s first and Fincke’s 10th, tying him for the most spacewalks by a NASA astronaut.

On Thursday, Jan. 15, two NASA astronauts will replace a high-definition camera on camera port 3, install a new navigational aid for visiting spacecraft, called a planar reflector, on the Harmony module’s forward port, and relocate an early ammonia servicer jumper — a flexible hose assembly that connects parts of a fluid system — along with other jumpers on the station’s S6 and S4 truss.

NASA will announce the astronauts planned for the second spacewalk and start times for both events closer to the operations.

The spacewalks will be the 278th and 279th in support of space station assembly, maintenance and upgrades. They also are the first two International Space Station spacewalks of 2026, and the first by Expedition 74.

Learn more about International Space Station research and operations 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

Sandra Jones / Joseph Zakrzewski
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov / joseph.a.zakrzewski@nasa.gov

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Last Updated
Jan 12, 2026

2025 in Review: Highlights from NASA in Silicon Valley 

18 Dicembre 2025 ore 17:20

Editor’s Note: This article was updated on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, to clarify the research done by ATM-X and ACERO.

NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley continued to make strides in research, technology, engineering, science, and innovation this past year. Join us as we take a look back at some of the highlights from 2025.

From Supercomputers to Wind Tunnels: NASA’s Road to Artemis II

This video shows two simulations of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket using NASA’s Launch Ascent and Vehicle Aerodynamics solver. For the Artemis II test flight, a pair of six-foot-long strakes will be added to the core stage of SLS that will smooth vibrations induced by airflow during ascent. The top simulation is without strakes while the bottom shows the airflow with strakes. The green and yellow colors on the rocket’s surface show how the airflow scrapes against the rocket’s skin. The white and gray areas show changes in air density between the boosters and core stage, with the brightest regions marking shock waves. The strakes reduce vibrations and improves the safety of the integrated vehicle.
NASA/NAS/Gerrit-Daniel Stich, Michael Barad, Timothy Sandstrom, Derek Dalle

By combining the technologies of the NASA Advanced Supercomputing facility and Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel at NASA Ames, researchers were able to simulate and model an adjustment to the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that could improve airflow and stability to the vehicle during the launch of Artemis II. The collaborative effort between researchers is the next step on NASA’s journey to send astronauts to explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars.

New Discoveries in Early Solar System Samples

A microscopic particle of asteroid Bennu, brought to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, is manipulated under a transmission electron microscope. In order to move the fragment for further analysis, researchers first reinforced it with thin strips of platinum (the “L” shape on the particle’s surface) then welded a tungsten microneedle to it. The asteroid fragment measures 30 micrometers (about one-one thousandth of an inch) across.
NASA

Researchers at NASA Ames discovered a never-before-seen “gum-like” material in pristine asteroid samples delivered to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer) spacecraft. The surprising substance was likely formed in the early days of the solar system, as Bennu’s young parent asteroid warmed. Such complex molecules could have provided some of the chemical precursors that helped trigger life on Earth, and finding them in the pristine samples from Bennu is important for scientists studying how life began and whether it exists beyond our planet.

VIPER Gets a Ride to the Moon’s South Pole

This artist’s concept shows Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lander and NASA’s VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) on the lunar surface.
This artist’s concept shows Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lander and NASA’s VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) on the lunar surface.
Credit: Courtesy of Blue Origin

NASA’s VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) will search for volatile resources, such as ice, on the lunar surface and collect science data to support future exploration at the Moon and Mars. As part of the agency’s Artemis campaign, NASA awarded Blue Origin of Kent, Washington, a Commercial Lunar Payload Services task order with an option to deliver a rover to the Moon’s South Pole region. With this new award, Blue Origin will deliver VIPER to the lunar surface in late 2027.

Taking to the Skies to Test Remote Wildfire Response

NASA Ames drone team tests the information sharing, airspace management, communication relay, and aircraft deconfliction capabilities of the x-altas drone as it communicates through the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) Portable Airspace Management System (PAMS) in Salinas, California in March 2025. This was a part of the project’s first flight demonstration.
NASA/Brandon Torres Navarrete

NASA researchers are advancing technology that could help fight and monitor wildfires 24 hours a day. NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACEROconducted initial validation of a new, portable system that can provide reliable airspace management under poor visual conditions, one of the biggest barriers for aerial wildland firefighting support.

NASA Installs Heat Shield on First Private Spacecraft Bound for Venus

Engineers at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, Eli Hiss, left, and Bohdan Wesely complete a fit check of the two halves of a space capsule that will study the clouds of Venus for signs of life. Led by Rocket Lab of Long Beach, California, it will be the first private mission to the planet.
NASA/Brandon Torres Navarrete

NASA helps the commercial space endeavor succeed by providing expertise in thermal protection of small spacecraft. NASA Ames teams work with private companies to turn NASA materials into solutions, such as the heat shield tailor-made for a spacecraft destined for Venus, supporting growth of the new space economy. Invented at NASA Ames, NASA’s Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environment Technology covers the bottom of the space capsule that will study the clouds of Venus for signs of life during the first private mission to the planet. This mission is led by Rocket Lab of Long Beach, California, and their partners at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.

Artemis Astronauts & Orion Leadership Visit NASA Ames

Two astronauts in blue jumpsuits stand at the left of the image, listening to a man speaking on the right side of the image. People and equipment fill the background.
Astronauts Victor Glover and Christina Koch tour the Arc Jet Facility at NASA’s Ames Research Center, learning more about the testing equipment’s capabilities to analyze thermal protection systems from George Raiche, thermophysics facilities branch chief at Ames.
NASA/Donald Richey

Artemis II astronauts Christina Koch and Victor Glover, along with Orion leaders Debbie Korth, deputy program manager, and Luis Saucedo, deputy crew and service module manager, visited NASA Ames facilities that support the Orion program to celebrate the achievements of employees. Ames facilities were used to develop and test Orion’s thermal protection system and analyze the Artemis I heat shield after its successful return to Earth.

Curiosity Mars Rover Uncovers Subsurface Clues to the Planet’s Evolution

An image of Mars shows rocks and small sand dunes, with a larger mountain range in the background. Two wheel tracks in the foreground show Curiosity rover's path before it captured the image.
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover sees its tracks receding into the distance at a site nicknamed “Ubajara” on April 30, 2023. This site is where Curiosity made the discovery of siderite, a mineral that may help explain the fate of the planet’s thicker ancient atmosphere.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover helped shed new light on what happened to the planet’s ancient atmosphere. Researchers have long believed that Mars once had a thick, carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere and liquid water on the planet’s surface. That carbon dioxide and water should have reacted with Martian rocks to create carbonate minerals, but previous investigations haven’t found expected amounts of carbonate on the planet’s surface. Curiosity used onboard instruments to study powdered Martian rock samples from the subsurface of the planet, finding the presence of siderite, an iron carbonate mineral, within the sulfate-rich rocky layers of Mount Sharp in Mars’ Gale Crater.

