Juno’s Latest Close Flyby of Jupiter

NASA’s Juno spacecraft made its latest close flyby of Jupiter Feb. 2 — passing about 2,700 miles above the planet’s clouds. This was the fourth close flyby since Juno began orbiting Jupiter last year on July 4. During these close passes instruments on the spacecraft probe beneath the cloud cover to collect scientific data about the planet’s structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere. This information could help us better understand the planetary systems being discovered around other stars.

Cassini Sees Saturn’s Rings in Greater Detail

From Jupiter to Saturn… where the Cassini spacecraft has returned some of the closest, most detailed images of that planet’s outer ring system. Cassini is in the “Ring-Grazing” phase of its mission — during which its orbital path repeatedly takes it through the gap between Saturn and its rings. This will continue until late April – when Cassini begins its final phase

The Most Extreme Blazars

According to findings announced Jan. 30, NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has identified the farthest gamma-ray blazars observed to date. These are galaxies that can discharge more than two trillion times the energy output of our sun – with intense emissions caused by supersized black holes. The light seen from the most distant object in these blazars began traveling to Earth when the universe was about 1.4 billion years old.

NASA at Super Bowl Event

The space-themed Future Flight experience was featured at the Super Bowl LIVE fan festival Jan. 28 through Feb. 5 in Houston. The attraction was one of several NASA and aerospace industry activities and exhibits at the pre-Super Bowl event showcasing progress being made on Mars exploration, scientific research aboard the International Space Station, technology development, the agency’s next great observatory, and studying our solar system and beyond.

NASA at NBA Black Heritage Celebration

The NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers teamed up with NASA’s Glenn Research Center for a Black Heritage Celebration Feb. 1 at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena. The annual tribute recognizes African American trailblazers in math and science. Former NASA astronaut Guy Bluford, the first African American in space and a Cleveland resident participated, as did Glenn Center Director Janet Kavandi.

Day of Remembrance

Acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot and others participated in a wreath laying ceremony, Jan. 31 at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia as part of NASA’s Day of Remembrance. Each year, the agency pays tribute to the fallen astronauts of Apollo 1, space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, and other members of the NASA family who lost their lives supporting the agency’s mission of exploration and discovery.

And that’s what’s up this week @NASA …