Twice the Terminators
A Terminator Shot
Crater Terminator
You Are Terminated!
art002e014045 (April 6, 2026) - This view of the Moon captures the terminator—the shifting boundary between day and night—where sunlight grazes the surface at a low angle. Taken by the crew during the Artemis II mission, the lighting accentuates the Moon’s rugged terrain, casting long shadows that reveal the depth and structure of craters, ridges, and surrounding highlands.
A Terminator and Limb Together
Europa Evening Terminator
From Terminator to Limb
Near-Terminator Image of Europa
The Terminator is Here - in Color!
art002e014055 (April 6, 2026) - A close-up view of the Moon along the terminator—the boundary between lunar day and night—captured by the crew during the Artemis II mission. The low-angle sunlight on this specific day casts long shadows across the surface, revealing the shape and depth of craters in striking detail. Since the early days of the telescope, astronomers used observations along the terminator to map the Moon’s terrain, taking advantage of the contrast between light and shadow to distinguish surface features. While modern imaging has advanced significantly, this lighting still provides valuable insight into the Moon’s topography.
Engineer Emmanuel Decrossas of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California makes an adjustment to an antenna's connector, part of a NASA telecommunications payload called User Terminal, at Firefly Aerospace's facility in Cedar Park, Texas, in August 2025. Figure A (https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/figures/PIA26596_figA.jpg) shows members of the team from JPL and NASA (dark blue) and Firefly (white) with the User Terminal antenna, radio, and other components on the bench behind them. Managed by JPL, the User Terminal will test a new, low-cost lunar communications system that future missions to the Moon's far side could use to transfer data to and from Earth via lunar relay satellite. The User Terminal payload will be installed atop Firefly's Blue Ghost Mission 2 lunar lander, which is slated to launch to the Moon's far side in 2026 under NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. NASA's Apollo missions brought large and powerful telecommunications systems to the lunar near-side surface to communicate directly with Earth. But spacecraft on the far side will not have that option because only the near side of the Moon is visible to Earth. Sending messages between the Moon and Earth via a relay orbiter enables communication with the lunar far side and improves it at the Moon's poles. The User Terminal will for the first time test such a setup for NASA by using a compact, lightweight software defined radio, antenna, and related hardware to communicate with a satellite that Blue Ghost Mission 2 is delivering to lunar orbit: ESA's (the European Space Agency's) Lunar Pathfinder. The User Terminal radio and antenna installed on the Blue Ghost lander will be used to commission Lunar Pathfinder, sending test data back and forth. After the lander ceases operations as planned at the end of a single lunar day (about 14 Earth days), a separate User Terminal radio and antenna installed on LuSEE-Night – another payload on the lander – will send LuSEE-Night's data to Lunar Pathfinder, which will relay the information to a commercial network of ground stations on Earth. LuSEE-Night is a radio telescope that expected to operate for at least 1½ years; it is a joint effort by NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy, and University of California, Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory. Additionally, User Terminal will be able to communicate with another satellite that's being delivered to lunar orbit by Blue Ghost Mission 2: Firefly's own Elytra Dark orbital vehicle. The hardware on the lander is only part of the User Terminal project, which was also designed to implement a new S-band two-way protocol, or standard, for short-range space communications between entities on the lunar surface (such as rovers and landers) and lunar orbiters, enabling reliable data transfer between them. The standard is a new version of a space communications protocol called Proximity-1 that was initially developed more than two decades ago for use at Mars by an international standard body called the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS), of which NASA is a member agency. The User Terminal team made recommendations to CCSDS on the development of the new lunar S-band standard, which was specified in 2024. The new standard will enable lunar orbiters and surface spacecraft from various entities – NASA and other civil space agencies as well as industry and academia – to communicate with each other, a concept known as interoperability. At Mars, NASA rovers communicate with various Red Planet orbiters using the Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) radio band version of the Proximity-1 standard. On the Moon's far side, use of UHF is reserved for radio astronomy science; so a new lunar standard was needed using a different frequency range, S-band, as were more efficient modulation and coding schemes to better fit the available frequency spectrum specified by the new standard. User Terminal is funded by NASA's Exploration Science Strategy and Integration Office, part of the agency's Science Mission Directorate, which manages the CLPS initiative. JPL manages the project and supported development of the new S-band radio standard and the payload in coordination with Vulcan Wireless in Carlsbad, California, which built the radio. Caltech in Pasadena manages JPL for NASA. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26596
NASA release date June 21, 2011 The terminator of Mercury, shown here in color, is the line between light and dark, or day and night. On Mercury, three days are equivalent to two years, or in other words, the planet spins around its axis three times for every two orbits around the Sun. The first Mercury year of the MESSENGER mission ended on Monday, June 13, 2011. This image was acquired as part of MDIS's color base map. The color base map is composed of WAC images taken through eight different narrow-band color filters and will cover more than 90% of Mercury's surface with an average resolution of 1 kilometer/pixel (0.6 miles/pixel). The highest-quality color images are obtained for Mercury's surface when both the spacecraft and the Sun are overhead, so these images typically are taken with viewing conditions of low incidence and emission angles. The MESSENGER spacecraft is the first ever to orbit the planet Mercury, and the spacecraft's seven scientific instruments and radio science investigation are unraveling the history and evolution of the Solar System's innermost planet. Visit the Why Mercury? section of this website to learn more about the key science questions that the MESSENGER mission is addressing. During the one-year primary mission, MDIS is scheduled to acquire more than 75,000 images in support of MESSENGER's science goals. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington <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>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://web.stagram.com/n/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a></b>