Managing Satellite Traffic in Orbit

Illustrated image of four satellites orbiting Earth as the sun rises over the planet's horizon.
The Starling swarm’s extended mission tested advanced autonomous maneuvering capabilities.
NASA/Daniel Rutter

Managed at NASA Ames, the Starling mission, in collaboration with SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, successfully demonstrated autonomous coordination between spacecraft to improve space traffic management in low Earth orbit. The extended mission, called Starling 1.5, tested how satellite swarms can share maneuver responsibilities and respond more quickly to avoid collisions without relying on time-consuming ground-based communication. This approach aims to streamline space traffic coordination as orbital congestion increases, enabling faster, safer, and more efficient satellite operations.

Proven True: A Companion Star to Betelgeuse

An image of Betelgeuse, the yellow-red star, and the signature of its close companion, the faint blue object.
Data: NASA/JPL/NOIRlab. Visualization: NOIRLAB.

Researchers validated a century-old hypothesis that there’s an orbiting companion star to Betelgeuse, the 10th brightest star in our night sky. Steve Howell, a senior research scientist at Ames, used both the ground-based Gemini North telescope in Hawai’i and a special, high-resolution camera built by NASA to directly observe the close companion to Betelgeuse. This discovery may explain why other similar red supergiant stars undergo periodic changes in their brightness on the scale of many years.

Space-Fermented Foods Make Vital Nutrients

Astronaut Suni Williams floats on the International Space Station, posing next to the BioNutrients experiment packs.
NASA astronaut and Expedition 72 Commander Suni Williams displays a set of BioNutrients production packs during an experiment aboard the International Space Station. The experiment uses engineered yeast to produce nutrients and vitamins to support future astronaut health.
NASA

NASA’s BioNutrients experiments are helping us better understand the shelf stability of nutrients essential to support astronaut health during future long-duration deep space exploration, such as missions to the Moon and Mars. The project uses microorganisms to make familiar fermented foods, such as yogurt, and includes specific types and amounts of nutrients that crew will be able to consume in the future. The first experiment tested the performance of a biomanufacturing system for almost six years aboard the International Space Station. The latest experiment launched to the station in August.

Enabling Satellite Swarms for Future Astronauts

A man stands in front of a computer server and gestures towards the racks and cables.
Caleb Adams, Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy project manager, monitors testing alongside the test racks containing 100 spacecraft computers at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. The DSA project develops and demonstrates software to enhance multi-spacecraft mission adaptability, efficiently allocate tasks between spacecraft using ad-hoc networking, and enable human-swarm commanding of distributed space missions.
NASA/Brandon Torres Navarrete

NASA Ames’ Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy (DSA) project tested software that enables swarms of satellites to make decisions and adapt to changing conditions with minimal human intervention. By distributing decision-making autonomy across multiple spacecraft, the system allows satellites to coordinate tasks, optimize scientific observations, and respond to challenges in real time while freeing human explorers to focus on critical tasks. The technology was first demonstrated in space aboard the Starling mission, showcasing how autonomous swarms can enhance mission efficiency and resilience.

Exploring Remotely Piloted Aircraft in U.S. Airspace

NASA researchers stand in front of a floor-to-ceiling monitor displaying live flight data during a flight test of a Bell 206 helicopter.
NASA researchers Matt Gregory, right, Arwa Awiess, center, and Andrew Guion discuss live flight data being ingested at the Mission Visualization and Research Control Center (MVRCC) at NASA’s Ames Research Center on Aug. 21, 2025.
NASA/Brandon Torres Navarrete

NASA Ames and its partners tested a tool for remotely piloted aircraft that could enable operators to transport people and goods more efficiently within urban areas. Building on this effort, NASA’s Air Traffic Management eXploration Project (ATM-X) supported Wisk Aero in a flight test to evaluate a ground-based radar developed by Collins Aerospace to detect and avoid other aircraft – with the goal of helping air traffic controllers manage increased flight activity for new entrants while maintaining safety across the national airspace.

Pushing the Boundaries of Autonomous Cargo Drones

Christopher Bryant shows the simulated vehicle as part of the Federal Uncrewed Aircraft System Service Supplier Synthesis Effort (FUSE) live flight simulation in the Verification and Validation (V&V) lab in N210.
NASA/Donald Richey

NASA partnered with the Department of War in a live flight demonstration showcasing how drones can successfully fly without their operators being able to see them, a concept known as beyond visual line of sight. Cargo drones successfully carried payloads more than 75 miles across North Dakota in tests designed to demonstrate that the aircraft could operate safely even in complex, shared airspace.

Advancing Mixed Reality for Pilot Training

A pilot, Damien Hischier, of the National Test Pilot School dons virtual reality goggles inside a Virtual Motion Simulator at NASA's Ames Research Center.
Damian Hischier of the National Test Pilot School in Mojave, California, takes part in testing of a virtual reality-infused pilot simulation in the Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS) at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley on May 30, 2025.
NASA/Brandon Torres Navarrete

A NASA research project is accelerating alternatives to conventional flight simulator training, using mixed reality systems that combines physical simulators with virtual reality headsets to train pilots. The agency invited a dozen pilots to NASA Ames to participate in a study to test how a mixed-reality flight simulation would perform in the world’s largest flight simulator for the first time. The technology could reduce costs and allow for a smaller footprint while training pilots on next-generation aircraft.

Flies and Fly Food for Space Station DNA Studies

The Vented Fly Box (VFB) holds and safely transports vials containing flies and fly food.
The Vented Fly Box holds and safely transports vials containing flies and fly food. It includes environmental sensors that monitor temperature and relative humidity.
NASA/Dominic Hart

New technology for housing and supporting fruit flies is enabling new research on the effects of space travel on the human body. Through a Space Act Agreement between NASA and Axiom Space, the Vented Fly Box contained fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Because humans and fruit flies share a lot of similar genetic code, they squeeze a lot of scientific value into a conveniently small, light package.

Studying Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Space

Astronaut Jeanette Epps is shown squeezing a pipette into bacteria samples onboard the International Space Station.
Astronaut Jeanette Epps extracts DNA samples from bacteria colonies for genomic analysis aboard the International Space Station’s Harmony module.
NASA

New studies aboard the International Space Station are advancing the detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, thus improving the health safety not only of astronauts but patients back on Earth. Future astronauts visiting the Moon or Mars will need to rely on a pre-determined supply of antibiotics in case of illness, and ensuring those antibiotics remain effective is an important safety measure for future missions. Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria can be difficult or impossible to treat, making antibiotic resistance a leading cause of death worldwide and a global health concern.

