Guests visit the “Explore Humans in Space” exhibit during the Kerrville eclipse festival in Kerrville, TX on Monday, April 8, 2024. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the North American continent from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of Central America and Europe. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

David H. DeVorkin, Senior Curator, Astronomy and the Space Sciences Division of Space History, at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, speaks during a press briefing at the new "Moving Beyond Earth," exhibition at the museum in Washingon, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. Moving Beyond Earth is an immersive exhibition that places visitors "in orbit" in the shuttle and space-station era to explore recent human spaceflight and future possibilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

David DeVorkin, Senior Curator, Collection: Astronomy and space sciences speaks during a press briefing at the new "Moving Beyond Earth," exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum in Washingon, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. Moving Beyond Earth is an immersive exhibition that places visitors “in orbit” in the shuttle and space-station era to explore recent human spaceflight and future possibilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

STS-125 astronaut John Grunsfeld speaks during a press briefing at the new "Moving Beyond Earth," a new exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum in Washingon, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. Moving Beyond Earth is an immersive exhibition that places visitors “in orbit” in the shuttle and space-station era to explore recent human spaceflight and future possibilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

STS-125 astronaut John Grunsfeld stands behind a display of Hubble memorabilia during a press briefing at the new "Moving Beyond Earth," a new exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum in Washingon, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. Moving Beyond Earth is an immersive exhibition that places visitors “in orbit” in the shuttle and space-station era to explore recent human spaceflight and future possibilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

STS-125 astronaut John Grunsfeld speaks during a press briefing at the new "Moving Beyond Earth," a new exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum in Washingon, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. Moving Beyond Earth is an immersive exhibition that places visitors “in orbit” in the shuttle and space-station era to explore recent human spaceflight and future possibilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

Dr. Valerie Neal, a curator at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, speaks during a press briefing at the new "Moving Beyond Earth," exhibition at the museum in Washingon, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. Moving Beyond Earth is an immersive exhibition that places visitors “in orbit” in the shuttle and space-station era to explore recent human spaceflight and future possibilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

Ed Weiler, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA, speaks during a press briefing at the new "Moving Beyond Earth," exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum in Washingon, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. Moving Beyond Earth is an immersive exhibition that places visitors “in orbit” in the shuttle and space-station era to explore recent human spaceflight and future possibilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

An unidentified member of the media tries out an interactive display during a press briefing at the new "Moving Beyond Earth," exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum in Washingon, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. Moving Beyond Earth is an immersive exhibition that places visitors “in orbit” in the shuttle and space-station era to explore recent human spaceflight and future possibilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

Jack Dailey, director of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, speaks during a press briefing at the new "Moving Beyond Earth," a new exhibition at the museum in Washingon, Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009. Moving Beyond Earth is an immersive exhibition that places visitors “in orbit” in the shuttle and space-station era to explore recent human spaceflight and future possibilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

iss064e042078 (March 13, 2021) --- NASA astronaut and Expedition 64 Flight Engineer Shannon Walker exhibits sample bags collected from the Grape Juice Fermentation study aboard the International Space Station. The space agriculture investigation explores the beneficial effects of microbial communities among food crops to obtain the highest nutritional yield in the smallest possible package to support long-term human spaceflight missions

iss064e042079 (March 13, 2021) --- NASA astronaut Shannon Walker exhibits sample bags collected from the Grape Juice Fermentation study aboard the International Space Station. The space agriculture investigation explores the beneficial effects of microbial communities among food crops to obtain the highest nutritional yield in the smallest possible package to support long-term human spaceflight missions

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The newly added Robot Scouts exhibit at the KSC Visitor Complex is situated next to the Rocket Garden. Part of the $13 million expansion to the Visitor Complex, the exhibit helps describe for visitors the accomplishments of unsung space heroes space probes and their role in space exploration. It also includes a display of how data from robotic probes might be used to build a human habitat for Mars. Visitors can witness a simulated Martian sunset. Other additions include a new foyer, films, and an International Space Station-themed ticket plaza, featuring a structure of overhanging solar panels and astronauts performing assembly tasks. The KSC Visitor Complex was inaugurated three decades ago and is now one of the top five tourist attractions in Florida. It is located on S.R. 407, east of I-95, within the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lockheed Martin workers prepare the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 for its move to the nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The crew module will be delivered to the IMAX Theater where it will be prepared for display in the NASA Now exhibit. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

The Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1) is on display at nearby NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The crew module is part of the NASA Now exhibit in the IMAX Theater. Also in view is a scale model of NASA's Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft on the mobile launcher. The Orion EFT-1 spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

The Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 arrives at the entrance to NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The crew module, secured on ground support equipment atop a flatbed truck, will be delivered to the IMAX Theater where it will be prepared for display in the NASA Now exhibit. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

The Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1) is on display at nearby NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The crew module is part of the NASA Now exhibit in the IMAX Theater. The Orion EFT-1 spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

A view of the inside of the Mars rover concept, developed by vehicle designers, the Parker Brothers, with advice from NASA, is seen here during the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum’s Mars Day, an annual event celebrating the Red Planet with exhibits, speakers, and educational activities, Friday, July 21, 2017 in Washington. The Mars rover concept is currently on an East Coast tour from its home base at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor’s Center in Florida, and is designed to engage and educate the public by demonstrating the types of features and equipment a future human exploration vehicle may need. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

At the IMAX Theater at NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1, secured on its custom-made ground support equipment, has been lowered to the ground. The crew module will be moved inside the theater where it will be prepared for display in the NASA Now exhibit. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1, secured on its custom-made ground support equipment, is moved inside the IMAX Theater. The crew module will be prepared for display in the NASA Now exhibit in the IMAX Theater. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

A close-up view of the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1) on display at nearby NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The crew module is part of the NASA Now exhibit in the IMAX Theater. The Orion EFT-1 spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1, secured on its custom-made ground support equipment, is moved inside the IMAX Theater. The crew module will be prepared for display in the NASA Now exhibit in the IMAX Theater. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, a crane lowers the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 to the ground, secured on its custom-made ground support equipment. The crew module will be delivered to the IMAX Theater where it will be prepared for display in the NASA Now exhibit. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

The Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 is transported west along the NASA Causeway toward NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The crew module will be delivered to the IMAX Theater where it will be prepared for display in the NASA Now exhibit. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

A view of the controls of the Mars rover concept, developed by vehicle designers, the Parker Brothers, with advice from NASA, is seen here during the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum’s Mars Day, an annual event celebrating the Red Planet with exhibits, speakers, and educational activities, Friday, July 21, 2017 in Washington. The Mars rover concept is currently on an East Coast tour from its home base at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor’s Center in Florida, and is designed to engage and educate the public by demonstrating the types of features and equipment a future human exploration vehicle may need. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

A view of the Mars rover concept, developed by vehicle designers, the Parker Brothers, with advice from NASA, is seen here during the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum’s Mars Day, an annual event celebrating the Red Planet with exhibits, speakers, and educational activities, Friday, July 21, 2017 in Washington. The Mars rover concept is currently on an East Coast tour from its home base at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor’s Center in Florida, and is designed to engage and educate the public by demonstrating the types of features and equipment a future human exploration vehicle may need. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, a crane is attached to the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 secured on its custom-made ground support equipment. The crew module will be delivered to the IMAX Theater where it will be prepared for display in the NASA Now exhibit. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

The Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1) is on display at nearby NASA Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. The crew module is part of the NASA Now exhibit in the IMAX Theater. The Orion EFT-1 spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

Inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the American flag is in view on the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1. Lockheed Martin and ASRC workers are preparing the crew module for its move to the nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The crew module will be delivered to the IMAX Theater where it will be on display in the NASA Now exhibit. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

Inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lockheed Martin and ASRC workers monitor the progress as a crane is attached to the top of the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1. The crew module will be moved to the nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and delivered to the IMAX Theater where it will be prepared for display in the NASA Now exhibit. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

Inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lockheed Martin and ASRC workers assist as a crane lowers the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 onto a custom-built transport stand. The crew module is being prepared for its move to the nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and delivery to the IMAX Theater where it will be on display in the NASA Now exhibit. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

Inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 is lowered onto a custom-built transport stand. The crew module is being prepared for its move to the nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and delivery to the IMAX Theater where it will be on display in the NASA Now exhibit. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

Inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lockheed Martin and ASRC workers monitor the progress as a crane moves the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 over to a custom-built transport stand. The crew module is being prepared for its move to the nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. It will be on display in the NASA Now exhibit in the IMAX Theater. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

Inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lockheed Martin and ASRC workers monitor the progress as a crane lifts the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 up from the birdcage stand. The crew module is being prepared for its move to the nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. It will be on display in the NASA Now exhibit in the IMAX Theater. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

Inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lockheed Martin and ASRC engineers and technicians review procedures before preparing the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 for its move to the nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The crew module will be delivered to the IMAX Theater where it will be prepared for display in the NASA Now exhibit. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

A close-up view of the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 in the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A crane has lifted the crew module up from a birdcage test stand and is moving it to a custom-built transport stand for the move to nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Orion will be delivered to IMAX Theater for display in the NASA Now exhibit. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

Inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lockheed Martin and ASRC workers monitor the progress as a crane lowers the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 onto a custom-built transport stand. The crew module is being prepared for its move to the nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex and delivery to the IMAX Theater where it will be on display in the NASA Now exhibit. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

Inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building high bay at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lockheed Martin and ASRC workers monitor the progress as a crane moves the Orion crew module from Exploration Flight Test 1 over to a custom-built transport stand. The crew module is being prepared for its move to the nearby Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. It will be on display in the NASA Now exhibit in the IMAX Theater. The Orion spacecraft launched atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket Dec. 5, 2014, from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft built for humans traveled 3,604 miles above Earth and splashed down about 4.5 hours later in the Pacific Ocean.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida is the Orion crew exploration vehicle mockup (left) and an exhibit about the Constellation Program. The Orion mockup is on display before heading offshore to be tested in open water. The spacecraft mock-up traveled from the Naval Surface Warfare Center's Carderock Division in Bethesda, Md. The goal of the open water testing, dubbed the Post-landing Orion Recovery Test, or PORT, is to determine what kind of motion astronauts can expect after landing, as well as outside conditions for recovery teams. Part of the Constellation Program, Orion is targeted to begin carrying humans to the International Space Station in 2015 and to the moon by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida is the Orion crew exploration vehicle mockup (right) and an exhibit about the Constellation Program. The Orion mockup is on display before heading offshore to be tested in open water. The spacecraft mock-up traveled from the Naval Surface Warfare Center's Carderock Division in Bethesda, Md. The goal of the open water testing, dubbed the Post-landing Orion Recovery Test, or PORT, is to determine what kind of motion astronauts can expect after landing, as well as outside conditions for recovery teams. Part of the Constellation Program, Orion is targeted to begin carrying humans to the International Space Station in 2015 and to the moon by 2020. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center celebrated the 65th anniversary of its founding on July 19, 2025, with a free, public celebration at The Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama. Thousands of team members, families, and “Rocket City” residents took part, enjoying live music, games, food, and exhibits commemorating Marshall’s legacy of ingenuity and service to the U.S. space program. During a program for the celebration, guests heard remarks from Joseph Pelfrey, director of NASA Marshall, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, and Kamerra Liles, assistant general manager of The Orion Amphitheater, followed by Pelfrey sharing a new video overview about Marshall. The program continued with a video presentation from NASA astronauts from the Expedition 72 crew – which contributed more than 1,000 total hours of scientific studies on plant growth, stem cell growth for treating diseases, the resilience of microorganisms to the harsh space environment, and more on the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Don Pettit, who served as space station commander and flight engineer, respectively, shared their experiences in space with the community and told the audience how vital Marshall’s on the ground support was to their mission success. Marshall has shaped and expanded human space exploration every decade since the NASA center opened its doors on July 1, 1960. The center’s civil service and contract workers built the nation’s flagship rockets, from the Saturn V to the SLS (Space Launch System), managed the space shuttle propulsion program, delivered the Chandra X-ray Observatory and critical elements of the International Space Station to orbit, and continue to spearhead numerous advances in science and engineering.