Northern Plains Textures Visible Near the Terminator
Date acquired: May 05, 2014 Today's color image features both Mercury's terminator and limb. The terminator is the striking separation of night and day on Mercury. It is seen in this image with the change from dark, on the left of the image, to light. Mercury's limb is also captured, as we can see the edge between sunlit Mercury and space. The MESSENGER spacecraft is the first ever to orbit the planet Mercury, and the spacecraft's seven scientific instruments and radio science investigation are unraveling the history and evolution of the Solar System's innermost planet. During the first two years of orbital operations, MESSENGER acquired over 150,000 images and extensive other data sets. MESSENGER is capable of continuing orbital operations until early 2015. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington <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>
February 17, 2021, The Terminal Tower is illuminated in red to commemorate the Landing of NASA’s Perseverance Rover on the surface of Mars, February 18, 2021. Terminal Tower is a 52-story, (771 ft), landmark skyscraper located on Public Square in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland is also the home of the NASA Glenn Research Center.
February 17, 2021, The Terminal Tower is illuminated in red to commemorate the Landing of NASA’s Perseverance Rover on the surface of Mars, February 18, 2021. Terminal Tower is a 52-story, (771 ft), landmark skyscraper located on Public Square in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland is also the home of the NASA Glenn Research Center.
February 17, 2021, The Terminal Tower is illuminated in red to commemorate the Landing of NASA’s Perseverance Rover on the surface of Mars, February 18, 2021. Terminal Tower is a 52-story, (771 ft), landmark skyscraper located on Public Square in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland is also the home of the NASA Glenn Research Center.
February 17, 2021, The Terminal Tower is illuminated in red to commemorate the Landing of NASA’s Perseverance Rover on the surface of Mars, February 18, 2021. Terminal Tower is a 52-story, (771 ft), landmark skyscraper located on Public Square in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland is also the home of the NASA Glenn Research Center.
Members of the Artemis I launch team, including personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) and contractor Jacobs, monitor activities during the ninth formal terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 2 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 24, 2021. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis I, the uncrewed first flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
Members of the Artemis I launch team, including personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) and contractor Jacobs, monitor activities during the ninth formal terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 24, 2021. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis I, the uncrewed first flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
Members of the Artemis I launch team, including personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) and contractor Jacobs, monitor activities during the ninth formal terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 24, 2021. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis I, the uncrewed first flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
Members of the Artemis I launch team, including personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) and contractor Jacobs, monitor activities during the ninth formal terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 2 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 24, 2021. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis I, the uncrewed first flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
Artemis I Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson monitors activities during the ninth formal terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 24, 2021. Members of the Artemis I launch team include personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) and contractor Jacobs. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis I, the uncrewed first flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
Members of the Artemis I launch team, including personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) and contractor Jacobs, monitor activities during the ninth formal terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 24, 2021. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis I, the uncrewed first flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
Artemis I launch team member Joshua Jones monitors activities during the ninth formal terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 24, 2021. The Artemis I launch team includes personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) and contractor Jacobs. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis I, the uncrewed first flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
Rhea sports an immense impact scar on its leading hemisphere, like several other major Saturnian moons. The impact basin, seen above center on the day-night dividing line, or terminator, is named Tirawa
Chief of the Test, Launch and Recovery Operations Branch within the Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program Jeremy Graeber monitors activities during the ninth formal terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 24, 2021. Members of the Artemis I launch team include personnel with EGS and contractor Jacobs. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis I, the uncrewed first flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
Chief of the Test, Launch and Recovery Operations Branch within the Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program Jeremy Graeber, (left) and Artemis I Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson (right), along with members of the Artemis I launch team, including personnel with EGS and contractor Jacobs, monitor activities during the ninth formal terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 24, 2021. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis I, the uncrewed first flight of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
NASA Dawn spacecraft shows densely cratered terrain near Vesta terminator on August 6, 2011. This image was taken through the framing camera clear filter aboard the spacecraft. North is pointing towards the two oclock position.