Happy Third Anniversary to BioSentinel Deep Space Mission!

Illustration of the BioSentinel spacecraft, flying past the Moon with the CubeSat's solar arrays fully deployed, facing the Sun.
NASA’s BioSentinel – a shoebox-sized CubeSat – is travelling far from Earth. But that also means it’s closer than ever to being the first long-duration biology experiment in deep space. ​
NASA/Daniel Rutter

The BioSentinel mission, currently orbiting the Sun more than 48 million miles from Earth, celebrated three years in deep space after launching aboard NASA’s Artemis I in 2022. BioSentinel, managed at NASA Ames, continues to collect valuable information for scientists trying to understand how solar radiation storms move through space and where their effects – and potential impacts on life beyond Earth – are most intense.

Astrobee Partners to Advance Space Robotics

NASA astronaut and Expedition 73 Flight Engineer Anne McClain shows off a pair of Astrobee robotic free-flyers inside the International Space Station's Kibo laboratory. Ground controllers were monitoring the cube-shaped, toaster-sized devices as they autonomously performed docking maneuvers using multi-resolution scanning units installed earlier by McClain.
NASA astronaut Anne McClain poses with Astrobee robots Bumble (left) and Honey during their latest in orbit activity in May, 2025
NASA

NASA is working with Arkisys, Inc., of Los Alamitos, California, to sustain the Astrobee robotic platform aboard the International Space Station. NASA launched the Astrobee mission to the space station in 2018. Since then, the free-flying robots have marked multiple first-in-space milestones for robots working alongside astronauts. As the agency returns astronauts to the Moon, robotic helpers like Astrobee could one day take over routine maintenance tasks and support future spacecraft at the Moon and Mars without relying on humans for continuous operation.

NASA Ignites New Golden Age of Exploration, Innovation in 2025

16 Dicembre 2025 ore 20:48
Artemis II NASA astronauts (left to right) Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen stand in the white room on the crew access arm of the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as part of an integrated ground systems test at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 20, 2023.
Credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

With a second Trump Administration at the helm in 2025, NASA marked significant progress toward the Artemis II test flight early next year, which is the first crewed mission around the Moon in more than 50 years, as well as built upon its momentum toward a human return to the lunar surface in preparation to send the first astronauts — Americans — to Mars.

As part of the agency’s Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA and its partners landed two robotic science missions on the Moon; garnered more signatories for the Artemis Accords with 59 nations now agreeing to safe, transparent, and responsible lunar exploration; as well as advanced a variety of medical and technological experiments for long-duration space missions like hand-held X-ray equipment and navigation capabilities.

NASA also led a variety of science discoveries, including launching a joint satellite mission with India to regularly monitor Earth’s land and ice-covered surfaces, as well as identifying and tracking the third interstellar object in our solar system; achieved 25 continuous years of human presence aboard the International Space Station; and, for the first time, flew a test flight of the agency’s X-59 supersonic plane that will help revolutionize air travel.

Sean Duffy, named by President Trump, is serving as the acting administrator while NASA awaits confirmation of Jared Isaacman to lead the agency. Isaacman’s nomination hearing took place in early December, and his nomination was passed out of committee with bipartisan support. The full Senate will consider Isaacman’s nomination soon. President Trump also nominated Matt Anderson to serve as deputy administrator, and Greg Autry to serve as chief financial officer, both of whom are awaiting confirmation hearings. NASA named Amit Kshatriya to associate administrator, the agency’s highest-ranking civil servant position.

Key accomplishments by NASA in 2025 include:

Astronauts exploring Moon, Mars is on horizon

Under Artemis, NASA will send astronauts on increasingly difficult missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build upon our foundation for the first crewed mission to Mars. The Artemis II test flight is the first flight with crew under NASA’s Artemis campaign and is slated to launch in early 2026. The mission will help confirm systems and hardware for future lunar missions, including Artemis III’s astronaut lunar landing.

NASA also introduced 10 new astronaut candidates in September, selected from more than 8,000 applicants. The class is undertaking nearly two years of training for future missions to low Earth orbit, the Moon, and Mars. 

Progress to send the first crews around the Moon and on the lunar surface under Artemis includes:

  • NASA completed stacking of its Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis II. Teams integrated elements manufactured across the country at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, including the rocket’s boosters and core stage, as well as Orion’s stage adapter and launch abort system, to name a few.
  • Ahead of America’s 250th birthday next year, the SLS rocket’s twin-pair of solid rocket boosters showcases the America 250 emblem.
  • The Artemis II crew participated in more than 30 mission simulations alongside teams on the ground, ensuring the crew and launch, flight, and recovery teams are prepared for any situation that may arise during the test flight. Soon, crew will don their survival suits and get strapped into Orion during a countdown demonstration test, serving as a dress rehearsal for launch day.
  • The agency worked with the Department of War to conduct a week-long underway recovery test in preparation to safely collect the Artemis II astronauts after they splashdown following their mission.
  • To support later missions, teams conducted a booster firing test for future rocket generations, verified new RS-25 engines, test-fired a new hybrid rocket motor to help engineering teams better understand the physics of rocket exhaust and lunar landers, as well using various mockups to test landing capabilities in various lighting conditions. Teams also conducted human-in-the-loop testing in Japan with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) with a rover mockup from their agency.
  • NASA also continued work with Axiom Space, to develop and test the company’s spacesuit, including completing a test run at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory at NASA Johnson ahead of using the suit for Artemis training. The spacesuit will be worn by Artemis astronauts during the Artemis III mission to the lunar South Pole.
  • On the Moon, future crew will use a lunar terrain vehicle, or LTV, to travel away from their landing zone. NASA previously awarded three companies feasibility studies for developing LTV, followed by a request for proposals earlier this year. The agency is expected to make an award soon to develop, deliver, and demonstrate LTV on the lunar surface later this decade. The agency also selected two science instruments that will be included on the LTV to study the Moon’s surface composition and scout for potential resources.
  • For operations around the Moon, NASA and its partners continued to develop Gateway to support missions between lunar orbit and the Moon’s surface. Construction and production of the first two elements, a power and propulsion system and habitation element, each progressed, as did development and testing of potential science and technology demonstrations operated from Gateway. International partners also continued work that may contribute technology to support those elements, as well as additional habitation capabilities and an airlock.
  • This past year, NASA’s Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium team collaborated with over 3,900 members from academia, industry, and government on key lunar surface capabilities. Members from across the U.S. and 71 countries participated in two biannual meetings, three lunar surface workshops, and monthly topic meetings, resulting in 10 studies, four reports, and nine conference presentations. 

