A member of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team talks looks through the scope of his rifle as he prepares for the next tactical challenge during the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.

Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team check the scopes on their rifles to prepare for the next tactical challenge during the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Special pellets, rather than real bullets, are used during the competition. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.

Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center's Emergency Response Team check the scopes on their rifles to prepare for the next tactical challenge during the 37th Annual SWAT Round-Up International at the Lawson Lamar Firearms and Tactical Training Center in Orlando, Florida. The competition was held Nov. 10 to 15, 2019, and featured five different tactical challenges. Special pellets, rather than real bullets, are used during the competition. Kennedy's ERT members exchanged best practices and competed with more than 50 teams from the U.S. and around the world.

The traditional firing of three volleys each by seven service members is carried out to honor former astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn at his interment Thursday, April 6, 2017 at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Glenn was the first American to orbit Earth on Feb. 20, 1962, in a five-hour flight aboard the Friendship 7 spacecraft. In 1998, he broke another record by returning to space at the age of 77 on the Space Shuttle Discovery. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Brig. Gen. J. Gregory Pavlovich, 45th Space Wing, addresses guests at the ribbon cutting for the Enhanced Firing Range on Schwartz Rd. at Kennedy Space Center. NASA’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy’s firing range has been upgraded to include a “rifle-grade” shoot house, a portable, tactical “shoot-back” trailer for cover and concealment drills, automated running targets and a new classroom facility. They are added to the existing three firearms ranges, “pistol-grade” shoot house, obstacle course and rappel tower. NASA’s Security Management and Safeguards Office funded the enhancements in order to improve ability to train the KSC security force and to support local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in Homeland Security.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Center Director Jim Kennedy addresses guests at the ribbon cutting for the Enhanced Firing Range on Schwartz Rd. at Kennedy Space Center. NASA’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy’s firing range has been upgraded to include a “rifle-grade” shoot house, a portable, tactical “shoot-back” trailer for cover and concealment drills, automated running targets and a new classroom facility. They are added to the existing three firearms ranges, “pistol-grade” shoot house, obstacle course and rappel tower. NASA’s Security Management and Safeguards Office funded the enhancements in order to improve ability to train the KSC security force and to support local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in Homeland Security.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Dave Saleeba, assistant administrator with the Office of Security Management and Safeguards at NASA Headquarters, speaks to guests at the ribbon cutting for the Enhanced Firing Range on Schwartz Rd. at Kennedy Space Center. NASA’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy’s firing range has been upgraded to include a “rifle-grade” shoot house, a portable, tactical “shoot-back” trailer for cover and concealment drills, automated running targets and a new classroom facility. They are added to the existing three firearms ranges, “pistol-grade” shoot house, obstacle course and rappel tower. NASA’s Security Management and Safeguards Office funded the enhancements in order to improve ability to train the KSC security force and to support local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in Homeland Security.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the ribbon cutting for the Enhanced Firing Range on Schwartz Rd. at Kennedy Space Center, a SWAT team demonstrates use of the facility. NASA’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy’s firing range has been upgraded to include a “rifle-grade” shoot house, a portable, tactical “shoot-back” trailer for cover and concealment drills, automated running targets and a new classroom. They are added to the existing three firearms ranges, “pistol-grade” shoot house, obstacle course and rappel tower. NASA’s Security Management and Safeguards Office funded the enhancements in order to improve ability to train the KSC security force and to support local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in Homeland Security.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the ribbon cutting for the Enhanced Firing Range on Schwartz Rd. at Kennedy Space Center, Center Director Jim Kennedy practices firing on the new range. NASA’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy’s firing range has been upgraded to include a “rifle-grade” shoot house, a portable, tactical “shoot-back” trailer for cover and concealment drills, automated running targets and a new classroom facility. They are added to the existing three firearms ranges, “pistol-grade” shoot house, obstacle course and rappel tower. NASA’s Security Management and Safeguards Office funded the enhancements in order to improve ability to train the KSC security force and to support local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in Homeland Security.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - After the ribbon cutting for the Enhanced Firing Range on Schwartz Rd. at Kennedy Space Center, guests get a close look at the new “rifle-grade” shoot house. NASA’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy’s firing range upgrades also include a portable, tactical “shoot-back” trailer for cover and concealment drills, automated running targets and a new classroom. They are added to the existing three firearms ranges, “pistol-grade” shoot house, obstacle course and rappel tower. NASA’s Security Management and Safeguards Office funded the enhancements in order to improve ability to train the KSC security force and to support local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in Homeland Security.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the ribbon cutting for the Enhanced Firing Range on Schwartz Rd. at Kennedy Space Center, Dave Saleeba (left with weapon) and Center Director Jim Kennedy (right, with weapon) practice firing on the new range. Saleeba is assistant administrator with the Office of Security Management and Safeguards at NASA Headquarters and was a guest speaker at the ceremony. NASA’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy’s firing range has been upgraded to include a “rifle-grade” shoot house, a portable, tactical “shoot-back” trailer for cover and concealment drills, automated running targets and a new classroom facility. They are added to the existing three firearms ranges, “pistol-grade” shoot house, obstacle course and rappel tower. NASA’s Security Management and Safeguards Office funded the enhancements in order to improve ability to train the KSC security force and to support local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in Homeland Security.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the ribbon cutting for the Enhanced Firing Range on Schwartz Rd. at Kennedy Space Center, Dave Saleeba practices firing on the new range. Saleeba is assistant administrator with the Office of Security Management and Safeguards at NASA Headquarters and was a guest speaker at the ceremony. NASA’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy’s firing range has been upgraded to include a “rifle-grade” shoot house, a portable, tactical “shoot-back” trailer for cover and concealment drills, automated running targets and a new classroom facility. They are added to the existing three firearms ranges, “pistol-grade” shoot house, obstacle course and rappel tower. NASA’s Security Management and Safeguards Office funded the enhancements in order to improve ability to train the KSC security force and to support local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in Homeland Security.

Tidal disruption event Every galaxy has a black hole at its center. Usually they are quiet, without gas accretions, like the one in our Milky Way. But if a star creeps too close to the black hole, the gravitational tides can rip away the star’s gaseous matter. Like water spinning around a drain, the gas swirls into a disk around the black hole at such speeds that it heats to millions of degrees. As an inner ring of gas spins into the black hole, gas particles shoot outward from the black hole’s polar regions. Like bullets shot from a rifle, they zoom through the jets at velocities close to the speed of light. Astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope observed correlations between supermassive black holes and an event similar to tidal disruption, pictured above in the Centaurus A galaxy. Certain galaxies have shining centers, illuminated by heated gas circling around a supermassive black hole. Matter escapes where it can, forming two jets of plasma moving near the speed of light. To learn more about the relationship between galaxies and the black holes at their cores, go to NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope: <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/main/" rel="nofollow">www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/main/</a> -------------------------------- Original caption: A team of astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope found an unambiguous link between the presence of supermassive black holes that power high-speed, radio-signal-emitting jets and the merger history of their host galaxies. Almost all galaxies with the jets were found to be merging with another galaxy, or to have done so recently. Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI <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://instagrid.me/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a></b>