art002e000190 (April 3, 2026) - A view of Earth taken by NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman from one of the Orion spacecraft's four windows after completing the translunar injection burn on April 2, 2026.
This high-resolution NAC image shows a view of Mercury dawn terminator, the division between the sunlit dayside and dark nightside of the planet, as seen as the MESSENGER spacecraft departed the planet during the mission second Mercury flyby.
art002e019570 (April 7, 2026) – On flight day seven, following their lunar flyby, the Artemis II crew captured this view of a delicate crescent Moon on their journey back to Earth. Along the terminator—the boundary between lunar day and night—low-angle sunlight casts long shadows that accentuate craters, ridges, and subtle variations in terrain. The softly illuminated surface highlights the Moon’s rugged landscape, while much of it remains in shadow. Credit: NASA
An American flag displays inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center while members of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems participate in the Artemis II terminal count simulation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The terminal count simulation runs through the final five hours of launch countdown, include terminal count - the remaining 10 minutes of the countdown - for NASA’s Artemis II test flight which will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than no later than April 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.
Artemis launch team members participate in the Artemis II terminal count simulation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The terminal count simulation conducted by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team runs through the final five hours of launch countdown, include terminal count - the remaining 10 minutes of the countdown - for NASA’s Artemis II test flight which will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than no later than April 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis II launch director, participates in the Artemis II terminal count simulation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The terminal count simulation conducted by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team runs through the final five hours of launch countdown, include terminal count - the remaining 10 minutes of the countdown - for NASA’s Artemis II test flight which will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than no later than April 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.
Alora Mazarakis, Artemis launch team member, participates in the Artemis II terminal count simulation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The terminal count simulation conducted by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team runs through the final five hours of launch countdown, include terminal count - the remaining 10 minutes of the countdown - for NASA’s Artemis II test flight which will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than no later than April 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.
Madison Schmaltz, Artemis launch team member, participates in the Artemis II terminal count simulation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The terminal count simulation conducted by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team runs through the final five hours of launch countdown, include terminal count - the remaining 10 minutes of the countdown - for NASA’s Artemis II test flight which will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than no later than April 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.
From left, Dan Florez, NASA test director, and Lili Villarreal, Artemis II landing and recovery director, participate in the Artemis II terminal count simulation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The terminal count simulation conducted by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team runs through the final five hours of launch countdown, include terminal count - the remaining 10 minutes of the countdown - for NASA’s Artemis II test flight which will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than no later than April 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.
Kevin Todaro, Artemis launch team member, participates in the Artemis II terminal count simulation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The terminal count simulation conducted by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team runs through the final five hours of launch countdown, include terminal count - the remaining 10 minutes of the countdown - for NASA’s Artemis II test flight which will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than no later than April 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.
From left to right, Artemis launch team members Emily Eilish, Clare Hadley, and Holly Wells participate in the Artemis II terminal count simulation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The terminal count simulation conducted by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team runs through the final five hours of launch countdown, include terminal count - the remaining 10 minutes of the countdown - for NASA’s Artemis II test flight which will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than no later than April 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis II launch director, participates in the Artemis II terminal count simulation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The terminal count simulation conducted by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team runs through the final five hours of launch countdown, include terminal count - the remaining 10 minutes of the countdown - for NASA’s Artemis II test flight which will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than no later than April 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis II launch director, participates in the Artemis II terminal count simulation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The terminal count simulation conducted by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team runs through the final five hours of launch countdown, include terminal count - the remaining 10 minutes of the countdown - for NASA’s Artemis II test flight which will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than no later than April 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.