Building on previous missions and planning for the future, NASA will conduct more science and technology demonstrations on and around the Moon than ever before. Work toward effort included:

  • Selected a suite of science studies for the Artemis II mission, including studies that focus on astronauts’ health.
  • Launched two CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) flights with NASA as a key customer, including Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission One, which landed on the Moon March 2, and Intuitive Machines’ Nova C lunar lander, which touched down on March 6.
    • Experiments and tech demos aboard these flights included an electrodynamic dust shield, lunar navigation system, high-performance computing, collection of more than 9,000 first-of-a-kind images of the lunar lander’s engine plumes, and more.
  • For future CLPS flights, NASA awarded Blue Origin a task order with an option to deliver the agency’s VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) to the lunar South Pole in late 2027, as well as awarded Firefly another flight, slated for 2030.
  • Teams studied regolith (lunar dirt and rocks) in a simulated lunar gravity environment and tested how solid materials catch fire in space.
  • The agency’s 55-pound CubeSat in lunar orbit, CAPSTONE, exceeded 1,000 days in space, serving as a testbed for autonomous navigation and in-space communications.
  • Published findings from this Artemis I experiment highlighting why green algae may be a very good deep space travel companion.
NASA announced its 2025 Astronaut Candidate Class on Sept. 22, 2025. The 10 candidates, pictured here at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston are: U.S. Army CW3 Ben Bailey, Anna Menon, Rebecca Lawler, Katherine Spies, U.S. Air Force Maj. Cameron Jones, Dr. Lauren Edgar, U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Erin Overcash, Yuri Kubo, Dr. Imelda Muller, and U.S. Air Force Maj. Adam Fuhrmann.
Credit: NASA/Josh Valcarcel

Technological and scientific steps toward humanity’s next giant leap on the Red Planet include:

  • Launched a pair of spacecraft, known as ESCAPADE, on a mission to Mars, arriving in September 2027, to study how its magnetic environment is impacted by the Sun. This data will better inform our understanding of space weather, which is important to help minimize the effects of radiation for future missions with crew.
  • NASA announced Steve Sinacore, from the agency’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, to lead the nation’s fission surface power efforts.
  • Selected participants for a second yearlong ground-based simulation of a human mission to Mars, which began in October, as well as tested a new deep space inflatable habitat concept.
  • Completed the agency’s Deep Space Optical Communications experiment, which exceeded all of its technical goals after two years. This type of laser communications has the potential to support high-bandwidth connections for long duration crewed missions in deep space.
  • NASA completed its fourth Entry Descent and Landing technology test in three months, accelerating innovation to achieve precision landings on Mars’ thin atmosphere and rugged terrain. 
  • Other research to support long-duration missions in deep space include how fluids behave in space, farming space crops, and quantum research.

Through the Artemis Accords, seven new nations have joined the United States, led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, in a voluntary commitment to the safe, transparent, and responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond. With nearly 60 signatories, more countries are expected to sign in the coming months and years. 

Finally, NASA engaged the public to join its missions to the Moon and Mars through a variety of activities. The agency sought names from people around the world to fly their name on a SD card aboard Orion during the Artemis II mission. NASA also sponsored a global challenge to design the spacecraft’s zero gravity indicator, announcing 25 finalists this year for the mascot design. Artemis II crew members are expected to announce a winner soon.

NASA’s gold standard science benefits humanity

In addition to conducting science at the Moon and Mars to further human exploration in the solar system, the agency continues its quest in the search for life, and its scientific work defends the planet from asteroids, advances wildfire monitoring from its satellites, studies the Sun, and more.

  • Garnering significant interest this year, NASA has coordinated a solar system-wide observation campaign to follow comet 3I/ATLAS, the third known interstellar object to pass through our solar system. To date, 12 NASA spacecraft and space-based telescopes have captured and processed imagery of the comet since its discovery in the summer.

Astrobiology

  • A Perseverance sample found on Mars potentially contain biosignatures, a substance or structure that might have a biological origin but requires additional data and studying before any conclusions can be reached about the absence or presence of life.
  • NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars found the largest organic compounds on the Red Planet to date.
  • Teams also are working to develop technologies for the Habitable Worlds Observatory, and the agency now has tallied 6,000 exoplanets.
  • Samples from asteroid Bennu revealed sugars, amino acids, and other life-building molecules.

Planetary Defense

Heliophysics

In addition to launching the NISAR mission, here are other key science moments:

  • Completion of NASA’s next flagship observatory, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, is done, with final testing underway. The telescope will help answer questions about dark energy and exoplanets and will be ready to launch as early as fall of 2026.
  • The agency’s newest operating flagship telescope, James Webb Space Telescope, now in its third year, continued to transform our understanding of the universe, and Hubble celebrated its 35th year with a 2.5-gigapixel Andromeda galaxy mosaic.
  • Juno found a massive, hyper-energetic volcano on Jupiter’s moon Io.
  • NASA’s Parker Solar Probe team shared new images of the Sun’s atmosphere, taken closer to the star than ever captured before.
  • Lucy completed a successful rehearsal flyby of the asteroid Donaldjohanson.
  • The agency’s SPHEREx space telescope is creating the first full-sky map in 102 infrared colors.
  • NASA space telescopes including Chandra X-ray Observatory, IXPE, Fermi, Swift, and NuSTAR continued to reveal secrets in the universe from record-setting black holes to the first observations of the cosmos’ most magnetic objects.
NASA’s ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) mission launched at 3:55 p.m. EST atop a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
NASA’s ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) mission launched on Nov. 13, 2025, atop a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket at Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Credit: Blue Origin

25 years of continuous presence in low Earth orbit

In 2025, the International Space Station celebrated 25 years of continuous human presence, a milestone achievement underscoring its role as a beacon of global cooperation in space. The orbital laboratory supported thousands of hours of groundbreaking research in microgravity in 2025, advancing commercial space development and preparing for future human exploration of the Moon and Mars.

  • For the first time, all eight docking ports were occupied by visiting spacecraft to close out the year, demonstrating the strength of NASA’s commercial and international partnerships. Twenty-five people from six countries lived and worked aboard the station this year. In all, 12 spacecraft visited the space station in 2025, including seven cargo missions delivering more than 50,000 pounds of science, tools, and critical supplies to the orbital complex.  

Research aboard the International Space Station continues to benefit life on Earth and support deep space exploration.

