Prototypes of the VITAL ventilator, designed and tested NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in just 37 days to address the needs of COVID-19 patients. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA24034

A front-facing portrait of VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally), a ventilator designed and built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23775

Some of the dozens of engineers involved in creating a ventilator prototype specially targeted to coronavirus disease patients at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Called VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally), the prototype was created in 37 days in March and April 2020. Left to right, standing: Shaunessy Grant, Michael Johnson, Dave Van Buren, Michelle Easter. Left to right, kneeling: Brandon Metz, Patrick Degrosse. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23891

After testing a ventilator prototype developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, doctors in the Department of Anesthesiology and the Human Simulation Lab at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City give a thumbs up. Developed in response to the coronavirus outbreak, the device, called VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally), requires far fewer parts than traditional ventilators, making it cheaper to build and ideal for rapid manufacture. Lying on the bed is a human patient simulator used to test the device. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23772

Engineers more accustomed to building spacecraft than medical devices worked on a prototype ventilator for coronavirus patients at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California in March and April of 2020. VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally) is designed to be faster to build and easier to maintain than traditional ventilators, with a fraction of the parts. The VITAL team at JPL created their prototype in 37 days. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23715

Some of the dozens of engineers involved in creating a ventilator prototype specially targeted to coronavirus disease patients at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Called VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally), the prototype was created in 37 days in March and April 2020. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23713

This image shows the ventilator prototype for coronavirus patients designed and built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally) is designed to be faster to build and easier to maintain than traditional ventilators, with a fraction of the parts. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23714

Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California prepare to ship a prototype ventilator for coronavirus patients to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally) is designed to be faster to build and easier to maintain than traditional ventilators, with a fraction of the parts. JPL engineers created the prototype specially targeted at COVID-19 patients in 37 days in March and April 2020. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23716

A spacecraft technician inspected the vital robotic arm of NASA Phoenix Mars Lander during the assembly phase of the mission

NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter was delivered in two large containers from Lockheed Martin to Cape Canaveral on an Air Force C-17 cargo plane.

Ground-based astronomers will be playing a vital role in NASA Juno mission. Images from the amateur astronomy community are needed to help the JunoCam instrument team predict what features will be visible when the camera images are taken.

Ground-based astronomers will be playing a vital role in NASA Juno mission. Images from the amateur astronomy community are needed to help the JunoCam instrument team predict what features will be visible when the camera images are taken.

The subscale Prandtl-D 3C glider, carrying a pressure system developed and integrated by students, successfully flies at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Abbigail Waddell and Nathaniel Boisjolie-Gair test a pressure system they and other students developed for the subscale Prandtl-D 3C glider.

A pair of weather instruments built at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California captured images of Hurricane Idalia as the storm approached the Gulf Coast of Florida on Aug. 29, 2023. COWVR (short for Compact Ocean Wind Vector Radiometer) and TEMPEST (Temporal Experiment for Storms and Tropical Systems) observe the planet's atmosphere and surface from aboard the International Space Station, which passed in low Earth orbit over this area at about 11:34 a.m. EDT. Idalia was forecast to make landfall in Florida on Aug. 30. This image combines microwave emissions measurements from both COWVR and TEMPEST. White sections indicate the presence of clouds. Green portions indicate rain. Yellow, red, and black indicate where air and water vapor were moving most vigorously. Idalia's center is seen about 200 miles (322 kilometers) west of the Florida Keys, and rainfall is indicated on the western end of Cuba. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA25569

Deborah Jackson integrates a pressure system she and other students developed for the subscale Prandtl-D 3C glider.

A pair of weather instruments built at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California captured images of Hurricane Franklin as the Category 4 storm moved off the East Coast of the United States on Aug. 29, 2023. COWVR (short for Compact Ocean Wind Vector Radiometer) and TEMPEST (Temporal Experiment for Storms and Tropical Systems) observe the planet's atmosphere and surface from aboard the International Space Station, which passed in low Earth orbit over the storm at about 9:58 a.m. EDT. This image combines microwave emissions measurements from both COWVR and TEMPEST. White sections indicate the presence of clouds. Green portions indicate rain. Yellow, red, and black indicate where air and water vapor were moving most vigorously. Franklin's center is seen about 700 miles (1,127 kilometers) east of Jacksonville, Florida, over the Atlantic Ocean. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA25870

Deborah Jackson, Al Bowers and Abbigail Waddell successfully launch the subscale Prandtl-D 3C glider.