An Artemis launch team member participates in the Artemis II terminal count simulation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The terminal count simulation conducted by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team runs through the final five hours of launch countdown, include terminal count - the remaining 10 minutes of the countdown - for NASA’s Artemis II test flight which will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than no later than April 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis II launch director, participates in the Artemis II terminal count simulation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The terminal count simulation conducted by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team runs through the final five hours of launch countdown, include terminal count - the remaining 10 minutes of the countdown - for NASA’s Artemis II test flight which will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than no later than April 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.
Members of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team pose for a photograph following the completion of the Artemis II terminal count simulation on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, inside Firing Room 1 of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The terminal count simulation conducted by NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team runs through the final five hours of launch countdown, include terminal count - the remaining 10 minutes of the countdown - for NASA’s Artemis II test flight which will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the CSA (Canadian Space Agency), around the Moon and back to Earth no later than no later than April 2026 from Launch Complex 39B at NASA Kennedy.
View of the Barge Terminal Facility
View of the Barge Terminal Facility
View of the Barge Terminal Facility
View of the Barge Terminal Facility
View of the Barge Terminal Facility
View of the Barge Terminal Facility
View of the Barge Terminal Facility
View of the Barge Terminal Facility
View of the Barge Terminal Facility
February 17, 2021, The Terminal Tower is illuminated in red to commemorate the Landing of NASA’s Perseverance Rover on the surface of Mars, February 18, 2021. Terminal Tower is a 52-story, (771 ft), landmark skyscraper located on Public Square in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland is also the home of the NASA Glenn Research Center.
art002e024603 (April 6, 2026) - The Moon appears half-illuminated in this photo captured by the Artemis II crew on flight day 6. The terminator -- the difference between light and darkness -- provides a stark contrast and even greater perspective of the Moon's rocky, uneven, and otherworldly surface features. The near side, which is what we can see from Earth, appears in the dark gray regions at the top of this image.
The X-48C Hybrid Wing Body aircraft flew over Rogers Dry Lake on Feb. 28, 2013, from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA. The long boom protruding from between the tails was part of the aircraft's parachute-deployment flight termination system.
Cleveland’s Terminal Tower as seen from Public Square was lit up “Mars Red” leading up the Perseverance Rover’s arrival on Mars Wednesday night February 18th and Thursday morning.
STS-43 Earth observation taken aboard Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, captures the Earth's limb at sunrise with unusual cloud patterns silhouetted by the sunlight and rising into the terminator lines.
Cleveland’s Terminal Tower as seen from Voinovich Bicentennial Park was lit up “Mars Red” leading up the Perseverance Rover’s arrival on Mars Wednesday night February 18th and Thursday morning.
Members of the Artemis launch team participate in the Artemis II Terminal Count Simulation #11 inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. The simulations go through launch day scenarios to help launch team members test software and make adjustments if needed during countdown operations. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration through Artemis.
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director, Exploration Ground Systems at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, participates in the Artemis II Terminal Count Simulation #11 inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. The simulations go through launch day scenarios to help launch team members test software and make adjustments if needed during countdown operations. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration through Artemis.
Members of the Artemis launch team participate in the Artemis II Terminal Count Simulation #11 inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. The simulations go through launch day scenarios to help launch team members test software and make adjustments if needed during countdown operations. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration through Artemis.
Mari Forrestel, Artemis launch director technical assistant, Exploration Ground Systems at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, participates in the Artemis II Terminal Count Simulation #11 inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. The simulations go through launch day scenarios to help launch team members test software and make adjustments if needed during countdown operations. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration through Artemis.
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director, Exploration Ground Systems at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, participates in the Artemis II Terminal Count Simulation #11 inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. The simulations go through launch day scenarios to help launch team members test software and make adjustments if needed during countdown operations. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration through Artemis.
Members of the Artemis launch team participate in the Artemis II Terminal Count Simulation #11 inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. The simulations go through launch day scenarios to help launch team members test software and make adjustments if needed during countdown operations. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration through Artemis.
Members of the Artemis II launch team, including personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems and contractor Jacobs, monitor activities during the Artemis II terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis II, the first mission with astronauts under Artemis that will test and check out all of the Orion spacecraft’s systems needed for future crewed missions.