  • Several studies with Crew-10 and Crew 11 aimed at understanding how the human body adapts to spaceflight, including a new study to assess astronauts’ performance, decision making, and piloting capabilities during simulated lunar landings. 
  • In September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an early-stage cancer treatment, supported by research aboard the space station, that could reduce costs and shorten treatment times for patients.
  • Scientists also published findings in peer-reviewed journals on topics such as astronaut piloting performance after long missions, the use of biologically derived materials to shield against space radiation, robotic telesurgery in space, and how spaceflight affects stem cells, all advancing our understanding of human physiology in space and on Earth.
  • Researchers 3D-printed medical implants with potential to support nerve repair; advanced work toward large-scale, in-space semiconductor manufacturing; and researched the production of medical components with increased stability and biocompatibility that could improve medication delivery.

Additional notable space operations accomplishments included:

  • NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore returned in March after a long-duration mission, including more than eight months for Williams and Wilmore. The trio completed more than 150 scientific experiments and 900 hours of research during the stay aboard the orbiting laboratory. Williams also conducted two spacewalks, setting a new female spacewalking record with 62 hours, 6 minutes, and ranking her fourth all-time in spacewalk duration. 
  • NASA astronaut Don Pettit returned in April with Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner, concluding a seven-month mission. Pettit, who turned 70 the day of his return, completed 400 hours of research during his flight, and has now logged 590 days in space across four missions. 
  • SpaceX Dragon cargo missions 32 and 33 launched in April and August, delivering more than 11,700 pounds of cargo, while SpaceX 33 tested a new capability to help maintain the altitude of station.  
  • Axiom Mission 4, the fourth private astronaut mission to the space station, concluded in July, furthering NASA’s efforts to support and advance commercial operations in low Earth orbit. 
  • NASA SpaceX Crew-11 mission launched in August with NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov aboard. The crew remains aboard the space station where they are conducting long-duration research to support deep space exploration and benefit life on Earth. 
  • NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission completed more than 600 hours of research before returning in August, when they became the first crewed SpaceX mission for NASA to splash down in the Pacific Ocean.  
  • In September, the first Northrop Grumman Cygnus XL spacecraft arrived, delivering more than 11,000 pounds of cargo, including research supporting Artemis and Mars exploration. 
  • NASA Glenn researchers tested handheld X-ray devices that could help astronauts quickly check for injuries or equipment problems during future space missions. 
  • For nearly six years, NASA’s BioNutrients project has studied how to produce essential nutrients to support astronaut health during deep space missions, where food and vitamins have limited shelf lives. With its third experiment now aboard the International Space Station, the research continues to advance preparations for long-duration spaceflight.
  • NASA astronaut Chris Williams arrived with Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev for an eight-month science mission aboard the station. Following their arrival, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim returned home, concluding his own eight-month mission. 

NASA has worked with commercial companies to advance development of privately owned and operated space stations in low Earth orbit from which the agency, along with other customers, can purchase services and stimulate the growth of commercial activities in microgravity. This work is done in advance of the International Space Station’s retirement in 2030.

Among the many achievements made by our partners, recent advancements include:

  • Axiom Space has completed critical design review, machining activities, and the final welds, moving to testing for the primary structure of Axiom Station’s first module.
  • Starlab completed five development and design milestones focused on reviews of its preliminary design and safety, as well as spacecraft mockup and procurement plans.
  • Completed testing of the trace contaminant control system for Vast’s Haven-1 space station using facilities at NASA Marshall, confirming the system can maintain a safe and healthy atmosphere.
  • Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef completed a human-in-the-loop testing milestone using individual participants or small groups to perform day-in-the-life walkthroughs in life-sized mockups of major station components. 
  • The agency also continues to support the design and development of space stations and technologies through agreements with Northrop Grumman, Sierra Space, SpaceX, Special Aerospace Services, and ThinkOrbital.
On Nov. 2, 2025, the International Space Station celebrated 25 years of continuous human presence. Here, clouds swirl over the Gulf of Alaska and underneath the aurora borealis blanketing Earth’s horizon in this photograph from the space station as it orbited 261 miles above on March 12, 2025.
Credit: NASA

Pioneering aviation research 

This year saw a major triumph for NASA’s aviation researchers, as its X-59 one-of-a-kind quiet supersonic aircraft made its historic first flight Oct 28. NASA test pilot Nils Larson flew the X-59 for 67 minutes up to an altitude of about 12,000 feet and an approximate top speed of 230 mph, precisely as planned. The flight capped off a year of engine testing including afterburner testing, taxi testing, and simulated flights from the ground — all to make sure first flight went safely and smoothly. The X-59 team will now focus on preparing for a series of flight tests where the aircraft will operate at higher altitudes and supersonic speeds. This flight test phase will ensure the X-59 meets performance and safety expectations. NASA’s Quesst mission also began testing the technologies that they will use to measure the X-59’s unique shock waves and study its acoustics during future mission phases.  

Researchers also made other major strides to further aviation technologies that will benefit the public and first responders, including live flight testing of a new portable airspace management system with the potential to greatly improve air traffic awareness during wildland fire operations.  

During the past year, the agency’s aeronautics researchers also: 

A white NASA experimental aircraft with a long, pointed nose flies through the air for the first time.
NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft lifts off for its first flight on Oct. 28, 2025, from U.S. Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California. The aircraft’s first flight marks the start of flight testing for NASA’s Quesst mission, the result of years of design, integration, and ground testing.
Credit: NASA/Lori Losey

Technologies that advance exploration, support growing space economies

From spinoff technologies on Earth to accelerating development of technologies in low Earth orbit and at the Moon and Mars, NASA develops, demonstrates, and transfer new space technologies that benefit the agency, private companies, and other government agencies and missions.

Accomplishments by NASA and our partners in 2025 included:

  • NASA and Teledyne Energy Systems Inc. demonstrated a next-generation fuel cell system aboard a Blue Origin New Shepard mission, proving it can deliver reliable power in the microgravity environment of space. 
  • Varda Space Industries licensed cutting-edge heatshield material from NASA, allowing it to be produced commercially for the company’s capsule containing a platform to process pharmaceuticals in microgravity. Through this commercial collaboration NASA is making entry system materials more readily available to the U.S. space economy and advancing the industries that depend on it. 
  • The maiden flight of UP Aerospace’s Spyder hypersonic launch system demonstrated the U.S. commercial space industry’s capacity to test large payloads (up to 400 pounds) at five times the speed of sound. NASA’s support of Spyder’s development helped ensure the availability of fast-turnaround, lower cost testing services for U.S. government projects focused on space exploration and national security.  
  • The NASA Integrated Rotating Detonation Engine System completed a test series for its first rotating detonation rocket engine technology thrust chamber assembly unit.
  • NASA successfully completed its automated space traffic coordination objectives between the agency’s four Starling spacecraft and SpaceX’s Starlink constellation. The Starling demonstration matured autonomous decision-making capabilities for spacecraft swarms using Distributed Spacecraft Autonomy software, developed by NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.  
  • NASA announced an industry partnership to design the Fly Foundational Robots mission to demonstrate use of Motiv Space Systems’ robotic arm aboard a hosted orbital flight test with Astro Digital. 
  • The third spacecraft in the R5 (Realizing Rapid, Reduced-cost high-Risk Research) demonstration series launched aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-15 mission. This series of small satellites leverage terrestrial commercial off-the-shelf hardware to enable affordable, rapid orbital flight tests of rendezvous and proximity operations payloads. 
  • Pieces of webbing material, known as Zylon, which comprise the straps of NASA’s HIAD (Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator) aeroshell, launched to low Earth orbit aboard the Space Force’s X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle for a trip that will help researchers characterize how the material responds to long-duration exposure to the harsh vacuum of space. 
  • The DUPLEX CubeSat developed by CU Aerospace deployed from the International Space Station to demonstrate two commercial micro-propulsion technologies for affordable small spacecraft propulsion systems. 

