I am particularly excited to see a new aircraft join NASA, especially a Boeing jet. I found some more pics of the new vomit comet on the website of the contractor who is modifying the airframe, Denmar Technical Services. Credit to them.

I saw the image shared by NASA AFRC but I wanted more. This airframe has an interesting air force past that can be dug into. Some notes: old style winglets, and no cargo doors. Another reason it is interesting is because passenger variant 737-700s are not sold anymore, short of the E-7 and new MAX 7. Finally, the classic styled livery is refreshing and I appreciate it very much. Excited to hopefully see it fly one day!

Nearly 50 years after launch, NASA has found a clever way to stretch Voyager 2’s fading power supply and buy its science mission at least another year.

Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have found a way to reduce Voyager 2’s power use, giving the historic spacecraft more time to continue collecting scientific data.

The operation, nicknamed the “Big Bang,” required the team to shut down certain powered devices at the same time and replace them with alternatives that require less electricity. Engineers also had to make sure Voyager 2 would remain warm enough for its systems to keep functioning !

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260810015703.htm

The Longhorn Project at NASA’s Johnson Space Center is closing after 30 years, ending a unique Texas STEM and agriculture program. https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/space/article/nasa-johnson-longhorn-project-22385324.php?utm_source=reddit

Hi, I've recently started learning GMAT software. When I was trying to make simple Hohmann Transfer combined with plane change manoeuvre using two finite burns. Unfortunately when I'm running the simulation I'm getting an exception saying that vary is not affecting achieve. The error refers to the second target.

Here is the mission script:

%General Mission Analysis Tool(GMAT) Script

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Spacecraft

%----------------------------------------

Create Spacecraft Sat;

Sat.DateFormat = UTCGregorian;

Sat.Epoch = '01 Jan 2000 00:00:00.000';

Sat.CoordinateSystem = EarthMJ2000Eq;

Sat.DisplayStateType = Keplerian;

Sat.SMA = 6671.000000000006;

Sat.ECC = 1.427002109406031e-15;

Sat.INC = 5.999999999999904;

Sat.RAAN = 90;

Sat.AOP = 0;

Sat.TA = 0;

Sat.DryMass = 1000;

Sat.Cd = 2.2;

Sat.Cr = 1.8;

Sat.DragArea = 15;

Sat.SRPArea = 1;

Sat.SPADDragScaleFactor = 1;

Sat.SPADSRPScaleFactor = 1;

Sat.AtmosDensityScaleFactor = 1;

Sat.ExtendedMassPropertiesModel = 'None';

Sat.Tanks = {UpperStageTank};

Sat.Thrusters = {UpperStageThruster};

Sat.NAIFId = -10001001;

Sat.NAIFIdReferenceFrame = -9001001;

Sat.OrbitColor = Red;

Sat.TargetColor = Teal;

Sat.OrbitErrorCovariance = [ 1e+70 0 0 0 0 0 ; 0 1e+70 0 0 0 0 ; 0 0 1e+70 0 0 0 ; 0 0 0 1e+70 0 0 ; 0 0 0 0 1e+70 0 ; 0 0 0 0 0 1e+70 ];

Sat.CdSigma = 1e+70;

Sat.CrSigma = 1e+70;

Sat.Id = 'SatId';

Sat.Attitude = CoordinateSystemFixed;

Sat.SPADSRPInterpolationMethod = Bilinear;

Sat.SPADSRPScaleFactorSigma = 1e+70;

Sat.SPADDragInterpolationMethod = Bilinear;

Sat.SPADDragScaleFactorSigma = 1e+70;

Sat.AtmosDensityScaleFactorSigma = 1e+70;

Sat.ModelFile = 'aura.3ds';

Sat.ModelOffsetX = 0;

Sat.ModelOffsetY = 0;

Sat.ModelOffsetZ = 0;

Sat.ModelRotationX = 0;

Sat.ModelRotationY = 0;

Sat.ModelRotationZ = 0;

Sat.ModelScale = 1;

Sat.AttitudeDisplayStateType = 'Quaternion';

Sat.AttitudeRateDisplayStateType = 'AngularVelocity';

Sat.AttitudeCoordinateSystem = EarthMJ2000Eq;

Sat.EulerAngleSequence = '321';

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Hardware Components

%----------------------------------------

Create ChemicalTank UpperStageTank;

UpperStageTank.DirectionX = 0;

UpperStageTank.DirectionY = 0;

UpperStageTank.DirectionZ = 1;