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center celebrated the 65th anniversary of its founding on July 19, 2025, with a free, public celebration at The Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama. Thousands of team members, families, and “Rocket City” residents took part, enjoying live music, games, food, and exhibits commemorating Marshall’s legacy of ingenuity and service to the U.S. space program. During a program for the celebration, guests heard remarks from Joseph Pelfrey, director of NASA Marshall, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, and Kamerra Liles, assistant general manager of The Orion Amphitheater, followed by Pelfrey sharing a new video overview about Marshall. The program continued with a video presentation from NASA astronauts from the Expedition 72 crew – which contributed more than 1,000 total hours of scientific studies on plant growth, stem cell growth for treating diseases, the resilience of microorganisms to the harsh space environment, and more on the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Don Pettit, who served as space station commander and flight engineer, respectively, shared their experiences in space with the community and told the audience how vital Marshall’s on the ground support was to their mission success. Marshall has shaped and expanded human space exploration every decade since the NASA center opened its doors on July 1, 1960. The center’s civil service and contract workers built the nation’s flagship rockets, from the Saturn V to the SLS (Space Launch System), managed the space shuttle propulsion program, delivered the Chandra X-ray Observatory and critical elements of the International Space Station to orbit, and continue to spearhead numerous advances in science and engineering.

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center celebrated the 65th anniversary of its founding on July 19, 2025, with a free, public celebration at The Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama. Thousands of team members, families, and “Rocket City” residents took part, enjoying live music, games, food, and exhibits commemorating Marshall’s legacy of ingenuity and service to the U.S. space program. During a program for the celebration, guests heard remarks from Joseph Pelfrey, director of NASA Marshall, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, and Kamerra Liles, assistant general manager of The Orion Amphitheater, followed by Pelfrey sharing a new video overview about Marshall. The program continued with a video presentation from NASA astronauts from the Expedition 72 crew – which contributed more than 1,000 total hours of scientific studies on plant growth, stem cell growth for treating diseases, the resilience of microorganisms to the harsh space environment, and more on the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Don Pettit, who served as space station commander and flight engineer, respectively, shared their experiences in space with the community and told the audience how vital Marshall’s on the ground support was to their mission success. Marshall has shaped and expanded human space exploration every decade since the NASA center opened its doors on July 1, 1960. The center’s civil service and contract workers built the nation’s flagship rockets, from the Saturn V to the SLS (Space Launch System), managed the space shuttle propulsion program, delivered the Chandra X-ray Observatory and critical elements of the International Space Station to orbit, and continue to spearhead numerous advances in science and engineering.

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center celebrated the 65th anniversary of its founding on July 19, 2025, with a free, public celebration at The Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama. Thousands of team members, families, and “Rocket City” residents took part, enjoying live music, games, food, and exhibits commemorating Marshall’s legacy of ingenuity and service to the U.S. space program. During a program for the celebration, guests heard remarks from Joseph Pelfrey, director of NASA Marshall, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, and Kamerra Liles, assistant general manager of The Orion Amphitheater, followed by Pelfrey sharing a new video overview about Marshall. The program continued with a video presentation from NASA astronauts from the Expedition 72 crew – which contributed more than 1,000 total hours of scientific studies on plant growth, stem cell growth for treating diseases, the resilience of microorganisms to the harsh space environment, and more on the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Don Pettit, who served as space station commander and flight engineer, respectively, shared their experiences in space with the community and told the audience how vital Marshall’s on the ground support was to their mission success. Marshall has shaped and expanded human space exploration every decade since the NASA center opened its doors on July 1, 1960. The center’s civil service and contract workers built the nation’s flagship rockets, from the Saturn V to the SLS (Space Launch System), managed the space shuttle propulsion program, delivered the Chandra X-ray Observatory and critical elements of the International Space Station to orbit, and continue to spearhead numerous advances in science and engineering.