Harnessing NASA’s brand power in real life, online

As one of the most recognized global brands and most followed on social media, NASA amplified its reach through force-multiplying engagement activities that generate excitement and support for the agency’s missions and help foster a Golden Age of innovators and explorers.

From collaborations with sport organizations and players to partnerships with world-renowned brands, these activities provide low-cost, high-impact avenues to engage an ever-expanding audience and reinforce NASA’s position as the world’s premier space agency. Engagement highlights from 2025 include: 

  • Second Lady Usha Vance also kicked off her summer reading challenge at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, encouraging youth to seek adventure, imagination, and discovery in books, a sentiment close to NASA and everyone the agency inspires.
  • Reached nearly 5 million people through participation in hybrid and in-person events across the agency, including the White House’s Summer Reading Challenge, Open Sauce 2025, the Expedition 71 and 72 postflight visits, featuring NASA astronauts recently returned from missions aboard the space station, and more. 
  • Participated in a variety of space policy conferences to include Space Symposium and the International Aeronautical Congress highlighting America’s leadership in human exploration to the Moon and Mars, responsible exploration under the Artemis Accords, and support for the commercial space sector.

In 2025, NASA also consolidated its social media accounts to improve clarity, compliance, and strategic alignment. After streamlining the number of active accounts, the agency grew its total following on these accounts by more than eight million, reaching nearly 367 million followers. 

 
Other digital highlights included:

  • In 2025, NASA expanded access to its NASA+ streaming service by launching a free, ad-supported channel on Prime Video and announcing a new partnership with Netflix to stream live programming, including rocket launches and spacewalks, making its missions more accessible to global audiences and inspiring the next generation of explorers. As of November 2025, viewers have streamed more than 7.7 million minutes of NASA content on the Prime Video FAST channel.
  • NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 return from the space station drew over 2.5 million live viewers, making it the agency’s most-watched event of 2025.
  • NASA aired live broadcasts for 17 launches in 2025, which have a combined 3.7 million views while live. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 and NISAR launches have the most views on YouTube, while crewed launches (Crew-10, Crew-11, and Axiom Mission 4) were the most-viewed while the broadcast was live. 
  • The agency’s YouTube livestreams in 2025 surpassed 18.8 million total live views. The agency’s YouTube channel has more than 50.4 million total views for the year. 
  • The agency’s podcasts were downloaded more than 2 million times in 2025 by more than 750,000 listeners.
  • Increased content production nearly tenfold for its science-focused website in Spanish, Ciencia de la NASA, and grew the website’s page views by 24% and visitor numbers by 25%. NASA’s Spanish language social media accounts experienced a 17% growth in followers in 2025.
  • The number of subscribers to NASA’s flagship and Spanish newsletters total more than 4.6 million. 
  • NASA earned a spot on The Webby 30, a curated list celebrating 30 companies and organizations that have shaped the digital landscape. 
  • More than 2.9 million viewers watched 38,400 hours of NASA’s on-demand streaming service NASA+ in 2025. November marked two years since NASA+ debuted. 
  • Premiered “Planetary Defenders,” a new documentary that follows the dedicated team behind asteroid detection and planetary defense. The film debuted at an event at the agency’s headquarters with digital creators, interagency and international partners, and now is streaming on NASA+, YouTube, and X. In its first 24 hours, it saw 25,000 views on YouTube – 75% above average – and reached 4 million impressions on X.  
  • “Cosmic Dawn,” a feature-length documentary following the creation of the James Webb Space Telescope, was released this year. The film has been viewed 1.6 million times on the agency’s YouTube channel.

Among agency awards:

  • NASA’s broadcast of the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse won multiple Emmy Awards.
  • Received six Webby Awards and six People’s Voice Awards across platforms — recognition of America’s excellence in digital engagement and public communication. 

Learn more about NASA’s missions online at:

https://www.nasa.gov

-end-

Bethany Stevens / Cheryl Warner
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
bethany.c.stevens@nasa.gov / cheryl.m.warner@nasa.gov

Drones to Diplomas: How Russia’s Largest Private University is Linked to a $25M Essay Mill

6 Dicembre 2025 ore 15:45

A sprawling academic cheating network turbocharged by Google Ads that has generated nearly $25 million in revenue has curious ties to a Kremlin-connected oligarch whose Russian university builds drones for Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The Nerdify homepage.

The link between essay mills and Russian attack drones might seem improbable, but understanding it begins with a simple question: How does a human-intensive academic cheating service stay relevant in an era when students can simply ask AI to write their term papers? The answer – recasting the business as an AI company – is just the latest chapter in a story of many rebrands that link the operation to Russia’s largest private university.

Search in Google for any terms related to academic cheating services — e.g., “help with exam online” or “term paper online” — and you’re likely to encounter websites with the words “nerd” or “geek” in them, such as thenerdify[.]com and geekly-hub[.]com. With a simple request sent via text message, you can hire their tutors to help with any assignment.

These nerdy and geeky-branded websites frequently cite their “honor code,” which emphasizes they do not condone academic cheating, will not write your term papers for you, and will only offer support and advice for customers. But according to This Isn’t Fine, a Substack blog about contract cheating and essay mills, the Nerdify brand of websites will happily ignore that mantra.

“We tested the quick SMS for a price quote,” wrote This Isn’t Fine author Joseph Thibault. “The honor code references and platitudes apparently stop at the website. Within three minutes, we confirmed that a full three-page, plagiarism- and AI-free MLA formatted Argumentative essay could be ours for the low price of $141.”

A screenshot from Joseph Thibault’s Substack post shows him purchasing a 3-page paper with the Nerdify service.

Google prohibits ads that “enable dishonest behavior.” Yet, a sprawling global essay and homework cheating network run under the Nerdy brands has quietly bought its way to the top of Google searches – booking revenues of almost $25 million through a maze of companies in Cyprus, Malta and Hong Kong, while pitching “tutoring” that delivers finished work that students can turn in.