Members of the Artemis II launch team, including personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems and contractor Jacobs, monitor activities during the Artemis II terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis II, the first mission with astronauts under Artemis that will test and check out all of the Orion spacecraft’s systems needed for future crewed missions.
Members of the Artemis II launch team, including personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems and contractor Jacobs, monitor activities during the Artemis II terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis II, the first mission with astronauts under Artemis that will test and check out all of the Orion spacecraft’s systems needed for future crewed missions.
Members of the Artemis II launch team, including personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems and contractor Jacobs, monitor activities during the Artemis II terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis II, the first mission with astronauts under Artemis that will test and check out all of the Orion spacecraft’s systems needed for future crewed missions.
Members of the Artemis II launch team, including personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems and contractor Jacobs, monitor activities during the Artemis II terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis II, the first mission with astronauts under Artemis that will test and check out all of the Orion spacecraft’s systems needed for future crewed missions.
ISS029-E-006855 (18 Sept. 2011) --- This is one of a series of night time images photographed by one of the Expedition 29 crew members from the International Space Station. It features airglow, Earth?s terminator and parts of the Central Pacific Ocean. Nadir coordinates are 10.11 degrees north latitude and 169.92 degrees west longitude.
NASA Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson makes notes at her console in Firing Room 1 at the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Control Center during a terminal countdown demonstration for Exploration Mission 1, or EM-1. The launch will be the first integrated test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft that will eventually take astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit to destinations such as the Moon and Mars. Taking place on Dec. 14, 2018, the countdown demonstration was intended to validate the launch team's capability to perform an EM-1 countdown and respond to challenges put into the system for practice.
An overall view of Firing Room 1 at the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Control Center shows the launch team at work during a terminal countdown demonstration for Exploration Mission 1, or EM-1. The launch will be the first integrated test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft that will eventually take astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit to destinations such as the Moon and Mars. Taking place on Dec. 14, 2018, the countdown demonstration was intended to validate the launch team's capability to perform an EM-1 countdown and respond to challenges put into the system for practice.
NASA Artemis Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, left, and Assistant Artemis Launch Director Jeremy Graeber monitor activities during the Artemis II terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. Members of the Artemis II launch team include personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems and contractor Jacobs. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis II, the first mission with astronauts under Artemis that will test and check out all of the Orion spacecraft’s systems needed for future crewed missions.
NASA Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson looks out over Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during a terminal countdown demonstration for Exploration Mission 1, or EM-1, on Dec. 14, 2018. The launch will be the first integrated test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft that will eventually take astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit to destinations such as the Moon and Mars. The countdown demonstration was intended to validate the launch team's capability to perform an EM-1 countdown and respond to challenges put into the system for practice.
NASA Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson stands next to her console in Firing Room 1 at the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Control Center during a terminal countdown demonstration for Exploration Mission 1, or EM-1. The launch will be the first integrated test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft that will eventually take astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit to destinations such as the Moon and Mars. Taking place on Dec. 14, 2018, the countdown demonstration was intended to validate the launch team's capability to perform an EM-1 countdown and respond to challenges put into the system for practice.
NASA Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson stands next to her console in Firing Room 1 at the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Control Center during a terminal countdown demonstration for Exploration Mission 1, or EM-1. The launch will be the first integrated test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft that will eventually take astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit to destinations such as the Moon and Mars. Taking place on Dec. 14, 2018, the countdown demonstration was intended to validate the launch team's capability to perform an EM-1 countdown and respond to challenges put into the system for practice.
Michael Guzman, an umbilical engineer, monitors his console in Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, during a terminal countdown demonstration for Exploration Mission 1, or EM-1, on Dec. 14, 2018. The launch will be the first integrated test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft that will eventually take astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit to destinations such as the Moon and Mars. The countdown demonstration was intended to validate the launch team's capability to perform an EM-1 countdown and respond to challenges put into the system for practice.
Members of NASA’s mission management team, launch team, and contractor Jacobs participate in the 11th terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis I launch inside Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center on Oct. 14, 2021. It marked the first time these teams conducted the simulation together. During Artemis I, the agency’s Orion spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy aboard NASA’s most powerful rocket – the Space Launch System – to fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. Through NASA’s Artemis missions, the agency, along with commercial and international partners, will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.