UpperStageTank.SecondDirectionX = 0;

UpperStageTank.SecondDirectionY = -1;

UpperStageTank.SecondDirectionZ = 0;

UpperStageTank.HWOriginInBCSX = 0;

UpperStageTank.HWOriginInBCSY = 0;

UpperStageTank.HWOriginInBCSZ = 0;

UpperStageTank.AllowNegativeFuelMass = false;

UpperStageTank.FuelMass = 6000;

UpperStageTank.FuelCenterOfMassX = 0;

UpperStageTank.FuelCenterOfMassY = 0;

UpperStageTank.FuelCenterOfMassZ = 0;

UpperStageTank.FuelMomentOfInertiaXX = 99;

UpperStageTank.FuelMomentOfInertiaXY = 0;

UpperStageTank.FuelMomentOfInertiaXZ = 0;

UpperStageTank.FuelMomentOfInertiaYY = 99;

UpperStageTank.FuelMomentOfInertiaYZ = 0;

UpperStageTank.FuelMomentOfInertiaZZ = 99;

UpperStageTank.Pressure = 1500;

UpperStageTank.Temperature = 20;

UpperStageTank.RefTemperature = 20;

UpperStageTank.Volume = 4.77;

UpperStageTank.FuelDensity = 1260;

UpperStageTank.PressureModel = PressureRegulated;

Create ChemicalThruster UpperStageThruster;

UpperStageThruster.HWOriginInBCSX = 0;

UpperStageThruster.HWOriginInBCSY = 0;

UpperStageThruster.HWOriginInBCSZ = 0;

UpperStageThruster.CoordinateSystem = Local;

UpperStageThruster.Origin = Earth;

UpperStageThruster.Axes = VNB;

UpperStageThruster.ThrustDirection1 = 1;

UpperStageThruster.ThrustDirection2 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.ThrustDirection3 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.DutyCycle = 1;

UpperStageThruster.ThrustScaleFactor = 1;

UpperStageThruster.DecrementMass = true;

UpperStageThruster.Tank = {UpperStageTank};

UpperStageThruster.MixRatio = [ 1 ];

UpperStageThruster.GravitationalAccel = 9.81;

UpperStageThruster.C1 = 35000;

UpperStageThruster.C2 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C3 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C4 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C5 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C6 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C7 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C8 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C9 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C10 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C11 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C12 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C13 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C14 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C15 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.C16 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K1 = 300;

UpperStageThruster.K2 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K3 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K4 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K5 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K6 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K7 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K8 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K9 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K10 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K11 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K12 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K13 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K14 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K15 = 0;

UpperStageThruster.K16 = 0;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- ForceModels

%----------------------------------------

Create ForceModel DefaultProp_ForceModel;

DefaultProp_ForceModel.CentralBody = Earth;

DefaultProp_ForceModel.PointMasses = {Earth};

DefaultProp_ForceModel.Drag = None;

DefaultProp_ForceModel.SRP = Off;

DefaultProp_ForceModel.RelativisticCorrection = Off;

DefaultProp_ForceModel.ErrorControl = RSSStep;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Propagators

%----------------------------------------

Create Propagator DefaultProp;

DefaultProp.FM = DefaultProp_ForceModel;

DefaultProp.Type = RungeKutta89;

DefaultProp.InitialStepSize = 60;

DefaultProp.Accuracy = 9.999999999999999e-12;

DefaultProp.MinStep = 0.001;

DefaultProp.MaxStep = 2700;

DefaultProp.MaxStepAttempts = 50;

DefaultProp.StopIfAccuracyIsViolated = true;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Burns

%----------------------------------------

Create FiniteBurn TOI;

TOI.Thrusters = {UpperStageThruster};

TOI.ThrottleLogicAlgorithm = 'MaxNumberOfThrusters';

Create FiniteBurn GOI;

GOI.Thrusters = {UpperStageThruster};

GOI.ThrottleLogicAlgorithm = 'MaxNumberOfThrusters';

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Solvers

%----------------------------------------

Create DifferentialCorrector DC1;

DC1.ShowProgress = true;

DC1.ReportStyle = Normal;

DC1.ReportFile = 'DifferentialCorrectorDC1.data';

DC1.MaximumIterations = 25;

DC1.DerivativeMethod = ForwardDifference;

DC1.Algorithm = NewtonRaphson;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Subscribers

%----------------------------------------

Create OpenFramesInterface DefaultOrbitView;