Vital Signs: Taking the Pulse of Our Planet - Annual NASA reception and lecture hosted by the National Air and Space Museum and Sponsored by the Maryland Space Business Roundtable

The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station in lunar orbit as a vital component of the Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for humans to Mars.

The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station in lunar orbit as a vital component of the Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for humans to Mars.

The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station in lunar orbit as a vital component of the Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for humans to Mars.

The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station in lunar orbit as a vital component of the Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for humans to Mars.

This infographic shows each element of Gateway, humanity's first space station in lunar orbit as a vital component of the Artemis missions to return to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart the path for the first human missions to Mars.

The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station in lunar orbit as a vital component of the Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for humans to Mars.

The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station in lunar orbit as a vital component of the Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for humans to Mars.

The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station in lunar orbit as a vital component of the Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for humans to Mars.

The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station in lunar orbit as a vital component of the Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for humans to Mars.

The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station in lunar orbit as a vital component of the Artemis missions to return humans to the Moon for scientific discovery and chart a path for humans to Mars.

MICHAEL SNYDER, DIRECTOR OF R&D AND LEAD ENGINEER FOR MADE IN SPACE, SHOWS A CAD RENDERING OF A VITAL COMPONENT OF THE 3D PRINTER HEADED FOR THE ISS DURING TESTING AT MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER.-

Lockheed Martin spacecraft specialists check the cruise stage of NASA's InSight spacecraft in this photo taken June 22, 2017, in a Lockheed Martin clean room facility in Littleton, Colorado. The cruise stage will provide vital functions during the flight from Earth to Mars, and then will be jettisoned before the InSight lander, enclosed in its aeroshell, enters Mars' atmosphere. The InSight mission (for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport) is scheduled to launch in May 2018 and land on Mars Nov. 26, 2018. It will investigate processes that formed and shaped Mars and will help scientists better understand the evolution of our inner solar system's rocky planets, including Earth. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21845

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

Leslie Smith, Systems Engineer, poses with an additive manufactured small combustion chamber, and poster she designed, of the Payload Interface Adapter (PIA) trade study that depicts four different concepts. The PIA is vital in helping transport various payloads to Beyond Earth Orbit.

NASA ground and maintenance crews prepare the F/A-18 research aircraft for a supersonic research flight off the coast of Galveston, Texas in support of the QSF18 flight campaign. These crews are vital to making sure the aircraft is ready to operate safely and efficiently for NASA’s research.

iss073e0983013 (Oct. 21, 2025) --- The Taiwan Strait separates the eastern coast of China’s Fujian Province (right) from the island nation of Taiwan (lower left) in this photograph taken from the International Space Station as it orbited 257 miles above Earth. The strait is a vital waterway in East Asia, supporting the fishing, shipping, and communications industries.

A supermoon rises over Huntsville, Alabama, home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Aug. 19. Visible through Wednesday, Aug. 21, the full Moon is both a supermoon and a Blue Moon. Supermoons are the biggest and brightest full Moons of the year because the Moon is within 90% of its closest point to Earth. While not blue in color, the third full Moon in a season with four full Moons is called a “Blue Moon.” Huntsville is known as the “Rocket City” because of its proximity to NASA Marshall, which manages vital propulsion systems and hardware, launch vehicles, engineering technologies, and cutting-edge science for the agency.

A supermoon rises over Huntsville, Alabama, home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Aug. 19. Visible through Wednesday, Aug. 21, the full Moon is both a supermoon and a Blue Moon. Supermoons are the biggest and brightest full Moons of the year because the Moon is within 90% of its closest point to Earth. While not blue in color, the third full Moon in a season with four full Moons is called a “Blue Moon.” Huntsville is known as the “Rocket City” because of its proximity to NASA Marshall, which manages vital propulsion systems and hardware, launch vehicles, engineering technologies, and cutting-edge science for the agency.

A supermoon rises over Huntsville, Alabama, home to NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Aug. 19. Visible through Wednesday, Aug. 21, the full Moon is both a supermoon and a Blue Moon. Supermoons are the biggest and brightest full Moons of the year because the Moon is within 90% of its closest point to Earth. While not blue in color, the third full Moon in a season with four full Moons is called a “Blue Moon.” Huntsville is known as the “Rocket City” because of its proximity to NASA Marshall, which manages vital propulsion systems and hardware, launch vehicles, engineering technologies, and cutting-edge science for the agency.