NASA Artemis Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, left, and Assistant Artemis Launch Director Jeremy Graeber monitor activities during the Artemis II terminal countdown simulation inside Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023. Members of the Artemis II launch team include personnel with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems and contractor Jacobs. This is part of a series of simulations to help the team prepare for the launch of Artemis II, the first mission with astronauts under Artemis that will test and check out all of the Orion spacecraft’s systems needed for future crewed missions.
Members of Artemis I imagery console participate in the 11th terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis I launch inside Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center on Oct. 14, 2021. It marked the first time NASA’s mission management team, launch team, and contractor Jacobs conducted the simulation together. During Artemis I, the agency’s Orion spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy aboard NASA’s most powerful rocket – the Space Launch System – to fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. Through NASA’s Artemis missions, the agency, along with commercial and international partners, will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.
Members of NASA’s mission management team, launch team, and contractor Jacobs participate in the 11th terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis I launch inside Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center on Oct. 14, 2021. It marked the first time these teams conducted the simulation together. During Artemis I, the agency’s Orion spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy aboard NASA’s most powerful rocket – the Space Launch System – to fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. Through NASA’s Artemis missions, the agency, along with commercial and international partners, will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.
Members of NASA’s mission management team, launch team, and contractor Jacobs participate in the 11th terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis I launch inside Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center on Oct. 14, 2021. It marked the first time these two teams conducted the simulation together. During Artemis I, the agency’s Orion spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy aboard NASA’s most powerful rocket – the Space Launch System – to fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. Through NASA’s Artemis missions, the agency, along with commercial and international partners, will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.
Mark Tripp, center, monitors his console in Firing Room 1 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, during a terminal countdown demonstration for Exploration Mission 1, or EM-1, on Dec. 14, 2018. The launch will be the first integrated test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft that will eventually take astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit to destinations such as the Moon and Mars. The countdown demonstration was intended to validate the launch team's capability to perform an EM-1 countdown and respond to challenges put into the system for practice.
This vehicle served as a mobile terminal for the Communications Technology Satellite. The Communications Technology Satellite was an experimental communications satellite launched in January 1976 by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Canadian Department of Communications. The satellite operated in a new frequency band reserved for broadcast satellites with transmitting power levels that were 10 to 20 times higher than those of contemporary satellites. Throughout 1977 and 1978 NASA allowed qualified groups to utilize the satellite from one of the three ground-based transmission centers. NASA’s Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio was NASA’s lead center on the project. Lewis was responsible for the control and coordination of all US experiments on the satellite. The center housed the satellite’s main control center which included eight parabolic reflector antennae ranging from 2 to 15 feet in diameter. Many of the satellite’s components had been tested in simulated space conditions at Lewis. The Lewis-designed vehicle seen here served as a field unit for transmitting and receiving wideband signals and narrowband voice. The vehicle permitted live television interviews, recording equipment, and cameras. An 8-foot diameter parabolic reflector was mounted on the roof. The interior of the vehicle had workstations, monitors, transmitting equipment, and a lounge area.
Mike Bolger, manager, Exploration Ground Systems, participates in the 11th terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis I launch inside Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center on Oct. 14, 2021. The event marked the first time members of NASA’s mission management team, launch team, and contractor Jacobs conducted the simulation together. During Artemis I, the agency’s Orion spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy aboard NASA’s most powerful rocket – the Space Launch System – to fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. Through NASA’s Artemis missions, the agency, along with commercial and international partners, will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.
Mike Bolger; front; manager; NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems; and Chris Cianciola; NASA’s Space Launch System Program deputy manager at Marshall Space Flight Center; participate in the 11th terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis I launch inside Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center on Oct. 14; 2021. The event marked the first time members of NASA’s mission management team; launch team; and contractor Jacobs conducted the simulation together. During Artemis I; the agency’s Orion spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy aboard NASA’s most powerful rocket – the Space Launch System – to fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. Through NASA’s Artemis missions; the agency; along with commercial and international partners; will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis launch director, Exploration Ground Systems, participates an Artemis II Terminal Count Simulation in Firing Room 1 inside the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. Teams practiced running through the last hours of launch countdown as part of an integrated ground systems test the Exploration Ground Systems team is undergoing to prepare for Artemis II. This particular operation focused on testing the updated launch control system software the Artemis launch team uses to launch the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration through Artemis.