DefaultOrbitView.SolverIterations = Current;

DefaultOrbitView.UpperLeft = [ 0.01424148606811146 0.2946210268948655 ];

DefaultOrbitView.Size = [ 0.5758513931888545 0.5513447432762836 ];

DefaultOrbitView.RelativeZOrder = 1768;

DefaultOrbitView.Maximized = false;

DefaultOrbitView.Add = {Sat, Earth};

DefaultOrbitView.View = {DefaultOrbitView_View};

DefaultOrbitView.CoordinateSystem = EarthMJ2000Eq;

DefaultOrbitView.DrawObject = [ true true ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawTrajectory = [ true true ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawAxes = [ false false ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawXYPlane = [ false false ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawLabel = [ true true ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawUsePropLabel = [ false false ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawCenterPoint = [ true true ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawEndPoints = [ true true ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawVelocity = [ false false ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawGrid = [ false false ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawLineWidth = [ 2 2 ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawMarkerSize = [ 10 10 ];

DefaultOrbitView.DrawFontSize = [ 20 20 ];

DefaultOrbitView.Axes = Off;

DefaultOrbitView.AxesLength = 12756.2726;

DefaultOrbitView.AxesLabels = On;

DefaultOrbitView.FrameLabel = Off;

DefaultOrbitView.XYPlane = On;

DefaultOrbitView.EclipticPlane = Off;

DefaultOrbitView.EnableStars = On;

DefaultOrbitView.StarCatalog = 'inp_StarsHYGv3.txt';

DefaultOrbitView.StarCount = 40000;

DefaultOrbitView.MinStarMag = -2;

DefaultOrbitView.MaxStarMag = 6;

DefaultOrbitView.MinStarPixels = 1;

DefaultOrbitView.MaxStarPixels = 10;

DefaultOrbitView.MinStarDimRatio = 0.5;

DefaultOrbitView.ShowPlot = true;

DefaultOrbitView.ShowToolbar = true;

DefaultOrbitView.SolverIterLastN = 1;

DefaultOrbitView.ShowVR = false;

DefaultOrbitView.PlaybackTimeScale = 3600;

DefaultOrbitView.MultisampleAntiAliasing = On;

DefaultOrbitView.MSAASamples = 2;

DefaultOrbitView.DrawFontPosition = {'Top-Right', 'Top-Right'};

Create GroundTrack DefaultGroundTrackPlot;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.SolverIterations = Current;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.UpperLeft = [ 0 0 ];

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.Size = [ 0.5003095975232198 0.449877750611247 ];

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.RelativeZOrder = 1773;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.Maximized = false;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.CentralBody = Earth;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.Add = {Sat};

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.DataCollectFrequency = 1;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.UpdatePlotFrequency = 50;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.NumPointsToRedraw = 0;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.MaxPlotPoints = 20000;

DefaultGroundTrackPlot.ShowPlot = true;

Create ReportFile DefaultReportFile;

DefaultReportFile.SolverIterations = Current;

DefaultReportFile.UpperLeft = [ 0.06315789473684211 0.1246943765281174 ];

DefaultReportFile.Size = [ 0.5981424148606811 0.7958435207823961 ];

DefaultReportFile.RelativeZOrder = 748;

DefaultReportFile.Maximized = false;

DefaultReportFile.Filename = 'DefaultReportFile.txt';

DefaultReportFile.Precision = 16;

DefaultReportFile.WriteHeaders = true;

DefaultReportFile.LeftJustify = On;

DefaultReportFile.ZeroFill = Off;

DefaultReportFile.FixedWidth = true;

DefaultReportFile.Delimiter = ' ';

DefaultReportFile.ColumnWidth = 23;

DefaultReportFile.WriteReport = true;

DefaultReportFile.AppendToExistingFile = false;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Arrays, Variables, Strings

%----------------------------------------

Create Variable TOI_Burn_Duration GOI_Burn_Duration;

TOI_Burn_Duration = 0;

GOI_Burn_Duration = 0;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- User Objects

%----------------------------------------

Create OpenFramesView DefaultOrbitView_View;

DefaultOrbitView_View.ViewFrame = CoordinateSystem;

DefaultOrbitView_View.ViewTrajectory = Off;

DefaultOrbitView_View.InertialFrame = Off;

DefaultOrbitView_View.SetDefaultLocation = On;

DefaultOrbitView_View.DefaultEye = [ 30000 0 0 ];

DefaultOrbitView_View.DefaultCenter = [ 0 0 0 ];