The Gateway space station will be humanity's first space station around the Moon as a vital component of the Artemis missions to return humans to the lunar surface for scientific discovery and chart the path for the first human missions to Mars. Astronauts on Gateway will be the first humans to call deep space home during missions where they will use Gateway to conduct science and prepare for lunar surface missions.

This cutaway of the Saturn I S-IV stage (second stage) illustrates the booster's components. Powered by six RL-10 engines, the S-IV stage was capable of producing 90,000 pounds of thrust. Development of the Saturn S-IV stage by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) contributed many technological breakthroughs vital to the success of the Apollo lunar program, including the use of liquid hydrogen as a propellant.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, catenary wires are being suspended from the lighting masts on the lightning towers. The catenary wire system under development for the Constellation Program’s next-generation vehicles will significantly increase the shielding level, providing better protection, and further separate the electrical current from vital launch hardware. The system will help avoid delays to the launch schedule by collecting more information on the strike for analysis by launch managers. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, catenary wires are being suspended from the lighting masts on the lightning towers. The catenary wire system under development for the Constellation Program’s next-generation vehicles will significantly increase the shielding level, providing better protection, and further separate the electrical current from vital launch hardware. The system will help avoid delays to the launch schedule by collecting more information on the strike for analysis by launch managers. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

This drawing illustrates the vital dimensions of the A-4 (Aggregate-4). Later renamed the V-2 (Vengeance Weapon-2), the rocket was developed by Dr. Wernher von Braun and the German rocket team at Peenemuende, Germany on the Baltic Sea. At the end of World War II, the team of German engineers and scientists came to the United States and continued rocket research for the Army at Fort Bliss, Texas, and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.

Malic Enzyme is a target protein for drug design because it is a key protein in the life cycle of intestinal parasites. After 2 years of effort on Earth, investigators were unable to produce any crystals that were of high enough quality and for this reason the structure of this important protein could not be determined. Crystals obtained from one STS-50 were of superior quality allowing the structure to be determined. This is just one example why access to space is so vital for these studies. Principal Investigator is Larry DeLucas.

iss073e0768775 (Sept. 26, 2025) --- The Nile River (top) winds through Egypt, which is separated from Saudi Arabia by the Red Sea. The Red Sea branches into two gulfs: the Gulf of Suez, which leads to the Suez Canal—a strategic and economically vital waterway—and the Gulf of Aqaba. The International Space Station was orbiting 257 miles above the Middle East when this photograph was taken.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, catenary wires are being suspended from the lighting masts on the lightning towers. The catenary wire system under development for the Constellation Program’s next-generation vehicles will significantly increase the shielding level, providing better protection, and further separate the electrical current from vital launch hardware. The system will help avoid delays to the launch schedule by collecting more information on the strike for analysis by launch managers. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- To start the new year, Joyce M. Riquelme from Kennedy's Center Planning and Development Office discusses the space center's direction with TV news reporter Greg Pallone of Channel 13 in Orlando.The office's purpose is to develop the world’s premier spaceport, meeting government and commercial space industry needs through comprehensive resource planning and the formation of partnerships to ensure the economic vitality of Kennedy Space Center. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

This computer graphic depicts the relative complexity of crystallizing large proteins in order to study their structures through x-ray crystallography. Insulin is a vital protein whose structure has several subtle points that scientists are still trying to determine. Large molecules such as insuline are complex with structures that are comparatively difficult to understand. For comparison, a sugar molecule (which many people have grown as hard crystals in science glass) and a water molecule are shown. These images were produced with the Macmolecule program. Photo credit: NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, catenary wires are being suspended from the lighting masts on the lightning towers. The catenary wire system under development for the Constellation Program’s next-generation vehicles will significantly increase the shielding level, providing better protection, and further separate the electrical current from vital launch hardware. The system will help avoid delays to the launch schedule by collecting more information on the strike for analysis by launch managers. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

Joey Hudy demonstrates his Intel Galileo-based 10x10x10 LED Cube during the first ever White House Maker Faire which brings together students, entrepreneurs, and everyday citizens who are using new tools and techniques to launch new businesses, learn vital skills in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and fuel the renaissance in American manufacturing, at the White House, Wednesday, June 18, 2014 in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

This is an artist's rendition of the InSight lander. InSight is short for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport. InSight is a Mars mission, but it's more than a Mars mission. The lander seeks the fingerprints of the processes that formed the rocky planets of the solar system, more than 4 billion years ago. It measures the planet's "vital signs:" its "pulse" (seismology), "temperature" (heat flow) and "reflexes" (precision tracking). https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22229

Less interested in the scientific fundamentals of rocketry, many writers of popular literature and science fiction discovered one of the most vital elements in the formula for space travel, a fertile imagination. Under the impression that the sun "draws up" dewdrops, Cyrano de Bergerac suggested fancifully that one might fly by trapping dew in bottles, strapping the bottles to oneself, and standing in sunlight.

