| In this week’s newsletter, discover what NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has uncovered among numerous young stars previously hidden within the dense dust clouds of the stellar nursery NGC 7129; learn about a decades-old mystery that astronomers may have solved using archival data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope; and take a deep dive into the science of Artemis II through newly-released photographs, spoken observations, drawings, and annotations from the crew. Plus, more stories you might have missed. |
| THE UNIVERSE Cauldron of Cosmic Creation |
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| A cosmic cauldron of creation comes into focus in a new image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Webb has revealed numerous young stars previously hidden within thick clouds of dust in the stellar nursery NGC 7129, located about 3,300 light-years from Earth. Stars, the engines of elemental creation, begin their lives in molecular clouds — cold, dense regions of dust and gas. These dusty cocoons often obscure newborn stars from view, making them difficult or impossible for many telescopes to detect. This is especially true for observatories that cannot capture infrared light. Webb’s exceptional infrared sensitivity allows astronomers to peer through these clouds, uncovering stars that were once hidden and providing an unprecedented look at the earliest stages of stellar evolution. By seeing through the dust, Webb is helping scientists better understand the beginning of the star life cycle. NEBULA NGC 7129 |
 | THE UNIVERSE Second-Generation Planet Astronomers have solved a decades-old mystery hidden in the data archives of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, uncovering a chemical clue that suggests the white dwarf star HS 0209+0832 may host a second-generation planet. HS 0209+0832 SYSTEM |
| THE UNIVERSE Dark Wanderers NASA’s SPHEREx, or Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer, space telescope is shedding new light on brown dwarfs, celestial objects that blur the line between stars and exoplanets, which are planets beyond our solar system. New observations reveal that these dark, cloud-shrouded worlds have chemically rich atmospheres resembling those of the giant planets in our own solar system. SPOTTING BROWN DWARFS |  |
 THE SOLAR SYSTEM Stunning Martian Dawn A newly released panoramic image from NASA’s Curiosity rover, created from six Mastcam images captured on Aug. 11, offers the most detailed view yet of distant, wind-carved Martian cliffs. The mosaic, stitched together after the images were transmitted to Earth, was taken at 8:30 a.m. local Mars time and reveals striking blue hues in the foreground as morning sunlight illuminates the craggy formations, known as yardangs, on the horizon. LEARN MORE |  HUMANS IN SPACE Return to Earth At 11:34 a.m. EDT on Thursday, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12, consisting of NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, safely splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Los Angeles, concluding a 237-day mission aboard the International Space Station. During their mission, the crew spent hundreds of hours conducting scientific research to support future human exploration beyond low Earth orbit and deliver benefits to people on Earth. LEARN MORE |
| More NASA News |
 | Through photographs, spoken observations, drawings, and annotations, the Artemis II crew produced a remarkable scientific record — now available for researchers and the public to explore. |
 | NASA and SpaceX are targeting 6:33 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, Oct. 13, for the next launch to deliver science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the International Space Station. Live launch coverage of NASA’s SpaceX CRS-35 mission will begin at 6:15 a.m. |
 | A new Memorandum of Understanding, Accelerating American Leadership in Space Nuclear Power and Propulsion, signed Thursday by NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy, establishes a framework for end-to-end collaboration on the development of safe, reliable next-generation nuclear technologies for space. |
 | In the latest episode of Houston We Have a Podcast, Artemis II astronauts Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch reflect on their historic journey around the Moon, the moments that moved them most, and what it was like to return home after traveling farther than any humans before them. |
 | A new NASA-supported spacecraft will fly close to inactive satellites to demonstrate technologies that could enable future in-space repairs and help reduce orbital debris. The Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability, or SSPICY, mission launched Oct. 1 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California to test these technologies together as an integrated system for the first time. |
| Do You Know? |
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| Fifty-eight years ago this week, NASA launched Apollo 7, the first crewed mission of the Apollo program. During the flight, NASA astronauts Wally Schirra, Walt Cunningham, and Donn Eisele carried out the first in-orbit tests of the Apollo Command and Service Module, proving critical systems and procedures needed for the first crewed missions to the Moon. |
| Which of the following events did not take place on Apollo 7? A. The first live TV broadcast from a U.S. spacecraft B. The first crewed launch of a Saturn rocket C. All three astronauts developed head colds D. The crew completed rendezvous maneuvers with the Apollo lunar module |
| Find out the answer in next week’s NASA newsletter! |
 | Last week, we asked which former U.S. president led NASA’s creation in 1958. The answer? Dwight D. Eisenhower. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act into law on July 29, 1958, which called for the establishment of NASA. The new agency officially began operations on Oct. 1, 1958, and has worked to explore the frontiers of air and space in the 68 years since. |
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| Participate in advancing NASA’s work in discovery, innovation, and exploration through gifts and donations. These contributions help further NASA’s mission, including advancing science and engineering to sustain U.S. leadership in space. Under 51 U.S.C. § 20113(d), NASA is authorized to accept unconditional gifts of services, monetary contributions, and real or personal property. LEARN MORE |
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