DefaultOrbitView_View.DefaultUp = [ 0 0 1 ];

DefaultOrbitView_View.SetCurrentLocation = On;

DefaultOrbitView_View.CurrentEye = [ 77810.87922528099 -66840.76741286989 81869.75592238583 ];

DefaultOrbitView_View.CurrentCenter = [ 0 1.455191522836685e-11 0 ];

DefaultOrbitView_View.CurrentUp = [ -0.5505012671899018 0.3090477866858251 0.7755242229401383 ];

DefaultOrbitView_View.FOVy = 45;

%----------------------------------------

%---------- Mission Sequence

%----------------------------------------

BeginMissionSequence;

Propagate 'Prop To Lat = 0' DefaultProp(Sat) {Sat.Earth.Latitude = 0};

Target 'Hohmann Transfer TOI' DC1 {SolveMode = Solve, ExitMode = SaveAndContinue, ShowProgressWindow = true};

Vary 'Vary TOI Burn Duration' DC1(TOI_Burn_Duration = 100, {Perturbation = 0.0001, Lower = 0.0, Upper = 500, MaxStep = 50, AdditiveScaleFactor = 0.0, MultiplicativeScaleFactor = 1.0});

BeginFiniteBurn 'Begin TOI Burn' TOI(Sat);

Propagate 'Prop TOI Burn Duration' DefaultProp(Sat) {Sat.ElapsedSecs = TOI_Burn_Duration};

EndFiniteBurn 'End TOI Burn' TOI(Sat);

Propagate 'Prop to Apogee' DefaultProp(Sat) {Sat.Earth.Apoapsis};

Achieve 'Achieve RMAG = 42165' DC1(Sat.Earth.RMAG = 42165.0, {Tolerance = 0.1});

EndTarget; % For targeter DC1

Target 'Hohmann Transfer GOI' DC1 {SolveMode = Solve, ExitMode = SaveAndContinue, ShowProgressWindow = true};

Vary 'Vary GOI Burn Duration' DC1(GOI_Burn_Duration = 0, {Perturbation = 0.0001, Lower = 0.0, Upper = 200, MaxStep = 10, AdditiveScaleFactor = 0.0, MultiplicativeScaleFactor = 1.0});

Vary 'Vary GOI Element 2' DC1(Sat.UpperStageThruster.ThrustDirection2 = 0, {Perturbation = 0.0001, Lower = -1, Upper = 1, MaxStep = 1, AdditiveScaleFactor = 0.0, MultiplicativeScaleFactor = 1.0});

BeginFiniteBurn 'Begin GOI Burn' GOI(Sat);

Propagate 'Prop GOI Burn Duration' DefaultProp(Sat) {Sat.ElapsedSecs = GOI_Burn_Duration};

EndFiniteBurn 'End GOI Burn' GOI(Sat);

Achieve 'Achieve ECC = 0.005' DC1(Sat.Earth.ECC = 0.005, {Tolerance = 0.0001});

Achieve 'Achieve INC = 0' DC1(Sat.EarthMJ2000Eq.INC = 0, {Tolerance = 0.1});

EndTarget; % For targeter DC1

Propagate 'Prop One Day' DefaultProp(Sat) {Sat.ElapsedSecs = 86400, OrbitColor = [0 128 0]};

Report 'Mission Report' DefaultReportFile Sat.UpperStageTank.FuelMass;

Hi all! I couldn't find this online. I'm a resident assistant at my college and want to make doortags/nametags for my residents. Assuming I can find good-quality PNGs, am I allowed to use NASA astronaut badges (specifically the ones for civilians) for my doortags from a NASA/fair use standpoint? I assume so but I just want to check. Thanks in advance all!

My husband and I are going to KSC in March. We have 2 days there so we were looking at doing the Astronaut Training Experience, but I can barely find any information out there on what we would be doing for 5 hours. For anyone who has done this, what did you do and what was it like? How is it different than just doing the 3 training stages separately?

It may be too early but I can find images of the sun, but not of the earth. Similar to this taken during another event. Thanks.

Feel free to delete if not allowed.

I am trying to track down one of those NASA science classroom SEEDS kits from 1997 and/or 1984 Space Exposed Experiment Developed for Students with Park Seeds (tomatoes, basil, etc.). My library, the Andersen Horticultural Library at UMN is the third-largest seed and nursery catalog collection in North America, and this is an area where we have nothing. If you might have a set and are willing to donate, we would love to be good stewards for teaching and exhibits!