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center celebrated the 65th anniversary of its founding on July 19, 2025, with a free, public celebration at The Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama. Thousands of team members, families, and “Rocket City” residents took part, enjoying live music, games, food, and exhibits commemorating Marshall’s legacy of ingenuity and service to the U.S. space program. During a program for the celebration, guests heard remarks from Joseph Pelfrey, director of NASA Marshall, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, and Kamerra Liles, assistant general manager of The Orion Amphitheater, followed by Pelfrey sharing a new video overview about Marshall. The program continued with a video presentation from NASA astronauts from the Expedition 72 crew – which contributed more than 1,000 total hours of scientific studies on plant growth, stem cell growth for treating diseases, the resilience of microorganisms to the harsh space environment, and more on the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Don Pettit, who served as space station commander and flight engineer, respectively, shared their experiences in space with the community and told the audience how vital Marshall’s on the ground support was to their mission success. Marshall has shaped and expanded human space exploration every decade since the NASA center opened its doors on July 1, 1960. The center’s civil service and contract workers built the nation’s flagship rockets, from the Saturn V to the SLS (Space Launch System), managed the space shuttle propulsion program, delivered the Chandra X-ray Observatory and critical elements of the International Space Station to orbit, and continue to spearhead numerous advances in science and engineering.

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center celebrated the 65th anniversary of its founding on July 19, 2025, with a free, public celebration at The Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama. Thousands of team members, families, and “Rocket City” residents took part, enjoying live music, games, food, and exhibits commemorating Marshall’s legacy of ingenuity and service to the U.S. space program. During a program for the celebration, guests heard remarks from Joseph Pelfrey, director of NASA Marshall, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, and Kamerra Liles, assistant general manager of The Orion Amphitheater, followed by Pelfrey sharing a new video overview about Marshall. The program continued with a video presentation from NASA astronauts from the Expedition 72 crew – which contributed more than 1,000 total hours of scientific studies on plant growth, stem cell growth for treating diseases, the resilience of microorganisms to the harsh space environment, and more on the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Don Pettit, who served as space station commander and flight engineer, respectively, shared their experiences in space with the community and told the audience how vital Marshall’s on the ground support was to their mission success. Marshall has shaped and expanded human space exploration every decade since the NASA center opened its doors on July 1, 1960. The center’s civil service and contract workers built the nation’s flagship rockets, from the Saturn V to the SLS (Space Launch System), managed the space shuttle propulsion program, delivered the Chandra X-ray Observatory and critical elements of the International Space Station to orbit, and continue to spearhead numerous advances in science and engineering.

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center celebrated the 65th anniversary of its founding on July 19, 2025, with a free, public celebration at The Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama. Thousands of team members, families, and “Rocket City” residents took part, enjoying live music, games, food, and exhibits commemorating Marshall’s legacy of ingenuity and service to the U.S. space program. During a program for the celebration, guests heard remarks from Joseph Pelfrey, director of NASA Marshall, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, and Kamerra Liles, assistant general manager of The Orion Amphitheater, followed by Pelfrey sharing a new video overview about Marshall. The program continued with a video presentation from NASA astronauts from the Expedition 72 crew – which contributed more than 1,000 total hours of scientific studies on plant growth, stem cell growth for treating diseases, the resilience of microorganisms to the harsh space environment, and more on the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Don Pettit, who served as space station commander and flight engineer, respectively, shared their experiences in space with the community and told the audience how vital Marshall’s on the ground support was to their mission success. Marshall has shaped and expanded human space exploration every decade since the NASA center opened its doors on July 1, 1960. The center’s civil service and contract workers built the nation’s flagship rockets, from the Saturn V to the SLS (Space Launch System), managed the space shuttle propulsion program, delivered the Chandra X-ray Observatory and critical elements of the International Space Station to orbit, and continue to spearhead numerous advances in science and engineering.