Melissa Jones, Landing and Recovery director, NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems, participates in the 11th terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis I launch inside Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center on Oct. 14, 2021. The event marked the first time members of NASA’s mission management team, launch team, and contractor Jacobs conducted the simulation together. During Artemis I, the agency’s Orion spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy aboard NASA’s most powerful rocket – the Space Launch System – to fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. Through NASA’s Artemis missions, the agency, along with commercial and international partners, will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.
Members of the Artemis launch team participate in an Artemis II Terminal Count Simulation in Firing Room 1 inside the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. Teams practiced running through the last hours of launch countdown as part of an integrated ground systems test the Exploration Ground Systems team is undergoing to prepare for Artemis II. This particular operation focused on testing the updated launch control system software the Artemis launch team uses to launch the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration through Artemis.
From left, Scott Cieslak, NASA umbilical operations and testing technical lead, and Elliot Payne, arms & umbilical systems and optics engineer for contractor Jacobs, participate in the 11th terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis I launch inside Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center on Oct. 14, 2021. The event marked the first time members of NASA’s mission management team, launch team, and Jacobs conducted the simulation together. During Artemis I, the agency’s Orion spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy aboard NASA’s most powerful rocket – the Space Launch System – to fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. Through NASA’s Artemis missions, the agency, along with commercial and international partners, will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, launch director, Exploration Ground Systems, participates in the 11th terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis I launch inside Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center on Oct. 14, 2021. The event marked the first time members of NASA’s mission management team, launch team, and contractor Jacobs conducted the simulation together. During Artemis I, the agency’s Orion spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy aboard NASA’s most powerful rocket – the Space Launch System – to fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. Through NASA’s Artemis missions, the agency, along with commercial and international partners, will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.
Dr. Sharmi Watkins, Artemis I deputy chief medical officer, participates in the 11th terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis I launch inside Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center on Oct. 14, 2021. The event marked the first time members of NASA’s mission management team, launch team, and contractor Jacobs conducted the simulation together. During Artemis I, the agency’s Orion spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy aboard NASA’s most powerful rocket – the Space Launch System – to fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. Through NASA’s Artemis missions, the agency, along with commercial and international partners, will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.
Members of the Artemis launch team participate in an Artemis II Terminal Count Simulation in Firing Room 1 inside the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. Teams practiced running through the last hours of launch countdown as part of an integrated ground systems test the Exploration Ground Systems team is undergoing to prepare for Artemis II. This particular operation focused on testing the updated launch control system software the Artemis launch team uses to launch the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration through Artemis.
Members of the Artemis launch team participate in an Artemis II Terminal Count Simulation in Firing Room 1 inside the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. Teams practiced running through the last hours of launch countdown as part of an integrated ground systems test the Exploration Ground Systems team is undergoing to prepare for Artemis II. This particular operation focused on testing the updated launch control system software the Artemis launch team uses to launch the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft. Four astronauts will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence for science and exploration through Artemis.
Dr. Sharmi Watkins, Artemis I deputy chief medical officer, participates in the 11th terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis I launch inside Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center on Oct. 14, 2021. The event marked the first time members of NASA’s mission management team, launch team, and contractor Jacobs conducted the simulation together. During Artemis I, the agency’s Orion spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy aboard NASA’s most powerful rocket – the Space Launch System – to fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. Through NASA’s Artemis missions, the agency, along with commercial and international partners, will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.
From left, Beverly Case, handling, mechanics & structures engineer for contractor Jacobs, and David Valletta, NASA ignition overpressure protection and sound suppression engineer, participate in the 11th terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis I launch inside Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center on Oct. 14, 2021. The event marked the first time members of NASA’s mission management team, launch team, and Jacobs conducted the simulation together. During Artemis I, the agency’s Orion spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy aboard NASA’s most powerful rocket – the Space Launch System – to fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. Through NASA’s Artemis missions, the agency, along with commercial and international partners, will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.
From left, John Kracsun and Keith Lawton, test conductors for contractor Jacobs, and Melissa Jones, Landing and Recovery director, NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems, participate in the 11th terminal countdown simulation for the Artemis I launch inside Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Control Center on Oct. 14, 2021. The event marked the first time members of NASA’s mission management team, launch team, and Jacobs conducted the simulation together. During Artemis I, the agency’s Orion spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy aboard NASA’s most powerful rocket – the Space Launch System – to fly farther than any spacecraft built for humans has ever flown. Through NASA’s Artemis missions, the agency, along with commercial and international partners, will establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon to prepare for missions to Mars.