Category: Science
-
NASA Statement on GAO Ruling Regarding Human Landing System Protest
The following is the NASA statement in response to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) decision released Friday on the human landing system protest: “NASA was notified Friday, July 30, that the U.S. Government Accountability Office has denied the protests filed by Blue Origin Federation and Dynetics and has upheld the agency’s source selection of SpaceX to continue the…
-
When to Expect the Warmest Day of the Year
During the summer months, most areas in the United States approach their highest temperatures for the year. To give you a better idea of the warmest time of year for your area, NCEI has created “Warmest Day of the Year” maps with the help of Climate.gov for the contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The maps are derived from the 1991–2020 U.S.…
-
NASA’s 10th Space Apps Challenge Increases Global Participation
To mark the 10th International Space Apps Challenge, the largest annual global hackathon in the world, NASA is collaborating with nine space agency partners to bring the event to even more communities Oct. 2-3, 2021. Each year, NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge, or Space Apps, engages thousands of people around the world to work…
-
NASA Celebrates National Intern Day 2021
National Intern Day NASA will host a variety of events and interactive opportunities celebrating the agency’s interns and their contributions to its missions in recognition of National Intern Day, held this year on Thursday, July 29. Through social media takeovers and question-and-answer sessions, podcast episodes, and more, NASA is offering a behind-the-scenes look at…
-
What is a North American Monsoon? (video)
The North American monsoon, variously known as the Southwest monsoon, the Mexican monsoon, the New Mexican monsoon, or the Arizona monsoon, is a pattern of pronounced increase in thunderstorms and rainfall over large areas of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, typically occurring between July and mid-September. During the monsoon, thunderstorms are fueled by daytime heating and build up during the late afternoon and…
-
US Interns, Texas, Bulgarian Students to Hear from Space Station Astronauts
Students across the globe have opportunities this week to hear from astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The Earth-to-space calls air live on NASA Television, as well as the NASA app, and the agency’s website, where they are also available on-demand. On Wednesday, July 28, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency…
-
What is a Haboob?
A haboob (Arabic: هَبوب, romanized: habūb, lit. ’blasting/drifting’) is a type of intense dust storm carried on an atmospheric gravity current, also known as a weather front. Haboobs occur regularly in dry land area regions throughout the world. Like haboobs that occur in the Middle East, haboob occurrences in North America are often created by the collapse of a thunderstorm. This is a local or mesoscale event, and at…
-
What is a Dust Devil? (video)
A dust devil is a strong, well-formed, and relatively short-lived whirlwind, ranging from small (half a metre wide and a few metres tall) to large (more than 10 m wide and more than 1 km tall). The primary vertical motion is upward. Dust devils are usually harmless, but can on rare occasions grow large enough to pose a threat…
-
New “Destructive” Severe Thunderstorm Warning category to trigger Wireless Emergency Alerts on mobile phones
July 22, 2021 – Severe thunderstorms can be life-threatening, but not all severe storms are the same. Hazardous conditions range from tornadoes, large hail storms, and widespread straight-line winds called derechoes, to cloud-to-ground lightning and flash flooding. Starting August 2, the National Weather Service will better convey the severity and potential impacts from thunderstorm winds and…
-
Student artwork decorates South Central Extension corridor
Phoenix, AZ – Cities become more vibrant and inviting when public art is on display and the South Central community is no different. As construction on the South Central Extension/Downtown Hub project continues, Valley Metro is finding ways to enhance the area through art. Students from three different schools in south Phoenix created several pieces…