While large compared to a human, BARREL balloons are actually much smaller than typical science balloons, which can be as large as a football field. Credit: NASA/Goddard/BARREL/Brett Anderson Read more: <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/nasas-barrel-returns-successful-from-antarctica" rel="nofollow">www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/nasas-barrel-returns-success...</a> -- Three months, 20 balloons, and one very successful campaign. The team for NASA's BARREL – short for Balloon Array for Radiation belt Relativistic Electron Losses -- mission returned from Antarctica in March 2014. BARREL's job is to help unravel the mysterious Van Allen belts, two gigantic donuts of radiation that surround Earth, which can shrink and swell in response to incoming energy and particles from the sun and sometimes expose satellites to harsh radiation. While in Antarctica, the team launched 20 balloons carrying instruments that sense charged particles that are scattered into the atmosphere from the belts, spiraling down the magnetic fields near the South Pole. Each balloon traveled around the pole for up to three weeks. The team will coordinate the BARREL data with observations from NASA's two Van Allen Probes to better understand how occurrences in the belts relate to bursts of particles funneling down toward Earth. BARREL team members will be on hand at the USA Science and Engineering Festival in DC on April 26 and 27, 2014 for the exhibit Space Balloons: Exploring the Extremes of Space Weather. <b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelines.html" rel="nofollow">NASA image use policy.</a></b> <b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a></b> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. <b>Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASAGoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a></b> <b>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a></b> <b>Find us on <a href="http://instagram.com/nasagoddard?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a></b>

NASA image acquired September 15, 1999 This Landsat 7 image of clouds off the Chilean coast near the Juan Fernandez Islands (also known as the Robinson Crusoe Islands) on September 15, 1999, shows a unique pattern called a “von Karman vortex street.” This pattern has long been studied in the laboratory, where the vortices are created by oil flowing past a cylindrical obstacle, making a string of vortices only several tens of centimeters long. Study of this classic “flow past a circular cylinder” has been very important in the understanding of laminar and turbulent fluid flow that controls a wide variety of phenomena, from the lift under an aircraft wing to Earth’s weather. Here, the cylinder is replaced by Alejandro Selkirk Island (named after the true “Robinson Crusoe,” who was stranded here for many months in the early 1700s). The island is about 1.5 km in diameter, and rises 1.6 km into a layer of marine stratocumulus clouds. This type of cloud is important for its strong cooling of the Earth’s surface, partially counteracting the Greenhouse warming. An extended, steady equatorward wind creates vortices with clockwise flow off the eastern edge and counterclockwise flow off the western edge of the island. The vortices grow as they advect hundreds of kilometers downwind, making a street 10,000 times longer than those made in the laboratory. Observing the same phenomenon extended over such a wide range of sizes dramatizes the “fractal” nature of atmospheric convection and clouds. Fractals are characteristic of fluid flow and other dynamic systems that exhibit “chaotic” motions. Both clockwise and counter-clockwise vortices are generated by flow around the island. As the flow separates from the island’s leeward (away from the source of the wind) side, the vortices “swallow” some of the clear air over the island. (Much of the island air is cloudless due to a local “land breeze” circulation set up by the larger heat capacity of the waters surrounding the island.) The “swallowed” gulps of clear island air get carried along within the vortices, but these are soon mixed into the surrounding clouds. Landsat is unique in its ability to image both the small-scale eddies that mix clear and cloudy air, down to the 30 meter pixel size of Landsat, but also having a wide enough field-of-view, 180 km, to reveal the connection of the turbulence to large-scale flows such as the subtropical oceanic gyres. Landsat 7, with its new onboard digital recorder, has extended this capability away from the few Landsat ground stations to remote areas such as Alejandro Island, and thus is gradually providing a global dynamic picture of evolving human-scale phenomena. For more details on von Karman vortices, refer to <a href="http://climate.gsfc.nasa.gov/~cahalan" rel="nofollow">climate.gsfc.nasa.gov/~cahalan</a>. Image and caption courtesy Bob Cahalan, NASA GSFC Instrument: Landsat 7 - ETM+ Credit: NASA/GSFC/Landsat <b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a></b> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. <b>Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a></b> <b>Join us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a></b>