NASA Administrator Charle Bolden, Dr. John Grunsfeld, Dr. Piers Sellers, Goddard Center Director Chris Scolese and MSBR president Ms. Yang hold a meet and greet with Wounded Warriors from Fort Belvoir, MSBR Final Frontier Students and STEM Partners from Summer of Innovation local camps at Vital Signs: Taking the Pulse of Our Planet - Annual NASA reception and lecture hosted by the National Air and Space Museum and Sponsored by the Maryland Space Business Roundtable

This view depicts engineers conducting a system test on the Saturn V instrument unit (IU) at International Business Machines (IBM) in Huntsville, Alabama. IBM is a prime contractor for development and fabrication of the IU. The IU is vital to the proper flight of the vehicle. It contains navigation, guidance, control, and sequencing equipment for the launch vehicle. Three-feet tall, twenty-one feet in diameter, and weighing about 4,000 pounds, the IU is mounted atop the S-IVB (third) stage, between the S-IVB stage and the Apollo spacecraft.

Salalah is the second largest city in the Sultanate of Oman, located in the far southern tip of the country. Salalah reached its peak in the 13th century, thanks to the trade in frankincense and myrrh. From 1932 to 1970, it was the capital of the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman. The Port of Salalah is one of the most vital on the Arabian Peninsula. The image was acquired October 15, 2016, covers an area of 47 by 49 km, and is located at 17.1 north, 54.1 east. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21803

NASA Administrator Charle Bolden, Dr. John Grunsfeld, Dr. Piers Sellers, Goddard Center Director Chris Scolese and MSBR president Ms. Yang hold a meet and greet with Wounded Warriors from Fort Belvoir, MSBR Final Frontier Students and STEM Partners from Summer of Innovation local camps at Vital Signs: Taking the Pulse of Our Planet - Annual NASA reception and lecture hosted by the National Air and Space Museum and Sponsored by the Maryland Space Business Roundtable

This is a view of the Saturn V instrument unit (IU) being manufactured in the east high bay at International Business Machines (IBM) in Huntsville, Alabama. IBM is a prime contractor for development and fabrication of the IU. The IU is vital to the proper flight of the vehicle. It contains navigation, guidance, control, and sequencing equipment for the launch vehicle. Three feet tall, twenty-one feet in diameter, and weighing about 4,000 pounds, the IU is mounted atop the S-IVB (third) stage, between the S-IVB stage and the Apollo spacecraft.

ISS049-S-001 --- The Expedition 49 patch shows the International Space Station (ISS) coming into view over an aurora extending past Earth’s horizon. This depiction emphasizes the benefits to Earth of research conducted on the ISS as well as the global nature of the international partnerships vital to this endeavor. The green hue in the aurora is symbolic of life on our home planet. The crew of Expedition 49 will be working “Off the Earth, for the Earth.”

In this photograph, a skylab-4 astronaut performs Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA) outside of the lab. The third crew (Skylab-4) spent 84 days in the orbiting laboratory. The solar observatory was designed for full exposure to the Sun throughout most of the Skylab mission. Solar energy was transformed into electrical power for operation of all spacecraft systems. The proper operation of these solar arrays was vital to the mission.

This photograph shows the evolution of the bungee tool as it went from a simple, 3D-printed object to an increasingly refined tool designed to save astronauts time when they work with the bungee system in the Veggie plant chamber aboard the International Space Station. The bungee tool is utilized to manipulate the bungee cords that help secure vital parts of plant experiments on the orbiting laboratory.

NASA Administrator Charle Bolden, Dr. John Grunsfeld, Dr. Piers Sellers, Goddard Center Director Chris Scolese and MSBR president Ms. Yang hold a meet and greet with Wounded Warriors from Fort Belvoir, MSBR Final Frontier Students and STEM Partners from Summer of Innovation local camps at Vital Signs: Taking the Pulse of Our Planet - Annual NASA reception and lecture hosted by the National Air and Space Museum and Sponsored by the Maryland Space Business Roundtable

This striking image of Skylab was photographed by Astronaut Jack Lousma (Skylab-3), as the second crew reached the orbiting laboratory over the delta of the mighty Amazon River. Skylab's solar arrays were exposed directly to the Sun's rays. Solar energy was transformed into electrical power for operation of all spacecraft systems. The proper operation of these solar arrays was vital to the mission.

iss058e003984 (1/16/2019) --- Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut David Saint-Jacques demonstrates the Bio-Monitor, a Canadian technology, which is utilized in the Autonomous Health Monitoring for Adaption Assessment on Long Range Missions Using Big Data Analytic.(Space Health) study. The innovative smart shirt system captures the astronauts' vital signs, and the data is used to assess the impact of spaceflight on the cardiovascular system. Image courtesy of CSA/NASA.