When one Nerdy-related Google Ads account got shut down, the group behind the company would form a new entity with a front-person (typically a young Ukrainian woman), start a new ads account along with a new website and domain name (usually with “nerdy” in the brand), and resume running Google ads for the same set of keywords.

UK companies belonging to the group that have been shut down by Google Ads since Jan 2025 include:

Proglobal Solutions LTD (advertised nerdifyit[.]com);
AW Tech Limited (advertised thenerdify[.]com);
Geekly Solutions Ltd (advertised geekly-hub[.]com).

Currently active Google Ads accounts for the Nerdify brands include:

-OK Marketing LTD (advertising geekly-hub[.]net⁩), formed in the name of Olha Karpenko, a young Ukrainian woman;
Two Sigma Solutions LTD (advertising litero[.]ai), formed in the name of Olekszij (Alexey) Pokatilo.

Google’s Ads Transparency page for current Nerdify advertiser OK Marketing LTD.

Mr. Pokatilo has been in the essay-writing business since at least 2009, operating a paper-mill enterprise called Livingston Research alongside Alexander Korsukov, who is listed as an owner. According to a lengthy account from a former employee, Livingston Research mainly farmed its writing tasks out to low-cost workers from Kenya, Philippines, Pakistan, Russia and Ukraine.

Pokatilo moved from Ukraine to the United Kingdom in Sept. 2015 and co-founded a company called Awesome Technologies, which pitched itself as a way for people to outsource tasks by sending a text message to the service’s assistants.

The other co-founder of Awesome Technologies is 36-year-old Filip Perkon, a Swedish man living in London who touts himself as a serial entrepreneur and investor. Years before starting Awesome together, Perkon and Pokatilo co-founded a student group called Russian Business Week while the two were classmates at the London School of Economics. According to the Bulgarian investigative journalist Christo Grozev, Perkon’s birth certificate was issued by the Soviet Embassy in Sweden.

Alexey Pokatilo (left) and Filip Perkon at a Facebook event for startups in San Francisco in mid-2015.

Around the time Perkon and Pokatilo launched Awesome Technologies, Perkon was building a social media propaganda tool called the Russian Diplomatic Online Club, which Perkon said would “turbo-charge” Russian messaging online. The club’s newsletter urged subscribers to install in their Twitter accounts a third-party app called Tweetsquad that would retweet Kremlin messaging on the social media platform.

Perkon was praised by the Russian Embassy in London for his efforts: During the contentious Brexit vote that ultimately led to the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, the Russian embassy in London used this spam tweeting tool to auto-retweet the Russian ambassador’s posts from supporters’ accounts.

Neither Mr. Perkon nor Mr. Pokatilo replied to requests for comment.

A review of corporations tied to Mr. Perkon as indexed by the business research service North Data finds he holds or held director positions in several U.K. subsidiaries of Synergy University, Russia’s largest private education provider. Synergy has more than 35,000 students, and sells T-shirts with patriotic slogans such as “Crimea is Ours,” and “The Russian Empire — Reloaded.”

The president of Synergy University is Vadim Lobov, a Kremlin insider whose headquarters on the outskirts of Moscow reportedly features a wall-sized portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the pop-art style of Andy Warhol. For a number of years, Lobov and Perkon co-produced a cross-cultural event in the U.K. called Russian Film Week.

Synergy President Vadim Lobov and Filip Perkon, speaking at a press conference for Russian Film Week, a cross-cultural event in the U.K. co-produced by both men.

Mr. Lobov was one of 11 individuals reportedly hand-picked by the convicted Russian spy Marina Butina to attend the 2017 National Prayer Breakfast held in Washington D.C. just two weeks after President Trump’s first inauguration.

While Synergy University promotes itself as Russia’s largest private educational institution, hundreds of international students tell a different story. Online reviews from students paint a picture of unkept promises: Prospective students from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and other nations paying thousands in advance fees for promised study visas to Russia, only to have their applications denied with no refunds offered.

“My experience with Synergy University has been nothing short of heartbreaking,” reads one such account. “When I first discovered the school, their representative was extremely responsive and eager to assist. He communicated frequently and made me believe I was in safe hands. However, after paying my hard-earned tuition fees, my visa was denied. It’s been over 9 months since that denial, and despite their promises, I have received no refund whatsoever. My messages are now ignored, and the same representative who once replied instantly no longer responds at all. Synergy University, how can an institution in Europe feel comfortable exploiting the hopes of Africans who trust you with their life savings? This is not just unethical — it’s predatory.”

This pattern repeats across reviews by multilingual students from Pakistan, Nepal, India, and various African nations — all describing the same scheme: Attractive online marketing, promises of easy visa approval, upfront payment requirements, and then silence after visa denials.

Reddit discussions in r/Moscow and r/AskARussian are filled with warnings. “It’s a scam, a diploma mill,” writes one user. “They literally sell exams. There was an investigation on Rossiya-1 television showing students paying to pass tests.”

The Nerdify website’s “About Us” page says the company was co-founded by Pokatilo and an American named Brian Mellor. The latter identity seems to have been fabricated, or at least there is no evidence that a person with this name ever worked at Nerdify.

Rather, it appears that the SMS assistance company co-founded by Messrs. Pokatilo and Perkon (Awesome Technologies) fizzled out shortly after its creation, and that Nerdify soon adopted the process of accepting assignment requests via text message and routing them to freelance writers.

A closer look at an early “About Us” page for Nerdify in The Wayback Machine suggests that Mr. Perkon was the real co-founder of the company: The photo at the top of the page shows four people wearing Nerdify T-shirts seated around a table on a rooftop deck in San Francisco, and the man facing the camera is Perkon.

Filip Perkon, top right, is pictured wearing a Nerdify T-shirt in an archived copy of the company’s About Us page. Image: archive.org.

Where are they now? Pokatilo is currently running a startup called Litero.Ai, which appears to be an AI-based essay writing service. In July 2025, Mr. Pokatilo received pre-seed funding of $800,000 for Litero from an investment program backed by the venture capital firms AltaIR Capital, Yellow Rocks, Smart Partnership Capital, and I2BF Global Ventures.

Meanwhile, Filip Perkon is busy setting up toy rubber duck stores in Miami and in at least three locations in the United Kingdom. These “Duck World” shops market themselves as “the world’s largest duck store.”

This past week, Mr. Lobov was in India with Putin’s entourage on a charm tour with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Although Synergy is billed as an educational institution, a review of the company’s sprawling corporate footprint (via DNS) shows it also is assisting the Russian government in its war against Ukraine.