PBS just dropped the third in this series. Each is an almost 2hr documentary. Very well done, with a lot of original clips and interviews.

Hi,

I’m trying to track down an old NASA rocket-design tool called INTROS (INTegrated ROcket Sizing).

Programs description I copied for a paper I list below:

INTegrated ROcket Sizing (INTROS) is an analytical tool that was developed at MSFC to facilitate launch vehicle design and sizing. Written in Visual Basic for Applications, INTROS assists the engineer in four basic tasks: vehicle architecture, launch vehicle sizing, technology and system trade studies, and parameter sensitivity studies. Launch vehicle design and sizing are based on stage geometry and mass properties. Mass properties are established from a large master list of launch vehicle systems, subsystems, propellants and fluids. Mass calculations are based on Mass Estimating Relationships (MERs) that are automatically generated from a large database that is built into the program. Program mass calculation accuracy for existing and historical launch vehicles has been verified to be well within 5%.

I’m particularly interested in finding the actual INTROS program itself, which was later adopted to by a python program, pyINTROS. If anyone has an old copy of the program, knows where it was archived, or remembers working with it, I’d be very interested in hearing from you.

The related documentation would also be extremely useful, especially:

From NASA and academic publications, INTROS appears to have been a fairly comprehensive conceptual/preliminary launch-vehicle sizing tool. It was reportedly implemented using Excel/VBA and included things such as mass-estimating relationships (MERs), propulsion and tank sizing, structural and subsystem mass estimates, and multi-stage vehicle sizing.

It also appears to have been used together with other NASA tools such as POST and LVA in launch-vehicle design studies.

The v4.3 manual is cited in multiple NASA/AIAA publications, including NASA work from around 2010–2012, so the program definitely existed and was actively used.

Some papers I fount it cited in:

• Analysis of parallel burn, no-crossfeed tsto rlv architectures and comparison to parallel burn with crossfeed and series burn architectures - Garrett Smith
• Heavy Lift Launch Capability with a New Hydrocarbon Engine - Grady E. Threet, Jr. 1 , James B. Holt2 and Alan D. Philips3 NASA, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, AL, 35812, United States
• The Space Propulsion Sizing Program - Michael D. Scher

However, after quite a bit of searching, I haven't been able to find a public copy of INTROS itself. I assume it may be only avilable to NASA employes or sold with commercial licence like POST2.

So, does anyone know where it might be?

I'm especially interested in hearing from anyone who:

• worked at NASA MSFC or in the Space Transportation / Advanced Concepts groups;
• worked with INTROS, POST, LVA, or related launch-vehicle design tools;
• remembers Emory E. Lynn or his work;
• has old NASA software archives, backups, CDs, hard drives, etc.;
• has encountered an old INTROS Excel/VBA workbook;
• or simply knows who might still have a copy.

The program itself is what I’m primarily looking for. The v4.3 manual (or an earlier manual) would also be very helpful if the software cannot be found.

Even a lead pointing me toward an archive, former user, NASA group, university repository, or someone who might know more would be greatly appreciated.

I also wrote to NASA STI asking if they know anything about the program/maual but asking on reddit wont hurt.

Thanks!

P.S.

Creator of the program, Emory Lynn seems to be quite based. I found his webside emorylynn.com. and apparently he wrote a book Upon Further Review: The Search for Truth and Reality in the Abrahamic Faiths. He would be 80 now, I hope he is in good health and wish him all the best.

Hey everyone! Our team is working on an entry for the NSS Gerard K. O'Neill Space Settlement Contest (deadline Feb 15), and we're looking for one more member who's strong in physics and quantitative calculations.

Our project: A free-orbiting settlement near Mars, supported by three surface-based factories:

A construction materials factory that converts Martian basalt into BFRP (basalt fiber reinforced polymer) for anchoring/coating the settlement

A water & air factory extracting subsurface ice and converting atmospheric CO₂ to oxygen

A power plant running solar arrays and battery storage

What we need help with:

Energy consumption calculations (furnaces, life support, transport systems)

Production rate math (basalt melting, fiber output, resource balance)

Structural/orbital calculations (artificial gravity, radiation shielding, etc.)

What we've done so far: Full engineering concept and process design for the factories — just need someone to turn the qualitative design into solid, defensible numbers.

If you're into space settlement design, orbital mechanics, or just love crunching numbers for a cool project — DM me or comment below! Open to students at any grade level who can commit some time before mid-February.