This 1968 cutaway drawing illustrates the Saturn IB launch vehicle with its two booster stages, the S-IB (first stage) and S-IVB (second stage), and provides the vital statistics in metric units. Developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) as an interim vehicle in MSFC's "building block" approach to the Saturn rocket development, the Saturn IB utilized Saturn I technology to further develop and refine the larger boosters and the Apollo spacecraft capabilities required for the marned lunar missions.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- To start the new year, Joyce M. Riquelme from Kennedy's Center Planning and Development Office discusses the space center's direction with TV news reporter Greg Pallone of Channel 13 in Orlando.The office's purpose is to develop the world’s premier spaceport, meeting government and commercial space industry needs through comprehensive resource planning and the formation of partnerships to ensure the economic vitality of Kennedy Space Center. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, catenary wires are being suspended from the lighting masts on the lightning towers. The catenary wire system under development for the Constellation Program’s next-generation vehicles will significantly increase the shielding level, providing better protection, and further separate the electrical current from vital launch hardware. The system will help avoid delays to the launch schedule by collecting more information on the strike for analysis by launch managers. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

This photograph was taken as the third crew (Skylab-4) departed the space station. The solar observatory was designed for full exposure to the Sun throughout most of the Skylab mission. Solar energy was transformed into electrical power for operation of all spacecraft systems. The proper operation of these solar arrays was vital to the mission. This Skylab in orbit view was taken by the Skylab-4 crew.

Tammy Long, NASA Communications, addresses the audience during a prelaunch news conference for the Lucy mission held inside the TV Auditorium at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 13, 2021. The mission is targeted to launch at 5:34 a.m. EDT Saturday, Oct. 16, on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, is managing the launch. Lucy is the first space mission to study the Trojan asteroids, which hold vital clues to the formation of our solar system.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Launch Pad 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the GOES-O and Delta IV upper stage stand erect after lowering of the lifting mechanism. GOES–O is one of a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites. The multi-mission GOES series N-P will be a vital contributor to weather, solar and space operations and science. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, are actively engaged in a cooperative program to expand the existing GOES system with the launch of the GOES N-P satellites. Launch of the GOES-O is targeted for no earlier than April 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The GOES-O/Delta IV second stage is being mated to the first stage in the Horizontal Integration Facility on Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. GOES–O is one of a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites. The multi-mission GOES series N-P will be a vital contributor to weather, solar and space operations and science. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, are actively engaged in a cooperative program to expand the existing GOES system with the launch of the GOES N-P satellites. Launch of the GOES-O is targeted for no earlier than April 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The GOES-O/Delta IV second stage is being mated to the first stage in the Horizontal Integration Facility on Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. GOES–O is one of a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites. The multi-mission GOES series N-P will be a vital contributor to weather, solar and space operations and science. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, are actively engaged in a cooperative program to expand the existing GOES system with the launch of the GOES N-P satellites. Launch of the GOES-O is targeted for no earlier than April 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

iss057e074544 (Nov. 9, 2018) --- European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Alexander Gerst configures the Light Microscopy Module (LMM) for the Advanced Colloids Experiment-Temperature-7 (ACE-T-7) experiment. ACE-T-7 involves the design and assembly of complex three-dimensional structures from small particles suspended within a fluid medium. These so-called “self-assembled colloidal structures”, are vital to the design of advanced optical materials and active devices. In the microgravity environment, insight is provided into the relation between particle shape and interparticle interactions on assembly structure and dynamics: fundamental issues in condensed matter science.