Synergy University President Vadim Lobov (right) pictured this week in India next to Natalia Popova, a Russian TV presenter known for her close ties to Putin’s family, particularly Putin’s daughter, who works with Popova at the education and culture-focused Innopraktika Foundation.

The website bpla.synergy[.]bot, for instance, says the company is involved in developing combat drones to aid Russian forces and to evade international sanctions on the supply and re-export of high-tech products.

A screenshot from the website of synergy,bot shows the company is actively engaged in building armed drones for the war in Ukraine.

KrebsOnSecurity would like to thank the anonymous researcher NatInfoSec for their assistance in this investigation.

Update, Dec. 8, 10:06 a.m. ET: Mr. Pokatilo responded to requests for comment after the publication of this story. Pokatilo said he has no relation to Synergy nor to Mr. Lobov, and that his work with Mr. Perkon ended with the dissolution of Awesome Technologies.

“I have had no involvement in any of his projects and business activities mentioned in the article and he has no involvement in Litero.ai,” Pokatilo said of Perkon.

Mr. Pokatilo said his new company Litero “does not provide contract cheating services and is built specifically to improve transparency and academic integrity in the age of universal use of AI by students.”

“I am Ukrainian,” he said in an email. “My close friends, colleagues, and some family members continue to live in Ukraine under the ongoing invasion. Any suggestion that I or my company may be connected in any way to Russia’s war efforts is deeply offensive on a personal level and harmful to the reputation of Litero.ai, a company where many team members are Ukrainian.”

Update, Dec. 11, 12:07 p.m. ET: Mr. Perkon responded to requests for comment after the publication of this story. Perkon said the photo of him in a Nerdify T-shirt (see screenshot above) was taken after a startup event in San Francisco, where he volunteered to act as a photo model to help friends with their project.

“I have no business or other relations to Nerdify or any other ventures in that space,” Mr. Perkon said in an email response. “As for Vadim Lobov, I worked for Venture Capital arm at Synergy until 2013 as well as his business school project in the UK, that didn’t get off the ground, so the company related to this was made dormant. Then Synergy kindly provided sponsorship for my Russian Film Week event that I created and ran until 2022 in the U.K., an event that became the biggest independent Russian film festival outside of Russia. Since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022 I closed the festival down.”

“I have had no business with Vadim Lobov since 2021 (the last film festival) and I don’t keep track of his endeavours,” Perkon continued. “As for Alexey Pokatilo, we are university friends. Our business relationship has ended after the concierge service Awesome Technologies didn’t work out, many years ago.”

Still Smart, Still Insecure: Why Our IoT Devices Keep Failing Basic Security Tests

10 Novembre 2025 ore 09:48
When you plug in that shiny new smart bulb or connect your Chromecast to the network, you probably assume it’s secure. After all, these are well-known brands, some even boasting compliance labels or “secure by design” marketing claims. Yet, our latest assessment paints a more troubling picture, one that should make anyone managing a home or enterprise network think twice before welcoming another “smart” device onto their Wi-Fi.

A First Look at the Adoption of BGP-based DDoS Scrubbing Services

5 Novembre 2025 ore 09:20
We present a first look at the adoption of BGP-based DDoS scrubbing, developing a methodology that sheds light on use of the global top five scrubbers. By identifying protected ASes and prefixes via four BGP AS-path patterns in RIS/RouteViews, we provide an initial overview of adoption across the Internet.

Is it time for an OSPO in your organization?

2 Settembre 2022 ore 16:11

Is your organization consuming open source software, or is it starting to contribute to open source projects? If so, perhaps it’s time for you to start an OSPO: an open source program office.

At the LF, we’re dedicating resources to improving your understanding of all things open source, such as our Guide to Enterprise Open Source and the Evolution of the Open Source Program Office, published the last year. 

In a new Linux Foundation Research report, A Deep Dive into Open Source Program Offices, published in partnership with the TODO Group, authored by Dr. Ibrahim Haddad, Ph.D, showcases the many forms of OSPOs, their maturity models, responsibilities, and challenges they face in open source enterprise adoption, and also their staffing requirements are discussed in detail. 

“The past two decades have accelerated open source software adoption and increased involvement in contributing to existing projects and creating new projects. Software is where a lot of value lies and the vast majority of software developed is open source software providing access to billions of dollars worth of external R&D. If your organization relies on open source software for products or services and does not have a formalized OSPO yet ​​to manage all aspects of working with open source, please consider this report a call to establish your OPSO and drive for leadership in the open source areas that are critical to your products and services.”Ibrahim Haddad, Ph.D., General Manager, LF AI & Data Foundation

Here are some of the report’s important lessons:

An OSPO can help you manage and track your company’s use of open source software and assist you when interacting with other stakeholders. It can also serve as a clearinghouse for information about open source software and its usage throughout your organization.

Your OSPO is the central nervous system for an organization’s open source strategy and provides governance, oversight, and support for all things related to open source.

OSPOs create and maintain an inventory of your open source software (OSS) assets and track and manage any associated risks. The OSPO also guides how to best use open source software within the organization and can help coordinate external contributions to open source projects.

To be effective, the OSPO needs to have a deep understanding of the business and the technical aspects of open source software. It also needs to work with all levels of the organization, from executives to engineers.

An OSPO is designed to:

  • Be the center of competency for an organization’s open source operations and structure,
  • Place a strategy and set of policies on top of an organization’s open source efforts.

This can include creating policies for code use, distribution, selection, auditing, and other areas; training developers; ensuring legal compliance, and promoting and building community engagement to benefit the organization strategically.

An organization’s OSPO can take many different forms, but typically it is a centralized team that reports to the company’s executive level. The size of the team will depend on the size and needs of the organization, and how it is adopted also will undergo different stages of maturity.

When starting, an OSPO might just be a single individual or a very small team. As the organization’s use of open source software grows, the OSPO can expand to include more people with different specialties. For example, there might be separate teams for compliance, legal, and community engagement.

This won’t be the last we have to say about the OSPO in 2022. There are further insights in development, including a qualitative study on the OSPO’s business value across different sectors, and the TODO group’s publication of the 2022 OSPO Survey results will take place during OSPOCon in just a few weeks. 

There is no board template to build an OSPO. Its creation and growth can vary depending on the organization’s size, culture, industry, or even its milestones.

That’s why I keep seeing more and more open source leaders finding critical value in building connections with other professionals in the industry. OSPOCon is an excellent networking and learning space where those working (or willing to work) in open source program offices that rely on open source technologies come together to learn and share best practices, experiences, and tools to overcome challenges they face.” Ana Jiménez, OSPO Program Manager at TODO Group

Join us there and be sure to read the report today to gain key insights into forming and running an OSPO in your organization. 

The post Is it time for an OSPO in your organization? appeared first on Linux Foundation.

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