jsc2024e038397 (6/5/2024) --- Lysozyme crystals grown with Redwire’s PIL-BOX aboard the International Space Station. This image was taken after the crystals returned to Earth in April 2024. This protein, found in bodily fluids like tears, saliva, and milk, is used as a control compound to demonstrate well-formed crystals. Lysozyme plays a vital role in innate immunity, protecting against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The In-Space Production Application – Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory – 02 (InSPA-PIL-02) (ADSEP-PIL-02) investigation aims to study the effect of microgravity on various types of crystals production. Image courtesy of Redwire.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – One of two solid rocket boosters is lifted into the mobile service tower on Launch Pad 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It is the left rocket and it will be mated to the GOES-O Delta IV launch vehicle. GOES–O is one of a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites. The multi-mission GOES series N-P will be a vital contributor to weather, solar and space operations and science. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, are actively engaged in a cooperative program to expand the existing GOES system with the launch of the GOES N-P satellites. Launch of the GOES-O is targeted for no earlier than April 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The GOES-O/Delta IV second stage is being mated to the first stage in the Horizontal Integration Facility on Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. GOES–O is one of a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites. The multi-mission GOES series N-P will be a vital contributor to weather, solar and space operations and science. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, are actively engaged in a cooperative program to expand the existing GOES system with the launch of the GOES N-P satellites. Launch of the GOES-O is targeted for no earlier than April 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The truck carrying the second stage of a Delta IV rocket arrives inside the Horizontal Integration Facility on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The Delta IV will launch the GOES-O satellite from Launch Complex 37 late in 2008. GOES – O is one of a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites. The multimission GOES series N-P will be a vital contributor to weather, solar, and space operations and science. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, are actively engaged in a cooperative program to expand the existing GOES system with the launch of the GOES N-P satellites. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the GOES-O and Delta IV second stage roll toward Launch Pad 37. GOES–O is one of a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites. The multi-mission GOES series N-P will be a vital contributor to weather, solar and space operations and science. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, are actively engaged in a cooperative program to expand the existing GOES system with the launch of the GOES N-P satellites. Launch of the GOES-O is targeted for no earlier than April 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, workers ensure the GOES-O and Delta IV second stage are ready to leave the Horizontal Integration Facility for the launch pad. GOES-O is one of a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites. The multi-mission GOES series N-P will be a vital contributor to weather, solar and space operations and science. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, are actively engaged in a cooperative program to expand the existing GOES system with the launch of the GOES N-P satellites. Launch of the GOES-O is targeted for no earlier than April 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – On Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, the GOES-O and Delta IV second stage roll out of the Horizontal Integration Facility aboard a transporter. They are being moved to the launch pad. GOES–O is one of a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites. The multi-mission GOES series N-P will be a vital contributor to weather, solar and space operations and science. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, are actively engaged in a cooperative program to expand the existing GOES system with the launch of the GOES N-P satellites. Launch of the GOES-O is targeted for no earlier than April 2009. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

A prototype model of the Made In Space 3D printer is on display during the first ever White House Maker Faire which brings together students, entrepreneurs, and everyday citizens who are using new tools and techniques to launch new businesses, learn vital skills in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and fuel the renaissance in American manufacturing, at the White House, Wednesday, June 18, 2014 in Washington. The Made In Space 3D printer was just approved by NASA to be tested onboard the International Space Station (ISS), and NASA announced a challenge for students to design items that would be printed by this first 3D printer to fly in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- A replacement weather Doppler radar has been installed in the radome on top of this tower in a remote field located west of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The dome houses the rotating antenna and pedestal and protects them from the elements. The tower is 100 feet high; the radome is 22 feet in diameter, the antenna 14 feet in diameter. It rotates at 6 rpm. The structure can withstand 130 mph winds. It is undergoing initial testing and expected to become operational in the summer. The weather radar is essential in issuing lightning and other severe weather warnings and vital in evaluating lightning launch commit criteria for space shuttle and rocket launches. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

The Made In Space company displays some of the tools that can be made by their 3D printer during the first ever White House Maker Faire which brings together students, entrepreneurs, and everyday citizens who are using new tools and techniques to launch new businesses, learn vital skills in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and fuel the renaissance in American manufacturing, at the White House, Wednesday, June 18, 2014 in Washington. The Made In Space 3D printer was just approved by NASA to be tested onboard the International Space Station (ISS), and NASA announced a challenge for students to design items that would be printed by this first 3D printer to fly in space. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Omar Baez, Lucy Launch Director, NASA’s Launch Services Program, speaks during a prelaunch news conference for the Lucy mission held inside the TV Auditorium at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 13, 2021. The mission is targeted to launch at 5:34 a.m. EDT Saturday, Oct. 16, on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, is managing the launch. Lucy is the first space mission to study the Trojan asteroids, which hold vital clues to the formation of our solar system.